Rangers second and third rounders
2.62 - Tommy Mendonca, 3B, Fresno
3.93 - Robbie Erlin, LHP, CA HS
Mendonca is all power and strikeouts. Erlin fits the Kiker/Ross mold, smallish high school lefty with a good curve and respectable fastball.
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54 comments
Comments
Meh the mlb draft is so random I cna't get upset about marginal differences in 3rd/4th round picks
Though no these guys don’t impress me that much.
Scheppers made the draft no matter how it finishes.
the preceding post was a great success.
by DSheppard on Jun 9, 2009 10:27 PM CDT reply actions 0 recs
Yep
Scheppers was such a great nab in the supp that they probably just decided to go for someone they simply wanted and will sign fast in Mendonca for their 2nd rounder just to be sure he wasn’t taken by anyone else.
They made their splashes with 1 and 1a. Everything else will be just picking players the scouts liked.
Go Rice Owls!
by JBImaknee on Jun 10, 2009 9:06 AM CDT up reply actions 0 recs
Mendonca
“That third baseman…whew,” (Georgia coach Dave) Perno said. “His defense was just incredible. You can’t get anything past him. It’s almost like you have to game plan around his defense.”
"I saw your act, just didn't make it for me. Just a lot of fluff."
by scoop16 on Jun 9, 2009 10:34 PM CDT reply actions 0 recs
OT: Nellie Cruz Nickname
Was perusing every site known to man reading draft reactions and what not, and stumbled upon this little gem of a nickname at the ESPN Rangers Board if you can believe that. Hadn’t seen it used around these parts, but I haven’t been in GDTs so forgive me if this isn’t new:
NC-17
I used to shoot baskets
by SaltyDawg on Jun 9, 2009 10:38 PM CDT reply actions 0 recs
That was used as the Title of his 17th homer by either espn.com or mlb.com
by tyd3311 on Jun 9, 2009 10:39 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs
I knew there was no one that creative over there
Still like it though
I used to shoot baskets
by SaltyDawg on Jun 9, 2009 10:40 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs
his number is 17
"if my kid said 'uhh' that much, i would say, Hey! ... stop saying 'uhh' that much..." - dennis miller
by Longhorn on Jun 9, 2009 10:40 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs
Purke's slinging motion.
How different is it from Randy Johnson’s. I’m not implying any kind of comp, just that Randy’s slinging motion is unique and I don’t know how much risk it appeared to have for injury.
Wonderboy, what is the secret of your power? Wonderboy, won't you take me far away from the mucky-muck now. -- Tenacious D
by rooster on Jun 9, 2009 10:40 PM CDT reply actions 0 recs
It's very different in terms of the effort expended.
Johnson always looked like he was throwing hard, obviously, but never seemed to have a real effort-y delivery.
Purke’s got quite a bit of effort in there.
I’m scared of his mechanics, but he’s got a ton of talent. His arm is definitely worth the risk.
The 40 Trumps All!!!
Chris Davis will be fine. Relax.
by thedirkatron on Jun 9, 2009 10:51 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs
I see Randy as more of a whip arm action than a sling.
Purke could be more similar to Randy by dropping his arm angle and picking the ball up rather than starting it out toward 3B. Not that he has to look like Randy, but maybe some of those components would help him go from sling to whip (put less strain on his arm?).
Wonderboy, what is the secret of your power? Wonderboy, won't you take me far away from the mucky-muck now. -- Tenacious D
by rooster on Jun 9, 2009 11:12 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs
Purke and Scheppers, especially Scheppers, makes for a great day.
I don’t think the Rangers would pick a RP in the 1st supplemental round, but if they did, Scheppers could be in Frisco the day after he signs, or so it seems from the accounts of his fastball/powercurve.
Wonderboy, what is the secret of your power? Wonderboy, won't you take me far away from the mucky-muck now. -- Tenacious D
by rooster on Jun 9, 2009 10:42 PM CDT reply actions 0 recs
Scheppers is a starter until his health proves otherwise I think.
If they wanted to hurry him to Frisco, it would be as a starter.
I don’t think he signs until deadline day anyway.
by LiamP on Jun 9, 2009 10:48 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs
Yup on both counts.
He’ll start, but if they did for whatever reason want to stick him in the ‘pen, he’s got the sort of power arsenal that would move really, really fast.
The 40 Trumps All!!!
Chris Davis will be fine. Relax.
by thedirkatron on Jun 9, 2009 10:52 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs
Mendonca
from what i read, he made decent strides both with his contact and his defense this past year, and he obviously has some pop. i was okay with that pick, especially because every pick after scheppers was pretty much guaranteed to be slotty.
What is this, Horseville? Because I'm surrounded by naysayers.
by clark on Jun 9, 2009 10:51 PM CDT reply actions 0 recs
I've posted a free Q&A with Erlin for you guys
by JasonCole on Jun 9, 2009 11:02 PM CDT reply actions 0 recs
Thanks man
did you ask him how he expects coaches to distinguish between himself, Robbie Ross and Kasey Kiker?
"Hustle doesn't cost a dime and it looks good." - Pete Rose as Channeled by Marcus Lemon
by FirebatM3 on Jun 9, 2009 11:02 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs
He laughed when he said he and Robbie Ross were clones
I also told him he better expect to hear a lot of comparisons to Ross and Kiker.
by JasonCole on Jun 9, 2009 11:03 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs
Also
I had read some about Erlin being a plus-plus makeup guy prior to the draft, and I would agree with that assessment. Definitely comes across as well-grounded and intelligent, particularly for an 18-year-old.
by JasonCole on Jun 9, 2009 11:05 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs
He wanted to go to Cal Poly to major in Kinesiology
That’s pretty awesome. We shouldn’t have to worry about mechanics with him I guess.
by LiamP on Jun 9, 2009 11:17 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs
Thanks, Jason,
and the chat had lots of good tidbits, too.
G G G E-flat_______ F F F D__________....
by t ball on Jun 10, 2009 12:44 AM CDT up reply actions 0 recs
Awesome.
Good read.
Thanks.
The 40 Trumps All!!!
Chris Davis will be fine. Relax.
by thedirkatron on Jun 10, 2009 6:20 AM CDT up reply actions 0 recs
BA
Tommy Mendonca, Fresno State, B-T: L-R
Mendonca is well known to college baseball fans for his tremendous performance—offensively and defensively—in last year’s College World Series. He was the Most Outstanding Player in Fresno’s unlikely run to the title in Omaha, and he has been nearly as good this season. Mendonca can be streaky both offensively and defensively. At 6-foot-1 and 210 pounds, he has unique power from the left side and puts on one of the best batting practice exhibitions in college baseball. He’s a flyball hitter who looks to lift everything, and his opposite-field power is outstanding. On the 20-to-80 scouting scale, he already possesses 50 power, and projects to 60 raw power easily. He has a distinctive swing. He starts with his hands high, then drops them into an angled launch position. He can drive a ball out even if he doesn’t get all of it. In an early-season game at Loyola Marymount, he was slightly fooled by a changeup, got out front and under the ball but still lofted it out of the park. Scouts worry about the fundamentals of his swing, however. He comes close to locking or blocking his hands out front in an arm bar action, and he shows a weakness with offspeed stuff, setting a Division I record with 99 strikeouts last season. There are similar questions about his defense, where he looks fluid going to his left but not to his right, and his arm varies from cannon to squirt gun. He doesn’t run well. Still, the lure of Mendonca’s power bat and record of rising to the occasion will entice an organization to select him as early as the second round.
mormons stole me and held me against my will with Oklahoma beer and 12+ hour work days.
by Jayslick on Jun 9, 2009 11:36 PM CDT reply actions 0 recs
so two questions from that:
1) With some good hitting coaching, can his swing change to become less of a lift hitter and more of a line drive hitter?
2) How can you have a cannon and a squirt gun? Is that just consistency in setting his feet and following through? Can he change that outlook?
Oh – and what’s with going to your left very well but not your right? Aside from an injury or weakness in muscle on one side, what else would lead to that kind of a situation?
"Hang-Dai, Wu...Hang-Fu$&ing-Dai"
by Walter Sobchak on Jun 9, 2009 11:45 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs
Mad props to Z.
Double duty on the morning news blog and LSB and didn’t miss a step.
The CJ hate is getting old.
"We love Wash.....As a team, we want Wash as the head of that team." Hamilton
"The NFL made me undergo a psychiatric evaluation......Please. It was an accident. If I wanted to post a picture of my penis I wouldn't have been all hunched over."- Chris Cooley.
by sprite on Jun 9, 2009 11:56 PM CDT reply actions 0 recs
For assumption's sake...
Tanner Scheppers
Matt Purke
Guillermo Pimentel
Jurickson Profar (not that he really belongs, but still…)
Who’s the biggest ‘get’?
by N41D on Jun 10, 2009 12:11 AM CDT reply actions 0 recs
Schep, probably.
If you can't watch Holland and see that he's going to be awesome, you probably shouldn’t be watching baseball. - Section 339
by lonestarJon on Jun 10, 2009 12:14 AM CDT up reply actions 0 recs
He needs a better nickname
"Hustle doesn't cost a dime and it looks good." - Pete Rose as Channeled by Marcus Lemon
by FirebatM3 on Jun 10, 2009 12:15 AM CDT up reply actions 0 recs
If the Rangers sign Scheppers, Purke, Pimentel, and Profar, I will

"I dont care to debate with a troll." - Sharky
by RCCook on Jun 10, 2009 12:16 AM CDT up reply actions 0 recs
I like Schep.
If you can't watch Holland and see that he's going to be awesome, you probably shouldn’t be watching baseball. - Section 339
by lonestarJon on Jun 10, 2009 12:17 AM CDT up reply actions 0 recs
so blah
"Hustle doesn't cost a dime and it looks good." - Pete Rose as Channeled by Marcus Lemon
by FirebatM3 on Jun 10, 2009 12:18 AM CDT up reply actions 0 recs
Peppermint Scheppers?
If you can't watch Holland and see that he's going to be awesome, you probably shouldn’t be watching baseball. - Section 339
by lonestarJon on Jun 10, 2009 12:19 AM CDT up reply actions 0 recs
Or better yet, Peppermint Scheps
If you can't watch Holland and see that he's going to be awesome, you probably shouldn’t be watching baseball. - Section 339
by lonestarJon on Jun 10, 2009 12:23 AM CDT up reply actions 0 recs
Or just plain Scheps for short.
There we go.
If you can't watch Holland and see that he's going to be awesome, you probably shouldn’t be watching baseball. - Section 339
by lonestarJon on Jun 10, 2009 12:24 AM CDT up reply actions 0 recs
Schepps
The Dairy Best.
"I dont care to debate with a troll." - Sharky
by RCCook on Jun 10, 2009 12:26 AM CDT up reply actions 0 recs
Winner
Their slogan when you pull up their website is even “Delivering to you”.
Awesome.
If you can't watch Holland and see that he's going to be awesome, you probably shouldn’t be watching baseball. - Section 339
by lonestarJon on Jun 10, 2009 12:29 AM CDT up reply actions 0 recs
Full House
"I saw your act, just didn't make it for me. Just a lot of fluff."
by scoop16 on Jun 10, 2009 12:19 AM CDT up reply actions 0 recs
I tend to agree
Arlington, TX: home of The Blue Blur
by Brett Perryman on Jun 10, 2009 12:29 AM CDT up reply actions 0 recs
Because of where we got him, yah?
The 40 Trumps All!!!
Chris Davis will be fine. Relax.
by thedirkatron on Jun 10, 2009 6:21 AM CDT up reply actions 0 recs
Not sure
It may just be that he’s a few steps ahead developmentally. Pretty close for me, though. By the way, BA would put both of them ahead of Martin Perez on their top 100 right now.
Arlington, TX: home of The Blue Blur
by Brett Perryman on Jun 10, 2009 6:14 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs
That seems kinda crazy
considering the nasty things Perez is doing as a teenager in Hickory doesn’t it?
by Hull Fan on Jun 10, 2009 11:55 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs
I don't know about crazy
They’ve been a little hesitant to go with the notion that Perez is an elite pitching prospect. I think he probably is one myself, but while it’s pretty amazing that he’s done as well as he has in full season ball at age 18, he’s only pitching about four innings per game, and his numbers are good, not dominating.
Arlington, TX: home of The Blue Blur
by Brett Perryman on Jun 11, 2009 1:49 AM CDT up reply actions 0 recs
we need a draft day #2 thread
i’d create it but i’m on my way out the door.
What is this, Horseville? Because I'm surrounded by naysayers.
by clark on Jun 10, 2009 7:50 AM CDT reply actions 0 recs
Tommy Mendonca swing video
Go Rangers...don't suck...
by Kinslerhomer on Jun 10, 2009 8:55 AM CDT reply actions 0 recs
Thanks.
Looks like he generates his bat speed from his shoulders rather than driving his legs. That could cause him to pull his front side out too soon, leading to Ks, especially on breaking balls. If he learns to hit with his lower half, he could become a much more consistent hitter and he may even add some power.
Wonderboy, what is the secret of your power? Wonderboy, won't you take me far away from the mucky-muck now. -- Tenacious D
by rooster on Jun 10, 2009 9:10 AM CDT up reply actions 0 recs
You're right...
there’s not a whole lot going on in his lower half.
by Redcaps on Jun 10, 2009 10:06 AM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

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