Jeff Clement
Here’s a rundown on the Mariners first round selection Jeff Clement.
6′1, 210 lbs, bats left, throws right, catcher, University of Southern California
Tools Ratings (20-80 scale)
Hitting for Average: 50 (present), 60 (future)
Hitting for Power: 70 (present), 80 (future)
Throwing: 50 (present), 65 (future)
Fielding: 40 (present), 60 (future)
Running: 35 (present), 35 (future)
Strengths:
Extremely strong, powerful hitter with serious longball potential. Has a great eye and an approach at the plate. Can hit in the major leagues very soon. Improved defensively this year. Works hard. Smart kid.
Weaknesses:
Can be too selective at the plate. Isn’t extremely agile. Just average release. Not a great athlete. Doesn’t cover the entire plate as well as he could.
Overall:
If all goes well, he’s a middle of the order masher, Jason Varitek with more power offensively. The comparisons to Piazza are over the top, as baseball’s never had a catcher hit like Piazza in the history of the game. He’s not considered a great defensive catcher, but most people expect him to be able to stick behind the plate. Catchers are high risk selections, but the payoff could be huge. It’s a high risk, high reward selection, but the M’s have to be hoping that Clement is fighting for the team’s starting catching job by spring of 2007.
Comments
146 Responses to “Jeff Clement”
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Thanks, Dave (especially for the “expect to stick behind the plate” confirmation).
Next question: Any reports on how quickly he and the team are likely to work out a deal?
I really like this choice. Tulowitzki didn’t sound that exciting, and he didn’t seem like a huge upgrade over Adrusbal Cabrera. Our two biggest needs are a catcher and a middle of the order slugger. Clement fills both, and he can move quickly. I thought I’d be disapointed if we didn’t get Alex Gordon, but I actually feel really good about Clement.
I like Clement also, would have rather had Maybin, but Clement is also exciting.
Hope we sign him soon.
I’m pumped, man! I can’t wait to see a King Felix/Clement battery on opening day 2007! Of course assuming he plays well adjusting to wood bats in the minors.
I was sad when I heard that Gordon went #2, and was kinda upset when I heard we got Clement..but that was because I was thinking he was a right-handed hitter. Lefty power-hitting catcher who might be average defensively is more than enough as far as I’m concerned. Nice pick!
“Jason Varitek with more power offensively”
Sweet. But will he play in an M’s uniform before he’s traded away for a washed-up middle reliever?
So I wonder how long it will take to get him a check and get him playing ball. I’ll take a middle of the line up masher.
Does it seem like this pick came out of nowhere to anyone else? All the Seattle press on Tulo and making “A Safe Pick” (if there is such a thing) and the first I hear about him is here and today. Good job USSM.
Clement started gaining steam over the weekend. How the Times missed the buzz the past 24 hours and still wrote that Tulo was the likely pick this morning was beyond me. Not very well handled by those guys.
I’d expect the M’s to get him signed relatively quickly. They got Tui done in a couple of weeks last year, and I’d guess thats the longest the team will let this go. They might get it done by the end of this week.
How come no one ever comes out of Kent? It’s a fairly big city, been around since 1890, but even Renton has produced more players.
Dave..Thanks.As a strength you point out he is smart. Will that help learning to call a game? Learning his pitchers and opposing hitters. Can he develop to above average in calling a game?
Question: how many rounds of the draft are today?
My reaction to this pick, I have to admit, is being affected by points of marginal relevance. I don’t know that there are any major similarities between Clement (who I hoped we’d pick out of HS) and Eric Munson aside from the fact that both are former USC catchers who went #3 overall, but there’s still a linkage between the two in my mind. On the other hand, there’s also Roger Jongewaard talking about the last time we picked #3 and the fact that they went for the “safe” pick in Jose Cruz Jr. rather than taking a risk and going for a potential impact player (Kerry Wood)–which didn’t work out all that well, and had me wondering if Tulowitzki, as a “safe” pick, would have a similar major-league career. I guess, under the circumstances, I’m glad the M’s braintrust went for the home run; we’ll all just have to hope it works out. Certainly Clement has the potential.
I was really hoping they would grab a potential middle of the order masher, I am happy. A catcher with a good eye is a bonus.
Better pick then Mabarry Jr. would have been, and I think better the Tulowitzki also.
Has rthere been a catcher drafted this high by anyone since … Ben Davis (I had to mention him, soory).
His defense doesn’t look so hot. If his power is for real, he may end up make it at another position.
Sign him and play him. My anxiety has diminished.
Now I want to see him play (this weekend, Corvallis, OR). I’ll also get to see the Red Sox first pick, Jacoby Ellsbury (if I can pry myself away from the landscaping).
Last weekend it was Hanson and Zimmerman. Great baseball.
I don’t know if Kent is a bigger town now, but up to the 1970s at least Renton was bigger. Renton rivalled Bellevue as biggest Seattle suburb in Boeing’s heyday, if I recall correctly. Only 30,000 people or so, I’d guess, but a lot bigger than Kent was.
DMZ – No one wants to claim they’re from Kent. It’s a mark of a shame. It implies big hair, mullets and camaros.
Dave – Where do you think Clement will start out (level-wise), and where would you slot him on the Future 40?
good question conor
Inland Empire would be my guess. Everett’s not out of the question, though.
He’s probably an 8/7, a notch higher than the Tui/Jones/Cabrera trio.
Re #14: Eric Munson, #3 overall, Detroit, 1999.
No one wants to claim they’re from Kent. It’s a mark of a shame. It implies big hair, mullets and camaros.
Why would those things be a mark of shame?
Derek, Kentridge graduate
Here’s another scenario with Clement: Play him as designated hitter and back-up catcher, freeing another spot on the roster. It is the most obvious thing in the world that the Mariners needed a left-handed power bat ready for the majors in a year or two.
I like this pick. It would be nice to see the home team actually taking advantage of the RF porch as opposed to just Rafael Palmeiro. Tulowitzki seems like he might fall under the category of a right handed guy with average-above average power that gets eaten alive at Safeco. I’m tired of those. I guess I’m also hoping that at least one of the 5 legit SS prospects we already have pans out.
Even if Clement falls on his face at catcher, we can always plop him in at DH after Ibanez’s undistinguished run in Seattle comes to an end in a few years.
Hey #14,
Remember this guy named Mauer?
Let’s just hope Clement stays HEALTHY.
Fingers crossed that this isn’t Ryan Christianson II (although, Clement at least is out of college.)
Re #25–right, I’m an idiot.
I went to Kent Meridian.
Kent has been and continues to be a pretty nice place to live. One can actually drive around the city with relative ease compared to other areas. There are some very nice locales in which to live and go to school.
As far as I know, about the only place in WA state devoid of Cameros and mullets would be Capital Hill and I wouldn’t even bet on that.
How come no one ever comes out of Kent? It’s a fairly big city, been around since 1890, but even Renton has produced more players.
David Patton, an 11th round pick by the Rockies last year grew up in Kent right down the road from Kentridge (on 206th) before moving to Renton sometime around the beginning of high school.
KM… oooh, hated rivals. Second only to those uppity jerks at Kentwood with their new school.
Derek, I’m also a KR grad, class of ‘96. When were you there? Also, I know Shane Cronin (KR class of ‘95) was drafted by the Padres several years ago, but as of yet has not made it. Last check had him in AA ball in the Yankees system. Since ‘02 he’s fallen off the map. I know of other players at KR that were good in HS, but just weren’t projected ML quality. Very few scouts at most KR games (unless they were scouting someone on the other team).
#26
Just curious and completely off topic…is your name an homage to Iron Maiden?? Bravo if so.
The Indians get the steal of the first day in John Drennen at #33. The kid can rake.
OT: All the talk of Kent makes me think of the Almost Live sketch, ‘Cops in Kent’…good times.
More Clement info, from USC’s website:
http://usctrojans.collegesports.com/sports/m-basebl/mtt/clement_jeff00.html
2005 stats:
http://usctrojans.collegesports.com/sports/m-basebl/stats/2004-2005/teamcume.html
Gotta love the combination of pop and BB/K ratios. Looks like he’s carrying the USC lineup this year.
Luke Hochevar at 40? Dodgers have to be extremely happy.
With the Mariners alarming deficiancy at catcher (we’re starting Rene Rivera and Pat Borders here people!) I can see Clement getting at least a cup of joe by the end of next year–Assuming the signing goes quickly and his adjustment to Wood bats goes well.
I would imagine him starting at Inland Empire as Dave suggests, and if all goes well a move up to Tacoma by mid-2006.
Speaking of young catchers, how great has Rene Rivera been? Certainly it’s a nano-sample, but he looks like he’s actually TRYING to play the game unlike some other un-named young catchers.
…Then again, after watching the Wilson’s and Bloomy getting loads of at bats, anyone else at the bottom of the order is going to look like an all-star. =)
KW blows. Just kidding, like to stir the pot a bit.
My girlfriend went to KR. We thought you guys were uppity but that was back in the late 70’s, talk about big hair and Cameros.
Re #31–sorry, no, I’m more of a folk-rock type; it’s actually related to the fact that I’m a humanities wonk. (I have to admit, though, that despite the handle, I don’t actually like Coleridge all that much.)
And with all this love for Kent, I’m beginning to wonder if I should regret not taking that church that’s right around the corner from Kentwood HS . . .
KentLAKE is the new uppity school, not Kentwood. Kentwood grad’s were to busy smoking weed to be uppity.
“How come no one ever comes out of Kent? It’s a fairly big city, been around since 1890, but even Renton has produced more players.”
It must be because Renton is ahead of the curve.
I thought it was an homage to Diego Segui.
Kent in the early 80’s was great. Closer to skiing in the winter than most any other place yet close enough to hit downtown in a 1/2 hour drive. Everything was close by and handy.
It’s different today with the population growth. There simply is not enough land to put adequate roads to handle the population. I spent two years in Minneapolis with a bigger population and way better traffic flows. However they do not have mountains, valleys, rivers and sounds to bridge.
And up north of Seattle, there was Shoreline, Shorecrest, and then Shorewood…. How did “Wood” become the limit of people’s imaginations when naming new schools?
Looking at BA’s scouting report (http://www.baseballamerica.com/today/2005draft/firstround.html), there were a couple of phrases that made me feel a lot better about this pick:
“short, compact lefthanded swing”
“has worked hard to shore up his weaknesses”
There are no guarantees, but at least a) his swing should translate and b) he’s not going to undermine himself on his way up the ladder.
OK, I know of at least one graduate of a Kent high school who has played for the Mariners. Can anybody name him?
I love this pick. We fill a position of need while also nailing a Safeco Field weakness — power hitting lefthanders. I’m glad the FO went for the homerun (as alluded to above) instead of a safety pick. Bring on Clement in ‘07!
Does today’s draft coverage stop in the middle of the 3rd round?
KentLAKE? I don’t even know that one.
I’m in Spokane which is further behind than even Boise in terms of culture and other fine things in life.
However I can be on the ski lift in 45 minutes from my door.
The water at Priest is clear and I can see the bottom in 45 ft of water.
The traffic reports are OVER at 5:30 each day. They start at 5:09.
Spokane Indians baseball is rookie league but fun baseball nonetheless with a nice stadium and very family oriented owners. $180 will buy season tickets in the box seats. Even the kid selling drinks in the stands goes out of his way to make it nice. My wife asked him for a water one day. He didn’t have any but he said he’d go get one. He was back in 2 minutes with an ice cold water. Now he may not have done that for me but what the heck, I didn’t have to go.
OK, I know of at least one graduate of a Kent high school who has played for the Mariners. Can anybody name him?
Karl Best
#6: Nitpick point: Varitek was traded for a “proven closer,” not a middle reliever.
I suppose the M’s Braintrust can sift through the question of how an aluminum college slugger converts effectively into a major league ash swiper =) In college they had no fear of the inside pitch and were never sawed off…
I heard that Clement should maybe not have much problem with wood bats. He has hit with them before, and hits with them in batting practice.
when do the mariners pick again?
#49- yep, that’s who I was thinking of. I don’t know of any others.
4th round
thanks 55
There’s rather a lot of evidence on college hitters coverting to the minors and majors. It’s a non-issue.
Greatest bumper sticker ever: “Happiness is Kent in your rear-view mirror”
How far into the draft do we go today???
20 rounds or so. It depends on the time.
Thanks, Dave.
I’ll be forever grateful to the Kent PD for finding my prized (at least by me) ‘90 Honda Accord which, was coincidently stolen from the baseball mecca of Renton.
On-topic, I like the idea of left-handed power (or any for that matter) at the catcher position.
Dave,
Why do teams care about at which position a player is announced? (Example: “Nicholas Arguello, we’d like him listed as a SS, from….”) Is it just for the player’s benefit? Is it to spin the pick with the media (e.g., to make it easy for the media to write it up)?
Way back up to Derek:
It’s odd how these things work. Oklahoma is similar with talent pools and deserts. Central Oklahoma (metro OKC and its environs) has produced a lot of talent and four HoFers, but the Tulsa area has produced only three major leaguers of note — Charlie O’Brien (the man responsible for the hockey-style catcher’s mask), knuckleballer Steve Sparks, and Brad Penny (from Broken Arrow). And all three of them played in the last twenty years.
There’s no reason you can put your finger on. It just is. I think that’s the case with the Kent schools.
Dave,
anyone dropping the M’s may be interested in or any targets for their next pick?
Just out of curiosity, Dave, how would you have slotted Upton and Gordon on the Future Forty? I’m curious as to how Clement compares with them, in your judgment, in upside and risk.
Re #64–I do recall that Tulsa had a future HOFer playing catcher some 25-30 years ago. (Of course, he made the NFL HOF as a WR, not MLB’s–some guy named Largent . . .)
What do you guys think of Zach Kroeneke, LHP from Nebraska?
Nice. Tommy Lasorda making the announcement for the Dodgers’ 3rd-round selection: “The *only* team in Los Angeles selects . . . .”
Charlie O’Brien (the man responsible for the hockey-style catcher’s mask)
I love my hockey-style catcher’s mask. Huge leap in catcher protection, comfort, and vision. Ooooh man.
“Tools Ratings (20-80 scale)
Hitting for Average: 50 (present), 60 (future)
Hitting for Power: 70 (present), 80 (future)
Throwing: 50 (present), 65 (future)
Fielding: 40 (present), 60 (future)
Running: 35 (present), 35 (future)”
How do these compare to tools ratings for other catchers currently doing well?
Also, how does he rate in terms of makeup? Anything like Rett Johnson?
For DMZ…
Kentwood Grad
Proud of it. Don’t live there now but it was great in the 80’s. Kent Post 15 and Horizon Air churned out a few draftees. More NFL Alumni than MLB I would guess. Fun to think back…
Aaah, but that’s the University of Tulsa, alma mater of the great Expos (oxymoron!) pitchers Steve Rogers. Largent grew up in OKC. TU has produced decent number of NFL starters for such a small school and small time football program. Sadly, they dropped baseball in the early 80s due to Title IX.
Trivia question: What’s the smallest town in the US to be the hometown of two baseball HoF members? A: Harrah, OK, home of Paul and Lloyd Waner.
A lot of players in HS go both ways, and the team is clarifying for the media whether they’re selecting a player as a pitcher or a position player.
Upton probably would have been a 9/6 or something to that effect, and Gordon a 9/4 or 9/5.
justin thomas?
The M’s 4th round pick: Justin Thomas, LHP, Youngstown State University.
Yessssssssss! I love this pick, Tulo had way too low a ceiling to be the number three pick. You’ve got to love a player that can mash, and can’t wait to see this guy playing in the minor, hopefully he won’t hold out.
Justin Thomas is a local kid from Oregon.
True, that is Oregon, Ohio, but whatever.
I’d be pretty happy with Jason Varitek, let alone one with more power (I guess that would make him something like Jorge Posada).
Justin Thomas: 3.42 ERA, 33BB/88K in 84 1/3 IP, 4 CG. A junior, he’s only six strikeouts behind YSU’s all-time strikeout leader, Dave Dravecky. 3.42 sounds high, but he finished second in ERA in the Horizon League.
IOW, a good pitcher who better get Lloyd’s of London to insure his labrum and elbow — if they’ll write coverage for anyone in the M’s organization.
I’ve been thinking about this for a couple years now — is there any way to track what picks the M’s would’ve had, say, for the last 5 years, that we gave as compensation for our free agent signings? I’m quite sure it would be very depressing, but I am most certainly curious. Even if someone were to figure out who the Dodgers and the D-Backs got from us for taking Richie and Adrian off their hands, that would be interesting. I’m sure someone with more knowledge and time than I have would find that an interesting project.
Re: the Kent stuff.
I can understand the legacy from “Almost Live,” and “Kent hair,” etc., but I’m a Spokane native who lives, teaches and coaches in Kent (and no, I won’t say which school), and I have to say that the kids here are terrific. I get to see them pretty much district-wide because of my coaching, and I’m really impressed with kids from all of the Kent schools. The ‘rents here for the most part do their job.
What I really don’t understand is why, nearly a decade after “Almost Live” ended its run, people still harsh on Kent, when it’s a nice place to live, and a great place to work. Now you want to talk about a place to be ashamed to admit you’re from: try Federal Way. I taught there for ONE year, and that was quite enough. Talk about a *hole*.
“Lincoln — Nebraska starter Zach Kroenke struck out a career-high 13 and Husker hitters pounded Creighton pitching for 17 hits, including a season-high seven doubles to power the No. 3 national seed Huskers to the NCAA Lincoln Regional title with a 10-2 victory over Creighton Sunday at Hawks Field.
Playing in front of a packed house of 8,304 fans, Kroenke mowed down the Bluejays to help the Big 12 champion Huskers advance to next weekend’s Super Regional” (www.huskers.com)
Kroeneke has a record of 7-2 with an ERA of 2.61. In 89.2 innings, he has struck out 83 and only allowed 2 homeruns. I like this guy, is he eligible? Why hasn’t he been drafted yet?
#74
Not that there is anything wrong with that…
Re: 82, would your initials happen to be “ML”? If so, you were a teacher of mine at an unnamed Kent junior high school.
Since we’re sorta on the topic of high schools and baseball (and I like telling this story), I went to San Ramon Valley in Danville, CA, and graduated a couple years before Randy Winn. He was a good but not great baseball player (better at bball) and our family’s meager claim to fame is that my younger brother pinch hit for him in a little league all star game (and bunted in the winning run that won district). for what it’s worth…
#85
Not even close.
While googling on Justin Thomas, I saw he’s had at least two games in his college career with pitch counts higher than 140. But then, maybe every good college pitcher has that kind of stat behind them. Does anyone know if this is the typical level of pitcher abuse for college aces? (At least it’s not the one guy I noticed with an estimated pitch count of 191 for one game!)
According to BA, Clement had been working with Chad Kreuter on his defense this year, who is the son-in-law of the coach. They don’t think he’ll need a position change. They projected his as a .270-.280 hitter with 30-35 home runs.
Steven Kahn, a 21-year-old fourth-year senior right handed pitcher from Loyola Marymount is the M’s fourth round pick. Anyone know anything about him?
Oops, make that Steven Kahn is the M’s *fifth* round pick.
Stephen Kahn: “Named WCC Pitcher of the Year after leading LMU to the Coast Division title and the program’s third WCC Championship Series appearance in six seasons … was a USA Baseball National Team gold medalist… All-WCC first-team selection… was the only Division I pitcher in the nation to make at least 12 starts and not allow a homerun… predicted by Baseball America to be a top-ten college and 23rd overall pick in the 2005 MLB draft”
Guess that didn’t happen
Dave, what explains this organization’s love affair with LHP prospects? Safeco Field park effects on right-handed hitters? The early 2000s teams’ failure to find that second lefty to pair with Rhodes (except in those rare instances when Charlton was healthy)? I understand the basic principles of commodity scarcity, but the M’s seem to take this to the extreme.
“Baseball America says he has the best draft potential and the best fastball in the WCC… also lists him as one of the nation’s top-20 juniors”
http://lmulions.collegesports.com/sports/m-basebl/mtt/kahn_stephen00.html
Stephen Kahn: “A big, strong and athletic power pitcher with an exploding 95 mph fastball, Kahn was the West Coast Conference pitcher of the year in 2004 and a member of the Team USA squad that won the World University Championship. He had every expectation of being a first-round pick in this year’s draft but underachieved this spring, going just 4-5, 5.23. A year after being the only Division I pitcher with at least 12 starts not to allow a home run, he had served up 10 this year. He also surrendered 92 hits in 86 innings in a mid-major Division I conference. Scouts say the biggest difference was not in his velocity, which slipped marginally, but in his fastball command. He simply left too many balls over the heart of the plate and was hit hard. A maximum-effort pitcher who generally likes to go right at hitters, Kahn always had trouble mastering a breaking ball, but that pitch actually improved this year.” From Baseball America
The more I read, thanks for the links L. Jacob, the more I like this choice. He does look like a hard nosed major leaguer.
James Avery got snagged by the Reds with pick 152.
I believe he’s the first player ever from Moose Jaw to be drafted.
Because he’s from Moose Jaw, I was kind of hoping we’d draft him.
Its so crazy. I’m reading the paper today and it tells me that in 28 years the M’s have drafted 1,336 players. Only 8.4% of them (111) play a big league game with the M’s. Only 9 have become All-Stars while with the team.
Albert Pujols and Jim Thome were selected in 13th rounds. There are numerous versions of that story too.
Roulette has better odds. Its a reminder of how tough it is to get into a big league uni let alone stay in one for years.
The D-Backs take forever to pick. Meh
Michael Lynn– another big (6′5″) RHP.
For those of you on the local angle of things….
The Colorado Rockies selected Everett Community College pitcher Zach Simons in the second round of today’s major league draft.
from the Everett Herald:
Rockies pick Everett CC pitcher
Herald staff
The Colorado Rockies selected Everett Community College pitcher Zach Simons in the second round of today’s major league draft.
Simons, a 6-foot-3, 205-pound right-hander from Glenns Ferry, Idaho, was the 55th player chosen.
Simons posted a 6-0 record this spring with 1.08 earned run average.
Last week he was named the MVP of the Northwest Athletic Association of Community Colleges.
Dave –
Bottom line (if possible). On a scale of 1-10, how much do you like this pick? Obviously I’ve never seen this guy play, but I like what I’ve been reading, and a Varitek-ish left-handed power-hitting catcher has a lot to look forward to. After a couple of hours, though, what do you think? Was this the right guy for the M’s?
Well as a Kentlake alumni the only guy I remember playing/watching when I was in school who is in any major sport right now is Mike Karney from KW who plays fullback for the Saints. I always liked Kent but then I’m actually from Covington so I never spent that much time there other than driving down to KM for games and eating at Ghorms.
Anyway… I’m always scared to see catchers drafted early since so few of them pan out but if he does I’ll be extremely happy to see that left handed power bat in the line-up.
re: #81
40. Dodgers (for Type A Adrian Beltre) = Luke Hochevar, RHP, UTenn
51. Dodgers (from Mariners for Beltre) = Ivan De Jesus, SS, Puerto Rico
31. Diamondbacks (for Type A Richie Sexson) = Matthew Torra, RHP, UMass
83. Diamondbacks (from Mariners for Sexson) = Micah Owings, RHP, Tulane
Shameless alma mater plug –
Nice seeing Scott Deal from Curtis High School go in the 4th round to the A’s. He’s committed to WAZZU, so it’ll be interesting to see if he signs. He’s incredible to watch; so effortless. He’s been ridden pretty hard this year and in years past, so hopefully, he can stay healthy…
Here are a couple good articles on Jeff Clement from a quick google:
Interview with Perfect Game 2005
Interview with Baseball America 2005
He sounds like a smart, humble, and an all-around good guy to me. I’m surprised nobody has mentioned his high school home run record of 75 (breaking Drew Henson’s previous record!). It obviously doesn’t mean that much, but it’s a nice thing to have on your resume. He also broke USC’s freshman records for walks and home runs. Sounds like a great pick to me.
Kent: it’s almost Tukwila
As far as I know, about the only place in WA state devoid of Cameros and mullets would be Capital Hill and I wouldn’t even bet on that.
No, I live on Capitol Hill and there are people with mullets driving Camaros — but they’re lesbians. I am not kidding.
I’m in up in Vancouver and I have a co-worker who specifically travels to Tukwila to shop.
I hereby nominate Ronald Prettyman to the All-Name team.
BTW, have you guys ever considered adding Google/Overture links to your site so you could make a little spending money? I don’t think anyone would hold it against you since you provide such a fine service to the Ms community.
Looking at the tools ratings, even if Clement doesn’t improve AT ALL, he’s still way better than what we have now.
If anyone listened to him interview on the radio, he sounded like a great kid with a good head on his shoulders. He was calm, clear, and might be one of those “Mariner” type of gentleman ballplayers who can actually mash.
If the M’s start Clement at Everett, maybe the M’s should have him bunk at Dan Wilson’s house just in case Wilson’s ability to call a good game and his all-around Mariner goodness can rub off on him.
#110 motion seconded. How would you like growing up as a male with a name like “Prettyman”.
I like this pick quite a bit, especially after reading all this. A college player is always a good thing. I’m curious why I have never heard the name brought up before though. I suppose he wasn’t necessarily the 3rd best player, but he is the best player at a weak position.
It’s kind of like taking Miguel Tejada with the 3rd pick in your fantasy draft.
RE 105. Hochevar looks covetable, but it’s not as if the M’s would have signed him with their second or third pick, due to money reasons.
How come the M’s never get any picks for free agents that we lose? Was A-Rod really the last FA to walk out of Seattle to whom the club offered arbitration?
Re 115. I’m wondering the same thing. Not one of the prospect charts I saw had him anything like this high.
Does anyone else suspect that the Mariners drafted Clement, not because they thought he was the best player still available, but because they are horrified by what they’ve seen from Olivo and the assortment of cadavers behind the plate this year?
And yet… he seems to have the sort of skills – power, patience, command of the strike zone – that are supposed to be the most reliable predictors of major league success. And he’s a left-handed power hitting catcher. How come no love from the tipsters?
re: 115/117: Baseball American had Clement ranked 12th (and predicted he would go to the M’s at #3). Dave also had Clement as one of his players to watch in his draft preview. The P-I has discussed Clement for the past few days too.
What do you think of the Anthony Varvaro pick, Dave? Nice high-risk, high-reward type thing – the first pick I’ve been excited about since Clement, largely because I don’t know a thing about the guys who went 4-11.
At least we got someone on that Quinnipiac team that lost in the CWS 35-8…
re: Varvaro. It has now gotten to the point where the M’s are taking pitchers who already have arm problems!
Clement’s Career College Statistics
Hmm, no idea if this will work or not.
Year G AVG AB R H 2B 3B HR RBI BB SO SB-CS
2003 (Fr.) 56 .298 208 53 62 8 1 21 53 32 43 1-1
2004 (So.) 52 .293 198 36 58 12 1 10 43 38 39 1-5
2005(Jr.) 60 .347 216 48 75 17 0 13 50 44 41 5-6
Career 168 .314 622 137 195 37 2 44 146 114 123 7-12
His average has gone up from .298 freshman year to .347 now but his home runs have dropped from 21 to 10 and now back up to 13… what happened to his power?
118, thanks Mike, but that still doesn’t ease my concerns. What is it about Jeff Clement that makes him the twelfth most talented guy in the draft?
And was the need for a catcher who merely doesn’t suck the motivation for the M’s taking him 9 spots early? I heard much more about Maybin, Tulowitzki, Zimmerman, Hochevar, Pelfrey and others projected above him. How come Maybin, who certainly looks to need a lot more seasoning, was rated consistently several spots higher?
What I’m trying to say here is, other than his being a catcher and thus a higer risk, what’s Clement’s downside? I don’t see an obvious one, but I’m sure it exists.
“not a great athlete” — that’s fine, I’m sick of the big strong athletes who DON’T KNOW HOW TO PLAY BASEBALL.
“too selective” — also very fine, he’s working on his batting eye, which is the most important tool he has. If he lays off balls out of the strikezone, pitchers will be forced to move into the zone, where he has the power to bash them back out again.
Elementary, I know, but more than a couple of current M’s don’t get it.
It could all go wrong, but I think Clement is a good pick.
Now if only we can sign the bastard. I was stunned to find out that our last signed first-rounder was six years ago. Most of those are lost picks, not failures to sign, but still, that’s embarrassing. No wonder we’re so thin. But, then, we did get to enjoy those brilliant Colbrunn Years….
Re 121: He was pitched around more. In any event, his number of extra base hits remained consistent.
Re pre-draft rankings. It is a legitimate point that nobody had Clement rated this high — Baseball America and the newspaper stories were simply based on M’s sources acknowledging their interest in him as their pick, not an independent evaluation that Clement was a top five talent. Dave pegged him as a mid-first round selection in March. Some of this is the general bias against catchers: catchers are riskier than than other position players because their development more often slows or stalls (see Ben Davis) and they are more likely to sustain injuries (see Joe Mauer). But some of it was specific to Clement. His defense made it questionable whether he could stay at catcher, and his first two college seasons did not match the hype surrounding him coming out of high school.
So why did the M’s take him at no. 3? Well, for starters, he improved his stock during his junior year and apparently showed enough improvement defensively. Lefty power hitting catchers with on-base skills are rare commodities (and just happen to fill three organizational needs). Clement also has displayed a good attitude and has apparently given indications that he will sign relatively quickly (unlike Maybin or a Boras client). After the big two were gone, Clement might have been the best fit for the M’s.
On the topic of baseball, high schools and strange vaccuums of baseball players, somebody on DodgerThoughts posted an incredible rundown: of either decent current players or HoFers from Southern California (I can’t remember which), only one is from Los Angeles proper.
Thus, the RBI program was born…
Clement played in high school about an hour away from where I live (in fact, Clement’s uncle is the athletic director at the high school in my community). If I recall correctly, he holds the national record for home runs in a 4-year career.
Here’s hoping some more Iowans will become baseball fans!
Hey Derek,
Isn’t David Riske from Kent?
Renton. Lindbergh HS, which was one high school over from where I grew up.
Actually, he did go to Lindberg his senior year only. Other 3 were at Kentwood. (According to my cousin, a KW grad)
Well that’s bizarre. Why would you want to go to Lindbergh if you were already at KW during that time? Lindbergh was kind of run-down even compared to Kentridge, which was no prize, while KW was pretty much brand-new then. And it’s not as if Lindbergh had some kind of stellar baseball team, either.
So if this guy can be ready by 2007 then I guess the M’s already feel Olivio is a bust.
Maybe it has more to do with them thinking that Clement was the best player on the board.
Why would they think that?
And why did Hochevar fall so far?
I agree Ancient Mariner fan, it probably has more to do with him being their favorite player. It is not every day we can draft a power hitting left handed catcher with a good eye at the plate.
People being negative just to be negative.
Yeah….it’s obviously not a problem if Olivo comes around and becomes a competent hitter…
ESPN/Baseball America’s draft analysis:
Clement generates light-tower power with a short, compact left-handed swing. He stays inside the ball well and gets excellent backspin. As a major-league hitter, he projects to hit .270 to .280 with 30 to 35 home runs…
Wow… I haven’t heard “light-tower power” before. It certainly *sounds* impressive.
I do like those projected numbers though. Seems like that would fit very nicely in or around the 5 hole.
So how do these “projects to his .270 to .280 with 30-35 HRs” projections get made, anyway? Actual statistical analysis? Or scouts pulling numbers out their asses? Some combination of the two? Or what?
How do Clement’s numbers compare to other ML hitters at USC, like Boone and Cirillo? I know, it’s an imperfect comparison at best- but these projections always strike me as serious wishful thinking more than detailed analysis.
Yeah, I would also like to know how they come up with their projections exactly. But hey, it’s draft day. We’re supposed to be positive right?
Now that I’m reading the articles about Clement, I realized that I know his agent from college. Barely know him, but I’ve met the guy a few times.
For you Oregonians… Clement and USC will be in Corvallis this weekend for the super-regional series against Oregon State.
Why did Hochevar fall so far?
Looks like him being a Boras client scared off a bunch of teams, Mords
Minor note, but the M’s picked up a couple of HS 1B in the last two rounds who could have gone in the top 10, Dennis Raben and Xavier Scruggs. Apparently Scruggs is a moon-shot pull hitter who has trouble making contact, especially with breaking stuff, while Raben slid because he’s committed to Miami. Both are good fielders, and either or both, if we sign them, could end up legit power-hitting prospects.
this guys amazing and can realy hit i live in marshalltown and i watched him play with my brother his dads my pincipal too bad hes not staying to beat mark maguiers record u should of saw him break the highschool record in mason city iowa he hit it on to the bilding behind the fince 20 feet away it was amazing
this guys amazing and can realy hit i live in marshalltown and i watched him play with my brother his dads my pincipal too bad hes not staying to beat mark maguiers record u should of saw him break the highschool record in mason city iowa he hit it on to the bilding behind the fince 20 feet away it was amazing