Decisions, Decisions. The Unofficial Mariners Morsels Draft Thread.

Harkey or Griffey? Dreifort or A-Rod? Hey, we got both of those decisions right! For the first time in a long while, we've actually got a top-notch pick in the June draft. The chances of us getting a good player this high, and reaping the long-term rewards of a horrible season, are quite high. In spite of generally being an optimistic person, though, I'm still a little scared that the M's will completely mess this pick up.

If Upton and Gordon are gone, should we take a pitcher or T2 (a much-easier-to-type nickname for Troy Tulowitzki)? I'm leaning towards a pitcher. I definitely don't want Clement. I'd take Maybin over Clement, and any of the top pitchers over either of those guys. Edited 1:00 p.m. Tuesday: The M's indeed took Clement. When it all comes down to it, though, I'll admit that I don't know squat about any of these guys. Every last shred I know is from reading various blogs (some more reliable than others of course) and the local press.

However, even I'm aware of basic principles in the modern game of armchair GM-dom, especially in light of having read "Moneyball". Now, don't get me wrong, I don't believe that the M's front office is anywhere close to being an enlightened group. Several other bloggers more knowledgable than I on the draft are fairly confident in Fontaine. The good news is, though, that a) money shouldn't be an issue (neither, too, should the Scott Boras factor); and b) we don't have an owner demanding we pick his favorite player.

Still, I see pitchers as much more valuable commodities than position players, especially when we have a huge need for both in our system. Since there are some good college pitchers (which according to one theory, are much lower risk than high school pitchers) available, I'm inclined to grab one, even if he's not quite the "best player available" at #3. If both Upton and Gordon are gone, I highly doubt that the gap between T2 and the best pitcher available is that huge. I'm not convinced, though, that if AZ and KC pass up one of these guys that we should as well. Clearly Upton and Gordon are top-notch talent, head and shoulders above the rest of the draft crop. The dropoff after these guys is pretty significant (at least from what I've read). Not so huge, though, is the dropoff after these two. For that reason, I think we should take a pitcher. I agree with Trent -- we need to address all our needs, and pitching certainly is one of them.

The M's indeed filled a position of need, though it wasn't my first choice. In the long run, if everything that those more knowledgable than me say is indeed true, it's probably a good choice. A lefty-hitting power hitter should be a good fit for this team. Hopefully he'll stick at catcher. With our 4th-round pick, too, we took LHP Justin Thomas, and I just heard we drafted a second pitcher Stephen Kahn. Good. We're filling some needs.