2010 Draft

[Coach]

Cubs take Matthew Szczur OF Villanova

[Coach]

<!--quoteo-->QUOTE <!--quotec-->Matt Szczur, of
Villanova
A wide receiver for Villanova's football team, Szczur led the Wildcats to a Football Championship Subdivision national title last fall, earning MVP honors in the championship game after racking up 270 all-purpose yards. He is a legitimate NFL draft prospect as a receiver in the Wes Welker mold, which clouds his baseball signability, but he also could be drafted as early as the fifth round in baseball. Szczur is an electrifying athlete with true 80 speed on the 20-80 scouting scale. He is still learning to put his speed to use in the outfield—he arrived at Villanova as a catcher and has never concentrated on baseball full-time—and has played right field for the Wildcats, but he could become an adequate defender in center or left with work. His arm is well-below-average. Offensively, the 5-foot-11, 190-pound Szczur has an unorthodox, slashy swing, but he has a knack for barreling up balls consistently, and he projects as an average hitter with below-average power. He has a patient approach, and he can use all fields and make adjustments from at-bat to at-bat. Scouts love Szczur's intensity on the field, and coaches rave about his work ethic and ability to learn. He also has special makeup off the field; days after hitting for the cycle on April 27, Szczur donated bone marrow to a 1-year-old girl with leukemia, sidelining him for the next three weeks.<!--QuoteEnd--><!--QuoteEEnd-->

[ColoradoCub]

<!--quoteo-->QUOTE <!--quotec-->Kevin_Goldstein:
I like Matt Szczur to the #Cubs in the fifth-round. Absolute burner who could be nice bench OF.<!--QuoteEnd--><!--QuoteEEnd-->

[Coach]

<!--QuoteBegin-"Bleacher Report"+-->QUOTE ("Bleacher Report")<!--QuoteEBegin-->Matt Szczur of Villanova One of College Football's Unsung Heroes
TJ Jenkins


Villanova's heading to the Football Championship Subdivision (FCS) championship game for the first time in the school's history, in no small part due to junior athlete Matt Szczur.

Szczur does everything for the Wildcats, including playing wide receiver, running back, quarterback, and handling return duties when called upon.

He is essentially everything you'd ever ask for in a team player.

Just two short days ago in the FCS semifinals, he was called upon to play running back in hopes that it would spark the Wildcats, who at the time were down to William & Mary. He responded with a nod, taking the snap and sprinting up the left sideline, beating everyone on the defense for a 62-yard touchdown to keep 'Nova in the game.

At the time his team was nearly out of the game, being down 10-0 before his touchdown run.

A William & Mary field goal later in the game resulted in Szczur returning the ensuing kickoff 31 yards. On the same drive he converted a fake punt to keep the drive and 'Nova's championship hopes alive.

His athletic play on the fake punt reverse that saw him gain nine yards culminated in a one-yard touchdown run by quarterback Chris Whitney that would ultimately win the game for the Wildcats.

On the season, the versatile wide receiver has 47 receptions for 542 yards and four touchdowns. To go alongside that, he's run with the ball 94 times for 654 yards and eight touchdowns.

Throughout his three-year college career he's amassed 94 receptions for 1,177 yards and eight touchdowns.

Along with his success on the football field, he also plays baseball for the school, starting 47 of the 48 games played by the team last spring.

<b>Even with Szczur's athletic prowess, there are some things that are more important than sports, some moments that stand out in everyone's mind whether or not they are a fan of the game, team, or player.

He learned in November that he was a perfect match as a bone marrow donor for a one-year-old little girl with leukemia. Through a team program he discovered that he'd be able to give a little girl the gift of life.

Every now and then I'll read or hear about an athlete doing something charitable, and I'll be elated to see them giving back to the community that supports them.

This one hit kind of close to home for me.

I myself am the father of a gorgeous one-year-old little girl, and I couldn't imagine facing the daunting task of searching for a suitable donor—much less hoping and praying that there would actually be one out there.

Matt Szczur, I salute you as a hero. You, sir, are more than just a game saver; you're a life saver in every aspect of the phrase. </b>

Edit:

On Monday, December 14th at around 7 PM, I received the following email in my inbox from Matt's parents.

Dear Mr. Jenkins,

I was searching the web and came upon your article about my son Matt. It was a wonderful article that bought tears to our eyes when we read it. Matt will be doing the blood stem cell transfer on January 4, 2010. The parents of the little girl have elected to to the stem cell instead of bone marrow because it is less painful for their child.

Keep up the good reporting i will be checking your articles out from now on.

Good Luck
Kathy and Marc Szczur.<!--QuoteEnd--><!--QuoteEEnd-->

He ended up missing 3 weeks of the season because of this.

[rok]

<!--quoteo(post=100394:date=Jun 8 2010, 01:06 PM:name=Clapp)-->QUOTE (Clapp @ Jun 8 2010, 01:06 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}><!--quotec-->Wowzers, that was a bomb from Golden. Quite a powerful swing.<!--QuoteEnd--><!--QuoteEEnd-->
The kid's got swagger too. I like the hustle.

[Clapp]

<!--quoteo(post=100402:date=Jun 8 2010, 12:29 PM:name=rok)-->QUOTE (rok @ Jun 8 2010, 12:29 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}><!--quotec--><!--quoteo(post=100394:date=Jun 8 2010, 01:06 PM:name=Clapp)--><div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (Clapp @ Jun 8 2010, 01:06 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}><!--quotec-->Wowzers, that was a bomb from Golden. Quite a powerful swing.<!--QuoteEnd--><!--QuoteEEnd-->
The kid's got swagger too. I like the hustle.
<!--QuoteEnd--></div><!--QuoteEEnd-->
Yeah. He's got some Marlon Byrd in him. Built like Byrd too.

[BT]

Jim Callis explains the cubs first round pick:

<!--quoteo-->QUOTE <!--quotec-->Jim Callis: The Cubs saw Hayden Simpson throw 92-97 twice in four days at the D-II World Series, and they think he'll have four average or better pitches, love the makeup, believe he could move quickly. I don't think that was the consensus on him, but the Cubs saw him very well and were afraid another team with multiple picks might draft him before they could pick again. Stunned me, though.<!--QuoteEnd--><!--QuoteEEnd-->

[rok]

<!--quoteo(post=100603:date=Jun 9 2010, 02:51 PM:name=BT)-->QUOTE (BT @ Jun 9 2010, 02:51 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}><!--quotec-->Jim Callis explains the cubs first round pick:

<!--quoteo--><div class='quotetop'>QUOTE <!--quotec-->Jim Callis: The Cubs saw Hayden Simpson throw 92-97 twice in four days at the D-II World Series, and they think he'll have four average or better pitches, love the makeup, believe he could move quickly. I don't think that was the consensus on him, but the Cubs saw him very well and were afraid another team with multiple picks might draft him before they could pick again. Stunned me, though.<!--QuoteEnd--><!--QuoteEEnd-->
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I doubt we would draft him in the first round if Simpson's 4 pitches were only "average or better" as Callis says. I'm hoping at least 1-2 of his pitches is well above average.

[Scarey]

<!--quoteo(post=100604:date=Jun 9 2010, 02:55 PM:name=rok)-->QUOTE (rok @ Jun 9 2010, 02:55 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}><!--quotec--><!--quoteo(post=100603:date=Jun 9 2010, 02:51 PM:name=BT)--><div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (BT @ Jun 9 2010, 02:51 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}><!--quotec-->Jim Callis explains the cubs first round pick:

<!--quoteo--><div class='quotetop'>QUOTE <!--quotec-->Jim Callis: The Cubs saw Hayden Simpson throw 92-97 twice in four days at the D-II World Series, and they think he'll have four average or better pitches, love the makeup, believe he could move quickly. I don't think that was the consensus on him, but the Cubs saw him very well and were afraid another team with multiple picks might draft him before they could pick again. Stunned me, though.<!--QuoteEnd--><!--QuoteEEnd-->
<!--QuoteEnd--></div><!--QuoteEEnd-->
I doubt we would draft him in the first round if Simpson's 4 pitches were only "average or better" as Callis says. I'm hoping at least 1-2 of his pitches is well above average.
<!--QuoteEnd--></div><!--QuoteEEnd-->

I'm certain one or two are above average. He explains them as average or better because he has <b>four</b> that are average or better which isn't very common. For instance, Cashner coming out of college had two above average pitches (fastball/slider) and one that needed work (change up). He's worked on the change up to the point that it's become average and it's made all the difference in the world in terms of keeping hitters off balance.

So, the statement that he has four pitches that are average or better is extremely encouraging. There's not many starters in the big leagues that have four reliable pitches. One example of one that does is Dempster, and you can see the success he has had since his resurgence as a starter because he knows how to utilize those pitches (which Simpson supposedly does too).

[Auz]

<!--quoteo(post=100382:date=Jun 9 2010, 03:14 AM:name=Coach)-->QUOTE (Coach @ Jun 9 2010, 03:14 AM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}><!--quotec-->Cubs Picks:
<!--quoteo--><div class='quotetop'>QUOTE <!--quotec-->Reggie Golden, of
Wetumpka (Ala.) HS
The top player in Alabama's high school ranks for the last two seasons, Golden is an Alabama recruit whose build and tools remind some evaluators of another Southeastern Conference player of recent vintage, current Brewers farmhand Kentrail Davis. He's a five-tool athlete with present strength who profiles as a right fielder, even though he stands less than 6 feet tall. Golden impressed scouts by grinding through the spring despite a hamstring pull that slowed him all season. He still ran average to above-average times despite his injury, but as he matures, speed won't be a major part of his game. Power will, as Golden has impressive strength and raw bat speed. His approach at the plate is raw, and he lacks the plate discipline that allowed Davis to star from the start of his SEC career. His best present tool is his above-average arm, which fits well in right field. He plays with energy and is coachable, and he'll have to adjust to better pitching with his raw hitting skills.<!--QuoteEnd--><!--QuoteEEnd-->


<!--quoteo-->QUOTE <!--quotec-->Micah Gibbs, c
Louisiana State
Gibbs has the best receiving skills among catchers in the 2010 draft, and those and his ability to handle a pitching staff earn repeated comparisons to Jason Varitek. He doesn't have a cannon behind the plate, but his arm strength is average and he enhances it with a quick release and good accuracy. However, he had thrown out just 15 percent of basestealers through mid-May, down from 32 percent in his first two seasons. His hitting has gone in the other direction, as he was batting .424, up from .306 the previous two years and .212 with wood bats in the Cape Cod League last summer. A 5-foot-11, 207-pound switch-hitter, Gibbs has spread out his stance, added more balance and simplified his swing. He has strength, but his swing can get loopy at times and he doesn't have an abundance of bat speed or power. He may not be more than a .260 hitter with 10-12 homers annually in the majors, but his defensive ability should make him a starter. The scarcity of catchers often enhances their draft status, so Gibbs could sneak into the first or sandwich round.<!--QuoteEnd--><!--QuoteEEnd-->
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Cubs apparently got very lucky with Golden as he was supposed to be a first round pick, sandwich pick at worst. He could have been a draftee that was demanding bigger slice of cash maybe.

[ColoradoCub]

<!--quoteo-->QUOTE <!--quotec-->Cubs have agreed to terms with first-round Draft pick Hayden Simpson pending a physical. Formal announcement could come Saturday<!--QuoteEnd--><!--QuoteEEnd-->

Well I guess there's the silver lining to taking a 4th rounder in the first round.

[Clapp]

<!--quoteo-->QUOTE <!--quotec-->At 6-foot, 175-pounds, Hayden Simpson looks a lot more like a Wrigley Field vendor than a future building block for the Cubs.

But what the Cubs' first-round draft pick lacks in size, he makes up for velocity.

"I've topped out at 97 (m.p.h.)," he said. "I'm an anomaly."

Like San Francisco ace Tim Linecum, another slight pitcher with a big fastball, it's all in the motion for Simpson.

"I've learned to get everything out of my body I can," he said. "Luckily I've stayed healthy. I've just progressed."

The Arkansas-born right-hander agreed to a $1.06 million bonus, and threw off the bullpen mound at Wrigley on Saturday before pitching coach Larry Rothschild.

Simpson will report to the Cubs' complex in Mesa, Ariz. this week and eventually will be assigned to Class-A Boise for the rest of the season.

"First couple days was kind of a whirlwind," he said. I come from a town of 13,000 people. Everybody wanted to take credit for this. It's great though. I love everybody in Magnolia (Ark). They've enjoyed it and I've enjoyed it."

<b>Simpson said he liked watching Roger Clemens, Greg Maddux and Tom Glavine pitch growing up, and he's looking forward to learning from Maddux, a special assistant to general manager Jim Hendry. .

"He's going to have to keep me away from him" he said. "Because I'm gonna be bugging him."</b><!--QuoteEnd--><!--QuoteEEnd-->

I like this guy.

[kbwsb]

<!--quoteo-->QUOTE <!--quotec-->The Arkansas-born right-hander agreed to a $1.06 million bonus...<!--QuoteEnd--><!--QuoteEEnd-->

Is <i>that</i> why we took this longshot? Don't mid first-rounders usually get twice that?
I could be wrong. I hope he wins 2 Cy Youngs, like Lincecum.

[Clapp]

<!--quoteo-->QUOTE <!--quotec-->Sources told us Matt Szczur/WR/Villanova has decided to forego a career in the NFL. The Cubs tripled their offer to Szczur. More later<!--QuoteEnd--><!--QuoteEEnd-->

[kbwsb]

<!--quoteo(post=127104:date=Jan 18 2011, 06:24 PM:name=Clapp)-->QUOTE (Clapp @ Jan 18 2011, 06:24 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}><!--quotec--><!--quoteo--><div class='quotetop'>QUOTE <!--quotec-->Sources told us Matt Szczur/WR/Villanova has decided to forego a career in the NFL. The Cubs tripled their offer to Szczur. More later<!--QuoteEnd--><!--QuoteEEnd-->
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Awesome, because we're pretty good at turning wideouts into kick-ass baseball players.