Remembering a lost first-round draft pick
ByToday is a big day in our RAB-centric baseball world. As A.J. Burnett and Josh Beckett gear up for a showdown in Fenway with first place on the line, the Major League Baseball amateur draft will kick off an hour earlier. While Mike will have coverage all day on RAB, I want to take a trip in the Wayback Machine.
The 1990 Yankees, one of the first teams in my life I remember on a day-to-day basis, were singularly bad. They scored just 603 runs while allowing 749 and finished in seventh place. They were 67-95, 21 games behind the Red Sox. It is now impossible to finish in seventh place.
To understand just how bad that team was, let’s look at their triple slash numbers. As a whole, the Yankees hit .241/.300/.366 that year, good for last in the AL in all three categories. The only bright spots were Jesse Barfield, Roberto Kelly and a flash-in-the-pan Kevin Maas filling in for an injured Don Mattingly.
The pitching staff was equally bad. Tim Leary lost 19 games, and Andy Hawkins carried a 5.37 ERA over 30 starts. The bullpen, anchored by Dave Righetti and featuring Lee Gutterman and Eric Plunk, wasn’t awful. That’s the most charitable assessment of it at least.
Out of that bad, though, came the good. For just the second time in franchise history, the Yankees were able to secure the number one pick in the 1991 June amateur draft. It would be a draft stocked with talent as Shawn Green, Manny Ramirez, Cliff Floyd and Dmitri Young all went in the top 16 picks. For the Yankees, though, it would be a draft of lost opportunity.
With their number one pick, the Yankees opted for a fireball-throwing left-hander out of East Carteret High School in Beaufort, North Carolina. The Times called Brien Taylor “overpowering” and cited his senior year stats. He threw 84 innings and allowed 18 hits and 24 walks while striking out 203. The Yankees, not known for their patience developing players, cited their willingness to wait on Taylor’s development. “If it takes a year or two years or three years, we’ll do it that way,” Brian Sabean, then the Yanks’ VP for player development and scouting, said.
The night before the draft, Taylor was tossing 98-mile-per-hour fastballs but fell on his left shoulder at one point. It would be an ugly omen of things to come.
Signing Taylor was not easy, but in the end, it would result in a historic accord. Over the summer, the dealings turned rancorous. Advised by Scott Boras, Taylor’s family accused Yanks’ GM Gene Michael of disrespecting their son, and Michael defended himself. With Taylor on the verge of attending college, the Yanks swooped in with a record-setting $1.55 million offer, and Taylor signed.
Outside of the money, the signing was controversial. Rumors swirled that the then-suspended George Steinbrenner had inserted himself into the negotiations, and then Steinbrenner, in absentia, took shots at his GM. It was business as usual for the early-1990s Yankees.
For two years, Taylor was as good as advertised. Through his first 54 minor league starts, he had thrown 324 innings with 337 strike outs, 168 walks and a 3.02 ERA. Despite the walks, he was regarded as baseball’s top pitching prospect and seemed to be on the fast track to New York.
Disaster struck on December 18, 1993, when Taylor destroyed his shoulder in a fight outside a North Carolina trailer park. Noted surgeon Frank Jobe called it, in the words of Scott Boras, “one of the worst shoulder injuries” he had ever seen. Taylor would never be the same, and now, at 37, he has avoided any sort of baseball spotlight.
Boras still calls Taylor the best high school arm he had ever seen. It’s hard to tell if that’s just Scott Boras being Scott Boras, but it’s high praise nonetheless. As we sit on the edge of another draft, we can only wonder what might have happened in Yankee history had Brien Taylor stayed healthy and really been as good as he could have been.
Washington beware.
On another note: how weird is it to see Brian Sabean’s name associated with player development? Since he was obviously the suxor at it, I guess that’s why he only signs 35y/o+ guys lately. I STILL can’t believe he didn’t go after Dunn, especially since he was considering Manny. Sabean = FAIL (again).
That’s the first thing I thought when I came across his name.
ehh, hard to argue against Lincecum / Cain / Sanchez / Bumgamer / Posey /Sandoval though…
mental note to strausburg.
stay away from trailer park bars
Mental note to J.B. Cox…
Oh wait.
well it just goes to show you can take the kid out the trailer park but you cant take the trailer park out the kid….
ha sorry, i almost held the straight face
what happened to jb cox?
Bar fight that injured his hand and elbow. Hasn’t really been the same since.
Idiots, what argument is worth messing up a promising career for?
you tell me. a certain reliever for an AL team got into a couple fights at the bar my fraternity ran in college. he’s lucky he didnt mess up his chance
Kyle Farnsworth!
I must say, I would be pretty scared if I’m in a bar fight against Kyle Farnsworth.
haha no, not farnsworth
Its probably something they don’t even think about, realistically some of these great HS baseball players play football, and there they could be one hit from messing up their shoulder. Think about Jeff Samardzija, his future was in baseball but he played football anyways. Shannon Stewart has a bad throwing arm from a HS football injury
“Mental note to
Strasburgall people, everywhere, all the time:Stay away from trailer park bars.”
Fixed.
That was a shot at trailer park denizens.
Well Mike Kelly didn’t pan out either, so it looks like either decision per the Times article, wouldn’t have panned out.
This article brings back memories…really BAD memories!
Ben thanks for at least pointing out that Taylor was doing very very well in the minors before he got hurt. Most people just assume he was an immediate bust and waste of money.It’s also worth noting that he was actually coming to the aid of his brother in that fight. Obviously with an arm of gold you need to stay away from that ish, but it’s not like he pulled a jb cox.
Exactly most people talk about Taylor as being a bust, and a bad decision by the Yankees. It was the correct decision, just a random freak event & injury ended his career.
Precisely. At the time, the walks were a bit of a concern, but Taylor was on track to be the big-time pitcher Sabean and Michael thought he could be. That fight ruined it all.
Is this the draft blog? OK to talk about the idea that Aaron Crow gets passed over by the Red Sox AND the Yankees, for Max Stassi and Zachary Heathcott? I can’t fathom that.
I can fathom it.
I can fathom both the Sox and the Yankees guessing that if Crow fell this far, there’s a good chance he’s going to keep falling, so why not take the guy less likely to keep falling (Stassi and Heathcott) now and gamble on popping Crow in the 2nd, 3rd, or 4th rounds.
Exactly – that’s the only reasoning I can see in taking Heathcott at #29. Note, the Yankees pick AHEAD of the Red Sox in the 2nd round, so if they’re the only two teams willing to pony up…
I’m totally dreaming, but a draft like this would be absolutely awesome (and expensive):
1st: Heathcott
2nd: Crow
4th: Purke
5th: Renfroe
I think I’d shit myself if that happened.
indeed.
Between your Montero-gasms and draft-induced loss of bowel-control, you’ve really got to get a hold of yourself, man.
Saw a stat the other night that Tex is the 4th Yankee to hit 17HR in his first 200AB of the season. The other three: Babe Ruth, Roger Maris, and …. Kevin Maas.
That forged Maas autograph that TSJC has is going to be worth a fortune.
Exactly.
Speaking of which, who wants to see the balls I had Mary Carey autograph?
Kevin “freaking” Maas.
The other aspect to the Taylor story that gets mistold all of the time is that it was a “bar fight.”
People have this perception that Taylor was standing around in a bar and got involved in some kind of alcohol related nonsense on the spot.
But he didn’t get hurt in a bar at all. The altercation his brother was involved in I believe might have started in a bar. Either way, Taylor was going to defend his brother. Poor decision and a life altering one. But that’s not becuase Taylor was wasting time in a bar and just got involved with an altercation with some stranger for no reason.
Terrible story. Awesome talent.
I just flipped through my old baseball card binder (which has, like three dozen Mattingly cards at least) so I could find my Brien Taylor #1 Draft Pick card. I remember seeing that in a pack and being so excited.
Coincidentally, it was right next to my Carl Everett #1 Draft Pick card. And on the next page, Chris, was my Kevin Maas home run record card
Notably absent from the collection: Any Danny Tartabull cards.
carl everett doesnt believe in dinosaurs.
I will never get tired of that fact. Never.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gyef-BItce8
DUDE I just found one of my old old yankee only card books too. No Joke, I have like 5 Hensley Muelens and three “Future Star” Brien Taylor cards. It’s so freaking depressing reading that book.
Too bad he didn’t take some of that money and go to a better bar. That could have been the difference.
yeah, i say, sir, your brethren seems to have sullied my wingtips. i demand penance or i shall have my lawyers litigate!
Except it wasn’t a bar fight. He could have gone to any bar in the world, but if he ended up in front of that trailer park, history repeats itself.
Of all the gin joints in all the world, eh?
You know, in the end I felt that things worked out pretty well for those Yankees. Do we trade for David Cone if we have an ace in Taylor? I somewhat doubt it. You never know what could have happened but there’s a chance that we don’t win those four World Series so I’m happy with how everything went
or do we win 6 world series with taylor?
you are right, we win <= 7 of em
I had never read much about Brien Taylor, and I had actually assumed, from the “tone” of headlines and snippets I’d seen on him over the years, that it was a case of the Yankees’ “failure” to draft decent players. In other words, I thought he was someone who just sucked in the minors and never made it.
It’s nice to know they did draft well, he just got injured.
I wonder, if his shoulder or elbow was inherently fragile, such that it was so terribly destroyed in a fight, whether he would have had injury problems as a career baseball pitcher.
Apparently he landed awkwardly in said fight, and the shoulder was just injured in an unnatural fashion. The arm/shoulder could have been weak, however he probably wouldn’t have hurt it pitching the way he did in that fight.
awkwardly=the town troublemaker shoving you and landing on it you and it and a large iron bar…
I kind of wonder that too, but then, without knowing more about what happened in the fight it’s just speculation.
Oh God! The 1990 Yankees were an absolutely terrible team. Kevin Maas was the only shining light on that team. I think 60 Minutes did a piece on Brien Taylor but I can’t remember if it was aired before the fight or after it. Those were the days when you’d get 21,000 fans in the park on a beautiful summer night. The first team I remember on a daily basis were the 1977 Yankees. When they started their drought of not making the playoffs after 1981 it was so painful to watch the playoffs between 1982 and 1993 and having to deal with the rise of the Mets in the 80’s. The Yankees were definitely the number 2 team in town from 1984 to 1992.
The Mets had some damned good players during that era.
and they did some copious amounts of narcotics
Not that there’s anything wrong with that.
Their attendance that year was pitiful. They played numerous home games with a crowd of less than 15,000, and on the third-to-last day of the season, the Yanks drew 12,125 for a game against the Tigers. How sad.
that just goes to show you, as proof, that there is hope for as team whose owner is wiling to invest in on the field product and not secret away all his revenue sharing and luxury tax money. every team could reach this plateau. sustaining it is another matter entirely, but any team can draft well, and sign the complimentary pieces and have a run like the yankees did (or at least one smaller in length but a run nonetheless)
Just for the record, the Yankees only had 4 crowds of fewer than 15,000 in 1990, and three of those were on the final weekend against Detroit.
I recall going to the game that last homestand in 1990 in which Future Yankee (and almost 1996 WS MVP) Cecil Fielder hit HR 50 and 51 in the same game–first guy to do it since G.Foster in late 70s.
People forget that the Yanks did not always draw like they have the last few years.
Try these attendance figures on for size:
56,329
17,519
20,238
19,603
20,181
20,187
18,580
14,450
20,025
24,793
19,773
15,599
20,661
26,525
12,838
12,760
18,729
13,098
A run of games in 1990? No, try the first three homestands of the 1996 World Series winning season. The last four games were a M-Th four-game set with the Tigers.
Excellent point…from the time YSII opened until after 1996, the Yankees always seemed to have a steady average of 20,000 that would grow to just above 30,000 in good seasons. During that same span, it seemed like the Yankees were lobbying to leave the Bronx by promoting the idea that the South Bronx was unfit for habitation. Since 1996, however, that myth was exploded and attendance went along with it.
Also, since around 1998, the game of baseball in general enjoyed a revival in popularity, so that needs to be considered as well.
I wouldn’t say the Yankees were the #2 in town for that entire span. The Yankees were actually pretty good from 1984 to 1988, but the Mets winning the WS in 1986 did bring the teams close to even. In 1
By 1990, I would admit that the Mets had the higher profile, but it is worth noting that awful Yankee team did average nearly 25,000 per game, and that was coming off a 1989 season in which the team went 74-87.
The 1990 Mets averaged nearly 10,000 fans per game more than the Yanks. It’s safe to say the Yanks were #2 in town.
They had Keith Hernandez with his rugged good looks and Just For Men lustrously colored moustache the ladies just couldn’t resist.
Above, I wrote “By 1990, I would admit that the Mets had the higher profile”, so I am not sure with what you are disagreeing.
What is inaccurate, however, is to portray the team’s attendance as pitiful when they went over the 2 million mark despite such a bad team that coming off a poor season.
The Yankees were outdrawn by the Mets every year from 1984 to 1991. Also, the National League in those days would count their attendance as fans that actually came to the game. The American League counted tickets sold, which gave the Yankees an inflated attendance number.
It was also around that time that the the South Bronx being too dangerous and Yankee Stadium having insufficient parking were being trumpeted regularly. Your point about that way attendance was counted is a strong one though. Still, until after the 1986 World Series, I don’t think the Mets were regarded as the higher profile team…that was something they only earned after winning the World Series.
I’m not disagreeing with you. Most comments are parts of discussions, not fights.
My disagreement is here: The Yanks’ average home game attendance in 1990 was 24,771. It was at the time the lowest per game average in the history of Yankee Stadium II. While the Yanks managed to lower the bar in 1991 and 1992, it was not a banner year for them.
Disagreements don’t have to be and shouldn’t be fights. In fact, most interesting discussions revolve around disagreements.
Saying the average attendance of 24,771 was the lowest in YSII history is somewhat misleading because that figure was only 400 less than the 25,155 recorded in 1976 (the stadiums first season and a pennant year). Of course, the 1976 total was 1st in the AL, while the 1990 total was 8th (but only 50K behind 6th).
Also worth noting is the 1990 team was the worst to play in YSII.
Therefore, I don’t think the Yankees’ 1990 attendance was pitiful. In fact, based on the quality of the team, I think it was pretty good.
“Saying the average attendance of 24,771 was the lowest in YSII history is somewhat misleading…”
No, it’s not. It’s a fact.
A misleading fact.
Facts can’t mislead. Discuss context all you want, that’s your interpretation taking hold. Facts are facts.
The per-game attendance in 1990 was the lowest annual per-game attendance in YSII history. You can’t argue that fact away.
The per-game attendance in 2009 is the lowest annual per-game attendance in YSIII history.
It’s naive to think that facts are ever presented without context and can’t be misleading.
Dude, come on. YSII was open for 33 years. Per-game attendance during the 1990 season was the lowest annual per-game average of 33 possible seasons. It’s not like someone is taking an arbitrary data-set, like “attendance on Sundays with a 30% chance of precipitation.” It’s a 33 year data set.
You only hurt your own argument and credibility by offering such weak supporting arguments.
The per-game attendance in 1990 was the lowest annual per-game attendance in YSII history. I honestly don’t understand why you have a problem with that statement. What is your point? That the 1990 attendance figure is somehow inaccurate? It happened, it’s historical fact.
PS:
“It’s naive to think that facts are ever presented without context and can’t be misleading.”
I originally said: “It’s a fact.” You originally responded “A misleading fact.” I responded to you: “Facts can’t mislead. Discuss context all you want, that’s your interpretation taking hold. Facts are facts.”
So… re the italicized/bolded comment above…Yeah, I agree, and that’s kinda what I originally said. Argue context/interpretation all you want, but facts are facts. Facts themselves can’t mislead.
This is retarded. (Shoot self in head with finger-gun.)
Ok I just read this again and noticed a mistake in my comments – 1990 was the lowest per-game attendance average at the time, but was then beaten by 1991 and 1992. So it wasn’t the lowest in the 33 years of YSII. Those three years were 3 of the worst 4, and were the worst 3 if you don’t count the post-strike year – 2005 – for, I think, obvious reasons.
There were only 14 years of history to beat for the lowest attendance. That’s not an tremendous feat, especially considering that there were years at Yankee Stadium I where attendance was significantly lower.
It is now impossible to finish in seventh place.
That’s not going to stop the Natinals from trying, damnit!!!
IETC
I remember reading USA Today when they signed Brien Taylor. I was so happy, it seemed like the turning point of the franchise. He was such an excellent prospect. So sad.
Brien Taylor didn’t teabag the ladies… he potato-sacked them.
I forgot Sabean worked for the Yankees. That must have been intentional memory loss.
I remember when Taylor got in that fight–I was around 12 and recall thinking “What an idiot” and being really pissed off.
Sabean not only worked for the Yankees, but he was held in such high esteem by the Yankees that they demanded (http://www.baseballprospectus......cleid=2789) the Giants’ top-two pitching prospects in exchange for releasing Sabean from his last contract year.
They didn’t get their prospects (neither reached their projected potential – much like Brian Sabean … *rimshot*) and the rest is history.
Oh I know he’s a completely different animal now. It’s just funny looking back.
One thing worth noting about Taylor is that after the injury in Dec. 1993, he did return to the mound in 1995 at the still young age of 23.Unfortunately, it was evident that his career was over, which was made all the more painful by Taylor spending the next three seasons struggling (when not injured) in Single A.
I think the reason Taylor’s story doesn’t resonate as a tragedy is because it coincided with the Yankees reemergence as a great team. From 1994 forward, the Yankees were a perennial playoff team, so there really wasn’t much room in the consciousness for lament. Furthermore, even though Taylor was highly publicized, the focus on prospects was still far, far less than it is today, so for many Yankee fans I am sure it was a case of easy come, easy go.
You can take your shots at Sabean, but he is a better baseball scout than he is a GM.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Brian_Sabean
Oh shit.
This proves nothing. Where is JT Snow today?
I was so hoping that Sabean’s name would have been linked to Jay Buhner, but alas, no.
“My baseball people kept talking about Ken Phelps’s bat. They kept saying, ‘Ken Phelps! Ken Phelps!’”
Heh, plus if u wanna get all technical and shit, Mo and posada both failed at the positions they were signed at.
And Jeter’s a shitey SS.
I posted this above, but here’s hoping all of the guys looking for big bucks fall a lot.
I’m TOTALLY dreaming, but this would be an AWESOME (and expensive) draft.
1st: Heathcott
2nd: Crow
4th: Purke
5th: Renfroe
Throw in Gibson or Scheppers in there somewhere, and it’s still better than my wildest dreams (except the one where Strasburg falls to the Yankees and the Yankees surprise everyone by taking Bryce Harper in a loophole in the 50th round), lol.
Pass the pipe, bud.
Hey, one can dream!
In order to pull that off, we’d probably have to spend like 15M on the draft this year. I’m not saying we shouldn’t do that, I’m just saying.
Also, don’t forget we’ve been prominently linked to IFA C Gary Sanchez, who could cost an additional 3M.
One thing in your favor: Although the budgets aren’t directly related, I’m starting to think it makes sense to go in heavy on the draft and the IFA market financially, because I doubt we’ll be spending aggressively on the FA market this winter. Bay and Crawford are probably both returning to their existing teams, Holliday’s playing himself out of real consideration for the SteinBucks, and Montero, AJax, Melky, and Hughes are all playing well enough that the team may be content to just stand pat on the core of the roster and go small this offseason (say, letting Andy and Matsui walk/retire, reupping Damon on a short-term deal and splitting him between LF and DH, spending moderately on a bridge OF like maybe Ankiel or something…)
If we sign Ankiel, he better be in RF with Swish in LF and Damon DH. I still doubt Damon gets resigned though. Also, don’t forget we need a catcher to slide Hip-Hip to DH. Hopefully A-Jax will be in CF with Leche as the 4th OF.
SS-Jeter
2B-Cano
1B-Tex
3B-A-Rod
DH-Posada
LF-Swisher
RF-Ankiel
CF-A-Jax
C-?/Cervelli
Pass on Ankiel:
“•Since Rick Ankiel was hurt last season, around July 27, he’s hitting .203 w/ an OBP of .290. His SLG over that time is a paltry .357 making his OPS just .647. This is over his last 207 PAs – not an inconsequential total. It’s about a third of a season’s worth of PAs.”
http://www.vivaelbirdos.com/
I’m not advocating Ankiel at all. Just saying IF he comes to the Bronx that better the scenario. Honestly, I’d rather resign Nady or pick up Willy Mo.
Or, IDEALLY (meaning in dreamworld), Pena proves capable of hitting LgAv and Jeter moves to LF. I know, I know….
Melky could always be that other OF anyway. Though I’d put him in RF and Swish in LF, it really doesn’t matter either way. The BIG question for next year is C.
Meh, it’s my plan to not sign an OF at all, just keep rolling with Damon in LF and instead sign a catcher and move Posada to DH, but I doubt the org plays it that way. They’re stubborn sometimes, I think Jorge is probably still the opening day catcher next season.
My desired lineup:
SS-Jeter
LF- Damon OR Ankiel (depending on price and length)
1B-Teixeira
3B-Nails Krzyzewski
DH-Posada
2B-Cano
RF-Swisher
C-Bengie Molina
CF-AJax
What I think’s gonna happen:
SS-Jeter
DH-Damon
1B-Teixeira
3B-Nails Krzyzewski
C-Posada
2B-Cano
RF-Swisher
LF-Ankiel (irrespective of price and length)
CF-AJax
Honestly, I seriously doubt Cash & Co sign an OF. Swish-AJax-Melky with Gardner is fine. Just plug Melky in for Damon and swap him and Cano in your lineup. I guess I’d be OK with Molina at C, but can we really count on another 35+y/o C to stay healthy? I’d rather sign/trade for a Defensive stud behind the plate.
meh, to quote donnie baseball hall of fame and his attmpt at nicknames, im nto a big fan of roid ankles. there has to be someone else….
Jeter
Cano
Tex
A-Rod
Posada
Swisher
Molina
Melky
A-Jax
No Roid Ankles there.
until 09 is over, melky is still a mirage.
Until I see him start taking walks again Like he did in the last three weeks of April and first week of May with any kind of consistency, he’s a mirage. He’s swinging at everything. The only player that swings at more pitches out of the zone is Cano, but Robbie connects a lot more than Le Leche.
10.9% BB% in April/Mar, 4.5% since.
Jeter
Cano
Tex
A-Rod
Posada
Swisher
MolinaCervelliMelky
A-Jax
No Roid Ankles there
How much do you see Heathcott going for?
Gibson would also be cheaper than Crow/Scheppers/Purke/Renfroe, but no way he slips to #76.
I say Crawford walks away from Tampa and surfaces a few weeks later in pinstripes. I want nothing to do with Bay. This makes no sense, maybe, but I like variety on a team. Bay is more valuable, and Crawford needs his speed to be valuable, so he’s potentially a faster-depreciating asset than Bay. But I like having fast guys on the team. I’ve had quite enough of having a team with 6 DH’s.
Al Davis everybody!!
Crawford was at Posada’s bachelor party this week.
Why would Posada be having a bachelor party?
Sorry, I meant Molina.
CC and Mo and ARod were there along w Carl Crawford
No need to draft Harper. He’s coming here as a FA. Don’t you read the irrefutable Sports Illustrated?
I know the Yanks are claiming a budget on the draft this year and it might be real but more than last year or the last couple since i didnt really follow the draft before that it appears the economy is making teams more skeptical of big price figures while the players expect the numbers to keep going up and it appears a lot of early round talent will fall. If this happens the yanks should act like the yanks and snatch up as much talent as they can, pay them and in the end it will cost less because we will have a great system and wont need to fill as many holes in FA.
Now i dont know that we can get those 4 players in the first 5 picks, but with the money we didnt spend on the draft last year cause cole went to school and bittle had the shoulder we should be factoring that in to this years “budget.”
I also dont see the Yanks as big players in FA this offseason and they will expect Jackson to be up next year and the only 1 of the 4 FA (Damon, Matsui, Pettitte, and Nady) that i see them bringing back might be damon for like 1-2 years 8 mil or so a year and if that is the case the payroll shrinks by 28 mil next year.
Exactly. If, somehow, somehow, somehow, all of those guys were to slip, they’d all be in the top 10 in the system, IMMEDIATELY. If only 1 of them pans out into a solidly above average major leaguer, you get your value right there.
here’s what i dont get. I understand they are unproven, but basically for most of them say it is 3 million you are getting that for the chance they develop in the next 4 years. If you did that for 4 guys its like one free agent for 1 year. I understand it is a lot of money for unproven talent, but the potential dividend is so high. Just look at what we got out of the 06 draft:
Joba
Kennedy
Z-Mac
Betances
Melancon
Robertson
Konotos putting it together this year
That’s 1 starter in the majors, 1 reliever proving himself in the majors and 3 of the top 10 prospects we have. How many millions does that save us in FA?
Ross Ohlendorf would tell you they’re well worth the 3-4M per prospect.
I hear that guy is kinda smart.
Keith Law has both Purke and Scheppers falling out of the first round, but ranked in the top-10 in terms of talent. Injury or salary concerns included, I can’t see how they could let either slip past.
They let them slip past, because, AS YOU JUST NOTED, many experts think these guys will fall right out of the first round. So, why take them in the first if they’ll be available in the second, third, fourth, and fifth rounds?
Because then they have to make it past the supplemental round and most of the 2nd round until they get back to you. I’d rather take the risk the risk of Heathcott falling to 76 (which is around where he ranks according to the evaluations I’ve seen).
Yes, but, if those teams didn’t take Crow, Scheppers, or Gibson in the first round because they thought they couldn’t afford the financial burden coupled with the injury risk, they’re even LESS likely to take him in the sandwich or second rounds, because those players still want 3-4M and now they’re requesting it further below slot, making it more expensive to sign the player (since they already have to budget 1st round slot money to sign for their first rounder.
If big money demand guys slide out of the first, they tend to keep sliding far, far down.
On the contrary. While a team might not be willing to risk their top pick, they could be more inclinded to roll the dice on their second, third, fourth or even fifth pick (Diamondbacks) before the Yankees get to pick again.
No, not really.
If the Diamondbacks think it would be a waste to pick Gibson, Crow, or Scheppers in the first round because he’s way too expensive and they can’t afford to sign him, they’ll see it as an equal waste in the later rounds as well. The Diamondbacks aren’t paying Tanner Scheppers 3M in ANY round. They know that, which is why they won’t pick him.
ur forgetting teams like the dodgers and mets dont pick in round 1. they have supplementals. Also if you get a lock in round 1 then you can take a risk at a signing later.
problem is just because they escape round 1 doesnt mean they get out of the supplemental or fall to 76 and with us having no 3rd rounder we are talking 135.
I remember being so excited with the 1st pick – and so disappointed when he got hurt. Although Jeter at #6 turned out ok in 92.
Coming up next on the RAB Draft Pick Stroll Down Memory Lane:
Jon Poterson.
David Parrish.
Eric Duncan
John-Ford Griffin.
I’d imagine whom the Yankees select would be impacted by their plans for the international free agent market. The ESPN deportes has the Yankees linked to two of the bigger names, LHP Noel Arguelles and infielder Jose Iglesias.
Of course, the Yankees were close to shelling out $3 million for Felix Peres before MLB uncovered that he was more like 24-25 than his reported age of 20.
I was in college at the time, and like everyone else, thought it was a dumbass kid just like me drunk in a bar who ruined not only his dreams, but pissed away a dream that i had once, and that i surely would have better managed.
now as a parent, i see he was at his mother’s (and his) house (trailer) and he was defending his brother. as a father, listening to his daughter’s say that he gets home at 3 when he plays pool made me cry. i can imagine the 8 year old, dirty faced, probably with red kool aid stains and messy hair, looking through the top of her eyes at the reporter and nodding.
you hear about these lottery winners having their lives absolutely ruined by the brazillion dollars that they won. tears apart families, drugs, inducing horrible decisions.
i’m going to pray for the Taylor family, and i guess i should add the rest of these kids, before i go to bed tonight.
more reading: http://www2.ljworld.com/news/2.....en_taylor/