My 50th Article is the best Pick of the Decade
Written by Kerri Senno, Wednesday December 30 2009
In celebration of my 50th article at PlayerPress, which coincides with the end of the first decade of the millennium, I have decided to present you with a list. Lists are great—they make sure you do not forget anything at the food store; they show you who is a communist (circa 1950); and most importantly, they help organize common entities allowing for easy analysis and ranking.
With the recent (presumptuous) signing of Jason Bay by the New York Mets, it reminded me that everything can come full circle in baseball. Jason Bay was drafted at the beginning of the decade in 2000 by the Montreal Expos, drafted by none other than Omar Minaya. Mets fans everywhere are hoping Minaya can undo his wrong, by trading for Brandon Phillips this offseason, but of course this is just wishful thinking. As noted in a previous article written about the Pittsburgh Pirates, Bay was part of a circle of players trade in which a variety of talented players traveled from small to big market teams leaving little trace that they even existed there. (In terms of what the other team received out of the deal, not successfulness)
Omar probably did not think Jason Bay would go on to win rookie of the year, (nor did he think Cliff Lee would win a Cy Young) after all, Bay was only a 22nd round pick. (Did you know Mike Piazza was drafted in the 62nd round basically as a favor to Tommy Lasorda?) I know what you are thinking—Is Tiger Woods sponsoring the Playboy Golf Super Scramble? Oh, and also “Get to the point, Kerri.” Over the past ten years, or decade as many call it, there have been—wait for it—a total of ten first round, first overall draft picks in the MLB. Greats like Alex Rodriguez or Darryl Strawberry have held this honor before. (Hey, your New York bias is showing) Of course, the most recent picks cannot yet be analyzed appropriately, but let us take a look to see how Omar’s famous trade compares.
First Overall Draft Picks of the Decade
2000
The year is 2000, you have survived Y2K, what a surprise, and the Florida Marlins have drafted Adrian Gonazalez, 1st overall. Gonzalez was the first position player to be drafted first overall since A-Rod in 1993. What has he done since then:
He has averaged 32 homeruns per season with 98 RBI and a .281 batting average, except not for the team who drafted him. Do not worry, the Marlins received prolific closer Ugueth Urbina.
Other notable names from this draft: Phillies Chase Utley, and Braves Kelly Johnson, who is relevant here as the Braves have given up on the young talent and have released him.
NYM: The New York Mets used their first round draft pick on Billy Traber who has a 12-14 lifetime win-loss with a 5.65 ERA.
2001
The year is 2001, and the Minnesota Twins have drafted hometown hero, Joe Mauer, first overall. Mauer has gone on to be the best offensive catcher in the game averaging:
17 17 Homeruns, 92 RBI and a .327 batting average in his young career.
Other notable names from this draft: Mark Teixeira
NYM: The New York Mets have drafted Aaron Heilman, a jerk out of Notre Dame who, five years later, will give up the season ending homerun to Yadier Molina in the top of the ninth inning in Game 7 of the NLCS. Six years later, he will give up a three-run homerun to Jimmy Rollins in a two run game in which you are sitting in the Mezzanine. I cannot go on.
2002
2002, Pirates this is your chance! You have your pick of the litter: Prince Fielder, Zack Grienke, BJ Upton—with the first pick of the 2002 draft the Pittsburgh Pirates take Bryan Bullington.
Bullington is 0-5 in his career with a 5.08 ERA.
NYM: The New York Mets drafted southpaw Scott Kazmir, a kid with a lot of promise. Who needs that though? Let’s get Victor Zambrano. I bet he is awesome at running off the mound practically crying.
2003
It is 2003, and the Tampa Bay Devil Rays (I am allowed to call them that because it is past tense) have drafted Delmon Young, the bat throwing talent. He has put up decent numbers in his career, averaging:
14 homeruns and 83 RBI, but he is still only twenty four years old. In 2007, Young was traded to the Twins for Jason Bartlett and Matt Garza, both of which helped Tampa Bay to their first World Series appearance. (I think they won that World Series, right?)
Notable draft picks: Nick Markakis and Chad Billingsley
NYM: The New York Mets have drafted Lastings Milledge. Once Milledge came out with a rap CD, the Mets had enough of him and traded him to The Washington Nationals for power hitting Brian Schneider and former Omar Minaya draft pick Ryan Church. Ultimately, the Mets got Jeff Francoeur for Lastings Milledge, which is not too shabby.
It is 2004 you are graduating High School, OK maybe just I and the number one draft pick were graduating High School, but the San Diego Padres take Matthew Bush number one in the draft. He is yet to play a game in the Major Leagues. If I knew of any Padres fans, I would ask them about this prospect, but I am not sure if there are any.
Notable Names: Justin Verlander and Jered Weaver
2005
In 2005, while I was in college in a sea of pink Nomar Garciapara Red Sox jerseys, Justin Upton was drafted first overall by the Arizona Diamondbacks. Upton is the ultimate 5, 6, 7 tool player.
In just two full seasons he has hit forty-three homeruns, 139 RBI and 23 SB.
2006
NYM: The Phillies had the Mets compensation pick this year and took pitching prospect Kyle Drabek, who eventually landed them Roy Halladay. Are you seeing a trend yet?
2007 rolls around and you can just sense an epic collapse coming from a baseball team on the East Coast. No, do not be crazy that would never happen. The Tampa Bay Rays draft Vanderbilt pitcher David Price, who played an integral role in their bullpen in the 2008 playoffs.
Notable names: Matt Wieters and Rick Porcello
In the 2008 draft, the Rays selected Tim Beckham first overall.
NYM: The New York Mets take Ike Davis and Reese Havens, both of which are currently topping the Mets prospect list, but it remains to be seen how they will fair in the majors.
10. Stephen Strasburg was taken first overall by the Washington Nationals in 2009. He certainly got paid enough for never throwing a pitch to a major league batter, but we will have to wait and see.
Teams cannot be solely built upon free agency, even the Yankees have Derek Jeter. The draft is very important to a franchise. Maybe less than half of first round picks work out, but then again batting .300 in baseball is good. The Mets had a failed decade in the 2000s; they reached the postseason twice, but their first round draft picks have not exactly worked out. If they had just had one Chase Utley, Joe Mauer or Tim Lincecum, perhaps the whole decade would have worked out differently.
With that said, and again, in honor of my longwinded 50th article, I share with you a sad photo. I am sorry, young impressionable child, but not all of the helmets and protective gear in the world can save you from the pain that team on your t-shirt will give you.
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6 comments
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haha, i wanted to be just like David Wright: http://www.mouthpiecesports.com/blogmedia/2009/09/davidwright.jpg
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50? You don't look a day over 49 Kerri. I really liked the 274 Phillies references in your article as well. Seems that the Phillies are not only in the heads of the Mets players, but also in the heads of their fans. By the way, great picture. Did they make you ride on the Short Bus for wearing that gigantic helmet, or was it because of the Mets jersey? Or did ALL Mets fans ride on the Short Bus?
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In case anyone was wondering, that shirt is a homemade Hojo jersey.
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Yes, Benn, the two are interchangeable.
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"Prolific closer" = "prolific machete wielder," right?
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congrats again on 50 and the photo is fantastic!!!