Draft Grades

Steve (PGH) and I decided to hand out grades for the draft (not that you asked), in order to evaluate how teams did. We noticed once we finished that the grades are all pretty high. We attribute this to a combination of us being too nice and the draft being too good, so that it was hard to NOT get guys who helped your team. Also, the grades are not just based on talent acquired, but by what you did with what picks you had, team needs, and wisdom were all factored in. Here we go, with grades and commentary. Should make for some good discussion.

Kansas City A
P Manny Smyth
P Chris Capuano
1B Clem Graves
SS Greg Mack

There is a lot of pressure that comes with the first overall pick in the draft. We felt that KC handled it well, taking the best pitcher in the draft and setting himself up for a killer rotation in a few years. Also, getting Clem Graves in round 3 was a steal.

Cincinnati A
C Terrence Lee
P Martin Blank
1B Emil Wesson

Drafting the guy who is probably the best catcher in Habla history starts a team off on the right foot. Blank has huge upside. This draft should have a huge effect of the Reds.

Pittsburgh A
CF Mike Robinson
LF Ivory Carroll
2B Bill Leiter
LF Shane Block

Trading up to get Robinson was smart, as the defending Champs have been looking for their stud CF for awhile. All of their picks help their team. Getting Carroll in late 2nd is huge, and Leiter is a good future 2B.

Anaheim A-
C Jack Slater
SS Lynn Lyons
P Neal Heaton
P Ray Anderson

Though it was tough, taking Slater 4th overall was the smart move. Lyons, the best SS in the draft, was a steal late in the first. Add on 2 solid pitchers and you got yourself a pretty good draft.

Philadelphia A-
1B Kite Melton
C Tony Delis
P Dave Solaris
C Stan Blinx

Getting the best hitter in the draft at pick 7 was huge, and Delis was a great pick. He loses points because Solaris was a reach that high and Blinx is good, but no team can start 2 catchers. Great draft nonetheless.

Texas A-
RF Stacey Conner
P Sammy Tyler
C Josh Clarke
RP Tiki Pratt

Conner provides nice insurance, should Enos Slaughter decide to leave via FA at the end of this season. Tyler is a closer type. He fills a big need with the trading of Todd Worrell and the uncertainty of Ryan Duren's future with the club following this season. The team also managed to find a solid replacement to veteran Pinky Hargrave behind the plate.

Minnesota A-
3B Kevin Dent
2B Robby Whittle
OF Allie Lando

Dent and Whittle aren't as young as you'd like your prospects to be, but should make the Twins infield much stronger. Lando was a nice pick up, as well, and should find a spot a very good outfield someday soon.

Boston A-
P Blake Brannon
P Troy Shulte
RF Dave Melvin

The Red Sox add two solid starters to what was already one of the better rotations in the league. In Melvin, they don't get much pop, but they do get a gold glove candidate with incredible speed.

New York Mets B+
3B Dex Apple
2B Pete Looper

The Mets had a pretty good draft for not showing up or sending in a list. Apple is a great pick and Looper is arguably the best 2B in the draft. Hard to skip all your later picks in a draft like this, though.

Houston B+
P Jay Gravens
P Artemis Odell
1B Tommy Spokane
CF Bob Veelo
P Timmy Smith

Gravens could soon be battling Gubicza for ace honors in the rotation. Spokane was a bit of a steal in the mid 2nd. Smith was also a nice value pick.

Montreal B+
2B Red Graham
LF Charlie Walton

You get big props from us for taking a little and making it into a lot. That is what the Expos did. Graham is a very nice 2B for late 2nd and Watson is a decent OF.

Oakland B+
2B Bill Ford
P Roy Nevel

Again, take a little and see what you can do with it. Ford is another solid 2B who fell and OAK was wise enough to snag him. Nevel is a solid arm as well. Wise decisions pay off.

Florida B+
3B Johnny Dwight
P Tank Nevers

Florida may have spend the best $4 in the draft taking these two guys. In a deep draft, you are left with some quality players at the bottom of the barrel, and Florida did well in picking these 2.

Colorado B
2B Francis Dantana
P Jason Bourne
P Bill Romberger
RF Mark Ingram
SS Addie Herald
P Alejandro Travino
P Del Ellerton

The great: getting Herald at the end of the 2nd round. The good: Dantana and Bourne may not have been the best players on the board, but both are very good talents. The bad: Taking a guy with no endurance and only one good pitch in the 1st, then following it up with a RF not as good as Herald early in the 2nd.

Chicago White Sox B
P Ray Willow
P Todd Johnson

Willow should be solid as a starter or reliever. Ditto for Johnson. However, the team lost out on their 3rd rounder with good players still available.

San Francisco B
SS Billy Reed
C Ben McAllister
P Brian Thames
CF Roland Davis
P Cap Wilkerson
RF Ernie Coleman

No spectacular picks, but no terrible ones either. A solid draft with quite a few guys who will contribute to this ball club.

San Diego B
P Willie Redus
P Seth Mann

Not much you can do when the only guys left are relievers. The Padres got a couple guys who should see some action in their bullpen.

Atlanta B-
P Randy Rix

This one is hard because it is a team with no GM. Rix was the best pitcher available at #2, and it is hard to go wrong with taking a good pitcher. The rest of his pick were sold for cash...not a bad day.

Los Angeles B-
OF Chris Duncan
3B Tim Ferrick

Duncan was a reach for the 1st, as teams were taking better players in the late 2nd. Ferrick, however, was a great pick and earns this team some good draft points.

Baltimore C+
OF Danny Black
P Taylor Craigen
P Malc Harmon
SS John Ganzel
3B Mark Odom
1B John Washington
RF Phillip Wells

A lot of picks should equal a lot of return. We felt this entire draft was simply mediocre, less than what you expect to get with 7 picks in a draft this good.

Toronto C+
P Lex Powell
SS Woody Stairs
1B Mike Capra
LF John Deverauk
P Juan Alvarez
3B Pete Roberts

Pete Roberts was a great pickup for the third round, and was the best pick Toronto made. The other guys he got in the 2nd round, and he was reaching some, and we felt there were better players on the board at the time.

Detroit C
P Frankie Hernandez
P Mike Chibib
P Brian Demmitt
CF Welday Money
P Dick Stoddard
LF Tyronne Kutzler
P Linc Boxer

Again, with 7 picks in a draft like this, a team should expect great things. We felt that the team got mediocre talent and missed some better players in the process. The bottom line is a net gain, but could have been much more.