The Team's Good Picks:
Ivan Rodriguez and Gio Gonzalez are good picks for this team. Pudge provides a reliable catcher with fantastic defensive skills. With Andrew Jones, Orlando Cabrera, Mike Lowell, Mark Ellis/Howie Kendrick, Eric Byrnes and even Nick Swisher, this team could be Barb's best defense. Pudge has a cannon and so does Cabrera and Jones. Pudge provides a very good veteran bat to a lineup taht could have some potential. Cause for concern would be Mike Lowell as there is a reason big years by veterans are called "Career Years" they don't happen every year. As for Gio Gonzalez, the little lefty can really rack of the strikeouts. If Oakland is a contending team, then Gonzalez's late season callup could rival Liriano and Gallardo's efforts in past years. Gonzalez, since there is depth in this rotation, could be used to find another hitter, perhaps Yuma's Adam LaRoche or Pottsylvania's Lyle Overbay.
The Team's Bad Picks:
Dan Ortmeier and Dana Eveland were poor draft selections. At most Ortmeier will be a role player, despite consistant playing time with MLB's worst franchise. Generally role player would be good, but the team already has Conor Jackson. I thought there are more durable and versatile players, like Casey Blake that could have filled Ortmeier's role better. And for Eveland, the lefty is overrated. I think his numbers will be good at home, but when Oakland travels, he will get rocked.
The Team's Best Pick:
Not trading the organization's young players. Oakeyland has the finest young nucleus in Andy LaRoche, Stephen Drew, Howie Kendrick, Carlos Gonzalez, with Gio Gonzalez, Matt Garza, and Dice K. All of these players will see significant playing time by year's end at the latest. I seriously doubt too many fanchises will have this kind of contribution from youthful players.
Overall: C+
Although the talent from Oakeyland's draft wasn't great, it filled team needs. The team's catching situation was pathetic. Pudge fills the defensive needs of the team and can produce offensively. For the future, Oakeyland must focus on getting a more youthful catcher, like John Buck perhaps. The excess middle infield talent allows the team to trade some players if the situation is needed. Getting younger should have been a focus for this team. The only player that could produce at a high level in three years time was Gonzalez. With only a handful of picks, youth should have been the focus after acquiring Pudge. Jackson is also a good pick for this team but Ortmeier was overkill.
4 comments:
I strongly disagree with the selection of Pudge Rodriguez. The record shows that almost all catchers decline dramatically around 1,400 games, and there are only 16 players who have caught 1,700 games in the entire history of MLB. Pudge is one full season away from setting the all-time record. That's laudable, but facts are facts. He's in serious decline mode and won't be a big-league regular for much longer, and he costs a fortune.
Oakeyland won't win with Pudge, and they won't be able to find a buyer for Pudge when they're ready to win. Sorry, but that's how I see it. He let the overpaid Jason Kendall go to acquire a guy who is making just a bit less, and who has had an OPS below the major league average each of the last three seasons. The arm strength is still way above-average, and he can call a game, but the latter doesn't figure in our league at all.
Pudge is a filler pick. That is why I criticized not finding a more youthful catcher later in the draft. Pudge is a very special catcher and could play effectively this season and maybe next season. The benefits of modern science-- right?
Modern something or other. He is a special talent. He already has more putouts than any other backstop in the history of the game. I just can't see paying that much money when a guy like Yadier Molina was available.
I think its a good pick because there is a reason Yadier Molina, making .41, is still available. He really cannot hit. Pudge can hit and will be attractive come trade deadline time to teams looking for a veteran backup who can really be an asset.
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