mlb best draft picks & the one that got away(all 30 teams)

[rocket surgeon]

this is pretty interesting-seeing where guys were picked up- the ones that got away, the high draft picks that didn't amount to anything and juxtaposed with others missed or passed over.  baseball's draft has got to be one of the most difficult to evaluate talent and project what you're getting until you got it. 

  who would you rather have?  derek jeter or phil nevin?

http://www.espn.com/mlb/story/_/id/23641823/best-draft-picks-ever-one-got-away-all-30-teams

[Vander Blue Man Group]

Definitely a crapshoot for the most part. 24 teams had a chance to draft Trout and passed.

[cheebs09]

The Brew Crew were the next pick and would have taken Trout. At least we got Eric Arnett from Indiana. Crean sang his praises when he was drafted.

[rocket surgeon]

Definitely a crapshoot for the most part. 24 teams had a chance to draft Trout and passed.

  those are the ones that gotta make ya stay awake at night

[Vander Blue Man Group]

  those are the ones that gotta make ya stay awake at night

I often imagine what would have happened if the Astros had taken Bryant at #1. It's terrifying.

It's interesting looking at the 2014 draft. Schwarber was considered a reach but when you look back who should have gone in front of him based on other 1st round picks?  Nola and Turner is about it from my perspective.

[rocket surgeon]

the phillies draft ryne sandberg 20th round in 1978, then 3 years later trade him to the cubs for ivan de jesus.  they put that under late round gem for phillies...i would still classify that as the one that (they let) get away

my favorite late round gem is mike piazza-last player taken in the 62 round as a favor to piazza's god-father, tommy lasorda.  didn't they call that pick, god-father's piazza, ein'er?

[GGGG]

I’m not saying trading Sandberg for DeJesus was a good trade but it was understandable. The Phillies were trying to win a World Series and needed a shortstop because Bowa was being Bowa. DeJesus ended up starting for the 1983 champions.

The history of baseball is full of those trades. Did the Phillies misjudge Sandberg. Undoubtedly. But I understand their mindset. They had entrenched players at 2nd and 3rd, didn’t think he could play short, and got what they needed. A veteran shortstop with a good glove.

[WarriorDad]

It is also a bit more complicated than only the draft selection.  There is no doubt in my mind that some of these guys could have gone higher to other teams and ended up worse ball players because of the organization they are in, the philosophy they teach and preach.

It is a combination of the right player in the right org that maximizes their talents.  Even the ballpark they play in.  Using Trout as an example, imagine his already insane stats if he played 81 games a year at Yankee Stadium?  Or conversely a left handed hitting power hitter having to play in a big yard where HRs go to die vs playing in a hitters part.

[Pakuni]

I’m not saying trading Sandberg for DeJesus was a good trade but it was understandable. The Phillies were trying to win a World Series and needed a shortstop because Bowa was being Bowa. DeJesus ended up starting for the 1983 champions.

The history of baseball is full of those trades. Did the Phillies misjudge Sandberg. Undoubtedly. But I understand their mindset. They had entrenched players at 2nd and 3rd, didn’t think he could play short, and got what they needed. A veteran shortstop with a good glove.

Exactly right.
The Phillies were coming to the end of a great run which included playoff appearances in five of the previous seven seasons (really hard to do back then with two divisions and no wild cards) and a World Series win. Their core was aging fast, so they made a last push for a title, and nearly got it (true fact: Ivan DeJesus got closer to getting a ring than Ryne Sandberg ever did).
Sandberg, in the meantime, was largely blocked in the Phillies organization by two all-stars at the only positions he could play.
Obviously the deal didn't work out well for the Phils, , but the trade made sense for them at the time.

[GGGG]

Exactly right.
The Phillies were coming to the end of a great run which included playoff appearances in five of the previous seven seasons (really hard to do back then with two divisions and no wild cards) and a World Series win. Their core was aging fast, so they made a last push for a title, and nearly got it (true fact: Ivan DeJesus got closer to getting a ring than Ryne Sandberg ever did).
Sandberg, in the meantime, was largely blocked in the Phillies organization by two all-stars at the only positions he could play.
Obviously the deal didn't work out well for the Phils, , but the trade made sense for them at the time.

Oh crap that's right.  I mixed up their 1980 World Series win with their 1983 World Series loss.  Thanks.