BA did an analysis of the 2005-2008 drafts assigning letter grades to each year for each MLB team and then calculating a GPA based on the standard weighting for letter grades. The Giants scored 3 straight A's from 2006-2008 after a C in 2005, the year their first pick was in the 4'th round! The Red Sox tied the Giants with a GPA of 3.5. I was surprised to see the Dodgers grade out as well as they did with a 3.25. The Oakland A's? 2.75. The grades were based on players signed. The Giants were obviously helped by having high draft positions, but several clubs who consistently drafted as high, or higher, than the Giants did not grade out nearly as well: Orioles- 2.88. Pirates- 2.50. Rockies- 2.50. Nationals- 2.38. Royals- 2.38.
In the write up, BA points out that even without their top 3 picks in 2005, the Giants still had a respectable draft: Sergio Romo(round 28), Joe Martinez(round 12), Alex Hinshaw(round 15) and Thomas Neal(round 36). If Neal is what I think he is, this draft may still end up as a grade A in the future!
Dick Tidrow was scouting director for 2005-2007 with John Barr coming aboard for the 2008 draft, so those who want to say that the current success of the farm system is all attributable to John Barr are simply wrong. Take the success of these drafts, add in the increased international activity, and the explanation for the Giants great core of young players and a top 5 ranked farm system 2 years in a row is obvious. I have long dreamed of the day when the Giants would once again be a great organization like back in the 60's when they were pumping out prospects like Bobby Bonds, George Foster, Gary Mathews and Garry Maddox. It looks like we're finally there. Let's all hope the current crop wins a championship or two for the Giants and not other teams like the Giants of old.
I have been contemplating doing a series of in-depth draft reviews. Maybe this article will spur me to do it. What do readers think?
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Interesting post, how about a discussion on whether or not arod, or barry bonds, or mark mcgwire should be hall eligible based on their either admitted or probable performance enhancing drug use, also, why does gambling (pete rose) seem to be more of an issue than PEDs
ReplyDeleteThis is an awesome post. I love looking back at past drafts and seeing when my favorite minor league players got drafted in the 5th or 17thround and such(I was hoping dan griffin was going to be a star) If you do a year by year analysis, I will be reading. Ps what about a post of possible 5th starters pros and cons?
ReplyDeleteI really like the idea of in-depth draft reviews.
ReplyDeleteI can only speak for myself, but I am completely uninterested in anything to do with PEDs. There have been thousands of articles on the subject, everything has been said at this point.
My initial reaction to the BA article was that Boston must be really good. They must be drafting near the bottom each year, and still got the top grade.
ReplyDeleteMy second reaction was, whom did the Giants get, other then the #1 picks, that is so good that it gets them the A grades. Other than Lincecum, no one from the 06 to 08 drafts have graduated to the majors. Several other teams have better top 10 prospects than we do. Why are their draft grades lower than ours? I can think of several reasons, but would love to see your analysis of the drafts.
Thanks for taking the time to do this blog.
Draft Reviews would be sweet!!!
ReplyDeleteI would enjoy it also.
ReplyDeleteI only started paying attention to our draft a year or two ago so I would love to see a review of some of the drafts that I missed.
ReplyDeleteWow! Thanks for the feedback everybody!
ReplyDeleteI might do a PED piece. I guess I'm not as worked up over it as some people are, so I can certainly understand Marcello's disinterest, but I do have a few thoughts than I might put together. Hint: Should Gaylord Perry be in the HOF?
Yes, Boston has drafted very well over the years.
I don't believe there are many teams with better top 10 prospect than the Giants. Maybe Texas, Maybe Tampa Bay? I can't think of too many others. Jim Callis has stated he thinks the Giants farm system is the #4 overall, and John Manuel rates it #3. BA tends to weigh top end talent heavily, so somebody besides me thinks the Giants top 10 is pretty darn good. Texas juiced it's farm system with the Teixeira trade, so that's one explanation.
BTW, BA's analysis did not include the 2009 draft. Does anyone else think the Giants went back-to-back-to-back with Wheeler, Joseph and Stoffel 1,2,3?
I think Dominguez is 3, and Stoffel is 4th. I think Wheeler and Stoffel are real, but I am not sold on Thomas Joseph. That's probably more due to my skeptism on the ability of the Giants to find and develop position players. I think Dominguez is looking like a bust.
ReplyDeleteThe supposed inability of the Giants to find and develop position players is rapidly becoming an obsolete concept. The main reason for the Giants lack of homegrown position players is that they have only recently started seriously trying to find and develop them. Harping on the past causes us to lose sight of what is happening now. TIme will tell if Tommy Joseph is for real, but whether he is or not, the Giants will be graduating a significant number of high ceiling position prospects over the next few years proving the conventional wisdom of their inability to do it false.
ReplyDeleteAndy Seiler, who writes the blog MLBBonusBaby.com, seems quite knowledgeable and does a huge amount of research on the draft. He gave the Giants 2009 draft an A- and rated it as one of the best of any team last year.
ReplyDeleteNot sure if BA would feel the same but it could very well make four straight years of A grades.
Don't forget Randy Hundley as a Giants draftee of the 60's
ReplyDeleteI like Andy Seiler a lot. His stuff has become must-read for serious baseball fans leading up to the draft. He's already posted two mock drafts for 2010. I'll have to put his blog in my Favorites column.
ReplyDelete