1-Man’s Opinion on Sports-Monday “Padres-Draft Day-Time to End Bad History”
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“Padres Draft Day-Drafting-Failing”
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The MLB Draft is the lifeline of a baseball franchise. Now you can understand why the San Diego Padres have been in a state of disrepair for a decade or so. Why there hasn’t been a playoff appearance in oh so long. And why this franchise has gone thru so many General Manager over so many years.
Mention the baseball draft, and the the words that come to mind, are penny pinching, injuries, failures and trades.
When you say MLB draft, the names that flash infront of your face are Matt Bush and Donavan Tate, both very high draft picks,both got a lot of money, both flamed out badly, costing the team lots of wasted bonus money, and damaging the credibility of ownership and the people they hired.
This is 2018. Do you know the last ‘impact player the Padres drafted was 2005. Chase Headley was a second round draft pick. The last power hitting player the Padres drafted was 2002, in 1st round pick Khalil Greene. The last great pitcher they drafted was in 1988, Andy Benes.
Yes, the Padres have a highly rated farm system, thanks to the ownership decision to spend wild amounts of money of international players, and to sign their top picks. Some of those young picks have already arrived, more are coming, but this takes time.
But nowhere in modern baseball, have we seen the pitiful decisions made by Padres leadership. that may have classified them as having the worst baseball decision makers in a decade.
A look back at why they are, where they are, perennially in last place.
(2017)s…P-MacKenzie Gore’s first full season has been waylaid by blister problems, but the future is very much infront of him. OF-Luis Campusano and C-Blake Hunt are just beginning their careers.
(2016)…P-Calvin Quantrill is stalled at AA-San Antonio, still trying to polish his secondary pieces, is a ways away. 2B-Hudson Potts started slowly, but is hitting well finally at Class A, as if young outfielder Buddy Reed. The gems of the draft, P-Joey Luchessi and Eric Lauer are already in San Diego, so this becomes the best draft of the AJ Preller era.
(2015)..P-Phil Maton was a later round pick, who got here quickly as a mid-inning reliever. Top pick Austin Smith never signed. The next pick Jacob Nix has struggled with health issues, but the pitcher is finally back on the mound. C-Austin Allen is in the minors.
(2014)..SS-Trea Turner was a very high pick, and is now starring for the Washington Nationals. He was part of the 3-way trade that netted power hitter Will Myers, who’s career has been hampered by nagging injuries. OF-Michael Gettys is behind the curve, still trying to hit in the upper minors. 1B-Brandon McKay never signed, and wound up being a top pick in the draft a year ago after going to college.
(2013)…Hunter Renfroe moved quickly thru the farm system and seems to have all the tools, plus the work ethic. But strikeouts and inability to hit right-handed pitcher have stalled his stardom. He will be given time to grow.. They gave up on SS-Dustin Peterson and P-Trevor Gott, both dealt away…It took Adam Cimber 5-years to get here as a 9th round pick-so far so good.
(2012)..A complete washout, with P-Walker Weikel being release, and hurler Max Fried-Zach Eflin being trades. Travis Jankowski arrived as a multi-position player, but surely not a difference maker.
(2011)…Corey Spangenburg is a super utilityman as the 20th man on the roster, and starting catcher Austin Hedges was a second round pick, but nothing else came in the draft. Jace Peterson was dealt, as was promising P-Joe Ross. P-Mike Kelly is gone, and they did not sign P-Eric Fedde-who is now a hot Giants prospect.
(2010)..P-Karsten Whitsun never signed, went to college and got hurt, a horrible finish for a high pick.
(2009)…OF-Donavan Tate failed miserably despite getting huge money as a signing bonus. Injuries, attitude, and a lifetime stuck in Class A-ball. Just an awful choice.
(2008)…Allan Dykstra had hip problems before he drafted,and was taken none-the-less. He bounced around and never got close to the majors. Ditto for career minor league outfielder Jaff Decker. Logan Forsythe made the majors, was traded to Tampa and is now with the Dodgers.
(2007)…P-Corey Leubke got to the majors with promise, then had 3-elbow surgery and retired. Injuries wiped out Nick Schmidt and others.
(2006)…The so called future 2nd baseman was top pick Matt Antonelli , whom they discovered a hitch in his swing, after they drafted him. Can you say lifetime minor league players.
(2005)….Injuries and drug issues eroded the careers of P-Cesar Carrillo and Cesar Ramos.
(2004)…Need I say more, for we all know what happened to Matt Bush, player and person, and how it hurt the organization.
So Monday, the Padres will go to the draft board, with picks 7-38-74-84., needing to what they have hardly done in more than a decade. Find some star players.
Who’s atop the standings today? Red Sox, Yankees, Astros, Braves, Nationals. Who’s in their lineup? Lots of draft picks. Not so in San Diego.
Chase Headley and Khalil Green were a long time ago. So was a winning season.
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