Thread: Article: Looking Back at the 2002 Twins Draft

Originally Posted by glunn

I agree with those who will be pissed if the Twins spend materially less than the cap this year.

I don't get this... Why? Who cares? The players have been drafted now. Why shouldn't they try to get them for as little as possible? Especially when this one year, if any of the money is not spent, some can carry forward to next year.

The Astros got the guy generally believed to be the best hitter in the draft and signed him for like $2.2M below slot. THey should be applauded.

Originally Posted by glunn

I agree with those who will be pissed if the Twins spend materially less than the cap this year.

Since this is the first year under the new system, I'll wait to see how their spending stacks up compared to other teams, and not just in absolute terms. But I'm pretty sure they need to be in the upper echelon, as a percent of their cap, given their needs.

Here's what worries me. They drafted a slew of pitchers, and rightly so. Past the first two or three rounds at best, any individual draftee is a long shot to ever make an impact in the major leagues. I imagine the guys from round 5-15 (say) are labeled by the front office as grade-B prospects, and all from 16-40 are labeled fringe. Can these pitchers ever shake their label based on actual performance? Judging by the Twins' treatment of (as the most recent examples) Slama and DeVries, with public comments that their stuff won't let them translate AAA success to the majors, I am doubtful. In that case, investing a lot of money to sign any but the top draft picks is ultimately a waste, of money, attention, and time.

It is fun to go to baseballreference and just follow the different draft years, yet alone the minor league rosters of a team, and how few players advance on the course to the majors. The Twins seems to be in the 7-10 range for guys that make the major (not the Twins). But interesting to look at, like, the A rosters of the Snappers and how few make it thru to the show.

Originally Posted by ashburyjohn

Can these pitchers ever shake their label based on actual performance? Judging by the Twins' treatment of (as the most recent examples) Slama and DeVries, with public comments that their stuff won't let them translate AAA success to the majors, I am doubtful. In that case, investing a lot of money to sign any but the top draft picks is ultimately a waste, of money, attention, and time.

I couldn't disagree more.

Baseball is a game of numbers, the more you sign the more likely you will get someone special. Even the first rounders are a 50/50 chance of making it to the majors, the odds decrease as you move down the rounds, but there will be major leaguers taken this year in rounds 10 and below. The good organizations are the ones that are able to not only draft them, but also sign them, give the a chance to progress and coach them along the way.

The quickest route to a failed organization is to stop sending money to sign talent. The second quickest route is to only sign your first 10 picks, thinking the other guys don't have a chance.

I don't have the number in front of me, but how many on our current 40 man roster were drafted after the 10th round or not drafted at all?