Tuesday, June 09, 2015

THE DRAFT

Up until a few years ago, I was only vaguely aware that the draft existed. Even then, I wasn't aware of how much the Major League teams relied on them. There were occasional mentions that a team had drafted so-and-so back in '86 and now he's a big star. But then player salaries began to skyrocket out of sight, not only in dollars, but also in the length of the contracts. (The Mets will be paying Bobby Bonilla $1.2 million a year until 2035, when he's 72. He last played in 2001) When it became apparent that these players just weren't worth carrying for so long after they were productive at all and for such astronomical sums, that clubs looked for other sources of players. Thus, the draft.

Even then, with people talking about it more and more, It wasn't until this year, when MLB decided that the draft was an EVENT, (that's EVENT, not event) that it became a TV special. It started last night and will continue for three days, when we get down to the final rounds when teams will be drafting clubhouse attendants, because...what else is left?  ("He's great with a broom, Bob, and he has major league shoe-shining ability now. I predict he will be stocking drink machines in a major league clubhouse by 2016.") I hope that last line ends up being a joke.

Back to reality, the actual draft. The Yanks were known to be interested in a shortstop named Cornelius Randolph who was touted as a 5-tool player (run, hit, hit with power, field and throw), but he was picked at #10 by the Phillies. With pick #16, the Yanks picked a right-handed pitcher named James Kaprielian from UCLA. He's predicted to be a #4 or #5 starter. He does have a cool nickname, though - Grandmaster K. - because of his propensity for striking batters out.
You have to love the Yanks #30 pick though: SS Kyle Holder. He's supposed to be a terrific fielder - one scout rates him plus-plus with the glove - but it might not matter since he can't hit a lick. If wet paper bags stymie him, what's he going to do with a ML curve? Why do they need him?  Stephen Drew already has the wet paper bag situation handled.

Interesting Yankee-Nationals game tonight. Masahiro Tanaka versus Max Scherzer. Wonderful if you like 0-0 ballgames with a total of three hits.  If they get a pitcher's umpire, we may see the first double no-hitter in history. I won't. I'll be asleep.

Crazy item in the Rochester sports page today. The Triple-A Rochester Red Wings heard that WWE wrestler Bret Harte was coming to town as part of a promotion, so the bullpen crew decided to use his visit as a means to introduce a little bonding in the bullpen. They have all selected a pro wrestler to emulate. They dress like him and take on his ring persona. Randy Savage, the Undertaker, the Rock and the Ultimate Warrior, to name a few. A couple of them say they can't wait for the first bench-clearing brawl. They're ready.

***THEY SAID IT***
"Doesn’t Sepp Blatter, former FIFA President, sound like something that can be treated only with powerful antibiotics?"  -- Mike Lupica
"Last week an 80-foot-wide sinkhole opened up at a Missouri golf course. This week Tiger Woods three-putted it."  -- RJ Currie
"After reportedly being heckled by a fan at the AT&T Byron Nelson Open, Johnny Manziel threw a water bottle. The bottle was intercepted and returned 59 yards."  -- Brad Dickson
"After his team’s 18-4 loss to Arkansas in an NCAA baseball super regional: “If it was a good pitch, they hit it. If it was a bad pitch, they hit it even further."  -- Missouri St. pitcher Jon Harris
"On pace for 183 home runs but just a .212 batting average with runners in scoring position?
If the Mariners were a car, it’d be sitting up on blocks, a for-sale sign in the back window, with the lemon-law proviso that it packs some power but the clutch is shot."  -- Dwight Perry
"With the votes counted as of today, seven Kansas City Royals on track to start this year’s All-Star Game. Guessing most Americans couldn’t NAME seven Kansas City Royals."  -- Janice Hough
"After inadvertently washing my wallet with my clothes, I’ve applied to be president of FIFA. I’m experienced at laundering money."  -- RJ Currie 
"Cincinnati Reds first baseman Joey Votto drew a three-ball walk. Man, the commissioner is throwing out all stops to speed up the game."  -- Brad Dickson
"Indian police said they detained a pigeon suspected of being a Pakistani spy after it was found to have a message stamped on its body. They released it, however, upon learning that the message translated to 'Property of Bill Belichick.’"  -- Bill Littlejohn
"Things may change in Boston, just because it’s a long season there the way it is everywhere else, but at this point in time the Red Sox would be willing to send Pablo Sandoval back to the Giants for a bag of batting practice balls.        Just sayin’."  -- Mike Lupica
"I read a report that Raiders’ QB, Derek Carr missed some workouts because of numbness in his fingers. Given the pounding that he took last year behind an offensive line that was only offensive in the sense of its collective body odor, it ought to be a plus that he only had numbness in a couple of fingers."  -- The Sports Curmudgeon

CP-
 

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