Tagged: Major League Baseball Draft
United States of Baseball- South Carolina
The relaxed pace of life in South Carolina mirrors baseball’s leisurely pace. The Palmetto State has sent 241 players to the Major Leagues. South Carolina is a hub for Minor League Baseball with five professional teams spread across the state. The greatest pitcher born in South Carolina is Bobo Newsom. His 51.25 career WAR is the 28th highest for a state or territory pitching leader. The greatest position player from the Palmetto State is Willie Randolph. His 65.90 is the 30th highest for a state or territory position player leader. Combined, South Carolina has 117.15 WAR, the 31st highest in the United States of Baseball.
Bobo Newsom had more terms in Washington than President Franklin Roosevelt, so the joke went. Louis Norman “Bobo” Newsom was born in Hartsville. The Right Hander pitched for nine teams during his 20 season career: Brooklyn Robins/ Dodgers (1929-1930, 1942-1943), Chicago Cubs (1932), St. Louis Browns (1934-1935, 1938-1939, 1943), Washington Senators (1935-1937, 1942, 1943, 1946-1947, 1952), Boston Red Sox (1937), Detroit Tigers (1939-1941), Philadelphia Athletics (1944-1946, 1952-1953), New York Yankees (1947), and New York Giants (1948). The journeyman often sought his release so he could negotiate new contracts with other teams. Seeking his release and being traded five times meant Newsom’s longest stint with any team was two and a half seasons.
Baseball history is filled with superstitious players. Newsom was among the most superstitious. He would not pitch if there was paper on the dirt mound. Newsom meticulously picked up every tiny piece of paper, often left by the opposing team, before pitching. Opponents felt this could get Newsom out of rhythm and give them a chance. Newsom pitched in 600 career Games, made 483 Starts, Finished 71 Games, threw 246 Complete Games, including 31 Shutouts, 3,759.1 Innings Pitched, allowed 3,769 Hits, 1,908 Runs, 1,664 Earned Runs, 206 Home Runs, 1,732 Walks, 2,082 Strikeouts, posted a 211-222 record, with a 3.98 ERA, 1.463 WHIP, and 107 ERA+. He was a four time All Star. Newsom won the 1947 World Series with the Yankees. He pitched a 9 inning No Hitter against the Red Sox on September 18, 1934, but lost 2-1 after surrendering a game winning Single in the 10th. Newsom is one of two pitchers, Jack Powell, to win 200 games and post a career losing record.
The best season of Newsom’s career came with the 1940 Detroit Tigers. He pitched in 36 Games, made 34 Starts, Finished 1 Game, threw 20 Complete Games, including 3 Shutouts, 264 Innings Pitched, allowed 235 Hits, 110 Runs, 83 Earned Runs, 19 Home Runs, 100 Walks, 164 Strikeouts, posted a 21-5 record, with a 2.83 ERA, 1.269 WHIP, and 168 ERA+. Newsom led the Junior Circuit in ERA+. Detroit won the American League Pennant by a single game over Cleveland before losing the World Series to the Cincinnati Reds in seven games.
Newsom pitched in the Fall Classic twice, 1940 with the Tigers and 1947 with the Yankees. He pitched in 5 World Series Games, made 4 Starts, threw 3 Complete Games, including 1 Shutout, 28.1 Innings Pitched, allowed 24 Hits, 9 Runs, 9 Earned Runs, 0 Home Runs, 6 Walks, 17 Strikeouts, posted a 2-2 record, with a 2.86 ERA, and 1.059 WHIP. Winning the 1947 World Series was a reward for a long career on bad teams. Newsom was an odd but solid Major League pitcher.
Willie Randolph never gets the respect he deserves from New York fans. The Holy Hill native grew up in Brownsville Brooklyn before escaping poverty to reach the Majors. Randolph was drafted by the Pittsburgh Pirates in the 7th round of the 1972 Draft. He moved quickly through the Minor Leagues to reach Pittsburgh in 1975. The Pirates played their young Second Baseman sparingly in his lone season at Three Rivers Stadium. He was traded to the Yankees with Ken Brett and Dock Ellis for Doc Medich in December 1975. Randolph played for six teams during his 18 seasons career: Pittsburgh Pirates (1975), New York Yankees (1976-1988), Los Angeles Dodgers (1989-1990), Oakland Athletics (1990), Milwaukee Brewers (1991), and New York Mets (1992).
After changing teams Willie Randolph had a long and productive career. He played in 2,202 career Games, scored 1,239 Runs, collected 2,210 Hits, 316 Doubles, 65 Triples, 54 Home Runs, 687 RBI, 271 Stolen Bases, 1,243 Walks, 675 Strikeouts, with a .276 BA, .373 OBP, .351 SLG, .724 OPS, and 104 OPS+. He won a Silver Slugger and was a six time All Star.
Randolph’s best season came with the 1980 Yankees. He played in 138 Games, scored 99 Runs, collected 151 Hits, 23 Doubles, 7 Triples, 7 Home Runs, 46 RBI, 30 Stolen Bases, drew 119 Walks, 45 Strikeouts, posted a .294 BA, .427 OBP, .407 SLG, .834 OPS, and 133 OPS+. He led the American League in Walks. Randolph set a career high in Runs scored and tied his career highs in Home Runs, Walks, OBP, OPS, and OPS+. He was an All Star, won a Silver Slugger, and finished 15th for the American League MVP.
Randolph made it to the Fall Classic four times, but only the 1977 Yankees came away victorious. In 47 Postseason Games, he scored 19 Runs, collected 36 Hits, 6 Doubles, 1 Triple, 4 Home Runs, 14 RBI, 3 Stolen Bases, drew 20 Walks, 15 Strikeouts, with a .222 BA, .304 OBP, .346 SLG, and .650 OPS. On defense, Randolph never committed a Postseason error. He played on several good teams, but never found much success with the bat in October.
After a year in the Front Office, Randolph returned to the field as a coach for the Yankees and Brewers. He won three more World Series in the Bronx before the opportunity to manage his favorite team from childhood, the Mets, arrived in 2005. Randolph led the Amazins from 2005 to 2008, posting a 302-253 record. His .554 winning % is the second best in franchise history behind Davey Johnson’s .588. Ultimately, Randolph, Pitching Coach Rick Peterson, and First Base Coach Tom Nieto were fired while in California on a road trip at 3:15 AM EST. The fires happened following a Mets victory, and winning three of their last four games. The dismissal was strange then and remains so a decade and a half later. Willie Randolph has not received another opportunity to manage despite his success in Queens.
The Palmetto State has sent three players to the Hall of Fame: Larry Doby, Jim Rice, and Ben Taylor. There should be a fourth in Shoeless Joe Jackson, but that is an argument for another day. Next, the United States of Baseball heads west to the Mount Rushmore State. South Dakota is next.
DJ
Non-Tendered
Fans get excited about free agency, especially if their team lands one of the winter’s big names. The Phillies and Bryce Harper, the Yankees and Gerrit Cole, the Mariners and Robinson Cano (which worked out well), and so on. The MLB Draft is gaining importance in the minds of baseball fans, but it is not on the same level as the NFL and NBA Drafts. Baseball’s Draft is becoming more relevant despite the delayed or non-arrivals of the top picks. Arbitration is the third avenue for teams to build. Most focus on teams maintaining the status quo, but it is the non-tendered players who can make a difference for a new team.
The Cubs decision to non-tender Kyle Schwarber, thus making him a free agent, has garnered the most attention. However, he is not the only non-tendered player. More than 50 players suddenly became free agents Wednesday. There are a variety of reasons why. Under performance, better replacement player under team control, cost. The peril of every non-tendered player is best shown by Matt Wisler and David Dahl. They are now free agents largely for things beyond their control.
The Twins non-tendering Matt Wisler took many by surprise. Wisler’s 2020 was the best season of his career. Prior to 2020 he was 19-27 and 1 Save with a 5.20 ERA and 1.395 WHIP in 389.1 innings in five seasons. In 2020, he went 0-1, with 1 Save, 1.07 ERA, and 1.145 WHIP in 25.1 innings. A career year which normally would have made him an All Star. The choice to non-tender Wisler was strange as the bullpen was a strength for Minnesota. The Twins led baseball in Save Opportunities, while posting the American League’s 6th lowest bullpen ERA. Wisler is not a lock down closer, but rather a critical bridge. A closer is useless if the team cannot hold a lead before the 9th inning. Minnesota paid Wisler $725,000 after picking him up off waivers from the Mariners last off-season. After a career year, he was looking to make $1 to $2 million in arbitration. While his history is not as a dominant reliever, the Twins would not commit themselves to a full season, hopefully, with Wisler in their bullpen. In free agency, Minnesota may have difficulty finding an equal replacement at a lower cost. Time will tell if non-tendering Wisler was the right decision.
Minnesota’s decision to non-tender Matt Wisler was puzzling, while Colorado’s decision to non-tender David Dahl was surprising but understandable. Simply, Dahl could not stay healthy. While he has developed into a solid player, injuries have prevented Dahl from reaching the potential the Rockies saw when they drafted him 10th overall in 2012. 2019 was Dahl’s breakout season, he hit .302, with 15 Home Runs and 61 RBI in 100 games and was named to his first All Star team. A leg injury derailed his season in early August. Colorado hoped Dahl would continue his success in 2020, but a throwing shoulder injury in January derailed his season before it began. No player chooses to be injured and Dahl knew 2020 was an important season for his career, so he chose to not disclose the injury to the team over growing durability concerns. He tried to play through the pain but the numbers never lie. In 24 games Dahl hit .183 with no Home Runs and 9 RBI. His OPS tumbled off the mountains overlooking Denver, falling from .877 to .470. His injury history and $2.55 to $2.6 million expected price tag in arbitration was enough for the Rockies non-tender their former first round pick.
Baseball is a hard game. The game is unfair and does not care about your past performance or potential. Big free agent signings raise the hopes for immediate team success. The Draft is hope for the future. Arbitration is judgement day for teams and players. Did the team develop the players and have players lived up to their potential. Schwarber, Wisler, and Dahl will find new teams. Not every non-tendered player returns to the Majors. Some return to the minor to finish their careers, while others move on to their next stage in life. Baseball is a cruel game, and the business of baseball only adds another layer to that cruelty.
DJ
The Major League Baseball Draft
Teams and fans lose their minds every year when their team is picking first in the draft. Fans and pundits have a million opinions on what the team should do with the pick. Pick the latest can’t miss phenom, trade down to stockpile talent, select the player who is ready to contribute now. The draft is how a team turns it fortunes around and reenergizes its fan base. The draft has an immediate impact on the success of the team. All of this is true, for football and basketball. The draft for baseball is different, and I would say better. Basketball and football are here and now sports. They are built on the highlight reel. Baseball is slower; it is not concerned on the highlights. The concern in baseball is building towards success, which is achieved over a long season.
Players don’t achieve instant success; they grow and mature into it, which is better because they can make mistakes without being under the full media spot light. Also allows them to not be overwhelmed and blow all their money like so many do in basketball and football. There are just as many fools with their money in baseball as there are in other sports; however the slow climb up the ladder enables players to gradually increase their pay. This stands in stark contrast to basketball and football where the players go from making nothing to college to making millions within months. I will never begrudge someone for making money, which is the point of a job. Some people work in a cubicle or with their hands in a plant, these individuals play a sport. They are elite at what they do and are compensated accordingly. Do I think some players are overpaid? Yes, but this is only in comparison to the others around them. Again though, they should make all the money they can.
Aaron Nola, 7th overall pick by the Phillies (twinsdaily.com)
Baseball has the minors. Basketball and football has college. Baseball you can be drafted out of high school, during your time in junior college (if you go that route), or once you are an upper classman at a four year college. Basketball you have to be out of high school before you can be drafted. Plenty of players are one and done, look at the University of Kentucky. You can be drafted any year after your freshman year, but the trend now seems to be if you do not leave school early you are not going to be drafted, or at least a high lottery pick. In football you can only be drafted after you have been out of high school for three years. More and more players are leaving college for the NFL as soon as they are eligible. These players who decide to leave school early for the NBA or the NFL are smart to do so if they can become successful at their profession. I doubt any of us would look down on a musician who left school to play for an elite orchestra. Make money while you can. Athletes have a small window of opportunity and need to take full advantage of this window.
Unlike basketball and football it is not unusual for a drafted player to not sign with the baseball team who drafted him. Baseball is more forgiving as it gives players time to consider their options and decide what path they want to take in their career. The MLB draft is not the finale in the way the NFL and NBA drafts are. Players have more control of where they will play. If they feel they can improve their draft position after high school they can go to Junior College, if they think they can still improve then they can go to a four year school, if they think they can improve after their junior season then they stay through their senior year. A player could potentially be drafted four before they run out of options as to whether or not to wait to sign with a Major League team. Some players are ready to turn professional right out of high school, others need a year or two, and others need four or five. Baseball allows them some flexibility in deciding when they are ready to move to the next level.
62nd Round pick and Hall of Fame caliber catcher Mike Piazza (www.cbssports.com)
The Major League Baseball draft has plenty of future stars who are waiting to show themselves. If a top pick does not become an elite player, they are rarely labeled as a bust. Everyone in and around the game understands that baseball is a hard game, and to play it at the highest level is no easy task. As Hall of Famers Ted Williams and Willie Stargell both observed, hitting a round ball with a round bat squarely is extremely difficult. For every Ken Griffey Jr. and Chipper Jones selected with the first pick there is Steve Chilcott, Brien Taylor, and Matt Bush. For every early round star there is a Ryne Sandberg (20th Round), Nolan Ryan (10th Round), Albert Pujols (13th Round), Mike Piazza (62nd Round), Roy Oswalt (23rdRound), Keith Hernandez (42nd Round), and John Smoltz (22nd Round). There is talent to be found in the later rounds. Scouting Departments must be attentive in their work, as a successful draft could be if two of the picks eventually make it to the Major Leagues. Scouting is and always will be an inexact science. A player can look good on paper and against high school or college competition, but not all of them can make the transition and be successful playing against professional talent. The closer you move towards the Major Leagues the tougher the competition and let more that is expected from a player. Only a select few and ride their raw talent to the Majors. Often it requires years of hard work and development to make it to the top.
The Major League Baseball Draft is here. Pay attention to it, because you can see the players you will be cheering in the future now. The top picks are there for a reason. They are the top prospects, but remember they are prospects. Nothing is guaranteed to anyone in baseball. The first pick can flame out or get hurt. A late round draft pick that was selected simply because someone called in a favor can turn into a Hall of Fame caliber player. The draft for baseball is about finding the few diamonds among the other shiny stones. These players will not be playing in the Majors this summer; rather those who do make it will show themselves in a few years. Baseball is a game which is about the cumulative not the instantaneous. The Draft shows the potential which teams believe players have. However only time will tell which players have the necessary skills, mental toughness, can avoid injuries, and get a little luck along the way to make it to the Major Leagues.
D
The Winning Run 