With the beginning of this year’s Major League Baseball Draft I am once again reminded of the flaws that are rampant in major league baseball. It never ceases to amaze me at the decision making process that MLB’s top scouts and executives go through before making their picks. The irony of the whole thing is that they draft one thing and then promote something completely different to the major leagues.
Early in the draft teams generally look for players with eye popping tools. What I mean is, they like to spend big money on players who are big, run extremely well, throw hard, or have jaw dropping power. They classify these players as guys with huge “upside”. They believe that if they draft players with “tools” that they can teach them how to play the game. The problem is, time and time again they are unable to teach these guys how to play the game. What ends up happening is the players in the later rounds (3rd round and on) are the players that generally end up making it and playing for many years in the Major Leagues. These are usually the players who have a little less “tools” but they work hard and know how to play the game.
You see, leading up to the draft they run you through a variety of tests. They test throwing speed, power, size, they run the 60 yard dash for running speed. All of these tests to determine your draft status. Generally the players taken in the first two rounds dominate in these areas. The problem is once you sign, once you get to the minor leagues you will never run another 60. As a position player you will never again be judged on arm strength. All they care about once you sign is, can you play baseball? For this reason I am always astonished as to why the big money doesn’t go to “baseball players”. Guys that can play the game. Why do they burn big money on guys with “upside” and “potential” that they will never reach.
Think of it this way... There were 32 players selected in the first round of this years draft. All of which will command signing bonuses in the millions. If 4 of those players reach and play extended periods of time in the major leagues we will consider this to be a successful draft. 4!!! ONLY 4!!! What will end up happening is that in there somewhere will be a couple of Hall of Famers. A couple of kids taken today in the lower rounds will in 25 years be in Cooperstown. Don’t believe me? Look at some of these players..
Albert Pujols 13th round (probably today’s best hitter)
Tony Gwynn 3rd round (arguably the greatest hitter since Ted Williams)
David Eckstein 26th round (2 time World Champ and World Series MVP)
Robb Nen 31st round (possibly one of the top 5 closers of all time)
Mike Piazza 62cnd round (greatest hitting catcher in history)
Andy Petite 22cnd round
Howie Kendrick 10th round
Roy Oswalt 23rd round
Johan Santana never drafted
As you can see these are some of the game’s greatest players who were not taken in the top two rounds. So what is the problem? Why is it that this continues to happen year in and year out?
Most certainly some of it can be attributed to the work ethic of these players. But it has to do with major league baseball’s inability to develop athletes. Baseball’s arrogance that they can develop athletes while at the same time having a limited mindset. They believe that they can teach the game, that they can turn these “athletes” into baseball players and time after time they are unable to do so. Why?
First of all, (and get ready for this one) the coaching and instruction in professional baseball is no better then the coaching and instruction you receive in high school. That’s right, I have heard a lot of you complain about your high school coaches and don’t think for one second that it is any different at the higher levels. We assume that it is, we want it to be. Primarily because these guys are getting millions of dollars to do their job and they do it in front of millions of people. The honest truth however is that coaches in professional baseball are no better then the ones in high school. So for that reason they are unable to teach the sport to these “athletes”.
The second reason is their limited mindset. Their belief that you are either born with it or you’re not (which really is just an excuse for their own inability to develop talent). Why do you think guys turn to steroids? Why is it guys cheat? Is it because they are bad people? No! These guys want to get better, they want to succeed. The problem is there is no one around them that can tell them how to get better and the ones who try are told that they have reached their “limit”. That they were born to be a .250 hitter. What a bunch of crap!
I am amazed that with all of the advances in major league baseball. The sabermetrics and all of the new and cool ways they evaluate talent that there has been zero advancement in the area of player development. If baseball would just admit to their own shortcomings maybe more players who can play the game would go higher in the draft.
Many of you have made tremendous improvements. Many of you are playing at levels higher then you ever dreamed possible. What I want you to realize is that there are no limits to what you can accomplish. Don’t buy into the limited mentality of major league baseball. We’ve already proven that you can develop into the player you want to become. Don’t be discouraged if you don’t currently poses the eye popping skills of a first round pick. Understand that you can be as good as you desire to be. You may not be a first rounder but you can be a Hall of Famer.
