NL East GM Draft Tendencies
-Dexter Sports
7:38 PM
Dexter-Sports Inbox
Here is a look at the Tendencies of NL East GMs during draft week.
New York Mets: Omar Minaya - As documented by his trade history, Minaya is a wheeler and dealer when it comes to acquiring players. This wheeling and dealing style has caught him in binds before when it has come to the draft. In 2002, Expos management and Minaya passed up on Prince Fielder, Cole Hammels, Nick Swisher, Jeff Franceour, Matt Cain and Jeff Francis to take Clint Everts. As the Mets GM, his picks haven't evolved into everyday players. A look at the everyday roster shows this. Of the 25 active, only Mike Pelfrey and Joe Smith have been drafted by the Minaya Regime. Besides the lack of success, Minaya and co. will still spend big bucks to bring in a player they need or that others are afraid to sign because of commitment.
Atlanta Braves: Frank Wren - Wren makes up for what he lacks in experience in his ability to scout players well. He has seen over the development of those young Expos of the nineties and helped develop the system of the Marlins after the overhaul of 1998. Wren has seen the prospects and knows how to deal with drafts. Wren was hired in 99 to take over a Orioles team that should have made the playoffs. Wren's signings failed and he wasn't given a chance after that. In that draft of 99 though, he was unable to find success in the first round even with three picks. Larry Bigbie was the only to make it to the bigs. I don't expect Wren to do that bad, considering the great staff around him. The Braves went after home grown Joshua Fields in the second round last year and could give him a stab in the first this year.
Washinton Nationals: Jim Bowden - Whether liked or dissliked in Washington, Jim Bowden has done a lot through the draft and trade to make this team better. Ryan Zimmerman and John Lannan are the only picks under his tenure to have decent success at the big league level, but a lot of his draft talent is starting to form. Chris Marrero, Ross Detwiler, and Jason Maxwell are nearly major league ready and Bowden has a lot of young talent doing good things in the lower ranks of his minor league system. One trend that is noticable is Bowden's love for pitching in the early rounds. The Nationals have been rumored to really like outfielder Zach Collier though.
Philadelphia Phillies: Pat Gillick - Gillick has had a bunch of success in his tenures as GM for the Blue Jays, Orioles, Mariners and Phillies. Gillick has yet to see success through the MLB draft, but eventually it will come. High profile prospects Adrian Cardenas, Joe Savery and Kyle Drabeck all have the ability to be future all stars. Look for a lot of hitting prospects to be taken because of Gillicks aggressive drafting of pitching in the most recent years. Gillick drafted Adam Jones in his last draft with the Seattle Mariners.
7:38 PM
Dexter-Sports Inbox
Here is a look at the Tendencies of NL East GMs during draft week.
New York Mets: Omar Minaya - As documented by his trade history, Minaya is a wheeler and dealer when it comes to acquiring players. This wheeling and dealing style has caught him in binds before when it has come to the draft. In 2002, Expos management and Minaya passed up on Prince Fielder, Cole Hammels, Nick Swisher, Jeff Franceour, Matt Cain and Jeff Francis to take Clint Everts. As the Mets GM, his picks haven't evolved into everyday players. A look at the everyday roster shows this. Of the 25 active, only Mike Pelfrey and Joe Smith have been drafted by the Minaya Regime. Besides the lack of success, Minaya and co. will still spend big bucks to bring in a player they need or that others are afraid to sign because of commitment.
Atlanta Braves: Frank Wren - Wren makes up for what he lacks in experience in his ability to scout players well. He has seen over the development of those young Expos of the nineties and helped develop the system of the Marlins after the overhaul of 1998. Wren has seen the prospects and knows how to deal with drafts. Wren was hired in 99 to take over a Orioles team that should have made the playoffs. Wren's signings failed and he wasn't given a chance after that. In that draft of 99 though, he was unable to find success in the first round even with three picks. Larry Bigbie was the only to make it to the bigs. I don't expect Wren to do that bad, considering the great staff around him. The Braves went after home grown Joshua Fields in the second round last year and could give him a stab in the first this year.
Washinton Nationals: Jim Bowden - Whether liked or dissliked in Washington, Jim Bowden has done a lot through the draft and trade to make this team better. Ryan Zimmerman and John Lannan are the only picks under his tenure to have decent success at the big league level, but a lot of his draft talent is starting to form. Chris Marrero, Ross Detwiler, and Jason Maxwell are nearly major league ready and Bowden has a lot of young talent doing good things in the lower ranks of his minor league system. One trend that is noticable is Bowden's love for pitching in the early rounds. The Nationals have been rumored to really like outfielder Zach Collier though.
Philadelphia Phillies: Pat Gillick - Gillick has had a bunch of success in his tenures as GM for the Blue Jays, Orioles, Mariners and Phillies. Gillick has yet to see success through the MLB draft, but eventually it will come. High profile prospects Adrian Cardenas, Joe Savery and Kyle Drabeck all have the ability to be future all stars. Look for a lot of hitting prospects to be taken because of Gillicks aggressive drafting of pitching in the most recent years. Gillick drafted Adam Jones in his last draft with the Seattle Mariners.
