Would You want Your MLB Team to Pay $50 Million to Sign a Prospect like Stephen Strasburg ?

FairWarning · Jun 8, 2009

barman said:
But will he make a bigger impact than Dewan Brazelton?

Brazelton made quite the impression on my accounts. :103631605

3rd pick overall in 2001. Here is the top 5 of that draft:

<table class="boxed" bordercolordark="black" bordercolorlight="black" border="1" cellpadding="5" cellspacing="0"><tbody><tr bgcolor="#f3e9ce"><td align="center" nowrap="nowrap">[SIZE=-1]1.[/SIZE]</td> <td nowrap="nowrap">[SIZE=-1]Twins[/SIZE]</td> <td nowrap="nowrap">[SIZE=-1]Joe Mauer[/SIZE]</td> <td nowrap="nowrap">[SIZE=-1]C[/SIZE]</td> <td nowrap="nowrap">[SIZE=-1]St. Paul, MN[/SIZE]</td> </tr> <tr bgcolor="#f3e9ce"> <td align="center" nowrap="nowrap">[SIZE=-1]2.[/SIZE]</td> <td nowrap="nowrap">[SIZE=-1]Cubs[/SIZE]</td> <td nowrap="nowrap">[SIZE=-1]Mark Prior[/SIZE]</td> <td nowrap="nowrap">[SIZE=-1]RHP[/SIZE]</td> <td nowrap="nowrap">[SIZE=-1]University of Southern California[/SIZE]</td> </tr> <tr bgcolor="#f3e9ce"> <td align="center" nowrap="nowrap">[SIZE=-1]3.[/SIZE]</td> <td nowrap="nowrap">[SIZE=-1]Rays[/SIZE]</td> <td nowrap="nowrap">[SIZE=-1]Dewon Brazelton[/SIZE]</td> <td nowrap="nowrap">[SIZE=-1]RHP[/SIZE]</td> <td nowrap="nowrap">[SIZE=-1]Middle Tennessee State University[/SIZE]</td> </tr> <tr bgcolor="#f3e9ce"> <td align="center" nowrap="nowrap">[SIZE=-1]4.[/SIZE]</td> <td nowrap="nowrap">[SIZE=-1]Phillies[/SIZE]</td> <td nowrap="nowrap">[SIZE=-1]Gavin Floyd[/SIZE]</td> <td nowrap="nowrap">[SIZE=-1]RHP[/SIZE]</td> <td nowrap="nowrap">[SIZE=-1]Severna Park, MD[/SIZE]</td> </tr> <tr bgcolor="#f3e9ce"> <td align="center" nowrap="nowrap">[SIZE=-1]5.[/SIZE]</td> <td nowrap="nowrap">[SIZE=-1]Rangers[/SIZE]</td> <td nowrap="nowrap">[SIZE=-1]Mark Teixeira[/SIZE]</td> <td nowrap="nowrap">[SIZE=-1]3B[/SIZE]</td> <td nowrap="nowrap">[SIZE=-1]Georgia Tech[/SIZE]</td></tr></tbody></table>

louisvillekid · Jun 8, 2009

i wouldn't but that's just me.
I've always joked with friends that if i owned a team, i would put priority on developing young talent and preach fundamentals and D.
And just constantly have a young squad that as long as they played competitive i'd be happy. As soon as a young guys 3 year mark or whenever it came time for them to qualify for the big multi-year contracts i would let them go on the free agent market or try and trade them for up-n-coming young talent.
And possibly sign vets that are considered washed up but can get for cheap on a year to year deal and have the potential to still produce.
Keep payroll like 20 or under and rely on promos and gimmicks on a nightly basis to help with attendance and hopefully the youg players play with pride and heart and win just enough to keep people coming.

i think it could be done right and an owner could profit.

FairWarning · Jun 8, 2009

louisvillekid said:
i wouldn't but that's just me.
I've always joked with friends that if i owned a team, i would put priority on developing young talent and preach fundamentals and D.
And just constantly have a young squad that as long as they played competitive i'd be happy. As soon as a young guys 3 year mark or whenever it came time for them to qualify for the big multi-year contracts i would let them go on the free agent market or try and trade them for up-n-coming young talent.
And possibly sign vets that are considered washed up but can get for cheap on a year to year deal and have the potential to still produce.
Keep payroll like 20 or under and rely on promos and gimmicks on a nightly basis to help with attendance and hopefully the youg players play with pride and heart and win just enough to keep people coming.

i think it could be done right and an owner could profit.

Thats the Nationals and Pirates plan.

onemwtheone · Jun 9, 2009

Pitchers that were #1 draft picks ---

David Clyde 1973 Texas Rangers
Floyd Bannister 1976 Houston Astros
Mike Moore 1981 Seattle Mariners
Tim Belcher 1983 Minnesota Twins
Andy Benes 1988 San Diego Padres
Ben McDonald 1989 Baltimore Orioles
Brien Taylor 1991 New York Yankees
Paul Wilson 1994 New York Mets
Kris Benson 1996 Pittsburgh Pirates
Matt Anderson 1997 Detroit Tigers
Bryan Bullington 2002 Pittsburgh Pirates
Luke Hochevar 2006 Kansas City Royals
David Price 2007 Tampa Bay Devil Rays

I understand the Nationals probably have to do this, but the track record for pitchers going #1 #1 stinks.

HuskerFan1 · Jun 9, 2009

just like the USA deficit spending it completely out of whack...so arent these professional drafts...i read an article on federer this week about his career accomplishments etc and its now widely regarded he is the best tennis player ever and i could swear his total tourney earnings now exceede $47million (he has earned every nickel of it IMO)....this guy is gonna sign a contract worth 50million is beyond absurd...the nfl clowns are guarenteed something close to 30million now on their 50million contracts...

hopefully the economy continues to erode to the point where the stands are empty (even the NYY arent imune as we have seen) and these salaries scale back....