Other than winning titles, perhaps nothing defines a general manager’s legacy and ability more than their draft history and ability, or inability, to bring in talent on a year to year basis. This is a bit paradoxical given how difficult it can be to send the right name to the podium on draft day.
“Hell, I’ve always said drafting ain’t no exact science,” says longtime Scranton Miner lead scout Red McGirk. “It’s a bit of a crapshoot.” When a man like Red, who’s got one of the best records in the business, says that drafting is a tricky proposition you can understand why every year there are at least one or two draft “busts”. That said, there’s something to be said for solid scouting. “You should always get a solid player if you have a top ten pick,” says longtime, and respected Kansas City General Manager chadrader. “It’s not that difficult to mitigate risk through some basic homework.” It’s true enough that drafting great isn’t an exact science, but when you end up on this list repeatedly (as one franchise has), it’s clear that something other than “luck” is involved.
This list recounts the seven (7) biggest draft busts in John Kruk League history. It includes players who played four (4) years or more of pro ball, so players that didn’t sign, or ones that signed and left shortly thereafter (unassigned draft picks) were not counted. This also, by definition, rules out players drafted after Season 8.
Schwartz was a late first round pick, and while some might defend the pick, especially in the wake of an overall poor draft, you’d still like to see your first round pick at least sniff the big leagues. That hasn’t happened with the Texas product out of Rio Vista. Schwartz has played eight (8) years of minor league ball, topping out at AAA for the last five (5) years. With 151 minor league saves you have to wonder why this guy can’t crack the squad. Those “in the know” say it’s due to the fact he has only one pitch that’s big league caliber—a four seam fastball that’s average at best. Again, it wasn’t a great draft, but Richard Yamada who fell to pick 27 (now with the Boise Elite) would have been a wiser pick. In addition to being a starter, he showed better velocity and pitches as a prospect. While he hasn’t set the world on fire, he’s been a serviceable starter throwing for 800 innings and scratching out 44 wins. His 463 strikeouts in 522 innings show that he’ll be in the league for a few years to come as a strikeout kind of pitcher.
Tony Strange was supposed to man second base for the perennial World Series contending Salem Slugs. Drafted at slot 22, he was supposed to be the type of guy who could hit for a bit of average and leg out some doubles and triples in between an occasional HR blast—in short an all-around offensive product. And while Strange showed some of this in the minors (.297 average 96 HR) what nobody guessed was how awful he’d be in the field. “The guy had concrete in his shoes. Couldn’t move to his left. Couldn’t move to his right. Couldn’t pivot,” recalls longtime Salem fielding instructor Clarence Johnson. “It was a complete disaster.” Strange played nine (9) seasons in the minors and never set foot in a major league stadium. It’s easy to see why; the guy had 0 + plays in the field and 40 - plays during his minor league career (mostly at 2B).
To fill the second base slot, Salem should have picked Herb Brooks. Taken one pick after Strange, Brooks showed the same type of hitting style, but with much better footwork and range at second base. Playing for the Vancouver Redlegs, Brooks has hit .285 with 80 HR and 283 RBI in the big leagues. With 18 + plays and 14 – plays at second, he would have projected as the Slugs second baseman for the better part of the decade.
When Boston General Manager tribe_1 drafted Morris, most Boston fans were elated. “I remember being at the Boston fan club gala for the signing,” recalls season ticket holder Ray Rix, “and I remember saying, this is the guy we need to anchor down our missing LF slot.” What Rix, and everyone else didn’t know, was that Morris had “a little trouble with authority”. It was this trouble that caused Morris to bounce around the minor leagues for ten (10) seasons without ever playing in the bigs. “I always knew I could play, “Morris recalls, “I just never got the shot.” There were the two DUI incidents in Boston. There was the dugout fight with AAA skipper Butch McClellan in the Iowa City organization. There were the two separate physical altercations with the Iowa City police in Season 8. All of these things led to Morris getting a reputation as a talented kid who didn’t have his head on straight, and despite batting .296 with 247 HR and 163 SBs in the minors, and having four (4) minor league all star appearances (including two silver slugger awards), Morris never made it to the big leagues and finally retired in Season 12. The man Boston should have selected to fill the LF gap was Delino Martin. Martin was picked at the 18 slot and is currently manning left field for Kansas City. He already has one gold glove and one all star season (.292 w/ 35 HR) under his belt. He projects to be a .295 hitter with 20 HR and 25 2B on a regular basis. He’s also a clubhouse leader.
“Rtab had to be the cheapest son of a bitch in Kruk League history,” recalls current Texas General Manager Mister_Fresh. With plenty of pitching on the board with the 17th pick, Texas General Manager rtab inexplicably reached and went with Cuban defector Josias Cairo, despite the fact he projected as 2nd/3rd round talent. Many insiders say to this day it’s because Cairo didn’t have an agent and it stood to reason he could be signed cheaply. The Sacramento product soon proved rtab right by signing for the league minimum.
“It was weird,” recalls longtime Texas Pitching Coach Donte Wright, “don’t really know why he signed so easily. What I do recall is that he couldn’t hit the broadside of a barn. I distinctly remember him throwing three balls behind batters during a game in Season 4 spring training. It was ridiculous.”
Cairo had a bit of a control issue, but still rose up through the minors due to his high draft status. He made his major league debut in Season 9, and when the dust settled his line was 118 innings pitched with 76 strike outs and 89 base on balls. His WHIP was 1.89 and his ERA was 6.75.
“He was awful,” says Wright. Making things more tragic, one of the biggest steals in draft day history could have been chosen instead. Ken Wagner, the man anchoring the Wichita staff, fell all the way to pick 24 that year based on signability concerns. Sporting a career record of 79-51 with 677 strike outs in 676 innings, and a 1.26 WHIP and 3.38 ERA, there is no doubt Texas would be a World Series favorite if Wagner were on the staff. With 3 All Star game selections and one Cy Young Award, there’s no doubt the story of Wagner and Cairo proves that “you get what you pay for.”
“He was awful,” says Wright. Making things more tragic, one of the biggest steals in draft day history could have been chosen instead. Ken Wagner, the man anchoring the Wichita staff, fell all the way to pick 24 that year based on signability concerns. Sporting a career record of 79-51 with 677 strike outs in 676 innings, and a 1.26 WHIP and 3.38 ERA, there is no doubt Texas would be a World Series favorite if Wagner were on the staff. With 3 All Star game selections and one Cy Young Award, there’s no doubt the story of Wagner and Cairo proves that “you get what you pay for.”
If you look back into the lore of John Kruk League, legend has it that the draft pick of Keith Peters ultimately cost then Boston General Manager tribe_1 his job. When coupled with the Jim Morris pick (mentioned above), it was probably warranted. For most teams, Keith Peters never projected as number one talent, which is why it was such a surprise when he was picked so early. Most scouts had him as late round one, but more likely, round two material. What most people don’t know is how the pick came to be. “We had settled on drafting Antonio Miller,“ recalls tribe_1. “and when Nashville stepped in and picked him ahead of us, well, we panicked. We hadn’t done a lot of scouting because we were told there is no way Miller wouldn’t fall to us. We had limited time to make a selection and simply took the guy we had targeted with our second #1 pick (pick #46). Frankly, I deserved to be fired after that. We should have had more complete scouting reports and fallback plans.” Peters would never reach the starter status (let alone elite status) expected of someone picked in the #4 slot. He would end up with a .240 average in the bigs and a total of 13 HR and 78 RBI. The last laugh however, was really Peters. “How many guys can say they played three major league seasons and won three World Series Rings?” asks Peters. A good question and certainly the most impressive stat associated with his career. One of the guys Boston should have been eyeing with the 4th pick was Tony Leon. Leon would eventually fall to pick #8 and hasn’t disappointed since. With a .277 average and 206 career HR and 649 RBI, Leon is a cornerstone at 3rd. While he probably couldn’t have played SS, he certainly would have been a better piece to the puzzle. With one All Star Game appearance and one silver slugger award (3B) already, he’s just entering his prime.
Jeremy Judd was labeled a “can’t miss” pick in Season 3. Possessing great stamina, good command, and plethora of “plus” pitches, Judd figured to rise up the ranks of the New York farm system and one day be their ace. It never happened. Judd was busted for cocaine not once, but twice, before rookie league ball opened. Scheduled for reinstatement in the league in Season 5 he was busted for performance enhancing drugs. During his time away from baseball he ended up travelling the world, even penning a book called, “Off The Mound” and when the suspension was up Judd had no desire to come back. “He simply lost his desire to play baseball,” says former New York General Manager fighters. Judd would walk away from the John Kruk league having been on the payroll for four (4) years, but never throwing a pitch at any level, minors or majors. Truly his case is one of the most intriguing “what if” scenarios. Just like their counterparts in Boston, Ken Wagner was available. Sliding all the way to pick 24 that year based on signability concerns, Wagner has dominated since hitting the majors. Sporting a career record of 79-51 with 677 strike outs in 676 innings, and a 1.26 WHIP and 3.38 ERA, he would have helped New York in the NLCS games they’ve grown accustomed to playing in.
#1 Draft Bust
SP Ramon Sheffield Season 1 Pick 2 Boston Dream Team $11.0m signing bonus
Once again Boston makes the list, proving its ineptitude at drafting. This mistake, however, was the granddaddy of all mistakes. “$11.0m dollars before throwing a pitch? Are you nuts?” recalls then San Diego General Manager, and now ESPN correspondent dhomard. “Right away he was set up with way too much pressure.” Scott Boras, Sheffield’s agent, wheeled and dealed and found a way to wrangle $11.0m out of Boston. For starters, this severely handicapped the organization’s ability to build a farm system. Boston couldn’t sign any players beyond Round #4. They traded off some of their higher picks and were unable to compete in the international market. Second, the buzz surrounding Sheffield and his contract made him a clubhouse cancer with veterans who were openly pissed off. “Who the f*** is Sheffield,” team captain Fernando Rodriguez famously quipped when asked by a reporter about the newest Dream Team member. Despite having two players hitting 50+ home runs that year, the Boston squad would stagger to an underachieving 79-83 finish. sarmos78 resigned as General Manager. Bip Moreno, one of the team’s stars feuded with management over his contract during Season 2 and was released in Season 3. Not surprisingly the $11.0m signing bonus given to Sheffield in Season 1 would stand for seven seasons until PT Clark's deal in Season 8.
Once again Boston makes the list, proving its ineptitude at drafting. This mistake, however, was the granddaddy of all mistakes. “$11.0m dollars before throwing a pitch? Are you nuts?” recalls then San Diego General Manager, and now ESPN correspondent dhomard. “Right away he was set up with way too much pressure.” Scott Boras, Sheffield’s agent, wheeled and dealed and found a way to wrangle $11.0m out of Boston. For starters, this severely handicapped the organization’s ability to build a farm system. Boston couldn’t sign any players beyond Round #4. They traded off some of their higher picks and were unable to compete in the international market. Second, the buzz surrounding Sheffield and his contract made him a clubhouse cancer with veterans who were openly pissed off. “Who the f*** is Sheffield,” team captain Fernando Rodriguez famously quipped when asked by a reporter about the newest Dream Team member. Despite having two players hitting 50+ home runs that year, the Boston squad would stagger to an underachieving 79-83 finish. sarmos78 resigned as General Manager. Bip Moreno, one of the team’s stars feuded with management over his contract during Season 2 and was released in Season 3. Not surprisingly the $11.0m signing bonus given to Sheffield in Season 1 would stand for seven seasons until PT Clark's deal in Season 8.
What did Sheffield do to earn his large guaranteed sum of money? Well not much. To add injury to insult, Ramon “Chandelier” Sheffield has been on the DL 7 times in his career. He’s pitched a total of 308 big league innings, going 13-19 in that span with a 4.17 ERA. Now in the Burlington organization he’s trying to resurrect his career, but someone still needs to revive the Boston organization which has never really recovered. “We bet it all on Sheffield, we really did,” recalls then General Manager sarmos78, “he had one hell of an arm, all the promise in the world.” Looking back almost every scout agrees Sheffield’s delivery motion and the amount of innings pitched before pro-ball were warning flags. “He was an injury waiting to happen,” says longtime Scranton pitching coach Dan Hill, who’s now with the Boston organization.
The safer pick would have been starting pitcher Al Seguignol of the Arizona Apache. Unlike Sheffield he’s been reliable—1259 innings pitched and a 75-65 record with a WHIP of 1.23 and ERA of 3.98. Damasco Ramirez of the New York Brokers, would also have been a solid pick. He’s pitched 200+ innings the last six seasons in a row, throwing 21 complete games in that stretch and winning 81 games.
