SECAUCUS, NJ – The draft was a treat. The MLB Network’s Studio 42, which honors the late, great Jackie Robinson, is truly a classic baseball heaven, and was the perfect place to host the First-Year Player Draft. Major League Baseball did a nice job televising the event for the first time. They still have some work to do to catch up to the NBA and the NFL, but it’s a step in the right direction, marketing the draft to fans around the country. On the TV side, you could tell they were still working on the some of kinks. The biggest change, in my opinion, should be having those first-rounders, or at least the top 15 prospects on hand for the draft, for both the media and the fans attending.
This was one of the biggest challenges for the network, too. Not having those selections readily available made it difficult to get their reactions. They had several picks on via phone and TV conferencing, but it’s the not same as having them front and center right after the pick.
With that being said, one of the highlights of the evening had to be local outfielder Michael Trout, who was the only amateur player on hand for the draft. A nervous Trout was taken late by the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim. Surrounded by friends and family, Trout could barely express how happy and excited he was to move closer to realizing his major league dreams. He addressed the media afterward and then went around the room to thank all of the team representatives.
He looked like a kid in a candy store, even signing some autographs for the fans watching live in the studio.
While the top selections like San Diego State right-hander Stephen Strasburg, who was taken No. 1 overall by the Washington Nationals, were nowhere to be found, each of the club’s had a representative on site to make the picks, many of which were legends from their respective teams. Hall of Famers like Detroit’s Al Kaline, L.A.’s Tommy Lasorda and Pittsburgh’s Bill Mazeroski took part in the festivities.
It should be noted that MLB invited the prospects to attend, but that Trout was the only player to accept the invite. Several of the notable amateurs are still playing college ball in the NCAA World Series, others chose not to sit there and potentially wait out a long selection – something that happens to the best young players in the football and basketball drafts.
Some, like Strasburg, simply speak through their agents. He’s represented by super agent Scott Boras, who is looking for a huge deal for the young flame thrower, rumored to be upwards of $30 to $50 million.
Baseball actually has a few things to work on when it comes to the draft. First, there should be some better rules in place regarding rookie salaries. Basketball has the best cap in place. Baseball on the other hand will allow Strasburg, who has never thrown a major league pitch, the opportunity to sign a huge, guaranteed contract, even though he may never make it to the big leagues.
Another interesting aspect of the draft has to be the fact that picks can’t be traded, putting teams like the low budget Nationals in jeopardy of not signing a blue chipper like Strasburg. That rule hamstrings some of the weaker clubs, but is intended to force them to draft a good player and develop him in their system. We know what often happens anyway. Small market teams develop talent only to watch them walk away in free agency, or get dealt by the club when the player’s free agency is approaching.
The MLB Draft may not be perfect, but I think it has the chance to really catch on. ESPN’s coverage of college baseball has increased in recent years with the additions of some of new channels like ESPNU. That expanded coverage will make some of these amateurs household names come draft time. It will never be like March Madness, a huge factor in making the NBA Draft as big as it is, but the growth of the MLB Network and the exposure of some of these young stars through expanded TV coverage gives fans some better insight leading up to the draft.
If nothing else, the presence of the legends added to the special feel of the night and was enough of a reason to tune in. Honestly, after those first few picks, my knowledge of the top up-and-comers rested solely on how quick I could thumb through the draft pick guide. I had my finger on some of the possible picks the Yankees might take late in the first round. Check out my feature on the Bombers’ first-rounder in my next post.
Commissioner Bud Selig is no David Stern, but he navigated through some fumbles to complete the first round in a little under three hours. The compensation round followed, concluding day 1 of the draft. The draft continues Wednesday, but will not be televised. Fans can keep up with the picks on www.mlb.com.
From a media perspective, only the major players in the business, ESPN, Sports Illustrated and the AP, among others, were on hand for the draft. Only a few of the smaller media outlets, ourselves included, made the trip to New Jersey Tuesday night.
Yankee greats Tino Martinez and Lee Mazzilli picked for the Bombers. Below is a list of the first round choices. Tune in to Friday’s show for a full wrap up on the MLB Draft.
1 WAS: S. Strasburg
2 SEA: D. Ackley
3 SD: D. Tate
4 PIT: J. Sanchez
5 BAL: M. Hobgood
6 SF: Z. Wheeler
7 ATL: M. Minor
8 CIN: M. Leake
9 DET: J. Turner
10 WAS: D. Storen
11 COL: T. Matzek
12 KC: A. Crow
13 OAK: G. Green
14 TEX: M. Purke
15 CLE: A. White
16 ARI: R. Borchering
17 ARI: A. Pollock
18 FLA: C. James
19 STL: S. Miller
20 TOR: S. Jenkins
21 HOU: J. Mier
22 MIN: K. Gibson
23 CWS: J. Mitchell
24 LAA: R. Grichuk
25 LAA: M Trout
26 MIL: E. Arnett
27 SEA: N. Franklin
28 BOS: R. Fuentes
29 NYY: S. Heathcott
30 TB: L. Washington
31 CHC: B. Jackson
32 COL: T. Wheeler
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