[BostonRS14]

2008 MLB Draft Recap

We went in looking for some pitching and got that with a number of picks.

Round 1, Pick 30: SP Alvaro Valdes
-We wanted a SP with our first pick and went against our Scouting Dept. to get one. Nonetheless, our scouts are very high on him, calling him "as close to a can't-miss prospect as you'll find on a pitching mound." The 22-year old right hander spent the past year pitching for the Univ. of Alabama, where he went a disappointing 4-9 with a 7.84 ERA and 1.84 WHIP. We are hoping those are just a consequence of playing on a terrible team (20-30, 11th SEC), and he can live up to his potentials (65/75/75).

Round 2, Pick 30: 1B Angelo Garza
-We debated not going with Garza (22 yr., 65/70/70/60/45), since our 1B depth is decent with Lars Anderson (20/77), Kevin Youkilis (68/74), Alonso Gonzalez (Lowell, 20/73) and Bill Rowell (20/23), but none of the other prospects left combined his talent across the board. We might move him to another position if he hits well enough to figure into our long-term plans, since there will be a logjam eventually.

Round 3, Pick 30: RF Jermaine Collins
-Another college bat, Collins looks like a good bet to eventually make the majors. Switch hitter with decent fielding ratings, Collins should "be a very good contact hitter, and a player most teams would love to have near the top of the lineup."

Round 4, Pick 30: MR Rory Frost
-A 20 year-old closer out of Australia, seems like a decent shot to take another pitcher here. The draft is pretty weak at this point, or my scout just hasn't done a good enough job. Hoping to be able to stretch his arm out a bit, already with a 40 endurance, so, at worst, he's a long reliever out of the bullpen.

Round 5, Pick 30: SP Doug Osbourne
-Adding another SP was nice here, gives us three pitchers in five picks, something I was hoping for heading into the draft. Osbourne will be a longshot to make the club some day, but until then it'll be nice to have some depth in the system. Best case, fifth starter, at worse, trade bait at some point unless a talent bump comes along.

Having set my Scouting Dept. budget to 25% amateur probably hurt me a little this year, but having the last pick in the first round, I wasn't going to get to tier talent anyways.

Overall, Tampa Bay took Orlando Duran first overall, followed by SP Jerry Perkins (Pit), SP Norm Brown (KC), Shawn Simmons (Bal) and C Doug Osborn (SF).