Jack Torrance - contributing reporter
Ah, the Rule 5 Draft - a curious institution in this league of ours, teeming with hope, betrayal, and the ever-looming specter of opportunity. Imagine it: a room filled with suits and whispers, as teams scour the ranks for overlooked talent, like miners sifting for flecks of gold in the riverbed of mediocrity. It's a high-stakes game of chess where pawns can become kings, and kings can lose their thrones to a well-timed gamble. It's a crucible where the desperate and the daring collide, each dreaming of glory but ever haunted by the specter of failure. It's Year One Baby!
We'll focus on Round 1 only.
- Helena - Darryl Sadler - Started Game 1 as the team's starting Catcher and hit in the 3 hole; though he did go 0-6 with 2 strike outs and 4 men left on. He also allowed 2 SBs, but hey there's only one way to go - up. And that's exactly what he did. Strange that he wasn't protected and at least traded for value from Tacoma, Sadler even made the Prospects watch post this off-season.
- New York - Darby O'Grady - Immediately became the starting SS for the Pizza Rats but who said that's a good thing. The kid weighs 177 dry and 186 wet, he's hitting under .200 for the season, but he's a top 10 SS defensively and that's why he was drafted here.
- Arizona - Clint Melker - To no surprise, another player selected - another starter. This one started in the five hole as Arizona's primary DH but has started seeing time at 1B against NL teams. He's been a solid contributor and still above average for most Rule 5 draftees.
- Chicago - Shawn Smith - Not quite rated to play Short and shifted over to Third base, but only playing part time at the end of games to start the season. As Chicago has hit a hot streak as a team, Smith has started seeing starting time - do the two go hand in hand?
- Baltimore - Sammy Little - Began the season as starting Centerfielder and lead off hitter and still hitting above .300. With some different bats behind him, he could have likely put up 100+ runs this season too.
- Vancouver - Lyle Radlosky - Versus righties he's the #5 hitter but versus lefties, he's the #2 hitter starting; so he's seeing a mix of pitches and mix of times with people on base. For a #6 pick, this is success, getting enough of the job done on a non-competing team.
- Indianapolis - Miguel Villafuerte - Starting catcher, and hitting well - at least well enough to get on base, doesn't have much power and the only speed he has is the letters printed on the front of his jersey.
- Scottsdale - No pick. Hard to think such an early pick and they found nothing to help the ML roster. Let's count it, that's 7 players drafted before this position - all of them are starters. Scottsdale has the #8 pick in the upcoming draft and didn't make any huge free agent signings, so you know they can't be that good. 3/4 into the season they are leading the division, so maybe no pick was needed here.
- New Orleans - Bill Schrenk - Our first pitcher drafted in the Rule 5 and pitching in relief for the Voodoo who do people. At time of this writing he's seen 37 games, 51 innings with a 1.43 WHIP and 5.65 ERA. So slightly above average, but he's a Rule 5, what else do you expect? Your not going to find any ace relievers here.
- Montgomery - Fonzie Winn - Another reliever with similar numbers to the one drafted before him, worse WHIP better ERA in a lot more games but less innings.
- Cincinnati - Tino Briggs - Another reliever selected in a similar situation, yet the worst of the three so far.
- Nashville - Rube Robertson - Back to back to back
jacksrelievers. Pitching as a mop up these days and boy do these pitchers keep getting worse and worse. I'm afraid to look at the next one. - Durham - No pick. The team hit hard in FA, understandable that they didn't find much here.
- Fargo - Ross Murphy - Starting to sound like a broken record, another reliever - another SuB quality pick. Slightly worse than league average, in a Season 1 he likely feels a void much easier than Free Agency.
- Salt Lake City - No pick. Another team that was very active in FA.
- Fresno - Juan Carlos Nunez - With not being have to resign Katou, the team had to shift gears and ended up drafting 6 Rounds in the Rule 5! Nunez has offered a power bat in Rightfield, who has already hit 25 HRs on the season and a respectable .275 average.
- Philadelphia - Bruce LaPorta - Starting SS against righties and offering defensive sub late in game versus lefties. Doesn't offer much power or speed, and has struck out more times than he's had hits, but has covered time in CF as well.
- San Antonio - Dennis Nomo - Starting CF against righties, whose hitting below .220 with limited speed and power. Not many plus plays defensively but isn't making errors either.
- Cleveland - No pick. Considering how many Type A FAs they signed, this shouldn't be a surprise.
- Tucson - Daryl Charles - The team lead the division much of the early season when he was a starter but now that he's shifted to the bullpen the team has been a bit on a slip; could that be the reason? He has a solid 1.05 WHIP and 2.46 ERA on the season. A bit surprised at these numbers, but this owner knows pitching.
- Mexico City - No pick.
- Scranton - No pick. Under new ownership, but I think it's safe to say they should have picked up something - even a rock would have been useful on their staff.
- Colorado Springs - Junior Gonzales - Never saw a single ML inning, sent down to AAA where he's getting roughed up big time.
- Los Angeles - Bridger Fisher - This is the team who gave up the most Rule 5 selections with 6. They grabbed one back in 3B Fisher; but nearly immediately offered him back. Hitting decently well with a slightly below .280 average, even if he strikes out a lot.
- Boston - No pick.
- Syracuse - Ron Smith - This pick has been huge, through 22 starts he's 11-5 with a 1.17 WHIP and 3.45 ERA. Many of the FA starting pitchers that signed this season aren't even doing that.
- Charlotte - No pick.
- Buffalo - Carlos Mendez - Selected at 11:18 pm and offered back at 11:47 pm. That's gotta hurt the ego, even with middle of the road patience like Mendez. Demoted to AAA where he is today.
- Texas - Jerry Ashley - He's up there with the other bullpen pieces selected before him, and obviously the worst of them all; though some of that might be the home field he plays in.
- St. Louis - Sandy Kuttler - Took a couple of days but he was offered back to Scranton who declined as he was demoted to AAA. Just a few days ago he was promoted and got his first ML at bat. Through 12 ABs, he's had 3 hits.
- Trenton - No pick.
- Tacoma - No pick. Interesting here, entering the off-season the team seemed favored for a successful season but with a few waiver drops to cut salary, not much activity in FA, and no Rule 5; some writers are wondering if this team just slipped to outside the top 5 teams. Only time will tell.