Especially for first basemen.
First Round:
#3 - Eric Hosmer, aforementioned dominant AAA 1B who will be in the bigs shortly, ranked the #8 prospect in the game prior to 2011.
#7 - Yonder Alonso, who has severely underachieved as a college bat still trying to be a plus bat in AAA.
#11 - Justin Smoak, current lynchpin in the Ms offense and one of the top hitters in the league so far in 2011.
#13 - Brett Wallace, or Fat Todd Helton as I call him, who is also ridiculously hot to start the year for the Astros.
#17 - David Cooper, over-rated college hitter who took a page from Alonso's playbook and is scuffling in the minors until this year in AAA.
#18 - Ike Davis, who caused me to scream at the Mets for drafting him because he ALMOST fell to us. CRUSHING it for the Mets, their version of Smoak.
That's all in the top 20 of the draft, and most of em have been - or will be - WELL worth it. Special thanks to the Reds for drafting Alonso instead of Smoak...although if they'd drafted Smoak, Cliff Lee would have pitched for them at the deadline last year since they have Votto and would have loved Lee.
Smoak was meant to be a Mariner. ;)
I was mad about missing about missing out on a great hitting class in 2008, and potentially the best first baseman draft ever. Adding Smoak has corrected that in a big, big way. Hosmer looks to delight shortly and Ike has come hard-charging outta the gate, but right now Smoak looks to be even up coming out of the first turn.
Since we didn't have a horse in this race 12 months ago I'm ecstatic to be at the front of the pack now.
Go get em, Justin.
Though we're gonna need some more bats to keep up with KC. The Royals with their current collection and the Rays with the one they'll finish building in this year's draft should make them into contenders in a couple of years...
Ackley, Franklin and hopefully Rendon will help us pace em, right? At least we have one piece firmly in the heart of the lineup. More to follow.
~G
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