As you say, Doc, we've been grabbing these free-swinging tools players forever, and watching them flame out just as often. The only one I can think of with a terrible eye who climbed out to be a good major leaguer anyway is Adam Jones, and that's because he's at a glove position.
We kept trying though. Denny Almonte and Danny Carroll are two more that irritate me.
Carroll: 90:342 rate in 1116 ABs. He's also made of glass and can't stay healthy long enough to improve. Which is too bad, because of the two he's the one I thought from day one had a better shot.
Almonte: 86:526 rate in 1353 ABs. He struck out 192 times last year. One. Nine. Two. We took him in the 2nd round. You know who the next pick was?
Mike Stanton.
My rage on draft day was fairly boundless, especially after I saw video of the Almonte. Ugh.
We seem to be going a different direction with our domestic draft these days (though sloppy tools guys like Jabari Blash will always be drafted just to see what happens). Internationally, it's hard to get players with a great eye. When you find one, as Choi might be, then hold onto him and see what you can do.
Otherwise, you tend to be fighting rearguard actions against Ks. Morla, Morban, Pimentel and crew are all straws drawn against long odds. I really want them to overcome em.
I'm just glad we're no longer drawing such early long odds in the domestic draft.
~G
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