OOTP Developments Forums - View Single Post - Memories That You Won't Remember: MLB, 1990 and Beyond...

kenyan_cheena · 06-26-2016, 06:34 AM

The Detroit News

SATURDAY, JUNE 16, 1990

TIGERS DRAFT OAKLEY
WITH #1 PICK

Story by Larry Masters

It would be true to say that of the four major American sports, baseball is the one where its annual player draft probably draws the least interest. MLB draftees are nearly always assigned to the minor leagues and therefore do not make an immediate and tangible impact on the fortunes of the teams that draft them. While that will most likely be the case again this year, there has been a greater degree of intrigue heading into the 1990 MLB Draft, as a number of the players who declared for it have been spotlighted as having the talent to succeed as likely future superstars in the majors.

With that in mind, the teams selecting at the top of the draft had an unusual bevy of riches to choose from. Having finished the 1989 season with an MLB-worst 59-103 record, it was the Detroit Tigers who owned the #1 pick. There was much speculation over who they would select, and in the end it was a player who had been high on a number of pre-draft prediction lists, Los Angeles-born power-hitting left fielder Dustin Oakley. Of Native American descent, Oakley will celebrate his 23rd birthday on June 21, and his is something of a fairytale story.

Studying a degree at the University of Florida, Oakley only became interested in baseball in his junior year and quickly discovered that he was a gifted and powerful hitter. However, he has had to work harder on his fielding skills, but it is something he has dedicated himself to 100%. In 51 games for UF this year, Oakley batted .357 with 18 home runs and 63 RBI. Tigers general manager Danny Hinojosa conceded that Oakley is raw, but has enough natural talent to be worth the gamble of being selected as the #1 overall pick. It's likely that once his contract is taken care of, Oakley will be assigned to Detroit's Single A affiliate the Fayetteville Generals of the South Atlantic League...

~~~~~~~~~~

The Philadelphia Inquirer

SATURDAY, JUNE 16, 1990

Braves select Philly native
at #2 in MLB Draft

Story by Jacob Hughes

The Atlanta Braves selected a highly-touted Philadelphia-born shortstop with the second overall pick on day one of the MLB Draft in New Jersey yesterday. 18-year-old Jake Williams, whose family moved to Hamilton County in Ohio when he was 12, is a student at St. Bernard High School, where he has excelled for the school team. Williams hit an amazing .560 in 26 games for the Titans this year, with three home runs, 37 RBI and an OBP of .620. The switch hitter was speechless when his name was called so early in the draft, as he declared for it with more of a hope that he would be picked than anything else. Williams had plans to attend Xavier University, and now has quite a decision to make after this unexpected development...

~~~~~~~~~~

The Palm Beach Post

Saturday, June 16, 1990

BELLE GLADE SLUGGER
PICKED 3RD BY PHILLIES

Story by Deon Bridges

The life of Belle Glade native Romy Alvarez changed, possibly forever yesterday, when he was drafted by the Philadelphia Phillies with the #3 pick in major league baseball's first-year player draft. The 20-year-old has been a student at Palm Beach State College for the last two years, where he is the starting shortstop for the school's baseball team, which competes in the Southern Conference of the FSCAA. Alvarez's parents defected from Cuba in 1959 during Fidel Castro's revolution and settled in Belle Glade. Born in 1969, Romy is the third of five children. Life has often been a struggle for the Alvarez clan, and Romy's selection by the Phillies has the potential to change the trajectory of the family's future, which is something the young man has been striving to achieve...

~~~~~~~~~~

Chicago Tribune

Saturday, June 16, 1990

SPRINGFIELD FLAMETHROWER
SELECTED 4TH BY WHITE SOX

Story by Mike Gibson

The White Sox were the first team to draft a pitcher in the first round of yesterday's opening to the 1990 MLB Draft, selecting Missouri-born 22-year-old Eli Wert with the #4 overall pick. Wert, a native of Springfield, was a senior at Boston College this year, where he was 9-2 in seventeen starts with an ERA of 2.10, 159 strikeouts and 36 walks in 111.2 innings pitched. Wert was the consensus #1 pitcher in the nation going into the draft, and White Sox GM Dave Mendoza was over the moon when Wert was still available following the opening three picks of the night. Wert has earned the nickname "The Springfield Flamethrower" thanks mostly to his scorching fastball, which has been clocked at 95 miles per hour...

~~~~~~~~~~

(to be continued)

06-26-2016, 06:34 AM	#28
kenyan_cheena Hall Of Famer Join Date: Jul 2004 Location: Sydney, NSW, Australia Posts: 9,037	The Detroit News SATURDAY, JUNE 16, 1990 TIGERS DRAFT OAKLEY WITH #1 PICK Story by Larry Masters It would be true to say that of the four major American sports, baseball is the one where its annual player draft probably draws the least interest. MLB draftees are nearly always assigned to the minor leagues and therefore do not make an immediate and tangible impact on the fortunes of the teams that draft them. While that will most likely be the case again this year, there has been a greater degree of intrigue heading into the 1990 MLB Draft, as a number of the players who declared for it have been spotlighted as having the talent to succeed as likely future superstars in the majors. With that in mind, the teams selecting at the top of the draft had an unusual bevy of riches to choose from. Having finished the 1989 season with an MLB-worst 59-103 record, it was the Detroit Tigers who owned the #1 pick. There was much speculation over who they would select, and in the end it was a player who had been high on a number of pre-draft prediction lists, Los Angeles-born power-hitting left fielder Dustin Oakley. Of Native American descent, Oakley will celebrate his 23rd birthday on June 21, and his is something of a fairytale story. Studying a degree at the University of Florida, Oakley only became interested in baseball in his junior year and quickly discovered that he was a gifted and powerful hitter. However, he has had to work harder on his fielding skills, but it is something he has dedicated himself to 100%. In 51 games for UF this year, Oakley batted .357 with 18 home runs and 63 RBI. Tigers general manager Danny Hinojosa conceded that Oakley is raw, but has enough natural talent to be worth the gamble of being selected as the #1 overall pick. It's likely that once his contract is taken care of, Oakley will be assigned to Detroit's Single A affiliate the Fayetteville Generals of the South Atlantic League... ~~~~~~~~~~ The Philadelphia Inquirer *SATURDAY, JUNE 16, 1990* Braves select Philly native at #2 in MLB Draft Story by Jacob Hughes The Atlanta Braves selected a highly-touted Philadelphia-born shortstop with the second overall pick on day one of the MLB Draft in New Jersey yesterday. 18-year-old Jake Williams, whose family moved to Hamilton County in Ohio when he was 12, is a student at St. Bernard High School, where he has excelled for the school team. Williams hit an amazing .560 in 26 games for the Titans this year, with three home runs, 37 RBI and an OBP of .620. The switch hitter was speechless when his name was called so early in the draft, as he declared for it with more of a hope that he would be picked than anything else. Williams had plans to attend Xavier University, and now has quite a decision to make after this unexpected development... ~~~~~~~~~~ The Palm Beach Post Saturday, June 16, 1990 BELLE GLADE SLUGGER PICKED 3RD BY PHILLIES Story by Deon Bridges The life of Belle Glade native Romy Alvarez changed, possibly forever yesterday, when he was drafted by the Philadelphia Phillies with the #3 pick in major league baseball's first-year player draft. The 20-year-old has been a student at Palm Beach State College for the last two years, where he is the starting shortstop for the school's baseball team, which competes in the Southern Conference of the FSCAA. Alvarez's parents defected from Cuba in 1959 during Fidel Castro's revolution and settled in Belle Glade. Born in 1969, Romy is the third of five children. Life has often been a struggle for the Alvarez clan, and Romy's selection by the Phillies has the potential to change the trajectory of the family's future, which is something the young man has been striving to achieve... ~~~~~~~~~~ Chicago Tribune Saturday, June 16, 1990 SPRINGFIELD FLAMETHROWER SELECTED 4TH BY WHITE SOX Story by Mike Gibson The White Sox were the first team to draft a pitcher in the first round of yesterday's opening to the 1990 MLB Draft, selecting Missouri-born 22-year-old Eli Wert with the #4 overall pick. Wert, a native of Springfield, was a senior at Boston College this year, where he was 9-2 in seventeen starts with an ERA of 2.10, 159 strikeouts and 36 walks in 111.2 innings pitched. Wert was the consensus #1 pitcher in the nation going into the draft, and White Sox GM Dave Mendoza was over the moon when Wert was still available following the opening three picks of the night. Wert has earned the nickname "The Springfield Flamethrower" thanks mostly to his scorching fastball, which has been clocked at 95 miles per hour... ~~~~~~~~~~ (to be continued) Last edited by kenyan_cheena; 06-26-2016 at 08:23 PM.