Held on 12/20/10.
A fascinating Draft for the 1911 season, as a few of the NeL players who missed out because they were rookies prior to the integration of the league are being added retrospectively. This, along with the first group of Legacies becoming Free Agents, has certainly made for a lot of buzz and activity around the traps, ourselves very much included as you have already seen. If I get my way – I was actually hoping to have him signed, sealed and delivered before the Draft but it hasn’t worked out that way – there’ll be another huge signing announced fairly soon.
Nine Legacy Players this year, with Pete Alexander the clear pick of the bunch. I think I speak for the rest of the league in expressing my relief that, thanks to a quirk of the IRL 1910 standings, he goes to the Phillies rather than the Cubs, for whom he was also eligible.
These are the Legacy Players for the 1911 season:
Brooklyn Dodgers:
Jeff Pfeffer (38.1; 226)
Chicago Cubs:
Vic Saier (15.2; 807 (93.3%))
Chicago White Sox:
Joe Benz (16.5; 251)
Cincinnati Reds:
Ivey Wingo (17.9; 1010)
Cleveland Naps:
Steve O’Neill (26.3; 1365)
New York Giants:
George Burns (39.4; 1362)
Philadelphia Phillies:
Pete Alexander (119.0; 338)
St. Louis Browns:
Earl Hamilton (24.3; 233)
Washington Senators:
Ray Morgan (13.3; 741 (100%))
Hank Severeid (18.6; 1182) was also eligible for the Browns, but Hamilton’s higher WAR makes him the selection.
Sherry Smith (27.1; 229) was also eligible for the Dodgers, but Pfeffer’s higher WAR makes him the selection.
Jimmy Johnston (16.6; 1266) was also eligible for the Dodgers, but Pfeffer’s higher WAR makes him the selection.
Pete Alexander was also eligible for the Chicago Cubs, but the Phillies’ higher Draft Pick gets him.
There are 216 rookies for this season, and the Draft will consist of 8 rounds.
The Draft order will be as follows (winning percentage from 1910 IRL season in brackets; bold indicates Legacy Pick in 1st Round):
Round 1
1. Philadelphia Phillies (510)
2. New York Giants (591)
3. Brooklyn Dodgers (416)
4. Cleveland Naps (467)
5. St. Louis Browns (305)
6. Cincinnati Reds (487)
7. Chicago White Sox (444)
8. Chicago Cubs (675)
9. Washington Senators (437)
10. Boston Rustlers (346)
11. St. Louis Cardinals (412)
12. Boston Red Sox (529)
13. Detroit Tigers (558)
14. Pittsburgh Pirates (562)
15. New York Highlanders (583)
16. Philadelphia Athletics (680)
Rounds 2 thru 10
1. St. Louis Browns (305)
2. Boston Rustlers (346)
3. St. Louis Cardinals (412)
4. Brooklyn Dodgers (416)
5. Washington Senators (437)
6. Chicago White Sox (444)
7. Cleveland Naps (467)
8. Cincinnati Reds (487)
9. Philadelphia Phillies (510)
10. Boston Red Sox (529)
11. Detroit Tigers (558)
12. Pittsburgh Pirates (562)
13. New York Highlanders (583)
14. New York Giants (591)
15. Chicago Cubs (675)
16. Philadelphia Athletics (680)
No Legacy for us and I go into this Draft with a pretty clear plan of attack, as long as one of the other GMs doesn’t mess it up for me.
Fortunately we get the main guy we were interested in and a couple other solid guys as well.
Here’s who we end up selecting:
1. SS
John Henry Lloyd, 22
- There were perhaps a couple other more polished players still in available, but I only had eyes for Pop. We have to look past the Honus era and I can think of nothing more fitting than the “White Lloyd” handing over the reins to the “Black Wagner” at some stage over the next few years. Until then, Pop will get plenty of game time as a backup.
2. OF
Armando Marsans, 23
- Matty McIntyre is unwilling to be the fourth outfielder and has requested a trade, so we needed reinforcements there and Armando – who plays all three OF slots decently – fit the bill to a tee.
3. C
Les Nunamaker, 21
- Art Hoelskoetter’s decline has left us thin for catchers behind the Duke. Mike Gonzalez will move into that role to begin with, but Les will be there should that not work out. He’s a fairly handy type without being a superstar.
4. IF
Scotty Ingerton, 24
- The barrel has been pretty well scraped of position players by this time, but Scotty isn’t totally hopeless and may be called upon if injuries or form make it necessary.
5. LHP
George Mogridge, 18
- It wouldn’t be a Draft if I didn’t pick up a lefty reliever, which is what George is.
6. IF
Mike Herrera, 19
- What you’d expect for a Round 6 pick.
7. RHP
Harry Gardner, 23
8. LHP
Curly Brown, 22
- I left these last two picks for the Scouting Director to handle, so you know as much about them at this point as I do.
A pretty good Draft for us, here's hoping it comes to fruition.
FULL DRAFT LOG