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Old 03-02-2019, 02:01 AM   #15
waittilnextyear
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1980-1981 Offseason

1980-1981 Offseason


Draft results are sorted by team. Comments follow for each team...


Seattle Mariners

1 - Carter Capps - RHP
2 - Jamie Moyer - LHP
3 - Taylor Motter - UTIL
4 - Jeff Harris - RHP
5 - Joel Pineiro - RHP

The Mariners still have nada from their offensive juggernaut 1990s teams. But, an influx of serviceable arms and a utility player is better pickings that what they got out of the 1979 draft last year. Jamie Moyer is only 22 years old now, so explorers should be landing on Plymouth Rock any day now...


Montreal Expos

1 - Andy McGaffigan - RHP
2 - Brett Campbell - RHP
3 - Tom Nieto - C
4 - Luis Atilano - RHP
5 - Pete Young - RHP

The Expos were pretty terrible in 1980 and this isn't going to help with that. But, it's nothing Larry Walker and Pedro Martinez both appearing in next year's draft class can't fix. And Marquis Grissom. And Delino DeShields Sr. And Tim Wallach. Hey, an Expos fan can dream...


Milwaukee Brewers

1 - Paul Molitor - 2B
2 - Jeromy Burnitz - OF
3 - Manny Parra - LHP
4 - Wayne Comer - OF
5 - John Jaha - 1B

After a truly abysmal draft class last year, things are looking up in Milwaukee. Paul Molitor is a nice building block of course--he should be fun to watch bat .330 with 40+ doubles and 40+ stolen bases.


Cincinnati Reds

1 - Frank Robinson - OF
2 - Lonny Frey - SS
3 - Ron Oester - SS
4 - Willy Mo Pena - OF
5 - John Riedling - RHP

Like the Brewers and Tigers in last year's draft, the Reds had a truly horrible time of it. What a difference a year makes. Here's to you Mister Robinson. Cincinnati loves you more than you will know...whoa whoa whoa...A new 3-4-5 of Pete Rose-Frank Robinson-Lee May is the milk shake that will bring the fans to the yard.


California Angels

1 - Brendan Donnelly - RHP
2 - Jack Howell - 3B
3 - Andrew Heaney - LHP
4 - Jason Dickson - RHP
5 - John Harris - 1B

After pulling Chuck Finley in last year's draft, the Angels continue to build out a respectable pitching staff. Donnelly is already 29 years old, but has the ratings to be one of the more dominant closers in the game. Heaney and Dickson provide adequate back-end guys with the stamina to absorb some body punches.


Atlanta Braves

1 - Dan Uggla - 3B
2 - Walt Dropo - 1B
3 - Derek Lilliquist - LHP
4 - Jim Turner - RHP
5 - Frank Torre - 1B

What sad times are these when passing ruffians can say 'ni' at will to old ladies...and proud franchises like the Braves are picking in the top 6. Uggla and Dropo will add some punch; Lilliquist and Turner some rotation depth. Frank Torre could be in the mix for batting titles as his 77/100 contact and 103/100 avoid K's suggests.


Houston Astros

1 - Mark Small - RHP
2 - Dwayne Henry - RHP
3 - Scott Loucks - OF
4 - Chris Holt - RHP
5 - Donnie Wall - RHP

A little bit more pitching depth here after solving their OF depth problem in last year's draft. No sizzle and very little steak though.


Toronto Blue Jays

1 - David Wells - LHP
2 - Russ Adams - INF
3 - Chris Latham - OF
4 - Seung-hwan Oh - RHP

This draft was a little bit interesting and a little bit sad for Toronto. On the one hand, adding a 22-year-old David Wells (though he projects to the bullpen at first) and Seung-hwan Oh is good. On the other, being the only team that couldn't scavenge up 5 players out of this draft class is a bummerooski. And Oh could've very easily been diverted to the Cardinals if the Toronto draft class hadn't been so shallow.


Kansas City Royals

1 - Jeff Austin - RHP
2 - Rich Gale - RHP
3 - Steve Jones - LHP
4 - Mike Hedlund - LHP
5 - Jerry Don Gleaton - LHP

A lot of arms. None of which were Bret Saberhagen or Kevin Appier. Or Yordano Ventura (R.I.P). Where you at, George Brett?


Texas Rangers

1 - Kevin Brown - RHP
2 - Ian Kinsler - 2B
3 - Delino DeShields Jr - OF
4 - Ed Vosberg - LHP
5 - Tomas Telis - C

Yes, this is acceptable.


Philadelphia Phillies

1 - Odubel Herrera - OF
2 - Granny Hamner - SS
3 - Kevin Jordan - 1B
4 - Emil Verban - 2B
5 - Yorkis Perez - LHP

Eh, a little bit light here for a Philly club that finished in 5th place. But, some real strong names like Granny Hamner. Emil Verban could be a nice find--he's got ratings to be a Gold Glove 2B and bat north of .300. This class will fill in around the existing core of Curt Schilling/John Denny/Chuck Klein/Bobby Abreu.


Chicago White Sox

1 - Jose Abreu - 1B
2 - Adam Eaton - OF
3 - Billy Pierce - LHP
4 - Greg Walker - 1B
5 - Les Tietje - RHP

This looks to be a very versatile draft class for the South Siders. Some speed and defense. Some grit. Some thonk. A lefty pitcher. A righty pitcher. The White Sox finished 1980 with an 81-81 record and in 3rd place. But, Oakland and Minnesota might start hearing some footsteps soon.


New York Mets

1 - John Maine - RHP
2 - Charley Smith - 3B
3 - Bobby Jones - LHP
4 - Mike Howard - OF
5 - Chris Aguila - OF

Ick.


St. Louis Cardinals

1 - Bernard Gilkey - OF
2 - Yadier Molina - C
3 - Travis Tartamella - C
4 - Howie Pollet - LHP
5 - Gene Stechschulte - RHP

Picking in the same draft position as last year, the uber consistent Cardinals once again find an all-timer. This time it's catcher Yadier Molina after hitting on Stan Musial last year. Bernard Gilkey really makes you want Ray Lankford as well, but maybe that's just me.


Minnesota Twins

1 - Michael Cuddyer - OF
2 - Scott Baker - RHP
3 - Corey Koskie - 3B
4 - Ken Chase - LHP
5 - Howard Maple - C

The Twinkies took a slight step back in 1980 after winning it all in 1979. This is a useful crop of players that will help them compete for the AL West once again. Baker and Chase are going directly into the starting rotation to complement Johan Santana, Mark Redman, and Jose Berrios.


San Diego Padres

1 - Jedd Gyorko - INF
2 - Brian Boehringer - RHP
3 - Scott Livingstone - 3B
4 - Kevin Quackenbush - RHP
5 - Tommy Medica - 1B

This team will go as far as a loaded outfield (that does not include Tony Gwynn) and Jake Peavy will take it. Gyorko and Quackenbush figure to make the active roster here.


Detroit Tigers

1 - Cecil Fielder - 1B
2 - Scott Aldred - LHP
3 - Bill Slayback - RHP
4 - Dick Wakefield - OF
5 - Juan Encarnacion - OF

It's a better class than last year. Big Daddy and Dick Wakefield gives the Tigs an intriguing combo of power and contact. Juan Encarnacion gets a second shot at playing big league ball.


Oakland Athletics

1 - Bobby Kielty - OF
2 - Don Wengert - RHP
3 - Dale Willis - RHP
4 - Moe Burtschy - RHP
5 - Rene Lachemann - C

The A's are one of the few teams to maintain the exact same draft position 2 years in a row. Oakland won the AL pennant, but it's extremely doubtful that happens again after this dud of a draft class. There are still so many untapped legends in this franchise's pipeline.


Baltimore Orioles

1 - Erik Bedard - LHP
2 - Sammy Stewart - RHP
3 - Tom Fisher - RHP
4 - Jerry Walker - RHP
5 - Earl Jones - LHP

A full boat of pitchers. Erik Bedard coming back is nice and he should add to a pitching staff that allowed the 2nd fewest runs in the American League. A bit of a gut punch to see Frank Robinson materialize only for him to be spirited off to the Queen City.


Chicago Cubs

1 - Bill Lee - RHP
2 - Rich Hill - LHP
3 - Charlie Wiedemeyer - LHP
4 - Bud Tinning - RHP
5 - Leo Burke - 3B

The most glaring flaw the Cubs had after the inaugural draft was their rotation consisted of Matt Clement plus 3 bums. Now, 2 years later, the rotation is really becoming a strength. Bill Lee likely supplants Clement as the staff ace. After Lee and Clement, then Kyle Hendricks, Rich Hill, Rich Nye, and Bud Tinning fills out the rotation, in some order or other. There's no Billy Williams in this draft, but it's a helpful class.


New York Yankees

1 - Ed Yarnall - LHP
2 - Stefan Wever - RHP
3 - Irv Noren - OF
4 - Miguel Cairo - UTIL
5 - Tom Morgan - RHP

Another year and another pretty lackluster draft class for the New York Yankees. Tom Morgan will be added to the starting rotation and Irv Noren gives the Yanks an improved 4th outfielder situation. But, sort of like with the Oakland franchise, you're just kind of waiting for a crop of all-timers to show up in the draft at some point soon...


Cleveland Indians

1 - Kyle Denney - RHP
2 - Mike York - RHP
3 - Adam Plutko - RHP
4 - Carlos Martinez - 3B
5 - Russ Lyon - C

Worst. Draft. Class. Ever. And things were going so well for Cleveland (other than being in the same division as Boston). The Tribe won 98 games last year and had a draft that saw all 5 players immediately become starting contributors. And, now, we have a class where none of them will even make the active roster.


San Francisco Giants

1 - Josh Osich - LHP
2 - Keiichi Yabu - RHP
3 - John Bowker - 1B
4 - Ryan Jensen - RHP
5 - Osvaldo Fernandez - RHP

Pitchers Ryan Jensen and Osvaldo Fernandez are both likely to make some starts for the Giants this year. Otherwise, it was a pretty poor collection of talent here. It would appear that the 100-win Giants lost some ground against the 103-win Dodgers


Los Angeles Dodgers

1 - Gil Hodges - 1B
2 - Steve Yeager - C
3 - Johnny Podres - LHP
4 - Paul Lo Duca - C
5 - Hal Gregg - RHP

An embarrassment of riches, adding this to a World Series champion team is. The 1981 Dodgers are going to be clear favorites to repeat as NL pennant winners when OSA gets around to looking into it. Their top 2 bench players are Eric Karros and a 17-year-old Gil Hodges, so...


Pittsburgh Pirates

1 - Josh Harrison - UTIL
2 - Chris Stewart - C
3 - Clem Koshorek - SS
4 - Cole Figueroa - OF
5 - Shane Youman - LHP

Not a good draft for the NL East champs. The Dodgers, Cubs, and Cardinals all gain some ground in the NL.


Boston Red Sox

1 - Dustin Pedroia - 2B
2 - Marty Barrett - INF
3 - Oscar Judd - LHP
4 - Lou Merloni - INF
5 - Phil Seibel - LHP

A couple of lefties and some more middle infielders. Boston has crazy depth up the middle--their roster now includes: Rico Petrocelli, Nomar Garciaparra, Dustin Pedroia, Xander Bogaerts, Johnny Pesky, Don Buddin, and Jody Reed plus a half-dozen other lesser names. The most significant addition, though, might be Judd as he figures to join a Boston rotation that hasn't quite kept pace with the offense when it matters most.
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