OK....Looks like I'll have the first pick in our progressive (Doby) for year '55. I ALSO had the 1st pick in '54 (won the lottery both times)
In '54 I picked The Hammer, Henry Aaron.
In '55 you have rookies like clemente, Killebrew, Koufax, Jim bunning and Larry Jackson. who do you pick?
I'm leaning toward Killebrew, even thogh he gets almost no PA's from '55-'58 (89,110,33,33) because after that, for the next 14 seasons, he is one of the great sluggers ever. He and Aaron batting 3rd and 4th will generate a lot of runs.
Clemente is a 500-ish PA player from 55-59. OPS in generally less than 100.. then from '60-'72 he is, well, Clemente. During that time he is great, but not the slugger Killer is.
Koufax is functional until '61, then he is, well, Koufax. His last 4 years may be the most dominant stretch in the game's history.
Bunning throws only 54 and 57 innings in 1955 and'56. then he churns out mid to high 200 inning seasons, with two over 300 in 13 of the next 14 years. Hhis "injured" year he throws only 160. He is a terrific workhorse to build a progressive staff around. I don't have much of a staff right now, as you can imagine. Once did, way back in '49, when I won the WS and the ToC.
Larry jackson throws 187 iinnings right out of the box. Only 90 iin '56. the he thows between 222 and 298 for the next 12 years, minus one year where he "only" throws 209.
Clemente and Jackson are the most help as Rookies, but are probably the last two gusy I would pick in that group.
Who would you pick first through 5th.
I think I'll pick Killer...and then would go Bunning, Koufzx, Clemente, Jackson.
not a bad dilemma, though.