I don’t usually do these draft write ups, don’t want to let too many people inside my head for it’s a scary place but I feel the need for redemption.
Pick 1.1 – Joe Morgan 2B
My all-time favorite player. No brainer, so happy to have 1
st pick since my friend, PedroCerrano had the first pick overall the last couple of times. (1970’s and Red Sox draft)
Pick 2.4 – Tom Seaver SP
I was hoping that Bench might slide down to me by some miracle, thought he was an automatic first rounder. I went into the draft thinking as a Reds fan that they never had any starting pitching so I have to grab three starters. Can’t go wrong with Seaver.
Pick 3.4 – Jose Rijo SP
That’s number 2. Very happy to get him here.
Pick 4.4 – Pete Schourek SP
That’s number 3. Felt it was a stretch and reach here but I was sticking to my guns to get three starters early. Seeing the hitters that are still available here (George Foster) made this the toughest pick
BY FAR in the draft for me. In fact, after I made the pick, PedroCerrano (doing the Braves draft) reached out to me because he thought someone had hacked my account and made that pick. LOL
Pick 5.4 – Rob Dibble RP
A number of solid relief pitchers have been selected and I am torn between Dibble and Foster here. I saw if I took Dibble I would move up in the draft by one spot so I took Dibble because he is my favorite RP that the Reds ever had, hoping that Foster would slip through two more picks. Fingers crossed.
Pick 6.3 – George Foster OF
Christmas came early, I grabbed George. Again, one of the nicest and most humble players you can ever meet.
Pick 7.4 – Tony Perez 3B/1B
Tony was an easy choice, I can use him at third or at first. Outside of Votto, the Reds didn’t have a wealth of first basemen. I get some flexibility plus another one of the Big Red Machine.
Pick 8.4 – Eric Davis OF
Got skunked on Concepcion (part of the Big Red Machine – theme here) had to go in a different direction. Morgan is going to lead off, Eric the Red has a good glove, OBP and speed. I will bat him second behind Morgan and use the speed on top of the line-up. Besides Eric Davis is only one of two players in the history of MLB to steal 80 or more bases and hit 25 or more homers in the same season. Good enough for me.
Pick 9.4 – Zack Cozart SS
Light on plate appearances but the slugging percentage spoke to me. I will bat him low in the order and spell him with players with good gloves either Pokey Reese or Freddy Galvis, if I can draft one of them later.
Pick 10.4 – Johnny Edwards C
Need to draft a platoon at catcher since Bench wasn’t an option after the Morgan pick. Edwards bats lefthanded and had ample plate appearances to be the bigger half of the platoon, good place to start. I’ll take catcher, David Ross with my next pick to complete the platoon.
Pick 11.4 – Kevin Mitchell 1B
The Ken Griffey Sr. pick was a slap in the face for me. I wanted him (Big Red Machine theme) in my outfield, thought my luck would continue and he would slide some more. Took Kevin Mitchell for 1B, Perez now locked in at third. Ross can wait.
Pick 12.4 – David Ross C
The platoon is completed and it is good, not Johnny Bench good but certainly acceptable.
Pick 13.4 – Bernie Carbo OF
Morgan and catcher, Johnny Edwards are my only left-handed batters. Bernie’s on base percentage and left handed bat are a necessity, his glove is week but okay to play in OF with good fielders George Foster and Eric Davis.
Pick 14.4 – Dave Parker OF
Davis and Carbo (and Mitchell) are light on plate appearances, another left-handed outfielder will complete my outfield/first base needs. Was going to take Dave Parker or Ken Griffey Jr., despite the earring I took Parker because he had more plate appearances. Parker was the first player as I recall that wore an earring, certainly a scandal for this (then) teenager. Couldn't believe that Griffey Jr. lasted so much longer after my pick.
Pick 15.4 – Bill Doran 2B
Joe Morgan is batting lead off and has only 639 plate appearances, I need a platoon player with numbers worthy to platoon with Joe, enter switch-hitter Bill Doran.
Pick 16.4 – Pokey Reese 2B/SS
Helps complete SS spot with Zack Cozart and can spell Morgan/Doran at 2B.
Pick 17.4 – Norm Charlton RP
Okay, after grabbing three solid starters and Rob Dibble (833 IPs), I may have become a little overconfident that I can draft enough relief pitchers to round out my staff, certainly Schwarze has obtained enough relievers. Reds have always had good relief pitchers available so there should be plenty. 2nd Nasty boy – check.
Pick 18.4 – Randy Myers RP
3
rd Nasty boy – check. Trifecta completed.
Pick 19.4 – Raisel Iglesias RP
Just grabbing the best available innings for pitchers with over 70 IPs.
Pick 20.4 – Nick Masset RP
I was going to take Hoover… Plan 2, just grabbing the best available innings for pitcher with over 70 IPs.
Pick 21.4 – Jeff Brantley RP
Just grabbing the best available innings for pitchers with over 70 IPs. Thought for sure that Don Gullett would slip a couple of more rounds. Schwarze delivers a punch to the gut and will have to grab a lessor pitcher than anticipated. I went back and started counting Schwarze’s pitchers again, off the top of my head it seemed he had at least, twenty.
Pick 22.4 – Don Gullett, I mean Frank Pastore RP
Enough said.
Pick 23.4 – Rawly Eastwick, RP
Pick 24.4 – Jared Burton, RP
Pick 25.4 – Chris Sabo 3B, PR
Scott Rolen was my other option, but Sabo could act as a pinch runner.
Overall happy with the team. Pitching isn’t ideal, picked Riverfront with the .90 factor. Love the batting line up. Loved drafting with everyone, quickest draft that I have done in some time.