Tom Brennan - DRAFT DUDS 2009

Tom Brennan - DRAFT DUDS 2009

In this article series I am been looking at draft DUDS (guys who you have to wonder "whatever were the Mets thinking" when they drafted them) and draft DUDES (guys who either made it in style to the big leagues or were fine picks waylaid by injuries).

I recently did an article about how the heck the Mets could have passed on drafting Paul Goldschmidt in 2009, in which I touched on some of the Mets Top 10 rounds' draft picks.  

Here's an expand recap of what I wrote then.

If you just ate, reading this may get you nauseous, so proceed with caution:

1st round - lost the pick - happens. Coulda been Mike Trout.  Naturally, we did not have that pick.

2nd round - Steve Matz - good pick; sure he's had injuries, but you can't assume injuries, so you pick him again.  DUDE.

3rd round - IF Robbie Shields: low power mediocrity.  DUD. Complete Dud.  What were they thinking? .243/.315/.351 in his minor league career in nearly 400 games (none above A ball) is not 3rd round stuff, and lacks the power one has to expect from a 3rd round hitter with only decent speed.

4th round - Darrell Ceciliani - a decent enough 4th round pick - if Goldschmidt was not available.  Which he was, which makes this pick not so decent.  DC has fine speed, negated by a persistently bad hammy or two, and decent power, but only .190 in 100 major league at bats with 39 Ks - not a DUD, but also not really a DUDE.

5th round - P Damien Magnifico - did not sign with the Mets: his post-Mets career in MLB is under 4 IP - not a hard thrower.  Not a DUD, not a DUDE if they signed him, but you fail to sign the guy???  That is a DUD result, bro'.

6th round - P David Buchanan - did not sign with the Mets - signed with Phils instead in 2010; 8-17, 5.01 in the majors, and not a power K-type pitcher.  Not a DUD, not a DUDE if they signed him, but you fail to sign the guy?  That is a DUD result, bro'.  (Didn't I just say that?)

7th round - Darin Gorski, the far-too-soft tossing lefty to ever realistically have a shot to make the majors.  DUD....draft power arms now, smile at the DUDE you picked later.

ROUNDS 8 THRU 10?

C JEFF GLENN (made it to AAA, .218 hitter);

OF NICK SANTOMAURO (only .191 above rookie ball); and

C TAYLOR FREEMAN (.207 in rookie ball).

I dunno about you - those 3 were super DUDS.  

Bad drafting in the first 10 rounds, in my humble opinion.

Below the Top 10 draft rounds?  Absolutely nothing.  

Bad work there - usually someone will make it from those rounds, even marginally.

Overall draft score? D, and that is only because we got Matz.

Question of the day: will the Mets never learn?   Draft power arms and bats, then sit back and smile.

This was a very, very bad draft.  No other way to put it.