My take on the draft

[1968_bills_fan]

A number of posters have commented that we seem to be looking for a Brian Roberts clone. That may very well be true. A lot of the draft picks are for smaller, athletic players, who have good speed and can probably be taught to play 2B, hit for average, and steal bases.

B.Roberts 5-9 175#

1st round (a pitcher)

2nd round Avery 5-11 180 athletic CF (could change position)

3rd round J.Hoes 5-10 162 2nd base

4th round K.Hudson 5-11 165# CF/WR

5th round G.Miclat 5-9 180# SS

6th round (Azgun LHP)

7th round (catcher/3B)

There are minor league canidates for LF, LF/3B, 1B. But no real prospect for a lead-off hittign 2B. I think we drafted 4 players to hope to get such a guy into the system. The way the odds and probablity work, you just sum up the individual odds of each of the 4 players making it as B-Rob replacement to get your total success. If each of the players has a 20% chance, we got a 80% chance of getting the replacement guy aboard.

Stocking up on an almost major league pitcher with the first pick, even when we seem to be getting pitcher-rich with guys almost ready to break into the big leagues may really be another way of getting a bat into the infield. We can now aford to move a major league starter and an almost ready pitcher for a proven 1B or 3B or LF or very high level prospect. Add a power bat from FA (maybe with a name starting with a "T") and we start to be competitive next year. ...Maybe that is too soon...... Or trade B-Rob, and those two pitchers for some high level prospects, pick up a patient "T" power firstbaseman and wait three years for the young talent to mature. :scratchchinhmm: I think we are on the right road- this draft is to be able to move a package of starter&nearly-ready pitcher, and B-Rob and gain 3-4 high prospects and some younger minor league change.:wedge:

[Hank Scorpio]

Welcome to the board, nice opening post!