Steve Johnson picked by Giants - Was it a mistake not to protect him?

[ChaosLex]

Before heading back home today, I wanted to provide a small update on the behind-the-scenes maneuvering that led the San Francisco Giants to claim pitcher Steve Johnson in the Rule 5 draft.

I already told you about Giants assistant general manager John Barr drafting Johnson while he worked as the East Coast supervisor for the Los Angeles Dodgers. In addition, former reliever Dick Tidrow, the Giants' vice president of player personnel, saw Johnson pitch against San Jose earlier this year, when the right-hander allowed three hits and struck out 10 in 8 2/3 innings. Johnson gave up a leadoff double, but didn't surrender another hit until the ninth inning. He left the game after Buster Posey's RBI single with two outs.

San Jose won 93 games and was named baseball's top advanced Single-A team, so Johnson's performance especially stood out.

Also, a Giants scout filed a positive report on Johnson after a game against Chattanooga. And some members of their front office have been quoted as saying that Johnson has a nice delivery and throws four average pitches for strikes.

In short, the Giants have been scouting Johnson and targeted him in the Rule 5. That doesn't mean he'll stick on their 25-man roster, but they really like him.

http://masnsports.com/2009/12/the-outfield-and-more-on-steve.html

If a team that's developed studs like Madison Bumgarner, Matt Cain and Tim Lincecum sees something they like in Johnson, it really makes me wonder about our failure to protect him in the Rule 5 draft.

[Frobby]

http://masnsports.com/2009/12/the-outfield-and-more-on-steve.html

If a team that's developed studs like Madison Bumgarner, Matt Cain and Tim Lincecum sees something they like in Johnson, it really makes me wonder about our failure to protect him in the Rule 5 draft.

No point in wringing our hands about this any more. Either the guy will manage to stick with the Giants, in which case we probably made a mistake not protecting him, or he won't, in which case we'll get him back with the added benefit of his having a little bit of major league experience he wouldn't have gotten otherwise. I'd say the odds he sticks with the Giants through opening day are less than 50/50, and the odds he sticks all year are 10% or less.

I like the guy, but when you have Matusz/Tillman/Arrieta/Bergesen/Erbe/Hernandez/Berken to protect, you have to draw a line somewhere.

[DrungoHazewood]

http://masnsports.com/2009/12/the-outfield-and-more-on-steve.html

If a team that's developed studs like Madison Bumgarner, Matt Cain and Tim Lincecum sees something they like in Johnson, it really makes me wonder about our failure to protect him in the Rule 5 draft.

Are you really going to use that reasoning? If a good team drafts anyone in the Rule 5 that's validation that the guy should have been protected? So we should call into question not protecting most of the 17 guys who were taken? How dumb were the Angels and Yankees for losing two players each? Should we wonder about their baseball smarts?

[DrungoHazewood]

I like the guy, but when you have Matusz/Tillman/Arrieta/Bergesen/Erbe/Hernandez/Berken to protect, you have to draw a line somewhere.

The whole reason for a Rule 5 draft is to keep players like Johnson from being buried in organizations that are rich in prospects like him.

[ChaosLex]

Are you really going to use that reasoning? If a good team drafts anyone in the Rule 5 that's validation that the guy should have been protected? So we should call into question not protecting most of the 17 guys who were taken? How dumb were the Angels and Yankees for losing two players each? Should we wonder about their baseball smarts?

Angels and MFY's are in a far better position than we are last I checked.

[jerios55]

http://masnsports.com/2009/12/the-outfield-and-more-on-steve.html

If a team that's developed studs like Madison Bumgarner, Matt Cain and Tim Lincecum sees something they like in Johnson, it really makes me wonder about our failure to protect him in the Rule 5 draft.

I was hoping the bump meant we already got him back. :cussing:

[RShack]

The whole reason for a Rule 5 draft is to keep players like Johnson from being buried in organizations that are rich in prospects like him.

It's one of MLB's good rules. Unlike the Amateur Draft, it's not designed to rig things against the young players....

[Old#5fan]

Well, I can state one thing and that is the Giants seem to know a hell of a lot more about pitching talent than the Orioles as they drafted their Cy Young Winning Ace when they had the opportunity instead of some worthless dude who peaked in HS. The fact they see something in Johnson just tells me we made a mistake in not protecting him.

[mdterpsrule]

If a team that's developed studs like Madison Bumgarner, Matt Cain and Tim Lincecum sees something they like in Johnson, it really makes me wonder about our failure to protect him in the Rule 5 draft.

All three of those were first rd draft picks. Just because they have drafted a few really good pitchers doesn't mean they're a great organization at developing stud pitchers. Also, Bumgarner's stock is dropping. He lost some velocity this season and some scouts don't have him anywhere near as high as they used to.

[Frobby]

Well, I can state one thing and that is the Giants seem to know a hell of a lot more about pitching talent than the Orioles as they drafted their Cy Young Winning Ace when they had the opportunity instead of some worthless dude who peaked in HS. The fact they see something in Johnson just tells me we made a mistake in not protecting him.

If you are going to judge how asutute the Giants are by how they did on one pick four years ago, that's an awfully thin reed. How were their evaluation talents when they laid out $126 mm for Barry Zito?

(I happen to think the Giants have done a good job with their no. 1 picks in the last decade or so. I'm just making a point here that every team blows a pick once in a while, and every team gets a guy who exceeds expectations once in a while. You can't judge anything based on one pick.)

[Old#5fan]

If you are going to judge how asutute the Giants are by how they did on one pick four years ago, that's an awfully thin reed. How were their evaluation talents when they laid out $126 mm for Barry Zito?

(I happen to think the Giants have done a good job with their no. 1 picks in the last decade or so. I'm just making a point here that every team blows a pick once in a while, and every team gets a guy who exceeds expectations once in a while. You can't judge anything based on one pick.)

Well, I do admit to being a little prejudiced regarding the Giants as my first cousin is a minor league pitching coach for them!

[Frobby]

Well, I do admit to being a little prejudiced regarding the Giants as my first cousin is a minor league pitching coach for them!

That's pretty cool -- at what level? Maybe he has seen Johnson pitch.

[ChaosLex]

If you are going to judge how asutute the Giants are by how they did on one pick four years ago, that's an awfully thin reed. How were their evaluation talents when they laid out $126 mm for Barry Zito?

(I happen to think the Giants have done a good job with their no. 1 picks in the last decade or so. I'm just making a point here that every team blows a pick once in a while, and every team gets a guy who exceeds expectations once in a while. You can't judge anything based on one pick.)

Yeah, but it wasn't the Giants scouts that handed out the horrendous contract to Zito.

Their scouts saw something they liked in Johnson, and given the talent they've acquired in recent drafts, that tells me a lot. That's not to say I'm right, it'd just my gut feeling. I know you and Drungo feel differently, and I respect that.

[Frobby]

Yeah, but it wasn't the Giants scouts that handed out the horrendous contract to Zito.

Their scouts saw something they liked in Johnson, and given the talent they've acquired in recent drafts, that tells me a lot. That's not to say I'm right, it'd just my gut feeling. I know you and Drungo feel differently, and I respect that.

They certainly didn't sign Zito without scouting him. As I said in the same post you are responding to, I think they've generally done a good job with their high picks over the last 10 years.

[Stotle]

All three of those were first rd draft picks. Just because they have drafted a few really good pitchers doesn't mean they're a great organization at developing stud pitchers. Also, Bumgarner's stock is dropping. He lost some velocity this season and some scouts don't have him anywhere near as high as they used to.

Well, I'd be surprised if BA didn't have him in the top 10 prospects in all of baseball. He was 19 for most of last year and 20 when he made his ML debut in September. His drop in velocity didn't make him less effective. I'd love to have him in my organization, that's for sure.