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

[Old#5fan]

You say this as if every rule 5 draft pick that a good team wanted badly was successful. Do you remember Luis Perdomo? I'm sure you don't. He was the pitcher the giants scouted heavily last year, selected in the 2008 rule 5 draft, and was the designated for assignment 6 days into the season. He was claimed by the Padres. So please explain how Steve Johnson isn't another Luis Perdomo.

Maybe you should please explain why you think Johnson is another Luis Perdomo who I never heard of. So what?

[mdterpsrule]

Maybe you should please explain why you think Johnson is another Luis Perdomo who I never heard of. So what?

You're claiming that Johnson has to be good because an organization such as the Giants, who are great at developing pitchers, drafted him. Yet they drafted a pitcher last year too who was released a week into the season. So why did Luis Perdomo not make it, but Steve Johnson is destined for greatness?

[jmmarvel]

Lest we forget this Giants pitcher...

<img src="http://thediamondangle.com/archive/sep03/giants/43b_big.jpg">

Don't you mean "giant pitcher"?

[BaltimoreTerp]

Lest we forget this Giants pitcher...

<img src="http://thediamondangle.com/archive/sep03/giants/43b_big.jpg">

Should I find it as amusing as I do that the file name for that photo is "43b_big.jpg"?

[GoldGlove21]

You're claiming that Johnson has to be good because an organization such as the Giants, who are great at developing pitchers, drafted him. Yet they drafted a pitcher last year too who was released a week into the season. So why did Luis Perdomo not make it, but Steve Johnson is destined for greatness?

If Steve Johnson is about as likely to be as good as Sarfate, Albers, Mickolio, and about a handful of relievers from EVERY other teams stash of young relievers. Not really sure how you grade out relief pitching or pitching in general, but Johnson has had a solid minor league career thus far and the Giants thought he was good enough to give a 40-man roster spot to. If the Giants wouldn't have selected him there is a chance someone else might have. The Orioles made him available because they thought they could slip a solid upside young pitcher through because he might have needed a little more time in the minors. The Orioles were wrong and the fact that ANYONE took him means that they see some value in the guy.

Saying that Johnson isn't a lose because he is a dime-a-dozen type reliever with some upside is very short sighted and just plan wrong. When the Orioles protect guys like Andino, Castillo, and Tatum, but allow youngs guys to get drafted I have to wonder what they are thinking.

[mdterpsrule]

Saying that Johnson isn't a lose because he is a dime-a-dozen type reliever with some upside is very short sighted and just plan wrong. When the Orioles protect guys like Andino, Castillo, and Tatum, but allow youngs guys to get drafted I have to wonder what they are thinking.

Honestly I won't argue against any of that. I agree he should have been protected even if they though he was a dime-a-dozen player, because he had a chance to be better than all the dime-a-dozen players we had. I was just pointing out that just because the Giants kept him doesn't mean he's going to be great, because they kept a pitcher last year and released him a week into the season.

[scOtt]

Honestly I won't argue against any of that. I agree he should have been protected even if they though he was a dime-a-dozen player, because he had a chance to be better than all the dime-a-dozen players we had. I was just pointing out that just because the Giants kept him doesn't mean he's going to be great, because they kept a pitcher last year and released him a week into the season.

The fact that the Giants saw something in him, and comparing Johnson to the young talent we have just in the minors, speaks well of our organization. They have to keep him on the ML team all year.

And this is why I don't fault MacPhail on this. He'll be back. Frobby says before the end of ST and I agree. SF is in it to win it this year. SJ is just holdiing a roster spot for... Holliday? Could happen.

[24fps]

The fact that the Giants saw something in him, and comparing Johnson to the young talent we have just in the minors, speaks well of our organization. They have to keep him on the ML team all year.

And this is why I don't fault MacPhail on this. He'll be back. Frobby says before the end of ST and I agree. SF is in it to win it this year. SJ is just holdiing a roster spot for... Holliday? Could happen.

What a mess the NL West is. If SF is not thinking about going for it this year they should be. I have to think the DeRosa signing indicates they're starting to get serious. Pity about the Zito contract, because Holliday really makes sense for the Giants right now.

[Crazysilver03]

I figured it would be interesting to revisit this thread.

Johnson has only had two games where he has kept his ERA under 3.00 since mid-May at AA Bowie.

We have closed his tracker in the prospect tracker section because he has worked his way out of prospect status as his year has continued.

[LookitsPuck]

I figured it would be interesting to revisit this thread.

Johnson has only had two games where he has kept his ERA under 3.00 since mid-May at AA Bowie.

We have closed his tracker in the prospect tracker section because he has worked his way out of prospect status as his year has continued.

His strike outs look good, however, he's throwing beach balls down at AA. Home runs, hits have sky-rocketed. Not that he was a control guy last year in AA, but they're up as well. Not a recipe for success. At all.