Is there any benefit to not having any players in the top 100 prospects?

[Inside Pitch]

2 hours ago, m0nkey said:

I never understand.  Sometimes the draft is a crapshoot but threads like these people say teams have good farm systems because they tank and have good draft picks.  

 

So which is it??? Or does it depend on the argument you're trying to make?

It's both...  

The success rate drops precipitously the further into the draft you go -- including in the first round..   So while it's definitely a crap shoot, number one picks tends to have a much greater success rate than the 30th pick of the first round more often than not.

When push comes to shove .... most draft picks will end up being busts...   

 

[Second Base]

3 hours ago, m0nkey said:

I never understand.  Sometimes the draft is a crapshoot but threads like these people say teams have good farm systems because they tank and have good draft picks.  

 

So which is it??? Or does it depend on the argument you're trying to make?

The only team I think I've ever seen specifically tank is the Houston Astros. They're payroll abilities are very similar to the Angels. They could carry a top 5 payroll and be fine. But for about three years there, the Astros cut ties with any player making over the major league minimum, were t signing any free agents, a d were rolling out a collection of minor leaguers so bad that many had never heard of them. Any time they had a player of value, they traded him for prospects. Once they built up the farm system enough, they began positioning themselves to compete.

The only other time I remember a team tanking was in the 1980's when the Cleveland Indians built a roster specifically designed to lose so that their owner could move them to Miami. But Willie Hays, Jake Taylor, Pedro Cerrano and Rick Vaughn had other ideas and made it to the playoffs on a surprise bunt by their catcher against the Yankees. Incidentally, Taylor was also in the process of wooing Rene Russo, the movie star.

[Angel Oracle]

You forgot Roger Dorn's ability to channel his inner 1970s A'th personna and Eddie Harris' deft stealing of Jobu's rum.

Lou Brown was the Indians, though.

[Second Base]

48 minutes ago, Angel Oracle said:

You forgot Roger Dorn's ability to channel his inner 1970s A'th personna and Eddie Harris' deft stealing of Jobu's rum.

Lou Brown was the Indians, though.

They had their best year with Taylor at the helm. 

[ksangel]

14 hours ago, Inside Pitch said:

It's both...  

The success rate drops precipitously the further into the draft you go -- including in the first round..   So while it's definitely a crap shoot, number one picks tends to have a much greater success rate than the 30th pick of the first round more often than not.

When push comes to shove .... most draft picks will end up being busts...   

 

The Astros (382-590 in past six years with 111, 107 and 106 losses in three of those seasons) and the Cubs (429-542  in the past six years with a 91 and 106 losses in two of those seasons) are reaping the benefits of poor records and consequently high draft choices.  Give them credit though for developing those draft choices, making some shrewd trades and signing some marque free agents also.

Conversely the Angels are 528-444 in the past six season with worst seasons of 82 and 84 losses.

I'd agree that the success rate drops precipitously the further into the draft you go and the Angels have typically drafted below 16th in the draft recently since they have continued to field competitive teams.

So considering the Angels drafting positions and losing their first round picks for CJ Wilson, Hamilton and Pujols, it's a positive they've drafted and developed Trout, Calhoun, Richards, Bedrosian, Shoemaker (undrafted), Cron, Bandy and hopefully Moran, Mahle, Cowart, Middleton and others will continue to develop.  And they've traded Grichuk, Corbin, Clevinger, Chatwood, RJ Alvarez and Newcomb and Ellis to acquire Simmons.

The Angels have had issues with recent drafts but hopefully the past couple with selecting Thaiss, Marsh, Williams and Jones they have started to rebuild the system.  Now if they can figure out how to keep pitchers healthy!

[Inside Pitch]

5 minutes ago, ksangel said:

The Astros (382-590 in past six years with 111, 107 and 106 losses in three of those seasons) and the Cubs (429-542  in the past six years with a 91 and 106 losses in two of those seasons) are reaping the benefits of poor records and consequently high draft choices.  Give them credit though for developing those draft choices, making some shrewd trades and signing some marque free agents also.

Jerry Dipoto being awful at drafting players is an indictment of Jerry Dipoto, not a validation of purposely trying to lose to obtain the top overall pick.  It's hard to argue the Astros plan hasn't been successful but I have an issue with the way they went about putting themselves into the position to make those picks.  Others can gloss over the bush league nature of their process if they want -- and that's fine.  I think it's about as weak as it gets.

[Pujols4MVP]

19 minutes ago, Inside Pitch said:

Jerry Dipoto being awful at drafting players is an indictment of Jerry Dipoto, not a validation of purposely trying to lose to obtain the top overall pick.  It's hard to argue the Astros plan hasn't been successful but I have an issue with the way they went about putting themselves into the position to make those picks.  Others can gloss over the bush league nature of their process if they want -- and that's fine.  I think it's about as weak as it gets.

So Astros & Cubs were acting like an NHL/NBA team in terms of tanking & now the Braves are doing it too.

If the Cubs win it all this year and the Astros in 2017 we can't really debate about their methods of winning a championship.

[Second Base]

Forgot about the Braves.  They definitely seem like they're tanking.  They've also acquired just about every pitching prospect under the sun.  They'll trade some of it for hitting soon. 

[Stradling]

21 hours ago, Lou said:

He may not be a bust just yet, but would you want his contract now?

I'll take anyone that can play left field without looking like a little leaguer that has real offensive upside