Fullabull
05-28-2002, 08:18 PM
The Oakland A's gear up for a big draft day with 7 picks in the first 39.
If this is a lost season for the A's, at least they can find some relief in the amateur draft.
Unlike its counterpart in football and basketball, the baseball draft often comes and goes with relatively little fanfare, mostly because its results don't pay immediate dividends.
But in the A's case this year, it could determine the franchise's long-term fate (with or without a new stadium), and the team's doing everything it can not to blow it. After all, the A's have seven of the draft's first 39 picks.
They're one of 30 big-league teams and hold 18 percent of the early draft choices. More than any other franchise, they can corner the market on the nation's best talent.
The draft starts next Tuesday, but A's officials long ago began the groundwork and legwork to take advantage of this potential gold mine of future pitching and hitting stars. Realizing what's at stake, the organization has been feeling the pressure.
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A's gear up for big draft day
Oakland has seven of first 39 picks
John Shea, Chronicle Staff Writer Tuesday, May 28, 2002
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If this is a lost season for the A's, at least they can find some relief in the amateur draft.
Unlike its counterpart in football and basketball, the baseball draft often comes and goes with relatively little fanfare, mostly because its results don't pay immediate dividends.
But in the A's case this year, it could determine the franchise's long-term fate (with or without a new stadium), and the team's doing everything it can not to blow it. After all, the A's have seven of the draft's first 39 picks.
They're one of 30 big-league teams and hold 18 percent of the early draft choices. More than any other franchise, they can corner the market on the nation's best talent.
The draft starts next Tuesday, but A's officials long ago began the groundwork and legwork to take advantage of this potential gold mine of future pitching and hitting stars. Realizing what's at stake, the organization has been feeling the pressure.
A little nervous, Billy Beane?
"Not even a little bit," the general manager said. "We're very excited about it. When you've got that kind of influx in one year, if it works out, it can have an impact for decades."
Remember all the griping over the loss of Jason Giambi to the Yankees? Johnny Damon to the Red Sox? Jason Isringhausen to the Cardinals?
This is the payback, the compensation for losing those free agents. Because they were all ranked as Type A free agents, the A's received two picks from each team -- one first-round pick and one "sandwich" pick between the first and second rounds:
-- Nos. 16 and 39 for Damon.
-- Nos. 24 and 35 for Giambi.
-- Nos. 30 and 37 for Isringhausen.
Plus their original selection (No. 26).
If this is a lost season for the A's, at least they can find some relief in the amateur draft.
Unlike its counterpart in football and basketball, the baseball draft often comes and goes with relatively little fanfare, mostly because its results don't pay immediate dividends.
But in the A's case this year, it could determine the franchise's long-term fate (with or without a new stadium), and the team's doing everything it can not to blow it. After all, the A's have seven of the draft's first 39 picks.
They're one of 30 big-league teams and hold 18 percent of the early draft choices. More than any other franchise, they can corner the market on the nation's best talent.
The draft starts next Tuesday, but A's officials long ago began the groundwork and legwork to take advantage of this potential gold mine of future pitching and hitting stars. Realizing what's at stake, the organization has been feeling the pressure.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
A's gear up for big draft day
Oakland has seven of first 39 picks
John Shea, Chronicle Staff Writer Tuesday, May 28, 2002
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
If this is a lost season for the A's, at least they can find some relief in the amateur draft.
Unlike its counterpart in football and basketball, the baseball draft often comes and goes with relatively little fanfare, mostly because its results don't pay immediate dividends.
But in the A's case this year, it could determine the franchise's long-term fate (with or without a new stadium), and the team's doing everything it can not to blow it. After all, the A's have seven of the draft's first 39 picks.
They're one of 30 big-league teams and hold 18 percent of the early draft choices. More than any other franchise, they can corner the market on the nation's best talent.
The draft starts next Tuesday, but A's officials long ago began the groundwork and legwork to take advantage of this potential gold mine of future pitching and hitting stars. Realizing what's at stake, the organization has been feeling the pressure.
A little nervous, Billy Beane?
"Not even a little bit," the general manager said. "We're very excited about it. When you've got that kind of influx in one year, if it works out, it can have an impact for decades."
Remember all the griping over the loss of Jason Giambi to the Yankees? Johnny Damon to the Red Sox? Jason Isringhausen to the Cardinals?
This is the payback, the compensation for losing those free agents. Because they were all ranked as Type A free agents, the A's received two picks from each team -- one first-round pick and one "sandwich" pick between the first and second rounds:
-- Nos. 16 and 39 for Damon.
-- Nos. 24 and 35 for Giambi.
-- Nos. 30 and 37 for Isringhausen.
Plus their original selection (No. 26).