Post by Sha-Le Unique on Nov 25, 2013 3:12:34 GMT -5
Sorry for the delay here. Went on a short vacation to Minnesota with my mom to visit her side of the family from Wednesday until yesterday. And had some real work on Bleacher Report to do as well. Without further ado, here we go!
Brooklyn Dodgers:
1st Round Pick: RF Floyd Robinson
2nd Round Pick: None; Traded to Cubs
3rd Round Pick: None; Traded to White Sox
4th Round Pick: 2B Joey Amalfitano
5th Round Pick: C Ron Henry
6th Round Pick: RF Dick Murphy
After choking away the NL lead last season to the Braves, Jeremy started 1954 by drafting Floyd Robinson in the first round. Robinson seems to be a solid corner outfielder that could be useful to the Dodgers in the future. With already a Good talent in hits, a talent increase to home runs could make Robinson into a stud. However, with his home run rating starting at a 1, it could take quite some time before Robinson's home runs really begin to fully develop. Time will tell how long that will take. All in all, Robinson is no Duke Snider, but could be a solid contributor for the Dodgers near the end of the decade.
Jeremy then traded both his second and third round picks to the Cubs and White Sox, respectively before being given Joey Amalfitano in the 4th round. Amalfitano is an average player, generally speaking with average talents in hits, doubles, triples and walks. He is also fair in home runs and brilliant in strikeouts. A talent increase to Amalfitano's hits could make him somewhat useful, but to really get somewhere, he will need some PD luck along the way. Ron Henry and Dick Murphy are both mediocre players who may turn out to be decent, but don't count on it.
Dodgers 1st Round Draft Pick Grade: B+
Dodgers 1954 Draft Grade: C+
Chicago Cubs:
1st Round Pick: RF George Altman
2nd Round Pick: 2B Bill Mazeroski
2nd Round Pick: SP Bob Anderson
3rd Round Pick: SP John Tsitouris
4th Round Pick: 1B Mike Solomko
5th Round Pick: LF Danny Morejon
6th Round Pick: C Jim R. Campbell
With the 3rd overall pick in the draft, Matt selected George Altman, who could eventually become one of the Cubs' power bats. In such a pitching-heavy draft, Altman was one of the top hitters in the draft class and Matt made a great pick there. Altman is a stud, with Good talents in both hits and home runs. A talent increase to walks would make him an OBP machine. Altman's C/C for running and stealing ability makes him an even more valuable player because he will not be a liability on the bases. 20 steals a season could even be possible. Defensively, Altman starts out versatile, with the ability to play first base and all three outfield positions. Matt should teach him at least third base as well, just to increase his versatility that much more. Ernie Banks needs more protection in that Cubs lineup, and Altman could soon enough become that answer.
George Altman could be a force for the Cubs and a hitter that other NL teams will not enjoy facing. I also discovered he was briefly a real life Met in 1964. Fun stuff!
In the first of his two second round picks, Matt drafted Bill Mazeroski. Mazeroski is a solid, but average player generally speaking. A talent increase to hits though would definitely make him above average. Mazersoki has decent speed and great range at second base. This range could likely carry over to shortstop or even third base if Matt ends up teaching him those positions, which he probably should do. Matt's other second round pick was Bob Anderson. Anderson unfortunately suffered a PD decrease to his hits, which Matt has yet to reverse (if there is still time to do so). Having a Fair talent in hits certainly decreases Anderson's value, despite being Good in both home runs and walks. Unless Matt does the reversal, this could end up being some unfortunate luck for Anderson and the Cubs.
In the third round, Matt took another young pitcher in Matt Tsutouris (or however you pronounce his name). Tsutouris has the potential to be a very good pitcher, and especially if Matt increase his talent in avoiding walks. The 5 in velocity is decent, as is the D in SP duration, but nonetheless, Tsutouris could become a solid middle rotation starter. Mike Solomko, Matt's 4th round pick is an average player across the board. Some PD luck could help him, but for the moment, he projects to be a decent utility backup player. Danny Morejon is probably one of the better 5th round picks in this draft, which is lucky for Matt, but the very young Jim Campbell will have a long way to go and will need a lot of PD luck in order to get somewhere.
Overall, Matt had a very solid draft as he continues his rebuild on the North side.
Cubs 1st Round Draft Pick Grade: A
Cubs 1954 Draft Grade: A- (Would've been A if not for the Anderson PD and Matt's lack of effort in reversing it)
Cincinnati Reds:
1st Round Pick: SP Ralph Terry
2nd Round Pick: SP Stan "Big Daddy" Williams
3rd Round Pick: SP Fritz Ackley
4th Round Pick: MR Walt Craddock
5th Round Pick: P Darrell Martin
6th Round Pick: SS Jimmy McCabe
7th Round Pick: LF Robert Willis
Jeff used the 6th overall pick to draft Ralph Terry. Terry has quickly become the Reds' top pitching prospect and could be Jeff's ace of the future. With a 2 in runs already at just 18 years old, Terry could be major league ready by around 1956 or 1957 at the latest. He is Good in hits, home runs and walks, which means that he may even need a talent increase to be successful. With that in mind, Jeff should increase Terry's SP duration to A in order to turn him from an ace to an innings-eating ace. Just ask the bullpen...they would appreciate that very much!
Jeff's next two picks were both pitchers as well. His second round pick was Stan Williams. I'm not sure where the "Big Daddy" nickname originated, but if he wants to pitch like a Big Daddy, a talent increase to walks and a SP duration increase will have to happen. If those two increases are made, Williams can assert himself as a #2 behind Terry. Like Terry, Williams is already a 2 in runs at a very young age (17) and could be in the major leagues by 1956 or 1957 as well. Jeff's 3rd round pick, Fritz Ackley was not as good. Ackley may be Good in hits, but is Average in home runs and just Fair in walks. Jeff will have a tough decision to make between raising Ackley's home runs, or evening things out by increasing his walks. Furthermore, "very inconsistent" for consistency and "suffers' for clutch is a bad combination in itself and may not help Ackley's cause either. Ackley's best hope will be as a back-end starter, but right now, he projects to be a journeyman spot starter and reliever.
Speaking of relievers, Jeff took closer Walt Craddock in the 4th round. Craddock will need a talent increase in hits to become a potential closer of the future, but he is also eligible to be a starting pitcher, albeit with an E SP duration. Jeff can increase that if he wants, but if not, Craddock could turn into a successful reliever/setup man and possible closer. Darell Martin, Jeff's 5th round selection could fit the same mold as Craddock and become a good reliever himself. He could use a talent increase in hits as well. Jeff did not get the luck of the draw in the 6th round when he was given 26-year old Jimmy McCabe. McCabe does not look good at all, despite being speedy on the bases. He will almost certainly be a career minor leaguer. The same could be said for Robert Willis, but Willis is much younger and has a much higher chance of getting some PD luck along the way. For now, don't expect Willis to be a starting outfielder.
Reds 1st Round Draft Pick Grade: A
Reds 1954 Draft Grade: B-
Milwaukee Braves:
1st Round Pick: SP John Buzhardt
2nd Round Pick: CF Bill Kern
3rd Round Pick: CF Buddy Gilbert
4th Round Pick: CF Don Landrum
5th Round Pick: 2B Chuck Cottier
6th Round Pick: P Hal Raether
As the defending National League champion, Steve's draft spot was at the bottom. Nonetheless, he made a great choice in his spot by drafting John Buzhardt. Buzhardt already has the Good talents in hits and walks, but unfortunately suffered a PD decrease to his home runs that Steve has yet to reverse. Get on it, Steve! A SP duration increase to C could help Buzhardt's cause as well and Steve has been saving up his points for quite some time now. This guy might be someone for points to be spent on.
Steve was smart to select a bunch of hitters in the draft, being that hitting talent can be hard to come by. He took Bill Kern in the 2nd round. Kern is an average player for the most part, but a talent increase to hits could make him a lot more legit. Kern does not offer too much on the bases and defensively, so it will be critical that he can at least hit well and get on base. He could be a good role player for Steve in the future. The same could be said for Steve's 3rd round pick, Buddy Gilbert. Gilbert though is only fair in hits, so he will need both a talent increase and some PD luck to really get somewhere. At best, Gilbert could be a fourth outfielder, with good defensive range and some speed on the bases. Don Landrum, Steve's 4th round pick is actually a better player than Gilbert. Interesting how that worked out. Landrum could become a good player with a talent increase to hits, and a stealing ability increase as well, which could make him capable of stealing over 30-40 bases a season. Landrum is probably one of the best 4th round picks in this draft. Chuck Cottier looks to be a career minor leaguer or backup middle infielder in the major leagues at best, while Hal Raether could turn into a decent reliever in the future. Not a bad 6th round auto pick there.
Braves 1st Round Draft Pick Grade: B+ (A- if Steve does the PD reversal)
Braves 1954 Draft Grade: B
New York Giants:
1st Round Pick: C Katsuya Nomura
2nd Round Pick: MR Frank Funk
3rd Round Pick: MR Freddie Burdette
4th Round Pick: C Steve Korcheck
5th Round Pick: SS Daryl Robertson
6th Round Pick: LF Phil Marvier
7th Round Pick: P Mitsuo Matsuoka
Unfortunately for Spencer, he was not able to find success so easily in the inaugural season of this league. It may take him a lot longer to win 3 championships here. Nonetheless, Spencer made a good 1st round pick in Katsuya Nomura. Nomura is Brilliant in home runs, which is certainly rare for a catcher. And with catcher being a difficult position to find good hitting, catching is now a position of strength for the Giants. A talent increase to hits could turn Nomura into a stud. Nomura's speed and defensive range is not particularly great, so if he can team up with Willie Mays to eventually be a force in the Giants' lineup, he could turn into a star.
Spencer then drafted two very good relievers in the next two rounds. His 2nd round pick, Frank Funk could turn into a beast of a closer. If that was Spencer's actual goal to improve bullpen depth internally, he could accomplish just that with Funk, who is very good all-around and already a 1 in runs at just 18 years old. Freddie Burdette was the other reliever that Spencer drafted, but in the 3rd round. Like Funk, Burdette could also become a great bullpen arm and does not really need a talent increase. However, an RP duration increase to A could be done in hopes of Burdette eventually becoming a starting pitcher in a future season. This was probably Spencer's plan when drafting Burdette. Good luck with the process!
Spencer's 4th round pick was another catcher in Steve Korcheck. Korcheck certainly does not offer as much as Nomura, but could become a decent catcher in the future. A talent increase in hits would definitely have to happen to make up for the Poor in home runs and Fair in walks. Korcheck has good defensive range, but no speed at all on the bases. More than likely, Korcheck will be a serviceable backup. Darryl Robertson was not the best luck of the draw for the 5th round and will need PD luck for sure to become useful. The same could definitely be said for Phil Marvier and Mitsuo Matsuoka. Nothing special in either of those three players, but crazier things have happened.
Giants 1st Round Draft Pick Grade: A
Giants 1954 Draft Grade: B-
Philadelphia Phillies:
1st Round Pick: LF Leon Wagner
2nd Round Pick: SP Jim Golden
3rd Round Pick: RF Al Spangler
4th Round Pick: CF Carl Boles
5th Round Pick: 3B Jack Krol
6th Round Pick: P Paul Giel
What was originally going to be both Gur brothers in Oren and Alon co-managing the Phillies, it seems like it's actually only Oren who is running the show in Philly. The Phillies made a late run at the NL pennant last season, but ultimately fell short. Nonetheless, it was definitely one of the bigger surprises of the season.
Oren selected Leon Wagner in the 1st round. This pick might be one of the biggest steals in the entire draft. That is, if Oren does a talent increase on Wagner's hits. With a Brilliant in home runs and C/B in running and stealing ability, the talent increase in hits could be just what Wagner needs in order to become a consistent 30/30 threat or beyond. Wagner's defense though may not turn as good, but his hitting should definitely make up for a lack of defensive range!
Oren then selected Jim Golden in the 2nd round. Golden is a solid pitcher, whose ceiling could be as a middle rotation starter. A talent increase to hits could certainly make that happen. But with E duration as a starter, Golden will also need an increase there as well to last longer in each start, unless Oren would prefer him to be a reliever or closer. Oren will have to make a decision there eventually. Oren's 3rd round pick was Al Spangler. Like the others, he is another candidate for a talent increase in hits. With a Poor in home runs and Good in walks, Spangler could be a #2 hitter at best, being that his speed and stealing ability are both not particularly great. Spangler currently projects to be a late inning defensive replacement unless certain increase are made and PD luck occurs. While Jack Krol will probably turn into a mediocre player at best, Paul Giel was a good 6th round pick. With a 2 in runs and a Good talent in home runs, a talent increase to his hits could make Giel into a solid reliever, or even a starter if Oren bumps up his SP duration as well. Oren's got quite a few options with these new players and it will be fascinating to see what choices he ends up making.
Phillies 1st Round Draft Pick Grade: A
Phillies 1954 Draft Grade: B+
Pittsburgh Pirates:
1st Round Pick: SP Don Drysdale
2nd Round Pick: SP Ken McBride
3rd Round Pick: C Ken Retzer
4th Round Pick: SP Evelio Hernandez
5th Round Pick: 2B Haruo Handa
6th Round Pick: 2B Marlan Coughtry
7th Round Pick: P Laurin Pepper
Talking in third person will look weird, so I'll be myself here. After the atrocious Pirates had by far the worst record in 1953, they ended up with the first overall draft pick. However, it was eventually bumped down to the second overall pick after the Senators made their franchise reservation on Harmon Killebrew. That was fair and was the right decision for Adam to make. I would've done the exact same thing if I ran that team.
Anyway, as good as Altman and Aparicio looked, taking Don Drysdale was a no-brainer for me. Drysdale is literally everything you could possibly want from a future ace. G/G/B/G/B to start. A duration for SP. 9 in velocity. 60% ground ball percentage. Minimal/Loyal combo for winning desire and loyalty. Great leader. Good consistency. Durable injury rating. I think I just covered pretty much everything. Well except for potential PD decreases, but I'll make sure to have enough points if that ever happens. Drysdale will be a beast of a pitcher when he is ready and the next Pirates owner will be fortunate to have him. It's a shame I won't be able bring him with to the Mets.
Don Drysdale could one day rewrite the career and single season record books for pitching. The sky is the limit for his success.
I then took Ken McBride in the 2nd round. Not that many hitters really impressed me enough to be taken over McBride, who is already 2 in runs and is good in both hits and home runs. I may eventually increase his walks to good as well, plus his SP duration. If the points are there, I plan on putting them to good use. I then selected Ken Retzer in the 3rd round. I'm not big on Jack Shepard as a long-term catcher here, so I figured Retzer could eventually succeed him and become a good backstop. A talent increase to hits could happen if I can afford to do it. His speed is decent as well, which is nice for a catcher.
In the 4th round, I went back to pitching and drafted Evelio Hernandez. Hernandez could be another good starter in the Pirates' heavily loaded line of great pitching prospects. Hernandez has a Brilliant in home runs and will be even better once I increase his talent in hits. He could fit in well as either a starter or reliever, depending on who else I have to work with. I consider him one of the better 4th round picks in the draft.
After that, my other picks got autoed of course. Haruo Handa could become a decent infielder one day, and especially if I increase his talent in hits. He has the potential to become a good leadoff or #2 hitter if he gets some PD help, but at the very least could be a good backup middle infielder. I'm not too big on Marlan Coughtry. He's probably just going to become middle infield depth at most. As for Laurin Pepper, he looks ok. A talent increase to hits would make him serviceable, but he will need PD boosts along the way as well.
All in all, I'm very satisfied with how my draft went. I took the best player available, 2 other good pitchers and a decent catcher. I wish more good hitters were there, but what can you do? Pitching wins championships and soon enough, the Pirates will have plenty of it.
Pirates 1st Round Draft Pick Grade: A+
Pirates 1954 Draft Grade: A
St. Louis Cardinals:
1st Round Pick: RF Lee Thomas
2nd Round Pick: MR Howie Nunn
3rd Round Pick: MR Ted Bowsfield
4th Round Pick: 1B Jim McManus
5th Round Pick: 2B Bob W. Johnson
6th Round Pick: 1B Hal Trosky Jr.
Last but not least, the other Matt had a very good season in 1953, despite falling noticeably short for the NL pennant. Matt selected Lee Thomas in the 1st round of the following draft. Thomas looks to be a solid hitter that could contribute at first base, left field, or right field with the Cardinals. Matt should increase his talent in hits to become a legit stud that he can pair with Stan Musial to further strengthen the Cardinals' lineup. Thomas does not have the greatest speed, but does have good defensive range at first base in particular. This was definitely a good pick for Matt in his draft position.
In the second and third rounds, Matt opted for relievers. Howie Nunn could turn into a solid closer down the road for Matt, and especially if his talent in hits gets increased. The same could be said for Matt's 3rd round pick, Ted Bowsfield, although Bowsfield is less of a power pitcher than Nunn, with just a Fair in strikeouts and a lower velocity. Bowsfield could also turn into a starter if Matt decides to go that route. If so, a SP duration increase would be good to do as well.
In the 4th round, Matt was given Jim McManus, whom he has since traded to the Senators. McManus is an average player across the board and the return that Matt got in the trade was decent. Matt's two other draftees were a mediocre second baseman in Bob W. Johnson and a subpar first baseman in Hal Trosky Jr. A talent increase in hits and some PD help could make Johnson into a decent role player, but Trosky at this point will not become more than a minor league regular or major league career backup.
Overall, Matt made a good 1st round pick, but the rest of his draft was not as impressive.
Cardinals 1st Round Draft Pick Grade: A-
Cardinals 1954 Draft Grade: B-
There you have it! A complete recap and list of grades from the inaugural HOFFBL draft! I'll try to do this for every draft going forward. Best of luck with development and PD luck to all spects! Hopefully, at least some of these GM's can put some points to use and turn the decent spects into studs. I know I will definitely try to do so as much as possible.
Until next time...
Brooklyn Dodgers:
1st Round Pick: RF Floyd Robinson
2nd Round Pick: None; Traded to Cubs
3rd Round Pick: None; Traded to White Sox
4th Round Pick: 2B Joey Amalfitano
5th Round Pick: C Ron Henry
6th Round Pick: RF Dick Murphy
After choking away the NL lead last season to the Braves, Jeremy started 1954 by drafting Floyd Robinson in the first round. Robinson seems to be a solid corner outfielder that could be useful to the Dodgers in the future. With already a Good talent in hits, a talent increase to home runs could make Robinson into a stud. However, with his home run rating starting at a 1, it could take quite some time before Robinson's home runs really begin to fully develop. Time will tell how long that will take. All in all, Robinson is no Duke Snider, but could be a solid contributor for the Dodgers near the end of the decade.
Jeremy then traded both his second and third round picks to the Cubs and White Sox, respectively before being given Joey Amalfitano in the 4th round. Amalfitano is an average player, generally speaking with average talents in hits, doubles, triples and walks. He is also fair in home runs and brilliant in strikeouts. A talent increase to Amalfitano's hits could make him somewhat useful, but to really get somewhere, he will need some PD luck along the way. Ron Henry and Dick Murphy are both mediocre players who may turn out to be decent, but don't count on it.
Dodgers 1st Round Draft Pick Grade: B+
Dodgers 1954 Draft Grade: C+
Chicago Cubs:
1st Round Pick: RF George Altman
2nd Round Pick: 2B Bill Mazeroski
2nd Round Pick: SP Bob Anderson
3rd Round Pick: SP John Tsitouris
4th Round Pick: 1B Mike Solomko
5th Round Pick: LF Danny Morejon
6th Round Pick: C Jim R. Campbell
With the 3rd overall pick in the draft, Matt selected George Altman, who could eventually become one of the Cubs' power bats. In such a pitching-heavy draft, Altman was one of the top hitters in the draft class and Matt made a great pick there. Altman is a stud, with Good talents in both hits and home runs. A talent increase to walks would make him an OBP machine. Altman's C/C for running and stealing ability makes him an even more valuable player because he will not be a liability on the bases. 20 steals a season could even be possible. Defensively, Altman starts out versatile, with the ability to play first base and all three outfield positions. Matt should teach him at least third base as well, just to increase his versatility that much more. Ernie Banks needs more protection in that Cubs lineup, and Altman could soon enough become that answer.
George Altman could be a force for the Cubs and a hitter that other NL teams will not enjoy facing. I also discovered he was briefly a real life Met in 1964. Fun stuff!
In the first of his two second round picks, Matt drafted Bill Mazeroski. Mazeroski is a solid, but average player generally speaking. A talent increase to hits though would definitely make him above average. Mazersoki has decent speed and great range at second base. This range could likely carry over to shortstop or even third base if Matt ends up teaching him those positions, which he probably should do. Matt's other second round pick was Bob Anderson. Anderson unfortunately suffered a PD decrease to his hits, which Matt has yet to reverse (if there is still time to do so). Having a Fair talent in hits certainly decreases Anderson's value, despite being Good in both home runs and walks. Unless Matt does the reversal, this could end up being some unfortunate luck for Anderson and the Cubs.
In the third round, Matt took another young pitcher in Matt Tsutouris (or however you pronounce his name). Tsutouris has the potential to be a very good pitcher, and especially if Matt increase his talent in avoiding walks. The 5 in velocity is decent, as is the D in SP duration, but nonetheless, Tsutouris could become a solid middle rotation starter. Mike Solomko, Matt's 4th round pick is an average player across the board. Some PD luck could help him, but for the moment, he projects to be a decent utility backup player. Danny Morejon is probably one of the better 5th round picks in this draft, which is lucky for Matt, but the very young Jim Campbell will have a long way to go and will need a lot of PD luck in order to get somewhere.
Overall, Matt had a very solid draft as he continues his rebuild on the North side.
Cubs 1st Round Draft Pick Grade: A
Cubs 1954 Draft Grade: A- (Would've been A if not for the Anderson PD and Matt's lack of effort in reversing it)
Cincinnati Reds:
1st Round Pick: SP Ralph Terry
2nd Round Pick: SP Stan "Big Daddy" Williams
3rd Round Pick: SP Fritz Ackley
4th Round Pick: MR Walt Craddock
5th Round Pick: P Darrell Martin
6th Round Pick: SS Jimmy McCabe
7th Round Pick: LF Robert Willis
Jeff used the 6th overall pick to draft Ralph Terry. Terry has quickly become the Reds' top pitching prospect and could be Jeff's ace of the future. With a 2 in runs already at just 18 years old, Terry could be major league ready by around 1956 or 1957 at the latest. He is Good in hits, home runs and walks, which means that he may even need a talent increase to be successful. With that in mind, Jeff should increase Terry's SP duration to A in order to turn him from an ace to an innings-eating ace. Just ask the bullpen...they would appreciate that very much!
Jeff's next two picks were both pitchers as well. His second round pick was Stan Williams. I'm not sure where the "Big Daddy" nickname originated, but if he wants to pitch like a Big Daddy, a talent increase to walks and a SP duration increase will have to happen. If those two increases are made, Williams can assert himself as a #2 behind Terry. Like Terry, Williams is already a 2 in runs at a very young age (17) and could be in the major leagues by 1956 or 1957 as well. Jeff's 3rd round pick, Fritz Ackley was not as good. Ackley may be Good in hits, but is Average in home runs and just Fair in walks. Jeff will have a tough decision to make between raising Ackley's home runs, or evening things out by increasing his walks. Furthermore, "very inconsistent" for consistency and "suffers' for clutch is a bad combination in itself and may not help Ackley's cause either. Ackley's best hope will be as a back-end starter, but right now, he projects to be a journeyman spot starter and reliever.
Speaking of relievers, Jeff took closer Walt Craddock in the 4th round. Craddock will need a talent increase in hits to become a potential closer of the future, but he is also eligible to be a starting pitcher, albeit with an E SP duration. Jeff can increase that if he wants, but if not, Craddock could turn into a successful reliever/setup man and possible closer. Darell Martin, Jeff's 5th round selection could fit the same mold as Craddock and become a good reliever himself. He could use a talent increase in hits as well. Jeff did not get the luck of the draw in the 6th round when he was given 26-year old Jimmy McCabe. McCabe does not look good at all, despite being speedy on the bases. He will almost certainly be a career minor leaguer. The same could be said for Robert Willis, but Willis is much younger and has a much higher chance of getting some PD luck along the way. For now, don't expect Willis to be a starting outfielder.
Reds 1st Round Draft Pick Grade: A
Reds 1954 Draft Grade: B-
Milwaukee Braves:
1st Round Pick: SP John Buzhardt
2nd Round Pick: CF Bill Kern
3rd Round Pick: CF Buddy Gilbert
4th Round Pick: CF Don Landrum
5th Round Pick: 2B Chuck Cottier
6th Round Pick: P Hal Raether
As the defending National League champion, Steve's draft spot was at the bottom. Nonetheless, he made a great choice in his spot by drafting John Buzhardt. Buzhardt already has the Good talents in hits and walks, but unfortunately suffered a PD decrease to his home runs that Steve has yet to reverse. Get on it, Steve! A SP duration increase to C could help Buzhardt's cause as well and Steve has been saving up his points for quite some time now. This guy might be someone for points to be spent on.
Steve was smart to select a bunch of hitters in the draft, being that hitting talent can be hard to come by. He took Bill Kern in the 2nd round. Kern is an average player for the most part, but a talent increase to hits could make him a lot more legit. Kern does not offer too much on the bases and defensively, so it will be critical that he can at least hit well and get on base. He could be a good role player for Steve in the future. The same could be said for Steve's 3rd round pick, Buddy Gilbert. Gilbert though is only fair in hits, so he will need both a talent increase and some PD luck to really get somewhere. At best, Gilbert could be a fourth outfielder, with good defensive range and some speed on the bases. Don Landrum, Steve's 4th round pick is actually a better player than Gilbert. Interesting how that worked out. Landrum could become a good player with a talent increase to hits, and a stealing ability increase as well, which could make him capable of stealing over 30-40 bases a season. Landrum is probably one of the best 4th round picks in this draft. Chuck Cottier looks to be a career minor leaguer or backup middle infielder in the major leagues at best, while Hal Raether could turn into a decent reliever in the future. Not a bad 6th round auto pick there.
Braves 1st Round Draft Pick Grade: B+ (A- if Steve does the PD reversal)
Braves 1954 Draft Grade: B
New York Giants:
1st Round Pick: C Katsuya Nomura
2nd Round Pick: MR Frank Funk
3rd Round Pick: MR Freddie Burdette
4th Round Pick: C Steve Korcheck
5th Round Pick: SS Daryl Robertson
6th Round Pick: LF Phil Marvier
7th Round Pick: P Mitsuo Matsuoka
Unfortunately for Spencer, he was not able to find success so easily in the inaugural season of this league. It may take him a lot longer to win 3 championships here. Nonetheless, Spencer made a good 1st round pick in Katsuya Nomura. Nomura is Brilliant in home runs, which is certainly rare for a catcher. And with catcher being a difficult position to find good hitting, catching is now a position of strength for the Giants. A talent increase to hits could turn Nomura into a stud. Nomura's speed and defensive range is not particularly great, so if he can team up with Willie Mays to eventually be a force in the Giants' lineup, he could turn into a star.
Spencer then drafted two very good relievers in the next two rounds. His 2nd round pick, Frank Funk could turn into a beast of a closer. If that was Spencer's actual goal to improve bullpen depth internally, he could accomplish just that with Funk, who is very good all-around and already a 1 in runs at just 18 years old. Freddie Burdette was the other reliever that Spencer drafted, but in the 3rd round. Like Funk, Burdette could also become a great bullpen arm and does not really need a talent increase. However, an RP duration increase to A could be done in hopes of Burdette eventually becoming a starting pitcher in a future season. This was probably Spencer's plan when drafting Burdette. Good luck with the process!
Spencer's 4th round pick was another catcher in Steve Korcheck. Korcheck certainly does not offer as much as Nomura, but could become a decent catcher in the future. A talent increase in hits would definitely have to happen to make up for the Poor in home runs and Fair in walks. Korcheck has good defensive range, but no speed at all on the bases. More than likely, Korcheck will be a serviceable backup. Darryl Robertson was not the best luck of the draw for the 5th round and will need PD luck for sure to become useful. The same could definitely be said for Phil Marvier and Mitsuo Matsuoka. Nothing special in either of those three players, but crazier things have happened.
Giants 1st Round Draft Pick Grade: A
Giants 1954 Draft Grade: B-
Philadelphia Phillies:
1st Round Pick: LF Leon Wagner
2nd Round Pick: SP Jim Golden
3rd Round Pick: RF Al Spangler
4th Round Pick: CF Carl Boles
5th Round Pick: 3B Jack Krol
6th Round Pick: P Paul Giel
What was originally going to be both Gur brothers in Oren and Alon co-managing the Phillies, it seems like it's actually only Oren who is running the show in Philly. The Phillies made a late run at the NL pennant last season, but ultimately fell short. Nonetheless, it was definitely one of the bigger surprises of the season.
Oren selected Leon Wagner in the 1st round. This pick might be one of the biggest steals in the entire draft. That is, if Oren does a talent increase on Wagner's hits. With a Brilliant in home runs and C/B in running and stealing ability, the talent increase in hits could be just what Wagner needs in order to become a consistent 30/30 threat or beyond. Wagner's defense though may not turn as good, but his hitting should definitely make up for a lack of defensive range!
Oren then selected Jim Golden in the 2nd round. Golden is a solid pitcher, whose ceiling could be as a middle rotation starter. A talent increase to hits could certainly make that happen. But with E duration as a starter, Golden will also need an increase there as well to last longer in each start, unless Oren would prefer him to be a reliever or closer. Oren will have to make a decision there eventually. Oren's 3rd round pick was Al Spangler. Like the others, he is another candidate for a talent increase in hits. With a Poor in home runs and Good in walks, Spangler could be a #2 hitter at best, being that his speed and stealing ability are both not particularly great. Spangler currently projects to be a late inning defensive replacement unless certain increase are made and PD luck occurs. While Jack Krol will probably turn into a mediocre player at best, Paul Giel was a good 6th round pick. With a 2 in runs and a Good talent in home runs, a talent increase to his hits could make Giel into a solid reliever, or even a starter if Oren bumps up his SP duration as well. Oren's got quite a few options with these new players and it will be fascinating to see what choices he ends up making.
Phillies 1st Round Draft Pick Grade: A
Phillies 1954 Draft Grade: B+
Pittsburgh Pirates:
1st Round Pick: SP Don Drysdale
2nd Round Pick: SP Ken McBride
3rd Round Pick: C Ken Retzer
4th Round Pick: SP Evelio Hernandez
5th Round Pick: 2B Haruo Handa
6th Round Pick: 2B Marlan Coughtry
7th Round Pick: P Laurin Pepper
Talking in third person will look weird, so I'll be myself here. After the atrocious Pirates had by far the worst record in 1953, they ended up with the first overall draft pick. However, it was eventually bumped down to the second overall pick after the Senators made their franchise reservation on Harmon Killebrew. That was fair and was the right decision for Adam to make. I would've done the exact same thing if I ran that team.
Anyway, as good as Altman and Aparicio looked, taking Don Drysdale was a no-brainer for me. Drysdale is literally everything you could possibly want from a future ace. G/G/B/G/B to start. A duration for SP. 9 in velocity. 60% ground ball percentage. Minimal/Loyal combo for winning desire and loyalty. Great leader. Good consistency. Durable injury rating. I think I just covered pretty much everything. Well except for potential PD decreases, but I'll make sure to have enough points if that ever happens. Drysdale will be a beast of a pitcher when he is ready and the next Pirates owner will be fortunate to have him. It's a shame I won't be able bring him with to the Mets.
Don Drysdale could one day rewrite the career and single season record books for pitching. The sky is the limit for his success.
I then took Ken McBride in the 2nd round. Not that many hitters really impressed me enough to be taken over McBride, who is already 2 in runs and is good in both hits and home runs. I may eventually increase his walks to good as well, plus his SP duration. If the points are there, I plan on putting them to good use. I then selected Ken Retzer in the 3rd round. I'm not big on Jack Shepard as a long-term catcher here, so I figured Retzer could eventually succeed him and become a good backstop. A talent increase to hits could happen if I can afford to do it. His speed is decent as well, which is nice for a catcher.
In the 4th round, I went back to pitching and drafted Evelio Hernandez. Hernandez could be another good starter in the Pirates' heavily loaded line of great pitching prospects. Hernandez has a Brilliant in home runs and will be even better once I increase his talent in hits. He could fit in well as either a starter or reliever, depending on who else I have to work with. I consider him one of the better 4th round picks in the draft.
After that, my other picks got autoed of course. Haruo Handa could become a decent infielder one day, and especially if I increase his talent in hits. He has the potential to become a good leadoff or #2 hitter if he gets some PD help, but at the very least could be a good backup middle infielder. I'm not too big on Marlan Coughtry. He's probably just going to become middle infield depth at most. As for Laurin Pepper, he looks ok. A talent increase to hits would make him serviceable, but he will need PD boosts along the way as well.
All in all, I'm very satisfied with how my draft went. I took the best player available, 2 other good pitchers and a decent catcher. I wish more good hitters were there, but what can you do? Pitching wins championships and soon enough, the Pirates will have plenty of it.
Pirates 1st Round Draft Pick Grade: A+
Pirates 1954 Draft Grade: A
St. Louis Cardinals:
1st Round Pick: RF Lee Thomas
2nd Round Pick: MR Howie Nunn
3rd Round Pick: MR Ted Bowsfield
4th Round Pick: 1B Jim McManus
5th Round Pick: 2B Bob W. Johnson
6th Round Pick: 1B Hal Trosky Jr.
Last but not least, the other Matt had a very good season in 1953, despite falling noticeably short for the NL pennant. Matt selected Lee Thomas in the 1st round of the following draft. Thomas looks to be a solid hitter that could contribute at first base, left field, or right field with the Cardinals. Matt should increase his talent in hits to become a legit stud that he can pair with Stan Musial to further strengthen the Cardinals' lineup. Thomas does not have the greatest speed, but does have good defensive range at first base in particular. This was definitely a good pick for Matt in his draft position.
In the second and third rounds, Matt opted for relievers. Howie Nunn could turn into a solid closer down the road for Matt, and especially if his talent in hits gets increased. The same could be said for Matt's 3rd round pick, Ted Bowsfield, although Bowsfield is less of a power pitcher than Nunn, with just a Fair in strikeouts and a lower velocity. Bowsfield could also turn into a starter if Matt decides to go that route. If so, a SP duration increase would be good to do as well.
In the 4th round, Matt was given Jim McManus, whom he has since traded to the Senators. McManus is an average player across the board and the return that Matt got in the trade was decent. Matt's two other draftees were a mediocre second baseman in Bob W. Johnson and a subpar first baseman in Hal Trosky Jr. A talent increase in hits and some PD help could make Johnson into a decent role player, but Trosky at this point will not become more than a minor league regular or major league career backup.
Overall, Matt made a good 1st round pick, but the rest of his draft was not as impressive.
Cardinals 1st Round Draft Pick Grade: A-
Cardinals 1954 Draft Grade: B-
There you have it! A complete recap and list of grades from the inaugural HOFFBL draft! I'll try to do this for every draft going forward. Best of luck with development and PD luck to all spects! Hopefully, at least some of these GM's can put some points to use and turn the decent spects into studs. I know I will definitely try to do so as much as possible.
Until next time...
