Post by Sha-Le Unique on Feb 5, 2014 16:45:42 GMT -5
As we move onto the NL teams, this is where some of the bigger names will likely appear. A few franchise reservations were made here as well. Here we go!
*Note: All statistics as of 8/29/1955.
Brooklyn Dodgers
The Dodgers are hoping Sandy Koufax will be the key to their future success.
1st Round Pick: P Sandy Koufax (FPR)
4th Round Pick: LF Don Dillard
5th Round Pick: P Dick Ricketts
6th Round Pick: C Choo-Choo Coleman
7th Round Pick: C Jim Stoll
8th Round Pick: P Bob Wade
Jeremy used his first franchise player reservation on Sandy Koufax, which was a very wise decision to make, especially when considering the fact he passed on Don Drysdale in the 1954 draft. Koufax is amazing with brilliant in hits, home runs and strikeouts. Koufax's duration has already dropped to B, but he's still an amazing player and should turn into one of the best pitchers in the game once he is major league ready. He is having a stellar season in Triple A, with a 12-2 record and a 3.78 ERA. Look for him to make his major league debut as soon as 1956.
Being that Jeremy used an FPR, he had to forfeit his 2nd and 3rd round picks. In the 4th round, he got outfielder Don Dillard. Dillard has already benefited from a nice PD in his hits, home runs and strikeouts. He is now good in both hits and home runs, but just fair in walks. Regardless, he looks to be a good young outfielder in the Dodgers' system. He is hitting .327 with 13 home runs and 72 RBI in Single A.
The Dodgers' 5th and 6th round picks were both catchers. The first of the two was Clarence "Choo Choo" Coleman. Coleman is pretty much fair across the board with talents and looks to be a future backup catcher. He is hitting .356 with five home runs and 22 RBI in Single A. The other catcher was Jim Stoll. Stoll has an average talent in hits, but is not too much better than Coleman overall. He is probably going to be a backup as well. Stoll is batting .310 with four home runs and 14 RBI in Single A.
Pitcher Bob Wade rounded out the Dodgers' picks. He will need some PD help to get anywhere in this league. For now, he will probably be a minor league lifer. The reliever is 9-5 with a 2.87 ERA out of the bullpen in Single A.
You can't really second guess Jeremy reserving someone like Koufax because he is just so amazing and could be viewed as a "once in a generation" pitcher. In the end, Koufax's huge potential and the 2nd and 3rd round forfeits end up balancing each other out.
Dodgers 1st Round Pick Grade: A+
Dodgers 1955 Draft Grade: B
Chicago Cubs
1st Round Pick: 1B Norm Cash
2nd Round Pick: P Gary Bell
3rd Round Pick: P Paul Toth
4th Round Pick: P Jim Proctor
5th Round Pick: CF Ellis Burton
6th Round Pick: P George Michal
7th Round Pick: RF Roger Marquis
8th Round Pick: P John Goetz
Matt A. started his draft by making a very good 1st round pick in Norm Cash. Cash starts out with brilliant talents in both home runs and walks, and you have to figure Matt will soon increase the hits from average to good. Cash will likely be the Cubs' first baseman of the future and should be ready by no later than 1957. After hitting .322 with 11 home runs and 24 RBI in 121 Double A at-bats, Cash has been hitting .264 with 22 home runs and 73 RBI in Triple A. The Cubs have a lot of young talent to look forward to and Cash just might be the best of them all.
Matt's next 3 selections were all pitchers. The 2nd round pick was Gary Bell, who has mostly average talents. A nice PD could make him awesome. After a 1-1 record and a 3.32 ERA in Single A, Bell has gone 8-6 with a 5.67 ERA in Double A. The next pitcher was Paul Toth, who is already a 2 in runs. Toth looks solid generally speaking and could be even better with a walks increase. Toth was 3-2 with a 3.11 ERA in Single A. Since being called up to Double A, he has a 3-6 record and a 4.29 ERA. Jim Proctor, the Cubs' 4th round pick only has E duration, which could make him a better relief option in the future. But his talents overall are decent. Proctor was 5-1 with a 1.93 ERA in Single A and is currently 4-2 with a 3.39 ERA in Double A.
The Cubs' 5th round pick ended up being outfielder Ellis Burton. With just fair in hits, Burton will need some PD help to become an everyday major leaguer one day. He's got 4th or 5th outfielder potential right now. After hitting .407 with three home runs and 18 RBI in Single A, Burton now has a .266 average, nine home runs and 59 RBI in Double A. Burton has already had a decrease in stealing ability this season.
Pitcher George Michal was the Cubs' next pick. Michal is mediocre at best right now in talents. His numbers look mediocre as well. He is 8-8 with a 4.53 ERA in Single A. The Cubs' 7th round pick was another outfielder, Roger Marquis. Like Burton, Marquis as he is right now will not amount to anything more than a backup. He had a great start in Single A with a .324 average, four home runs and 25 RBI in Single A. He has since struggled in Double A with a .246 average, four home runs and 31 RBI. The Cubs' final pick in the 8th round was pitcher John Goetz. The 17-year old Goetz could turn into either a starter or reliever in the future. He is a little below average in talents right now. Goetz went 1-3 with a 3.92 ERA in Single A before getting promoted to Double A. He is now 2-3 with a 3.74 ERA there.
Matt A.'s draft altogether was pretty good and he should have a lot to look forward to in the future.
Cubs 1st Round Pick Grade: A+
Cubs 1955 Draft Grade: A
Cincinnati Reds
Orlando Cepeda should become one of the Reds' cornerstone players of the future.
1st Round Pick: 1B/OF Orlando Cepeda
2nd Round Pick: P Chi-Chi Olivo
3rd Round Pick: P Don Kaiser
4th Round Pick: 3B Felix Torres
5th Round Pick: 1B Herb Anderson
6th Round Pick: CF Jim Pyburn
7th Round Pick: RF Toshio Miyamoto
8th Round Pick: P Walt Payne
As if the Reds' lineup wasn't already loaded, it's going to probably stay loaded for a lot longer now. Orlando Cepeda should eventually make this lineup even stronger with all the home runs he will very likely hit. The one weakness in Cepeda's game is walks, but Jeff could increase that if he wants to. Cepeda hit .230 with seven home runs and 25 RBI in Single A before getting bumped up to Double A, where he is hitting .225 with two home runs and 29 RBI. Just the thought of Gus Bell, Frank Robinson and Orlando Cepeda in the same lineup...that's going to be such a lethal 3-4-5 trio.
In the 2nd round, Jeff selected reliever Chi-Chi Olivo, who is currently on the Reds' major league roster. Granted he is already 27, Olivo has had an inconsistent rookie season with a 1-2 record and a 5.28 ERA in 44 appearances. He should remain a staple in the Reds' bullpen for years to come.
Pitcher Don Kaiser was Jeff's 3rd round pick and he is already a 2 in runs. Kaiser has that great brilliant/brilliant home runs/walks combo and could have a good talent in hits as well if/when Jeff spends those points. He seems to be the Reds' ace of the future. Kaiser was 6-3 with a 4.81 ERA in Single A and is now 7-3 with a 5.56 ERA in Double A.
Third baseman Felix Torres was the Reds' 4th round pick. He looks mediocre at best and is on the older side. Seems like Jeff got the short end of the string with this auto pick. Torres has bounced around all levels of the minor leagues. In Single A, he hit .302 with six home runs and 36 RBI. In Double A, he hit .321 with four home runs and 17 RBI. Now in Triple A, Torres has been hitting .339 with five home runs and 21 RBI.
Herb Anderson, the Reds' 5th round pick does not look much better. If Jeff ever teaches him a few more positions, he could be a decent utility infielder. Anderson hit .386 with eight home runs and 43 RBI in Single A and is currently batting .303 with eight home runs and 33 RBI. 6th round pick Jim Pyburn does not look too good at all with fairs in hits and home runs. He hit .321 with four home runs and 30 RBI in Single A and is now batting .272 with four home runs and 33 RBI in Double A.
Fellow outfielder Toshio Miyamoto was the Reds' 7th round pick. The mediocre outfielder hit .355 with ten home runs and 48 RBI before getting promoted to Double A and hitting .287 with eight home runs and 28 RBI. The Reds' final pick Walt Payne looks like he will be a very long work in progress. One thing is for sure...those 0's on his walks need to get fixed! The reliever is 5-2 with a 3.88 ERA in Single A.
Jeff's first 3 picks were very good overall, but the rest of his picks not as much. Then again, isn't that how it's generally supposed to be?
Reds 1st Round Pick Grade: A
Reds 1955 Draft Grade: A-
Milwaukee Braves
1st Round Pick: C Jim Pagliaroni
2nd Round Pick: RF Lou Clinton
3rd Round Pick: P Joe Grzenda
4th Round Pick: P Harry E. Taylor
5th Round Pick: P Duane Richards
6th Round Pick: CF Charlie Secrest
7th Round Pick: LF Don Moitoza
8th Round Pick: P Chuck Page
As one of the more successful teams in 1954, Steve's Braves had a bottom-five pick in each round. He took catcher Jim Pagliaroni with the 13th overall pick. Pagliaroni is a very solid catcher, who is average in hits and homers and brilliant in walks. He got a nice walks and strikeouts PD earlier this season. A hits increase would make him a beast for a catcher. Steve should be able to teach him first base as well. Pagliaroni is hitting .295 with 16 home runs and 63 RBI in Single A.
In the 2nd round, Steve took outfielder Lou Clinton. Clinton has already suffered a bad PD to his home runs, which Steve has apparently chosen to not reverse. But at 17, Clinton still has years of maturing to go through and maybe once he does so, he'll be a better player. Unfortunately for him, he hit .265 with two home runs and 10 RBI in 13 games before suffering a season-ending groin injury. Hopefully, Clinton will be able to stay healthy and bounce back in 1956.
Joe Grzenda was the Braves' 3rd round pick and he looks good for a reliever. A hits increase makes him even better and if his duration gets up to an A, he could possibly be converted into a starter. Grzenda has been inconsistent this season with a 2-11 record, a 6.85 ERA and 23 saves.
The Braves' next two picks were both pitchers as well. Harry Taylor is a decent pitcher, despite being just fair in walks. A hits increase would make him better though. He is 10-4 with a 5.50 ERA in Single A. Duane Richards just recently had a bad home runs and walks PD, which has all but killed his value. Richards is 9-6 with a 4.41 ERA in Single A.
6th round pick Charlie Secrest looks to be a backup outfielder in the future. He is hitting .319 with four home runs and 70 RBI in Single A. Fellow outfielder Don Moitoza has a better walk rating than Secrest but is not that much better of a player overall. Moitoza is batting .287 with three home runs and 58 RBI in Single A. Reliever Chuck Page was the Braves' last pick and has mop-up potential. He is 8-6 with a 5.42 ERA in Single A.
Steve's draft was decent, but with a bottom-five pick, you couldn't really set your expectations that high to begin with. Pagliaroni though could become one of the better backstops in the league down the road.
Braves 1st Round Pick Grade: A
Braves 1955 Draft Grade: B
New York Giants
The Giants will soon have a second Willie to build their team around in Willie McCovey.
1st Round Pick: 1B/OF Willie McCovey (FPR)
3rd Round Pick: CF Duke Carmel
4th Round Pick: 3B Jim Davenport
5th Round Pick: P Larry Foss
6th Round Pick: SS Tom E. Carroll
7th Round Pick: LF Al Silvera
8th Round Pick: P Gordie Sundin
It was only right for Spencer to make sure Willie McCovey was a Giant, so he reserved him. McCovey is a beast, and especially after the hits increase he was already given. McCovey hit .278 with three home runs and 18 RBI in Double A before going up to Triple A, where he is hitting .294 with 14 home runs and 53 RBI.
After Spencer's 2nd round pick was forfeited, he took Duke Carmel in the 3rd round. Carmel is a decent outfielder that recently had a bad PD to his home runs. He is having a nice season in Single A though with a .334 average, 15 home runs and 77 RBI. Third baseman Jim Davenport is on the older side for a draftee, but he could be a decent backup utility infielder. He hit .273 with three home runs and 20 RBI in Double A, and is now batting .303 with six home runs and 63 RBI in Triple A.
Larry Foss is a mediocre pitcher at best. He is 11-7 with a 4.16 ERA in Single A. Tom Carroll already suffered a PD to walks and now has mostly fair talents. He'll need PD help to amount to something. He hit .328 with 21 RBI in Single A and is now hitting .220 with five home runs and 33 RBI in Double A. Al Silvera has mostly fair talents as well and is probably a 5th outfielder at best when he develops. He hit .297 with seven home runs and 36 RBI in Single A and is now hitting .219 with nine home runs and 36 RBI. Gordie Sundin is a decent reliever but needs a lot of work in development to progress. After 13 games in Single A with a 4.67 ERA, Sundin is now 2-2 with a 3.83 ERA in Double A.
Spencer's FPR with Willie McCovey was a great choice, but the rest of his draft was not particularly impressive at all.
Giants 1st Round Pick Grade: A
Giants 1955 Draft Grade: C+
Philadelphia Phillies
1st Round Pick: P Ron Piche
2nd Round Pick: P Dallas Green
3rd Round Pick: P Bill Kunkel
4th Round Pick: LF Armando Perez
5th Round Pick: RF Cliff Cook
6th Round Pick: C Tom Gastall
7th Round Pick: P Bill Griffin
8th Round Pick: P Robert Bartalini
Despite having a bottom-five pick, Oren made the most of his 1st round pick, Ron Piche. Piche's doubles had a bad PD earlier this season, but he still has good talents in hits, home runs and walks. Furthermore, he is 4 in runs, which means that he could possibly be major league ready in 1956. Piche is 8-6 with a 5.54 ERA in Triple A.
Dallas Green was a solid 2nd round pick, but a good PD to his hits, walks and strikeouts has turned him into a stud. Green was 7-3 with a 4.29 ERA in Single A, but has gotten lit up in Double A with an 0-1 record and a 12.41 ERA. Oren then selected reliever Bill Kunkel in the 3rd round. Kunkel could start too, but he has E starting duration. He has good talents in home runs and walks and a hits increase could make him good there as well. After going 4-1 with a 2.25 ERA and 21 saves in Single A, Kunkel was recently bumped up to Double A, where he has a 0.00 ERA and one save in three appearances.
Outfielder Armando Perez is a decent player with mostly average talents. He has some speed and decent defensive range as well. Not too bad for a 4th round pick. He is hitting .323 with eight home runs and 53 RBI in Single A. Utility man Cliff Cook is only fair in hits, but has average talents just about everywhere else. He is batting .267 with 15 home runs and 88 RBI in Single A.
Catcher Tom Gastall is already 23 and probably has no higher than backup potential, with fairs in hits and home runs, plus average in walks. He hit .262 with eight home runs and 47 RBI in Single A, and is currently batting .250 with two home runs and ten RBI in Double A.
The Phillies' final two picks were both pitchers. Reliever Bill Griffin has a 3 in runs and should be major league ready by 1957. He has mostly average talents, which is nice for a 6th round pick. He is 2-4 with a 5.00 ERA in Triple A. Robert Bartalini is much younger and a lot less developed and has a 0 in walks that should probably get fixed soon. Bartalini will need PD help to improve his development. He is 6-1 out of the bullpen with a 4.40 ERA in Single A.
Oren did pretty well with his draft, considering his position each round. Piche was definitely a steal for him.
Phillies 1st Round Pick Grade: A
Phillies 1955 Draft Grade: A-
Pittsburgh Pirates
Bob Allison should be able to team up with Dick Stuart to form a formidable 3-4 punch in the Pirates' lineup.
1st Round Pick: RF Bob Allison
2nd Round Pick: P Bill Monbouquette
3rd Round Pick: RF Bubba Morton
4th Round Pick: RF Joe Christopher
5th Round Pick: C Jimmie Schaffer
6th Round Pick: P Jim Bronstad
7th Round Pick: P Dave Gerard
8th Round Pick: 3B Bob Campbell
After Spencer decided to reserve McCovey, drafting Bob Allison third overall was a very easy choice for me. Allison looks like he can do it all. He's got brilliant talents in home runs and walks, C/B running/stealing, and the ability to play six positions (hopefully seven once he learns second base). All that's really missing for Allison is a hits increase to good and that's the first thing I plan on doing in the offseason. Allison will hopefully be a huge part of the Pirates' future . He is hitting .287 with 17 home runs and 70 RBI in Single A.
In the 2nd round, I selected Bill Monbouquette. Monbo is a very solid pitcher with good talents across the board. But being that I have so much pitching depth that's either in the majors right now or almost there, he might end up becoming trade bait. Anyway, Monbo is 8-9 with a 5.45 ERA in Double A.
My next pick was Bubba Morton in the 3rd round. Morton has potential with mostly average talents. He got a nice PD to his home runs and strikeouts earlier this season. I may eventually give him a hits increase, but we'll see about that. He has decent speed and can already play six positions himself. Morton hit .256 with one home run and five RBI in Single A and is now hitting .251 with nine home runs and 54 RBI in Double A.
Joe Christopher is an average player, but could be a backup outfielder down the road. He can already play five positions. He's hitting .281 with five home runs and 47 RBI in Single A. Catcher Jimmie Schaffer could eventually be Elston Howard's future backup and will need PD help to be any better. He's hitting .317 with four home runs and 57 RBI in Single A.
Jim Bronstad has already suffered a negative PD to his hits and walks, which has pretty much all but killed his potential. He was decent to begin with and has a 1.17 ERA in Double A. Dave Gerard is a decent reliever, but will need some PD help because he wouldn't be that high on my to-do list with point spending. Gerard has struggled in Double A with a 9.12 ERA in 16 appearances. Third baseman Bob Campbell has mostly fair talents and has backup potential. He hit .414 with one home run and eight RBI in Single A before I quickly brought him up to Double A, where he is hitting .203 with ten home runs and 39 RBI.
All in all, Allison was an awesome 1st round pick and Monbouquette and Morton are both very solid as well. The rest of the guys I didn't get particularly lucky with it, but that's ok. The Pirates have a lot of young talent to showcase in the future.
Pirates 1st Round Pick Grade: A+
Pirates 1955 Draft Grade: A
St. Louis Cardinals
1st Round Pick: P Al Jackson
2nd Round Pick: SS Wayne Causey
3rd Round Pick: P Tom Borland
4th Round Pick: C Jimmie Coker
5th Round Pick: 1B Ray Barker
6th Round Pick: P Bob E. Davis
7th Round Pick: 2B Kenny Kuhn
Last but not least, Matt C. and the defending champion Cardinals drafted Al Jackson 15th overall. I was personally hoping Jackson would fall to the 2nd round, being that I love my real life 1969 Mets. Jackson has some nice talents generally speaking and could use a hits increase at some point as well. He is 14-5 with a 3.07 ERA in Single A.
Matt then went with Wayne Causey in the 2nd round. Causey is a decent shortstop that could have some potential, and especially if he gets a hits increase. He's hitting .331 with five home runs and 70 RBI in Single A. Tom Borland may be better off as a reliever in the future, but he will need PD help with hits to get somewhere. Matt for some reason chose not reverse a bad hits PD to him. Borland has pitched well though with an 11-3 record and a 3.15 ERA in Single A.
Catcher Jimmie Coker looks to be a decent catcher in the future, but at this point will probably be a backup. He has been tearing up Single A with a .396 average, six home runs and 48 RBI in Single A. Ray Barker seems to be a decent first baseman that should probably learn a few more positions to increase his value. Barker is having a ridiculous season in Single A. He is hitting .433 with 38 home runs, 177 RBI, 229 hits, 52 doubles, 126 runs scored, a .507 OBP and a .762 slugging percentage (which adds up to a 1.268 OPS). Those are some jaw-dropping numbers to say the least.
Bob Davis has since been traded to the Pirates in a deal that sent shortstop Dick Cole to the Cardinals. Davis has decent talents overall, but with E starting duration, I'll probably use him as a reliever in the future. He is 10-6 with a 3.80 ERA in Single A. And last but not least, Kenny Kuhn does not have much potential at all. He's a backup middle infielder at best. Kuhn is hitting .281 with two home runs and 52 RBI in Double A.
For a defending champion, Matt C.'s draft, wasn't too bad at all. Not all of his late auto picks were lucky, but there really shouldn't be much to complain about.
Cardinals 1st Round Pick Grade: A-
Cardinals 1955 Draft Grade: B+
See you again in 1956!
*Note: All statistics as of 8/29/1955.
Brooklyn Dodgers
The Dodgers are hoping Sandy Koufax will be the key to their future success.
1st Round Pick: P Sandy Koufax (FPR)
4th Round Pick: LF Don Dillard
5th Round Pick: P Dick Ricketts
6th Round Pick: C Choo-Choo Coleman
7th Round Pick: C Jim Stoll
8th Round Pick: P Bob Wade
Jeremy used his first franchise player reservation on Sandy Koufax, which was a very wise decision to make, especially when considering the fact he passed on Don Drysdale in the 1954 draft. Koufax is amazing with brilliant in hits, home runs and strikeouts. Koufax's duration has already dropped to B, but he's still an amazing player and should turn into one of the best pitchers in the game once he is major league ready. He is having a stellar season in Triple A, with a 12-2 record and a 3.78 ERA. Look for him to make his major league debut as soon as 1956.
Being that Jeremy used an FPR, he had to forfeit his 2nd and 3rd round picks. In the 4th round, he got outfielder Don Dillard. Dillard has already benefited from a nice PD in his hits, home runs and strikeouts. He is now good in both hits and home runs, but just fair in walks. Regardless, he looks to be a good young outfielder in the Dodgers' system. He is hitting .327 with 13 home runs and 72 RBI in Single A.
The Dodgers' 5th and 6th round picks were both catchers. The first of the two was Clarence "Choo Choo" Coleman. Coleman is pretty much fair across the board with talents and looks to be a future backup catcher. He is hitting .356 with five home runs and 22 RBI in Single A. The other catcher was Jim Stoll. Stoll has an average talent in hits, but is not too much better than Coleman overall. He is probably going to be a backup as well. Stoll is batting .310 with four home runs and 14 RBI in Single A.
Pitcher Bob Wade rounded out the Dodgers' picks. He will need some PD help to get anywhere in this league. For now, he will probably be a minor league lifer. The reliever is 9-5 with a 2.87 ERA out of the bullpen in Single A.
You can't really second guess Jeremy reserving someone like Koufax because he is just so amazing and could be viewed as a "once in a generation" pitcher. In the end, Koufax's huge potential and the 2nd and 3rd round forfeits end up balancing each other out.
Dodgers 1st Round Pick Grade: A+
Dodgers 1955 Draft Grade: B
Chicago Cubs
1st Round Pick: 1B Norm Cash
2nd Round Pick: P Gary Bell
3rd Round Pick: P Paul Toth
4th Round Pick: P Jim Proctor
5th Round Pick: CF Ellis Burton
6th Round Pick: P George Michal
7th Round Pick: RF Roger Marquis
8th Round Pick: P John Goetz
Matt A. started his draft by making a very good 1st round pick in Norm Cash. Cash starts out with brilliant talents in both home runs and walks, and you have to figure Matt will soon increase the hits from average to good. Cash will likely be the Cubs' first baseman of the future and should be ready by no later than 1957. After hitting .322 with 11 home runs and 24 RBI in 121 Double A at-bats, Cash has been hitting .264 with 22 home runs and 73 RBI in Triple A. The Cubs have a lot of young talent to look forward to and Cash just might be the best of them all.
Matt's next 3 selections were all pitchers. The 2nd round pick was Gary Bell, who has mostly average talents. A nice PD could make him awesome. After a 1-1 record and a 3.32 ERA in Single A, Bell has gone 8-6 with a 5.67 ERA in Double A. The next pitcher was Paul Toth, who is already a 2 in runs. Toth looks solid generally speaking and could be even better with a walks increase. Toth was 3-2 with a 3.11 ERA in Single A. Since being called up to Double A, he has a 3-6 record and a 4.29 ERA. Jim Proctor, the Cubs' 4th round pick only has E duration, which could make him a better relief option in the future. But his talents overall are decent. Proctor was 5-1 with a 1.93 ERA in Single A and is currently 4-2 with a 3.39 ERA in Double A.
The Cubs' 5th round pick ended up being outfielder Ellis Burton. With just fair in hits, Burton will need some PD help to become an everyday major leaguer one day. He's got 4th or 5th outfielder potential right now. After hitting .407 with three home runs and 18 RBI in Single A, Burton now has a .266 average, nine home runs and 59 RBI in Double A. Burton has already had a decrease in stealing ability this season.
Pitcher George Michal was the Cubs' next pick. Michal is mediocre at best right now in talents. His numbers look mediocre as well. He is 8-8 with a 4.53 ERA in Single A. The Cubs' 7th round pick was another outfielder, Roger Marquis. Like Burton, Marquis as he is right now will not amount to anything more than a backup. He had a great start in Single A with a .324 average, four home runs and 25 RBI in Single A. He has since struggled in Double A with a .246 average, four home runs and 31 RBI. The Cubs' final pick in the 8th round was pitcher John Goetz. The 17-year old Goetz could turn into either a starter or reliever in the future. He is a little below average in talents right now. Goetz went 1-3 with a 3.92 ERA in Single A before getting promoted to Double A. He is now 2-3 with a 3.74 ERA there.
Matt A.'s draft altogether was pretty good and he should have a lot to look forward to in the future.
Cubs 1st Round Pick Grade: A+
Cubs 1955 Draft Grade: A
Cincinnati Reds
Orlando Cepeda should become one of the Reds' cornerstone players of the future.
1st Round Pick: 1B/OF Orlando Cepeda
2nd Round Pick: P Chi-Chi Olivo
3rd Round Pick: P Don Kaiser
4th Round Pick: 3B Felix Torres
5th Round Pick: 1B Herb Anderson
6th Round Pick: CF Jim Pyburn
7th Round Pick: RF Toshio Miyamoto
8th Round Pick: P Walt Payne
As if the Reds' lineup wasn't already loaded, it's going to probably stay loaded for a lot longer now. Orlando Cepeda should eventually make this lineup even stronger with all the home runs he will very likely hit. The one weakness in Cepeda's game is walks, but Jeff could increase that if he wants to. Cepeda hit .230 with seven home runs and 25 RBI in Single A before getting bumped up to Double A, where he is hitting .225 with two home runs and 29 RBI. Just the thought of Gus Bell, Frank Robinson and Orlando Cepeda in the same lineup...that's going to be such a lethal 3-4-5 trio.
In the 2nd round, Jeff selected reliever Chi-Chi Olivo, who is currently on the Reds' major league roster. Granted he is already 27, Olivo has had an inconsistent rookie season with a 1-2 record and a 5.28 ERA in 44 appearances. He should remain a staple in the Reds' bullpen for years to come.
Pitcher Don Kaiser was Jeff's 3rd round pick and he is already a 2 in runs. Kaiser has that great brilliant/brilliant home runs/walks combo and could have a good talent in hits as well if/when Jeff spends those points. He seems to be the Reds' ace of the future. Kaiser was 6-3 with a 4.81 ERA in Single A and is now 7-3 with a 5.56 ERA in Double A.
Third baseman Felix Torres was the Reds' 4th round pick. He looks mediocre at best and is on the older side. Seems like Jeff got the short end of the string with this auto pick. Torres has bounced around all levels of the minor leagues. In Single A, he hit .302 with six home runs and 36 RBI. In Double A, he hit .321 with four home runs and 17 RBI. Now in Triple A, Torres has been hitting .339 with five home runs and 21 RBI.
Herb Anderson, the Reds' 5th round pick does not look much better. If Jeff ever teaches him a few more positions, he could be a decent utility infielder. Anderson hit .386 with eight home runs and 43 RBI in Single A and is currently batting .303 with eight home runs and 33 RBI. 6th round pick Jim Pyburn does not look too good at all with fairs in hits and home runs. He hit .321 with four home runs and 30 RBI in Single A and is now batting .272 with four home runs and 33 RBI in Double A.
Fellow outfielder Toshio Miyamoto was the Reds' 7th round pick. The mediocre outfielder hit .355 with ten home runs and 48 RBI before getting promoted to Double A and hitting .287 with eight home runs and 28 RBI. The Reds' final pick Walt Payne looks like he will be a very long work in progress. One thing is for sure...those 0's on his walks need to get fixed! The reliever is 5-2 with a 3.88 ERA in Single A.
Jeff's first 3 picks were very good overall, but the rest of his picks not as much. Then again, isn't that how it's generally supposed to be?
Reds 1st Round Pick Grade: A
Reds 1955 Draft Grade: A-
Milwaukee Braves
1st Round Pick: C Jim Pagliaroni
2nd Round Pick: RF Lou Clinton
3rd Round Pick: P Joe Grzenda
4th Round Pick: P Harry E. Taylor
5th Round Pick: P Duane Richards
6th Round Pick: CF Charlie Secrest
7th Round Pick: LF Don Moitoza
8th Round Pick: P Chuck Page
As one of the more successful teams in 1954, Steve's Braves had a bottom-five pick in each round. He took catcher Jim Pagliaroni with the 13th overall pick. Pagliaroni is a very solid catcher, who is average in hits and homers and brilliant in walks. He got a nice walks and strikeouts PD earlier this season. A hits increase would make him a beast for a catcher. Steve should be able to teach him first base as well. Pagliaroni is hitting .295 with 16 home runs and 63 RBI in Single A.
In the 2nd round, Steve took outfielder Lou Clinton. Clinton has already suffered a bad PD to his home runs, which Steve has apparently chosen to not reverse. But at 17, Clinton still has years of maturing to go through and maybe once he does so, he'll be a better player. Unfortunately for him, he hit .265 with two home runs and 10 RBI in 13 games before suffering a season-ending groin injury. Hopefully, Clinton will be able to stay healthy and bounce back in 1956.
Joe Grzenda was the Braves' 3rd round pick and he looks good for a reliever. A hits increase makes him even better and if his duration gets up to an A, he could possibly be converted into a starter. Grzenda has been inconsistent this season with a 2-11 record, a 6.85 ERA and 23 saves.
The Braves' next two picks were both pitchers as well. Harry Taylor is a decent pitcher, despite being just fair in walks. A hits increase would make him better though. He is 10-4 with a 5.50 ERA in Single A. Duane Richards just recently had a bad home runs and walks PD, which has all but killed his value. Richards is 9-6 with a 4.41 ERA in Single A.
6th round pick Charlie Secrest looks to be a backup outfielder in the future. He is hitting .319 with four home runs and 70 RBI in Single A. Fellow outfielder Don Moitoza has a better walk rating than Secrest but is not that much better of a player overall. Moitoza is batting .287 with three home runs and 58 RBI in Single A. Reliever Chuck Page was the Braves' last pick and has mop-up potential. He is 8-6 with a 5.42 ERA in Single A.
Steve's draft was decent, but with a bottom-five pick, you couldn't really set your expectations that high to begin with. Pagliaroni though could become one of the better backstops in the league down the road.
Braves 1st Round Pick Grade: A
Braves 1955 Draft Grade: B
New York Giants
The Giants will soon have a second Willie to build their team around in Willie McCovey.
1st Round Pick: 1B/OF Willie McCovey (FPR)
3rd Round Pick: CF Duke Carmel
4th Round Pick: 3B Jim Davenport
5th Round Pick: P Larry Foss
6th Round Pick: SS Tom E. Carroll
7th Round Pick: LF Al Silvera
8th Round Pick: P Gordie Sundin
It was only right for Spencer to make sure Willie McCovey was a Giant, so he reserved him. McCovey is a beast, and especially after the hits increase he was already given. McCovey hit .278 with three home runs and 18 RBI in Double A before going up to Triple A, where he is hitting .294 with 14 home runs and 53 RBI.
After Spencer's 2nd round pick was forfeited, he took Duke Carmel in the 3rd round. Carmel is a decent outfielder that recently had a bad PD to his home runs. He is having a nice season in Single A though with a .334 average, 15 home runs and 77 RBI. Third baseman Jim Davenport is on the older side for a draftee, but he could be a decent backup utility infielder. He hit .273 with three home runs and 20 RBI in Double A, and is now batting .303 with six home runs and 63 RBI in Triple A.
Larry Foss is a mediocre pitcher at best. He is 11-7 with a 4.16 ERA in Single A. Tom Carroll already suffered a PD to walks and now has mostly fair talents. He'll need PD help to amount to something. He hit .328 with 21 RBI in Single A and is now hitting .220 with five home runs and 33 RBI in Double A. Al Silvera has mostly fair talents as well and is probably a 5th outfielder at best when he develops. He hit .297 with seven home runs and 36 RBI in Single A and is now hitting .219 with nine home runs and 36 RBI. Gordie Sundin is a decent reliever but needs a lot of work in development to progress. After 13 games in Single A with a 4.67 ERA, Sundin is now 2-2 with a 3.83 ERA in Double A.
Spencer's FPR with Willie McCovey was a great choice, but the rest of his draft was not particularly impressive at all.
Giants 1st Round Pick Grade: A
Giants 1955 Draft Grade: C+
Philadelphia Phillies
1st Round Pick: P Ron Piche
2nd Round Pick: P Dallas Green
3rd Round Pick: P Bill Kunkel
4th Round Pick: LF Armando Perez
5th Round Pick: RF Cliff Cook
6th Round Pick: C Tom Gastall
7th Round Pick: P Bill Griffin
8th Round Pick: P Robert Bartalini
Despite having a bottom-five pick, Oren made the most of his 1st round pick, Ron Piche. Piche's doubles had a bad PD earlier this season, but he still has good talents in hits, home runs and walks. Furthermore, he is 4 in runs, which means that he could possibly be major league ready in 1956. Piche is 8-6 with a 5.54 ERA in Triple A.
Dallas Green was a solid 2nd round pick, but a good PD to his hits, walks and strikeouts has turned him into a stud. Green was 7-3 with a 4.29 ERA in Single A, but has gotten lit up in Double A with an 0-1 record and a 12.41 ERA. Oren then selected reliever Bill Kunkel in the 3rd round. Kunkel could start too, but he has E starting duration. He has good talents in home runs and walks and a hits increase could make him good there as well. After going 4-1 with a 2.25 ERA and 21 saves in Single A, Kunkel was recently bumped up to Double A, where he has a 0.00 ERA and one save in three appearances.
Outfielder Armando Perez is a decent player with mostly average talents. He has some speed and decent defensive range as well. Not too bad for a 4th round pick. He is hitting .323 with eight home runs and 53 RBI in Single A. Utility man Cliff Cook is only fair in hits, but has average talents just about everywhere else. He is batting .267 with 15 home runs and 88 RBI in Single A.
Catcher Tom Gastall is already 23 and probably has no higher than backup potential, with fairs in hits and home runs, plus average in walks. He hit .262 with eight home runs and 47 RBI in Single A, and is currently batting .250 with two home runs and ten RBI in Double A.
The Phillies' final two picks were both pitchers. Reliever Bill Griffin has a 3 in runs and should be major league ready by 1957. He has mostly average talents, which is nice for a 6th round pick. He is 2-4 with a 5.00 ERA in Triple A. Robert Bartalini is much younger and a lot less developed and has a 0 in walks that should probably get fixed soon. Bartalini will need PD help to improve his development. He is 6-1 out of the bullpen with a 4.40 ERA in Single A.
Oren did pretty well with his draft, considering his position each round. Piche was definitely a steal for him.
Phillies 1st Round Pick Grade: A
Phillies 1955 Draft Grade: A-
Pittsburgh Pirates
Bob Allison should be able to team up with Dick Stuart to form a formidable 3-4 punch in the Pirates' lineup.
1st Round Pick: RF Bob Allison
2nd Round Pick: P Bill Monbouquette
3rd Round Pick: RF Bubba Morton
4th Round Pick: RF Joe Christopher
5th Round Pick: C Jimmie Schaffer
6th Round Pick: P Jim Bronstad
7th Round Pick: P Dave Gerard
8th Round Pick: 3B Bob Campbell
After Spencer decided to reserve McCovey, drafting Bob Allison third overall was a very easy choice for me. Allison looks like he can do it all. He's got brilliant talents in home runs and walks, C/B running/stealing, and the ability to play six positions (hopefully seven once he learns second base). All that's really missing for Allison is a hits increase to good and that's the first thing I plan on doing in the offseason. Allison will hopefully be a huge part of the Pirates' future . He is hitting .287 with 17 home runs and 70 RBI in Single A.
In the 2nd round, I selected Bill Monbouquette. Monbo is a very solid pitcher with good talents across the board. But being that I have so much pitching depth that's either in the majors right now or almost there, he might end up becoming trade bait. Anyway, Monbo is 8-9 with a 5.45 ERA in Double A.
My next pick was Bubba Morton in the 3rd round. Morton has potential with mostly average talents. He got a nice PD to his home runs and strikeouts earlier this season. I may eventually give him a hits increase, but we'll see about that. He has decent speed and can already play six positions himself. Morton hit .256 with one home run and five RBI in Single A and is now hitting .251 with nine home runs and 54 RBI in Double A.
Joe Christopher is an average player, but could be a backup outfielder down the road. He can already play five positions. He's hitting .281 with five home runs and 47 RBI in Single A. Catcher Jimmie Schaffer could eventually be Elston Howard's future backup and will need PD help to be any better. He's hitting .317 with four home runs and 57 RBI in Single A.
Jim Bronstad has already suffered a negative PD to his hits and walks, which has pretty much all but killed his potential. He was decent to begin with and has a 1.17 ERA in Double A. Dave Gerard is a decent reliever, but will need some PD help because he wouldn't be that high on my to-do list with point spending. Gerard has struggled in Double A with a 9.12 ERA in 16 appearances. Third baseman Bob Campbell has mostly fair talents and has backup potential. He hit .414 with one home run and eight RBI in Single A before I quickly brought him up to Double A, where he is hitting .203 with ten home runs and 39 RBI.
All in all, Allison was an awesome 1st round pick and Monbouquette and Morton are both very solid as well. The rest of the guys I didn't get particularly lucky with it, but that's ok. The Pirates have a lot of young talent to showcase in the future.
Pirates 1st Round Pick Grade: A+
Pirates 1955 Draft Grade: A
St. Louis Cardinals
1st Round Pick: P Al Jackson
2nd Round Pick: SS Wayne Causey
3rd Round Pick: P Tom Borland
4th Round Pick: C Jimmie Coker
5th Round Pick: 1B Ray Barker
6th Round Pick: P Bob E. Davis
7th Round Pick: 2B Kenny Kuhn
Last but not least, Matt C. and the defending champion Cardinals drafted Al Jackson 15th overall. I was personally hoping Jackson would fall to the 2nd round, being that I love my real life 1969 Mets. Jackson has some nice talents generally speaking and could use a hits increase at some point as well. He is 14-5 with a 3.07 ERA in Single A.
Matt then went with Wayne Causey in the 2nd round. Causey is a decent shortstop that could have some potential, and especially if he gets a hits increase. He's hitting .331 with five home runs and 70 RBI in Single A. Tom Borland may be better off as a reliever in the future, but he will need PD help with hits to get somewhere. Matt for some reason chose not reverse a bad hits PD to him. Borland has pitched well though with an 11-3 record and a 3.15 ERA in Single A.
Catcher Jimmie Coker looks to be a decent catcher in the future, but at this point will probably be a backup. He has been tearing up Single A with a .396 average, six home runs and 48 RBI in Single A. Ray Barker seems to be a decent first baseman that should probably learn a few more positions to increase his value. Barker is having a ridiculous season in Single A. He is hitting .433 with 38 home runs, 177 RBI, 229 hits, 52 doubles, 126 runs scored, a .507 OBP and a .762 slugging percentage (which adds up to a 1.268 OPS). Those are some jaw-dropping numbers to say the least.
Bob Davis has since been traded to the Pirates in a deal that sent shortstop Dick Cole to the Cardinals. Davis has decent talents overall, but with E starting duration, I'll probably use him as a reliever in the future. He is 10-6 with a 3.80 ERA in Single A. And last but not least, Kenny Kuhn does not have much potential at all. He's a backup middle infielder at best. Kuhn is hitting .281 with two home runs and 52 RBI in Double A.
For a defending champion, Matt C.'s draft, wasn't too bad at all. Not all of his late auto picks were lucky, but there really shouldn't be much to complain about.
Cardinals 1st Round Pick Grade: A-
Cardinals 1955 Draft Grade: B+
See you again in 1956!
