ayed home and put their money into patio furniture.What the hell am I talking about?
Well,compare the draft to allocating your vacation/luxury income for the season and the Pirates went into gambling/vacation mode while the Indians put the money into the safe,everyday item that might not be as fun,but was the stable choice.
Pittsburgh's against the grain pick was Texas
hig school pitcher Jameson Taillon,who hails from the Woodland high school,which is the alma mater of Kyle Drabek.The 6'6 righthander was clocked at touching 99 and a knee buckling curve to boot.
Taillon's changeup was also raved about by Neal Huntington,although considering his toolbox,I cannot imagine him having to use it very often at the high school level.
The Taillon package could have made him the top overall selection,if the Bryce Harper hype not overwhelmed Washington into a position of having to take Harper,although taking Stephen Strasburg might have take Taillon out of consideration in any event.
Neal Huntington kept talking about the risk/reward factor and I can see his point along with other Pirate bloggers concerned with the history of injury with high school pitchers,but injury risks come with ANY pitchers no matter high school,college or even at the major league level.
Kyle Drabek had Tommy John after he was in the Phillies organization,think many teams would cross him off now?
This is the type of pick that the Pirates never make and give me hope that truly there is hope for the future for the Black and Gold.
Let's Gamble on Greatness for a change and Neal Huntington has done just that.
Blown picks always hurt,but people will give you some credit for trying for the elite instead of the constant settling for the easy sure thing.
I would have been more than fine with Manny Machado (chosen next by the Orioles),but I must admit I love the attitude shown by taking Taillon,who shows the type of potential to be the top of the rotation stud that hasn't been seen in Pittsburgh,since....since....since....,never mind!
Cleveland did what Cleveland (and usually the Pirates) always does as they took Ole Miss lefthanded pitcher Drew Pomeranz with the fifth pick overall.
To be completely fair,Pomeranz seems to be the best lefty of a weak draft class at that position and to continue to pound that de
ad horse "safe",but Cleveland (like Pittsburgh) needs to attempt to hit homers,not singles against the shift.This was the first time that the Indians have picked in the top five since 1992 (Paul Shuey at 2) and these are the times that lower revenue teams need to at least try to add high end talent.
I don't have many knocks on Pomeranz,although I would have been beside myself had Pittsburgh taken him at 2 as had been rumored as late as last week,but even though the Indians rank him as a "front of the rotation" starter,I don't quite share that opinion.
Cleveland could have rolled the dice on a potential impact bat such as Texas Arlington outfielder Michael Choice (Oakland 10),Miami catcher Yasmani Grandal or power high school bat Josh Sale,but those guys had issues with signability and the Indians rarely play that game.
So,they took a nice player that will likely see big league time (think a Brad Lincoln type),but not someone that you can build a rotation around,let alone a team.
Sometimes,you have to roll those dice at the craps table and gamble on greatness-Pittsburgh did,Cleveland didn't.
Back later with the Pirates against some guy named Strasburg in Washington.
Photo Credits
Taillon:Julio Cortez-Houston Chronicle
Pomeranz:Rogelio Solis-AP Photo
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