Usually, the Wahoo's idea of a risk is taking a high reward high school player like Clint Frazier and their normal draft strategy is to take the safest college player available.
So, one would suspect that the Indians would be the last team to consider a gamble on an injured player that enters the draft after not signing a year ago, but that's exactly what Cleveland did in tabbing injured lefthander Brady Aiken with the 17th pick of the first round.
Aiken did not come to terms with Houston after taking a physical that saw the lefty reportedly have elbow issues and the Astros pulled back an offer that would have resulted in an agreement.
Aiken was spoken by some scouts as being a top of the rotation type talent and showing polish from a high school lefty that hasn't been seen in years.
Aiken did wind up injuring himself and undergoing Tommy John surgery, so Aiken won't likely pitch until near the end of the 2016 season, where he could possibly return for the Indians for the Indians Arizona league team or possibly Mahoning Valley.
The 6'4 Aiken was touching 98 before his injury and drew comparisons to Clayton Kershaw before the injury with three plus pitches, so what's the gamble?
Aiken has the chance of not bouncing back to his previous form and rumors of either not having or having a small UCL could mean that he is injury prone at best and lacking the ability to return to past form at worst.
Having watching Washington make a similar gamble with Lucas Giolito and Erick Fedde (Fedde has yet to pitch) and seeing the results, I feel that the upside is worth the risk.
It's rare to have a pitcher with the ability of Brady Aiken in your system, it's even rarer to get one with a mid-round first-rounder.
It's risky, but gamble on greatness has often been a credo of mine and for once, the Indians are gambling on greatness...
I'm getting a bit tired, so the plan is the writeup on the Giants taking Phil Bickford and the Pirates selection of Kevin Newman tomorrow...
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