Uncovering draft gems

Saturday, June 3, 2006 | Print Entry

No one knows what Andrew Miller will do in the major leagues, or Luke Hochevar, Brad Lincoln or Evan Longoria for that matter. Maybe Miller will become the next C.C. Sabathia or Randy Johnson, Hochevar the next Jake Peavy.

But while Miller and Hochevar appear to be potential front-end starting pitchers and the prodigies of Tuesday's draft that is considered the weakest in six years, there are no guarantees. Brien Taylor and Todd Van Poppel were sure things. So were Paul Wilson and Darren Dreifort.

Remember how the Twins were ridiculed in 2001 for taking Joe Mauer with the first pick instead of Mark Prior? Five years later, try to see if the Twins will make that trade, as despite a knee injury and the eventual possibility of a move to third base, Mauer is a rising star, while Prior has suffered from the modern pitcher's real world of inexplicable injuries. And since making his Cubs debut on May 22, 2002, Prior is 60th in the majors in wins with 41.  
 

To continue reading this article you must be an Insider
  • Peter Gammons Peter Gammons

    Hall of Fame baseball reporter Peter Gammons has worked for ESPN since 1988. He primarily serves as a studio analyst for "Baseball Tonight," but he also does regular spots for "SportsCenter," ESPNEWS and ESPN Radio and contributes to ESPN.com and ESPN The Magazine.

    Gammons was voted the National Sportswriter of the Year for 1989, 1990 and 1993 by the National Sportscasters and Sportswriters Association and was awarded an honorary Poynter Fellow from Yale University. But his highest honor was the 2004 J.G. Taylor Spink Award, voted on by the BBWAA and awarded at the Baseball Hall of Fame for outstanding baseball writing.

    Gammons, a 1969 graduate of the University of North Carolina, began his career as a reporter for the Boston Globe in 1969. He has also worked for Sports Illustrated covering the NHL, college basketball and major league baseball (1976 to '78, 1986 to '90). In 1986, upon his return to Sports Illustrated as a senior writer following a second stay at the Globe, he wrote numerous stories covering some of baseball's most important news events and authored Inside Baseball, Sports Illustrated's weekly baseball notebook. Gammons is also the author of "Beyond the Sixth Game," a look at free agency.

    Gammons is a gifted musician, and his debut album, "Never Slow Down, Never Grow Old," was released on Rounder Records. With the assistance of a crack band of Boston rockers, Gammons trades in his typewriter for a Stratocaster and delivers a rousing set of vintage classics, originals and rock obscurities -- all to benefit Theo and Paul Epstein's Foundation to be Named Later, a charity that raises funds and awareness for nonprofit agencies serving disadvantaged youth in the greater Boston area.

    Gammons' vocals and guitar are featured, along with guests such as Theo Epstein, Juliana Hatfield, George Thorogood, Little Feat's Paul Barrere, Kay Hanley and an all-star chorus consisting of past and present Red Sox players, including Jonathan Papelbon, Kevin Youkilis, Trot Nixon, Lenny DiNardo, Tim Wakefield and Bronson Arroyo, and NESN broadcaster Don Orsillo. Get more information from Rounder Records.

Links

Subscribe

RSS RSS Feed

Recent Updates

Archive

More