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reds1 · 09-15-2021, 11:36 AM

January 1, 1955

Looking Back: The 1944-45 Amateur Draft

Apart from the top two picks, the 1944-45 draft class was rather unremarkable. Several serviceable players emerged from this crop to be sure and many of them continue to contribute to their respective teams, but other than the top two, none of the first-round selections achieved the level of play their teams expected of them.

With such a set of ho-hum players, I only singled out six players that either achieved a measure of greatness, failed spectacularly or beat long odds to become a fixture at the major league level:

Cream of the Crop:

CF Alfonso León – 2nd overall pick by the Downie Chiefs.

Career: .316/.377/.507, 1253 G, 4863 AB, 1538 H, 251-2B, 75-3B, 175 HR, 755 RBI, 776 R, 487 BB, 306 K, 56 SB, 68 CS, .884 OPS, 145 OPS+, 143 wRC+, 59.3 WAR

Achievements:

• 7-time All-Star
• 1951-52 Eastern League Babe Ruth Award
• 1953-54 Eastern League Babe Ruth Award
• 2 selections to the All-Braeland Team
• 6-time Ball Hawk Award winner
• 7-time Batter of the Month
• 8-time Player of the Week

What the original scouting report said:

“León has outstanding batting skills who may one day challenge for a batting title. Originally from Puerto Rico, León has tremendous power potential as well. However, his speed and defense are not quite as good as [Dylan] Moyne.”

Comments: Talk about timing. León is currently rated the No. 1 position player in the land (just as he was on Opening Day in 1951) and the 2-time babe Ruth Award winner has to be considered the early favourite to win his third this season. In addition to these accolades, the Puerto Rican native finished second for the Babe Ruth Award in 1949-50 and 3rd in voting for the 1946-47 Rookie of the Year Award. He currently holds the record for Season WAR with 9.86, set in 1952-53 and is the most recent player to collect 6 hits in a game, when he went 6 for 7, 4 RBI against the Hespeler Stars back on January 27, 1954 (In fact, it was the second time he collected 6 hits in a game, having previously accomplished it back in February 1950). Looking back, its amusing to consider the comparison made with Dylan Moyne, who was selected ahead of León, particularly the defense comment. Comparing their respective Ball Hawk Award wins, it appears León has more than held is own. He is a player with no weaknesses who is in his prime. It is players like him that make OOTP so much fun to play/follow.

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CF Dylan Moyne – 1st overall pick by the Fort Richmond Generals.

Career: .289/.349/.447, 1252 G, 4810 AB, 1389 H, 223-2B, 66-3B, 136 HR, 650 RBI, 742 R, 442 BB, 452 K, 129 SB, 65 CS, .797 OPS, 129 OPS+, 129 wRC+, 46.3 WAR

Achievements:

• 6-time All-Star
• 1949-50 Western League Babe Ruth Award
• 2 selections to the All-Braeland Team
• 2-time Ball Hawk Award winner
• 2-time Batter of the Month
• 5-time Player of the Week

What the original scouting report said:

“Moyne is a sensational young player who appears ready to step into a major league lineup now. The Balmoral native projects to be a hitting phenom, with terrific contact and outstanding power potential. Combine that with solid defense and blazing speed and you have an all-star waiting in the wings.”

Comments: Moyne did indeed develop into an all-star and for 7 seasons he was one of the most dynamic players in the United Leagues. But his best years were behind him after he turned 30, with the 1951-52 season representing his last great season. Today, he is little more than a bench player. Thus, unlike León, who is 2-1/2 years his junior, his Hall of Fame candidacy is in jeopardy. But I think its fair to say, he earned his first overall selection and the Generals have had no regrets.

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RHP Bill Wolf – 15th overall pick by the Stratford Barons.

Career: 94-92, 9 SV, 3.81 ERA, 194 GS, 1635.1 IP, 98 CG, 11 SHO, 1.41 WHIP, .282 BABIP, 3.66 FIP, 29.6 WAR, 109 ERA+

Achievements:

• 2-time All-Star
• 2-time Ball Hawk Award winner

What the original scouting report said:

“The Barons take a future starter in the first-round, as Wolf boasts some nice stuff, great movement and solid control. He has five pitches in his arsenal: fastball (30/35), curveball (30/40), slider (30/35), changeup (25/40) and forkball (35/45).”

Comments: After Moyne and León, things got really non-descript and I believe Wolf represents the best of the rest selected in the first round. The Cobourg-native has thus far enjoyed a couple of very good all-star seasons, but otherwise can hardly be considered an ace. Even this season with the Stratford Barons riding high, Wolf is not exactly ‘leading the pack’. He hasn’t been terrible, but he has been nothing special. A fitting symbol of the ‘rest of the draft’.

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C Carlos Camasura – 32nd overall pick (Round 2, Pick 16) originally by the Kingston Pelicans.

Career: .286/.391/.395, 902 G, 2465 AB, 706 H, 131-2B, 11-3B, 38 HR, 301 RBI, 358 R, 441 BB, 157 K, .786 OPS, 121 OPS+, 126 wRC+, 23.4 WAR

Achievements:

• 4-time All-Star
• 1-time Ball Hawk Award winner
• 1-time Player of the Week

Comments: If there’s one player that has the potential to transcend the mediocrity of the draft, its Camasura. Since the 1950-51 season, when he took over catching duties full-time from the future Hall of Famer Danny Trowbridge, Camasura has been one of the premier catchers in the United Leagues. But a slew of injuries this season has interrupted his momentum. It remains to be seen whether he can bounce back and remain one of the few bright spots on the Kingston Pelican squad.

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Biggest Draft Disappointment

As previously mentioned, the majority of the players taken in the 1st-round enjoyed some staying power once they reached the United Leagues, even if was for just a few short seasons. One player though, just couldn’t make it stick:

2B Oliver Aland – 7th overall pick by the Hespeler Stars.

Career: .268/.310/.339, 315 G, 706 AB, 189 H, 33-2B, 7-3B, 1 HR, 74 RBI, 61 R, 43 BB, 20 K, .649 OPS, 79 OPS+, 75 wRC+, 0.9 WAR

Achievements:

• 1-time Player of the Week

Minor League Achievements:

• 1-time Player of the Month
• 2-time Player of the Week
• 1-time Best Fielder
• 2-time All-Star
• Finished 2nd in the 1945-46 Heritage Leagues Lou Gehrig Award voting.

What the original scouting report said:

“With the 7th overall pick, the Stars take Aland, a kid with plus-plus contact, good speed and reliable defense. Power is not part of his game and plate discipline will be an issue. He will need to really work on hitting from the inside of the plate.”

Comments: Unlike some previous drafts, everyone taken in the first round has enjoyed some staying power on a major league roster. That holds true for Aland, but only because he is strong defender with good speed. But he remains burdened with a weak bat, something that scouts realized he needed to address if he was every going to be an everyday start. Alas, Aland has spent his major league career buried in the depth chart, unable to translate his minor league success at the plate to the majors.

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Later-Round Standout

In this draft class, there were a few players taken in the later rounds that reached and stayed in the major leagues. For this exercise, I highlighted one player:

RHP Rodrígo González – 110th overall pick (Round 7, Pick 14) by the Balmoral Giants.

Career: 75-69, 3.50 ERA, 152 GS, 1287.0 IP, 94 CG, 11 SHO, 1.29 WHIP, .272 BABIP, 3.78 FIP, 18.0 WAR, 114 ERA+

Achievements:

• 4-time All-Star
• 2-time Pitcher of the Month

Comments: There were actually a few players that could fit this category, including González’s teammate LHP Ron Albin (85th overall pick) and Braeland City’s RHP Lee Corp (114th overall pick). But González has had the most sustained success among the three, with four all-star appearances and was a 21-game winner back in 1950-51. He won his second Pitcher of the Month honour just this past October and is currently the ace of a Giants’ team that is in the hunt for its first playoff appearance in 11 years. Other than pinpoint control, he is not blessed with great stuff or movement, nor does he have an impressive repertoire of pitches (his fastball is best at 45/45). Thus, scouts consider him a borderline starter at best. But he has been beating the odds. And just like the superstars, players who come ‘from out of nowhere’ are fun to watch as well.

09-15-2021, 11:36 AM	#681
reds1 Hall Of Famer Join Date: May 2002 Location: Winnipeg Posts: 3,929	January 1, 1955 Looking Back: The 1944-45 Amateur Draft Apart from the top two picks, the 1944-45 draft class was rather unremarkable. Several serviceable players emerged from this crop to be sure and many of them continue to contribute to their respective teams, but other than the top two, none of the first-round selections achieved the level of play their teams expected of them. With such a set of ho-hum players, I only singled out six players that either achieved a measure of greatness, failed spectacularly or beat long odds to become a fixture at the major league level: Cream of the Crop: CF Alfonso León – 2nd overall pick by the Downie Chiefs. Career: .316/.377/.507, 1253 G, 4863 AB, 1538 H, 251-2B, 75-3B, 175 HR, 755 RBI, 776 R, 487 BB, 306 K, 56 SB, 68 CS, .884 OPS, 145 OPS+, 143 wRC+, 59.3 WAR Achievements: • 7-time All-Star • 1951-52 Eastern League Babe Ruth Award • 1953-54 Eastern League Babe Ruth Award • 2 selections to the All-Braeland Team • 6-time Ball Hawk Award winner • 7-time Batter of the Month • 8-time Player of the Week What the original scouting report said: “León has outstanding batting skills who may one day challenge for a batting title. Originally from Puerto Rico, León has tremendous power potential as well. However, his speed and defense are not quite as good as [Dylan] Moyne.” *Comments:* Talk about timing. León is currently rated the No. 1 position player in the land (just as he was on Opening Day in 1951) and the 2-time babe Ruth Award winner has to be considered the early favourite to win his third this season. In addition to these accolades, the Puerto Rican native finished second for the Babe Ruth Award in 1949-50 and 3rd in voting for the 1946-47 Rookie of the Year Award. He currently holds the record for Season WAR with 9.86, set in 1952-53 and is the most recent player to collect 6 hits in a game, when he went 6 for 7, 4 RBI against the Hespeler Stars back on January 27, 1954 (In fact, it was the second time he collected 6 hits in a game, having previously accomplished it back in February 1950). Looking back, its amusing to consider the comparison made with Dylan Moyne, who was selected ahead of León, particularly the defense comment. Comparing their respective Ball Hawk Award wins, it appears León has more than held is own. He is a player with no weaknesses who is in his prime. It is players like him that make OOTP so much fun to play/follow. -------- CF Dylan Moyne – 1st overall pick by the Fort Richmond Generals. Career: .289/.349/.447, 1252 G, 4810 AB, 1389 H, 223-2B, 66-3B, 136 HR, 650 RBI, 742 R, 442 BB, 452 K, 129 SB, 65 CS, .797 OPS, 129 OPS+, 129 wRC+, 46.3 WAR Achievements: • 6-time All-Star • 1949-50 Western League Babe Ruth Award • 2 selections to the All-Braeland Team • 2-time Ball Hawk Award winner • 2-time Batter of the Month • 5-time Player of the Week What the original scouting report said: “Moyne is a sensational young player who appears ready to step into a major league lineup now. The Balmoral native projects to be a hitting phenom, with terrific contact and outstanding power potential. Combine that with solid defense and blazing speed and you have an all-star waiting in the wings.” *Comments:* Moyne did indeed develop into an all-star and for 7 seasons he was one of the most dynamic players in the United Leagues. But his best years were behind him after he turned 30, with the 1951-52 season representing his last great season. Today, he is little more than a bench player. Thus, unlike León, who is 2-1/2 years his junior, his Hall of Fame candidacy is in jeopardy. But I think its fair to say, he earned his first overall selection and the Generals have had no regrets. -------- RHP Bill Wolf – 15th overall pick by the Stratford Barons. Career: 94-92, 9 SV, 3.81 ERA, 194 GS, 1635.1 IP, 98 CG, 11 SHO, 1.41 WHIP, .282 BABIP, 3.66 FIP, 29.6 WAR, 109 ERA+ Achievements: • 2-time All-Star • 2-time Ball Hawk Award winner What the original scouting report said: “The Barons take a future starter in the first-round, as Wolf boasts some nice stuff, great movement and solid control. He has five pitches in his arsenal: fastball (30/35), curveball (30/40), slider (30/35), changeup (25/40) and forkball (35/45).” *Comments:* After Moyne and León, things got really non-descript and I believe Wolf represents the best of the rest selected in the first round. The Cobourg-native has thus far enjoyed a couple of very good all-star seasons, but otherwise can hardly be considered an ace. Even this season with the Stratford Barons riding high, Wolf is not exactly ‘leading the pack’. He hasn’t been terrible, but he has been nothing special. A fitting symbol of the ‘rest of the draft’. -------- C Carlos Camasura – 32nd overall pick (Round 2, Pick 16) originally by the Kingston Pelicans. Career: .286/.391/.395, 902 G, 2465 AB, 706 H, 131-2B, 11-3B, 38 HR, 301 RBI, 358 R, 441 BB, 157 K, .786 OPS, 121 OPS+, 126 wRC+, 23.4 WAR Achievements: • 4-time All-Star • 1-time Ball Hawk Award winner • 1-time Player of the Week *Comments:* If there’s one player that has the potential to transcend the mediocrity of the draft, its Camasura. Since the 1950-51 season, when he took over catching duties full-time from the future Hall of Famer Danny Trowbridge, Camasura has been one of the premier catchers in the United Leagues. But a slew of injuries this season has interrupted his momentum. It remains to be seen whether he can bounce back and remain one of the few bright spots on the Kingston Pelican squad. -------- Biggest Draft Disappointment As previously mentioned, the majority of the players taken in the 1st-round enjoyed some staying power once they reached the United Leagues, even if was for just a few short seasons. One player though, just couldn’t make it stick: 2B Oliver Aland – 7th overall pick by the Hespeler Stars. Career: .268/.310/.339, 315 G, 706 AB, 189 H, 33-2B, 7-3B, 1 HR, 74 RBI, 61 R, 43 BB, 20 K, .649 OPS, 79 OPS+, 75 wRC+, 0.9 WAR Achievements: • 1-time Player of the Week Minor League Achievements: • 1-time Player of the Month • 2-time Player of the Week • 1-time Best Fielder • 2-time All-Star • Finished 2nd in the 1945-46 Heritage Leagues Lou Gehrig Award voting. What the original scouting report said: “With the 7th overall pick, the Stars take Aland, a kid with plus-plus contact, good speed and reliable defense. Power is not part of his game and plate discipline will be an issue. He will need to really work on hitting from the inside of the plate.” *Comments:* Unlike some previous drafts, everyone taken in the first round has enjoyed some staying power on a major league roster. That holds true for Aland, but only because he is strong defender with good speed. But he remains burdened with a weak bat, something that scouts realized he needed to address if he was every going to be an everyday start. Alas, Aland has spent his major league career buried in the depth chart, unable to translate his minor league success at the plate to the majors. -------- Later-Round Standout In this draft class, there were a few players taken in the later rounds that reached and stayed in the major leagues. For this exercise, I highlighted one player: RHP Rodrígo González – 110th overall pick (Round 7, Pick 14) by the Balmoral Giants. Career: 75-69, 3.50 ERA, 152 GS, 1287.0 IP, 94 CG, 11 SHO, 1.29 WHIP, .272 BABIP, 3.78 FIP, 18.0 WAR, 114 ERA+ Achievements: • 4-time All-Star • 2-time Pitcher of the Month *Comments:* There were actually a few players that could fit this category, including González’s teammate LHP Ron Albin (85th overall pick) and Braeland City’s RHP Lee Corp (114th overall pick). But González has had the most sustained success among the three, with four all-star appearances and was a 21-game winner back in 1950-51. He won his second Pitcher of the Month honour just this past October and is currently the ace of a Giants’ team that is in the hunt for its first playoff appearance in 11 years. Other than pinpoint control, he is not blessed with great stuff or movement, nor does he have an impressive repertoire of pitches (his fastball is best at 45/45). Thus, scouts consider him a borderline starter at best. But he has been beating the odds. And just like the superstars, players who come ‘from out of nowhere’ are fun to watch as well. __________________ United Leagues of Braeland