October 28, 1969
LOOKING AT THE 1969 DRAFT CLASS AND TOP PROSPECTS
In an effort to stay abreast of who the top stars may be in the game once 1975 rolls around and human GMs return, here is an update on the first round picks both from the current June 1969 draft and from those of the last few years. As was the case a year ago we are listing below the players selected in the opening round of the latest draft and showing where they slot on the OSA prospect pipeline as of the end of their first professional season.
The list also includes the first round selections going back to 1965 and where they ranked on the prospect pipeline at the end of each season following their selection in the draft. If they have changed teams over that time it is noted. Players with FABL written have made it to the majors while players listed as (NR) are those who are still in the minors but outside the top 500 prospects.
With four new expansion clubs the first round has expanded to 24 selections and in the 1969 draft we actually saw a pair of former college pitchers skip the minors and go right to the major leagues. Larry Warren was selected first overall and went straight to Baltimore, becoming the Clippers number one starter. After making his big league debut in June, Warren went 6-8 with a 2.99 era in 22 starts. The other was Sam Rodgers, who was selected 8th overall by the New York Imperials. The 21-year-old went right to the Imperials bullpen in the midst of a pennant race. He pitched well, going 8-6 with 15 saves and a 2.24 era in 54 relief appearances.
DYNAMOS SYSTEM RANKED HIGH BUT LOSING CONFIDENCEWell, Detroit baseball fans, I hate to say it, but I am feeling less confident in the future of the local ballclub than I did at this time last year. How can that be you ask and point to the fact that the Dynamos once more have their last two first round draft picks both ranked in the top ten on the prospect pipeline - making it five straight years the locals have at least one player in the OSA top ten.
I will admit that I am quite pleased with the job the scouting department has been doing in the draft. 1967 first rounder Eddie Yandow, a former #1 pipeline prospect, has now played two seasons in Detroit and both the 1968 and 1969 first rounders - third baseman James Huffman and centerfielder Geoff Taylor are ranked in the top ten. Not to mention that pitcher Pedro Ortiz, a former top ten prospect and 1966 first round selection, is still considered to be a solid big league prospect at the age of 22, although he has still not pitched above Class A.
It is the fact that Ortiz is still in A ball, and not pitching a lot of innings either, that is one worry. Another is the decision to make Yandow a reliever when I really thought he had the chance to be a top of the rotation arm. Perhaps that will change especially now that John Jackson has finally retired and there are openings in the rotation just begging to be filled.
I had a lot of confidence in Lyn Trease as a manager, but his contract was not renewed, and the Dynamos have now hired a former minor league pitcher who has never coached or managed at the pro level to become their new bench boss. That also worries me.
Not to mention what seems like just an awful decision to deal 1966 Kellogg Award winning shortstop Ben Baker to the Seattle Kings for second baseman Bill Austin. Austin (.290,8,80) had a solid season in his Detroit debut and at 27 is a year younger than Baker (.277,9,59). I like Austin, don't get me wrong but the issue is Baker was an elite defensive shortstop and a three-time all-star. I assume the thinking is there was a hole at second base and Detroit had a solid hitting shortstop in Pat Miller waiting in the wings. Miller (.273,16,76) had a great rookie season at the plate and may be a better hitter than either Austin or Baker, but the concern is Miller seems decidedly well below average in the field as a shortstop. It would have been a much more prudent move to shift Miller to second base and keep Baker as the shortstop.
Detroit owes it to the young pitchers on the way up to provide them with solid middle defense behind them. Right now, they simply do not have that with Austin and Miller as the double-play tandem. The Dynamos greatest successes came with pitching and defense as the foremost focus, and it appears that has been forgotten.
Hopefully Yandow goes back to the rotation and excels. Prospects like former first rounder Ortiz and Skipper Atkins, who made his big league debut this summer can continue to develop. Hopefully 25-year-old Juan Solórzano (16-8, 3.69) continues to progress. Hopefully top prospects Huffman, who likely would have been in Detroit now had he not missed half of the season with a shoulder injury, and Taylor become the hitters we, and the OSA, think they can be.
A lot of things need to go right for the Dynamos to return to being a club to be feared and I worry the lack of quality defense (Detroit was 11th out of 12 in the Fed in defensive efficiency and zone rating and 9th worst for committing errors) and an experienced manager to guide the team may do serious damage to a rebuilding plan that was supposed to see this club be back to being a contender by 1970 or 1971.
This writer has been wrong before and would like nothing better than to be mistaken this time, but my gut tells me the rebuild will take a lot longer than anticipated.
NOTE- This scouting update was made shorter than others because we are progressing towards 1975 at a pretty good pace at the moment. The 1969 football recap will be posted tomorrow morning and there is a good chance the hockey-basketball recaps for 1970 could come as early as tomorrow night. 1975 is when the leagues resume weekly sims and human general manager's return. With all the expansion there should be some openings in most sports. If interested in joining in any of the 4 featured team sports send me a message and I will put you in touch with our league commissioner.