Wednesday, June 6, 2007
My Baseball Draft Addiction
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I watched last year's MLB draft — the entire telecast on MLB.com.
I have a problem.
Being a fan of the baseball draft is like being a drug-addict. You're alone. No one really understands. People think you're crazy. People say you're wasting your life away. And they're probably right.
But I love it.
There were maybe seven people who watched last year's draft. It is likely I was one of about three people — not working for MLB organizations — who researched the players, scouted their video, and created mock drafts.
Some team should hire me. When I take the drug test, I'd probably pee scouting reports on college pitchers.
I wanted to see who my beloved Seattle Mariners would land. I hoped that at No. 5, they would land hard-throwing right-hander Tim Lincecum. Instead, they took Brandon Morrow. Not a bad pick for either of us — the Mariners and I are both very good scouts. Lincecum and Morrow are both are in the majors now.
The thing about the baseball draft is that no one really knows any of the players. And even if you know the players, they most likely won't live up to their potential. And even if they live up to their potential, it takes them a few years to get to the majors. And even if they get to the majors, they will probably leave the team to sign with another team after a few years. And at that point, they will probably retire in a few years.
Like I said, I have a problem.
This year, ESPN is broadcasting the draft. It's this Thursday. It's the first time ever. I'm excited.
My Mariners pick 11th. I'm hoping they land hard-throwing right-hander Jarrod Parker. They probably won't. And even if they do, he'll probably end up being a mediocre middle-reliever.
But once in a while, you get a player who can immediately play in the big leagues. Mark Prior was the last. And this year, there is Vanderbilt left-hander David Price. He'll be a Devil Ray in a few days, and he'll probably throw his first big-league pitch in a couple of months. But being compared to Mark Prior isn't a good thing these days. Plus, going straight to the big leagues is like jumping straight to heroin — it doesn't work.
This is where the drug parallels stop. Not because there aren't more, but because I don't know much about drugs. I never thought I'd see the day I wish I knew more about hard drugs.
But I've never had time for drugs. I was too busy snorting grainy scout videos of high school pitchers.
Once the draft hits ESPN, it will no longer be mine. It is like a high school sweetheart going on to become a movie star. Now, I have to share it with everyone else.
But finally, everyone will understand. They will finally see the beauty I see.
My sweet, sweet baseball draft is growing up now.
How bittersweet it is.