In this third installment of the MLB re-draft, we look at the 1989 MLB draft and do it over knowing what we know now.
Before we get into that, let's look at the 1987 and 1988 re-drafts.
1 Baltimore Orioles
Select: 1B Frank Thomas Auburn
Thomas was actually selected by the Chicago White Sox with the 7th overall pick.
Actual Selection: P Ben McDonald LSU
Thomas was the best player in this draft and a 1st ballot hall of famer. His presence in the Orioles lineup would have been a welcome addition and perhaps allowed the team to get that World Series victory that I never saw. With 521 career home runs, Thomas would have added some serious pop to the Orioles lineup. McDonald was a really solid pick and had a nice career in Baltimore, but he was just nowhere near the player Thomas was. Frank Thomas in the lineup with Cal Ripken Jr. would have been really fun to see.
2 Atlanta Braves
Select: 1B Jeff Bagwell University of Hartford
Bagwell was actually selected in the 4th round with the 110th overall selection by the Red Sox.
Actual Selection: C Tyler Houston Valley HS
The Atlanta Braves 1B at the time was Gerald Perry who was coming off an all-star appearance in 1988. However, Perry was starting the downswing of his career and 1989 was his last in Atlanta. Hard to know at the time, but Bagwell was the perfect pick and fir in Atlanta. The Hall of Fame 1st baseman hit 449 home runs while playing outstanding defense and would have been a game changer for Atlanta.
3 Seattle Mariners
Select: P Trevor Hoffman Arizona
Hoffman was actually selected in the 11th round with the 290th overall selection by the Reds.
Actual Selection: P Roger Salkfeld Salgaus HS
Salkfeld actually made the pros and won 10 games in his career, but he was not worthy of a 1st round selection. The Mariners instead could have chosen one of the greatest closers of all-time. Trevor Hoffman is a hall of famer for a reason and he could have helped the Mariners win that elusive World Series title. Hoffman's 601 saves rank 2nd all-time and this closer would have been a fantastic pick by Seattle at #3.
4 Philadelphia Phillies
Select: 3B Jim Thome Illinois Central College
Thome was actually selected in the 13th round with the 333rd overall selection by the Indians.
Actual Selection: OF Jeff Jackson Simeon HS
Jim Thome is a Hall of Famer and is an excellent selection at this point in the redraft. He had a couple stints with the Phillies and did well with them, but the team would have loved to have Thome for longer. Having the slugger his entire career would have been huge. 621 career home runs would have been huge in the Philadelphia lineup. However, the team instead took an outfielder that never made it to the big leagues.
5 Texas Rangers
Select: OF Brian Giles Granite High School
Giles was actually selected in the 17th round with the 437th overall pick by the Indians.
Actual Selection: OF Donald Harris Texas Tech
Donald Harris made the major league and hit 2 career home runs. You simply need more production out of a top 5 pick. The Rangers could have selected a much better outfielder 431 picks later. Brian Giles had a career on-base percentage of .400 to go with 287 home runs and over 1,000 career RBI. The two-time all-star was a very good pro and clearly worthy of a top 10 pick.
6 St. Louis Cardinals
Select: 1B John Olerud Washington State
Olerud was actually selected in the 3rd round with the 79th overall pick by the Blue Jays.
Actual Selection: OF Paul Coleman Frankston HS
The Cardinals first baseman at the time was Pedro Guerrero who was an all-star in 1989. However, that was his last truly productive season. The team had a chance to upgrade the position and have a dominant infield. John Olerud was a big piece of the Blue Jays championship teams and could have helped deliver the same to St. Louis. Olerud was excellent with the glove and with the bat during his career. His career WAR of 58.1 is 132nd all-time among position players.
7 Chicago White Sox
Select: 2B Jeff Kent Cal
Kent was actually selected in the 20th round with the 523rd overall pick by the Blue Jays.
Actual Selection: 1B Frank Thomas Auburn
Thomas was a phenomenal pick and is a hall of famer. With Thomas gone in the re-draft, the White Sox select the best available player. That guy didn't go until the 20th round in the actual draft. He also happens to be a major power threat just like Thomas. Kent had 377 home runs and had quite a bit more pop than the majority of second basemen during the era.
8 Chicago Cubs
Select: OF Tim Salmon Grand Canyon University
Salmon was actually selected in the 3rd round with the 69th overall pick by the Angels.
Actual Selection: OF Earl Cunningham Lancaster HS
Tim Salmon is probably the best player of my lifetime to never make an all-star game. Frankly, Salmon was robbed multiple times. Salmon had 299 career home runs and made a major impact on the Angels franchise that he stayed with his entire career. He was a big reason that the Angels won the World Series in 2002.
9 California Angels
Select: 2B Chuck Knoblauch Texas A&M
Knoblauch was actually selected with the 25th overall pick by the Minnesota Twins.
Actual Selection: P Kyle Abbot Long Beach State
Knoblauch was a 4-time all-star at 2nd base and was the rookie of the year in 1991. His performance in 1991 was a big reason the Twins won the World Series. He helped 4 teams to win the World Series, the Twins and the Yankees 3 times. The Angels jump at the chance to get Knoblauch in the re-draft.
10 Montreal Expos
Select: C Charles Johnson Westwood HS
Johnson was the Expos actual selection.
It is difficult to find good catchers and the Expos had selected a very good one in 1989. Their problem was letting him go too soon, not selecting him. Johnson was an excellent catcher and a big reason why the Marlins won the World Series in 1997. The 4 time gold glove winner was known for his defensive excellence and being one of the better catchers on the 90s.
11 Cleveland Indians
Select: 1B Maurice Vaughn Seton Hall
Vaughn was actually selected with the 23rd overall pick by the Boston Red Sox.
Actual Selection: 3B Calvin Murray WT White HS
Mo Vaughn was the MVP in 1995 and the known as the hit dog because he absolutely mashed the baseball. He was a terrific hitter and would have been a great selection by Cleveland in this draft. His most productive year lined up perfectly with on of the best seasons in Indian history. The team made the World Series in 1995 eventually falling short against the Atlanta Braves. Could Vaughn have put the Indians over the top? It is quite possible.
12 Houston Astros
Select: P Ben McDonald LSU
McDonald was actually selected with the 1st overall pick by the Baltimore Orioles.
Actual Selection: P Jeff Juden Salem HS
McDonald had 78 career wins and a sub 4 ERA in the AL East for the overwhelming majority of his career. McDonald was also top 10 in shutouts for three different seasons. He would have been a big boost to Houston's rotation.
13 Kansas City Royals
Select: P Scott Erickson Arizona
Erickson was actually selected in the 4th round with the 112th overall pick by the Minnesota Twins.
Actual Selection: C Brent Mayne Cal State Fullerton
Scott Erickson was never an all-star. Never the best in a rotation and he had a career ERA over 4. You know what else he had? A career winning record that included 142 wins. That makes him a bargain at 13 in the re-draft.
14 San Francisco Giants
Select: OF Ryan Klesko Westminster HS
Klesko was actually selected in the 4th round with the 116th overall pick by the Atlanta Braves.
Actual Selection: OF Steve Hosey Fresno State
Klesko spent the final year of his career with the Giants, but he could have spent his whole career with them. The outfielder was a serious power threat and hit 278 career home runs (133 of which were with the rival Padres). Klesko also had 10 postseason home runs, including 3 in the 1995 World Series that the Braves won. He could have easily been named MVP of that series. Klesko certainly should have been selected before the 4th round.
15 Los Angeles Dodgers
Select: OF Eric Young Rutgers
Young was actually selected in the 43rd round with the 1,123rd overall pick by the Dodgers.
Actual Selection: P Kiki Jones Hillsborough HS
Before he worked for the MLB Network, Eric Young was quite the sparkplug. He would end up scoring 996 runs and play great defense. The Dodgers made perhaps the best pick of the draft in picking Young. Their mistake was letting him slip away to the Rockies.
16 Boston Red Sox
Select: P Denny Neagle Minnesota
Neagle was actually selected in the 3rd round with the 85th overall pick by the Minnesota Twins.
Actual Selection: OF Greg Blosser Sarasota HS
Denny Neagle was a really solid starting pitcher during his career. He had 124 career wins and a 4.24 career ERA. Neagle would have been a great pick here and slotted in nicely to the Boston rotation. However, he was selected 2 rounds later.
17 Milwaukee Brewers
Select: P Todd Jones Jacksonville State
Jones was actually selected with the 27th overall pick by the Houston Astros.
Actual Selection: P Cal Eldred Iowa
Jones was a really solid reliever that ended up with 319 career saves. He had an all-star appearance and would have been a decent pick by Milwaukee. Eldred was a good pick, but Jones perhaps fit the team better at the time.
18 Pittsburgh Pirates
Select: OF Chad Curtis Grand Canyon University
Curtis was actually selected in the 45th round with the 1,157th overall pick by the Angels.
Actual Selection: SS Willie Greene Jones County HS
Curtis was a major contributing factor on two Yankees World Series victories. He was a solid outfielder for years with tremendous postseason success. Back in 1999 he even hit two home runs in the World Series. For a Pirates team that hadn't won a World Series since 1979, that is an awful appealing option in the re-draft.
19 Toronto Blue Jays
Select: 1B JT Snow Arizona
Snow was actually selected in the 5th round with the 129th overall pick by the Yankees.
Actual Selection: SS Eddie Zosky Fresno State
Snow had 189 career home runs and was known as one of the best defensive 1st baseman of his generation. He had 6 gold gloves and played very well for many times. He would have been a fine pick here, 4 rounds sooner than he was actually selected.
20 Cincinnati Reds
Select: P Paul Quantrill Wisconsin
Quantrill was actually selected in the 6th round with the 163rd overall pick by the Red Sox.
Actual Selection: OF Scott Bryant Texas
Quantrill was a solid starter for many seasons despite having a career losing record. His ERA was under 4 for his career and the majority of his career was in the AL East. He could have really helped Cincinnati's rotation in the 90s.
21 Detroit Tigers
Select: P Shane Reynolds Texas
Reynolds was actually selected in the 3rd round with the 72nd overall pick by the Astros.
Actual Selection: P Greg Gohr Santa Clara
Reynolds was a much better career starter than Gohr. He would have been a good pick here by Detroit. How good? Reynolds won 114 career games and had an ERA just over 4 for his career.
22 Los Angeles Dodgers
Select: P Pat Rapp Southern Miss
Rapp was actually selected in the 15th round with 388th overall pick by the San Francisco Giants.
Actual Selection: OF Tom Goodwin Fresno State
Rapp won 70 career games and was a solid starter for many years. He was a little bit better as a pro than Goodwin and would have helped the Dodger starting rotation for many years.
23 Boston Red Sox
Select: P Cal Eldred Iowa
Eldred was actually selected with the 17th overall pick by the Milwaukee Brewers.
Actual Selection: 1B Maurice Vaughn Seton Hall
Vaughn was a phenomenal pick and there is no way he'd last this long in a re-draft. With Vaughn long gone in this re-draft, the Red Sox grab another solid rotation piece. Cal Eldred won 86 career games and was a solid starter for a long time. Adding him and the previously acquired Neagle in the re-draft, would have been quite the haul in round 1 for Boston. That is two really solid starters in one draft.
24 New York Mets
Select: P Tim Worrell Biola University
Worrell was actually selected in the 20th overall pick with the 520th overall pick by the Padres.
Actual Selection: C Alan Zinter Arizona
Worrell had a career ERA under 4 and could have really helped the Met rotation. He would have been a much better pick than Zinter who only had 3 career home runs and had a negative career war.
25 Minnesota Twins
Select: P Curt Leskanic LSU
Leskanic was actually selected in the 8th round with the 203rd overall pick by the Indians.
Actual Selection: 2B Chuck Knoblauch Texas A&M
The Twins are another team that is hurt in this re-draft. They lose out on Knoblauch who was possibly the best pick of round 1. However, they pick up Leskanic here who won 50 games and had 55 saves in his career.
26 Seattle Mariners
Select: P Mike Trombley Duke
Trombley was actually selected in the 14th round with the 373rd overall pick by the Twins.
Actual Selection: P Scott Burrell Hamden High School
Trombley was a decent starter in his career and than a decent reliever. He wasn't the athlete Scott Burrell was, because Burrell played 2 professional sport. Burrell was not as good at baseball though.
27 Houston Astros
Select: P Sterling Hitchcock Armwood HS
Hitchcock was actually selected in the 9th round with the 233rd overall pick by the Yankees.
Actual Selection: P Todd Jones Jacksonville State
Hitchcock had 74 career wins and would have been a boost to the Houston rotation. With Hitchcock and McDonald the Astros would have had a major upgrade in their rotation. Those good pitchers could have helped Houston to have far more postseason success in the 90s.
28 Los Angeles Dodgers
Select: OF Brian Hunter Fort Vancouver HS
Hunter was actually selected in the 2nd round with the 35th overall pick by the Houston Astros.
Actual Selection: P Jamie McAndrew Florida
Hunter had 500 career runs and 260 stolen bases. He wasn't the best pick of the draft, but he also wasn't the worst. The outfielder would have been a solid pick here for LA.
29 Boston Red Sox
Select: P Robert Person Seminole Community College
Person was actually selected in the 25th round with the 645th overall pick by the Indians.
Actual Selection: P Kevin Morton Seton Hall
Person won 50 career games and would have been the third solid starter acquired by Boston in this draft. Can you imagine 3 solid starters being added to the Boston rotation in the 90s? That curse likely would have ended much sooner.
30 Milwaukee Brewers
Select: P Russ Springer LSU
Springer was actually selected in the 7th round 181st overall by the New York Yankees.
Actual Selection: 3B Gordon Powell Hughes HS
Springer was another solid pitcher in this draft that was selected far too low. He is the 2nd one selected by the Brewers in this re-draft. He was an infinitely better pro than Gordon Powell. At least he got passed A ball. The Brewers would have done much better picking Springer in the real draft.
- Noland
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