In this third installment of the MLB re-draft, we look at the 1990 MLB draft and do it over knowing what we know now.
Before we get into that, let's look at the 1987, 1988, and 1989re-drafts.
1 Atlanta Braves
Select: SS Chipper Jones The Bolles School
Jones was the Braves actual selection.
This was the clear cut choice then and now. Chipper was an excellent 3rd baseman for a long time and played his entire 19 year career in Atlanta. An excellent decision with the #1 pick.
2 Detroit Tigers
Select: P Mike Mussina Stanford
Mussina was actually selected with the 20th overall selection by the Baltimore Orioles.
Actual Selection: OF Tony Clark Christian HS
Clark was actually a solid pick. He made an all-star team in 2001 and was so well thought of that he is the current head of the MLBPA. That said, he did not belong in the top 5 and definitely not at #2 overall. Meanwhile, there is already a 2nd hall of famer from this draft class. Mike Mussina won 270 career games in the challenging AL East. To have that many wins and an ERA under 4 while pitching in that beast of a division your entire career is super impressive. Detroit fielders would have loved playing behind the incredibly efficient Mussina.
3 Philadelphia Phillies
Select: P Andy Pettitte Deer Park HS
Pettitte was actually selected in the 22nd round with the 594th overall selection by the Yankees.
Actual Selection: C Mike Lieberthal Westlake HS
Lieberthal was an all-star and a decent pick, but no way is he the selection if the Phillies got the chance to do it again. They surely go with the multi-time World Series champion pitcher in Andy Pettitte. They would have loved to add Andy to the rotation. It is crazy that this guy lasted until the 22nd round.
4 Chicago White Sox
Select: C Jorge Posada Calhoun Community College
Posada was actually selected in 24th round with the 646th overall selection by the Yankees.
Actual Selection: P Alex Fernandez Miami-Dade College
Fernandez was actually one of the best picks in the actual draft and won't be around much longer in the re-draft. There was a better player on the board though, and he was not selected until much later. Posada was an excellent catcher and part of the Yankee core-4 that brought them multiple World Series championships. The White Sox would have loved to have him behind the dish in the 90s.
5 Pittsburgh Pirates
Select: P Alex Fernandez Miami-Dade Collge
Fernandez was actually selected with the 4th overall selection by the White Sox.
Actual Selection: P Kurt Miller West HS
Miller was a terrible selection and the Pirates should have done much better. Through the re-draft, they are lucky to have Alex Fernandez available. He was a much better pro pitcher than Miller. Pittsburgh would have loved to have Alex on the bump.
6 Seattle Mariners
Select: OF Rondell White Jones County HS
White was actually selected with the 24th overall selection by the Montreal Expos.
Actual Selection: 1B Marc Newfield Marina HS
The Mariners selected Newfield at #6 and eventually moved him to left field. Instead, they could have picked an actual stud outfielder in White. An outfield of White, Griffey, and Buhner would have been the best in baseball. This could have made the Mariners a true contender for a World Series. Instead, they busted and took the underachieving Newfield.
7 Cincinnati Reds
Select: OF Garret Anderson Kennedy HS
Anderson was actually selected in the 4th round with the 125th overall selection by the Angels.
Actual Selection: C Dan Wilson Minnesota
Dan Wilson was a solid catcher and one time all-star. He did a great job for the Reds, but he was not near one of the most impactful in this class. Meanwhile, Anderson, who wasn't picked until round 4, had 287 career home runs, and was a huge reason why the Angels won the 2002 World Series. The left fielder was also incredibly loyal spending 15 years with the Angels. Cincinnati would have loved to have Anderson and his winning pedigree with the Reds.
8 Cleveland Indians
Select: P Troy Percival California
Percival was actually selected in the 6th round with the 179th overall selection by the Angels.
Actual Selection: SS Tim Costo Iowa
Costo had a negative career war and only spent parts of two seasons in the big leagues. The Indians could have done much better with this selection and a better pick could have led to a possible World Series win. The Indians were possibly a strong pitcher away from a 1995& 1997 World Series championships. How about the team getting one of the best closers of the generation. It would have possibly been the difference and would have allowed the Indians to shorten the game if nothing else.
9 Los Angeles Dodgers
Select: OF Rusty Greer University of Montevallo
Greer was actually selected in the 10th round with the 279th overall selection by the Texas Rangers.
Actual Selection: P Ron Walden Blanchard HS
Walden never even made the bigs, so its safe to say he was a bust. The Dodgers do much better in the redraft. They select a really solid outfielder that makes the team far better. Rusty Greer never made an all-star team, but he was a really solid dependable outfielder for a long time. The 90s Dodgers teams could have really used solid and dependable.
10 New York Yankees
Select: P Mike Hampton Crystal River HS
Hampton was actually selected in the 6th round with the 161st overall selection by the Mariners.
Actual Selection: OF Carl Everett Hillsborough HS
The Yankees really came out of this re-draft on the losing end. They lost 2 of their core 4. They still do better than their first pick this year and get a really solid contributing piece. It's not that Everett was a bad pick, because he did well as a pro, but it wasn't as a Yankee. New York picks a guy that had a slightly better career and could contribute to their starting rotation. His 148 career wins would have been a welcome sight in New York.
11 Montreal Expos
Select: 2B Ray Durham Harding HS
Durham was actually selected in the 5th round with the 132nd overall selection by the White Sox.
Actual Selection: 3B Shane Andrews Carlsbad HS
The Expos could have done worse than Andrews and many teams did worse during this 1st round. That said, he was not worthy of being a first rounder. Durham was a fantastic infielder and is an absolute steal here at 11 in the re-draft. He had the potential to be a game-changer for the Expos. This would have been outstanding for Montreal if this happened and perhaps could have helped keep the team in Canada.
12 Minnesota Twins
Select: 2B Bret Boone Southern Cal
Boone was actually selected in the 5th round with the 134th overall selection by the Mariners.
Actual Selection: P Todd Ritchie Duncanville HS
Ritchie was not worth a first round pick, let alone being selected in the top half of round 1. Instead, they pick a guy they originally drafted in 1987 back when he did not sign. This time they get him and he is a huge success story for the Twins. Boone has 252 career home runs, which is an incredibly high number for a second baseman. The Twins love this re-draft.
13 St. Louis Cardinals
Select: OF Carl Everett Hillsborough HS
Everett was actually selected with the 10th overall selection by the New York Yankees.
Actual Selection: P Donovan Osbourne UNLV
Osbourne was an ok selection and had an impact in the majors, but the Cardinals could have done better. Here, they select a guy that was already gone in the actual draft. Everett was a really solid outfielder and would have given St. Louis one of the best outfields in the game.
14 Oakland Athletics
Select: OF Jeromy Burnitz Oklahoma State
Burnitz was actually selected with the 17th overall selection by the New York Mets.
Actual Selection: P Todd Van Poppel James W. Martin Hs
Van Poppel had a negative career WAR and should not have been a 1st round pick. This re-draft is a chance for Oakland to extend their window and make an impact selection. They select an all-star outfielder that would have complemented the Bash Brothers well with his hustle.
15 San Francisco Giants
Select: C Mike Lieberthal Westlake HS
Lieberthal was actually selected with the 3rd overall selection by the Philadelphia Phillies.
Actual Selection: OF Adam Hyzdu Archbishop Moeller HS
Lieberthal was long gone in the actual draft, but provides great value at 15 here in the real draft for the Giants. The opportunity to get an all-star backstop in the re-draft would excite the Giants very much. It would have been a much better selection than Hyzdu that is for sure.
16 Texas Rangers
Select: P Bob Wickman Wisconsin-Whitewater
Wickman was actually selected in the 2nd round with the 44th overall selection by the White Sox.
Actual Selection: P Dan Smith Creighton
Dan Smith didn't do anything productive in the MLB, but Bob Wickman had himself a solid MLB career. Wickman was a really solid starter that eventually was converted into a closer. He should have been a 1st rounder instead of a second rounder. Here in the re-draft, the Rangers make sure it happens.
17 New York Mets
Select: IF David Bell Archbishop Moeller HS
Bell was actually selected in the 7th round with the 190th overall selection by the Cleveland Indians.
Actual Selection: OF Jeromy Burnitz Oklahoma State
Burnitz was a wonderful selection and he had a really good pro career. However, he was selected already in the re-draft. If the draft happened today, the Mets would take the player that had the best career, and that was David Bell. The longtime big leaguer had quite the pro career and the Mets could have certainly lived with selecting him.
18 St. Louis Cardinals
Select: C Dan Wilson Minnesota
Wilson was actually selected with the 7th overall selection by the Cincinnati Reds.
Actual Selection: SS Aaron Holbert David Starr Jordan HS
Aaron Holbert never did anything of significance in the pros. The Cardinals could have made a selection of somebody else instead. Dan Wilson was gone in the actual draft, but the Cardinals are thrilled to get the all-star catcher in the re-draft.
19 San Francisco Giants
Select: 2B Fernando Vina Arizona State
Vina was actually selected in the 9th round with the 253rd overall selection by the Mets.
Actual Selection: C Eric Christopherson San Diego State
Christopherson was another guy that was drafted way too high. This guy didn't even make the majors. They could have done better picking 100s of different guys. With the re-draft, they have the opportunity to select former all-star second baseman Fernando Vina.
20 Baltimore Orioles
Select: OF Tony Clark Christian HS
Clark was actually selected with the 2nd overall pick by the Detroit Tigers.
Actual Selection: P Mike Mussina Stanford
No pick during this draft was better than Mike Mussina. He was a Hall of Famer and the Orioles ace for years. The team is quite unlucky in the re-draft losing him. However, they could pick up slugger Tony Clark. Clark's best season was 1997 and that was the season the Orioles won the AL East. That year Clark would slug 32 home runs and drive in 117 RBIs. Perhaps the slugger could have slugged the Orioles into the World Series.
21 Houston Astros
Select: P Eddie Guardado San Joaquin Delta College
Guardado was actually selected 21st round with the 570th overall selection by the Twins.
Actual Selection: SS Tom Nevers Edina HS
Nevers never made the big leagues, but one guy that did was Everyday Eddie. The reliever was an outstanding closer with a long career. The Astros are thrilled to get him at number 21 in the re-draft. During the actual draft, Guardado didn't go until the 21st round.
22 Toronto Blue Jays
Select: P Steve Karsay Christ the King HS
Karsay was the Blue Jays actual selection.
The Blue Jays selected well in 1990 by getting the solid pitcher in Karsay. He would have an 11 year big league career and be solid for many years.
23 Chicago Cubs
Select: IF Tony Graffanino East Islip HS
Graffanino was actually selected in the 10th round with the 264th overall selection by the Braves.
Actual Selection: P Lance Dickson Arizona
Dickson accomplished nothing in his big league career, but one guy that did was Tony Graffanino. The infielder had a 13 year big league career and was quite the bargain in the 10th round. Here in the re-draft, he is still a bargain for the Cubs at 23.
24 Montreal Expos
Select: P James Baldwin Pinecrest HS
Baldwin was actually selected in the 4th round with the 105th overall selection by the White Sox.
Actual Selection: OF Rondell White Jones County HS
The Expos made an excellent selection by nabbing White at 24. However, in the re-draft, he is long gone. They select the best player available happens to be former starter James Baldwin who was absolutely fantastic up until about 2001. He has 79 career wins and an all-star appearance under his belt.
25 San Diego Padres
Select: P Dave Fleming Georgia
Fleming was actually selected in the 3rd round with the 79th overall selection by the Mariners.
Actual Selection: P Robbie Beckett McCollum HS
Beckett did nothing as a pro, and the Padres wisely select one that did in the re-draft. While Fleming only lasted 5 years in the pros, they were wonderful years before he started having arm problems. He even won 17 games in 1992. Those 17 wins on the Padres, could have helped the team make the postseason.
26 Oakland Athletics
Select: OF Rich Becker West HS
Becker was actually selected in the 3rd round with the 85th overall selection by the Twins.
Actual Selection: P Don Peters University of St. Francis
Don Peters never made the big leagues, it would have done the Athletics well to pick a player that would have made it. Here in the re-draft, they pick the best player left. That player is Rich Becker, who had a solid 8 year career. He was not a world beater, but he was a much better pro than Peters.
- Noland
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