AL East Draft Review

The Al East draft was:

Boston
1. Fausto Espinoza SP
2.Frank White SP
3.Lyle Stankiewicz SP
4.Branch Voyles RP
5.LLoyd Stechschulte SP

New York
1.Ernie Beverlin LF
1.Santos Tejada LF
2.James Post C Unsigned
3.Jody Veritek CF
4.Albie Veras 3B
5.Randy DePaula SP

Toledo
1. Randy Gordon SS
2.Fred Leonard 1B Unsigned
3.Benji Foster 2B
4.Rick Pittinger CF
5.Gerge Campbell RF

Chicago
1. Bruce Fowler SP
2.Sergio Bieser SS
3.Jeffrey Costello SS
4.Shooter Knight 2B (RF?)
5.Norman Duvall LF


The AL East's draft is dominated by the signing of Bruce Fowler, the #1 Overall pick, and a Pitcher whose numbers frankly boggle the mind. Most of the teams in this division had rather... thematic drafts, one way or another.


Boston, I'm going out on a limb here, wanted to improve the starting pitching. 5 pitchers taken, 5 signed, all of them with potential, pretty much the 1st 4 with ML potential. Espinoza stands to be a lock for a better than average ML Starter, even by the standards of NQ II, and that is saying something. And the rest of the Pitchers taken add up to a real solid Draft. Grade B.

New York... is a team whose feelings I am going to hurt. 2 firsts and a second, the 2nd round pick as yet unsigned, and the 2 First round picks, well, take a look at those Health ratings. Realistically, neither one of those guys has much chance at a lengthy ML career, a shame cosidering the (likely unrealizable) hitting prowess. Basically a wipe out on the 1st and second rounds. Realistically, Grade F.

Toledo failed to sign his 2nd round pick, and considering the money he wants, probably won't. (?)
But his 1st and 3rd picks are a real good DP combination, maybe average (by League standards) hitters, but a terrific pair of gloves. His other picks are also all way above average as defenders. Don't know if he meant to improve his defense that much, but he did. I personally really like the combo of great "green" and "yellow" numbers he drafted, a little hitting improvement in the minors, and this will be a really good draft. A Knock down for losing his 2 pick, but Grade B-.

Chicago. Well, what does one say about Fowler? I mean Geez people, a 100 OVR pitcher? In about 3 seasons, we can start looking foward to the Bruce Fowler, Pitcher of the Week, and Bruce Fowler, Cy Young awards with unending monotony. And then in the 3rd round ( ?!, not the second, a much lesser SS, but decent 3B) he gets a SS whose Glove ratings would make him the 3rd round steal of the draft, if his health rating holds up. Grade A.