Every MLB team had a chance at this

[BaltimoreFan]

I've been wanting to create a team like this for a while, with the draft just passing I thought I'd finally do it now. Pretty crazy to think that this team could be entirely possible.

C- Brian McCann (2002- 2nd round)

1B- Albert Pujols (1999- 13th round)

2B- Dan Uggla (2001- 11th round)

3B- Garret Atkins (2000- 5th round)

SS- Michael Young (1997- 5th round)

OF- Matt Holliday (1998- 7th round)

OF- Grady Sizemore (2000 3rd round)

OF- Adam Dunn (1998- 2nd round)

SP- Roy Oswalt (1996- 23rd round)

SP- Jake Peavy (1999- 15th round)

SP- Brandon Webb (2000 8th round)

SP- Dan Haren (2001- 2nd round)

SP- John Lackey (1999- 2nd round)

CL- JJ Putz (1999- 6th round)

Note: I left out undrafted free agents from the Carribean because it is unclear if they are truely available to all teams.

[Roger Clemente]

What's the significance of this lineup? I can see that it would be a formidable lineup and a great fantasy team, but other than the fact that it would be great, I'm not quite certain what the common bond between these players are.

Also, I'm not sure that Arizona or Tampa Bay would have been able to draft Michael Young or Roy Oswalt.

--Roger "Time?" clemente.

[McCall]

I think he's saying that they were all taken in different rounds other than the first, so they were available to all teams. And none were in the same round the same year also... I think.

Still kind of pointless.

[lilgump]

My first thought was he was just showing the best players that they had drafted, and then maybe had traded or let go or whatnot.

If its not what he did, that might be more interesting to look at, see all the people that you could have kept if you brought them up in the farm system.

[BaltimoreFan]

It is kind of pointless, just something I've thought about looking at for a while. The MLB draft is probably the craziest, no first round selection is a sure shot. And many great players were taken in late rounds. Basically a dominant all-star team could be drafted by almost every team (i forgot about expansion). I thought it was interesting, but I guess no one else did. Sorry for posting it.

[See Red]

Well, the MLB draft is unique because the money a player wants dictates where he's drafted, as opposed to other sports where a players contract generally falls in line with the people around him and where he's picked. For instance, teams like Kansas City tend to avoid Scott Boras' clients. So the most talented player in the draft may fall until late in the first round or farther.

I remember reading or hearing about the Red Sox being interested in drafting Albert Pujols, but when they called to discuss a potential contract, they couldn't reach him because he was out or something and they ended up passing on him because they weren't sure if they'd be able to sign him. Granted, I'm sure nobody expected him to become the player he has become, but it's still noteworthy. I'm not sure about how much truth there is to that, though.

[pcgd]

Well, the MLB draft is unique because the money a player wants dictates where he's drafted, as opposed to other sports where a players contract generally falls in line with the people around him and where he's picked. For instance, teams like Kansas City tend to avoid Scott Boras' clients. So the most talented player in the draft may fall until late in the first round or farther.

I remember reading or hearing about the Red Sox being interested in drafting Albert Pujols, but when they called to discuss a potential contract, they couldn't reach him because he was out or something and they ended up passing on him because they weren't sure if they'd be able to sign him. Granted, I'm sure nobody expected him to become the player he has become, but it's still noteworthy. I'm not sure about how much truth there is to that, though.

The scout that discovered Albert is now out of baseball. I believe he nearly had to beg the Cardinals to draft him. He was a so-so talent with average power and no position at the time. (he had 8 HR's his Senior year of High School and "only" batted .461 in Junior College...not lighting the world on fire) I don't think many teams were interested in him...the only two other than St. Louis I've seen is the Rockies and Devil Rays...both of which had scouts on board with picking him but not the organization.

[See Red]

Well, the MLB draft is unique because the money a player wants dictates where he's drafted, as opposed to other sports where a players contract generally falls in line with the people around him and where he's picked. For instance, teams like Kansas City tend to avoid Scott Boras' clients. So the most talented player in the draft may fall until late in the first round or farther.

I remember reading or hearing about the Red Sox being interested in drafting Albert Pujols, but when they called to discuss a potential contract, they couldn't reach him because he was out or something and they ended up passing on him because they weren't sure if they'd be able to sign him. Granted, I'm sure nobody expected him to become the player he has become, but it's still noteworthy. I'm not sure about how much truth there is to that, though.

The scout that discovered Albert is now out of baseball. I believe he nearly had to beg the Cardinals to draft him. He was a so-so talent with average power and no position at the time. (he had 8 HR's his Senior year of High School and "only" batted .461 in Junior College...not lighting the world on fire) I don't think many teams were interested in him...the only two other than St. Louis I've seen is the Rockies and Devil Rays...both of which had scouts on board with picking him but not the organization.

Ahhh, okay. I'll try and check out where I found or heard that....

Found it. It was an article in the Boston Globe about a scout that really liked Pujols even though a lot of others didn't...

The Red Sox, with their first pick in the 1999 draft, selected Rick Asadoorian, an outfielder from Whitinsville, Mass. They had six picks before the fourth round. Brad Baker. Casey Fossum. Mat Thompson. Rich Rundles. Antron Seiber . . .

Jacobs's phone rang before the start of the 10th round.

``They called and told me they were going to draft Albert for me," Jacobs said. ``But there were a couple of stipulations. First of all, can he play third base for Lowell? I told them, `Sure he can.' Then they said, `He's got to be a quick sign.' I said, `We may have a little issue.' I remember the kid saying he wanted to sign for $100,000, $150,000. I had a feeling that it wasn't going to take that, but it might drag out all summer."

Jacobs tried to reach Pujols by phone. Pujols's wife, Deidre, answered, saying Albert wasn't home. She called back an hour and a half later, he said, and said she still hadn't reached him. By then it was too late. ``They told me that they were going to pass if he wasn't a quick sign," Jacobs said. ``The Cardinals took him three rounds later, and the rest is history."

Pujols said yesterday that he'd heard from his agent that the Sox were willing to pay him $50,000 -- ``more than anybody else" -- but wouldn't pay the extra $30,000 or so for his education. Jacobs said he doesn't think it ever got that far.

The Cardinals, after an original offer of $10,000, signed him for $60,000. ``I think he was worth it, don't you?" Jacobs said.

It's a good example of how money and such can sway a teams draft.

[njmeadowlanders]

Mike Piazza was a 68th (Yes, Sixty-Eighth--though I may be off by a round or two, definately 60-something) round pick by the Dodgers as a FAVOR to his father by Tommy Lasorda.