Full Description
If unpredictability is so much of what makes sports compelling, the baseball draft might be the best place to look. This book explores the intricate uncertainties of the draft and the people who face it. Since the modern draft began in 1965, major league teams have attempted, with varying degrees of success, to identify and develop stars of the future. Whether because of injury, poor performance or mental and physical struggles, a large percentage of the most ballyhooed prospects never reach the game's highest level. Though teams have improved in recent years at turning top picks into major leaguers, the baseball draft is still centered on educated guesswork. This book explains why.
Contents
Table of Contents
Acknowledgments ix
Preface 1
Introduction 5
1. A History of the Draft 15
2. Analysis of Draft Data 31
3. Faces of the Draft 48
4. The Showcase 64
5. The Scouts 77
6. Organizational Profile: San Diego Padres 86
7. Organizational Profile: St. Louis Cardinals 97
8. Organizational Profile: Minnesota Twins 109
9. The Latin Factor 122
10. A Ballplayer's Story 132
11. Bad Breaks 152
12. The Boras Effect 164
13. Psychology of the Draft 172
14. Life Imitates the Draft 186
Epilogue 199
Chapter Notes 205
Bibliography 221
Index 233
