Loading ...Marc Lancaster has a pretty good article here on the Reds’ draft philosophy, which comes down to “take the best guy,” basically.
After the June draft, we’ll have a much better feel for what we can expect from GM Wayne Krivsky. Thus far, he’s shown flashes of brilliance, mixed with moments that make you wonder, “why did he do that?” A GM’s philosophy regarding the amateur draft, however, can have huge consequences for the long-term viability of the franchise.
That is to say: Krivsky better be ready, and he better not repeat the mistakes of the last couple of Cincinnati GMs. I’m encouraged that every report — and Krivsky told me this himself — says that he is willing and eager to listen to the opinions of everyone around him (from scouts to statisticians), and collate every single bit of information he can get his hands on.
In the end, however, it’s all on Krivsky’s shoulders. A good draft would go a long way toward ensuring that he is General Manager in Cincinnati for an extended tenure.
Agreed. A team in the Reds position will find it hard to compete without drafting better than the competiton, year after year.
I sure hope we take Lincecum if he drops to us.
Is it really on Krivsky’s shoulders? Most, if not all clubs leave the draft selections (even the first rounder) to the scouting director.
There’s been a really interesting year-long series on the draft over at Prospectus (I think this one’s free). It shows that over the past 15 years (actually in an 8-year period starting 15 years ago – recent years are too close to evaluate), high school position players have become a much better bet than they used to be. College position players are still the best bet for success, but the gap is narrowing, probably due to increased elite-level competition for the 16-18 age group, and increased signing bonuses that send many more top high school seniors to the pros, as opposed to the college campus.
By the way, I think Krivsky has shown more than “flashes of brilliance”.