Rule V Draft
Daniel M. Lichtenstein
Winter meetings. The Cubs neither took nor lost anyone in the first
round, the major leagu draft. The took two players and lost two players
in the AAA round.
They lost: RHP Alfredo Garcia, and 1st baseman Ricky Freeman. Both
played for West Tenn this past season. Garcia put up mediocre numbers
there, 4-5, 4.96 ERA in 25 games. Goint into this past season, he had
decent numbers. Freeman has shown decent power (15 hrs in '98), but is
old for a guy at AA, he'll be 27 in February.
The Selected 2nd baseman Richard Almanzar from the Detriot organization
and LHP Sean Johnston from the Mets organization. I believe that
Johnston is a local guy, out of Highland Park IL, who was drafted out of
HS (second round).
Here is a complete listing of the draft:
Major League Draft
Selecting Club, Player Selected, Position, Selected From
1. Florida Marlins, Alberto Blanco, LHP, Jackson (HOU)
2. Tampa Bay Devil Rays, David Lamb, SS, Rochester (BAL)
3. Detroit Tigers, Eric Ludwick, RHP, Charlotte (FLA)
4. Montreal Expos, Ricky Williams, OF, Scranton (PHI)
5. Minnesota Twins, Josue Espada, SS, Edmonton (OAK)
6. Pittsburgh Pirates, Scott Sauerbeck, LHP, Norfolk (NYM)
7. Oakland Athletics, Eric Stuckenschneider, OF, Albuquerque (LA)
8. Philadelphia Phillies, David Miller, OF, Buffalo (CLE)
9. Chicago White Sox, J. Walker Chapman, RHP, Salt Lake (MIN)
10. St. Louis Cardinals, Alberto Castillo, C, Scranton (PHI)
11. Boston Red Sox, Joel Adamson, LHP, Edmonton (OAK)
12. Houston Astros, Glen Barker, OF, Toledo (DET)
13. Chicago White Sox, Tyrone Pendergass, OF, Richmond (ATL)
AAA Draft
Selecting Club, Player Selected, Position, Selected From
1. Charlotte (FLA), Benji Gil, SS, Birmingham (CWS)
2. Durham (TB), Joe (Reggie) Young, RHP, Knoxville (TOR)
3. Tucson (ARI), John O'Reilly, RHP, El Paso (MIL)
4. Toledo (DET), Terrance Freeman, INF, Carolina (PIT)
5. Ottawa (MON), Dennis Konrady, C, Akron (CLE)
6. Salt Lake (MIN), Brandon Marsters, C, Reading (PHI)
7. Nashville (PIT), Alfredo Garcia, RHP, West Tenn (CHI)
8. Louisville (MIL), Scott Sollmann, OF, Jacksonville (DET)
9. Edmonton (OAK), Richard Freeman, 1B, West Tenn (CHI)
10. Tacoma (SEA), Tim McClaskey, RHP, Portland (FLA)
11. Indianapolis (CIN), Dawan Elliott, OF, Carolina (PIT)
12. Rochester (BAL), Mike McDougal, RHP, Arkansas (STL)
13. Colorado Springs (COL), Scott Dewitt, LHP, Portland (FLA)
14. Albuquerque (LA), Ryan Jaroncyk, SS, Capital City (NYM)
15. Norfolk (NY), O.J. Cook, RHP, Carolina (PIT)
16. Fresno (SF), Ismael Reynoso, SS, Portland (FLA)
17. Buffalo (CLE), Roy Padilla, OF, Trenton (BOS)
18. Iowa (CHI), Richard Almanzar, 2B, Jacksonville (DET)
19. Pawtucket (BOS), Thomas Darrell, RHP, Midland (ANA)
20. Columbus (NYY), Keith Davis, RHP, Jacksonville (DET)
21. New Orleans (HOU), Anthony Johnson, Mobile Bay (SD)
22. Durham (TB), Luis Garcia, OF, Birmingham (CWS)
23. Tucson (ARI), Derek Dace, LHP, Jacksonville (DET)
24. Toledo (DET), Manuel Lutz, 1B, Birmingham (CWS)
25. Tacoma (SEA), Juan Ramos, RHP, Harrisburg (MON)
26. Rochester (BAL), Ryan Lynch, LHP, Mobile Bay (SD)
27. Albuquerque (LA), Geronimo Newton, LHP, Orlando (SEA)
28. Norfolk (NY), Peter Della Ratta, RHP, Huntsville (OAK)
29. Fresno (SF), Xavier Burns, 3B, Carolina (PIT)
30. Buffalo (CLE), Mark Zamarripa, RHP, Jacksonville (DET)
31. Iowa (CHI), Sean Johnston, LHP, Binghamton (NYM)
32. New Orleans (HOU), Wayne Franklin, LHP, San Antonio (LA)
33. Toledo (DET), Ryan Jones, 1B, Knoxville (TOR)
34. Tacoma (SEA), Brian Carmody, RHP, Mobile Bay (SD)
35. Albuquerque (LA), Edgar Leyva, RHP, Midland (ANA)
36. Iowa (CHI), Eric Newman, RHP, Mobile Bay (SD)
37. Toledo (DET), Eric Gillespie, 1B, Midland (ANA)
AA Draft
Selecting Club, Player Selected, Position, Selected From
1. Arizona (2A), Scott Schroeffel, RHP, Salem (COL)
2. Carolina (PIT), Tim Jorgensen, 3B, Kinston (CLE)
3. Huntsville (OAK), Jacques Landry, 3B, Lakeland (DET)
4. Chattanooga (CIN), Michael Whitlock, 1B, St. Catharines (TOR)
5. Midland (ANA), Ken Morimoto, OF, San Bernardino (LA)
6. San Antonio (LA), Karl Chatman, OF, Jupiter (MON)
7. Knoxville (TOR), Keith Smith, SS, W. Michigan (DET)
8. Trenton (BOS), Justin Siegel, LHP, Savannah (TEX)
9. Midland (ANA), Chris Walther, 3B, Stockton (MIL)
Al Yellon
Daniel M. Lichtenstein wrote in message
<3675A612...@students.wisc.edu>...
<snip>>
>The Selected 2nd baseman Richard Almanzar from the Detriot organization
>and LHP Sean Johnston from the Mets organization. I believe that
>Johnston is a local guy, out of Highland Park IL, who was drafted out of
>HS (second round).
>
In fact, you are correct. Johnston is a local boy, who the Cubs had a shot
at drafting when he graduated HS in 1994. They instead took Jayson Peterson,
who washed out of the organization.
Johnston's lefthanded, has a good arm, and is only 23. I believe the rules
of the Rule V draft require him to pitch at the Triple-A level all year next
year. If he does well... there's another rotation prospect.
This was a smart move. Sometimes it's the little things that help.