Originally Posted by
dougdirt
Not at all. From everything I have read, the general managers for nearly all teams have very little to do with the actual drafting of the players.
I highly doubt the 2006 draft will be looked upon as a better draft than the 2005 draft.
2005 Draft went Jay Bruce (Top 5 prospect in baseball and no one in the 2006 draft will ever reach this status), Travis Wood (20 years old, A+, good strikeout numbers, solid hit per 9 numbers. inconsistant at times though), Zach Ward (traded, but 23 years old, A+, 3.18 ERA, fewer hits than ip, over 8 strikeouts per 9 innings, 3-1 groundball to flyball rate).
2006 went Drew Stubbs (while even I am higher on him than most everyone on this board, he still wouldnt rank ahead of Wood or Bruce), Sean Watson (very good pitcher, still unsure if he gets bumped ahead of Travis Wood though on the prospect list given they are at the same level and if I were to look at each players arsenal Travis at least throws 3 pitches while Sean basically throws his fastball and his knuckle curve. Travis also has his change up, which is the best change up in the minor leagues. Sean can't say that about any of his pitches). Third round was Chris Valaika (who is performing very well, but is still in low A. He is probably somewhere in the 5-7 range on the Reds prospect list mixed in there with Wood and Watson).
Give me Bruce, Wood and Ward easily over Stubbs, Watson and Valaika. Its not even a close race. Heck, to be honest give me Bruce over the 2006 first 3 round guys, because he is closer than them all, much better than them all and a lot more likely to pan out. Did I mention he is nearly a year and a half younger than them all?
As for the 2005 draft.... Szymanski is the only one of the first 3 rounds that has not performed. Tatum is hitting .320 and slugging over .500 in the FSL and was just promoted to Chattanooga. I don't have to tell you about Homer Bailey, but again, the 2006 class doesn't have anyone in the same class as Homer Bailey in terms of talent, just like they didnt in the 2005 class with Bruce.