Bonus info on Brewers 02 draft

[SoCalBrewfan]

BA posted bonus info on the first ten rounds of the 02 draft. We knew about Prince...but some interesting tidbits:

 

Josh Murray signed for $825K, higher than the four guys immediately ahead of him. His bonus was 4th largest in the 2nd round, and higher than a few supplemental first rounders. Wow.

 

Eric M Thomas signed for $470K...pretty much slot money there.

 

Nic Carter was a cheap sign...at $250K he got less than four of the five picks immediately following him. The fifth was Jeff Baker who signed a major league contract and will get more than Carter as well.

 

Jarrad Page would have been the most expensive bonus in the 5th round if he had accepted the offer we read about here...

 

Khalid Ballouli signed for $110K. A bunch of 6th rounders got more...12 to be exact. Heck, ten 7th rounders got more.

 

Tom Wilhelmsen signed for $250K. Not only was that by far the largest bonus for a 7th rounder, but no 6th rounder got more, and only one 5th rounder got more.

 

Steve Kahn didn't sign.

 

Edwin Walker signed for $60K...only a few guys from that round got less, and all five were college seniors.

 

Speaking of college seniors, Jeremy Frost signed for $5K, which was tied for the second-lowest bonus of the 10th round.

 

Like the past few years, the Brewers have opened their pocketbook for some talent beyond the first round, and gone above slot money to add talent to the system...in the case of Wilhelmsen at least, it appears to have been a wise investment. Unlike past years, there are also a bunch of bargain picks here...could it be that the unexpected development of Manny Parra and his resulting large bonus affected the Brewers' overall approach to this draft? Between the bargain-basement picks (Carter, Ballouli, Walker, Frost, though you could make a case that Ballouli is just a savvy sign as he's been pretty decent) and the unsigned players at 5, 8, 11, etc., well, you have to wonder.

[squarepusher]

It's all about leverage really... easy to see that the college kids don't have the option to go back into college. Someone like Tom Wilhelmsen, who's got great stuff (and IMO was a bargain at 250k), could have probably gone onto college, refined his stuff, and gotten more.

[igor67]

Sure looks like we got taken to the cleaners by Murray. Getting well above slot money for what many considered a reach pick? Still there's plenty of evidence for those that aren't convinced that the Brewers haven't been going cheap on the draft for quite awhile now.

[xisxisxis]

Still there's plenty of evidence for those that aren't convinced that the Brewers haven't been going cheap on the draft for quite awhile now.

 

If you overpay for a Hyundai are you cheap or a spender?

[igor67]

Well I'd have to say your an unpatriotic jerk for buying a foreign car to begin with, but hey I just grew up during the 80's so what do I know?http://forum.brewerfan.net/images/smilies/smile.gif

[colbyjack]

Unlike past years, there are also a bunch of bargain picks here...could it be that the unexpected development of Manny Parra and his resulting large bonus affected the Brewers' overall approach to this draft?

 

Frost's $5,000 was a big surprise. In my mind, without a doubt Manny Parra affected who they were able to pay what, and might have also had a big affect on whom they selected where. That $1.55 million is a huge chunk of change. Plus, it took a couple of hundred thousand more to sign Fielder than we originally thought. That's about $1.75 million we would have had to sign other people, which probably could have wrapped up Page, Hernandez and Kahn, if not White & a few other of our current DFEs like Eveland & Barnes.

 

It would be interesting to find out what it took to sign Moss. Wilhelmsen's $250,000 is actually less than what I would have thought it would be. I was expecting something twice that amount, but that is a good chunk of change for round 7.

 

And I agree that Murray was a big reach. While I don't argue as much with that selection anymore, for a relative no-namer he should have signed for a lot less money. If nothing else, the Brewers should have played a little more strict game of hardball with him to make him sweat it out. They must have really wanted him to start playing ASAP.

[colbyjack]

Here is BA's draft preview for the Brewers:

 

Brewers Draft Preview

 

By Allan Simpson

May 12, 2003

 

Scouting Director: Jack Zduriencik (first draft: 2000).

 

2000 Draft (First three rounds, picking 11th)

1. David Krynzel, of, Green Valley HS, Henderson, Nev.

2. (Choice to Braves as compensation for free agent Jose Hernandez)

3. Dane Artman, lhp, Westminster Academy, Fort Lauderdale

4. Eric Henderson, lhp, North Carolina

5. Jason Belcher, c, Walnut Ridge (Ark.) HS

 

2001 Draft (First three rounds, picking 12th)

1. Mike Jones, rhp, Thunderbird HS, Phoenix

2. J.J. Hardy, ss, Sabino HS, Tucson

3. Jon Steitz, rhp, Yale

4. Brad Nelson, 1b, Bishop Garrigan HS, Algona, Iowa

5. Judd Richardson, rhp, Miami (Ohio)

 

2002 Draft (First five rounds, picking seventh)

1. Prince Fielder, 1b, Eau Gallie HS, Melbourne, Fla.

2. Josh Murray, ss, Jesuit HS, Tampa

3. Eric Thomas, rhp, South Alabama

4. Nic Carter, of, Campbell

5. *Jarrad Page, ss, San Leandro (Calif.) HS

(*Did not sign)

 

2003 Draft

Brewers pick second in rotation

 

Overview

Dean Taylor didn't survive as general manager of the Brewers, but Jack Zduriencik, whom Taylor brought in with him after the 1999 season to head up the scouting department, did. Taylor was fired as the Brewers suffered through their 10th straight losing season in 2002, sinking to a club-record 106 losses, while Zduriencik oversaw his third straight successful draft and was asked to stay on.

 

 

His efforts are a primary reason the organization's minor league talent has made a quantum leap forward in his tenure. Ranked last by Baseball America entering the 2001 season, the Brewers talent ranked 16th just two years later.

 

Milwaukee's top eight prospects were all drafted out of high school--seven by Zduriencik. All three of his first-round picks--outfielder David Krynzel in 2000, righthander Mikes Jones in 2001 and first baseman Prince Fielder in 2002--have enjoyed minor league success and project to be at least solid big leaguers.

 

That's a far cry from the previous decade, when a series of suspect picks sent the Brewers' fortunes spiraling. Kenny Henderson, Tyrone Hill, Kenny Felder, Antone Williamson, Chad Green and Kyle Peterson are just a sampling of first-round picks that fell far short of expectations for the Brewers in the '90s.

 

With the second overall pick this year, the Brewers have a great chance to build on their recent success. It's their earliest pick since 1985, when catcher B.J. Surhoff was the No. 1 overall selection.

 

There's no consensus on the top picks in this year's draft, making it unclear where Zduriencik will lean. The Brewers have considered both a college pitcher (Wake Forest righthander Kyle Sleeth) and position player (Southern second baseman Rickie Weeks), as well as a high school pitcher (Florida lefthander Andrew Miller) and position player (California outfielder Delmon Young).

 

A wild card is Chipola (Fla.) Junior College lefthander Adam Loewen, the fourth overall pick in last year's draft by Baltimore, the team that drafted him last year and controls his rights. If he goes back into this year's draft pool, he could be a target for the Brewers or any of the teams at the top of the draft.

[docduany]

Quote:

---

2000 Draft (First three rounds, picking 11th)

1. David Krynzel, of, Green Valley HS, Henderson, Nev.

2. (Choice to Braves as compensation for free agent Jose Hernandez)

---

I'm sure this has been brought up before, but wasn't that a bite in the ass. Lossing a second rounder for the king of swing. Colby, or anyone who's not lazy like me, who did the Crew miss out on by taking Jose.

[colbyjack]

Thought I'd share this from a poster over at T1:

 

I know GM Doug Melvin because his son plays on my high school team and I have talked to Mr. Melvin a couple of times since they moved here in December. He went down to Southern U. to see Weeks play and he really likes him. Of course, he is projected to go to the D-Rays so Young or Loewen will probably be the pick. When I hear more info I will report.

 

Of course, if Mr. Melvin happens to read this board, he may be sure to keep his mouth shut around his both his son & his son's teammates http://forum.brewerfan.net/images/smilies/smile.gif .

 

For doc...the Braves selected 2 of their bigger prospects with the supplemental first round pick & our 2nd round pick: Kelly Johnson & Kenny (Bubba) Nelson. Here are some of the better known prospects that went in between what was supposed to be our 2nd round pick & our 3rd rounder (Dane Artman): 2B Tim Hummel, LHP Chris Narveson, LHP Brian Tallet, RHP Joel Hanrahan, 2B Dominic Rich, 3B Lance Niekro, LHP Ryan Snare, LHP Danny Borrell, LHP Rob Henkel, OF Grady Sizemore & OF Nic Jackson.

 

There aren't too many names within that list that are all that promising, but just the chance of finding a gem given where this club stands in my mind makes the Jose Hernandez signing a bad one. Of course, Dean Taylor never made the mistake of signing a FA that had been offered arby again.

[MassBrew]

Edwin Walker signed for $60K...only a few guys from that round got less, and all five were college seniors.

 

After reading about the 6'3" high school lefty in the San Antonio papers after the draft last year, I was very excited about this 9th round selection.

 

Here's hoping that the 19-year-old is ready to go for Arizona/Helena. I believe an injury limited him to 10 IP last summer, but I can't quite remember if it was arm-related.

 

Toby, was he among the youngsters at spring training?

[colbyjack]

I'm pretty sure Edwin Walker was at the Brewers' pre-draft workout. At the time, I thought he was James Loney, who ended up being the Dodgers first-round pick last year as a 1B, but also doubled as a LHP at Elkins HS. I thought it was Loney because this LHP showed a very loose delivery courtesy of an strong, athletic frame. He was throwing a good fastball, one of the best of all of the players that participated, and also flashed a decent breaking ball from where I was sitting. I'll have to see a pic of Walker, or better yet see him pitch, before I'm able to confirm whether that was indeed him, but from the reports I think it's the same person. And if so, I can see why they gave him that money. He obviously needs more time at the rookie level, but I could see him turning a lot of heads by the end of this summer or next once he gets more regular work.

[Never Outhustled]

Can we at leat wait untill Josh Murray is 18 to call him a complete bust? How ridicuous is it that people are saying the Crew was had because of a slow start by a kid who won't turn 18 untill August. Drafter Jack has been way too good to not get the benefit of the doubt.

[Al the Thinking Man]

The knock on Murray was that he was a pure tools pick. He'll have several years to learn how to hit and field before we give up on him, I'm sure.