Prospects...

[Guest DragonflyKid]

Living in California and foollowing the A's, Kings anf 49ers there have always been prospects that I was sure would be stars and lead the teams to greatness only to disappoint. What prospects do you remember and placed high hopes in?

 

 

Kings:

 

Bobby Hurley: Highly touted out of Duke but never became a star and then had a bad car accident.

 

Brian Grant: At the time he was in Sacramento I thought the Kings would contend because they had young guys I thought had potential and him especially. Now he is with Miami and a pretty good player.

 

Michael Smith: He was there at the same time as Grant and although he wasn't a high scorer he brought the intesity which made me a fan.

 

 

A's:

 

Brent Gates: When he came up I thought he would be a consistent 300 hitter, I was wrong.

 

Willie Adams: After a great start against the Indians I thought he would be great but it didn't turn out that way.

 

Ben Grieve: He played for the local A's farm club(Modesto A's) and after he was promoted they continued to update his minor league statistics as he moved up which were great. After a great rookie season he seeemed to lose it and now is in TB and nowhere near star level.

 

Steve Cox: Another guy who burned things up in Modesto but was traded to TB and is hitting well and could be their franchise hitter.

 

Tony Bautista: Was a prospect who the A's didn't give enough of a chance to and now is a great power hitter for the Orioles.

 

A.J. Hinch another guy who tore it up in Modesto and I believe was 3rd in the league in batting(Ramon Hernandez was 1st in the A's other single A Calfornia league affiliate). I thought him and Hernandez would both vie for the spot on the major league level in a few years which they did and Hinch lost and now I believe is in K.C. and not a good major league hitter while Hernadez is a good catcher but only a decent hitter.

[Guest Some Guy]

I think Grieve had a bad year and then was traded into a hopeless situation in Tampa. I remeber his rookie year all the baseball people raved about his "sweet swing", but as it has turned out his sweet swing has turned into a lot of Ks and double plays.

 

I had no idea that Bautista was in the A's system. That stance is retarded and has more holes that a tea strainer.

 

For the Red Sox:

There are too many "can't miss" prospects who flamed out quickly.

 

Brian Rose: He was touted as being one of the best young RHP prospects in the game. I think he won about 5 or 6 games over two years and then got shipped out to Colorado with John "way back" Wasdin adn Jeff Fry for Rolondo Arojo and Mike Lansing.

 

Aaron Sele was one who sucked as a Red Sox and then got good.

 

Those two guys Jeff bagwell and Curt Schilling were supposed to be good prospects for the Sox. But I have no idea what happened to them. They probably wash cars or flip burgers now.

 

I can't think of any more right now and I have to go to work, I'll come back with more later.

[Guest DrEvil]

TORONTO:

 

Maple Leafs - everyone... literally. The only home grown player of note we have is Kaberle, and he wasn't even a first rounder.

 

 

Blue Jays

 

John Olerud, had a breakthrough season and took the batting crown in a World Championship season. So of course what do you do with the reigning batting champion? If you answered completely overhaul his approach and style to get him away from his extraordinary natural abilities, then you might be a Jay coach, and deserve a kick in the nuts. I'm glad to see him doing well in Seattle.

 

Cil Campusano, before their rookie year, this guy was considered a superior prospect than Jose Canseco. I think he played about 20 games total.

 

 

Raptors

 

Marcus Camby, way too fragile during his stay here. Blossomed into a competent centre with New York.

[Guest MrRant]

Seattle:

 

 

BRIAN BOSWORTH

[Guest Army Eye]

The one I always remember is Brien Taylor. One of the most hyped #1 picks of all time. Ended up never even making the majors A shame. I would've at least liked to see him pitch.

[Guest bravesfan]

I'll mention some of the Brave's prospects:

 

Jermaine Dye, OF. I distinctly remember moving him because of Klesko playing RF, also to get a SS in Weiss. I'm happy he's doing great actually

 

Odalis Perez, SP. Ouch. Year after year plagued with injuries- ship him off to another team- BAM! He's their No. 1 starter and guaranteed All-Star this year. Ouch indeed.

 

Bruce Chen, SP. He pitched several gems for the Braves in '99, before dealing him for Ashby in Philly. Traded a few more times, now in Expos organization, I believe.

[Guest DragonflyKid]

Army Eye Posted on Jun 29 2002, 08:03 PM

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The one I always remember is Brien Taylor. One of the most hyped #1 picks of all time. Ended up never even making the majors A shame. I would've at least liked to see him pitch.

 

 

I remember getting his rookie card way back when when it was the most sought after card in the set.

About him never making the majors, I thought he was such a prospect out of high school that they put him directly onto the major league roster but he struggled so the sent him down and he never made it back up again. It was like he had the talent but sending him up so fast into a high-pressure environment ruined him, they should have let work he way through the minors instead of rushing him. He had potential but was too green for getting such a push.

 

 

I also left out Todd van Poppel when mentioning the A's prospects. He came up fast but struggled, went down and was recalled but never cut it so he was traded or releashed. I know he was rather successful last year for the Cubs as a reliever.

 

Bruce Chen, SP. He pitched several gems for the Braves in '99, before dealing him for Ashby in Philly. Traded a few more times, now in Expos organization, I believe.

 

I think he is with the Reds now, the A's played them not too long ago and roughed him up.

[Guest Spaceman Spiff]

Not a GB Packer fan, but Tony Mandarich has to be high on the list.

 

Dolphins: Yatil Green. Supposed to be the deep threat for Marino toward the end of Dan's career, but Green blew out a knee twice (not sure if it was the same one).

 

76ers: Shawn Bradley. I don't think I need to elaborate.

[Guest phoenixrising]

The one I remember most is Billy Ashley, who put up sick numbers in the Dodger farm system - like .300 with 30 homers and 100 RBI - and was supposed to be the home run hitter the Dodgers desperately needed, and was supposed to be their fourth or fifth straight Rookie of the Year.

 

When he got up, yes he could crush the ball, but his big swing equaled big strikeout totals. I think he lasted two years with LA, then went to Boston. Never panned out because he never mastered big league pitching.

[Guest DragonflyKid]

The Dodgers also had Paul Konerko who must have not met expectations when they called him up, because they gave up on him and now he is one of the premiere hitters in baseball for the White Sox.

 

 

Ruben Rivera was also a can-miss prospect in the Yankees chain and was actually a bigger prospect than Jeter was at the same time. Some called Rivera "The next Mickey Mantle" after putting up huge minor league numbers. He didn't impress when called up, was traded a few times and then releashed by the Yanks after stealing Derek Jeter's bat to sell to a sports memorabilia dealer for a few thousand dollars when he earns a million or so a year.

[Guest Some Guy]

The one I remember most is Billy Ashley, who put up sick numbers in the Dodger farm system - like .300 with 30 homers and 100 RBI - and was supposed to be the home run hitter the Dodgers desperately needed, and was supposed to be their fourth or fifth straight Rookie of the Year.

 

When he got up, yes he could crush the ball, but his big swing equaled big strikeout totals. I think he lasted two years with LA, then went to Boston. Never panned out because he never mastered big league pitching.

Ashley sucked here in Boston. I think he is about 6'6" or something and his swing was WAY too long to catch up to good fastballs. Tony Clark is suffering from the same thing this year. He didn't last a whole season here. Ashley was anotehr Rob Deer, Jack Clark, and any another big muscle head with no skills who the Sox have picked up over the years. He had a big first game and got over with the fans and then hit the shitter.

[Guest starvenger]

>Maple Leafs - everyone... literally. The only home grown player of note we have is Kaberle, and he wasn't even a first rounder.

 

Well, Borje Salming was a good pick, except he was on teams that sucked incredibly bad.

 

>Marcus Camby, way too fragile during his stay here. Blossomed into a competent centre with New York.

 

Competent, yet still very fragile. He's now in the graveyard for ex-Raptors (Denver). You could argue that Damon Stoudamire didn't pan out like they expected, but they expected way too much out of the guy.

 

For Memphis, Bryant Reeves. In the same draft year as Reeves and Stoudamire, Ed O'Bannon.

 

Football - Ryan Leaf. 'nuff said.

[Guest Vern Gagne]

David Klinger

 

Andre Ware

 

David Clyde

 

Todd Van Poppel

 

Len Bias-the Celtics didn't know he would die before he ever played, but they should of none he had such a bad drug problem.

[Guest gthureson]

Pretty much every Oiler first rounder between after Jeff Beukeboom until Jason Arnott. Then another dry patch where only Ryan Smyth was turned up.

 

Steve Kelly, Jason Bonsignore, Michael Riesen, lots of names like that.

 

They tore it up in junior, but couldn't do a damn thing at the the NHL level.

[Guest Spicy McHaggis]

Ki-Jana Carter, Bengals. At one time, AHEAD of Cory Dillon.

 

Elden Campbell, Lakers. Could have been phenominal but never found consistency.

 

Eddie Jones, Lakers. See above.

[Guest DrTom]

"Len Bias-the Celtics didn't know he would die before he ever played, but they should of none he had such a bad drug problem."

 

By all accounts, the time he OD'ed on cocaine was Bias' first experience with the drug. He was an idiot for "celebrating" his selection this way, but to say he had a bad drug problem is unfair.

 

As for prospects who never panned out...

 

Ben McDonald

Torey Lovullo

 

Brien Taylor didn't make the majors, IIRC, but badly injured his shoulder in a bar fight while pitching in the minors. He was never the same afterwards and was released by the Yankees.

[Guest ant_7000]

Ki-Jana Carter, Bengals. At one time, AHEAD of Cory Dillon.

 

Elden Campbell, Lakers. Could have been phenominal but never found consistency.

 

Eddie Jones, Lakers. See above.

Elden and Eddie are solid players so I wouldn't say they are busts.

 

Mine for me would be: Locally Chicago

Cade McNown or we like to call him Cade McNever

Curtis Enis he had a solid rookie season but got injured

Corey Benjamin had nice ups but that was it.

Alonzo Spellman

 

The Rest:

Robert Traylor alright backup

Travis Lee

Rick Mirer why does he still have a job

Ben Grieve

Joe Smith

[Guest RobJohnstone]

oh brien taylor. The million dollar arm. Living in the nyc metro area at the time, for about 2 months he got more press than mattingly. When you bring talent up from the minors at age 18, you almost never get a superstar, you get a mike morgan.

 

--Rob

[Guest Vern Gagne]

"By all accounts, the time he OD'ed on cocaine was Bias' first experience with the drug. He was an idiot for "celebrating" his selection this way, but to say he had a bad drug problem is unfair."

 

ESPN had a show last year and they said Bias had done coke numerous times before and was the one that brought the cocaine into the dorm room.

[Guest the pinjockey]

Blair Thomas- Taken 19 spots IIRC ahead of Emmitt

 

Jeff Jackson Phillies pick 4th overall 1990

 

Almost any Eagles 1st round pick in the early 90s especially under Rhodes. Jon Harris was a projected 3rd or 4th rounder and Rhodes takes him 22nd.

 

The Mets big Three Pulsipher, Paul Wilson, Izzy

 

Dave Neid

Taylor

 

I was just thinking about this the other day I was going though all of my baseball cards and I came across the "Top Prospect" cards and almost bust a gut laughing so hard.

[Guest DrTom]

"ESPN had a show last year and they said Bias had done coke numerous times before and was the one that brought the cocaine into the dorm room."

 

That contradicts every other report I've heard, then. He was an idiot either way, of course, though having watched him at Maryland, I can say it's a shame the NBA fans missed out on Bias.