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Wednesday, June 17, 2009

Pittsburgh Post-Gazette/Kovacevic: Parallels with Mauer, Sanchez?

John Russell was manager for Minnesota’s Class AAA affiliate in 2001, the year the Twins drew voluminous criticism for drafting a hometown catcher with the No. 1 overall pick in the first-year-player draft.

Kid named Joe Mauer.

Same kid batting .429 after an eye-popping 4-for-4 display against the Pirates last night, raising a .326 career mark that trails only Rod Carew’s .344 in Minnesota’s franchise history among players with 2,000 plate appearances. Kirby Puckett’s .318 is third.

“Not a bad pick, huh?” Russell said with a laugh.

Sure seemed that way to many at the time. Pitcher Mark Prior was the consensus top talent, but he and agent Scott Boras had set a new bar for his bonus—he wound up with a record $10.5 million—and the Twins signed Mauer for $5.15 million, less than half.

Baseball-Birthdays.com Posted: June 17, 2009 at 09:13 AM | 8 comment(s) | Login to Bookmark
Related News: Minnesota, Pittsburgh

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1. joker24 Posted: June 17, 2009 at 11:09 AM (#3221934)

I like how Boras gets attached to any player who gets a big contract/holdout whether they are actually Boras clients or not.

2. Arva Posted: June 17, 2009 at 11:14 AM (#3221936)

Not really comparable. Mauer was considered a great prospect, just not as good as Prior. Sanchez is not considered a great prospect, though contrary to here, he is a good one. Just not fourth overall quality.

3. MSalfino Posted: June 17, 2009 at 11:38 AM (#3221949)

No.

4. The Pequod Posted: June 17, 2009 at 12:31 PM (#3221999)

Logic FAIL.

5. Ball Point Pen Guy (Will Young) Posted: June 17, 2009 at 12:42 PM (#3222014)

Mauer has actually raised his batting average this month.

6. Shooty: Applying to be Fearless Leader

Posted: June 17, 2009 at 12:42 PM (#3222015)

the year the Twins drew voluminous criticism for drafting a hometown catcher with the No. 1 overall pick in the first-year-player draft.

It wasn't voluminous. I think most people understood why they did it and Joe Mauer was a great prospect. And who knows, maybe as a Twin, Mark Prior really would have been the next Tom Seaver.

7. Hurdle's Heroes (SuperBaes) Posted: June 17, 2009 at 03:29 PM (#3222267)

And who knows, maybe <strike>as a Twin</strike> without Dusty Baker, Mark Prior really would have been the next Tom Seaver.

Fixed.

And I like the Sanchez pick. It's acceptable to take the safe, easy-to-sign, inexpensive guy at #4 when there's not much perceived talent difference in the next 10 or so picks. Not when you (cough, BRYAN BULLINGTON) do it at #1 overall.

8. Eric P. Posted: June 17, 2009 at 06:59 PM (#3222609)

And I like the Sanchez pick. It's acceptable to take the safe, easy-to-sign, inexpensive guy at #4 when there's not much perceived talent difference in the next 10 or so picks.

Sure, if the guy you take is perceived to be of or at least near the talent of those ten picks. That's not the case with Sanchez.

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Wednesday, June 17, 2009

Pittsburgh Post-Gazette/Kovacevic: Parallels with Mauer, Sanchez?

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