[horseofcourse]

Totally And Utterly Fubar
June 7, 2008 · By Dennis Nosco
Overdraft - A player drafted a slot way too high for his ability compared to other, still available, players in a draft.

I want to preface this article by saying that:

a) I have never been trained as a professional baseball scout

b) I have never seen any of the guys who the Indians drafted today play

c) I have studied the draft for the last 20 years

d) I did extensive reading on the draft this year, as I have in most previous years

So, while I am not a food critic I know when eggs are rotten and as I said in my previous article, when a draft pick appears to stink, it usually does stink.

When the Indians slot came around in the first round of this year's draft I was feeling pretty good. Various mock drafts had us taking the likes of Josh Fields and Ryan Perry, two college relievers who had disappointing years to one degree or another this year. Additionally, ALL of the guys I was touting for our first round slot, Conor Gillaspie, Lance Lynn and Brett DeVall were available plus some other guys I was high on who were projected to go a lot earlier, high school pitchers Jake Odorizzi and Tim Melville, were still available. Great, we were going to get a good player at this selection.

Then it happened! The Indians selected Lonnie Chisenhall, shortstop from Pitt (NC) Community College, the 74th ranked player in the country...and did it with the 29th pick. Now, on the surface, Chisenhall is an intriguing prospect, good arm, good bat, some power. However, he isn't really a shortstop and probably won't hit enough to play third. He might be able to switch positions and play second base or left field but we don't know if could do either because he really hasn't. He is exactly the profile player you would want to select.....in the second round if you had the 76th overall selection the Indians had. He is hitting's equivalent to Jensen Lewis. A guy you know you will probably get something out of but probably not a lot and, like Lewis, Chisenhall should have been a late second round, high third round choice. Instead the Indians chose the guy in the first round, choosing a guy who will have to switch positions in the pros (remember Trevor Crowe's switch to second base?)....with MANY other good options available. This was such a surprise that Baseball America included the Indians' selection in the top 4 surprise picks of the first round.

Some people say that Chisenhall was rated 74th because of his past? What past, you ask? Well, seems that Mr. Chisenhall got kicked out of his first college, the University of South Carolina, after he and a teammate stole a significant amount of money and property from the baseball team. So the Indians, who are all about character, went out of their way to and drafted a convicted criminal with their top pick when other, probably way more talented players were available. That's right, apparently he was convicted (plead guilty) to larceny and burglary. Hey, I am not saying this guy is a hardened criminal but, with other available talents at least as good or better than Chisenhall, why would a team that favors character guys draft him? It seems like a contradiction in stated club philosophy and, of course, the pick was an

OVERDRAFT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!