Irate Musings - First Round Mess

Pitching wins championships. Hitting apparently gets your team over .500. Seasons with Kevin Young, Adam Hyzdu, Tike Redman, Matt Stairs, Mark Johnson, Abraham Nunez, Craig Wilson, Chris Stynes, Daryle Ward, Tim Laker, Chance Sanford, Doug Strange, Turner Ward, and Emil Brown gets your team high draft picks. This is who the Pirates selected in the First Round:

1994: Mark Farris, SS (11); Left organization in 1998 to play QB at Texas A&M (Pitt beat him in 2002)
1995: Chad Hermansen, SS (10); Traded to Cubs for Darren Lewis (retired day of Trade) 2002
1996: Kris Benson, RHP (1); IR Baltimore, Ty Willingham, Jose Bautista, Matt Peterson 2004
1997: J.J. Davis, OF (6); traded for Antonio Sucre 2004
1998: Clint Johnston, LHP (15) See Below
1999: Bobby Bradley, RHP (8) See Below
2000: Sean Burnett, LHP (19); AAA
2001: John Van Benschoten, RHP (8); AAA
2002: Bryan Bullington, RHP (1); AAA
2003: Paul Maholm, LHP (8); Current Roster
2004: Neil Walker, C (11); AA
2005: Andrew McCutchen, OF (11); AA
2006: Brad Lincoln, RHP (4); AA, Injured

J. J. Davis made my original list of losers then I remembered he was a former No. 1 pick. At least he made it to the show. Clint Johnston was not so lucky. Drafted as a Pitcher from Vanderbilt he was never able to muster up a winning record in the Minors (A) so he shifted his abilities to OF where he eventually fizzled out of baseball in 2005 never getting to AAA.
On that list, the Pirates current downfall can be pinpointed with the start of the 1999 draft. Drafted overall number 8, Bobby Bradley could have been the Pirates No. 1 starter this year and be completely dominate, but he is not. Bradley was drafted out of high school with a 12-1 record, 156 K's and a 0.38 ERA. Very impressive but high school competition is not a trustworthy stick measurement(Michel Therrien reference). His success continued in A, walking 4 and 31 K's. It was 2001 when the impressive curveball which guaranteed him success in the majors literally shredded his elbow. Fast forward 2005, he was diagnosed with a compressed nerve overcompensating other injuries and was released for Zach Duke on the 40 man roster.
This was the start...2000, 2001, 2002, and 2006 the story remains the same. However these picks are still on the team, they have all suffered arm trouble.
Now that Burnette, JVB, and Bullington are in AAA and Tony Aramas, Jr. stinking up the joint it is now time for the organization to hold their breathe with these guys and systematically start them in the majors. They should ride whomever gets hot until they blow out their arms for good and get some return . Only the strong will survive and let's face it. There is only one spot open, we have 3 young band-aid arms, and they have to prove their durability some time. By playing them in a systematic approach, we will able to limit their exposure to other teams, get them experience, limit their innings or rotation appearances and build this franchise around pitching.
The downfall is all three of them get hurt, but if just one succeeds then this team is better for it. Even if they do get hurt, they were going to get hurt anyway. They were already damaged goods. And there are too many for them to play (excellent planning ) if they succeed, they become trade bait or the nucleus of a staff. Just play them!!

With 4 games under .500, it's more interesting to watch young guys make it or literally break it. And it's 10,000 times better than watching freaking Tony Aramas, Jr. go 2 innings every 5 nights!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!