Draft talk

Interesting article about the 2004 draft and how Brian Bixler and Neil Walker are the last remaining proscpects from that draft that are still worth talking about. Here's what I took from it....

From 2004's 30 first-rounders:

~Walker is one of 11 position players taken, and is the third best (based on progress through pro ball thusfar) behind only Arizona's Stephen Drew and KC's Billy Butler (both of whom the Bucs passed on).

~19 pitchers taken that round, six of whom are already starting at MLB level (including Jered Weaver, taken right after Walker), with two more on the way soon (Phil Humber and Homer Bailey)

So that's 11 out of 30 2004 first round picks who will be on a 25 man roster by Opening day 2008. Sounds about right.

The Pirates drafted 50 players that year (usual), signed half of them (27 - again, about average), and 13 of them are still in the organization. So the Pirates are as good at drafting players worth being in pro ball as the league is at producing first-round talent.

Hmm.