Tuesday, June 04, 2002
In draft, Reds weigh talent vs. payroll
Expect to take pitcher at No. 3
By Neil Schmidt, nschmidt@enquirer.com
The Cincinnati Enquirer
Tonight begins what appears to be one of the Reds' biggest series of the year. But first will come perhaps their biggest decision of the year.
As the team selects third overall in baseball's amateur draft this afternoon, it must weigh talent level against payroll level.
More to the point: Will it pay for top-tier talent? Can it avoid to lose a contract debate like last year?
“You always want to sign your picks,” Reds scouting director Kasey McKeon said. “We don't work this hard (scouting) all year not to do it.”
The one that got away is pitcher Jeremy Sowers, whom the Reds took with the 20th pick in the 2001 draft. The Louisville native had made known his intention to attend Vanderbilt, and the Reds couldn't talk him out of it and lost their rights to him.
“It was just one of those unfortunate things where they couldn't sign me,” Sowers said.
Reds officials have said they expect to select one of two high school pitchers with their top pick: left-hander Scott Kazmir or right-hander Chris Gruler. Picking this high, whomever the Reds choose will command a huge signing bonus.
Are there lessons to learn from the Sowers experience?
“I don't think so,” McKeon said. “We took a gamble, and it didn't work out. Some of those same gambles in the past have paid off. The year before, (David) Espinosa and (Dane) Sardinha dropped a bit in the draft because people thought they'd be tough to sign, but we signed them.”
Espinosa wasn't signed until Sept. 1 of that year. Even then, he and second-round pick Sardinha signed major-league contracts that put them on the 40-man roster.
Negotiations with Brandon Larson, Austin Kearns and Ty Howington, the previous three No. 1 picks, were also difficult. But the Reds signed them all in the end.
Last year, Sowers was asking for $3.5 million. The Reds offered $1.5 million.
Sowers' stepfather, Dr. Rob Campbell, had said that teams knew entering the draft that it would take “top-five money” to sign his stepson, because he could have gone that high if he was committed to starting pro baseball.
Sowers, who had a 3.9 GPA in high school, had clearly weighed the importance of his education.
“I have never for one second regretted coming to Vanderbilt,” he said. “Ultimately, it really wasn't about money (last year). Even if the Reds had laid down something eye-turning, it would have been extremely hard to say OK.”
Draftees who turn down teams for college aren't eligible for the draft for another three years. As compensation for losing Sowers' rights, Cincinnati gets an additional pick in this draft: No. 40 overall.
Last June, Sowers was ranked by Baseball America as the No. 1 high school left-hander in the country. The Reds thought they might have inroads in the fact he was a local prospect and that Campbell and wife Becky, Sowers' mother, grew up as Reds fans.
McKeon said the organization planned to have Sowers be around the team a lot to showcase the organization, but Sowers took trips to Cuba with the Junior USA National Team and to the Dominican Republic to visit Jose Rijo's baseball academy with other amateur standouts.
“What hurt us was he was gone a lot of the summer,” McKeon said.
The fact Sowers didn't sign left no ill will, Campbell said. Campbell stopped by the Reds' spring training camp this year and chatted with Reds general manager Jim Bowden.
Barry Larkin, a Reds second-round pick in 1982, walked away from the money only to be drafted again by the Reds after he played three years at the University of Michigan.
“I wouldn't trade my college experience for anything,” Larkin said. “When I got drafted the second time, I felt mentally I was ready to play. It was neat getting drafted by the same team. Maybe that can happen with this kid.”
Sowers went 6-5 with a 4.37 ERA this spring, which is a good mark playing for a team that finished 11th in the ultra-competitive Southeastern Conference.
His 101 innings pitched set a Vandy freshman record and his 85 strikeouts were third-most by a freshman in school history. His strikeout total ranked fourth in the SEC, and he led the conference SEC with 12 pickoffs.
A successful season in 2003 could mean the Reds aren't in position to take Sowers again in 2004.
“We'd love to have another chance to draft him,” McKeon said. “But you're hoping you're not picking in the top half of the draft.”
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In draft, Reds weigh talent vs. payroll
