Um, we ARE one of those teams who are “always within reach of making a run at the title.” How can you think otherwise? We just won a WFC, we’ve been in the playoff hunt for years… and our core is home grown. The truth is, the Phillies HAVE drafted quite well. A few busts, but every team has that. I’m not too worried. Our drafting habits are just fine, per previously stated WFC.

Basically it states that 90% of top 5 overall picks makes it to the majors, but only about 45-55% of picks 25 through 30 overall make it to the majors. The odds of the 80th pick overall making the majors is about 35%.

I’d love for another Cosart signing, but I’m worried that more and more teams are realizing the value of building through the draft and are paying overslot money to get the best players (David Price, Eric Hosmer, Pedro Alvarez) so less talent is being left to the big spenders than in previous years (Porcello to the Tigers, Joba to the Yankees, etc.)

Hopefully the Phillies will use the money saved from not having a 1st round pick and use it to sign overslot guys in the later rounds.

Another “Carrasco” type signning would be huge as well as a few of the”Cosart” type since we don’t have a 1st rounder.

Look at the late rounds of past drafts people. You’ll see mnay highly rated players who don’t sign in rounds 30+ who end up top round picks in 4 yrs.

Don’t mean to be combative with anyone here, I think we all agree the Phils have done well in the draft but now needs to identify a talent pool like the best drafting teams do.

I think some people worry too much on the loss of a 1st round talent. If we sign 1 or 2 top international players and net severallate big names out of highschool, maybe we actually have a good draft. We need to just wait and see. I remember years where we had a 1st round pick and didn’t do all that well, so by no means does having one insure us of a good draft.

YESSSIIRRRRRR…

Rebuilding is no fun… not even a little bit. Being competitive year after year without glory is amusing but unfulfilling and winning a championship is worth a dozen first-round picks. Winning a championship is what it’s all about and now that we’ve been there, I wouldn’t trade that experience for anything. Right now, the only thing that matters is winning another one.

It has brought a different energy level to this team and this city… it changes your perspective, doesn’t it? We were selling out games last season but there’s just something different in 2009. Your pride is elevated when you win a championship and I can’t wait to be a part of that again.

There’s been so much talent in the 1st round recently and the Phils need to make progress with the money picks and not be afraid to invest in prospects. Of course loosing 1st round picks hurt but the Phils have had their share of compensation picks but we need to start getting guys up to avoid the kind of payroll hitting stop-gaps we’ve seen too many of and it starts with Jason Donald.

Given the Phillies’ track record from the last few years (Burrell, Hamels, Floyd, Myers, Madson, Howard, Rollins, Utley, Cardenas, Donald, Taylor, Brown, Marson, D’Arnaud) I’d say that they’ve done an excellent job in the draft but losing a 1st round pick makes their job that much tougher.

It’s no coincidence the teams who tend to draft well are always within reach of making a run at the title. winning doesn’t mean you mail it in for a window, it means you stand up with the big boys and get ahead of the curve rather than hedging your bets.

I think more than this year that last years draftees will the most important. The Phils did a really good job of picking some guys up in the mid-rounds that could be part of this teams future.