Summary of Recent Draft Failure (Baird)

Rany Jazayerli, M.D., an author of Baseball Prospectus, put together this great piece in February 2002 on the Royals inability to develop draft picks.

Jazayerli points to such blunders as Baird's firing of scouting director, Terry Wetzel, just weeks after the 2000 draft and replacing him with Deric Ladnier. He goes through just about every Royals prospect from the late 90's that promptly disappeared after being drafted. The 1998 and 1999 drafts were especially painful, considering the Royals had a combined ten draft picks in the first two rounds. All ten picks were used on pitchers:

Jeff Austin -- Matt Burch -- Chris George -- Robbie Morrison -- Brian Sanches -- Wes Obermueller -- Jimmy Gobble -- Mike MacDougal -- Jay Gehrke -- Kyle Snyder.