13
2013
NY Post: Tampa Bay’s Playbook On Building Through The Draft
An article by 
A must-read article by Kevin Kernan of the NY Post, he speaks with Andrew Friedman, the Executive VP of Baseball Operations of the Tampa Bay Rays, who knows a thing or two about building from within and investing in the draft.
“The one thing about young players is that they have tremendous upside but they also have tremendous downside. There is far from certainty from these players. For us, it’s our only way of doing business. It’s not a choice. It’s a survival mechanism.’’
“We look at each guy independently,’’ Friedman said. “We factor in our trainer’s information, our pitching coach’s information, the repertoire, the number of pitchers per inning and for each guy we come up with an individualized plan with the idea of building them up to 200 innings consistently year after year.”
Kernan also quotes 2007 number one draft pick David Price who adds:
“The Rays have such a unique style. When they sat me down the first day I came to spring training, they told me, ‘You are going to do, this, this and this over the next two years and then we’ll see you in the big leagues,’ and that’s what they did. After I came up in 2008 and pitched in the postseason in the bullpen they told me, ‘You are going back to Triple-A next year.’
Fascinating read by one of the more insightful and thoughtful writers covering the New York Mets. Honestly, I never miss one of Kevin’s articles and I can’t say that about many other writers covering the Mets. Read the full article here to get the entire context of those quotes, which is well worth reading as the Mets try and do their own kind of rebuilding.
Pay attention Mr. DePodesta…
And with the eleventh pick of the 2013 First Year Player Draft, the New York Mets select….
About the Author: Joe DeCaro
I'm a lifelong Mets fan who loves writing and talking about the Amazins' 24/7. From the Miracle in 1969 to the magic of 1986, and even the near misses in '73 and '00, I've experienced it all - the highs and the lows. I started Mets Merized Online in 2005 to feed my addiction. Follow me on Twitter @metsmerized.
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The Rays also have the BEST people in charge of the draft and developing unlike us who have a guy with no claim to fame and one of the poorest draft records in the industry. We need to DePort DePo and import someone better equipped to run our operation.
THIS^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
You don’t think 10 consecutive years with a top 10 Overall pick has more to do with that than thier staff does?
Fun fact, over the past 5 June drafts ( since 2008) the Rays have graduated zero players to the majors. The Mets over the same span have graduated 4 players (Ike, Nieuwenhuis, Harvey and Edgin).
So with all due respect to the Rays and their front office, it’s not as if their recent draft record is anything special.
Hmmm…building through the draft. Now there’s a novel approach…..
Andrew Friedman seems to be impressed with the Mets current business model:
The Mets have a tremendous amount of young talent,’’ Friedman told The Post yesterday. “I think those guys have done a tremendous job of acquiring some high-end young players that they can grow with, and I think that [front office] is extremely good at supplementing around those guys and also having enough good young depth.
A terrific article. I think the point is makes which is often overlooking is that drafting young talent is only one piece of the equation: developing it is the other. The Rays have a plan for each individual. To me, I do not believe the Mets paid much attention to this idea the last couple of decades. Cashen’s success with the Mets came from the fact that he brought over a model from Baltimore which was successful at developing major league players. I think we can say the best group of home grown players in Met history came from that era (not only Doc and Straw but the likes of Lenny, Mitch, Aggy, Tapani, etc..).
Hopefully the changes that the FO is implementing in the farm system will have a positive effect. We can see how they slow down the progression of certain players so as not to rush them to the big leagues. This was something not done before. Of course, the 30-35 IP per year is a rather recent belief in baseball so really cant be compared to years past although I would venture to say Wilson and Pulshipher might have fared better if they followed this model.
i am pretty confident in saying that Tony Bernazard did not follow the approch Friedman laid out.
the other team that obviously has development down to a science is Atlanta. They continually crank out young players, without having had 31-3 draft picks like TB and Washington used to get some high-end talent.
Good article but not sure i agree with your assertion of Gooden, Straw and company being an example of good development. These two plus the others were extremely talernted but fell short in the character develpment and ultimately had good but not great careers. Some of that was due to being rushed by the organization. There Mets ability to draft them them was purely due the the team having high picks due to their poor performance. It is no surprise that the Rays don’t have any longorias or Prices on the way given they don’t draft 1st anymore. It is certainly a combo of drafting the right guy and developing them but where you draft has a lot more to do with getting a Steven Strassburg or David Price vs. a Mike Pelprey.
True at the top end. But what about the Matt Latos? Albert Pujols? Hell even McCtuchen at the heralded 11th pick.
And the guys I mentioned werent all high picks outside of Doc and Straw. There was a wealth of talent that came to the majors under Cashen (albeit some was traded). Regardless, he was able to get guys to the major league level, something the Mets have done a poor job of the last couple decades.
By the way, the drafting and developing of players is becoming even more important since the FA pools are drying up. Look at all the players who signed extensions before they hit FA in the last couple years. Guys like Wright, Votto, Hamels, and Cain will not see FA when they were expected. Now there is talk that Cano is in negotiations with the Yankees on an extension. Suddenly the FA pool’s talent is diminished. Impact players are going to have to come from elsewhere.
If you want to learn about Tampa Bay’s history – I suggest a book by Jonah Keri titled “The Extra 2%” It’s a great read
yeah, let’s forget how they sucked for about 10 years before all those high draft picks became good…. It’s cool, 6 more years to go right? SMH
Actually, they got new ownership and FO after the 2005 season. But hey, when do facts get in the way?
2006 they won 61 games, the draft gave them Evan Longoria
2007 they won 66 games, the draft gave them Price
yeah, no. don’t let the facts get in the way right???
That is 2 years, not 10. In case you didn’t know, 2 is less than 10.
Alex, I’m telling you man. Read that book. It will give you a different view of their franchise other than being terrible and drafting high.
When Tampa made it to the World Series, David Price was a mid September call up.
You’re right though, Longoria, Upton, and Crawford were early picks. But there was way more to that pennant winning team than those 3 players
they acquired Dionar Navarro via trade
they signed Carlos Pena as a free agent
they purchased Iwamura from Japan
They traded for Bartlett when they sent Delmon Young packing
In that same deal they acquired Matt Garza
They acquired Zobrist from Houston for Aubrey Huff
James shields was a 16th rounder
They acquired Edwin Jackson from LAD
They signed Percival
They acquired JP Howell via trade from KC
I would give anything to have the Rays entire current brain trust (arguably best in baseball) and owner (who grew up a Mets fan and might still have season tickets).
I agree – they seem the most open to different ideas and a lot of it is shown with their support of Maddon. You know if Maddon were our manager, fans would have wanted him fired for some of the things he tries over there. But he’s the best manager in the game in my book.
Interesting thing from that article is that the Rays have an individual plan for every prospect and NOT a one size fits all philosophy like we seem to have.
Whenever the Mets discuss prospects and development, they never forget to mention it in the context of their organizational philosophy that clearly does not work for for every player.
So, the fact that everyone involved with player development says it doesn’t work like that and the fact that players do seem to be going at their own pace does nothing to make you think this “philosophy” isn’t what you claim it is?
“So, the fact that everyone involved with player development says it doesn’t work like”
Show a link where a Mets source with player development showed that dissenting point of view.
“the fact that players do seem to be going at their own pace”
How do YOU know that? How can that last statement be anything other than just your opinion?
Show me a source of someone in player development saying that there is a one size fits all approach.
You answer my question first. That’s how it works and if you are going to play games the readership will see it, jackass.
Alderson has referred to his organizational philosophy many times and once when addressing Valdespin on TV said “That’s not how we do things around here” regarding his approach.
Answer the question.
Actually, you and K MAxx and others have asserted such a philosophy exists while never actually proving it.
I find it funny you demanding proof of someone when I’ve asked you multiple times to back up your assertions only to be met with insults and hand waving.
“Alderson has referred to his organizational philosophy many times and once when addressing Valdespin on TV said “That’s not how we do things around here” regarding his approach. ”
Linky? No, you don’t have one. Even if there is one, it is beyond you to provide it. I expect some other fraud to come in with a tangentially related video and screaming “AHA!” at something that doesn’t prove you right. But, you won’t actually do the work.There is a difference between an organizational philosophy and a one size fits all approach.
There is a difference between “We stress this quality in our organization” and “everyone must be this exact type of player”.
“Answer the question.”
MNJ already did.
Just answer my question. You ducked it simple as that. Those were your opinions you tried to pass off as fact.
ANSWER THE QUESTION.
Look at the link MNJ posted
“Yesterday, we wrapped up two days of meetings in Port St. Lucie where we went over organizational philosophy and how to implement it throughout the major and minor leagues”
http://metsblog.com/metsblog/e-mail-from-sandy-alderson-about-organizational-philosophy/
organizational philosophy/one size fits all. Normal people know what we are talking about. On the other hand you’re a slime ball who sucks just like your significant other jessep. You’re a slime ball who uses the strength of the internet to twist words, take out of context, play word games, etc. People like you get shot down in 2 seconds in real life/real time.
Another subject that is now DONE. The jackass refused to answer the question because he tried to pass of his opinions as facts and can not provide any links to support these 2 comments.
Here’s my original comment:
Bayonne Mets Fan February 13, 2013 at 10:47 am
“So, the fact that everyone involved with player development says it doesn’t work like that”
Show a link where a Mets source with player development showed that dissenting point of view.
“the fact that players do seem to be going at their own pace”
How do YOU know that? How can that last statement be anything other than just your opinion?
This jackass parrot made those 2 comments, I asked him to back them up.
And he cannot.
This thread is now done. Kudos to Bayonne, again.
Well, despite your nasty insults, I’ll say this:
I already addressed the fact that an organizational philosophy and a one size fits all approach are 2 different things. Yes, a philosophy can turn into a one size fits all approach, but they are not the same thing.
So, congrats to you for just reiterating what I’ve said.
Those damn Moneyballin’s Rays.
Good read. Have to give Friedman credit in what they have done to survive and be competitive down in Tampa. DePodesta shares the same mindset as well and in an interview he did with Prsopectus said the following,
“Organizational consistency is an important element of success. However, you have to maintain enough flexibility to create individual plans for each player. We can’t be so rigid that we can’t accept success if it comes in a different form, but there are typically common foundations to success.”
http://www.baseballprospectus.com/chat/chat.php?chatId=915
well, there is the smoking gun. I expect we will now be seeing Donal get the apology he deserves.
If Tampa could only move to Puerto Rico, they would clean up.
Wow. That is an amazing idea. I mean, at the least, they would consistently draw more fans.
I agree with Tampa’s approach considering their budget.
There are not enough fans at games to make worrying over Maddon’s job relevant.
Until Tampa leaves the distant planet of St. Petersburg/gets new stadium new revenue will not appear and the Mayor of St. Pete is against helping in this regard.
With all of their success Tampa still does not have a “legacy” to say this is what we are like going forward though.
Is making the playoffs, World Series once, enough for Met fans considering how long the current “philosophy” will take.
Until I see this FO actually get aggressive in FA/Trade mkt then I will not heap kudos on the “philosophy” going forward.
You can’t win with just draft picks/prospects coming to majors, you need veteran leadership and an essential piece here and there.
The guy s jerk