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The Moneyball draft class of 2002

Sporting News, The, May 6, 2005 by Tom Gatto

A's G.M. Billy Beane had seven of the first 39 picks in the 2002 draft. Six of those picks were compensation for losing Jason Giambi, Johnny Damon and Jason Isringhausen as free agents in '01. Beane's '02 draft remains a hot topic in baseball circles because it was chronicled in Michael Lewis' book, Moneyball.

RF Nick Swisher

Swisher embodies the Moneyball draft philosophy--e was a highly productive college player (Ohio State) with good plate discipline. He also was relatively easy to sign. Swisher was the 16th overall pick, part of the compensation for losing Damon to the Red Sox. How is that plate discipline working for Swisher now that he's with the As? He had two walks and 20 strikeouts in his first 64 plate appearances.

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RHP Joe Blanton. He was selected 24th overall with one of the two compensatory picks received for Giambi signing with the Yankees. Blanton, who pitched at Kentucky, reached the majors last September, then won a spot in the A's revamped rotation this spring. He had a 2.04 ERA but an 0-1 record after three starts; the offense scored just four runs for him.

3B Mark Teahen. With the second compensatory pick for Damon (39th overall), the A's took Teahen, who played at Saint Mary's (Calif.). He was part of the three-team trade last summer that sent Teahen to the Royals, Carlos Beltran to the Astros and Octavio Dotel to the As. Teahen started the season in K.C. but went on the D.L. after five games because of a back strain.

C Jeremy Brown. Many thought Beane wasted a high pick--the 35th overall--on Brown; He had a career .337 average at Alabama, but the general perception was he lacked size and major league tools. Brown (5'10, 210) is playing at Class AA Midland and is behind John Baker, a fourth-round pick in '02, as the eventual successor to Jason Kendall in Oakland.

SS John McCurdy, RHPs Ben Fritz and Steve Obenchain. These three are the furthest from the majors. Fritz (30th pick, Fresno State) and Obenchain (37th, Evansville) became the compensation for Isringhausen; they are teammates at Midland. McCurdy (26th, Maryland) was taken with the A's original first-round pick and now is at Class A Stockton.

The Moneyball draft class of 2002

Sporting News, The, May 6, 2005 by Tom Gatto

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