Revisiting First Round Picks Overall

While looking at a list of first overall picks in the draft since it was established in 1965, it was interesting to see that seven position players up until the 1999 draft had not posted at least 1,000 at-bats and three pitchers hadn’t won 20 games in their career. With teams putting so much emphasis on promoting from within, this failure to perform after being chosen among thousands of athletes can be quite distressing to front office personnel.

In my upcoming posts for Seamheads, I will be examining these players. To be fair, I will analyze only the 1965 to 1999 players, totaling 35 first overall picks, because drafted players since then have either not reached the majors or made enough appearances to justify an analysis of their performances so far.

Complete List - First Overall Picks

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Career Leaders Among 1965-1999 First Overall Picks

Statistical Category	Leader
Wins	161 - Mike Moore
Losses	176 - Mike Moore
Innings Pitched	2,831.2 - Mike Moore
Earned Run Average**	3.91 - Ben McDonald
WHIP**	1.26 - Ben McDonald
Batting Average*	.307 - Chipper Jones
On-Base Average*	.403 - Chipper Jones
Slugging*	.578 - Alex Rodriguez
Home Runs	593 - Ken Griffey Jr.

*Min. 2,000 AB, **Min. 300 IP

Looking at this leader board and the list of first overall picks from 1965-99, only 10 were pitchers. Among position players, 7 were drafted as shortstops, 9 as outfielders and 4 as catchers, with Joe Mauer the first to be drafted that high since Danny Goodwin in 1975. Goodwin was picked first overall on two occasions (1971 and 1975).

1965 - Rick Monday, OF

Career Stats as a left-handed batter:

.264/.361/.443, 6136 AB, 1619 hits, 248 doubles, 64 triples, 241 home runs, 775 RBIs, 98 stolen bases, 91 caught stealing, 924 walks and 1513 Ks.

Against RHP: .273/.376/.466 - Against LHP: .237/.313/.373

Rankings among 35 first overall picks: 6th in AB, 6th in hit, 6th in runs scored, 1st in triple, 6th in HR, 8th in RBI, 9th in SB, second in CS, 4th in BB, 2nd in K, 13th in average, 7th in OBP, 11th in slugging and 8th in total bases.

As the first ever player drafted in Major League Baseball history, Rick Monday made his debut on September 3, 1966 and was a member of the Los Angeles Dodgers when they won the pennant in 1977-78, right after his finest season in the big leagues, when he hit 32 home runs and had 271 total bases for a .507 slugging average (the only time above .500 in 19 seasons). He ranked third in home runs in the the National League, but also ranked the same in the strikeouts category with 125.

His first hit, a double to right field, came against Baltimore great Jim Palmer, but the Kansas City Athletics, already down 2-1 in that game, would leave him stranded on the bases and eventually lose the game 6-1.

Of the 435 pitchers he faced during his playing days, he posted the most hits against three time Cy Young winner Tom Seaver (30 hits) and an impressive 1.297 OPS against him. Seaver was also the hurler that struck him out the most (29).

Three years and twelve days after he made his major league debut, the Arkansas native registered his best hitting streak, a 12-game affair during which he batted .366/.490/.561 with five of his fifteen hits going for extra-bases.

While he mostly patrolled center field (never committing more than 10 errors, with a career-high 148 played in 1973), he was not as fast or smart a runner on the bases, getting caught more time than he was successful stealing a base during 8 seasons of his career and never stole more than 17 in a year (1970). He was nonetheless used as a leadoff hitter for most of his career, but especially in 1973 and 1976 with the Chicago Cubs. In that ‘73 season, Chicago manger Whitey Lockman inserted him on top of the Chicago lineup in 114 games and Monday answered the call by producing a .891 OPS in that slot with 48 extra-base hits, 77 walks, for a presence on first base that just missed 39% of his at-bats.

He played his 1986 career games with three franchises: Athletics (KC - Oakland) 1966-71, Chicago Cubs 1972-1976 and the LA Dodgers 1977-84.

The player-turned-broadcaster was involved in two events that marked his career forever.

The Flag Incident (from El Paso Herald Post - April 26th, 1976 edition)

“It happened in the fourth inning (April 25th, 1976, Dodgers Stadium).

Monday had taken his position in center field as the Dodgers were coming to bat. Suddenly, a man and small boy leaped over the fence from the left field bleachers and ran out to the middle of the field. They unfurled an American flag on the ground, then took out five matches and a can of lighter fluid.

“I didn’t know what they were doing at first,” Monday said, “but then I saw the flag and the matches so I started running at them and grabbed the flag away. If he’s going to burn a flag, he better do it in front of somebody who doesn’t appreciate it. I’ve visited enough veterans hospitals and seen enough guys with their legs blown off defending the flag.” The message board flashed, “Monday, great play!” and soon everyone was on their feet cheering.”

Blue Monday (from Top Ten Expos moment on CBC.ca)

To Expos’ baseball fans, Oct. 19, 1981 will always be known as “Blue Monday.”

Led by stars like pitcher Steve Rogers, catcher Gary Carter and outfielder Andre Dawson, Montreal made its first, and only, appearance in baseball’s post-season in 1981. They got there by winning the second half of a strike-interrupted season and beating the Philadelphia Phillies in a playoff to take the division.

Montreal faced off against the Los Angeles Dodgers in a best-of-five series with the winner going to the World Series.

The Expos won the matchup’s first two games, leaving them three chances on their home turf at Olympic Stadium to wrap up the series.

But instead of folding, the Dodgers rallied to even the series at two games apiece. The decisive game was tied 1-1 in the ninth inning when Expos manager Jim Fanning went to the bullpen and asked Rogers, his ace starter, to pitch in relief on short rest. It was a decision Expos fans would regret.

With two outs, Dodgers journeyman outfielder Rick Monday launched a Rogers pitch over the wall for a game-winning homer.

The Dodgers would end up winning the World Series. The Expos never made the post-season again.