1997 Major League Baseball expansion draft

Last updated

1997 Major League Baseball expansion draft
1997 MLB expansion draft logo.png
The logo for the 1997 MLB expansion draft
General information
SportBaseball
Date(s)November 18, 1997
LocationPhoenix Civic Center
Overview
70 total selections
First selection Tony Saunders (Tampa Bay Devil Rays)
←  1992

On November 18, 1997, Major League Baseball (MLB) held an expansion draft to allow two expansion teams, the Arizona Diamondbacks and the Tampa Bay Devil Rays, to build their rosters prior to debuting in the National League West and American League East divisions, respectively, in the 1998 MLB season. The draft took place in the Phoenix Civic Center in Phoenix, Arizona. [1]

Contents

Background

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1998 MLB Expansion Teams

Following the success of the 1993 expansion, which added the Colorado Rockies and Florida Marlins, MLB in 1994 set up an expansion committee to add two expansion teams. [2] Tampa Bay and Phoenix were chosen for the two expansion franchises. [3]

Procedures

Similar to the 1992 expansion draft, both expansion teams selected 35 players. [4] The draft was divided into three rounds. Each team would select 14 players in round 1, 14 players in round 2, and 7 players in round 3. Tampa Bay general manager Chuck LaMar and Arizona general manager Joe Garagiola Jr. oversaw their teams' selections.

The Devil Rays and Diamondbacks could pick any player not on the protected lists of the 28 other teams, although no team could lose more than one player in a given round. The protected list for each team consisted of:

As with the 1992 expansion draft, the order was determined by a coin toss. The winner of the toss could choose either: (a) The first overall pick in the expansion draft or (b) allow the other team to pick first and receive both the second and third overall expansion draft picks and the right to pick first in the subsequent rounds of the expansion draft. Arizona won the toss and chose to select second.

Results

The Devil Rays reportedly considered trading the player they were to select first. [6] They chose Tony Saunders from the Florida Marlins. [7]

Key
‡
 All-Star

Note, each noted All-Star player achieved that status in later season(s).

Jeff Suppan was the 2006 NLCS MVP. Jeff Suppan crop.jpg
Jeff Suppan was the 2006 NLCS MVP.
The Rays traded Bobby Abreu prior to the season for Kevin Stocker. Bobby Abreu in 2004.jpg
The Rays traded Bobby Abreu prior to the season for Kevin Stocker.
Miguel Cairo has played for 10 different Major League teams at 7 different positions (counting DH). MCairo.jpg
Miguel Cairo has played for 10 different Major League teams at 7 different positions (counting DH).
Dmitri Young was selected by the Devil Rays from the Reds, and then traded back to the Reds. Nationals 6.2.07 Dmitri Young.jpg
Dmitri Young was selected by the Devil Rays from the Reds, and then traded back to the Reds.
RoundPickPlayerPositionFromTo
11 Tony Saunders Left-handed pitcher Florida Marlins Tampa Bay Devil Rays
12 Brian Anderson Left-handed pitcher Cleveland Indians Arizona Diamondbacks
13 Jeff Suppan Right-handed pitcher Boston Red Sox Arizona Diamondbacks
14 Quinton McCracken Outfielder Colorado Rockies Tampa Bay Devil Rays
15 Gabe Alvarez Third baseman San Diego Padres Arizona Diamondbacks
16 Bobby Abreu ‡ Outfielder Houston Astros Tampa Bay Devil Rays
17 Jorge Fábregas Catcher Chicago White Sox Arizona Diamondbacks
18 Miguel Cairo Second baseman Chicago Cubs Tampa Bay Devil Rays
19 Karim García Outfielder Los Angeles Dodgers Arizona Diamondbacks
110 Rich Butler Outfielder Toronto Blue Jays Tampa Bay Devil Rays
111 Edwin Díaz Infielder Texas Rangers Arizona Diamondbacks
112 Bob Smith Third baseman Atlanta Braves Tampa Bay Devil Rays
113 Cory Lidle Right-handed pitcher New York Mets Arizona Diamondbacks
114 Jason Johnson Right-handed pitcher Pittsburgh Pirates Tampa Bay Devil Rays
115 Joel Adamson Left-handed pitcher Milwaukee Brewers Arizona Diamondbacks
116 Dmitri Young ‡ First baseman Cincinnati Reds Tampa Bay Devil Rays
117 Ben Ford Right-handed pitcher New York Yankees Arizona Diamondbacks
118 Esteban Yan Right-handed pitcher Baltimore Orioles Tampa Bay Devil Rays
119 Yamil Benitez Outfielder Kansas City Royals Arizona Diamondbacks
120 Mike DiFelice Catcher St. Louis Cardinals Tampa Bay Devil Rays
121 Neil Weber Left-handed pitcher Montreal Expos Arizona Diamondbacks
122 Bubba Trammell Outfielder Detroit Tigers Tampa Bay Devil Rays
123 Jason Boyd Right-handed pitcher Philadelphia Phillies Arizona Diamondbacks
124 Andy Sheets Infielder Seattle Mariners Tampa Bay Devil Rays
125 Brent Brede Outfielder Minnesota Twins Arizona Diamondbacks
126 Dennis Springer Right-handed pitcher Anaheim Angels Tampa Bay Devil Rays
127 Tony Batista ‡ Infielder Oakland Athletics Arizona Diamondbacks
128 Dan Carlson Right-handed pitcher San Francisco Giants Tampa Bay Devil Rays
229 Tom Martin Left-handed pitcher Houston Astros Arizona Diamondbacks
230 Brian Boehringer Right-handed pitcher New York Yankees Tampa Bay Devil Rays
231 Omar Daal Left-handed pitcher Toronto Blue Jays Arizona Diamondbacks
232 Mike Duvall Left-handed pitcher Florida Marlins Tampa Bay Devil Rays
233 Scott Winchester Right-handed pitcher Cincinnati Reds Arizona Diamondbacks
234 John LeRoy Right-handed pitcher Atlanta Braves Tampa Bay Devil Rays
235 Clint Sodowsky Right-handed pitcher Pittsburgh Pirates Arizona Diamondbacks
236 Jim Mecir Right-handed pitcher Boston Red Sox Tampa Bay Devil Rays
237 Danny Klassen Infielder Milwaukee Brewers Arizona Diamondbacks
238 Bryan Rekar Right-handed pitcher Colorado Rockies Tampa Bay Devil Rays
239 Matt Drews Right-handed pitcher Detroit Tigers Arizona Diamondbacks
240 Rick Gorecki Right-handed pitcher Los Angeles Dodgers Tampa Bay Devil Rays
241 Todd Erdos Right-handed pitcher San Diego Padres Arizona Diamondbacks
242 Ramón Tatís Left-handed pitcher Chicago Cubs Tampa Bay Devil Rays
243 Chris Clemons Right-handed pitcher Chicago White Sox Arizona Diamondbacks
244 Kerry Robinson Outfielder St. Louis Cardinals Tampa Bay Devil Rays
245 David Dellucci Outfielder Baltimore Orioles Arizona Diamondbacks
246 Steve Cox First baseman Oakland Athletics Tampa Bay Devil Rays
247 Damian Miller ‡ Catcher Minnesota Twins Arizona Diamondbacks
248 Albie Lopez Right-handed pitcher Cleveland Indians Tampa Bay Devil Rays
249 Héctor Carrasco Right-handed pitcher Kansas City Royals Arizona Diamondbacks
250 José Paniagua Right-handed pitcher Montreal Expos Tampa Bay Devil Rays
251 Hanley Frias Shortstop Texas Rangers Arizona Diamondbacks
252 Carlos Mendoza Outfielder New York Mets Tampa Bay Devil Rays
253 Bob Wolcott Right-handed pitcher Seattle Mariners Arizona Diamondbacks
254 Ryan Karp Left-handed pitcher Philadelphia Phillies Tampa Bay Devil Rays
255 Mike Bell Third baseman Anaheim Angels Arizona Diamondbacks
256 Santos Hernández Right-handed pitcher San Francisco Giants Tampa Bay Devil Rays
357 Joe Randa Third baseman Pittsburgh Pirates Arizona Diamondbacks
358 Randy Winn ‡ Outfielder Florida Marlins Tampa Bay Devil Rays
359Jesús Martínez Left-handed pitcher Los Angeles Dodgers Arizona Diamondbacks
360 Terrell Wade Left-handed pitcher Atlanta Braves Tampa Bay Devil Rays
361 Russ Springer Right-handed pitcher Houston Astros Arizona Diamondbacks
362 Aaron Ledesma Infielder Baltimore Orioles Tampa Bay Devil Rays
363 Bryan Corey Right-handed pitcher Detroit Tigers Arizona Diamondbacks
364 Brooks Kieschnick Outfielder Chicago Cubs Tampa Bay Devil Rays
365 Kelly Stinnett Catcher Milwaukee Brewers Arizona Diamondbacks
366Luke Wilcox Outfielder New York Yankees Tampa Bay Devil Rays
367 Chuck McElroy Left-handed pitcher Chicago White Sox Arizona Diamondbacks
368 Herbert Perry Infielder Cleveland Indians Tampa Bay Devil Rays
369 Marty Janzen Right-handed pitcher Toronto Blue Jays Arizona Diamondbacks
370 Vaughn Eshelman Left-handed pitcher Oakland Athletics Tampa Bay Devil Rays

Post-draft trades

The Rays purchased Tampa native Fred McGriff from the Atlanta Braves after the draft. Fred McGriff.jpg
The Rays purchased Tampa native Fred McGriff from the Atlanta Braves after the draft.

Once the draft was completed a number of trades were made. Teams had to wait until after the draft or risk losing their newly acquired players because they were not on their protected lists. [7]

Aftermath

The Diamondbacks intended to spend money. The day prior to the expansion draft, they signed Jay Bell to a $34 million contract across five years. [8] Two weeks following the draft, the Diamondbacks traded Fryman and Martin to the Indians for Matt Williams. [9]

The Devil Rays and Diamondbacks had differing results in their first years in MLB. Both teams altered their initial plans of developing youth; the Devil Rays acquired future Hall of Famer Wade Boggs and pitcher Wilson Alvarez along with sluggers Jose Canseco, Vinny Castilla, and Greg Vaughn while the Diamondbacks added Randy Johnson, Curt Schilling, Luis Gonzalez, Todd Stottlemyre, Steve Finley, Armando Reynoso, Greg Swindell, Tony Womack, Mark Grace, Reggie Sanders, Craig Counsell and Greg Colbrunn. [10]

While the Devil Rays consistently finished last in the AL East for the next decade, the Diamondbacks won the NL West title in 1999, 2001, and 2002, and won the 2001 World Series. [10]

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References

  1. ↑ "Expansion teams draft prospects then get caught up in trade winds". The Washington Times . November 19, 1997. Retrieved October 19, 2011.
  2. ↑ Justice, Richard (March 3, 1994). "Baseball eyes addition of its 29th, 30th teams". The Washington Post . p. D1. Retrieved October 19, 2011.
  3. ↑ Lipton, Eric; Maske, Mark (March 10, 1995). "Virginia gets no promise - Locals eye existing teams - Tampa, Phoenix get new ones". The Washington Post. p. F1. Retrieved October 19, 2011.
  4. 1 2 3 Topkin, Marc (November 16, 1996). "Expansion team feels another draft coming Series: DEVIL RAYS REPORT; COUNTDOWN to OPENING DAY: 505 days". Pqasb.pqarchiver.com. Retrieved October 19, 2011.
  5. ↑ "NowHitting".
  6. ↑ Beaton, Rod (November 18, 1997). "Devil Rays weighing offers for first choice in the draft". USA Today . p. 2C. Retrieved October 19, 2011.
  7. 1 2 Diaz, George (November 19, 1997). "DEVIL RAYS GRAB MCGRIFF, SAUNDERS TAMPA BAY TRADED FOR ATLANTA'S FRED MCGRIFF AND TOOK FLORIDA'S TONY SAUNDERS WITH ITS TOP PICK". Orlando Sentinel. p. C1. Retrieved October 19, 2011.
  8. ↑ Chass, Murray (November 18, 1997). "BASEBALL EXPANSION DRAFT; Arizona Gives Bell $34 Million For 5 Years". The New York Times.
  9. ↑ Kepner, Tyler (October 29, 2001). "World Series; Williams Ends Boos With Just One Swing". The New York Times. Retrieved October 27, 2011.
  10. 1 2 Chass, Murray (October 26, 2001). "WORLD SERIES PREVIEW; Arizona, Tampa Bay: One Is Up, The Other..." The New York Times. Retrieved October 27, 2011.
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