Post by ericmvan on Jun 8, 2016 14:09:31 GMT -5
This is as good a place as any to report that the latest issue of BA has an article previewing their forthcoming "Ultimate Draft Book," which will go to press immediately after this year's signing deadline.
I had thought that this would simply be a (two years overdue) 50th-year update of their classic The Baseball Draft: The First 25 Years. It's more:
-- All the data in that book and the two subsequent Draft Almanacs has been double-checked, and many errors and omissions fixed.
-- Editor Allan Simpson has laboriously researched bonus information: the book has every first-round pick, top 25 bonuses of every draft, top bonus in every round, "every significant bonus in draft history."
-- Their previous books did not indicate which players were draft-and-follows. Not only have they identified those now, they've included the JuCo schools played at in the intervening year.
For those who have not seen the original book, returning features include tons of bios on draft picks and their fates, ranging from brief boxes to full-page (including virtually all of the notorious busts and tragedies, e.g. a full page on Bill Bordley ... yup, you probably have to look him up), lists of everyone who became well-known for something else (the Yankees picked Kenny Stabler in 1966's round 10), and data showing which picks signed, which made MLB and length of career, and where top picks peaked (the latter just for the first round originally; they may well have expanded it). I'm guessing / hoping that WAR of some sort will be included alongside the number of games for each MLB player.
I assume that they will still have the other basic features: a long overview of each draft, a hindsight draft order (presumably revised with WAR knowledge), lists of players who were relatives of MLB players or other athletes, and various other superlatives / lists (Best and Worst Draft, First to Reach MLB, Fastest Start, Biggest Bust, best non-drafted free agents, etc.).
I've been dreaming for an update of the original book for a long time now; that editor Allan Simpson seems to have continued working to make it better for the last 25 years is the best possible news.
Free shipping if you pre-order now at their store.
I had thought that this would simply be a (two years overdue) 50th-year update of their classic The Baseball Draft: The First 25 Years. It's more:
-- All the data in that book and the two subsequent Draft Almanacs has been double-checked, and many errors and omissions fixed.
-- Editor Allan Simpson has laboriously researched bonus information: the book has every first-round pick, top 25 bonuses of every draft, top bonus in every round, "every significant bonus in draft history."
-- Their previous books did not indicate which players were draft-and-follows. Not only have they identified those now, they've included the JuCo schools played at in the intervening year.
For those who have not seen the original book, returning features include tons of bios on draft picks and their fates, ranging from brief boxes to full-page (including virtually all of the notorious busts and tragedies, e.g. a full page on Bill Bordley ... yup, you probably have to look him up), lists of everyone who became well-known for something else (the Yankees picked Kenny Stabler in 1966's round 10), and data showing which picks signed, which made MLB and length of career, and where top picks peaked (the latter just for the first round originally; they may well have expanded it). I'm guessing / hoping that WAR of some sort will be included alongside the number of games for each MLB player.
I assume that they will still have the other basic features: a long overview of each draft, a hindsight draft order (presumably revised with WAR knowledge), lists of players who were relatives of MLB players or other athletes, and various other superlatives / lists (Best and Worst Draft, First to Reach MLB, Fastest Start, Biggest Bust, best non-drafted free agents, etc.).
I've been dreaming for an update of the original book for a long time now; that editor Allan Simpson seems to have continued working to make it better for the last 25 years is the best possible news.
Free shipping if you pre-order now at their store.