(Photo by Rob Tringali/Getty Images)
Current Pirate CF Andrew McCutchen was drafted 11th overall in the 2005 draft. Players selected around him include Jay Bruce, Chris Volstad, and Jacoby Ellsbury.
We all know why the Pirates selected Andrew McCutchen 11th overall in 2005, and it's paying dividends right now in Pittsburgh.
The Pirates 1st round drafting in 2003-2005 was actually quite productive, but that only sets us up for failure in 2006 and 2007. McCutchen rapidly climbed through the Pirates minor leagues.
After being drafted in 2005 McCutchen was at AA Altoona already in 2006, and that made him the youngest player EVER in Curve history. 2007 started with the Curve, but ended in a promotion with 2004 first round pick Neil Walker late in the season.
Andrew spent the entire 2008 season in AAA and the first 2 months of the 2009 season before the Pirates traded Nate McLouth and brought Andrew McCutchen to the bigs. The Pirates will re-select Andrew McCutchen in 2005.
In 2006 the Pirates, with the fourth overall pick, selected SP Brad Lincoln. Lincoln is by no means a bust, as he is currently pitching for AAA Indianapolis.
That's a testament to his talent considering he missed a full season due to Tommy John Surgery, which prompted then General Manager Dave Littlefield to say the team would reconsider drafting pitchers in the first round.
It took him six of seven first round pitchers to realize that? That also included two hitters turned pitchers.
Drafted around Lincoln were Pitchers Max Scherzer, Kasey Kiker, Brandon Morrow, Andrew Miller, Clayton Kershaw, Tim Lincecum, and OF Travis Snider.
Lincoln drew attention from his 2005 season in the Cape Cod League. There he posted a 1.32 ERA. During Lincoln's 2006 junior season at the University of Houston he went 12-2 with a 1.69 ERA with 152 K's in 127 innings, and walked only 32. He also played 1B and was a designated hitter in which he hit .295 with 14 homers.
Following Tommy John Surgery Lincoln was placed in Hickory and later called up to Lynchburg. He started 2009 in AA Altoona and was recently promoted to AAA Indianapolis.
This is no disrespect to Brad Lincoln who still has a ton of potential, but in my draft blunders fix, the Pirates will select SP Tim Lincecum.
Finally, we have arrived to 2007 where the Pirates selected SP Daniel Moskos 4th overall. Moskos was selected ahead of C Matt Weiters, 1B/OF Matt LaPorta, among other prospects. This was the last straw of the Littlefield era of mistakes.
The Bullington trade may have started the uproar of fans in Pittsburgh, but this selection caused the town, with a championship contending team in it's other 2 sports, to go into an uproar.
Over his college career Moskos had a sub-.500 record, and keep in mind that in 2007 Littlefield said the team may reconsider on drafting a pitcher due to the Tommy John issues. Fans had hoped for a hitter, either Matt Weiters, or Matt LaPorta, but again got another college pitcher with a limited resume.
The Pirates then said they'd use Moskos as a closer, making him the highest selected reliever (along with Gregg Olsen).
In 2008 the Pirates moved him back to a starting pitcher with the new management team in place. He went 7-7 with a 6.30 ERA with Lynchburg that season.
It's unfair at this time to proclaim Moskos a bust or even a terrible pick, but the Pirates had bigger needs and failed to address them. Moskos throws a nasty slider and his fastball can reach 95, which are reasons for optimism.
To correct this Littlefield blunder, the Pirates select C Matt Weiters.
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