For one thing, it was good to see the MLB draft live on TV. It's about time. I know the players aren't as familiar to fans as NFL rookies, but it's hard to believe that baseball has been watching the popularity of the NFL Draft and not saying, "you know, we could do something like that." Having their own network now makes this possible, but you wonder if even ESPN2 wouldn't have done this in the past.
I'll admit I didn't watch much of the draft on Tuesday, but I did watch the first hour or so. Here are some quick opinions:
** Bud Selig obviously watched clips of how Pete Rozelle and Paul Tagliabue did this on TV and tried his best to duplicate their deliveries. Unfortunately, he was VERY bad. Bud just isn't a good speaker and even announcing names off cue cards looks rehearsed. And of course, he had to say each time "the MLB First Year Player Draft". Annoying after awhile, Bud. Seeing a smile, or an ad lib, or even blood flowing from Bud would help.
** I realize why MLB held this in their Studio 42 area of the network, but the lack of any fan participation made this sterile at best. I may be wrong, but I'm not sure anyone clapped after Stephen Strasburg was selected No. 1, but after that there was applause after each top pick. Unfortunately, those clapping were representatives from OTHER TEAMS!!! That came across as staged and probably disingenious. It would be like hosting the NFBC drafts and having each team clap for the other team after each pick!!
Nice pick, Shawn, nice pick (when under your breath you're laughing and saying "whew, I didn't want him anyway").** In other words, next year host this somewhere with a live audience. Trust me, you'd find 2,000+ baseball die-hards who would fill the room and boo Mets' picks just as hard as they boo Jets' picks. There is an audience for this and baseball folks would show up for this just "to be there" on the first day. I know they would.
** Stephen Strasburg wasn't on hand for the announcement of his selection, but even worse there wasn't a live feed to him, either. Maybe he appeared later, but after being the No. 1 pick in all the land and possibly being the highest paid rookie in MLB history, it's hard to believe that nobody could even hear from him or SEE him. MLB should have flown every Top 10 pick in, done the media circus in the Big Apple and created some excitement around these players. Trust me, the apparel and collectibles markets are begging for it.
** The MLB Network needs Mel Kiper. Seriously. Give me an announcer with strong opinions of each player and a Top 100 list and his list compared to those players being selected. I realize this is their own network, but this thing needed a strong voice who already had his list and compared it to the MLB teams. ESPN's Keith Law may have been the right person for this job or MLB Network could just unleash Jonathan Mayo for this. Jonathan knows his minor leaguers, did a good job interviewing on the floor and has strong opinions. Make Jonathan baseball's version of Mel Kiper (with no hair, though).
I love Jonathan and he'd laugh along with me as we go back a long ways.** The third pick overall by San Diego was already a controversial pick because the kid has a football scholarship. You don't see that happen in the NFL Draft. It was weird, but interesting and should have sparked an even bigger debate on the pick. Again, I think MLB missed a chance to really create a neat reality show if you will without stronger opinions from those on the set. Lists from each guy, rankings from each guy, prognostications from each guy is what this baseball draft needed, just like a fantasy draft.
Those are just my quick opinions. Did anyone else see this and if so, what did you think?? Does it have a future??
