Name some players that weren't good in the minors, but took off once promoted?

[Ubiquitous]

Rey Ordonez couldn't hit a lick but the scouts loved his defense.

[Ubiquitous]

Vinny Castilla

[EdTarbusz]

Wow. I wonder if they just didn't want to pay the extra money or if they were unaware of the rule.

If the Dodgers paid Clemente a bigger bonus, he would have been a Bonus Bay and woud have had to spend two years on the Dodgers bench. The Dodgers were very aware of what they were doing. If Landis were the Commissioner at this time, he may have made Clemente a free agent. This kind of hiding players in the Minor Leagues was common before the player draft started.

[Jobu Voodoo]

Wow. I wonder if they just didn't want to pay the extra money or if they were unaware of the rule.

[Dude Paskert]

Clemente's AAA numbers are very good for a 19 year old, indicative of a player who's probably going to make the majors and stick around for a while.

[9RoyHobbsRF]

it was the fifties

Clemente was property of the Dodgers (minor leagues) and they tried to hide him by not playing him much


there is a winter draft for players not on the main rosters and the Dodgers hoped by not playing him no one would draft him

the Pirates (I believe with the first pick) drafted him

The talent-laden Dodger organization of the mid-1950s knew it would be difficult for the teenager to break into the majors with the Dodgers, so they tried to hide him in the minors. They were fearful that another team would draft him after the 1954 season. (There was a rule stating that any player who received a bonus of at least $4,000 had to be placed on the major league roster within a year or he could be drafted for $4,000.) Though Clemente batted only 148 times for the Montreal Royals, the Dodgers' top farm team, and hit just .257 with two homers and 12 RBI, their fears proved justified. The Pirates drafted him that November.



Roberto Clemente was not drafted (the MLB draft began in 1965) but instead was signed as a free agent by the Brooklyn Dodgers prior to the 1952 season.

He subsequently went to the Pirates as a Rule 5 draftee after the 1954 season

Read more: http://wiki.answers.com/Q/Was_Robert...#ixzz1xeHG7k00


http://pabook.libraries.psu.edu/pali...__Roberto.html

Fifteen months after Campanis scouted Clemente, the Brooklyn Dodgers drafted him. He was assigned to play for the Dodgers minor league team, the Montreal Royals. In the past, Major League Baseball had practice called a bonus player salary. If a player in the minors was paid less than $6,000, he would become a free agent the next year and anyone could draft him. Brooklyn decided to keep Clemente in the minors so that he would gain some experience, but they made the mistake of keeping his salary below the $6,000 mark. The next year, on November 22, 1954, the Pittsburgh Pirates had the privilege of the #1 pick and they picked Roberto Clemente.

Sorry, I'm still a little confused as I am not that familiar with the 60's considering my age. Who was trying to prevent him from being drafted???

[Jobu Voodoo]

hoping nobody would draft him

it did not work

there is some good info on this on clemente's bio by marannis

http://www.amazon.com/Clemente-Passi.../dp/0743217810

Sorry, I'm still a little confused as I am not that familiar with the 60's considering my age. Who was trying to prevent him from being drafted???

[Honus Wagner Rules]

If Clemente had stayed with the Dodgers would he be viewed today as an even greater player? Would he have blocked Frank Howard in right field?

[9RoyHobbsRF]

hoping nobody would draft him

it did not work

there is some good info on this on clemente's bio by marannis

http://www.amazon.com/Clemente-Passi.../dp/0743217810

Yeah, I see that. He should have about 3 times as many AB. Why would they try to hide Clemente (or did I miss something earlier in the post)?

[Honus Wagner Rules]

Yeah, I see that. He should have about 3 times as many AB. Why would they try to hide Clemente (or did I miss something earlier in the post)?

According to this article because of Clemente's large signing bonus he had to be exposed to some kind of draft. I don't know what draft this was and the rules for player eligibilty for it? The Pirates selected Clemente. Can you imagine Clemente on the Dodgers?!! He would have been part of the Dodger World Series clubs in '55, '59, 63, '65, and '66.

http://bleacherreport.com/articles/1...lemente/page/7

[Jobu Voodoo]

They tried to hide Clemente by playing him infrequently and other sabotage efforts check out his games played and plate appearances

it didnt work

Yeah, I see that. He should have about 3 times as many AB. Why would they try to hide Clemente (or did I miss something earlier in the post)?

[Jobu Voodoo]

No, it was serious

OK. Like Ed said, the most common reason would be due to an injury. Additionally, sometimes if a player is deemed to be a future star, he might be called up even if he isn't doing that great in the minors to give him a kick in the ass by means of a trial by fire. Not to mention, they might also do it just to fill a certain need. A player might not be doing that great offensively, but he could exhibit stellar defense, and perhaps the team needs the defense so they call him up. I mean, there are various reasons.

[EdTarbusz]

how can they get to the majors if they weren't good in the minors?

The easiest way is to get called up because someone is injured.

[Cap78]

Was that a serious question or were you making a joke?

No, it was serious

[GiambiJuice]

Robinson Cano was nothing special in the minors, but has been a .300+ hitter since being called up to the majors.