If you haven’t read about it yet and many of you probably have not. There was a blurb in the news yesterday that former first round draft pick (in back to back drafts) Wade Townsend was cut by the Tampa Bay Rays. This is actually pretty bad news, not only to collectors, but also to Rays fans. Any time your first round draft pick doesn’t make it to the majors is tough for a franchise. However Wade Townsend had the stuff of middle of rotation kind of pitcher and it all went so wrong.
Initially Wade was drafted by the Baltimore Orioles in 2004 after his junior season with Rice when he went 12-0 with a 1.80 ERA and two saves. He was a concencus All American. That year he, along with teammates Philip Humber and Jeff Niemann were all selected in the first 8 picks. This was the first time in history that three players from the same school were taken that early. Humber and Niemann signed, but Townsend didn’t. Since he had hired an agent, he lost his college eligibility and decided to go back to school and finish his degree.
Unfortunately for the Orioles, since he went back to school, they had no negotiation rights and his name was back in the draft pool for 2009. This time, the Rays selected him 8th overall, but he hadn’t pitched since June of the year before (a year long layoff). He signed quickly and opened the season in Hudson Valley where he went 0-4/5.49/1.73 in 10 starts. The Rays sent him to the Arizona Fall League that year, where he blew out his arm and had to undergo Tommy John surgery. He would miss all of 2006.
In 2007 the Rays tried to get him used to the pros and started him off with Columbus of the SAL. THere he was only maginally better, with his velocity and control being very different from where it was in college. He went 6-10/5.08/1.40 in 21 starts. In 2008 the Rays tried to move him up the ladder, where he started the season in Vero Beach then moved on to AA Montgomery. He put up a dismal 1-6/6.08/1.58 combined record. He again was assigned to the Arizona Fall League, and again ran into shoulder issues when he tore his labrum. He came back a few weeks ago and through three starts in Rays GCL play he was 0-1/13.50/3.75 when the Rays released him.
So heed this as a warning to all you prospectors out there, Wade Townsend was about as sure thing as you can get in the draft and he busted hard for the Rays. His cards were regularly hitting $25 – $30 for autographs and even more for x-fractors. Now go on eBay and you are likely to find some for about $2, including this one for $2 or best offer <link>
I know that they are dramatically different examples but is this a good time to buy low on guys like Townsend and Matt Bush. I am thinking of Josh Hamilton. His cards probably hit bottom before his return.
I agree with you on bush, which is why I went out and got an autographed xfractor of him for $4. I think TOwnsend might be done though. He doesn’t have the velocity pre-operations anymore. As a former pitcher I can tell you, when you’re arm is done, it’s done.
Townsend is done, and he is by far the worst Rays first round pick ever. Everyone knew when they drafted him that it was a horrible choice, so it’s no surprise. The problem was that there was a power struggle in the Rays front office in 2005. Behind the scenes, Sternberg was trying to get control of the team from Naimoli. Naimoli had no incentive to invest a lot of money in a first round pick, and Sternberg wasn’t able to get the guy he wanted because he wasn’t in charge yet. Rumor has it that Sternberg and Friedman wanted to draft Andrew McCutchen, but Naimoli didn’t want to pay him, so they drafted Townsend, who they knew would sign quickly and cheaply. What makes it worse is that there were so many great players taken in the first round that year, and the Rays completely wasted their pick. At least they were able to draft Jeremy Hellickson in the 4th round.