Why did the Giants pass up on drafting Mike Mussina?

[Honus Wagner Rules]

It has always escaped my understanding why the Giants passed up on Mike Mussina in the 1990 draft? The Giants had two first round picks that year and they passed on Mussina TWICE! Can you imagine having Mussina on the 1993 team?

1990 Draft Results - Round 1

1. Chipper Jones SS Atlanta Braves
2. Tony Clark OF Detroit Tigers
3. Mike Lieberthal C Philadelphia Phillies
4. Alex Fernandez P Chicago White Sox
5. Kurt Miller P Pittsburgh Pirates
6. Marc Newfield 1B Seattle Mariners
7. Dan Wilson C Cincinnati Reds
8. Tim Costo SS Cleveland Indians
9. Ron Walden P Los Angeles Dodgers
10. Carl Everett OF New York Yankees
11. Shane Andrews 3B Montreal Expos
12. Todd Ritchie P Minnesota Twins
13. Donovan Osborne P St. Louis Cardinals
14. Todd Van Poppel P Oakland Athletics
15. Adam Hyzdu OF San Francisco Giants
16. Dan Smith P Texas Rangers
17. Jeromy Burnitz OF New York Mets
18. Aaron Holbert SS St. Louis Cardinals
19. Eric Christopherson OF San Francisco Giants
20. Mike Mussina P Baltimore Orioles
21. Tom Nevers SS Houston Astros
22. Steve Karsay P Toronto Blue Jays
23. Lance Dickson P Chicago Cubs
24. Rondell White OF Montreal Expos
25. Robbie Beckett P San Diego Padres
26. Don Peters P Oakland Athletics
27. Mike Zimmerman P Pittsburgh Pirates
28. Gabe White P Montreal Expos
29. Midre Cummings OF Minnesota Twins
30. Paul Elis St. Louis Cardinals

[west coast orange and black]

a 1993 model mussina would'a propelled the giants over the atlanta braves in baseball's last pure pennant race, for sure, wags. it is painful, yer right, to consider what might'a been.

although what youngsters trevor wilson, jeff brantley, terry mullholland, kelly downs, dennis cook and john burkett actually delivered in the early 90s was pretty decent, for the most part, maybe the giants were relying on/hoping for just a little bit more. say, one more stinkin' win.

. . . . . . .

another way of looking at it, if only as a reminder that nothing in baseball is ever is guaranteed (especially with pitchers) are the careers of the pitchers selected before mussina.

[Honus Wagner Rules]

a 1993 model mussina would'a propelled the giants over the atlanta braves in baseball's last pure pennant race, for sure, wags. it is painful, yer right, to consider what might'a been.

although what youngsters trevor wilson, jeff brantley, terry mullholland, kelly downs, dennis cook and john burkett actually delivered in the early 90s was pretty decent, for the most part, maybe the giants were relying on/hoping for just a little bit more. say, one more stinkin' win.

. . . . . . .

another way of looking at it, if only as a reminder that nothing in baseball is ever is guaranteed (especially with pitchers) are the careers of the pitchers selected before mussina.
Very True, only Alex Fernandez was really any good in the majors. It's not like Mussina wasn't a known quanitity. He was a starting pitcher at Stanford and didn't he play on Stanford's 1988 College World Series champion?

[KCGHOST]

He wasn't MIKE MUSSINA then. He was just some unproven young college pitcher then.

[Honus Wagner Rules]

He wasn't MIKE MUSSINA then. He was just some unproven young college pitcher then.
By definition all drafted prospects are "unproven". I remember that year because of Van Poppel. He was supposed to be the next NolanRyan/Roger Clemens. Van Poppel was even from Texas. He dropped in the draft because of "signability" issues. He was supposed to be the top pick but the Braves picked Jones instead. At the time most considered the Braves just "settled" for Jones. Of course Jones has had a great career. Van Poppel fizzled because he never really got the chance to develop in the minors.

[KHenry14]

Drafting in any sport is a crap shoot. Guys blow out arms, lose interest, whatever and never pan out. And who's to say that Mussina would have developed the same way had the Giants picked him? But needless to say, the Giants could have done better than Hyzdu and Christopherson. :noidea

KH14

[west coast orange and black]

"the giants could have done better than hyzdu and christopherson."

i barely remember hyzdu and can not recall anything of the other guy. :grouchy

[Honus Wagner Rules]

"the giants could have done better than hyzdu and christopherson."

i barely remember hyzdu and can not recall anything of the other guy. :grouchy
Hyzdu played at the same high school as Ken griffey, Jr. He replaced Griffey in CF when Griffey graduated from high school and broke Griffey's high school HR record. Supposedly he had the best power potential of all the high schoolers coming out in 1990. He never did much in the Giant's farm system. I know he's had several cups of coffee in the majors but has never stuck. He's mainly been a pinch hitter and backup outfielder.

[west coast orange and black]

thanx for that info, wags.

and oooh, "potential". what has that meant, in the end, for so many?

[Dravecky43]

I think I have a rookie/draft pick card of Christopherson. All I can remember right now is that he was 21 and from San Diego State. I'll have to find the card and tell some more.

[Honus Wagner Rules]

thanx for that info, wags.

and oooh, "potential". what has that meant, in the end, for so many?

Here are Hyzdu's career minor league and major league stats...

http://www.thebaseballcube.com/players/H/adam-hyzdu.shtml

and Christopherson's...

http://www.thebaseballcube.com/players/C/eric-christopherson.shtml

There's something wrong with Christopherson's stats. It shows that he didn't begin his professional career until 1997. :noidea

[KHenry14]

and oooh, "potential". what has that meant, in the end, for so many?

One of my High School coaches used to say "Potential doesn't mean *bleep*, it's what you do on the field that counts"

And he's got a point...

KH14

[west coast orange and black]

did we have the same coach? :waving

[Dravecky43]

There's something wrong with Christopherson's stats. It shows that he didn't begin his professional career until 1997. :noidea
I know for a fact that the Baseball Cube doesn't have a lot of minor league stats before the previous few years. He definitely signed with the Giants and played in the minors, but apparently they don't have that info yet.

[Honus Wagner Rules]

I know for a fact that the Baseball Cube doesn't have a lot of minor league stats before the previous few years. He definitely signed with the Giants and played in the minors, but apparently they don't have that info yet.

Oh, I see.

[KHenry14]

BTW, if you take a look at that list, only about a third of the players selected in that round had any real career in the Bigs. Speaks volumes about how hard it is to judge talent.

KH14