May 26, 20205 yr https://theathletic.com/1816970/2020/05/26/griffey-a-pirate-chipper-a-tiger-the-mlb-draft-rule-that-changed-history/ Quote All of that is due in part to a small yet significant draft rule retired 15 years ago. It stipulated that the No. 1 pick alternate each year between leagues. The NL drafted first in even years; the AL was first in odd years. Take Griffey’s draft, for example. The NL had drafted first in 1986 — Pittsburgh took Jeff King — and the top pick ping-ponged back to the AL in 1987. The lucky losers? The Mariners, despite having a better record than the Pirates. This rule, alternating draft order by league, lived for 41 years. It shaped the course of baseball history, and then it quietly went away. 1977 Expos Harold Baines (White Sox) 38.7 Bill Gullickson (Expos) 23.3 Did not remember this rule. Highlighted that it helped the mariners land Arod and Griffey. Griffey would have went to pirates where they could have had bonilla, bonds, and griffey in same outfield (mercy)
May 26, 20205 yr 7 minutes ago, bmags said: https://theathletic.com/1816970/2020/05/26/griffey-a-pirate-chipper-a-tiger-the-mlb-draft-rule-that-changed-history/ 1977 Expos Harold Baines (White Sox) 38.7 Bill Gullickson (Expos) 23.3 Did not remember this rule. Highlighted that it helped the mariners land Arod and Griffey. Griffey would have went to pirates where they could have had bonilla, bonds, and griffey in same outfield (mercy) It was back when things were more league-centric and they did more to keep a sort of separate but equal between the leagues. They also used to do the same with hosting the WS and the ASG.
May 27, 20205 yr 8 hours ago, bmags said: https://theathletic.com/1816970/2020/05/26/griffey-a-pirate-chipper-a-tiger-the-mlb-draft-rule-that-changed-history/ 1977 Expos Harold Baines (White Sox) 38.7 Bill Gullickson (Expos) 23.3 Did not remember this rule. Highlighted that it helped the mariners land Arod and Griffey. Griffey would have went to pirates where they could have had bonilla, bonds, and griffey in same outfield (mercy) George Costanza found a way for the Yankees to get Bonds and Griffey in the same outfield, and they didn’t really have to give up that much!
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