- Commissioner’s statement on Ventura, Marte
- Ronnie O’Sullivan: Masters champion ‘felt so vulnerable’ in final
- Arron Fletcher Wins 2017 WSOP International Circuit Marrakech Main Event ($140,224)
- Smith challenges Warner to go big in India
- Moncada No. 1 on MLB Pipeline’s Top 10 2B Prospects list
- Braves land 2 on MLB Pipeline’s Top 10 2B Prospects list
- Kingery makes MLB Pipeline’s Top 10 2B Prospects list
- New Zealand wrap up 2-0 after Bangladesh implosion
- Mathews, Pradeep, Gunathilaka to return to Sri Lanka
- Elliott hopes for rain for Poli
Q&A: Balderson discusses drafting Griffey
- Updated: July 23, 2016
Dick Balderson had a three-year tenure as the general manager of the Seattle Mariners, and former Mariners president Chuck Armstrong said that during that time, Balderson made the two most significant moves in the franchise’s history.
Balderson swung the trade that brought Jay Buhner to the Mariners from the Yankees for Ken Phelps on July 21, 1988, days before he was fired by then owner George Argyros. Just a year earlier, Balderson was behind the Seattle’s selection of Ken Griffey Jr., with the first pick of the 1987 Draft.
It wasn’t easy.
2016 Hall of Fame Inductions Watch live coverage of Sunday’s Hall of Fame inductions on MLB Network and MLB.com starting at 11 a.m. ET.
• Complete Hall of Fame coverageHall of Fame video • Shop for Hall of Fame gear
• Complete Hall of Fame coverageHall of Fame video • Shop for Hall of Fame gear
Argyros was pushing for Mike Harkey, a college pitcher, but Balderson and scouting director Roger Jongewaard were sold on Griffey. They were so sold that when Griffey and Harkey both came up with scouting scores of 80, they had senior scout Bob Harrison, who had the trust of Argyros, make adjustments that had Griffey emerge as the clear favorite.
The other player in consideration was outfielder Mark Merchant, a high school player from Orlando, Fla.
The Mariners hit the jackpot. Griffey put together a Hall of Fame career, and he will be inducted into Cooperstown on Sunday. Coverage of the induction begins on MLB Network and MLB.com at 11 a.m. ET/8 PT, with the ceremonies beginning live at 1:30 p.m. ET/10:30 a.m. PT.
Balderson will be in attendance, as a guest of the Mariners’ ownership.
Harkey, drafted fourth overall by the Cubs, spent parts of eight seasons in the big leagues, and he compiled a career record of 36-36 with a 4.49 ERA.
Merchant, who went second overall to the Pirates, spent 11 years in the Minor Leagues — including four seasons in the Mariners’ system — but never made it to the big leagues.
Balderson discussed drafting Griffey in this week’s Q&A:
MLB.com: Drafting an amateur is always a gamble, but this one paid off.
Balderson: Thirty years later, it turned out to be a pretty good Draft. At the time, we thought Griffey was going to be a pretty good player, but you always go into a Draft thinking the player you are going to get is going to be a successful type of guy.
MLB.com: Was it a cut-and-dried decision?
Balderson: Griffey was one of three guys we considered, and he was far and above the …
continue reading in source mlb.mlb.com
