An Introspective - Mr. Irrelevant

Burlington Free Press
February 14, 2008

It's time for the annual NASBL Rookie/Free Agent Draft, an event that rightfully so makes us all excited, like little kids picking players in a Phys Ed dodge ball game. That excitement is palatable as evidenced by the numerous literal musings of NASBL's finest bloggers forecasting the upcoming draft. The focus and speculation shines brightest on the best draft-eligible players, an understandable, yet regrettable fact that ignores the 208 names to be called after Jack Howard makes the first selection.

Who are these forgotten players who toil for our affection and long for an article to be written about them. Let me tell you, they do exist. If history is to be a lesson the league GMs would be wise to pay as much attention to the end of the draft as they do the beginning.

This article will go where no scribe has gone before, deep down to the basement of the last round of the NASBL draft. You may need to bring your beer goggles, lower your GM inhibitions and use little or no discretion when finding a mate to "bed" for the year. But, as we have all learned, sometimes one man's garbage is another's treasure.

Enough of the small talk, we now will unveil the history of Mr. Irrelevant (aka the last man drafted) and reveal their successes.

2007 - GRK Craig Wilson; right after being drafted Wilson was traded to Dallas Fort Worth where he aided the World Series winning Spurs with a so-so season hitting .216 in 199 ABs. But the light at the end of the tunnel is the huge ring he wears on his finger. Alas, Craig's career appears to be over at this point.

2006 - ILL JC Romero; Romero finished a respectable 3-4 with an ERA of 3.60, good enough for third best on the team. JC still is serviceable, and may still have some NASBL innings left in his arm.

2004 - NJT Brandon Duckworth; The big fella pitched 40 innings with a 1-0 5.04 mark. He was never able to live up to his expectations; drafted by LCC in the 5th round in '03, he produced a solid 8-6 season for GM Steve Beard in what proved to be his watershed NASBL moment. Currently out of the league.

2003 - GRK Brent Abernathy; Hit a solid .316 for Johnny Miller's boys in 114 ABs. Brent had some promise as a youngster, but he never lived up to it and is now Commish Beard's intern.

2001 - CRR Scott Brosius; Originally drafted by the Chicago Roadrunners, Brosius became a member of VFS midway through the season when Vermont and Grundy County joined the league (replacing two existing teams) and held a dispersal draft with players from the two departing team's rosters. Scott his .255 in 330 ABs and posted OK power numbers of 13 HRs and 35 RBIs in his half season. Brosius is currently on the "Yes, I'm a Real New York Yankee" tour with fellow members from the good days Tino Martinez, Paul O'Neill (at right showing Brosius man-love) and Jeff Nelson. A-Rod has no comment.

2000 - WWB Ron Gant; Gant was a producer for the Willoughby Whiskey Benders hitting .296 in 351 ABs. Best known for dreamy biceps.

1999 - WFM Bobby Bonilla; The Benders' crosstown rivals, the Willoughby Fighting Monkeys, made Bobby the Mr. Irrelevant of the 20th century. Bonilla responded by hitting .314 with 9 HRs in 169 ABs; great production for the supposed worst player in the league. Bobby's heyday was the early 90s when he posted big power numbers and either did or did not introduce Barry Bonds (seen here in his innocent days) to Brian McNamee, depending on whom you believe.

1998 - WFM Harold Baines; The Monkeys struck gold again in 1998, drafting Baines and watching him hit .342 in limited action, 79 ABs. The good news for Harold is that 5% of NASBL writers think he's a Hall of Famer and he still has 14 years to add to his vote total.

In summary, it's obvious that if you draft the right player and use them smartly, they will reward a team with production in a limited role; heck, every team could use a .300 bat off the bench. So pay attention folks, you never know when the next one will walk through the door.