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Most overhyped MLB prospect ever?

NYYankees 2012/06/16 19:53:55
Matt Bush
Bryan Bullington
Rocco Baldelli
Joba Chamberlain
Phil Hughes
Rick Ankiel
Brien Taylor
Todd Van Poppel
Mark Prior
Bryce Harper
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Everbody loves homegrown talent. A kid who tears up the minor leagues, gets alot of hype and becomes a special player for them in the big leagues. However, some prospects got way too much credit they deserved and didn't pan out as expected. Here's some on my list. Which one do you think is the biggest? (my list is in no particular order).

1.) Matt Bush
Matt Bush was the first overall pick in the 2004 MLB Draft... selected by the Padres. Bush was not the best player in that draft by any stretch and he was a very controversial pick. He was selected over guys like Justin Verlander, Jered Weaver and Jeff Niemann. The only reason why the Padres selected Bush because he wouldn't demand as much money as the three forementioned. Bush was a huge bust. Selected as a shortstop, he was converted into a pitcher because of his poor hitting. He has never made it to the bigs yet, has been a minor league journeyman and his legal problems have been well documented.

2.) Bryan Bullington
Like Bush, the Pirates selected Bullington first overall because they looked to save money. Other players in the 2002 draft included Zack Grienke, Matt Cain and Prince Fielder.. all All-Stars at some point in their career. However Bullington did add hype posting up dominant minor league numbers. It wouldn't translate in the bigs however. Bullington went 1-9 in his brief Major League career in just 84 innings pitched. He is now pitching in Japan.

3.) Rocco Baldelli
Every scout in the game thought Rocco Baldelli was the future of the Tampa Bay Rays/Devil Rays. He had five tool talent and had the skills to be the best all around player. His first three years he proved that he did have raw talent. But his career would later be haunted by injuries and a mysterious muscular disorder that prevented him from being a relevant MLB player. He was never the same player since and wound up retiring from baseball. He is now working as a scout for the Tampa Bay Rays.

4.) Joba Chamberlain
It's always unfair to compair prospects to Hall of Fame players. Joba grew comparisons to the Braves' John Smoltz. He burst into the scene in 2007 as a lights out setup man for Mariano Rivera. However the Yankees saw him as a starter, and he showed alot of promise as one in 2008. But he was never the same after injuring his shoulder in 2008. Jobas career has been riddled by injuries, inconsistency and an annoying "Joba Rules" concept to protect his arm. Since then he's been bumped back and forth from the rotation to the bullpen and has been inconsistant in both roles. He needed Tommy John Surgery last year and injured himself on a trampoline this year. All that trouble the Yankees went through to protect his arm did nothing. He's not the next CC Sabathia, nor is he the next heir to Mariano Rivera.

5.) Phil Hughes
Another overhyped Yankee prospect. Once called "Pocket Rocket" Phil Hughes was considered the future ace of the Yankees. His minor league numbers were dominant and his stuff was as good as anybody's. But Hughes hasn't given much for Yankee fans to cheer about over the years. Despite having a dominant 2009 season as a reliever and an 18 win campaign in 2010... Hughes has been plagued by inconsistancy, injuries, a loss of stuff and shortened outings. In fairness to Hughes... he hasn't been terrible in 2012 and has been pitching much better after an awful start to the season. But is he really a future ace? I don't think so.

6.) Rick Ankiel (the pitcher)
St. Louis Cardinal fans had every right to be excited about Rick Ankiel. The kid was a left handed pitcher with electric stuff. He had future ace written all over him. In the 2000 season Ankiel showed Cardinal fans that he was the real deal and that there was more dominant years to come. However something strange happened to him that started in the 2000 postseason, he just lost his control. He couldn't find the strike zone at all and this was a problem that haunted him throughout his career. He never seemed to overcome this and gave up pitching and converted into an outfielder. It was a nice story that he did revive his career as a sevicable outfielder.. but imagine what he could have been as a pitcher. He had nasty written all over him.

7.) Brien Taylor
Brien Taylor accomplished something that nobody wants to accomplish... being the first number one overall pick never to make it to the Major Leagues. I don't blame the Yankees for drafting him, who wouldn't with the stuff he had. Left handed who's fastball sat in the high ninetys and had a slider out of this world. He was supposed to be what Ron Guidry has been for them and what CC Sabathia is for them now. Scott Boras (his agent) even considered him the best high school draft pick he's ever seen. His first year in the minors, Taylor showed promise but lacked command. The Yankees suggested he play winter ball to work on his control, but Taylor declined and wished to spend his off time with his family.. something "The Boss" George Steinbrenner always respected. This would be a poor decision however, as Taylor would wind up hurting his shoulder after defending his brother in a bar fight. The MRI revealed a torn labrum that required surgery. Taylor was never the same since and never made it to the majors.

8.) Todd Van Poppel
The Atlanta Braves originally wanted to select Van Poppel first overall, but they instead went with a young man named Chipper Jones in the 1990 draft. Boy was that a good move. Van Poppel would be selected 14th overall by the Oakland Athletics. He was supposed to be a star, but went 40-52 with a bloated 5.58 ERA in the majors. He had a couple nice years out of the bullpen for the Cubs, but was not that number one pitcher that he was thought of.

9.) Mark Prior
Mark Prior was thought of to be a very special pitcher. The Chicago Cubs thought that he and Kerry Wood could make a very scary 1-2 punch. Prior posted monster numbers in 2003, where he won 18 games and struck out 245 batters but his later career would be plagued with injuries. He's been trying to make comebacks with several teams but is still experiencing injury problems. His comeback tries are as a reliever. He can no longer be depended as a dominant starting pitcher.

10.) Bryce Harper
Okay, I know Harper is a good player but he deserves to be on this list. Even though he has a tremendous deal of talent, people were comparing him to Mickey Mantle even before he played a major league game. You still don't know how a prospect is going to pan out in the big leagues, and comparing someone to Mantle is putting unfair pressure on a kid. Now I do buy into the Harper hype and I do feel he's going to be a great player. But the next Mickey Mantle? That's yet to be seen.

that's my list of overhyped prospects? which one is most overhyped and did I leave anyone out?
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