So this Chris Shelton character has had quite the early season, huh? Nine home runs in the first two weeks isn’t too bad for only a second-year player.
If you’ve missed the myriad of coverage on Shelton provided by ESPN and what seems like just about any other sports network, Shelton is a product of baseball’s Rule 5 draft, a process that allows teams team claim players not on 40-man rosters.
Nonetheless, Shelton has joined illustrious names such as Roberto Clemente, Johan Santana and Kansas City’s own Andy Sisco as successful products of baseball’s "other" draft. But that’s not to say that the Rule 5 isn’t just the ugly step-sister of the annual amateur draft. In fact, Shelton’s Rule 5 class has boasted several major league success stories beyond his own.
Here are three other major leaguers taken in the 2003 Rule 5 draft who have made the Big Show:
1. Luis A. Gonzalez, Rockies - This Gonzalez is not to be confused with the Arizona Diamondbacks left fielder or another prospect in Colorado’s system of the same name. In fact, this Gonzalez has earned his role as more of a slap-hitting utility man more than anything.
Since being picked up by Rockies’ brass in 2004 from the Cleveland organization, Gonzalez has spent a majority of his time manning second base. In his initial year with the Rock Pile, the 25 year old played in 102 games while hitting a Coors-friendly .292/.330/.469 with 12 home runs. The undoing at the plate was Gonzalez’ weak eye, as he struck out 67 times to only 15 walks. In the field, he supplied dependable defense, committing only two errors.
Last year saw almost identical numbers in 128 games as Gonzalez hit .292/.333/.421 with nine home runs. He improved at the plate adding five walks to the previous year’s total while cutting his strikeouts by four.
Even though he’s been challenged this season by career minor leaguer Jason Smith, he’s got the four-hole locked down for the foreseeable future in Colorado. The Rockies are bound to keep him around if only for his affordable salary, which is slightly above the league minimum at $345,000 for this season.
2. Lenny DiNardo, Red Sox - The 27-year-old relief pitcher has finally found a niche with Boston in 2006, where he broke with the major league club after being ranked by Baseball America as the organization’s 23rd best prospect. DiNardo was picked up from the New York Mets in 2004.
While he was kept on the 40-man roster after being selected, the Red Sox kept him off the playing field at Fenway by placing him on the disabled list with a strained shoulder and blisters. After starting the year off in the Rookie League, DiNardo reached the majors by the end of 2004 to be park of Boston’s magical run. He threw in 22 games, all as a reliever, and ended up with a 4.23 ERA.
Beginning last year as a starter in Triple-A Pawtucket, DiNardo started 22 games and threw 108 innings. He was far more effective after a year with the organization, striking out 93 batters with a 3.15 ERA. He was called up for eight appearances with Boston at the end of the year and finished with a 1.84 ERA.
Being one of the few lefty relievers in the Red Sox bullpen has allowed DiNardo to stay with the big league club in 2006. His ability to spot start also helps his case, as he can be used in long relief. DiNardo’s career probably won’t be as fantastic as what Shelton’s could be, but he’ll definitely be a useful reliever in the majors for a long time.
3. Willy Taveras, Astros - Taveras was another of the five players the Indians lost in the 2003 Rule 5 draft and has easily been the most successful until Shelton’s emergence this season. Once in the Houston organization, Taveras followed a similar path that DiNardo did. Because of injuries, he was able to hone his well above-average speed in Double-A before joining the major league club for good last year.
Playing mostly as the starting center fielder with Houston, Taveras played in 152 games in 2005 and racked up 172 hits, including a club record 70 infield safeties. His hit .291/.325/.341 batting at the top of the order while managing to score 82 runs and steal 34 bases, good for the fourth most in the National League. It was a great start for the 23-year-old Taveras, who was ranked as the Astros’ third rated prospect the year before.
In only his second full season in the Bigs, Taveras has secured his center field spot with Houston and should be there for quite some time. His blazing speed and solid arm make him a prototypical center fielder and since he hasn’t even entered his prime ball playing years yet, will be useful for a long time.
