Chicago Cubs & The MLB Draft: The All-ReDo Team

Of all the drafts of the professional sports leagues out there, the Major League Baseball draft is the biggest crapshoot of them all. A good chunk of these players don't make as much of an impact as some of the guys that go in later rounds, undrafted or are signed out of another country.

And let's be honest, other than the much ballyhooed Stephen Strasburg, who in this draft do you know?

Don't worry, I'll wait.

Looking back in past MLB drafts, it is easy to take note that the Pittsburgh Pirates have absolutely failed at producing major league talent. And so have my beloved Cubs. This is the all-Second Guess team for the Chicago Cubs.

C - Jason Kendall (1992, 23rd overall) - As a die-hard Cubs fan, I don't even know who Derrek Wallace is. Guys who came after him that I know include: Ron Villone, Shannon Stewart, Rick Helling and Charles Johnson.
1B - Lance Berkman (1997, 16th overall) - The Cubs had a good thing when they drafted Jon Garland 10th overall, but then when that turned into Matt Karchner, well, at least they didn't trade away Fat Elvis.
2B - Chase Utley (2000, 15th overall) - In the year 2000, the Chicago Cubs selected shortstop Luis Montanez with the 3rd overall selection to be the future at one of baseball's most important positions. Unfortunately, Montanez never made it to the big club. Since coming to the bigs, Utley has averaged 29 homers and 109 ribbies at a position that used to yield minimum offensive contributions.
3B - Mark Teixeira (2001, 5th overall) - Mark Prior busted like a virgin after 12 seconds into his first time. Tex is hitting broken-bat homers out of the new Yankee Stadium. Next.
SS - Ryan Theriot (2001, 2nd round) - OMG! The Cubs got one right ... in the second round. Go figure.
LF - Manny Ramirez (1991, 13th overall) - Doug Glanville was a fine player for the Cubs in both of his stints with the team. But Manny Being Manny (which happened one pick later) would have been sooo much better with Ramirez getting lost in the ivy.
CF - Jacoby Ellsbury (2005, 23rd overall) - The Cubs have struggled to find a lead-off hitting center fielder since parting ways with Kenny Lofton after the 2003 NLCS. Choosing lefty pitcher Mark Pawalek with the No. 20 overall pick didn't help, choosing Ellsbury could have.
RF - Nick Markakis (2003, 8th overall) - A blatant failure here was choosing Ryan Harvey one pick ahead of Markakis, who has averaged 20 HRs and 93 RBIs over a 162 game season. Harvey never even sniffed the big club.

SP - Matt Cain (2002, 25th overall) - The Cubs selected Bobby Brownlie out of Rutgers with the 21st pick, which hasn't produced anything more than a punchline and Mike Teel. Chicago could have had Cain, who would likely appreciate pitching for a team that scores run unlike the Giants.
RP - Billy Wagner (1993, 12th overall) - We can argue the virtues of Brooks Kieschnick as the No. 10 pick overall because he was an accomplished pinch hitter and pinch-pitcher. The point is that he sucked. Wagner was good, until the Mets blew his arm out.

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