Part of the deal that brought Kyle Lohse to Milwaukee was that the Brewers had to surrender their first round pick in this years draft, number 17 over all, to the Cardinals. So what does that mean?  Not a whole lot…baseball isn’t like football where just about every pick is crucial, actually it’s more like a crap shoot, considering some picks are signed right out of high school.

Kyle Lohse

More times than not, MLB draft picks have to put in some serious time in the minors before making it to the “show.”  So, if you’re thinking that this “traded” pick will hurt Brewers immediately, that won’t be the case even though St. Louis is in the same division. It could take several years before #17  makes it out of the minors, while on the other hand, Lohse might just be the boost to the rotation that  the Crew needs THIS YEAR  to make a run toward their 3rd post-season appearance  in 6 years.

In the last 25 years there has only been 4 stand outs in the 17th  spot  of the first round in the amateur draft, so the odds are pretty much in the Brewers favor.

1988 – Charles Nagy – Cleveland Indians (All-Star)

1995 – Roy Halladay – Toronto Blue Jays, now with the Phillies (All-Star and 2 time Cy Young  Winner 2003 & 2010)

1998 – Brad Lidge – Houston Astros, now with the Washington Nationals (All-Star)

2002-  Cole Hamels – Philadephia Phillies (2008 NLCS MVP, and 2008 World Series MVP)

The only time in the Brewers history that they picked 17th in the first round was in 1989 when they chose right-handed pitcher Cal Eldred.

Cal Eldred

Jeff Miller