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The one that missed: Sox release former first-round pick 04.03.11 at 9:08 am ET
By Alex Speier

ARLINGTON, Texas — By and large, the Red Sox have done extremely well with their top draft picks under the current front office. Virtually every top pick has yielded meaningful value for the club, whether by reaching the major leagues or through a trade. The 2002 draft yielded Jon Lester with the Sox’ first pick; 2003 yielded a pair of eventual trade chips in David Murphy and Matt Murton; 2004 gave Boston Dustin Pedroia; one year later, the team grabbed Jacoby Ellsbury. The top picks in the 2007-09 drafts (2007 top pick Nick Hagadone was a key to the Victor Martinez deal with the Indians; 2008 and 2009 first rounders Casey Kelly and Reymond Fuentes were both in the Adrian Gonzalez deal) all helped deliver impact talent to the Sox.

But there’s one outlier. On Saturday, the Red Sox released 2006 first round pick Jason Place. The outfielder — a two-sport star in high school — was drafted out of South Carolina by the Sox with the No. 27 overall pick that year. His across-the-board skill set earned comparisons to Trot Nixon. The Sox were at a point in their farm system where they wanted to aim high and go for impact players; Place’s tools made him a player about whom the Sox could dream big.

And even now, in hindsight, it’s not that difficult to understand what the Sox saw in him.

Daniel Bard — whom the Sox drafted one pick after Place, with the No. 28 overall pick in 2006 — played with the outfielder in Greenville in 2007. Place was playing essentially in his home town following a very solid debut in pro ball in 2006, hitting .292 with a .386 OBP, .442 slugging mark and four homers in the Gulf Coast League. There were aspects of Place’s game as a 19-year-old that were simply different from his peers of the same age.

“There’s a big building in left field in Greenville – an apartment or warehouse building. It’s huge, four stories or five stories high,” recalled Bard. “It covered all the way from the left field line almost all the way to center field. If you really got a hold of one, you could put it on top of the building. He used to hit them up there pretty consistently in batting practice.

“In practice, he’s a five-tool guy, if that makes any sense,” Bard continued. “He can run; big, strong kid; took the most impressive round of batting practice you’ll ever see – an impressive big league batting practice as far as he could hit the ball and stuff; always played really good defense – that translated to the game – always played hard out there with a plus arm, would run into a wall for you.”

The natural gifts were obvious. But…

“The old breaking ball got him, I guess,” said Bard. “He couldn’t hit it consistently enough.”

Place’s swing had a hitch that the Sox thought could be ironed out with instruction when they drafted him. They were willing to take a chance on a player with a flaw because, without it, a player with his potential upside wouldn’t have been available at that position in the draft.

The Sox anticipated that Place would struggle early in his pro career, but thought that over time, he would be able to put his talents together to become a potential impact big leaguer. But despite Place’s best, tireless efforts to iron out his swing, it never happened. Place struck out so much that his prodigious power didn’t have a chance to play. That led to immense frustration and a constant search in his approach. He hit .214 with a .657 OPS in Greenville in ’07, .246 with a .752 OPS in Lancaster in ’08; and .253 with a .719 OPS while splitting time between Hi-A Salem and Double-A Portland in ’09.

The situation began to grind on Place. In 2010, after a dismal start in Portland (.127 with a .491 OPS), the outfielder and the Sox decided that he should spend some time away from the game to clear his head and sort out his future. He decided to return a couple months later, but in 13 games, he struck out 19 times in 40 at-bats against Rookie Level and Hi-A competition.

With the Sox farm system increasingly crowded with athletic outfielders, the window for Place had closed. And so, he was released coming out of spring training, offering something of a cautionary tale about the challenges of the draft.

“There’s only so much research you can do to see how a guy’s going to fare with everything in pro ball,” noted Bard.

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  • louis demarco

    Alex,Theo didn’t draft Lester.Mike Port was the Gm

  • http://www.weei.com Alex Speier

    Agree, but Port wasn’t involved in the draft. Epstein was heavily involved in the draft in ’02, at a time when David Chadd was the scouting director and Dave Finley was the national cross-checker. So, I do view 2002 as the first draft under the current front office. More on that in this story.

  • louis demarco

    I agree,about Port not being that involved as the scouting department was in a state of flux.David Chadd ran that draft mostly from what i’ve been told.Theo took over a farm system with Hanley,Youk,and Lester not a bad start.Plus Shoppach,DeLarosa and Delcarmen among others.

  • Eric

    Also Jon Egan was the 2nd round pick the same year Place was drafted, he retired after like 2 years. Place also had a hot temper I heard. Almanzar might join the list soon. That’s more than 3 million spent based on good power in BP.

  • http://Enteryourwebsite... Gerry

    A couple of years ago At the PDC in Ft. Meyers a very angry Dan in a Spinners cap went on and on about bow disappointing Almanzar has been…unfocused, doesn’t hustle, abusing his great talent, “he acts like he’s an immature kid.”. As I had been in awe of Almanzar’s skill set, all I could say was “that’s because he’s only 19, in a totally different culture. He actually IS a kid.”. I for one hope they give this kid enough time.

  • http://Enteryourwebsite... Cody Bedell

    Read BEFOR you comment PLS. If you read the article he never says Theo drafted Lester he said the Red Sox. That means everyone including former GMs. You people are so fast to jump all over Theo for reasons I can’t imagine, face it he’s one of the best GMs in the game. Shit the guy did win 2 WS in 4 years what els do you want. In fact he never mentions Theo at all you did.

  • Tim

    I love how the so called “fans” like to point out how Theo has “waisted money”. Two rings!In the last seven years no one else has produced the same results. You can’t win them all, especially in the draft. It is an imperfect system, that is why there is a farm system. If every draft pick was a sure thing, there wouldn’t be enough room for all the incredible talent now would there. What do you do for a living Eric? Are you one hundred percent correct at everything you do? I doubt it buddy, go eat some more of your mommies food and sleep on her pull out couch.

  • BoSox Fan 1950

    I wondered why there was no news about Jason in ST (well, I didn’t “see” any). Too bad he didn’t make it. The early reviews were pretty high on him. Good luck to him wherever he lands. Hope he gets it together and has an outstanding career in the National League. Lol.
    As for Theo-bashing and all the weeping and gnashing of teeth over the 0-3 start (not here, but pretty rampant elsewhere), lets all take a deep breath and remember that any long-time Red Sox Fan has been disciplined to complain and to do so loudly. We’re still not used to having a great team and a very great Front Office to cheer for and be grateful for.
    We need to adapt to the new up-side of being a Red Sox Fan. And not worry about the Rangers’ sweep. We’ll get it together and soon.

  • http://weei.com buckhntr

    keep the faith. i won’t go into rootin’ for the sox back in the early ’60′s when they had no chance. ur all spoiled now. freakin’ wannabe’s. it’s a long season, enjoy!

  • Lisa

    You are so right, Buck. These kids have NO idea! Lifelong Red Sox fans have lived and died so many times through our lives that we EARNED the ’04 Series after a lifetime of blood, sweat and tears! If you don’t remember Bernie Carbo tying up that game so Fisk could win the game on that homer…only to LOSE game 7-well, I could go on but I won’t…
    Anyway, I tried to come on this website last year, thought it would be fun to talk baseball-but it didn’t take long before I was fed-up as I am already today with guys taking personal shots and dumbass insults like that moron Tim because they don’t agree with someone’s opinion yet can’t come up with a stat to dispute them. It was refreshing to read your post…tho’ unfortunately you are the exception-not the rule!I wish I could find a sports post where you have to take a quiz to be on it! An idiot-free zone, if you will…oh well! Take care-enjoy the season

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