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1969 Airbrush

Actual 1968 Draft

MAJOR LEAGUE EXPANSION 1969

On October 14th, 1968, representatives from the Padres and Expos met at the Windsor Hotel in Montreal for the NL expansion draft. The following day, the Royals and Pilots met at the Sheraton Hotel in Boston. Both meetings represented the ultimate rotisserie experience - drafting 60 players from the existing Major League teams to field their expansion squads in 1969. The draft last six rounds with each expansion team picking one player from each of the other teams in each round - five picks each per round. After each round, the established teams could protect one additional player. Although there was a strict embargo on publicizing the protected lists, rumor has it that Jim Palmer was left unprotected for two rounds.

San Diego Padres

PADRES DRAFT SUMMARY

General Manager Buzzi Bavisi and the San Diego Padres went with youth in their expansion drafting. Unlike the Expos, the Padres bypassed big name veterans on the decline for a group of prospects. Incredibly both teams finished with identical records of 52 Wins and 110 Losses. The core group of young arms included Clay Kirby (6th pick), Frank Reberger (11th), Mike Corkins (16th), Dave Roberts (20th) and Steve Arlin (29th).

The "name" players which the Pods did select were primarily used as trade bait -early trades brought Tommy Dean, Walt Hriniak, Joe Niekro, and Bill Davis. Niekro was a key pickup - appearing in 37 games and posting a 3.70 ERA.

Free agents Ron Davis (Astros) and Bobby Klaus (Mets) brought Chris Cannizzaro from the Pirates in a late spring trade. The veteran catcher was the Padres 1969 All-Star representative. #1 draft choice Ollie Brown led all regulars with a .264 average and first basemen Nate Colbert led the team with 24 home runs. Joe Niekro and Al Sanorini tied for the team lead with 8 wins each.

1 OLLIE BROWN (Giants)

2 DAVE GIUSTI (Cards)

3 DICK SELMA (Mets)

4 AL SANTORINI (Braves)

5 JOSE ARCIA (Cubs)

6 CLAY KIRBY (Cards)

7 FRED KENDALL (Reds)

8 JERRY MORALES (Mets)

9 NATE COLBERT (Astros)

10 ZOILO VERSALLES (Dodgers)

11 FRANK REBERGER (Cubs)

12 JERRY DAVANON (Cards)

13 LARRY STAHL (Mets)

14 DICK KELLEY (Braves)

15 AL FERRARA (Dodgers)

Downtown Ollie Brown was the #1 draft choice for the infant Padres. A great prospect with the Giants, Brown never fulfilled his potential. He hit 20 home runs in 1969 but after three seasons as a starter, he was back to a utility role in stints with the Phillies, Brewers, and Astros. The selection of #2 pick Dave Giusti raised some eyebrows - the Cardinals had just traded Johnny Edwards to the Astros to acquire the right-hander only a few weeks before the draft. Of course there was more intrigue to come - the Padres traded Giusti BACK to the Cardinals before he ever appeared in a game. Simply a ploy to acquire some prospects who were on the protected list. Fireballer Dick Selma brought key prospects Joe Niekro and Gary Ross from the Cubs in an April trade. Jose Arcia hit .215 in 120 games for '69 Padres - he typified the problems San Diego had a shortstop before Ozzie Smith appeared nearly a decade later. Clay Kirby finished the 1969 season with 7 wins and 20 losses, despite an impressive 3.80 ERA. He won double digits for the Padres over the next three seasons. Kirby is possibly best remembered as the player manager Preston Gomez pinch hit for in 1970 in the 8th inning of a game in which he was throwing a no hitter but losing 1-0 to the Mets. Frank Reberger appeared in 67 games for the Padres in 1969 fashioning a 3.59 ERA.

16 MIKE CORKINS (Giants)

17 TOM DUKES (Astros)

18 DICK JAMES (Cubs)

19 TONY GONZALEZ (Phillies)

20 DAVE ROBERTS (Pirates)

21 IVAN MURRELL (Astros)

22 JIMMY WILLIAMS (Dodgers)

23 BILL MCCOOL (Reds)

24 ROBERTO PENA (Phillies)

25 AL MCBEAN (Pirates)

26 RAFAEL ROBLES (Giants)

27 FRED KATAWCZIK (Reds)

Nate Colbert was by far the Pods most successful pick - the slugger rapped 163 home runs in 6 seasons including two campaigns of 38 dingers. Former AL MVP Versalles was made available by the Dodgers after a .196 season. He never played in San Diego - moving to Cleveland for Bill Davis before the '69 season. Despite being only one year removed from a .339 season as a Phillie, Tony Gonzalez lasted until the 4th round. He appeared in only 53 games for the Padres, moving to the Braves at the trade deadline for Walt Hriniak. Al McBean had an even shorter tenure in SD - starting and losing in his only appearance before being shipped to the Dodgers for Tommy Dean. The move was necessitated when starting short stop Rafael Robles proved after only 6 games (2 hits in 20 At Bats and 2 errors) that he was not ready for the Major Leagues. Remarkably, the Padres 30th and final pick in the draft was Clarence  Gaston - a player named an All Star in 1970 in a year which he hit .318 with 29 home runs and 93 RBIs. Of course Gaston - now known as "Cito" - went on to manage the Toronto Blue Jays to back-to-back World Championships.

28 RON SLOCUM (Pirates)

29 STEVE ARLIN (Phillies)

30 CLARENCE GASTON (Braves)

MONTREAL EXPOS

EXPOS DRAFT SUMMARY

Despite losing 110 games in 1969, the Expos drew 1,200,000 fans to tiny Jarry Park. Initially drafting big name players such as Maury Wills and Donn Clendenon, the Expos traded most of the established players and by mid-season had committed to youth. Two key trades after the draft brought Steve Renko and Rusty Staub (Donn Clendenon), Gary Waslewski (Mudcat Grant) and Ron Fairly and Adolfo Phillips (Wills and Mota).

Among the popular players in Montreal was a 29 year-old rookie named Jose (Coco) Laboy, who hit a solid .258 while appearing in 157 games; Ron Fairly who hit .289 in just over 1/2 the season; Rusty Staub, who hit 29 home runs and drove in 79 runs, and Claude Raymond, a Quebec-born reliever picked up in August from the Braves.

Veteran right-handed starter Larry Jackson retired after being drafted in the 3rd round - shortstop Bobby Wine was sent to Montreal as a replacement by the Phillies. Veteran relievers Elroy Face and Dick Radatz both pitched for the Expos before calling it quits by midseason.

1 MANNY MOTA (Pirates)

2 MACK JONES (Reds)

3 JOHN BATEMAN (Astros)

4 GARY SUTHERLAND (Phillies)

5 JACK BILLINGHAM (Dodgers)

6 DONN CLENDENON (Pirates)

7 JESUS ALOU (Giants)

8 MIKE WEGENER (Phillies)

9 SKIP GUINN (Braves)

10 BILL STONEMAN (Cubs)

11 MAURY WILLS (Pirates)

12 LARRY JACKSON (Phillies)

13 BOB REYNOLDS (Giants)

14 DAN MCGINN (Reds)

15 JOSE HERRERA (Astros)

Despite batting .315, the Expos packaged Manny Mota and Maury Wills off to the Dodgers in the trade for Ron Fairly and Paul Popovich - the latter immediately dealt to the Cubs for Adolfo Phillips. Fairly started for the Expos for 6 seasons - appearing in the 1973 All-Star Game. John Bateman played 3 seasons in Montreal while sharing time with John Boccabella. Jack Billingham and Jesus Alou appeared in Topps Series One - meaning they missed the fact that Alou was traded to Houston with Donn Clendenon for Rusty Staub on January 22nd. When Clendenon refused to report to Houston, the Expos sent Jack Billingham and Skip Guinn as replacements. Starting in 1970, Billingham double digits in wins for 10 consecutive seasons. Bill Stoneman was one of the stalwart pitchers for the early Expos - including a no hitter on April 17th, 1969 against the Phillies.

16 JIM WILLIAMS (Reds)

17 ANGEL HERMOSO (Braves)

18 MUDCAT GRANT (Dodgers)

19 JERRY ROBERTSON (Cards)

20 DON SHAW (Mets)

21 TY CLINE (Giants)

22 GARY JESTADT (Cubs)

23 CARL MORTON (Braves)

24 LARRY JASTER (Cards)

25 ERNIE MCANALLY (Mets)

26 JIM FAIREY (Dodgers)

27 COCO LABOY (Cards)

Carl Morton went 0-3 in 5 starts in 1969 but rebounded in 1970 with an 18-11 mark to capture the NL Rookie of the Year. Mudcat Grant pitched less than half a season for the Expos - going to St. Louis for Gary Waslewski in June. Rusty Staub was acquired in a January trade for Donn Clendenon. Le Grand Orange went on to become the most popular player for the franchise. Staub hit 29 home runs in 1969 and appeared in the All-Star game as the Expos representative in all three of his seasons at Jarry Park. After playing 25 games in Montreal, Clendenon was moved to the Mets for Kevin Collins and Steve Renko. The future World Series MVP went on to play a key role in the Mets miracle run for the pennant and ultimately victory in the World Series.

Manager Gene Mauch piloted the Expos to 110 losses.

28 JOHN BOCCABELLA (Cubs)

29 RON BRAND (Astros)

30 JOHN GLASS (Mets)

SEATTLE PILOTS

PILOTS DRAFT SUMMARY

The 1969 Seattle Pilots were Baseball's One Year Wonders - the first team since the turn of the century to pick up stakes and move after a single campaign. From the woeful conditions of Sicks Stadium to the incredible cast of characters memorialized by Jim Bouton in his 1970 book Ball Four, the 1969 Seattle Pilots hold a special place in baseball lure.

The team on field was actually not half bad - they drafted many established major leaguers and several had fine seasons. In mid-August they were in 3rd place, finishing the season at 64 and 98 - five games behind the expansion Royals but well ahead of both the NL entries. Six foot Six Gene Brabender set an expansion record with 13 victories - besting the 12 wins earned by Bennie Daniels and Ken McBride in 1961. Speedster Tommy Harper stole 73 bases - the most in the major leagues since Lou Brock stole 74 in 1966. Diego Segui posted a 12-6, 3.36 record while Don Mincher returned to form prior to his beaning and hit 25 dingers while driving in 78. Of course the most notable Pilot was Jim Bouton - the sore-armed hurler who spent 1968 trying to resurrect his career with the Seattle Angels of the Pacific Coast League with a knuckleball. He appeared in 57 games for Seattle before an August trade to Houston.

1 DON MINCHER (Angels)

2 TOMMY HARPER (Indians)

3 RAY OYLER (Tigers)

4 GERRY MCNERTNEY (WSox)

5 BUZZ STEPHEN (Twins)

6 CHICO SALMON (Indians)

7 DIEGO SEGUI (A's)

8 TOMMY DAVIS (WSox)

9 MARTY PATTIN (Angels)

10 GERRY SCHOEN (Nats)

11 GARY BELL (Red Sox)

12 JACK AKER (A's)

13 RICH ROLLINS (Twins)

14 LOU PINIELLA (Indians)

15 CHARLIE BATES (Nats)

The Pilots #1 and #2 picks both had super seasons in 1969, with Mincher rapping 25 home runs and Harper swiping 73 bases. Mincher was previously a feared slugger before a 1968 beaning by Sudden Sam McDowell caused dizzy spells all season. Harper later moved to the Red Sox (via Milwaukee) in the blockbuster trade that brought the franchise George Scott and Jim Lonborg. Ray Oyler was the classic great field, no hit shortstop who was routinely pinch hit for with the Tigers in the early innings. His .165 average for the Pilots in 1969 was only 10 points below his career average.  Two-time batting champ Tommy Davis never fully recovered from a 1965 broken leg. His 153 RBIs in 1962 is still a statistical marvel given the batting conditions at Dodger Stadium. During the last 10 years of his career, Davis changed teams an incredible 11 times. Chico Salmon never played for the Pilots - but his early spring trade to the Orioles brought the Pilots Gene Brabender - their leading winning in 1969 with 13 victories. Gary Bell - nicknamed Ding Dong - had little left but guts as he managed to pitch through 11 starts before a mid-season trade to the White Sox brought his career to a close.

16 LARRY HANEY (Orioles)

17 DICK BANEY (Red Sox)

18 STEVE HOVLEY (Angels)

19 STEVE BARBER (Yankees)

20 JOHN MIKIOS (Nats)

21 WAYNE COMER (Tigers)

22 DARRELL BRANDON (Red Sox)

23 SKIP LOCKWOOD (A's)

24 GARY TIMBERLAKE (Yankees)

25 BOB RICHMOND (Nats)

26 JOHN MORRIS (Orioles)

27 MIKE MARSHALL (Tigers)

Joe Schultz gets very positive treatment in Ball Four. Seattle drafted Lou Piniella with their 14th pick - then traded him to rival Kansas City right as spring training was ending. Lou went on to hit .289 for the expansion Royals and win the AL Rookie of the Year award. The Topps card is Lou's third appearance (same photo) on a two-player rookie card, first with the Senators in 1964 and again with the Indians in 1968. Most perpetual Rookie Stars never make it - Lou of course had a terrific major league career. Topps also reached back to the 1968 set for Larry Haney - recycling the same photo used the previous year when Haney was with the Birds. Of course the negative on the photo is 'flipped' - making it a two-time error. Steve Barber once flew high with the Baby Birds in the early 60s - by 1969, his tired flipper limited him to 86 innings although he hung on for another five seasons. Seattle picked Mike Marshall with the 27th pick in the draft - the future medical expert went on to master the ability to pitch on short rest and won the NL Cy Young award in 1974 by appearing in 106 games and pitching an amazing 208 innings in relief with the Dodgers. 

28 JIM GOSGER (A's)

29 MIKE FERRARO (Yankees)

30 PAUL CLICK (Angels)

Kansas City Royals

ROYALS DRAFT SUMMARY

The Royals won 69 games and finished in 4th place during their initial season, beating the White Sox by a game and the Pilots by five games. The pitching staff posted a 3.72 team ERA - with Wally Bunker (12-11), Dick Drago (11-13), Roger Nelson (7-13) and Moe Drabowsky (11-9) anchoring the corps. Drabowsky also chipped in with 11 saves. Joe Foy led the team with 71 RBIs while Ed Kirkpatrick led with 14 home runs.

The Royals strategy of drafting youth was obvious - among their top 10 picks only Foy and Morehead had significant ML experience. In the cases where they drafted experience, Joe Foy lasted one season and then departed in a trade for Amos Otis. Hoyt Wilhelm was traded to the Angels over the winter of 1968 for long-time Royal Ed Kirkpatrick. Little wonder the franchise was a contender soonest of any of the 1969 expansion teams.

1 ROGER NELSON (Orioles)

2 JOE FOY (Red Sox)

3 JIM ROOKER (Yankees)

4 JOE KEOUGH (Indians)

5 STEVE JONES (Nats)

6 JON WARDEN (Tigers)

7 ELLIE RODRIGUEZ (Yankees)

8 DAVE MOREHEAD (Red Sox)

9 MIKE FIORE (Orioles)

10 BOB OLIVER (Twins)

11 BILL BUTLER (Tigers)

12 STEVE WHITAKER (Yankees)

13 WALLY BUNKER (Orioles)

14 PAUL SCHAAL (Angels)

15 BILL HAYNES (WSox)

The #1 pick in the entire AL expansion draft, Nelson started 29 games for the 1969 Royals, posting a 7-13 record with a 3.31 ERA. Over the following two seasons, Nelson battled injuries as he appeared in a total of only 17 games. He reached career highs in 1972 when he posted an 11-6 mark with a 2.08 ERA in 173 innings. Yet another Yankee farmhand who made good outside the Bronx, Ellie Rodriguez was the Royals 1969 All-Star representative - primarily for his steady defensive play. Over his 9 year career, he also appeared in the 1972 All-Star game for the Brewers. Paul Schaal had a steady 11 year career for the Angels and Royals. He was an average fielder, with a .244 lifetime average and limited pop but somehow he managed to play full-time for 7 of his 11 seasons. Joe Foy "ate" his way into Dick Williams' doghouse in Boston. As the #2 pick of the Royals, Foy rebounded with 11 homers and 71 RBIs in his only season in Kansas City. As all Met fans will remember. the off-season trade of Amos Otis for Joe Foy ranks as one of the franchises worst deals right behind Jim Fregosi for Nolan Ryan. After an injury plagued 1971 season in Washington, Foy was out of baseball. The #4 pick in the draft, Joe Keough batted .187 in 166 at bats in 1969.

16 DICK DRAGO (Tigers)

17 PAT KELLY (Twins)

18 BILLY HARRIS (Indians)

19 DON O' RILEY (A's)

20 ALAN FITZMORRIS (WSox)

21 MOE DRABOWSKY (Orioles)

22 JACKIE HERNANDEZ (Twins)

23 MIKE HEDLUND (Indians)

24 TOM BURGMEIER (Angels)

25 HOYT WILHELM (WSox)

26 JERRY ADAIR (Red Sox)

27 GERALD CRAM (Twins)

Bunker was a one-time top Orioles prospect who rebounded from an injury plagued 1968 season to post a 12-11 record in 222 innings for the expansion Royals. Hedlund was a top prospect - he posted a 15-8 record for the Royals in 1971. Former AL MVP Joe Gordon led the Royals to a surprising 4th place finish in their debut season. Drabowsky was the hero of Game One of the 1966 World Series when he racked up 11 strikeouts in relief for the victorious Orioles. Whitaker drilled 11 home runs and drove in 50 runs for the Yankees in 1967 over 441 at bats. The following year he dropped off to .117 making him expendable in the draft. Whitaker was acquired from the Pilots for Lou Piniella prior to the season - an impossibly lopsided trade. Jerry Adair was a key ingredient to the 1967 Red Sox miracle pennant. He played 126 games for the Royals in 1969 but he career was over 7 games into the following season.

28 FRAN HEALY (Indians)

29 SCOTT NORTHEY (WSox)

30 ED BROOKENS (Nats)