Jim Breazeale--1973
As good of an optometrist Jim
Breazeale's eye doctor was, the Doc was
an even better salesman. After all, the
Doc sold him these "nerd' glasses.
While many may argue that the Braves
bombed when they drafted Jim Breazeale
eighth overall in the first round of the
1968 free agent draft, in hindsight at
least he made it to the bigs, which is
better than 15 other clubs.
George Hendrick the first overall pick,
selected by the Oakland A’s, would play
in the most games of all first-rounders
with 2,048 major league games, though
primarily with the St. Louis Cardinals and
the Cleveland Indians, hitting .278 with
267 homers during his career. Outfielder
Mickey Rivers would accumulate the next
most games amongst the Class of ’68
first-rounders, a total of 1468 contests,
though none of them came with the
Chicago White Sox who selected Rivers
thirteenth overall.
Outfielder Glenn Adams would hit .
280 as he logged 661 big league games,
primarily with the Twins and the not
Astros who selected him with the fourth
overall pick. Right-hander Tom Walker
registered an 18-23, 3.87 record in 191
appearances primarily for the Montreal
Expos and not the Orioles, who drafted
him with the ninth overall pick.
Then came Breazeale, who hit just .
223 with nine homers in 89 big league
games spread over parts of four big
league seasons, three of them with the
Braves.
Maybe it was the glasses.
(3/1/11)
Breazeale's eye doctor was, the Doc was
an even better salesman. After all, the
Doc sold him these "nerd' glasses.
While many may argue that the Braves
bombed when they drafted Jim Breazeale
eighth overall in the first round of the
1968 free agent draft, in hindsight at
least he made it to the bigs, which is
better than 15 other clubs.
George Hendrick the first overall pick,
selected by the Oakland A’s, would play
in the most games of all first-rounders
with 2,048 major league games, though
primarily with the St. Louis Cardinals and
the Cleveland Indians, hitting .278 with
267 homers during his career. Outfielder
Mickey Rivers would accumulate the next
most games amongst the Class of ’68
first-rounders, a total of 1468 contests,
though none of them came with the
Chicago White Sox who selected Rivers
thirteenth overall.
Outfielder Glenn Adams would hit .
280 as he logged 661 big league games,
primarily with the Twins and the not
Astros who selected him with the fourth
overall pick. Right-hander Tom Walker
registered an 18-23, 3.87 record in 191
appearances primarily for the Montreal
Expos and not the Orioles, who drafted
him with the ninth overall pick.
Then came Breazeale, who hit just .
223 with nine homers in 89 big league
games spread over parts of four big
league seasons, three of them with the
Braves.
Maybe it was the glasses.
(3/1/11)
