1992 Major League Baseball expansion draft explained

1992 Major League Baseball expansion draft
Sport:Baseball
Date:November 17, 1992
Location:New York City
Network:ESPN
First:David Nied (Colorado Rockies)
Overall:72
Prev:1976
Next:1997

On November 17, 1992, during the 1992–93 offseason, Major League Baseball (MLB) held an expansion draft in New York City to allow two expansion teams, the Florida Marlins and Colorado Rockies, to build their rosters prior to debuting in the National League's (NL) East and West divisions, respectively, in the 1993 MLB season.

The 1990 collective bargaining agreement between MLB owners and the MLB Players Association allowed the NL to expand by two members to match the American League (AL). In June 1991, MLB accepted bids of groups from Miami, Florida, and Denver, Colorado, with debuts set for 1993.

The Marlins and Rockies used the expansion draft to build their teams using different strategies. As the Rockies had a smaller operating budget than the Marlins, the Rockies targeted prospects with low salaries, while the Marlins selected older players intended to provide more immediate impact. All three rounds of the draft were televised by ESPN.

Background

See main article: 1993 Major League Baseball expansion.

Major League Baseball (MLB) team owners and the MLB Players Association agreed to expand the National League (NL) by two teams in the 1990 collective bargaining agreement.[1] Prior to expansion, the NL had 12 teams while the American League had 14.[2]

In June 1991, MLB accepted two bids for expansion franchises: one for Miami, Florida, and the other for Denver, Colorado. Both teams were set to debut in 1993.[3] [4] Expansion was approved unanimously by all teams in July 1991.[5] The Denver group chose to call their franchise the Colorado Rockies, the same name used as the National Hockey League franchise that played in Denver from 1976 to 1982. The Miami group chose to call themselves the Florida Marlins to broaden their fanbase to the entire state,[5] while reviving the nickname of the Miami Marlins, a defunct Minor League Baseball team.[6] An expansion draft to stock both franchises was set for November 1992.[5]

Procedure

In contrast to previous expansion drafts, players from both the American League (AL) and National League (NL) were available to the expansion clubs. Each existing club could protect 15 players on their 40-man roster from being drafted and only one player could be drafted from each team in each round. At the end of each round, NL teams could protect an additional three players and AL teams could protect an additional four. To further protect the AL teams, a maximum of eight AL teams could have three players chosen.[7]

All unprotected MLB and minor league players were eligible except those chosen in the amateur drafts of 1991 or 1992 and players who were 18 or younger when signed in 1990.[7] Players who were free agents after the 1992 season were not eligible for selection in the draft. The Rockies and Marlins, however, were not restricted in offering contracts to free agents. The Rockies signed their first free agent, Andrés Galarraga, to a one-year contract the day before the expansion draft.[8]

The draft order was determined by a coin toss, the winner of which could choose either: (a) the first overall pick in the expansion draft and the 28th, and last, pick in the first round of the 1993 MLB amateur draft; or (b) allow the other team to pick first and receive both the second and third overall expansion draft picks, the right to pick first in the subsequent rounds of the expansion draft, and the 27th, and next-to-last, overall pick in the 1993 MLB amateur draft. Colorado won the toss and chose to pick first overall.[7] The three rounds of the draft were televised by ESPN.[9]

Results

With the first pick, the Rockies chose David Nied, who had a 3–0 win–loss record with a 1.17 earned run average in six MLB appearances with the Atlanta Braves.[10] The Marlins' first selection, Nigel Wilson, spent the 1992 season with the Double-A Knoxville Smokies of the Toronto Blue Jays organization, and had no MLB experience.[11]

In total, the Rockies and Marlins chose 41 pitchers with their combined 72 selections.[12] Of the 72 players chosen, 11 were All-Stars during their careers. Jack Armstrong,[13] Bryan Harvey,[14] and Danny Jackson[15] had been All-Stars before the expansion draft, while Andy Ashby,[16] Brad Ausmus, Vinny Castilla,[17] Jeff Conine,[18] Carl Everett,[19] Joe Girardi, Harvey,[14] Trevor Hoffman,[20] Jackson,[15] and Eric Young[21] became All-Stars later on in their careers. Hoffman would also be elected to the Hall of Fame in 2018.

All-Star
Member of the Baseball Hall of Fame
RoundPickPlayerPositionSelected fromSelected by
1Atlanta BravesColorado Rockies
2OutfielderToronto Blue JaysFlorida Marlins
3Third basemanNew York YankeesColorado Rockies
4New York MetsFlorida Marlins
5Milwaukee BrewersColorado Rockies
6ShortstopMontreal ExposFlorida Marlins
7OutfielderSan Diego PadresColorado Rockies
8Cincinnati RedsFlorida Marlins
9OutfielderTexas RangersColorado Rockies
10San Francisco GiantsFlorida Marlins
11Second basemanLos Angeles DodgersColorado Rockies
12Chicago White SoxFlorida Marlins
13Second basemanBoston Red SoxColorado Rockies
14OutfielderSt. Louis CardinalsFlorida Marlins
15Detroit TigersColorado Rockies
16OutfielderCleveland IndiansFlorida Marlins
17OutfielderPittsburgh PiratesColorado Rockies
18CatcherOakland AthleticsFlorida Marlins
19CatcherChicago CubsColorado Rockies
20California AngelsFlorida Marlins
21Houston AstrosColorado Rockies
22First baseman/OutfielderKansas City RoyalsFlorida Marlins
23CatcherMinnesota TwinsColorado Rockies
24Baltimore OriolesFlorida Marlins
25Philadelphia PhilliesColorado Rockies
26OutfielderSeattle MarinersFlorida Marlins
27ShortstopCincinnati RedsColorado Rockies
28OutfielderNew York YankeesFlorida Marlins
29Second basemanLos Angeles DodgersColorado Rockies
30Toronto Blue JaysFlorida Marlins
31Montreal ExposColorado Rockies
32New York MetsFlorida Marlins
33San Diego PadresColorado Rockies
34ShortstopPittsburgh PiratesFlorida Marlins
35Houston AstrosColorado Rockies
36CatcherSan Francisco GiantsFlorida Marlins
37Chicago CubsColorado Rockies
38St. Louis CardinalsFlorida Marlins
39ShortstopAtlanta BravesColorado Rockies
40Cleveland IndiansFlorida Marlins
41California AngelsColorado Rockies
42Texas RangersFlorida Marlins
43Third basemanMilwaukee BrewersColorado Rockies
44Minnesota TwinsFlorida Marlins
45Detroit TigersColorado Rockies
46Kansas City RoyalsFlorida Marlins
47CatcherBoston Red SoxColorado Rockies
48Chicago White SoxFlorida Marlins
49Philadelphia PhilliesColorado Rockies
50Oakland AthleticsFlorida Marlins
51Seattle MarinersColorado Rockies
52Baltimore OriolesFlorida Marlins
53CatcherNew York YankeesColorado Rockies
54Pittsburgh PiratesFlorida Marlins
55Toronto Blue JaysColorado Rockies
56Los Angeles DodgersFlorida Marlins
57Atlanta BravesColorado Rockies
58CatcherMontreal ExposFlorida Marlins
59San Francisco GiantsColorado Rockies
60OutfielderCalifornia AngelsFlorida Marlins
61Cincinnati RedsColorado Rockies
62OutfielderKansas City RoyalsFlorida Marlins
63Third basemanChicago CubsColorado Rockies
64Houston AstrosFlorida Marlins
65Minnesota TwinsColorado Rockies
66St. Louis CardinalsFlorida Marlins
67San Diego PadresColorado Rockies
68Third basemanNew York MetsFlorida Marlins
69OutfielderPhiladelphia PhilliesColorado Rockies
70OutfielderTexas RangersFlorida Marlins
71Cleveland IndiansColorado Rockies
72Milwaukee BrewersFlorida Marlins

Draft-day trades

The following trades were announced at the conclusion of the expansion draft:[22]

Aftermath

Several older star players who were left unprotected, including Danny Tartabull, Jack Morris, and Shawon Dunston, were not selected due to their high salaries and advanced age. Based on the results of the expansion draft, the Marlins were projected to have a higher payroll in 1993 than the Rockies.[23] The Rockies' payroll appeared to be $4 million, less than what the Marlins would pay Bryan Harvey.[24]

The New York Yankees challenged the validity of the draft on the basis that the Marlins did not compensate the Yankees for the loss of territory in Fort Lauderdale, Florida, where the Yankees had a minor league team. They attempted to revoke the assignment of Hayes and Ausmus to the Rockies and Everett to the Marlins. Invoking the "best interests of baseball" clause, Commissioner Bud Selig and the major league executive council affirmed the draft results.[25]

In the 1993 Major League Baseball season, the Marlins and Rockies both finished sixth out of seven teams in their respective divisions.[26] The Rockies were the first team to reach the playoffs, using the roster they developed through the expansion draft to win the wild card in 1995, a record for the shortest amount of time for an expansion team to make the playoffs in any sport at the time.[27] (The Arizona Diamondbacks would go on to break the record by reaching the playoffs in 1999, their second year of existence.)[28] Ritz and Painter, both selected in the expansion draft, started Games 1 and 2 of the 1995 National League Division Series for the Rockies.[27] The Rockies added free agent acquisition Larry Walker to a lineup of power hitters in Galarraga, Bichette, and Castilla, known collectively as the "Blake Street Bombers".[29]

Meanwhile, the Marlins kept fewer players they selected in the expansion draft than the Rockies. In 1996, the Rockies retained 13 players from the draft, while the Marlins had six.[30] Jeff Conine, nicknamed "Mr. Marlin", was the only player selected in the expansion draft on the Marlins' 1997 World Series championship roster.[31] However, the Marlins used the players selected in the expansion draft to craft their 1997 roster. The Marlins traded three players selected in the draft, Hoffman, Martínez and Berumen, to the San Diego Padres for Gary Sheffield,[32] a key member of the 1997 Florida Marlins.[33] However, other key players to the Marlins' World Series championship were signed as free agents.[34] The 1997 Marlins set records by reaching and winning the World Series in the team's fifth year[35] (these records were broken by the 2001 Arizona Diamondbacks, who won the World Series in their fourth year of existence)[28] and were the first wild card team to win the World Series.[36]

See also

References

Footnotes
Bibliography

Notes and References

  1. News: NL will grow by 2, but first . . . // 1. Players, owners must agree on labor contract ; the current pact expires Dec. 31. // 2. Within three months of a labor agreement, commissioner will announce timetable. https://archive.today/20130201013818/http://pqasb.pqarchiver.com/sptimes/access/50478419.html?dids=50478419:50478419&FMT=ABS&FMTS=ABS:FT&type=current&date=Jun+16,+1989&author=MARC+TOPKIN;+JOHN+ROMANO&pub=St.+Petersburg+Times&desc=NL+will+grow+by+2,+but+first+.+.+.+//+1.+Players,+owners+must+agree+on+labor+contract+;+the+current+pact+expires+Dec.+31.+//+2.+Within+three+months+of+a+laboar+agreement,+commissioner+will+announce+timetable&pqatl=google. dead. February 1, 2013. St. Petersburg Times. Marc. Topkin. John. Romano. June 16, 1989. October 28, 2011. 1.C.
  2. Web site: Giamatti Refuses to Agree to Further MLB Expansion. Associated Press. The Daily Review. Morgan City, Louisiana. 12. Newspapers.com. August 3, 1989. September 28, 2019. September 28, 2019. https://web.archive.org/web/20190928162412/https://www.newspapers.com/image/473645466/. live.
  3. News: Baseball Ready to Add Miami and Denver Teams. Murray. Chass. Murray Chass. The New York Times. June 11, 1991. October 28, 2011. July 17, 2014. https://web.archive.org/web/20140717231030/http://www.nytimes.com/1991/06/11/sports/baseball-ready-to-add-miami-and-denver-teams.html. live.
  4. News: Owners' Group Approves Denver, Miami Baseball: Final hurdle is vote by all owners. AL executives still angry with Vincent's solution on expansion money.. https://archive.today/20120720065028/http://pqasb.pqarchiver.com/latimes/access/61319127.html?dids=61319127:61319127&FMT=ABS&FMTS=ABS:FT&type=current&date=Jun+13,+1991&author=ROSS+NEWHAN&pub=Los+Angeles+Times+(pre-1997+Fulltext)&desc=Owners'+Group+Approves+Denver,+Miami+Baseball:+Final+hurdle+is+vote+by+all+owners.+AL+executives+still+angry+with+Vincent's+solution+on+expansion+money.&pqatl=google. dead. July 20, 2012. Los Angeles Times. Ross. Newhan. 2. June 13, 1991. October 28, 2011.
  5. News: BASEBALL; The Marlins? The Rockies? Get Used to It. It's Official. Murray. Chass. The New York Times. July 6, 1991. October 28, 2011. September 28, 2019. https://web.archive.org/web/20190928161013/https://www.nytimes.com/1991/07/06/sports/baseball-the-marlins-the-rockies-get-used-to-it-it-s-official.html. live.
  6. News: More than just Barnum on the bill for expansion Marlins. https://archive.today/20120713033954/http://pqasb.pqarchiver.com/chicagotribune/access/24322783.html?dids=24322783:24322783&FMT=ABS&FMTS=ABS:FT&type=current&date=Nov+07,+1992&author=Joey+Reaves.&pub=Chicago+Tribune+(pre-1997+Fulltext)&desc=More+than+just+Barnum+on+the+bill+for+expansion+Marlins&pqatl=google. dead. July 13, 2012. Chicago Tribune. Joey. Reaves. 3. November 7, 1992. October 28, 2011.
  7. News: Major League Baseball 1992 Expansion Draft. The Telegraph-Herald. November 16, 1992. October 17, 2011.
  8. News: Galarraga signs with Rockies. https://archive.today/20120713203643/http://pqasb.pqarchiver.com/USAToday/access/56240682.html?dids=56240682:56240682&FMT=ABS&FMTS=ABS:FT&type=current&date=Nov+18,+1992&author=&pub=USA+TODAY+(pre-1997+Fulltext)&desc=Galarraga+signs+with+Rockies&pqatl=google. dead. July 13, 2012. USA Today. November 18, 1992. 1.B. October 17, 2011.
  9. News: Win now or later: Marlins, Rockies must decide today. Tony. DeMarco. The News. November 17, 1992. October 18, 2011.
  10. News: Prospects are first to go // Braves' Nied has promise. https://archive.today/20120906091459/http://pqasb.pqarchiver.com/USAToday/access/56240629.html?dids=56240629:56240629&FMT=ABS&FMTS=ABS:FT&type=current&date=Nov+18,+1992&author=Rod+Beaton&pub=USA+TODAY+(pre-1997+Fulltext)&desc=Prospects+are+first+to+go+//+Braves'+Nied+has+promise&pqatl=google. dead. September 6, 2012. USA Today. 4.C. Rod. Beaton. November 18, 1992. October 26, 2011.
  11. News: Marlins make Wilson's dream a reality. Bangor Daily News. Associated Press. 17. November 18, 2011. October 26, 2011. January 14, 2020. https://web.archive.org/web/20200114030157/https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=9apJAAAAIBAJ&sjid=Sg4NAAAAIBAJ&pg=6255,608409. live.
  12. News: Trade flurry follows expansion draft. Bangor Daily News. Associated Press. 13, 17. November 18, 2011. October 26, 2011. January 14, 2020. https://web.archive.org/web/20200114030157/https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=9apJAAAAIBAJ&sjid=Sg4NAAAAIBAJ&pg=6255,608409. live.
  13. Web site: Jack Armstrong Statistics and History . . January 10, 2012 . June 29, 2014 . https://web.archive.org/web/20140629144653/http://www.baseball-reference.com/players/a/armstja01.shtml . live .
  14. Web site: Bryan Harvey Statistics and History . Baseball-Reference.com . January 10, 2012 . January 5, 2012 . https://web.archive.org/web/20120105172346/http://www.baseball-reference.com/players/h/harvebr01.shtml . live .
  15. Web site: Danny Jackson Statistics and History . Baseball-Reference.com . January 10, 2012 . April 1, 2020 . https://web.archive.org/web/20200401233032/https://www.baseball-reference.com/players/j/jacksda02.shtml . live .
  16. Web site: Andy Ashby Statistics and History . Baseball-Reference.com . January 10, 2012 . January 13, 2012 . https://web.archive.org/web/20120113065341/http://www.baseball-reference.com/players/a/ashbyan01.shtml . live .
  17. Web site: Vinny Castilla Statistics and History . Baseball-Reference.com . January 10, 2012 . December 10, 2011 . https://web.archive.org/web/20111210122829/http://www.baseball-reference.com/players/c/castivi02.shtml . live .
  18. Web site: Jeff Conine Statistics and History . Baseball-Reference.com . January 10, 2012 . December 10, 2011 . https://web.archive.org/web/20111210144144/http://www.baseball-reference.com/players/c/coninje01.shtml . live .
  19. Web site: Carl Everett Statistics and History . Baseball-Reference.com . January 10, 2012 . December 22, 2011 . https://web.archive.org/web/20111222013658/http://www.baseball-reference.com/players/e/evereca01.shtml . live .
  20. Web site: Trevor Hoffman Statistics and History . Baseball-Reference.com . January 10, 2012 . April 25, 2021 . https://web.archive.org/web/20210425185649/https://www.baseball-reference.com/players/h/hoffmtr01.shtml . live .
  21. Web site: Eric Young Statistics and History . Baseball-Reference.com . January 10, 2012 . January 10, 2012 . https://web.archive.org/web/20120110173756/http://www.baseball-reference.com/players/y/younger01.shtml . live .
  22. News: Rockies draft for the present, Marlins plan for the future . The Rochester Sentinel. Associated Press . November 18, 1992 . October 18, 2011.
  23. News: Marlins' Projected Payroll More Than Double The $5.3 Million Of The Rockies. Tracy. Ringolsby. Tracy Ringolsby. The Rocky Mountain News. November 22, 1992. October 18, 2011. March 4, 2016. https://web.archive.org/web/20160304235947/http://nl.newsbank.com/nl-search/we/Archives?p_product=RM&p_theme=rm&p_action=search&p_maxdocs=200&p_topdoc=1&p_text_direct-0=0EB4DBA5DE363B37&p_field_direct-0=document_id&p_perpage=10&p_sort=YMD_date:D&s_trackval=GooglePM. live.
  24. News: Marlins, Rockies ignored unprotected star players . . November 19, 1992. Ronald. Blum . October 18, 2011.
  25. News: Baseball; Expansion Draft Will Stand, Yankees Are Told by Council. Murray. Chass. Murray Chass. November 25, 1992. January 2, 2009. The New York Times. December 15, 2019. https://web.archive.org/web/20191215022813/https://query.nytimes.com/gst/fullpage.html?res=9E0CE4DE173FF936A15752C1A964958260. live.
  26. Web site: 1993 National League Standings. Baseball-Reference.com. January 30, 2012. November 22, 2011. https://web.archive.org/web/20111122174847/http://www.baseball-reference.com/leagues/NL/1993-standings.shtml. live.
  27. News: Baseball makes history as playoffs start. Jay. Pinsonnault. Kingman Daily Miner. 7. October 3, 1995. October 26, 2011.
  28. News: Timeline. dbacks.com. May 17, 2014. March 5, 2014. https://web.archive.org/web/20140305084730/http://arizona.diamondbacks.mlb.com/ari/history/timeline.jsp. live.
  29. News: Blake Street's big bash: Rockies reach the rare air of playoff race. https://archive.today/20120716115524/http://pqasb.pqarchiver.com/USAToday/access/72596071.html?dids=72596071:72596071&FMT=ABS&FMTS=ABS:FT&type=current&date=Aug+23,+1995&author=Rod+Beaton&pub=USA+TODAY+(pre-1997+Fulltext)&desc=Blake+Street's+big+bash+//+Rockies+reach+the+rare+air+of+playoff+race&pqatl=google. dead. July 16, 2012. USA Today. Rod. Beaton. 1.C. August 23, 1995. October 26, 2011.
  30. News: Rockies clearly had the better expansion draft. Irv. Moss. Denver Post. May 10, 1996. D–05. October 26, 2011. May 17, 2014. https://web.archive.org/web/20140517122908/http://nl.newsbank.com/nl-search/we/Archives?p_product=DP&p_theme=dp&p_action=search&p_maxdocs=200&p_topdoc=1&p_text_direct-0=0EAF44954B4FBAB0&p_field_direct-0=document_id&p_perpage=10&p_sort=YMD_date:D&s_trackval=GooglePM. live.
  31. News: For Conine, it's time to revel in here, now. https://archive.today/20120713153658/http://pqasb.pqarchiver.com/boston/access/20940229.html?FMT=ABS&FMTS=ABS:FT&type=current&date=Oct+26,+1997&author=Gordon+Edes,+Globe+Staff&pub=Boston+Globe&desc=For+Conine,+it's+time+to+revel+in+here,+now&pqatl=google. dead. July 13, 2012. Boston Globe. Gordon. Edes. Gordon Edes. October 26, 1997. F.11. October 26, 2011.
  32. News: Marlins develop more than a following: The expansion club has several high marks on its own growth chart as it heads into the All-Star break. https://archive.today/20120718211342/http://pqasb.pqarchiver.com/orlandosentinel/access/77468891.html?dids=77468891:77468891&FMT=ABS&FMTS=ABS:FT&type=current&date=Jul+11,+1993&author=Gordon+Edes,+Fort+Lauderdale+Sun-Sentinel&pub=Orlando+Sentinel&desc=MARLINS+DEVELOP+MORE+THAN+A+FOLLOWING+THE+EXPANSION+CLUB+HAS+SEVERAL+HIGH+MARKS+ON+ITS+GROWTH+CHART+AS+IT+HEADS+INTO+THE+ALL-STAR+BREAK.&pqatl=google. dead. July 18, 2012. Orlando Sentinel. Gordon. Edes. July 11, 1993. C.5. October 26, 2011.
  33. News: '97 World Series; Finally in Series Spotlight, Sheffield Is Slugging Away. Buster. Olney. Buster Olney. The New York Times. October 22, 1997. October 26, 2011. May 27, 2015. https://web.archive.org/web/20150527065833/http://www.nytimes.com/1997/10/22/sports/97-world-series-finally-in-series-spotlight-sheffield-is-slugging-away.html. live.
  34. News: Expansion Draft No Joke Anymore. Jerome. Holtzman. Jerome Holtzman. Chicago Tribune. November 13, 1997. October 19, 2011. June 17, 2013. https://web.archive.org/web/20130617034829/http://articles.chicagotribune.com/1997-11-13/sports/9711130100_1_expansion-new-owners-clubs. live.
  35. News: 1997 World Series. MLB.com. May 17, 2014. September 1, 2021. https://web.archive.org/web/20210901143559/http://mlb.mlb.com/mlb/history/postseason/mlb_ws_recaps.jsp?feature=1997. live.
  36. News: The Road to the 1997 World Series. marlins.com. May 17, 2014. May 17, 2014. https://web.archive.org/web/20140517152919/http://miami.marlins.mlb.com/mia/history/mia_history_feature.jsp?feature=ws_97. live.

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