Bush vs. Leaf

Who was the bigger bust? I have to go with Leaf; not only did the Chargers squander a number one on him; they also gave up another number one; a second round pick, and a couple of other players just to acquire a player who was not only a bust, but an embarrassment. Baseball draft choices are always a bit more suspect; there is no way Matt 'Effen' Bush competes with Ryan Leaf.

almost 3 years ago Brian (DaBolts) 7 comments 0 recs |

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No Contest

Leaf.

by Jonny Dub on Feb 12, 2009 9:14 AM PST reply actions

Peyton Manning

Brady Hoke, Al Borges, and Rocky Long. Aztec football is back!

by Sam (sdsuaztec4) on Feb 12, 2009 9:19 AM PST reply actions

The main difference

The big difference between these two that I don’t see many people mentioning is that it was agreed league-wide that Leaf was the number 1 or number 2 pick. He had the arm, he had the size and because of his team’s success it was assumed that he had the leadership. If the Lions or the Patriots or the Steelers had the second pick that year, they’d take Leaf too.

Matt Bush, however, wasn’t even considered a first round pick by most teams. They thought his potential was as a back-up infielder. We could’ve had Stephen Drew or Jered Weaver (the two players that everyone agreed should’ve gone 1-2) but passed on them because we didn’t want to deal with Scott Boras. With the first pick in the draft we knowingly didn’t pick the best player or even second best player because WE DIDNT LIKE HIS AGENT. What team operates like that? Why wouldn’t you trade the pick away? And they didn’t even take the 3rd best player. They took a high schooler from San Diego to fool the fans. To get a little cred for taking a local boy and for making the fans think “Maybe they know something that nobody else knows.” Then when he sucked they also could play the “Well, he’s fresh out of high school” card.

Leaf was a bust. He was a first-rounder that simply couldn’t handle the pressures of the big time. Matt Bush was not a bust. He was a disgustingly stupid pick who never had enough talent to be very good, so it’s not surprising that he’s not. Leaf was picked to save a franchise but couldn’t. Bush was picked because the Padres were afraid of spending money and terrified of big, bad Scott Boras. BIG BIG difference.

by John Gennaro on Feb 12, 2009 11:39 AM PST reply actions

OK

I posted my thoughts before reading the article. Based off of what I’ve been reading and seeing on ESPN or on national sports news sites. My apologies to the Union Tribune, they had my point well-covered.

by John Gennaro on Feb 12, 2009 11:43 AM PST up reply actions

Yup I agree 100%

You also have to remember how much the team gave up to move up a few spots to even draft leaf and how his cap figure hurt the team for several years.

The way I see it drafting Leaf hurt the pro franchise for several years…the Padres have hardley felt the impact on a major league level of drafting Bush. Sure they could have a good MLB player on thier team like Drew or Weaver on their team right now or they could have drafted Mark Rogers (he was the 5th pick that year) and be in the same spot they are now.

by Grey Suit on Feb 13, 2009 11:29 AM PST up reply actions

You're overall point is mostly correct

but you’re exaggerating Bush’s low ranking. I believe he was considered a legitimate top 10 pick, as Canepa mentions, just not somebody that should have been taken first overall on talent. He had the talent to be an All-Star major leaguer if everything had broken right. Someone whose potential is a back-up infielder doesn’t get drafted in the first round.

Also, you can’t trade picks in baseball.

by benrb on Feb 13, 2009 6:33 PM PST up reply actions