Missed opportunities: How a draft pick could have changed Cubs history

Missed opportunities: How a draft pick could have changed Cubs history

In 2007 the MLB was up and the Chicago Cubs had the third selection. While the fans and experts were excited to see how the Cubs would make their pick, many doubts about the strategic decision of the team. Instead of choosing the talented Georgia Tech Catcher Matt Wieters, who was known for his strength and defensive, the Cubs chose the high school third baseman Josh Vitters. This decision was critically seen by numerous fans, including me.

Vitter was considered a promising player with potential, but had concerns about his ability to be successful in Major League baseball. While he achieved impressive statistics in the lower leagues, he never managed to reach the hoped -for 20 Home Runs per season. His greatest success came in 2012 when he reached an OPS of 0.870 in the Triple-A-League, which earned him a short appearance in the MLB. But there he could not convince and quickly fell back into the Minor Leagues before finally disappearing from the Cubs system in 2015.

The effects of choice

While Vitter's career stagnated, Wieters flourished. He was appointed all-star four times and won two Gold Gloves with the Baltimore Orioles. In contrast to Vitter, he helped his team to reach the playoffs four times. This raises the question: What would have happened if the Cubs had chosen Wieters? This may have stabilized the CATCHER position of the Cubs, which would have subsequently led to further positive developments within the team.

Another interesting aspect is the influence of this draft choice on future decisions. After Vitter, the Cubs chose another player: Josh Donaldson. This was later used in a trade for Rich Harden, which may have steered the Cubs in a different direction. If the Cubs had chosen Wieter instead, Donaldson might never have come to the Cubs. In this game of thinking, the question arises as to which talents, such as Mike (Giancarlo) Stanton or Freddie Freeman, may never have had the opportunity to develop at the Cubs.

The Bonanza of the hypothetical considerations is endless. Would Wieters have made the Cubs a stronger presence in the league in the early 2010s instead of falling into a phase of ment and uncertainty? Playing with the possibilities and the effects of a simple draft pick on the entire franchise makes us smile and at the same time become thoughtful.

The decision to choose Josh Vitters remains one of many that can be viewed afterwards. It shows how important strategic considerations are in sports and how a single decision can not only change the fate of a player, but that can change that of an entire organization. This kind of speculation about the past remains fascinated and also presents us with the challenge of tackling future draft and player decisions with more careful