MLB Draft To Air on ESPN2

[TexasTerror]

A chance for you to ask, 'who the hell is that?'. Outside of maybe a few college kids who made a name for themselves come postseason, does anyone really know who some of these kids up to be drafted are? This will be interesting...not!
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Major League Baseball's 2007 First-Year Player Draft will be carried live by ESPN2 from 2:00-6:00 p.m. (EDT) on Thursday, June 7th, marking the first time that the Draft will be telecast. The Draft will be held at The Milk House at Disney's Wide World of Sports Complex in Orlando, Florida.

ESPN2 will air each Club's first round choice. Clubs will have a maximum of five minutes to make their picks during the first round. Following the pick-by-pick coverage of the first round, ESPN2's telecast will continue as the Draft is ongoing until 6:00 p.m. (EDT). After the completion of ESPN2's coverage, the first day of the Draft will proceed until approximately 8:30 p.m. (EDT). On Friday, June 8th, the Draft will resume at 11:30 a.m. (EDT) and then will continue to its conclusion.

http://mlb.mlb.com/news/press_releases/press_release.jsp?ymd=20070507&content_id=1950945&vkey=pr_mlb&fext=.jsp&c_id=mlb

[Mountaineer]

Did you see the ESPN.com poll?

Would you watch the MLB draft:
~111,000 votes
15% Yes
85% No

xlolx

[Grizalltheway]

xboringx xboringx xboringx xboringx

I have a feeling this will be a one and done type deal.

[dbackjon]

About time they did this.

And while nothing will ever match the NFL draft, people scoffed when they first televised it as well.

[UNHWildCats]

I think for diehard baseball fans its good. I kno if i had cable i'd watch and see who my team is drafting, I would assume they will show us some video on some of the picks and put some on screen displays with the players strengths and stuff.

This is good for MLB.

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If ESPN did a 4 hour signing show for FCS would ya watch? I bet a number of us here would. Same thing for hardcore baseball fans.

ESPN has nothing to lose. What would they normally be broadcasting on the deuce?? 1992's Worlds Strongest Man Competition? lol

[Mr. C]

About time they did this.

And while nothing will ever match the NFL draft, people scoffed when they first televised it as well.
I was about to post the same thing. You beat me to it. In a few years, I'm sure it will a well-watched event. MLB has always veiled their draft in a shroud of mystery for years, while everypne else made a big deal of their drafts.

[GeauxColonels]

I think they'll have a decent amount of people watch the first few rounds. I'll probably be intrigued enough to watch at least round one....but not all 50.

[UNHWildCats]

Its just 4 hours there gonna air, not the whole thing. The 4 hours will likely cover at most 6 rounds and the sandwich picks.

[Peems]

i get sick of the NFL draft real quick. I check in just to see who my team picks, but this is a totally different monster. I will not be watching at all.

[Fresno St. Alum]

Hey when you're done watching the MLB draft do you guys want to watch my flag football draft. At least you guys know me, thats one more than you'd know in the MLB draft.

[UNHWildCats]

no no with the number of players drafted each year im sure everyone on here knows or went to school with someone who was drafted.

My class salutorian was drafted by the Arizona Diamondbacks in 1996 just before graduation.

52 1497 Jeff Remiliard P Diamondbacks Memorial HS (Manchester,NH)

Not sure if he ended up signing with them or going to college. At graduation rehersal I had him sign a brand new Dbacks hat just in case.

[UNHWildCats]

How funny was the 96 draft? Apparently the Yankees decided there system sucked then cause aside from the D Ray they were the only team to draft in every round. No team besides them two drafted beyond the 83rd round lol

[UNHWildCats]

farthers name into the draft i recognize from that year was 63rd round BRandon Duckworth

[UNHWildCats]

Barry Zito went in the 59th im guessing he didnt sign lol

[PaladinFan]

It isn't so much that the draft is "shrouded in mystery" (which it is), but rather that fans won't see these kids playing for their favorite team for typically two or three years at the least.

The NFL gives you instant gratification. You get to see these players in uniform a few months later. Not so with the MLB.

[BearsCountry]

Sweet our top pitcher is suppose to go in the top 5, maybe even #2 to the Royals.

[spelunker64]

I'm going to be busy that day watching an ice-berg pass by...

[AppGuy04]

I will watch, only b/c I am a diehard baseball fan, especially college. Probably only watch the first round though, after that its kind of watered down, unless there is a guy I expect to see drafted in the 2nd.

Most people will have the same reaction as spelunker though

[NE MT GRIZZ]

Baseball is always #1 with me, but I don't think this will catch on.
The NFL draft is cool because there is no minor league NFL, and the players drafted usually get a lot of playing time during their rookie year.

Baseball players often spend 3-5 years in the minor leagues, so it is a long time before fans get to see them in primetime.