(So I just get done writing all this stuff about the Mets’ Rule V pick Burch Smith … and as I’m ready to hit “publish”, the Mets go and sell him to the Royals for cash.)
The Royals have acquired RHP Brad Keller from Cincy in the Rule 5 Draft, and RHP Burch Smith from the Mets in Rule 5. Both for cash considerations.
— Jeffrey Flanagan (@FlannyMLB) December 14, 2017
I could delete the post and nobody will be the wiser. But screw it. I’m publishing it. I did this instead of going to sleep and I hate wasted time as much as the Wilpons hate wasted money. So I’m going to publish the damn thing and tell you about the Burch Smith era, which lasted all of about 12 minutes. It was fun and I’m looking forward to the video tribute at Citi Field the next time Kansas City comes to town. Here’s what I wrote:
The Rule V draft signals the end of the Winter Meetings. It’s when they turn the lights off and roaches run out to grab other people’s trash. That’s kind of the way the Rule V draft works. Players undervalued by teams get re-dispersed so they can have chances to reach higher levels elsewhere.
The Mets, generally inactive at the Swan and Dolphin save for a reliever, waited until the annual Rule V draft to pounce and get creative. Creativity: thy name is Burch Smith, who is 27 years old and was a Tampa Bay Rays prospect (and was briefly a Padre in 2013 and like most Padres of that era, he struggled) who missed two years recovering from Tommy John surgery (save your medical staff jokes, we’ve heard them all), but came back in ’17 and was good enough that Baseball America listed him as the number one prospect eligible for Rule V coronation.
Smith missed all of 2015 and 2016 recovering from Tommy John surgery but came back looking like the player who was once an intriguing prospect. Both at the end of the season at Triple-A Durham and in the Arizona Fall League, Smith sat 94-96 mph with his fastball, flashed a knee-buckling 74-76 mph curveball and showed a swing-and-miss 79-81 mph changeup. Though he’s 27 and has had serious arm health issues, Smith is major league ready and has the stuff to help a team as a back-end starter or move to the bullpen.
If Rule V picks scare you, they should. Brad Emaus was a Rule V pick who was anointed the starting second baseman in 2011 and was so horrible he never sniffed the major leagues again (yet somehow was given a second chance by the Mets and still never played another major league game). Darren O’Day was a Rule V pick in 2008 and was actually pretty good before Omar Minaya decided that the best way to create space on the roster for Casey Fossum’s stellar Mets career was not to put Mike Pelfrey on the disabled list, but rather put O’Day on Rule V waivers because YOLO. O’Day was picked up by Texas and then went on to a very nice career in Baltimore which the Mets could have used.
Burch Smith now adds to checkered Rule V story because instead of taking a flier on a guy with a “knee-buckling curve ball” who was Baseball America’s top Rule V prospect, the Mets do what they do best and acquire cash considerations. I mean, how much cash will the Royals consider giving you for Burch Smith … fifty bucks? And will that money go towards your E-Sports team? Damn Rule V Draft strikes again. Enjoy your money, Mr. Grinch. Damn you, Rule V draft.
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