Couple things.  First, we are in need of one more owner for the league drafting tomorrow at Noon ET, 11 a.m. Central.  Please email me at chrisgreising(at)gmail(dot)com if you want in.  Again, its only one spot so first person to email me gets it

Second just wanted to remind everyone that this weekend is the big BCB Fantasy Draft weekend.  Here's the leagues and times:

BCB Fantasy Baseball II - Sunday, March 29, Noon ET

BCB Fantasy Baseball III - Sunday, March 29, 10 p.m. ET

BCB Fantasy Baseball IV - Monday, March 30, 10 p.m. ET

If you signed up, please, show up.  Thanks!  Again, one more owner is needed!

There's this article by Jim Callis of Baseball America that I read today (thanks to MLBtraderumors) about the success rate of first round picks, or more accurately, drafting players which go on to significant careers.  In his estimation, 42 percent of all first round draft picks since 1965 have gone on to "significant" careers.  Callis categorizes significant careers as this:

In terms of significant careers (1,000 at-bats, 300 innings or 100 pitching appearances), 42.1 percent of the first-rounders from 1965-2004 have achieved that distinction. Another 15-30 players from those drafts, such as Josh Hamilton, should reach those milestones, which will move the percentage closer to 44 percent.

Which got me thinking about 1st round draft picks by the Cubs and their success rate.  What I found is that the Cubs completely fail when drafting in the first round.  Of the 44 first round picks the Cubs have had since 1965, only 10 players (22 percent) have gone on to "significant" careers.  Here's the list:

Roger Metzger (1969)

Scott Thompson (1974)

Joe Carter (1981)

Shawon Dunston (1982)

Rafael Palmeiro (1985)

Doug Glanville (1991)

Kerry Wood (1995)

Jon Garland (1997)

Corey Patterson (1998)

Mark Prior (2001)

As you can see, this isn't the most distiguished list of players to ever take the field.  And I would say half those players, Joe Carter, Shawon Dunston, Rafael Palmeiro, Doug Glanville, and Kerry Wood, went on to what would be considered "good" careers.  I am not sure in Callis' estimation what percentage of players go on to good careers.

Another thing I found funny in this article, in a sad sort of way, was this:

The best draft for producing first-round big leaguers was 1990, which went 22-for-26... The 1993 first round did the best job of producing significant big leaguers, going 17-for-28.

In 1990, the Cubs drafted Lance Dickson.  In 1993, the Cubs had two first round draft picks, they drafted Brooks Kieschnick and Jon Ratliff. 

Anyway, just wanted to share this tale of woe with my fellow BCB'ers.

EDIT:  I didn't include Derrick May on the list, which I should have, so it is closer to 27 or 28 percent probably.