Saturday, July 5, 2025

More Details of the 1968 Expansion Draft (Part 1)

 
Who needs a break from obituaries? *raises hand* 
 
 
 
Recently, I bought a copy of that issue on eBay, hoping that every team’s player list would be mentioned. True, every team had a column in that issue that discussed their player protection strategy, but (with the exception of the Indians), only a few players were mentioned. There were no lists. However, the Indians’ column does list every player protected, as well as the additional players pulled back after the first 3 rounds. 
 
This much is certain about that draft: 
• Each existing team protected 15 players in their organization. 
• Each team would lose 6 players (but not necessarily 3 players to each of the 2 expansion teams in their league). 
• After losing a player, each team could protect an additional 3 players. 
• The commissioner forbade teams from disclosing who was on their protected list (although obviously, some leaked out). 
 
I saw a comment under one team that some of their players were protected “as first-year players”, so I assume that in addition to the 15 protected players, none of an organization’s first-year players were eligible to be drafted. 
 
Cleveland Indians 
The Indians were either the only team that ignored the commissioner's directive, or the only team unable to keep a secret. The protected players were:
Sam McDowell – P	Mike Paul – P		Dave Nelson – 2B
Luis Tiant – P		Joe Azcue – C		Larry Brown – SS
Sonny Siebert – P	Duke Sims – C		Max Alvis – 3B
Stan Williams – P	Ray Fosse – C		Jack Heidemann – SS
Vicente Romo – P	Tony Horton – 1B	Jose Cardenal – OF
Ray Fosse and Jack Heidemann were the only minor-league prospects protected. Meanwhile, they protected 31-year-old journeyman Stan Williams, their 5th starter. 
 
Interesting that they protected 3 catchers, but only 1 outfielder. Outfielders Lee Maye (age 33), Tommy Harper (27), Lou Johnson (33), Jimmie Hall (30), and Russ Snyder (34) were initially unprotected.
 
The Tribe lost 6 players: Tommy Harper (OF), Chico Salmon (INF), Lou Piniella (OF), Billy Harris (2B), Mike Hedlund (P), and Fran Healy (C ).
 
The Indians subsequently protected these players:
After round 1		After round 2		After round 3		
Horacio Pina – P	Steve Hargan – P	Ken Suarez – C		
Ed Farmer – P		*Gary Boyd – P	        Vern Fuller – 2B
Richie Scheinblum – OF	Eddie Leon – SS	        Jack Hamilton – P
The news article says that after round 4, “the rest of the prominent members of the varsity” were protected. I assume that was Lee Maye, Lou Johnson, and Jimmie Hall. 
 
Other veterans left unprotected and undrafted were Russ Snyder (OF) and Rob Gardner (P). 
 
*Gary Boyd’s major-league career consisted of 11 innings pitched, all for the 1969 Indians. 


I was hoping for this much detail on all the teams, but only the Indians complied with my wishes. lol


Next time – The few players mentioned by name for 11 other teams.

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