Grant's post on free agents who would cost a draft pick got me thinking of what talents the Giants have missed on acquiring because of signing free agents or making the wrong picks in the draft. 

So I did some research on the picks the Giants lost for signing free agents that cost draft picks, the picks the Giants have acquired from other teams signing Giants' arbitration offer declined free agents and the available players that could have been taken with the pick the Giants had or would have kept if they didn't sign a certain free agent.  My research goes back from the 2001 draft to the 2007 draft.  I'm sure most of you McCoven will find this post informative, thought provoking and maybe a little depressing so I'll give you all a warning.

This post may cause some to feel depressed, lose sleep, have a lack of faith in baseball GMs whose first name is Brian, have "What could have been" syndrome and other related to, but not limited to, symptoms.  Symptoms are normal and may cause severe blogging on internet sites related to the San Francisco Giants.  Contact a certified McCovey Chronicles therapist if your symptoms persist after a week as these could be signs of a rare but serious condition.  You should not read this post if you are pregnant, may become pregnant or thinking about impregnating someone as this post may cause a lack in self-esteem and or "mojo".

So now that that’s out of the way, let’s get started.  (Giants' picks are in bold.)

2001

In 2001 we had the #30 pick in the draft and acquired the #21 pick from the Indians for their signing of free agent Ellis Burks and also a supplemental pick, #41, for that same loss.  The picks of note went as follows.

1st round

#21   Brad Hennessey RHP

Who was available?

Bobby Crosby SS(#25) and Jeremy Bonderman RHP(#26)

Sure both of these guys aren't studs, especially Crosby, but wouldn't you rather have them than Hennessey?  Oh say what?  Hennessey is gone.  Whoa he couldn't get people out?  That pick went well but there's more.

#30   Noah Lowry LHP (Last Pick of 1st Round)

Available:

David Wright 3B(#38)

Lowry is okay but no one in their right mind would rather have Lowry over Wright now.  Get it? Wright now.  Forget it that was completely unintentional.  But anyway Wright was selected in the Supplemental 1st round and only 8 picks behind Lowry which wouldn't have made it a reach.

#41   Todd Linden OF (Supplemental Round) (#45-74 second round)

Available:  Jason Nix SS(#44), Kelly Shopaach C(#48),  #56 J.J. Hardy SS(#56), Dallas McPherson 3B(#57), Shelly Duncan 1B/OF(#62), Neal Cotts LHP(#69), Dan Haren RHP(#72)

I'll take Hardy because Haren seems too much of a reach but who cares it's all in the past now.

#74   Jesse Foppert RHP (last pick of 2nd rd.)

Available:  Ryan Theriot SS(#78)

Would mind having him either.

 #106 Juan Benavidez 3B

Available:  Ricky Nolasco RHP(#108) and Josh Barfield 2B(#120)

#136 Josh Cram RHP

Available: Ryan Howard 1B(#140)

4 picks after Mr. Cram a Rookie of The Year, MVP, 2 time homerun king and World Series Champ was selected.

2002

 The Giants in 2002 kept all their their picks and weren't awarded any compensation picks.

#25 Matt Cain, RHP (1st Rd.) (Picks #42-72 second round)

Available:  Joey Votto, 1b(#44), Jon Lester LHP(#57), Jonathan Broxton RHP(#60), Brian McCann, C(#64)

Excellent pick in Cain but Lester and McCann make me think, more so McCann.

#66 Fred Lewis, OF

Available:  Elijah Dukes, OF(#74) and Curtis Granderson(#80)

That's pretty much it for 2002 as the rest are basically whatever.

2003

 In 2003 the Giants were awarded the Astros' 1st round pick, #22, and a supplemental pick, #34, for the Astros signing of Jeff Kent.  But the Giants' pick, #26, was awarded to Oakland for the signing of Ray Durham.  The Giants were also awarded the Phillies' second round pick, #55, for the signing of David Bell.

#22   Craig Whitaker (1st Rd.)

Available:  Brandon Wood, SS(#23) and Chad Billingsley, RHP(#24)

Imagine Lincecum, Cain and Billingsley all on the same staff, but the thought of a power hitting 3B/SS in Wood is intriguing.

If the Giants hadn't signed Durham they would have kept the #26 pick and could have selected among the available players Daric Barton, 1B(#28), Carlos Quentin, OF(#29) and Jarrod Saltalamacchia, C(#36).  These three are also in the conversation for the #22 pick.

#55   Todd Jennings, C (2nd Rd.)

Available:  Andre Ethier, OF(#62)

I wouldn't mind having him in our outfield instead of Jennings playing a total of 12 games in the minors this year.

#63   Nate Schierholtz, 3B  Seems to be the best of the players from this pick to the Giants' next selection, #93.

#93   Brian Buscher, 3B  He’s actually done alright for himself, but in the Twins organization.  Selected by Twins in 2006 Rule 5 draft from Giants.

Available:  Matt Chico, LHP(#96) and Jonathan Papelbon, RHP(#114)

Papelbon anybody?

2004

2004 was the year Brian Sabean gave their first round draft pick, #29, up for Michael Tucker.  Who could they of gotten if they had never signed Tucker?  How about J.P. Howell LHP taken #31 or  Huston Street RHP who was take #40 or how about Reid Brignac SS (I forgot who thinks this guy is going to be a star but he looks to be good) taken #45 or how about young starter Yovani Gallardo RHP taken #46 overall.  Then there was also Dustin Pedrioia 2B taken at #65 and Kurt Suzuki C taken #67.  Not much after those players in this draft.   Eddy Martinez-Esteve was taken #70 and John Bowker taken #100 that year.

2005

Oh man this year is going to cause some heartbreak.  In 2005 the Giants first pick, #22, was awarded to the Marlins because of the signing of Armando Benitez.  The Giants 2nd round pick, #70, was awarded to the Cardinals because of the signing of Mike Matheny and the Giants 3rd round pick, #102, was awarded to the Indians for the signing of Omar Vizquel. So the Giants first selection was #142 all the way in the 4th round.  For the Giants to have kept their 1st round pick they couldn't of signed any of the 3 free agents they signed in 05. Now let’s see the heartbreak.

#22   Aaron Thompson, LHP(Marlins pick from Giants)

Available:  Jacoby Ellsbury OF(#22), Matt Garza RHP(#25), Craig Hansen RHP(#26), Colby Rasmus OF(#28), Travis Buck OF(#36), Clay Buchholz RHP(#42), Jed Lowrie SS(#45), Chase Headley 3B(#66)

#70   Joshua Wilson RHP (Cardinals pick from Giants)

Available:  Yunel Escobar SS(#75) and Micah Owings RHP(#83)

#102   Jensen Lewis RHP (Indians pick from Giants)

Available:  Jordan Schafer OF(#107), Matt Gamel 3B(#115) and Gaby Sanchez C(#126)

#132   Ben Copeland OF (First selection by Giants in 2005 draft)

Available:  Brian Matusz LHP(#133)

Matusz, this year’s #4 overall pick, was selected by the Angels the pick after Copeland.  Who knows if he would have signed with the Giants if they had selected him, probably not but you never know.

2006

Not a bad draft this year.  The Giants in 2006 were awarded a supplemental round pick, #33, for the Cubs signing of Scott Eyre.  The Giants lost their 2nd round pick, (#54) for the signing of Matt Morris.

#10   Tim Lincecum RHP

The players taken between Lincecum and the Giants next pick, #33 are no one we would rather have than Lincecum or would really even consider, at least for now.

#33   Emmanuel Burris SS

Available:  Joba Chamberlain RHP(#41)

I think he would be sad over here because he wouldn't have as much hype surrounding him.

#54   Thomas Furnish LHP (Cardinals pick from Giants)

Available:  Trevor Cahill RHP(#66) and Justin Masterson RHP(#71)

Would you rather have taken one of these guys instead of signing Morris and later trading him for Rajai Davis and Stephen MacFarland?  That's what I thought.

2007

This draft is hard to judge as some players have yet to play much, some didn't put stand out numbers which doesn't have them on people's radar, and really it’s just hard to judge a draft this early but we'll look at it anyway.  The Giants’ first pick was #10 overall.  The Giants were awarded the Dodgers' first round pick, #22, for their signing of Jason Schmidt and a supplemental round pick, #43, as well for that loss.  The Giants were also awarded the Mets' first round pick, #29, and a supplemental round pick, #32, for their signing of Moises Alou.  The Giants were also awarded another supplemental round pick, #51, for the loss of Mike Stanton to the Reds. 

But the Giants did lose some picks like their 2nd round pick, #74, to the A's for the signing of Barry Zito, their 3rd round, #104 to the Reds for the signing of Rich Aurilia and their 4th round pick, #134, to the Padres for the signing of Dave Roberts.  So the Giants went from having 6 of the first 51 picks in the draft to 113 consecutive picks without a selection after the #51 overall pick.  The Giants next pick was in the 5th round, #164.  That's 3 more prospects who could turn into serviceable major leaguers, one of them might be this guy who was taken 2 picks after Oakland's selection of Grant Desme, #74, the pick from the Giants.   But even if we didn't sign Zito, the Reds would have gotten that pick or the Padres would of if we hadn't sign Aurilia either.

Giants’ selections 2007

#10   Madison Bumgarner, LHP

#22   Tim Alderson, RHP

#29   Wendell Fairley, OF

#32   Nick Noonan, SS/2B

#43   Jackson Williams, C and #51 Charlie Culberson, SS

I know it would have been a stretch but Michael Stanton would have been a nice pick.  I think Williams was a waste of a pick but hopefully he gives me reason to think otherwise.

So that's it.  It's worth noting though that it’s not assured any of these players would be what they are today if the Giants had picked any of them.  These players might of been busts, gotten to the level their at now earlier or later, or maybe even of been better but we don't know.  Some of these players might have decided to stay in school if the Giants had picked them, again we don't know.  But that’s all up for discussion.  So let’s hear it.