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Colorado Rockies 2000 Draft: They could have drafted Yadier Molina

By Noah Yingling

DENVER, CO - JULY 03: Yadier Molina #4 of the St. Louis Cardinals throws to first base after fielding a fifth inning bunt attempt against the Colorado Rockies during a game at Coors Field on July 3, 2021 in Denver, Colorado. (Photo by Dustin Bradford/Getty Images)
DENVER, CO - JULY 03: Yadier Molina #4 of the St. Louis Cardinals throws to first base after fielding a fifth inning bunt attempt against the Colorado Rockies during a game at Coors Field on July 3, 2021 in Denver, Colorado. (Photo by Dustin Bradford/Getty Images) /
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Colorado Rockies, MLB relegation, MLB
DENVER, CO – APRIL 22: Snow falls ouside the stadium as the game between the Atlanta Braves and the Colorado Rockies was postponed due to snow at Coors Field on April 22, 2013 in Denver, Colorado. The game will be made up as a split double header on Tuesday April 23, 2013. (Photo by Doug Pensinger/Getty Images) /

The Colorado Rockies did not sign their first-round 2000 MLB draft pick Matt Harrington

In the first round of the 2000 MLB Draft, the Colorado Rockies drafted pitcher Matt Harrington out of high school.

The Rockies used their 7th overall pick on Harrington and from their selection of him, the whole situation turned into a fiasco for both Harrington and the Rockies.

Harrington’s agent was Tommy Tanzer. Tanzer represented a lot of All-Star MLB players and a few former Rockies, including Dante Bichette, John Vander Wal, and Charlie Hayes.

Depending on who’s side of the story you listen to, you’ll get a different answer on what happened but there are a few things that we do know.

The Rockies and Harrington were in extensive pre-negotiations before the draft. Tanzer informed teams that Harrington was in negotiations with the Rockies and that the Rockies were going to give him a $4.95 million signing bonus. The six teams ahead of the Rockies said that they didn’t want to go that high (only one player signed in the draft for a signing bonus worth more than $3 million and he was drafted below Harrington).

Tanzer thought that the Rockies agreed on this with them and the Rockies said no, they hadn’t. The Rockies offered $2.2 million (the pick above Harrington got $2.25 million and the pick below got $2.15 million).

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