Rox Pile
Fansided

Colorado Rockies 2001 Draft: They could have had David Wright if not for Mike Hampton

By Noah Yingling

NEW YORK, NY - AUGUST 23: David Wright #5 of the New York Mets reacts after flying out to end the game against the Colorado Rockies at Citi Field on August 23, 2012 in the Flushing neighborhood of the Queens borough of New York City. (Photo by Jim McIsaac/Getty Images)
NEW YORK, NY - AUGUST 23: David Wright #5 of the New York Mets reacts after flying out to end the game against the Colorado Rockies at Citi Field on August 23, 2012 in the Flushing neighborhood of the Queens borough of New York City. (Photo by Jim McIsaac/Getty Images) /
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Colorado Rockies, Mike Hampton, 2001 MLB Draft
DENVER – AUGUST 8: Pitcher Mike Hampton #10 of the Colorado Rockies throws a pitch during the MLB game against the Cincinnati Reds on August 8, 2002 at Coors Field in Denver, Colorado. The Rockies won 10-3. (Photo by Brian Bahr/Getty Images) /

In 2001, the Colorado Rockies were coming off of a middling 82-80 season under the tutelage of their first-year manager Buddy Bell and GM Dan O’Dowd, who was entering his first full season as the Rockies GM.

Since only four games separated them and the second-place Los Angeles Dodgers (who hadn’t been to the playoffs since 1996 themselves), the Colorado Rockies decided to be big buyers in the offseason as they traded for Reds starter Ron Villone, re-signed outfielder Todd Hollandsworth, signed former All-Star left-handed starter Denny Neagle, former All-Star outfielder Ron Gant, and former All-Star left-handed starter Mike Hampton (who came in 2nd in NL Cy Young Award voting in 1999) via free agency in the 2000-2001 offseason.

As a result, they lost their 18th overall pick and 38th pick in the 1st round to the Mets for signing Hampton and the 34th overall pick for signing Neagle. So instead of having four first-round draft picks, the Rockies had just one: the very last pick in the 1st round (44th overall).

The Rockies only got the pick because they failed to sign their 1st round pick from 2000: Matt Harrington.

The free agents nor the draft picks panned out for the Colorado Rockies

The first round of the 2001 MLB Draft, there were a few very good draft picks before the Colorado Rockies would have been able to select regardless of whether or not they signed Denny Neagle or Mike Hampton.

But one of the comp picks that the Rockies had to give up panned out.

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