Minor League Players Show Disdain For Manziel Selection

May 16, 2013; San Diego, CA, USA; Texas A&M quarterback Johnny Manziel before throwing out the first pitch prior to the San Diego Padres game against the Washington Nationals at Petco Park. Mandatory Credit: Christopher Hanewinckel-USA TODAY Sports

It seems not only Padres’ fans were a little discontent with the drafting of Johnny Manziel last week in the 28th round of Major League Baseball’s First Year Player Entry Draft. Minor league players throughout different organizations expressed their disdain for the Padres’ wasting a draft pick on Manizel, who does not have any intention to play professional baseball.

Manziel’s pick raises an interesting question for Padres’ fans. Was this entirely a public relations move on the part of the organization, or did they actually believe they were getting a viable player in the later rounds? Either way those players who have worked enormously hard to get to where they are in minors were not shy in expressing  their views on Twitter right after the draft.

Pitcher Chris Beck  of Birmingham Barons, the Double-A affiliate of the Chicago White Sox, stated on Twitter:

Beck was certainly not alone in expressing his feelings toward the Padres organization. Chase Stevens, who currently pitches for the Class-A Hillsboro Hops in the Arizona Diamondbacks organization did not shy away from his words regarding the Padres picking the quarterback.

Double-A pitcher Pierce Johnson of the Tennessee Smokie, an affiliate of the Chicago Cubs, expressed a common consent among many minor leaguer players. 

Manziel is definitely not to blame for being draft, but he cannot be a surprised about the large number of responses from those minor league players who look at his selection as a mockery and an insult for players who work day-in and day-out to get a shot at the pros. For a team like the Padres’, who are depended on the farm system, they should have drafted a player committed to baseball.