Tigers missed on Chase Utley, scored on Placido Polanco
Tony Paul / The Detroit News
Chase Utley could've been a Tiger.
The Phillies' star second baseman was drafted 15th overall in the 2000 draft, seven spots after a fella named Matt Wheatland, who Baseball-Reference.com tells us is a right-handed pitcher who made just 16 appearances in the Tigers' minor leagues.
Meanwhile, Utley is a four-time All-Star, .295 career hitter and perennial MVP candidate who has topped 100 RBIs four times in the last five years.
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To be fair, 13 teams not run by Randy Smith passed on him, too. And as it turns out, Utley's ascent to stardom benefited the Tigers anyway. His first full season in the major leagues was '05, when he hit .291 with 28 homers and 105 RBIs. Certain by midseason he was no fluke, Philly made Placido Polanco available for trade, for the low-low price of a future convicted attempted murderer (Ugueth Urbina).
Polanco, a free agent-to-be whose cost demands are likely to take him elsewhere this offseason, hit .311 in four-plus seasons with the Tigers, including .341 in '07.
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