Greg Vaughn

Let's see: Vaughn hit .163 in 69 games in 2002, then got hurt and missed the entire second half of the season; he turns 38 this July, and he'll get paid $8 million in 2003 on the last year of his four-year contract. Folks, there wouldn't be a trade market for Vaughn this season even if Elizabeth Hurley were the Devil Rays' GM. Poor Chuck LaMar has no chance. Since the Rays are basically stuck with Vaughn for 2003, Lou Piniella will try to make the best of it by utilizing the injury-prone Vaughn as his everyday DH, keeping him out of the outfield to give playing time to Carl Crawford and Rocco Baldelli. Trouble is, Vaughn hit about 50 points better and slugged almost 100 points better as an outfielder instead of as a DH in 2000 and 2001, so Vaughn would have to buck that trend in order to be productive as a DH in 2003. Vaughn will get playing time if he hits; if he doesn't, he'll be left on the bench and then released about ten minutes after the Rays' last game in 2003. Think long and hard before spending more than $2 on Vaughn in your AL draft.