Both the World Series participants this year, the Philadelphia Phillies and the Tampa Bay Rays, have built their teams from strong drafts, a few key trades and several small free agent pickups. Neither team has a single high-priced free agent signing.

A team building to win long term needs patience to allow young players to improve. It usually takes five or so years before a Major League baseball team reaps the rewards of a certain year’s draft. Every now and then top college pitchers do move up quickly and begin to make their mark (Tim Lincecum and Joba Chamberlain from 2006), but by and large, it takes a few years for most draft picks to acclimate themselves to the grind of pro baseball and work their way up the minor league ladder.

It’s been six years since the 2002 draft, and the current post season (especially the World Series!) has been well represented.

When Cole Hamels and Scott Kazmir step on the mound tonight in a rematch from Game 1, they have much more in common than the pressure of the game. Both young hurlers were top high school pitchers drafted in the 2002 first round. Kazmir was taken 15th overall by the New York Mets (two spots in front of Hamels), and was traded to the Rays two season later. Both teams have another player taken in the first round that season, too. Tampa Bay chose BJ Upton with the second overall pick, while Monday night’s winning pitcher, Joe Blanton, was taken by the Oakland A’s with the 23rd pick. The Phillies picked up Blanton this July in a trade with the A’s.

Other 2002 first round picks who have matured into good Major Leaguers include:

• Zach Greinke (6th, Royals)
• Prince Fielder (7th, Brewers)
• Jeff Francis (9th, Rockies)
• Joe Saunders (12th, Angels)
• Nick Swisher (16th - why didn’t the A’s take Hamels?)
• James Loney (19th, Dodgers)
• Jeff Francoeur (23rd, Braves)
• Matt Cain (24th, Giants)

Fielder, Saunders and Swisher helped their teams to the playoffs this season, while Francis was Colorado’s ace last season in the Rockies’ improbable run to the 2007 World Series.

In addition to Kazmir and Hamels, Greinke and Cain were pitchers drafted out of high school. There have been busts from the 2002 draft, though, including the #1 overall pick, Bryan Bullington. Taken by the Pirates (think they would like to have gone with Upton or Hamels?), Bullington was recently released by the Cleveland Indians and signed by the Blue Jays. Collegiate pitchers taken #1 overall have not fared that well. In fact, most of the #1 overall picks taken out of high school have fared better than their collegiate counterparts.

Being from New York, I of course, have a heightened interest in how the locals fared. We know how the Mets pick (Kazmir) turned out with the Victor Zambrano trade debacle, but what about the Yankees first round pick in 2002? That 23rd pick went to the A’s as compensation for the Jason Giambi free agent signing, and the A’s took Blanton just before the San Francisco Giants took Matt Cain. Interestingly, recent rumors have indicated the Yankees have interest in Cain, possibly offering Robinson Cano for the young starter – a trade I cannot see the Giants making. If not for a bad free agent signing, the Yankees could have Matt Cain already in their rotation.

All in all, the 2002 draft has been a bonanza for the game of baseball, with big time stars leading teams to the World Series the last two seasons. It will be tough to match the productivity that the 2002 draft has provided, but as usual, we need another year or two to pass judgment.