Jim Abbott Top 10 Moments: No. 2 - Abbott Drafted No. 8 Overall
4/17/2009 12:00:00 AM | Baseball
Number 2 -- Abbott is Drafted No. 8 Overall by Angels
Capping his incredible three-year Michigan career is the No. 2 moment on the top 10 list of Jim Abbott's Michigan career, being drafted in the first round of the MLB draft by the California Angels.
The Moment as described by Jim Schneider ...
After three seasons at Michigan, it was pretty obvious that Jim was going to be drafted. The question was to which team and where. I am not sure any of us were surprised that Jim went in the first round of the draft, but being a top-10 pick was pretty special.
He was the eighth player taken in the draft that season, the second-highest Wolverine selection ever only behind Barry Larkin's No. 4 overall selection in 1985.
Adding to the moment in hindsight is that Jim made the Angels' major league roster in the spring of 1989 without playing a single inning in the minor leagues. He also went on to win his big league debut, becoming one of only three pitchers in the 1980's to earn that distinction.
Jim Abbott on Moment No. 2 ...
"I didn't believe it was true until I got the call from the Angels. One of my best friends at Michigan was Chris Lutz and he and I would talk a lot about the draft. You can barely sleep the night before wondering how it might work out. I have had a wonderful relationship with the Angels ever since then and I will always be thankful for their leap of faith that day."
• Number 3 -- Abbott Heads to the Hall of Fame
• Number 4 -- Abbott Wins Golden Spikes Award
• Number 5 -- Abbott Takes Home Sullivan Award
• Number 6 -- Abbott Rakes in the Hardware in 1988
• Number 7 -- Abbott's Michigan Accolades
• Number 8 -- Abbott Earns Win in Title Game
• Number 9 -- Abbott Shares a No-Hitter
• Number 10 -- Abbott's First Career Win
