Let's separate the decision making apparatus into two different categories:

1) Should you take the best guy on the board and let the chips fall where they may?
2) Do you want to spread around your bonus pool and get as many blue chippers as possible?

I think if the organization has made any mistakes it is in answering the second question in the affirmative in every draft (if they indeed have). If you have a transcendent talent  available at the top of the board I think you owe it to yourself to go with that talent. This brings us back to the first question. If we look at the last three years do we see anyone that could be labeled as that kind of talent?

2012 Byron Buxton might be that guy, but he has struggled to be healthy. Plus, he was a high school player himself and as we all know, those players aren't necessarily sure things. Position players are generally more reliable than high school pitchers, but you know....the funny thing is that going into the draft, Appel was seen as the sure thing. Food for thought I guess.

2013 Kris Bryant has turned into that guy, but was he a sure thing at the beginning? Let's keep in mind that Appel was seen as the overall pick in 2012 and I'm not sure he did anything to dissuade anyone in 2013. Keep in mind that he has pitched well in camp this year and when he was promoted last season. Additionally, he pitched well in the winter. Neither Appel nor Bryant have made their debuts yet, so the jury is still out here. I've maintained that I preferred Bryant at the time, but I always prefer position players at the top of the board. It wasn't an absolute slam dunk in my mind. I think Bryant's performance has been so overwhelming that it has created some revisionist history. Just as many college offensive studs have faded with the wood in their hand as have turned into superstars. Anyone remember Pete Incavaglia? When evaluating the evidence at hand it is just as likely they honestly chose Appel. Remember, you had the added bonus of the Houston born kid coming home and all that jazz. Again, I would have chosen Bryant too, so I'm not trying to belabor this point too much.

2014 Carlos Rodon looked all that much like an Appel. He was the preseason number one and while he performed well as a junior, he didn't take a step forward. I can see an argument made that the Astros feared they were looking at another Appel. It's funny how we forget that come June last year people were labeling Appel as a bust. In a few short months he became a top notch prospect and Rodon looked like one himself in the White Sox organization. Go figure. Some thought Aiken would be the next Kershaw. If you recall, they thought about going with the Kolek kid as well. 

So, when levying a judgment on the organization one must be specific about their beef. Are we saying they made a mistake in identifying talent or are we saying the strategy of purposely bypassing the top talent in favor of more signable talent is somehow wrong. I would argue they simply made the wrong choice in 2013 and not that they purposely bypassed a better player. They may have gone back to the 2012 strategy in 2014.

I am a senior writer at thefantasyfix.com and a staff writer at bigleaguesmag.com. The Hall of Fame Index is also still for sale and as relevant as ever.