Who’s the bigger draft bust, Matt Bush or Donavan Tate?

And here is how the Chicken Friars’ fans voted…

With 45 total votes cast, 87 percent (39 voters) elected Matt Bush as the bigger draft bust. Only 13 percent (six voters) voted for Donovan Tate over Matt Bush.

This wasn’t much of a surprise. Both players are scumbags but Bush definitely takes the draft bust crown because of his lengthy criminal record, and the quality of players that the Padres  passed on to elect Bush.

Tate definitely had an argument. A $6.25 million argument to be exact.

But Tate is still young and still has a small chance to turn his life and game around, and hopefully one day removes the draft bust tag.

So there you have it. Matt Bush, the Chicken Friars’ fans have appointed you as the bigger draft bust. Congratulations!

Mandatory Credit: Jerome Miron-USA TODAY Sports

Despite his inability to live up to his full potential, it was stupid off-the-field issues, mainly run-ins with the law, that gave Bush the “draft bust” label.

Thanks to Wikipedia, here is a list of Bush’s wild off-field antics:

-Weeks after being drafted by the Padres, Bush was arrested on suspicion of felony assault. misdemeanor trespass, disorderly conduct, and underage drinking, after he allegedly fought with security trying to get him out of a bar.

-In 2009, Bush was allegedly involved in a drunken assault at a San Diego High School, which was caught on camera. According to witnesses, a drunken Bush beat up a high school lacrosse player with a golf club screaming “I’m Matt Fucking Bush,” which was recorded on video tape. This incident lead the Padres to designate him for assignment then trading him to the Toronto Blue Jays soon after.

- On March 22, 2012 Bush was arrested in Florida and charged with two counts of DUI with property damage, one count of DUI with serious bodily injury, one count of leaving the scene of an accident with an injury, one count of driving with a suspended license, and two counts of leaving the scene of an accident with damage to property. In the incident, Bush is to have alleged hit a 72-year-old motorcyclist, running over his head as he fled the scene with a truck belonging to a teammate.

-Matt Bush is currently serving a 51-month prison sentence after agreeing to a plea bargain in the March 22, 2012 incident.

Not only did Bush cause a lot of disgrace to the Padres organization with his ignorance, he also drained away the first overall pick in the draft.  With the first pick in 2004, the Padres could have selected anyone they wanted that year. And I mean ANYONE!

The pickings that year included MLB stars Justin Verlander, Jared Weaver; and All-Star pitcher Phil Hughes. Hell, even the respectable Homer Bailey and Stephen Drew where there for the taking.

God knows any of these guys would have completely changed the Padres’ fortune and where a much better pick than Bush. But the Padres settled on the Mission Bay High School star for financial reasons.

However, Bush is not alone in owning the “draft bust” title. It turns out he has some competition. Donavan Tate, the No.3 pick  in the 2009 MLB Draft  has done a lot of dirty work in trying to lay claim to the prestigious “draft bust” crown.

The most recent news surrounding Tate came last Friday when it was reported that the 22-year-old was not expected to report to spring camp for what was deemed as “personal reasons.”

What personal reasons is Tate going through? That remains to be seen, but fans and some media experts have speculated that it could include Tate failing a drug test – again.

The outfield prospect has had his fair share of troubles too, which has hindered him from showcasing his full potential.

These issues include:

• In 2009, Shortly after being drafted, Tate suffered facial lacerations and broke his jaw that required surgery in an ATV accident near his home in Georgia.
• In 2011, Tate was suspended for 50 games for violating Major League Baseball’s drug policy after testing positive for synthetic cannabis.
• According to ESPN.com, it was his second positive test since receiving a $6.25 million signing bonus after being drafted.

The youngster furthers his cause for being the organization’s biggest “draft bust” because the Padres invested a $6.25 million on the two-sport star from Catersville High School in Cartersville, Ga. The $6.25 million signing bonus remains a club record for a draft pick.

Aaron Crow, Mike Minor, Mike Leake, Jacob Turner, Drew Storen and some guy named Mike Trout were all drafted in the first round after the Tate selection. Now just close your eyes and imagine the Padres selecting anyone of these six guys instead of Tate. Again, how the Padres fortunes would be so different.

Those players mentioned are already proven to be better picks than Tate.

Now I ask you Padres fans, who is the biggest first round bust between Bush and Tate? Let us know why you voted the way you did in the comment box below.

Bush was an athletic shortstop and was also armed with a blazing fastball that ultimately led the Padres to convert him into a pitcher. The move came as a necessity since Bush sucked as a shortstop. Hell, saying he sucked is insulting vacuum cleaners everywhere.

Mar 5, 2012; Port Charlotte, FL, USA; Tampa Bay Rays relief pitcher Matt Bush (59) pitches during the ninth inning against the Baltimore Orioles at Charlotte Sports Park. The Orioles defeated the Rays 3-1. Mandatory Credit: Jerome Miron-USA TODAY Sports

Bush played his first full professional season in 2005, for the Fort Wayne Tincaps. That magical season saw Bush hit .221 in nearly 500 at-bats. He also made 39 errors at short. The Tincaps would have been better off starting Venus De Milo at shortstop. Bush was a flat-out embarrassment. However, his transgressions off the field were much worse.

The young Padre was arrested early in his career for getting into a bar fight in Peoria. He was also arrested in 2009, when he threw an alcohol-induced tirade near Granite Hills High. Bush obviously has a problem with alcohol and ultimately it struck out Bush like a 100 MPH fastball.

The events that transpired last spring were Bush’s most egregious and heinous — and that is actually saying a lot. Bush got drunk (just another day at the office for him) hopped in to teammate Brandon Guyer‘s SUV and hit a 72-year-old motorcyclist. Rather that face the consequences of his actions, naturally Bush fled the scene of the accident, armed with an a Dodge Durango and a blood-alcohol limit that was more than twice the legal limit.

A few days later, Bush was arrested for his actions. Thankfully the man he hit was not killed, his life saved by a motorcycle helmet. According to witnesses at the scene, Bush literally drove over the man’s head while peeling away.

Yesterday, Bush accepted a plea deal that will keep him in prison for at least three years. Any chance that Bush had to make something of his life in baseball has been pissed away. Bush possessed a great deal of talent, but the allure of expensive cars and slamming beers was his true passion in life. Bush had numerous chances to put everything together and could never do it. Honestly, I hope Bush never sees the light of day. He has no regard for human life or himself.

As bad as Bush was at baseball, he is an even worse human. It is one thing to fail at a vocation, I have failed several times in my life. However, my actions and decisions never put a man in the hospital. My actions have never embarrassed my family or the public. Matt Bush is getting everything he deserves. Quite simply, Matt Bush is a waste of talent and a waste of life.