FanHouse GerritCole

To fans and the media, what a team does in the MLB Draft pales next to a big free-agent signing or blockbuster trade.

Part of that is the gaudy figures thrown around during the hot stove season. The Red Sox, this year's top spender in the draft, couldn't even buy one year of Gil Meche if they shifted their draft outlay to the open market. Most of it stems from immediacy, though. A big winter signing answers the question who will help me today? A big haul in the draft answers who will help me tomorrow, but in most cases tomorrow is years away, if it ever comes at all.

Still, as the cost of free agents escalates, the draft continues to become the most important way to ensure long-term success. With that in mind, and with the deadline to sign picks in the books, here's a look at three teams who won and three teams who lost in the 2008 draft

In case you weren't able to watch today's Major League Baseball draft or follow along with me and Andrew Johnson at our live blog of the festivities, here's a roundup of the guys who went in the first round to the teams of the American League East.

Tampa Bay Rays (1) Tim Beckham, SS, Griffin (GA) H.S.: As expected, the Rays made Beckham the first overall selection of the draft. He was the best overall player on the board and the fact that it may take some time before he's ready for the big leagues shouldn't bother a Tampa team that's well stocked for the foreseeable future. Thinking long term and taking players like Beckham in the draft is an awfully good way for the Rays to remain that way.

Baltimore Orioles (4) Brian Matusz, LHP, Univ. of San Diego: The first pitcher selected could be a fast climber in the Oriole system. A tall lefty, Matusz (shown pitching for Team USA) isn't a power pitcher but has four above-average pitches and will need to be in the high minors before the Orioles know if he projects to the front, middle or back of the rotation. The key to that will be how well he learns to spot his fastball to set up his highly regarded breaking stuff.