America needs a clear vision -- for the MLB draft

Let’s not kid ourselves, these are momentous times. Decisions must be made -- and soon -- that will affect the course of our lives for the next few years, maybe longer. Nothing less is at stake than the psychological well-being of tens of millions of Americans.

Those who decide must have courage and vision. Sadly, history has shown us that not all those entrusted with the power have either one. Some are wholly unsuited for the task. Some appear to be outright blockheads.

In such cases, if we’re lucky, the result is merely a foolish choice. If we’re unlucky, the result is the catastrophic miscalculation, the kind of mistake that consigns us to a form of personal misery unlike any other.

Sometimes you wonder what people were thinking when they made the choices they did. Were they rushed? Did they do their homework? Did they get advice from talk radio? Were they perhaps drinking heavily at decision-making time? Were they charmed off their feet to the point that it stripped them of all common sense and judgment?

These aren’t decisions to be made on the basis of who talks a good game or looks good on a magazine cover.

How about something called character? The ability to perform under pressure? The ability to inspire others when times are tough and success seems out of reach?

Considering the clunkers that have been picked through the years, it makes you wonder.

I know, I know, we’re all human and make mistakes. We can all have our heads turned by the flavor-of-the-month selection, the pretty boy or media darling.

That’s why it’s so important that the people actually making the decision -- not the media, not the talk show hosts, not the handlers -- have strength of character. Anybody can go with the crowd; true visionaries go their own way. They see what others don’t see.

So, as major league baseball general managers meet this week in Dana Point, the burden on them is heavy as they begin sifting through the potential free agents and trade possibilities for the 2009 season and beyond.

Consider the implications. The fates of numerous baseball franchises may rest on the judgments made in the weeks ahead.

Kind of makes deciding between two presidential candidates seem almost easy, doesn’t it? Because when it comes to acquiring baseball players, you don’t want to make the wrong call.

If you’re an Angels fan, what to do with Francisco Rodriguez, who set a major-league record for saves in 2008? What to do about free-agent Mark Teixeira, who the Angels acquired in a midseason trade and is now one of the top free-agent prizes?

Dodger eyes are trained on Manny Ramirez, who practically single-handedly led the team to the playoffs. But he’s 36 and will want a lot of money.

But there are many other candidates in the free-agent field. Not to mention trade possibilities, because both the Angels and Dodgers have players other teams want.

General managers Ned Colletti of the Dodgers and Tony Reagins of the Angels have tough decisions to make.

Sure, the free agent candidates have a lot to say about where they’ll play, but that comes after the GMs have agonized over them. Which of ours do we keep and try to sign? Which from other teams do we go after?

You think these decisions aren’t fraught with danger?

How about the Angels’ general manager Buzzie Bavasi’s decision to let pitcher Nolan Ryan go after the 1979 season? Ryan only went on to win another 157 games in the majors. At that moment, Bavasi may have had courage but certainly not vision.

In more modern times, the Angels traded centerfielder Jim Edmonds to St. Louis before the 2000 season for pitcher Kent Bottenfield and second baseman Adam Kennedy. The latter had decent seasons for the team, but Bottenfield was the key figure, because the Angels needed pitching at the time.

Bottenfield won seven games in an Angels uniform before being traded again. Meanwhile, Edmonds’ home run totals for the next six years in St. Louis were 42, 30, 28, 39, 42, 29.

And how about the Dodgers, now in a vexing situation as they judge Ramirez’s long-term value? Let’s hope they do better than when they traded pitcher Pedro Martinez before the 1994 season. Martinez’s win totals the next seven years: 11, 14, 13, 17, 19, 23, 18.

More recent Dodger decision-making makes you wonder if they have enough vision. Last year, the team liked what it saw in Andruw Jones of the Braves and gave him a gigantic contract for 2008. He promptly fell on his face.

Baseball fans across America sit and wait. With the happiness of so many people riding on these decisions, the pressure is immense. Long-suffering fans can’t afford four more years of bad choices. They don’t want one more year of failure.

In these perilous times, it wouldn’t hurt to say a little prayer for the decision-makers.

At least, that is, the ones deciding for your team.

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dana.parsons@latimes.com