Today is Draft Day...

[Vic Sage]

and the Mets gave their 1st round pick to Philly to sign Billy Wagner

the #1 pick goes to KC and they've chosen...

http://sports.yahoo.com/mlb/news?slug=ap-baseballdraft&prov=ap&type=lgns

[Frayed Knot]

The Phils use "our" pick to select Kyle (son of Dave) Drabek, a two way (NTTAWWT) player (SS/RHP) out of a Texas HS - considered one of the more talented players but with "makeup problems" (bad eyeliner?)

Met draft-and-not-followed Pedro Beato not selected in Round 1

[A Boy Named Seo]

1st round done and no Pedro Beato yet, despite claims that he should be a mid-to-late first rounder.

Remember this #1 overall from a couple years ago? We took Humber with the third pick, and Jared Weaver went 12th. He's already getting guys out on the MLB level for the Angels.

[metirish]

] "makeup problems" (bad eyeliner?)

I love it...

[Guest Edgy DC]

My paranoid collusion theory on Beato is that the Mets agree not to sign him for first round bonus money, thereby upping the standards for draft-and-follow picks for every team, and the other teams agree to let him slide back to the Mets in the draft.

[Vic Sage]

As Emil the skuzzy sidekick said, in ROBOCOP:

"I LIKE IT!"

[MFS62]

Did anybody draft Danny Almonte?
Later

[Guest Yancy Street Gang]

He'll be the next guy to have his career affected by his "wifey".

[MFS62]

Beato selected by Baltimore with the 32nd pick.

Later

[Guest Edgy DC]

Guess that leaves Jeffrey Maier for us.

[MFS62]

I had heard that the Orioles' owner really liked him as a player. It would have been ironic for them to have drafted the guy who helped screw them out of a playoff win.
Now watch the Yankees draft him and give him a sizeable bonus as a payback/ thank you.

Later

[MFS62]

]NEW YORK METS - Kevin Mulvey (RHP, Villanova): Unheralded coming into the season and pitching for a northern college, he didn�t start receiving press until mid-season. He was just 3-8 with a 3.61 ERA, but had solid base skills (3.8 Cmd, 8.6 K/9, and a .254 oppBA). Scouts point to his projectable, strong/athletic frame and solid arm action to the reasons behind his easy velocity (87-93 MPH). He is a four-pitch pitcher, throwing two solid breaking pitches (71-72 MPH curveball and slider) to compliment his fastball and marginal change-up. His aggressiveness on the mound has both good and bad results, but should be able to smooth-out the rough edges with more experience.

Sounds like a pitcher with the upside to one day be another John Maine.

Memo to Omar.
Draft some freakin' hitters. The minor league organization's position players are weaker than the Swiss Navy.

Later

[Elster88]

I am not a fan of drafting based on upside.

[Guest Edgy DC]

I'm not in favor of drafting by position.

Wtih number 38, Atlanta went for another Dixieman with Alabama schoolboy pitcher Cory Rasmus. His brother Coby went in the first round to the Cards last year.

[Guest Yancy Street Gang]

Cory and Coby?

Oh, brother.

Sounds like Roger Clemens' illegitimate kids.

[metirish]

Has Billy Beane drafted yet?

[MFS62]

Elster88 wrote: I am not a fan of drafting based on upside.

Nor am I.
I like to see players drafted on the high rounds who are sufficiently developed to be able to contribute atthe major league level within one or two years.

However, you have to take amateur production with a good dose of scouting. For example, Alan Zinter was drafted because he had set all-time Pac-10 records for home runs (and I think RBI). And he was a prety good defensive catcher. Who would have known that it would take him many years to make th emajors and have a very brief career there?

And Dave Magadan was a pretty good contact hitter in College. But the Mets drafted him because in the NCAA playoffs after his senior year, he set a then-tourney record with seven home runs. The Mets were salivating at his "upside". Unfortunately, that was the last time he demonstrated that kind of power in his career. They got a lefty-hitting Danny Cater/ Pat Tabler instead of a Raffy Palmiero. They got a major leaguer, but not the kind of one they had hoped for.

Later

[Guest Edgy DC]

]Sounds like Roger Clemens' illegitimate kids.

Just grass for the Met mower.

Scouting video of Mulvey (below) seems aimed to highlight his inablity to hold runners on and to look sloppy in the freezing rain.

mms://a1503.v108692.c10869.g.vm.akamaistream.net/7/1503/10869/v0001/mlb.download.akamai.com/10869/2006/open/draft/prospects/mulvey_kevin_j_350.wmv?media_type=wms&av_type=video&event_pk=undefined&product=gen_video

[A Boy Named Seo]

Dodgers select SS Preston Mattingly from Evansville, IN. Wonder if he's got "the mustache" too?

[A Boy Named Seo]

The Mets second pick (#94 overall) is Joe Smith, RHP, Wright St.

Smith is 6' 2", 205 and the MLB.com comments are as follows:

A sidearming reliever, he actually increased his velocity when he began dropping down. He now can throw in the low 90's with a good slider and change.

[Guest cleonjones11]

Frazier from Rutgers...3rd Frazier from RU..Jeff is from that Toms River LL team of years back..

[Frayed Knot]

Joe Smith, the Mets third-round pick, had shoulder surgery as a senior in high school and couldn't make the Wright State roster as a freshman. When he walked on in 2004, he dropped his arm slot to sidearm his velocity shot into the low 90s and began to dominate. He posted a 0.75 ERA this season and would have led Division I, but he was five innings short of qualifying.


P.S. Last I read on Jeffrey Maier is that he's a 2nd day guy at best: i.e. rounds 26-50. He's a major longshot to ever play in MLB

[Guest Johnny Dickshot]

In honor of Valadius, I Nickname Thee "Bazooka" Joe Smith

[Frayed Knot]

Or maybe just; 'The Mormon'

[Guest sharpie]

Whatever happened to Valadius?

[A Boy Named Seo]

Third pick o' the day (#124 overall) is 6' 8", 230 lb. righty John Holdzkom out of Salt Lake CC.

Big freaking kid.

Edit: Big John's SLCC profile:



John comes to Salt Lake from Rancho Cucamonga High School with an impressive resume being drafted in the 15th round to the Mariners. He is listing as one of the Nations�s best pitching prospects; possessing a fast ball upwards of 96 mph. John is looking forward to being a part of the successful program at SLCC.
Most influential person: Brian Dilley; he�s a great guy
Hobbies: power-walking, line-dancing, making the world a
better place

[metirish]

] Hobbies: power-walking, line-dancing, making the world a better place

Damn, sounds like a Miss World contestent.

[A Boy Named Seo]

Some more info on sidewinding "Bazooka" Joe Smith out of Wright St.:



2005: Tied for 49th in the national rankings in saves with eighth�tied for the Horizon League lead with eight saves�led the team in appearances (29), saves (8) and ERA (1.10)�made 29 appearances out of the bull-pen�stuck out three in a scoreless inning of work against Evansville in the Ace�s Diamond Classic�picked up two saves at Duke, striking out three batters in 2.1 innings�struck out two batters in two innings of work in the second game of a double-header against Akron� struck out three batters in an inning of work at Arizona State�struck out five batters in two appearances against UW-Milwaukee� threw a season high three innings against Cleveland State in the Horizon League Tournament, striking out three and allowing no runs, picking up his only win of the season� recorded at least one strikeout in 26 of 29 outings�allowed 18 hits in 32.2 innings of work�also had saves against UIC, Cleveland State, picked up two saves in series with Akron and Ball State.

2004: Made 20 appearances out of the bullpen�tied for seventh in the conference with 20 appearances�led the team with a 2.75 ERA�recorded first career save against Cleveland State, pitching one with one strikeout�threw four shut-out innings against Miami, fanning four...collected his first collegian win at Toledo striking out one in two innings of work�threw three scoreless innings and struck out six in collected his second win of the season�threw scoreless innings against Oakland, Cleveland State, Ohio State, Dayton, and Butler�fanned five in four innings of work against UW-Milwaukee�was a late season addition to the North Adams Steeplecats of the New England College Baseball League�made three appearances, pitching 6.1 innings striking out three batters.

High School: Lettered three years for the Barons�sat out senior season due to arm surgery�All-Fort Ancient Valley Conference honoree as a junior as well as all-city and all-district�also lettered three years in basketball, where he averaged 20.3 points and 6.7 rebounds.

Personal: Born Joseph Michael Smith on March 22, 1984�son of Mike and Lee Smith.

[Frayed Knot]

"is 6' 8", 230 lb. righty John Holdzkom out of Salt Lake CC"


And now a bigger Mormon.

[Guest Yancy Street Gang]

A guy named "Joe Smith" desperately needs a nickname. (I had that same "Mormon" thought. Maybe we can call him "Big Love." Or "Big Glove.")

He also desperately needs new hobbies. If he wants to make it in the big leagues he should consider hunting, fishing, and golf.