SoCalBrewfan

Earlier this week BP said: So maybe we shouldn't be too depressed that the Brewers didn't take any pitchers until the 6th round...

No, I'm pretty sure that colby's right...we drafted Justin Wilson out of Chandler HS in Arizona...and he went to Chandler-Gilbert CC, where the coach is the brother of one of our scouts.

Whew...beat me my a few hours there, ben...but then i had to do a rush-the-baby-to-the-non-emergency-doctor -visit...nothing serious thankfully. So I missed all of rounds 12 to 20...sigh.

BA on Heether, #53 in SoCal: Adam Heether, drafted twice at Modesto JC, has the best raw tools on the 49ers roster. He is an athletic third baseman with an above-average arm, but might not have the power to play on a corner. He may be better suited at second, or even behind the plate.

Sucks and doesn't try hard. Edit: That's my translation of MLB's report...not my opinion. This pick reminds me of Jason Belcher, a lefty bat who also went in the 5th, had once been highly rated but fell of a bit before the draft IIRC.

One pick later, our Chandler-Gilbert connection Billy Hogan goes...

It's spelled Opdyke. BA: His offensive prowess a year ago led to his selection to Team USA's 2002 junior squad. His lefthanded power potential cannot be ignored but his catching skills need refinement. He also rankled scouts with a flashy, overconfident approach.

A catcher...never heard of him.

At least other people were fooled by Williamson...he was highly rated even after the Brewers took him. Felder was a real headscratcher, though...and Green was a matter of settling for less...

It's certainly odd to have a 2b such a highly-rated player...there are only a few 2b that I can think of who were high draft choices...Todd Walker, for example, went #8 overall in 1994. No 2b has ever been taken first overall. More recently, Chase Utley was #12 overall in 2000...he was the only top-50 pick drafted as a 2b in 98,99, 00. But things may be changing a bit, as teams look for more offense out of the middle IF, and as college players figure prominently in some teams' strategies. In 2001, Chris Burke went at #10 (he may still be a SS but many doubt it), Mike Fontenot was #19, Michael Woods was #32, Richard Lewis was #40. (And Scott Hairston was a heckuva pick at #98.). Last year, Russ Adams was #14 (though some think he's a SS), and Micah Schilling went at #41. All of those guys but Schilling were college players....they all were known for their bat. Me, I'm still hoping for Young. But I would take Weeks over Sleeth or Stauffer...and I'll probably be happy no matter what.

Will Dillard be a C or P with the Brewers? The BA blurb on him suggested his future was as a pitcher...

I think Milledge has dropped mostly due to questions about his bat...some believe he'll be another toolsy guy who can't hit breaking stuff.

Is this guy next in the pipeline from Chandler-Gilbert Jc to the Brewers? SS Billy Hogan, a former Texas prep star, enrolled at Alabama last fall but transferred to Chandler-Gilbert JC after Christmas to make himself eligible for this year's draft. His decision has paid off as he's emerged as the state's best juco position player. He hit .414 with seven homers playing with wood, while showing easy shortstop actions.

Wow, Dana's gonna be on the Brewerfan birthday card list now...

I hadn't realized that he was a HS teammate of Dana Eveland (I do remember Mike Rizzo talking about watching Matt pitch with the Long Beach Breakers and I guess that should have clued me in)...maybe the Brewers will spend a second day pick on him and reunite the former teammates...sadly, Harrington would have to come a long way before he would be ready to pitch on the same team as Eveland.

Woo-hoo! Congrats to all...nice to have y'all on board!

colby...note that he says 'college players.'

BA posted bonus info on the first ten rounds of the 02 draft. We knew about Prince...but some interesting tidbits: Josh Murray signed for $825K, higher than the four guys immediately ahead of him. His bonus was 4th largest in the 2nd round, and higher than a few supplemental first rounders. Wow. Eric M Thomas signed for $470K...pretty much slot money there. Nic Carter was a cheap sign...at $250K he got less than four of the five picks immediately following him. The fifth was Jeff Baker who signed a major league contract and will get more than Carter as well. Jarrad Page would have been the most expensive bonus in the 5th round if he had accepted the offer we read about here... Khalid Ballouli signed for $110K. A bunch of 6th rounders got more...12 to be exact. Heck, ten 7th rounders got more. Tom Wilhelmsen signed for $250K. Not only was that by far the largest bonus for a 7th rounder, but no 6th rounder got more, and only one 5th rounder got more. Steve Kahn didn't sign. Edwin Walker signed for $60K...only a few guys from that round got less, and all five were college seniors. Speaking of college seniors, Jeremy Frost signed for $5K, which was tied for the second-lowest bonus of the 10th round. Like the past few years, the Brewers have opened their pocketbook for some talent beyond the first round, and gone above slot money to add talent to the system...in the case of Wilhelmsen at least, it appears to have been a wise investment. Unlike past years, there are also a bunch of bargain picks here...could it be that the unexpected development of Manny Parra and his resulting large bonus affected the Brewers' overall approach to this draft? Between the bargain-basement picks (Carter, Ballouli, Walker, Frost, though you could make a case that Ballouli is just a savvy sign as he's been pretty decent) and the unsigned players at 5, 8, 11, etc., well, you have to wonder.

nice catch on Wood, cress...also I saw this on the DRays: Q: &nbsp &nbsp &nbsp &nbsp Draysfan from Tampa asks: Allan, Any word on who the Rays are leaning towards taking next month? Weeks looks like an all-star in the making, but we need pitching in the worst way. Would Lamar look at possibly taking Loewen or Sleeth? Thanks! A: &nbsp &nbsp &nbsp &nbsp John Manuel: Allan says the Rays are all over Rickie Weeks, Ryan Harvey and Delmon Young and figure to take one of those three players first overall--whether or not Adam Loewen is available. Could be that we do get a shot at Loewen after all!

The track record of HS catchers in the first round is abominable. Everybody nowadays is joining the Beane cult and looking for college guys. We could well see some top flight prep guys available at #40...though the Braves do have two supp picks before that so they'll pick off some prep arms or toolsy bats. I wouldn't be stunned if Salty and Stewart were there (since I obsess over C and 3b)...I also wouldn't be stunned to see the Brewers go elsewhere...they never listen to what I want, which is probably a good thing.

MassBrew, I justed wanted to interject...without your tireless efforts on the Link Report, where would I be? OK, there's still the Power 50 and the draft and DFE negotiations, but jeez that major league squad is a drag. Hurray for MassBrew and the minor league board!!!

Wow, Igor..do you realize what just happened? You out-optimist-ed clancy http://forum.brewerfan.net/images/smilies/wink.gif ...I've liked Luis Martinez for a while, and am glad to see his hot start...but Randy Johnson? http://forum.brewerfan.net/images/smilies/wink.gif (Or were you comparing him to Rick James, the original SuperFreak?)