2009 MLB Draft:

If you’ve followed the blog for a number of years, you probably realize that MLB Draft day(s) is the equivalent to Christmas for us, blogging on the A’s picks the entire two days, and getting up-to-the minute interviews with the latest draftees (as in Tyson Ross from last year).  Instead of the usual Thursday-Friday schedule, where the first 7 or so rounds take place on Day 1 and 8-50 are on Day 2, this year it will be a 3-day event, on national TV. (Left is last year’s first pick David Beckham)

Tuesday June 9th will be Round One, Round Two, Round Three and both Compensation Rounds, filmed live at Studio 42, which is MLB network’s headquarters.  Unfortunately for those of us up north, that means we don’t get the channel, and unless TSN2 picks up the draft, we’ll have to once again follow on the internet.

Rounds 4-30 take place on the 10th, with Day 3 holding 31-50.  What does this all mean?  Well, it’ll be easier to blog, that’s one thing.  The other, is that hopefully we can watch the first couple of rounds on TV (3:00 PM Pacific start).  

Oakland has a few picks on Day 1, including the 13th overall pick, as well as the 92nd pick (3rd round) and 123rd in the 4th round.  They do not have a 2nd round pick due to the signing of Orlando Cabrera.

Who will the A’s pick at the 13 slot?  I have them tabbing a pitcher, just because although they’re already sound at that position in the minors, you can never have too many, and with Stockton’s recent struggles (keep reading), they could use an extra couple of good arms.

I see 5 guys potentially suiting those needs.  Mike Leake of Arizona State, is a RHP who could go in the Top 10, or slip to Top 15 depending on how his club does in the run to Omaha.  Leake is 11-1 with a 1.59 ERA this season, striking out 96 in 90.2 innings.  The two-way player still takes some hacks at the dish, but he will be a gem in a few years time.  Leake was Oakland 7th round pick in 2006.

LHP Andrew Oliver is another good pick, the 6-3 Oklahoma State hurler is having a rough year, going 5-5 with a 4.99 ERA, but has 14 more strikeouts than he does innings, which is always a good sign.  If he continues to plummet, he’ll definitely be there at 13.  The A’s have a tendency to pick Okie State players, such as Corey Brown and Justin Friend (2007) and current starter for Oakland Brett Anderson’s father is the coach for the Cowboys.

Klein Bearkats southpaw Matt Purke comes from a school that has produced both Barfield brothers (see right), and has a somewhat unorthodox delivery, but the 6′3 180 senior is raising eyebrows en route to being a Top 15 selection.  He’d be a good fit for the A’s, who have a knack for producing good lefties from their system (Mulder, Anderson, Zito).

Zach Wheeler out of Dallas, Georgia (East Paulding High School) may be another option for the A’s if he is available, being a RHP who has great command, and can throw his heater up to 96.  He has a phenomenal slurve and a change.

Mike Minor could also fall into the A’s hands, but has had only a good season.  He’s 4-4 with a 3.93 ERA for Vanderbilt, a powerhouse for producing top prospects, and in 12 appearances has 79 strikeouts.  Opponents are hitting .261 off of him, but has only walked 24 in 73 and a third on the hill.

This is obviously my opinion on who the A’s should pick (pitchers) and with a first round full of hurlers, I don’t see the A’s picking anything but.  We shall see on draft day.  

Alumni Report:

The Kane County Cougars stand at 15-7 heading into Sunday, but are down 7-3 in the 8th so I’ll assume they lose.  15-8 Cougars.  At the time of publish, Dusty Coleman is hitting .308, with Steve Kleen a couple points ahead at .313.  Kleen has been in a slump as of late, hitting .353 in April before starting May off 0-9.  He is 1-3 today so his average did get bumped up a bit.

Middle Infielders Jason Christian and Matt Ray are each hitting well, Christian at .284 and Ray at .242, while Grant Desme has recovered from a terrible start to be batting .247.  Jeremy Barfield, recently called up from Extended Spring Training where he nursed a hammy injury, is struggling, with an average of .154.

Dusty Napoleon started the year 0-15, but picked up a hit recently, so his average stands at a team-worst .63.

For the staff, Mike Hart holds the lowest ERA at 0.79 after surrendering his first earned run today, while Scott Deal isn’t too far behind at 0.82.  Ben Hornbeck has been spectacular, and even pitched a perfect game on April 15th (his first start), before Scott Deal gave up a lone hit to ruin the attempt at perfection.  Hornbeck is 2-0 with a 1.42 ERA.

Shawn Haviland and Anthony Capra are both doing well, with ERA’s under 2.40, while Jose Guzman has not been great as the closer, after shutout performances in April.  He gave up a run Friday, and proceeded to surrender 5 in two-thirds of an inning last night.  He has 4 saves and a 6.75 ERA.

Matt Fitts is about to become 0-4, with an ERA well above 6.00.

The 6-17 Stockton Ports suck and there is no better way to put it.  Their top hitter is swinging .273 (although with 7 home runs to lead the system), and they have 12 hitters who are hitting below .250.  David Thomas, a recent call-up from Kane County is 4-16 with a home-run, while Jermaine Mitchell and Greg Dowling, two key players from the C’s in 2006, are both strugging with Dowling swinging .111 and Mitchell .222.

On the hill, Carlos Hernandez is struggling (1-3, 4.74), while Craig Italiano is having the same problems he did in the Cal League last year.  Scott Hodsdon is 1-2 with a 5.89 ERA, and Pat Currin has an ERA verging on 10.00, and Chad Kerfoot’s is at 7.71.  Daniel Thomas is hurt now, but gave up 5 earned runs in 3 innings.

I’d say there are a pair of bright spots for Stockton, in Steven Sharpe who is perfect in three appearances before a recent callup to AAA, and Derrick Gordon, who has surrendered just two runs in 16 innings.

Midland is 15-8, and all of these stats are heading into Sunday.  Mike Affronti and Anthony Recker are both benefiting from recent promotions and demotions, with Affronti swinging .429 since his call-up from Stockton, and Recker .417 since being sent down from Sacramento.  Adrian Cardenas was hitting .372 before replacing Recker in AAA, and Corey Wimberly is hitting .348.  Corey Brown is hitting .345, and Archie Gilbert, Yung Chi Chen, Danny Putnam and Chris Carter are all batting above .320.

Tommy Everidge is hitting .316 with a home-run, and  Josh Horton and Matt Sulentic remain on the verge of .300.  Josh Donaldson is the only player batting below .293.

Their pitching has been great as well, with Travis Banwart, Angel Garcia, Mike Benacka and Sam Demel all having ERA’s below 1.32.  James Heuser has surrendered four runs in 10 innings, striking out 14.

Sacramento is standing at 13-9 in the PCL, and the ex-Vancouver Canadians have benefited lately of two players.  Yung Chi Chen was just called up from Midland, and Joel Galarraga is 2-4 since joining the team.  Sean Doolittle is averaging just over a hit per four at-bats, and Matt Carson has 4 home-runs.  Ex-Athletic Daric Barton continues to struggle, hitting .155.  

Their staff have both struggled and succeeded, with Vin Mazzaro averaging 3.38 Earned Runs, and ex-Canadian Jeff Gray is 1-1 with an Earned Run Average below 1.20.  Catcher Raul Padron threw an inning of solid relief earlier this year.

Promotions

The 2009 Canadians Promotion Schedule isn’t out yet, but thanks to Andrew Seymour, GM Extraordinaire, we can tell you some of the exciting features to come this season at The Nat.

There will be 7 exciting Fireworks shows (which always sellout), a pair of Webkinz giveaways, 7 Family Fun Sundays (sponsored by A&W), A Nooner Giveaway on July 1st, Dog Day III, Ladies Day and a Canadians Baseball Camp for Kids.

The thing that made me the happiest after Andrew’s email was seeing the stuff they were introducing.

They include, a Fan Club for Kids, Birthday packages, 7 inning stretch packages, Expanded Diamond Club Seating, Podcasts immediately after the game, and post game texts to phones.  The return of text messaging clubs excites me the most, and gets me more and more pumped for this season.

The official schedule should be out with promotions in the next week or two, or so I understand.