2009 Draft Prospects: An Early Look

The Giants currently boast fourth-worst record in the majors, pretty much vindicating smug prognosticators nationwide. (Hey, whatever takes the attention away from living in their mother's basement, right?)

The silver lining in this giant, black, killer tornado wielding cloud? Assuming the team maintains its current level of putrid play, they stand to pick fourth overall in next year's draft, and quite possibly even higher.

So, having locked up the key cogs of what was, by all accounts, a productive 2008 draft, let's take an early look at five blue-chippers the Giants could select from what will most assuredly be a high slot.

Stephen Strasburg RHP San Diego State

Now before all of you smack your heads in frustration at a pitcher being atop this list, bear in mind two things:

1. Every other player on this shortlist is of a position variety
2. This guy is ridiculous

There's a lot of buzz about this kid, and rightly so. Strasburg is considered the best pitching prospect to come out since Mark Prior, and, with any luck, this time, Dusty Baker won't get anywhere near him.

The lone collegian on the 2008 Olympic squad, Strasburg has already unleashed the fury of his 100MPH fastball on a helpless Dutch team this past week.

Strasburg, who rounds out his arsenal with a wicked slider and decent change, has been victimizing college hitters at an astounding clip his first two years at SDSU. Most notable: a 23 strikeout(!) game against the University of Utah in April.

His coach, former nemesis but awesomely voiced Hall of Famer Tony Gwynn, a guy who knows a thing or two, had this to say:

“I've seen a lot of baseball,” said SDSU coach Tony Gwynn. “I have never seen anything like that.”

Now I know as well as anyone that the Giants pitching cupboard is pretty well-stocked, but this 6'4 right-hander would be difficult to pass up, regardless of need.

Strasburg Scouting Reports:
Baseball America
Baseball Prospectus
Breaking Bats
FanGraphs
VIDEO: Bullpen Session

Dustin Ackley 1B/OF UNC

The 2007 College Freshman of the Year is considered the top returning college hitter. He's held his own in the Cape Cod League, hitting in the middle of the league champ Harwich Mariners lineup.

Ackley's supposed to be a great athlete who most likely projects to the outfield in the pros. He doesn't have huge raw power at this stage, but he's a very polished, selective hitter who has a very predictable ceiling. Think Buster Posey with a little more pop at a position of less scarcity.

Check out this video of Ackley hitting a grand slam despite breaking his aluminum bat.



Ackley Scouting Reports:
Breaking Bats
Metal Bat Baseball
USC Trojans Blog

Grant Green SS USC

The namesake (and ensuing nickname potential) factor aside, Green, who tore up the Cape League, came out of the 2008 college season as the best shortstop outside of Georgia junior Gordon Beckham, who ended up going eighth overall to the White Sox. Although reports indicate he's smooth at short, at 6'3, 180, the big guy might go the Glaus route and move to third in the pros.

If he continues his progression from an impressive soph season (.390, 9 HRs, 46 RBI, 10 SBs) the third team All-America should be squarely in John Barr et al's crosshairs come June.

Green Scouting Reports:
Breaking Bats
Cod Ball

Donovan Tate CF Cartersville HS (GA)

The 6'3 Tate, son of former Bucs running back Lars Tate, is a legitimate five tooler and ranks as one of the top high schoolers in the country. Given his bloodlines, it's no surprise then that he's also a helluva football player - he's already garnered football scholarship offers from every major college program.

If Tate decides to focus on baseball in the fall, however, he'll most likely be in the top of next year's draft. Still, there's a lot of risk in taking a kid that, between football and college baseball, has a lot of other options if he doesn't get the contract he wants.

The reward, however, could be huge. Tate, who's supposed to be a great kid, been compared by coaches to Jeff Francoeur - Francoeur's recent slump notwithstanding, that's a risk worth taking.

Tate Scouting Reports:
Baseball America
Breaking Bats

Mychal Givens SS/RHP Plant HS (FL)

Givens recently won the Jackie Robinson Award as the nation's best high school player, in part because of his tremendous presence on the mound to complement his work as a position player.

But Givens is extremely raw, and although he has all the tools, there's no clear consensus as to what he could end up being. Much of his draft position will be determined by his senior year production, but, if he progresses, he'll be in the mix at the top of the draft.

A true boom or bust candidate. Think Tim Beckham with less raw power.

Givens Scouting Reports:
Aflac All-American Profile
Breaking Bats
Saberscouting
USC Trojans Blog

So as this hapless young Giants team plays out the string, bear in mind that, with each loss, the horizon of a talented young team inches closer.

Comment! Who would you like to see the Giants pick next summer?

Minor Leagues, Big Spenders

The Sports Agent Blog notes that, once the Buster Posey signing becomes official, the Giants will have signed both their first-round pick and their third-round pick (Roger Kieschnick) to the highest bonuses awarded to players selected in that round.

Add that to the $2.5M awarded to 16 year old Dominican Rafael Rodriguez, and you start to get a sense why the once-maligned Giants farm system is gaining legitimacy in a big hurry.

Washed Up Major Leaguers Seek Brains

A hopeful start by the youth-infused lineup is once again obliterated by a haggard bullpen.

But I'm sure you all are more ticked at something else:

LaTroy Freaking Hawkins.

I can't even believe he has a job. But, of course, he picks up the W, joining the likes of Chan Ho Park, Jason Johnson and Mike Hampton as baseball zombies who have feasted on the collective ineptitude of this meek, meek franchise.

And now, without further ado, your midday roundup.

Snark Alert: I really debated kicking this guy while he's down. But, ultimately, I decided to be the smaller, more petty person.

Jose Castillo (remember him?) had a bit of a reputation as a malcontent on his previous stops on his DFA Tour of the NL. So while John Bowker was nothing but classy in accepting his assignment to Fresno, what did Castillo have to say?

"I'm not happy," he said. "I'm surprised. I think I played good for this team. It was the first year I played third base."

Well, in addition to the fact that Shrekstillo made more than a few of his appearances at third with the Pirates last year, I'd like to pose this question to Jose: what, exactly, is your definition of "good"? Does it include an assessment of a .191 average post-All Star Break?

Add "delusional" to the list of colorful adjectives you may already ascribe to Jose.

Cold-Blooded: The Giants cost Geno Espineli his Olympic dreams by calling him up just ahead of the games in Beijing.

So it makes perfect sense that they would send him down just as Olympic baseball heats up. Matt Palmer is the beneficiary of Sabean's ice cold trigger finger, in a move that presumably covers the Giants if they need long-relief or spot start in the dog days.

Prospect Bonanza Continued: Baggarly (who's on a roll, I must say) reports that the Giants inked intriguing 13th-rounder Juan Carlos Perez. The D2 outfielder slipped because of visa issues, but you can't argue with the numbers. This is what Baseball America had to say:

Perez put up the craziest statistics in the state. Playing at hitter-friendly Western Oklahoma JC, he set Division II junior college records with 37 homers (one short of the overall juco mark) and 102 RBIs while batting .465 with a 1.102 slugging percentage. While his stats might be inflated, the 6-foot, 185-pounder has legitimate tools. He has a sound swing with bat speed and easy power, average speed and arm strength, and a chance to play center field. The bigger issues with Perez are his age (he'll be 22 in November) and his immigration status. A Dominican, he stayed in the United States after his original tourist visa expired, which could prevent him from gaining a work visa to play pro ball. If he gets his paperwork, he could go in the first 10 rounds.

Baggs, meanwhile, makes a comparison with this guy.

From your mouth to God's ears, Andy.

Contract Talk: A quick primer for those of you who are wondering what the difference between a major league contract (which Buster Posey signed) and a minor league contract, the more traditional contract for draftees.

Essentially, a major league contract is guaranteed, and the signee is eligible for the minimum required salary of a major leaguer, which is set at $390K this year.

Perez, for example, will get his bonus money, but will be salaried at a minor league level, which is generally peanuts at the lower levels, and, um, cashews once you work your way up.

Look Out, Earthquakes: James at A Giants Minor League Blog (a nice recent complement to the already excellent Giants blogosphere) proposes a very interesting, and likely, scenario for the Single-A Giants next spring:

Various baseball people have been musing about whether or not Conor Gillaspie should be moved to second. Here’s one reason why it might not happen. It is likely that he will begin next year on the San Jose roster with Nick Noonan who is limited to only second base. There has been some talk that Noonan might be promoted straight to Connecticut but that’s absolutely crazy. Unless Noonan makes huge strides in plate discipline this offseason, sending him to Connecticut is just setting him up to fail. So, it is likely that the San Jose roster next year will consist of Angel Villalona at 1B, Nick Noonan at 2B, Conor Gillaspie at 3B, and Buster Posey at C. That’s a hell of an infield. Madison Bumgarner will also be on that team.

So, come '09, there could very well be a dominant Giants ballclub - you'll just have to head further down 280 to find it.

Comment! Freak excluded, who is your favorite current Giant? Tough, isn't it?

BREAKING: Posey, Kieschnick, Crawford Sign; Giants Grow A Pair

Baggarly (of course) has the scoop:

The Giants are on the cusp of signing first-round pick Buster Posey to a major league contract worth roughly $7.5 million, industry sources told the Mercury News.

[Snip]

The Giants also went beyond the recommended slot value to sign their third-round pick, Texas Tech outfielder Roger Kieschnick. He received a $525,000 bonus, $40,000 over the recommended amount. The club didn't announce a deal with their fourth-round pick, UCLA shortstop Brandon Crawford, but Bruins officials have been told that he signed for $375,000 — exceeding slot value by $92,000.

Overall, a very encouraging development for the rapidly improving farm system. Assist to the purse-string holders for going well above slot on all the guys to get them delivered.

Youth Got Served!

Another day, another victory for these baby Giants.

In a shocking twist, they did so at home.

For Matt Cain.

This ain't July's Giants, that's for sure.

One of my favorite developments: the double play combo of Ivan Ochoa and Manny Burriss, both of whom are putting on a defensive display as well as swinging nice bats.

The triumphant return of Steve Holm certainly ranks up there as well.

My least favorite development? The continued presence of Jose Castillo in my life in any meaningful capacity. Thus, understanding the so-shallow-you'll break-your-neck-if-you-dive depth of the position, it filled me with great hope and pleasure to hear KSN (Wichita) report that the Giants have come to terms with 2008 sandwich round pick (and third baseman) Conor Gillaspie, fomerly of the wonderfully named Wichita State Shockers:

The 37th pick overall will receive slot money for that pick, which is around $975,000 along with other un-disclosed incentives. That was the deal-maker enticing the Shocker All-American to sign.

Gillaspie will begin his pro career in rookie ball for the first few weeks. The Giants plan to give him work at both second and third base before the season comes to an end.

Gillaspie was perceived by many to be a first round pick and was mostly regarded as a great value pick where the Giants picked him up. We wrote this on draft day:

Conor Gillaspie, 3B, Wichita St., at #37. MLB.com compares him to...

Bill Mueller.

That being said, he's the defending Thurman Munson Award winner in 2007 Cape League play, an honor that's gone to the likes of Berkman and Jeter (and [Justin] Smoak in 2006).

Good news, indeed. But with deadline to sign draftees now just ten days out, snippets like these make me a bit queasy regarding the remaining three of our top four picks:

Buster Posey, the Giants' first pick and the fifth overall selection, is one of seven top-10 picks who've yet to sign. Of the 16 players in the supplemental round, though, Gillaspie, the 37th pick, is one of only two who haven't come to terms.

[Snip]

Among third-round selections, Roger Kieschnick, the Giants' third pick and the 82nd overall choice, is one of only three unsigned players. Brandon Crawford, the Giants' fourth pick, is one of just six unsigned players in the fourth round.

"I know [Director of Player Personnel] Bobby [Evans] has been having a lot of discussions with all of those guys," [Giants' Special Assistant John] Barr said. "We're working on finalizing all those guys."

Gulp. If this blog ceases to be updated August 15th, can one of you find a sub-letter for me and take care of Fido?

In other news: remember Barry Lamar Bonds? It has seemed this year like maybe the Giants don't.

But in an interesting development, he has been invited to return to Pac Bell this Saturday as part of a tribute to the great outfielders of the Giants' fifty years in San Francisco. No word yet regarding his attendance.

Should shape up to be a fun week for a Bonds-starved media corps.

Posey Wins Golden Spikes, Wants Money To Buy Golden Spikes

First, the good news: Buster Posey, the Giants first-round pick in last month's MLB Draft, won the Golden Spikes Award as the nation's top college player, finishing a sweep of pretty much every major award he could win.

Now the bad news: Posey and his representation seem to be dead set on parlaying his trophy case into major cash, and negotiations appear to be slow-going.  The article references comments Brian Sabean made to the Press-Democrat on July 4th regarding the Giants' policy awarding contracts to draftees:

General manager Brian Sabean said Thursday that, per organizational policy, if the Giants first-round pick isn’t signed by the All-Star break, he’ll get a 2009 contract. He does not expect Posey to sign until close to the Aug. 15 major league baseball deadline.

“It would probably be a post-dated contract if he waits that long,” Sabean said. “If you’ve laid off and don’t get out till that time, really the rest of the minor league season is an exercise in futility, to waste that protection year.”

Last time I checked, the All-Star Break is over today, and Posey isn't signed.

Stay tuned.

Yes We Cain? More speculation, this time from the Philly scribes, that Matt Cain is available for a package of young studs.  (However, given the fact that the Phillies' top prospects seem to be pitching-heavy, that may not be the team Sabean should be dealing with.)

Despite repeated denials from the Giants brass, I would hazard a guess that if the Cain could fetch a CC Sabathia like package, management's statements may prove to be doublespeak come July 31.

Comment! What is a package you would consider for Matt Cain? Those with serious prospectal knowledge very much encouraged to chime in.

'08 Draft Expert Q&A

I promised more original draft analysis and I would never break a promise to the four regular readers of this blog (although, if people share computers in prison, it could be many more).

Orange Black and Blue is very happy to welcome the insights of Brian Foley, Ed-In-Chief of the most awesome The College Baseball Blog. Brian was gracious enough to answer a boatload of questions, most of them reflecting my complete ignorance of college baseball.

FYI: Brian called the Posey pick a month and a half out.

OBnB: Thanks for your time, Brian. Let's start with a couple of questions regarding the college ballgame in general.

I've read that some NCAA divisions can be compared to AA ball. I see this as a bit of an overreach. What about you?

Do you really get more bang for your buck drafting these guys even though they're older and less malleable in some ways?

BF: The major conferences in the nation are comparable to AA ball but anything out of the major conferences is comparable to Single A ball. The coaching has gotten much better in college in general and scouts are starting to take the college game more seriously then in the past.

OBnB: Can you give us an idea of what the tougher college divisions are and which are less so? For example, is the SEC tougher, and therefore more indicative of future performance than, say, the Pac-10?

BF: I wouldn't say that the Pac-10 is worse or better then the SEC. There is no easy weekend in either conference but I think the Pac-10 is more pitching central then the SEC who is more directed towards offense.

OBnB: In projecting college ballplayers to the pros, how much guesswork is involved given the switch from aluminum to wood?

BF: There used to be more guess work involved in the draft but nearly all the kids today are playing with wood bats in the collegiate summer leagues like the Cape Cod League and Alaskan League among others.

OBnB: Onward to the good stuff - the Giants' haul in the draft earlier this month.

The million (or perhaps 12 million) dollar question: given what was available at #5, was Buster Posey the right pick for the Giants? If not, who should have been the pick there?

BF: I would have taken [South Carolina first baseman] Justin Smoak, personally, as his upside is hitting .330 with 25-30 homers a season plus Gold Glove defense at first base. Posey strikes me to be a .275 hitter with 15 homers a year and really never scared me at the plate.

(Ed: Dammit, I thought I was wrong.)

OBnB: What do you think the best-case and worst-case is for Posey? Are we looking at 1990s Jason Kendall or 2000s Kendall?

BF: I think Kendall is a good comparison but Posey doesn't run as well as Kendall does. Plus Posey has a ton to learn behind the plate as he just finished the second season of his life catching while never calling a game on his own.

OBnB: What’s your take on sandwich round pick Conor Gillaspie (Wichita State)? He seems like a pick with little upside but with a good chance of making the big leagues. Are the Bill Mueller comparisons apt? And will he be able to play a major league third base?

BF: He is a very good hitter for average and the biggest question mark is going to be his power numbers. I think Mueller was a better defensive player then Conor.

OBnB: Third-rounder Roger Kieschnick of Texas Tech supposedly has the vaunted five tools, but there are doubts about his ability to put it together. Do you like the pick, and do you see him as a guy that could potentially crack a big league lineup?

BF: He had a horrible year at Texas Tech where he only hit .305 with 17 homers but the chatter across the country was not about his season at all. He just never seemed to dominate games as he was the only pro bat in the lineup.

OBnB: We’ve heard that fourth-rounder Brandon Crawford (UCLA) was a potential first-rounder prior to his poor showing in the Cape League last year and has never really been able to recover. Can this guy bounce back, and what do you think we have in him?

BF: I think you have a kid that can't hit with wood and might struggle to make the MLB as anything besides an extra infielder like Alex Cora. He might be a tough sign too since he could go back to school and be a first round pick with a solid summer.

OBnB: After their first four picks, the Giants went back to what they know, going pitching with their next 8 picks, 6 of whom played for four year colleges. Many of these guys have very little info available as to their college careers. Can you give us your take on these guys, particularly fifth-rounder Edwin Quirarte (CSU Northridge) and sixth-rounder Eric Surkamp (North Carolina State)?

BF: I know more about Surkamp as he was expected to be the ace of the NC State squad this season after a solid summer with Team USA in 2007. He went 1-0 in four appearances and three starts with a 1.15 ERA. He had a tough 2008 collegiate season as he was bumped off the number 1 starter role by Clayton Schunick but still led the Pack to the NCAA Tourney.

OBnB: The Giants took a power hitting first baseman about 15 rounds later than many, including myself, would have preferred. That being said, 16th-rounder C.J. Ziegler was a major producer at Arizona, but there’s a perception that his swing won’t play at the next level. Do you have any insight on a guy who hit at a similar clip to ASU’s Ike Davis, who went in Round 1?

BF: Ziegler has a metal bat swing which means he hits his homers by bat speed - not on raw talent and using the whole field.

OBnB: Any other Giants late round picks that jump out to you?

BF: Scott Barnes [8th round, LHP] from St. John's has great numbers in the Big East but was it against good enough competition? I saw [25th-rounder] Damon Wright play from Dartmouth and he was the 3rd or 4th best hitter on this team so I don't think he will be able to make it. Aaron Lowenstein [44th round, C] from UC-Irvine might become a great second catcher in MLB unless he learns how to hit and could be a great catcher because he calls a great game.

OBnB: What would be your grade for the Giants draft?

BF: Ask me in three years when we can see how these kids adjust to the Minor Leagues.

More Draft Coverage (Now With Umlauts!)

I continue to sort through the smörgåsbord of various Giants draft coverage out there.

Baggarly has a chat with new scouting director John Barr, who presumably is responsible for the shift in this year's change in draft philosophy. Some interesting tidbits on some of our later round draft picks:

- LHP Scott Barnes, St. John’s Univ. (8th rd.): “We felt there were a few arms we wanted to take a run at. We saw him a lot. We had him up at 92 mph and he’d thrown better in the past. We wanted to get him in the mix of things. He has a chance to be a very good pick.”

- RHP Ryan O’Sullivan, Valhalla (Calif.) HS (10th rd.): “We took a couple of guys with (college) commitments when we had a good feel for the kid and the scout had a good relationship with the family. He has a commitment to San Diego State, so we’ll see.”

- SS Carter Bell, Georges Vanier HS, Canada (22nd rd.): “We liked what we’d seen. He played at our complex with the Canadian Junior National Team. He has a commitment to Oregon State. But he’s very excited that we selected him and he may entertain signing.”

- LHP Thomas Musick, Univ. of Houston (24th rd.): “We took a couple of guys knowing they would go to the Cape (Cod League) so we’d get an extra look. Musick is one of them we liked. We rated him higher. We project him as a No.5 starter someday. He is sophomore-eligible because he used a redshirt year.”

- RHP Jason Jarvis, No school (23rd rd.): “He was at Arizona State and they used him as their closer, actually. But he was academically ineligible and so he wasn’t allowed to play with the team. (According to reports, he was caught cheating on an exam in a music appreciation class.) He had been playing in independent ball and filed for an exception to be draft-eligible. I’m not sure what all was involved with his past, but we just know he has a good arm. We hope he wants to get out there.”

Also, Keith Law, former Blue Jays front office guy and current ESPN talking head, has a few very positive points on the Giants in a couple of his recent chats.

I'm not a huge Law fan, but he is living proof that being complimentary to the Giants is the easiest way to legitimacy here at OBnB.

From his June 6th chat following Day 1 (Rounds 1-6):

Jason (Palo Alto, CA): KLaw, great chats! Also stellar coverage of the draft, enjoyed it very much! Would you rate the Giants as having one of the better drafts this year since they were able to get 2 players that were rated in your top 20? Also, can you give a little insight on SS Crawford from UCLA? Thanks again!

SportsNation Keith Law: I rated their day one the best overall. Crawford's a good defensive shortstop who can't hit. He should play in the big leagues, though.

Travers, SF: Hey Keith- Was initially bummed on Giants passing on Smoak, but with Villalona apparently settling at 1b, Posey was the right decision... right?

SportsNation Keith Law: Yes. I had Posey > Smoak anyway, and Villalona is starting to hit - slugging .465 in May/June so far, still 17 in low-A.

From Wednesday's chat:

Briguy (NY): Hey K-Law, this is Briguy from NY with a question for you... Which team got the biggest steal from the draft? Two possibilities could be Smoak to the Rangers or Posey to the Giants... THANKS!!

SportsNation Keith Law: Friedrich to the Rockies. Gillaspie to the Giants. Weatherford to the Rockies. Potentially Webb to the D-backs, since the Kentucky coach is leaving for Mississippi State and Webb is indicating that he won't attend UK now.

Kenny (Sacramento): After the last 2 drafts, which appeared to be solid, where would you rank the Giants farm system?

SportsNation Keith Law: Assuming they get these guys signed, which I assume they will, they're probably top five.

For an alcoholic, Law isn't so bad...

But, seriously, with Rafael Rodriguez on board along with Villalona, Alderson, Bumgarner, Sandoval, and eventually Posey and Gillaspie, the guy's got a point.

The San Francisco Giants, purveyors of a top-tier minor league system?

Creepy.

Stay tuned for more original coverage here at Orange Black and Blue - we have some more analysis and interviews in the pipeline from some of those in the know/guys I hang out with at the local biker bar.

Vlad 2.0

I'm sure you all remember the TBS permaplay classic A Christmas Story.

You know, the tale of the lovable Ralphie, who wants nothing more than an official Red Ryder carbine-action 200-shot range model BB gun for Christmas. His repeated requests for the gun are met with a refrain of "you'll shoot your eye out," and our downtrodden protagonist is eventually resigned to a Christmas filled with underwhelming gifts.

But, lo and behold, when Christmas seems all but concluded (spoiler alert - but seriously, you haven't seen it?), Ralphie's dad comes through, delivering on said BB gun. Ralphie's happy. The end.

Well, the Giants 2008 draft class may be remembered the same way: the fans playing the part of Ralphie, Buster Posey the part of the bunny suit, and Rafael Rodriguez (a.k.a. "Mini-Vlad") the part of the BB gun.

ESPNDeportes reports that the Giants have come to terms with Rodriguez, the 16 year old Dominican phenom, to a team-record $2.5M deal (surpassing the $2.3M they gave Angel Villalona, and the $2.1M Lincecum received). From ESPN:

To many, he is a duplicate of Vladimir Guerrero because of his size and power with the bat. Rodriguez can work the entire outfield and drive the ball anywhere. He has reportedly accepted an offer from the San Francisco Giants worth $2.5 million.

And to prove my Christmas Story parallel (from the same piece):

"Inoa, Rodriguez, Yorman and Portillo would [challenge] the first selection if they were eligible for the American draft this year; I have no doubt about that," said a top AL executive.

The Giants are predictably denying the report as they can't officially sign the young outfielder until July 2. But it looks like a done deal.

Don't shoot your eye out, my friends.

UPDATE (8:50AM): The Google-translated version of the ESPNDeportes article that originally broke the story is much more...descriptive:

For many, is a copy of Vladimir Guerrero because of their size and power to shoulder with the wood. Rodriguez can trigger in any of the three gardens and hurl the ball by either side. Se cree que already accepted an offer by $ 2.5 million the San Francisco Giants.

Links Cure All

We never really had a chance given tonight's matchup. Luckily, the Pat Misch experiment looks to be nearing its merciful end, as Kevin Correia looks fired up and ready to go.

Credit Aaron Cook, who is turning into a legitimate ace for the Rockies, and improves to a nice 9-3.

Too bad the Giants couldn't get into the shaky Rockies bullpen early - they absolutely hammered the Rox relievers and were only a few feet away from a ninth inning Fred Lewis homer that would have cut the lead to three with none out.

We won't have to grasp at straws looking for positives for too much longer: Lincecum goes tomorrow.

In the meantime, LINK DUMP!

- Oft-injured Merkin Valdez has suffered a setback and will get a dreaded MRI.

Unfortunate, as it looked like Valdez was back on track after striking out the side for San Jose in a rehab assignment on Saturday.

From within that piece, Bochy is impressed by Dirty Sanchez's focus.

- Not so fast, says Noah Lowry. Lowry's chutzpah aside, his return is looking more and more like a longshot, but here's hoping.

- Baggarly has a nice piece on Burriss, who reflects on his return to D.C.

- More encouraging news from the farm as the single-A Giants have five players named to the All-Star team, including 19 year old Tim Alderson, the second of our 2007 first-rounders, as well as mashing 21 year old catcher Pablo Sandoval.

- In other San Jose Giants news, the little Giants are getting in on the 50th anniversary festivities of the big league club. They seem to have assembled an impressive roster of attendees.

- Last Thursday's top two draft picks are named to the All-American squad - Posey is first-team and Gillaspie second.

- 47th round pick Abe Ruiz has committed to ASU, but leaves the door open if the Giants show him the money.

Meanwhile, an undrafted UOP second baseman waits for a call.

- And finally, a few Giants react to Griffey's 600th homer.

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Posey Goes Deep Again

Posey goes 2 for 6 with another dinger as he leads the Seminoles to a win in the rubber match with sandwich round pick Conor Gillaspie's Shockers.

Conor carries an 0-fer in the loss.

Posey and Gillaspie: Round II

Our two brand-new shiny prospects keep it up in Super Regional action, collecting two hits apiece while Posey drives in three.

FSU crushes Wichita State 14-4, forcing a Game 3 showdown tomorrow at high noon (9AM PST) on ESPN.

Rounds 30-50 and Roundup

The rest of the Giants 2008 draft class:

30/897. Vladimir Frias, SS, Tennessee Wesleyan College

31/927. Aaron Davidson, RHP, Arkansas-Ft. Smith

32/957. John Blake, RHP, Lake Sumter Community College (FL)

33/987. Ryne Price, LF, Kansas

34/1017. Francois LaFreniere, RHP, Collège Ahuntsic (Quebec, Canada)

35/1047. Daniel Black, 3B, Purdue

36/1077. Matthew Way, LHP, Washington State

37/1107. Jeremy Penn, RHP, Western Oklahoma State

38/1137. Chris Wilson, RHP, Trinidad State Junior College (CO)

39/1167. Braden Kapteyn, 3B, Iliana Christian HS (IL)

40/1197. Austin Stadler, 1B, James River HS (VA)

41/1227. Correy Figueroa, 2B/SS, St. Petersburg Junior College (FL)

42/1257. Tyler Thompson, CF, Jupiter Community HS (FL)

43/1287. Zachary Thornton, RHP, Ventura College (CA)

44/1317. Aaron Lowenstein, C, UC Irvine

45/1346. Kenneth Villines, 2B, Riverside HS (NC)

46/1374. Joseph Hainsfurther, SS, Highland Park HS (TX)

47/1401. Abraham Ruiz, 3B, Pacific Grove HS (CA)

48/1428. Leonardo Ochoa, 2B, Quebec Capitales (Can-Am League)

49/1455. D.J. Hicks, 1B, Lake Brantley HS (FL)

50/1482. Jeremy Ware, RHP, Arkansas State

Of note:

- Many of these guys will choose to attend/return to college, fail to sign or decide the odds are too long and retire, so I won't spend too much time breaking the rest of these guys down.

- Somebody may look at a pick like D.J. Hicks (good high schooler who most likely will go college route) and ask: "why waste a pick on a guy who you know is too good to sign in the slot?"

Answer: Because it sets the groundwork for picking him later. A good example is current big leaguer Alex Hinshaw, who the Giants drafted three times in the late rounds before finally signing him in 2005. The Giants commitment to him paid off as he could have signed with Florida when they drafted him in 2003.

It's an interesting subtlety to the late rounds of the draft that I picked up recently.

- Finally, the Giants pick another "No School" guy in Leonardo Ochoa. I had no idea, but there is a Canadian-American Association of Professional Baseball. He's currently hitting .241 with 4 homers and 20 RBIs, according to this Google-translated site (home runs translate to "circuits" and RBIs "points" - awesome); I don't have an explanation for that one.

Celebrating in Style

Remember how I mentioned that our first two picks would be playing each other today in Super Regional action?

Well, our supposed high average/middling power guys have each muscled up and have hit it high, deep, and outta here. Gillaspie, in particular, is having a helluva game.

If you're near a television, the game's in late innings on ESPN2.

Baby Giants Everywhere!

Picks from Rounds 16-29:

16/477. C.J. Ziegler, 1B, Arizona
17/507. Brian Irving, RHP, Yale
18/537. Brooks Lindsay, SS, Lower Columbia College (WA)
19/567. Ryan Mantle, LF, Missouri State
20/597. Trey Sutton, 2B, Southern Mississippi
21/627. Michael Eifel, RHP, Dominican
22/657. Carter Bell, SS, Georges P. Vanier Secondary School (BC, Canada)
23/687. Jason Jarvis, RHP, Arizona State
24/717. Thomas Musick, LHP, Houston
25/747. Damon Wright, CF, Dartmouth
26/777. Ryan Lormand, 2B, Houston
27/807. Kyle Woodruff, RHP, Cal State-Chico
28/837. Shane Kaufman, RHP, San Diego State
29/867. Robert Flanagan, 1B, Northern Georgia College & State

Of note:

- Well, the Giants finally take a power-hitting corner infielder in C.J. Ziegler. Ziegler has had a breakout season as Arizona's first baseman/DH, hitting .350 with 19 homers (five shy of the Wildcats single-season record) heading into this weekend's Super Regional against Miami.

Much more importantly, his name is the amalgamation of two of the greatest characters on one of the greatest television series of all-time. Here's hoping the bastard child of C.J. Cregg and Tobias Ziegler pulls a Piazza and becomes a legit late round prospect.

- Jason Jarvis is officially listed as having attended "No School" because of a curious NCAA academic violation that disqualified him in the middle of the 2008 season. He was able to successfully petition to be eligible for the the draft.

Jarvis alleges that it was the doing of a disgruntled coach. He's even set up a website to clear his name.

For what it's worth, he had a decent truncated freshman year and is supposed to have a mid-90s fastball. Bonus points for his most sordid tale.

- Talk about bloodlines: Missouri State left fielder Ryan Mantle is indeed a distant cousin of the great Mickey. Yeah - that alone is definitely worth a 19th rounder.

- And in perhaps a nod to the more cerebral, collegiate nature of this draft, the Giants take two Ivy Leaguers in Irving and Wright.

Rounds 7-15

The Giants picks in Day 2 thus far:

7/207: Aaron King, LHP, Surry CC (NC)
8/237: Scott Barnes, LHP, St. John's
9/267: Ryan Verdugo, LHP, LSU
10/297: Ryan O'Sullivan, RHP, Valhalla HS (CA)
11/327: Justin Fitzgerald, RHP, UC Davis
12/357: Ari Ronick, RHP, Portland
13/387: Juan Perez, CF, Western Oklahoma State
14/417: Caleb Curry, CF, Iowa
15/447: Daniel Cook, 2B, Florida Atlantic

Of note:
- Between the last two picks of Day 1 and the first six of today, Giants harken back to the Tidrow era and select eight pitchers in a row, including a run of four straight lefties.

- The Giants don't take a prep player until the tenth round. 14 of 15 picks so far have been from the college ranks.

- Given the round in which he was drafted, it wouldn't surprise me if O'Sullivan, the lone high schooler taken thus far, opts for college.

Quirarte and Surkamp

Not this summer's new buddy comedy, but instead the first two pitchers the Giants take to close out day one of the draft.

In keeping with a bizarre theme today, both were of the college variety, meaning that none of the six picks today came from the prep ranks, a real departure for the front office.

In another developing theme, both players have awesome names.

The newest Giants:

Edwin Quirarte RHP CSU Northridge - 5th Rd. (147)

Quirarte excelled as the hard-throwing closer for perennial Big West contender Cal State-Northridge. Originally drafted in 2005 out of high school in the 39th round by the Reds, the Oxnard native served as a swingman on the staff before making the full-time switch to relief his junior year.

From Scout.com:

Closer Edwin Quirarte (RHP – 2-2, 1.42 ERA, 3 SV’s, 13 apps, 1 start, 25 IP, 16 H, 11 BB, 21 K) has easily been Northridge’s most effective pitcher. He has struggled with his control but has been tough to hit for opposing batters, allowing them to only hit .174. Quirarte came up big against Cal Poly with a win and a save in shutting out the Mustangs and allowing only 1 H in 4 2/3 IP. He is one of the hardest throwers on the staff and the most experienced pitcher, making 21 apps (10 starts) last season with 62 IP and 18 apps (13 starts) with 78 IP in 2006.

Eric Surkamp LHP North Carolina State - 6th Rd. (177)

Another 2007 Team USA alum, Surkamp's got good size at 6'5", 216.

He had a great campaign for Team USA, but his 2008 numbers at NC State were less than stellar. Unofficially, the junior lefty has gone 5-2 with a 4.66 ERA, 73:32 K-BB ratio, with an opponent average of .279.

From Scout.com: Saturday's starter, Eric Surkamp, features a classic 12-to-6 curveball in addition to his fastball, which is in the mid to high 80s.

Wait a second - 80s fastball? 12-to-6 curveball? Lefty? Middling results? Funny last name?

Hopefully, he'll sign for less than a billion dollars.

On the plus side, following a victories over South Carolina and James Madison, Surkamp's NC State team faces Georgia in this weekend's Super Regionals, and we'll also get a chance to see Surkamp on national TV.

I can confirm Surkamp isn't going tomorrow, so it will either be the Saturday 9AM game on ESPN2 or Sunday's matchup at 1PM (all times PST) on ESPN.

I'll have my people let your people know.

Brandon Crawford in Fourth

The Giants are four-for-four in drafting college hitters, as they take UCLA shortstop (and local boy) Brandon Crawford.

The Bruins junior is thought to have lost his mojo after a poor Cape League showing last summer. An intriguing middle infield pick, nonetheless.

I'll probably stop doing pick-by-pick posts until the end of this thing now, but I'm not making any commitments.

Kieschnick in Third

Giants nab Texas Tech rightfielder Roger Kieschnick in the third round.

From what I can dig up on him, he's a potential five tool outfielder with serious pull power. Kieschnick displayed that as he tied #2 overall pick Pedro Alvarez for the team lead in homers with Team USA last year.

Evidently, there's an issue with his swing mechanics. Looking at projections, though, it looks like he's a great value pick in the third - most had him going sandwich/second.

And yes, he's the cousin of former two-way player and OBnB fave, Brooks Kieschnick.

Hmm - three polished college bats with the first three picks? Maybe things really are changing in Giantsland.

Cozy with Posey

So the Giants go safe and take Buster Posey.

For today at least, I'll put aside my various reservations about not drafting one of the plethora of monstrous corner infield prospects and focus on the positives on drafting the consensus best catcher in Posey.

The resume speaks for itself:

First-Team All-ACC, ACC Player of the Year, Louisville Slugger First-Team All-American, CoSIDA Academic All-American and Academic All-American of the Year (finance major, 3.8+ GPA).

Posey's currently a finalist for both the Golden Spikes Award (top college player) and the Johnny Bench Award (top college catcher). From the the ACC Player of the Year release:

Florida State's Buster Posey headlines this year's squad as the ACC Player of the Year, while Alex White from North Caroline (sic) got the nod for ACC Pitcher of the Year. Posey becomes the second-straight Seminole to garner the league's top accolade and the fifth overall. The junior from Leesburg, Ga., leads the ACC in 10 statistical categories including batting average (.471), hits (96), runs scored (75), runs batted in (68), total bases (175), on-base percentage (.571) and slugging percentage (.858). The first-team recognition is the second straight for the catcher, who was recently named a semifinalist for the Johnny Bench Award and the Dick Howser Trophy.

A 1.429 OPS may leave some people scratching their heads as to why Posey is predicted to max at 20 homers a year as a pro in a bestest-case scenario.

Here's your answer: Dick Howser Stadium, the home of the Seminoles, is a notorious hitters park, akin to Coors Field or perhaps, more appropriately, Grizzlies Stadium.

If the guy couldn't hit for power there, he'd Bust-a Move into the later rounds.

That being said, let's define clutch, shall we? Posey single-handedly saved his FSU team from the brink of elimination at last week's NCAA Regional Tourney in a performance so stunning, even the pater familias was left agog:

With the Seminoles, the country's No. 2 team, facing elimination, Posey over the span of four games went further than even he expected, batting .500 (8-for-16) with five home runs and 13 RBIs. FSU outscored Florida, Bucknell and Tulane 74-35 and advanced in the NCAA tournament because Posey had simply willed it.

"I don't know which home run he hit," said Demp Posey, normally the modest father, "but I was just like, 'Now wait a minute. This has got to stop.'"

That's Nuschler-in-the-'89-NLCS-esque there.

He's played all nine positions in a game (he's also FSU's closer). He hit a grand slam in that game, to boot.

As FSU's closer, you would think he has a gun behind the dish. And you would be right. Guy's used that mid-90s fastball to nail over 40% of would be basestealers. Remember, he's still learning the position after switching from short after his freshman year, so a pop time in the 1.9s already is encouraging. Posey's athleticism gives him the potential to be a Gold Glove backstop.

But don't take my word for it - Posey will be on national TV starting tomorrow as FSU forges ahead in the NCAA tourney. They face Wichita State for a three game set in Super Regional games. Game 1 is tomorrow at 11 AM (ESPN2), Game 2 is Saturday at 9 AM (ESPN2) and Sunday at 10 AM (ESPN) (All times PST).

- This Orioles blogger posted a great writeup of Posey a few days back pleading with the O's to take him even with the presence of last year's draftee, Matt Wieters. Here's another good Posey writeup from College Baseball Blog - extra points as they also called the Giants pick.

Discussion Junction: On a scale of Tom Lampkin to Steve Decker - okay, Joe Mauer - what do you think the Giants got in Buster Posey?