In What Direction Is Trevor Bauer’s Left Leg Going And Other Ramblings From Day 1 Of The 2011 MLB First-Year Player Draft

It’s difficult to get emotionally invested in the MLB First-Year Player Draft. You want to project what this means for the future of your team, but you have to realize these guys won’t have an impact for at least a few years, and a good number of them will forgotten forever.

Looking at the first round of the 2006 draft, I know barely half of those names. And those guys were supposed to be the top of that crop.

So I don’t even try to get involved with all of the prognostications and outlooks when it comes to this thing. I just kind of sit back and view it as a passive observer, much like I did last night. Here are some things I noticed and wrote down as the first round, including the compensation round, took shape. I’m not going to list every pick in the first round, just those that had something of interest to me. If you want a full recap, go somewhere that is not here.

1. Pittsburgh Pirates select RHP Gerrit Cole from UCLA

Here are the pitchers who were taken with the No. 1 overall pick since the first amateur draft was held in 1965:

David Clyde, who was mishandled.

Floyd Bannister, who was at least better than Brian Bannister.

Mike Moore, who never made a documentary film.

Tim Belcher, who doesn’t like cameras, so don’t make a documentary film about him.

Andy Benes, who has an 11-minute video on YouTube of his jersey being retired at the University of Evansville.

Ben McDonald, who was Strasburg before Strasburg. That’s pre-injury. Maybe the comparison will be closer than first thought.

Brien Taylor, who was only trying to defend his brother.

Paul Wilson, who at least was better than Bill Pulsipher.

Kris Benson, who has a hot wife.

Matt Anderson, who couldn’t throw a baseball because he threw an octopus.

Bryan Bullington, who has one more MLB win than me. He’s THAT good.

Luke Hochevar, who is one of the best Quadruple-A pitchers I have ever seen.

David Price, who is … pretty good? How the hell did that happen???

Stephen Strasburg, who is recovering.

So, let me be the first to say of Gerrit Cole — meh.

He better get himself a hot wife.

I fear to think about what could happen if Bauer slips at the end of his delivery

3. Arizona Diamondbacks select RHP Trevor Bauer from UCLA

You always hear that pitchers need to stand tall on their front leg, But in MLB Network’s split screen with Bauer and Tim Lincecum’s deliveries, I’m not sure coaches want their pitchers to stand that tall. Bauer’s left leg appears to hypertend. I don’t spend all day critiquing pitching mechanics, but I have never seen that before, and it doesn’t look healthy.

4. Baltimore Orioles select RHP Dylan Bundy from Owasso High School in Oklahoma

Bundy was the fourth pitcher taken to start this draft, the first time pitchers have been taken with the first four picks in MLB Draft history. Considering he can squat 500 pounds and can go up to 1,200 pounds on the leg press, I’m pretty sure he could take those chosen in front of him if they wanted to start a 3-on-1 handicap match.

Bundy has committed to go to the University of Texas. More on that in just a bit.

5. Kansas City Royals select OF Bubba Starling from Gardner-Edgerton High School in Kansas

Thebest thing about this pick was Greg Amsinger screaming upon it being announced:

“He’s STAYING in Kansas!”

Actually, he GOING to Missouri!

But It’s OK! Bubba’s high school and Kauffman Stadium are only 40 minutes apart! So you were close enough, Greg! Close enough, woooo!!

Starling could end this homecoming story if he decides to keep his commitment with the University of Nebraska and becomes its quarterback.

7. Diamondbacks select RHP Archie Bradley from Broken Arrow High School in Oklahoma

Another quarterback, Bradley has a full scholarship waiting for him at Oklahoma. He and Bundy have played together since they were 8. They have lived together over the past two summers. They were sitting together and acting all friendly like in the green room and in interviews shortly after they were drafted.

In the Red River Rivalry, that is absolutely unacceptable. Get it straight, kids.

But hey, Bundy, who was sporting UT colors, was drafted by the Orioles. Bradley, who was sporting OU colors, was drafted by the Diamondbacks. At least their respective teams made sure their picks color-coordinated.

9. Chicago Cubs select SS Javier Baez from Arlington Country Day School in Florida

Yet another college commit. Is he going to Florida State, Florida, Miami, UCF (!!!!)?

Nope.

Jacksonville.

Hmmm. Jacksonville has made it to an NCAA Tournament in three of the past six seasons. Never mind the fact that the Dolphins never advanced past the regional round while being outscored, 70-23. At least they made it. But that probably wouldn’t be my first school of choice if I had the talent of a top-10 draft pick. The history of Jacksonville players in the pros isn’t very illustrious.

10. San Diego Padres select 2B Cory Spangenberg from Indian River State Junior College in Florida

The feel for this pick in San Diego hasn’t been very optimistic. And really, why should it be any different from that considering the Padres’ history with first-round picks in the past 20 years or so?

Remember that Derrek Lee recorded just 54 at-bats as a Padre.

13. New York Mets select OF Brandon Nimmo from Cheyenne East High School in Wyoming

Considering that Nimmo’s high school didn’t even have a baseball team, this pick is all about the Mets’ advanced scouting department. There’s something that has never failed.

According to baseball-almanac.com, 12 players born in Wyoming have made it to the majors, including active player John Buck.

14. Florida Marlins select RHP Jose Fernandez from Braulio Alonso High School in Florida

On a night where seemingly everyone had a “great story” if you listened to Amsinger, Fernandez actually does have a great story.

Great, great story.

16. Los Angeles Dodgers select LHP Chris Reed from Stanford University

Bud Selig announced the pick; I’m just wondering why he wasn’t in the team’s draft room.

17. Los Angeles Angels select 1B C.J. Cron from the University of Utah

Selig doesn’t have to do much when he announces each pick. It’s easy and everyone in the room knows when and how to respond.

Get up to the podium, pronounce the name as best you can, then say that so-and-so is now on the clock. Everyone applauds responsibly.

Well, it didn’t go so smoothly with Cron. After saying Cron’s alma mater, Selig forgot to verbally put Oakland A’s on the clock. The crowd had no idea what to do with itself.

Long live the one-man ovation!

Seriously, that was an awkward couple of seconds. I doubt Cron cares. Last year’s No. 17 pick, the White Sox’s Chris Sale, signed a $1.62 million contract in August.

What you looking at, mister?

Oakland Athletics select RHP Sonny Gray from Vanderbilt University

I don’t know or care much about the player. I just want to know who is the handsome devil to the right. He appeared to be some sort of team photographer sitting at the very front of Oakland’s draft room, but he kept giving these glances toward the camera. It was a little creepy.

He kind of looks like the “great googly moogly” guy from the Snickers commercial.

19. Boston Red Sox select RHP Matt Barnes from the University of Connecticut

Well, I’m thankful that he’s gone from the Lakers’ bench.

Too obvious? Yeah, I know.

This Matt Barnes is a Yankees fan whose favorite player is Joba Chamberlain. If you are a Red Sox fan, this is a win-win situation. If he succeeds, he helps your team. If he flames out, you can just bash him as another stupid Yankees fan. Also, having Joba Chamberlain as your favorite player sets the idol bar kind of low.

22. St. Louis Cardinals select 2B Kolten Wang from the University of Hawaii

This has nothing to do with the pick and more to do with what I saw before the pick: Two TVs sitting side-by-side on the wall of the Cards’ draft room, both of which were showing the exact same feed of MLB Network’s broadcast of the draft.

I think the Cardinals’ brass was really watching ESPN, but MLB Network producers superimposed a picture of their network over it. It’s all about perception.

27. Cincinnati Reds select RHP Robert Stephenson from Alhambra High School in California

First, the Reds ran out of time on their draft clock, and everyone was trying to figure out what was the frickin’ holdup.

Then we see inside the Reds’ draft room, and they are all straight chilling, watching the Reds game.

What? Draft? Huh? TODAY?!

Because of this confusion over the loss of time, MLB Network’s John Hart basically calls Reds GM Walt Jocketty old and says Walt must be struggling to get over to the phone. A lark is had by everyone. By the way, Jocketty is 60; Hart is 62.

When the card finally makes it to the commish, the Reds selects a pitcher who threw back-t0-back no-hitters in high school, and struck out 20 in one of those starts. I know it’s only high school baseball and maybe Stephenson turns out to be an all-time great. But that is just crazy.

29. San Francisco Giants select SS Joe Panik from St. John’s University

It is indeed pronounced “Panic.” I know the media are hoping he makes it to the bigs. That name can do wonders in headlines or on game calls.

33. Texas Rangers select LHP Kevin Matthews from Richmond Hill High School in Georgia

He has committed to Virginia, and the MLB Network broadcast mentioned that his Twitter handle is UVAbound11. That sounds like a tough sign to me.

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Nineteen pitchers were taken in this first round, the second-most in draft history those in 1999 and 2001 when 20 pitchers were selected. But there was little time to consider that nugget because it was time for the compensation round!

Seriously, MLB: You couldn't get a better picture of this kid? Did the guy who took this photo run out of film right after this? Was Brandon in a hurry to get to class? Someone please tell me what happened here

And this is how all drafts should go. One minute between picks, it was great. This compensation round started at 10:18 p.m. Eastern Time, and 27 players were drafted by 11:02 p.m. It was rapid and could have been even quicker if MLB Network had cut down on some pointless banter.

38. Tampa Bay Rays select SS Brandon Martin from San Diego High School in California

He’s being compared to Barry Larkin. He won’t reach that level if he doesn’t open his eyes once in a while.

39. Philadelphia Phillies select OF Larry Greene from Berrien County High School in Georgia

This was pretty cool. Greene waited patiently all night and was the last player selected out of those who attended the draft. To see him get his uniform and cap, shake hands with Joe Torre and Phillies draft rep Micky Morandini, was a moment that made me smile. It’s a picture should persuade more players to on site for draft night.

It also helps that Greene looks like a genuinely nice, unassuming guy. I’m rooting for him.

40. Boston Red Sox select OF Jackie Bradley Jr. from the University of South Carolina

He says his nickname on the baseball field is Black Mamba. Bradley has a very entertaining personality, but Boston fans, specifically Celtics fans, may have a tough time warming up to him with that name.

46. Toronto Blue Jays select RHP Joe Musgrove from Grossmont High School in California

Musgrove has committed to San Diego State and has been compared to Aaron Harang. Sure, Harang, who attended SDSU, made it to the pros and was actually a staff “ace” for a few years during the 2000s. But if I’m Joe Musgrove, I would like to think my praise extends past being the next Aaron Harang.

51. New York Yankees select 3B Dante Bichette Jr. from Orangewood Christian High School in Florida

Yes, Dante Bichette’s son. It’s where he wanted to go. Fist pumps are definitely in order (play video, please).

I look forward to perusing this post five years from now and seeing just how many of these players are in the majors. My random guess?

I’ll go with 18. I’ve got a good feeling about this group.  Or that just may be my right leg asleep again.