GaryMrMets
06-08-2005, 09:45 AM
Familiar names scattered throughout draft
By DENNIS WASZAK Jr.
.c The Associated Press
NEW YORK (AP) - The Houston Astros hope to have another Rocket winning games for them some day.
Roger Clemens' slugger son, Koby, was selected in the eighth round Tuesday by the Astros - one of many players with famous bloodlines taken on the first day of baseball's amateur draft.
Koby Clemens, who signed a letter of intent with the University of Texas - his father's alma mater - was a standout third baseman for Memorial High School in Houston. He also showed some glimpses of his famous father on the mound, throwing two no-hitters and flashing a fastball in the low-90s.
Clemens and his wife were not with the Astros on their trip to play the New York Mets.
``Koby, Roger and Debbie are thrilled that the Astros selected Koby,'' said the Rocket's agent, Randy Hendricks.
``As most everyone knows, Koby has committed to playing baseball at the University of Texas,'' he said. ``Given the Astros' interest in Koby, and the possibility that Roger and Koby might some day play together, Koby will have a lot to think about in the coming weeks.''
Houston also went the family route in the supplemental round, when the Astros took Tennessee outfielder Eli Iorg, the son of former major league Garth Iorg, with the 38th pick.
Arizona outfielder Trevor Crowe, the son of former professional golfer David Crowe, was selected by Cleveland as the 14th overall pick.
John Mayberry Jr., the son of former big league slugger John Mayberry, went in the first round to Texas with the 19th pick.
Virginia high school catcher Brandon Snyder, son of former big league pitcher Brian Snyder, was the 13th overall pick by Baltimore. Oklahoma high school shortstop C.J. Henry, son of former Kansas basketball player Carl Henry, went No. 17 to the New York Yankees.
Others sons drafted included: Clemson right-hander Kris Harvey (Bryan Harvey); South Carolina shortstop Steven Tolleson (Wayne Tolleson); Central Florida catcher Drew Butera (Sal Butera); high school shortstop Ivan DeJesus (Ivan DeJesus); California high school shortstop Jared Lansford (Carney Lansford); Princeton outfielder Will Venable (Max Venable); and Missouri high school outfielder Scott Van Slyke (Andy Van Slyke).
Florida high school infielder Jemele Weeks, the brother of Milwaukee top prospect Rickie Weeks, and Missouri high school outfielder Will Pujols, the cousin of Albert Pujols, were also taken.
REUNITED:@ Wade Townsend and Jeff Niemann won a College World Series together at Rice. The two will have the chance to win some games for the Tampa Bay Devil Rays.
Townsend was reunited with his former teammate when the Devil Rays took him with the eighth pick. The hard-throwing righty was selected by Baltimore last year - also with the eighth pick - but couldn't come to terms with the Orioles and became available for this year's draft.
Niemann was Tampa Bay's first-round pick last year, No. 4 overall.
``I'm glad things worked out for him the way they did,'' Niemann said. ``We're getting a great pitcher.''
Townsend teamed with Niemann and fellow first-round pick Philip Humber to help Rice win the College World Series two years ago and went 25-3 with a 2.05 ERA in 66 games for the Owls. Townsend hasn't pitched in a game in a year, but the Devil Rays watched him work out five times in the weeks leading to the draft.
``It wasn't really about the money. It was about respect from the team,'' Townsend said. ``I didn't feel the Baltimore Orioles really even liked me as a player. I feel Tampa definitely likes me as a player.''
QUICK SIGNS:@ The Washington Nationals and Chicago Cubs wasted no time in signing their first-round picks.
Within minutes of taking University of Virginia third baseman Ryan Zimmerman with the No. 4 overall selection in Tuesday's draft, the Nationals announced they agreed to contract terms with him.
``This is a player who will be on a fast track to the major leagues,'' general manager Jim Bowden said.
The Cubs also agreed to terms with left-hander Mark Pawelek of Springville High School in Utah after taking him with the 20th pick.
``I'm not going to pass up an opportunity to sign with the Cubs,'' Pawelek said.
HISTORY-MAKING HUSKER:@ Alex Gordon became the highest-picked Nebraska native in draft history when Kansas City took him with the No. 2 pick.
The slugging third baseman was still on the field during practice at Nebraska when he spotted his brother, who had a big smile and was holding up two fingers.
``Right there and then I knew it was the Royals,'' said the two-time Big 12 player of the year and finalist for the Golden Spikes Award. ``I'm definitely excited and definitely looking forward to playing for them.''
Gordon is hitting .382 with 18 home runs and 62 RBIs for the Huskers, who will take on Miami in the super regionals this weekend.
FIRST-ROUND TRENDS:@ College players dominated the first round of the draft.
Twenty of the first 30 selections were from college, including the second through ninth picks. Last year, 17 of the first 30 picks were college players.
Seventeen of this year's first-round picks were hitters, including 11 of the top 14.
AP Sports Writers Fred Goodall, Doug Tucker and Joseph White contributed to this report.
06/07/05 21:41 EDT
Copyright 2003 The Associated Press. The information contained in the AP news report may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or otherwise distributed without the prior written authority of The Associated Press. All active hyperlinks have been inserted by AOL.
By DENNIS WASZAK Jr.
.c The Associated Press
NEW YORK (AP) - The Houston Astros hope to have another Rocket winning games for them some day.
Roger Clemens' slugger son, Koby, was selected in the eighth round Tuesday by the Astros - one of many players with famous bloodlines taken on the first day of baseball's amateur draft.
Koby Clemens, who signed a letter of intent with the University of Texas - his father's alma mater - was a standout third baseman for Memorial High School in Houston. He also showed some glimpses of his famous father on the mound, throwing two no-hitters and flashing a fastball in the low-90s.
Clemens and his wife were not with the Astros on their trip to play the New York Mets.
``Koby, Roger and Debbie are thrilled that the Astros selected Koby,'' said the Rocket's agent, Randy Hendricks.
``As most everyone knows, Koby has committed to playing baseball at the University of Texas,'' he said. ``Given the Astros' interest in Koby, and the possibility that Roger and Koby might some day play together, Koby will have a lot to think about in the coming weeks.''
Houston also went the family route in the supplemental round, when the Astros took Tennessee outfielder Eli Iorg, the son of former major league Garth Iorg, with the 38th pick.
Arizona outfielder Trevor Crowe, the son of former professional golfer David Crowe, was selected by Cleveland as the 14th overall pick.
John Mayberry Jr., the son of former big league slugger John Mayberry, went in the first round to Texas with the 19th pick.
Virginia high school catcher Brandon Snyder, son of former big league pitcher Brian Snyder, was the 13th overall pick by Baltimore. Oklahoma high school shortstop C.J. Henry, son of former Kansas basketball player Carl Henry, went No. 17 to the New York Yankees.
Others sons drafted included: Clemson right-hander Kris Harvey (Bryan Harvey); South Carolina shortstop Steven Tolleson (Wayne Tolleson); Central Florida catcher Drew Butera (Sal Butera); high school shortstop Ivan DeJesus (Ivan DeJesus); California high school shortstop Jared Lansford (Carney Lansford); Princeton outfielder Will Venable (Max Venable); and Missouri high school outfielder Scott Van Slyke (Andy Van Slyke).
Florida high school infielder Jemele Weeks, the brother of Milwaukee top prospect Rickie Weeks, and Missouri high school outfielder Will Pujols, the cousin of Albert Pujols, were also taken.
REUNITED:@ Wade Townsend and Jeff Niemann won a College World Series together at Rice. The two will have the chance to win some games for the Tampa Bay Devil Rays.
Townsend was reunited with his former teammate when the Devil Rays took him with the eighth pick. The hard-throwing righty was selected by Baltimore last year - also with the eighth pick - but couldn't come to terms with the Orioles and became available for this year's draft.
Niemann was Tampa Bay's first-round pick last year, No. 4 overall.
``I'm glad things worked out for him the way they did,'' Niemann said. ``We're getting a great pitcher.''
Townsend teamed with Niemann and fellow first-round pick Philip Humber to help Rice win the College World Series two years ago and went 25-3 with a 2.05 ERA in 66 games for the Owls. Townsend hasn't pitched in a game in a year, but the Devil Rays watched him work out five times in the weeks leading to the draft.
``It wasn't really about the money. It was about respect from the team,'' Townsend said. ``I didn't feel the Baltimore Orioles really even liked me as a player. I feel Tampa definitely likes me as a player.''
QUICK SIGNS:@ The Washington Nationals and Chicago Cubs wasted no time in signing their first-round picks.
Within minutes of taking University of Virginia third baseman Ryan Zimmerman with the No. 4 overall selection in Tuesday's draft, the Nationals announced they agreed to contract terms with him.
``This is a player who will be on a fast track to the major leagues,'' general manager Jim Bowden said.
The Cubs also agreed to terms with left-hander Mark Pawelek of Springville High School in Utah after taking him with the 20th pick.
``I'm not going to pass up an opportunity to sign with the Cubs,'' Pawelek said.
HISTORY-MAKING HUSKER:@ Alex Gordon became the highest-picked Nebraska native in draft history when Kansas City took him with the No. 2 pick.
The slugging third baseman was still on the field during practice at Nebraska when he spotted his brother, who had a big smile and was holding up two fingers.
``Right there and then I knew it was the Royals,'' said the two-time Big 12 player of the year and finalist for the Golden Spikes Award. ``I'm definitely excited and definitely looking forward to playing for them.''
Gordon is hitting .382 with 18 home runs and 62 RBIs for the Huskers, who will take on Miami in the super regionals this weekend.
FIRST-ROUND TRENDS:@ College players dominated the first round of the draft.
Twenty of the first 30 selections were from college, including the second through ninth picks. Last year, 17 of the first 30 picks were college players.
Seventeen of this year's first-round picks were hitters, including 11 of the top 14.
AP Sports Writers Fred Goodall, Doug Tucker and Joseph White contributed to this report.
06/07/05 21:41 EDT
Copyright 2003 The Associated Press. The information contained in the AP news report may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or otherwise distributed without the prior written authority of The Associated Press. All active hyperlinks have been inserted by AOL.