Baseball Tri-Weekly: Around the Bases, Draft

Just as obvious as Matsusaka is at #1 overall, Tim Lincecum has quietly secured his selection at the #2 spot over other rumored picks like Kei Igawa and Rich Hill. A week before the draft, things are still up in the air. But beyond the players picked, there will be a few other things to look for on Saturday.





Around the bases: Draft
By Listen DePlayohs

Since games don’t start for a few weeks, I was looking for some of the pressing questions to answer before the draft. Since no one will tell me who they are drafting, here are some of the matchups fans will see this week.

Matsuaka vs. Arlington
There is no mystery who will be taken first overall. The question is, how much will he be paid. Arlington management has been hush on the terms of the deal, which could be finalized prior to the draft. Few doubt the deal will get done, but with relatively comparable, cheaper pitchers available, the Warriors have to be negotiating with an card in their pocket. The phenom has already created problems, with his killing spree and all, so the team will really have to wonder if he is worth the trouble.

“The Warriors are grieved by the tragic accident leading to the loss of Mr. Gaffer,” team officials said in a press release. “We do believe it to be just that, an accident. The Warriors send their condolences to his family and will honor him with a moment of silence before the start of their home opener.”

Old vs. New
Players, not teams. With a crop of fresh-faced, inexperienced farmhands available, the gulf between veteran talent and potential prospects is wider than ever. With 20 percent of all EHCC rosters empty, the amount of dead weight that will be drafted in the first two rounds will astound critics and fans alike. Still, there are several team-makers in this draft that could quickly shift the balance of power among similar tier teams. Will they be taken in the first round, or will Gil Meche fall?

Bridgewater vs. showing up
Two arch enemies, Bridgewater has fought showing up on every occasion. Many times, Nastra Diggus has been victorious, thwarting those who expect his arrival as a sign of weakness. Weasels management has taken a hard line against those who support showing up, enacting sanctions and restricting communication.

Quebec City vs. Boredom
No picks until the fourth round can’t be good. What will the Piglets GM Pat Renaud do to entertain himself during the first three rounds. How many times will he snicker at a pick or sow seeds of doubt in the minds of studious owners? Most importantly, how much beer will he drink? That much free time could resulting in a drafting of Kevin Millar in the fifth round.

Weymouth vs. Obscurity
Could this be the end for the 4-time champs. Doggs General Manager Howe Dogg made the same bold prediction in 2005, and Shaddupu responded with another championship while trading many of their major league draft picks. This season, Weymouth is the weakest we have ever seen them going into a draft, but with four picks in the first two rounds and Yukon’s superb draft record, it will be interesting to see where Weymouth finds themselves at the end of the year.

League Notes
-- After hearing he didn’t make the Santo Domingo roster, Richie Sexson tried to go to the island home of the White Devils but his plane crashed en route. Search crews from several nations are looking for the former Bizton slugger.

-- Jeremy Hermida is still under close observation at Peoria’s spring training home after arriving to camp with several bottles of saki and a bloodied left arm. The team trainer said he was not drunk, but rather carrying the bottles to appease the gods.

-- Damien Jackson was furious after finding out he hasn’t been on an EHCC team in five years.