Rule 5 Draft

[Cocos Disciples]

Sox lose Jose Capellan and Lincoln Holdzkom to the Giants (4th overall) and Phillies (42nd overall).

 

Other Notables:

 

NO. TEAM: PLAYER POS OLD TEAM --- ---- ------ --- --------

 

1. Tampa Bay Tim Lahey RHP Minnesota - *

 

2. Pittsburgh Evan Meek RHP Tampa Bay

 

3. Baltimore Randor Bierd RHP Detroit

 

4. San Francisco Jose Capellan LHP Boston

 

5. Florida Carlos Guevara RHP Cincinnati - **

 

6. Cincinnati Sergio Valenzuela RHP Atlanta

 

7. Washington Matt Whitney 3B Cleveland

 

8. Houston Wesley Wright LHP LA Dodgers

 

9. Oakland Fernando Hernandez RHP White Sox

 

10. St. Louis Brian Barton OF Cleveland

 

13. Toronto Randy Wells RHP Cubs

 

15. Seattle R.A Dickey RHP Milwaukee

 

17. NY Mets Steven Register RHP Colorado

 

18. San Diego Michael Gardner RHP NY Yankees

 

19. Philadelphia Travis Blackley LHP San Francisco

 

30. Washington Garrett Guzman OF Minnesota

 

41. San Diego Callix Crabbe 2B Milwaukee

 

42. Philadelphia Lincoln Holdzkom RHP Boston

 

* - Traded to Chicago Cubs for cash considerations ** - Traded to San Diego

 

 

 

12/06 12:07:25 ET

 

http://www.sportsnetwork.com/default.asp?c=sportsnetwork&page=/mlb/news/AAN4116275.htm

[Jayhawk Bill]

IIRC, RA Dickey is a knuckleball pitcher who posted an ERA under 4.00 at AAA this year. The MLE of a knuckleballer's AAA ERA is almost the ERA itself: hitting a knuckleball is a different skill than hitting other pitching, and MLB players aren't much better than AAA players.

 

I think that the Mariners got a winner. I also think that Brian Barton was a great pickup for the Cards.

[ksushi]

I don't know. Brian Barton fell pretty far for a guy who was expected to be taken 1st or second. Not that it matters as much in baseball, but maybe something was up that he fell that far.

[TheKilo]

I don't know. Brian Barton fell pretty far for a guy who was expected to be taken 1st or second. Not that it matters as much in baseball' date=' but maybe something was up that he fell that far.[/quote']

 

 

IIRC, he just had offseason knee surgery.

[ksushi]

Key. Did not know that. Yeah, good pick up probably the St. Louis. Hopefully he makes a nice recovery.

[26 to 6]

Always love the Rule 5 draft, lots of fun to follow. Yanks lose Mike Gardner to San Diego n the AAA phase, but it's no biggie. Interesting that the Twins just signed R.A. Dickey about a week ago, and they lost him today. I'm sure he wont mind though.

[Jayhawk Bill]

IIRC' date=' he just had offseason knee surgery.[/quote']

 

Baseball America:

 

Barton injured his right knee coming out of the batter’s box in 2006, and after playing through the injury, he required surgery this offseason.

 

http://www.baseballamerica.com/blog/prospects/?p=680

 

It didn't seem to hurt his game much. From this spring:

 

Barton exploded on the scene at low Class A Lake County a year later, hitting .414/.506/.624 in just 133 at-bats. Though he was just OK after being promoted to high Class A, the 25-year-old blew up last season, dominating the Carolina League and then holding his own at Double-A Akron with .308/.410/.515 numbers in 295 at-bats after the all-star break.

 

What few knew outside either the Kinston or Akron clubhouse, however, was that Barton was banged up the whole time. He injured his right knee coming out of the batter's box on Opening Day, and the injury continues to linger today.

 

http://www.baseballamerica.com/today/prospects/features/263799.html

 

Barton had 41 SB in 2006 despite the injury, and 21 in 2007.

 

I think that the issue with Barton is that he didn't "fit in" because of his intelligence. His reputation isn't too dissimilar to that of Mike Marshall in his time, and Marshall could pitch, it turned out, despite being panned by many scouts with IQs forty points lower than his own. Certainly Barton might be a mistake hitter, given his age relative to others in his leagues, but he didn't start pro baseball 'til age 23, either. In his two years with Miami, his stats weren't too far off from those of teammate Ryan Braun, suggesting that he might have a little talent.

 

Barton would've fit with the Padres--he would fit with Boston, too, I'd bet--but I'm looking forward to Barton and Tony LaRussa. LaRussa is a vert smart man. If he benches Barton or gives him back, it won't be because LaRussa was intimidated.