Draft Pick Discussion, Rounds 1-5

[BoKnowsBall]

The Richardson pick is interesting and I'm not sure if I like it. He didnt get much playing time- he was ineligible for his sophomore year and he was also the back up QB but he didnt really put up that good of numbers

 

Edit- but I really like the Hall pick

[Hate those Rodents]

Who was that kid from a Wisconsin HS (James or Jones maybe???) that was supposed to go top five rounds? Would he be a good pick and are we looking at him?

[BoKnowsBall]

That would be Kevin James. From what I hear from people in Bay he needs quite a bit of work, but he is a high school pitcher. And he would probably sign with the Brewers. BTW- he struck out 14 against Germantown last week- thats the only thing that I have heard about him so far this year

[battlekow]

James just went to the Rays.

[TooLiveBrew]

"I feel with the selection of Eric Arnett, we took the best player available," said scouting director Bruce Seid, conducting his first draft for the Brewers. "He is someone that will be a great fit in our organization and will make us better as a whole."

 

Gotta love that quote & situation for the Brewers. So far, between interviews & this first draft, I'm really a fan of Seid.

[battlekow]

Longer version of the video interview with Walla. It's really cool to see how giddy he is.

[pretendastronaut]

Edit Edit: Then again, so's Max . . . . and he's already got a Brewers logo up.

 

I friend requested Max since he had close to 1,000 friends anyway, to see what he was saying. It's cool to see him so excited.

His status is; "Max Wallais a brewer! 2nd round? 73rd overall in the draft? true dream come true... is in love with the game."

He also labeled his Brewers logo profile pic as, "my team".

One last status, from May 31; "Max Walla just got back from cabo and then goin straight to phoenix tomorrow, from there to seattle, from there to milwauke, and from there to LA, and from there finally home. on the 8TH!!!!"

[sbrylski]

Max Walla is definitely going to be a fan favorite if he makes it.

[Molitor4]

So are the Brewers going to use Heckathorn as a reliever or a starter?

purely a guess but with an arm like that and how thin we are with starter i think you have to take a shot at developing him as a starter can always move him to the pen later. This would also give him more time to develop his stuff in games.

[battlekow]

So are the Brewers going to use Heckathorn as a reliever or a starter?

purely a guess but with an arm like that and how thin we are with starter i think you have to take a shot at developing him as a starter can always move him to the pen later. This would also give him more time to develop his stuff in games.

Seid said he was going to start.

[battlekow]

Baseball America's scouting report on Hall in the draft database indicates that he may also be a tough sign considering the amount of money he wants and his South Carolina commitment.

[battlekow]

Richardson sounds sure to sign, and also like he has the work ethic necessary to translate his very raw tools into baseball skills:

"I am really, really excited and I can't wait to get to work," Richardson, a native of Leesburg, Ga., told FanHouse Wednesday. "It kind of caught me off guard because I really didn't get to play much [this season], and I didn't have the year that I wanted to. This is a great, unbelievable feeling."

 

Richardson's early selection can be considered a major surprise, at least on paper, where he started just 22 games and hit .304 for the Seminoles (45-18) this season. FSU was swept at home in two games by Arkansas in NCAA Super Regional play over the weekend, and Richardson, a corner outfielder and right-handed batter, didn't appear in either game.

 

Richardson went 2-for-3 with three RBI in the Seminoles' 37-6 victory over Ohio State to win the Tallahassee, Fla., regional two weekends ago. Noted for his strong right throwing arm but erratic glove, Richardson made his last start against Virginia in the Atlantic Coast Conference tournament May 24. He appeared in 44 games overall.

 

"I would say it has been a great learning experience at FSU," said Richardson, the first Seminole selected in this year's draft. "I learned a lot from the coaches, they taught me different things that are going to help me and I am grateful."

 

Richardson, the oldest of seven children in his family, is considered an exceptional worker who is unfazed by challenges.

 

"It was just the way the cards were dealt," said Richardson, who took a redshirt season in football as a freshman and has two years of eligibility remaining in both football and baseball. "I guess [the Brewers] selected me on my athleticism and potential. I enjoyed playing both sports at FSU -- I loved football during football season and baseball during baseball season.

 

"Now I get to be a full-time baseball player."

The fact that he was moved off quarterback to safety, where he wouldn't have started anyway, couldn't hurt. My fanboy goggles are on for sure, but this pick seems inspired.

[southpaw121505]

I absolutely love the Walla and Richarsonson picks.

 

Walla- left handed power potential, sounds like he'll sign, really excited to be a Brewer

 

Richardson- he ran a 6.2, and was a college QB at FSU, watching his videos he looks like he has a hose. That's a crazy athletic combo of speed and arm, if he hits he could be special imo. Reminds me of a young, faster vlad, hey I can dream

 

Davis- I'll like this pick a lot more if he sticks in cf, but I get the feeling he won't. They must think his bat will play in left. I heard Seid say he might stick in cf but he didn't sound too convinced of that actually happening.

 

I like our college arms, they should both start for sure and I'm glad they will be.

 

Not as high on Garfield, Hall and Prince personally.

[battlekow]

Arnett, fans jubilant about Brewers draft
Kurt Snyder

PATASKALA -- Eric Arnett was confident the Milwaukee Brewers liked what they had seen when he worked out for them Saturday.

Arnett, however, could not relax Tuesday until he heard his name. Arnett was drafted 26th overall by the Brewers in the Major League Baseball first-year player draft. In the moments after that, cheers were loud and plentiful from the more than 60 friends and family at Ziggy's Bar and Grill in Pataskala.

"I definitely knew that they were interested along with a couple of other teams," Arnett said. "I had a good feeling that if I was available for them it was going to happen."

Arnett, a 2006 Watkins Memorial graduate, is the fourth Watkins player selected in the draft and first since infielder Matt Rundels was selected by Montreal in the 13th round in 1992.

Arnett, a 6-foot-5 right-handed pitcher, helped the Warriors to the program's first district and regional titles in 2006, then headed to Indiana University. Arnett had a junior year to remember with the Hoosiers as he rocketed up draft boards with one dominating start after another.

"It is an honor to have him be considered, let alone get picked," said Bill Arnett, Eric's father. "I am really blessed and happy for him to be chosen in the first round."

Arnett set several school records and earned Big Ten co-pitcher of the year honors for a 12-2 season. He threw seven shutout innings against Purdue in his only start during the Big Ten tournament and was the Hoosiers' starter in their first NCAA regional game, an 8-2 loss to Louisville.

Arnett finished the year with a 2.50 ERA and struck out 109 in 108 innings. Opposing hitters batted .212 against him, one of the lowest marks in the country. He was one of five finalists for the College Baseball Foundation's pitcher of the year award and was one of 30 semifinalists for the prestigious Golden Spikes Award.

Mock drafts in the previous few days had Arnett going as high as No. 15 to the Cleveland Indians, and the crowd fell silent when Cleveland's pick was announced on MLB Network. Arnett did not hear his name for another hour, but it did not dampen the enthusiasm.

"It was such a relief; I was so proud," said Robin Arnett, Eric's mother. "I knew it was something he has been looking forward to forever. ... He has a great fan base. Everybody has been so good and kind to him."

The previous Watkins graduates drafted were Stephen Bricker out of high school by the Oakland Athletics in the 26th round in 1978, A.J. Sager from the University of Toledo by the San Diego Padres in the 10th round in 1988 and Rundels.

Sager had 12 wins in 123 appearances during parts of five major league seasons. Now the pitching coach for the Toledo Mud Hens, the Triple-A affiliate of the Detroit Tigers, Sager often has returned home to lend a helping hand to young players, including Arnett.

Now Arnett forever will be mentioned in the same breath as Sager, a former classmate of his mother's.

"With everyone that is here, I sure feel like a celebrity, but it is just an honor to be mentioned with all of the things (Sager) has done," Arnett said. "I still have a lot of work to do to catch up to what he has accomplished over his years in baseball."

http://cmsimg.newarkadvocate.com/apps/pbcsi.dll/bilde?Site=BF&Date=20090610&Category=NEWS01&ArtNo=906100350&Ref=AR&Profile=1002&MaxW=550&MaxH=650&title=0

Eric Arnett, right, gets a hug from his parents, Bill and Robin, after being selected 26th in Tuesday's Major League Baseball first-year player draft. Arnett, who graduated from Watkins Memorial High School, was chosen by the Milwaukee Brewers. (Michael Lehmkuhle, The Advocate)

[battlekow]

Brewers, top pick eager to sign deal
Tom Haudricourt

The stars seem aligned for the Milwaukee Brewers to sign first-round draft pick Eric Arnett quickly.

The Brewers want to sign the University of Indiana right-hander as soon as possible.

Arnett is eager to begin his professional career.

Arnett's agent, Joe Speed, would like to live up to his name.

"We have a good working relationship," Brewers scouting director Bruce Seid confirmed. "He wants to get going and we want to sign him.

"I think we'll come together soon and have him signed and off to start his career."

The Brewers could make an offer to Arnett as early as Thursday. Based on signing bonuses in the 26th spot in the first round in recent years, the money would around $1.3 million.

Because of the tough economy and shrinking budgets, offers are expected to go down this year, however. The Brewers probably will offer Arnett about $1.2 million.

"All we're looking for is a fair deal for where Eric was picked," said Speed, who also represents Brewers reliever Mitch Stetter. "Eric wants to go out and play, so I don't expect this process to drag out.

"I don't have a problem with my guys signing early. We don't need to wait if the deal is fair."

Seid said the Brewers planned to "stay within the parameters" of Major League Baseball recommendations for signing bonuses in each round. Area scout Mike Farrell will be involved in the Arnett talks, according to Seid.

Because Arnett had a heavy workload at Indiana (12-2, 2.50 earned run average in 109 innings, six complete games), Seid said the Brewers would be cautious in his first professional season. The plan is to send Arnett to the rookie club in Helena, Mont., and closely monitor his innings.

"He did pitch a lot this year," Seid said. "Indiana really relied on him. They made it to the (NCAA) regional, and he was a guy who carried them on his shoulders.

"In this situation, you want to make sure you take care of all the guys with big workloads."

[battlekow]

Bruce Seid on Brooks Hall and D'Vontrey Richardson:

After selecting Arnett and Kennesaw State right-hander Kyle Heckathorn (supplemental first round) on Day 1, the Brewers stuck with big, power pitchers in Round 4 with Steven "Brooks" Hall, a 6-5 prep right-hander from Anderson, S.C.

"He was at our workout (Saturday)," Seid said. "He throws it up to 92 (mph), he has a good delivery. There's a pretty good up side to him."

Hall has a scholarship to South Carolina and reportedly fell due to bonus demands but Seid said the Brewers were "dedicated" to signing him.

"It may take a little longer to get him signed to a Brewer contract," Seid said. "There's no question we wanted to get big, strong bodies, athletic, guys with combination of power and strength, ability to play, instincts."

The Brewers went for skills over polish in the fifth round with Florida State outfielder D'Vontrey Richardson, who concentrated on football at the expense of baseball development.

"D'Vontrey, we have a lot of history with," Seid said. "We worked him out; we were able to spend time with him. I spent time with him, saw him in limited action. His athleticism is there."

[And That]

Watching Heckathorn's delivery makes my arm hurt. I don't see how they won't have to rework his mechanics to at least a moderate degree. And it's not just that he's short-arming the ball, it appears he's not good at hiding the ball either. He's waving that baseball around for anyone who is looking. Heckathorn has a really great arm obviously, but if he doesn't get arm troubles with that delivery, I'd be surprised. Hopefully the Brewers can get his motion straightened out, and keep him in the same velocity range, and keep his arm healthy.

 

Besides Arnett, I love the Walla and Hall picks.

[trwi7]

it appears he's not good at hiding the ball either. He's waving that baseball around for anyone who is looking.

It looked like that to me as well. It certainly explains why he wasn't dominating with his stuff against less than stellar competition.

[battlekow]

Our first signing!

 

Sulphur resident Josh Prince signs with the Brewers

Staff Reports

 

Sulphur, La. -

After years of hard work, one Sulphur resident realized his dream on Tuesday, as Josh Prince was drafted by the Milwaukee Brewers in the third round (105th overall) of the Major League Baseball draft.

 

"It is a dream come true," Prince said. "I am still on cloud nine.

"I like how they handle the system with the younger guys. It is a great place for me to be."

 

Prince was drafted as a shortstop and recently finished his second season for the Tulane University Green Wave. He will have a just a few days to celebrate before heading off to Helena, Montana on Sunday to play for the Helen Brewers of the Pioneer League. Helena is a Rookie Affiliate of the Brewers.

 

Prince said that he would be attending a mini-camp for about a week before the start of the Pioneer League season.

 

Prince (6'3", 195lbs) spent last summer playing for the Green Bay Bullfrogs in the Northwood League in Wisconsin. Prince was an All-Star shortstop for the Bullfrogs in 2008 while leading the Bullfrogs with 37 runs, seven triples and 20 stolen bases while batting .317. He received the Rawlings Big Stick award for being the top shortstop in the Northwood League.

 

He is coming off a solid 2009 season for the Green Wave after batting .353 with 15 doubles, four triples, six home runs, 31 RBIs and 48 stolen bases. Prince's 48 stolen bases put him a tie for first in the nation.

 

Prince was a two-time All-State selection in his four years at Barbe High School in Lake Charles. The 2006 graduate played both shortstop and pitcher for the Bucs and still holds the record for most saves in a season (5) and career (12) at Barbe.

 

Out of high school, Prince played one season for the University of Texas while earning Louisville Slugger Freshman All-American honors before transferring to Tulane.

 

http://www.sulphurdailynews.com/archive/x124625005/g13c000ad39822e7692d80d748d3d1b204931b931adc101.jpg

Josh Prince (Center) wraps up paper work on Wednesday after being drafted by the Miwaukee Brewers in the third round of the MLB draft. Pictured with with Prince is (L-R) his agent Bobby Straface, his mother Cathy Prince, Brewers scout Jeremy Booth (sitting), his father B.B. Prince and his brother Dooley Prince.

[battlekow]

More on Richardson:

FSU two-sport athlete D'Vontrey Richardson was selected in the fifth round of the draft. The Milwaukee Brewers picked Richardson, who hit .304 and made 22 starts in his return to baseball after sitting out the 2008 season. Richardson, a backup quarterback last season for the Seminoles, had been planning to play safety this fall. Richardson is now leaning toward the immediate pursuit of a professional baseball career.

"I'm not 100 percent but I'm pretty sure I will take advantage of it," Richardson said, noting he still has to negotiate a deal with the Brewers.

If he does sign?

"I would just concentrate on baseball, I would say," Richardson said.

Martin believes Richardson could have a bright future in professional baseball.

"I think if he is able to concentrate on baseball year round," Martin said, "I think one day he will be in the big leagues."

Although Richardson was limited during the season after a slow start, he credited FSU coaches with sticking with him and helping him get better. He said he knew scouts were interested but he didn't anticipate going so early in the 40-round draft.

"I'm really excited," Richardson said. "I didn't expect to go this high. I didn't play that much and I was thinking teams would let me fly by."

[battlekow]

I was fortunate enough to be able to interview Eric Arnett today.

[Mass Haas]

The awesomeness that is battlekow's BCB interview series with Brewer draft picks commences with # 1 pick Eric Arnett.

We bow in your presence, kow.

[tyguy20204]

Nice job battlekow, and as a side note, your work compiling news articles on the draftees is very much appreciated.

[TheCrew07]

Battlekow is a stud, nuff said.

[battlekow]

A dream for D'Vo

Scott Chancey

 

ALBANY - Gevett Roberson wondered if her son, D'Vontrey Richardson, would be a high draft pick in this year's major league draft.

 

On Wednesday, she found out - via a text message.

 

"He just texted me out of the blue, saying, 'Momma, fifth round,' " Roberson laughed about her son's reaction after he was picked by the Milwaukee Brewers as the draft's 166th pick overall and the Florida State Seminoles' first baseball player this year to be drafted. "And I was just, 'Fifth round what? Is that what you were drafted?' "

 

Richardson's reply? "Yeah, it just happened."

 

In the blink of an eye, Richardson, who starred at Lee County High School and was a two-sport athlete at Florida State in football and baseball this past school year, was presented a golden opportunity to fulfill his dream of becoming a professional athlete.

 

"I mean, my whole life, I wanted to be a pro athlete, and now I get a chance to say either yes or no, depending on what will happen," Richardson said. "I'm pretty excited to at least get a chance."

 

Richardson's father, Demetrius Richardson, also was jubilant after finding out.

 

"I heard about it earlier (Wednesday) and was very exciting," he said. "I was at work and everybody was asking why I was jumping around like a fool. I'm proud for him, very proud. It feels really good to have him accomplish what he had been doing for so long. I'm proud of him for being successful and doing what he wants to do the rest of his life."

 

Richardson was a 35th-round pick by the Washington Nationals out of high school in 2006 but instead signed a scholarship to play football and baseball for Florida State. There, Richardson worked his way to being the backup quarterback behind Christian Ponder. On the baseball field, his blend of athleticism and power enabled him to become a viable outfielder with a strong arm and one who could also hit one out of the park.

 

"I think it's a great day for D'Vontrey, and the Florida State program and the Lee County program," Lee County baseball coach Rob Williams said. "I was surprised, though, taking into consideration that he didn't play (in 2008) and didn't get as much time this year due to football and being a two-sport athlete. I was quite surprised he went that high."

 

Roberson was even more pleasantly surprised.

 

"At one point I didn't think he could make it," she said.

 

Richardson batted .351 and started mostly in center field his freshman year at Florida State. After not playing baseball last season to focus on academics, he returned to baseball this season and batted .304 while starting 22 games. He tied a collegiate high for RBI (three) in the Tallahassee Regional-clinching win against Ohio State, but the lack of playing time frustrated Richardson.

 

However, he took it in stride.

 

"Scouts had watched me all through high school and my freshman year," said Richardson, who once was a prep and college teammate of Buster Posey, the San Francisco Giants' top pick last year. "They were telling me while the season went on they felt I had the potential to play. They just wanted me to do a workout or something so they could look at me more."

 

Once Richardson took part in pre-draft workouts, scouts were impressed. His guardian, Steve Glover, in fact, said the Houston Astros had also called Wednesday and indicated their interest in drafting him.

 

That was, until Milwaukee beat them to it.

 

"It makes me feel good because I didn't really play this year, and to have two teams still fighting for me? It brought my confidence up and hopefully if I sign and go play, I can show them why I can help them," Richardson said. "It would make their decision look a lot easier."

 

What could make Richardson's decision easier is the amount of money he is offered by the Brewers.

 

"We've still got to get the deal down and all; we've pretty much pre-negotiated all of it," Glover said. "We had been going on the last couple of weeks and been going really heavy the last couple of days."

 

Glover added things could possibly be finalized by this weekend. If Richardson agrees to the deal, he will leave football behind. A star athlete also on the football field, Richardson set the Florida State record for longest touchdown run by a quarterback (55 yards) last fall against Chattanooga and also threw a 39-yard touchdown pass to Preston Parker against Georgia Tech.

 

Richardson, however, never surpassed Ponder on the depth chart and had been campaigning to move to safety. Now, however, he may be leaning to baseball more than ever.

 

"I'd say 90 percent, I'm close to giving football up," Richardson said. "This would be just a good opportunity. If I leave for baseball, I wouldn't come back for football. I would want to concentrate hard on just baseball."

 

Football was the main issue as the Brewers stayed in contact with him during the past few days.

 

"They were trying to feel me out and see if I really wanted to play only baseball," Richardson said. "Would I give up football? I basically told them I would if I had a legitimate chance."

 

This, he feels, is a legitimate chance.

 

"I don't have no problem with leaving," Richardson said concerning his future at Florida State. "I will work hard at it and, hopefully, the best will come out."

 

Therefore, Roberson is leaving the decision to her son.

 

"I would be OK with that, I always leave it up to him if that is what he wants," she said. "He said if he was picked in the top 10 rounds, he would take it."

 

Shortly after Richardson texted his mother, his 16-year-old sister was just as ecstatic as Roberson.

 

"She was going, 'I told you he could do it, I told you he could do it. I told you he was going to play professional baseball,' " Roberson recalled.

 

And with that in mind, Richardson hopes his selection will inspire others in Southwest Georgia.

 

"It just takes a lot of hard work," he said. "Just work hard."

 

http://albanyherald.com/SiteImages/Article/2883a.jpg

 

Former Lee County star D'Vontrey Richardson drew interest from five different MLB teams, including the Houston Astros. The Astros even called to say they were about to pick Richardson. Then, it was too late. (Florida State Sports Information)