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| | | June 11 - While admittedly the MLB draft is not as revered as the NBA or NFL drafts in the United States, it is growing in popularity as the nation's most promising high school and college baseball players are snapped up by the Major League Baseball teams across the country, and Tuesday was round one.
And, as many baseball pundits expected, right-handed pitcher Stephen Strasburg from San Diego State was at the top of the heap as he was selected by the Washington Nationals. The announcement was made Tuesday by Commissioner Bud Selig at the headquarters of the MLB Network in Secaucus, N.J.
Said Strasburg, who opted to throw a draft party at his home in San Diego rather than travel to Syracuse, 'It's obviously been a very exciting day for me and my family, and one that I have definitely been waiting for a very long time. When you want something bad enough, you have to go out there and get it.'
Said Washington Nationals general manager Mike Rizzo in a statement, 'We are thrilled to select someone with the special talents that Stephen possesses...and his domination at San Diego State and vast experiences gained with Team USA last summer have done nothing to change our thoughts about his abilities.'
With Tuesday's news, Strasburg became the third player from San Diego to be selected first in the draft overall, joining the likes of Eastlake first baseman Adrian Gonzalez, who played for the Florida Marlins in 2000, and Mission Bay shortstop/pitcher Matt Bush, who played for the San Diego Padres in 2004.
There was never much doubt that Strasburg would be selected by the Washington Nationals, considering the 21-year-old's superb record. Take for example his going 13-1 for the Aztecs this season, with a 1.32 ERA, 195 strikeouts and 19 walks in 109 innings pitched. Those numbers are hard to argue with.
Another notable pick Tuesday was Arizona State right-hander Mike Leake, a junior from Fallbrook High, who was selected by the Cincinnati Reds for his 1.36 ERA, 150 strikeouts and 21 walks in 132 2/3 innings. Said Leake, 'I'm not gonna say it'll be easy, but it'll be fun to try to throw some wood in the fire.'
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| | 6/12/2009 12:53:58 AM |
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