[Westheim]

2003 AMATEUR DRAFT

We had on clear cut #1 pick in our eye this time around. There were some things to like, some things to don’t like about most of the assumed top picks. The Raccoons have the seventh pick in every round, but no additional picks once again.

Our shorter shortlist:

SP Jose Flores (11/15/11)

RP Will Butler (20/16/20)
RP Angel Casas (20/16/17)
RP Matt Valentine (20/15/10)

C Mike Wilson (13/12/11)
C Errol Spears (12/12/13) – who can’t actually catch…

1B Steve Butler (15/20/17)
1B Joaquin Hernandez (14/10/12)

LF/RF Jose Morales (15/13/14)
RF Artie Hill (14/15/14)
OF/1B Tommy Ward (14/8/12)

Hard to pick among those. Luckily(?), six other teams would get a pick before the Raccoons, so the choice might be a little less hard by the team we came up to choose.

The Knights made Jose Morales the #1 pick in the 2003 draft. Jose Flores went fourth overall to the Stars, but these were the only two players that went off our top 11. Hill and Ward both had their upsides, but there was one pitcher in the group that had an advantage over everybody else. Most players on the list were high schoolers, but Angel Casas killed hitters at the collegiate level for Cal State. With killing we’re talking 138 K in 94.1 innings. By the time we picked again on the other side of a 42-pick supplemental round the only guy left from the top 11 was Matt Valentine, but after taking a reliever in the first round I was hesitant to take another one in the second.

2003 RACCOONS DRAFT CLASS

Round 1 (#7) – CL Angel Casas, 20, from Ecatepec, Mexico – right-hander with a sinker/slider repertoire; the sinker clocks in around 97mph, and he generates groundballs whenever he doesn’t strike out the batter in the first place. Might be major league ready within 12 months. Tremendous closer potential.
Round 2 (#73) – OF Santiago Trevino, 20, from Odgen, UT – not much in the way of power, but he is extremely quick with the feet, making for an excellent centerfielder, and there is enough contact and gap potential there for him to make a worthwhile batter as well
Round 3 (#97) – MR Matt Valentine, 17, from New York, NY – finesse southpaw, throwing 85mph, but owns a pretty malicious curve and works on the changeup; whether he will ever amount to anything will depend on his ability to spot the corners
Round 4 (#121) – 3B/1B Jerry Lawson, 22, from Lynbrook, NY – good contact bat with extra base power, but not a raw power slugger. Has *some* of many things, but excels in no category. Has to work on pitch recognition and his defense at third base is also not great.
Round 5 (#145) – SP Salvador Cardona, 22, from Plattsburgh, NY – left-hander that is struggling in college ball, pitching for obscure SUNY-Canton. Somebody told me SUNY means Sports Unicorns Negotiating Youngstown, OH, but that was a joke, right? Cardona’s control is a joke, too.
Round 6 (#169) – 3B Santiago Rodriguez, 18, from Caracas, Venezuela – bat potential is there but needs serious work, but he already fields very adeptly at third base
Round 7 (#193) – MR Steve Reese, 22, from Massillon, OH – throws dead straight, and doesn’t throw it by anybody, either
Round 8 (#217) – SS/2B Manny Mesa, 21, from Santo Domingo, Dom. Rep. – very good middle infielder, with no power, little speed, and most likely not a lot of contact potential
Round 9 (#241) – C Juan Rios, 22, from El Vigia, Venezuela – drafted as a catcher, but sucks at catching; really doesn’t have any position, possessing no range, and not much at all besides a so-so arm; can hit some already, but were to play him?
Round 10 (#265) – 1B Mike Storey, 22, from Micco, FL – a poor version of a prototypical first baseman
Round 11 (#289) – SP Norm Bowman, 21, from Placerville, CA – left-hander, throws all kinds of junk and calls it pitches
Round 12 (#313) – SP Glen Barnes, 18, from Buffalo, NY – also owns an assortment of five pseudo-pitches, with a fastball topping out at 85mph, and coming in dead straight

Casas and Trevino were sent to AA, and the rest would debut at A ball.