[ayaghmour2]

I should have done two sets of draft recaps (we finished super fast yesterday) yesterday, but I was pretty gassed, so hopefully I can get us through ten rounds today. If not, we'll start with that tomorrow, and I can push back the CWL posts as long as needed. I mentioned it yesterday, but we actually did all 20 rounds in January, and for once we actually got some pretty solid guys all the way through. Plenty can change between now and then, but I may actually sign a lot of these guys! Still, I don't really want to grind through an additional ten draftees all at once, and to keep with the general pattern I'll do a second writeup of the top ten in June, followed by probably two, five round writeups of the guys taken in the 11th to 20th. Granted, I reserve the right to change my mind, and on a boring weekend I might decide to do some (or all) of what used to be the AI portion of the draft.

5th Round, 74th Overall: 1B Jim Campanelli
School: Aurora Chargers
1951: .430/.495/.828, 105 PA, 8 2B, 3B, 9 HR, 34 RBI
Career: .449/.511/.763, 227 PA, 22 2B, 2 3B, 12 HR, 68 RBI

I had to panic at this point to not get a third consecutive pitcher, especially since the third pitcher was not nearly as skilled as the first two, who would have been more then acceptable with this pick. In fact, this guys not great, especially as a first basemen, but he's from Aurora and I was exhausted and on the clock, so this is what had to do for the pick. Better known as "Campy," Jim Campanelli is from a Chicago suburb, and is set to embark on his third season at his Aurora High School. The numbers so far aren't great, just 12 homers in 46 games with a middling .440/.511/.763 line, but he's a 6'2'' lefty who ranked 30th on Dixie Marsh's list of hitters. That was the best available, or at least so I think, and considering I missed out on Dixie's #11 batter and fellow first basemen Leon Peck in the 3rd, I quickly settled on Campy and his excellent bat. Unlike Peck, he's also a mentally strong kid that doesn't think he's him, and those around him would say he's clutch even though that's not something you can quantify. His defense is irrelevant, as all his offensive skills are average or better, with most well above. The power hasn't surfaced yet, but that should be above average, and he's got a quick bat that can handle most pitches. He won't whiff often, featuring strong bat-to-ball skills, and his ability to walk will add to his offensive upside. Not a complete slugger, Campy reminds me more of a Leo Mitchell then a Red Bond. I'd love for him to strike out less then both, but I see averages around .300 with 50+ walks and 15+ homers. Not exactly what you want from your first basemen, but clearly effective, and if we get a better outcome on his development he could be a 20-25 home run guy that could anchor our lineup. Just expect more solid then star, and you won't be disappointed here.

6th Round, 90th Overall: SS Art Robbins
School: Shawnee State Bison
1951: .297/.345/.546, 203 PA, 8 2B, 3B, 12 HR, 35 RBI
Career: .299/.354/.525, 497 PA, 20 2B, 8 3B, 22 HR, 87 RBI

This is where we went back to going live, as I was able to make my 6th through 20th round picks in relatively quick succession because it wasn't 7:30 in the morning! My first intentional college selection, Art Robbins in the prototypical college shortstop that we seem to take around this time every year. As an added bonus, Robbins hits from both sides of the plate with pop, which actually may be his best tool. In two seasons with Shawnee State, Robbins mashed 22 longballs, hitting just below .300 with 50 extra base hits, 87 RBIs, and 111 runs. The Bison don't play in a strong conference, so these aren't really game changing numbers, but they're well above average and give us a glimpse of the player he may develop into. I mentioned the power, but don't think that means he'll have to move to second or third. He's got wheels and oodles of defensive talent, with both OSA and Dixie complimenting his ability to play shortstop. I think he'll stick there, and despite having a lot less upside on draft day, he's giving me a lot of Elmer Grace vibes. Grace has hit 20 homers in the minors while offering excellent defense, though Robbins contact tool is less impressive. While scouts view both has .270 hitters, Grace seems to be the type that can hit around .300, with Robbins more accurately described at .270. Like Grace, he'll skip right past La Crosse, but I can see him all the way up in AA. Lincoln or San Jose seems more likely, and if he's lucky, he can get a season or two in Chicago before 20th overall selection Jack Gibson forces his way into the lineup.