As you've probably heard by now, it begins today at 2pm. For the first time ever, some of the draft will be televised, on ESPN2. The Phillies see this year's draft as a chance to continue restocking a minor-league system pretty much rendered bare by Ed Wade's splurges into free agency over the first half of the decade; as draft honcho Marti Wolever points out, since 2000 the organization has had fewer picks in the first five rounds than any team in the big leagues. That won't be the case today, as the team has the 19th and 37th overall picks among five selections in the top 113.
The biggest void in the system is advanced hitting prospects, but it doesn't seem like this year's draft is particularly deep in accomplished college hitters at the level of, say, Pat Burrell or Chase Utley when they were selected. The volume instead looks to be in high-school talent and, to a lesser extent, college pitchers.
Various rumors are flying as to whom they might be targeting and what if any needs or wants will be emphasized. For more, check out the PhuturePhillies blog run by TGP contributor FTN414, who will be updating throughout. We'll also add selections and links here as the Phils make their picks.
1st Round:
TAM: David Price, LHP, Vanderbilt
KCR: Michael Moustakas, SS, Chatsworth HS (Ca.)
CHC: Josh Vitters, 3B, Cypress HS (Ca.)
PIT: Daniel Moskos, LHP, Clemson U.
BAL: Matt Wieters, C, Georgia Tech
WSH: Ross Detwiler, LHP, Missouri State
MIL: Matt LaPorta, 1B, Florida
COL: Casey Weathers, LHP, Vanderbilt
ARI: Jarrod Parker, RHP, Norwell HS (Ind.)
SFO: Madison Bumgarner, LHP, South Caldwell HS (NC)
SEA: Phillipe Aumont, RHP, Ecole Du Versant (Quebec)
FLA: Matt Dominguez, 3B, Chatsworth HS (Ca.)
CLE: Beau Mills, 3B/1B, Lewis & Clark State (ID)
ATL: Jason Heyward, OF, Henry County HS (Ga.)
CIN: Devin Mesaraco, C, Punxsutawney HS (Pa.)
TOR: Kevin Ahrens, SS, Memorial HS (Tx.)
TEX: Blake Beavan, RHP, Irving HS (Tx.)
STL: Pete Kozma, SS, Owasso HS (Ok.)
PHL: Joe Savery, LHP, Rice U.
LAD: Chris Withrow, RHP, Midland Christian HS (Tx.)
TOR: Jonathan Arencibia, C, Tennessee
SFO: Tim Alderson, RHP, Horizon HS (Ariz.)
SDG: Nick Schmidt, LHP, Arkansas
TEX: Michael Main, RHP, Deland HS (Fla.)
CHW: Aaron Poreda, LHP, U. of San Francisco
OAK: James Simmons, RHP, UC Riverside
DET: Rick Porcello, RHP, Seton Hall Prep (NJ)
MIN: Ben Revere, OF, Lexington Catholic (KY)
SFO: Wendell Fairley, OF, George County-Lucedale HS (Miss.)
NYY: Andrew Brackman, RHP, N.C. State
37th overall (Supplemental Round): Phillies select Travis D'Arnaud, C, Lakewood HS (Calif.)
INFORMATION ON MESSR. SAVERY:
INFORMATION ON M. D'ARNAUD:
Liveblogging by The Good Phight's P. Baker:
2:09 pm: Allan "Bud" Selig takes the stage and actually receives applause. Name checks Chase Utley as an "emerging star" who came from the MLB draft. Already appears to be perspiring profusely. Shamelessly plugs MLB.com. Tampa Bay is on the clock. Pray for us all.
2:12 pm: Scary broad on the DirecTV commercial making me feel emasculated about having cable.
2:13 pm: Review of the currently active first overall pick stars. Rodriguez, Griffey, Larry Jones, Joe Mauer. Pat Burrell conspicuously absent...
2:16 pm: First overall pick, Tampa Bay selects LHP David Price, Vanderbilt U.
2:18 pm: Interview with Price, already rocking the Rays gear. Seems to be blinking "SOS" in Morse code.
2:19 pm: Gammons wastes no time making this about Yankees/Red Sox, "You need lefties in that division to face the Yankees and Red Sox."
2:21 pm: Second overall, Kansas City selects Michael Moustakas, SS, Chatsworth HS
2:23 pm: Karl Ravech refers to Wood and Prior as Cubs first-round "disappointments." Both of those guys were a pretty good return for amateurs, in my opinion.
2:26 pm: Third overall, Chicago Cubs select Joshua Vitters, 3B, Cypress HS (Ca.)
2:28 pm: Vitters not exactly media-savvy, which is kind of refreshing in a way. Seems more natural. I mean, he's 18 years old.
2:31 pm: Fourth overall, Pittsburgh selects Daniel Moskos, LHP, Clemson U.
2:35 pm: URGENT STEROIDS MAKE YOUR NADS SHRINK!
2:37 pm: Fifth overall, Baltimore selects Matthew Wieters, C, Georgia Tech
2:38 pm: Boras vs. Angelos. It's too bad they can't BOTH lose...
2:39 pm: Boras looking for a Mark Teixiera contract for Wieters according to Keith Law.
2:42 pm: Sixth overall, Washington selects Ross Detwiler, LHP, Missouri State
2:45 pm: Detwiler trying to gain weight. Let's play one of those switch-a-roo movies with Jon Lieber!
2:46 pm: These lo-fi Sonic Drive-in ads are really creepy and porny.
2:48 pm: Seventh overall, Milwaukee selects Matthew LaPorta, 1B, Florida
2:49 pm: Drafting a first baseman when you already have Prince Fielder. Is Milwaukee banking on a Prince Fat Guy Breakdown Special? Doesn't sound like they think LaPorta has the athleticism to play in the outfield. Back to catcher?
2:51 pm: I've got it, Prince Fielder ate somebody and they expect he's going to go to prison soon!
2:52 pm: Keith Law with the nice peach shirt/tie ensemble.
2:53 pm: Eighth overall, Colorado selects Casey Weathers, RHP, Vanderbilt.
2:55 pm: Peter Gammons taking the words out of my mouth... Huston Street and Chad Cordero are pretty rare animals as far as being college relievers who get fast-tracked to the big leagues. That's not generally how it works.
2:58 pm: Price: "I'm a friggin' Devil Ray."; Weathers: "I have to pitch in Colorado."
2:59 pm: Ninth overall, Arizona selects Jarrod Parker, RHP, Norwell (Ind.) HS
3:00 pm: Parker interview by phone, probably called out of study hall.
3:02 pm: They're hemming and hawing about how "small" Parker is at 6'2". That's not huge for a right-hander, but I have to think that's at least average.
3:04 pm: Tenth overall, San Francisco selects Madison Bumgarner, LHP, South Caldwell HS (NC)
3:06 pm: "Madison Bumgarner" sounds like a Charles Dickens character.
3:07 pm: Secret shot of the Mariners draft war room, I swear I just saw Bavasi pour a scalding hot Starbucks on his scouting director's crotch.
3:10 pm: Eleventh overall, Seattle selects Phillipe Aumont, RHP, Ecole Du Versant (Quebec)
3:11 pm: Aumont: "I didn't expect to be taken by the Mariners." Love the candor, even if it's just based on the language barrier.
3:15 pm: Twelfth overall, Florida selects Matt Dominguez, 3B, Chatsworth HS (Ca.)
3:18 pm: Thirteenth overall, Cleveland selects Beau Mills, 3B/1B, Lewis & Clark State (ID)
3:26 pm: Fourteenth overall, Atlanta selects Jason Heyward, OF, Henry County HS (Ga.)
3:27 pm: The Braves do love those Georgia players. It's an interesting approach and a nice luxury to have.
3:31 pm: Fifteenth overall, Cincinnati Reds select Devin Mesaraco, C, Punxsutawney HS (Pa.)
3:33 pm: Was this Mesaraco kid on that Bryant Gumbel show in that story about high schoolers having Tommy John surgery?
3:36 pm: Sixteenth overall, Toronto selects Kevin Ahrens, SS, Memorial HS (Tx.)
3:43 pm: Seventeenth overall, Texas selects Blake Beavan, RHP, Irving HS (Tx.)
3:47 pm: Eighteenth overall, St. Louis selects Peter Kozma, SS, Owasso HS (Ok.)
3:49 pm: VERY nervous about this selection. Another toolsy outfielder?
3:51 pm: Shot of the Phillies war room. I swear they were playing Hungry Hungry Hippos.
3:52 pm: Nineteenth overall, Philadelphia selects Joe Savery, LHP, Rice U.
3:54 pm: Rice loves to drive their pitchers into the ground. Great.
3:58 pm: Twentieth overall, Los Angeles selects Christopher Withrow, RHP, Midland Christian HS (Tx.)
4:03 pm: Twenty-first overall, Toronto selects Jonathan Arencibia, C, Tennessee
4:09 pm: Twenty-second overall, San Francisco selects Tim Alderson, RHP, Horizon HS (Ariz.)
4:14 pm: Twenty-thirdoverall, San Diego selects Nick Schmidt, LHP, Arkansas
4:16 pm: I'm actually thinking the Savery pick is okay, you can never have enough pitching, etc. It's a risk, obviously, but that's seemingly the only reason he dropped as far as he did. I'd like to see them bring in some more bats, however.
4:19 pm: Twenty-fourth overall, Texas selects Michael Main, RHP, Deland HS (Fla.)
4:25 pm: Twenty-fifth overall, Chicago White Sox select Aaron Poreda, LHP, U. of San Francisco
4:30 pm: Twenty-sixth overall, Oakland selects James Simmons, RHP, UC Riverside
4:35 pm: Twenty-seventh overall, Detroit selects Rick Porcello, RHP, Seton Hall Prep (NJ)
4:37 pm: Okay, I'm a dope. I drive past Seton Hall Prep every day on my way to work, had no idea this guy went there. I'm just glad he didn't go to NY (Mets or Yanks).
4:42 pm: Twenty-eighth overall, Minnesota selects Ben Revere, OF, Lexington Catholic (KY)
4:43 pm: They didn't have much to say about Revere on the Worldwide Leader, so they resorted to a lot of generalizations and cliches about speed and defense. Attaboy, Steve Phillips.
4:46 pm: Twenty-ninth overall, San Francisco selects Wendell Fairley, OF, George County-Lucedale HS (Miss.)
4:50 pm: My ESPN feed died. Screw you Comcast, that DirecTV Enchantress was right!
4:52 pm: Thirtieth overall, the New York Yankees select Andrew Brackman, RHP, N.C. State.
END OF THE FIRST ROUND, and the end of the pick-by-pick blogging. The dog needs a walk. Check back for info on ensuing Phillies picks.