Get ready for Mariners baseball, grandma
As Tuesday's amateur draft unfolded, the Mariners had a shot at both University of Washington phenom Tim Lincecum, the nation's strikeout leader, and North Carolina lefty Andrew Miller, the consensus No. 1 pick by most analysts.
But the reaction in Seattle's war room when the Mariners made the fifth overall pick — California junior right-hander Brandon Morrow — made it clear that this was the college arm they were targeting.
The room erupted in applause and fist-pumps when the Pittsburgh Pirates, picking ahead of the Mariners, announced their choice of Houston right-hander Brad Lincoln, clearing the way for Seattle to pick Morrow.
"I know he's been on top of our radar from Day 1," said Stacey Pettis, the Mariners' area scout in Northern California who first saw Morrow as a skinny high-schooler in Rohnert Park, Calif., and followed him closely this year, when the 6-foot-3, 190-pound Morrow was 7-4 with a 2.05 earned-run average for Cal.
"There were some concerns going in [to this season]," Pettis said, "but he answered all our questions."
Said Mariners scouting director Bob Fontaine: "Brandon is worthy of the fifth pick in the country."
A late bloomer who made a quantum leap in velocity between his sophomore and junior years at Cal, touching 99 mph on his first pitch this season, Morrow was equally pleased to be chosen by the Mariners.
"I saw all the mock drafts, and I was real excited to see they had me going to the Mariners," Morrow said in a conference call. "That's where I wanted to go."
The rest of the Mariners' first-day draft was dominated by pitching. They chose 14 pitchers out of their 18 picks, including right-hander Chris Tillman of Fountain Valley (Calif.) High School in the second round and left-hander Tony Butler of Oak Creek (Wis.) High School in the third round.
"Once you get a guy No. 1 you really want, it really sets a good tone for the rest of the day," Fontaine said. "I think when we got the guy [Tillman] in the second round, that was a real good thing for us, because we thought he'd go a little higher."
Their top position player was catcher Adam Moore, in the sixth round out of the University of Texas-Arlington. In the 10th round, they picked Stanford shortstop Chris Minaker (Edmonds-Woodway). The 50-round draft concludes today.
"You always feel pleased when you have a draft," Fontaine said. "We'll know in five years, but I think today we feel a little extra pleased."
Diagnosed with juvenile diabetes during his senior year at Rancho Cotate High School, Morrow wears an insulin pump similar to Detroit Tigers pitcher Jason Johnson, who threw 210 innings last year.
"We have good doctors, and we investigated it like every other club," said Fontaine. "We're comfortable everything is good."
Said Morrow: "It's really not that bad. I call it more an inconvenience than anything else. I check my blood sugar between innings. It's pretty easy to stay level, especially as a pitcher. It's probably harder for a position player."
Asked what he would say to fans who questioned why the Mariners took him instead of the likes of Miller and Lincecum, Morrow replied, "I feel I have stuff comparable to anyone on the board. I think I deserve to be taken that high."
Signability is not expected to be a problem with Morrow, who slots into about a $2.5 million signing bonus based on pre-draft deals reportedly reached with the three picks ahead of him — Stanford pitcher Greg Reynolds (No. 2 overall by Colorado), $3.25 million; Long Beach State third baseman Evan Longoria (No. 3 by Tampa Bay), $3 million; and Lincoln, $2.75 million.
"I don't expect it to be tough at all," Morrow said of upcoming negotiations. "I think we're both pretty close."
When his velocity began to increase in 2005, Morrow experienced shoulder problems that limited him to just 25 innings as a sophomore, but the Mariners say they aren't worried.
"It happens a lot to young pitchers when their velocity gets better," Fontaine said. "The body grows into the arm, basically ... and then they're fine."
Cal pitching coach Dan Hubbs (a 1989 Kentridge High School graduate) said Morrow has "electric stuff" and rated all his pitches — fastball, split-finger, slider and changeup — as "excellent."
Hubbs called Morrow "an awesome kid, a hard worker."
"He's reserved, which helped him with all the hype he's receiving," Hubbs said.
Morrow relieved in the high-caliber Cape Cod League last summer, when his velocity increase raised him into potential first-round territory.
"I don't know what happened, but one day last year, he all of a sudden went from 91 to 96," Pettis said. "It was almost like he woke up one day and there it was."
The transformation is a mystery to Morrow, who said, "I can't attribute it to anything. I have no idea, to be honest. I just started throwing harder."
The Mariners plan to use Morrow, at least initially, as a starter. Once signed, he is likely to be assigned to Class A Inland Empire in San Bernardino, Calif.
"Without setting timetables, we think he's a kid that could move quickly," Fontaine said.
| Mariners picks | |||||||
| Players chosen by the Mariners on Tuesday during the first 18 rounds of the Major League Baseball draft. Rounds 19-50 will be completed today. | |||||||
| Rd | Player | Pos | B-T | Ht | Wt | Age | School |
| 1. | Brandon Morrow | RHP | R-R | 6-3 | 190 | 21 | California |
| 2. | Chris Tillman | RHP | R-R | 6-5 | 195 | 18 | Fountain Valley (Calif.) HS |
| 3. | Tony Butler | LHP | L-L | 6-7 | 205 | 18 | Oak Creek (Wisc.) HS |
| 4. | Enrique Orta | RHP | R-R | 6-2 | 195 | 21 | Miami |
| 5. | Nathan Adcock | RHP | R-R | 6-4 | 185 | 18 | North Hardin HS (Radcliff, Ky.) |
| 6. | Adam Moore | C | R-R | 6-2 | 220 | 22 | Texas |
| 7. | Doug Fister | RHP | R-R | 6-8 | 195 | 22 | Fresno State |
| 8. | Steve Richard | RHP | R-R | 6-2 | 230 | 20 | Clemson |
| 9. | Justin Souza | RHP | R-R | 6-1 | 190 | 20 | Sacramento CC |
| 10. | Chris Minaker | SS | R-R | 6-0 | 195 | 22 | Stanford |
| 11. | Aaron Solomon | RHP | R-R | 6-4 | 205 | 20 | Cumberland |
| 12. | Gavin Dickey | LF | R-R | 5-11 | 205 | 22 | Florida |
| 13. | Joseph Kantakevich | RHP | R-R | 6-2 | 195 | 22 | William and Mary |
| 14. | Jared Baehl | 3B | R-R | 6-2 | 200 | 18 | North Posey HS (Poseyville, Ind.) |
| 15. | Andrew Fiorenza | RHP | R-R | 6-1 | 205 | 21 | Clemson |
| 16. | Austin Bibens-Dirkx | RHP | R-R | 6-2 | 190 | 21 | Portland |
| 17. | Daniel Runzler | LHP | L-L | 6-5 | 210 | 21 | UC Riverside |
| 18. | Kameron Mickolio | RHP | R-R | 6-9 | 255 | 22 | Utah Valley State College |
| Draft picks from Washington state | |||
| Round (overall) | Team | Player | School |
| 1. (10) | San Francisco | RHP Tim Lincecum | Washington (Liberty HS, Renton) |
| 1. (14) | Toronto | OF Travis Snider | Jackson HS (Mill Creek) |
| 2. (70) | Washington | SS Steve Englund | Bellevue HS |
| 4. (112) | Detroit | 1B Ryan Strieby | Kentucky (M. Terrace HS, Edmonds CC) |
| 4. (141) | New York Yankees | OF Colin Curtis | Arizona State (Issaquah HS) |
| 5. (139) | Tampa Bay | SS Shawn O'Malley | Southridge HS (Kennewick) |
| 8. (234) | Cincinnati | LHP Travis Webb | WSU (Lewis and Clark HS, Spokane) |
| 10. (291) | Seattle | SS Chris Minaker | Stanford (Edmonds-Woodway HS) |
| 10. (297) | Arizona | RHP Tony Barnette | Arizona State (Jefferson HS, Federal Way) |
| 10. (300) | Toronto | 2B Scott Campbell | Gonzaga |
| 11. (323) | Los Angeles Dodgers | SS Justin Fuller | Lewis-Clark State College (Lynnwood HS) |
| 11. (330) | Toronto | C Matt Lane | Washington (Port Angeles HS) |
| 11. (332) | Milwaukee | OF Zach Clem | Washington (Burlington-Edison HS) |
| 17. (513) | San Diego | RHP Tyler Mead | Skyview HS (Vancouver) |
| 17. (517) | Philadelphia | OF Jay Miller | Washington State (Newport HS, Bellevue) |
| 18. (533) | Los Angeles Dodgers | RHP Joseph Jones | Portland (Hudson's Bay HS, Vancouver) |
| 18. (538) | Texas | RHP Mike Wagner | Washington State (Redmond HS) |
MLB draft selections
ROUND 1
1. Kansas City, Luke Hochevar, RHP, Wray, Colo; 2. Colorado, Gregory Reynolds, RHP, Stanford; 3. Tampa Bay, Evan Longoria, 3B, Long Beach St; 4. Pittsburgh, Brad Lincoln, RHP, Houston; 5. SEATTLE, Brandon Morrow, RHP, California; 6. Detroit, Andrew Miller, LHP, North Carolina; 7. L.A. Dodgers, Clayton Kershaw, LHP, Highland Park HS, Dallas; 8. Cincinnati, Robert Stubbs, CF, Texas; 9. Baltimore, William Rowell, 3B, Bishop Eustace Prep, Sewell, N.J; 10. San Francisco, Timothy Lincecum, RHP, Washington; 11. Arizona, Maxwell Scherzer, RHP, Missouri; 12. Texas, Kasey Kiker, LHP, Russell County HS, Phenix City, Ala; 13. Chicago Cubs, Tyler Colvin, LF, Clemson; 14. Toronto, Travis Snider, RF, Jackson HS, Lynnwood, Wash; 15. Washington, Christopher Marrero, OF, Monsignor Edward Pace HS, Hialeah Gardens, Fla; 16. Milwaukee, Jeremy Jeffress, RHP, Halifax County Senior HS, South Boston, Va; 17. San Diego, Matthew Antonelli, 3B, Wake Forest; 18. Philadelphia, Kyle Drabek, SS, The Woodlands (Texas) HS; 19. Florida, Brett Sinkbeil, RHP, Missouri St; 20. Minnesota, Christopher Parmelee, RF, Chino Hills (Calif.) HS; 21. N.Y. Yankees, Ian Kennedy, RHP, Southern California; 22. Washington, Colton Willems, RHP, John Carroll HS, Fort Pierce, Fla; 23. Houston, Maxwell Sapp, C, Bishop Moore School, Orlando, Fla; 24. Atlanta, John Johnson, OF, A. Crawford Mosley HS, Panama City, Fla; 25. L.A. Angels, Hyun Choi Conger, C, Huntington Beach (Calif.) HS; 26. L.A. Dodgers, Avery Morris, RHP, Motlow State CC; 27. Boston, Jason Place, CF, Wren HS, Easley, S.C; 28. Boston, Daniel Bard, RHP, North Carolina; 29. Chicago White Sox, Kyle McCulloch, RHP, Texas; 30. St. Louis, Adam Ottavino, RHP, Northeastern.
Sandwich round
31. L.A. Dodgers, Preston Mattingly, SS-3B, Evansville (Ind.) Central HS; 32. Baltimore, Pedro Beato, RHP, St. Petersburg JC; 33. San Francisco, Emmanuel Burriss, SS, Kent St; 34. Arizona, Brooks Brown, RHP, Georgia; 35. San Diego, Kyler Burke, RF, Ooltewah HS, Chattanooga, Tenn; 36. Florida, Christopher Coghlan, 3B, Mississippi; 37. Philadelphia, Adrian Cardenas, SS, Monsignor Edward Pace HS; 38. Atlanta, Cory Rasmus, RHP, Russell County HS, Phenix City, Ala; 39. Cleveland, David Huff, LHP, UCLA; 40. Boston, Kristofer Johnson, LHP, Wichita St; 41. N.Y. Yankees, Joba Chamberlain, RHP, Nebraska; 42. St. Louis, Christopher Perez, RHP, Miami; 43. Atlanta, Steven Evarts, LHP, Robinson HS, Tampa, Fla; 44. Boston, Caleb Clay, RHP, Cullman (Ala.) HS.
ROUND 2
45. Kansas City, Jason Taylor, SS, Floyd E Kellam HS, Virginia Beach, Va; 46. Colorado, David Christensen, OF, M Stoneman Douglas HS, Parkland, Fla; 47. Tampa Bay, Joshua Butler, RHP, San Diego; 48. Pittsburgh, Michael Felix, LHP, Troy; 49. SEATTLE, Christopher Tillman, RHP, Fountain Valley (Calif.) HS; 50. Detroit, Ronald Bourquin, 3B, Ohio St; 51. Atlanta, Jeffrey Locke, LHP, A. Crosby Kennett Sr. HS, Center Conway, N.H; 52. Cincinnati, Sean Watson, RHP, Tennessee; 53. San Diego, Chad Huffman, 2B, TCU; 54. St. Louis, Thomas Furnish, LHP, TCU; 55. Arizona, Brett Anderson, LHP, Stillwater (Okla.) HS; 56. Cleveland, Steven Wright, RHP, Hawaii; 57. Cleveland, Joshua Rodriguez, 2B, Rice; 58. Baltimore, Ryan Adams, 3B, Jesuit HS, Mandeville, La; 59. Washington, Sean Black, RHP, Lenape HS, Mount Laurel, N.J; 60. Milwaukee, Brent Brewer, SS, Sandy Creek HS, Tyrone, Ga; 61. San Diego, Wade Leblanc, LHP, Alabama; 62. N.Y. Mets, Kevin Mulvey, RHP, Villanova; 63. Florida, Thomas Hickman, CF, Pepperell HS, Rome, Ga; 64. Minnesota, William Benson, LF, Joliet Catholic Academy, Plainfield, Ill; 65. Philadelphia, Andrew Carpenter, RHP, Long Beach St; 66. Oakland, Trevor Cahill, RHP, Vista HS, Oceanside, Calif; 67. Houston, Sergio Perez, RHP, Tampa; 68. Atlanta, Dustin Evans, RHP, Georgia Southern; 69. Cleveland, Wesley Hodges, 3B, Georgia Tech; 70. Washington, Stephen Englund, OF, Bellevue (Wash.) HS; 71. Boston, Justin Masterson, RHP, San Diego St; 72. Atlanta, Robert Fontaine, SS, Daytona Beach CC; 73. Chicago White Sox, Matthew Long, RHP, Miami (Ohio); 74. St. Louis, Jonathan Jay, OF, Miami.
Sandwich round
75. Cleveland, Matthew McBride, C, Lehigh; 76. St. Louis, Mark Hamilton, 1B, Tulane.
ROUND 3
77. Kansas City, Blake Wood, RHP, Georgia Tech; 78. Colorado, Keith Weiser, LHP, Miami (Ohio); 79. Tampa Bay, Nicholas Fuller, RHP, Kell HS, Marietta, Ga; 80. Pittsburgh, Shelby Ford, 2B, Oklahoma St; 81. SEATTLE, Anthony Butler, LHP, Oakland, Creek (Wis.) HS; 82. Detroit, Brennan Boesch, CF-RF, California; 83. Boston, Aaron Bates, 1B, N.C. State; 84. Cincinnati, Christopher Valaika, SS, UC Santa Barbara, Valencia, Calif; 85. Baltimore, Zachary Britton, LHP, Weatherford (Texas) HS; 86. Arizona, Dallas Buck, RHP, Oregon St; 87. Arizona, Kevin Hankerd, LF, Southern California; 88. Texas, Chad Tracy, C, Pepperdine; 89. San Francisco, Clayton Tanner, LHP, De L.A. Dodgers, Salle HS, Clayton, Calif; 90. Florida, Torre Langley, C, Robert S Alexander HS, Winston, Ga; 91. Washington, Stephen King, SS, Winter Park HS, Orlando, Fla; 92. Milwaukee, Cole Gillespie, LF, Oregon St; 93. San Diego, Cedric Hunter, CF, Martin Luther King HS, Decatur, Ga; 94. N.Y. Mets, Joseph Smith, RHP, Wright St; 95. Florida, Scott Cousins, LF, San Francisco; 96. Minnesota, Tyler Robertson, LHP, Bella Vista (Calif.) HS; 97. Philadelphia, Jason Donald, SS, Arizona; 98. Oakland, Matthew Sulentic, OF, Hillcrest HS, Dallas; 99. Houston, Nick Moresi, CF, Fresno St; 100. Atlanta, Chad Rodgers, LHP, Walsh Jesuit HS, Stow, Ohio; 101. Cleveland, Adam Davis, SS, Florida; 102. L.A. Angels, Russell Moldenhauer, OF, Boerne (Texas) HS; 103. Boston, Bryson Cox, RHP, Rice; 104. N.Y. Yankees, Zachary McAllister, RHP, Illinois Valley Central HS, Chillicothe, Ill; 105. Chicago White Sox, Justin Edwards, LHP, Olympia HS, Orlando, Fla; 106. St. Louis, Gary Daley, RHP, Cal Poly.
ROUND 4
107. Kansas City, Derrick Robinson, OF, P.K. Yonge Laboratory School, Archer, Fla; 108. Colorado, Craig Baker, RHP, CS Northridge; 109. Tampa Bay, Alexander Cobb, RHP, Vero Beach (Fla.) Senior HS; 110. Pittsburgh, William Hughes, RHP, Long Beach St; 111. SEATTLE, Enrique Orta, RHP, Miami; 112. Detroit, Ryan Strieby, 1B, Kentucky; 113. L.A. Dodgers, Kyle Orr, 1B, Lambrick Park SS, Victoria, B.C; 114. Cincinnati, Justin Reed, CF, Hillcrest Christian HS, Jackson, Miss; 115. Baltimore, Blake Davis, SS, Cal St.-Fullerton; 116. San Francisco, Benjamin Snyder, LHP, Ball St; 117. Arizona, Kevin Thompson, RHP, Pensacola JC; 118. Texas, Marcus Lemon, SS, Eustis HS, Umatilla, Fla; 119. Minnesota, Whitney Robbins, 1B, Georgia Tech; 120. Toronto, Brandon Magee, RHP, Bradley; 121. Washington, Glenn Gibson, LHP, Center Moriches (N.Y.) HS; 122. Milwaukee, Evan Anundsen, RHP, Columbine HS, Littleton, Colo; 123. San Diego, Nathanial Culp, LHP, Missouri; 124. N.Y. Mets, John Holdzkom, RHP, Salt Lake CC, Rancho Cucamonga, Calif; 125. Florida, Hector Correa, RHP, Lorenzo Coballes Gandia, Hatillo, Puerto Rico; 126. Minnesota, Garrett Olson, 3B, Franklin Pierce; 127. Philadelphia, D'Arby Myers, CF, Westchester HS, Los Angeles; 128. Oakland, Chad Lee, RHP, Barton County CC; 129. Houston, Christopher Johnson, 3B, Stetson; 130. Atlanta, Gary Hyde, LHP, Georgia Tech; 131. Cleveland, Judson Morris, LHP, South Mecklenburg HS, Charlotte, N.C; 132. L.A. Angels, Clayton Fuller, OF, Smithson Valley HS, Bulverde, Texas; 133. Boston, Jonathan Still, C-OF, N.C. State; 134. N.Y. Yankees, Colin Curtis, RF, Arizona St; 135. Chicago White Sox, Tyler Reves, C, Texas Tech; 136. St. Louis, Edward Degerman, RHP, Rice.
ROUND 5
137. Kansas City, Jason Godin, RHP, Old Dominion; 138. Colorado, Helder Velazquez, SS, Puerto Rico BB Academy HS, Aguas Buenas; 139. Tampa Bay, Shawn O'Malley, SS, Southridge HS, Kennewick, Wash; 140. Pittsburgh, Patrick Bresnehan, RHP, Arizona St; 141. SEATTLE, Nathan Adcock, RHP, North Hardin HS, Vine Grove, Ky; 142. Detroit, Scott Sizemore, 2B, Virginia Commonwealth; 143. L.A. Dodgers, Kyle Smit, RHP, Spanish Springs HS, Parks, Nev; 144. Cincinnati, Joshua Ravin, RHP, Chatsworth HS, Tarzana, Calif; 145. Baltimore, Bobby Henson, SS, Tuttle (Okla.) HS; 146. San Francisco, Michael McBryde, CF, Florida Atlantic; 147. Arizona, Hector Ambriz, RHP, UCLA; 148. Texas, Christopher Davis, 1B, Navarro College; 149. Chicago Cubs, Jeffrey Samardzija, RHP, Notre Dame; 150. Toronto, Luke Hopkins, 1B, New Mexico St; 151. Washington, Cory VanAllen, LHP, Baylor; 152. Milwaukee, Christopher Errecart, LF, California; 153. San Diego, Andrew Underwood, RHP, Fresno St; 154. N.Y. Mets, Stephen Holmes, RHP, Rhode Island; 155. Florida, David Hatcher, C, UNC-Wilmington; 156. Minnesota, Devin Shepherd, RF, Oxnard (Calif.) HS; 157. Philadelphia, Quintin Berry, CF, San Diego St; 158. Oakland, Jermaine Mitchell, CF, UNC Greensboro; 159. Houston, Casey Hudspeth, RHP, South Florida; 160. Atlanta, Kevin Gunderson, LHP, Oregon St; 161. Cleveland, Christopher Archer, RHP, Clayton (N.C.) HS; 162. L.A. Angels, Kenneth Herndon, RHP, Gulf Coast CC; 163. Boston, Dustin Richardson, LHP, Texas Tech; 164. N.Y. Yankees, George Kontos, RHP, Northwestern; 165. Chicago White Sox, John Shelby, 2B, Kentucky; 166. St. Louis, Shane Robinson, CF, Florida St.
