My mind is in full-on draft mode, and I’ve been re-reading some old notes: In 2004, I’d favored Stephen Drew over the two pitchers being targeted. Of the pitchers, I preferred Jeff Niemann to Jered Weaver. Oops…

In 2002, I’d wanted Cole Hamels over Khalil Greene. Then again, I’d also wanted Bobby Brownlie… I ran some numbers last July, and maybe it’s time to revisit those:

Fielder, Kazmir, and Upton all have risen since last we looked. Kazmir would have been a nice pick, although he was asking for a lot of money and the Padres don’t really draft high school pitchers in the first round (we’ll dig a little deeper into that phenomenon on Thursday).

For the record, Brownlie slipped to #21, where the Cubs nabbed him and paid $1 million more than the Padres spent on Greene (whom the Cubs had drafted but failed to sign the previous year). For all the bitterness Cubs harbor toward Mark Prior, you’d think they could spare some for Brownlie.

Well, that was fun. Back to work…

Triple-A — Las Vegas 4, Portland 3

Craig Stansberry: 0-for-4
Peter Ciofrone (3B): 1-for-4, 2 E
Chase Headley: 0-for-3, HBP
Brian Myrow: 1-for-2, HR, 2 BB
Chip Ambres: 0-for-2, 2 BB
Will Venable (CF): 0-for-4, SB
Nick Hundley: 1-for-4, 2B
Matt Antonelli: 0-for-3, BB
Vince Sinisi (PH): 0-for-1
Josh Geer: 6 IP, 8 H, 3 R, 0 HR, 1 BB, 6 SO (11 GO)
Dirk Hayhurst: 2 IP, 3 H, 0 R, 0 HR, 2 BB, 1 SO

Myrow keeps hitting, Antonelli not so much (.176 BA)… Geer pitched well — no fly ball outs… Hayhurst returned to the bullpen after an outstanding spot start and didn’t miss a beat. At some point, we’ll need to remove “non” from his “non-prospect” appellation. I vote for sooner rather than later.

More coverage at the Portland Oregonian.

Double-A — San Antonio 4, Arkansas 1 (1st game); San Antonio 4, Arkansas 0 (2nd game)

Drew Macias: 0-for-6, BB
Chad Huffman: 1-for-3
Kyle Blanks: 3-for-5, 3B, HR, BB
Craig Cooper: 1-for-6
Seth Johnston: 0-for-5, BB
Colt Morton: 0-for-2, BB
Jose Lobaton: 1-for-3, HR
Will Inman: 7 IP, 4 H, 1 R, 1 HR, 1 BB, 5 SO (86 pitches, 54 strikes)
Mike Ekstrom: 2.1 IP, 4 H, 0 R, 0 HR, 0 BB, 1 SO, HBP (5 GO)
Neil Jamison: 1 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 0 HR, 0 BB, 0 SO

Inman went the distance in the opener… Ekstrom, who recently moved to the bullpen because “he kind of refused to use his change-up a lot,” started the second game… Big day for Blanks, but then, every day is a big day for him.

High-A

Off day for the Storm.

Low-A — Fort Wayne 5, Great Lakes 4

Luis Durango (DH): 0-for-3, BB, SH
Lance Zawadzki (SS): 2-for-5, SB
Justin Baum: 0-for-3, BB, SH
Felix Carrasco: 1-for-5
Yefri Carvajal: 1-for-5
Shane Buschini: 1-for-4, 2B, BB
Jeremy McBryde: 5.1 IP, 6 H, 4 R, 1 HR, 1 BB, 4 SO
Robert Woodard: 1 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 0 HR, 1 BB, 0 SO

Draft Watch: Reese Havens

Tagged as: bobby brownlie, chase headley, chip ambres, cole hamels, hardball times, jeff francoeur, jeff niemann, jered weaver, joe blanton, khalil greene, mark teahen, matt antonelli, nick hundley, nick swisher, peter ciofrone, prince fielder, scott kazmir, vince sinisi, will venable