Saturday, June 06, 2009

OTWT: MLB Mock Draft

For the last couple of months, Only Time Will Tell's Scouting Department has been busy reviewing reports on players eligible for the Major League Baseball Draft. Here is how the department sees the first round going. There is no doubt about the first pick but after that its a little dicey.

1. Washington Nationals: Stephen Strasburg, RHP, San Diego State
2. Seattle Mariners: Dustin Ackley, 1B, North Carolina
3. San Diego Padres: Alex White, RHP, North Carolina

4. Pittsburgh Pirates: Kyle Gibson, RHP, Missouri
5. Baltimore Orioles: Donovan Tate (picture right), OF, Georgia HS
6. San Francisco Giants: Zach Wheeler, RHP, Texas HS

7. Atlanta Braves: Aaron Crow, RHP, Fort Worth Cats (Indy)
8. Cincinnati Reds: Garrett Green, SS, USC
9. Detroit Tigers: Jacob Turner, RHP, Westminster Christian Academy, Missouri HS.
10. Washington Nationals (9B, for unsigned 2008 No. 9 overall pick Aaron Crow): Shelby Miller, RHP, Texas HS
11. Colorado Rockies: Tanner Scheppers, RHP, St. Paul Saints (Indy)
12. Kansas City Royals: Everett Williams, OF, Texas HS
13. Oakland A's: Tyler Matzek, LHP, California HS
14. Texas Rangers: Matthew Purke, Texas HS
15. Cleveland Indians: Tim Wheeler, OF, Sacramento State
16. Arizona Diamondbacks: Rich Poythress, 1B, Georgia
17. Arizona Diamondbacks (from Dodgers - Orlando Hudson): Andy Oliver, LHP, Oklahoma State
18. Florida Marlins: Chad James, LHP, Oklahoma HS
19. St. Louis Cardinals: Bobby Bochering, 3B, Florida HS
20. Toronto Blue Jays: Mike Minor, LHP, Vanderbilt
21. Houston Astros: Jared Mitchell, OF, LSU
22. Minnesota Twins: Mike Leake, RHP, Arizona State
23. Chicago White Sox: Kyle Heckathorn, RHP, Kennesaw State
24. Los Angeles Angels (from Mets - Francisco Rodriguez): Tyler Skaggs, LHP, California HS,
25. Los Angeles Angels (from Yankees - Mark Teixeira): Brett Jackson, OF, California
26. Milwaukee Brewers: Mike Trout, OF, New Jersey HS
27. Seattle Mariners (from Phillies - Raul Ibanez): Garrett Gould, RHP, Kansas HS
28. Boston Red Sox: AJ Pollack, OF, Notre Dame
29. New York Yankees (28B, for unsigned 2008 No. 28 overall pick Gerrit Cole): Max Stassi, C, California HS
30. Tampa Bay Rays: LeVon Washington, OF, Florida HS
31. Chicago Cubs: Rex Brothers, LHP, Lipscomb
32. Colorado Rockies (from Angels - Brian Fuentes): Chad Jenkins, RHP, Kennesaw State

Its going to be hard to hit on most of these, buts its funny that a school like Kennesaw State has potentially two first round picks in Heckathorn and Jenkins. Last year was the first year the draft was shown on TV, this year the draft will be shown on ESPN.

Friday, June 05, 2009

Congrats on 300 Randy

Randy Johnson won his 300 game yesterday against the Nationals. For all of his achievements Johnson might have the best stat of all time, 1 killed bird in spring training. So on the day after he won his 300 game, OTWT honors him by showing the former Expo hitting a bird with a pitch. Congrats Randy.

Thursday, June 04, 2009

Gimmick Infringement?

For the last two years Irish boardcaster Setanta has been making the world laugh with the puppet series Special1 TV. The series includes puppets that depict The Special One, Wayne Rooney, and Sven. The series is classic and has drawn critical acclaim. Now they have company in the puppet sports world.
Now Nike is getting into the puppet business with the Kobe and LeBron commercials during the NBA Finals. Nike will have to show me that they are on the same level as Special1 TV. I really don't think that they will ever be up to that level. It's weird that Nike would go in this direction, maybe they saw the success of Special1 TV and wanted to get in on the sports puppet world.

Wednesday, June 03, 2009

Welcome to the Club: Bryce Harper

Few athletes appear on the cover of America's premier sports magazine, Sports Illustrated. Only two athletes have appeared on the cover, while still being high school students: LeBron James and this week Bryce Harper.
According to scouts, Harper is baseball's new "Chosen One." Major League Baseball teams will have to wait to get their hands on the uber prospects, Harper is not eligible for the draft until 2010.
Bryce Harper: June 8, 2010
LeBron James: Feb. 18, 2002

Tuesday, June 02, 2009

Staying on Top

Windsor Spitfire fans thought things could not get any better after they won the Memorial Cup last month, but the Memorial Cup could just be the start of it. With the glow of the Memorial Cup still in the air Windsor management decided to do what any good group would do: strike fast.

The staff talked defenseman Cam Fowler(right) out of his commitment to Notre Dame and persuaded him to join the defending Memorial Cup champions. Hey anyone who turns down Notre Dame in any sport is a hero of mine.

"In signing Cam, we feel that this marks one of the most significant moves that our hockey club has made since the inception of our ownership," commented Windsor Spitfires Vice-President and General Manager Warren Rychel to Our Sports Central." Cam will have an instant impact on our team when he joins us next season."

Fowler joins Taylor Hall giving the Spitfires two of the top five ranked prospects in the 2010 NHL Draft.

If all goes as plan, Fowler and Hall could join Brampton's 2000 draft class Rostilav Kleska, Columbus, and Raffi Torres, Islanders, as the only team mates to be drafted in the top five in the last decade.

In addition to have two of the best 2010 draft prospects, the Spitfires also will be returning one of the best teams with defensive point man Ryan Ellis leading the charge. So for a team that had never won a Memorial Cup before this year, the next one might be a little easier.

Monday, June 01, 2009

Proof Joey Harrington was once good

When you have a great season in college football the following year, you get the honor of gracing EA Sports NCAA Football. During the 2002 season there was no greater player in college football then Oregon QB Joey Harrington. So after he graduated he was on the cover of the NCAA Football.

A couple of days ago I was walking through GameStop and saw a used copy NCAA Football 2003, for less then a dollar, with a player that I did not remember. After a while it hit me, it was Joey Harrington.

So what if Harrington was a disaster in Detriot. At least we can all remember at one point he was good.

Sunday, May 31, 2009

Best of Special1 TV

The gang wraps up the season with a best of episode, classic bits.

OTWT Non-Top Four All EPL Team

All of the trophies have been given out, the season has officially come to an end, so now its time to name the Only Time Will Tell Non-Top Four All EPL Team. It would have been easy to select an all EPL team that included the top four sides, but this was a little more fun.

So here goes:

Goalie: Tim Howard, Everton
Defense: Brede Hangeland, Fulham (pictured right)
Defense: Phil Jagielka, Everton
Defense: Lucas Neill, West Ham
Defense: Glen Johnson, Portsmouth
Midfielder: Ashley Young, Aston Villa
Midfielder: Stephen Ireland, Manchester City
Midfielder: Tim Cahill, Everton
Midfielder: Antonio Valencia, Wigan
Forward: Robinho, Manchester City
Forward: Luka Modric, Spurs

If you have any issues with this team post your comments below. I can not wait for the start of the 09-10 season. Its only approximately 10 weeks away.