Rays stock up on pitching prospects

Devil Rays executive vice president Andrew Friedman said Thursday afternoon that "pitching is king. ... You can never have enough."

By JOE SMITH
Published June 8, 2007

Devil Rays executive vice president Andrew Friedman said Thursday afternoon that "pitching is king. ... You can never have enough."

The team followed that mantra the first day of the draft, selecting pitchers with four of its five picks.

The top two - Vanderbilt LHP David Price and Ole Miss RHP William Kline - share some history.

They met March 16 in Nashville for the Southeast Conference opener, which turned into a 10-inning thriller Ole Miss coach Mike Bianco called "one of the best pitched college games I've ever seen."

Kline left in the ninth holding a one-run lead his bullpen squandered; Price pitched a complete game for the 3-2 win, then approached Kline, shook his hand, telling him, "You pitched a great game."

"It's kind of ironic we'll be sharing the same uniform now, " Kline said. "He's such a great competitor."

So is Kline, according to Rays scouting director R.J. Harrison, who was "tickled" when the 6-foot-2 Mississippi native was still available at No. 65.

Kline boasts a bulldog-style mentality with a three-pitch mix fastball, changeup, slider. Like the Rays' fourth-round pick, LHP David Newmann (Texas A&M), Kline has battled back successfully from Tommy John surgery.

Both picks had strong seasons as their team's ace. Newmann went 11-1 with a 2.98 ERA; he boasts a "herky-jerky delivery which creates some deception, " according to Harrison, who added Newmann will ultimately be pitching out of the bullpen.

Kline's biggest start will be his next; he leads the Rebels into Saturday night's Super Region against Arizona State.

"He's like a Mike Mussina, " Bianco said. "He's got enough fastball to beat you, but he certainly has two other pitches in his repertoire."

PITCHING PEDIGREE: The Simi Valley High (Calif.) program boasts some big-league pitchers in its past - including Jeff and Jered Weaver. But RHP Nicholas Barnese, the Rays' third-round pick, did something the duo never did at Simi, pitching the program's third no-hitter in history to beat Centennial (Corona) in this year's playoffs.

Barnese has a live arm, throwing in the low-to-mid 90s. The Cal State Fullerton commitment said he has matured a lot since he was suspended for his junior season for "making a bad decision."

"As he physically and mentally matures, he's got a huge upside, " Simi Valley coach Matt La Belle said.

COMING UP: Harrison said the Rays plan to pick more position players today, likely early on the draft's second day. The only one they picked Thursday was Inglemoor (Wash.) High senior Dustin Biell, a left-handed hitting CF who has some pop (seven homers, .773 slugging percentage).

Joe Smith can be reached at joesmith@sptimes.com or at (727) 893-8129.

[Last modified June 8, 2007, 02:07:45]