Pick position, shortage muddle subpar draft

By MARC TOPKIN

© St. Petersburg Times, published April 30, 2000

ANAHEIM, Calif. -- It's that time of year again for scouting director Dan Jennings. If it's Sunday, he must be in ... well ... it doesn't really matter, because he'll probably be on the move again tomorrow.

The annual first-year player draft is five weeks away, and Jennings and his staff are scouring the country to make the best of what is the Rays' toughest challenge in their five-draft history.

Unlike the first three years, they are not relegated under expansion agreement shackles to pick at the end of the first round. And unlike last year, they didn't "earn" the right to have the overall first selection.

Instead, the Rays will pick sixth. "Close enough to the top to be in a better position and get one of the better players," Jennings said, "but in a waiting game because there's five clubs ahead of you."

And it's not even that simple. Because of their extensive free-agent activity, the Rays forfeited their second-, third- and fourth-round picks. After they make the sixth choice, there will be 129 players taken before they get to pick again.

"Probably the best way to word it is that there's more focus," Jennings said. "You always want and expect your No. 1 guy to be a solid major-leaguer with some impact. But when you know you don't pick for 130 picks after that, there have to be more thoughts and more questions asked. Every time someone says why, I have to say why not. And vice versa. That enables us to keep a broader spectrum."

Adding to the task: It's not an especially good draft year. There is no consensus No. 1 pick, or even a top five. The number of college pitchers, especially left-handers, and high school position players is down.

"Without a doubt, this is going to be the toughest year," Jennings said.

Among the top college candidates are Cal third baseman Xavier Nady, Pepperdine catcher Dane Sardinha, Notre Dame right-hander Aaron Heilman, Texas right-hander Beau Hale and Auburn right-hander Chris Bootcheck, whom the Rays drafted previously but couldn't sign.

Top prep prospects include first baseman Jason Stokes (who is said to have more raw power than 1999 No. 1 pick Josh Hamilton), catcher Scott Heard, Kissimmee left-hander Joe Torres, Miami-area shortstops David Espinosa and Luis Montanez and right-handers Matt Wheatland and Matt Harrington (who reportedly throws 98 mph).

The Rays have whittled their list of candidates to about 20 and probably will keep it that way for a while. While acknowledging the difficulty of the challenge, Jennings, as his is nature, is confident the Rays will make the most of it.

"This draft reminds me a lot of 1992," he said. "Teams cut deals and took guys like Phil Nevin, Chad Mottola, B.J. Wallace, Jeffrey Hammonds ... And then Derek Jeter was No. 6. I hope like hell there's another Jeter out there."

TAG, YOU'RE IT: Parking lot hassles aren't just for fans. Among some rather, uh, interesting rules at the Naimoli dome: Employees must purchase a state-issued Devil Rays license plate to park close to the stadium on game days.

Employees with the tags (which cost an additional $37 the first year and then about another $27 annually) get a spot in lot 6A, which is virtually adjacent to the rotunda entrance. Those who decline park in lot 8, which is several blocks away. (The team supposedly reimburses $10 of the cost and runs a shuttle to the outlying lot.)

Players are exempt, but that's about it. Rays coaches were told they either had to buy the plates or pay for their spots in the lot adjacent to the player/staff entrance.

Why such a rule? Could it be that sales of the Rays plates have lagged and the state has a requirement that a minimum number be purchased or the plate discontinued?

MOUND MATTERS: It seems there is a pattern to manager Larry Rothschild's decisionmaking regarding starting pitchers: Young ones get taken out early while veterans stay in longer. "Generally ... probably ... yeah," Rothschild said. "Sometimes there's a point where you leave younger guys out there, but he has to be at that point. I don't like young pitchers to get a loss after the sixth or seventh inning."

HOO-RAYS: Vince Naimoli said there has been no official word, but he fully expects realignment to be voted on at the yet-to-be scheduled June owners meeting. ... Steve Trachsel quietly switched agents, dropping Alan Meersand for Seth Levinson. ... Catcher Mike Figga, released at the end of spring training, signed with Boston.

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