there was not a single scenario that would have made me happier

on absolutely nothing: end of ‘09

Maybe he goes to Bakersfield this year, and if he rakes gets a taste of Frisco, spend next year in Frisco and moves up to OKC later. Could get a late callup in 2010 if all goes well.

The more I think about this the more excited I get. They got the best player left on the board AND filled a need for a corner position bat AND he’s a college player who can move up quickly. Awesome.

not that smoak will be here that soon, but yes you can expect ihm to show up much quicker than a 18 year old high schooler.

2010 probably depending on how he does.

I stopped watching ESPN after the Rangers made their selection.

let’s sign him and put him on a plane to Spokane

as long as he plays this year

do so quickly.

no holdouts.

what is the holdup here JD??

that won’t work. Davis Can’t play left.

looks like a beasticon lineup to me.

Not a lot of defensive options with him. 1B or DH.

MY is going to get up in years eventually

would have been interesting to see if they paid him but not a bad pick actually if smoak wasn’t there. better than martin IMO

Glad that didn’t happen.

dodged a bullet there.
while i liked cole, i had him behind martin, and hicks

that would have been pretty nice.

the A’s taking weeks, that makes me so happy.

Does that mean we owe today’s excitement to A.J. Murray?

I caught a TON of grief for being concerned with whether we wound up in front of or behind the A’s.

they got their future closer i guess

Reminded me of the Renaldo Balkman moment.

Castro is more than a head scratcher

I would have taken Smoak.

after seeing both in video and reading up, i think i like smoak better than Hosmer.

you could say the same for alonso – from the bp chat:

Nick Schaefer (London): How does one decide between Smoak and Alonso if given the choice?

Smoak has numerous advantages—switch-hitter, far superiour defensive player, doesn’t have issues vs. LHP.

over pretty much anyone but Alvarez and maybe Black Beckham. But, that being said, I’m not sad at all we got Smoak. I’m freaking ecstatic. He was one of those guys I liked, but never even really looked into cause I didn’t see him dropping. Couldn’t imagine it happening.

He’s a great bat who’ll come very fast. Great, great pick. We pretty much had to pick him once he fell to us, and I’m glad JD made the right call and pulled the trigger on the best player on the board, 1b/DH glut be damned.

My overall board prolly would’ve gone:
1. Alvarez
2. Blackham
3. Hosmer
4. Crow
5. The Smoak Monster

So, yah. PUMPED!!!

...Definitely appreciate the intentional(?) typo on Hamilton’s last name!

Wait for their team to be done playing at least. Someone on a team knocked out already can sign right away….

someone correct me if I’m wrong….

once they sign they become pros and can no longer play in college games, so it’d be a pretty dick move by a kid to sign a contract right before the CWS and leave the team in a lurch.

But I’m guessing that technically there’s nothing stopping them. Like no rule or anything like that.

but now is right after the World Series. I just don’t want him to jack around and sign in September.

he’s ready, but then flips it around.

i think he was just told by his “adviser” to try not to say too much

...is he doesn’t… and we get another pick next year…

...but, not signing him goes against the entire grain of this “rebuilding” plan… not to mention, JD’s reputation.

i’d have to say that this is a sure thing.

I’ll give him the deadline deals as compensation for this pick, so I’ll call him even on the positional end of that deal.

chuckle.

heh