Apparently, the Nationals are fond of college players from California. Check out their first three draft picks tonight:
1. Stephen Strasburg, RHP, San Diego State
SEE RELATED:
1b. Drew Storen, RHP, Stanford
2. Jeff Kobernus, 2B, Cal-Berkeley
Boy, Mike Rizzo, Dana Brown and their team of scouts must have spent a lot of time in the Golden State this spring.
The quick read on Kobernus: He’s a 6-foot-2, 195-pound, right-handed hitter known for his versatility. He played outfield his freshman year at Cal, then third base his sophomore year and then second base this year. According to Baseball America, he “doesn’t have overwhelming tools in any one area,” but he hits for a high average, runs well and plays solid defense.
Maybe I’m reading too much into this, but does it seem obvious that the current regime drafts different kinds of players than the previous one did? Remember how the previous GM was always infatuated with “tools”? Well, it looks like the current guy in charge might have a different opinion on such matters. But like I said, maybe I’m reading too much into things.
Oh, quick game update: The Reds lead 1-0 after three. Ross Detwiler has been pretty sharp, but he faltered with two outs in the second, walking Jay Bruce and then serving up back-to-back sinles to Alex Gonzalez and Ryan Hanigan. The Nats, meanwhile, squandered a golden opportunity in the bottom of the first. They managed to put four guys on base against Johnny Cueto (two walks, two singles) yet failed to score. Credit Gonzalez for making a spectacular grab to start a 6-4-3 double play, but Willie Harris did strike out with the bases loaded and two outs.
