Odd and Ends

The Texas Rangers called up Justin Smoak to the majors to replace a struggling Chris Davis. Smoak is a player a lot of Giants fans were hoping they would draft in 2008, the Posey draft. Smoak and Posey have had remarkably similar numbers in the minors, but Buster plays a much more premium position, that is if the Giants don't move him to first base! Smoak is 0 for 5 with 3 BB's in his first 2 MLB games.

Taijuan Walker, who I've mentioned in draft posts, pitched a no-hitter with 9 K's for Yucaipa HS vs Eisenhower this weekend. I don't think Eisenhower has much of a baseball team, but it does appear that Walker is starting to harness some of his raw talent. I would think he is moving up draft boards.

A couple of relative college draft sleepers are worth looking at:

Robert Segedin, 3B/RHP, Tulane. 6'3", 220 lbs. A redshirt sophomore, Segedin has played exclusively in the field this season and has torn it up: .421/.497/.807 with 10 HR's, 2 triples, 22 doubles. I expect him to go in rounds 3-5.

Jordan Ribera, 1B, Fresno State. 6'0", 220 lbs. .340/.396/.739 with 16 HR's(before he hit 3 more last night to give him 19 HR's on the season). Could be a nice power hitting 1B pickup between rounds 6 and 10.

Remember Andrew Barbosa, the 6'8" LHP drafted twice by the Giants and now a junior walk-on at Florida Atlantic? Well, since we last checked in on him, Andrew has turned in at least 3 starts with double digit K's including one with 16 K's! I wouldn't be surprised if he's moving way up a lot of draft boards and is on the Giants radar. They drafted Alex Hinshaw 3 times before they finally signed him!

Jake Arrieta from the Orioles organization is dominating the AAA International league with 12 strikeout performance in his latest start to lower his ERA to 0.39. Look for him to be called up any time.