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Wednesday, June 07, 2006

Canadian "Hide-and-Seek Team" Gets Over on Reporter

From Deadspin.com:

Check this out. At a Tulane football game a few years back, three guys--who had been given Canadian Winter Olympics jackets to wear--convinced the television sideline reporter that they were members of the Canadian Hide-and-Seek team, supposedly a "demonstration" Olympic sport. Classic:


In unrelated news, you may have seen that the MLB draft began yesterday, with the Royals' opting for right-handed pitcher Luke Hochevar, who had been selected 40th in last year's draft but, owing to his being represented by jerkass Scott Boras, Hochevar "failed to reach a deal" with the Dodgers. Hochevar's explanation? "The Dodgers felt I was not worthy to be paid with the top pitchers from last year's draft."

Well, Luke, you weren't drafted with the "top pitchers" from last year's draft. You were selected FORTIETH, not good enough for the first round (unless one considers a "sandwich" pick to be in the first round; I do not). So Scott Boras and the penny-pinching Royals ought to be a great match. See you in next year's draft, Hochevar. (Incidentally, how did Hochevar's stock rise from 40th last year to first overall this year, given that he pitched in an independent league the past year? Aren't independent leagues for washed-up has-beens like Rickey Henderson and Jose Lima?)

The Astros took high-school catcher Max Sapp out of Florida. Supposedly, Sapp has a pretty solid bat, but is only an average catcher, defensively. He is not expected to remain a catcher for long. The Astros also nabbed Rice second-bagger Greg Buchanan (whom Phat-C hates from the NCAA baseball video game) with their pick in the ninth round. Rice landed five players in the first eleven rounds, the highest being shortstop Josh Rodriguez (whom Phat-C also hates), who went to the Indians in the second round. My hope, of course, is that the vast majority of these players go back to Rice for another year (and, hopefully, another run at the national championship).

Finally, it is noted that Drew Stubbs was drafted eighth overall by the Reds. Stubbs should have been drafted by the Astros out of high school, but for the interference of Bud Selig. The Astros had reached a pre-draft deal with Stubbs for a $900,000 signing bonus. Selig, however, refused to bless the deal given Stubbs' likely place in the draft. (Apparently, players' draft position places them into a given pay "slot.") The Astros were forced to go back to Stubbs and renege on their earlier deal. The scorned Stubbs then opted for the University of Texas, where he raised his stock and was drafted before the Astros had a chance at him. Thanks a ton, Bud.

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