[Westheim]

2004 AMATEUR DRAFT

The Raccoons had the eighth pick in every round, and no extra picks for this year’s 12-round bonanza.

We had our eyes on a few select players, including SP Darin Kappley and SP Colin Sabatino, C/1B Erik Ruff, and INF/LF/RF Tom Dahlke. That’s merely four picks, Vince doesn’t like anybody else, calling today’s youth weak and indulged with video games and that internets thing. Back in the 70s, way back, young men were tough and made to play the game. Now they’re all pussies.

Says Vince. Although I hardly ever doubt what Vince says.

Darin Kappley went #1 to Sacramento, Tom Dahlke went #2 to Las Vegas, and Colin Sabatino went #3 to San Francisco. Ruff went to us.

2004 PORTLAND RACCOONS DRAFT CLASS
Round 1 (#8) – C/1B Erik Ruff, 20, from West Springfield, MA – good power potential, might hit tons of home runs and doubles; can call a good game too, but sometimes he rips to eagerly and doesn’t even meet a ball the entire game
Round 2 (#57) – 2B A.J. Altheide, 18, from Honolulu, HI – singles slapper that just never strikes out, and has some speed, although starting with the glove, the issues already begin
Round 3 (#81) – SP G.G. Williams, 20, from La Harpe, IL – left-hander with a changeup that, if developed, could be his ticket to a major league rotation, if he also can get his fastball to move more, especially since he finds it hard to throw it at more than 90mph
Round 4 (#105) – CF/RF Zaire Collins, 18, from Grafton, OH – he has explosive speed, and a good eye (two even!), but that’s where the good times end.
Round 5 (#129) – INF/RF Kevin Rex, 19, from Visalia, CA – quirky infielder with good speed and a remarkable eye and plate discipline, but no power whatsoever
Round 6 (#153) – SP Eric Thrift, 18, from Aurora, IL – throws a bit of this and that, right-handed, but overall his mix his rather poor
Round 7 (#177) – 1B Zachary Rail, 20, from Staten Island, NY – your typical first baseman, except that he’s not very good at the things typical first baseman excel at
Round 8 (#201) – CL Tom Bartlett, 20, from Whisper Walk, FL – has a curve so fantastic, he can make it ditch ten feet in front of the plate
Round 9 (#225) – SP Gil McDonald, 21, from Benson, MN – throws four pitches, all over the place, and hardly fools anybody
Round 10 (#249) – RF/3B/2B Zach Dulin, 18, from Youngtown, AZ – has no power, can’t run, and broke his arm twice last year
Round 11 (#273) – MR Manny Gomez, 21, from Wilmington Manor, DE – left-hander without much sparkle … or any sparkle
Round 12 (#297) – SP Will Abram, 17, from St. Peters, MO – leader of his high school team, despite an inherent inability to pitch

All our picks were assigned to the A level team in Aumsville.

Irrelevant note: Will Abram was born July 18, 1986. Six days later and he’d be the first Coon younger than me in real life.