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Pirates select Bullington with No. 1 pick Posted: Tuesday June 04, 2002 1:20 PMUpdated: Wednesday June 05, 2002 3:16 AM
NEW YORK (AP) -- In a draft considered short on impact players, the Pittsburgh Pirates selected a college pitcher they think can help their rotation in a few years. The Pirates took Ball State right-hander Bryan Bullington with the No. 1 pick in Tuesday's baseball draft. General manager Dave Littlefield thinks the 6-foot-5, 225-pounder will need at least a couple of years in the minor leagues. "On the plus side, that may mean ... he'll be an even better pitcher than we see now," said Littlefield, who envisions Bullington a No. 3 starter in the majors. Bullington, who throws 94 mph, was the first pitcher drafted No. 1 since Detroit took Rice's Matt Anderson in 1997. The Mid-American Conference career strikeouts leader caught the Pirates' attention after going 11-3 with a 2.84 ERA and 139 strikeouts and 18 walks in 104 2-3 innings. "We're talking about a guy who has accomplished a lot in his college career," Littlefield said. "He's improved a lot."
Bullington isn't fazed by the pressure of being a No. 1 pick. "You definitely have a bull's-eye on your back when you go out there," Bullington said. "You just have to take that in stride and go out and pitch your game." Tampa Bay took B.J. Upton, a good-hitting, slick-fielding shortstop from Greenbrier Christian Academy in Virginia, with the second pick. Chris Gruler, a right-hander from Liberty High School in California with one of the best curveballs in the draft, was taken by Cincinnati at No. 3 and agreed to a $2.5 million signing bonus Tuesday night. Adam Loewen, a 6-6 left-hander from Surrey, British Columbia, became the highest-drafted Canadian when Baltimore chose him with the fourth pick. "It is just an amazing feeling to be drafted that high," he said. Jeff Francis, a lefty from the University of British Columbia, was taken ninth by Colorado and joined Loewen to make draft history. There had been only two Canadians selected in the first round -- and none in the top 10 picks -- before Francis and Loewen. "It's great for everyone in Canada, and I hope the programs keep growing and producing more guys like myself and Adam," Francis said. The first round also featured a few players with major league bloodlines. Prince Fielder, the son of former big league slugger Cecil Fielder, went to Milwaukee with the seventh pick. The 6-0, 255-pound Fielder, from Eau Gallie High School in Florida, hit 10 homers, including a shot estimated at 500 feet in his final game this year. "He's not just a power hitter, he's a guy who can hit," Brewers scouting director Jack Zduriencik said. Ohio State first baseman Nick Swisher, the son of former major league catcher Steve Swisher -- a first-round pick by the Chicago White Sox in 1973 -- went to Oakland with the 16th pick. The Swishers joined Tom and Ben Grieve and Jeff and Sean Burroughs as father-son first-rounders. "Me and the old man have something to share now," the younger Swisher said. John Mayberry Jr., the son of former big leaguer John Mayberry, was drafted by Seattle with the 28th pick. He showed good power potential and defensive instincts playing first base for Rockhurst High School in Missouri. Oakland took college players with its four first-round picks: Swisher, Kentucky right-hander Joseph Blanton, Maryland shortstop John McCurdy and Fresno State righty Ben Fritz. The A's got three extra picks as compensation for losing free agents Jason Giambi, Johnny Damon and Jason Isringhausen. Right-hander Clint Everts and left-hander Scott Kazmir of Cypress Falls High School in Houston became the fourth set of high school teammates to go in the first round. Everts went to Montreal with the fifth pick, and Kazmir to the New York Mets at No. 15. "It's awesome to have two guys on one team competing and raising each other's levels to go in the first round," Everts said. Other top 10 picks were right-hander Zack Greinke from Apopka High School in Florida, who went to Kansas City with the sixth pick; shortstop Scott Moore from Cypress High School in California, who was taken eighth by Detroit; and South Carolina shortstop Drew Meyer, who went 10th to Texas. Rutgers right-hander Bobby Brownlie, deemed the top college pitcher before the season and a possible No. 1 pick, went 21st to the Chicago Cubs. Brownlie's stock dipped after elbow tendinitis sapped speed from his fastball and he failed to dominate as he did last summer with the U.S. national team. "The hard part is over now," Brownlie said. "It's like a weight was lifted off my shoulders."
Boston and the New York Yankees didn't pick until the second round because of free agent signings. St. Louis waited until the last selection in the third round for its first selection.
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