The 2008 MLB draft was held on Thursday. As expected, Tim Beckham went first overall to the Tampa Bay Rays. Pedro Alvarez went second to the Pittsburgh Pirates. Here is the complete baseball draft results for the first round:

1. Tampa Bay Rays Tim Beckham SS
2. Pittsburgh Pirates Pedro Alvarez 3B
3. Kansas City Royals Eric Hosmer 1B
4. Baltimore Orioles Brian Matusz LHP
5. San Francisco Giants Buster Posey C
6. Florida Marlins Kyle Skipworth C
7. Cincinnati Reds Yonder Alonso 1B
8. Chicago White Sox Gordon Beckham SS
9. Washington Nationals Aaron Crow RHP
10. Houston Astros Jason Castro C
11. Texas Rangers Justin Smoak 1B
12. Oakland Athletics Jemile Weeks 2B
13. St. Louis Cardinals Brett Wallace 3B
14. Minnesota Twins Aaron Hicks OF
15. Los Angeles Dodgers Ethan Martin 3B
16. Milwaukee Brewers Brett Lawrie C/INF
17. Toronto Blue Jays David Cooper 1B
18. New York Mets Ike Davis 1B
19. Chicago Cubs Andrew Cashner RHP
20. Seattle Mariners Josh Fields RHP
21. Detroit Tigers Ryan Perry RHP
22. New York Mets Reese Havens SS
23. San Diego Padres Allan Dykstra 1B
24. Philadelphia Phillies Anthony Hewitt SS
25. Colorado Rockies Christian Friedrich LHP
26. Arizona Diamondbacks Daniel Schlereth LHP
27. Minnesota Twins Carlos Gutierrez RHP
28. New York Yankees Gerrit Cole RHP
29. Cleveland Indians Lonnie Chisenhall 3B
30. Boston Red Sox Casey Kelly SS

While the 2008 MLB Draft is considered to be a deep draft, the top prospects don’t have scouts blown away. In fact, the top ten picks in this year’s baseball mock draft aren’t overly impressive. Eventually, a few stars will emerge from the top of this draft but right now the cream of the crop isn’t overly enticing.

Here’s is our 2008 MLB mock draft:

1) Tampa Bay Rays - Tim Beckham
2) Pittsburgh Pirates - Buster Posey
3) Kansas City Royals - Eric Hosmer
4) Baltimore Orioles - Justin Smoak
5) San Francisco Giants - Pedro Alvarez
6) Florida Marlins - Yonder Alonso
7) Cincinnati Reds - Casey Kelly
Chicago White Sox - Brian Matusz
9) Washington Nationals - Gordon Beckham
10) Houston Astros - Shooter Hunt

Buster Posey

Photo: Newscom

University of San Diego left-hander Josh Romanski
Photo credit: Geoff Young

I finally got to see some baseball this weekend. Friday night I watched University of San Diego left-hander Brian Matusz struggle with his command as crosstown rival San Diego State University came out on top, 11-2. Matusz is projected to go early in the first round of the 2008 draft, but he didn’t have it working in the season opener.

USD left fielder Kevin Muno executed a straight steal of home in the third inning, which was pretty cool. First time I’d seen that in person.

Then on Saturday I caught the first game of a doubleheader between the two teams. USD won this one, 17-11. Southpaw Josh Romanski worked five innings for the win. Sure, he gave up eight runs, but he also drove in seven on two singles and two homers.

Cory Vaughn, son of former big leaguer Greg Vaughn, hit his first collegiate home run for the Aztecs in the loss. It was a bomb to dead center that just kept carrying. Strong kid.

Actual games. I feel better now…

   Photo by Mayr, some rights reserved

I know it’s only February, but some of us live for the draft. Maybe not as much as in football or basketball, but last year’s TV coverage was a good first step in getting folks more involved. (Yeah, the coverage could have been better, but at least there was something.)

Jim Callis at Baseball America did a draft preview chat that will help familiarize us all with some of the names to watch for in ‘08. Here are a few highlights.

On the quality of this year’s crop:

Scouting directors are enthused about this year’s draft, probably as much about any draft this early in the year that I can remember. There are college sluggers, college arms, good high school talent. It’s a very well-balanced crop of players.

On the slotting system:

I don’t think the union is ever going to agree to any kind of cap or official slotting on the draft. I’ve often wondered why MLB doesn’t think about getting rid of free-agent compensation (which doesn’t keep salaries down), which might end the union’s right to have a say-so with the draft.

On Scott Boras “advisees” (wonder if the A-Rod fiasco will change things for him at all?):

It’s still early, and not everyone is locked up. Confirmed Boras advisees include Vanderbilt 3B Pedro Alvarez, Florida HS 1B Eric Hosmer (the best bat in the HS class), California RHP Gerrit Cole and Georgia RHP Joshua Fields.

On Georgia prep shortstop Tim Beckham:

Beckham is a legit athlete with the arm, range and hands to stay at shortstop. A lot of times, a high school shortstop is the best athlete on his team if not a pro shortstop. That was the case with [Adrian] Cardenas. B.J. Upton had the tools to play shortstop, but throwing accuracy became a problem. [Brandon] Wood could play shortstop, but the Angels may have a bigger need at 3B. [Matt] Bush can definitely play shortstop, but he couldn’t hit at all.

Callis also mentions a couple of left-handers — Brian Matusz and Josh Romanski — from my alma mater (USD) as being potential early picks. I’ve seen both pitch, and I’m looking forward to watching them again this year (in less than two weeks!).

Anywho, just a little something to whet your appetite for the draft…