First Look at Rule 5 Picks, Olbermann’s Errors, Minor League FA All Star Team

The Pirates have the second pick in the December Rule 5 Draft.  Donnie Veal and Evan Meek were two recent Rule 5 picks the Pirates made.  So I took a few minutes to take an early look around the league at who could be next for the Bucs.  The Astros certainly have some talent left unprotected.

Cards–OF Mark Shorey highlights the list of unprotected prospects in the system.  A link from Scout.com shows the Cardinals protected prospects and links if you care to dive in.

Cubs–  Matt Camp was probably the most familiar name left off the roster. Wrigley Bound had this to say about Camp.  He  is one of the more versatile players in the minor leagues, playing 2B, 3B, SS, LF, CF, and RF for Iowa last season. That alone could warrant him some consideration, but his weak bat will also likely keep him from being selected, as he had just a .669 OPS in AAA as a 25 year old. He has hit well in the Mexican League this fall though, for whatever that’s worth.

Brewers-David at Brewers Bar thinks former number one pick Mike Jones should have been protected. 

Astros–Koby Clemens, who had a famous father that won seven Cy Young Awards, led the minors with 121 RBI’s and Drew Locke remind Crawfish Boxes of Johan Santana?  Clemens, wow, talk about selling some tickets, ‘who cares if his breakout season was in a hitter’s park,’ I can hear a certain someone saying.  Locke had a hand injury that seems to be in the rear view now and many blog posters are frantic since he is hitting so well in VML.

Locke hit .338 with 20 homers and 109 RBIs at Corpus Christi, and Clemens hit .345 with 22 homers and 121 RBIs at Lancaster.

Clemens breakout season.  [Hard Ball]

Indians Prospect Insider says calm down on Matt McBride.

"McBride reminds me a lot of former Indians outfielder Ryan Goleski and the season he had in 2006 which vaulted him into Rule 5 consideration.  Goleski was taken with the first overall pick by Oakland, but failed to hit and show enough in spring training and was eventually returned.  I expect the same to happen with McBride if he is taken, and feel he will be in the Indians organization in 2010.  He is very talented and a great guy, yes, but it is all about how a guy translates to the big leagues right now and not in one to two years, and right now he just appears to be a bit further away than we think.That all said, I would have rostered him over Rivero as I think McBride has a much better chance of being selected in the Rule 5 Draft than Rivero would have_____________________________________________"

David Weathers to the Pirates?  Pinstriper thinks so.

Garret Jones highlights the minor league free agent all star team in this post.

We are not fans of Olbermunn, I mean Keith Olberrman so when he called Ross Ohlendorf Russ, I noticed.   So did Hardball Times.  Enjoy.

Reasons the Mariners can win the AL West.  Ahhh, Jack Wilson sure did disappoint. Ian Snell fooled them too.