June 16, 2017 Page 1 of 27

Clips

(June 16, 2017)

June 16, 2017 Page 2 of 27

Today’s Clips Contents

FROM LOS ANGELES TIMES (Page 3)

Angels' pitching woes continue in 7-2 loss to Royals

Angels sign first-round draft pick Jordon Adell

FROM ORANGE COUNTY REGISTER (Page 5)

Ricky Nolasco has a rough night in Angels’ loss to Royals

Angels Notes: Matt Shoemaker improved, but his next step remains uncertain

FROM ANGELS.COM (Page 9)

Adell wastes little time in signing with Halos

Nolasco hit hard as Halos fall to Royals

Injury not expected to sideline Shoemaker

Cron following in his father's footsteps

Halos look to gain ground behind Chavez

FROM THE ASSOCIATED PRESS (Page 14)

Royals roll to 5th straight win by beating Angels 7-2

FROM ESPN.COM (Page 16)

Keith Law's draft recap: American League team-by-team breakdown

FROM BASEBALL AMERICA (Page 25)

After 60 Years In The Game, Bobby Knoop Shows No Signs Of Slowing Down

June 16, 2017 Page 3 of 27

FROM THE LOS ANGELES TIMES

Angels' pitching woes continue in 7-2 loss to Royals

By Steve Dilbeck

Frustration has a new face for the Angels. It looks like Ricky “Long Ball” Nolasco.

Nolasco is the Angels right-hander who can look near brilliant one moment and in the next like a pitcher

who can never surrender a hit that doesn’t leave vapor trails behind it.

Nolasco tried for the ninth time to win for the first time since April 27 and for the ninth time failed, the

Angels falling to the Kansas City Royals 7-2 on a warm Thursday night in Anaheim.

He was not helped along by a non-supportive offense, but neither did he do much for his own cause,

giving up five runs on 10 hits — almost all well struck — and walking two in six-plus innings.

Two of the hits were home runs, continuing a troubling theme to his season. He has given up

an American League-high 21 home runs.

“It’s definitely frustrating,” Nolasco said. “Those two balls just snuck out today. It’s something that really

hasn’t been an issue my whole career but for some reason this year it is. I just have to make better

pitches.”

Nolasco fell to 2-8, his ERA climbing to 5.01. All five Angels currently in the rotation have an ERA of more

than 4.00.

Angels manager Mike Scioscia blamed Nolasco’s troubles on an inconsistent release point.

“He’s missed a lot of spots,” Scioscia said. “Those misses where he’s trying to go away and leaving it over

the heart of the plate, guys have had pretty good swings at those.”

Meanwhile, the Angels could do little with Matt Strahm. If that’s an unfamiliar name, that is

understandable.

Strahm is a 25-year-old left-hander who was making the first start of his career after 41 relief

appearances. He looked like a veteran starter against the Angels.

Strahm (2-3) went five innings, giving up one run on three hits and walking one. He struck out three and

benefited from a seeming Danny Espinoza solo homer being overturned from a video review in the fifth.

The ball was foul.

A 21st-round draft pick by the Royals in 2012, Strahm threw a career-high 68 pitches. The only run the

Angels scored against him came in the first on a bloop single by Albert Pujols.

But Nolasco gave up RBI doubles to Alex Gordon and Whit Merrifield in the second and the Angels never

led again.

June 16, 2017 Page 4 of 27

After all the excitement in their comeback victory against the New York Yankees on Wednesday, the

Angels went rock-a-bye quiet Thursday. A regular New York hangover.

The offense stalling, Nolasco gave up a solo home run to Lorenzo Cain in the third and another to

Gordon in the fourth.

“I was trying to find a way to grind it and get it to that seventh inning,” Nolasco said. “Just keep grinding.

That’s all you can do.”

When he gave up a leadoff single to Cain in the seventh, he was finished. Reliever Jose Alvarez did not

help the cause, giving up four hits in the inning and allowing three more runs to score.

“[Nolasco] was behind a lot of hitters,” Scioscia said. “They were on a lot. They had a lot of traffic out

there. He battled to get through six but he’s just not quite where he needs to be.”

Yunel Escobar singled in a sixth-inning run, and the Angels’ offense was finished.

The Royals finished with 15 hits. Seven went for extra bases.

Angels sign first-round draft pick Jordon Adell

By Steve Dilbeck

Three days after selecting high school outfielder Jordon Adell with the 10th pick in the major league draft

— and just a day after the three-day draft ended — the Angels signed the 18-year-old.

The deal for the exact $4,376,800 slot was reached Thursday, making Adell the first No.1 draft pick to

agree to terms. The Angels made the announcement on the video board at Thursday’s home game

against the Kansas City Royals.

The agreement came after Adell passed his physical. He was at Thursday’s game.

"For me it was a no-brainer. I didn't want to waste any time and wanted to get right to work," he said.

He'll start at team's Arizona facility.

Adell, a five-tool player, hit 25 home runs, tops among high school players in the United States, and

batted .563 with 22 stolen bases at Ballard High in Louisville, Ky.

The Angels plan to develop him as an outfielder, but as a pitcher the right-hander can throw a fastball at

95 mph.

Shoemaker improved

Right-hander Matt Shoemaker, who left Wednesday’s game in the fourth inning with a sore forearm,

showed improvement Thursday, manager Mike Scioscia said.

June 16, 2017 Page 5 of 27

“He still has a little stiffness, but it’s definitely better,” Scioscia said. “We’ll continue to evaluate and see

how it goes.”

Scioscia said Shoemaker did not participate in any throwing Thursday.

“He’s had these before, and they seem like they go away in fairly short order,” Scioscia said. “How many

days that is remains to be seen. Long-range we’re really not concerned with it.”

Shoemaker’s next regular start would be Tuesday, though that follows an off-day and the Angels could

elect to skip him a turn.

If they place him on the 10-day disabled list and need another starter, veteran right-hander Doug

Fister is a logical candidate. He’s scheduled to make his third start for triple-A Salt Lake on Friday. Fister,

33, can opt out of his contract if not in the majors by Wednesday.

Short hops

Reliever Huston Street (triceps) on his first rehab outing in two weeks Wednesday with Class-A Inland

Empire: “I came out of it healthy, that’s all that matters. I was terrible as far as the way I pitched.”

Street, who gave two hits, three runs and walked one while getting one out, said he is scheduled to pitch

Friday and Monday for Salt Lake, and then hopes to be activated. He has yet to pitch this season. …

Right-hander Daniel Wright was called up from Salt Lake and Parker Bridwell was optioned to triple-A.

FROM ORANGE COUNTY REGISTER

Ricky Nolasco has a rough night in Angels’ loss to Royals

By Jeff Fletcher

ANAHEIM — The Angels are still waiting for the Ricky Nolasco who was so encouraging at the end of last

season.

This year’s version has been markedly different, pitching inconsistently except for one maddening

constant: balls flying over the fences.

Nolasco gave up two more homers, increasing his league-leading total to 21, in the Angels’ 7-2 loss to the

Kansas City Royals on Thursday night.

“With Ricky, it’s pretty simple,” Manager Mike Scioscia said. “It’s just his command, being able to repeat a

release point.”

Nolasco gave up five runs in six-plus innings, raising his ERA to 5.01. He has not been the pitcher who had a

3.21 ERA in the last two months of 2016, after the Angels got him from the Minnesota Twins.

June 16, 2017 Page 6 of 27

Scioscia said Nolasco and pitching coach Charlie Nagy have been “working very hard between starts, trying

to find that timing, tempo and delivery he had for the last dozen starts last year where he was locked in.

He’s working hard. Hopefully he’ll find it, because he’ll give us a big lift.”

Nolasco seems as puzzled as anyone as to what’s gone wrong.

“Just keep grinding,” he said. “That’s all I can do.”

The most mystifying part of his troubles have been the homers. Lorenzo Cainand Alex Gordon took him

deep in the third and fourth innings, putting the Angels behind, 4-1.

Coming into this season, Nolasco had allowed 1.1 homers per nine innings over 11 seasons in the majors.

The most homers he had allowed in a season was 28, back in 2008.

This season is not even half over and he’s on pace to shatter that, having allowed 2.4 homers per nine

innings.

On the positive side, Nolasco has allowed 16 of the homers with the bases empty. Despite his rough

outing, the Angels were within reach, if they could have mustered much offensively.

Facing lefty Matt Strahm, who was making his first big league start, the Angels scored an unearned run in

the first inning, and then nothing else through Strahm’s five innings.

The Angels had just three hits against Strahm.

In the fifth inning, Danny Espinosa appeared to hit a homer down the left-field line. After a review, though,

umpires ruled his shot had passed just foul of the pole. Espinosa then struck out.

The Angels got that run back in the sixth. Cameron Maybin singled and scored on Yunel Escobar’s single to

pull within 4-2.

But before the Angels could bat again, the game got away.

The Royals scored three runs in the seventh, including one unsightly sequence. Sal Perez’s bloop into

shallow center dropped, despite first baseman C.J. Cron, second baseman Espinosa and right fielder Kole

Calhoun converging on it. Perez was then able to go to second when the throw came to the plate.

Perez and Eric Hosmer then scored on a Mike Moustakas single, extending the Royals’ lead to 7-2.

The first of the three seventh-inning runs was charged to Nolasco, who could at least take some solace in

the fact that he made it that far.

“I was able to throw up some zeroes in the fifth and sixth to get to the seventh,” he said. “At the end of the

day, I just put us in a hole, and it’s kind of hard to dig out.”

June 16, 2017 Page 7 of 27

Angels Notes: Matt Shoemaker improved, but his next step remains uncertain

By Jeff Fletcher

ANAHEIM — Matt Shoemaker is in a holding pattern after leaving his last start with tightness in his

forearm.

Manager Mike Scioscia said Thursday that Shoemaker has improved, but the club is still unsure what is

next for him.

“He still has a little stiffness,” Scioscia said, “but it’s definitely better. We’ll continue to evaluate it and see

how it goes.”

Shoemaker said after Wednesday’s 7-5 victory over the New York Yankees that he was not concerned

about the tightness, which he also felt a little after his previous outing. It resolved within a couple days

then, and he was able to take his next turn.

“I’m not concerned about it, but it’s still got to calm down, that spot of tightness,” Shoemaker said

Thursday. “I feel like it’s a little better, but I can’t really tell how much better it is just sitting here right

now.”

Shoemaker did not touch a ball on Thursday. He said he would normally throw a bullpen session two days

before a start, so he’ll need to be able to do that on Saturday or Sunday if he’s to take his next turn in the

rotation, on Tuesday in New York.

If he can’t make it, the Angels have a few options, because of Monday’s off day. They could simply push his

spot back as far as next Saturday, giving him nine days of rest.

If Shoemaker is placed on the 10-day disabled list, and the Angels need another starter to take his place at

least once, they could turn to Doug Fister. Fister is scheduled to start on Friday for Triple-A Salt Lake City. It

would be his third outing at Triple-A since signing with the Angels. Fister has a clause in his contract

allowing him to request his release if he’s not in the majors by next Wednesday.

STREET’S OUTING

Huston Street headed for Triple-A, scheduled to make at least two outings before the Angels could activate

him. He said he’s expecting to throw one inning on Friday and four outs on Monday.

“If I do well in my next two outings, I should be on a plane to New York,” he said. “That’s my hope. They

may decide they want me to do one more outing. If they do, we’ll talk about it.”

Street retired only one of the five batters he faced on Wednesday night with Class-A Inland Empire. He

walked two and gave up two hits, and was charged with three runs. His velocity was mostly around 86

mph with his fastball, he said.

Although neither the results nor the velocity were what he wanted, he was undeterred.

June 16, 2017 Page 8 of 27

“I came out of it healthy,” he said. “That’s all I care about. I was terrible, as far as the way I pitched, but

that’s why you do it. … The results are what they are. That’s why you have three (rehab outings).”

While Street could be back in about a week, Cam Bedrosian is hoping to be back sooner. He gave up one

run on two hits in two-thirds of an inning on Thursday night with Inland Empire. He struck out two. He had

said he expected that to be his final outing before being activated.

DONE DEAL

The Angels agreed to terms on Thursday with first-round pick Jo Adell, inking him to a deal exactly at the

slot value for the 10th pick: $4,376,800.

Adell, an outfielder from Lousiville, Ky., arrived in Southern California on Wednesday and underwent a

physical. Scouting director Matt Swanson said Wednesday that he was confident the Angels would be able

to sign all their picks in the top 10 rounds.

Angels general manager Billy Eppler said Adell would begin working out at the Angels complex in Arizona

and then play in the Arizona Summer League.

ALSO

Garrett Richards continues to work out in the gym, but he said he has no idea when he’ll be able to throw.

He said it’s been about a month since he even underwent the strength test the Angels use to determine

whether he’s ready to pick up a ball. Although it’s been more than two months since he threw, he said he’s

still “moving in the right direction,” and he’s hopeful he can pitch this year. “I’ll be ready to go when the

time comes,” he said. “There’s nothing I can do till I start throwing. That’s kind of what I’m waiting on.” …

Don’t expect the Angels to try Eric Young Jr. at second base to keep his bat in the lineup once Mike Trout

returns. Young hasn’t played any significant amount at second since 2010, which Scioscia said is because it

was determined the outfield was a better fit for him. Scioscia said trying Young at second now would be

“sketchy, at best.” Trout is still at least three weeks away from returning, so “a lot can happen,” Scioscia

said. …

Andrew Bailey, who has been out with a sore shoulder, is scheduled to get back on a mound on Monday,

he said. Bailey has been out for about two months, including a couple weeks in which he was shut down

from throwing. …

Daniel Wright was recalled to take the spot of Parker Bridwell, who was optioned after Wednesday’s

game. Bridwell would have been unavailable for a few days after throwing 56 pitches on Wednesday.

Wright was recalled for the fifth time this season.

June 16, 2017 Page 9 of 27

FROM ANGELS.COM

Adell wastes little time in signing with Halos

By Kaelen Jones / MLB.com

ANAHEIM -- The Angels signed 2017 first-round Draft pick, outfielder Jordon Adell, Thursday after he

passed a physical. The deal includes a $4,376,800 signing bonus.

"To me it was a no-brainer," Adell said of the decision Thursday, as he attended the Angels' 7-2 loss to

the Royals. "I'm in a situation where I felt like I was the guy. This organization believes in me."

Adell is the first top-round pick to sign with a team.

The Angels selected Adell out of Ballard High School in Louisville, Ky., with the 10th-overall pick in

Monday's Draft. He was ranked the No. 21 prospect in this year's class, according to MLBPipeline.com.

The 18-year-old said he didn't want to waste time over negotiations so he could get to work. He added

that he doesn't want to rush his development, either.

"I just want to soak up all the information I can, and get the at-bats that I need and the reps that I need,"

he said. "When I'm ready, that time will come."

During his senior year, Adell garnered Gatorade Kentucky Baseball Player of the Year honors, batting

.562, while tagging 25 home runs -- the most of any high schooler in the country -- and 61 RBIs, along

with 22 stolen bases and 53 runs.

Adell will head back to North Carolina this weekend to get together with family prior to joining the AZL

Angels, the Halos' extended spring training team in Arizona, on Wednesday.

"He'll start in Arizona," Los Angeles general manager Billy Eppler said. "We'll probably go through the

orientation process, similar to what we would do in Spring Training when our hitters show up, with a

couple days of [batting practice], and then maybe some live BP, and just some tracking, and put him out

there, and bring him along."

Nolasco hit hard as Halos fall to Royals

By Kaelen Jones and Jeffrey Flanagan / MLB.com

ANAHEIM -- Lorenzo Cain and Alex Gordon each hit home runs to back left-hander Matt Strahm's

impressive outing as the Royals topped the Angels, 7-2, in Thursday night's series opener at Angel

Stadium.

Kansas City tallied 15 hits, and eight of its nine starting batters logged at least one hit. Whit

Merrifield, Eric Hosmer and Mike Moustakas each added run-scoring hits and Gordon finished a triple

shy of the cycle. The Royals won their season-high fifth straight game.

June 16, 2017 Page 10 of 27

"We feel like we're playing well right now," Gordon said. "I think before this road trip, I feel like the team

hasn't really clicked all together, and it kind of feels like we're starting to do that. And the good thing is

we never really got too far out of it. We're still in this race."

Angels starter Ricky Nolasco surrendered five runs on 10 hits and two walks across six innings. He gave

up his 20th and 21st home runs of the season, the most allowed by an American League pitcher this

season.

Los Angeles manager Mike Scioscia attributed opponents tagging Nolasco for homers due to the right-

hander missing spots.

"He battled to get through six, but he's not quite where we know he can be," Scioscia said. "When he's

on, he's getting that good action and keeping the ball down, and making pitches."

"Just got to concentrate on making better pitches," Nolasco said. "Forget about this one tonight and go

on to the next one, just like I do every five days."

Strahm, making his first big league start after pitching out of the bullpen, allowed one unearned run in

five innings.

"A lot of good things happened tonight," Royals manager Ned Yost said. "Very encouraging. Matt got us

through five innings. And the offense is staying hot."

MOMENTS THAT MATTERED

Not-so seventh heaven: Royals catcher Salvador Perez followed Hosmer's one-run double with a

towering pop-up into shallow right field. Angels first baseman C.J. Cron, second baseman Danny

Espinosa, and right fielder Kole Calhoun ranged over, but the ball managed to drop safely for a single.

Upon fielding it, Cron fired home to prevent Hosmer from scoring, but allowed Perez to advance to

second. Moustakas then grounded a two-run single on the ensuing at-bat, to give the Royals a 7-2

advantage in the bottom of the seventh.

"They went hard at it," Scioscia said of the play. "It's just one of those balls that's right in the tough

spot."

Gordon's redemption: Gordon's error in left field in the first inning allowed Calhoun to advance to

second base before scoring on Albert Pujols' single to give the Angels a 1-0 lead. Gordon redeemed

himself when he roped a double into right field that Calhoun mishandled, allowing the tying run to

score. Gordon, who was a triple shy of the cycle, scored on Merrifield's ground-book double on the next

at-bat to give the Royals a 2-1 lead.

"I'm too old and too slow," Gordon said of trying to get a triple. "I just went for another homer."

SOUND SMART WITH YOUR FRIENDS

For the first time since 1979, the Royals now have scored seven or more runs in five straight games.

June 16, 2017 Page 11 of 27

THE HOME RUN THAT WASN'T

With two out in the bottom of the fifth, Espinosa hit a shot toward the left-field foul pole that first was

ruled his seventh home run of the season. The umpires convened and then, after a 28-second replay

review, the home run was overturned. Espinosa then struck out, ending the inning.

WHAT'S NEXT

Royals: Right-hander Ian Kennedy (0-6, 5.40 ERA) takes the mound in game two of the series against the

Angels on Friday at 9:07 p.m. CT. Kennedy gave up four runs in six innings and got no decision against

the Padres last Saturday in a game the Royals rallied to win, 12-6.

Angels: Right-hander Jesse Chavez (5-6, 5.06 ERA) will make his 14th start of the season during Friday's

matchup against Kansas City at 7:07 p.m. PT. In six career appearances against Kansas City, Chavez is 0-1

with a 1.65 ERA (three runs allowed over 16 1/3 innings).

Injury not expected to sideline Shoemaker

Halos' righty departed last start early with sore forearm

By Kaelen Jones / MLB.com

ANAHEIM -- Angels manager Mike Scioscia said Thursday that right-handed pitcher Matt Shoemaker,

who exited Wednesday's win over the Yankees after three-plus innings with tightness in the extensor of

his right forearm, will be monitored very closely before determining whether he'll be available for his

next scheduled start Tuesday.

"Historically, he's had these before, and they seem like they go away in fairly short order," Scioscia said.

"But how many days that is remains to be seen. I think long-range, we're not concerned with it."

Shoemaker received treatment for the injury Thursday. Scioscia added that the 30-year-old will throw a

bullpen session to assess how he's feeling before making a decision on his availability. The Halos have an

off-day Monday before opening a three-game series against the Yankees on Tuesday, and the Angels are

considering pushing Shoemaker's start back.

"We're going to wait for the symptoms to subside and then he'll start a throwing progression," Scioscia

said. "When that is, it'll let us know in its own time."

Wright recalled, Bridwell optioned

The Angels recalled right-handed pitcher Daniel Wright from Triple-A Salt Lake prior to Thursday's series

opener against Kansas City. Right-hander Parker Bridwell was optioned to Salt Lake on Wednesday night

after Los Angeles' 7-5 win over New York to make room for Wright.

Wright last pitched for the Angels on May 29 at Tampa Bay. He entered Thursday 0-1 and had posted a

5.19 ERA across 17 1/3 innings in four appearances (two starts) with Los Angeles this season.

June 16, 2017 Page 12 of 27

Bridwell, who had been recalled from Salt Lake prior to Wednesday's game, pitched 3 2/3 innings in

relief of Shoemaker. He relinquished one run on seven hits while permitting no walks and striking out

one batter.

Worth noting

• Right-handed reliever Huston Street will join Salt Lake, and throw for the club Friday and Monday as a

part of his rehab assignment.

Street -- who opened the season on the 60-day disabled list with a right lat strain -- pitched for Class A

Advanced Inland Empire on Wednesday in his first outing since suffering a setback during his rehab in

early June. He gave up three runs on two hits and two walks in 1/3 inning, however the 33-year-old isn't

overly concerned by his performance.

"The results are what they were, but that's why you have three to kind of lock it back it," he said. "All I

want to be is healthy. I don't really worry too much."

Street long-tossed at 160 feet Thursday, and made 90 throws.

• The Angels are "still waiting for an evaluation" on right-handed pitcher Garrett Richards, according to

Scioscia. Richards has been on the DL since April 7 with a right biceps strain.

• Right-handed reliever Cam Bedrosian was scheduled to pitch one inning for Inland Empire on

Thursday. The 25-year-old has been on the DL since April 22 due to a right groin strain, but said Tuesday

he's confident he'll be activated either Friday or Saturday.

• Scioscia said left-handed pitcher Tyler Skaggs' bullpens are getting more aggressive, and will throw out

of the stretch during his next bullpen session. The southpaw has been on the DL with a strained right

oblique since April 29.

"He's passing these hurdles, but there's still a lot left before we see Tyler on the mound for us," Scioscia

said.

Cron following in his father's footsteps

Halos' first baseman grew up around the game

By Maria Guardado / MLB.com

ANAHEIM -- C.J. Cron doesn't remember much from his father's playing days. When Chris Cron broke

into the Majors with the Angels in 1991, his eldest son was one-year old, too young for any of those

memories to take hold.

But C.J. has plenty of recollections of Chris' career as a Minor League coach and manager. He spent the

summers of his youth following his father to towns like Hickory, N.C., and Birmingham, Ala., where he

saw his own baseball development begin to take shape.

June 16, 2017 Page 13 of 27

"I guess I kind of grew up around the game," C.J said. "You almost can't even pinpoint stuff because I

don't know any different. We were always hitting, we were always taking groundballs, we were always

playing catch. Ever since I was born, I was in all that stuff.

"Just being around all the teams that he used to coach, I think helped me a lot," he added. "It definitely

plays a big part in where I am today."

Chris, now the Minor League hitting coordinator for the D-backs, also believes C.J.'s early exposure to

the game granted him a wealth of knowledge that he still carries with him as a first baseman for the

Angels.

"I don't know exactly how he got all the little nuances of the game," Chris said in a phone interview. "I

always say that I could not feasibly teach my kids everything that they've ever learned, but being that

they were always there in the Minor Leagues for umpteen years, osmosis took over and it just sunk in,

somehow, someway."

Given Chris' own trajectory in professional baseball, it seemed natural that C.J. would also gravitate

toward the sport.

Baseball was always on in the Cron household, and Chris recalls C.J. hammering softballs, sliding and

imitating the players he saw on television as a kid. As he grew older, C.J.'s talent began to emerge. By

the time he got to the University of Utah and became a two-time All American, it became clear to Chris

that his son had a future in the big leagues.

In 2011, the Angels selected C.J. with their first-round Draft pick, bringing him into the same

organization where his father had spent the bulk of his 12-year playing career.

"It was a special night," Chris said.

Chris typically makes a trip out to Angel Stadium to see C.J. play once a year, but he watches all his at-

bats on television and is always available as a hitting resource for his son.

"I would love for him to use me more," Chris joked.

Said C.J.: "At this point in my life, I know exactly what he's going to say every time. I've been hearing it

for years upon years. But it's always nice to hear what he has to say. I always take it to heart. And he

knows if I ever have questions, I go right to him, so that's kind of how it works."

Regardless of C.J.'s results on a given night, Chris always makes sure to send him an encouraging text

message after each game, assuming his primary role as a parent rather than a coach in his son's life.

"I'm there as the father more so than the hitting guy," Chris said. "It doesn't matter how they're doing. If

it's good or it's poor, you're always still trying to be the regular parent and just say, 'Hey man, I'm so

proud of you. Just keep doing what you're doing because you're living your dream.'"

June 16, 2017 Page 14 of 27

Halos look to gain ground behind Chavez

By Jeffrey Flanagan / MLB.com

Royals right-hander Ian Kennedy (0-6, 5.40 ERA) keeps inching closer to the pitcher he was before going

on the disabled list early last month. In his last outing, Kennedy went six innings, his most since April 22

when he recorded seven innings of one-run ball against Texas.

Kennedy will be opposed by Angels right-hander Jesse Chavez (5-6, 5.06 ERA) on Friday night. Kennedy

gave up four runs in his last outing, a 12-6 Royals comeback win over San Diego.

"I just think his command is getting better," Royals manager Ned Yost said. "I don't think his stuff was

any worse than before the injury. But when he's pitching well he commands that fastball. And you're

seeing more and more of that each time out from him."

Chavez has made only one career start against the Royals and that came with Oakland in 2015. He gave

up three runs and six hits over 5 2/3 innings in a loss.

Things to know about this game

• Over his first three starts of 2017, Kennedy posted a swinging-strike rate of 13.8 percent. That

dropped to 8.5 percent over his next seven outings before he notched a season-high 15-percent rate last

Saturday at San Diego.

• Royals first baseman Eric Hosmer is 3-for-7 in his career against Chavez.

FROM THE ASSOCIATED PRESS

Royals roll to 5th straight win by beating Angels 7-2

Associated Press

ANAHEIM, Calif. -- A trip to California was all the Kansas City Royals needed to get their offense in gear.

Lorenzo Cain and Alex Gordon hit solo home runs and the Royals picked up their fifth consecutive

victory, beating the Los Angeles Angels 7-2 on Thursday night.

The Royals have now scored at least seven runs in each of their last five games, marking only the third

such streak in franchise history. The feat was previously accomplished May 25-June 1, 1978 and Aug. 9-

12 1979.

The streaking Royals have been getting it done with power, clubbing 14 homers in this unbeaten stretch

that began at San Diego, continued in San Francisco and has carried back down to Orange County.

June 16, 2017 Page 15 of 27

"The offense is just rolling right now," Gordon said. "It started in San Diego. As an offense, it kind of

clicks, and everyone just, you know, tags along."

Cain hit a line drive that barely cleared the wall in left center in the third inning, and Gordon followed it

up with a shot to center in the fourth, his third of the year.

For Gordon, who went 3 for 5 and came up a triple shy of hitting for the cycle, it was especially

gratifying. He arrived in California hitting .174, but is 8 for 22 on the trip.

"You try to keep your head up," Gordon said. "Obviously, you are going to go through struggles in

baseball sometimes, and just try to find a way out of it. Hopefully it will keep coming."

That was more than enough support for Matt Strahm (2-3), who won his first career start after making

41 appearances as a reliever over the past two seasons. Strahm went five innings, striking out three

while giving up three hits and one walk.

"It's the first time we've seen him in the windup this year, but he commanded his pitches well," Royals

manager Ned Yost said.

Ricky Nolasco (2-8) dropped his sixth straight start, giving up five runs and 10 hits in six innings, while

the Angels failed to pick up their first three-game winning streak since Mike Trout's thumb injury.

Kole Calhoun put the Angels ahead 1-0 in the first, scoring an unearned run when Albert Pujols singled

to right after initially reaching second on Gordon's error, but the Royals responded with two runs in the

second after a throwing error by Calhoun.

Danny Espinosa of the Angels lost a home run in the fifth when the video replay showed his shot into

the corner in left had curled out of play.

The Angels did finally notch their second run an inning later when Yunel Escobar picked up an RBI, only

for the Royals to respond with three in the seventh. Mike Moustakas had two RBI, giving him 16 in 13

games this month.

Moustakas' eruption is indicative of a team-wide trend. The Royals have scored 42 runs in their last five

games.

EASY ADJUSTMENT

Considering Strahm's last start happened in Double-A last July, the second-year left-hander had no

apparent issues transitioning from reliever to the first pitcher up.

"I don't ever feel like I conserve anything," Strahm said. "Competing every pitch and just try to be as

effective as possible with every pitch."

The plan was to have Strahm throw between 65 and 70 pitches, and he finished at 68. Pitching coach

Dave Eiland wanted to have Strahm get up to throw four times, but Yost felt confident in letting him get

back up for the fifth.

June 16, 2017 Page 16 of 27

"Now, hopefully 85 pitches next time," Strahm said.

TRAINER'S ROOM

Royals: DH Brandon Moss was back in the starting lineup after being limited to three at-bats as a pinch-

hitter during interleague play at San Diego and San Francisco. Moss went 1 for 5.

Angels: RHP Matt Shoemaker's status for his next scheduled start is uncertain after leaving Wednesday's

game against the Yankees with tightness in his forearm. "Historically, he has had these before and they

seem like they go away in fairly short order," manager Mike Scioscia said. "How many days that is

remains to be seen." . Scioscia believes RHP Cam Bedrosian (groin) is "very close" to returning.

Bedrosian pitched 2/3 of an inning in a rehab assignment with the Angels' Single-A affiliate Thursday.

SIGNED, SEALED, STARTING SOON

The Angels have signed first-round draft pick Jordon Adell and the No. 10 overall selection will report to

the club's rookie ball affiliate in Arizona next Wednesday.

"For me, it was a no-brainer," Adell said. "This organization believed in me and it was easy. I didn't want

to waste any time. I wanted to get right to work."

Adell led the nation with 25 home runs last season for Ballard High School in Louisville, Kentucky.

UP NEXT

Royals: RHP Ian Kennedy (0-6) has given up at least four runs in each of his last six starts. The Huntington

Beach native and former USC star is unlikely to find any home-cooking against the Angels, with an 0-4

record in six career starts.

Angels: RHP Jesse Chavez (5-6) has allowed a home run in 11 straight appearances to set a franchise

record. Chavez dropped his only previous start against the Royals in 2015.

FROM ESPN.COM

Keith Law's draft recap: American League team-by-team breakdown

By Keith Law / ESPN Senior Writer

These American League team-by-team recaps focus on the first five rounds of this week's MLB Rule 4

draft, although I'll mention lower picks as appropriate if it's a player of note or someone I thought was

worthy of a higher pick. The National League version will appear on Friday.

Baltimore Orioles

The Orioles scored big with their first pick, Georgia prep lefty D.L. Hall (first round), who ranked eighth

on my board. He's an athletic kid with a plus fastball and curveball already, average changeup, and a

June 16, 2017 Page 17 of 27

good delivery. The O's have had trouble developing pitchers, notably because they've changed a lot of

kids' mechanics, but if they just let Hall be he should dominate the low minors. The O's also took

Canadian shortstop Adam Hall (second round), no relation to D.L., who wasn't on my top 100; he's an

average runner with some bat speed but a wrap and a linear approach that doesn't look as if it'll

produce power, and I think he's maybe 50/50 to stay at short.

Zac Lowther was taken in competitive balance round B after the second round (2B), which made him the

highest-drafted player ever from Xavier University. He's a big, thickset lefty who'll pitch at 89-90 mph as

a starter to go with a plus breaking ball, probably in a back-end starter, but he might be more valuable in

a relief role. Jacksonville University right-hander Mike Baumann (3) has touched 97 mph with his fastball

and sits mid-90s as a starter with an assortment of not-average secondary pitches, although his slider

might get there in time. Given his delivery and below-average command, the consensus on Baumann

had him as a two-pitch power reliever in pro ball. Right-hander Jack Conlon (4) has a big arm, throws 92-

95 mph with some sink, and shows an above-average breaking ball, but he has a violent delivery with a

head-whack and he'll need a lot of cleaning up to start. Lamar Sparks (5) is an upside play, a high school

outfielder who can run and has a 70 arm with average present power and a swing that works but the

usual questions about how advanced the bat is right now.

Boston Red Sox

Tanner Houck (1) has been a dominant starter for three full years at Mizzou, working with an above-

average fastball/slider combination, good sink at 92-93 mph and a four-seamer clocked up to 97, but the

delivery is cross-body and has effort to it. The combination gives him deception and he always has

thrown strikes, but I have real concerns he'll wind up a reliever, especially if the changeup -- a pitch he

has but that Mizzou never calls -- doesn't develop. Outfielder Cole Brannen (2) was probably a top-40

pick had he been healthy all year, but he started out badly while coming back from a broken hamate

bone. He's a 60- or 70-grade runner and should be a good defensive center fielder, and he has the bat

speed to hit but doesn't project to power with his current mechanics.

Brett Netzer (3) is a second baseman from UNC-Charlotte with a short swing from a dead start who

never strikes out and doesn't project to any power. Right-hander Jake Thompson (4) of Oregon State

was dominant this year for the Beavers. He was a redshirt junior who missed most of 2015 because of a

back injury and hadn't pitched at this level before. His fastball has been clocked up to 95 mph,

complemented with an average slider and changeup but has a high-effort no-windup delivery. The Red

Sox had been linked to Alex Scherff (5) in the second round but landed him in the fifth; the Arizona State

commit sits 91-94 mph with an above-average curveball and average change, with a short stride that's

not that common on starting pitchers.

June 16, 2017 Page 18 of 27

Chicago White Sox

Chicago went for impact college bats on Day 1, taking two of the strongest hitters on the board in Jake

Burger (1) and Gavin Sheets (2). Burger had some of the best exit velocities in the class and there's little

question about his bat, whether it's to hit or show power, but he's probably not going to stay at third

base over the long haul. Sheets is very strong and looks the part of a big league slugger, but analysts

were concerned about his huge home/road splits (Wake Forest is a great park for power hitters) and

trouble with left-handed pitching.

The Sox kept it going with New Mexico outfielder Luis Gonzalez (3), who might have slipped that far on

some late makeup questions. He shows above-average range in center and has good bat speed, with

some mechanical issues that might limit his contact rates. UNM plays at the Albuquerque Isotopes'

ballpark, one of the most extreme hitters' parks in minor league or Division I baseball, and no position

player drafted from UNM has ever posted positive WAR in the majors.

Louisville reliever Lincoln Henzman (4) could move up quickly. He's a strike-thrower with a low-90s

fastball and promising cutter, although he has started in the past and could move back to that role. Tyler

Johnson (5) was South Carolina's closer and has reached 98 mph with his fastball, but it's an all-arm

delivery and he missed time this spring with "arm soreness." Louisville right-hander Kade McClure (6) is

90-93 as a starter with a solid-average breaking ball at 79-82 and projects as a fifth starter. TCU

catcher Evan Skoug (7) showed surprising power this year but struck out in 36 percent of his at-bats. I

thought his swing would produce more contact but fewer homers, and it might be that that's a tradeoff

he'll have to make. He's a long shot to catch but should at least start his pro career behind the dish.

Cleveland Indians

Cleveland didn't have a first-round pick because it signed Edwin Encarnacion as a free agent, so its first

selection came in the second round with Queens High School outfielder Quentin Holmes. He had first-

round upside but struggled with the bat all spring. He's fast and athletic but still not very physically

mature and needs to add strength in addition to improving his pitch recognition, and might be a two-

year rookie ball guy.

The team surprised a lot of scouts by taking Tyler Freeman with the 71st pick overall with its competitive

balance pick after the second round. He's a high school shortstop committed to TCU, and I think most

teams had him off their boards either on signability or because they didn't think he was physically ready

for pro ball. He can hit but is undersized and might not stay at short. I thought he was a "college guy,"

meaning he'd need to go to school, and after that could make himself a better prospect depending on

how his body filled out.

The Indians announced Virginia shortstop Ernie Clement (4) as a second baseman, where I thought he'd

have to move. Like most UVA hitters, he never strikes out, but he also never walks and projects for no

power, hitting only four homers in total in three seasons at UVA and three summers. Mike Rivera (6) has

June 16, 2017 Page 19 of 27

been Florida's primary catcher for two-plus years and seems like a lock to get to the majors as a backup

because of his receiving skills and reputation for handling pitchers.

Detroit Tigers

Alex Faedo (1) seems like a very Tigers draft pick -- a big, physical, hard-throwing (sometimes) pitcher

who has some reliever risk. They've even done this before from the same school, taking Florida starter

Jonathan Crawford at pick 20 in 2013. (Crawford went to the Reds with Eugenio Suarez in the trade that

sent Alfredo Simon to Detroit; Crawford is in High-A this year and has walked more batters than he has

struck out.) Faedo was a potential single-digits pick but never got back into form after offseason knee

surgery, pitching at 90-94 mph when I saw him against Vanderbilt along with a plus slider that he threw

a lot and a below-average changeup. His delivery lacked rhythm and if that was all I'd ever seen of him I

would say he's 100 percent a reliever -- but it's possible he needs more time to get his knees back to full

strength.

Reynaldo Rivera (2) is a massive kid from Chipola College, a power-over-hit guy who scouts think will

struggle against good pitching and who might end up at first base given his size. University of

Washington catcher Joey Morgan (3) is a great catch-and-throw guy with a high probability of at least

becoming a big league backup; he can hit a little bit but doesn't project to power or on-base skills. Sam

McMillan (5) is a prep catcher who can throw and has power with a huge swing that can collapse his

back side. Notre Dame starter Brad Bass (6) has been 90-92 as a starter with a mid-80s slider but

showed better velocity before as a reliever and could have more value if he returns to that role.

Projected to go in the top 10 in some early rankings, J.B. Bukauskas went to the Astros at No. 15. Richard

C. Lewis/Icon Sportswire

Houston Astros

The Astros landed North Carolina right-hander J.B. Bukauskas (1) at pick No. 15 after he was tabbed as a

likely top-10 guy for most of the spring, although it's possible his standing slipped a little bit at the end

of the year when he seemed to lose some command. Bukauskas is a 6-foot right-hander who'll touch 98

with a plus slider and feel for a changeup that UNC didn't call very often, and normally he's a big strike-

thrower with a very aggressive approach. He doesn't have much plane on his fastball and his delivery

doesn't make much use of his lower half at all, so many scouts and execs feel as if he's more likely a

reliever than a starter.

Archbishop McCarthy's Joe Perez (2) is scheduled for Tommy John surgery this week. He has been up to

97 as a pitcher, but the Astros took him as a bat, so he should be able to return to action by spring

training if all goes well. He's a third baseman, assuming his plus-plus arm is fine, and keeps his hands

inside the ball very well at the plate, with a linear swing that looks more geared to contact than power.

The Astros received two picks from the Cardinals as a result of a St. Louis employee hacking into the

June 16, 2017 Page 20 of 27

Astros' baseball ops database, and used those picks on Texas A&M right-hander Corbin Martin (2) and

Arizona hitter J.J. Matijevic (2B). Martin came into the year as a potential first-rounder but struggled

early and bounced in and out of the Aggies' rotation before finishing more strongly. He has a starter's

arsenal, 91-93 with a slider and changeup, but it's a late arm and there's some stress on the shoulder as

a result. Matijevic put up huge numbers in Tucson, a good hitters' environment, but strikes out a bit too

often and is a physically mature 5-foot-11 kid who's probably limited to first base even though he was

announced at second.

Grayson County College right-hander Tyler Ivey (3) wasn't on many boards but has crept into the low to

mid-90s with a loose, quick arm and a chance for an above-average breaking ball, although there is a

split camp on whether it's a starter's delivery. Notre Dame reliever Peter Solomon (4) was bounced from

the rotation -- perhaps saving his arm -- and was 92-94 out of the pen with an average slider that kept

backing up on him when I saw him pitch, as he was releasing it a bit too early. He's a good project for a

player development staff because of the arm strength, but he needs some delivery work. Virginia prep

catcher Nathan Perry (5) has power from the left side but is a project behind the plate; he's committed

to High Point. Iowa's Jake Adams (6) transferred from a junior college and hit .335/.417/.747 with 29

homers for the Hawkeyes but punched out 57 times and can't play anywhere except first base, if

that. Kyle Serrano (10) could have had seven figures out of high school, went to pitch for his dad at

Tennessee, blew out, didn't throw strikes, pitched only 13 innings his last two seasons, and ended up a

senior sign in the 10th round. He still can show mid-90s velo with a power curveball and I would put him

right in the pen and let him go.

Kansas City Royals

Nick Pratto (1) has one of the best hit tools in the draft class, a great left-handed swing that produces

plenty of contact and should lead to future average power. He's a high school first baseman, so his

upside is limited, and that's as bad a demographic in the first round as you can find. In the past 15 drafts,

only one first-round high school first baseman has ended up producing positive WAR in the majors -- the

Royals' own Eric Hosmer. Catcher M.J. Melendez (2) has a 70 arm (if not better) behind the plate and

hits for power. He's agile behind the plate but too active, with the potential to be a good receiver if he

slows his game down. I'm more concerned about the hit tool, as his swing works but he doesn't have

great bat speed. JC lefty Evan Steele (2A) was worked unbelievably hard at Chipola this spring, throwing

140-plus pitches in a playoff outing despite missing time earlier in the spring because of arm trouble.

He's 90-91 with an average breaking ball, and it's very tough on lefties because he comes across his

body.

JC lefty Daniel Tillo (3) will top out at 89-92 with a sweepy slider from a low 3/4 slot and missed some

time late in the spring because of injury. Lipscomb outfielder Michael Gigliotti (4) starred on the Cape

last summer but never got anything going at the plate this spring, eventually bunting for more hits

because he was having trouble making good contact. He's a plus-plus runner who should be above

average in center, but of course he has to recapture the hit tool he showed in 2016.

June 16, 2017 Page 21 of 27

Los Angeles Angels

Kentucky prep outfielder Jordon Adell (1) was going somewhere in this range of the draft, clearly, based

on his tools, but I didn't find a more polarizing guy among scouts this spring. Some think he's a tooled-up

budding superstar, and some think he's the next Anthony Hewitt -- all tools, no production. He also had

issues throwing this spring. He'd been 90-93 as a pitcher in the past but was showing, in the words of

more than one scout, "a 30 arm" from the outfield this year. On the one hand, I completely understand

seeing a guy with this upside and pushing him to the top of your draft board, but I personally would

have a hard time with this profile -- raw hitter, lot of swing and miss, betting you can get the hit tool to

where it needs to be so the other tools play -- knowing he's also got something amiss with his arm too.

UCLA's Griffin Canning (2) was a sure first-rounder and could have gone No. 10 overall to the Angels if

the board had gone differently up top ... and if he hadn't gotten an MRI, part of MLB's new voluntary

process where players can choose to submit these exam results to all teams. Whatever teams found in

Canning's, they didn't like, and it cost him a million bucks. Canning has some effort in his delivery and he

was worked extremely hard at UCLA for three years -- 137 pitches the night I saw him -- but whatever

the cause of the injury was, it dropped him in the draft. It's the Angels' gain, and if Canning has to miss a

year due to surgery, the opportunity cost of a second-round pick is so much lower than that of a first-

round pick that I understand taking the gamble there.

Jacob Pearson (3) is a Louisiana prep outfielder with a good swing and strong hands, projecting to hit for

average with some power, but might end up in left field due to his lack of speed or arm strength. I

thought he might sneak into the second round. John Swanda (4) is a projection right-hander from Iowa

with a good delivery and arm action. He's a good athlete who can already spin it despite being more of a

shortstop than pitcher before this spring. Alabama prep right-hander Joseph Booker (5) has been up to

94 with feel for a breaking ball. He's a good athlete and scouts really liked his makeup.

Minnesota Twins

Early reviews around the game on the Twins' draft have been ... less than glowing. They took Royce

Lewis (1), the fifth-ranked player on my board, first overall, but don't appear to have used any savings to

get top talents with later picks. Lewis is a very athletic, quick-twitch kid, a plus runner with good bat

speed, very unlikely to stay at shortstop or even on the dirt but a potential plus-plus defender in center

given his speed and instincts.

They used their competitive balance pick on Mississippi State's Brent Rooker (competitive balance round

A, after the first round, or 1A), a redshirt junior -- so, in the controlled economy of the baseball draft, a

player with very little leverage -- who destroyed the SEC this year with a revamped swing, slugging over

.800 and hitting well against good pitching in the conference. Rooker turns 23 in November and doesn't

really have a position, so he needs to rake and do it quickly. They took Landon Leach at pick No. 37 (first

June 16, 2017 Page 22 of 27

pick in Round 2), a Canadian pitcher and the first player selected outside of my top 100. The 6-foot-4

right-hander is 91-93 with a hard slider, but the fastball is very straight -- even low-level hitters were

squaring it up -- and his arm is late relative to his landing leg.

They opened day two with Blayne Enlow (3), a first-round talent in my view and the best player on the

board after the first day. He has a wipeout breaking ball and has been in the low 90s but fatigued at the

end of the spring and was sitting in the mid to upper 80s. He needs to get stronger but I love the way his

arm works and the ball explodes out of his hand. Clemson junkballer Charlie Barnes (4) had great results

this year with a fringy fastball that might play as a 45 or below in pro ball, throwing strikes and using an

assortment of offspeed stuff. Guys like Barnes can end up big league starters but the line they walk is

very thin. The Twins did pass one test with Andrew Bechtold (5), a third baseman at Chipola College with

a quick and powerful swing, and an above-average runner. He can get passive at the plate but there's a

solid tools package here to start with. Ricardo de la Torre (6) is a true shortstop who needs to get a lot

stronger at the plate; he's a great long-term prospect and also strong value at this spot.

New York Yankees

Clarke Schmidt (1) was probably going to be drafted in the teens if he'd stayed healthy all spring, as he

had been bumping 97 mph with his usual strong results, but South Carolina brought him back fast from

an oblique strain, throwing him right back into the fire with three straight 100-pitch outings, after which

his elbow screamed. He had Tommy John surgery in April and will be out until at least next spring. When

healthy, he was throwing 94-97 mph with good life, plus a short downer mid-80s breaking ball and a big

action changeup that he didn't use very often. He has a rough arm action with timing issues, where his

arm is very late when his front leg strikes; when I saw him at the SEC tournament in 2016 I thought he'd

end up a reliever or hurt.

Matt Sauer (2) is also a tough-delivery guy -- a big, athletic kid throwing up to 95 mph with a good

breaking ball but with a lot of head violence in his delivery and a cutoff landing that brings him back

across his body too. I know some teams were fine with the way his arm works despite all of that and saw

a mid-rotation starter. Arkansas right-hander Trevor Stephan (3) has shown a plus fastball but no above-

average second pitch and he has a rough cross-body delivery. He started in his one year with the Hogs

but is probably a reliever in pro ball. Texas prep outfielder Canaan Smith (4) is a former quarterback with

a football build; he's strong for 6-footer but his swing is out of control and I worry there's a lot of swing-

and-miss here. Glenn Otto (5) is a Rice pitcher, with the added injury risk that that always carries, and he

missed fall ball because of arm soreness. He worked primarily in relief this year, throwing heat sitting in

the low to mid 90s and walking a man every other inning.

June 16, 2017 Page 23 of 27

Oakland Athletics

Austin Beck (1) has some of the best bat speed scouts have seen in years, reminiscent of Clint Frazier

or Javier Baez, along with above-average running speed and a plus arm. He's already pretty big

physically and is going to be huge when his upper body fills out, so he might end up a power-hitting right

fielder rather than staying in center. The biggest question on him is his hit tool, because he faced weak

competition this spring -- I happened to see him in a game his team won 15-0 via mercy rule -- and

didn't face any top arms last summer because he was rehabbing an ACL injury. Kevin Merrell (1A) is a 70

runner with a slappy little swing that has never produced any power except for this spring at USF. He

had only one extra-base hit in 59 plate appearances on the Cape (with wood) last summer. He's

probably not a shortstop in the long run, likely to move to second or center field. LSU outfielder Greg

Deichmann (2) projects as a low-average, high-walks and power corner outfielder, although his defense

in left or right projects as just fringy. He's already 22 and I believe he was the second-oldest hitter taken

on Day 1.

The A's took Nick Allen (3) with their first pick on Day 2, landing a second first-round talent; if Allen were

5-foot-11 rather than 5-8, I think he would have gone in the top 10. He can stay at short, and he can

really hit, and he's not powerless either. He'd supposedly wanted a big number to sign, but I assume the

A's took him knowing they could meet his price tag -- perhaps by going under slot on Merrell and/or

Deichmann. Allen and Beck make a great 1-2 upside punch. Vanderbilt's Will Toffey (4) is a plus defender

at third and a great college player but doesn't project to hit enough in pro ball to be more than an up-

and-down type. After that they went for less expensive picks, including some senior signs, probably to

clear cash to sign Allen.

Seattle Mariners

Kentucky first baseman Evan White (1) is a plus defender there but so athletic that the M's might be

better off moving him to the outfield. That could also help his overall profile. He has quick hands and

good extension through contact but hasn't shown the power you want from a first baseman yet. I

had Sam Carlson (2) as a first-round talent, but high school right-handers are a high-risk class and many

teams prefer to take those guys later and pay them over-slot bonuses. Carlson consistently hits 96 and

gets praised for his work ethic, but he does need to find a better breaking ball to remain a starter in the

long run. He has very little mileage on his arm as a cold-weather kid who didn't make his first start this

spring until April. Gonzaga senior Wyatt Mills (3) is almost certainly a discount pick to help shift bonus

pool money to Carlson. He's a reliever with an average fastball/slider combo but did post silly numbers

this year, with 58 strikeouts and four walks in 40 innings. Dallas Baptist reliever Seth Elledge (4) is 93-94

with a slider that flashes average and throws strikes. Catcher David Banuelos (5) is a catch-and-throw

guy, particularly the throw part but has never hit well enough to consider him a potential regular. Oliver

Jaskie (6) had a solid year at Michigan, but the lefty has just a fringe-average fastball and below-average

breaking ball.

June 16, 2017 Page 24 of 27

Tampa Bay Rays

The Rays scored big-time with their first pick, taking Brendan McKay (1) fourth overall. McKay is a two-

way player for the University of Louisville. Tampa Bay will at least start him out as both a starting pitcher

and a first baseman, although I doubt he'll pitch again until next year given his workload this spring for

the Cardinals. I thought most of the spring that his future was on the mound, since lefties with three

pitches and command like he has are scarce commodities. But he wore down as the spring went on but

kept right on hitting and hitting for power, so maybe he's a better asset with the bat after all.

The Rays took Oregon State right-hander Drew Rasmussen (1A). He had Tommy John surgery in March

2016 but is already back and pitching as if he never missed any time; he's throwing 93-95 mph again,

complemented with a slider that flashes plus. But I'm concerned about his workload as the Beavers head

to Omaha. Right-hander Michael Mercado (2) was seen as a very tough sign due to his commitment to

Stanford. He has an unrefined delivery, but he has projection for days on end and is already throwing

89-92 just on natural ability while also showing some feel for a curveball.

Florida State shortstop Taylor Walls (3) projects as a utility infielder; he's not a lock to handle short and

not providing much offense at all, hitting just .276/.421/.428 for the Noles this spring and unlikely to

show even grade 40 power with wood. Saint Mary's right-hander Drew Strotman (4) had been 89-91

mph early in the year but in April started bumping 97 mph and holding it deep into games; he comes

from a high release point and gets behind his low-80s breaking ball, but the arm strength is pretty

enticing. Lefty Josh Fleming (5) of Webster University was named the Division III pitcher of the year,

punching out a third of the batters he faced thanks to an above-average curveball and average

changeup.

Texas Rangers

Bubba Thompson (1) seems like such a quintessential Rangers pick, a multisport guy with big tools

across the board but questions about how much he'll hit. He's a former quarterback with plus speed,

arm strength, and power, projecting to stay in center field, and while scouts like his swing, he hasn't

faced a ton of good competition playing in the deep South, and he's already 19 years old. Chris

Seise (1A) seems likely to stay at shortstop and has a good mechanical swing, but it's all physical

projection and he doesn't have a lot of present strength for hard contact.

Right-hander Hans Crouse (2) has a lot of effort in his delivery but has been up to 97 as a starter and

really attacks hitters with a hard but slurvy breaking ball. Oral Roberts catcher Matt Whatley (3) is a

premium catch-and-throw guy with an outside chance to hit enough to be a regular but a high floor as a

backup. Ryan Dease (4) is a Florida prep right-hander who mostly pitched in the upper 80s with a below-

average slider. He was expected to go to the University of Central Florida. Jake Latz (5) has been 88-94

with a plus curveball and above-average changeup, and the delivery works for a starter, but he has some

injury concerns and redshirted this year after transferring from LSU, where the Tigers could barely use

him.

June 16, 2017 Page 25 of 27

Toronto Blue Jays

The Jays took North Carolina shortstop Logan Warmoth (1), who I thought was a top-10 talent in the

draft, at pick 22. He's likely to stay at shortstop, is an above-average runner, and had one of the best

swings in the draft class. I did hear some teams were concerned about his exit velocities, but I do think

the swing works well enough that I'd bet on sufficient hard contact to make him a regular at short. They

got junior college right-hander Nate Pearson (1A) with the compensatory pick for losing Edwin

Encarnacion. Pearson had hit 101 mph in a workout for scouts on Memorial Day but hasn't shown a

consistent average breaking ball yet, and I think it's a long development curve for him as a starter -- but

with high upside.

Catcher Hagen Danner (2) was a two-way player for Huntington Beach, a bat-first guy who probably

doesn't stay at the position, although the Jays intend to start him out there; if he surprises everyone and

remains a catcher he would probably be an above-average regular. Riley Adams (3) is also a catcher, this

time from the college ranks, a good catch-and-throw guy with a little power but questions about how

much he's going to hit.

Maryland shortstop Kevin Smith (4) came into the spring as a probable top-50 pick, but he never hit this

year, even against the weak pitching of the Big Ten. He also didn't convince anyone he'd stay at short

either, so he slipped to the fourth round as a probable utility infielder. The delightfully named Cullen

Large (5) isn't, and he's not good at second base. Since he hasn't hit for much power or shown great

walk rates, he's going to have to show a plus hit tool that he probably doesn't have.

FROM BASEBALL AMERICA

After 60 Years In The Game, Bobby Knoop Shows No Signs Of Slowing Down

By Bill Mitchell

TEMPE, Ariz.—Fans might not know the identity of the older man in the Angels uniform observing

workouts and games at the minor league complex, but Bobby Knoop is there just about every day that

school is in session for the youngest of the Angels farmhands.

The 78-year-old former big league second baseman and major league coach watches workouts and

games from his ubiquitous lawn chair, perched behind the fence on one of the complex fields. Here he

can get a good view of what’s happening on the field, occasionally taking breaks between innings to

work on the crossword puzzle from the daily newspaper. At times, he’ll head to a side field to hit

fungoes and give individual instruction to infielders. During the Arizona League season or when there’s

an extended spring training game in Tempe Diablo Stadium, he settles into a seat on the concourse

level, where he gets a bird’s eye view of the field.

Bottom line—if there’s baseball happening at the Angels minor league complex, Knoop is likely nearby.

June 16, 2017 Page 26 of 27

Knoop’s professional career dates back to 1956 when the Southern California teenager signed with the

Milwaukee Braves. Selected by the Angels in the December 1963 Rule 5 draft, Knoop made his big

league debut in 1964, launching a playing career that spanned nine seasons with the Angels, White Sox

and Royals. Regarded as one of the best defensive second basemen of his era, Knoop won three Gold

Gloves. In his best years he teamed with All-Star shortstop Jim Fregosi, who played 18 years in the bigs

followed by a 15-year managerial career.

“He was my teammate, of course, but more than that he was my roommate,” Knoop said about the late

Fregosi, “. . . my closest and dearest friend in baseball.”

Knoop’s acrobatic movements around the keystone earned him the nickname “Nureyev,” after Rudolph

Nureyev, the Russian ballet dancer of the era. That name was coined by Angels beat writers after Knoop

told them his mother insisted he take ballet lessons as a child. Knoop laughs now at the mention of the

nickname.

“The press put ‘Nureyev’ in there,” Knoop said. “When they asked a question I said my mother said I had

to take ballet lessons—which was a total fabrication! “

After his playing days were over, Knoop spent 21 years as a big league coach with the White Sox, Angels

and Blue Jays, and even got to fill in a few times as a manager. Does he regret not getting the chance at

a permanent managerial gig?

“I think anybody that stays in the game after they’re through playing (has) the thought they would like

to manage,” Knoop said. “It’s just that in my career no one ever asked. If they don’t ask, you can’t say

yes or no. They didn’t ask.”

Knoop’s primary role with the Angels is to observe and advise, a role that he’s held since returning to

the organization nearly five years ago after holding a similar position with the Rockies. He was inducted

into the Angels Hall of Fame in 2013.

Knoop brings 60 years of professional experience to the field. When he talks, players, coaches,

coordinators and managers alike listen.

“My position here is more as an observer,” Knoop said. “A person who can notice things and talk with

the individuals, especially the coordinators and the instructors. I don’t do a lot of instruction with the

individual players because I feel they get too many opinions from too many people. It’s better that they

have one or two people in the area that gives them information, so I pass information on to the

instructors, coaches and managers . . . The more information that you have the better decisions you can

make later on.”

Knoop’s contributions are certainly well-received by the minor league coaching staff.

“I’m usually walking by him to say, ‘Hey, Bobby, what do you think?,” AZL Angels manager Dave

Stapleton said. “He’s the wise one that will say, ‘That’s enough ground balls’ and those kinds of things . .

. He’s the best bench coach I have.”

June 16, 2017 Page 27 of 27

Knoop especially reaches out to the younger coaches and players who were born long after his major

league career ended. But just because the younger generation never saw him play or collected his

baseball card as kids, it doesn’t mean they don’t have the utmost respect for him.

“He just brings so much knowledge that young coaches just gravitate to him and talk to him all the

time,” Stapleton said. “Even as long as I’ve been doing this game, I’m talking to him every day about new

stuff. Just the wealth of knowledge that he brings to everybody . . . there’s not a player around that

doesn’t know they can go to him, talk to him, and he will make his way over if there’s something wrong .

. . Sometimes throughout the day he will touch them and talk to them about the things that he did and

how to approach it differently.”

While Knoop works more with the infielders, he has an impact on every player at the Angels complex.

Outfielder Jimmy Barnes, just 20, said that Knoop has helped him with his bunting, but more importantly

just talking to him about life issues and handling things mentally.

“Great players may strive to be the best that they can be,” Knoop said. “(But) it’s a team concept, and if

you’re not willing to help someone else be successful that takes away from your success . . . In order for

you to be successful, someone else has to help you. You have to have that same logic and that same

feeling every day you go out there on the field.”

At 78, Knoop shows no signs of slowing down. When told that he’s in good shape for his age, Knoop

chuckled and then said, “I’m not really certain that I’m in good physical shape. But I like to use the

expression that my father used—I’m in great shape for the shape I’m in . . . When you’re active as an

athlete and you start to lose your mobility—your ability to move and to have quick reactions—it bothers

you a little bit.”

Considering that his father lived to 101, Knoop should be able to stay around the game for as long as he

wants. He points to the example of former Angels coach Jimmie Reese, who worked with the big league

team into his 90s.

“I’ll do it as long as I feel I’m physically capable and mentally capable,” Knoop said,” and as long as they

want me to. They’ll let me know when they’ve had enough.”

But why not take it easy and enjoy some retirement years, especially considering he’s outside in the

brutal Arizona heat nearly every day?

“I suppose basically it’s all I’ve ever done, really,” Knoop said. “I don’t like being indoors. It’s kind of

rejuvenating to be able to work with younger people on a daily basis. I have civilian friends, but basically

the people I associate with are baseball people.”