'08 Draft Xtravaganza Hardcore Gangsta Pre-Game Show

Couple quick notes before talking about Eric Hosmer:

-Check out The Good Face and I for the second ever live-blogged event on bertflex.com! Here is the only picture of us that I could find together, from just a couple years ago. We'll be on for at least a couple hours, bringing you live draft coverage. It's not too often that guys like us refuse to be seen with dozens of hot, beautiful women for a prolonged period of time, but we'll be focusing all energy on the baseball draft later today.

-Future friend of the site Kevin Goldstein puts up a mock draft with plenty of inside info. He says the Cardinals will take Christian Friedrich LHP out of Eastern Kentucky. Hey that's what I said!! I is as smart as kavvin goldsteens. Side note: Hack, can you give us some analysis on Eastern KY? The Cardinals select 13th overall, then 39th as part of the Supplemental (known around here as Sandwich) round.

-Another Aaron Crow post over at Mizzourah.net. It's too bad Crow has been getting all the attention lately. Can you believe it's been, what...a month since a Mizzou athlete has gotten in trouble with the law? Don't tell me people have been busy studying. I know better than that.

-As our own Good Face pointed out a while back, today's Post-Dispatch article mentions that this is the highest the Cardinals have picked since taking Shaun Boyd 13th overall in 2000. Some guy named Chase Utley went to the Phillies at #15. By writing for this blog, Mizzourah, and InsideSTL, I have become more successful at life than Shaun Boyd. How 'bout a round of applause for me? Back to the article: Jeff Luhnow doesn't tip his hand much, and at least he doesn't say "we're looking to make a big splash" again. I was pumped up last year when that was quoted, followed by the Cardinals passing on Rick Porcello because of the price tag. (RP's been knocked around pretty good the past three games, nooo!)

I could go into a more detailed, hateful rant on the Cardinals' 2007 first round, but that's in the past. We get to live with Poopy Pete Kozma for the immediate future. Let's talk about this year's big prep hitter, and a guy I love (in baseball terms only...I think) Eric Hosmer:

A wise man once said "Hosmer is Polish for MASH." You'll find out why in a second. Here is another worthless MLB.com draft video. The first 20 seconds are of Hosmer adjusting his hat, then digging into the batters box twice. How can you not love the way this kid stands in the batters box?? Sign him up! They wrap it up by showing him field a soft grounder and tossing to the pitcher. Nice research guys.

On to the good stuff at youtube. Mmm, this one is mashy. Even better, one of the comments said Hosmer's school has the most arrogant fans in baseball. Awesome. Here is another bomb, where he appears to be reaching and hits it out, opposite field. I don't like the stroke as much there, though it looks like he was just waiting on the pitch and muscled it out. The third video is my favorite. That's how you rake, children.

I've seen reports (including the MLB.com video) saying that Hosmer is comparable to Casey Kotchman. I'm not buying it because Kotchman has clubbed a whopping 25 homers in nearly 1,000 career AB's, and is on a scorching 20 HR pace this year. They are very similar in height, weight, and left-handedness. And they both come from Florida High Schools. I haven't seen a ton of Casey Kotchman at-bats or clips over the years, but overall I like Hosmer's swing and feel there is way more power potential there than Kotchman.

As far as scouting goes, I suppose it's easy to throw a Kotchman comp out there now, and not act like a jackass proclaiming him to be a left-handed Derrek Lee or pre-07 Travis Hafner at the plate. But come on - his name begs us to call him "Hoss." We need to expect the world out of this guy and the time starts now!

Interestingly enough, Kotchman went 13th overall to the Angels back on '01, so hopefully some history repeats itself. Oops, there I go again, trying to imagine the dream-world where the Cardinals go over slot for a kid. Back to reality, college pitcher it is. I'm sticking to my guns; the Redbirds will take Friedrich.

See you later today.