By John Klima
June 9, 2009
Today, the Oakland A’s selected Grant Green with the 13th overall draft pick. Follow the links below for Baseball Beginnings content on Green.
Read Grant Green Q&A
Read Grant Green Scouting report
Watch Grant Green Scouting video
Watch Grant Green Scouting video Part 2
Watch Grant Green vs. Gerrit Cole video
What kind of pro will Grant Green Be?
By John Klima
June 7, 2009
The chain link fence at Cal State Northridge is so close to the field that whispers and grumbles carry as long and as far as the metal-bat home runs rocket through the smoggy air and carry over the brick walls.
Grant Green’s batting practice swings and at-bats that Saturday afternoon in early May were scrutinized by a number of national-level scouts, including a full house from the Washington Nationals, who made a western road trip out of the weekend, catching Stephen Strasburg on Friday night and driving up to Northridge on Saturday morning to see Green.
The grumbles from different teams are usually the same: where’s the power?
The next question is can he stay at shortstop? The popular answer this spring became, true or not, he’ll have to move.
Green was doing little things, like going up the middle to stay true to his swing, but for many observers, it hasn’t been enough, which begs the question: Is a prospect less of a player if he’s more of who he is than who you want him to be?
By John Klima
June 7, 2009
Somebody is about to get an everyday major league middle infielder who will hit enough to play. Maybe it will be YOUR team.
Read Grant Green Q&A
Read Grant Green Scouting report
Watch Grant Green Scouting video
Watch Grant Green vs. Gerrit Cole video
What kind of pro will Grant Green Be?
Oakland A’s Select Grant Green
By John Klima
June 5, 2009
(photo: San Diego State)
Mike Leake picked a bad year to have a good year. The Arizona State right-hander isn’t the most physically imposing pitcher. He could be the guy walking his dog down the street.
In a college season and a draft defined by the star-making status of Stephen Strasburg, Leake’s success has been achieved with less fanfare, less velocity and less stuff. He’ll be drafted in the first round, but few believe he will be a better pro than Strasburg.
Yet Leake shows signs that he has a chance to be a better pro, even if radar guns bury him and he’s been overshadowed by a media myth. Velocity doesn’t win in the big leagues. Movement, location, changing speeds, four pitches and pitching know-how do. In these respects, the little Arizona State right-hander who can touch 92 but get outs with 90 is virtually superior to his more heralded counterpart.
By John Klima
May 11, 2009
Jiovanni Mier is about as refined defensively as any high school shortstop you will find. His feet always move, his hands are soft, he has range, he has above-average athletic actions, and he re-directs the ball from glove to hand and gets rid of it quickly.
Most of your high school or college shortstops can’t stay at shortstop after they sign on that dotted line, but Mier will. That is why he is coveted in the 2009 draft and will find himself drafted in a good spot.
What Mier doesn’t want is the good-field, no-hit tag. It’s something that he doesn’t feel is accurate, but also concedes that he is a work in progress offensively.
He’s got help from his two older brothers, especially Jessie Mier, a 24-year old minor league catcher in the Dodgers organization. Jessie, who was a 12th round pick from Lewis & Clark in the 2007 draft and also noted for his defense, is playing close to home this season.
Playing for the Dodgers Class A Cal League Club in Inland Empire means Jessie can bring Jiovanni to work with him. That has allowed Jiovanni to work with older players and go through the pro routine with a wood bat.
It’s a path he expects to follow. Baseball Beginnings caught up with the Bonita HS (La Verne, Calif.) product and USC recruit, who may or may not be Grant Green’s replacement in 2010. (more…)
By John Klima
April 20, 2009
UCLA freshman right-hander Gerrit Cole is developing four pitches. (UCLA)
“His stuff is electric. His fastball is 97-98 with movement, his slider is devastating and he has the change-up he can throw to right-handers. Here comes an 18-year old and I feel lost in the box facing him. He definitely has the best stuff I’ve ever faced.” – UCLA junior third baseman Casey Haerther on facing teammate Gerrit Cole for the first time in Fall, 2008.
By John Klima
April 15, 2009
Following Grant Green’s scouting report and Q&A, here’s a clean look at him on video, offensively and defensively.
Learn more about Green:
Read Grant Green Q&A
Read Grant Green Scouting report
Watch Grant Green Scouting video Part 2
Watch Grant Green vs. Gerrit Cole video
What kind of pro will Grant Green Be?
Oakland A’s Select Grant Green
By John Klima
April 14, 2009
(photo courtesy USC)
Grant Green
Shortstop, USC (2009 Draft)
HT: 6-3 WT: 180 B/T: R/R
School: USC
Games Seen: 4, Innings: 36
By John Klima
April 7, 2009
This is an old-fashioned display of talent against talent. The footage here is the first two recent at-bats between Gerrit Cole and Grant Green. Cole, the freshman right-hander at UCLA who didn’t sign with the New York Yankees after they drafted him with the 28th overall pick in the 2008 draft, left a pitch up for Green in the first inning. Green, the USC shortstop who will be a first-round draft choice in 2009, did what professional hitters do with mistakes.
Cole evened the score in a brief encounter in their second at-bat. His final fastball, a four-seam demon, registered 97 mph on the guns. There’s very little I need to add to this exchange. I do have additional editorial content written and video on Cole and Green individually that is scheduled to run in the near future. For now, sit back and enjoy. Roll the duel:
Read Grant Green Q&A
Read Grant Green Scouting report
Watch Grant Green Scouting video
Watch Grant Green Scouting video Part 2
What kind of pro will Grant Green Be?
Oakland A’s Select Grant Green
Gerrit Cole Q&A
Gerrit Cole Scouting Report
Watch Gerrit Cole Scouting video
By John Klima
March 25, 2009
Update from USC today has shortstop Grant Green day-to-day with a minor ankle sprain suffered before Monday’s game. He should be in the lineup this weekend at USC when Arizona State is in town, with right-hander Mike Leake on the mound on either Friday or Saturday for the Sun Devils. It’s another potential First Rounder vs. First Rounder match-up.
In other news, stay tuned for the aforementioned Matt Hobgood Q-A. Should be up tonight.
Read Grant Green Q&A
Read Grant Green Scouting report
Watch Grant Green Scouting video
Watch Grant Green Scouting video Part 2
Watch Grant Green vs. Gerrit Cole video
What kind of pro will Grant Green Be?
Oakland A’s Select Grant Green
