June 7, 2007

Cypress prospect Vitters could be first overall pick

JEFF MILLER
Register columnist

ANAHEIM The stars are out, but we aren't here to gaze. We're here to see the star who, at this exact moment, is doing something closer to a graze.

Josh Vitters is just sort of standing around, idly encouraging his teammates, lazily blending into the scene.

Only hours before he's about to burst with unprecedented fanfare and bright lights and loud analysis into professional baseball.

"I'm really anxious for it to be over with, to be honest," Vitters says. "I want to get started on my pro career."

This is Tuesday, at Glover Stadium, during an exhibition game featuring the best high school players in Orange County. Well, all of the best except the best.

From a cozy, amiable event sponsored by the local Kiwanis Club to today, when Vitters will appear on ESPN2, early in the telecast of baseball's draft, an event that never before has been shown on live television.

When we say early, we mean very early, possibly even after only a single commercial break. Tampa Bay has the first overall pick and is eyeing Vitters, a third baseman from Cypress High; David Price, a pitcher from Vanderbilt; and Matt Wieters, a catcher from Georgia Tech.

How significant is this? Consider that of all the players who have come through Orange County – and there are enough to fill multiple leagues, both major and minor – none ever has been taken No. 1 in the draft out of a local high school.

(Placentia's Phil Nevin was picked first overall by Houston in 1992 out of Cal State Fullerton.)

Most projections have the Devil Rays selecting one of the college players, likely Price. But these are the Devil Rays, who have been predictable only at losing. And they do like Vitters, immensely.

"When we start talking about the draft and hitters, young hitters, the question will come up, 'Well, what about his bat?'

" says R.J. Harrison, Tampa Bay's scouting director. "There are no 'wells' on this kid. He's going to hit, hit with power. He's going to be a middle-of-the-lineup guy. He's going to move along at a pretty good clip, too."

At the moment, however, Vitters isn't moving at all. He's sitting on the bench, holding a bat and watching everyone else play.

Why? Because he's smart. After today, Vitters will have plenty of chances to get hurt, each now coming with a little more security. There's no reason to risk sprains and strains when he's this close to having his health converted into currency.

For proof, Vitters could look inside his own home. Last spring, shortly before the draft, his older brother, Christian, was hit by a pitch playing for Fresno State. Broken thumb. In three places.

The A's eventually drafted Christian, in the 10th round. He's at Class A Kane County today.

"He's fine now," says Warren Vitters, the boys' father, "but the timing was very, very bad."

Today is no minor occasion for Vitters or baseball, not when seven-figure signing bonuses await and grown men's jobs are being risked.

That's why the Vitters family reviewed hundreds of applicants and interviewed 10 potential advisers before selecting a representative from Creative Artists Agency.

And why teams have tested everything from Vitters' IQ to his eyesight. He has been videoed, timed and evaluated, everything but his ability to spit sunflower seeds having been broken down.

One team sent Vitters to an eye doctor in Laguna Niguel. There, it was determined he has 20-10 vision, with depth perception rated right there with – and this is serious – Barry Bonds.

"They sent us a report on the whole thing," Warren says. "I couldn't believe what I was reading."

The son also was stunned at something he read on a psychological test administered by another team. The statement that stopped him:

The youngest athlete I know is 80 years old. True or false.

"I was thinking, 'What's going on?' " Vitters says. "I'm not sure what that has to do with baseball. I put 'false.' I think I answered it right, but who knows?"

Vitters will be some club's right answer today, most projections having him going within the first five picks. Coach Pat Murphy, who signed Vitters to play at Arizona State, already is on record saying he doesn't expect Vitters to ever wear a Sun Devils' uniform.

Just too much potential. Too much power. Too much to pass up – for the team and the player.

"He's just unreal," says Canyon High's Christian Colon, who also is expected to go early in today's draft. "Josh has a special bat. He's great in the field, too. He's complete."

Another top prospect, El Modena's Freddie Freeman, recalls a scrimmage arranged by the Braves in the winter, a game matching high school players from Orange County against their peers from Los Angeles.

"A pitcher comes in throwing like 90 (mph)," Freeman says. "Josh hits a home run that goes about 470 feet. He just hits bombs."

Vitters has another chance to go deep today, deep enough to where he could see his entire future, more clearly than any local high school player before him.