June 8, 2007

Vitters gets his wish
The Cypress High third baseman is drafted No. 3 overall by the Cubs.

By ADAM MAYA

For the past year, Josh Vitters has been trying not to get caught up in what would happen on the day of Major League Baseball's amateur draft. Fifteen minutes into the event, he could finally get caught up.

"It's a dream come true," said Vitters, selected by the Chicago Cubs with the third overall selection of the first round on Thursday. "When you think of the Cubs, they have the tradition, the fan support. It's a perfect fit."

The Cypress High third baseman, regarded as one of the best pure hitters in the draft, batted .420 with nine home runs and 30 RBIs for the Centurions this season. He also had 16 walks and struck out just five times.

"I kind of had a feeling with the Cubs," said Vitters, rated by several publications as a top-five prospect.
Vitters, who attended the draft in Orlando, became the county's highest player ever selected out of high school. Alan Bannister (Kennedy High) was taken at No. 5 by the Angels in 1969.

There was some talk heading into the draft that Vitters' stock might have dropped. Following a doubleheader against Huntington Beach in mid-March, he felt fatigued and was diagnosed with pneumonia, missing six games.

The second high school player in the county taken was El Modena infielder and pitcher Freddie Freeman, by the Atlanta Braves with the 78th overall pick. Freeman said the Braves, Cubs, Chicago White Sox and Seattle Mariners, all within a span of a few minutes, told him they would select him if he were still available in the second round.

Freeman, who went 6-1 with a 1.27 ERA and batted .417 with five home runs for the Vanguards, said he planned to sign with the Braves rather than attend Cal State Fullerton.

"I really like the organization," Freeman said. "I really like (Braves scout) Tom Battista."
While Freeman said he thought he might be taken in the first round, Capistrano Valley High pitcher Mike Watt, taken by the Dodgers with the 86th overall pick, went earlier than he expected.

"It's awesome to be drafted by a team I'm a fan of and be in the same organization as my favorite pitcher, Sandy Koufax," Watt said.

Watt went 10-1 with a 1.95 ERA and batted .346 with six home runs.

"Tommy Lasorda called me and said how God makes a special few left handed," Watt said. "I was really excited."
El Toro High catcher Austin Romine, taken by the New York Yankees with the final pick of the second round and 94th overall, said it was a quiet afternoon until the Yankees contacted him just before their turn.

"It's such an honor," said Romine, who batted .493 for the Chargers. "Any player hopes he might go earlier, but I got taken at a good spot and I was taken by a good team. I don't want to pass up this opportunity."One player who took a different approach was Christian Colón, who has signed a letter of intent with Cal State Fullerton.

The Canyon shortstop said he expected to be taken much earlier than the third round, which is when he was contacted by the Braves, the Pittsburgh Pirates and the Minnesota Twins, about being selected.

Unable to agree in principle to a contract, Colón was not drafted in the first five rounds.

"I'm going to go to Fullerton and I'm going to be a first rounder," he said.

Two local college players were also first-day selections. Titans pitcher Wes Roemer was selected by the Arizona Diamondbacks with the 50th overall pick, and Irvine right fielder Bryan Petersen by the Florida Marlins with the 136th pick.

Organizations have until Aug. 15 to sign their selections. Undrafted players are free agents and can sign with any team. Players attending a four-year college must wait three years after their senior year of high school before they are eligible to re-enter the draft.

It was the first time baseball's amateur draft, which continues and concludes today, was televised.