June 11 , 2007

Angels redraft WVU QB White

By The Associated Press

CHARLESTON, W.Va. -- The Los Angeles Angels are in pursuit of West Virginia quarterback Pat White again.
Three years after he turned down a contract offer from the team when it was known as the Anaheim Angels, White was drafted by the Angels in the 27th round of baseball's amateur draft Friday.

"I appreciate the Angels thinking that highly of me," White said. "But right now I'm concentrating on playing football at West Virginia University."

The Angels took White in the fourth round in 2004 a few months after he signed a letter of intent with the Mountaineers out of high school in Daphne, Ala. He honored his commitment to WVU.

White was named Gator Bowl MVP in January after leading the Mountaineers to a 38-35 comeback win over Georgia Tech. The Big East Offensive Player of the Year rushed for 1,074 yards and passed for 1,524 more despite missing a game with a sore ankle.

White hasn't played baseball in college. As a senior in high school, he hit .487 with 12 home runs and 48 RBI. He was also 6-3 as a pitcher with a 1.58 earned run average.

In other draft news, Colin Kaline, the grandson of Hall of Famer Al Kaline, was selected by the Tigers in the 25th round.

The younger Kaline played second base and shortstop for Groves High School in Michigan, but it was uncertain if he'd sign with the Tigers because he has committed to Florida Southern.

Kaline wasn't the only player with major-league bloodlines that the Tigers went after yesterday. They also took Cale Iorg, son of former big league infielder Garth, in the sixth round.

Iorg last played baseball in 2005, when he was a freshman at the University of Alabama. After hitting .280 with 38 RBI as the team's starting shortstop, Iorg spent the past two years in Portugal on a mission trip. The Tigers obviously liked what they saw, despite the long layoff.

Detroit also drafted Wade Lamont, the son of third-base coach and former Pirates manager Gene Lamont, in the 29th round; Joel Zumaya's brother, Richard, in the 42nd round; and Nate Robertson's brother, Matt, in the following round.

A few major-league managers had proud moments when their teams drafted their sons yesterday. Baltimore took Shippensburg University second baseman Eric Perlozzo, son of Sam Perlozzo, in the 35th round, the Chicago White Sox selected North Park University second baseman Oney Guillen, son of Ozzie, in the 36th round, while the Los Angeles Angels took California high school first baseman Matthew Scioscia, son of Mike Scioscia, in the 41st.

There were some other familiar names selected among the draft's 1,453 picks, spanning 50 rounds.

Former outfielder Kevin Romine had both of his sons taken on the first day: California high school catcher Austin Romine went to the New York Yankees in the second round, while brother, Andrew, a shortstop for Arizona State, was taken by the Los Angeles Angels in the fifth round.

California high school outfielder Cory Vaughn, son of four-time All-Star Greg Vaughn, was taken by Philadelphia in the 43rd round; Cal State Fullerton catcher Matt Wallach, son of five-time All-Star Tim Wallach, went to the Dodgers in the 22nd round; and University of Texas lefty James Russell, son of former closer Jeff Russell, was a 14th-round pick of the Chicago Cubs.

The sons of Kevin Bass, Dann Bilardello, Andy Benes, Mike Gallego, Tom Herr and Brook Jacoby were also among those who heard their names called Friday.

The Cubs also made a sentimental pick when they took Florida high school right-hander Ryan Acosta in the 12th round. Acosta's father, Oscar, was Chicago's former pitching coach who was killed in a car accident in the Dominican Republic in April 2006. The elder Acosta was the manager of the Gulf Coast Yankees of the Rookie League at the time.

Not every team went the full 50 rounds, with Toronto finishing its picks after the 30th round. The Los Angeles Dodgers and New York Mets each passed in the 40th round, and nine teams were done by round 49.