C.R.E.A.MLB Draft: After Strasburg, Nats & O's Make Careful Picks

In a year in which 90 amateurs demanded 1st round money, and during an economic downturn in which a studly baseball hunk like Jay Gibbons has to play for the Newark Whoseewhatsits, "signability" was unsurprisingly the biggest factor in the MLB draft on Tuesday. Except for the Nationals at #1, who drafted Stephen Strasburg and are about to bend to his every whim. If he wants $50 million, you give him $65 million. If he wants to wake up next to Elizabeth Hurley every morning for the rest of his life, you deliver Megan Fox. If he wants to enter Nationals Park in a parade on elephant back, you get Ringling Bros. right on that. Because he's that good.

Due to this hefty ransom, the Nats passed on the opportunity to nab the 2nd best pitcher in this draft too, Aaron Crow, who they had failed to sign last year anyways. Instead they took Stanford relief pitcher Drew Storen at #10 probably because his agent is also Ryan Zimmerman's. They're one of three teams that think he can become a starter. Crow fell to KC at #12.

The Orioles were back to their curious ways, taking California high school pitcher Matt Hobgood at #5 even though Crow and others were available. "Hobgood" just has mediocre middle-relief pitcher's name written all over it, doesn't it? He was the 18th best prospect according to ESPN.com's Keith Law.

General consensus is that a lot of other top guys dropped (Zach Wheeler to #6, Tyler Matzek to #11, Tanner Scheppers to #19 and Shelby Miller to #19) because of signing concerns, but being a "top guy" of an MLB draft is about as sure a thing as Clay Aiken's heterosexuality. And I have no idea who these people are, so whatever. /MLB draft in a nutshell

Strasburg. Strasburg.

Nats Top Picks and what they're sayin':

#1 - You Know Who, Scouting Report & Video: Legend in the making.
#10 - RHP Drew Storen, Scouting Report & video: Has 3 pitches, starter stuff, low 90s heat.
#50 - 2B Jeffrey Kobernus, Scouting Report & video: "projects as an average tool in the future"
#81 - RHP Trevor Holder, College Stats & video

O's Top Picks and what they're sayin':

#5 - RHP Matt Hobgood, Scouting Report & video: 6'4", 245 lbs. Josh Beckett-like.
#54 - RHP/SS Mychal Givens, Scouting Report & video: Good athlete who will fill out, hitting needs some work.
#85 - 1B Tyler Townsend, College Info

[Image via Need Morneau]