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Clips

(June 7, 2014)

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Today’s Clips Contents

FROM THE LOS ANGELES TIMES (Page 3)

C.J. Cron, Grant Green vying for a chance to stay with Angels Angels rookie C.J. Cron sparks five-run rally with two-run double in 8-4 win Angels' Sean Burnett has elbow surgery; Mike Trout back in outfield

FROM THE ORANGE COUNTY REGISTER (Page 6)

Angels open up against White Sox Angels relieved to see Jepsen succeed Angels come out swinging in victory over White Sox On deck: White Sox at Angels, Saturday, 7 p.m.

FROM ANGELS.COM (Page 10)

Outfielder Adams rounds out Angels' Day 2 picks Ellis selection continues trend of taking pitchers Halos continue to stockpile pitchers Jewell turned in stellar season out of bullpen After string of hurlers, Halos take position player In seventh round, Angels grab outfielder Way Yacinich the first infielder selected by Angels TCU's Kipper picked up by Angels in ninth round Calhoun sparks Angels' rout of White Sox Angels to honor Pujols' 500th HR on Saturday Burnett restarting rehab process following surgery Stewart gets injections in left thumb

Sale aims to stay unbeaten against Angels FROM THE ASSOCIATED PRESS (Page 19)

Pujols, Weaver send Angels over White Sox 8-4 White Sox-Angels Preview

FROM FOX SPORTS WEST (Page 22)

Jered Weaver deals, bats come alive as Angels beat White Sox Angels' Sean Burnett undergoes second Tommy John surgery

FROM SPORTING NEWS (Page 24)

MLB Draft grades: From Angels to Yankees, optimism abounds for new top prospects FROM SPORTS XCHANGE (Page 28)

Team Report - LOS ANGELES ANGELS Team Report - CHICAGO WHITE SOX

June 7, 2014 Page 3 of 33

FROM THE LOS ANGELES TIMES

C.J. Cron, Grant Green vying for a chance to stay with Angels MIKE DIGIOVANNA Both C.J. Cron and Grant Green were in the Angels' lineup Friday night, Cron at first base and Green at second, giving the on-the-bubble players what seemed like a last chance to impress Manager Mike Scioscia and General Manager Jerry Dipoto before one is sent to triple A. Scioscia hinted after an 8-4 victory over the Chicago White Sox in Angel Stadium that the much-anticipated move to add a reliever and demote Green or Cron — or, possibly, release struggling designated hitter Raul Ibanez and his .143 average — will probably come Saturday. "We're evaluating some stuff right now," Scioscia said, when asked whether he was still comfortable carrying a six-man bullpen, as he has for a week. "Some of these guys have been throwing a lot, and we might have to get some coverage." Green, who singled during a five-run fourth inning and turned two double plays Friday night, is batting .359 in 22 games, and he is far more versatile than Cron, able to play four infield positions and left field. But Cron, with his power and knack for delivering in the clutch, is the clear front-runner in the race to retain a big league spot. With two outs, runners on second and third and the Angels leading, 2-1, in the fourth inning Friday, Cron laced a two-run double to left field to give the Angels a 4-1 lead and spark a five-run rally that made it 7-1. The former University of Utah standout is batting .299 in 28 games, with three homers and 14 runs batted in. He is hitting .444 (12 for 27) with runners in scoring position and .533 (eight for 15) with runners in scoring position and two outs. It's a small sample size, but as a comparison, Angels slugger Albert Pujols is batting .155 (11 for 71) with runners in scoring position and .138 (four for 29) with runners in scoring position and two outs. "He's very comfortable in the box — he's certainly not intimidated," Scioscia said of Cron. "He has the confidence that he's going to put the ball in play hard in those situations. With runners in scoring position, he's been doing a great job. … He's certainly earning more at-bats, making the most of his opportunity." That bodes well for Cron, but not for Green, who, when asked whether he's been playing on pins and needles, said, "A little bit. It's in the back of your mind, of course; everyone wants to be here. But it's something I can't control. When the time comes, if they decide to make a move, they'll make a move." Before the game, the Angels announced that reliever Sean Burnett underwent elbow reconstruction surgery this week, a procedure that will sideline the veteran left-hander for 12 to 18 months and

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probably will end his career in Anaheim. Burnett, 31, is in the second year of a two-year, $8-million contract that includes a $4.5-million option for 2015 that the team will buy out for $500,000. Burnett, who had his first Tommy John surgery in 2004, appeared in only 16 games for the Angels, spending most of his two seasons rehabilitating from elbow injuries and surgery to repair his flexor tendon last August. He sat out April and most of May. He returned May 23 and appeared in three games, only to tear his ulnar collateral ligament May 27 in Seattle. But Scioscia thinks Burnett will pitch again. "It seems like Tommy John surgery has become routine, and the results have been great, but on the second one, there's a little more gray area on how he'll react," Scioscia said. "I know he wants to pitch again, and a year from now, he'll get an opportunity to do what he loves to do and something he's very good at."

Angels rookie C.J. Cron sparks five-run rally with two-run double in 8-4 win MIKE DIGIOVANNA KEY MOMENT: C.J. Cron laced a two-out, two-run double to left field in the fourth inning, turning a 2-1 Angels lead into a 4-1 cushion and sparking a five-run rally that included Hank Conger's RBI single, Grant Green's single and Kole Calhoun's two-run double. AT THE PLATE: Calhoun led off the first with a homer to right. Mike Trout singled, stole second — his first stolen base since May 14 — and scored on Josh Hamilton's double for a 2-0 lead. Hamilton also singled during the fourth-inning rally. Albert Pujols was in a five-for-41 skid (.122) before leading off the eighth with his 15th homer of the season and 507th of his career. Adam Dunn hit a two-run homer in the ninth off Angels closer Ernesto Frieri. ON THE MOUND: It was a six-inning struggle for Angels ace Jered Weaver, who issued a season-high four walks and hit a batter but managed to limit the White Sox to two runs and five hits and strike out nine, a season-high. His biggest pitch was an 85-mph down-the-middle fastball that Dunn took for a called third strike with the bases loaded to end the third. Kevin Jepsen pitched a scoreless seventh and has allowed no runs and two hits over nine innings of his last 12 appearances. Joe Smith gave up a leadoff single in the eighth and hit two batters with two outs but got Adam Eaton to pop to first with the bases loaded to end the inning. DRAFT UPDATE: The Angels stockpiled more big-bodied pitchers on the second day of the draft, taking Mississippi right-hander Chris Ellis (6-5, 205) in the third round, Illinois State right-hander Jeremy Rhoades (6-4, 225) in the fourth round and Northeastern Oklahoma A&M right-hander Jake Jewell (6-3, 200) in the fifth round. Their next five picks were Tift County (Ga.) High outfielder Alex Abbott, Kennesaw (Ga.) State outfielder Bo Way, Iowa shortstop Jake Yacinich, Texas Christian right-hander Jordan Kipper and Louisiana-Lafayette outfielder Caleb Adams. REHAB REPORT: Infielder Ian Stewart, on the disabled list since May 12, felt so much pain in his bruised left hand that he took two cortisone injections Friday. He has been unable to swing a bat, and there is no timetable for his return.

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EXTRA BASES: Howie Kendrick did not play for only the second time this season, but Manager Mike Scioscia said it was a scheduled day off for the second baseman. … White Sox left-hander Chris Sale, who will start Saturday night, is 3-0 with an 0.36 ERA in six career games against the Angels. UP NEXT: Right-hander Matt Shoemaker (3-1, 4.03 ERA) will oppose Chicago left-hander Sale (5-0, 1.59 ERA) at 7 p.m. Saturday at Angel Stadium. On the air: FS West; Radio: 830.

Angels' Sean Burnett has elbow surgery; Mike Trout back in outfield MIKE DIGIOVANNA Angels reliever Sean Burnett underwent the second reconstructive elbow ligament surgery of his career this week, a procedure that will sideline the veteran left-hander for 12 to 18 months and will most likely end his career in Anaheim. Burnett, 31, is in the second season of a two-year, $8-million contract that includes a $4.5-million option for 2015 that the team will buy out for $500,000, making Burnett a free agent. Burnett appeared in only 16 games for the Angels, spending most of his two seasons rehabilitating from elbow injuries and surgery to repair his flexor tendon last August, but Manager Mike Scioscia believes Burnett will pitch again. “It seems like it has become a routine operation when you hear 'Tommy John surgery,' and the results have been great, but on the second one, there’s a little more gray area on how he’ll react,” Scioscia said. “I know he wants to pitch again, and sometime, a year from now, he’ll get an opportunity to do what he loves to do and something he’s very good at.” Burnett, who had his first Tommy John reconstructive surgery in 2004 and had shoulder surgery in 2005, suffered a spring-training setback that caused him to miss April and most of May. He finally returned on May 23 and appeared in three games, only to tear the ulnar collateral ligament in his elbow on May 27 in Seattle. In other injury news, reserve third baseman Ian Stewart, on the disabled list since May 12 because of a bruised left hand, received two cortisone injections in the hand on Friday. Stewart is still feeling pain in the hand, has been unable to swing a bat for several days, and there is no timetable for his return. Mike Trout, who missed three games and was relegated to designated hitter for one game this last week because of middle-back stiffness, was playing center field for Friday night’s series opener against the Chicago White Sox at Angel Stadium. “He’s healthy,” Scioscia said. “He came in today and said he feels great and wants to get back into center field. The training staff put him through the paces early, and feel he’s 100%.”

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FROM THE ORANGE COUNTY REGISTER

Angels open up against White Sox Posted by Pedro Moura

ANAHEIM -- Howie Kendrick gets his second day off at second and Grant Green gets his second start. It makes sense lyrically, at least, as the Angels begin a six-game homestand with a Friday night tilt against the Chicago White Sox. First pitch at Angel Stadium is scheduled for 7:05 p.m. There had been speculation that the Angels would send down Green -- or rookie C.J. Cron -- today to add another pitcher to what is now a six-man bullpen. Manager Mike Scioscia is resisting that temptation for now, although he did leave open the possibility the Angels could call up a reliever before their next off day Thursday. A lot of it depends on how deep right-handers Jered Weaver and Matt Shoemaker get into the next two nights' games. Behind Weaver, Mike Trout starts in center field. He reported feeling fully healthy when he arrived to the ballpark today, after playing just one inning in the field over the last week. Joining Kendrick on the bench is the 42-year-old, left-handed-hitting Raul Ibanez, despite the White Sox starting right-hander Andre Rienzo. Four of the next five starters the Angels will face are left-handed. Where Ibanez will get his playing time -- if he stays on the roster -- is unclear.

Angels relieved to see Jepsen succeed The club’s right-handed setup man has been getting outs consistently to reestablish himself as a late-inning force. BY PEDRO MOURA / STAFF WRITER ANAHEIM – Kevin Jepsen was just getting to work on his second consecutive no-hitter when Chicago White Sox third baseman Conor Gillaspie hit a soft liner to left that dropped in front of Josh Hamilton in Friday’s seventh inning. Well, sort of. For 9 1/3 consecutive innings from May 4 until Gillaspie’s at-bat, the Angels right-handed set-up man had not had a single ball put in play against him fall for a hit. In that span, he struck out 10, walked four and allowed no runs. In fact, in 23 of his 25 appearances this season, Jepsen has been credited with scoreless outings.

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“I’ve been feeling good for a long time,” Jepsen said Friday. “I had a bad outing opening day and a bad outing in the fourth inning of a blowout. Other than that, I don’t think I’ve given up runs in any outing. It was just a lot of runs in those two outings.” Indeed, it was. On opening day, Jepsen entered a one-run game in the ninth inning and gave up five runs while recording two outs. It took two weeks to get his resulting 67.50 ERA back to single digits. Then, after he got it back down to 4.50, Jepsen gave up a three-run homer to Texas Rangers rookie Michael Choice. He didn’t get it under 4.00 until this month, and it now sits at a respectable, if unspectacular, 3.54. “You can’t care about ERA,” Jepsen said. “I care more about effectively getting guys out. In the bullpen, you only throw so many innings and you can only control so much.” Jepsen has inherited 23 runners and allowed eight of them to score – right around the league average of 30 percent. Asked about Jepsen’s his recent pitching, Angels manager Mike Scioscia noted the two poor performances before praising the 29-year-old. “Outside of that, you can’t throw the ball better than Kevin has thrown the ball,” Scioscia said. “He’s becoming a big part of our bullpen again. I think he’s reestablishing himself as a guy that wants to pitch at the back end. He’s thrown the ball very well.” GREEN AT SECOND Howie Kendrick got his second day off of 2014 at second base and Grant Green got his second start there. Scioscia had wanted to give Kendrick a rest day since the week began, but finally found a suitable time. There had been speculation the Angels would send down Green or rookie C.J. Cron to add another pitcher to a shorthanded six-man bullpen, but Scioscia said they’ll resist that temptation, at least temporarily. Green, who played mostly second for the Angels in 2013, had not been practicing at the position in recent weeks while focusing on left field. He said he did take some grounders over the last two days of the Angels’ recent series in Houston. NOTES Left-hander Sean Burnett had Tommy John surgery this week, performed by Dr. James Andrews in Pensacola, Fla. It was Burnett’s second such surgery, and he’ll miss at least the next year. His two-year contract with the Angels expires at season’s end, but he could be brought back on a minor league deal next season. Scioscia spoke to him before the surgery. “Hopefully sometime a year from now, he’s going to have the opportunity to do something he loves to do and he’s really good at,” the manager said. … On the second day of the MLB draft, the Angels selected eight players: four pitchers, three outfielders and a shortstop. Their third-round pick, University of Mississippi right-hander Chris Ellis, was a 50th-round selection out of high school by the Dodgers in 2011. This year’s draft concludes Saturday with rounds 11-40. …

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The Angels outrighted three pitchers off their 40-man roster: right-handers Michael Brady and Jarrett Grube and left-hander Brooks Raley. That leaves them with three open spots on the 40-man roster, an indication more moves could be imminent.

Angels come out swinging in victory over White Sox Every starter gets a hit, including Calhoun’s leadoff homer in the first, in a feel-good victory. BY PEDRO MOURA / STAFF WRITER ANAHEIM – The Angels’ first swing Friday night, taken by Kole Calhoun, went for a home run into the right-field seats. They took many more swings, and many more of them proved productive, as the Angels used a balanced attack to beat the Chicago White Sox, 8-4, at Angel Stadium. “Our lineup can get deep in a hurry if our guys swing the bats to their capabilities,” Angels manager Mike Scioscia said. “We saw that tonight.” Every Angels starter had a hit. Eight of nine scored a run. Ace Jered Weaver (7-4) wasn’t particularly efficient in his six innings, but he was effective. In walking four and permitting two runs on five hits, Weaver threw 109 pitches. He drew lots of swings and misses, and he struck out a season-high nine. “He didn't have his best stuff,” Scioscia said. “His fastball command wasn't quite as crisp, but he made his pitches when he had to.” The last time Weaver struck out more than nine was Sept. 9, 2011. Calhoun slammed a leadoff homer to right-center off White Sox right-hander Andre Rienzo on a 1-1 fastball. It was Calhoun’s first long ball since April 15, the day he sprained his ankle and landed on the disabled lists for a month. Mike Trout, starting in center for the second time in the last week, singled following Calhoun’s blast and stole second for his first stolen base in more than three weeks, answering questions about the health of his back. Josh Hamilton drove Trout in with a double. The Angels added five runs on six hits in a big fifth inning, and Albert Pujols hit his 507th homer in the eighth to extend his team’s lead. Reliever Joe Smith hit back-to-back batters to load the bases in the eighth inning, but first baseman C.J. Cron snagged a liner from Adam Eaton to end the threat. In the ninth, White Sox slugger Adam Dunn hit a monstrous two-run home run off Angels closer Ernesto Frieri for his 450th career homer, 36th-best in major league history.

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The Angels (32-28) had lost five of six before Friday.

On deck: White Sox at Angels, Saturday, 7 p.m. BY PEDRO MOURA / STAFF WRITER Where: Angel Stadium TV: Fox Sports West, 7 p.m. Did you know: The starting pitcher the Angels faced Friday, White Sox right-hander Andre Rienzo, is the first Brazilian-born pitcher in MLB history. Rienzo is from Sao Paulo, where the U.S. men’s national team will make its home base during the 2014 World Cup that begins Thursday. THE PITCHERS RHP MATT SHOEMAKER (3-1, 4.03) Shoemaker, 27, struggled in a brief relief appearance Tuesday against Houston, but he has still yet to turn in a bad start in the major leagues. He doesn’t walk a lot of people, and he has struck out nearly a batter per inning so far this season – quite a nice rate. The Angels have won four of Shoemaker’s five career starts, dating to last September. • Vs. White Sox: First game • At Angel Stadium: 1-1, 1.77 LHP CHRIS SALE (5-0, 1.59) Since he was activated from the 15-day disabled list May 22, Sale has been dominant, striking out 23, walking one, and permitting just three hits in 18 innings over three starts, all Chicago victories. Still just 25, when he’s healthy he’s clearly one of the best pitchers in baseball. In 24 innings against the Angels, he has allowed just one run, on a solo homer by Albert Pujols. • Vs. Angels: 3-0, 0.38 • At Angel Stadium: 2-0, 0.60 • Loves to face: Erick Aybar, 0 for 5, 2 Ks

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FROM ANGELS.COM

Outfielder Adams rounds out Angels' Day 2 picks By Alden Gonzalez / MLB.com ANAHEIM -- Day 2 of the 2014 First-Year Player Draft wrapped up with the Angels selecting left fielder Caleb Adams from the University of Louisiana at Lafayette in the 10th round on Friday. Adams, selected 299th overall, joins right fielder Alex Abbott out of Tift County High School in Georgia (sixth round) and center fielder Bo Way out of Kennesaw State University (seventh) among outfielders taken by the Angels within the first 10 rounds. The organization also took six pitchers in lefty Sean Newcomb out of the University of Hartford in Connecticut (15th overall), right-hander Joe Gatto out of St. Augustine Prep in New Jersey (second round), right-hander Chris Ellis out of the University of Mississippi (third), right-hander Jeremy Rhoades out of Illinois State (fourth), right-hander Jake Jewell out of Northeast Oklahoma A&M College (fifth) and right-hander Jordan Kipper out of Texas Christian University (ninth). The Angels also drafted an infielder, selecting Iowa shortstop Jake Yacinich with their eighth-round pick. "I love the balance that we had," Angels scouting director Ric Wilson said. "We got a good combination of some power pitching with solid delivers and arm action, and we got some younger kids that are going to be able to add to the guys we've picked the last couple years. We got some solid defensive players, and we've got some guys that can swing the bat." The Draft concludes with Rounds 11-40 on Saturday, with exclusive coverage at 10 a.m. PT on MLB.com. Adams, a sophomore, bats right-handed and is listed at 6 feet and 185 pounds. For the Ragin' Cajuns this past season, the 21-year-old posted a .387/.509/.689 slash line with 11 homers, 42 RBIs and six stolen bases in 64 games. "He's got big-time power," Wilson said. "Just lets the bat go. He does swing through some pitches. Hopefully, we'll get that under control."

Ellis selection continues trend of taking pitchers ANAHEIM -- The Angels' went with yet another pitcher for their third selection of the 2014 First-Year Player Draft on Friday, taking Chris Ellis out of the University of Mississippi. Ellis, taken with the 88th overall selection, is a 6-foot-5, 205-pound right-hander who saw his stock skyrocket during his junior year at Ole Miss. After primarily being off the radar out of high school in Alabama -- ultimately getting taken in the 50th round by the Dodgers in 2011 -- and spending his first two collegiate years primarily out of the bullpen, Ellis finally got a chance to be a full-time starter in 2014 and ran with it.

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Ellis went 10-1 with a 2.16 ERA in what the Angels hope was his final season in college, striking out 62 batters and walking 32 in 104 2/3 innings -- after posting a 5.57 ERA in 21 innings as a sophomore. He twirled two shutouts and two complete games, and allowed one earned run or less in eight of his first 16 starts. On Saturday, Ellis will take the ball against Louisiana-Lafayette in the opener of the Super Regional. Prior to Ellis, the Angels took University of Hartford left-hander Sean Newcomb 15th overall and St. Augustine Prep right-hander Joe Gatto 53rd overall in the second round. In 2013, the organization -- ranked last in the Majors by Baseball America the last two years, and in desperate need of high-upside starting pitching -- took an arm with 10 of its first 11 picks. Ellis is mostly 92-94 mph with his fastball, with a still-developing curveball and changeup. He was one of 21 semifinalists for the Golden Spikes Award, annually presented to the best collegiate player. The Draft concludes with Rounds 11-40 on Saturday. Exclusive coverage of Saturday's Draft starts at 10 a.m. PT on MLB.com. "Just a constant strike thrower," Angels scouting director Ric Wilson said. "Average curveball and change, but can pitch to both sides of the plate, change speeds. Just a polished-type pitcher that doesn't have overwhelming stuff, but you look up and he's in the eighth inning somehow. Very poised, very confident guy."

Halos continue to stockpile pitchers ANAHEIM -- With their fourth-round pick of the 2014 First-Year Player Draft on Friday, the Angels selected right-hander Jeremy Rhoades from Illinois State. Rhoades, taken 119th overall, is a 6-foot-4, 225-pound junior who posted a 2.35 ERA in 19 games (eight starts) this past season, striking out 92 batters and walking 25 in 76 2/3 innings while winning six games and notching four saves. He earned All-Missouri Valley Conference honors as a full-time reliever during his sophomore year, and though he bounced back and forth in 2014, the Angels are going to give him a chance to start. "Who knows where he's going to end up," Angels scouting director Ric Wilson said, "but we're going to send him out as a starter." The 21-year-old has great command of a swing-and-miss slider that sits in the mid-80's and throws his fastball consistently at 90-92 mph. Rhoades still needs to focus on repeating his delivery and commanding the changeup -- a pitch he may not need if he's pitching in the back end of bullpens, however. The Draft concludes with Rounds 11-40 on Saturday. Exclusive coverage of Saturday's Draft starts at 10 a.m. PT on MLB.com.

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Jewell turned in stellar season out of bullpen ANAHEIM -- The Angels began last year's First-Year Player Draft by selecting seven consecutive pitchers, and started this year's version with five in a row. The fifth was Jake Jewell, a right-handed reliever out of Northeastern Oklahoma A&M College who was taken with the organization's fifth-round Draft pick on Friday. Jewell struggled as a starter in his freshman year, but shined out of the bullpen as a sophomore, posting a 1.25 ERA in 19 appearances this past season while striking out 30 batters, walking seven and notching six saves in 21 2/3 innings. The 21-year-old has a mid-90s fastball that can go up to 97 mph, a solid, albeit inconsistent slider and a changeup he didn't necessarily need very often against Junior College hitters. "I think he's a bullpen guy all the way," MLB.com Draft and prospect expert Jim Callis said of Jewell, who's listed at 6-foot-3 and 200 pounds. Like Jeremy Rhoades, however, the Angels are going to give him a chance to start. For the most part, they want to initially give prospects a chance to start until they prove otherwise. "All of their deliveries are very good, their arms work really good, they've got multiple pitches they can throw for strikes, they can use both sides of the plate," Angels scouting director Ric Wilson said. "So we're going to give them every opportunity to start. As time goes on, they'll find their home. But they're going to learn to pitch as they first get out." Prior to Jewell, the Angels took lefty Sean Newcomb out of the University of Hartford in Connecticut (15th overall), right-hander Joe Gatto out of St. Augustine Prep in New Jersey (second round), right-hander Chris Ellis out of the University of Mississippi (third) and right-hander Jeremy Rhoades out of Illinois State (fourth). The Draft concludes with Rounds 11-40 on Saturday. Exclusive coverage of Saturday's Draft starts at 10 a.m. PT on MLB.com.

After string of hurlers, Halos take position player ANAHEIM -- The first position player selected by the Angels in the 2014 First-Year Player Draft came in the form of Alex Abbott, a left-handed-hitting right fielder out of high school in Georgia who was taken in the sixth round. Prior to that, the Angels selected five consecutive pitchers. Abbott is listed at 5-foot-11 and 187 pounds, turns 20 in November, hails from Tift County High School in South Georgia and boasts good raw power. He also has a scholarship offer to the University of Florida as a backup plan.

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Angels scouting director Ric Wilson has seen Abbott dating back to when he was in eighth grade. "He was a nice looking kid, and he had some kind of pretty swing," Wilson said. "So we just started following him and following him and following him and just fell in love with his swing. He's very professional. He can throw, he's a corner outfielder who could swing the bat, and it's going to roll into some power." Asked if he has any signability concerns with Abbott, Wilson said: "Not at all." Rounds 3-10 took place on Friday, and the Draft concludes with Rounds 11-40 on Saturday. Exclusive coverage of Saturday's Draft starts at 10 a.m. PT on MLB.com.

In seventh round, Angels grab outfielder Way ANAHEIM -- The Angels took center fielder Bo Way out of Kennesaw State University with their seventh-round pick in the 2014 First-Year Player Draft on Friday, going with a second straight outfielder after starting with five consecutive pitchers. Way, a senior left-handed hitter out of Brunswick, Ga., is listed at 6 feet and 180 pounds. The 22-year-old posted a .358/.404/.470 slash line this past season, hitting two homers, driving in 31 runs and stealing 11 bases in 58 games. Way transferred to Kennesaw State after two years at Middle Georgia State College and is considered a solid defender with a strong arm that allows him to play all three outfield spots. Angels scouting director Ric Wilson called him "a hard-charger, contact-type bat, who's just a grinder." Rounds 3-10 took place on Friday, and the Draft concludes with Rounds 11-40 on Saturday. Exclusive coverage of Saturday's Draft starts at 10 a.m. PT on MLB.com. "I'm just honored and humbled to be in this position," Way, whose team advanced to the Super Regionals, said in a statement released by KSU. "I'm grateful for Kennesaw State and coach Mike Sansing for giving me the opportunity to advance my baseball career and for the Los Angeles Angels for allowing me to take it a step further. It's a culmination of all the hard work and effort I've put in and it's just unbelievable to see it pay off in the end."

Yacinich the first infielder selected by Angels ANAHEIM -- The Angels took Iowa shortstop Jake Yacinich with their eighth-round pick in the 2014 First-Year Player Draft on Friday, the third consecutive position player selected and the only infielder the organization took within the first 10 rounds. Yacinich, a left-handed-hitting junior, is listed at 6-foot-1 and 180 pounds. He earned first-team All-Big Ten honors this season, leading the Hawkeyes with a .365 batting average to go along with a .438 on-base percentage, .447 slugging percentage, 45 runs, 25 stolen bases -- including a steal of home, capped by an athletic headfirst slide, in the Big Ten Tournament -- and 32 RBIs.

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"We like the glove," Angels scouting director Ric Wilson said. "We think he's a solid average to above-average defender. Bat may take a little while to get there, but he's a contact bat, he puts the ball in play. Not a lot of swing and miss to him. We believe the bat will advance, but his glove will always be there." The Draft concludes with Rounds 11-40 on Saturday. Exclusive coverage of Saturday's Draft starts at 10 a.m. PT on MLB.com.

TCU's Kipper picked up by Angels in ninth round ANAHEIM -- The Angels selected right-hander Jordan Kipper in the ninth round of the 2014 First-Year Player Draft on Friday, giving them six pitchers within their first 10 picks by the time Day 2 came to a close. Kipper, a junior at Texas Christian University, is listed at 6-foot-4 and 210 pounds, and is coming off a season that saw him go 8-2 with a 3.01 ERA in 15 games (12 starts), striking out 65 batters and walking 14 in 68 2/3 innings. Prior to going to TCU, Kipper played two seasons at Central Arizona College and was taken by the Phillies in the 30th round of the 2012 First-Year Player Draft. Kipper mostly utilizes a sinker and slider, with velocity ranging from 88-93 mph, and can throw strikes with both pitches. "Nothing really overwhelming, but he just pounds that strike zone," Angels scouting director Ric Wilson said. "He's got a big history of throwing strikes, and he fits in with what we're trying to do." The Draft concludes with Rounds 11-40 on Saturday. Exclusive coverage of Saturday's Draft starts at 10 a.m. PT on MLB.com.

Calhoun sparks Angels' rout of White Sox Homers, drives in three; Weaver goes to 7-4 and Pujols hits No. 507 By Earl Bloom / Special to MLB.com ANAHEIM -- Jered Weaver got some help, and got the Angels back on the right track Friday night at Angel Stadium. The right-hander was the stablizing factor as the Angels, who had lost five of their past six games on the road, opened a homestand with an 8-4 victory over the White Sox. Kole Calhoun had three RBIs, including the second leadoff homer of his young career, and Albert Pujols led off the eighth with his 507th career homer. "The story tonight was offense," Weaver said, "setting the tone early."

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Included was five Angels two-out runs in a fourth inning highlighted by two-run doubles from Calhoun and rookie C.J. Cron. "The offense did a tremendous job, taking the pressure off me," Weaver said. "Those guys are capable of doing that every time out." As for himself, Weaver said: "I was able to make some pitches when I had to. My curveball was pretty good. I was able to locate it when I needed to throughout. Tonight, it was a good pitch against that lineup." The fourth that gave him a 7-1 cushion was an inning unlike many the Angels put together on the road. "We didn't see it on the road," manager Mike Scioscia said. "We had guys swing the bats tonght and put hits together. We didn't do it on the road, we did tonight. "I don't think we have to look for the reason why. We just know it was here tonight, and we're happy to see it." The Angels have scored five or more runs for Weaver -- while he was in the game -- just four times this season, and he's won all four. "When we can score with two outs and not leave guys out there in scoring position, it's going to be huge," Calhoun said. "That's going to be a game make-or-break every year." Weaver (7-4) struck out a season-high nine in six innings. He allowed two earned runs on five hits, and walked four, tying his season high, in his 109-pitch outing. The latter was also a season high, which precluded Weaver from working the seventh. But he did throw a 90-mph fastball on his 99th pitch. "Weav, I think, in the sixth inning, he let it out a little bit -- he knew it was his last inning," Scioscia said. "His fastball command wasn't as crisp, but he made some pitches when he had to. "He did a good job of pitching and managing the game. That's what Weav is really terrific at." Adam Dunn, who hit his 450th career homer in the ninth off Angels closer Ernesto Frieri, was impressed by Weaver, who struck him out twice before Dunn beat the shift twice for opposite-field singles. "He's one of those guys to me that I've never seen him good," Dunn said. "It's just one of those things. “He's not throwing hard, but he's still very, very effective and he carves me up. I'd take him on my team. I had a couple of big opportunities and just couldn't capitalize on them." Frieri, who hadn't pitched since June 1, and setup man Joe Smith pitched the final two innings. Frieri threw 22 pitches in the ninth, allowing two runs on the Dunn blast, and Smith needed 28 to wriggle out of a scoreless eighth. The Angels are using Matt Shoemaker as their fifth starter again -- he starts Saturday -- and are left with six relievers, all of the short-inning variety. Scioscia said that's being evaluated on a day-to-day basis. It might be accelerated after Smith and Frieri were extended.

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"We're evaluating stuff right now," Scioscia said of a potential roster move. "Some of these guys have thrown a lot, and we might have to get some coverage." The Angels lost their best long-relief candidate, besides Shoemaker, left-hander Wade LeBlanc, when he was claimed on waivers June 3 by the Yankees. Double-A left-hander Michael Roth might be a candidate. The Angels broke out to a 2-0 lead in the bottom of the first. Calhoun led off and hit Andre Rienzo's third pitch out to right for his fourth homer. Mike Trout singled, stole his sixth base, and scored an out later on Josh Hamilton's double to right. With two extra-base hits Friday, Calhoun has nine hits in his past 24 at-bats. He had a lengthy DL stint because of sprained ankle, and was 1-for-19 after being reactivated May 21. "It's getting there," Calhoun said. "It obviously hasn't gone the exact way I've planned on it since coming back, but I'm starting to have some good at-bats and take pitches for the team and do my job a little bit better than when I first came back. "I'm starting to get back to where I want to be. I'm not quite there yet, but I'm getting better at it."

Angels to honor Pujols' 500th HR on Saturday By Earl Bloom / Special to MLB.com ANAHEIM -- The Angels will salute first baseman Albert Pujols for his milestone 500th home run before Saturday night's game against the White Sox. Pujols, who entered Friday with 506, hit Nos. 499 and 500 at Washington on April 22 -- the first time a player reached 500 by hitting two in the same game. "At least my wife and kids will be there for this," Pujols said. His family was en route to New York -- the Angels' next destination -- when he reached the milestone against the Nationals. While the Angels were in Detroit the series before, Pujols said he told his wife that he sensed he'd get to 500 soon.

Burnett restarting rehab process following surgery ANAHEIM -- Angels left-handed reliever Sean Burnett underwent Tommy John surgery this week, performed by Dr. James Andrews, and most likely won't pitch again until 2016. The Angels hold a club option on Burnett for 2015 that probably won't be exercised. It was the second such procedure for Burnett, 31, whose first Tommy John surgery, also done by Andrews, was in September 2004, after he made his Major League debut with the Pirates. Both of Burnett's seasons with the Angels ended with surgical procedures. He had a torn flexor tendon repaired in August 2013. Burnett had an 0.93 ERA in 13 games last season before going on the DL.

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He returned to Major League action May 23 of this season against the Royals. Burnett pitched in only two more games before going back on the DL on May 28 because of a torn ulnar collateral ligament. "I hope he has the opportunity to keep doing what he loves doing," manager Mike Scioscia said.

Stewart gets injections in left thumb ANAHEIM -- Third baseman Ian Stewart, on the DL since May 12 because of a contusion on his left hand, said Friday he received two cortisone injections in his left thumb. Stewart played two rehab games with Triple-A Salt Lake before returning to have his hand examined. "There's nothing major there, just some inflammation mostly," he said. As a result of the injections, Stewart's been shut down for a couple days. He said he'll likely remain with the Angels through the short homestand that runs through Wednesday before taking the next step in his recovery. Stewart said he didn't know if he'd return to the Bees to continue rehab games.

Sale aims to stay unbeaten against Angels Left-hander enters 5-0 with a 1.59 ERA; Shoemaker starts for Halos By Scott Merkin / MLB.com Chris Sale is in a pitching zone. Not the rarified air usually found by the White Sox ace. Instead, he's pitching in a manner where giving up a hit basically becomes a surprise. Sale takes the mound against the Angels on Saturday with a 5-0 record and 1.59 ERA -- not exactly bad accomplishments in the hitter-rich American League. He's coming off of a complete-game victory over the Padres, against whom he allowed one run on two hits. But even more impressively, Sale has allowed three hits and one walk over 18 innings since his return from the disabled list, striking out 23. Take that stretch back to a start against Boston on April 17, and Sale has yielded four hits and four walks over 25 innings with 33 strikeouts. "It's just his control," said White Sox manager Robin Ventura of Sale's run of excellence. "In the past he might have had that one at-bat where he throws four straight balls. He just hasn't had that. "His stuff has always been good. He has great stuff, but once he starts locating the way he has now, he becomes very, very difficult to hit. "There's part of that where you get a lot of guys that strike people out, they're always going for the strikeout," Ventura said. "There is a longevity thing in the season that when you start not using as many pitches and still get the same results as far as outs and winning a game, something clicks. That's when you start growing up a little bit, when you figure out how to win games and how to save yourself somewhat to be able to do that. He's done that a little bit since he's come back."

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Matt Shoemaker gets the tough challenge of pitching opposite a starter who doesn't give up much, especially when factoring in Sale's career 3-0 record with a 0.36 ERA against the Angels. But Shoemaker has grown accustomed to these sorts of challenges. He has started and won games when Cliff Lee was pitching for Philadelphia and David Price was pitching for Tampa Bay. Shoemaker holds right-handed hitters to a .159 average, and has a 2.35 ERA at home in '14. Shoemaker hasn't started since May 29, when he defeated the Mariners and struck out six over 5 1/3 innings, working once in relief in the interim. "It doesn't change my approach at all," said Shoemaker of going against Sale. "I try to take each day at a time so when I'm out there pitching, it's like, 'Hey man, be aggressive, execute you pitches,' no matter who's on the other side of it. "All I'm doing as a pitcher is going after their hitters. That's my focus. It doesn't really change my focus at all because I always want to focus on those same key points."

White Sox: Flowers gets a rest Adrian Nieto had only started with John Danks this season where the White Sox rotation is concerned. But Ventura put Tyler Flowers behind the plate with Danks on Wednesday, and had Nieto call the game for Andre Rienzo on Friday. Nieto would figure to get a little more playing time as the weather gets warmer, but Ventura is not moving away from Flowers as his regular starter behind the plate. "Flow has done a good job of keeping himself physically fit to do it and calls a good game. He has done a very good job this year," Ventura said. "It will eventually get there as the season goes along that you'll see Adrian get a little more here and there. "With [Jered] Weaver going [Friday], it also makes sense. You can give Flo two days. Jered, I don't think that's fun for any right-handed hitter, so the mental break's pretty good, too."

Angels: Halos finding success against lefties With Sale's start Saturday, the Angels are set to face left-handed starters in four of their next five games. White Sox lefty Jose Quintana will finish the three-game series Sunday. Los Angeles has 13 wins against left-handed starters, tied with Boston for second in the American League, and three Angels (with more than 10 at-bats) hit at least .300 against southpaws. As a team, the Angels hit .262 against lefties, 13 points higher than versus right-handers. C.J. Cron (.282 against lefties) and Grant Green (.429) have been mostly playing against lefties and the string of left-handers may mean fewer at-bats for Raul Ibanez (1-for-26, .038).

Worth noting

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• Since April 21, Erick Aybar is hitting .319, first among Major League shortstops. He has a hit in 20 of the last 25 games and already has 34 RBIs, 25 shy of his career high. • Before Friday's 8-4 Angels victory, the White Sox and Angels had 351 wins against each other in the all-time series. • Adam Dunn hit his 450th career home run on Friday night, launching a two-run shot off of Angels reliever Ernesto Frieri.

FROM THE ASSOCIATED PRESS

Pujols, Weaver send Angels over White Sox 8-4 Associated Press ANAHEIM, Calif. -- After limping home from a 3-7 road trip, the Los Angeles Angels needed a spark. Kole Calhoun gave it to them in the first inning with a leadoff homer. Calhoun also had a two-run double during a five-run fourth and Albert Pujols went deep as well to lead Jered Weaver and the Angels past the Chicago White Sox 8-4 Friday night. Weaver (7-4) won for the sixth time in eight starts, allowing two runs, five hits and four walks in six innings. His teammates staked him to a 7-1 lead through four. "Coming back home, we wanted to set the tone and came in with a little fire under our butts," Weaver said. "My curveball was pretty sharp and I was able to locate it when I needed to. As it turned out, it was a good pitch against that lineup. Those guys across the way have been swinging the bats well, and they've got a tremendous talent in (Jose) Abreu. So it was nice to quiet him down a little bit." The All-Star right-hander, pitching at home for the first time since his two-hit, 2-1 victory against Houston on May 21, struck out nine and improved to 8-2 with a 1.70 ERA in 11 starts against the White Sox. Angels sidearming righty Joe Smith hit Alejandro De Aza and Adrian Nieto with consecutive pitches in the eighth, and nearly plunked Adam Eaton with his next offering before retiring him on a soft line drive to first with the bases loaded. Pujols capped the Angels' scoring in the bottom half with his 15th homer and the 507th of his career. Adam Dunn capped his three-hit night with a two-run homer off Ernesto Frieri, his 10th this season and the 450th of his career. "Me and Adam have been really good friends over the last 15 years and we actually played minor league ball together," Pujols said. "He congratulated me today on hitting my 500th home run, saying he forgot

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about it, and I told him: `Hey, it's OK. You might be the next one to do it.' I'm pretty sure he has a shot at it if he stays healthy." Andre Rienzo (4-3) lost his third straight start, throwing 72 pitches over 3 2/3 innings and giving up seven runs on nine hits. Over the previous 15 games, White Sox starters had a combined ERA of 2.03. Chicago, starting its third straight series in Southern California, slipped 3 1/2 games behind AL Central-leading Detroit. After this series, the White Sox return home for a four-game showdown with the Tigers. Calhoun got the Angels off and running with the second leadoff homer of his career, driving Rienzo's third pitch to right-center. "He's bringing a lot of energy in that leadoff spot. And him getting that huge home run right away for us after a tough road trip was a big boost for us," Pujols said. "He's a great player, and obviously we missed him during the time he was on the DL." Mike Trout followed the home run with a single, stole second and scored on a double by Josh Hamilton that ended his drought of 27 at-bats without an RBI against White Sox pitching. De Aza got Chicago on the board in the third, leading off the inning with his fifth home run. The White Sox loaded the bases, but Weaver minimized the damage by slipping a called third strike past Dunn. "I've faced him a lot of times -- and I'm not going to give away any secrets -- but I was able to locate a good two-seam fastball in there late and I caught him off guard," Weaver said. "He's one of those guys who's going to punish you if you make a mistake." The Angels increased the margin to 7-1 with five more runs in the third. C.J. Cron hit a two-run double inside first base, Hank Conger snapped an 0-for-18 drought with an RBI single and Calhoun added a two-run double inside first base. "That inning they just put it together and we couldn't stop them," Chicago manager Robin Ventura said. "He got in trouble and just couldn't find a way out of it. We didn't get much off Weaver. We had some guys in scoring position and left a lot of guys on base." Abreu, the White Sox rookie sensation, ended up with a gift double in the second when his high fly fell in short right-center between Trout, Calhoun and second baseman Grant Green. But Weaver struck out Dunn and Alexei Ramirez before retiring Dayan Viciedo on a fly ball. "Stuff like that is going to happen during the course of a game, and it's frustrating when it does," Weaver said. "But it's our job as pitchers to pick those guys up when we need to. And from an offensive and defensive standpoint, those guys have to pick us up when we need it." Dunn drove in Chicago's second run with a fifth-inning single. Game notes Weaver fanned Abreu in the fifth for his 1,300th strikeout. ... The Angels are 32-20 when Calhoun plays, and 0-7 when he doesn't. ... Weaver has allowed a home run in five consecutive starts, one shy of his career-worst stretch in 2012.

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White Sox-Angels Preview By JORDAN GARRETSON (STATS Writer) AP - Sports Chris Sale didn't need long after a month-long absence to re-establish himself as one of baseball's best pitchers. And given his past form against theLos Angeles Angels, the Chicago White Sox can likely expect another dominant performance Saturday night. Sale (5-0, 1.59 ERA) is the ERA leader among pitchers with at least seven starts. He recorded his first complete game of the season Sunday, a two-hitter in a 4-1 victory over San Diego. He threw 100 pitches, the second-fewest he's needed to finish one of his six complete games. Chase Headley's homer is the only run allowed by the left-hander - along with two other hits - over his 18 innings in three starts since returning from a strained flexor muscle in his elbow. Sale was expected to have a limited pitch count Sunday, according to the team's official website, however his efficiency rendered it moot. "It's almost like it never happened, other than the missed time," Sale said of the injury. "That's something that doesn't even cross my mind anymore." Each Angels starter hit safely and all but one scored a run in their 8-4 home victory over the White Sox on Friday. However, they could be in for a much quieter night Saturday. Sale has won all three career starts versus Los Angeles, surrendering one run and nine hits over 22 innings with 26 strikeouts. That run came on an Albert Pujols home run - his only hit in nine lifetime at-bats against Sale. Pujols hit his 507th homer Friday, moving him two behind Gary Sheffield for 24th all-time. Sale, who has also thrown two scoreless innings of relief against the Angels, owns a 0.38 ERA in five total matchups - his lowest versus any club he's faced at least four times. He also carries a shutout streak of 16 2-3 innings against them into this game from last year, highlighted by a one-hitter on May 12, 2013, in which he retired the first 19 batters he faced. Mike Trout is 1 for 8 off Sale, while Howard Kendrick - who is 7 for 15 with five RBIs over his last four versus Chicago, though he rested Friday - is 1 for 7. White Sox (31-31) starters had posted a 1.80 ERA in nine games prior to Friday, when Andre Rienzo was shelled for seven runs and nine hits in just 3 2-3 innings. Meanwhile, returning home after closing out a road trip losing five of six served the Angels (32-28) well. They're 26 for 74 (.351) with runners in scoring position and averaging 5.2 runs while winning seven of nine in Anaheim.

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"Coming back home, we wanted to set the tone and came in with a little fire under our butts," said Jered Weaver, who struck out nine and allowed two runs over six innings. Rookie Matt Shoemaker (3-1, 4.03) draws the difficult task of opposing Sale, though he's 3-0 in four starts with a 3.38 ERA. He gave up three runs in 5 1-3 innings in his last start, a 7-5 win in Seattle on May 29, though he allowed back-to-back homers in one inning of relief in Tuesday's 7-2 loss at Houston. Rookie starters are 2-3 with a 3.95 ERA in seven outings versus Chicago. Josh Hamilton is 3 for 15 in four games since returning from left thumb surgery. He's 1 for 11 against Sale, against whom left-handers are 0 for 32 this season.

FROM FOX SPORTS WEST

Jered Weaver deals, bats come alive as Angels beat White Sox Michael Martinez/FOX Sports West ANAHEIM, Calif. -- After a road trip that was nothing short of disastrous, the Angels returned home Friday night hoping to put the bad memories behind them. They needed to. Going 3-7 on a 10-game trip and being swept by the first-place Oakland A's was not the kind of stretch to build confidence. But they got some of it back against the Chicago White Sox. Starting pitcher Jered Weaver got outs when he had to have them. They Angels scored five runs in the fourth inning, and the offense came alive with 11 hits, including home runs from Kole Calhoun and Albert Pujols. So their 8-4 win over the White Sox was a perfect antidote to an ugly road trip. "It was obviously a frustrating road trip," Weaver said. "It was a long one -- felt like six months we were on the road. I wanted to come out and set the tone and spark a little fire. He did, but so did Calhoun, who led off the bottom of the first with a homer, and the rest of the offense, which produced four consecutive two-out hits with men on base in the fourth inning off Chicago starter Andre Rienzo. The result was a comfortable lead for Weaver and a breakout game for an offense that was too quiet during portions of their road swing. So was it returning home that brought a level of comfort or simply good hitters getting hot together? "I don't know if we have to look at the reason why," manager Mike Scioscia said. "We're happy it was here tonight, and hopefully it continues. These guys are good offensive players."

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There were contributions up and down the lineup. Josh Hamilton had two hits and drove a pitch to the warning track in left-center. C.J. Cron continued to prove he has earned playing time with a two-run double in the fourth. Calhoun drove in three runs, and Pujols, who was just 5 for 35 on the trip, hit his 15th homer of the season in the eighth. Hamilton's night was encouraging since it came in only his fourth game back after missing 48 games with a torn ligament in his left thumb. With Mike Trout, Pujols and Hamilton on the field at the same time, the heart of the Angels' lineup is as potent as any in the American League. "There's a comfort level he's at in the batter's box from spring training on," Scioscia said of Hamilton, who is hitting .357. "He carried it on into the first week in the season. When he when down to Triple-A to get some at-bats (on a rehab assignment), the comfort zone appeared again. He's on pitches." And then there was Weaver, who struggled at times but got outs when he needed them. None was bigger than a two-seam fastball he threw to slugger Adam Dunn in the third for a called strike three with the bases loaded. Weaver threw 109 pitches over six innings, walked four and hit a batter. His control wasn't sharp, but he had a 7-2 lead when he turned the game over to the bullpen. "We knew coming in these guys were swinging the bats good," he said. "Maybe I was trying to be too fine at times and trying not to leave stuff over the plate. Obviously, I threw too many pitches early on, but I was battling to make pitches when I needed to." While Scioscia didn't want to make too much of coming home, there's no doubt Weaver is throwing well at Angel Stadium. In his past five home starts, he has a 2.05 ERA in 35 1/3 innings.

Angels' Sean Burnett undergoes second Tommy John surgery Michael Martinez/FOX Sports West ANAHEIM, Calif. -- Left-hander Sean Burnett, whose two seasons with the Angelswere cut short by injuries, this week underwent his second Tommy John surgery, manager Mike Scioscia said Friday. The surgery was performed by noted orthopedic surgeon James Andrew. Burnett, 31, pitched in just three games this season and 13 games in 2013. He was attempting to come back from surgery on his left elbow but had to come out in his third appearance May 27 at Seattle. Burnett also had Tommy John surgery in 2004 while pitching for the Pittsburgh Pirates. "It seems like it becomes a routine operation when you hear Tommy John surgery," said Scioscia, who spoke with Burnett several times leading up to surgery. "The results have been great. On the second one, I guess there's a little more gray area as to how it'll react, but I know he wants to pitch again. Hopefully, a year from now he's got an opportunity to do something he really loves to do and he's really good at."

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It Burnett does come back, it's unlikely to be with the Angels. He signed a two-year, $8-million contract with a club option for 2015. FROM SPORTING NEWS

MLB Draft grades: From Angels to Yankees, optimism abounds for new top prospects Jesse Spector Major League Baseball held the first two rounds of its draft on Thursday night, and since no draft would be complete without passing judgment on the decision-making of teams who have spent countless hours scouting and analyzing prospects, while the rest of us have been eating Cheez Doodles and writing parody songs about Padres outfielder Will Venable to the tune of Miley Cyrus' "Wrecking Ball," achieving that completeness means assigning draft grades. Everyone loves draft grades. You're reading this right now because you wanted to see draft grades. Here's the thing about draft grades, though: 10 years ago, the draft featured eight first-round picks who never played a day in the major leagues, including No. 1 pick Matt Bush and No. 8 Wade Townsend. Mark Reynolds, a three-time 30-home run hitter, went in the 16th round. If you're trying to assess the baseball draft this quickly, you are doing something, well... "I wouldn't say it's stupid," former 62nd-round pick Mike Piazza told Sporting News diplomatically, forcing someone else to say it's stupid. "I think it's just incomplete. I think every draft is incomplete. But, I get it. In this day and age, we want instantaneous information and dialogue. But, again, there's so many variables that go into the next few years, when it comes to the draft. There's how guys develop, if they stay healthy, if they mature, if they're able to mature on the field and off the field. There is a lot of uncertain, for lack of a better word, variables that are there, but I get it. We're just going by the information in a player's career up until this point. The big work is ahead. There's a lot of work for these guys ahead of them." What follows, then, is a series of grades that are stupid, but that also come with the knowledge of their stupidity. There is no use trying to pretend that anyone knows anything about what the future holds. If they did, there would not be nearly so many No. 1 overall picks who wound up as complete busts. Piazza is right about the incredible number of variables involved in translating amateur prowess into professional success. That makes this set of grades and comments on top picks something to bookmark, store away for 10 years in a digital time capsule, then point at and laugh. Also, because Venable went to Princeton and he is on the mind from that parody song, there is grade inflation afoot. See you in 2024! Angels (Grade: A): Sean Newcomb (No. 15) is the first player picked in the first 10 rounds out of the University of Hartford since Jeff Bagwell, a fact presented by the MLB Network during its coverage that suggests Newcomb will someday be snubbed by Hall of Fame voters for no good reason whatsoever.

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That would still be a very successful first-round pick, and you can never have enough pitching, as they say. Hopefully he'll be able to avoid Tommy John surgery. Astros (A): Brady Aiken (No. 1) says he does crossfit and does not listen to music before his games. So much for a Beats by Dre endorsement, then. Aiken looks much older than 17, and he definitely has "The Face," so to see a numbers-driven organization like the Astros pick him, he must be a good combination of old-school and new-school goodness. Hopefully he'll be able to avoid Tommy John surgery. Athletics (A): A third baseman from Cal State-Fullerton, Matt Chapman (No. 25) lists Kobe Bryant as his favorite athlete, in an era when most of his peers would say LeBron James if they were going to name a basketball player. That's Billy Beane going after market inefficiencies yet again. Blue Jays (A): ECU's Jeff Hoffman (No. 9) might have been picked sooner if not for the Tommy John surgery he just had, but he represented a sensible risk for the Blue Jays to take, as they also owned the No. 11 pick. That would be Kennesaw State catcher Max Pentecost, giving the Blue Jays a potential future battery of guys who went to colleges that make you say: "Where the heck is that?" Braves (A): North Carolina high school outfielder Braxton Davidson (No. 32) is someone to keep an eye on, as he says that he enjoys catching catfish with his bare hands, and the guys who do that are usually pretty entertaining characters. That has nothing to do with baseball, a sport that Davidson very well might wind up playing fantastically well at the major league level ... or he very well might not. Brewers (A): Kodi Medeiros (No. 12) had an 0.97 ERA and 0.72 WHIP in high school in Hawaii, which is strange, because you wonder how he could have given up any runs when allowing less than three-quarters of a baserunner per inning. The Brewers have previously had success with a pitcher whose first name ends with "i" in Yovani Gallardo. Hopefully he'll be able to avoid Tommy John surgery. Cardinals (A): Luke Weaver (No. 27) will probably be amazing because he is a pitcher who was selected by the Cardinals in the first round of the draft, and if he isn't amazing, it doesn't matter, because some other pitcher the Cardinals take in this draft will be amazing — perhaps California high school right-hander Jack Flaherty (No. 34). That's just how the Cardinals roll, and you wonder why more teams don't invest as heavily as the Cardinals do in time travel to go into the future and identify amazing pitchers. Hopefully they'll be able to avoid Tommy John surgery. Cubs (A): Kyle Schwarber (No. 4) already is tied for 20th all time in Wins Above Replacement among Cubs first-round picks, although to be fair, the picks made under Theo Epstein's regime have shown promise on their way to the majors. Will Schwarber be next? Maybe. Maybe not. What you have to like is a player going to Chicago with a name that can be said correctly when you have a mouthful of bratwurst. Try it. This works. Dodgers (A): The big question about South Carolina high school right-hander Grant Holmes (No. 22) is how his mushroom cloud hairstyle will translate at the next level, especially considering that in all the highlights, he wears his hat with a completely flat brim. The Dodgers' previous No. 22 picks, Dave Anderson and Tom Goodwin, both made it to the majors. Hopefully he'll be able to avoid Tommy John surgery. Diamondbacks (A): Touki Toussaint (No. 16) not only has a fun name to say, but a perfect one for strikeout-count signs in the stands. You can easily see TOUKKKKKKKI somewhere on a loge level

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overhang. It's really too bad, though, that Toussaint didn't fall to the Red Sox so that he could eventually do commercials with Bruins goalie Tuukka Rask. Hopefully he'll be able to avoid Tommy John surgery. Giants (A): Tyler Beede (No. 14) continued the Giants' strong tradition of making a pick when it is their turn to make a pick at the draft. He's a pitcher for Vanderbilt, which means that people will talk about how he's smart, though not as much as if he had gone to Stanford (actually his next opponent). Hopefully he'll be able to avoid Tommy John surgery. Indians (A): Outfielder Bradley Zimmer (No. 21) had an Indians shirt and hat ready to go at his house, which makes for a cool visual, and also makes you wonder how many other teams' hats and shirts are now on their way to Goodwill. Zimmer, whose brother Kyle was a first-round pick of the Royals last year, says that he models his game after Carlos Gonzalez, so he's already a major injury concern. Tennessee high school left-hander Justus Sheffield (No. 31) has a brother named Jordan at Vanderbilt, which is where Justus is committed, but is not related to Gary. Hopefully he'll be able to avoid Tommy John surgery. Nationals (A): Mustachioed Erick Fedde (No. 18) already has had Tommy John surgery, which is why he fell down the draft board a bit. He's also a Scott Boras client, not that Washington has any issues in dealing with the superagent who represents Stephen Strasburg and Bryce Harper, the latter of whom was high school teammates with Fedde. Mariners (A): Alex Jackson (No. 6) was drafted as an outfielder rather than a catcher, which dooms the chance for announcers to eventually say, "You know, Jackson was originally drafted as a catcher." That's bad news, because those little anecdotes are a staple of baseball broadcasts. Marlins (A): Tyler Kolek (No. 2) is 6-5 and 245 pounds at the age of 18, so if the whole pitching thing doesn't work out, maybe he can be a linebacker for the Dolphins. For some reason, a lot was made about the fact that he's committed to TCU. There's no way he's going to TCU unless the Marlins completely cheap out and oh, okay, that's why they made a big deal about him being committed to TCU. Hopefully he'll be able to avoid Tommy John surgery. Mets (A): Michael Conforto (No. 10) is an outfielder from Oregon State, which gives the Mets the perfect counter to Jacoby Ellsbury on the other side of town, although he's a completely different kind of player. Every college outfielder drafted by the Mets in the first round — Jason Tyner, Jay Payton, Jeromy Burnitz, Stan Jefferson, Terry Blocker, and Hubie Brooks — has made the majors. Orioles (Gentleman's C): Baltimore's first pick will be No. 90 overall, in the third round, because the Orioles signed Nelson Cruz and Ubaldo Jimenez, and traded their Competitive Balance Round A pick to the Astros for Bud Norris last year. Instead of Competitive Balance Round A, it should be called CoBRA, although CoBRB for Competitive Balance Round B wouldn't work at all, so maybe it's time to do away with having the draft altogether. Padres (A): Trea Turner (No. 13) will try to become the first major leaguer ever named Trea. He's a shortstop, and as an N.C. State man he should be well acquainted with playing for the third-most popular team in a specific geographic region. Turner's best tool is his speed, but "Turner The Burner" as a nickname might conjure bad memories for San Diego fans of Michael Turner leaving the Chargers, so it might be best to build a nickname off his first name.

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Phillies (A): Aaron Nola (No. 7) is from LSU, which, as Bud Selig noted when announcing the pick, is in Baton Rouge, not New Orleans. That's like if the Phillies actually played in Harrisburg. Will the Phillies insist that he change his name to Harris Berg? Then what happens if he gets traded? These are stupid questions that have nothing to do with Nola's talent, which has led to some very impressive numbers in college. Hopefully he'll be able to avoid Tommy John surgery. Pirates (A): Cole Tucker (No. 24) is the 12th shortstop selected in the first round in Pirates history, joining Richie Hebner, Craig Reynolds, Dwayne Peltier, Dale Berra, Rick Renteria, Sam Khalifa, Jeff King, Austin Manahan, Willie Green, Mark Farris, and Chad Hermansen. That was some really disappointing research to do, but what is really interesting is that Cole Tucker is a member of the Two First Names Club today, but would have been a member of the No First Names Club had he come of age a generation ago. Rangers (A): California high school right-hander Luis Ortiz (No. 30) is nicknamed Lulu, so picture him in a rotation with Yu Darvish, and you've got Yu and Lulu and hitters say boo hoo, and there may be some time to work on making a better rhyme out of that because, after all, Ortiz is just coming out of high school. Hopefully he'll be able to avoid Tommy John surgery. Rays (A): Wichita State first baseman Casey Gillaspie (No. 20) is on Twitter at @BigCaseDawg16, reflecting both his uniform number and the fact that he is 21 years old. The Rays do not have a No. 16 on their major-league roster, so Gillaspie fills an organizational need. He's also White Sox third baseman Conor Gillaspie's brother. Red Sox (A): Michael Chavis (No. 26) comes from Sprayberry High School in Georgia, which sounds like a baseball kind of place. He will later regret his decision to wear a bowtie to the draft, because as stylish as a bowtie might be, a straight tie is a much better option when you're going to be taking off your suit jacket and putting on a baseball jersey. No. 33 pick Michael Kopech was introduced by Selig as the 33rd pick in the "twenty-thousand fourteen draft," so it could be a long wait for Boston fans to see him. Hopefully he'll be able to avoid Tommy John surgery. Reds (A): Nick Howard (No. 19) is part of the Two First Names Club, so there are some people who will not trust him, but this is part of the Reds' philosophy, as they selected Philip Ervin in the first round last year. Hopefully he'll be able to avoid Tommy John surgery. Stanford shortstop Alex Blandino (No. 29) is the compensatory pick for Shin-Soo Choo, so, hey, no pressure, right? Rockies (A): Kyle Freeland (No. 8) grew up in Colorado, and has worn purple in college pitching for Evansville, so there should be a high comfort level here. This also makes up for the Colorado Avalanche passing up Denver's own Seth Jones with the No. 1 pick in last year's NHL draft. See what Dellin Betances is doing for the Yankees? He grew up in New York. Draft those hometown kids! Hopefully he'll be able to avoid Tommy John surgery. Royals (A): TCU left-hander Brandon Finnegan (No. 17) is definitely a real person who exists, while Foster Griffin (No. 28), a left-hander from someplace in Florida called The First Academy, raises doubts, even though there is video of him pitching — in this day and age, such video could easily be created on computers, and it was notable how the MLB Network panel kept talking about "projections" with him. It's also possible that as a hologram, he will dominate baseball. Hopefully they'll both be able to avoid Tommy John surgery.

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Tigers (A): Derek Hill (No. 23) is an outfielder who wore an absolutely enormous watch to the draft, and he looked less than comfortable standing next to Selig, so he might be closer to major league-ready than most high school prospects. He also might not be, because he is a high school outfielder who will need time to develop his hitting ability. That latter piece of information probably is more important, but don't discount how cool that watch looked. Twins (A): Nick Gordon (No. 5) is Tom Gordon's son and Dee Gordon's brother, and he's from Windermere, Fla., which is where they always say Tiger Woods is from when he gets to the first tee. Does any of that mean anything? No, but after he was picked, Gordon said he thought he would text his grandmother. Anyone with a texting granny gets big-time bonus points. White Sox (A): The get-to-know-you feature on MLB Network for Carlos Rodon (No. 3) included him talking about his love of karaoke, and starting to sing "New York, New York." Learning curve ahead includes the lyrics to "My Kind Of Town," but he's already in the ballpark with Sinatra, and his stirrup game is better than 99 percent of major leaguers. He was the only draft prospect anyone had heard of a month ago, so getting him at No. 3 is a coup. Hopefully he'll be able to avoid Tommy John surgery. Yankees (A): Without a first-round pick after their winter spending spree on free agents who received qualifying offers from other clubs, the Yankees seized on the spirit of the Rangers' Stanley Cup run by picking Jacob Lindgren, who sounds like he should be a second-line right winger but actually is a left-hander from Mississippi State, at No. 55. If you Google him, but accidentally mess up his name because you've been watching the MLB draft for four hours, you will find that Jakob Lindberg is an accomplished lutenist and also a 61-year-old Swede, and that his name is actually spelled Jakob, and then you will be very confused but have a fun idea about what Lindgren's entrance music should be. Hopefully he'll be able to avoid Tommy John surgery.

FROM SPORTS XCHANGE

Team Report - LOS ANGELES ANGELS INSIDE PITCH ANAHEIM, Calif. -- The Angels' Mike Trout played more than one inning in center field on Friday for the first time since May 30, finally feeling good enough after experiencing inflammation in his upper back. Trout went 2-for-5 with a home run against the A's on May 30, then woke up the next morning with stiffness in his back. He missed three games completely, played one as the designated hitter and had to come out of the game after one inning in another. "He's healthy," Angels manager Mike Scioscia said before Friday's game against the White Sox. "He came in today and said he feels great and wants to get back into center field. The training staff put him through the paces early, and feel he's 100 percent." Despite having to work through the issues with his back, Trout has hit safely in 13 of his past 14 games, going hitless only in the game he had to leave after one inning. During that stretch, Trout is 19-for-51, raising his average from .264 on May 17 to .294 after Friday's game.

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Trout has missed four games this season, after missing only eight total since being called up from the minors on April 28, 2012 through the end of last season. In those 12 games without Trout, the Angels are 6-6.

NOTES, QUOTES RECORD: 32-28 STREAK: Won one NEXT: White Sox (LHP Chris Sale, 5-0, 1.59 ERA) at Angels (RHPMatt Shoemaker, 3-1, 4.03 ERA) PLAYER NOTES: --CF Mike Trout started in center field Friday after playing just one inning in the field during the previous five games because of inflammation in his upper back. Trout missed three games completely, played one as the DH, and came out after one inning in another. --2B Howie Kendrick was not in the starting lineup Friday, getting a day to rest. Kendrick, who started 58 of the club's first 59 games, entered the game with seven hits in his past 42 at-bats, seeing his average dip from .309 to .283. --RHP Jered Weaver needed 109 pitches to get through six innings Friday against the White Sox, but managed to hold them to two runs and earn the victory. He gave up five hits and four walks, but benefitted from an offense that scored eight runs. "We knew coming in these guys (White Sox) were swinging the bats good," Weaver said. "Maybe I was trying to be too fine at times and trying not to leave stuff over the plate. I threw too many pitches early on, but I was battling to make pitches when I needed to." --RHP Matt Shoemaker will start Saturday against the White Sox. Shoemaker is 3-0 with a 3.38 ERA as a starter, compared to 0-1 with a 5.87 ERA pitching out of the bullpen. He has never faced the White Sox in his career. --INF Ian Stewart (left hand bruise) had cortisone injections. He still has pain in the hand and is unable to swing a bat. --LHP Sean Burnett (torn left ulnar collateral ligament) will miss the rest of the season. He had Tommy John surgery to repair a torn ligament in his left elbow. QUOTE TO NOTE: "We knew coming in these guys (White Sox) were swinging the bats good. Maybe I was trying to be too fine at times and trying not to leave stuff over the plate. I threw too many pitches early on, but I was battling to make pitches when I needed to." -- RHP Jered Weaver, who needed 109 pitches to get through six innings in Friday's win over the White Sox.

ROSTER REPORT MEDICAL WATCH:

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--LHP Sean Burnett (torn left ulnar collateral ligament) went on the 15-day disabled list May 29 and was transferred to the 60-day disabled list June 3. He will miss the rest of the season. He had Tommy John surgery June 5 to repair a torn ligament in his left elbow. --INF Ian Stewart (left hand bruise) went on the 15-day disabled list May 12. He began a rehab assignment with Triple-A Salt Lake from May 25 but it was halted after two games. In late May, he was at the team's spring training headquarters in Arizona getting treatment. He had cortisone injections June 6. He still has pain in the hand and is unable to swing a bat. --RHP Ryan Brasier (right elbow strain) went on the 15-day disabled list retroactive to March 21, and he was transferred to the 60-day DL on April 16. --LHP Brian Moran (left elbow inflammation) went on the 15-day disabled list retroactive to March 21, and he was transferred to the 60-day DL on April 13. He underwent season-ending Tommy John surgery the week of April 14. ROTATION: RHP Jered Weaver LHP C.J. Wilson RHP Garrett Richards LHP Tyler Skaggs RHP Matt Shoemaker BULLPEN: RHP Joe Smith (closer) RHP Ernesto Frieri RHP Kevin Jepsen RHP Fernando Salas RHP Mike Morin RHP Cam Bedrosian CATCHERS: Chris Iannetta Hank Conger INFIELDERS: 1B Albert Pujols 2B Howie Kendrick SS Erick Aybar 3B David Freese INF C.J. Cron INF John McDonald OUTFIELDERS: LF Josh Hamilton CF Mike Trout RF Kole Calhoun

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OF Raul Ibanez OF Collin Cowgill OF/INF Grant Green

Team Report - CHICAGO WHITE SOX

INSIDE PITCH ANAHEIM, Calif. -- The White Sox went 63-99 in 2013, barely avoiding a 100-loss season and having a record better than only the Marlins and the Astros. But if any good news could come out of a dismal season, it was that the White Sox got to pick third in the draft, which began Thursday. The White Sox took a left-handed pitcher from North Carolina State, Carlos Rodon. "We drafted a guy we felt was the best talent. That gets you excited," White Sox manager Robin Ventura said before Friday's 8-4 loss to the Angels. "As painful it is to know we got the third pick and how we got it, at least we get something out of it. Hopefully he'll be here soon and be here for a while." Rodon said he wasn't disappointed at not being taken No. 1 by the Astros, but it would serve as motivation to prove those two teams who didn't take him -- the Astros and Marlins -- wrong. Rodon also said he had higher expectations for himself in his final season at North Carolina State, during which he went 6-7 with a 2.01 ERA and 117 strikeouts in 98 2/3 innings.

NOTES, QUOTES RECORD: 31-31 STREAK: Lost one NEXT: White Sox (LHP Chris Sale, 5-0, 1.59 ERA) at Angels (RHP Matt Shoemaker, 3-1, 4.03 ERA) PLAYER NOTES: --1B Jose Abreu's 47 RBIs in his first 47 major league games has been exceeded by only three players in major league history -- Joe DiMaggio (52), Walt Dropo (52) and Ted Williams (49). --SS Alexei Ramirez started each of the White Sox's first 62 games this season, hitting safely in 51 of them. His average has not been below .315 all season. --RHP Andre Rienzo had his worst start of the season Friday night against the Angels, giving up seven runs (all earned) on nine hits and one walk in 3 2/3 innings. He had not given up more than three earned runs in his previous seven starts.

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--LHP Chris Sale will start Saturday against the Angels. He has not allowed a hit to a left-handed batter all season (0-for-32). Sale has been dominant vs. the Angels in five career games (three starts) giving up one run in 24 innings and going 3-0 with a 0.38 ERA. QUOTE TO NOTE: "That inning, they just put it together, we couldn't stop them. He was up, he got in trouble there and couldn't find his way out of it." -- White Sox manager Robin Ventura, after RHP Andre Rienzo couldn't get the third out in the fourth inning of Friday's 8-4 loss to the Angels.

ROSTER REPORT MEDICAL WATCH: --RHP Felipe Paulino (right rotator cuff inflammation) went on the 15-day disabled list April 19. He was throwing bullpen sessions in late April. He began a rehab assignment with Triple-A Charlotte on May 3. The reports from his rehab starts as of May 25 weren't good in terms of pitch location and effectiveness. Manager Robin Ventura said he would talk with pitching coach Don Cooper to decide what comes next. Paulino was pulled from his rehab assignment May 27 due to shoulder soreness. --RHP Matt Lindstrom (subluxed left ankle tendon) went on the 15-day disabled list May 20. He underwent surgery May 23, and he is expected to be out until late August. --RHP Nate Jones (nerve issue in back) went on the 15-day disabled list April 4, and he was transferred to the 60-day DL on May 3. He underwent surgery May 5. --OF Avisail Garcia (torn labrum in left shoulder) was put on the 15-day disabled list April 10, and he was transferred to the 60-day DL on April 27. He underwent season-ending surgery April 15. ROTATION: LHP Chris Sale LHP Jose Quintana LHP John Danks RHP Andre Rienzo RHP Hector Noesi BULLPEN: RHP Ronald Belisario RHP Daniel Webb RHP Zack Putnam LHP Scott Downs RHP Jake Petricka RHP Javy Guerra RHP Scott Carroll CATCHERS: Tyler Flowers Adrian Nieto

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INFIELDERS: 1B Jose Abreu 2B Gordon Beckham SS Alexei Ramirez 3B Conor Gillaspie INF Paul Konerko INF Leury Garcia OUTFIELDERS: LF Alejandro De Aza CF Adam Eaton RF Dayan Viciedo OF Moises Sierra OF/DH Adam Dunn