Insert Your Own "Savory Rice" Joke Here

Tedium scores big ratings. That's my theory. Why else would Deal or No Deal and the NFL Draft attract so many viewers?

So don't be surprised if the very first televised MLB amateur draft breaks the Nielsen meter. Between Bud Selig adding extra vowels to the word "Cincinnati" and pronouncing "Los Angeles" like the cowboy in The Big Lebowski, entertainment value was sorely lacking. You can only listen to so many 18-year-olds act surprised and dodge the "are you going to college?" question.

(Why do people think that if a person has athletic ability, he'll automatically give a scintillating interview? Even when they become professionals, 70 percent of athletes have almost nothing interesting to say. For the most part, they are employees doing their jobs. And ESPN sure ain't asking the guy who fixes your office's Xerox machine to sit down and chat for a few minutes.)

I lasted long enough to see the Phillies draft Rice University junior LHP/1B Joe Savery with the 19th overall pick. The Phils have had mixed results drafting a pitcher with their first pick in recent years (Gavin Floyd in 2001, Cole Hamels in 2002). With the well of hurlers in the minor league system running dry, it seems the Phillies brain trust (now there's an oxymoron) is again stocking up on young arms--lest we forget, Kyle Drabek was their marquee pick last year in the franchise's grand tradition of acquiring the relatives of good major league ballplayers. If you ask me, there must be an easier way to get Nomar's phone number than letting his little brother play on your Double-A team.

Anyway, the lowdown on Savery is that he potentially could have gone higher if not for a bone spur injury last year. What's more important to me is the following tidbit from his Rice University bio:

"Started on the mound and served as his own designated hitter six times."

Yep, the man can hit, at least with those aluminum billy clubs they use in the college game. Not to take anything away from his accomplishments, but it is essentially the same technology I used to rake doubles with in Little League. But hey, we may be looking at a future Randy Wolf on the mound and at the bat. Welcome to the Phamily, Joe.

Phils Select Rice Lefty With First Pick [Phillies.com]
Player Bio: Joe Savery [Rice Owls]