DODGERS NOTEBOOK : FOREWARNED, FOREARMED DODGERS PICK INFIELDER.The Dodgers, who haven't had particularly good fortune in recent years with pitchers they've selected in the first round of the June free-agent draft, opted Tuesday for a powerfully built infielder, Damian Rolls Damian Michael Rolls (born September 15, 1977 in Manhattan, Kansas) is a third baseman who played for the Columbus Clippers, Charlotte Knights and Bridgeport Bluefish in 2006. In Columbus, Rolls batted .048, with 0 home runs and 0 RBIs. In Columbus, he batted . of Schlagel High School in Kansas City Kansas City, two adjacent cities of the same name, one (1990 pop. 149,767), seat of Wyandotte co., NE Kansas (inc. 1859), the other (1990 pop. 435,146), Clay, Jackson, and Platte counties, NW Mo. (inc. 1850). . Rolls, 18, chosen with the 23rd pick overall, has signed a letter of intent to play baseball for Kansas, but the Dodgers are hopeful their money will lure him into joining their organization this summer. ``Our signs are that he does want to sign, he does want to play (pro ball),'' executive vice president Fred Claire Fred Claire (b. October 5, 1935 in Jamestown, OH) is a former major league baseball executive who served in numerous roles for the Los Angeles Dodgers from 1969-1998 including the role of general manager from 1987-1998. said. Rolls said he would weigh the options in discussions with his parents. ``We're not going to rush,'' he said in a conference call. ``We'll sit back, relax, think everything out thoroughly.'' Rolls, also an accomplished quarterback who insists he has sworn off football, batted .512 and stole 19 bases in his senior season while playing shortstop and third base. He's 6-foot-3, 205 pounds; the Dodgers project him at third. Over the previous 13 years, the Years, The the seven decades of Eleanor Pargiter’s life. [Br. Lit.: Benét, 1109] See : Time Dodgers used nine of 15 first-round picks on pitchers, and only one - Darren Dreifort Other options: How critical is the free-agent draft to the Dodgers? Not very. In recent years they've proved much more adept at tapping foreign sources for talent. Consider that six members of the current 25-man roster were drafted by the Dodgers: Mike Piazza Michael Joseph Piazza (born September 4, 1968 in Norristown, Pennsylvania) is an American Major League Baseball player who currently plays for the Oakland Athletics. He began his career with the Los Angeles Dodgers and played for the Florida Marlins, New York Mets, San Diego Padres , Eric Karros On the other hand, nine current players were signed as free agents from five different countries: Ramon Martinez, Raul Mondesi, Pedro Astacio (Dominican Republic); Ismael Valdes, Antonio Osuna, Juan Castro (Mexico); Hideo Nomo (Japan); Chan Ho Park (South Korea); Roger Cedeno (Venezuela). Whirlwind visit: Dreifort, assigned to Triple-A Albuquerque while trying to return from major elbow surgery, stopped by Tuesday to throw for pitching coach Dave Wallace and to be checked out by physical therapist Pat Screnar. Both gave him stamps of approval. Dreifort, 0-3 with a 5.20 ERA in nine games with the Dukes, said, ``I'm having trouble throwing strikes (24 walks in 36-1/3 innings). I don't think it's as bad as it looks. I'm just trying to be too fine, I think.'' Dreifort also recalled the draft of '93, when he tried to concentrate on the College World Series while with Wichita State. ``You've got guys expecting to go in certain places (in the draft) the night before they play,'' he said. ``Then they go in whatever round and they've got to go back out and give you 100 percent mentally? It's tough.'' |
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