TOP THREE PLAYERS FROM THE 2012 MLB DRAFT

  The drama and suspense started early on the first day of MLB's First-Year Player Draft, which featured an eleventh-hour selection as the top overall pick and a highly touted college arm who fell down the board. (www.mlb.com) Houston shocked the industry by selecting prep infielder Carlos Correa as the first pick, and general manager Jeff Luhnow admitted that the Astros didn't settle on their choice until the final hour. And after Carlos Correa had been selected.

The night belonged to Carlos Correa, though, who became the highest-drafted player in the rich and distinguished history of Puerto Rican baseball. Correa, who attended the Puerto Rico Baseball Academy, said that his selection is a testament to hard work and an important milestone. Houston hadn't picked first overall since taking Phil Nevin with the top pick in 1992. Carlos Correa was selected with countryman and recent retiree Ivan Rodriguez in attendance the highest-drafted player out of Puerto Rico had been Ramon Castro with the No. 17 pick in 1994. Correa was also the highest-drafted Puerto Rican-born player since Jose Cruz Jr., who was drafted third out of Rice University in 1995. 



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The Twins picked after Houston, and they picked up one of the Draft's most electrifying talents in outfielder Byron Buxton. Byron Buxton was a former prep football star, is regarded as a potential two-way talent in baseball, and he can throw a fastball that reportedly reaches as high as 99 mph. The Twins picked Buxton as a position player that will be joining  an organization that has produced outfielders such as Denard Span, Ben Revere and Aaron Hicks. Buxton, 18, hit .513 at Appling County High School this season, and he struck out 18 to lead his team to a Georgia state championship last week. Many scouts said Buxton was the best player available, and the Twins agreed.


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The Mariners picked power-hitting catcher Mike Zunino out of University of Florida with the third pick, a choice that preceded the Draft's first run on pitching. Mike Zunino is an American college baseball catcher with the University of Florida Gators baseball team. Zunino was named to the Baseball America All-American team as a sophomore for 2011 after being named Southeastern Conference player of the year. Mike Zunino is an American baseball catcher. He played college baseball at the University of Florida Gators baseball team. Zunino was named to the Baseball America All-American team as a sophomore for 2011 after being named Southeastern Conference player of the year. He was the second Florida Gator to win the SEC player of the year award after Matt LaPorta did so in 2005 and 2007. In 2010, he played with the Yarmouth-Dennis Red Sox of the Cape Cod Baseball League. He is from Cape Coral Florida.

FIRST-ROUND SELECTIONS

No.	Team	Player
1	HOU	SS Carlos Correa
2	MIN	OF Byron Buxton
3	SEA	C Mike Zunino
4	BAL	RHP Kevin Gausman
5	KC	RHP Kyle Zimmer
6	CHC	OF Albert Almora
7	SD	LHP Max Fried
8	PIT	RHP Mark Appel
9	MIA	LHP Andrew Heaney
10	COL	OF David Dahl
11	OAK	SS Addison Russell
12	NYM	SS Gavin Cecchini
13	CWS	OF Courtney Hawkins
14	CIN	RHP Nick Travieso
15	CLE	OF Tyler Naquin
16	WAS	RHP Lucas Giolito
17	TOR	OF D.J. Davis
18	LAD	SS Corey Seager
19	STL	RHP Michael Wacha
20	SF	RHP Chris Stratton
21	ATL	RHP Lucas Sims
22	TOR	RHP Marcus Stroman
23	STL	OF James Ramsey
24	BOS	SS Deven Marrero
25	TB	3B/1B Richie Shaffer
26	ARI	C Stryker Trahan
27	MIL	C Clint Coulter
28	MIL	OF Victor Roache
29	TEX	OF Lewis Brinson
30	NYY	RHP Ty Hensley
31	BOS	LHP Brian Johnson

Santana twirls first no-no in Mets history.

It took 51 seasons for the Mets and one year of rehab for Santana, but it happened. Rangers CEO and president Nolan Ryan, one of a handful of former Mets pitchers that have thrown no-hitters in other uniforms, weighed in on the magnitude of Santana's outing for the Mets.(www.mlb.com) Terry Collins said before the game he would limit Santana to about 110 pitches, but he could not pull his starter when the time came to choose between a chance at history and a dangerously high pitch count. Terry Collins remained torn by his decision afterward, as his eyes watered up in his postgame news conference while he discussed Santana and his return from September 2010 shoulder surgery. Johan Santana did it on a shoulder that Terry Collins wants to protect, and one that Santana is still unsure of. But for one night, it was enough to shoulder the burden of 51 seasons of Mets history and forever include his name as part of it. Congratulation Johan Santana for throwing the first no-hitter in Mets History...http://newyork.mets.mlb.com/mlb/gameday/index.jsp?gid=2012_06_01_slnmlb_nynmlb_1&mode=recap&c_id=nym#gid=2012_06_01_slnmlb_nynmlb_1&mode=video

Shoulder strain sends Roy Halladay on the 15-day disabled list

The Phillies placed Roy Halladay on the 15-day disabled list Tuesday with what they call a Grade 1/2 strain of his right latissimus dorsi. He will be sidelined from activity for three weeks, but the Phillies are hopeful he can be pitching again in six to eight weeks.(www.mlb.com) The Phillies are really lucky because it's nothing that requires anything other than rest. That means no torn rotator cuff or labrum. That means no surgery. Halladay pitched well at times, but he hasn't dominated like he had in the past. Roy Halladay is 4-5 with a 3.98 ERA in 11 starts this season, but 1-3 with a 6.11 ERA in six starts in May. He has not looked like himself since Spring Training, despite his insistence he felt fine. Many people are asking questions like "why the Phillies did not pull Halladay earlier"? The Phillies aren't sure when the injury happened, if it came on one pitch or happened gradually over time. The Phillies are really lucky its nothing that big that needs surgery.