Two schools of thought / Giants draft mostly preps; A's take college players

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Baseball-draft followers can use the Bay Area teams as a point-counterpoint in the sport's decades-old debate: Do college players or high schoolers provide the better value?

On Thursday, the first day of the two-day event, the Giants had six of the initial 51 selections. They used those picks on five prep players and one college catcher. The A's had eight choices throughout the day -- and all eight of their picks came from the college ranks.

All three of San Francisco's first-round picks were high schoolers: 6-foot-4 left-hander Madison Bumgarner with the 10th overall selection, 6-6 right-hander Tim Alderson at No. 22 and outfielder Wendell Fairley at No. 29.

With their lone choice in the opening round, the 26th overall, the A's took UC Riverside's James Simmons, a 6-4 right-hander who was the Big West Conference Pitcher of the Year.

MLB.com's profile of Simmons calls him "the quintessential command right-hander," and his stats this season support that assessment: In 1232/3 innings, he struck out 116 batters -- and walked all of 15.

Simmons has "great fastball command and he flat-out knows how to pitch," said A's director of scouting Eric Kubota, who also praised Simmons' development of his changeup.

Simmons, who went 11-3 with a 2.40 ERA in 2007, said he has been compared to the Angels' John Lackey.

South Caldwell High School pitcher Madison Bumgarner is congratulated by coaches and classmates minutes after learning he was drafted by the San Francisco Giants in the first round of the 2007 Major League Baseball Draft at South Caldwell High School Thursday June 7, 2007. Bumgarner and the South Caldwell Spartans won the North Carolina 4-A State Championship Title Saturday June 2. (News-Topic/Nicholas Rose) less South Caldwell High School pitcher Madison Bumgarner is congratulated by coaches and classmates minutes after learning he was drafted by the San Francisco Giants in the first round of the 2007 Major League ... more Photo: Nicholas Rose , News-Topic Photo: Nicholas Rose , News-Topic Image 1 of / 3 Caption Close Two schools of thought / Giants draft mostly preps; A's take college players 1 / 3 Back to Gallery

Alderson, the Giants' second choice, said he likes to compare himself to another Angels pitcher, Francisco Rodriguez. One reason for that comparison is that both right-handers work solely from the stretch. It appears Alderson has Simmons-like command: In leading Scottsdale's Horizon High to the Arizona state championship, Alderson struck out 111 hitters and walked four (that's right, four) in 731/3 innings.

Bumgarner also pitched his team (South Caldwell High in North Carolina) to a state championship, and his numbers this season (143 Ks, 11 walks in 861/3 innings) were at least as impressive as Alderson's.

The Giants last chose a prep pitcher in the first round in 2002. He was Matt Cain, and three years later, he was in the big leagues. Dick Tidrow, the Giants' vice president of player personnel, believes both Bumgarner and Alderson have a chance to be on the mound in China Basin in 2010.

"It could be as fast as that," Tidrow said. "Both of them are on the fast track because of their size and their ability."

As a wide receiver at George County-Lucedale High in Mississippi, Fairley had enough ability to draw some interest from LSU and Florida. He signed a letter of intent to play baseball at Southern Mississippi, but made it clear he's planning on pro baseball.

"I'm a Giant now," Fairley said.

A left-handed hitter who has been compared to the Devil Rays' Carl Crawford, Fairley is, in Tidrow's estimation, a five-tool player.

"It's a question of developing those tools to major-league-type ability," Tidrow said.

In the supplemental round between the first and second rounds, the Giants had three choices: shortstop Nick Noonan from Parker High in San Diego, the 32nd overall pick; University of Oklahoma catcher Jackson Williams, whom the Giants like for his defensive skills, at No. 43; and another prep shortstop, Charlie Culberson of Calhoun, Ga.

The A's had two supplemental-round choices: At No. 41, they took Virginia first baseman Sean Doolittle, who also pitched for the Cavaliers, and at No. 59, they selected Oklahoma State outfielder Corey Brown.

Oakland's first choice in the second round, Cal Poly outfielder Grant Desme, gave the A's a Big West double: After hitting .405 with 15 homers, he was the conference's player of the year.

Tampa Bay had the overall No. 1 pick, and as expected, the Devil Rays chose Vanderbilt left-hander David Price.