First Round - Kevin Gausman: RHP, Louisiana State

Just like last year, please make sure each player has his own discussion thread. Thanks.

CBS Bio: A sixth-round pick of the Dodgers in 2010, Gausman is a draft-eligible sophomore. In his two years at LSU, he's 16-7 with a 3.07 ERA and 214 strikeouts in 205 1/3 innings in the nation's best baseball conference. This year he was 11-1 with a 2.72 ERA as the team's Friday night starter. A hard thrower, he also has a very good changeup, but his breaking pitches have been in question. He started the season with a slider, but his new pitching coach at LSU, Alan Dunn, had him ditch it for a curveball, then brought back the slider later in the season.

Nick Faleris - Camden Depot - Report on Gausman

Melewski: Was Appel factoring in late for you?

Raj: Appealing about both pitchers. We felt like we got the one we wanted.

Dan C: Congrats to Kevin, what has this day been like for you?

Kevin: Rollercoaster day, didn't sleep much last night, woke up this morning, didn't know what to think, with the draft sometimes you know who will take you, sometimes you don't. In my case I didn't know what was going to happen. With Appel, don't think anybody has the draft board happening like it did. Weird to sit back like it did. Bit of a shock. Obviously I was taken by Baltimore. Last pitcher taken this high was Ben McDonald. Has great things to say about Baltimore. All I keep hearing about is the crabs. Excited to get a shot at crabs.

Q: Could you talk a little bit more about the quirkiness? Relationship with Alan Dunn?

Kevin: I've always been weird. Eat four donuts between innings. A little weird. Started in middle school. I live my life, I like to be a little different than other people. AD came in here, I have a great relationship with him. He has a great work ethic, and I think he had something to do with this, background with Orioles. No one has a bad word to say about him.

Kevin: I was really immature when I got here. I didn’t know the pitching coach. Coming here and playing two years, I think it’s the best conference in all of college baseball, huge for me, big experience, every Friday night, we get about 9,000 here, especially in this postseason that we’ve had, it’s been pretty crazy. In my entire development I’ve matured leaps and bounds since high school. Not just on mound but as a person, faith, every aspect of my life. I’ve learned a lot about myself and developed myself as a person.

Melewski: Gary, scouting reports are favorable - scouts had some questions about his breaking pitches?

Gary: We think his breaking pitch is good. Some have seen it inconsistent but our scouts think it’s good and it’s a matter of making it more consistent.

Ongoing Reporter Conference.

Rich: Did you think you'd go lower or did you think you'd go higher?

Kevin: Didn't really know what was going to happen. Appel falling. Everyone saying he is the best pitcher, expected him to go before me. Honored that they decided to pick me. Excited to see where this goes.

Q: Expecting to pitch this season?

Kevin: I could throw another 25-30 innings, depends on that and how I feel. Been going at it for two years straight. That might have something to do with it. We'll sit down and figure that out in a later month.

Gary: Depends on how he feels, how many innings he's thrown

Dan C: How do you look at your breaking pitch? How are they developing?

Kevin: Like Gary said, I have it in there. I just started throwing true curve this season. Haven’t had much time to develop it. Slider has been going well for me lately. Some days I feel comfortable, others I have to work to find it. My development as a pitcher is going to depend on that. I’ll be a fastball-changeup guy my entire career, main difference is which breaking pitch I’m going to decide to throw, which will be bread and butter, and which one I’ll get away with.

Q: For both, about signability, Kevin, how important is it to get done? Do you have an advisor?

Kevin: Feel confident, they feel strongly about me or they wouldn’t have picked me. I do have an advisor, I think they’ll get a deal done. I feel confident about it. Excited to get to join the organization.

Gary: Has a chance to move through our system quickly, what we have for him is an opportunity to pitch in Baltimore very soon.

Good stuff Tony, thanks for sharing.

LSU plays Stony Brook Friday @ 11 AM on ESPN2 - Is this Gausman's turn in the rotation?

http://www.baltimoresun.com/sports/orioles/blog/bal-lsu-pitching-coach-alan-dunn-talks-about-kevin-gausman-20120605,0,2084483.story?track=rss&utm_source=twitterfeed&utm_medium=twitter

the more I read about KG, the happier I am about the draft pick

Gausman does a pregame hokey-pokey - he puts his right sock on, he takes his right sock off, he puts his right sock on and he does a walk about....

Hours before a starting assignment in Alex Box Stadium, LSU sophomore pitcher Kevin Gausman walks into the locker room, making a deliberate effort to do everything the same way he's done it time and time again.

He grabs powdered donuts that have been saved for him, gets a quick drink, says a few hellos to the guys and grabs his clothes. He then sits back to relax for a little bit, depending on the day, he may doze off.

His pregame ritual officially begins 30 minutes prior to game time.

He begins with his socks. Right sock on, right sock off, right sock on, grabs a drink, comes back, takes it off. He repeats this same pattern with his left sock. Then, he puts on his socks, for good this time, and gets dressed. Before going out for warm-ups, he gets stretched out and says a quick prayer.

He eats one powdered donut before taking the mound, something that he's done since the 7th grade. He also eats four donuts in between every inning.

When he runs out to the field, he always hops the line, because growing up, his dad always told him it was bad luck to step on it. Before every inning, his first warm up pitch is preceded by a crow hop over the mound, throwing the ball as hard as he can.

Then, the game begins.

He does this same process every time. Nothing changes.

"It sounds stupid, but I could never do anything without doing it all," said Gausman.

It sounds stupid, but I could never do anything without doing it all.

At least he's got a measure of self-awareness.

According to Rotoworld:

2. Kevin Gausman, RHP, LSU

Age: 21.4

A draft-eligible sophomore, Gausman could be the oldest player taken inside the 2012 draft?s top 10 picks (Devin Marrero of ASU and Stephen Piscotty of Stanford are both older). He?s big and mechanical but he has above-average fastball velocity and pitches on an excellent plane. The ball also shoots out of his hand -- thanks to a good tempo and excellent arm speed -- and maintains velocity. He has a very live arm. His over-the-top arm slot helps him throw a power curveball that could become a plus offering. He also throws a slider and is comfortable throwing a changeup. Gausman could succeed in the big leagues this year as a reliever. His powerful arsenal and deception make him a potential No. 2 starter long-term.

More links to info:

Bleacher Report

Orioles Nation

Thoughts on Gausman by Rajsich (Orioles Nation)

BaseballProspects Nation

Gausman talks about being drafted by O's (MASN)

Kevin: I was really immature when I got here. I didn’t know the pitching coach. Coming here and playing two years, I think it’s the best conference in all of college baseball, huge for me, big experience, every Friday night, we get about 9,000 here, especially in this postseason that we’ve had, it’s been pretty crazy. In my entire development I’ve matured leaps and bounds since high school. Not just on mound but as a person, faith, every aspect of my life. I’ve learned a lot about myself and developed myself as a person.

He should feel right at home in Camden Yards.

I can't be the only one who thought that, right?

wacky in a good way, latest tweet

" I'm gunna invent a silent weed whacker! Or I'm gunna go to jail for killing this man outside my room right now! #likeBoosie "

I am on record not liking the doughnut/superstition thing. I know that there are tons of guys that have superstitions but I am uncomfortable with taking a guy this high who has so many including one that is so ridiculous (the doughnuts - 4 mini doughnuts between each inning is absurd) and could harm him. Given that most felt the top 5 etc.... were very close in talent, I would have taken Appel with this pick or Almora. To me they are safer. You don't want to miss on a 1:4. I hope I am wrong

The only thing that gives me some solace is that Dunn knows him so well so we may have a little more information than we usually would. Put him wherever Bundy is next year and make them roommates. Hopefully Bundy will teach him how to be serious and treat his body.

I am on record not liking the doughnut/superstition thing. I know that there are tons of guys that have superstitions but I am uncomfortable with taking a guy this high who has so many including one that is so ridiculous (the doughnuts - 4 mini doughnuts between each inning is absurd) and could harm him. Given that most felt the top 5 etc.... were very close in talent, I would have taken Appel with this pick or Almora. To me they are safer. You don't want to miss on a 1:4. I hope I am wrong

The only thing that gives me some solace is that Dunn knows him so well so we may have a little more information than we usually would. Put him wherever Bundy is next year and make them roommates. Hopefully Bundy will teach him how to be serious and treat his body.

Major leaguers don't have roommates anymore.

The only thing that gives me some solace...

This is a pretty amazing statement.

I'm on record as loving the donut thing. In fact, every time FRobby comes up with a good idea for a post, I eat 4 mini-frosted-donuts. Needless to say, I've gained 47 pounds over the past five years, but when I die, at least I'll show up at the pearly gates with donuts in my belly and not beansprouts.

Note: I used to do the same thing everytime SG proposed a three-way trade. So he gets part of the blame. Losing him cut my donut intake nearly in half.