Yuma
Suns are my Kryptonite!
Shappi taken by Diamondbacks
By: - North County Times
UC Riverside ace A.J. Shappi will get a chance to start his professional career with a recent World Series champion.
The 6-foot-2 right-hander was selected in the ninth round (266th overall) by the Arizona Diamondbacks in Monday's amateur draft.
Shappi said he was surprised with the selection, even though the D'backs had been courting him all season.
"In the end, it's always kind of surprise," said Shappi, who notched 225 strikeouts in 293 1/3 innings in three years at Riverside. "To be drafted by a solid organization that won a World Championship (in 2001) is amazing. It's a blessing."
Shappi was 8-2 with a 3.54 ERA in 2004, but was forced to miss the last month of the Highlanders' season with a nagging arm injury. Shappi said he has since recovered, and is anxious to return to the mound as soon as possible.
"I'm in game condition right now," Shappi said. "It's a new season for me right now. A lot of guys who finish their high school or college seasons are going to feel it. Since I missed the last month of the season, I'm ready to go."
Ryan Finley
AJ Shappi ----- I was hoping. In the end, it's amlways kind of a surprise. I was definitely were hoping. I've been in touch with them a bunch. They were one of the teams that. Earlier in the season, I was expecting higher. After the arm injury, happy to be drafrted in the spot. definitely a blessing.
I was listeneing to it on the internet, me mome and dad and fiancee, heard it. I though they said AJ, the scouting director said Austine. I just didn't. To be drafted by a solid orgranization that has won a world championship. I'm looking to move up as soon as I can.
Absolutely not; since I missed last month of season, go whereever they want to send me. I'm in game conidtiuon rihgt now. Play to the best of my ability. Its a new season for me. A lot of guys finish college years and HS seasons, going to feel. That's their A-ball, guessing Yakima's their short season. Expecting to go to short-season. No problems with me on that.
The biggest memory is the friends that I made. It made this season kinda hard. I met these guys, get to play playoff.
By: - North County Times
UC Riverside ace A.J. Shappi will get a chance to start his professional career with a recent World Series champion.
The 6-foot-2 right-hander was selected in the ninth round (266th overall) by the Arizona Diamondbacks in Monday's amateur draft.
Shappi said he was surprised with the selection, even though the D'backs had been courting him all season.
"In the end, it's always kind of surprise," said Shappi, who notched 225 strikeouts in 293 1/3 innings in three years at Riverside. "To be drafted by a solid organization that won a World Championship (in 2001) is amazing. It's a blessing."
Shappi was 8-2 with a 3.54 ERA in 2004, but was forced to miss the last month of the Highlanders' season with a nagging arm injury. Shappi said he has since recovered, and is anxious to return to the mound as soon as possible.
"I'm in game condition right now," Shappi said. "It's a new season for me right now. A lot of guys who finish their high school or college seasons are going to feel it. Since I missed the last month of the season, I'm ready to go."
Ryan Finley
AJ Shappi ----- I was hoping. In the end, it's amlways kind of a surprise. I was definitely were hoping. I've been in touch with them a bunch. They were one of the teams that. Earlier in the season, I was expecting higher. After the arm injury, happy to be drafrted in the spot. definitely a blessing.
I was listeneing to it on the internet, me mome and dad and fiancee, heard it. I though they said AJ, the scouting director said Austine. I just didn't. To be drafted by a solid orgranization that has won a world championship. I'm looking to move up as soon as I can.
Absolutely not; since I missed last month of season, go whereever they want to send me. I'm in game conidtiuon rihgt now. Play to the best of my ability. Its a new season for me. A lot of guys finish college years and HS seasons, going to feel. That's their A-ball, guessing Yakima's their short season. Expecting to go to short-season. No problems with me on that.
The biggest memory is the friends that I made. It made this season kinda hard. I met these guys, get to play playoff.
