Odom to represent A's at 2009 Draft
Right-hander helped Oakland to three straight titles in '70s

OAKLAND -- John "Blue Moon" Odom, a member of the pitching staff that helped the A's win three consecutive World Series titles in the early 1970's, will for the second successive year represent the club when it makes the 13th overall pick at the First-Year Player Draft next month.
Odom, a right-hander signed by the Kansas City Athletics as an amateur free agent in 1964, played in the big leagues for 13 seasons and was an American League All-Star for Oakland in 1968 and 1969. He made four postseason starts and worked in relief six times for the 1972-74 Athletics, posting a 3-1 record with a 1.07 ERA.
ROUND 1 PICKS
Follow every pick1 WAS: S. Strasburg 2 SEA: D. Ackley 3 SD: D. Tate 4 PIT: J. Sanchez 5 BAL: M. Hobgood 6 SF: Z. Wheeler 7 ATL: M. Minor 8 CIN: M. Leake 9 DET: J. Turner 10 WAS: D. Storen 11 COL: T. Matzek 12 KC: A. Crow 13 OAK: G. Green 14 TEX: M. Purke 15 CLE: A. White 16 ARI: R. Borchering 17 ARI: A. Pollock 18 FLA: C. James 19 STL: S. Miller 20 TOR: S. Jenkins 21 HOU: J. Mier 22 MIN: K. Gibson 23 CWS: J. Mitchell 24 LAA: R. Grichuk 25 LAA: M Trout 26 MIL: E. Arnett 27 SEA: N. Franklin 28 BOS: R. Fuentes 29 NYY: S. Heathcott 30 TB: L. Washington 31 CHC: B. Jackson 32 COL: T. Wheeler 36 LAD: A. Miller 72 NYM: S. Matz 75 PHI: K. Dugan MORE COVERAGE
Draft falls into place after No. 1 Follow Draft on Twitter New tech helps clubs spot talent Bodley: Nats must be patient |
Joining Odom at the A's table will be Jason McDonald, who was Oakland's fourth-round selection in the 1993 Draft. McDonald, who was primarily an outfielder during his three years (1997-99) with the club, last played in the Majors for the Rangers in 2000.
MLB.com will offer live coverage and analysis of the entire First-Year Player Draft on June 9-11. The MLB Network will broadcast the first round on the evening of June 9 from its Studio 42 in Secaucus, N.J., and those 32 selections also will be simulcast live on MLB.com.
Beginning with the 33rd pick, up-to-the-minute on-air coverage from the remaining rounds will shift exclusively to MLB.com/Live, where host Vinny Micucci will be joined by MLB.com Draft expert Jonathan Mayo and Major League Scouting Bureau director Frank Marcos.
Once the first night is done, the Draft will continue with rounds 4-30, via conference call from MLB Headquarters in New York, at noon on Wednesday, June 10. Rounds 31-50 will be on Thursday, June 11, starting at 11:30 a.m.
Odom, 64, and McDonald, 37, will be among the many baseball luminaries present in Secaucus, as each team has tabbed at least one prominent player from its past to sit at its Draft table.
Mychael Urban is a national writer for MLB.com. This story was not subject to the approval of Major League Baseball or its clubs.


