Interview with Jim Callis of Baseball America

Elephants in Oakland has a great interview with Jim Callis of Baseball America regarding the A's 2005 draft. You can read it here. Some highlights for you lazy folk :

EIO : How high does Travis
Buck rate as a hitter to other hitters in the organization right now, and
how high does he rate over the last few drafts?
JC : As far as a pure hitter, Buck
would be up there with Daric
Barton in the system and is probably the best the A's have drafted in recent
years. There is question as to how much power he'll develop--which is why the
A's were able to get him where they did--but little question that he'll
hit.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------
EIO : Let's skip to Clifton
Pennington. There were some opinions by scouts that Pennington
might move to 2nd base as he progressed. Some are adamant that he's a shortstop.
Where do you fall in this debate? Do the inklings of a move have anything to do
with Bobby
Crosby, or not moving, a notice that the A's might sign Mark Ellis?.
JC : He definitely can play
shortstop. He's one of my favorite minor league prospects. Where he plays in the
majors depends on whether or not he's a better shortstop than Crosby
when he gets there. I think you'll see him in Oakland pretty quick.
----------------------------------------------------------------------------
EIO : With Huston
Street making the jump so soon the major leagues, how irrational do you
think A's fans will be with future draft picks, like Pennington
and Buck?
JC : Oh, probably pretty irrational, but I think fans of every team
are like that, thinking their prospects are the best and they'll be in the
majors tomorrow. But Pennington
and Buck
should make it up the ladder pretty quick, probably getting their first taste of
the majors by the end of 2007.