Posted on: Wednesday, June 8, 2005

Reds pick Loo in 9th round

By Stacy Kaneshiro
Advertiser Staff Writer

Four players with ties to Hawai'i were selected within the first 18 rounds of yesterday's Major League Baseball First-Year Player Draft.

Shortstop Milton Loo was the highest selection, picked in the ninth round out of Yavapai College by the Cincinnati Reds, who also drafted Loo in the 17th round last year out of Moloka'i High.

University of Hawai'i junior second baseman Isaac Omura was taken in the 17th round by the Oakland Athletics. He led the Rainbows in nearly all hitting categories.

Pepperdine right-handed pitcher Kea Kometani, a 2001 Punahou graduate, was drafted in the 15th round by the Texas Rangers.

UH recruit Cody Allen, a senior at Elk Grove High in California, was picked in the 10th round by the Florida Marlins. The right-hander was drafted as a third baseman, but recruited as a pitcher/outfielder by the Rainbows.

"He's someone who could be our everyday third baseman and then start (as a pitcher) on the third day," UH coach Mike Trapasso said.

The 50-round draft resumes today at 6 a.m., Hawai'i time.

"At least they got me higher (than in last year's draft)," Loo said in a telephone interview from his Moloka'i home. "I feel good about that."

However, Loo said he will return for his second and final season at Yavapai, where he showed he could adjust to wooden bats by hitting .404 with 14 doubles, six triples, five home runs and 38 RBIs. He also stole 21 bases in 24 attempts.

Once again, Loo will be a "draft-and-follow," where the Reds will monitor his progress to determine if they will sign him before next year's draft. He was a draft-and-follow last year, but turned down a $200,000 offer.

"I want to try to better myself and try and play pro ball next year," he said.

Loo said he was surfing the MLB.com Web site to monitor the draft. His name popped out first before it was announced by a Cincinnati representative over the Web cast, he said.

Omura was scheduled to leave for Orleans, Mass., to play in the Cape Cod League, but not before meeting with Athletics officials. "I really want to go, but I have to look it over and see if it's in my best interest," said Omura, who could return to UH for his senior season.

Omura led the 'Bows in the triple crown stats: .369 batting average, six home runs and 47 RBIs. He also led the team with 37 walks, a statistic the Athletics cherish, at least according to "Moneyball," a book that details the organization's philosophies on player evaluations.

"I was just hoping any team would give me a shot," Omura said. "It's every kid's dream to get a shot to play pros. I try to work hard. I'm not a 'tools' (speed, power) guy, so I was hoping to get a shot."

Omura said his mother was monitoring the MLB.com site and told him when he was picked.

There's no question what Kometani is doing, as he completed his college eligibility following Pepperdine's exit in the NCAA regionals on Monday. Kometani said he will meet with Rangers officials later this week and report for training camp, so returning to Hawai'i for some R&R is out of the question.

"I wasn't expecting too much, but I was hoping to get drafted," he said. "I was just going with the flow, but now that I got drafted, I'm feeling really happy and looking forward to getting started."

Kometani went 10-5 with a 3.17 earned run average, striking out 100 while walking 36 in 127á innings this season.

Kometani was relaxing with Pepperdine teammates when other teammates called and gave him the news. He was one of three Waves pitchers to get drafted yesterday.

Also, at least two players in the inaugural season of the Hawai'i Collegiate Baseball League were drafted. Fresno State pitcher Doug Fister was taken in the sixth round by the New York Yankees and Cal Poly Pomona pitcher Taylor Wilding was picked in the 13th round by the San Francisco Giants. League owner Al Kam said Fister was expected to get picked high, so Kam wasn't anticipating his arrival here. The four-team league opens Sunday at Aloha Stadium.

Meanwhile, the Rainbows still could see more recruits and underclassmen drafted today. In 2003, UH saw three high school seniors who were drafted in the 21st round and later sign pro contracts instead of going to school.

"No one's safe until they show up for school (in the fall)," Trapasso said.

There are up to 32 more rounds left in the draft. Teams may quit selecting at any time.

Reach Stacy Kaneshiro at skaneshiro@honoluluadvertiser.com or 525-8042.