News - Projekte » Just call him Johnny Baseball

NEW YORK -- Just call him Johnny Baseball. Cleveland Browns quarterback Johnny Manziel was selected by the San Diego Padres in the 28th round of the Major League Baseball draft Saturday -- the 837th player taken. Manziel was listed as a shortstop for Texas A&M, although he never played for the Aggies as he focused on football. He hasnt played baseball since high school and probably wont see the diamond again as he embarks on his NFL career, but was happy the Padres took a swing at him. "Big thank you to the (at)Padres and (at)padresmikedee for selecting me in the MLB draft," Manziel wrote on his Twitter page. "What a great day!" Mike Dee, the Padres president and CEO, tweeted back: "Best athlete on the board... .JohnnyBaseball." Manziel, the first freshman to win the Heisman Trophy in 2012, was taken by the Browns with the 22nd overall pick in the NFL draft last month. "It was kind of, Why not?" Padres general manager Josh Byrnes said Saturday before the Padres hosted the Washington Nationals. In May 2013, Manziel visited the Padres when he was in San Diego to work with a quarterbacks coach. "He certainly loves baseball," Byrnes said. "We kind of talked about it at that time, Do you want us to draft you? He said, Yeah, absolutely." Why in the 28th round? "We really liked our 27th-rounder," Byrnes said. Asked the odds of actually signing Manziel, Byrnes, a big football fan, just smiled. Manziel played baseball and football at Tivy High School in Kerrville, Texas, and asked Texas A&M coaches about being part of the baseball team before winning the Aggies starting quarterback job as a redshirt freshman. Earlier this week, Manziel -- decked out in an Indians jersey -- was set to throw out the first pitch in Cleveland before the Indians played Boston. He warmed up earlier with Indians pitcher Josh Tomlin, but his toss was washed out by rain that delayed the start. But, in May 2013, Manziel took batting practice with the Padres at Petco Park and tossed out a football-style first pitch as he dropped back, scrambled to the side of the mound and floated a bootleg "pass" to San Diego outfielder Mark Kotsay, who caught it behind his back with his glove. On Manziels first swing in batting practice, the bat flew out of his hands, but he settled down and later drove a pitch off the right-field wall. "I didnt know he played baseball," Padres right-hander Ian Kennedy said Saturday. "Anybody in Texas probably plays all those sports, football, baseball." Padres closer Huston Street, who pitched at Texas and whose late father, James, played quarterback for the Longhorns, liked the pick, even if Manziel did play for the Aggies. "Im a fan. I think hes an exciting player," Street said. "I think hes good for sport. I think he plays hard. I dont know if hell ever wear a Padre uniform, but it sure is exciting that the organization took him. I know he hung out here last year a couple times and everybody really enjoyed his presence. Everybody liked him. I came away from that day thinking, Man, thats a good dude, thats a cool guy. It seemed like he was a very focused, mentally strong guy. He wanted to do something. We know what he can do in football. "Heck, if he wants to come out here and hang around before games ... I dont know if they let 28th-round picks do that," Street said. "But hes a great athlete. I dont think anybody expects to see him in the big leagues, but maybe hes going to try and do both. I dont know. If he does, hes one of the more competitive people Ive been around. Well see what happens with his football career. Hes potentially got a baseball one." Street isnt sure if Johnny Football would try both sports. "I would tell him to dont try to be a jack-of-all-trades and a master of none," Street said. "But at the same time, its been done before. I dont know about at the quarterback position. A little bit tougher position." Big-time quarterbacks are no stranger to recent Major League Baseball drafts. John Elway, Dan Marino, Tom Brady, Daunte Culpepper, Colin Kaepernick and Jake Locker were all drafted by big league teams but instead stuck to the gridiron. Russell Wilson of the Super Bowl-champion Seattle Seahawks was a fifth-rounder by Baltimore out of high school in 2007, but opted to go to North Carolina State. He was a fourth-round pick of Colorado in 2010 and played in the Rockies system as a second baseman. Wilson, who had transferred to Wisconsin, told the Rockies in January 2012 that he wanted to pursue an NFL career, and in December 2013 was acquired by the Texas Rangers in the Rule 5 draft. A few weeks after winning the Super Bowl, Wilson attended Rangers spring training and participated in infield drills. Next year, Florida States Jameis Winston could be in the same situation as Manziel. The Heisman Trophy-winning quarterback also is a hard-throwing closer for the Seminoles baseball team. Winston was already a 15th-round pick of the Rangers in 2012. The sons of Cal Ripken Jr. and Mariano Rivera were just a few of the other familiar names selected on the final day of the Major league Baseball draft. The sons of former big leaguers Bobby Bonilla, John Franco, Tom Browning, Benito Santiago and Magglio Ordonez were also taken as baseballs draft wrapped up Saturday after three days, 40 rounds and 1,215 players chosen. Ryan Ripken, a 6-foot-6, 230-pound first baseman from Indian River State College in Florida, was taken in the 15th round by Washington. The lefty-hitting son of baseballs "Iron Man" batted .321 with one homer and 24 RBIs in 42 games this season after transferring from South Carolina, where he did not make the roster and redshirted. "I think theres immense pressure on that young man," Nationals manager Matt Williams said. "Its too bad, but I think he handles it really well. You know, dad, uncle, grandfather, great bloodlines, great work ethic." Mariano Rivera III, a starting pitcher at Iona College, went to the Yankees -- his fathers old team -- in the 29th round. He went 2-6 with a 5.40 ERA and five complete games and a team-leading 50 strikeouts in 70 innings for the Gaels. Yankees manager Joe Girardi asked his former closer for a scouting report on his son. "Mo wasnt sure if he got drafted what he would do," Girardi said before the Yankees played the Royals in Kansas City. "But I think its neat he got drafted by the Yankees and well see what happens." It was a big draft for sons and siblings of major league players, starting with Florida high school shortstop Nick Gordon -- son of Tom "Flash" Gordon and brother of the Dodgers Dee Gordon -- going fifth overall to Minnesota on Thursday night. Brandon Bonilla, a left-handed pitcher from Grand Canyon University, went in the 25th round to Baltimore. The son of former All-Star Bobby Bonilla and godson of Barry Bonds has a fastball that hits the mid-90s. Brown second baseman J.J. Franco, the son of former Mets and Reds closer John Franco, was a 38th-round pick by the Braves. Florida high school lefty Logan Browning went in the 36th round to the Reds, the team for which father Tom once pitched a perfect game. Benito Santiago Jr. is a star behind the plate, just like his dad, was drafted in the 38th round by San Francisco. He was a batterymate of first-rounder Touki Toussaint at Floridas Coral Springs Christian Academy. Florida high school first baseman Magglio Ordonez Jr. went in the 38th round to Detroit, where his father played for seven years. Bradley Wilpon, the son of Mets chief operating officer Jeff Wilpon, was a 36th-round choice of Boston. Baltimore Ravens quarterback Joe Flaccos younger brother Tom, a high school outfielder from New Jersey, was a 32nd-round selection of Philadelphia. Several other players with big-league bloodlines were drafted Saturday, including: Drew Stankiewicz (son of Andy, 11th round, Phillies); Kevin Cron (brother of Angels C.J., 14th round, Diamondbacks); Lukas Schiraldi (son of Calvin, 15th round, Mariners); Jed Sprague (son of Ed, 37th round, White Sox); James Lynch (son of Ed, 39th round, Blue Jays); and Grayson Byrd (son of Paul, 39th round, Braves). Houston, which had the first overall pick for the third straight year, took California high school lefty Brady Aiken at No. 1 on Thursday night. Tremaine Edmunds Jersey .com) - The New York Rangers hope to punch their ticket to the second round when they visit the Philadelphia Flyers on Tuesday for a Game 6 battle at Wells Fargo Center. Josh Allen Jersey .ca presents its latest weekly power rankings for the 2013-14 Barclays Premier League season. http://www.shoptheofficialbills.com/Elit...ls-Jersey/.Just like old times.Only this time, just one got to enjoy a victory.James return to Miami as an opponent was a success — for the Heat, that is. Wade scored 24 of his 31 points in the first half, Luol Deng had 25 points and dogged James defensively all night, and the Heat beat the Cleveland Cavaliers 101-91 in a hyped Christmas matchup Thursday. Jim Kelly Bills Jersey . The thinking at the time was Clowney could have already been promised he would be selected first overall by the Houston Texans, therefore negating any need to meet with any other teams. The plot took another twist this week. Custom Buffalo Bills Jerseys . Stevenson scored the first three goals of the game in the first period for Regina (35-22-6), which has won eight of its last 10 games. Patrick DAmico added two for the Pats, Braden Christoffer had a single and Morgan Klimchuk chipped in a goal and four assists.Olympic downhill contender Tina Weirather of Liechtenstein says she is struggling with a leg injury ahead of Wednesdays race. Weirather withdrew from the super-combined on Monday, and posted on Facebook that it was a "difficult moment." The 24-year-old ski racer, who trains with the Switzerland team, was treated at a hospital for bruising to her right tibia after a fall in a downhill training run Sunday. Swiss team spokesman Lorenz Liechti says Weirather is "not too bad, she can walk," adding that shed be assesssed "day by day whether she can compete.dddddddddddd" Weirather is second in the World Cup downhill standings this season behind Maria Hoefl-Riesch of Germany. Weirather has been on the podium nine times this season across three disciplines, with two victories. Her mother Harti and uncle Andreas Wenzel accounted for six of the Liechtensteins nine Olympic medals, which all came in alpine between 1976 and 1988. Harti Weirather, her Austrian father, was one of the best downhillers in the early 1980s. Jerseys NFL China Wholesale Jerseys Cheap NFL Hoodies Cheap Jerseys From China Cheap NFL Gear Wholesale Jerseys 2019 Wholesale NFL White Jerseys ' ' '