More links for the afternoon…
- The Indians drafted two players named Kyle Smith, according to the Cleveland Plain Dealer.
- Mark Shapiro still says he's hoping for a resurgence from the Indians, according to Jorge L. Ortiz of USA Today.
- Dean Jones Jr. of the Baltimore Sun reports that the Orioles selected Mike Flacco, the brother of Baltimore Ravens quarterback Joe.
- The family connections don't stop there. As Chad Finn of the Boston Globe reports, the Red Sox chose Michael Yastrzemski, Carl's grandson.
- Charlie Nobles of MLB.com writes that Brendan Ryan is playing well, maybe well enough to become the Cardinals' regular shortstop.
- Within this ESPN Insider chat with Keith Law, he says the Red Sox have had the best draft.
- Red Sox slugger David Ortiz has been hitting better this month, as Alex Speier of WEEI.com notes. This takes pressure off the Red Sox to acquire another bat.
- Gwen Knapp of CBS Sports says baseball's insistence on developing a higher profile for the draft is part of the reason Stephen Strasburg can command so much money.
- Joel Sherman of the New York Post wonders if any free agent-to-be has seen his stock drop more than John Lackey's this season. He could have a point, as Matt Holliday's hitting better, but Lackey has pitched well two of his last four starts. How much will he sign for this offseason?
