Jim Callis: Hi, everyone. Sorry I'm a couple of minutes late . . . draft phone calls . . . it's that time of year. Draft is on my mind, so I'll probably focus heavily on draft questions today and I doubt anyone will complain. As for Main, for all his velocity on the mound, I hear better things about him as a five-tool outfielder. I think he goes in the back half of the first round or in the upper half of the sandwich round. Once you get past your first 15 or so guys, there's not a lot of consensus this year.

Jim Callis: They pick fifth, and I think the best guy on the board is going to be a lefthander, someone liks Missouri State's Ross Detwiler, Clemson's Daniel Moskos or maybe North Carolina high schooler Madison Bumgarner. If Peter Angelos lets his club go over slot, maybe someone like California slugger Mike Moustakas. One word of caution on the who-will-pick-whom questions today . . . it's still highly speculative.

Jim Callis: The Royals aren't going to get off cheap, because they're going to pay full value for the No. 2 overall pick. But in general, the average club spends about $5 million. The average last year was $4.8 million (not counting draft-and-follow signings from this spring). The bottom five clubs averaged $2.5 million, the top five $6.9 million. Interestingly, your smaller-revenue clubs often spend a lot because they have high picks, and your larger-revenue clubs spend less because they forfeit picks as free-agent compensation. The Yankees ($6.6 million) and Royals ($6.5 million) spent almost the exact same amount last year. The large-market Mets spent just $2.3 million, by contrast.

Jim Callis: Not hearing particular names that far down yet. I think there's a good chance that the best guys on the board will be high schoolers, maybe one of the better pitchers (North Carolina prep LHP Madison Bumgarner, Texas prep RHP Blake Beavan, Indiana RHP Jarrod Parker, Canadian prep RHP Phillip Aumont) or California prep 3B Matt Dominguez.

Jim Callis: For me, California HS 3B Josh Vitters, just ahead of New Jersey HS RHP Rick Porcello. Vanderbilt LHP David Price is No. 1 overall.

Jim Callis: That might be a little steep for Russell. He's obliterating the Longhorns HR record this year, having a tremendous year. But while he has some teams that like him, others think he has a grooved swing and some holes in his stroke. I think he goes in the 25-30 range or the top half of the sandwich round.

Jim Callis: I've made no secret that I'm bullish on the Rays in 2010 and beyond. That's my pick for a big three--take any three of those four.

Jim Callis: He wasn't hurt every year at Missouri. He had biceps tendinitis last year and didn't throw as well as he had as a sophomore. I didn't say we'd put him No. 2, I said a scouting director said he could be No. 2 if he threw like he did as a sophomore. It's not a good year for college righthanders, and he'd be arguably the best. If he throws well (his first outing is tonight), he would be a guy the Royals would look at.

Jim Callis: Sorry, scuffling with phone calls here. A question from Simmons country. It's just a matter of taste. Arrieta has a cut better stuff, though he's been inconsistent throughout the spring. Simmons has very good command of very average stuff. Arrieta has more ceiling, Simmons less risk. They could go in either order.

Jim Callis: Gut still says Maybin, but it's oh so close.

Jim Callis: They all should be able to stay at catcher. Donaldson might be the lightest defensive catcher of the group, but I think he'll be at least adequate there. Canham has the best bet of that group to go in the first round. Catchers usually get overdrafted a little, plus it's a weak year for college position players, so those guys will get pushed up a little more. They all should go in the first five rounds, and there are other college catchers like Jonathan LuCroy (Louisiana-Lafayette) and Preston Clark (Texas) who will go well also.

Jim Callis: Love both guys, I'd say Bruce. Both impact-type bats, but Bruce may play CF and at worst will be a good RF and runs a lot better than Snider, who's a LF.

Jim Callis: Not a good year for college middle infielders. Horton has a chance to play SS, but by major league standards, he's more of a 2B. My top three college middle infielders would be Mississippi's Zach Cozart, North Carolina's Horton and Pepperdine's Danny Worth. I've been bearing down on Midwest draft coverage, and I really like Texas A&M's Brandon Hicks.

Jim Callis: I think so. You could throw another top HS pitcher, Texas' Blake Beavan in there as well. There are six HS arms who are top-15 talents, but I can't remember the last draft where six HS arms went that high. At least one or two will fall to Cleveland. Harvey also is represented by Scott Boras, so signability could cause him to slide.

Jim Callis: Rupp has very good power to all fields and a lot of arm strength. He won the AFLAC home run derby last year. He's still pretty raw as a catcher, though, and probably would be a higher pick after three years at Texas. Not sure on his signability, but he may not go high enough to keep him away from the Longhorns.

Jim Callis: Very good. Both are talented Georgia HS players that have to be targets for the Braves. Heyward is an athletic RF with power, while Smoker is a LHP with solid stuff who has been consistent all spring.

Jim Callis: Great question, no idea yet. If he pitches well at Fort Worth, his price tag goes up, and does Arizona want to pay him, say, a $5 million big league contract after dropping more than $13 million (counting incentive bonuses) on Stephen Drew and Justin Upton? If the Diamondbacks do sign Scherzer, I would guess they'd take a straight-slot guy at No. 9 this year rather than break the bank a fourth time.

Jim Callis: Remains to be seen. Scouts like Sublett more as a pitcher, and he just hasn't pitched much. Righthander Travis Banwart will be the first Shocker drafted, probably in the second or third round. Outfielder Matt Brown also could go in the first five rounds.

Jim Callis: Russell does have extra leverage as a draft-eligible sophomore, and neither Owings nor Lincecum signed in the same situation. In Russell's case, can he really come back and have a better year next year? He's been unbelievable in 2007. But I'm also hearing rumblings that signing Russell could be difficult.

Jim Callis: LaPorta and Mills have legit power. I'm not a great comp guy, and my brain is fried, so I'm whiffing on that part of your question. Weathers is a fast-track closer type, and his stuff is considerably better than Cordero's, for instance.

Jim Callis: Yes. The best high school hitters usually move quickly. I'd take him over Wieters right now, too. Wouldn't complain about getting stuck with Wieters, either.

Jim Callis: Answering this question just to show off the depth of our draft knowledge! All three of those guys have a chance to get picked. Rogers is a senior, and I think he'll get a senior sign. Scouts could wait another year for Adams, who has some athleticism, and Fisher, who has some pop. Best HS kid in South Dakota is Roosevelt (Sioux Falls) infielder Jared Donahue.

Jim Callis: Yes he was. Wilken takes the best player available, loves projectable athletes. His track record is as good as anyone's.

Jim Callis: Actually, no. Lincecum's stuff was more dominating. Price would be a mid- to late 2008 guy at the earliest, unless a September callup is in his contract.

Jim Callis: Pedro Alvarez, easy, for me. It's funny, Price is going to go No. 1 in this draft and he's not the best prospect on his team.

Jim Callis: I don't think very much. The deadline will have no effect, really. Just allows everyone to have a resolution by Aug. 15. As for the better compensation, I still think teams feel they have to sign their first-round picks and will treat it that way. They're either willing, or not, to go over slot. If they're not willing, I can't see a club like that taking a high-pricetag guy and trying to play hardball with him . . . That's it for today. Thanks for the good questions, as always.