Bill Mitchell's Minor League Ramblings

Minor League Ramblings For the week of :
March 11, 2002

Minor League Ramblings is produced by Bill Mitchell for Minor League Watch.

Padres stockpile another solid hitter in Bozied
March 15, 2002

Taggert Bozied The San Diego Padres must have a thing for third basemen. They keep collecting them like a squirrel stockpiling acorns for the winter.

Sean Burroughs was declared the Padres' third sacker of the future right after being drafted out of a Long Beach, California high school in 1998. Since then, Phil Nevin finally lived up to his potential at the hot corner, earning All Star honors in 2001. To make room for Burroughs, whom the Padres' brass believe is ready for the major leagues, Nevin moved to first base this spring.

During the four years since selecting Burroughs as the ninth overall pick, San Diego has continued to accumulate strong hitters with third base experience, drafting Xavier Nady from the University of California and Jake Gautreau from Tulane.

Add one more name to the list ... Taggert Bozied. The right-handed batter, selected in the third round of the 2001 draft, is in his first spring training with the Padres organization.

After just a short meeting with the alumni of the University of San Francisco, it's very apparent that Bozied does not lack in self-confidence. He's very direct and forthright, and knows what he needs to do to prepare for a career in the major leagues.

"Refining my skills as a hitter," Bozied answered when asked what he needs to work on this season. The 6-3, 210 pound Bozied added, "It's just a matter of adding to the intangibles I already have and go from there."

The Colorado native already has a strong track record as a hitter. Bozied posted impressive numbers during his career at USF, especially in his sophomore year when he led the nation in homeruns with 30. He batted .412 with a very impressive .521 on base percentage and .936 slugging percentage.

Bozied didn't replicate those numbers in his last two college seasons, due in part to an injury during his senior year. The Minnesota Twins chose him in the second round of the 2000 free agent draft after his junior year. It was the second time the Twins selected Bozied, as he was also picked in 1997 right after high school.

Taggert Bozied But he chose not to sign with Minnesota after the 2000 draft, returning to USF. It wasn't a money issue. Rather, Bozied has often stated that signing with the Twins just didn't seem to be the right thing to do.

He also did not sign with San Diego immediately after the 2001 draft, instead making his professional debut in the independent Sioux Falls team of the Northern League. Bozied hit well there, putting up a .307 average with six homeruns in 228 at bats.

That experience in the Northern League has helped Bozied adjust to his first professional spring training, especially with the change from college baseball.

"(I didn't) go through the normal adjustment that everyone else had to make," said Bozied about coming from college into his first spring training camp. He added that the half season in the Northern League really helped in his transition to the professional game.

The question still remains as to what position Bozied will play with the San Diego organization.

"Right now they have me at third base," replied Bozied when asked where he will eventually fit with the Padres. "They didn't draft my position, they drafted my bat. That's no secret."

Bozied added, confidently, "My number one job is to hit. As far as the position goes, they're going to find a place for me. I have a job to do every day no matter where I'm at."

Bozied will likely begin the 2002 season with the Padres' high class A affiliate in Lake Elsinore of the California League. He'll turn 23 this summer and, with four college seasons already on his résumé, Bozied could move quickly through the San Diego system.

The Padres will then have the pleasant problem of how to work this very talented bat into their everyday lineup.

--- Bill Mitchell