Cal first baseman David Cooper, a former Tokay High standout, is projected to be a first-round pick in today's Major League Baseball draft. (Photo courtesy of Michael Pimental)

Decision time

Today's MLB draft could decide Cooper's fate

When the 2008 Major League Baseball Draft begins today, David Cooper will be at home with his family and a couple of friends watching it on television.

Yes, as of last year, even the baseball draft is on TV these days — though, unlike the NFL, teams only have five minutes between first-round picks.

That means Cooper, a former Tokay High standout, won't likely be waiting long for his name to be called. Most mock drafts project the Cal first baseman to be selected late in the first round.

But Cooper, who hit .359 and slugged 19 home runs for the Golden Bears his junior season, isn't paying mind to such reports.

"You can't get caught up in that stuff," Cooper told the News-Sentinel on Wednesday. "It's so unpredictable. There's no way of knowing what's right and what's wrong."

That seems especially true in this draft, which is being touted as one of the deepest for left-handed hitting first basemen in years. ESPN analyst Keith Law predicts that six first basemen could go in the first round, and Baseball America projects seven first basemen among the top 36 picks.

While Cooper is among those names, he is further down the list than most of his peers, largely due to the sentiment among scouts that his defensive and baserunning skills are well behind his ability to swing the bat.

"Obviously, my bat is my strongest tool," said Cooper, a third-team All-American and a semifinalist for the Golden Spikes Award and Dick Howser Trophy. "Defense is something I'll have to continue to work at and get better. Hopefully I can get to the point where that's not me."

The Morada native would love to get that work started at the professional level, but he says a lot will depend on what happens in today's draft.

"There's so many different scenarios that can play out," he said. "If it doesn't work out, I'll definitely go back to Cal. Hopefully it works out and I can start my pro career, but if it doesn't, going back to Cal is not a bad second option."

Cooper says several Major League clubs have been in contact with him, mostly wanting to know whether the 6-foot-1, 210-pound slugger plans to go pro, or if he intends to return to Cal for his senior season.

The Golden Bears would certainly enjoy having him back, after he helped lead the club to its first NCAA Regional berth since 2001. The appearance was short-lived, however, as Cal was quickly eliminated with losses to Long Beach State and the University of San Diego.

"Our bats just kind of cooled down," Cooper said. "Our offense pretty much carried us through the season, and the last few weeks our bats just kind of cooled down."

While Cooper wouldn't mind a return trip to the College World Series — as a freshman at Cal State Fullerton, he became the 14th player in CWS history to collect five hits in a game, which included a home run and game-winning single — he'd prefer to begin his progression to the big leagues.

Should he be selected in the first round, he could collect a signing bonus upwards of $1 million or more. So what are his emotions like on the eve of what could be a life-changing experience?

"I'm getting a little nervous, excited," he said. "Just ready to get it going. Very excited for it."