Gil Goes in the First Round

SAN DIEGO â€”  Benji Gil was asleep Monday morning when a representative of the Texas Rangers called to inform him that the American League club had selected him in the first round of the amateur draft.

Gil’s older brother, Gil Gil, who took the call, later let Gil know which team it was by placing a cowboy hat on his head.

“He almost cried,� another brother, Albert Gil, said. “He was very excited.�

“I’ve always like their team,� Gil said. “It seems that they need shortstops. Hopefully I can fill a role.�

That said, Gil left little doubt as to which position he intends to play professionally. Listed as a shortstop-outfielder in wire reports, Gil was also one of the top pitchers in San Diego County during his four-year career at Castle Park High (the last three years) and Sweetwater High.

The question is whether Gil, 6-feet-2, will sign with the Rangers or honor a national letter of intent he signed last week with Miami.

“I’ll listen to what (the Rangers) have to say,� Gil said. “I’ll just wait and see. See what they have to offer. The way I’m looking at it, I’m going to school unless (the Rangers) can come up with something better.�

Texas is likely to offer a six-figure signing bonus.

“One of our goals in this draft was help at shortstop, and we believe that he will help fill that need,� Sandy Johnson, the Rangers’ assistant general manager, said in a press release. “He has an outstanding arm and shows good bat speed. We are looking forward to him joining the organization.�

Gil, 18, was the 19th player, the 10th high school senior and the first shortstop taken in the draft.

He batted .443 this season with seven home runs and 25 RBIs in 29 games for Castle Park (20-9), which lost, 1-0, in the 3-A semifinals. Gil, a native of Tijuana, was 11-5 on the mound with a 0.58 earned run average, the second year in a row he led the county in ERA.

When Gil signed with Miami last week, the final schools he turned down were Texas and Texas A&M.; On a recruiting trip to Texas, Gil spent some time with Longhorn freshman pitcher Reid Ryan.

Perhaps now, Gil will get an opportunity to spend some time with Reid’s dad, Nolan.

Gil’s longtime friend and rival, Jose Silva of Hilltop High, was selected in the sixth round by the Toronto Blue Jays.

Before the season, Silva was being tabbed as a first-rounder, but Silva, 6-feet-5, suffered a muscle strain in his pitching arm (right) midway through the season.

“I wasn’t really worried,� said Silva, who was 2-1 with a 1.13 ERA and 56 strikeouts in 31 innings, “but I was curious about what was going to happen. I’m glad it’s over. I’m happy with where I was picked. I just thank God and my family and friends for supporting me all the way.�

Mike Bovee, a right-handed pitcher who led Mira Mesa to the San Diego Section 3-A championship last week, was also taken in the sixth round, by the Kansas City Royals.

Bovee, who also played quarterback for the Marauder football team, was 11-2 with a 1.19 ERA. He led the county in strikeouts with 142 in 87 2/3 innings.

Donny Jones of Poway was another sixth-round selection. Jones, who hit .368 with six homers, 17 RBIs and eight assists from his center-field position, was taken by the Boston Red Sox.

Another area high school player selected on the first of three draft days was outfielder Antoine Henry of Clairemont.

Henry was drafted by the St. Louis Cardinals in the ninth round, the same round his brother, Ray McDavid, was taken in last year’s draft by the Padres. Henry hit .474 this season and in two years was successful in 48 of 49 stolen base attempts. Teammates call him Rabbit. He could fit in nicely with the Cardinals and Busch Stadium.

Mike Murphy, a catcher from U.S. International, was taken in the 15th round by the Houston Astros. Murphy, who has dual citizenship in Canada and the United States, was preparing to leave for Ontario to play for the Canadian Olympic team.

On Monday, he asked USIU Coach George Kachigan to sign his passport papers, but after receiving word about the draft, Murphy called Kachigan later at home.

Said Kachigan, “He called me this evening, and said, ‘I guess I don’t need those papers any more.’ �

Jim Ferguson, a 6-foot-7 right-handed pitcher from the University of San Diego, was selected by the Montreal Expos.

Mark Ratekin, a right-handed pitcher from Point Loma Nazarene, said one team unsuccessfully tried to call him early on Monday to get some information. When Ratekin returned the call, the team official said he no longer needed to talk with him because Ratekin had been picked by another team.

Ratekin has yet to hear by whom.