Tribe takes UCLA pitcher with 39th overall choice

Left-hander David Huff was Cleveland's first pick .
CLEVELAND (AP) -- The Cleveland Indians selected left-hander David Huff of UCLA with their first pick, No. 39 overall, in Tuesday's baseball draft.
Huff, a 6-foot-2 junior, has been compared to Oakland lefty Barry Zito, who started for the Athletics on Tuesday night against the Indians at Jacobs Field.
"He's a certified, elite college starter. He brings a lot to the table," said John Mirabelli, the Indians' assistant general manager in charge of scouting operations.
Drafted twice previously
The 21-year-old Huff was drafted twice previously, by the Angels in the 31st round in 2003 and by the Phillies in the 19th round last year. Huff turned down the Angels' to pitch at UC Irvine, where he went 3-0 as a freshman in 2004 before transferring to UCLA.
Huff went 4-2 with a 3.24 ERA for the Bruins in 2005 and reportedly turned down a $500,000 contract offer from Philadelphia to return to UCLA this season.
In 16 starts for the Bruins in 2006, he went 7-4 with a 2.98 ERA, walking only 27 while striking out 100 in 129 2-3 innings for coach John Savage -- Zito's coach at Southern California in 1999.
May pitch for Scrappers
Huff likely will pitch this summer at Mahoning Valley or Lake County, Mirabelli said. The Indians will closely monitor his innings because of how many he threw this season for UCLA.
The Indians, who didn't have a first-round pick for the first time since 1999, had five selections in the top 75 this year.
Mirabelli said the Indians were hoping Huff would be around when their pick came up.
"He was one of the target guys," said Mirabelli, who expects Huff to sign a contract in the near future.
Cleveland lost its own first-rounder (No. 25) to the Los Angeles Angels as compensation for signing free agent right-hander Paul Byrd in December. However, the Indians did pick up the 39th and 57th selections when they lost free agent reliever Bob Howry to the Chicago Cubs.
The Indians also got the 56th pick for losing free agent Kevin Millwood to Texas, retained their own second-round selection at No. 69, and were awarded the 75th pick when free agent Scott Elarton signed with Kansas City.
Other Indians picks
With their consecutive selections in the second round, the Indians took Hawaii right-hander Steven Wright and infielder Joshua Rodriguez of Rice. Georgia Tech third baseman Wesley Hodges was Cleveland's pick at No. 69, followed by Lehigh catcher Matt McBride at No. 75.
Rodriguez hit a two-run homer Monday night to help No. 1-ranked Rice win its 13th in a row, a 7-4 victory over Baylor.
Cleveland's top two high school picks were North Carolina pitchers, left-hander Judson Morris and right-hander Christopher Archer, with the 131st and 161st selections respectively.
The Indians had shown interest in shortstop Emmanuel Burris from Kent State, but the speedy leadoff hitter was taken by San Francisco at No. 33.
Fuzzy memories
Indians manager Eric Wedge was drafted in 1989, although he didn't know it.
"I didn't find out until the next day," Wedge said. "We were playing in the college World Series."
Wedge, an All-American catcher at Wichita State, was selected in the third round by the Boston Red Sox in '89. He made his major league debut in 1991 with Boston, and the following year he hit five home runs in 27 games for the Red Sox.
Wedge laughed when he was asked about his first purchase with his signing bonus.
"I sat on it," he said. "It wasn't a great deal."