This is one of my favorite times of the year in baseball. The regular season is in full swing, college baseball is heading for its World Series, and the First Year Player Draft is less than a month away. So with that in mind, let’s look at some of the related links as we kick off the summer of 2007…

Marc Hulet at Baseball Analysts looks back at his draft predictions of the past few years and grades himself. Fun stuff.

D.A. Humber is back! Expect some fun and exciting analysis from another fan who loves prospects and the minor leagues.

This isn’t about the minors or the draft, but this article (book review) combines two of my favorite people in the baseball analysis business…Dan Fox and J.C. Bradbury

This is about the minors…one of the best sites out there that tracks its team’s minor league action and development is Future Redbirds. It’s become one of my daily reads.

John Sickels will once again run a community mock draft over at Minor League Ball. If you can participate, it will be a lot of fun. But it’s even fun to just watch each year like I do.

Jonathan Mayo posts his prediction for the top 10 picks in this year’s draft over at his blog…MLB.com Geeking the Draft. There aren’t many surprises here, but it’s worth a look. One interesting note is that Matt Wieters isn’t on Mayo’s top 10 list. If you recall from reading yesterday Minors/College in the News here at BDD, Baseball America has Wieters falling quite a bit as well due to the “Boras factor.”

Over at Boyd’s World, we get a look at the “The Annual How I Wish It Was Column” as we’re taken through the one man’s look at who should make the post-season tournament. I have to say…I really like these selections!

I’m not sure how I missed this site before, but here’s an excellent college baseball blog to get you in the mood for next month’s tournament and World Series…it’s aptly named, The College Baseball Blog!

Last week the National Collegiate Baseball Writers Association released the list of 16 semifinalists for the 2007 Dick Howser Trophy, given to the top player in collegiate baseball. Check out who made the list.

Photo: Bill Richardson, Baseball Digest Daily

David Wright hit 2 home runs and reached base 5 times in the Mets 10-7 win over the Yankees

•  Mike Lowell went 4-for-5 with a double and a grand slam, and Julio Lugo homered, doubled, and drove in 3 runs as the Red Sox crushed the Braves, 13-3, in the first game of Saturday’s doubleheader. Jeff Francoeur went 3-for-4 with a home run and 2 RBI for Atlanta.
• In game 2, Atlanta returned the favor. John Smoltz pitched 7 scoreless innings, and Kelly Johnson doubled, tripled, homered, and drove in 5 runs as the Braves blew out the Red Sox, 14-0. Brian McCann added 3 doubles and 2 RBI for Atlanta.
• Jason Marquis helped his own cause by hitting a home run and driving in 2, and Derrek Lee led a monstrous 8th inning rally with a pinch-hit grand slam as the Cubs scored 6 times in the inning on their way to an 11-6 win over the White Sox. Joe Crede had 2 hits, a home run, and drove in 3 for the boys from the South Side.
• David Wright hit 2 home runs, had 4 RBI, walked 3 times, and scored 3 runs, and Endy Chavez went 4-for-5 to lead the Mets to another win over the Yankees, 10-7. Jorge Posada had 4 hits, a home run, and drove in 2, and Josh Phelps had a double and 3 hits for the Bombers.
• Mark Reynolds had 3 hits, a home run, and 2 RBI, and Tony Clark hit a pinch-hit grand slam as the Diamondbacks staged a furious rally to plate 5 runs in the 7th inning and 2 in the 8th on their way to a 9-8 win over the Pirates. Xavier Nady and Nate McLouth had 3 hits each for Pittsburgh.
• Nick Markakis had 3 hits, and Jay Payton laced 2 doubles and drove in the go-ahead runs in the 11th inning as the Orioles beat the Nationals, 3-2. Jeremy Guthrie allowed just one run on 4 hits while striking out 10 over 7 innings for Baltimore. Mike Bacsik pitched 6 scoreless innings for Washington.
• Brandon Phillips had 2 hits, a home run, and drove in 3, and Jeff Conine collected 3 hits and 2 RBI as the Reds doubled up the Indians, 10-5. Victor Martinez had 3 hits, a double, and drove in 2 for Cleveland.
• Scott Baker pitched 8 1/3 strong innings, allowing just 2 runs on 6 hits, and Torii Hunter homered and drove in 3 runs to lead the Twins to a 5-2 win over the Brewers. J.J. Hardy hit yet another home run for Milwaukee.
• Ivan Rodriguez doubled, homered, and drove in 3 runs, and Carlos Guillen added 2 hits and 2 RBI as the Tigers held off the Cardinals, 8-7. Scott Spiezio had 4 hits and 2 RBI, and David Eckstein added 3 hits for St. Louis in the loss.
• Wandy Rodriguez allowed just one run over 6 innings, and Lance Berkman drove in 2 runs as the Astros cruised past the Rangers, 6-1.
• Lyle Overbay doubled, homered, drove in 4 runs, and scored 3 times, and Matt Stairs added 3 hits, a home run, and 4 RBI as the Blue Jays flew past the Phillies, 13-2. Shaun Marcum allowed just 2 run on 4 hits for Toronto.
• Dontrelle Willis pitched 7 strong innings, and Jeremy Hermida homered and drove in 3 runs to help the Marlins swim past the Devil Rays, 7-2. Elijah Dukes homered and reached base 3 times for Tampa Bay.
• Taylor Buchholz allowed just one unearned run on 5 hits in 7 innings, and Garrett Atkins hit a 3 run home run as the Rockies climbed over the Royals, 6-4. Brad Hawpe added 2 hits, a home run, and 2 RBI for Colorado, and Ryan Shealy went 3-for-4 with a homer and 3 RBI for Kansas City.
• Jered Weaver allowed just 2 runs over 6 2/3 innings, and Mike Napoli reached base 3 times and hit a home run as the Angels willed their way past the Dodgers, 6-2.
• Jack Cust walked twice and hit a 3-run homer, and Dan Haren gave Oakland another quality start to help the A’s beat the Giants, 4-2.
• Jose Guillen doubled, homered, and drove in 4 runs, and Horacio Ramirez pitched 6 solid innings as the Mariners sailed past Greg Maddux and the Padres, 7-4.  

BDD Player of the Day – New York Mets David Wright