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SECAUCUS, N.J. -- The Houston Astros had the No. 1 pick again, and this time, they took a pitcher polished beyond his years. California high school left-hander Brady Aiken was the first selection in the Major League Baseball draft Thursday night. "Its the most advanced high school pitcher Ive ever seen in my entire career," Astros general manager Jeff Luhnow said. "He has command like Ive never seen before of his stuff." The 17-year-old from San Diegos Cathedral Catholic High School is just the third prep pitcher to be selected first overall, joining fellow lefties Brien Taylor (1991, Yankees) and David Clyde (1973, Rangers). The Miami Marlins made it the first time high school pitchers were the top two picks in the draft when they selected Tyler Kolek, a hard-throwing right-hander from Shepherd High School in Texas. Twenty pitchers were taken in the first round, tying the draft record set in 2001. The Astros are the first team to select first in three consecutive drafts, having picked shortstop Carlos Correa in 2012 and right-hander Mark Appel last year. Aiken is in line to receive a huge contract. The allotted slot bonus for the top pick is nearly $8 million. "Unbelievable. Its really a dream come true," Aiken said. "This is something that Ive wanted ever since I was a young kid. Im at a loss for words. This is my dream and its finally starting to come true." Aiken is also the first high school lefty to be drafted in the first five picks since Adam Loewen went fourth overall to Baltimore in 2002. The UCLA recruit, who compared himself to Clayton Kershaw and David Price, has terrific control of a fastball that hits 96-97 mph, a knee-buckling curve and a tough changeup that sits in the low- to mid-80s. The 6-foot-5 Kolek has a fastball that sits in the high-90s and touched 100-102 mph several times, causing many to compare him to fellow Texas flamethrowers such as Nolan Ryan, Kerry Wood and Josh Beckett. "How do you pass up a guy throwing 100?" Marlins manager Mike Redmond said after Miamis 11-6 win at Tampa Bay. "So, Im happy with the pick. Its a big, old, country strong right-hander." The Chicago White Sox selected North Carolina State left-hander Carlos Rodon with the third overall pick. The 6-3, 235-pound junior was widely regarded as the top college pitcher available and had been in the mix to go No. 1 overall. He followed a dominant sophomore year with a solid but not spectacular junior season. Indiana slugger Kyle Schwarber went No. 4 overall to the Chicago Cubs as the first position player selected. He is a finalist for the Johnny Bench Award as the best catcher in Division I, although he could move to third base or the outfield in the pros. "Well let that play out," Cubs senior vice-president of scouting and player development Jason McLeod said. Nick Gordon, the son of former big league pitcher Tom Gordon and brother of Dodgers second baseman Dee Gordon, went fifth overall to Minnesota. The Florida high school slick-fielding shortstop was the first of the seven prospects in attendance at MLB Network Studios to have his name called by Commissioner Bud Selig, who is retiring in January and presiding over the draft for the final time. After a few interviews, Gordon breathed a big sigh of relief and gave his father a huge hug. "This is a proud moment. Its hard to describe," Tom Gordon said. "I have nothing but pride and pure joy for my boys." Gordon, from Orlandos Olympia High School, also has some family bragging rights now: His father was a sixth-rounder by Kansas City in 1986, while his brother was a fourth-rounder by Los Angeles in 2008. "Were pretty much the same player," Nick Gordon said of the brothers. "You know, hes got a little bit more speed than I do, Ive got a little bit more pop than he does. But, you know, we model our game after each other." A few other players followed in the footsteps of famous family members. Wichita State first baseman Casey Gillaspie went 20th overall to Tampa Bay, 17 spots ahead of where his brother Conor, the White Soxs third baseman, was picked in 2008. "I cant really compare myself to him because hes in the big leagues," Casey said. "It was cool when it happened, but now Im just ready and focused." San Francisco outfielder Bradley Zimmer was taken 21st by Cleveland. His brother, Kyle, was the fifth overall pick by Kansas City in 2012. With the next pick, Detroit took California high school outfielder Derek Hill, whose father Orsino was a first-rounder in January 1982 and is now a scout for the Dodgers. California high school catcher Alex Jackson went sixth to Seattle, which intends to move him to the outfield. "Ive been playing multiple positions my whole life," Jackson said. "Its nothing extra ordinary that has been thrown my way. Im looking forward to getting out there competing." LSU righty Aaron Nola was the seventh overall selection by Philadelphia. Evansville lefty Kyle Freeland, a Colorado native, went No. 8 to the Rockies and said hes used to pitching in the thin Denver air and isnt afraid of it. East Carolina right-hander Jeff Hoffman went ninth to Toronto, which also took Kennesaw State catcher Max Pentecost two picks later. The New York Mets rounded out the top 10 picks by selecting Oregon State outfielder Michael Conforto. In the year of Tommy John surgery in baseball, two pitchers who recently had the operation were selected in the first 18 picks -- a sign that teams are confident in the success rate of the procedure. Even though theyll likely be sidelined for 12-18 months, Hoffman and UNLV righty Erick Fedde (No. 18 to Washington) remained attractive prospects. Vanderbilt righty Tyler Beede was the 14th overall pick by San Francisco, becoming the 18th player in draft history to be selected in the first round of two June drafts. He went 21st to Toronto in 2011. St. Louis wrapped up the first round of the draft, which is held over three days and 40 rounds, by selecting California high school righty Jack Flaherty at No. 34 -- seven picks after taking Florida State right-hander Luke Weaver. Gareth Morgan, from Toronto, was the first Canadian selected this year. The right-handed outfielder was drafted out of Blyth Academy by the Seattle Mariners, 74th overall. "Im honoured that the Mariners selected me and its also very special to be the first Canadian to be taken in the draft," said Morgan from his home in Toronto where he was following the draft with his family. "I have worked very hard throughout my career for this moment and Im excited for what the future holds." Cheap Green Bay Packers Jerseys . While he was away, it was the division-rival Baltimore Orioles conducting a little business of their own, scooping up Ubaldo Jimenez on Monday evening to a reported four-year, $50-million contract. Jace Sternberger Jersey . Kuper, a fifth-round pick in Denvers 2006 draft, started 79 games at guard over eight seasons. He dislocated his left ankle in the last game of the 2011 regular season, and though he started another seven games after that, he never returned to his previous level. http://www.cheappackersjerseyselite.com/...nkins-jersey.28 for a combined time of 1:14.70, also an Olympic record. Lee won the gold medal, defending her title from the Vancouver Games. Rashan Gary Jersey . Best has been bothered by concussion problems and hasnt played since Oct. 16, when the Lions lost to San Francisco. After starting 5-0, Detroit has lost four of six, beginning with that game against the 49ers. Cheap Packers Jerseys . Jeff Carter had two goals and an assist as the Kings stretched their streak to seven wins in a row with a 4-2 victory over the Edmonton Oilers on Sunday. OAKLAND, Calif. -- Mark Jackson came to the Golden State Warriors talking big and brash. He promised playoff appearances and championships, and he delivered plenty of wins along the way. Away from the court, though, Jackson never backed down from doing things how he wanted. His inability to mesh with management -- and managements inability to mesh with Jackson -- increasingly overshadowed his success and ultimately cost him his job. The Warriors fired Jackson after three seasons Tuesday, ending the franchises most successful coaching tenure in the past two decades but also one filled with drama and distractions. "Obviously it was not made exclusively on wins and losses," Warriors owner Joe Lacob said. Lacob and general manager Bob Myers both thanked Jackson, saying he helped make the Warriors a more attractive franchise. But Myers said the decision to dismiss Jackson was "unanimous" among the teams executives -- though still not easy -- in part because the Warriors want a coach who can "develop a synergy" with everybody in basketball operations. Jacksons time with the Warriors will be remembered for the way he helped turn a perennially losing franchise into a consistent winner and the bold and bombastic way in which he did it. He guaranteed Golden State would make the playoffs in his first season, then finished 23-36 after the NBA labour lockout. The Warriors went 47-35 last season and had a memorable run to the second round of the playoffs, and they were 51-31 this season before losing in seven games to the Los Angeles Clippers in the first round. The Warriors, who have surrounded star Stephen Curry with a talented nucleus since Lacobs group bought the franchise in 2010, had not made the playoffs in consecutive years since 1991-92. They had made the post-season once in 17 years before Jackson arrived. Lacob compared the decision to replace Jackson to his work as a venture capitalist in Silicon Valley. "Theres a different CEO that may be required to achieve success at different stages of an organizations development," Lacob said. "When youre a startup company its one thing, when youre a small-growth company its one thing and when youre a mature company thats trying to reach a billion in sales -- or in this case win an NBA championship -- perhaps thats a different person. And we just felt overall we needed a different person." Lacob and Myers declined to discuss the coaching search, other than to say it would begin immediately. Former NBA player and TNT broadcaster Steve Kerr, former Orlando Magic coach Stan Van Gundy, Iowa States Fred Hoiberg and Connecticuts Kevin Ollie have been among the most talked-about candidates this off-season. The Warriors know a new coach comes with the risk of disrupting team chemistry, especially considering nearly every player publicly called for Jackson to return, most notably Curry, whom Lacob said was told of the decision ahead of time. Myers also spoke to several players after he and Lacob informed Jacksonn of their decision in a meeting Tuesday morning.dddddddddddd "The hope and belief after talking to them is that they trust us and they believe that we make decisions to win as well," Myers said. Jackson took to Twitter to thank the organization, players and fans. Several of his present and past players also applauded the job he had done. Jackson, a former NBA point guard who had his best seasons with the New York Knicks and Indiana Pacers, had never been a head coach at any level when Lacob hired him away from the ESPN/ABC broadcast table in June 2011. A minister who runs a church with his wife near their Southern California home, Jackson often spoke of his Christian beliefs while surprisingly turning the Warriors into one of the NBAs best defensive teams. But Jacksons boisterous personality at times did not play well with Warriors management, his staff and -- to a much lesser extent -- his players. And his attitude, which bordered on confidence and cockiness, also came off as increasingly insecure when the team struggled. The Warriors still stuck by Jackson even when he created news off the court, including when reports surfaced in June 2012 that he and his family were the targets of an extortion attempt related to an extramarital affair he had six years prior, which led to questions about his credibility and morals. The pressure on Jackson really heated up when the Warriors decided to pick up his contract option for the 2014-15 season last summer instead of negotiating a long-term deal as he had wanted. Management also encouraged Jackson to hire a strong tactician after top assistant Michael Malone -- who had several disagreements with Jackson -- left to become the coach of the Sacramento Kings. Instead, Jackson promoted Pete Myers and other assistants and hired Lindsey Hunter and Brian Scalabrine. And while reports of rifts within the team surfaced on occasion, having two assistants dismissed -- Scalabrine reassigned to the teams NBA Development League affiliate in Santa Cruz, and Darren Erman fired -- in a 12-day span before the playoffs perpetuated the idea that Jackson had fostered an environment of dysfunction, which he repeatedly refuted. The Warriors also parted ways with all of Jacksons assistants Tuesday. Several home losses to lesser teams frustrated Lacob more than anything and cost the Warriors a chance to earn anything more than the sixth playoff seed, which they also had a year ago when they upset Denver in the first round before falling to San Antonio. The Warriors still showed a lot of fight -- and an ability to make adjustments -- with centre Andrew Bogut out with a fractured right rib in the playoffs, pushing the third-seeded Clippers to seven games. "George Karl was Coach of the Year last year and got fired," Clippers coach Doc Rivers said. "Mark Jackson gets a team to multiple playoffs for the first time in a thousand years, and then gets fired. Its our job. Its a tough job, and I think everybody knows it now more than ever." 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