Sean Casey wasn't around Pete Crow-Amstrong long, but it was long enough to leave a powerful impression on the former Red Sox' first baseman.
Managing one of the teams in the Under Armor All-Star Game at Wrigley Field in July -- an event highlighting some of the best high school baseball players in the country -- Casey came across the kid from Harvard-Westlake (CA) High. Hitting leadoff and playing center field, Crow-Armstrong made a fan out of his skipper.
It is an impression that has led Casey to pass along a message to Red Sox fans: You better hope Crow-Armstrong is sitting there at pick No. 17 in Wednesday's MLB Draft.
"Are you kidding me? If he slipped to 17 Pete Crow-Armstrong would be a great pick," Casey told WEEI.com by phone Tuesday. "A really good pick. Wow!"
The idea of Crow-Armstrong sliding to the Red Sox isn't far-fetched considering he has been predicted by some (including Keith Law) to land with the Red Sox.
While his family already has some unique ties to the major leagues -- his mother Ashley played the mom to Billy Heywood in the 1990's movie "Little Big League" -- Crow-Armstrong's real-life chances at making his own mark in the bigs seems inevitable according to Casey.
"I think of a guy like Scott Posednik, or maybe even better than that. An Adam Eaton-type player. Grady Sizemore, he would be a guy, too," Casey said. "Because I think he’s going to have some power and he’s just gritty as hell. He’s going to get it done. He’s one of those guys. You just feel like this guy is going to win. He’s going to find a way to get it done. That’s why I think he’s going to be good at pro ball.
"The mental side of the game, he’s advanced. We talked about approach and he’s wise beyond his years as far as what he’s trying to do at the plate, what he’s looking for, hunting the fastball. He uses his speed well and his a plus defender. This guy can flat-out go out and get it with a good arm. He has got to be one of the best defensive players in all the Draft.