Rangers pick Danks, Astros go with Hirsh

Here's a look at picks by the Texas Rangers and the Houston Astros in baseball's amateur draft:<br><br>-- The Texas Rangers today picked lefty John Danks from Round Rock High School as the ninth

Tuesday, June 3rd 2003, 12:00 am

By: News On 6

Here's a look at picks by the Texas Rangers and the Houston Astros in baseball's amateur draft:

-- The Texas Rangers today picked lefty John Danks from Round Rock High School as the ninth pick in the first round.

The ace of one of the country's top high school teams was 8-and-1 with a one-point-36 E-R-A.

Danks had 135 strikeouts in 72 innings through 14 starts.

-- The Houston Astros selected 6-foot-8 right-handed pitcher Jason Hirsh with their first pick, in the second round.

The Astros chose Hirsh with the 59th overall selection. Houston's first-round pick went to San Francisco as compensation for signing free agent second baseman Jeff Kent last December.

Hirsh was 9-and-1 with a three-point-68 E-R-A in 15 games for Cal Lutheran.

He struck out 126 hitters in just over 100 innings while walking only 22.

He's the third right-handed pitcher the Astros have taken with their first selection in the last six drafts. Of those, only 1998 pick Brad Lidge -- currently in the Astros' bullpen -- has made a contribution to the major-league club.