SECAUCUS, N.J. -- The Toronto Blue Jays drafted a tall, athletic pitcher with their first pick of the 2013 Major League Baseball draft. Sound familiar? The Blue Jays selected right-hander Phil Bickford with the 10th overall pick Thursday. The 17-year-old right-hander from Oaks Christian High School in California is six-foot-four, 200 pounds, and can throw a 96 m.p.h. fastball that Torontos director of amateur scouting, Brian Parker, says is polished. Bickford led his high school club to its division championship, where he struck out 18 batters in the final, including 11 in a row. Bickford finished his senior season with a 1.72 earned-runs average, allowing 44 hits and recording 159 strikeouts in 99.1 innings. "Were very excited about this kid," Parker said on a conference call. "Hes got one of the best fastballs in the draft. Hes an athletic kid and were all very excited to get this guy going." Blue Jays scouts seem to have an eye for rangy pitchers of late. Toronto has drafted 11 pitchers measuring six-foot-four or taller since 2007. "I think its something we look for," Parker said. "I think athleticism is something we focus on with pitchers, especially high school kids. Those are the types of frames and athletes were looking to get into our rotation." Parker said that Bickfords fastball is good enough for professional baseball right now, but the other pitches in his repertoire need development. "We think the secondary stuff is developing," Parker said. "We think the changeup is the better (secondary) pitch right now, but we think he has the chance to have a pretty good breaking ball." Bickford has a commitment to NCAA Division I school Cal State Fullerton, but Parker doesnt see that as an obstacle to getting him signed. "Almost every high school kid out there has a college commitment," he said. "Thats kind of the territory that we have when we take high school guys." It hasnt always worked out for Toronto, however. The Blue Jays drafted six-foot-four right-hander Tyler Beede out of high school in the first round of the 2011 draft even though Beede had a commitment to Vanderbilt University. The Blue Jays and Beede couldnt bridge a sizable gulf in negotiations over a signing bonus, and Beede elected not to sign. Nike Basketball Jerseys From China . PETERSBURG, Fla. Cheap Nike Basketball Jerseys . The Celtics closed out their first preseason under Stevens on Wednesday night with a 101-97 victory over the Brooklyn Nets, who rested a lot of their lineup including former Celtics Kevin Garnett and Paul Pierce. http://www.cheapbasketballjerseyschina.com/ . The phone hearing is scheduled for 4:30pm et/1:30pm pt. Winchester, who was not penalized for the hit, appeared to make contact with Kellys head early in the first period of Thursdays game in Boston. Stitched Basketball Jerseys Online . -- Jaye Marie Green shot a 4-under 68 on Thursday to increase her lead to five strokes after the second round of the LPGA Tours qualifying tournament. Cheap Basketball Jerseys Authentic .C. -- Al Jefferson joked that he feels he can score from anywhere on the court. METAIRIE, La. -- The New Orleans Pelicans say Anthony Davis is expected to return to basketball activities within 10 to 14 days after spraining his right ankle during an exhibition game against Houston in China on Wednesday.The update comes after the Pelicans resumed practice at their New Orleans-area headquarters on Friday.The prognosis for Davis raises the prospects that hell either return in time for New Orleans regular-season opener on Oct. 26 against vissiting Denver, or shortly afterward.dddddddddddd New Orleans plays three games in the first week of the regular season, including a home contest against Golden State on Oct. 28 and a game at San Antonio on Oct. 29.Davis, a three-time All-Star, has averaged 20.8 points, 9.7 rebounds and 2.4 blocks during his first four NBA seasons. ' ' '