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3/10/12

Draft Friday Game Notes


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·         I first started following Louisville (10-3) RP Derek Self last season and had him being picked on the second day of the draft.  He decided to come back for his senior year which right now looks like a great decision. Derek threw 1.1 scoreless innings in the Cardinals’ 7-3 win against Oral Roberts. By my count, that’s 10.1-IP for the season with a 0.00 ERA.

“So far, the season is going great. I couldn’t really ask for much more. I've been in the role of the late inning trouble situation to closer role. I've been relying on my defense a lot throughout the season as I produce ground balls and pop ups when I’m not getting strikeouts. I just really try to focus to throw down as much as I can and really mixing my pitches up well giving a lot of credit to my pitching coach of calling the pitches. Just like in today’s game along with all the other games I have pitched in, my cutter and slider has been really effective for me to set the hitters up with my fastball. Coming into today’s game with a guy on in the 8th, I got out of it to help us keep the lead. Going back out for the ninth, I stayed with the same approach, mixing my off speed pitches well in the counts. Oral Roberts is a very aggressive team so I just stayed low and got outs. “ 

Right now, I have him ranked as one of the top three closers in the draft, along with Michael Roth (who is starting this season) and Austin Maddox.

·         Akron (2-8) senior RHP Andrew Brown decided to win one for the team, throwing 7.0 scoreless innongs (6-K, 0-BB) in Zips’ 4-0 win over Xavier.
Brown talked to me after the game and was very excited about his outing:

“I knew coming into this morning's game against Xavier that i would have to be on my game as they have had some success against some top teams this spring already. I had an aggressive mindset where I wanted to attack the zone early and finishing hitters off with fastballs and sliders. I was very confident with my slider and curve today and threw them well to start hitters off as well put them away.  Our offense was very clutch coming through with a run in the 3rd and not letting up throughout the game making sure we didn't let them get back into the game. 

 “We have had a rough start to the season in regards to wins and losses but honestly we have played some great competition and I feel that has prepared us well for this week in Florida as well as the upcoming conference season.  Our offense is beginning to put together back to back hits and our staff is coming together to put zeros on the board with no walks.”


·         It’s easy to forget about some of the prospects when they are playing for teams below the top 30. I checked up on a few lately:

o   Stony Brook CF Travis Jankowski went 1-5 against Kansas and is now hitting .333 as their leadoff hitter.
o   Georgia Southern’s RHP Chris Beck seems to be missing teammate Victor Roach: 1-1, 4.73, 18K/19.1IP
o   Jacksonville OF Adam Brett-Walker - .244/.407/.439
o   Oklahoma State’s Andrew Heaney – 2-1, 1.71, 31-K, 21.0-IP


·         Stat Lines:
o   Vanderbilt (5-8) Kevin Ziomek – 8.0-IP, 3-H, 0-R, 8-K, 1-BB - last three starts: 20.0-IP, 11-H, 3-ER, 23-K, 3-BB
o   Clemson RHP Kevin Brady – 5.1-IP, 6-H, 4-ER, 6-K, 0-BB
o   NC LHP Kent Emanuel  7.0-IP, 1-ER, 7-K, 0-BB
o   GT RHP Buck Farmer – 6.0-IP, 1-ER, 6-K, 3-BB

·         Speed Checks:

o   Christian H.S. (CA)  Cody Poteet – 90-93
o   Holy Trinity  H.S. (NY) RHP Anthony Rosati – 92, 82 slider
o   USF Anthony Barbosa – 92-93
o   USF Kyle Zimmer – 96-97
    Michael Wacha - 91-94, 84-85 slider, 81-83 change
o   Harvard-Westlake H.S. LHP Max Fried – 90-92, 75-77 curve, 78-80 change
o   GSU Chris Beck -  91-93, 81-82 change, 85 slider

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