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Nelson keeps focus on College World Series
MILWAUKEE — Aside from waking up to calls from a handful of Major League ballclubs, Tuesday was a relatively normal day for Jimmy Nelson.
The junior right-hander from the University of Alabama began his day with some typical medical treatment, followed by weight lifting with his Crimson Tide teammates.
Even when he was selected by the Milwaukee Brewers in the second round with the 64th pick of the 2010 First-Year Player Draft, Nelson’s day didn’t change too much.
“I got a lot of calls and text from people who wanted to congratulate me, but it was really a pretty normal day,” Nelson said. “But it feels great to be drafted. It’s almost unbelieveable really. It’s an honor to be picked by such a great organization.”
Nelson’s day remained as normal as possible by design. That’s because the junior is keeping his focus on his team’s upcoming super regional series at Clemson, which is scheduled to begin on Saturday.
As the team’s hottest pitcher, Nelson still expects to pitch this weekend after being drafted.
“I absolutely want to pitch against Clemson,” Nelson said. “I want to do whatever I can to help this team get to, and hopefully win, the College World Series. I think that’s everyone’s goal on this team. But we’re still just going to take it one game at a time.”
Nelson, at 6-foot-6 and 235 pounds, certainly fits the Brewers’ criteria of a physical, hard-throwing guy.
When they saw him pitch this year, the Brewers were very impressed.
“He’s a big, hard-throwing guy,” said Bruce Seid, director of scouting for the Brewers. “I saw him pitch twice this year. He shut [Arkansas] down for five innings. At that time I said ‘Wow, this guy’s pretty good.’
“Then we saw him at the SEC [tournament] against Auburn and he just shut them out. He went nine innings, was throwing in the 90s in the ninth. He pitched with confidence, threw strikes. He’s a big kid, arm works, good delivery. So we thought this was a great choice.”
The Florida native throws a fastball that can reach 94 mph and has a nice slider — a tilted, hard, late-breaking pitch — to go along with it. Nelson also has an average changeup, which has been suggested to need some work in order for him to be a starter in the big leagues.
Whether he develops the changeup or not, Nelson sees himself with the potential to be a valuable starter at the next level.
“I think I can bring a lot of consistency and be a reliable starter in the big leagues,” Nelson said. “I can throw a lot of innings and I think I can compete with anybody at any level. That’s what I love to do. I love to compete on the baseball diamond.”
Jordan Schelling is an associate reporter for MLB.com.
Brewers draft roundup 6/8
With their biggest need at the big league level being pitching, the Brewers did their best to address that in the second day of the 2010 First-Year Player Draft, selecting 18 pitchers in rounds two through 29.
And while Dylan Covey, their first pick on Monday was a high school pitcher, the Brewers targeted far more collegiate arms on the draft’s second day.
All but two of the 18 pitchers the Brewers selected on Tuesday were from college or junior college programs.
“The college guys right now, they show you the arm strength and they’ll show you the physicality,” Brewers scouting director Bruce Seid said. “Those guys, as always, you hope that they’ll help you sooner than later.”
But while Seid and the Brewers targeted several players on the second day that could help the club in the not so distant future, they also selected a number of high-end young arms.
Along with Covey, the Brewers’ seventh round pick, Joel Pierce, is a high school right-hander from British Columbia. In the 15th round, the Brewers added a lefty high school pitcher in Chris Bates.
Regardless of age, the Brewers had specific criteria in mind.
“We [look for] physical, hard throwers that have opportunities to be starters and bullpen guys,” said Seid of their criteria, “and try to create some depth within the organization that the fans in Milwaukee to feel good about and bring success here to the Brewers.”
Round 2, James Nelson, RHP, University of Alabama
Nelson can run his fastball up as high as 94 mph with a nice slider — a tilted, hard, late-breaking pitch — to go with it. A Florida native, Nelson also has an average changeup to go along with his slider, and could soon be a good starting option for the Brewers.
Round 3, Tyler Thornburg, RHP, Charleston Southern
A junior from Atlanta, Thornburg throws a power fastball that can run up to 95 mph and an above-average changeup with excellent arm speed when he throws it. He will need to learn to throw his curveball for strikes to remain a starter, but could be a good arm out of the bullpen.
Round 4, Hunter Morris, 1B, Auburn
Morris, who was previously drafted by the Red Sox in 2007, has an above-average bat all around with impressive raw power as a left-handed hitter. A junior native of Huntsville, Ala., Morris also has the arm and athleticism to play a corner outfield position.
Round 5, Matthew Miller, RHP, Michigan
Miller, a 6-foot-6 junior from Zionsville, Ind., made 17 appearances in 2010, including 10 starts. He had a 3-3 record with a 5.06 ERA while striking out 43 batters and walking 28 over 41.1 innings. Miller was most effective out of the bullpen with a 2-1 record, 3.10 ERA and 17 strikeouts in seven appearances.
Round 6, William Hawn, 3B, Tennessee
Hawn, who goes by his middle name Cody, has been previously drafted twice, including once by the Brewers as a high school senior. Hawn was 11th in the SEC in both slugging percentage (.593) and RBI (61) this season while also belting 14 home runs.
Round 7, Joel Pierce, RHP, Vincent Massey Secondary School
Ranked fourth among Canadian prep players by Perfect Game, Massey stands 6-foot-1, 170-pounds, with a fastball that can reach 91 mph on the radar gun. In a Spring Training exhibition matchup, Pierce threw three perfect innings against the Toronto Blue Jays.
Round 8, Austin Ross, RHP, Louisiana State
Ross, a native of Shreveport, La., throws a two-seam fastball, sinker and slider. In the summer of 2008, he was rated the No. 2 prospect in the Central Illinois Collegiate League. In 2009, Ross was named SEC Pitcher of the Week twice in the month of March.
Round 9, Yadiel Rivera, SS, Manuela Toro High School
Rivera, is an excellent defensive shortstop, while still needing some work handling the bat. The Puerto Rico native is tall with good range, a strong arm and smooth mechanics in the infield, but will need to work on his strength to improve at the plate.
Round 10, Rafael Neda, C, New Mexico
An excellent offensive catcher, Neda is from Obregon, Sonora, Mexico. He attended high school in Arizona before signing on to play with the Lobos. Neda is far more advanced at the plate than behind it, and will need to work on his defense at the next level.
Round 11, Gregory Holle, RHP, Texas Christian
Holle is imposing on the mound at 6-foot-7 and was previously drafted by the New York Yankees in 2007. He made 12 appearances, nine starts, for the Horned Frogs in 2010, finishing the season with a 5-2 record. Holle struck out 26 batters in 41 2/3 innings while posting a 3.89 ERA.
Round 12, John Bivens, LF, Virginia State
A two-sport star in high school, Bivens originally chose to play football for the University of Virginia before transferring to Virginia State to play left field for the Trojans. Bivens batted .293 with five triples, five home runs, 33 RBIs and 16 stolen bases in 2010.
Round 13, Michael White, RHP, Walters State CC
White posted an 8-0 record with a 2.14 ERA this season, tossing 80 innings in 12 starts, giving up just 29 runs — 19 earned — on 57 hits while striking out 84 batters and walking just 35. White finished the 2010 season 23rd in ERA among all NJCAA pitchers and was named a first-team NJCAA All-American.
Round 14, Michael Walker, 3B, U Pacific
A native of Marysville, Calif., Walker batted .327 in 2010 while leading the Tigers in home runs with 12 and RBI with 52. Walker’s defense is behind his offense, however, as the Pacific third baseman led the team in errors with 13.
Round 15, Christopher Bates, LHP, Regis High School
A 6-foot-4, 175-pound lefty from Ossining, N.Y., Bates participated in the invite-only National Pre-Draft Showcase in Cedar Rapids, Iowa in May, pitching in front of scouts from all 30 Major League clubs. Bates, who has signed with Tulane, throws a two-seam and four-seam fastball along with a curveball and changeup.
Round 16, Andrew Morris, RHP, Gulf Coast CC
A native of Prattville, Ala., Morris’ 12 wins in 2010 was the best among all NJCAA Region 8 pitchers. The 6-foot-3, 190-pound righty was a major factor in Gulf Coast CC being among the top-ranked teams all season. Morris received honorable mention All-American honors.
Round 17, Brian Garman, LHP, U Cincinnati
Garman, a 5-foot-11, 202-pound senior from Ohio, pitched 59.1 innings over 17 appearances — five starts — for the Bearcats this season, posting a 4-4 record with a 3.79 ERA. Garman struck out 65 batters while walking just 19 and gave up 31 runs — 25 earned — on 65 hits. Garman ranked eighth in the Big East in ERA and third in earned runs allowed.
Round 18, Thomas Keeling, LHP, Oklahoma State
A left-handed Texas native, Keeling, is a 6-foot-3, 184-pound junior has put up high strikeout totals in each of his last two seasons at Oklahoma State. Keeling struck out 92 batters in just 64 1/3 innings pitched this season while allowing 41 earned runs on 58 hits.
Round 19, Rowan Wick, RF, Carson Graham High School
Another Canadian draft choice, Wick has plenty of power potential as a 6-foot-2, 205-pound right fielder. Wick played for the Canadian national junior team and the Vancouver Cannons of the British Columbia Premier Baseball League. Wick also has a scholarship offer from St. John’s.
Round 20, Shea Vucinich, SS, Washington State
A 6-foot junior from Idaho, Vucinich has plenty of upside defensively and has been suggested as having the potential to be a plus defender up the middle. Vucinich is a free swinger at the plate, which has aided in his power output, of which he has plenty of potential.
Round 21, Kevin Shackelford, RHP, Marshall
Was the primary catcher for the Thundering Herd in 2009 before being moved exclusively to the bullpen this season. Shackelford posted a 1-1 record with a 7.50 ERA in 19 appearances, striking out four batters while giving up just 15 earned runs over 18 innings pitched.
Round 22, Kevin Berard, C, Barbe High School
A Louisiana native, Berard has committed to LSU-Eunice. Berard helped lead his high school squad to a 29-9 record in 2010.
Round 23, Ryan Bernal, RHP, Florida Atlantic
A senior from Florida, Bernal was 6-3 with a 3.00 ERA in 30 appearances out of the bullpen for Florida Atlantic this season. Bernal allowed 14 earned runs on 37 hits over 42 innings while recording 44 strikeouts to just 18 walks.
Round 24, Gregory Hopkins, 3B, St. John’s
A junior Massachusetts native, Hopkins batted .358 with seven home runs and 59 RBIs while slugging .521. Hopkins’ average tied him for third on the team while he was second with 32 walks and tied for first with 21 doubles. He was second on the team with 13 errors.
Round 25, Nicholas Shaw, SS, Barry University
Shaw batted .358 with three home runs and 41 RBI on the season for the Buccaneers, while adding 14 doubles and a triple. He also slugged .492 while walking a team-high 49 times, which contributed to his .482 on-base percentage.
Round 26, Daniel Gibson, LHP, Jesuit High School
In 2010, Gibson had one of the best seasons in the 106-year history of Jesuit High School. Gibson posted a 14-1 record with a 1.64 ERA while striking out 129 batters in 89.2 innings.
Round 27, Alexander Jones, RHP, Jacksonville State
A tall, side-armed reliever, Jones sat out a year after Tommy John surgery, but returned to pitch again in 2010. Jones posted a 1-6 record but had a 3.53 ERA and a team-high six saves to go along with 61 strikeouts in 51 innings of relief.
Round 28, Dane Amedee, LHP, LSU-Eunice
A 6-foot-1, 194-pound lefty, Amedee posted a 7-0 record with a 4.14 ERA on the season, striking out 61 batters to just 35 walks over 41 1/3 innings pitched. Amedee also gave up 19 earned runs on 28 hits in 16 appearances.
Round 29, Dan Britt, RHP, Elon University
Britt, a native of North Carolina, posted a 5-2 record with a 4.62 ERA for Elon this season, while striking out 25 batters. Has gone 18-7 with five saves and a 5.27 ERA in his career.
Round 30, Eric Marzec, RHP, Youngstown State
Named the top prospect in the Horizon League by Baseball America before the 2010 season, Marzec went 3-3 with a 3.92 ERA while striking out 56 batters in 39 innings over 20 appearances.
Simple approach paying off for McGehee
MILWAUKEE — As he walks up to the plate during home games, the chorus of “Simple Man” by Lynyrd Skynyrd plays on the Miller Park speakers. While he may not have planned it that way, the song perfectly exemplifies Brewers third baseman Casey McGehee.
With the way he’s performed since becoming an everyday player for the Brewers, it would be easy for McGehee to get caught up in the numbers he’s put up at the plate. Instead, he just does what he’s always done, use the entire field to produce at the plate for the Brewers.
Before and after a game, it’s easy to find McGehee: he’s nearly always at his locker. Ask him just about any question about himself or the team and he’ll give an honest answer.
But despite being the National League’s RBI leader through the first two months of the season, McGehee still has trouble evaluating his own performance. That’s because he said he tries to take things on a day-to-day basis as much as possible.
“I try not to get too excited or too upset about anything,” McGehee said. “I just try to get to the next day and focus in on that rather than looking back. Because what I’ve done one day really has no bearing on anything that’s going to happen today or the next day.”
A year ago at this time, McGehee was splitting time with Craig Counsell at second base while getting the occasional start at third. In the batting order, he bounced around, hitting everywhere but fourth and ninth during the 2009 season.
When McGehee started playing everyday toward the end of June, he provided two things the Brewers had been lacking: an everyday third baseman and consistency in the five hole.
“Our biggest two holes last year were the No. 2 and the No. 5,” manager Ken Macha said. “McGehee’s doing a nice job in the five hole.”
With Mat Gamel and Bill Hall ahead of him, McGehee was expected to be a backup infielder for the Brewers after making his first career Opening Day roster. But with a season-ending injury to Rickie Weeks, and as Gamel and Hall struggled at third, McGehee stepped in where he was needed.
McGehee batted .301 with 16 homers in his rookie season, while his 66 RBIs led all rookies. His .859 OPS was also third on the team behind Prince Fielder and Ryan Braun.
After a surprisingly strong rookie campaign, which left him fifth in NL Rookie of the Year voting, expectations were much higher entering McGehee’s second big league season. But while some expected more from him in 2010, many suggested McGehee could be a prime candidate for a sophomore slump.
“I felt like there was pressure to continue to warrant being written in the lineup every day. That pressure’s always going to be there,” McGehee said. “But I think that in some ways having some success last year took a little bit of pressure. With that, I had confidence from the beginning and I knew what to expect as far as what I was capable of contributing.”
Not only has McGehee proved those doubters wrong, he’s nearly matched his season total of a year ago with 41 RBIs through just 48 games. Additionally, McGehee is second on the team with nine home runs and second only to Braun with 22 extra base hits.
True to his simple approach, however, the only opinion that really matters to McGehee is that of his teammates and coaches.
Based on recent lineups posted by Macha, the team’s confidence in McGehee is high. On Sunday, the California native became the first Brewers hitter not named Braun or Fielder to bat cleanup since July 1, 2008.
“I could care less what people want to write and say and what people around the league want to think,” McGehee said. “As long as the guys in here feel that I can do the job, you can write and say and tell me I’m terrible as much as you want. It doesn’t bother me a bit.
So even if someday the critics are proven right, McGehee isn’t worried about it.
“If I have it my way, I’ll be playing this game a long time. And they can keep waiting for me to fall on my face,” he said. “What’s the worst that happens? I fall on my face and everyone is right?”
Jordan Schelling is an associate reporter for MLB.com.
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