catlover79
06-07-2012, 10:01 PM
http://news-herald.com/articles/2012/06/07/sports/nh5578953.txt?viewmode=2
Baseball draft: Riverside grad Andrew Brown selected by Rockies
Published: Thursday, June 07, 2012
By Jim Ingraham
JIngraham@News-Herald.com
@jitribeinsider
Andrew Brown’s dream came true as he was sitting in his car, in the driveway of his house.
“I had just got back from lunch,” he said. “I was following the draft online on my phone, and as I pulled into my driveway I looked down at my phone and saw my name pop up: ‘Andrew Brown, Colorado Rockies.’ ”
The rest is dream-come-true history.
“I jumped out of my car and started running around screaming,” said Brown.
You might say Wednesday was a big day for Brown, the former Riverside High School standout turned University of Akron star.
The 22-year-old right-handed pitcher was selected by the Colorado Rockies in the 23rd round of Major League Baseball’s June Draft.
“Ever since I was a kid I always dreamed about playing professional baseball,” he said. “To see my name come up like that, and then to get a phone call from the Rockies — it’s the most exciting day of my life.”
As a senior this year for Akron, Brown was selected to the Mid-American Conference first team. In 14 starts for the Zips, he had a record of 6-8 and a 3.19 ERA, with six complete games. Opposing batters hit .242 against him.
Brown is Akron’s career leader in innings pitched (360 2/3), and is tied for fourth on the school’s all-time strikeout list (254).
Going into the draft, Brown said he was hopeful of eventually getting that phone call.
“I talked to about seven to 10 teams during the season, including Colorado,” he said. “Colorado was one of the first teams to talk to me, in the fall. I didn’t know where I’d get picked in the draft, or by who, but I had a feeling it might be today.”
Shortly after seeing his name pop up in the online coverage of the draft, Brown got a phone call from Ed Santa, the Colorado scout who scouted him through his senior season.
“I think Ed was as excited as I was that the Rockies drafted me,” said Brown. “The next step is I’ll meet with him in the next couple of days and sign a contract.”
Brown said he was told he will report to one of Colorado’s two short-season affiliates, either the Grand Junction (Colo.) Rockies in the Pioneer League or the Tri-City Dust Devils, located in Pasco, Wash., of the Northwest League.
“Since the end of my college season I’ve been working out with some guys from school,” said Brown. “So I haven’t been pitching, but I’ve been staying in shape.”
Baseball draft: Riverside grad Andrew Brown selected by Rockies
Published: Thursday, June 07, 2012
By Jim Ingraham
JIngraham@News-Herald.com
@jitribeinsider
Andrew Brown’s dream came true as he was sitting in his car, in the driveway of his house.
“I had just got back from lunch,” he said. “I was following the draft online on my phone, and as I pulled into my driveway I looked down at my phone and saw my name pop up: ‘Andrew Brown, Colorado Rockies.’ ”
The rest is dream-come-true history.
“I jumped out of my car and started running around screaming,” said Brown.
You might say Wednesday was a big day for Brown, the former Riverside High School standout turned University of Akron star.
The 22-year-old right-handed pitcher was selected by the Colorado Rockies in the 23rd round of Major League Baseball’s June Draft.
“Ever since I was a kid I always dreamed about playing professional baseball,” he said. “To see my name come up like that, and then to get a phone call from the Rockies — it’s the most exciting day of my life.”
As a senior this year for Akron, Brown was selected to the Mid-American Conference first team. In 14 starts for the Zips, he had a record of 6-8 and a 3.19 ERA, with six complete games. Opposing batters hit .242 against him.
Brown is Akron’s career leader in innings pitched (360 2/3), and is tied for fourth on the school’s all-time strikeout list (254).
Going into the draft, Brown said he was hopeful of eventually getting that phone call.
“I talked to about seven to 10 teams during the season, including Colorado,” he said. “Colorado was one of the first teams to talk to me, in the fall. I didn’t know where I’d get picked in the draft, or by who, but I had a feeling it might be today.”
Shortly after seeing his name pop up in the online coverage of the draft, Brown got a phone call from Ed Santa, the Colorado scout who scouted him through his senior season.
“I think Ed was as excited as I was that the Rockies drafted me,” said Brown. “The next step is I’ll meet with him in the next couple of days and sign a contract.”
Brown said he was told he will report to one of Colorado’s two short-season affiliates, either the Grand Junction (Colo.) Rockies in the Pioneer League or the Tri-City Dust Devils, located in Pasco, Wash., of the Northwest League.
“Since the end of my college season I’ve been working out with some guys from school,” said Brown. “So I haven’t been pitching, but I’ve been staying in shape.”