Monday
June 13,2005
sports.michigandaily.com
sports@michigandaily.com
fE Itcdtijuunai 9
SPORTS
11
1
Seven of 'M' Nine go
in Major League draft
By James V. Dowd mindset that you are going to make it," able to get a degree, and now I'm going to
Daily Sports Editor Getz said. "You have to wake up and take a chance in professional baseball."
think, 'I'm going to the big leagues.' If Nevertheless, Brauer said he is
When Michigan baseball coach you look at the big picture, a lot of people happy to be part of an organization
Rich Maloney took his position in Ann don't make it. The ones that have those that values its pitching and has raised
Arbor following the 2002 season, his doubts are the ones who don't get to the young stars like Josh Beckett, A.J.
mission was to right a team that was big leagues." Burnett and Dontrelle Willis. He also
spiraling downward. The Wolverines Perhaps Getz's trip will be a bit easier finds comfort in the familiar faces,
finished 28-28 in 2001 and then 21-32 than the lonely trip that many players including highly touted general man-
the following year. make, since he'll be playing for the same ager Larry Beinfest, who drafted
But since Maloney took over, the organization as Michigan teammate him for Montreal in 2000 and came
records speak for themselves - 30-27 in Clayton Richard, whom the White Sox to Florida with former Expos' owner
2003, 34-26 in 2004 and 42-19 this sea- selected in the eighth round. Jeffrey Loria.
son, Michigan's best showing since 1989. "(Having Richard around) will defi- Michigan's final three draft picks were
During this turnaround, Maloney nitely ease the transition a bit," Getz said. pitcher Michael Penn, first baseman Kyle
has been fortunate to manage a talented "There's talk of us going to the same Bohm and catcher Jeff Kunkel. Penn
array of players - including those left team, so that would definitely help." was selected in the 11th round by Kan-
over from former coach Geoff Zahn and According to Getz, both he and Rich- sas City, Bohm was taken by Toronto in
interim coach Chris Harrison, along with ard signed with Chicago during this past the 16th and Kunkel went to the Detroit
recruits of his own. week and will likely join the White Sox' Tigers in the 37th.
The best measure of the talent of his high-rookie club in Great Falls, Mont. Although Kunkel will likely return
team was last week's Major League Base- before being promoted to the team's Class for his senior season, the six draftees
ball draft. Seven Wolverines were taken A affiliate in Kannapolis, N.C. will leave the team with gaping holes,
in all, matching the program's previous Two more of Michigan's pitchers were including four of its top pitchers. While
high, set in 1988. selected in the ninth round, with junior acknowledging these holes, Feldkamp
Second baseman Chris Getz was the Derek Feldkamp going to the Tampa Bay said he believes that Maloney will be able
first Michigan player selected on Tues- Devil Rays with the 268th pick and senior to continue improving the program in his
day, taken by the Chicago White Sox in Jim Brauer to the Florida Marlins with fourth year leading the Wolverines.
the fourth round with the 125th overall the 276th pick. "There are some great players to
pick. The junior earned the attention "My goal going into the season was to step in," Feldkamp said. "I think that
of major league scouts by hitting .386 be one of the top 300 players in the draft," the team gained some confidence
and stealing 29 bases for the Wolver- Feldkamp said. "I'm definitely happy to with going to the (NCAA's Atlanta)
ines this year - the second best total be there, and I'll work as hard as I can to Regional."
in program history. After turning down make the big leagues." Feldkamp pointed to sophomores Brad
the White Sox when they drafted him Brauer had been drafted on three pre- Seddon and Andrew Hess as having the
out of high school in the sixth round of vious occasions - by Montreal in 2000, potential to fill the shoes of Brauer, Penn
the 2002 draft, Getz was happy to join Colorado in 2003 and the New York Mets and the other starters. The Wolverines
the organization this time around. in 2004. Although his highest position will also return senior Drew Taylor, who
Despite being picked in the early in those three drafts was the 17"' round, went 4-3 with a 4.05 ERA this year after
rounds, Getz understands it will be a Brauer was projected to go higher in this sitting out his junior year due to injury.
long road to the major league level - at year's draft. Richard and Feldkamp were the Wol-
least a two- to four-year trip by his best "As a senior, it's your last chance for verines' primary relievers, and Michigan
estimate. signing, so you lose a lot of leverage," will look to senior Ali Husain and junior
"In the minors, you have to have a Brauer said. "I'm just happy that I was Jeff Niemiec to fill those spots.
Junior second baseman Chris Getz was the first Wolverine chosen in last week's
Major League Baseball first-year player draft, going to the Chicago White Sox.
(734) 623-7272 " 401 E. Huron Street
FRESH.
FAST.
I Medium
1 Topping Pizza
Order online atgf
w. w.papojohns.com!' ; -O- d Ex-: 0
Vald at this lcat on l stomer pays a! apphca etaxes
i