Monday, July 7, 2008 f The Michigan Daily - michigandaily.com Powers adapts to hectic schedule By JILLIAN ROTHMAN Daily Sports Writer If you want to reach former Michigan reliever Mike Powers this summer, you best try him between 11 p.m. and midnight. At all other times, Powers is busy with the Kingsport (Tenn.) Mets, a minor league rookie squad. The New York Mets' affiliate team has the righty doing 9 a.m. lifting, early- afternoon conditioning and late- afternoon team practices. And all of this is before the usual 7 p.m. start time for nightgames. "It's a good job, but it's definitely a job," Powers said. Despite the huge time com- mitment required of him, Pow- ers doesn't regret what he calls the hardest decision he's ever had to make - signing a 3-year minor league contract with the Mets after they drafted himin the 31st round of last month's Major League Baseball draft. Powers redshirted his freshman year, so he was eligible to return to the Wolverines for a potential fifth year next season. But after pitching 62.1 innings and striking out 62 bat- ters this year, it was as good a time as any to move on. "I couldn't make a wrong deci- sion," Powers said. "It was just deciding whether I was ready to leave school." Fortunately for him, he didn't have too much time to second-guess his decision. Just two days after the draft, Powers headed down to Flor- ida with the other Mets draftpicks. And four days after that, he found himself caught up in Kingsport's rigorous routine. But Powers has not faltered one bit. "Michigan prepared me for everything we've been doing here," he said. Besides the fundamental prepa- ration Powers says his Wolverine coaches gave him, he also received opportunities to grow the confi- dence he will need to be a profes- sional pitcher. One of these opportunities was playing his new employer, the Mets, in an exhibition game inFlorida last February. Powers was called to the mound in relief and pitched a 1-2-3 inning against the major leaguers. "I'm always a little nervous, and I question myself if I can get these guys outor not,"he said. "ButI think aboutwhenwe played the Mets, and if I can get those guys out, I can get the guys I'm facing here out." Among the major league specta- tors duringthe exhibition game was Mets right-hander Mike Pelfrey. Pelfrey, the most recent Met starter to rise from the minors, was more than happy to dish out advice to a new Met. "Coaches in college are focused on winning," Pelfrey said. "Coaches in pro ball are focused on develop- ing you and getting you ready to go up to the next level." Powers agreed and said he has already experienced some of that. "It's definitely a little more relaxed as far as winning and los- ing," Powers said. "The most impor- tant part of the day is when we have ANGELA CESERE/Daly Former Michigan pitcher Michael Powers is working through the New York Mets' farm system. practice." Pelfrey also had some simple words of wisdom for Powers: "My best advice is never lose track of why you are here and never lose faith that one day you can make it to the majors," Pelfrey said. But Powers is not yet concerned with making it to Citi Field. "I think (the majors) is always in the back of my mind," he said. "But I'm just trying to have a good first year. If I do move up that's great, but I try to take it one outing at a time. I just want to throw well whenever they give me the ball" So far Powers has done just that. He has five strikeouts in just three innings of relief for Kingsport. Whether Powers will ever become a major leaguer is anyone's guess, but one thing is certain - he will never get another experience quite like minor league ball. Pelfrey warned Powers of how hard it can be. "Travel was hard," he said. "Food is never great and the hotel(s) (aren't) either." But. while the bus rides were tiring and accommodations were lousy, Pelfrey said the most pleas- ant surprise was working with guys who understood his dream. "The overall experience is amaz- ing," Powers said. "It'll be an amaz- ing part of my life. "Baseball is always the best part." Good thing he feels that way because this summer he is going to be playing alot of it. Speedo steals spotlight at Olympic trials By RYAN A. Podges Daily Sports Writer OMAHA - After setting a world record and winning three events, Michael Phelps was not answering questions aboutN his races or his NOTEBOOK times during his fourth press conference of the U.S. Olympic swimming trials. Instead, he was talking about his swimsuit. Phelps was one of many swim- mers at the trials who wore Speedo's new LZR Racer swimsuit. Since the suit debuted in February, 46 world records have been set by swimmers wearingthe LZR. Speedo teamed up with NASA to develop the suit which is made mostly of a water resistant and highly compressive lightweight woven fabric. To make the suit even more hydrodynamic, the seams are welded, not sewn, creating a more streamline shape that reduces drag. The suit has become such a craze that even swimmers with endorse- ment deals from Speedo's competi- tors want to wear the LZR Racer at the Olympics. Nike has agreed tolet their sponsored swimmers wear any suit they want in competition. At the Olympic trials, Speedo provided an LZR Racer to any swimmer who wanted one. When asked what impact the suit had on his world record-setting race in the 400-meter individual medley, Phelps said it definitely helped him. "The suit really is amazing," he said. "It does give you that extra tenth or hundredth (of a second) you need to break a record or win a race. And I'm definitely confident and comfortable wearing the fastest suit in the world." ON A QWEST: The trials are being held in a temporary pool for the second straight Olympic year. The Qwest Centerbest known for hosting Nebraska-Omaha hockey and Creighton men's basketball, was transformed into a natatorium by adding a temporary pool, to host the meet for the first time. A tem- porary competition pool was also constructed in a parking lotin Long Beach, Calif. for the 2004 trials. See SWIMMING, Page 12 Michael Phelps is just one of the many swimmers praising Speedo's new LZR Racer swimsuit. Already 46 world records have been broken by swimmers wearing the suit.