Southern Miss Alumni Faring Well in Professional Baseball
7/15/2008 12:00:00 AM | Baseball
July 15, 2008
HATTTIESBURG, Miss - Each summer numerous former Golden Eagles take another step toward reaching the dream of becoming a Major League baseball player. This summer is no exception with eight former Southern Miss players trying their skills in professional baseball, not including former Golden Eagle Chad Bradford who fulfilled his dream to play in the show.
Bradford, who currently pitches out of the bullpen with the Baltimore Orioles, is playing his 11th season in the majors. He has played over 500 games for five different teams in his major league career. This season he is 3-3 with a 2.70 ERA in 40 games, allowing only 10 runs in 33 innings pitches out of the bullpen.
Bob McCrory also tasted the big leagues earlier this season as he was called up by the Baltimore Orioles, but has since been sent back down to AAA Norfolk. With the Tides he is 1-3 with a 3.32 in 18 games out of the bullpen.
Four members of the 2008 Golden Eagle squad are playing their first season of profession baseball and they are scattered throughout the United States.
All-American pitcher Barry Bowden has not missed a beat since joining the Burlington Royals in the Appalachian Advanced Rookie League. Though he was a starter for the Golden Eagles, he has only pitched in relief for the Royals, where he is 1-0 with a 0.90 ERA and striking out 14 in 10 innings of work.
The Royals have actually moved Bowden into the closers role, in his last outing on July 12, he picked up his first career save, something he did not do over his entire career at Southern Miss. Opponents are hitting .143 off Bowden thus far. In comparison NCAA hitters were held to a .188 average in the 2008 season with a 2.12 ERA.
"The adjustment from college to professional ball took some time to get used to but I have settled in and adjusted well now," Bowden said. "It was tough at first adjusting to playing every day but the level of competition I faced at Southern Miss is helping me out tremendously."
All-American Closer Tyler Conn is also being used out of the bull pen of the Oneonta Tigers in the Class-A New York-Penn League. He has appeared in six games working one inning each outing allowing four hits and two runs while striking out six.
"My first couple of outings I was a little timid, but now I am comfortable and feel like I am pitching the way I did at Southern Miss last season," Conn said. "I have faced a lot of players from smaller colleges and high school that were not able to adjust to professional ball as quickly, but playing at Southern Miss has helped make the transition much easier for me because we played such a high level of baseball there."
Josh Billeaud and Brian Leach both elected to leave the Golden Eagles prior to their senior campaigns to pursue their professional careers. Billeaud was sent to Great Falls, Montana to play for the White Sox Affiliate in the Pioneer Rookie League. He is also pitching in relief where he is 1-0 with a 5.40 ERA and one save. He has nine strikeouts and allowed seven earned runs in 11.2 innings.
Leach, like Conn, is playing in the New York-Penn League. He is playing for the State College Spike, the Pittsburg Pirates affiliate in State College, Pa. He does not have a decision in six games, working five out of the bull pen. In his only start he threw five innings allowing only one hit but did not receive a decision.
Former All-American Jarett Hoffpauir is very close to reaching the majors as he is playing in AAA Memphis for the St. Louis Cardinals organization. He is hitting .297 on the season with 23 doubles and two home runs playing in 85 games at second base.
Marc Maddox is playing for the Royals AA team in Northwest Arkansas. For the Travelers he is hitting .285 with 17 doubles and two home runs. He has played in 82 games this season at second base.
Toddrick Johnson is playing for the Oakland A's Single-A affiliate the Kane County Cougars in Geneva, Ill. He is batting .259 with 14 doubles and seven home runs playing the outfield in 63 games.
-southernmiss.com-
