The NoMaas Yankees Draft Spot

Forgive any typos and the shortness of this update, but I’m writing this from a crowded rush hour train on my Blackberry. I received several emails pointing me to the BA database which was now saying 31st round signability case, Judd Golsan had been signed. I can confirm this signing, as I just contacted Damon Oppenheimer who told me that yes, the athletic CF was indeed in the fold. For more info on Golsan search his name on the Draft Spot. Back with more later…

For the second time this summer a 2009 signee has hit a homerun in his first professional plate appearance.  Yesterday in the GCL 37th round signability case, Justin Milo went deep with a man on in the 1st inning, following Staten Island’s Neil Medchill who left the park in his first at bat on June 20th.   

Milo played leftfield and finished the day 1-4, adding a walk and a stolen base to his stat line.  An interesting note about Justin is that his father grew in the Bronx about 15 blocks from Yankee Stadium and despite being raised in Minnesota, Justin visited his father’s relatives often. When it came time to choose a college, his enjoyment of being in the NYC area was a big factor in him selecting Cornell. 

Little connections like Milo having direct family roots in the Bronx and Medchill’s uncle being George Steinbrenner’s personal assistant in the late 70’s (you can read about that in the interview linked above) are part of what make the MLB draft so enjoyable for me to cover.

Oh, and to reader 12to6, I’m going to work on an answer for you with regards to who we can hope to see sign soon.  I’ll give my opinions, but also talk to some people so we can formulate the most comprehensive response.  Stay tuned…

• I had heard from a source that 1st round pick Slade Heathcott had reached an agreement with the Yankees, but when I asked Slade about it directly he said that they had no agreement yet and were still negotiating. 
• 35th round pick, Brett Bruening followed up his impressive first start on the Cape with an even better one this time out.  On Wednesday Bruening put up a line of 6 IP, 4 H, 1 ER, 2 BB, 8 K.  If the big righty with the mid 90s fastball keeps this up I’d say it’s close to to a lock that the Yankees pay him. 
• The Chatham Anglers lost on Thursday, but 20th round signability case, Thomas Keeling got into the mix throwing up zeros across his only inning of work, while recording two strikeouts. 
• Alabama signee, Judd Golsan was taken in the 31st round by the Yankees, and it appears he is not only a burner, but also one tough SOB according to his high school coach.  The center fielder from Mountain Brook HS is quickly becoming one of the more intriguing draft picks from this year’s selections.

“The best part about Judd is what he surrounds his talent with,” Mountain Brook coach Lee Gann said. “He’s got an arm and all the speed in the world. But he’s never not going to be in the lineup because he’s hurt. He’s probably one of the toughest kids I’ve ever coached, if not the toughest. There’s a word for what he is and it is a gamer. Or ballplayer. His demeanor and makeup are really something.”

I should have a couple more signability interviews next week, and I’ll make sure to keep you all updated on any signing news I hear.  Also, I’m looking to do my follow up interview with Damon soon, and as soon as I decide to do it I’ll bring the information to you. 

I just spoke with Adam Warren and the Yankees 4th round pick out of UNC told me that while he hasn’t officially put pen to paper, he’s reached a verbal agreement and expects to hopefully be in Staten Island by this coming weekend.  As a senior sign this one was expected, but it’s great to have a guy like this get into the system as quickly as possible to help establish the rotation in SI.  Remember, Damon told me within hours of the selection that even though Warren was a senior, he was the kind of guy who was still getting noticeably better.  Stay tuned for more signing news this week as well as more interviews with some of the most interesting signability cases in this year’s group of Yankee draftees.  

We’re now just about two weeks into the signing period, and none of the really difficult signability cases have come to public terms.  Over the next few weeks I’ll be tracking the latest news on how each of the major cases is proceeding with their summers, and gathering it all hear at the Draft Spot for you.  Here is the latest news and information I have on unsigned draftees.

I spoke to a source out in California about Vanden HS CF, Andrew Aplin who said of the ASU commit, ”he’s the hardest nosed player I’ve ever seen at this age.”

Jersey boy Evan DeLuca is pitching out in Washington state for the Wenatchee AppleSox of the West Coast League, which is the same league former Yankee draftee Greg Peavey played in before electing to turn down the Yankees and attend Oregon State back in 2007.  Evan got off to a rough start, facing five batters in his debut, walking three and hitting the other two.  All five guys ended up scoring, so after his first summerball appearance he had an ERA of infinity.  The AppleSox got a little more length out of him in his second appearance, a start in which his final line was 3.1 IP, 1 H, 2 ER, 6 BB, 2 K, 2 WP.  It would seem that the talented lefty is having some control issues, and the Yankees will likely need to see him iron those out if they’re going to offer him the over-slot bonus he’s looking for.

Slugging New Yorker, Jeremy Baltz is going to be playing for the Syracuse Sports Zone Chiefs in the WWBA, hoping for a shot at the Connie Mack World Series.

Draft Spot reader Brian Howell brought to my attention an ommission from the list of 2009 draftees playing on the Cape.  Brett Bruening will be playing for the Harwich Mariners and told a local paper last week that he expects to sign if the money is right.   

Speaking of the Cape…Tyler Lyons made his debut for the Chatham A’s and pitched well, turning in a line of 5 IP, 7 H, 1 ER, 1 BB, 6 K…Tony Plagman is off to a slow start for Cotuit with only two singles, no walks, and four strikeouts in his first 13 AB (.154)…The aforementioned Brett Bruening made his debut for Harwich and tossed a gem, throwing up a line of 6 IP, 2 H, 0 ER, 1 BB, 4 K.  If you need to, go back and click on his name in the first mention of him above to get a refresher - this guy is a beast and throws hard…Xavier Esquivel has gotten knocked around a little bit, giving up 9 ER in his first 3.1 IP.  It’s not wildness, as he’s issued only 2 BB, but more that he’s given up 10 H…Aaron Meade has made two starts thus far and has posted a line of 9 IP, 10 H, 4 ER, 5 BB, 7 K.  I’ll have more on Meade in the next 24 hours, so stay tuned for that.

I had a chance to speak recently with the Yankees 5th round pick out of the SEC powerhouse, Vanderbilt University.  Getting Caleb locked up would be a big plus for this draft, as it seems he could be the kind of pitcher that will really excel quickly at the next level, in a poor man’s Joba Chamberlain sort of way.  But, that’s just my opinion and not based on anything that anyone has told me.  Caleb and I talked about pitching at Vandy, his surgery, and his thoughts on his status as a DES.

Lane Meyer: Just to start things off, are you still 6′3″, 215 lbs?

Caleb Cotham: Yep, that’s right.

 

Lane Meyer: I’ve spoken to the other DES guys, and some of them say they were surprised at where they went, while others say they expected to drop because of their eligibility. 

Caleb Cotham: I’m in a unique situation because I’m a DES and coming from a relatively good academic school, so I knew there were chances I’d go early and chances I’d go late.  I basically just sat down to watch the draft to find out what was going to happen with it all, and was pretty happy with the way it turned out. 

Lane Meyer: Did you know the Yankees were tracking you before the draft?

Caleb Cotham: Yeah, I talked to the area scout for the Yankees a good bit and I knew there was some interest, so it wasn’t a surprise, but it’s still a great feeling to see your name called by the Yankees. 

Lane Meyer: It was really interesting to see you get your meniscus fixed the day before the draft. How has it been feeling?

Caleb Cotham: It feels good, I’m up walking around, and I’ve already got almost a week of rehab under my belt.  I had the surgery on a Monday and was rehabbing Tuesday, so it’s relatively low-key - they were only in my knee for 30 minutes.  It’s a little tight, but I’m up walking around, jogging, throwing, doing pretty much everything, just not at 100% yet.  I feel pretty good about it. 

Lane Meyer: Do you plan to pitch at all this summer?

Caleb Cotham: Right now I’m just focused on getting my knee healthy and getting my arm going.  I can’t really make a decision either way until my knee is good, so I’m focusing on that and we’ll see how it plays out.  

Lane Meyer: Good stuff.  The only reason I ask is because usually a DES will float an asking price a bit higher than that of a junior, and the team that selects them will do a mini D&F to see if they want to commit to that higher value. Is your situation with the Yankees different than that?

Caleb Cotham: Right now I think the Yankees and I are on the same page as far as me just working on getting my knee healthy.  I pitched last year with Brewster on the Cape, so it’s always a possibility that I could go back up there and throw if need be.  I’m always down to throw in Cape Cod because it’s a great league.  Basically if that’s something I need to do, I’ll do it.  It never hurts to pitch - I like doing it (laughs). 

Lane Meyer: So is the number you floated noticeably higher than what you’d expect say, as a junior?

Caleb Cotham: Well, technically I am a junior, but a redshirt sophomore in terms of my eligibility.  I don’t think my number’s inflated.  Where the Yankees value me and where I value myself are pretty close to each other, so I don’t think I’ve inflated it all due to me being a sophomore.  I’d say it’s pretty realistic to my value and what I’m worth.  

Lane Meyer: Great to hear.  A lot of the e-mail I get on you focuses on your leverage and fans are just really hoping you sign. 

Caleb Cotham: Well, I really want to be a Yankee, so hopefully it works out. 

Lane Meyer: Give me a detailed description of you arsenal, if you would. 

Caleb Cotham: I’m a fastball pitcher, I like to work off my fastball, and I think that’s my best pitch.  My  success and my game works off my fastball because all my pitches become more effective if I have good fastball command.  I like to work inside with it a lot, and when I’m at my best I’m locating it in and out and then elevating when I need to.  In a normal start I’ll sit in the low 90s, and towards the end of the year I was touching a 95-96 mph here and there, so I can run it up when I need to, but I mainly like to throw in the low 90s and then mix in some 2-seams to get some run.  When I’m throwing my 2-seam for strikes it will sit in the high 80s and it gets a lot of down action and some armside run, but when I’m letting it go I don’t lose much at all.  I throw it more like a sinker than a 2-seam, it’s more like a 1-seam sinker, if you will - it’s not just a running fastball.  My second pitch is probably my slider and towards the middle and end of the year the velo picked up on it and I started throwing it around 85-86 mph, and I think I even hit a couple of high 80s.  It’s more of a downer/cutter type pitch, but when I start to get a good feel for it I can take a little bit off it and bring it into the low 80s where its more like a slurve or a curveball.  Throughout the year my biggest point of emphasis was my changeup because that was a pitch I did not come into Vanderbilt with.  It’s been developing, and I think this past year it developed into a legitimate third pitch - I was able to throw it for strikes, locate it, and even throw it for a chase pitch. It’s a regular circle change with a 4-seam grip because I throw mostly 4-seam fastballs and I want my changeup to look most like the majority of my fastballs.  It’s got armside run, a little bit of depth, and when I’m throwing it for strikes and locating it I feel really good because I already have confidence in my other two pitches. 

Lane Meyer:  Do you think the fact that it was your right knee affected your velocity at all? Do you think when you’re back healthy you could gain some more?

Caleb Cotham: It’s always a possibility.  When my knee first started bothering me it dipped down a little bit to 88-89 mph, touching low 90s.  Then as I started to do some rehab because I elected to do the surgery after the season, it started creeping back up.  I went into a relief role for a couple of weeks and when I came back to a starting role I had the same velo as I did before my knee was hurt.  As far as it increasing now, only good things can come from my knee being 100%, so if it goes up, it goes up. 

Lane Meyer: What’s your personality out on the mound?

Caleb Cotham: I’d like to say I’m pretty even-keeled on the mound, not a lot bothers me.  Pitching in the SEC you face a lot of big crowds - I’ve thrown in front of 10,000-12,000 people at Arkansas - so I’m pretty battle tested.  If I get a big out I’ll show a little emotion, but nothing that takes me out of my comfort zone.  I’m not a big roller-coaster of emotion out there, I’m just looking to get the job done. 

Lane Meyer: Growing up in Tennessee were you a fan of any MLB team, or was it just straight Rocky Top for you?

Caleb Cotham: No, no Rocky Top for me.  The closest team was Atlanta, so I was always a Braves fan, they were the team to root for around here and all my friends did.  I grew up liking Chipper Jones, Terry Pendleton and those guys.  

Lane Meyer: If you could go to sleep tomorrow and wake up with any Major Leaguer’s stuff, whose would you take?

Caleb Cotham: Probably David Price.  I know him well and he’s pretty good - an electric fastball and a wipeout slider, so he’s tough to hit, especially being as tall as he is and lefthanded. 

Lane Meyer: What do you think about playing professionally? You said you’d love to be a Yankee, but is it something that you feel you’re ready for at this point?

Caleb Cotham: I feel that mentally and physically I’m definitely ready for the grind of pro ball, and I feel like the Yankees are such an historic franchise that there isn’t a better place to start my career, develop, and work on getting better as a pitcher.  If they see me as a guy that in the future could be pitching at Yankee Stadium, then I couldn’t be happier. 

 

Lane Meyer: Finally, was it any different being selected by the Yankees, or was just being drafted enough?

Caleb Cotham: No, it’s definitely different.  It’s a great honor to be drafted, but then on top of that you got drafted by the Yankees.  You tell someone you got drafted and they’re like “oh, that’s nice.  By whom?” and you say “the New York Yankees,” and they say “Oh my gosh!”  They have that little, extra “it” factor because they’re iconic and even people that don’t follow baseball know that the Yankees are the team you want to be with.  It definitely adds a little something to it.  

In the wake of an absolutely atrocious kick in the face from the Yankees game tonight, I figured what better way to deprive myself further of sleep (I do it all for you guys) than to go mining for the latest information on the 2009 draftees.  It’s not much, but here’s what I found…

Major signability case, Andrew Aplin appeared to be a true long shot on draft day, but it looks like it might not be as much a lost cause as it appeared to be initially.

Aplin has a scholarship to play at Arizona State University on the table, but says he’s willing to talk with the Yankees if the offer is right.

“I’ve been leaning towards college, and being that late, I didn’t think it would be the money I wanted,” Aplin said. “But they said it could be somewhere in the wheelhouse of what I wanted and would be willing to talk.”

 ”It’s something you dream about since your a kid,” Aplin said of being drafted. “It’s kind of a shocker to realize that I could actually be on the Yankees.”

This could be very, very interesting if he chooses to sign.  It would probably be even more unexpected than the Nik Turley signing last year.  

The hulking slugger from Cali, Stephen Kaupang is alleged to have turned down a not-insignificant sum of money on day two of the draft, only to see himself fall to the Yankees at the very end of day three.  This refusal probably had a lot to do with the tumble he took.

Word on the street says Kaupang was offered $75,000 as a 10th round draft pick but the 6-foot-6 slugging firstbaseman out of Cypress College said no, citing more interest in continuing his college career, possibly at Oregon. 

I had the chance to have a conversation with the lefty out of Oklahoma State that was at one time predicted to go as high as the supplemental 1st round, but fell due to performance and injury concerns.  I asked Tyler about these issues, his time with Team USA, as well as where things stand now. 

Lane Meyer: Just to be sure, are you still 6’2”, 207 lbs?

Tyler Lyons: Yeah, that’s correct.

 

Lane Meyer: I know we texted back and forth on draft day about you falling a bit, but what were your expectations heading into the draft?

Tyler Lyons: It was a little bit frustrating, but at the same time it was kind of expected.  Because I started the beginning of the year with some setbacks arm-wise, I knew I wasn’t going to go as high as I once was projected.  People out there knew what I was looking for in terms of a bonus, so it was just about getting a team to take a chance.  I was willing to go pitch this summer if I needed to, take a wait and see approach to how it plays out.  So it was a little bit frustrating, but not unexpected. 

 

Lane Meyer:  What was the arm injury you were dealing with?

Tyler Lyons: It wasn’t really an arm injury - in the fall I had some elbow stiffness and soreness so they shut me down for a while.  I came back on a throwing program, but I really wasn’t injured or anything in the spring I just wasn’t in throwing shape from taking so much time off, and it took a lot longer to come back than I had hoped.  There wasn’t anything structurally wrong or anything, I actually just saw Dr. Andrews and everything checked out, it was just a matter of a long layoff, starting late, and then taking things very slowly at the beginning.

 

Lane Meyer: What are your thoughts on your 2009 season as a whole?

Tyler Lyons: It was frustrating to start, my velocity wasn’t there at the beginning mostly from not being in throwing shape, and I didn’t have very good arm speed so my offspeed stuff, which I rely on quite a bit, wasn’t as sharp as it once was or as I wanted it to be.  It slowly got better and better, and by the end of the year I felt like I got all my velocity back and was where I wanted to be.  So while it was slow and frustrating to begin with, it came back by the end and that’s all I could ask for - better late than never.

 

Lane Meyer: What was it like pitching for Team USA and being so ridiculously dominant? What were some of the characteristics of the other teams you played?

Tyler Lyons: (laughs) That was probably my best experience in baseball.  I got to play with a lot of really great players and play against teams like Cuba’s national team which was the same one they throw out there at the major international competitions.  Each team was a little different - Cuba played a lot like we do in the U.S. with power hitters that can hit the ball a long way and power pitchers throwing heat.  Japan played a lot different I thought, they had very fast, slap-hitters that could get out of the box, hard to strikeout, their pitchers really knew how to pitch, they played more of a finesse game, and I think that’s the way the majority of the international teams played.     

 

Lane Meyer: Give me a detailed description of your arsenal on the mound if you will.

Tyler Lyons: At my best I’m throwing my fastball 88-92 mph working the 4-seam to both sides of the plate.  Not long ago I picked up on a kind of 2-seam/sinker thing that has some pretty good movement on it, and I like to throw it in fastball counts rather than a straighter 4-seam to keep them from sitting on that.  I like to pitch off my changeup a lot, especially to righthanded hitters, but I’ve started to throw it to lefties a little bit more, especially after I’ve seen them a couple of times. It’s a loose circle change, not a full circle, it comes in around 78-81 mph, and it’s got good drop and a little bit of run. Then I throw both a slider and a curveball, I’m not sure which is better or I go to more, it kind of depends on what day it is.  I’ll throw both to lefthanders and righthanders, so I don’t really have a preference.

 

Lane Meyer: What is your mindset on the mound? Do you go into a zone? Does your personality change? Are you hyped up, calm?

Tyler Lyons: I usually remain pretty calm.  When I get out there I like to be relaxed and laid back, but still take the approach of going right at hitters.  I like to pitch to both sides of the plate and I like to pitch to contact, getting groundballs and keeping guys off balance, so I can keep my pitchcount low. 

 

Lane Meyer: Who are the players that you emulate or look up to for their skills or the way they play the game?

Tyler Lyons:  Lefties like Andy Pettitte, Cole Hamels, Cliff Lee, really any lefty that doesn’t necessarily overpower guys, but still gets people out.

 

Lane Meyer: Ball players are superstitious, and wearing #13 is one of those things that  guys usually avoid.  Why do you wear it?

Tyler Lyons: (laughs) I got it my freshman year and I had never worn it before.  We were choosing numbers and it was either 13 or a really big jersey in the upper 30s. I had heard what everyone says about 13, but I got the jersey and it fit, so I wore it.  My best friend back home had worn 13 in football and was pretty good with it, so I thought if he could do it, I could do it.     

 

Lane Meyer: We spoke a little bit about the fact that you were negotiating with the Yankees, but that now you’re pitching on the Cape.  Where do things stand?

Tyler Lyons: I had a number set in my head, they knew what that was, they had some medical concerns and I hadn’t pitched well to start the year, so it’s more of a way to show them some more.  I mean, they know what I’ve done in the past, but with me being a little shakey this year it’s more about me solidifying what I can do now that I’m feeling really good and my stuff is back to where I want it to be.  I understand that they may have questions, but I feel like when I’m at my best it’ll be no problem and we’ll get to where we want to be.      

 

Lane Meyer: So have you had a start for Chatham yet?

Tyler Lyons: No, I actually just got up here last Friday night.  I actually came up from seeing Dr. Andrews and getting all my medical stuff cleared down in Florida.  I had some trouble when I was really young, around 12 years old, and when they hear what it is, I understand that a team would at least be curious, so I went to prove there was no problem.  It was a bone avulsion, so that’s obviously going to raise some concern, but I went to Dr. Andrews and he said it’s a very common thing, it’s a mild risk injury, and there’s no reason it would ever get worse.  As for my first start, I believe it’s going to be Friday [6/19].

 

Lane Meyer: Finally, what was it liked to hear your name selected?

Tyler Lyons: Whether it was the 10th round or the 2nd round it didn’t matter in the end, I just wanted to see it.  Ultimately the goal is to get drafted and get up to the big leagues, and it was just really neat to see it.

In an effort to try and bring you interviews with as many of the high ceiling and/or signability guys as possible, here’s the latest interview with Minnesota Golden Gophers closer, DES Scott Matyas.  Scott took the time to talk about the odds of him signing, his love of the Packers, and his love of Major League Baseball growing up.  He’s one of the only guys I’ve interviewed who has made it clear he’s a legitimate baseball fan outside of playing the game and being a player himself.  Enjoy the interview…

Lane Meyer: Just to be sure, are your height and weight still the same as listed on the Minnesota website?

Scott Matyas: Yeah, I’m still 6′4″ 225 lbs. 

Lane Meyer: Were you expecting to be drafted when you were?

Scott Matyas: Well being in my situation I have two-years of eligibility left so the amount you’re asking for is going to be a larger amount compared to a junior or senior.  I put myself in the position to fall the way I did by asking for more than I know I deserve at this point, so I’m sure that affected where I went.  Just to get drafted at any point is something special though, you join a select few people who have been drafted, and you get a chance to go on and play pro baseball, so it was definitely exciting. 

Lane Meyer: Why did you redshirt?

Scott Matyas: I actually had Tommy John surgery going into my senior year. Usually it take about two years to get fully recovered and back to pitching where you were before, so I redshirted my freshman year to get some experience at the college level and work my arm back to where it was before the injury.  That freshman year it really wasn’t feeling the best still, so I took that year off to recover further. 

Lane Meyer: Was it something that was nagging you for a while, or did you just blow it all out at once?

Scott Matyas: It wasn’t nagging, it just happened on one pitch.  I can remember everything, too - you could hear and feel it pop and tear (laughs) so it’s definitely something I don’t want to experience again, but I believe everything happens for a reason, and I think the rehab process and learning to take care of my arm has made me better.  Now I never take anything for granted and do everything I can to keep myself in shape, so I think it’s kind of a blessing as well. 

Lane Meyer: So what’s it been like pitching for the Gophers?

Scott Matyas: Oh man, it’s a lot of fun.  During the recruiting process I was getting looked at by a couple of bigger schools from around the country and wasn’t really even thinking about Minnesota and didn’t really know much about them, but after the surgery they stuck around.  It was very cool to have them still there and to know that they had faith that I’d get back to where I was, so just playing there is more than I ever could have asked for.  The coaches are awesome, the atmosphere is great, the city is great, and they have the luxury of playing at the Metrodome too, so it’s not as bad in the winter, and we also have a chance to stay at home when every other team is traveling south to begin their season.  A lot of people laugh when they talk about northern baseball, but we intend to prove that we can play with anyone around the country.

Lane Meyer: How do you feel about your 2009 season?

Scott Matyas: (laughs) I don’t think it could have gone much better for me.  I didn’t have many expectations heading into the year - I knew I was going to be in relief, but I didn’t know I was going to be closing, but I went into the season hoping to have a god year and willing to do whatever I could to help out the team and luckily a lot of things went my way.  I set the school record for saves in a season, and it was mostly due to the great team we have - we finished with 41 wins this year I think.  Last year we had our first losing season in I think fifty-something years, so this year we all just wanted to rebound and show that we’re going to get the program back on a new streak.  To be a part of that and help out with that was special. 

Lane Meyer: Give me a detailed description of your repertoire if you will.  I’ve gotten a bunch of e-mails on you because people see your stats from last year - 28 IP, 7 BB, 45 K - and are wondering what you throw.

Scott Matyas: I usually rely most on my fastball, going in and out and hitting corners. I throw a 4-seam fastball that usually sits 89-92 mph and tops out around 93-94 mph.  I don’t really throw a 2-seam because I’ve tried it out and it just doesn’t get much movement.  Off of that I have a curveball that gets a little loopy at times, but when it’s hard and tight it’s probably my best pitch, and it sits around 74-76 mph. In the middle of this year I developed a cutter/slider which was my strikeout pitch towards the end of the year with the curveball becoming more of a “show” pitch in the beginning of the count.  That’s usually around 79-81 mph and is more of a late breaker that looks like a fastball out of my hand and cuts at the very end.  I also throw a changeup which I really don’t use that much, but if I do it’s to lefties if they’re on my fastball, either going low and away with it, or even just showing it so I can change their timing and then come back with the fastball.  I don’t throw the hardest, and I’ve always said I don’t know how I get all those strikeout totals, but I’m a command pitcher and I know that if I can hit my spot with a fastball that’s pretty tough to hit no matter how hard you’re throwing.  If you can move it in and out and keep the guys guessing you’re going to be effective no matter what you’re throwing.  

Lane Meyer: So you were in the Northwoods last year, and you’re on the Cape this year.  Who are you pitching for and how has it been going?

Scott Matyas: I’m pitching for the Bourne Braves, and it actually didn’t go too well last night.  Like you said earlier, I only had seven walks the whole year and I ended up walking two last night, so it didn’t go too well, but when you’re out here facing the best kids in the country you’re going to be a little nervous your first time out.  It’s not like I was wild, I was just missing off the corners, so it’s definitely something that’s fixable.  You’ve just got to blow it off your shoulder and go out and get ‘em next time.  Just having the experience to come out here and play is something a lot of people dream of doing, so it’s something I had to experience.  I’m only on a temporary contract right now, which means I’m filling in for the guys that have tryouts for Team USA, those that have been drafted, and the ones still playing in the CWS, but they said I’m good enough to have the full contract.  Going into this year I don’t think many people knew about me but after the year I had I think I popped up on the radar for some people.  Usually for the Cape I think you have to commit in the fall of the previous year, so I wasn’t able to get that full contract.  I was actually planning on taking it easy at the beginning of this summer and giving my arm a rest, but when this opportunity arose it was just something you have to do. 

Lane Meyer: If you don’t continue on the Cape would you go back to Mankato?

Scott Matyas: That’s something I’d have to talk to them about.  They’ve made their commitments to other players and I wasn’t even committed to them going into this summer.  They wanted me to be there, but like I said I kind of wanted to give my arm a rest, and they said that’s fine, to just let them know if I wanted to come down.  So I have to see what’s happening here on the Cape, if I’m staying the whole time or going to only be on that temporary contract. 

Lane Meyer: How did the transition to reliever occur, and is it your longterm goal to be a starter again?

Scott Matyas: Up until that day I tore my arm I was always a starter, and I haven’t started a game, nor have I had the desire to go back to starting, since coming back.  My coaches see me as better in the relief role - I always ask them when I go away for the summer if they’d like me to start, and if so if I should prepare myself in the offseason, and when they turned the question on me I told them I’d much rather stay in the pen.  If I go on to the next level I’m willing to do whatever they ask of me, but as of now I prefer the bullpen role.    

Lane Meyer: You don’t really see that much these days, usually guys are trying to puff their chests out saying they want to be a starter.

Scott Matyas: Yeah, you don’t see it much in college these days because, like you said, everyone’s thinking they don’t want to be in the pen, they want to start and be the headliner.  I’m not one that craves attention, I don’t want people focusing on me when this is a team sport, so I don’t like that type of limelight.  I’m just doing whatever I can to help the team, and right now it’s best when I’m coming out of the pen. 

Lane Meyer: So what team were you a fan of growing up?

Scott Matyas: I was a huge Brewers fan because I grew up right outside of Milwaukee.  My dad, brothers and I would always go down to old County Stadium, probably six hours before the games to get autographs when the players would first arrive at the park.  We’d be down there so early, then stay for the game, then stay after the game to get autographs, so I was a big fan of the Brewers growing up and still am to this day, so I cheer for them - it’s kind of hard to stop doing that when you grow up watching them, rooting for them, and going to their games. 

Lane Meyer: So how mad were you that the Yankees signed CC?

Scott Matyas: Oh, I don’t think that anyone in Milwaukee thought that we could compete with the big market teams and throw all that money at him.  Most people, if put in that situation, would do the same thing so you can’t really fault him for that.  He helped us get to the playoff for the first time since 1982, so I think he did enough for us.  He was awesome last year and it was a lot of fun, but I think when you’re the best in the game you’re going to have all the bigguys throwing money at you, so you can’t really blame him. 

Lane Meyer: So who were the players that you sought out when you went to the field early, or just idolized?

Scott Matyas: My favorite player growing up was Ken Griffey, Jr., so he was probably my most prized and favorite autograph, but when you’re a little kid and you see any major leaguer walking by you, your eyes just light up.  To have them right in front of you, getting their autograph, I think it’s special for any little kid.  So Griffey was my favorite, but I was kind of just a fan of the game and anyone whose hand I could shake, get an autograph from, or even talk to for a little bit was special.  

Lane Meyer: How about favorite Brewer?

Scott Matyas: Ryan Braun now.  They’re just a fun team to watch, they’re young and they’ve all come up through the system with Weeks, Hardy, Hart, Prince, and Braun.  They’ve done it the right way and it’s fun to see them win with their own talent.  Braun’s probably my favorite out of all of them because he’s got the whole package: good on the field, says the right things off the field, and promotes a good image for Milwaukee. 

Lane Meyer: So is it safe to assume you’re a Packer fan, too?

Scott Matyas: Yeah, big Packer fan as well -  and I’ve heard enough about Brett Favre that I don’t want to hear about him anymore!  I don’t know what’s going on with him, but he just cant figure it out.

Lane Meyer: What’s your opinion of him pulling on the purple?

Scott Matyas: (sighs) I don’t know how he could do it.  I’m still waiting to see if he actually does it, and I’d love to see the reaction to his first game back at Lambeau.  I mean, he was a god in Wisconsin, but if he does that I don’t know what the fans at Lambeau are going to do when he returns.  I mean, if he has a desire to still play and he thinks he can still do it, I’m all for it, I just wish it was with a different team!

Lane Meyer: So did you speak with the Yankees at all before the selection?  Is turning pro something you’re interested in?

Scott Matyas: It was actually pretty interesting because I didn’t talk to them at all, so to have my name selected by them was kind of a shock.  I did talk to them within a few hours of being drafted when they called, and they said the first time the saw me pitch was during our Big Ten tournament, which was very late in the season, and then they saw me in the regionals I think, and down at LSU, so they only saw me pitch a once or twice.  They must have liked what they saw, and I’m happy for that, and that’s why you always have to be on top of your game because you never know who’s watching. So it was definitely a surprise, but it was really special to hear my name picked by them. 

Lane Meyer: Do you feel you’re ready for pro ball if you meet your price?

Scott Matyas: I’ve thought about that, but they’ve said it was mostly going to be a D&F, seeing how I do this summer, so we haven’t even gotten into any contract negotiations.  I think I’m ready, but I’m not sure I’m mentally there.  I mean, coming into this year I said I’m coming back to school, but obviously if the money’s there it’s definitely going to be something to think about. As of right now I’d say I’m not going to sign, but you never know what’s going to happen.  

 

Lane Meyer: Was it different that the Yankees chose you as opposed to any other team?

 

Scott Matyas: The New York Yankees are the most prestigious team in all of baseball, and they have all the history behind them, so just to be drafted and know that you could be part of something that Babe Ruth, and Mickey Mantle, and Roger Maris, and DiMaggio, and all those guys were a part of is special.  I don’t think there’s a better team as far as heritage and tradition, so from that standpoint it was special, and the chance to come up through the system and play at new Yankee Stadium and have the big New York City lifestyle, I don’t think you could ask for much more.  So it was definitely special