Pitchers Dominate First round Of MLB Draft

Brian Goodwin the Former Rocky Mount Gryphon class of  2009 became the highest drafted player from Rocky Mount High School in thirty years as he was selected in the compensation Round by the Washington Nationals the 34th player selected.  Technically the Compensation round is the second round and Brian, was the first pick of round two.

Buck Williams was the last RMHS player selected in the first round of any professional draft when he was selected in the NBA draft in the early 80's.

It was quickly clear that with the softer aluminum bat in college baseball the Major League baseball teams were going after pitchers since  they could get a much better idea about how good a pitcher could be  facing the aluminum bat similar to wood bats of MLB.

This is the second time Brian has been picked in the MLB draft as he was selected in 17th round in 2009 by the Chicago White Sox upon completion of high school.  The question then was would he play for Mike Fox at the University of North Carolina or take an offer from a pro baseball team.  Because of the doubt of how much money it would take to sign him out of high school and his family telling  the MLB clubs that they wanted him  in college Goodwin fell to the 17th round where the choice was simple go to UNC.

Goodwin played his freshman year at Carolina  and batted 282 and started every game for the Tar Heels but ran a foul last fall and was suspended from the baseball team for the spring of 2011.  Goodwin chose to transfer to Miami Dade College in Miami Florida where he hit 382 on the season.

The draft which is live on the MLB Network rated Brian Goodwin as the 8th best outfielder in the draft before it began.  He was the fourth outfielder taken on the night.

If Goodwin decides that major league baseball must wait.  Brian has committed to Ray Tanner and the Gamecocks of South Carolina  for 2012.  Let the negotiations begin. 

Way to go Brian!!!!!!

Tonight in Ahoskie Post 58 beat Brandon Warren and Post 102 5-1.  Warren heading to Barton in the fall wasn't quite as good as Jeremy Sloop who pitched a complete game three hitter only had two walks and struck out 12. 

Post 58 is now 3-0 in Area play and own a five game winning streak and have pushed their record top 7-3 overall.  The games scheduled for Tuesday at Nash Central has been moved to Wednesday.

Nunery Finest Work

There were two feature stories in the Rocky Mount Telegram on Sunday and Sport Editor Jesse Nunery name was at the top of the page for both.  Bernie Capps picture  is in the middle of the front page with both elbows leaning on the table.  Any one who has ever been to a Gryphon basketball game where Bernie is perched in the doorway most of the time he has both elbows on his table watching the game.  I thought when I saw the picture boy that is Bernie.

Jesse's story on Bernie was great which I think is some of his best work that I have read since he has been with the paper.  He also had a story on Tyler Joyner and Tyler's travails these past two season having to sit out from playing baseball at ECU.  Both stories were exceptional.  Good work Jesse.

Tonight is the Major League Baseball Draft and former Gryphon Brian Goodwin is hopeful to hear his name called in the first round.  Should things not work out for Brian and the draft he has committed to South Carolina next year.

He may not hear his name Monday night but  former Nash Central player Xavier Macklin will probably hear his name on Tuesday.  X  and Brian both will have decisions to make on what they will do for rest of this summer. Stay in school and play college ball next spring or begin the process of minor league baseball.

Cousin Lauren Doughtie shot 77 on Sunday but finished tied for 41st in the Futures Tour Tournament.  So far this year in five events Lauren has been in the money three times  and in those three events this is her best year on the money list.  She is slowly showing signs of improving.  Now that it is June the Futures Tour will run off several tournaments in the coming weeks.

The three ACC teams that started the day with a loss got another one on Sunday to knock them out of the NCAA baseball Championship.  Georgia Tech and Miami each won once Sunday but not twice. Virginia and North Carolina all wrap up their Regional.   So the ACC will send two  teams to the Super Regional. Clemson was beaten by Connecticut and they play again today and the winner goes to Super Regional. Florida State has to play today due to the fact that rain forced their game to finish today at noon. FSU is ahead 8-0 in the sixth inning.

The Pirates of ECU won once Sunday but had nothing for top rank UVA.

Post 58 is on a roll. Sunday night they went to Salisbury and beat Rowan County by a 9-6 score.  If you remember yesterday I said this was a let's see where we stand in the state game.  Four wins in a row now for Post 58.  Tuesday night home game has been pushed back to Wednesday night.