It is 99% guaranteed that Kyrie Irving and Derrick Williams will be the first two picks of the 2011 NBA Draft. After that, anything is possible. My draft crushes that will most likely be gone when the Bucks pick in the first round of the 2011 NBA Draft are Bismack Biyombo and Tristan Thompson. Both Biyombo and Thompson look like the ideal power forward the Bucks have been searching for since Vin Baker drank his way out of Milwaukee...no small feat with how much Cheeseheads like to booze.
Players that will most likely be available when the Bucks pick in the first round are:
Kenneth Faried (PF, Morehead State, 6'8", 225 lbs, 21 years old): Rich Man's Ben Wallace 2.0 is my reasonable draft crush of the 2011 NBA Draft. Faried may never make an all-star team but he will do all the dirty work that the Bucks hope Larry Sanders and Drew Gooden will do at some point.
Klay Thompson (SG, Washington State, 6'7", 206 lbs, 21 years old): The big bodied scorer the Bucks were hoping that John Salmons would continue to be looks like the boom/bust prospect that teams love to take in the lottery ahead of a known commodity with a lower ceiling like Faried.
Alec Burks (SG, Colorado, 6'6", 193 lbs, 19 years old): Much like the aforementioned Thompson, Burks is an interesting shooting guard prospect that could help the Bucks put the ball in the basket...something they struggled to do last season.
Marcus Morris (PF, Kansas, 6'9", 230 lbs, 21 years old): Please do not take Marcus, he looks like just another version of Sanders and Gooden.
Markieff Morris (PF, Kansas, 6'9", 241 lbs, 21 years old): See discussion of his brother above, I feel the same way.
There are a ton of other prospects that are in play for the Bucks when they pick in the first round of the 2011 NBA Draft but the aforementioned guys look like the most likely players that John Hammond and company are honing in on. Check back tomorrow for my 2011 First Round NBA Mock Draft.
Wednesday, June 22, 2011
Friday, June 17, 2011
2011 Milwaukee Brewers Draft Picks
As you will see below the 2011 MLB Draft is the draft of the pitchers, catchers, shortstops and center fielders for the Milwaukee Brewers. All told the Brewers selected: 24 pitchers (17 RHP and 7 LHP), 8 catchers, 6 shortstops, 6 center fielders, 2 first baseman, 2 third baseman, 1 second basemen, 1 right fielder, and 1 other outfielder. Irrespective of position, the Brewers took 30 college players and 21 high school players.
The information in parenthesis for each player is: position, side they hit from/arm they throw with, school, height, weight, and date of birth. Here are the 51 players the Milwaukee Brewers selected in the 2011 MLB Draft with some of my comments mixed in about each player:
1st Round (12th): Taylor Jungmann (RHP, R/R, Texas, 6’6”, 220 lbs, 12/18/1989): Let’s hope this power arm out of Texas is not as much of an a-hole as another former right handed power arm out of Texas that is currently being prosecuted by the federal government. Yes, I am talking about Rodger Clemens.
1st Round (15th): Jed Bradley (LHP, L/L, Georgia Tech, 6’4”, 224 lbs, 6/12/1990): The Brewer have this pick as a result of not signing their 2010 first round pick, Dylan Covey (RHP), because they learned after drafting Covey that he has Type 1 diabetes. Bradley is more of a nibbler than a power arm. After missing on pitchers in the first round the last two years Eric Arnett (2009) and Dylan Covey (2010), the Brewers would be ecstatic if either Jungmann or Bradley pitch in a meaningful major league game by 2013.
2nd Round (70th): Jorge Lopez (RHP, R/R, Caguas Military Academy, 6’4”, 165 lbs, 2/10/1993): Not sure if there is any track record for taking skinny guys out of Puerto Rico but it looks like we are about to find out.
3rd Round (100th): Andrew Gagnon (RHP, R/R, Cal State Long Beach, 6’4”, 190 lbs, 6/26/1990): Clearly the Brewers were trying to re-stock their farm system with pitchers after they traded away most of their top minor league pitchers (Jeremy Jeffress and Jake Odorizzi) in the Zack Greinke trade.
4th Round (131st): Nicholas Ramirez (1B, L/L, Cal State Fullerton, 6’3”, 225 lbs, 8/1/1989): With the impending loss of Prince Fielder after the season the Brewers would love to be able to plug in a guy like Ramirez right away in 2012 but unfortunately the MLB Draft is not like the NBA Draft or NFL Draft. Most players taken early in the NBA Draft and the NFL Draft are expected to play right but in the baseball most players taken in the 2011 MLB Draft will be lucky to see time in the big leagues in 2013. One final thing on Ramirez, he went 16 for 16 in save opportunities last year so if he struggles at the plate he can always try pitching.
5th Round (161st): Michael Reed (CF, R/R, Leander HS in TX, 6’0”, 190 lbs, 11/18/1992): I guess you take the best player available but the Brewers have needs at shortstop especially since they have a fair amount of young talent in center fielder at the major league level (Nyjer Morgan and Carlos Gomez) and the minor league level (Erik Komatsu and Kentrail Davis). Much like Ramirez, Reed can pitch too.
6th Round (191st): Danny Keller (RHP, R/R, Newbury Park HS in CA, 6’5”, 190 lbs, 6/30/1992): After a brief run of drafting non-pitchers that can still pitch, the Brewers got back on the tall pitcher draft train. For those scoring at home the Brewers used five of their first seven picks on pitchers that are at least 6’4” or taller. Their other two pickers were position players that pitched part-time last year.
7th Round (221st): David Goforth (RHP, R/R, Ole Miss, 5’11”, 180 lbs, 10/11/1988): Hopefully for Goforth’s sake the Brewers don’t take a picture of their top pitchers drafted in the 2011 MLB Draft because everyone besides Goforth is a tall drink of water. Despite being short, Goforth has a power arm that hopefully will continue to improve as he settles in as a relief pitcher in the minor leagues.
8th Round (251st): Dustin Houle (C, R/R, Brookswood Secondary School in Canada, 6’1”, 205 lbs, 11/9/1993): The last time the Brewers drafted a Canadian catcher (Brett Lawrie) they turned him into a starting major league pitcher (Shaun Marcum). Granted the Brewers used a much higher pick on Lawrie than Houle but they hail from the same school and with the sudden depth the Brewers have at catcher, this is the type of luxury pick that makes sense to me because for my money you can never have too many catchers. Furthermore Houle is the youngest player in the draft so the Brewers can take their time letting him develop.
9th Round (281st): Malcolm Dowell (CF, R/R, La Grange HS in GA, 5’11”, 185 lbs, 4/21/1993): I see themes emerging in the draft, the Brewers want talk pitchers and short center fielders.
10th Round (311th): Mike Strong (LHP, L/L, Oklahoma State, 6’0”, 175 lbs, 11/17/1988): Unfortunately Strong’s last name does not translate to his play on the field because he has a below average fastball.
11th Round (341st): Thomas Toledo (RHP, R/R, Florida, 6’3”, 190 lbs, 12/13/1988): Sometimes players should take the money and run. Toledo was taken in the third round coming out of high school but he decided to go to Florida instead where he struggled with injuries. Toledo joins the Brewers as a boom-or-bust pick.
12th Round (371st): Andrew Cain (OF, R/R, UNC Wilmington, 6’6”, 220 lbs, 3/24/1990): Are we looking at the next Corey Hart? Probably not, but as the Brewers have shown throughout the draft so far, you can’t teach size so you might as well take the tallest guy possible.
13th Round (401st): Mallex Smith (CF, L/R, Richards HS in FL, 5’9”, 155 lbs, 5/6/1993): Forget what I just said, the Brewers took another short center fielder.
14th Round (431st): Jacob Barnes (RHP, R/R, Fla. Gulf Coast U., 6’2”, 230 lbs, 4/14/1990): Since I have never seen Barnes pitch I will go with the low hanging fruit, Barnes seems a tad on a heavy side at 230 pounds. Hopefully with the horrible meals Barnes will eat in the minors he might be able to drop a few pounds.
15th Round (461st): Andrew Moye (RHP, R/R, Georgia Southern, 6’5”, 180 lbs, 9/11/1987): If Moye shows any ability early he should be on the fast track to the big leagues because of his frame and age.
16th Round (491st): Carlos Rodon (LHP, L/L, Holly Springs HS in NC, 6’2”, 12/10/1992): There were rumors that the Brewers considered taking Rodon much earlier if he would sign for slot but apparently Rodon wants to go to college unless he is offered a ton of money over slot. Looks like Rodon won’t sign with the Brewers. May be I am missing something but why did the Brewers draft him at all then?
17th Round (521st): Mario Amaral (C, R/R, Ronald Reagan HS in FL, 6’1”, 10/14/1993): After taking a Canadian catcher the Brewers decided to add an American catcher, as I said above, you can never have too many catchers.
18th Round (551st): Christopher McFarland (SS, R/R, Lufkin HS in TX, 6’0”, 200 lbs, 11/24/1992): Finally the Brewers took a shortstop. After trading away Alcides Escobar as a part of the Zack Greinke trade the Brewers needed to add depth at shortstop higher in the draft.
19th Round (581st): Renaldo Jenkins (SS, R/R, Whitewater HS in GA, 6’0”, 190 lbs, 3/1/1993): Taking shortstops back-to-back still doesn’t make up for waiting so long to take a shortstop.
20th Round (611th): Brandon Williamson (RHP, R/R, Dallas Baptist U., 6’3”, 180 lbs 4/22/1989): I guess this pick was all part of God’s plan.
21st Round (641st): Mike Nemeth (1B, L/R, UConn, 6’1”, 200 lbs, 4/4/1989): A very accomplished defensive first baseman with power seems like a great person to add this late in the draft.
22nd Round (671st): Dennis Jones (CF, R/R, Jefferson Davis HS in AL, 6’3”, 185 lbs, 9/4/1992): So far the Brewers have taken smallish center fielders but they changed course with Jones by drafting a taller guy. Hopefully Jones has some wheels to go along with his big frame.
23rd Round (701st): Benjamin McMahan (C, R/R, Florida, 6’0”, 201 lbs, 10/14/1989): After adding two high school catchers earlier in the draft the Brewers added a more experienced catcher to help balance out the draft class.
24th Round (731st): Michael Palazzone (RHP, R/R, Georgia, 6’2”, 190 lbs, 5/6/1989): I hate to be juvenile but Palazzone sounds like a type of Italian pastry that is huge in Italy but hasn’t quite caught on in the United States yet.
25th Round (761st): Parker Berberet (C, R/R, Oregon State, 6’4”, 205 lbs, 10/20/1989): It will be interesting to see whether this big body behind the plate will hold up or whether Berberet will have to play another position.
26th Round (791st): Josh Smith (LHP, L/L, Wichita State, 6’3”, 194 lbs, 10/11/1989): Although it is a long shot, hopefully this Josh Smith can have as good of a career as pitcher as the Atlanta Hawks forward Josh Smith has had in the NBA.
27th Round (821st): Chad Thompson (RHP, R/R, Orange Coast College, 6’8”, 210 lbs, 2/6/1991): You can’t teach height but you hopefully can teach how to throw strikes again because all the scouting reports say that Thompson has struggled with control since having Tommy John surgery.
28th Round (851st): BreShon Kimbell (C, R/R, Mesquite HS in TX, 6’1”, 210 lbs, 11/6/1992): This draft is quickly turning into the up the middle draft. Unless you are a catcher, pitcher or center fielder you better look for another team.
29th Round (881st): David Lucroy (RHP, R/R, Umatilla HS in FL, 6’2”, 202 lbs, 9/3/1992): Another pick, another player up the middle of the field. It would be pretty cool to have a family pitcher/catcher combo since David is the brother of starting big-league Brewer catcher Jonathan.
30th Round (911th): Trent Boras (3B, L/R, Junipero Serra Catholic HS in CA, 5’11”, 170 lbs, 6/26/1992): It took 31 picks to add a guy to play third base. Hopefully Trent Boras’ dad is not Scott Boras otherwise he is going to ride the Brewers to overpay his son since he is the devil reincarnated as a baseball agent.
31st Round (941st): Sean Albury (RHP, R/R, Nova Southeastern University, 5’11”, 180 lbs, 3/24/1989): Another pick, another pitcher, let’s keep the train moving.
32nd Round (971st): Alfredo Rodriguez (SS, R/R, Maryland, 6’0”, 175 lbs, 5/26/1990): This has to be possibly the strongest name that the Brewers have taken so far. No matter how much people hate the A-Rod that currently plays for the New York Yankees, if this A-Rod is 10% of that A-Rod the Brewers would be ecstatic.
33rd Round (1001st): Steven Okert (LHP, L/L, Grayson County College in TX, 6’3”, 210 lbs, 7/9/1991): We are officially in the quadruple digits for draft picks now so the odds of anyone from here on out actually playing for the Milwaukee Brewers is so minimal that I am moving to rapid fire mode from here on out.
34th Round (1031st): Adam Weisenburger (C, R/R, Miami U, 5’10”, 185 lbs, 12/13/1988): Can’t argue with taking a guy from big time college program. Hopefully Weisenburger becomes the Hebrew Hammer II with Ryan Braun being the original Hebrew Hammer (or Hebrewer depending on your nickname taste) from the University of Miami.
35th Round (1061st): Doug Elliot (C, R/R, UConn, 6’2”, 210 lbs, 8/31/1988): Bookend catchers in the 33rd and 34th round have the Brewers creeping toward the double digits for catchers taken in the 2011 MLB Draft.
36th Round (1091st): Mitchell Conner (RHP, R/R, Elon U, 6’3”, 210 lbs, 7/26/1989): Not too sure if he can pitch but he has two strong first names so that is a start.
37th Round (1121st): Casey Medlen (RHP, R/R, North Florida, 6’0”, 155 lbs, 8/4/1989): Some people live to eat (Prince Fielder) and some people eat to live (Mallex Smith and Casey Medlen).
38th Round (1151st): Chad Pierce (RHP, R/R, UWM, 6’1”, 215 lbs, 11/20/1987): I love taking a guy from UWM, keep it in the family. Ironically Pierce lives in Milwaukee and got drafted by a team based in Milwaukee but will have to move out of town to player in the minor leagues.
39th Round (1181st): Elliot Glynn (LHP, L/L, UConn, 6’1”, 160 lbs, 1/13/1989): Whoever is the area scout for UConn must be one persuasive fella because the Brewers selected three guys out of UConn with their first 40 picks.
40th Round (1211th): Kenton Aldridge (C, L/R, Glenwood HS in AL, 6’2”, 180 lbs, 7/20/1992): Throws righty and bats lefty, good combo for the last catcher taken by the Brewers.
41st Round (1241st): Jalen Harris (3B, R/R, Lambrick Park SS, 6’2”, 210 lbs, 7/7/1992): Nothing to add here so let’s just keep the train rolling.
42nd Round (1271st): Caleb Whalen (SS, R/R, Union HS in WA, 6’2”, 180 lbs, 10/19/1992): All I hear is Larry King saying “Union High School Washington, your on.”
43rd Round (1301st): Clinton Wilson (RHP, R/R, Navarro Junior College in TX, 6’0”, 215 lbs, 4/12/1992): The stars are big and bright, deep in the heart of Texas.
44th Round (1331st): Steven Adam (CF, L/L, Ecole Secondaire L'Esser, 5’11”, 170 lbs, 5/20/1993): Despite taking what feels like a dozen center fielders already this is the first one that hits and throws lefty.
45th Round (1361st): Adrian Williams (SS, R/R, UCLA, 6’0”, 175 lbs, 1/3/1991): I like taking guys from big school like UCLA. The only thing I wonder is how a guy goes from playing for a big-time college team in Los Angeles to riding buses from small town to small town to play double-headers.
46th Round (1391st): Ahmad Christian (SS, S/R, Trinity Christian Academy in FL, 6’0”, 190 lbs, 11/23/1993): It took 47 picks for the Brewers to finally grab a switcher hitter, seems like they should have nabbed one earlier though.
47th Round (1421st): Jecid Tarazona (CF, R/R, North Broward Prep HS in FL, 6’3”, 195 lbs, 9/12/1993): Finally the draft of the center fielder is over. It feels like the Brewers took about 75 center fielders in their first 48 picks right?
48th Round (1451st): Michael Francisco (LHP, R/L, Villanova, 6’4”, 224 lbs, 8/4/1988): I visited Villanova when deciding where to go to college and the highlight of the trip was a cheese steak from Pat’s. Needless to say I didn’t go to Villanova.
49th Round (1481st): David Elmore (2B, R/R, Yale, 5’7”, 175 lbs, 9/9/1988): The Professor of the draft out of Yale keeps the Cheesehead teams streak of drafting an Elmore alive. First the Packers took Ricky and now the Brewers took David. The ball is in your court (no pun intended) Bucks, you better take an Elmore to keep the streak alive.
50th Round (1511th): Matthew Franco (RF, L/L, St. Thomas Aquinas HS in FL, 6’1”, 200 lbs, 12/9/1992): Mr. Irrelevant finally puts an end to the 2011 MLB Draft for the Milwaukee Brewers. Hopefully Matthew puts in a better performance than James did hosting the 2011 Oscars.
Thanks for sticking around to hear my rambling and random thoughts on the 2011 MLB Draft for the Milwaukee Brewers. Check back over the next few weeks for coverage on the actual 2011 Milwaukee Brewers.
The information in parenthesis for each player is: position, side they hit from/arm they throw with, school, height, weight, and date of birth. Here are the 51 players the Milwaukee Brewers selected in the 2011 MLB Draft with some of my comments mixed in about each player:
1st Round (12th): Taylor Jungmann (RHP, R/R, Texas, 6’6”, 220 lbs, 12/18/1989): Let’s hope this power arm out of Texas is not as much of an a-hole as another former right handed power arm out of Texas that is currently being prosecuted by the federal government. Yes, I am talking about Rodger Clemens.
1st Round (15th): Jed Bradley (LHP, L/L, Georgia Tech, 6’4”, 224 lbs, 6/12/1990): The Brewer have this pick as a result of not signing their 2010 first round pick, Dylan Covey (RHP), because they learned after drafting Covey that he has Type 1 diabetes. Bradley is more of a nibbler than a power arm. After missing on pitchers in the first round the last two years Eric Arnett (2009) and Dylan Covey (2010), the Brewers would be ecstatic if either Jungmann or Bradley pitch in a meaningful major league game by 2013.
2nd Round (70th): Jorge Lopez (RHP, R/R, Caguas Military Academy, 6’4”, 165 lbs, 2/10/1993): Not sure if there is any track record for taking skinny guys out of Puerto Rico but it looks like we are about to find out.
3rd Round (100th): Andrew Gagnon (RHP, R/R, Cal State Long Beach, 6’4”, 190 lbs, 6/26/1990): Clearly the Brewers were trying to re-stock their farm system with pitchers after they traded away most of their top minor league pitchers (Jeremy Jeffress and Jake Odorizzi) in the Zack Greinke trade.
4th Round (131st): Nicholas Ramirez (1B, L/L, Cal State Fullerton, 6’3”, 225 lbs, 8/1/1989): With the impending loss of Prince Fielder after the season the Brewers would love to be able to plug in a guy like Ramirez right away in 2012 but unfortunately the MLB Draft is not like the NBA Draft or NFL Draft. Most players taken early in the NBA Draft and the NFL Draft are expected to play right but in the baseball most players taken in the 2011 MLB Draft will be lucky to see time in the big leagues in 2013. One final thing on Ramirez, he went 16 for 16 in save opportunities last year so if he struggles at the plate he can always try pitching.
5th Round (161st): Michael Reed (CF, R/R, Leander HS in TX, 6’0”, 190 lbs, 11/18/1992): I guess you take the best player available but the Brewers have needs at shortstop especially since they have a fair amount of young talent in center fielder at the major league level (Nyjer Morgan and Carlos Gomez) and the minor league level (Erik Komatsu and Kentrail Davis). Much like Ramirez, Reed can pitch too.
6th Round (191st): Danny Keller (RHP, R/R, Newbury Park HS in CA, 6’5”, 190 lbs, 6/30/1992): After a brief run of drafting non-pitchers that can still pitch, the Brewers got back on the tall pitcher draft train. For those scoring at home the Brewers used five of their first seven picks on pitchers that are at least 6’4” or taller. Their other two pickers were position players that pitched part-time last year.
7th Round (221st): David Goforth (RHP, R/R, Ole Miss, 5’11”, 180 lbs, 10/11/1988): Hopefully for Goforth’s sake the Brewers don’t take a picture of their top pitchers drafted in the 2011 MLB Draft because everyone besides Goforth is a tall drink of water. Despite being short, Goforth has a power arm that hopefully will continue to improve as he settles in as a relief pitcher in the minor leagues.
8th Round (251st): Dustin Houle (C, R/R, Brookswood Secondary School in Canada, 6’1”, 205 lbs, 11/9/1993): The last time the Brewers drafted a Canadian catcher (Brett Lawrie) they turned him into a starting major league pitcher (Shaun Marcum). Granted the Brewers used a much higher pick on Lawrie than Houle but they hail from the same school and with the sudden depth the Brewers have at catcher, this is the type of luxury pick that makes sense to me because for my money you can never have too many catchers. Furthermore Houle is the youngest player in the draft so the Brewers can take their time letting him develop.
9th Round (281st): Malcolm Dowell (CF, R/R, La Grange HS in GA, 5’11”, 185 lbs, 4/21/1993): I see themes emerging in the draft, the Brewers want talk pitchers and short center fielders.
10th Round (311th): Mike Strong (LHP, L/L, Oklahoma State, 6’0”, 175 lbs, 11/17/1988): Unfortunately Strong’s last name does not translate to his play on the field because he has a below average fastball.
11th Round (341st): Thomas Toledo (RHP, R/R, Florida, 6’3”, 190 lbs, 12/13/1988): Sometimes players should take the money and run. Toledo was taken in the third round coming out of high school but he decided to go to Florida instead where he struggled with injuries. Toledo joins the Brewers as a boom-or-bust pick.
12th Round (371st): Andrew Cain (OF, R/R, UNC Wilmington, 6’6”, 220 lbs, 3/24/1990): Are we looking at the next Corey Hart? Probably not, but as the Brewers have shown throughout the draft so far, you can’t teach size so you might as well take the tallest guy possible.
13th Round (401st): Mallex Smith (CF, L/R, Richards HS in FL, 5’9”, 155 lbs, 5/6/1993): Forget what I just said, the Brewers took another short center fielder.
14th Round (431st): Jacob Barnes (RHP, R/R, Fla. Gulf Coast U., 6’2”, 230 lbs, 4/14/1990): Since I have never seen Barnes pitch I will go with the low hanging fruit, Barnes seems a tad on a heavy side at 230 pounds. Hopefully with the horrible meals Barnes will eat in the minors he might be able to drop a few pounds.
15th Round (461st): Andrew Moye (RHP, R/R, Georgia Southern, 6’5”, 180 lbs, 9/11/1987): If Moye shows any ability early he should be on the fast track to the big leagues because of his frame and age.
16th Round (491st): Carlos Rodon (LHP, L/L, Holly Springs HS in NC, 6’2”, 12/10/1992): There were rumors that the Brewers considered taking Rodon much earlier if he would sign for slot but apparently Rodon wants to go to college unless he is offered a ton of money over slot. Looks like Rodon won’t sign with the Brewers. May be I am missing something but why did the Brewers draft him at all then?
17th Round (521st): Mario Amaral (C, R/R, Ronald Reagan HS in FL, 6’1”, 10/14/1993): After taking a Canadian catcher the Brewers decided to add an American catcher, as I said above, you can never have too many catchers.
18th Round (551st): Christopher McFarland (SS, R/R, Lufkin HS in TX, 6’0”, 200 lbs, 11/24/1992): Finally the Brewers took a shortstop. After trading away Alcides Escobar as a part of the Zack Greinke trade the Brewers needed to add depth at shortstop higher in the draft.
19th Round (581st): Renaldo Jenkins (SS, R/R, Whitewater HS in GA, 6’0”, 190 lbs, 3/1/1993): Taking shortstops back-to-back still doesn’t make up for waiting so long to take a shortstop.
20th Round (611th): Brandon Williamson (RHP, R/R, Dallas Baptist U., 6’3”, 180 lbs 4/22/1989): I guess this pick was all part of God’s plan.
21st Round (641st): Mike Nemeth (1B, L/R, UConn, 6’1”, 200 lbs, 4/4/1989): A very accomplished defensive first baseman with power seems like a great person to add this late in the draft.
22nd Round (671st): Dennis Jones (CF, R/R, Jefferson Davis HS in AL, 6’3”, 185 lbs, 9/4/1992): So far the Brewers have taken smallish center fielders but they changed course with Jones by drafting a taller guy. Hopefully Jones has some wheels to go along with his big frame.
23rd Round (701st): Benjamin McMahan (C, R/R, Florida, 6’0”, 201 lbs, 10/14/1989): After adding two high school catchers earlier in the draft the Brewers added a more experienced catcher to help balance out the draft class.
24th Round (731st): Michael Palazzone (RHP, R/R, Georgia, 6’2”, 190 lbs, 5/6/1989): I hate to be juvenile but Palazzone sounds like a type of Italian pastry that is huge in Italy but hasn’t quite caught on in the United States yet.
25th Round (761st): Parker Berberet (C, R/R, Oregon State, 6’4”, 205 lbs, 10/20/1989): It will be interesting to see whether this big body behind the plate will hold up or whether Berberet will have to play another position.
26th Round (791st): Josh Smith (LHP, L/L, Wichita State, 6’3”, 194 lbs, 10/11/1989): Although it is a long shot, hopefully this Josh Smith can have as good of a career as pitcher as the Atlanta Hawks forward Josh Smith has had in the NBA.
27th Round (821st): Chad Thompson (RHP, R/R, Orange Coast College, 6’8”, 210 lbs, 2/6/1991): You can’t teach height but you hopefully can teach how to throw strikes again because all the scouting reports say that Thompson has struggled with control since having Tommy John surgery.
28th Round (851st): BreShon Kimbell (C, R/R, Mesquite HS in TX, 6’1”, 210 lbs, 11/6/1992): This draft is quickly turning into the up the middle draft. Unless you are a catcher, pitcher or center fielder you better look for another team.
29th Round (881st): David Lucroy (RHP, R/R, Umatilla HS in FL, 6’2”, 202 lbs, 9/3/1992): Another pick, another player up the middle of the field. It would be pretty cool to have a family pitcher/catcher combo since David is the brother of starting big-league Brewer catcher Jonathan.
30th Round (911th): Trent Boras (3B, L/R, Junipero Serra Catholic HS in CA, 5’11”, 170 lbs, 6/26/1992): It took 31 picks to add a guy to play third base. Hopefully Trent Boras’ dad is not Scott Boras otherwise he is going to ride the Brewers to overpay his son since he is the devil reincarnated as a baseball agent.
31st Round (941st): Sean Albury (RHP, R/R, Nova Southeastern University, 5’11”, 180 lbs, 3/24/1989): Another pick, another pitcher, let’s keep the train moving.
32nd Round (971st): Alfredo Rodriguez (SS, R/R, Maryland, 6’0”, 175 lbs, 5/26/1990): This has to be possibly the strongest name that the Brewers have taken so far. No matter how much people hate the A-Rod that currently plays for the New York Yankees, if this A-Rod is 10% of that A-Rod the Brewers would be ecstatic.
33rd Round (1001st): Steven Okert (LHP, L/L, Grayson County College in TX, 6’3”, 210 lbs, 7/9/1991): We are officially in the quadruple digits for draft picks now so the odds of anyone from here on out actually playing for the Milwaukee Brewers is so minimal that I am moving to rapid fire mode from here on out.
34th Round (1031st): Adam Weisenburger (C, R/R, Miami U, 5’10”, 185 lbs, 12/13/1988): Can’t argue with taking a guy from big time college program. Hopefully Weisenburger becomes the Hebrew Hammer II with Ryan Braun being the original Hebrew Hammer (or Hebrewer depending on your nickname taste) from the University of Miami.
35th Round (1061st): Doug Elliot (C, R/R, UConn, 6’2”, 210 lbs, 8/31/1988): Bookend catchers in the 33rd and 34th round have the Brewers creeping toward the double digits for catchers taken in the 2011 MLB Draft.
36th Round (1091st): Mitchell Conner (RHP, R/R, Elon U, 6’3”, 210 lbs, 7/26/1989): Not too sure if he can pitch but he has two strong first names so that is a start.
37th Round (1121st): Casey Medlen (RHP, R/R, North Florida, 6’0”, 155 lbs, 8/4/1989): Some people live to eat (Prince Fielder) and some people eat to live (Mallex Smith and Casey Medlen).
38th Round (1151st): Chad Pierce (RHP, R/R, UWM, 6’1”, 215 lbs, 11/20/1987): I love taking a guy from UWM, keep it in the family. Ironically Pierce lives in Milwaukee and got drafted by a team based in Milwaukee but will have to move out of town to player in the minor leagues.
39th Round (1181st): Elliot Glynn (LHP, L/L, UConn, 6’1”, 160 lbs, 1/13/1989): Whoever is the area scout for UConn must be one persuasive fella because the Brewers selected three guys out of UConn with their first 40 picks.
40th Round (1211th): Kenton Aldridge (C, L/R, Glenwood HS in AL, 6’2”, 180 lbs, 7/20/1992): Throws righty and bats lefty, good combo for the last catcher taken by the Brewers.
41st Round (1241st): Jalen Harris (3B, R/R, Lambrick Park SS, 6’2”, 210 lbs, 7/7/1992): Nothing to add here so let’s just keep the train rolling.
42nd Round (1271st): Caleb Whalen (SS, R/R, Union HS in WA, 6’2”, 180 lbs, 10/19/1992): All I hear is Larry King saying “Union High School Washington, your on.”
43rd Round (1301st): Clinton Wilson (RHP, R/R, Navarro Junior College in TX, 6’0”, 215 lbs, 4/12/1992): The stars are big and bright, deep in the heart of Texas.
44th Round (1331st): Steven Adam (CF, L/L, Ecole Secondaire L'Esser, 5’11”, 170 lbs, 5/20/1993): Despite taking what feels like a dozen center fielders already this is the first one that hits and throws lefty.
45th Round (1361st): Adrian Williams (SS, R/R, UCLA, 6’0”, 175 lbs, 1/3/1991): I like taking guys from big school like UCLA. The only thing I wonder is how a guy goes from playing for a big-time college team in Los Angeles to riding buses from small town to small town to play double-headers.
46th Round (1391st): Ahmad Christian (SS, S/R, Trinity Christian Academy in FL, 6’0”, 190 lbs, 11/23/1993): It took 47 picks for the Brewers to finally grab a switcher hitter, seems like they should have nabbed one earlier though.
47th Round (1421st): Jecid Tarazona (CF, R/R, North Broward Prep HS in FL, 6’3”, 195 lbs, 9/12/1993): Finally the draft of the center fielder is over. It feels like the Brewers took about 75 center fielders in their first 48 picks right?
48th Round (1451st): Michael Francisco (LHP, R/L, Villanova, 6’4”, 224 lbs, 8/4/1988): I visited Villanova when deciding where to go to college and the highlight of the trip was a cheese steak from Pat’s. Needless to say I didn’t go to Villanova.
49th Round (1481st): David Elmore (2B, R/R, Yale, 5’7”, 175 lbs, 9/9/1988): The Professor of the draft out of Yale keeps the Cheesehead teams streak of drafting an Elmore alive. First the Packers took Ricky and now the Brewers took David. The ball is in your court (no pun intended) Bucks, you better take an Elmore to keep the streak alive.
50th Round (1511th): Matthew Franco (RF, L/L, St. Thomas Aquinas HS in FL, 6’1”, 200 lbs, 12/9/1992): Mr. Irrelevant finally puts an end to the 2011 MLB Draft for the Milwaukee Brewers. Hopefully Matthew puts in a better performance than James did hosting the 2011 Oscars.
Thanks for sticking around to hear my rambling and random thoughts on the 2011 MLB Draft for the Milwaukee Brewers. Check back over the next few weeks for coverage on the actual 2011 Milwaukee Brewers.
Wednesday, June 15, 2011
2011 NBA Draft Second Round Preview for John Hammond
Milwaukee Bucks general manager only has one pick in the second round of the 2011 NBA Draft at this point so he better make it count after going 0 for 3 in the second round of the 2010 NBA Draft. Here is a look at some of the guys that John Hammond and company should consider drafting in the second round of the 2011 NBA Draft:
Charles Jenkins (SG, Hofstra, 6'3", 220 lbs, 22 years old): There are some very interesting advanced stats that Luke Winn of SI.com explained much better than I can for why Jenkins should go much earlier in the draft. Needless to say the Bucks could use a true scorer like Jenkins.
Malcolm Lee (PG, UCLA, 6'6", 198 lbs, 21 years old): The body on Lee alone makes him intriguing. Plus adding a true point guard behind Brandon Jennings would help Jennings be more effective.
Shelvin Mack (PG/SG, Butler, 6'3", 209 lbs, 21 years old): I have a soft spot in my heart for Mack despite how much he torched UWM throughout his career. The Bucks could use a combo guard of the future to help lessen the burden on Brandon Jennings going forward.
Jimmy Butler (SF, Marquette, 6'8", 222 lbs, 21 years old): This looks like a sentimental pick but the Michael Oher of the 2011 NBA Draft is riding the wave of Wes Matthews and Lazar Hayward up draft boards. My guess is that Butler will not even be on the board when the Bucks pick in the second round unless they trade up.
Jon Leuer (PF, Wisconsin, 6'11", 223 lbs, 21 years old): The American Ersan Ilyasova could step in and contribute right away. There is a chance that Ilyasova will leave via free agency after next season so the Bucks not only hedge the loss of Ilyasova but add one of the most skilled shooters for big men in the entire 2011 NBA Draft.
Jeremy Tyler (PF/C, Japan, 6'11", 262 lbs, 20 years old): Much like Brandon Jennings, Tyler passed on playing in college to play professionally overseas. Unfortunately Tyler had a few unsuccessful seasons in Israel and Japan so his draft stock has plummeted. Picking a guy like Tyler is the sort of boom-or-bust move I support the Bucks doing in the second round.
Keith Benson (PF/C, Oakland, 6'11", 217 lbs, 22 years old): A bit of a reach but there aren't a ton of guys like Benson in the 2011 NBA Draft and with the health issues that have plagued Andrew Bogut the last few years the Bucks could certainly uses a real back-up center.
Check back next Wednesday for my look at the potential first round picks for the Milwaukee Bucks in the 2011 NBA Draft.
Charles Jenkins (SG, Hofstra, 6'3", 220 lbs, 22 years old): There are some very interesting advanced stats that Luke Winn of SI.com explained much better than I can for why Jenkins should go much earlier in the draft. Needless to say the Bucks could use a true scorer like Jenkins.
Malcolm Lee (PG, UCLA, 6'6", 198 lbs, 21 years old): The body on Lee alone makes him intriguing. Plus adding a true point guard behind Brandon Jennings would help Jennings be more effective.
Shelvin Mack (PG/SG, Butler, 6'3", 209 lbs, 21 years old): I have a soft spot in my heart for Mack despite how much he torched UWM throughout his career. The Bucks could use a combo guard of the future to help lessen the burden on Brandon Jennings going forward.
Jimmy Butler (SF, Marquette, 6'8", 222 lbs, 21 years old): This looks like a sentimental pick but the Michael Oher of the 2011 NBA Draft is riding the wave of Wes Matthews and Lazar Hayward up draft boards. My guess is that Butler will not even be on the board when the Bucks pick in the second round unless they trade up.
Jon Leuer (PF, Wisconsin, 6'11", 223 lbs, 21 years old): The American Ersan Ilyasova could step in and contribute right away. There is a chance that Ilyasova will leave via free agency after next season so the Bucks not only hedge the loss of Ilyasova but add one of the most skilled shooters for big men in the entire 2011 NBA Draft.
Jeremy Tyler (PF/C, Japan, 6'11", 262 lbs, 20 years old): Much like Brandon Jennings, Tyler passed on playing in college to play professionally overseas. Unfortunately Tyler had a few unsuccessful seasons in Israel and Japan so his draft stock has plummeted. Picking a guy like Tyler is the sort of boom-or-bust move I support the Bucks doing in the second round.
Keith Benson (PF/C, Oakland, 6'11", 217 lbs, 22 years old): A bit of a reach but there aren't a ton of guys like Benson in the 2011 NBA Draft and with the health issues that have plagued Andrew Bogut the last few years the Bucks could certainly uses a real back-up center.
Check back next Wednesday for my look at the potential first round picks for the Milwaukee Bucks in the 2011 NBA Draft.
Wednesday, June 8, 2011
Buzz Williams Contract Extension
Buzz Williams finally got a chance to be a head coach at the University of New Orleans for the 2006-07 season after working as an assistant coach for more than 15 years*. In what can only be characterized as a lackluster campaign, Williams compiled a 14–17 record including a 7–9 record in the lowly Sun Belt Conference in his first season as head coach of the University of New Orleans for the 2006-07 season. Instead of sticking around for a second season as the head coach of the University of New Orleans, Williams left to be an assistant for the Marquette Warriors under head coach Tom Crean.
Most observers questioned why Williams would leave a head coaching position for an assistant coaching position at the time although a fair argument could be made that being an assistant coach at Marquette is a better job than being a head coach at the University of New Orleans. That debate was not necessary less than a year later because following the 2007-08 season, despite the Hoosiers men's basketball program being hampered by NCAA sanctions thanks to the NCAA violating text messaging prowess of current Milwaukee Bucks assistant Kelvin Sampson, Tom Crean packed up his sun tanning beds and moved them south to coach the Indiana Hoosiers. I have said it a millions times already so for the 1,000,001th time: Tom Crean is a fool for leaving Marquette for Indiana.
Instead of staying at a stable program (Marquette) where Crean could have milked his 2003 NCAA Final Four appearance (really more of a testament to Dwayne Wade, Travis Diener, Steve Novak, and Robert Jackson than Crean though in my book) for another decade, Crean left for a formerly famous program (Indiana) that has less scholarships available thanks to the aforementioned NCAA sanctions. Crean looks to have one of the best recruiting classes heading into the 2011-12 season but we all know that doesn't always translate into wins. Let me take it one step further. If I was a betting man, I would say Crean not only has a shorter tenure at Indiana than Williams but Crean will earn less money from Indiana than Williams will earn from Marquette.
With Crean tanning in Indiana, Marquette named Buzz Williams their 16th head coach**. Williams has put together quite an impressive resume since taking over as head coach of the Warriors for the 2008-09 season. Williams and the Warriors made three straight NCAA Tournament appearances: got to the second round in 2009***, lost in the first round in 2010****, and made the Sweet Sixteen in 2011****. All told Williams is 69-37 overall, 32-22 in the Big East, and 3-3 in the NCAA Tournament as head coach of the Marquette Warriors.
Williams already earned millions of dollars in just the three years in charge of the Warriors. Based on tax returns filed by Marquette University (through June 30, 2011), Williams earned $2,800,347 in 2009 thanks in large-part to a one-time $1,987,203 bonus. Furthermore Team Buzz Williams, a limited partnership that Williams runs, paid Williams an additional $397,500 in 2009. Williams most likely runs his speaking engagements and basketball camps through Team Buzz Williams. All told, Williams made $3,197,847 in 2009 alone. As a point of comparison, Marquette woman's basketball coach Terri Mitchell earned $417,985 in 2009.
There are differing numbers as to what Williams earned in 2010. According to USA Today, Williams only earned $876,282 in 2010 while other sources claim that Williams earned $1.6 million in 2010 as a part of a six-year rollover contract.
Recently Arkansas and Oklahoma showed interest in hiring Williams. Much like Crean leaving Marquette for Indiana, it would have made no sense for Williams to leave for either of those programs, especially since Oklahoma is still in hot water thank to Kalvin Sampson's texting prowess there before he left to commit similar violations at Indiana. Luckily for Williams, interest form Arkansas and Oklahoma allowed him to negotiate another raise. Marquette added an undisclosed number of years (presumably more than six years though) at roughly $2 million a year on a rolling basis. It is unclear what buyout was added to the new deal (presumably more than $3 million).
Although I have not read the actual contract, if it were my money, I would not have offered Williams the extension. Ask Notre Dame how they feel about the gargantuan extension they gave Charlie Weis. The only thing that makes sense about the contract is that it contains rolling salaries with a buyout provision. As long as the buyout is not too large, at least Marquette is able to move on for less than the full value of the contract if Williams struggles over the next few seasons.
For all those naysayers that said Williams should have stayed at the University of New Orleans, Williams is laughing all the way to the bank. The 38-year old Buzz Williams is already a very rich man and is on the cusp of being even richer if he fulfills the rest of his contract. Plus college coaches always need at least six years remaining on their contract to appease recruits so Williams will be offered raises and extensions every few years to make sure he is locked up for at least six years into the future until he leaves Marquette.
College basketball and football coaching salaries are skyrocketing much like CEO compensation. Buzz Williams is going to make somewhere in the neighborhood of $2.5 million for the 2011-12 season to coach a college basketball team. Obviously that is what the market will bear so good for Buzz but shame on college athletic departments in general. Once one coach gets a nice bump in compensation, every other school has to fall in line. I am not advocating that coaches shouldn't get paid well but at some point the raises and extensions spin out of control. At this point it seems like the extension given to Buzz Williams is just another example of how these raises and extensions have done exactly that, spun out of control.
Footnotes:
* = Navarro College (1990–92), Oklahoma City University (1992-94), University of Texas at Arlington (1994-98), Texas A&M University–Kingsville (1998-99), Northwestern State University (1999–00), Colorado State University (2000–04), and Texas A&M University (2004–06).
** = Ralph Risch (1916–17), John J. Ryan (1918–20), Frank Murray (1920–29), Cord Lipe (1929–30), Bill Chandler (1930–51), Tex Winter (1951–53), Jack Nagle (1953–58), Eddie Hickey (1958–64), Al McGuire (1964–77), Hank Raymonds (1977–83), Rick Majerus (1983–86), Bob Dukiet (1986–89), Kevin O'Neill (1989–94), Mike Deane (1994–99), and Tom Crean (1999–08).
*** = 6th seeded Marquette beat 11th seeded Utah State 58-57 and 6th seeded Marquette lost to 3rd seeded Missouri 83-79
**** = 6th seeded Marquette lost to 11th seeded Washington 80-78
***** = 11th seeded Marquette beat 6th seeded Xavier 66-55, 11th seeded Marquette beat 3rd seeded Syracuse 66-62, and 11th seeded Marquette lost to 2nd seeded University of North Carolina 81-63.
Most observers questioned why Williams would leave a head coaching position for an assistant coaching position at the time although a fair argument could be made that being an assistant coach at Marquette is a better job than being a head coach at the University of New Orleans. That debate was not necessary less than a year later because following the 2007-08 season, despite the Hoosiers men's basketball program being hampered by NCAA sanctions thanks to the NCAA violating text messaging prowess of current Milwaukee Bucks assistant Kelvin Sampson, Tom Crean packed up his sun tanning beds and moved them south to coach the Indiana Hoosiers. I have said it a millions times already so for the 1,000,001th time: Tom Crean is a fool for leaving Marquette for Indiana.
Instead of staying at a stable program (Marquette) where Crean could have milked his 2003 NCAA Final Four appearance (really more of a testament to Dwayne Wade, Travis Diener, Steve Novak, and Robert Jackson than Crean though in my book) for another decade, Crean left for a formerly famous program (Indiana) that has less scholarships available thanks to the aforementioned NCAA sanctions. Crean looks to have one of the best recruiting classes heading into the 2011-12 season but we all know that doesn't always translate into wins. Let me take it one step further. If I was a betting man, I would say Crean not only has a shorter tenure at Indiana than Williams but Crean will earn less money from Indiana than Williams will earn from Marquette.
With Crean tanning in Indiana, Marquette named Buzz Williams their 16th head coach**. Williams has put together quite an impressive resume since taking over as head coach of the Warriors for the 2008-09 season. Williams and the Warriors made three straight NCAA Tournament appearances: got to the second round in 2009***, lost in the first round in 2010****, and made the Sweet Sixteen in 2011****. All told Williams is 69-37 overall, 32-22 in the Big East, and 3-3 in the NCAA Tournament as head coach of the Marquette Warriors.
Williams already earned millions of dollars in just the three years in charge of the Warriors. Based on tax returns filed by Marquette University (through June 30, 2011), Williams earned $2,800,347 in 2009 thanks in large-part to a one-time $1,987,203 bonus. Furthermore Team Buzz Williams, a limited partnership that Williams runs, paid Williams an additional $397,500 in 2009. Williams most likely runs his speaking engagements and basketball camps through Team Buzz Williams. All told, Williams made $3,197,847 in 2009 alone. As a point of comparison, Marquette woman's basketball coach Terri Mitchell earned $417,985 in 2009.
There are differing numbers as to what Williams earned in 2010. According to USA Today, Williams only earned $876,282 in 2010 while other sources claim that Williams earned $1.6 million in 2010 as a part of a six-year rollover contract.
Recently Arkansas and Oklahoma showed interest in hiring Williams. Much like Crean leaving Marquette for Indiana, it would have made no sense for Williams to leave for either of those programs, especially since Oklahoma is still in hot water thank to Kalvin Sampson's texting prowess there before he left to commit similar violations at Indiana. Luckily for Williams, interest form Arkansas and Oklahoma allowed him to negotiate another raise. Marquette added an undisclosed number of years (presumably more than six years though) at roughly $2 million a year on a rolling basis. It is unclear what buyout was added to the new deal (presumably more than $3 million).
Although I have not read the actual contract, if it were my money, I would not have offered Williams the extension. Ask Notre Dame how they feel about the gargantuan extension they gave Charlie Weis. The only thing that makes sense about the contract is that it contains rolling salaries with a buyout provision. As long as the buyout is not too large, at least Marquette is able to move on for less than the full value of the contract if Williams struggles over the next few seasons.
For all those naysayers that said Williams should have stayed at the University of New Orleans, Williams is laughing all the way to the bank. The 38-year old Buzz Williams is already a very rich man and is on the cusp of being even richer if he fulfills the rest of his contract. Plus college coaches always need at least six years remaining on their contract to appease recruits so Williams will be offered raises and extensions every few years to make sure he is locked up for at least six years into the future until he leaves Marquette.
College basketball and football coaching salaries are skyrocketing much like CEO compensation. Buzz Williams is going to make somewhere in the neighborhood of $2.5 million for the 2011-12 season to coach a college basketball team. Obviously that is what the market will bear so good for Buzz but shame on college athletic departments in general. Once one coach gets a nice bump in compensation, every other school has to fall in line. I am not advocating that coaches shouldn't get paid well but at some point the raises and extensions spin out of control. At this point it seems like the extension given to Buzz Williams is just another example of how these raises and extensions have done exactly that, spun out of control.
Footnotes:
* = Navarro College (1990–92), Oklahoma City University (1992-94), University of Texas at Arlington (1994-98), Texas A&M University–Kingsville (1998-99), Northwestern State University (1999–00), Colorado State University (2000–04), and Texas A&M University (2004–06).
** = Ralph Risch (1916–17), John J. Ryan (1918–20), Frank Murray (1920–29), Cord Lipe (1929–30), Bill Chandler (1930–51), Tex Winter (1951–53), Jack Nagle (1953–58), Eddie Hickey (1958–64), Al McGuire (1964–77), Hank Raymonds (1977–83), Rick Majerus (1983–86), Bob Dukiet (1986–89), Kevin O'Neill (1989–94), Mike Deane (1994–99), and Tom Crean (1999–08).
*** = 6th seeded Marquette beat 11th seeded Utah State 58-57 and 6th seeded Marquette lost to 3rd seeded Missouri 83-79
**** = 6th seeded Marquette lost to 11th seeded Washington 80-78
***** = 11th seeded Marquette beat 6th seeded Xavier 66-55, 11th seeded Marquette beat 3rd seeded Syracuse 66-62, and 11th seeded Marquette lost to 2nd seeded University of North Carolina 81-63.
Sunday, June 5, 2011
Steve Stricker won the 2011 Memorial Tournament
Cheesehead native Steve Stricker had one of the most impressive stretches of golf spanning two rounds of a PGA Tour event in recent years early on at the 2011 Memorial, Jack Nicklaus' annual golf tournament at Muirfield Village Golf Club.
Stricker started his second round on the back nine so he completed his second round on the front nine on Friday. Sticker's 17th hole of the day but actually the 8th hole of the course was a Par-3, 185-yard hole. Stricker hit a perfect shot to pull off one the hardest things in golf, a hole-in-one. Check out the video, hilarious call by the announcer.
That ace was just the beginning of something special. When Stricker teed it up on Saturday on the front nine he eagled the 2nd hole (a Par-4) by chipping in and the 5th hole (a Par-5) by canning a nice putt. Those three eagles gave Stricker three eagles in a seven hole stretch and put him 9-under for a 10 hole stretch spanning the end of his second round into his third round (scorecard).
Stricker led the Memorial Tournament by four strokes at the turn (nine holes to play) and looked like he was going to cruise to victory at Jack Nickalus' signature PGA Tour event. Unfortunately the tournament was halted due to a weather delay for two and a half hours. The lengthy weather delay seemed to help the field more than Stricker because when play resumed, Stricker's lead started to rapidly dwindle.
Stricker lead by three strokes with five holes to play. After bogeying the 15th hole (a Par-5), he only lead by two strokes with three holes to play. With such a small lead, Stricker scrambled the rest of the way. Consecutive sandy pars on the 16th and 17th hole, thanks to draining putts of 15 and 7 feet respectively, gave Stricker a two shot lead heading into the 18th hole. Stricker kept the wheels on the wagon just long enough to finish with a two-putt bogey to hold off Matt Kuchar and Brandt Jobe to win the 2011 Memorial by one stroke.
Stricker owned the front nine (20-under par) but struggled on the back nine (4-over par) all four days of the tournament. If Stricker only played the front nine he would have lapped the field but in golf tournaments you have to play all 18 holes all four days. Thanks in large part to being one the of best putters on the PGA Tour, Stricker managed to hang on to win.
Stricker pocketed a hefty $1.1 million for winning the 2011 Memorial, which put him over $30 million in career PGA Tour winnings. Money aside, winning The Memorial gave Stricker his 10th career PGA Tour win and helped him become the 4th ranked player in the world. That means that Stricker is currently the highest ranked American in the world for the first time in his career.
Despite a weather delay and lengthy par putts down the stretch, Stricker hung on to win the 2011 Memorial at Murfield Village. If you want to know why Stricker is arguably the most liked player on the PGA Tour, despite rooting for the Bears instead of the Packers, the highlight of the day for Stricker was shaking Jack Nicklaus' hand coming off the 18th green. People always talk about how money corrupts athletes but Steve Stricker is living proof that there are still a few good guys left in professional sports.
Stricker started his second round on the back nine so he completed his second round on the front nine on Friday. Sticker's 17th hole of the day but actually the 8th hole of the course was a Par-3, 185-yard hole. Stricker hit a perfect shot to pull off one the hardest things in golf, a hole-in-one. Check out the video, hilarious call by the announcer.
That ace was just the beginning of something special. When Stricker teed it up on Saturday on the front nine he eagled the 2nd hole (a Par-4) by chipping in and the 5th hole (a Par-5) by canning a nice putt. Those three eagles gave Stricker three eagles in a seven hole stretch and put him 9-under for a 10 hole stretch spanning the end of his second round into his third round (scorecard).
Stricker led the Memorial Tournament by four strokes at the turn (nine holes to play) and looked like he was going to cruise to victory at Jack Nickalus' signature PGA Tour event. Unfortunately the tournament was halted due to a weather delay for two and a half hours. The lengthy weather delay seemed to help the field more than Stricker because when play resumed, Stricker's lead started to rapidly dwindle.
Stricker lead by three strokes with five holes to play. After bogeying the 15th hole (a Par-5), he only lead by two strokes with three holes to play. With such a small lead, Stricker scrambled the rest of the way. Consecutive sandy pars on the 16th and 17th hole, thanks to draining putts of 15 and 7 feet respectively, gave Stricker a two shot lead heading into the 18th hole. Stricker kept the wheels on the wagon just long enough to finish with a two-putt bogey to hold off Matt Kuchar and Brandt Jobe to win the 2011 Memorial by one stroke.
Stricker owned the front nine (20-under par) but struggled on the back nine (4-over par) all four days of the tournament. If Stricker only played the front nine he would have lapped the field but in golf tournaments you have to play all 18 holes all four days. Thanks in large part to being one the of best putters on the PGA Tour, Stricker managed to hang on to win.
Stricker pocketed a hefty $1.1 million for winning the 2011 Memorial, which put him over $30 million in career PGA Tour winnings. Money aside, winning The Memorial gave Stricker his 10th career PGA Tour win and helped him become the 4th ranked player in the world. That means that Stricker is currently the highest ranked American in the world for the first time in his career.
Despite a weather delay and lengthy par putts down the stretch, Stricker hung on to win the 2011 Memorial at Murfield Village. If you want to know why Stricker is arguably the most liked player on the PGA Tour, despite rooting for the Bears instead of the Packers, the highlight of the day for Stricker was shaking Jack Nicklaus' hand coming off the 18th green. People always talk about how money corrupts athletes but Steve Stricker is living proof that there are still a few good guys left in professional sports.
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