September 8, 200421 yr Here's a pretty good read on McCarthy and Tracey from Phil Rogers. Sox eyeing postseason —in minors There will be no playoffs for the White Sox this year. But two possible pieces of their future will be on display in postseason games. Brandon McCarthy and Sean Tracey, who put themselves onto the radar screen this season, will pitch playoff openers for Double-A Birmingham and high-Class A Winston-Salem on Wednesday. It took Mark Buehrle only 16 minor-league starts to reach the majors after he caught the eye of then-general manager Ron Schueler in the Midwest League playoffs in 1999. McCarthy and Tracey aren't likely to move quite that fast, but both have the talent to push for spots at the end of an experienced rotation in 2006, if not before (particularly in McCarthy's case). Sure, you've heard this before. And, yes, for every Buehrle there are a dozen or more Scott Ruffcorns and Jim Parques, guys who pass through the big leagues like human comets. But given the injuries to Kris Honel, Ryan Wing and Jason Stumm, and the ineffectiveness of guys like Arnie Munoz, Felix Diaz and Neal Cotts (in starting situations, anyway), it's easy to think the White Sox have little to show for their efforts to stockpile pitching talent. But there's always some hope on the horizon. McCarthy, 21, provides enough that it wasn't considered sacrilege when Baseball America described him as a "blue-collar Jack McDowell." The 6-foot-7-inch right-hander stands tall, throws strikes and doesn't let anything intimidate him. He led his league in innings pitched and strikeouts his first two pro seasons, and could have made it three in a row if he had not chopped up 2004 between Birmingham and Class A Kannapolis and Winston-Salem. McCarthy, who will start for Birmingham at Mobile in the Southern League semifinals, has gone 43-13 over the last three years, including a 12-0 run at Lamar (Colo.) Community College, which got him noticed by Sox scouts Joe Butler and John Kazanas. He's 17-6 with a 3.14 earned-run average in 27 starts this season, striking out 202 in 172 innings. McCarthy had won 12 decisions in a row over a span of 15 starts before losing the last time out with Birmingham. He ended the season having held opponents to a .216 batting average while compiling a strikeout-walk ratio of almost seven-to-one. Chris Cron, who managed McCarthy in rookie ball, praised McCarthy for having "a huge heart." Nick Leyva, who had him during his time at Winston-Salem, says he seems to expect himself to be successful. That was the attitude that carried McDowell to a 20-victory season only five years after pitching in the College World Series for Stanford. "If you notice his mound presence out there, it's like, 'Hey, I'm king of the hill,"' Leyva said. "You can't teach that." McCarthy doesn't blow the ball past hitters but gets some movement on his fastball and has a sharp curveball that dives like a slider. He has gained enough confidence in an improved changeup to throw it in fastball counts. But mostly he just fills up the strike zone. "He's quality," Leyva told the Winston-Salem Journal earlier this season. "He throws strikes, he works ahead and he has good stuff." Tracey, a 23-year-old right-hander from Cal-Irvine, has the kind of rubber arm that allowed Kenny Rogers to make 81 relief appearances in 1992 for Texas before he established himself as a big-league starter. Tracey led the Carolina League with a 2.73 ERA, allowing only three earned runs over a 50-inning stretch late in the year. "He has this God-given arm," Leyva said. "He's just an animal. He'll go out there and give me seven innings every time I call on him. He'd go out there every night if I let him." Control has been a problem for Tracey, who has a career record of 24-22. He walked a league-high 69 in 1481/3 innings this year while hitting 23 batters. The Sox will be watching the playoffs to determine if he has turned a corner. There's not much question about McCarthy.
September 8, 200421 yr And another article on McCarthy in today's Birmingham News..... No need to register. McCarthy's Fast Climb to Fame
September 8, 200421 yr And another article on McCarthy in today's Birmingham News..... No need to register. McCarthy's Fast Climb to Fame Great article Rex, thanks for the linky.
September 8, 200421 yr Haha, we so knew that his teammates didn't come up with BMac. Either he came up with that or that was from before pro ball. He registered BMac at Soxtalk before this season.
September 8, 200421 yr BMAC was a nickname he got in College. There are lots worse. His sister (freshman, Illinois State) was in her room and someone walked in with today's Trib. She asked to see the sports and there was this article with a nice picture too. So she say, "Oh hey. here's my brother!". Now she's going to go show it to the baseball players.
September 8, 200421 yr Have her tell the rest of the baseball team that he's much better then Cotts, lol.
September 8, 200421 yr BMAC was a nickname he got in College. There are lots worse. His sister (freshman, Illinois State) was in her room and someone walked in with today's Trib. She asked to see the sports and there was this article with a nice picture too. So she say, "Oh hey. here's my brother!". Now she's going to go show it to the baseball players. That would be so cool. BTW, how did a Colorado girl wind up at a school like Illinois State? Usually that's a really local school.
September 8, 200421 yr You better pray Steff doesn't read that. Its funny because its true BTW good to see you back here Mr Bmac
September 8, 200421 yr BTW good to see you back here Mr Bmac Mr. BMac lol. It would just be Mr. Mac, or McCarthy. But personally, I liked Mr. BMac. That's funny. He's now officially his son's father instead of the other way around.
September 8, 200421 yr Mr. BMac lol. It would just be Mr. Mac, or McCarthy. But personally, I liked Mr. BMac. That's funny. He's now officially his son's father instead of the other way around. I couldn't resist, after he explained the nickname. And if the dad is getting nicknamed after his son, I guess that means Brandon has officially arrived.
September 9, 200421 yr PMAC!? :puke Mr. BMAC? Brandon arriving? How did our daughter get to ISU? One word: volleyballscholarship! Gotta go listen to the game...
September 9, 200421 yr Wait, is this Brandon? Isnt BMAC12220 whatever really McCarthy? Who is this? I was gonna ask that... Perhaps BMac's dad?
September 9, 200421 yr How did our daughter get to ISU? One word: volleyballscholarship! Dayum, you groom your athletes in that family!
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