M’s select Cal Bears’ Morrow in first round
SEATTLE – The Mariners don’t mind the insulin pump Brandon Morrow wears on his belt when he pitches.
Seattle just wants its fifth overall pick in Tuesday’s major league draft to keep pumping 98- and 99-mph fastballs.
The pitching-needy Mariners chose power first in Morrow, a right-handed starter from the University of California. The 21-year-old is the first right-hander that Seattle has chosen first in a draft since 1996, when current Mariners starter Gil Meche went 22nd overall.
Morrow is one of 10 semifinalists for the Roger Clemens Award as college baseball’s top pitcher. The 6-foot-3, 190-pound junior and first-team All Pac-10 selection has had his fastball clocked at 99 mph.
He also has Type 1 diabetes, which reportedly scared some teams away from drafting him.
Morrow wears a small, computerized insulin pack with a pump near his stomach when he pitches. In between innings, he checks his blood sugar in the dugout. He then may pump a half-unit of insulin into himself, or he may drink a half cup of Gatorade.
“I talk about it as more of an inconvenience,” Morrow said in a conference call Tuesday from his home in Rohnert Park, Calif., north of San Francisco.
“It’s just a pager connected to my waist is how I look at it.”
The Mariners obviously have no problem with that.
“He was good with our doctors. We investigated it, like any club,” said Bob Fontaine, Seattle’s vice president for scouting.
Mariners West Coast scouting coordinator Ron Tostenson said Morrow normally throws in the 94-96 mph range, and has a formidable slider and change-up. He was 7-4 in 14 starts this season for Cal, with a 2.05 ERA that was second in the Pac-10. Morrow had 97 strikeouts and 39 walks in 96 2/3 innings.
“He’s ready to roll,” Tostenson said.
Seattle’s draft room inside Safeco Field filled with fists pounding tables and thumbs raised when Pittsburgh, choosing immediately ahead of the Mariners at fourth, chose University of Houston right-hander Brad Lincoln instead of Morrow.
“We’re excited,” Fontaine said. “Obviously this is a kid, without putting any time tables on him, who could advance through our system sooner rather than later.”
The Mariners also like that Morrow did some relief pitching last summer in the Cape Cod League, an annual showcase of top prospects. Morrow made the All-Star team there, striking out 24 in 14 2/3 innings.
Morrow said the M’s have discussed with him beginning his professional career as a starter, likely at Class-A Inland Empire in San Bernardino, Calif., provided he signs soon.
Morrow said that will happen.
“They know what I’m looking for and I know what they’re offering,” Morrow said. “So I think it’s going to be pretty easy.”
In the second round, 49th overall, Seattle selected Christopher Tillman of Fountain Valley, Calif., High School. Tillman is said to have a fastball in the low-90 mph range and a big, overhand curveball.
The Mariners weren’t kidding when they said they wanted pitching before the draft. Seattle used 14 of its 18 first-day picks on pitchers. The only exceptions were catcher Adam Moore from Texas-Arlington (sixth round); shortstop Chris Minaker from Stanford (10th round); outfielder Gavin Dickey of Florida (12th round) and high school third baseman Jared Baehl (14th round).
Seattle also drafted tall pitchers, selecting five who are 6-feet-5 or taller. Leading that group is 6-9 Kameron Mickolio, a right-hander from Utah Valley State, and 6-8 Doug Fister, a righty from Fresno State.