PEORIA, Ill. ? A pair of individuals associated with the Bradley Baseball program made the news this week ? former volunteer assistant coach John Dyke was the subject of Kirk Wessler's Friday column in the Peoria Journal Star, while former Bradley pitcher Brian Shouse officially joined the Tampa Bay Rays Tuesday.
Dyke, who will receive the Bradley Alumni B-Club Billy Stone Service Award during a ceremony at midcourt prior to Saturday afternoon's men's basketball game against Evansville at Carver Arena, was the Bradley Baseball team's volunteer assistant coach for 20 years from 1989-2008. He was originally scheduled to receive the Billy Stone Service Award prior to the Jan. 24 game against Indiana State, but suffered a mild stroke earlier in the day.
Wessler's column this morning focuses on the early recognition of Dyke's condition by East Peoria High School student Kyle Tauscher, who notified the school nurse triggering immediate medical treatment. Wessler's column is available online by visiting http://www.pjstar.com/sports/x1848780652/Wessler-EP-students-actions-were-stroke-of-luck.
A situational left-handed relief pitcher, Shouse is a nine-year Major League Baseball veteran who excelled in the Milwaukee Brewers bullpen the last two-and-a-half seasons. He signed a one-year contract with a one-year club option for 2010 with the Rays last week and the team announced he had completed his physical to finalize the deal Tuesday.
Shouse, 40, went 5-1 with a 2.81 earned run average in 69 games last season for the Brewers and was particularly effective against lefties, whom he held to a .180 average. In his nine-year career, Shouse owns a 12-9 record with six saves and a 3.65 ERA in 422 appearances. Those 422 MLB pitching appearances are the most of any former Brave and are just 38 shy of the combined total of the other six former Braves who have pitched in the Major Leagues.
"He brings a lot to our bullpen," said Rays executive vice president of baseball operations Andrew Friedman. "He's had a tremendous amount of success the last few seasons -- especially against left-handers. He generates a lot of ground balls. He doesn't walk guys. He keeps the ball in the park. And we feel like he is going to help diversify our bullpen even more and strengthen it beyond where we were earlier this offseason."
