TAMPA, Fla. - Former Bradley pitcher Brian Shouse may be on his way back to the Major Leagues. The St. Petersburg Times reports the Tampa Bay Rays have re-signed the side-arming lefty to a minor league contract.
According to the St. Petersburg Times report, Shouse has been assigned to Tampa's Gulf Coast League team in Port Charlotte, Fla., to rehab a right knee strain. Shouse appeared in 45 games for the Rays during the 2009 season, his 10th in the big leagues. If he does return to the Tampa lineup in 2010, Shouse will extend Bradley's streak of at least one player appearing in a Major League game to 30 consecutive seasons.
In his 10 previous Major League seasons with Pittsburgh (1993), Boston (1998), Kansas City (2002), Texas (2003-06), Milwaukee (2006-08) and Tampa (2009), Shouse sports a 13-10 record with six saves and a 3.72 earned run average. A situational left-handed reliever, Shouse has struck out 233 hitters and walked just 118 in 350.2 innings pitched.
In other Bradley Baseball Braves in the Pros news, rookie pitcher Patrick Cooper, who was selected in the 14th round of the Major League Baseball First-Year Player Draft by the Detroit Tigers last month, earned his first professional victory Sunday in a 6-1 Connecticut Tigers win against Mahoning Valley in the rookie New York-Penn League.
In his first career professional start, Cooper allowed one run on two hits in his 5.0 innings of work. He struck out four and walked just two. In his first two professional pitching appearances, Cooper sports a 1.80 earned run average, having allowed just one run in 6.0 innings, while striking out six. He has not yet surrendered a hit to a right-handed hitter.
Trenton Thunder right fielder Dan Brewer extended his hitting streak to five games with a double in Monday's 9-3 loss at Akron. Playing for the New York Yankees Double A Eastern League affiliate, Brewer is batting .375 in the first five games of July, raising his season average to .241.
Second baseman Ryan Curry started off the month with his fourth home run of the season Thursday at Carolina. Playing for the Jacksonville Suns, Double A Southern League affiliate of the Florida Marlins, Curry hit .293 during the month of June and now is batting .263 through 65 games this season.
Bradley's third Double A player, catcher Ryan Eigsti, remains on the disabled list for the Northwest Arkansas Naturals (Kansas City Royals). Eigsti was struck in the right forearm by a pitch April 16 and was placed on the disabled list April 18 after x-rays revealed a fracture.
Although he did not factor in the decision in his last start Sunday, former Bradley pitcher Rob Scahill has won three consecutive decisions for the Modesto Nuts, the Single A Advanced California League affiliate of the Colorado Rockies. Scahill has logged at least 6.0 innings in each of his last five starts, posting a 3-0 record with a 3.09 earned run average and 28 strikeouts in those 32.0 innings. In 16 starts so far this year, Scahill his 5-4 with a 5.95 ERA.
