Graves named Co-SEC Pitcher of the Week

Graves vs. South Carolina in March 16, 2013 (Photo by Ben Walton)

Last summer, a 6'1 righty from St. Charles, Missouri and a student at Missouri displayed stuff that scouts said that they normally see in the Cape Cod League. The scouts went on to say he displayed talent that the NECBL normally doesn't get access too and he blossomed as a member of the Newport Gulls as the ace of the best pitching staff in the league.

This pitcher, Brett Graves, posted a minuscule 1.00 ERA in 35 and two thirds innings pitched while allowing just 20 hits and striking out 30. Many coaches agreed in saying he was the most consistent pitcher in the league, and Perfect Game USA projected him as a top three round pick in June as a draft-eligible junior.

Graves carried his success to Missouri and has been absolutely dominant. Graves boasts a streak of 15 scoreless innings and was named the Co-SEC pitcher of the week. He went eight innings against the University of Illinois-Chicago and allowed just two hits and one walk while striking out six, one off his career high.

"I'm just trusting my stuff," Graves said. "I'm trying my best not to let anything affect what I'm doing while I'm on the mound."

Graves, one of the top pitching prospects in the SEC this season, has been outstanding this season. He leads all Tiger starters with a 0.92 ERA and is 1-1 overall with 15 strikeouts against only three walks in a team-high 19.2 innings. He is limiting batters to a .132 average this season and has allowed just one extra-base hit all season. 

Over his last two starts, Graves has been even better than his season numbers. He has gone 15.0 innings, allowing just five hits, one walk and no runs while striking out 12. He has not allowed an extra-base hit in that span and is limiting batters to .098 hitting in those two starts. He has allowed just two runners to reach second base in that span. He has a 0.40 WHIP over his last two starts.

"Right now, I'm just focused on next week and starting a new week," Graves said. "Once we accomplish the goals we've set as a team then I'll be able to look back and have some good moments to remember."

Meticoulous Miles Shuts Down Opposition

By Bradley Smart

Miles while pitching at the University of Missouri

The Vermont Mountaineers are 15-7 and are sitting 2.5 games up of the closest team and holding the best record in the NECBL.

And making a huge contribution is the 6’0 John Miles, a pitcher who’s given up just one earned run over 24 innings. This ridiculous 0.38 ERA is nothing new for Miles, as the sophomore out of the University of Missouri lead the team this past spring with a 2.35 ERA over 23 innings of work.

He was a key member of the Tigers pitching staff, as he continually pitched out of trouble while striking out 23 against 11 walks. He also tied for the team lead in saves with two, as he got out of a jam against Missouri State as well as a gem against Florida, ranked 36th in the nation.

Miles shut down Florida and threw 2.1 innings, allowing just one run while striking out two.

When he arrived at the Recreation Field in Montpelier, Miles picked up where he left off- blowing by hitters and keeping the damage to a bare minimum.

He recently took time to speak with NECBL.com.

NECBL.com: You’ve pitched 24 innings, starting three games and have given up just one earned run. What’s clicking for you this summer?

I'm pitching good baseball, just getting on the mound and enjoying myself- I'm playing baseball for the sake of baseball, just enjoying myself. I feel like I'm a little league right now- I'm in the sandbox and I'm just having a good time. The biggest thing is you're so high strung out of college and you come here and you’re a little relaxed, you're able to calm down. You're able to play like you're 13 years old and it feels great, playing like a little kid. There's nothing better than that feeling that you're out here, just playing with your teammates and enjoying yourself, enjoying the summer. It's just a great feeling and I wouldn't trade it for anything.

NECBL.com: You didn’t start any games during the Missouri season, which was a lot different from both your freshman year (where you started four) and as a senior in high school where you posted a 6-0 record. Are you more of a reliever now or is it temporary?

I'm a pitcher. I'm a pitcher and I will pitch where ever I get my innings. If my team needs me out of the pen, I'll throw out of the pen, if they need me to start I'll start. It's just one of those things that sometimes, this past year, my sophomore year, had a rough start from the get go and didn't work out great but I battled through it, got more innings in the second half of the year and threw better. I just want to help my team win. And I want to win. Bottom line. And I want to put up the best numbers I can in order for my team to win. And if its out of the pen relieving, closing or starting it's what's going to happen. It doesn't matter, just trying to have fun and pitch.

NECBL.com: You’ve started games for the Mountaineers, and come out of the bullpen for them- which position do you prefer?

They're different. Some days I'm sitting in the bullpen when a teammate starts and I say, jeez, I'd really like to close today, I'm feeling good but then there's days where theres a team you're playing and you want to get out there and prove something, and throw seven shutout innings and have ten k's- you want to prove something.For me, preference is day to day. It really is.

NECBL.com: Last summer, you played for the Sedalia Bombers in the MINK league, which is in the midwest- how does the NECBL compare to that league?

It's a much  better league. The MINK league is a decent league but this is a top tier league, more guys drafted out of this league last year then the Cape, which speaks volumes for this league. I threw a lot of innings my freshman year so I only had a few starts over in the MINK league. It was a fun league, great guys but you know this is a whole new experience. You have towns coming out and supporting the team. It's a lot different how much this town is behind us and how much all the town are behind their teams. It's really cool to see towns backing teams like that.

NECBL.com: How did you land on your major, Business?

I like money and it was one of those things where going in to school it attracted me and I thought it would be a good suit for me and I would be able to enjoy all the courses I was going to take and that they would be beneficial to me later in life and it's very applicable to the real world. It's a good major and it's very very useful in society and our world.

NECBL.com: You play Newport twice on the 23rd, and Brett Graves, a fellow Missouri Tiger is on that team. He’s posted a 3-0 record with a 0.77 era- what’s it going to be like facing off against him?

He's one of my best friends, so I guess I'll go ahead and say no comment, other than the fact that he's a great kid, he's a great teammate, he's a great pitcher and I wish the best for him, no matter what, I wish the best for him.

John Miles Personal File

Favorite Food: “I got a sweet tooth. Oh my god, I love sweets. Cookies, cakes, pies. It is my favorite food, bar down.”

Favorite Movie: “The Prestige. It's a magic movie, a thriller- it's a very good film.”

Favorite Music: “Rock. Big fan of 80's rock.”

Toughest Class at the University of Missouri: “Econ. An Econ course is no fun.”

Favorite MLB player: “Chris Carpenter, hands down. He's the man.”