Welcome to the Bourne Braves Official Website
Spotlight Preview: Nick McCully
Aug 1, 2008
Author: Nate Sandals, Cape Cod Times
Nick McCully was supposed to pitch out of the bullpen for Bourne, but when the roster didn't come together as planned, manager Harvey Shapiro put him in the starting rotation. The move has worked out well for McCully, who has the best ERA of any starter on the team at 1.46. McCully was selected to the West All-Star team and pitched a perfect inning in the game last Saturday.
Most people don't know much about Coastal Carolina. What's it like?
"The school itself is great, just 10 minutes from the beach (in Conway S.C.) and we have a great baseball program - 100 wins in the last two years. This year we finally won an NCAA regional. I have great teammates and we're trying to get Coastal on the map a little bit more. We're bringing in some big recruits and starting to grow the program."
Do people look confused when you tell them you go to Coastal Carolina?
"A couple professors my freshman year didn't even know we played Division I in baseball. We were ranked 10th in Baseball America at the end of last season and professors were asking, 'You guys play Clemson and South Carolina?' Well, yeah, that's our division."
You grew up in Lakeland, Fla., where the Detroit Tigers have a facility. Did you spend a lot of time around there?
"I was actually a bat boy for the Single-A Lakeland Tigers my sophomore year in high school. Me and my buddy did it. We would go early, hit in the cage and act like we were big leaguers talking to the guys. Curtis Granderson was there and he would throw with us."
Starting or relieving, do you have a preference?
"I just like to pitch. When I start, I tend to pace myself, but I like closing because I can go out there and throw as hard as I can. It's worked out well being a starter up here. I've been able to work on all my pitches and I've developed a cutter up here, too."
What do you remember from your five-inning perfect game in June that got called because of fog?
"That was awesome. I was in the bullpen before the game and I wasn't feeling great, but once I got on the mound I felt really comfortable. The defense made a couple great plays to save it. It was only five innings but it was still cool. It's Cape Cod."
What was it like pitching in last week's All-Star game?
"It was like a dream come true. Other than playing Major League ball, once you get older Cape Cod is the place to be. It was fun to go out there for one inning like a closer. Having six guys from my team helped me relax and everyone was having a good time."
How quickly does an All-Star team come together?
"When everybody first got there we were all walking around quietly, nobody wants to go first. But pretty soon everybody started hanging out together. I met a lot of cool guys and great ballplayers that could be major leaguers in a few years, so it was a lot of fun."
Article from The Cape Cod Online:Cape League Insider
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