2 hospitalized after accident
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Lakota East product McGregor drafted by Cardinals
Pitcher was 1-8 with 5.19 ERA this season but he was victim of poor run support.
Thursday, June 12, 2008
Scott McGregor's numbers at the University of Memphis weren't eye-popping, but that didn't keep the Lakota East High product from getting picked in last week's Major League Baseball First-Year Player Draft.
McGregor, a junior, was selected by the St. Louis Cardinals in the 15th round (455th overall).
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"I had a few scouts talk to me in high school," said McGregor, a 2005 East grad. "But I always dreamed of it happening and it finally came true. It never really sunk in until it happened."
The 6-foot-3, 200-pound right-hander was 13-15 overall with a 5.74 earned run average as the Tigers' No. 1 starter the past three seasons.
This year, he was 1-8 with a 5.19 ERA, but was the victim of poor defense behind him (19 unearned runs) and a lack of run support. Memphis was 17-38 on the season.
"We were young, inexperienced," McGregor said. "We didn't make plays and didn't hit very well. It was a rough year this year."
As a freshman, McGregor was 7-3 with a 5.40 ERA and three complete games to earn second-team, all-Conference USA and C-USA all-freshman honors. In '07, he was 5-4 with a 6.63 ERA.
"I make hitters get themselves out," McGregor said. "I'm not a big strikeout guy (140 in 231 1/3 career innings). I rely on the sink in my fastball and change-up."
McGregor was expected to sign and report to the Cardinals' spring training facility in Jupiter, Fla., on Tuesday, June 10, for five days of workouts.
He is then expected to be sent to Johnson City, Tenn., where the Cardinals' rookie affiliate begins its season Tuesday, June 17.
"You always hope that when your players go their different ways that all their hard work pays off, and it certainly did for Scott," East coach Ray Hamilton said.
"He's got all those things professional scouts like. At that level, it's velocity and command of your pitches, and he has that."
McGregor — who was told by scouts that he'd go anywhere from the seventh to 15th round — watched the first round on TV and then followed the draft online.
"It was surreal, really," said McGregor, the highest of four Tigers selected.
