Rarest of Frogs
EVERETT - When Chris Tillman was a freshman in high school, the first time he was called up to varsity - a team made up exclusively of seniors - he threw a one-hitter against the second-ranked team in Nevada.
Tony Butler did Tillman one better his freshman year. Tabbed to start the state championship game, he threw five no-hit innings on the way to victory.
It's safe to say these two have always been ahead of the curve. Tillman and Butler remain on the leading edge, giving the Everett AquaSox the Northwest League rarity of having a pair of 18-year-olds in the starting rotation.
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"They're exceptional guys," Everett manger Dave Myers said. "They're second- and third-round picks with good size and good arms. It has to be that type of situation - they're not going to take a high-school kid in the 30th round and send him up here to try and compete against college players. But I think these two guys can handle that."
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"I'd say the reason I stuck out more was because I was probably blessed with a little more ability," Tillman said.
"I've always been young," Tillman added. "That's what made me better, competing with the older players. I feel like I'd rather play with older guys than guys my own age."
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"When I played against guys who were a year older than me it felt like they were in my grade, and when I played against guys in my grade it felt like they were a year younger," Butler said. "Now that I'm here I don't feel like I'm a few years younger. I don't feel that I'm the best player here, but I feel like I'm doing all right."
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