May 18, 2010: Tonight's Pitchers

STARTING PITCHER

RHP NICK BUCCI: Selected by Milwaukee in the 18th round of the 2008 draft out of St. Patrick High School in Sarnia, Ontario, Canada.

LAST SEASON: Bucci went 6-3 with a 4.31ERA in 13 games (12 starts) for the Helena Brewers in 2009.

LAST START: Bucci picked up his first Midwest League victory with a win over the Beloit Snappers on May 13. He tossed six shutout innings, allowed three hits, walked three, and struck out seven.

DOUBLING UP: Before moving to Helena for the 2009 Pioneer League season, Bucci made three relief appearances for Huntsville, the AA Southern League affiliate of the Brewers. In three games with the Stars, Bucci went 0-1 with a 6.75 ERA. However, two of those appearances for Huntsville were scoreless.

O, CANADA! Bucci pitched for Team Canada in the 2009 World Cup of baseball and helped them to the bronze medal in the competition. It was Canada’s first medal in the World Cup.

LEAGUE AWARD: The Pioneer League recognized Bucci as their pitcher of the week on July 20 for his performance for the week of July 13-19.

ORGANIZATION AWARD: The Brewers named Bucci their minor league pitcher of the month for July, 2009. Bucci went 5-0 with a 2.13ERA during July last season.

RATED: Baseball America rated Bucci as the #29 prospect in the Milwaukee Brewer organization in their 2010 Prospect Handbook. He was also ranked as the #17 prospect in the Pioneer League by BA after the 2009 season.

VS. PEORIA: Bucci never faced the Peoria Chiefs.

VS. CUBS: Bucci’s only appearance against an affiliate of the Chicago Cubs was on May 30, 2009. Bucci tossed 1-2/3 scoreless and hitless innings of relief against the Tennessee Smokies. Bucci got the win over the AA Southern League affiliate of the Cubs.

PROFESSIONAL BESTS:
INNINGS PITCHED: 7.1 IP (8/22/09 @ Orem)
STRIKEOUTS: 9 (2x - Last: 7/15/09 @ Idaho Falls)

............2010 DAY-BY-DAY
DATE..OPP...W/L/S..IP..H..R..ER.BB.K..ERA
4/9+..KC*..........3.0 1..2..0..5..5..0.00
4/14..@BUR.........4.0 1..1..0..0..5..0.00
4/19..@QC*.........4.1 4..1..1..5..2..0.79
4/24..BEL..........2.0 2..3..3..1..1..2.70
5/1+..@BEL*.Loss...4.1 3..3..2..4..1..3.06
5/6...QC...........3.0 1..0..0..0..2..2.61
5/13..BEL*..Win....6.0 3..0..0..3..7..2.03

+-Game Two of a doubleheader
*-Start

SCHEDULED RELIEVER

LHP DEL HOWELL: Selected by Milwaukee in the 15th round of the 2009 draft out of the University of Alabama.

LAST SEASON: Howell appeared in five games (three starts) between the Arizona League Brewers and the Helena Brewers in his first pro season. He was a combined 1-0 with a 0.77ERA. Over 11-2/3 innings pitched, Howell allowed one run, with three walks and nine strikeouts.

LAST APPEARANCE: Howell pitched two scoreless innings against Beloit at Time Warner Cable Field on May 13. Howell allowed one hit, walked two, and struck out two. He also picked up a hold in the game.

GO, BAMA! Howell went 5-3 with a 6.33ERA in 11 starts in his final season at Alabama. He struck out 68 opposing hitters in 58-1/3 innings pitched.

ROLL TIDE! Howell also was a position player during his three seasons with the Crimson Tide. He hit a home run against Arkansas as a freshman.

GLORY DAYS: Howell was Mr. Baseball in Alabama in 2006. As a senior at American Christian Academy, Howell went 13-1 with a 0.18ERA. He pitched back-to-back perfect games in his first two starts of the Class 1A state playoffs during the 2006 season.

RANKING: Baseball America rated Howell as the #22 prospect in the Milwaukee Brewer organization in their 2010 Prospect Handbook.

VS. PEORIA: Howell has never faced the Peoria Chiefs.

VS. CUBS: Howell has never faced an affiliate of the Chicago Cubs.

PROFESSIONAL BESTS:
INNINGS PITCHED: 5.1IP (5/6/10 v. Quad Cities)
STRIKEOUTS: 5 (9/5/09 @ Billings)

............2010 DAY-BY-DAY
DATE..OPP...W/L/S..IP..H..R..ER.BB.K..ERA
4/10..KC...........3.0 5..3..3..0..0...9.00
4/14..@BUR*.Loss...1.2 8..7..7..3..1..19.29
4/19..@QC..........2.0 3..4..4..2..1..18.90
4/24..BEL*.........4.0 6..2..2..4..4..13.50
5/1+..@BEL.........1.0 1..0..0..0..0..12.34
5/6...QC*..........5.1 2..2..2..2..3...9.53
5/13..BEL..........2.0 1..0..0..2..2...8.53

+-Game Two of a doubleheader
*-Start