June 4, 2010: Tonight's Pitchers

TONIGHT’S STARTER

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 came on in relief at Cedar Rapids on May 30 with Wisconsin leading 4-2. He walked the first three batters he faced, allowed one hit, and gave up three runs. Howell was charged with a loss and a blown save in the 5-4 Cedar Rapids victory. Howell worked a 1-2-3 eighth inning in the game, too.

LAST START: Howell started the game on May 6 against the Quad Cities River Bandits at Time Warner Cable Field. He allowed two runs on two hits and two walks over 5-1/3 innings. Howell struck out three, but was not involved in the decision. He left with the Rattlers leading 3-2, but Quad Cities scored twice in the sixth after Howell left to take a 4-3 lead. That 4-3 score held up as the final.

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. LAKE COUNTY: Howell has never faced the Captains. This is also the first time he is facing an affiliate of the Cleveland Indians.

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
5/18..PEO...Save...3.0 0..1..0..2..2...7.36
5/23..BUR..........2.0 1..0..0..1..4...6.75
5/30..@CR...Loss...2.0 1..3..3..3..0...7.27

+-Game Two of a doubleheader
*-Start

SCHEDULED RELIEVER:

RHP JAKE ODORIZZI: Selected by Milwaukee as a supplemental 1st round pick (32nd overall) in the 2008 draft out of Highland (IL) High School.

LAST SEASON: Odorizzi made 12 appearances (10 starts) for the Helena Brewers in the Pioneer League. He was 1-4 with a 4.40 ERA and struck out 43 while walking nine over 47 innings pitched.

LAST APPEARANCE: Odorizzi made the start on May 30 at Cedar Rapids. He allowed two runs on five hits over six innings and left with a 4-2 lead, but was not involved in the decision. Odorizzi struck out eight in the game against the Kernels. That marked the third time in 2010 he has struck out eight in a game.

HIGHLAND HIGH: Odorizzi was 14-0 with three saves in his senior season with the Bulldogs. He allowed one earned run over 89-1/3 innings pitched to put up an ERA of 0.08 and struck out 146 batters while walking just six in his final season as a Bulldog and helped lead the team to its first ever Class 3A State Championship.

AWARDS: In his senior season, Odorizzi was the Gatorade Player of the Year in Illinois; a Louisville Slugger Pre-season All-American; a Rawlings/Perfect Game All-American; and a member of USA Today’s All-USA Team.

NOT IN THE CARDS: Odorizzi had committed to playing baseball and football at the University of Louisville before signing with the Brewers.

IN THE RANKINGS: Baseball America rated Odorizzi as the #2 prospect in the Pioneer League after the 2009 season. The publication placed him at #9 in the Brewers organization heading into the 2010 season.

BREWERS CAREER: In 23 games (14 starts) before this season, Odorizzi was 2-6 with a 4.12 ERA. He had walked 18 and struck out 62 in 67-2/3 innings as a Brewers farmhand before this season.

VS. LAKE COUNTY: Odorizzi has never faced the Captains. Tonight is also the first time he is facing an affiliate of the Cleveland Indians.

PROFESSIONAL BESTS:
INNINGS PITCHED: 7.0 (5/25/10 @Kane County)
STRIKEOUTS: 8 (3x; Last: 5/30/10 @Cedar Rapids)

............2010 DAY-BY-DAY
DATE..OPP...W/L/S IP..H R ER BB K ERA
4/11..CLN...Save..4.0 1 0 0..1..4 0.00
4/16..@BUR*.Win...5.0 0 0 0..1..8 0.00
4/21..CR*.........4.0 3 2 2..3..7 1.50
4/28..@PEO..Loss..2.0 5 4 3..0..1 3.21
5/3...@BEL*.......3.0 3 5 4..5..5 4.76
5/14+.BEL*........6.0 3 1 1..2..6 3.77
5/20..PEO*........5.0 6 4 4..2..6 4.28
5/25..@KC*..Win...7.0 5 0 0..2..7 3.54
5/30..@CR*........6.0 5 2 2..1..8 3.47

*-Start
+-Second game of a doubleheader