July 9, 2009

Tennessee baseball pitcher Bryan Morgado was recently named the Coca-Cola Pitcher of the Week in the prestigious Cape Cod Baseball League. A hard-throwing left-hander from Miami, Fla., Morgado disposed of his opponents with almost surgical efficiency while garnering the honor, recording 16 strikeouts against only two walks in seven innings. The rising junior is playing this summer for the Bourne Braves.

In Morgado's first appearance of the week, a 2-1 victory over Cotuit, the southpaw struck out 13 of the 17 batters he faced over a shutout, five-inning performance. He also came in to pitch two shutout innings of relief in a 9-1 win over Wareham later in the week, notching three strikeouts without surrendering a run.

"He reminds me a lot of (current Los Angeles Dodgers pitcher) Eric Milton, who we had when I was (coaching at) Falmouth," Bourne head coach Harvey Shapiro told Baseball America. "He pitches the same way and has the same repertoire of pitches. Eric was in the mid-90s, had a breaking (ball) and a changeup. Sometimes I have to shake my head because I feel like I'm coaching Eric again."

Shapiro said Morgado has been sitting in the 92-94 mph range with his fastball and is showing improved command of his power breaking ball and changeup.

Morgado was selected in the third round of last month's MLB Draft by the Chicago White Sox. Through three appearances spanning 10.0 innings this summer, Morgado has recorded 21 strikeouts while issuing only three walks. The 2008 Freshman All-America selection has yet to surrender a run while allowing only five hits.

INJURY FORCES POLK TO LEAVE CAPE COD LEAGUE Rising junior outfielder P.J. Polk recently left the Cape Cod League, where he was playing for the Falmouth Commodores, after re-aggravating a left wrist injury that was sustained late in Tennessee's season.