The Brewers made University of North Carolina closer Rob Wooten their 13th-round draft pick this June. Beyond his quality stuff, Wooten has a host of qualities that will aid him in trying to become a big league relief ace, including gobs of big-game experience, excellent leadership abilities, and a durable arm. Plus, as you'll see, he's already gifted with Major League quotability.

BCB: How's your season going so far at Helena?

RW: Well, so far, so good. It was a tough first week going through all the physicals and not being able to play, but now that I'm playing I'm enjoying myself.

BCB: Can you describe what you throw?

RW: I throw a fastball which is 88 to 92, a slider which is 78 to 82, and a split which is 83 to 86.

BCB: The Brewers are renowned for their love of the changeup. Have they talked to you about learning to throw one?

RW: They haven't said anything to me about a change. I use my split as my changeup, and it's a great strike out pitch.

BCB: The splitter is a pitch that is notoriously tough on arms, yet you have a reputation as a real workhorse, and own the CWS record for most appearances. Are you concerned about the toll the pitch and your workload place on your arm?

RW: I've been throwing the split for some time now and haven't had any trouble with my arm so far. I hope I continue to stay healthy. I really like throwing the split, and it's a very tough pitch to hit. I'm not concerned with the workload. [The Brewers] will take care of me just as UNC did.

BCB: There's a couple potential relief aces on the team with you, Garrett Sherrill, and Mark Willinsky. Have you heard anything about getting moved up to West Virginia to spread out the work a little?

RW: I haven't heard anything yet, but my goal is to get to West Virginia before the end of the season. We have a lot of great pitchers on this team and I'm sure every one of them would love to finish the year in West Virginia.

BCB: Which of your teammates has impressed you the most?

RW: Well, not really one person, but all of the guys have a lot of potential and have a bright future ahead.

BCB: I've heard a couple people really tout Trey Watten, but his stats don't really jump out at you. What does he do that portends future success?

RW: I played with Trey this past summer in Cape Cod, and he has a lot of potential. You really can't look at stats and measure someone's success. He really commands the ball well and competes.

BCB: Had you played with any of the other draftees before?

RW: No, but played against some.

BCB: Garrett Sherrill?

RW: Yep, and [Corey] Kemp.

BCB: How did [Brewers' as-yet-unsigned 42nd-round draft pick] Ryan Wood look to you when you played ECU? Corey Kemp said that he was stud, and no one could figure out why he went so low in the draft.

RW: I thought he was pretty good.

BCB: Two of your UNC teammates, Alex White and Dustin Ackley, are big-time pro prospects. Can you give us a quick idea of what their games are like?

RW: Those two guys are unreal. I've really enjoyed watching them play and develop the last two years. Alex has improved more than anyone I've ever seen in a year. He was good his freshman year, but he was dominant this year. Ackley is the best hitter I've ever seen at any level. It's so hard to pitch to him. I'm glad he was on my team. They have a big-time career ahead of them, but I hope first they can keep it going in Chapel Hill.

BCB: Do you have a nickname?

RW: No nickname for me. I just go by Rob.

BCB: So were you expecting to go around the 13th round in the draft?

RW: Well, I was hoping top-ten and was told top-ten by some teams, but I'm very happy where I went and also getting drafted by the Brewers.

BCB: What other teams were most interested in you?

RW: Well, I heard from all the clubs, but I guess the Yankees, Orioles, Diamondbacks, and Brewers showed the most [interest].

BCB: Who were you a fan of growing up? The Braves?

RW: Yeah, the Braves, but really just enjoyed watching anybody because I just loved the game.

BCB: Who are your favorite players? Is there anyone you model your game after?

RW: Well, I used to model after [Roger] Clemens when I was a starter, but now as a reliever I'm not really sure who I model my game after.

BCB: Have the Brewers told you you're pretty much going to stay in the bullpen?

RW: So far that's what I'm hearing. I heard something during the [College] World Series that they may think about turning me into a starter, but I love what I do now and hope to continue as a reliever.

BCB: Speaking of the College World Series, you ran into the Fresno State buzzsaw. How did you take that?

RW: Yeah, they were hot. Seems like everything they did was right. You have to be hot and lucky to win the College World Series and they proved that.

BCB: Did losing sting even more because it was at the hands of a seemingly fluky team like that?

RW: Losing hurts all the time. I'm very happy on what we accomplished the last three years, but we all wanted to win it all every year, so every year was tough.

BCB: Had you been a junior, would returning for your senior year to give it one more shot have crossed your mind?

RW: Oh yeah. I love Carolina and will always be a Tar Heel, so it would have been a real tough decision.

BCB: I read an article about the loss of your mother-in-law. Is she still a big inspiration for you?

RW: She always will be. I loved her like my own, and she will never be forgotten. I wish [his fiancée] Katie didn't have to go through something like that, but that's life, and we'll get through it but never over it.

BCB: Have you and Katie set a date for your wedding?

RW: October 25.

BCB: Congratulations!

RW: Thanks. I'm excited—she's a great girl

BCB: It must be difficult having to move away and leave your established life behind.

RW: It really is. I miss Katie a lot, as well as the rest of my family, but we talk every day. But I'm doing what I love and will continue to until someone tells me otherwise.

BCB: Well you won't hear that from us. We'll be cheering for you. Thanks for your time, man.

RW: Thanks.

Sal Baxamusa at the Hardball Times recently published a very useful tool: downloadable Excel spreadsheets that produce Marcel projections for players. Marcels are basically weighted averages and are surprisingly competitive with advanced projection systems like PECOTA or ZiPS. For our purposes--predicting the most likely immediate future performance to evaluate, for instance, whether we should get a new second baseman--Marcel will do just fine. So, let's see what we've got:

Jason Kendall

Period	AVG	OBP	SLG
Current	.258	.339	.333
Balance	.259	.330	.329
Total	.258	.334	.331

Prince Fielder

Period	AVG	OBP	SLG
Current	.270	.357	.488
Balance	.282	.374	.531
Total	.275	.364	.507

Rickie Weeks

Period	AVG	OBP	SLG
Current	.217	.320	.367
Balance	.247	.357	.409
Total	.231	.335	.386

Bill Hall

Period	AVG	OBP	SLG
Current	.234	.294	.431
Balance	.260	.326	.465
Total	.246	.308	.446

Russell Branyan

Period	AVG	OBP	SLG
Current	.245	.331	.604
Balance	.236	.332	.469
Total	.239	.332	.515

J.J. Hardy

Period	AVG	OBP	SLG
Current	.283	.352	.476
Balance	.273	.335	.448
Total	.279	.343	.463

Ryan Braun

Period	AVG	OBP	SLG
Current	.286	.324	.549
Balance	.303	.354	.567
Total	.293	.337	.556

Mike Cameron

Period	AVG	OBP	SLG
Current	.231	.320	.481
Balance	.246	.329	.443
Total	.240	.325	.461

Gabe Kapler

Period	AVG	OBP	SLG
Current	.315	.352	.517
Balance	.272	.332	.425
Total	.294	.341	.471

Corey Hart

Period	AVG	OBP	SLG
Current	.289	.327	.504
Balance	.285	.340	.496
Total	.287	.331	.501

Ben Sheets

Period	ERA	IP	H	K	BB	WHIP
Current	2.85	123	109	108	28	1.11
Balance	3.47	87	81	71	22	1.18
Total	3.11	210	190	179	50	1.14

CC Sabathia

Period	ERA	IP	H	K	BB	WHIP
Current	3.67	137.3	130	137	40	124
Balance	3.21	98	94	86	25	1.22
Total	3.48	235	224	223	65	1.23

Jeff Suppan

Period	ERA	IP	H	K	BB	WHIP
Current	4.71	101.3	118	55	44	1.60
Balance	4.44	72	82	42	27	1.52
Total	4.60	173	200	97	71	1.57

Manny Parra

Period	ERA	IP	H	K	BB	WHIP
Current	3.78	100	99	78	50	1.49
Balance	3.98	71	70	57	31	1.42
Total	3.86	171	169	135	81	1.46

Dave Bush

Period	ERA	IP	H	K	BB	WHIP
Current	4.39	106.7	97	66	26	1.15
Balance	4.19	76	76	52	19	1.25
Total	4.30	182	173	118	45	1.19

Son of Clung

Period	ERA	IP	H	K	BB	WHIP
Current	4.16	75.7	66	64	36	1.35
Balance	4.53	54	51	40	24	1.40
Total	4.32	129	117	104	60	1.37

Cal State-Fullerton outfielder Erik Komatsu is quickly becoming a favorite of mine. I haven't seen him play, but his line at Helena (.326/.393/.516) conjures up images of a sweet lefty swing lacing liners into the gap. At only 5'10", Komatsu is short for an outfielder, but as his old coach said, "He may be 5-foot-10, but he hits like he's 6-4. He has thunder in that bat." Komatsu's will surely be among the most eagerly anticipated of all full season debuts next year.

BCB: Did you know the Brewers were interested in you before the draft?

EK: Yeah, I had a meeting with the area scout during the season.

BCB: What other teams were interested in you?

EK: Pretty much everybody, but obviously not as much as the Brew Crew [was].

BCB: Did you draw any scouting interest back at Vanguard [University] or Oxnard [College], or not until you got to Fullerton?

EK: Not at Vanguard, some at Oxnard, a lot more at a powerhouse like Fullerton.

BCB: Do you think playing at a big-time program like Fullerton helped you improve your game at all, or did it just help you get exposure?

EK: Both.

BCB: Were you expecting to get drafted higher, lower, or about where you went?

EK: I was expecting to go higher. I think everybody does, but I was happy after it was all said and done.

BCB: Where were you expecting to go?

EK: Anywhere from the third to the fifth round.

BCB: Do you think you fell a bit because of your relatively small size?

EK: Maybe, I'm not sure. It is what it is.

BCB: The Brewers also drafted your Fullerton teammate, shortstop Joe Scott, in the 42nd round. Can you describe his game? Have you heard anything about him signing?

EK: He's a team guy--does what's best for the team. He's more a defensive specialist but can surprise you sometimes with the bat. I haven't heard anything about him signing.

BCB: Has the team talked to you at all about moving up to West Virginia before the season is over?

EK: I haven't heard anything. I'm not worried about it. I'm just trying to go out and play the game everyday and have fun.

BCB: It seems like after a bit of a rough start, the H-Brewers are going pretty well now. You have some good pitchers on that squad.

EK: Yeah, all the guys are pretty sweet.

BCB: Which of your teammates have impressed you the most?

EK: Pitching-wise, probably [Trey] Watten; Brock Kjeldgaard is hot with the stick right now, especially after switching from a pitcher.

BCB: What about Watten has impressed you so much?

EK: He is business--he goes out and deals every time

BCB: Who has the best pure stuff on the team?

EK: I couldn't tell you. (laughs)

BCB: How about opposing pitchers that you've faced?

EK: Most of ‘em are pretty standard: throw hard and try to get a fastball by you. But [Rockies' 26th-round pick] Adam Jorgenson, my teammate from Fullerton, is doin' well. [Diamondbacks 2nd-round pick] Bryan Shaw from Long Beach has good stuff.

BCB: Do you have a nickname?

EK: "Komo".

BCB: I was going to suggest "Nardcore". Not so much?

EK: Negative.

BCB: Fair enough. Who wins a home run derby between Kjeldgaard, Chris Dennis, and you? We'll throw Josh Romanski in as a dark horse, too.

EK: (laughs) Me and Romanski dominate, and the little guys lose.

BCB: Oh, one last thing: we threw your name in our Home Run Derby poll, and you got six votes! So you've got some fans.

EK: (laughs) Sweet deal.

BCB: Thanks for the time. Keep tearing it up.

EK: No problem. Thanks.

I'm republishing this because comments closed on the old post.

1. RHP Jake Odorizzi, Highland HS (IL)
1. LHP Evan Frederickson, University of San Francisco
2. RHP Seth Lintz, Marshall County HS (TN)
2. OF Cutter Dykstra, Westlake HS (CA)
2. RHP Cody Adams, Southern Illinois University
3. OF Logan Schafer, Cal Poly San Luis Obispo
4. LHP Josh Romanski, San Diego University
5. RHP Maverick Lasker, Sandra Day O'Connor HS (AZ)
6. SS Jose Duran, Texas A&M University
7. RHP Trey Watten, Abilene Christian University
8. OF Erik Komatsu, Cal State Fullerton
9. RHP Michael Bowman, Virginia Military Institute
10. RHP Greg Miller, Seton Hall University
11. SS Mike Marseco, Samford University
12. RHP Garrett Sherrill, Appalachian State University
13. RHP Rob Wooten, University of North Carolina
14. C Corey Kemp, East Carolina University
15. RHP Mark Willinsky, Santa Clara University
16. RHP Stosh Wawrzasek, Walnut Grove SS (BC)
17. RHP Damon Krestalude, Port St. Lucie HS (FL)
18. RHP Nic Bucci, St. Patrick HS (ON)
19. RHP Blake Billings, Hillcrest HS (AL)
20. RHP Liam Ohlmann, Manchester CC (CT)
21. LHP Lucas Luetge, Rice University
22. RHP Ben Jeffers, Chipola JC (FL)
24. LHP Brandon Ritchie, Grand Rapids CC (MI)
25. SS John Delaney, Quinnipiac University
26. C Derrick Alfonso, Louisville Univsersity
31. RHP Brandon Rapoza, Flagler College
35. OF Mike Vass, Chapman University
38. C Mike Roberts, Virginia Military Institute
46. SS Carlos George, James Monroe HS (NY)
48. RHP Marcus Salmon, Miami Dade CC (FL)
49. LHP Daniel Meadows, Temple JC (TX)
999. OF Brandon Drespling, Westminster College

Taylor Green, an unheralded 25th-round draft-and-follow in 2005, exploded onto the Brewers' prospect scene last year, hitting .327/.406/.516 for West Virginia after barely making the team out of spring training. He hasn't stopped hitting since, currently sporting a .285/.369/.420 line in the very hitter-unfriendly Florida State League. Most famously, of course, he's rumored to be one of the players Cleveland has to choose from to complete the CC Sabathia deal, but unfortunately he knows about as much about that as we do.

BCB: Have you heard anything new about the trade?

TG: No, I haven't. I haven't really heard anything at all about the trade. All I heard was that my name came up in it, and that's about it.

BCB: I've heard that the players the Indians have to choose from will change depending on how well Sabathia does for the Brewers and how well the Brewers do the rest of the season. Do you know anything about that?

TG: No man, sorry. I don't know anything about the trade at all. I wish I did. (laughs)

BCB: How do you feel about your season so far?

TG: Our season is going all right so far, a lot of ups and downs, but we’re working hard to keep getting better.

BCB: What about you personally?

TG: My season has been going all right. You learn a lot about mental preparation in this league with all the rain delays, more than the wind, heat, or anything else. Trying to keep mentally focused during the delays is the toughest part.

BCB: Dealing with Space Coast Stadium regularly has to imbue you with some mental toughness, too. How frustrating is it hitting there?

TG: (laughs) Yeah. The stadium is a lot tougher for right-handed batters than left. I've seen tons of balls crushed to left field that just die at the warning track. I’m left-handed, and the ball goes pretty decently to right field; it’s just those hits to left-center in the gap that get ran down a lot more often.

BCB: Tell me a little about Jonathan Lucroy. He's right-handed and seems to be handing the FSL just fine. Is he the real deal?

TG: Yeah, he's unbelievable. He absolutely crushes balls. He's one of the best hitters I've ever played with.

BCB: All four of his homers have been hit at Space Coast, actually. Is he going oppo or is he just that strong?

TG: He has cut balls through the wind to left field and has gone oppo. It’s been really impressive to watch.

BCB: I interviewed Stephen Chapman earlier this year, and he said that in his opinion, you were the surest bet of anyone on the team to play in the big leagues. How do you feel about that, and who's your pick?

TG: I feel pretty honored for him to say that. We’ve lived together for two years now, so maybe he’s biased. (laughs) I think we have a bunch of guys on this team that will play in the big leagues, so it’s too hard to pick just one.

BCB: That's very diplomatic of you. How about you throw out somebody that maybe isn't getting talked about as much as a guy like you or Lucroy, someone whose stats don't really pop out at you but that you really feel has a chance to play at the highest level?

TG: I think Alex Periard is a guy who will have success at the highest level. He has a sharp, downward fastball that he throws about 91 to 94. He can hit the corners with it consistently and can throw his offspeed stuff for strikes.

BCB: Do you enjoy playing behind guys like Periard that generate a lot of groundballs and keep you on your toes?

TG: It’s awesome. Chris Cody and Bobby Bramhall are also awesome at doing that.

BCB: It seems like Jeremy Jeffress is getting more grounders this year too. Is he doing anything differently from when you played with him at West Virginia last year?

TG: He is unbelievable. It’s amazing to watch him pitch. He’s keeping the ball down in the zone, so that is probably why he is getting more groundouts.

BCB: Speaking of playing the infield, and this of course ties in to the trade rumors, but do you prefer playing second or third? Which are you better at?

TG: I enjoy both of them. At third, I like how you are so close to the action, and at second, I really like turning the double play.

BCB: But you don't feel like you're significantly better at one or the other?

TG: No, they have me playing third right now, so I’m just working as hard as I can at that position. I’ll play any position I need to in order to make it, though. (laughs)

BCB: Had you played any third base before they moved you there at the beginning of last year? I get the sense that you ended up playing it because they didn't really have anyone else to.

TG: No, Garth Iorg came up to me with a couple of days left before spring training and asked me if I would play third. Of course I said yes, trying to make the West Virginia team.

BCB: You were kind of an overlooked guy in the organization prior to 2007, but then you had a great year and won the organizational Player of the Year award. Do you think you took the team by surprise?

TG: I’m not really sure; I try not to think about that stuff too often. I just try and go out there and do the best I can, and then hopefully everything works out.

BCB: Do you enjoy being in an organization with so many other Canadians? Did that help you get comfortable after being drafted?

TG: (laughs) I’m not sure—I’ve never really thought about that. I lived in California for two years before I signed, so I was pretty used to everything by then. It is nice to be able to talk to people from home about the hockey playoffs and everything, though. (laughs)

BCB: Do you know any of the recent Brewers' Canadian draftees? Brett Lawrie and [16th-round selection] Stosh Wawrzasek in particular are both from BC too.

TG: I know them a little bit, not very well though. Growing up I played with Brett's sister, Danielle, who is going to the Olympics as well, for softball.

BCB: Oh yeah? Did she strike you out?

TG: (laughs) We never played against each other. We still argue and wonder to this day about that though. Also, I know [2007 13th-round Ontario native] Chris Dennis through instructional ball and spring training, and we have the same agent.

BCB: Speaking of your agent, how do you feel about him having a blog? Some people were rather critical of him in the wake of the Sabathia deal for saying that Michael Brantley for sure wasn't on the table, and then quickly retracting it.

TG: I don't mind at all. That stuff is up to him. He’s done an outstanding job with me and that’s all I really know about.

BCB: How do you feel about sports blogs in general, particular when it comes to discussing yourself? Have you ever googled yourself to see what people are saying?

TG: I think sports blogs are great because it generates excitement. I’ve never googled myself, though, to see what people are saying. (laughs)

BCB: Well that's pretty much all we've got for you, man. We really appreciate you taking the time. Keep tearing it up, even if you end up as an Indian!

TG: (laughs) Right on, man. Thanks.