Jim Colony: Brault Taking Advantage Of Big League Look
PITTSBURGH (93-7 The Fan) - If pitcher Steven Brault isn't your favorite Pirates' minor leaguer, then he should be.
First of all, he's good. After coming over from the Orioles' system last off-season, Brault quickly advanced from Bradenton to Double-A Altoona, where he went 9-3 with a 2.00 ERA, 80 strikeouts and 19 walks in 90 innings, and a WHIP of 1.01, which earned him an invite to the major league camp.
Brault was the third leg of a pitching prospects showcase last Saturday against the Braves, following Tyler Glasnow and Jamison Taillon, and allowed 2 runs on 3 hits, no walks and 1 strikeout.
"He's fearless," says catcher Chris Stewart who caught all three. "He wasn't afraid to throw any pitch in any situation; whatever they did with it they did with it."
"That's obviously awesome to hear someone like Chris Stewart say that about me; that's really cool," says Brault, who is from San Diego. "If you're going to be out there, what's the point if you're not just going to go for it?"
Take, for example, the first batter Brault faced.
"My first spring training hitter, ever, was Nick Markakis and he hit a bomb off me. I get him 0-2 and he hits one 600 feet. Next batter, (Freddie) Freeman that's cool, then Kelly Johnson, wow this is pretty cool," Brault said.
Brault knows the deal this spring. No matter how well he does, he'll head back to Pirate City and will start the season back in Double-A with a chance to move up to Indianapolis, maybe sooner rather than later. In the meantime, Brault says he's "a sponge," picking up anything and everything, especially from veteran lefthanders Francisco Liriano, Jon Niese and Jeff Locke.
By the way, Brault isn't completely fearless.
"I guess I am afraid of alligators; they're always hungry, at least that what it seems to me," he said.
Enjoy the interview: