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The Loggers right-hander from Dallas Baptist University pitched two straight season openers in the Texas Collegiate League and has a no-hitter on his resume.
Brantley also beat Oklahoma, ranked No. 14 in the nation at the time, this spring.
Brantley, a 6-foot-4,
195-pound native of Garland, Texas, will put his experience to use Thursday when he pitches the NWL season opener 7:05 p.m. Thursday at Rochester.
“You’re the first guy, it’s the biggest crowd, everybody’s been waiting nine months for baseball,” Brantley said Monday before the Loggers’ exhibition game against a Prairie du Chien amateur team at Dillman Field. “I think the biggest thing is just staying calm. When I beat Oklahoma, that was one of the biggest starts of my career. Before (the game), I slept on the bus and was just hanging out. You keep calm until you’re out there on the bump and then the adrenaline kicks in and you do your thing.“
Brantley’s approach has worked well. His no-hitter came on Feb. 25 in the Midland College Classic against Texas-Arlington. Brantley, a two-time Texas Collegiate League All-Star, went 8-5 with a 5.40 ERA in 17 games (15 starts) with 57 strikeouts and 38 walks in 85 innings.
“I’m not going to blow it by anybody,” Brantley said. “I can get it up to 90-92 (mph). I just rely on my stuff and get ground balls. That’s what’s going to get people out.“
Loggers pitching coach Chris Carlsen said Brantley’s attitude, as well as his repertoire, will serve him well in the NWL.
“We just went with him because he’s the guy who put in the most mileage to get here,” Carlsen joked. “You can tell he’s a calm, cool guy on the mound. In his bullpen session (Sunday) he kept the ball down and he has a lot of sink on his two-seam fastball. Once he shakes the rust off, he’s going to be dynamite.“
Carlsen said Dan Luczak, a 6-6, 215-pound right-hander from South Carolina, is the leading candidate to start Friday’s home opener.
“That could still change,” Carlsen said. “The plan is to have all or most of our pitchers start in the early part of the season, then we’ll figure out our setup and closer roles.“
The short-handed Loggers won the exhibition game 3-1.
THREE FOR 10: The Loggers signed three players to 10-day contracts to open the season.
Pitcher Brad Bjerke and catcher/pitcher Ben Barrone are both from Winona State and pitcher Adam Dominick is from UW-Whitewater.
Bjerke, a La Crescent, Minn., native, also started the 2005 season on a 10-day contract but never appeared in a game. Bjerke went 6-3 with a 3.88 ERA in 11 appearances (seven starts) this spring for WSU. The junior right-hander struck out 45 batters and walked eight.
Barrone, a junior, led the Warriors in home runs (16) and RBI (46) and batted .372 in 40 games. He also had six saves as WSU’s closer.
Dominick, a 6-5, 245-pound right-handed sophomore, was named All-WIAC first-team after going 7-1 with a 4.71 ERA in 12 appearances (10 starts) for the Warhawks.
Joel Badzinski can be reached at (608) 791-8402 or joel.badzinski@lee.net
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