Brewer Proves Himself in the Fog

I wrote this profile of Vanderbilt's Russell Brewer for the company I work with MVP Scout (mvpscout.com).

CHATHAM, MA – The Chatham Anglers’ opponent this week was not the Wareham Gatemen, Hyannis Mets, or the Brewster Whitecaps, it was the weather. Chatham is notorious for having a mysterious, thick fog that coats Chatham’s home field, Veteran’s Field, and last weekend the fog cut Chatham’s first two games of the season short. Friday’s game lasted two innings, but on Saturday the Anglers were able to play 8 innings and get their first win of the season against the Hyannis Mets defeating them 4 – 1.
Russell Brewer, a right hand closer from Vanderbilt, also got his first win of the summer in the deep midst of the Chatham fog. After Boston College’s Mike Dennhardt pitched four innings and after the first 30 minute fog delay, Brewer, standing at 6 feet and weighing in at 190 pounds, came in for relief for two innings. The righty threw hard sinking fastballs and change ups leaving the Hyannis batters fooled. In his two innings pitched he struck out six batters. He gave up two singles in the fifth but pulled it together and struck out the next three batters getting Chatham out of a jam. Although it was foggy, cold, and the air was moist, Brewer stuck out the next three batters he faced in the sixth showing why he was named the Russ Ford Outstanding Relief Pitcher of the Year last summer at the Cape for his season with the Hyannis Mets. Brewer was relieved in the 7th by his Vanderbilt teammate Taylor Hill.
Chatham’s pitching coach Tyler Kincaid says that he is trying to get to know Brewer and is familiar with him through his season with Hyannis last summer. “We are trying to work on his control with his two-seam [fastball] and that is pretty much it,” said Kincaid. “He threw a very good four-seam [fastball] yesterday against Y-D (Yarmouth-Dennis Red Sox). It just exploded on the batters,” said Kincaid. Brewer’s fastball clocks in between 93 – 95mph and Kincaid says that all Brewer wants to do is “get saves. So we will put him in all summer and just have him as a workhorse at the end.”
Brewer’s season last summer at the Cape Cod League was impressive. He had 12 saves out of 12 attempts, 17 strikeouts, and a 2.74 ERA in 18 appearances and 23 innings. He was the first Hyannis Mets pitcher to win the Russ Ford award since 1991. His pitching coach with Hyannis, Chad Gassman said when Brewer “steps on the mound, he is ready to pitch. If we can get to the end of a game with a lead, it is usually going to be secured as a win.” As for this season Brewer says his goals are to “try to repeat last summer and get to Fenway on July 23rd.” The Cape Cod League All Star game will be held on July 23rd making it the first time at Fenway Park in 22 years.
Originally Brewer was recruited by Vanderbilt as a position player and had not pitched in over two years before the spring of 2007. Brewer said, “I came in as primarily an infielder. I threw a little bit in the fall and then I went off freshmen summer and told them I could pitch. I had a pretty good summer,” said Brewer. He proved himself the summer of his freshman year. He started out as strictly a starter with a 4 – 2 record during his season with the Waynesboro Generals of the Valley Baseball League in Virginia. He had an impressive 2.15 ERA and two shutout complete games in his 11 appearances in Virginia. “Then I came back to Vanderbilt and Coach said that if I wanted to get playing time I should pitch,” said Brewer. The sophomore then turned to closer when the Commodores found themselves without one. “I started doing mid-relief and then just made my way to closer. Then I came up [to Cape Cod] and my coach saw me pitch on TV and wanted me to be their closer,’ said Brewer.
As for the major leagues Brewer said he has talked to a few teams before the draft but none recently. Some of the teams he has talked to are the Yankees, the Angels, and the Orioles.
Brewer’s coach from Vanderbilt says Brewer “is as consistent as any pitcher we have. He could be used in many roles, but really flourishes at the end of the game because of his attitude.” At the end of Brewer’s 2009 season at Vanderbilt Brewer had a record of 1 – 2 and a 2.96 ERA in 27 innings pitched. Although Brewer is known to have trouble with control, he has proved himself to be a force to be reckoned with especially on the fields of the Cape. Chatham’s 2008 season was not as successful as expected, but this year with pitchers like Brewer, Chatham is looking tougher for teams to beat this summer. Brewer said, “If I get 12 saves again this summer then we are winning a lot of ball games.”