Published On:Friday, June 10, 2011

By RENALDO DORSETT

Sports Reporter

rdorsett@tribunemedia.net

SHORTLY after being drafted into the major leagues, the latest member of the elite group of Bahamians to achieve the honour called it the culmination of a life-long dream.

Nova Southeastern Sharks pitcher Sean Albury was selected by the Milwaukee Brewers with the 941st overall pick in the 31st round of the Major League Baseball Draft First-Year Player.

Albury said after the anxiety of monitoring two days of draft coverage, hearing his name called as a selection came as a relief.

"The second day came around...I thought that was going to be my day but unfortunately that didn't happen. Then the third day came around...right when it started my name got called and it felt like a weight was lifted off my shoulders," he said.

"It felt amazing and I felt like I reached the point where I could do what I've always wanted to do. It took a lot of hard work and dedication but I made it and I'm very excited about it."

Right-hand ace Albury finished his senior season with a 7-2 win/loss record and a 2.08 ERA.

The 22-year-old was named to the National Collegiate Baseball Writers Association (NCBWA) All-South Region Team and was also named as a member of the (ABCA) American Baseball Coaches Association All-South Region teams.

He was one of a class of 24 pitchers chosen by the Brewers over the course of the draft which included seven left-handed pitchers and 17 right- handed pitchers.

"When they started taking pitcher after pitcher after pitcher, I starting thinking to myself there is still hope, there is still a lot of teams out there that haven't taken a pitcher. Right before the draft, my coach told me the scout from the Brewers liked me and he was pretty sure he would be picking me up. After seeing so many pitchers taken, naturally I had my doubts but soon enough I got picked up," Albury said.

Message

"(The organisation's) message to me was that we wouldn't have drafted you if we didn't think you were going to be in the big leagues one day. We see you as one of our top prospects later on in the future. They told me to just keep doing hard work because I had been working hard my whole life and now they expect me to keep going even harder to reach the next level in my progression," Albury added.

His focus now shifts to a minor league career which begins in Helena, Montana, in short season Little A baseball, after which the natural progression is to High A, Double A, Triple A and onto the Major Leagues.

Consistency

"One of the things I have to work on is my consistency, particularly my command on my off- speed pitches. I have a lot of confidence in my fastball. I just have to be more consistent with my change up and my curve ball," Albury said. "Those will be the key to keeping batters off balanced and switching up my game."

Albury closed out a star-studded career as one of the Sharks' major contributors on the mound.

In his junior year, Albury earned NCBWA and ABCA/Rawlings Second Team All-America honours, was named first-team All-Sunshine State Conference, and was also selected to the Daktronics first-team all-region, first-team NCBWA all-region and ABCA/Rawlings first-team all-region.

He allowed just two runs in 23 and one third innings pitched for a 0.77 ERA. He struck out 37 batters and gave up just a .134 batting average with a 2-1 record and 10 saves in 20 appearances.

Albury finished with 10 saves and 16 consecutive scoreless outings.