LOS ANGELES – While Issac Morales and Derrick Loop are pitching well this summer in the minor leagues, another former Cal State L.A. hurler, Mike Burns, is making a splash with the Milwaukee Brewers.
Burns, who earned All-California Collegiate Athletic Association honors twice for Cal State L.A. in 1999 and 2000, picked up the first Major League victory of his career last month and is currently holding down a spot in the Milwaukee Brewers’ starting rotation.
Burns got his first victory on June 30 when he limited the New York Mets to five hits and two runs over 6 2/3 innings. Burns got the win over Johan Santana. Then, he allowed six hits and three runs against the Los Angeles Dodgers on July 11 to record his second win. Burns, who made his first Major League start on June 25, is 2-2 with a 5.54 earned run average for the Brewers.
Burns, originally drafted by the Houston Astros in the 30th round in 2000, made 46 Major League appearances for Houston, Cincinnati and Boston – all in relief – prior to this year. He signed with Milwaukee in the off-season.
Burns, who began his Cal State L.A. career as a shortstop, earned 13 wins as a pitcher over his final three seasons with the Golden Eagles. He was 5-3 with a 3.26 earned run average in 1999 as a junior and was 5-5 with a 3.44 earned run average as a senior in 2000.
He made his Major League debut for the Astros in 2005 and he also made relief appearances in 2006 for the Reds and Red Sox. He pitched in the Cubs’ minor league system in 2008 and was signed by the Brewers in January.
Morales, who recorded a 24-8 record in his just-completed four-year Cal State L.A. career, has a 0-0 record with one save and a sparkling 0.82 earned run average in seven relief appearances for the Gulf Coast League Marlins. He has walked two and struck out 10 in 11 innings of work. Morales, who finished his collegiate career with more wins than any pitcher in the program’s history, was selected by the Marlins in the 34th round.
Loop, who was drafted by the Cincinnati Reds in 2006 and signed by Boston after pitching in an independent league in 2008, is continuing his impressive season with the Class-A Salem Red Sox. He is 3-3 with a 2.03 earned run average and appeared in the Carolina League-California League All-Star game last month in Lake Elsinore. He has a team-high 12 saves and has walked 19 and struck out 53 in 48 2/3 innings of work.
Travis Tartamella is hitting .208 in seven games with the Johnson City Cardinals. Tartamella slugged a grand slam home run on Monday for the Cardinals. He was taken in the 19th round by the St. Louis Cardinals after a brilliant season as catcher for the Golden Eagles. He earned All-CCAA and All-West Region honors for Cal State L.A.
Henry Contreras, another Cal State L.A. catcher who was drafted in 2008 by the Seattle Mariners in the 24th round, is back with the Arizona League Mariners. He hit .345 for the club in 2008 and is hitting .368 with one home run and four RBI in 10 games and 19 at bats.