6 FAU Owls Drafted by MLB

By: Benjamin Schiller, a student at Logger’s Run Middle School
Now that the 2015 MLB First Year Player Draft has concluded, six former FAU Owls heard their names called on Day 2 and as well Day 3. The six FAU graduates include offensive weapons Brendon Sanger, Roman Collins, and Billy Endris, along with pitching studs Drew Jackson, Kyle Miller, and Seth McGarry.

Brendon Sanger
Brendon Sanger

The first of the six who were drafted was Right Fielder Brendon Sanger. The 21 year old went 135th overall to the LA Angels in the fourth round. The 160th overall draft prospect, according to MLB.com, stands at 6’0″ and weighs 190 pounds. The new Halo bats left and throws right. The Right Fielder could be attractive to fantasy baseball groups who are keeping an eye on this year’s Major League drafts for their DraftKings player lineups.
The 2015 Conference USA Player of the Year, just finished his junior year at FAU and he started all of the games this season for FAU. Sanger played impressively, batting .370, coming in second in the league with 57 runs as well as 85 hits, third with four triples, and seventh with 48 RBI’s. He finishes his college and Owl career, becoming Florida Atlantic’s all-time triples leader with 10.
Roman Collins
Roman Collins

Next on the list is Outfielder Roman Collins, who was drafted by the Kansas City Royals at 159th overall in the fifth round. The 21 year old, stands at 6’2″, weighs 205 pounds, bats left, and throws left.
This kid can hit as he had a batting average of .296, scoring 44 runs, while driving in 53. In 216 at bats, the Maple Grove, MN native had 33 walks, 64 hits, with 23 of them being extra base hits. Within the 23 extra base hits, 12 of them were doubles, 5 were triples, and 6 of them round-trippers. Also, Collins successfully stole a base four out of seven times. If he reaches his potential, he can become a 5-tool player. The college junior ran 60 yards in 6.65 seconds.
Later Tuesday afternoon, Florida Atlantic’s star reliever, Seth McGarry was drafted in the 8th round, 247th overall, by the Pittsburgh Pirates. The Bradenton resident stands at 6’1″, weighing 180 pounds.
McGarry is a right handed pitcher who posted dominant numbers with the Owls this season, posting a 2.43 era, a 4 – 1 record, and 5 saves, in his 20 appearances this spring. To add to his season totals, he pitched 37 innings, with 33 punch outs and 13 walks. It’s a coincidence that the Pirates play in Bradenton for spring training and their High A farm team plays in Bradenton throughout the season.
Draft Day 3
Pitcher Kyle Miller was drafted Wednesday at 563rd overall in the 19th round by the Chicago Cubs. The 21 year old stands at 6’1″, weighing at 165 pounds. The righty starter posted a 3.77 era, a 6 – 3 record, in 15 starts. The Fort Myers native pitched 76.1 innings, striking out 59, while walking 17.
The fifth Owl drafted was another right-handed starter, Drew Jackson, in the 35th round by the reigning World Series Champs, the San Francisco Giants. The 22 year old stands at 6’3″, weighing 180 pounds. The Naples native was dominant this season and it was sure a surprise he fell all the way to the 35th round. The FAU grad posted a 2.10 era, 6–3 record, 1 complete game, in 68.2 innings, with 52 strike outs and 15 walks, in 12 starts.
The last FAU player drafted was Billy Endris who fell to the Kansas City Royals in the 39th round, joining Roman Collins. The Tampa native stands at 6’2″, weighing 185 pounds. The FAU junior batted .300, in 37 games, with 18 hits and 11 walks in only 60 at bats. He had two doubles with three triples, along with 6 steals. The new Royal had 8 RBI’s, while scoring 15 times.
Note: These stats are from this season (2015), excluding NCAA regionals.

Michael Sam and the NFL's Anti-Gay Bias

Illinois v Missouri
The NFL and the sports media complex have been effusively bragging about how Michael Sam being drafted by the Rams shows the NFL has become inclusive and respectful of homosexuals. It’s a lie. It’s great that he accepted into the team, but will this affect how many people pick him for their fantasy teams? For more fantasy football news and analysis visit FanDuel.com.
Sam was the defensive player of the year in the Southeastern Conference. Those who follow football know that the SEC is the strongest conference in college football. So being named their best defensive player is a huge accomplishment.
Here’s a key statistic about that honor:
Since 2006, every SEC defensive player of the year was drafted in the first round.
Here are the picks going back to 2004:
2012: Jarvis Jones was drafted 17th overall in the first round
2011: Morris Claiborne – 6th pick, 1st round
2010: Patrick Peterson – 5th pick, 1st round
2009: Rolando McClain – 8th pick, 1st round
2008: Eric Berry – 5th pick, 1st round
2007: Glenn Dorsey – 5th pick, 1st round
2006: Patrick Willis – 11th pick, 1st round
2005: Demeco Ryans – 33rd pick, 2nd round
2004: David Pollack – 17th pick, 1st round
Ryans just missed the first round, going as the first pick of the 2nd round. Altogether the previous nine were picked, on average, on the 12th overall pick.
2013: Michael Sam – 249th pick, 7th round
Michael Sam was drafted 249th?
I’ve seen various explanations why Sam was projected as a mid-round pick dealing with his size, speed, etc. They’re all nonsense. The simple fact is that he had a great year in 2013 – much better than #1 pick Jadeveon Clowney had at the same position – against the best offensive lines in college football. The guys he beat to get his sacks will be the same guys trying to block him in the NFL.
Sports Illustrated reported after his “I’m gay” announcement that several NFL executives and coaches “project a significant drop in Sam’s draft stock.”
So let’s stop the puffery that Sam being drafted shows the NFL has become inclusive. His fall to the 7th round shows instead that the NFL remains horrendously bigoted against homosexuals. At worst he should have gone in the 2nd.
And let’s keep in mind that the NFL seems to have little problem drafting players with criminal records. Michael Sam has never been arrested for anything. In the NFL criminals are favored over homosexuals.
West Boca News is placing its bet right now. Michael Sam will make the team and have a long and successful NFL career.
Disclosure: I’m a heterosexual male. I’m not gay and I’ve never played one on TV. I’m neither pro-gay nor anti-gay. And I am a football fan.