Freshman of the Year: Brooks Raley, Texas A&M Freshman of the Year: Brooks Raley, Texas A&M
By John Helsey
Published: May 20, 2008
The Aggies were hoping for some contribution from freshman Brooks Raley this season.
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Something modest would have been understandable.
Something major is what they got.
Raley emerged as A&M's Friday night starter, going 3-1 on the mound in Big 12 games, despite typically being matched against the league's aces. At 6-1 overall, he's helped with the bat, too, batting .278 in spot duty in the Aggies outfield.
A left-hander, Raley — if the name's familiar, it's because he's the younger brother of former OU standout Russell Raley — started the season in the bullpen for A&M and earned his enhanced role with a string of strong relief performances.
Before last Friday's series-opening setback to Texas, the Aggies hadn't lost in any of Raley's 10 starts.
"He has no fear,” A&M coach Rob Childress told a reporter last week. "That's the thing that has allowed him to be consistent on Friday every week in conference. When he hasn't been sharp, he finds a way to keep us in a game.
"When he has been sharp, he has dominated. He's never had a bad day, and that is a tribute to his toughness.”
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