Tim Day Selected In Major League Baseball Draft
6/8/2005 12:00:00 AM | Baseball
June 8, 2005
EAST LANSING, Mich. - Michigan State right-handed pitcher Tim Day (West Chester, Ohio) was selected by the Chicago White Sox in the 34th round of Major League Baseball's 2005 First-Year Player Draft. In addition, MSU signee Derek Mitchell, a shortstop from Paw Paw, Mich., was taken in the 23rd round by the Philadelphia Phillies.
As a red-shirt junior in 2005, Day appeared in 13 games for the Spartans, including 12 starts, posting a 4-6 record with a 5.50 ERA. He struck out a team-high 43 batters in 75 1/3 innings. He ranks sixth in Michigan State history in both career innings pitched (240) and career wins (18). His best outing of the season was a 2-0 shutout against Ohio State on April 15, striking out five Buckeyes and allowing eight hits. Day was awarded the Craig Hendricks Sportsmanship Award at the conclusion of the season. Day was a Louisville Slugger Freshman All-American in 2002, setting an MSU single-season mark for wins with an 11-3 record.
"I'm thrilled to death," said Day. "It's another step and the next opportunity for me to get where I want to be- in the major leagues. It's been my dream ever since I was a little kid. Hopefully things will work out.
"It's kind of funny because my sister just showed me a card of mine from Little League, and on the back it says `Favorite Team', and at the age of nine I said my favorite team was the White Sox. I remember I even had their Starter jacket."
Day is the sixth Spartan to be drafted by the White Sox and the first since Chicago selected Jerry Sutton in 1964.
"It's a great honor for Tim to get drafted," said MSU head coach Ted Mahan. "He deserves it. He's worked hard for four years. Even though he's got a year of eligibility left, we'll support him in whatever decision he makes."
Mitchell, a second-team all-state selection for Paw Paw in 2004, was the 697th player chosen in the draft. As of May 27, the 6-3 shortstop was hitting .506 with five home runs for a 23-6 Paw Paw squad.
