24 Aug, 2005

Miller, Norton named outstanding pitchers

Chatham's Andrew Miller of North Carolina and Falmouth's Tim Norton of U. Conn were named co-winners of the B.F.C. Whitehouse Outstanding Pitcher Award for their summer work. 

Miller was perfect in the win column for the A's, going 6-0 in seven starts. The towering 6-6 lefty dominated hitters, giving up only 22 hits and striking out 66 batters in just 49 innings of work, while maintaining a minuscule 1.65 ERA. In Chatham's only playoff win, Miller tossed eight innings against Orleans, getting a no-decision while striking out 10 and giving up three hits. On the mound at UNC, Miller was 8-4 with a 2.98 ERA and ranked second in the ACC with 104 strikeouts. 

It didn't take Norton long to make his presence known on the Cape. The right-handed Commodore hurled a two-hitter in his first appearance this summer and was named the league's first 2005 Coca Cola Pitcher of the Week. 

The 6-5 hurler was equally impressive throughout the rest of the summer, finishing with a 5-1 record and a 1.77 ERA. In 10 appearances, including nine starts, Norton tossed 61.0 innings, yielding just 15 walks while tallying 77 strikeouts, second in the league. 

Norton, a Pascoag, R.I., native, and former Cotuit Kettleer John Kelly are the only players from UConn to be named as the outstanding pitcher in a CCBL season. The prestigious award was first given to Bernie Kilroy (BC) of Cotuit in 1964. 

Miller selected McNeece top Pro Prospect 

For two summers, the Chatham A's' Andrew Miller (North Carolina) has shut down the best college players in the country with remarkable ease. 

The 6'6", 195-pound flame-throwing southpaw followed up his fine 2004 season with an even more impressive performance in 2005, earning Robert A. McNeece Outstanding Pro Prospect Award. He was also named the league's outstanding pitcher. 

Early in the season, Chatham general manager Charlie Thoms predicted his team's success would hinge on the performance of its lefty ace, who many predict could be the No. 1 player taken overall in next year's MLB draft.

Following his first summer on the Cape in 2004, Miller was named the Cape League's No. 1 Major League prospect by Baseball America. He rejoined the A's again in 2005 after a strong sophomore campaign in Chapel Hill. 

The Gainesville, Fla., native went 8-4 with a 2.98 ERA and 104 strikeouts for the Tar Heels this spring, before becoming part of a talented Chatham pitching staff that included Robert Woodard, Jared Hughes and Derrick Lutz. Miller has a smooth wind-up and delivery and also throws incredibly hard. 

"He looks like he's playing catch out there," Thoms said. "He can reach back and light up the gun at 98 miles per hour."