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**emkayseven** · 06-10-2010, 12:28 PM

Chris Squires finally got his Major League Baseball draft selection, and if it took the last day of his last draft opportunity, at least the Indiana senior relief pitcher gets his chance.

The Florida Marlins picked Squires, a former Canterbury standout, in the 37th round. He was the 1,127th player selected.

Squires finished as IU's career leader in saves (20) and appearances (89). He tied a school record with nine saves this past season with a school-record 31 appearances. He went 2-2 with a 4.73 earned-run average.

As a junior, Squires saved eight games and made All-Big Ten. He had an overall ERA of 3.93, but it was 2.59 as a relief pitcher.

As a sophomore, he had three saves. As a freshman, he was 2-1 with a 4.50 ERA.

Squires is the 13th Hoosier drafted in the last four seasons and the 10th in the last two years.

http://www.news-sentinel.com/apps/pb...S/6100340/1002

**LocoMarlinFan** · 06-18-2010, 10:12 PM

Signed

http://www.baseballamerica.com/draft....php?team=1027

**LocoMarlinFan** · 08-31-2010, 01:09 AM

Road to the Show: Interviewing Marlins Draftee Chris Squires
Written by Paddy McMahon
Friday, 18 June 2010 14:01
You probably don't know Chris Squires. So let me try to introduce him to you. I played on a team with him as an eight-year old, and again in high school ball. He's a pitcher, self-described as "as very deceptive and very max effort. [He] give[s] it [his] all in every pitch and use[s] [his] quick arm to deceive hitters on [his] pitches." I haven't seen him throw in awhile - since he went to Indiana University and became the most prolific closer in school history - but to give you a mental image, he's got the Orlando Hernandez high leg kick, and takes a long stride before unleashing fastballs from 89-92 or his invented pitch, called The Chair*.

*I never thought much of this name, but apparently it's so called because when hitters see it, they have to take a seat. Which makes more sense.

So why am I introducing him to you? Well, because the Florida Marlins selected him in the 37th round of the MLB draft. And I thought it would be interesting to take a look at the draft process through the lens of a kid I know and played with, because MLB's draft is the like wild card of the other professional drafts. The attrition rates of the players is higher, the payoff is more delayed, and the format - 50 rounds, with sandwich and supplemental picks - is rather archaic. Plus, you can't trade picks, and it takes place in the middle of the season, so there's much less pomp and circumstance. Stephen Strasburg and Bryce Harper have made something of a big name for the draft, but superstars like that don't come around every year; most times, it's the unglamorous players who win the day. And the fates and fortunes of the lesser-known players tend to go under the radar, so I figured this would be a good time to shed a little light on the process. Let's see what we can glean from Mr. Squires:

What were you doing during the days of the draft?

I didn't think I was going to go in the first round, so I watched the draft on MLB Network. The second day, I thought I was going to go, so I decided to play golf to get away from it all*. The third and final day, since I hadn't gone yet, I listened to the draft and watched the draft tracker while playing Call of Duty** with my teammate***.

*He did this after his junior year, as well. I played with him. Neither of us played well, though I suspect there was perhaps more on his mind than striking a golf ball. Much to our disappointment - he'd been projected as a good bet to be a top-20 round pick - the front nine came and went without his name being called. A couple of his teammates got picked, though, so there was something of a bright spot.

**The other draftee I know - look at me, dropping names! - is Simon Klink, who was doing more or less the exact same thing during the draft. The lesson here? Stay off the links and on the couch if you want to get drafted.

***I saw on his Facebook that another story about his being drafted mentioned that tidbit. Well, don't I feel scooped.

How did they notify you they got picked?

I was called by a scout about 30 seconds after my name was on the draft tracker*, and that call was followed by a call from my advisor/agent letting me know I'd finally been drafted.

*Technology!

Do the Marlins have any immediate plans for you and your fellow draftees?

We are all supposed to go down to Florida and participate in a three-day minicamp. Then we'll get separated into rookie ball and short-season teams*.

*Rookie ball is the lowest level of the farm system. Younger, rawer draftees tend to go here, as do international signees. When you hear 'extended spring training,' rookie ball is what they mean. Short-season is usually populated by college draftees and is so named because...well, because it's short. It's for new draftees, whose professional career begins in June rather than March. So it's like half a season.

At what point do they start talking contract with you?

As a senior, I don't have much bargaining leverage in terms of money*, so my contract was FedEx'd to me just a few days after the draft**.

*This is probably the reason he went undrafted after his junior year. The term 'senior sign' was thrown around a lot - i.e. by taking him after his senior campaign, they removed the option he'd have had to go back to school if he didn't like the terms of the contract. Seems kind of...raw, doesn't it?

**That seems really raw; negotiating can't be easy with an arrangement like that.

Do you have any expectations about the kind of money you'll be getting?

No specific monetary value; I am just glad to have the opportunity.

How do you feel about your drafting team being the Marlins? Did you have any preference as to where you'd end up?

I had no preference on what team was going to take me*, but I am extremely happy that it was the Marlins, given that they're known for developing the pitchers in their minor league system**.

*I doubt this. I'm sure it's a thrill just to be drafted; I understand that. But not hoping to be drafted by your favorite team? That's something you dream about all your baseballing life! Proximity to actualization shouldn't neutralize that; we're all fans at heart, after all.

**I don't doubt this. Josh Beckett, Josh Johnson, Livan Hernandez, Dontrelle Willis, Scott Olsen, Chris Volstad, and other useful parts like Taylor Tanksersley are some of the names the Marlins have developed in their brief history.

Anyway, that should help you get a little bit better idea of how the process works for draftees. I'm also hoping that, time permitting, we can keep you updated with Chris' progress throughout his career, on account of I think that'd be a good perspective to have.

http://atmajors.com/2010-articles/ju...s-squires.html

**FishFanInPA** · 08-31-2010, 01:27 AM

Is that the last time that Olsen and Tank have been mentioned with Beckett, JJ, Train and Livan?

**Ramp** · 08-31-2010, 11:45 AM

Yay Squires

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Chris Squires, RHP

Chris Squires, RHP

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