UNLV grad aims to join famous father in the big show

Sammy Scherr

Friday, April 24, 2009 | midnight

Courtesy Boise Hawks Baseball Club

Former UNLV catcher Michael Brenly is now following in the footsteps of his father to pursue a professional baseball career. Brenly, pictured here with the single-A Boise Hawks is now a catcher for the Peoria Chiefs.

Courtesy Boise Hawks Baseball Club

Michael Brenly

AP Photo/David J. Phillip

Then Arizona Diamondbacks manager Bob Brenly listens to questions during a news conference at Bank One Ballpark before the 2001 World Series against the New York Yankees.

Few ballplayers are fortunate enough to play professionally. It is even more rare for a player to suit up for an organization his father works for.

Michael Brenly is looking to be one of those unique cases.

The UNLV graduate is a catcher for the Single-A Peoria Chiefs, a minor league affiliate of the Chicago Cubs, where his father, Bob Brenly, is a broadcaster. The elder Brenly, a former major league catcher, won the 2001 World Series as the manager of the Arizona Diamondbacks.

"Growing up with a dad that had the position that my dad did was pretty cool," Michael said. "I got to go on the field and in the clubhouse. I also got to know the guys and got some free clubs and bats."

The young slugger played at UNLV for three years, logging 55 games as catcher in both 2007 and 2008. He had his best year at the plate in his last season at UNLV, when he batted for an average of .307 with three home runs 34 RBIs.

He also had a fielding percentage of .994 in that year, a statistic that his old college coach finds very intriguing.

"The transition from high school to college is obviously a big jump, and Michael received some very valuable learning experience in his freshman and sophomore year," said UNLV baseball head coach Buddy Gouldsmith. "Being out there more and more, he learned more and certainly got a lot better as a defending catcher. His skills offensively were very consistent from the time he got here till the time he left. But his defensive skills improved as he went on."

The Cubs drafted the 22-year-old Brenly in the 36th round of the 2008 First-Year Player Entry Draft, and he shined in the 39 games he played last summer for the Single-A Boise Hawks, batting for an average of .325 with a .983 fielding percentage.

Since moving to the Chiefs, he has five hits in 11 at-bats for a team-leading .455 batting average.

"There is a little different sense of urgency when you're playing for a paycheck and every game could be the one that gets you called to the next level," he said. "You never know who is watching you, and someone could be watching that could help get you to the big leagues."

Bob Brenly, who played nine seasons in the major leagues, wishes his son similar success to his own. The elder Brenly was a member of the 1984 National League All-Star team, and won the Willie Mac Award that same year for his leadership and spirit on the San Francisco Giants.

"I just hope he has much fun as I did and makes some great friends and walks away with nothing but good memories," said Bob, who later managed the Diamondbacks from 2001-2004, collecting two division titles and the World Series Championship along the way.

If his son makes it to the big leagues, his father could be in a position to report on his son –- a scenario they are learning how to deal with.

"Being part of the Cubs organization is a mixed blessing," Bob Brenly said. "I can more closely follow his career and see how Michael and his team do on the organizational reports every day. Occasionally, because of his last name, he has dealt with some pretty cruel heckling in the past. Fortunately, he has handled it with great poise."

Mike Brenly understands reaching the big leagues will not be easy.

"Baseball is such a mental game that you can't afford to beat yourself up and dwell on the bad so much," he said. "I'm just going to work hard and wait for my chance, and when I get my opportunity never let them take it away from me."

Scherr is a UNLV undergraduate in the Hank Greenspun School of Journalism and Media Studies. He can be reached at sandlotsam23@aol.com.