Dave Bush Will Make Major League Debut Friday Night
7/2/2004 12:00:00 AM | Baseball
July 2, 2004
WINSTON-SALEM, N.C. - Former Wake Forest All-American Dave Bush makes his major league debut for the Toronto Blue Jays on Friday when they open a three-game interleague series against the Montreal Expos.
Toronto purchased Bush's contract on Thursday from Syracuse, where he was 6-6 with a 4.06 ERA in 16 starts. The right-handed hurler was impressive in his last start after he allowed one run and five hits in eight innings at Indianapolis. Bush also struck out five batters to reclaim the International League lead with 88 punch outs this season.
Bush, a two-time All-American for the Demon Deacons, finished his four-year career as Wake Forest's all-time leader in saves (38) and the ACC's all-time leader in appearances (142). He was selected by Toronto in the second round of the 2002 Major League Baseball first year player draft. The 13th pick of the second round (55th overall), Bush was the Blue Jays' second overall pick.
Bush, a native of Devon, Pa., finished his senior season in 2002 with an NCAA-leading 40 appearances, an 8-1 record and a 1.64 ERA with 13 saves. He struck out 61 batters in 60.1 innings. His value to the Deacons could not be overestimated as the team was 73-0 over his last two seasons when leading after seven innings.
Bush left Wake Forest as one of the most decorated players in school history having earned All-America honors as a junior and a senior, a Smith Award semifinalist, a Dick Howser Award semifinalist and was called the best closer in college baseball by several national publications including Baseball America. He was featured in Sports Illustrated, Baseball America, Tampa Tribune, St. Petersburg Times, Philadelphia Inquirer and the Winston-Salem Journal.
After recovering from a life-threatening blood clot during the winter before his senior season, Bush led the Deacons to 47 wins, tying the school record and an unprecenteded fifth consecutive NCAA Tournament appearance.