Notebook | M's draft UW's DuRocher

SAN DIEGO — It took brain surgery to turn Johnny DuRocher from a quarterback to a pitcher in his junior season with the Washington Huskies.

Now, DuRocher will try his hand at a pro baseball career with his boyhood team after being selected by the Mariners in the 34th round of the draft on Friday.

"It's exciting," said DuRocher, who had a brain tumor removed last year, forcing him to end his football career after three seasons with the Huskies

"I'm extremely lucky to be able to have the opportunity to play baseball, with the whole surgery thing. I'm really fortunate they found it [the tumor] when they did. It's great to have an opportunity to keep playing, and to do it with the team I grew up watching. It's just a really good deal."

DuRocher, out Bethel High in Graham, was the second Huskies pitcher selected by Seattle on the draft's whirlwind second day, in which the Mariners made 45 picks to bring their total to 51.

They also selected right-handed reliever Brandon McKerney from Washington in the 14th round. McKerney, out of Meadowdale High School in Lynnwood, was 3-1 with a 5.23 earned-run average in 21 appearances for the Huskies. He missed action early in the season with an elbow injury.

"We like him in the same role — a setup guy, a one-inning guy," said Jim Fitzgerald, the Mariners' Northwest scout. "He's got some arm strength, and some upside. He's a great kid, and his makeup is off the chart."

Though DuRocher worked just six innings for the Huskies this season, he showed enough raw skills to entice the Mariners to select him. Fitzgerald monitored him in bullpen sessions as well as in game action, and said he touched 90 mph on the radar gun.

"You're projecting on this guy," Fitzgerald said. "Anyone who can play quarterback in the Pac-10 has to be an athlete, and our draft philosophy is we like to draft good athletes."

DuRocher is optimistic about his baseball career.

"Right now, being a little naïve is my best asset," he said. "I'm not really sure what it takes, but they thought highly enough of me to pick me."

Of their 51 picks in the draft, the Mariners selected 34 pitchers, five of them left-handers.

One intriguing name on the second day was 6-foot-7 pitcher Rod Scurry, son of the former Mariners pitcher of the same name who experienced drug problems and died at age 32.

The younger Scurry, 21, pitched for the University of Nevada-Reno and was taken in the 31st round. His father was a former No. 1 pick with the Pirates.

"His dad had a real hard curveball, and he threw hard, too," said Mariners scouting director Bob Fontaine. "His son's style is different. He's not as mature physically, but he has the makings of a very, very good hard curve. We'll watch him this summer and see where he goes from there."

The Mariners selected two other players with local ties — Jason Buursma, a right-handed pitcher from Bucknell University and a 2004 graduate of Seattle's Lakeside High (43rd round), and Forrest Snow, a right-handed pitcher also from Lakeside High (44th round).

Weaver is back

Jeff Weaver will be under considerable scrutiny tonight when he makes his first start since losing to Detroit on May 10, dropping his record to 0-6 in six starts with a 14.32 ERA.

Weaver went on the disabled list a few days later with what was deemed shoulder tendinitis. He has worked on strengthening his arm in the interim, and believes he is ready to turn his season around. He may have to do so quickly if he wants to stay on the roster.

"I just want to get that erased and start heading in the right direction and contributing," Weaver said of his early struggles. "I'm eager to get back out there, and anxious.

"I want to get deep in the game right away. I don't want it to be slow process, five innings this time, six innings next time. I want to get back in the mix, and throw 7, 8, 9 innings like I know I can do."

Notes

• 3B Adrian Beltre was back in the lineup after missing five games with a sprained left thumb.

• RHP Jon Huber, who left Wednesday's game with stiffness in his right forearm, hopes to be ready to work tonight. But with Weaver coming off the DL, Huber is a candidate to be sent to the minors to clear a roster spot.

For the record

Streak: W1

Home: 17-13

Road: 14-13

vs. AL West: 12-10

vs. L.A.: 2-7

vs. Oakland: 4-1

vs. Texas: 6-2

vs. AL East: 9-7

vs. AL Central: 8-7

vs. NL: 2-2

vs. LHP: 11-3

vs. RHP: 20-23

Day: 9-9

Night: 22-17

One-run: 7-7

Extra innings: 1-0