Northern Star Online: 5 minutes with... NIU pitcher Trevor Feeney

NIU senior pitcher Trevor Feeney is 3-4 with a 4.30 ERA for the Huskies.

The Channahon native ranks third in the MAC in ERA. After being selected in the 39th round of the 2007 MLB Draft by the Kansas City Royals, he opted not to sign with the team, but to return for his senior season.

Feeney sat down with the Northern Star to talk about getting drafted, meeting Ozzie Guillen and playing at U.S. Cellular Field.

Northern Star: How do you think you’ve pitched this year?
Trevor Feeney: Everything’s going pretty well, so far. We’ve been playing well all around. I just go out every game and give our team a chance to win and try to throw strikes and see what happens from there.

NS: What was it like being drafted by Kansas City last year?
TF: It was a unique experience, something that a kid like me just dreams of for my whole life. It’s always been my dream to play at the next level. It was a pretty fun experience for me.

NS: Did you ever seriously consider signing?
TF: There was talks all summer long. Things didn’t really work out and I decided to come back to school for my last year.

NS: What was it like throwing out the first pitch at White Sox spring training?
TF: It was something that really came on at the last minute. Me and my family had to drive two-and-a-half hours to Tuscon. It was something that I really didn’t expect I would have the chance to do and it was pretty cool.

NS: Who did you get to meet?
TF: I met [Mark] Buehrle, Ozzie [Guillen], and a couple of the other Sox players. They were all real good guys.

NS: What was it like playing at U.S. Cellular Field this season?
TF: It was a dream come true. A lot of our guys are Sox fans and a lot of them are Cubs fans, but just to play at a venue like that, it’s pretty unique.

NS: Who is your favorite MLB pitcher to watch?
TF: I like watching John Smoltz. He’s 40-something years old and he’s still going out there. He still throws strikes, and he’s just nasty.

NS: What MLB pitcher would you compare yourself to?
TF: I’d say Greg Maddux. Just because he throws strikes, gets ahead of hitters and gives his team a chance to win every game.