Not pretty, but Mud Hens win

4/23/2010
BY JOHN WAGNER
BLADE SPORTS WRITER

Daniel Schlereth's father was at last night's 6-4 Mud Hens' win over Columbus at Fifth Third Field.

And that was a big surprise, considering the first round of the NFL draft was last night, and Schlereth's father is Mark Schlereth, the former Denver Broncos lineman who covers that league for ESPN.

"Don't tell anybody [I'm here]," Mark Schlereth said with a smile.

The elder Schlereth, who plans to spend the weekend watching his son and the rest of the Hens, said he enjoys watching baseball as well.

"I'm a big baseball junkie - I like to get in early, watch some batting practice, watch the ground crew work," he said. "The grounds here are unbelievable, and the ballpark is absolutely gorgeous.

"I'll analyze some following the draft, but [my bosses at ESPN] know how much it means to me to watch my son."

Daniel Schlereth didn't pitch in yesterday's game after working two innings Wednesday in Louisville, which may have been best for his father.

"It's absolutely gut-wrenching [to watch Daniel pitch]," Mark Schlereth said. "It doesn't matter what level he's at - from Little