BASEBALL DAILY REPORT : Team Makes Cresse’s Day, Drafts Son

Bullpen coach Mark Cresse’s 18-year-old son, Brad, was drafted in the 34th round by the Dodgers.

Cresse was heartbroken Tuesday when his son went undrafted in the first 19 rounds.

“Yesterday was the second-worst day in my life,” Cresse said. “My dad dying was No. 1.”

Cresse was hoping that Brad, a 6-foot-3, 210-pound catcher from Marina High in Huntington Beach, would be drafted in the first four rounds. Dodger Vice President Ralph Avila once told him Brad had the most power of any hitter that age. Dodger scout Mel Didier said he reminded him of Lance Parrish.

“I even let him take the day off from school so he could stay by the phone,” Cresse said. “There was a phone by him all day. But every time it rang, it was only a friend.

“It was like a kid waiting for Santa and he never came.”

Brad Cresse, who has a baseball scholarship to Louisiana State, perhaps scared off clubs who realized that it would take first-round money for him to sign a professional contract.

He will probably go to college.

“He’s in a win-win situation,” Cresse said. “If he does sign, I’ve got a great roommate in spring training.”

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Shortstop Greg Gagne, who has been out since May 17, took ground balls for the first since suffering his sprained left ankle. Yet, he has limited his running to only the treadmill, and it remains doubtful that he can return by the end of the home stand.

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The Dodgers acknowledged that starter Hideo Nomo’s fastball was down in velocity in Tuesday’s start, clocked consistently between 83 and 86 mph.

“I think he’s a little out of whack mechanically,” pitching coach Dave Wallace said, “but that will happen from time to time.”