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Former NBA star McGrady a 'presence' on the mound

Retired NBA star Tracy McGrady, who's poised to begin his career in professional baseball with the independent Sugar Land Skeeters, opened some eyes during a 20-minute bullpen session on Monday, according to Houston's KRIV-TV.

"He's so tall and his arms are so long. His downward slope, you're not going to see that too often," said Barrett Barnes, a minor league outfielder in the Pittsburgh Pirates organization. "When you have a presence like that on the mound, it's really hard to settle in and be comfortable hitting."

Barnes added that McGrady, who stands 6-foot-8, possesses deceptive velocity.

"Say his [velocity] is 87, but with his arms and his body, it feels like it's 90-91," said Barnes, who was taken in the supplemental round of the 2012 MLB draft. "His velo might [be] lower, but it feels like it gets on you way faster,"

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