SLIPPERY ROCK— Watching his nephew grow up, Tim McCune always was interested in his baseball career.

Now the Butler County judge has helped to extend it.

McCune is the uncle of Slippery Rock Sliders center fielder Nate Yoho. McCune's nephew is staying with him during the current Frontier League season.

Yoho was released by the Milwaukee Brewers organization during spring training this season. He hit .188 in 239 at-bats with Class AWest Virginia last season.

"I've enjoyed following his career and I knew he still wanted to play,"McCune said. "When he got released by the Brewers, I suggested to his dad that he give this new team in Slippery Rock a call."

Yoho lived in the Clarion area until he was 10, when his father's work took the family to Des Moines, Iowa. He still has plenty of family in the Butler area, including the McCunes.

Yoho was a two-time All-Big Ten performer in right field at the University of Iowa. He led the Hawkeyes with eight home runs his senior year, recording 41 RBI while hitting .270.

The Brewers signed him as a free agent in July 2005.

"I was about ready to call it quits and start looking at another career,"Yoho said. "Out of the blue, the Brewers called me and offered me a contract."

Playing for Arizona in rookie ball in 2005, Yoho hit .298 with two homers, 29 RBIand six stolen bases. But when he struggled at the Class Alevel, he was released.

"I can't say I was surprised,"Yoho said. "I wasn't hitting, I was only there as a free agent. ... I could see the writing on the wall."

So could his uncle.

"We were all disappointed, of course, but not shocked,"McCune said. "They had a lot of other outfielders in the system who were hitting better, and professional baseball is a cut-throat business."

McCune's son, Matt, was a Butler High baseball player and attended Slippery Rock University camps run by Rock coach Jeff Messer.

"I got to know Jeff through those camps, and I knew he was involved with the Sliders," McCune said. "I gave him a call, told him about Nate and that got the ball rolling."

Yoho, 24, was put in contact with Sliders manager Greg Jelks and eventually was offered a contract.

"I gave him my information and (Jelks) gave me a chance to play,"Yoho said.

As of Tuesday, Yoho, the Sliders' No. 3 hitter, has a .250 batting average, 19 hits, 12 runs scored, seven doubles, three triples and two home runs.

Both homers came last Thursday night in Florence, Ky., as Yoho drove in five runs in a 9-4 victory over the Freedom.

"Almost as soon as we brought him in here, I knew Nate had to be our leader,"Jelks said. "He's got pro experience and he had to become one of our most productive hitters."

Former major league catcher, coach and manager Doc Edwards, now managing the San Angelo Colts of the United (Independent) League in Texas, saw Yoho play in that league.

"I called Doc and he recommended we sign him,"Jelks said. "That's all I needed to hear."

While Yoho hopes he catches on with another big league organization, he's putting no pressure on himself to do so.

He owns a degree in health and sports study management from Iowa.

"I'm just gonna play, have fun, help the team win and if I get picked up by another team, great,"Yoho said. "If not, I'll find a way to stay in sports, possibly on the business side of baseball.

"Either way, I'm grateful for this opportunity. Getting a chance to play more baseball while staying with relatives and catching up with them — it's all positive."