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Monday, January 7
FROM "ROUNDING THIRD" BLOG
 RT Staff Note: Some teams added more NLI signees since we first posted this article...So, we changed the post a bit.
Most
of the Early Signing NLI's are in and it's no surprise who the winning
states are. Our largest state, California has the most signess with
142, followed by Texas at 91 and Florida with 76. Just 28% of the
states (warm weather states) had nearly 65% of the signees, although
some frost belt states, New York, Missouri, Indiana and Pennsylvania
had some significant numbers as well.
The travel team with the most NLI signees is the All American Prospects. They had an astounding 23 players sign NLI's. They also had 4 AFLAC All Americans. Second was the Richmond County Baseball Club in New York with 21 signees, followed by the ABD Bulldogs of Southern California with 18 NLI signings and 2 AFLAC All Americans, NORCAL in Northern California (Bay Area) with 17 players and the Houston Heat with 16. Other notables were San Gabriel Valley Arsenal of Southern California with 14 NLI signings and 4 AFLAC All Americans. The powerhouse, East Cobb Baseball Club also had 4 AFLAC All Americans and some big numbers as did the Houston Banditos (They have the most impressive intro to any web site we have seen), Boys of Baseball, Midland Redskins, and the South Florida Bandits (no web site).
There
are still some colleges that have not posted their NLI signings and
that puzzles us a bit. Big Schools too...Oklahoma, Kansas are a few of
the teams. We at Rounding Third are the anti-technophiles and we have
never missed a blog posting since we started this in October. And we
have real jobs to boot. It's curious that a coach wouldn't want to
announce his roster, his signings and update his web site, especially
if they did sign players. We don't care if there is snow on the campus
grounds. This is an event in a players and his families life that means
the world to them and it should be recognized by that school when it
happens.
Friday, May 2
FROM "ROUNDING THIRD" BLOG
Do
you know what we despise? We despise parents that sit in the stands and
complain that the coaches don’t know what the heck they are doing. They
think that they are much more qualified to make decisions on whom to
start, who to play when and what situation may warrant a better choice
than the one that was executed.
OK, parents, so you think that
you guys are so smart? Have you spent time with the players three or
more hours a day, 6 days a week, for the past five months? Because the
coaches have. That’s over 360 hours of observation and analysis of each
player. They have situational practices, inter-squad scrimmages and
countless hours of time in the cage to help them decide who the better
players are.
Have you even seen your own kid play that much?
If so, where and what was the level of competition? How much time have
you spent in the cage with your own son and what credentials do you
have to critique his hitting mechanics? How many ground balls or fly
balls have you hit him this week? Can you teach him the proper way to
field a ground ball? When do you use the back hand? Do you know the
different ways to throw a double play ball to second, based on how far
away from the bag the ball is hit? Have you worked with him on that for
countless hours each week?
Do you work with him on how to
react to the hundreds of situations that occur when runners are on
base? Do you work on hitting the cut-offs everyday? How about the
double cut? Do you watch him run the bases and work with him on that?
At what point in the pitchers delivery should a base runner take that
first step towards a steal?
How many times each week do you work
on bunting with your son? When do you bunt towards third base and when
should you bunt down first. Do you teach him the push bunt? When would
you ever use that? Do you work with him on hit and run plays, going
opposite field on off-speed, or hitting to the right side with a runner
on third with one out or less?
Do you work with your son’s on
covering first base if he is a pitcher? How about bunt coverage? Do you
parents ever talk to your sons about the upcoming game and their
hitters and what they have done in their past at bats? Are you
discussing what your son should be thinking before each pitch? How
about how to hit based on the count? What might the other team attempt?
Do you help him visualize situations like how to cover a steal,
hit and run or bunt? Where do they need to be in each situation? Did
your family dinner time conversations talk about what your MIF son
should do if there is a runner on first, ball is hit back to the
pitcher, and the ball is fielded and an errant throw is made to second?
Do you do any of this for three hours a day, 6 days a week? If
you don't, then HOW CAN YOU POSSIBLY KNOW if your son can adequately
handle all of the skills well enough to earn a starting position? If you do, then you don’t have a job…because that’s exactly what coaching a team is…a full time job!
And
much like in your own job, mistakes will be made, It's a crazy,
unpredictable game...There will be mistakes...but not on purpose.
There’s not a coach alive that wants to maliciously make it a horrible
experience for your son. Oh yes, he will be tough on your son, maybe
even in his face...screaming...giving him a little verbal beat
down...because he wants to make him tougher...We have seen that
strategy work many times...Hey, if your son can’t handle a little tough
talk, how the heck is he ever going to handle a tough game situation?
Heck, forget about baseball for a second...how will he handle a game of
LIFE situation? Listen, good coaches take a statement like “there’s no
crying in baseball” very seriously. So stop your crying folks!
As
I sit in some stands, I hear more often than not how horrible the
coaches are. These are usually the parents whose sons are NOT playing.
As if the kids that are playing are given some special privilege that
somehow, some way their kid didn’t get. Parents, did you ever think
that maybe the players that start have proven time and time again in
practice that they deserve to be on the field? OK, we get it. Sometimes
a starter doesn’t always deliver in a game…but maybe he impresses them
so much in practice that they are pinning their hopes that he will
someday break out and therefore, give him a few more chances that our
armchair observations can’t see. In baseball, as it has been for the
past 125 years, only 9 play on a team and if it is a close game, only 9
will play period.
Be a good sport...support your team...set an
example for your own children and please, quit embarrasing yourselves
in front of everyone else and have respect for the other parents that
are in the stands enjoying their sons season. Sorry for the tough talk
folks...High school and college ball isn’t tee ball where everyone
plays and the losers get a trophy.
RT Staff
Getting It Off Our Chest Rant
Thursday, May 29
ARSENAL ALUM CHRISTIAN BERGMAN NAMED TO ALL BIG WEST TEAM
Congratulations to Christian Bergman on being voted to the BigWest all conference team. Christian was 5 year Arsenal player.
Christian Bergman
leads UCI with a 1.38 ERA and earned his initial first-team award.
Serving as both a starter and a middle reliever, Bergman has pitched 52
innings while striking out 31. The sophomore right-hander has allowed
eight earned runs and is 5-2 on the mound. In 13 relief appearances,
Bergman has allowed just two earned runs and posted shutout
performances in four of his seven starts.
Friday, July 25
BASEBALL AMERICA COVERAGE ON JONATHAN SINGLETON
 | | |
Pure Power
Singleton regularly displays raw strength
By Jesse Burkhart
July 22, 2008
Jonathan Singleton was making all-star teams by
the time he was 12 years old. His considerable talent was apparent at a
young age.
But his father recalls one particular moment when he realized his son was better than the average little league participant.
Taking infield prior to a game, young Jonathan's attention was
distracted for only a brief moment when he was struck in the eye by a
ball intended for the first baseman's glove. The eye swelled, and there
was a photographer on hand to capture him in all of his black and blue
glory.
Nevertheless, Jonathan insisted on taking his first at-bat of the game
and wasted no time belting a home run to give his team an early lead.
He returned to the dugout from his trot and would remain there after
his eye became too puffy to play in the rest of the game.
"I thought he could always catch and throw, and his bat was always
good," Rocky Singleton said of his son. "He always hit the ball
squarely and solidly."
A word usually reserved for overstatement, "always" seems accurate
here. With vision restored, Jonathan Singleton has shaped himself up to
be one of the top high school hitters in the class of 2009.
As a junior last season, Singleton batted .368 with four home runs and
24 RBIs, striking out just nine times in 87 at-bats on his way to
earning first team All-Moore League recognition. Those numbers don't
jump off the page until you consider a significant batting park factor:
Millikan (Calif.) High plays many of its games at Long Beach State
University.
A hitter's graveyard, Blair Field may compress box scores, but it could not taper Singleton's commitment to the art of hitting.
"When he's not on our field, he's at the Urban Youth Academy," Millikan
head coach Scott Glasser explained. "When practice is over he asks me
to open the cages for him so he can hit after practice. It doesn't seem
like he can get enough. He doesn't ever seem to get bored or
complacent. I think he knows he has a future and doesn't want to see it
go by the wayside because he doesn't work hard enough."
The Natural
With no fence to separate Millikan's field from the outlying campus,
the school installed a temporary right field wall last year. Armed with
raw power from the left side of the plate, batting practice was
suddenly transformed into a personal home run derby for Singleton.
"Hey Jon, why don't you go the other way once in a while?," Coach
Glasser suggests to his lefty slugger. Singleton, turning his attention
away from the pesky barrier in right, stays back on the next pitch and
ropes one to the opposite field.
"The thing that stands out about Jonathan is that he's got power to all
fields," Glasser said. "He can really drive the ball to the opposite
field, which is something you don't see often. He's got tremendous
power that way. He hits it like he's at that level already. You can't
teach a kid how to hit the ball the other way like that. All you have
to do is tell him."
If only every coach's job was so easy.
Singleton's capacity to turn instruction into action comes off more
effortlessly than it does for most players. He has a passion for
hitting that is well-known among his coaches and teammates, and it's
one that he is not hesitant to share with those around him.
"Clearly the other players look up to him because he's the best
player," Glasser said. "He talks to his teammates about hitting a lot
because he gets it and realizes that some of them do not. He's not
trying to show them up—he's like, 'Look man, you have to get your foot
down early,' when guys are late and things like that. It's not a
rah-rah type thing."
Hits The Books, Too
Although Singleton is aware that he has a future in the game he loves,
he realizes that his success on the diamond is contingent upon his
success in the classroom. With Oregon, Arizona State and Long Beach
State recruiting him, his focus extends beyond baseball, devoting two
hours to studying each day during the school year.
And perhaps his dedication to the books is carrying over to the
baseball field, as Singleton also draws praise from his coaches for his
intelligence on the basepaths despite not being the fastest of runners.
His advanced mental approach and natural hitting ability define
Singleton as a player. Now, the challenge is to achieve a balance
between both strengths and make sure that one does not get in the way
of the other.
"I'd like to see him be more aggressive," Glasser said. "They pitch
around him a bit, but I'd like to see him go into attack mode more.
He's sometimes a little too patient. Making adjustments to what the
pitchers are trying to do and learning different approaches as far as
hitting—that's something he can improve upon."
There is time for shoring up inefficiencies in Singleton's game, but
for now, he looks poised for success at the next level, whether that is
in college or professional ball.
"He's mature, he's confident, he's competitive. He has the makeup to be
a baseball player," Glasser said. "He shows up every day and has fun
with his teammates. He's a really steady, calm, yet competitive player.
And he's the same thing at practice—he just goes about his business.
"He's driven and focused on being successful. It's something he wants
and works at. He knows he's talented and doesn't take it for granted. A
lot of kids in Southern Cal just want to go to the beach, but he's
ready to advance."
With two good eyes, advancing seems like a clear proposition.
Tuesday, September 16
BASEBALL AMERICA-Hicks brings all-around game to GCL
1. Aaron Hicks-Twins
Hicks entered the 2008 draft regarded as the top
two-way prep prospect, as teams were split on whether he fit best as a
pitcher or position player. After revealing his desire to play every
day, Hicks went 14th overall and signed for $1.78 million. He tallied
two hits and two RBIs in his first professional game and continued his
success at the plate throughout the summer.
Hicks is a switch-hitter with real five-tool potential. He showed the
ability to hit for average and power from both sides of the plate, He
showed a good eye for the strike zone, took his walks and also worked
to improve his pitch selection.
"He's starting to realize which pitches to drive and which to lay off,"
GCL Twins manager Jake Mauer said. "He's also learning to recognize
pitchers' moves and counts and when to take advantage of them."
A gifted athlete, Hicks combines a very strong arm and above-average
speed to play tremendous defense in center field. With more experience
and improved jumps, he should improve his range and basestealing
ability. He has one of the stronger center-field arms in the game.
8. Zach Collier-Phillies
ollier was the most impressive of the three high
school position players the Phillies took in the first two round and
sent to the GCL, outperforming Anthony Hewitt and Anthony Gose.
Regarded for his lefthanded bat and projectability, Collier signed for
$1.02 million and ripped a double in his first pro at-bat.
Collier swings with plus bat speed and the ball tends to jump of his
bat. He didn't hit any home runs in his first pro summer, but he has
plenty of power potential.
"He has some juice in his bat," Mansolino said. "Power comes when you
learn how to hit in the right counts. With that and a little better
pitch recognition, he will definitely have power down the road."
A pure athlete who runs well, Collier has basestealing ability and good
range in the outfield. He has an average arm and good instincts, though
he'll most likely end up at a corner position as he matures physically.
Wednesday, November 26
BASEBALL AMERICA NAMES FORMER ARSENAL AARON HICKS TWINS TOP PROSPECT
| 1. |
Aaron Hicks, of Born: Oct. 2, 1989 • B-T: B-R • Ht: 6-2 • Wt: 170
|
Drafted: HS—Long Beach, 2008 (1st round) • Signed by: John Leavitt
|
 Background:
Hicks is a Los Angeles kid who doesn't fit into preconceived
stereotypes. He's an African-American who spent much of the last three
years playing at Major League Baseball's Urban Youth Academy, becoming
its highest-drafted alumnus when the Twins took him 14th overall in
June. He's also a scratch golfer who won a slew of tournaments as a
teenager and considered a golf career. When he learned that his father
played baseball professionally—Joseph Hicks was a Padres 12th-round
pick in 1975 and played four seasons in the minors—he decided to focus
his prodigious athletic ability on the diamond, helping Wilson High win
the No. 1 national ranking and its first California Interscholastic
Federation title in 50 years in 2007. Minnesota considered Hicks the
best athlete in the 2008 draft, and he was the Los Angeles area's best
since Darryl Strawberry was the No. 1 overall choice in June 1980.
While the Twins preferred Hicks as an outfielder, other clubs were
prepared to take him in the first round as a pitcher after seeing his
fastball range from 94-97 mph last spring. Minnesota has no reason to
question its decision, as Hicks ranked as the No. 1 prospect in the
Rookie-level Gulf Coast League after signing quickly for $1.78 million.
Strengths:
Sometimes it seems like there's nothing Hicks can't do. He's a premium
athlete with growing skills and true five-tool ability. He's a
switch-hitter who's a natural from the right side and improved from the
left by lowering his hands and unleashing his bat speed. He was more
polished and selective at the plate in his debut than the Twins thought
he might be, and his eye allowed him to get to his above-average power
potential earlier than expected. He projects to hit 20-25 homers
annually as he matures. Hicks has plus-plus speed and good baserunning
instincts that should improve with experience. He glides to balls in
the outfield and has a top-of-the-scale throwing arm that would play in
any outfield spot or on the mound if necessary. In the unlikely event
he doesn't hit, he can try to make it as a pitcher.
Weaknesses:
Mostly, Hicks just needs experience facing quality breaking balls. His
hands are good enough that he should be able to trust them and stay
back on pitches that spin. The game comes so easily to him that at time
he has concentration lapses. He's still learning to be a pro in terms
of handling the grind of a long season, when to show he's having fun
and when to have more of a game face.
The Future:
Hicks' tools resemble those of departed Twins center fielder Torii
Hunter, though he should move more quickly through the minors than
Hunter did and have better plate discipline. Minnesota is deep in young
outfielders in the majors and minors, but Hicks' combination of tools,
skills and athletic ability stands out. He'll head to low Class A
Beloit for his first full pro season and should make a steady climb to
the majors, arriving in 2011.
|
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| 2008 Club (Class) |
AVG |
OBP |
SLG |
AB |
R |
H |
2B |
3B |
HR |
RBI |
BB |
SO |
SB |
Twins (R)
|
.318
|
.409
|
.491
|
173
|
32
|
55
|
10
|
4
|
4
|
27
|
28
|
32
|
1 |
|
Friday, December 12
FORMER SGV ARSENAL CHRISTIAN BERGMAN(UC IRVINE) NAMED TO BROOKS WALLACE WATCH LIST
IRVINE, Calif. --- UC Irvine pitcher Christian Bergman (Altadena/St. Francis HS) has been selected to the 2009 Brooks Wallace Player
of the Year Award preseason watch list. The Wallace Award, given to the
top college player by the College Baseball Hall of Fame, will be
announced July 2, in the United Sports Arena on the campus of Texas
Tech University.
Bergman was an All-Big West first-team selection last season
after proving to be effective both as a starting pitcher and a
reliever. The right-hander was 5-2 on the nation and ranked 10th in the
nation with a team-high 1.94 ERA. He made 24 appearances, including
seven starts and hurled 60.1 innings, allowing just 13 earned runs.
Bergman, who pitched in three combined shutouts last season, held Big
West opponents to a 0.64 earned run average en route to posting the
third-best UCI single-season ERA mark.
Tuesday, December 9
RIO RUIZ WINS GOLD WITH USA 14U NATIONAL TEAM
Congatulation to Rio Ruiz(Bishop Amat '12) on winning the gold medal at the 2008 COPABE Pan Am "A" Qualifier as it defeated Guatemala 11-0 at Enrique "Trapo" Torrebiarte Stadium. Rio hit .500 while starting at thirdbase for the USA NAtional 14u team. Rio is currently a member of our 16U team.
Sunday, February 22
NCAA COLLEGE BASEBALL KICKED OFF THIS WEEKEND
It was opening weekend for college baseball this weekend. It was good see Arsenal alumni contribute so early in the season.
Jeremy Rodriguez(Crespi ‘08) started his college career going 3 for 5 in a loss for Bakersfield. Jonathan Montoya(Chino Hills ‘08) pick up his first win of the season and college career by defeating St. Louis University.
Christian Bergman(St. Francis ‘07) went 8 strong innings defeating the University of Hawaii on Saturday.
Ricky Oropesa got his first hit in USC Trojan uniform Friday in a win over Long Beach State.
Michael Hur(Valencia ‘06) hit his first home run of the season for UC Riverside.
Adam Melker(Claremont ‘06) and Rick Rossman(‘06) of Cal Poly San Luis Obispo got their seasons started well with a few hits piece in their series against Rice University.
Chris Amezquita(Servite ‘08) got his career going with bang in hitting a home run in his first at bat as a UCLA Bruin. Gerrit Cole notches his first win of his college career in his first start in defeating UC Davis while allowing only one hit in 6 innings.
Vic Sanchez(Gahr ‘07) of the University of San Diego hit his 1st home of the year.
Kris Kauppila(Cresenta Valley '08) had a great start to his college
career, He was the leadoff hitter for team and his first at-bat he hit
a 400 ft home run over the scoreboard. He went 5 for 11,
had 2 walks
Tuesday, February 24
EDDIE MCKIERNEN(MONROVIA '07) INVITED TO ANGELS BIG LEAGUE CAMP
| |  | | Eddie McKiernen-Anaheim Angels |
|
Torii Hunter is no spring chicken anymore
The Angels' 33-year-old center fielder was taken aback by the youthful visage of 19-year-old reliever Eddie McKiernan.By Mike DiGiovanna and Robyn Norwood
February 22, 2009
Torii
Hunter walked into the Angels' clubhouse the other day in Tempe, Ariz.,
took one look at Eddie McKiernan and was tempted to ask him to fetch a
pair of sanitary hose.
"I thought he was a clubhouse guy," said
Hunter, the Angels' 33-year-old center fielder. "I can't believe he's
19. He looks like he's about 12. He makes me feel old, very old. When I
was drafted, he was 3."
McKiernan, a reliever who was 1-5 with a 3.73 earned-run average, 56
strikeouts and 16 walks in 62 2/3 innings at Class-A Cedar Rapids last
season, was a last-minute addition to big league camp.
He's a
wisp of a right-hander, all of 5 feet 11 and 170 pounds with a baby
face and braces, and even he acknowledges that he looks like a kid who
could be playing Pony League.
"I'm getting razzed a lot about
my age and how young I look," said McKiernan, a Monrovia High graduate
and a 17th-round pick in the 2007 draft. "That's OK. When I'm 30, I'll
look 19."
Monday, May 11
CAMPBELL UNIVERSITY WEBSITE ON DAVID RIVERA(CLAREMONT '09)
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Baseball Inks Three More for 2010 Campaign | | | | | | | | |  | Courtesy: Will Bratton
Head Coach Greg Goff announced today the signing of three more student-athletes for 2009-10. | | BUIES CREEK, N.C. – Head baseball coach Greg Goff announced today the signing of three more highly decorated recruits to his second recruiting class at CU. David Rivera, Kyle Brandenburg, and Ben Fish have all inked commitments with Campbell and will play for the black and orange beginning in the fall of 2009.
The Fighting Camels, now in Goff’s second year, have posted 21 wins thus far this season, which ties last year’s win total. Campbell got off to the second best start in school history posting six straight wins to start the season and winning eight of their first nine contests. The Camels are currently leading the Atlantic Sun Conference in team batting average, runs, stolen bases, and fielding percentage. Coach Goff expects that this new crop of recruits will help lead CU to the top of the A-Sun and keep them there as a consistent contender for the conference championship. Goff on the New Signees: “With these three commitments, we feel that we have been able to address some needs that we had once the early sign period concluded. We feel that all three of these young men will have the chance to help us early in their careers; but we are confident that they are also going to be a huge part of the long-term success of our program. Each of these guys has been successful, but we feel that their best days of baseball are still ahead of them. We are blessed to have the opportunity to help them reach all their goals and dreams.” David Rivera will come to Buies Creek via Upland, Calif. after spending three years as a starter at Claremont High School.  The 6-foot-1, 210-pound infielder/right-handed pitcher has earned three varsity letters at CHS; as well as earning a spot on the Oakland A’s Fall Scout team. Rivera has also spent the last three summers playing for the SGV Arsenal, one of the premiere ranked summer programs the country, according to Perfect Game USA. He was named the 2009 Rawlings/Perfect Game All-Region (Southwest US) honorable mention. Rivera was also selected to the 2007 Under Armour/Baseball Factory All-tools team. He was also a three-year starting linebacker on the football team, and team captain his senior year. Goff on Rivera: “David is a big and strong player whose physical nature will assist in making an immediate impact in our program. Not only is he a great player, but he is also an outstanding scholar-athlete that will contribute to our program in a number of different ways. He comes to Campbell as a highly-recommended player from the West Coast and is a young man with tremendous character; which will be a great fit for our program for the next four years.” |
Monday, May 11
SGV ARSENAL ALUM KEVIN MORT
Mort At Short  | 
Kevin Mort | |
Kevin Mort had heard about the Ole Miss-Mississippi State rivalry. Now he’s become a part of it. The Rebels beat MSU 8-1 earlier this season in Pearl. This weekend the arch-rivals are playing three games in Oxford. |
Arguably the surprise player on this year’s team, Mort has been stellar at shortstop and excellent at the plate. The Rebels’ shortstop play last season wasn’t up to par. Mort has helped that situation tremendously.
He’s played in 49 of the Rebels’ 50 games to date, starting 48 of them, and has just four errors.
Friday night, in the Rebels’ 6-5 loss to MSU in Oxford, the junior college transfer walked twice and got a two-RBI triple in the eighth inning, then came home himself on a Matt Smith fly ball. That cut a four-run MSU lead to just one and gave Ole Miss a shot.
But the Rebels couldn’t capitalize and were sent to Saturday searching for a win to even the series.
"I follow college sports, so I knew about the Ole Miss-Mississippi State rivalry,” said Mort, a Californian who enters Saturday afternoon’s game fielding .980 at short. “I’m having a lot of fun, and this weekend is big.”
Mort, batting .315 with five doubles and the lone triple, said he has for the most part been pleased with his first season of Division I college baseball.
"The main thing for me has just been the speed of play,” he said. “The speed of Division I is just faster than junior college where I’ve been. It took me a few games offensively to get going. But everything has gotten better as the season has moved on.”
Mort’s had various family and friends come to Oxford-University Stadium/Swayze Field to watch him play this season. His paternal grandparents have been in Lafayette County for the whole season. They have seen almost every game and are in the stands this weekend in their usual seats down third base, watching their grandson and his team play the Bulldogs.
“It’s been awesome,” Mort said of having them here. “They’ve come to all my games since I was a little kid. They brought their motor home here from California and are staying the whole time. They’re having fun and are looking forward to the rest of the season.”
The 5-foot-11, 170-pounder said he's made some positive changes in his game, especially at the plate, since arriving last fall.
“There were some adjustments with my swing mechanically and also mentally,” he said. “Just getting up there and having a good approach at the plate and having a good plan. The main thing really has been the mental aspect of it.”
Ole Miss head coach Mike Bianco said Mort's contributions have been valuable.
“He’s having a tremendous year. Defensively he’s been phenomenal,” Bianco said. “He makes all the plays every day and shows up every day. One of the things people may not notice is how heads up he is. He doesn’t take a pitch off. He’s in the game, and that really makes a difference in his infield play. He gets a good jump on the ball. He’s a good baserunner but actually runs very average. But he gets good jumps, sees balls in the dirt, and takes extra bases. Certainly he’s a big reason for our success on both sides of the ball this season.”
Mort, from South Hills High in West Covina, Calif., and Rio Hondo CC, likes this Rebel team.
“This is probably the closest team I’ve been on as far as how players are close to each other,” he said. “We hang out off the field, too. Everyone is just really close. We do the chants and everything and all the cool things with the hats. Team chemistry is great and they tell me it’s better than in previous years.”
Ole Miss, 36-14 overall and 16-9 in Southeastern Conference play, meets Mississippi State (22-27, 7-17) in game two of their |
| |
Thursday, March 19
SGV ARSENAL PLAYERS NAMED TO RAWLINGS ALL AMERICAN, ALL REGION and UNDERCLASS TEAMS
| |  | | Phil Holinsworth-Chino Hills/UC Riverside |
|
Rawlings® and Perfect Game USA announce
Annual awards recognize the top senior athletes at the high school level
ST. LOUIS, Mo. (March 17, 2009) - Rawlings Sporting Goods® announced
today its annual Rawlings Preseason All-American and All-Region Teams
to recognize the top 400 high school baseball athletes in the U.S.,
while also showcasing their abilities to collegiate and professional
scouts. In partnership with Perfect Game USA, the world’s largest
scouting report service, Rawlings is devoted to distinguishing “THE
FINEST IN THE FIELD” with the these two prestigious awards.
All American
1st team
Jonathan Singleton LB Millikan/LB State..also named to Baseball America's preseason All American team
2nd team
Jeff Gelalich Bonita/UCLA
All Region
1st team
Jeff Gelalich
Jonathan Singleton
2nd team
Pierce Bily-Orange Lutheran/UC Irvine
Evan Brock-Ayala/UC Irvine
Phillip Holinsworth Chino Hills/UC Riverside
Honorable Mention
Matt Anderson Claremont
Ryan Arnold Northview/UNLV
Tyler Heinemen Windward/UCLA
Eddie Magallon Paramount
Tommy Nance LB Wilson
David Rivera Claremont/Campbell Uni.
Mitcher Merten-Servite/UC Irvine
Underclassmen Preseason All-American Teams
Annual awards recognize the top Underclass athletes at the high school level
Cedar Rapids, IA. (March 17, 2009) – Perfect Game USA announced today
its Preseason All-American Teams to recognize the top underclass high
school baseball athletes in the U.S., while also showcasing their
abilities to collegiate and professional scouts.
The Perfect Game Preseason All American 1st, 2nd and 3rd team
recognizes 180 players from the U.S., Canada and Puerto Rico. Each team
consists of 60 players who are currently juniors or sophomores in high
school. There is also an honorable mention list to identify other
potential top underclassmen.
“To receive the Perfect Game Preseason All-American Award is a
tremendous achievement for these high school athletes,” said Jerry
Ford, President, Perfect Game USA. “We’re proud to recognize their
talent as they prepare for their future in baseball.”
1st team
Dylan Covey-Maranatha/U of San Diego ‘10
2nd team
Austin Walker-Crespi’/UC Irvine ‘10
3rd team
Aaron Sanchez-Barstow ‘10
A.J. Berglund-St. Francis/UC Santa Barbara ‘10
Tony Amezcua-Bellflower ‘10
Andres Rodriguez-La Mirada ‘11
Honarable Mention
Andrew Thurman-Orange Lutheran/ UC Irvine ‘10
Paul Paez-Bishop Amat/U of San Diego ‘10
Wallace Gonzalez Glendora/U of San Diego ‘11
Lonnie Kauppila-Burbank ‘10
Arman Valenzuela-Northview/Loyola Marymount ‘10
Thursday, June 4
SGV ARSENAL ALUMS NAMED TO ALL AMERICAN TEAMS
Congratulations to the SGV Arsenal alumni on being named to Collegiate Baseball All American teams. FRESHMAN ALL AMERICANS Gerrit Cole-UCLA Ricky Oropesa-USC Kris Kauppila-Portland
Wednesday, June 24
GERRIT COLE NAMED TO USA BASEBALL's COLLEGIATE TEAM
Congraulation to Gerrit Cole on his selection to USA baseball's collegiate national team. This honor along with being named a Freshman All American is a great accomplishment. The National Team was selected after 10 days of trials that included eight intrasquad games and practices at the USA Baseball National Training Complex in Cary, N.C. The USA Baseball National Team is comprised of the top non-draft-eligible college players in the United States. In 2009, the National Team will play in two international friendship series in North Carolina against the Canadian National Team and the Guatemalan National Team before heading to Japan for the 37th Annual USA vs. Japan Collegiate All-Star Series and the World Baseball Challenge in Prince George, British Columbia, Canada.
Sunday, June 28
SGV ARSENAL GO 7-1 at USA BASEBALL CHAMPIONSHIPS
I would like to congratulate our SGV Arsenal at the USA Baeball Championships finishing 7-1. The team went 3-0 during the first round of pool play. The first round of seeding saw the Arsenal get the #7 ranking. The SGV Arsenal then won their next two games to earn the #2 overall seeding our of 72. 4 of the 5 teams the SGV Arsenal played were ranked in the top 20 of 72 teams. The Arsenal won the first game of the championship then were eliminated in the quarterfinals. The SGV Arsenal assure themselves of at least of top 16 finish. Final rankings will be released in the near future.
We would also like congratulate Rio Ruiz(BishopAmat'12) on his selection for the US National team trials.
Thursday, October 1
AARON HICKS NAMED TOP PROSPECT FOR MIDWEST LEAGUE
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Midwest League Top 20 Prospects With Scouting Reports
Last year's draft class stands out in MWL
By Jim Callis
October 1, 2009
Scouts thought the 2008 draft included one of the best hitting crops this decade, and the low Class A Midwest League reinforced that notion this year. Seven of our MWL Top 20 Prospects are position players drafted a year ago, starting with Beloit center fielder Aaron Hicks, the 14th overall selection.
The Twins handled Hicks cautiously, keeping him in extended spring training for two months before sending him to Beloit in mid-June. Even when he started slowly, his all-around tools were evident. He drew comparisons to the likes of Adam Jones, Dexter Fowler and Curtis Granderson.
"He's the most dynamic, projectable position player I saw," a National League scout said. "He can play a premium position and he has a chance to be a five-tool guy. It's a wiry body with some leverage to it."
A switch-hitter with a quick bat from both sides of the plate, Hicks shocked scouts with how well he controlled the strike zone, drawing 40 walks in half a season. A plus runner with above-average power potential once he fills out, he should be at least a 20-20 man in his prime. His swing can get long and has some holes, but he should hit for a solid average.
Hicks also should be an above-average center fielder once he learns to get better jumps and take proper angles on balls. His arm rates an 80 on the 20-80 scouting scale, and some teams preferred him on the mound after he was clocked at 97 mph in high school. |
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