BB: Pre-season All-American Teams

[Jim Dixon]

2008 D3baseball.com Preseason All-American Team

First Team       
C   Mike Zaccardo, Cortland State   
1B   Drew Hedman, Pomona-Pitzer   
2B    Ricky Angel, Illinois Wesleyan   
3B   Derek David, McMurry   
SS    Adam Frost, St. Norbert   
OF   Marc Blakeley, Augustana   
OF   Blake Eller, St. Scholastica   
OF   Hunter Owen, Millsaps   
DH   Brad Ketterer, Thomas More   
UTL   Kurt Yacko, Chapman   
P   Matt Aronson, Illinois Wesleyan   
P   Wayde Kitchens, Chapman   
P   Adam Samson, Wooster   

Second Team         
C   Matthew Pexa, St. Thomas   
1B   Brent Voorhees, McMurry   
2B   Joe Roth, Emory   
3B   Richard Gomez, CCNY   
SS   Jonas Fester, Johns Hopkins   
OF   Bryan Burke, Kean   
OF   Joey McDaniel, Ohio Wesleyan   
OF   Alex Weber-Shapiro, CMS
DH   Nate Nelson, Worcester State   
UTL   Shawn Gilblair, Eastern Conn.   
P   Robert Flanagan, Rhodes   
P   Aaron Saeubling, Wartburg   
P   Ahmed Shelton, Averett   
P   Anthony Trapuzzan, Wooster   

Honorable Mention: C: Brandon Sales, Pacific Lutheran; 1B:   Daniel Vanaman, Rhodes; 2B: Matt Stanziano, Pitt-Greensburg; 3B: Jack Walker, Concordia-Chicago; SS: Luke Enman, St. Joseph’s (Me.); OF: Mitch Kuczek, Transylvania; OF: Michael Sims, LaGrange; P: Dan Remenowsky, Otterbein

[Mr. Ypsi]

I notice that only Wooster, McMurry, and IWU have two on the list, but the Scots are both pitchers, while neither of the Indians(?) pitch.  If we can just find a 2 on 2 league, the Titans are in like Flint!

[rjburke]

This is such a big honor for each of these young men. Hope they all have excellent seasons.

[oldcat]

I notice that only Wooster, McMurry, and IWU have two on the list, but the Scots are both pitchers, while neither of the Indians(?) pitch.  If we can just find a 2 on 2 league, the Titans are in like Flint!

there are also two chapman players on the first team.

[Mr. Ypsi]

I missed the Chapman duo of Yacko and Kitchens, who, like Angel and Aronson were both first team.  I guess IWU and Chapman can duke it out in the title game of my (hypothetical) 2 on 2 league.

Note: found my error before reading oldcat's correction as I typed - but thanks anyway!

[oldcat]

my question is who is the better duo between the chapman guys and the IWU guys.

[cubs]

When was the last time that there wasn't a WIAC player on an All American list (Pre-season or Post-season) whether it be 1st, 2nd, or Honorable Mention.  Maybe it hasn't been that long, but it seems like there has been at least one WIAC guy on these lists for the last number (5?) of years (Zimmerman, Maier, Brehm, Jirschele, Reinhard, Endl, Yost, Wiczek, Adamson, Tomasiewicz, Klawitter, Mancuso, Timm, etc..) 

Is the WIAC that down this season?

[BigPoppa]

my question is who is the better duo between the chapman guys and the IWU guys.

I give the nod to the Chapman duo as Yacko(Utility) is a two way player and could be an all-american at either spot alone if he only played one.

[Billy 40]

Who decides on who makes the list? I'd like to thank them for recognizing a player from the CUNY Conference who truly deserved to be included as one of the best players in D3, Rich Gomez. Unfortunately he might not even get an opportunity to play this year since he AD at CCNY has totally screwed up teh program, and tehy do not have a coach yet.

To the rest of the young men who made this team, congratulations. Hopefully we'll see your names on teh Post Season list, and a few of you will have your name lit up in lights when you're called on Draft Day. Good luck!!

[Snare Drum 22]

It looks like Emory third basemen Frank Pfister was snubbed from that list.  He led Emory to the national championship game last year both with his bat and superior fielding.  He set school records last year as a junior and has only gotten stronger in the off season.  Look for him to make a push for an end of the year All-American. 

[StarvinMarvin]

Snare, the Pfister kid is a solid player but let's be realistic.  First of all, where your team ends up at the end of the season should neither help nor hurt a player's chances of being an all-american in my opinion.  Pfister plays third base which along with first base in the infield, power numbers are expected from the corners.  He hit two home runs all year.  He had quite a few doubles, stole some bases, a sub .400 average.  You need gaudy numbers to be considered a pre-season all-american, especially at third base.  I know the kid is solid in the field and third base isn't easy to play but the kid fielded .911 which isn't gold glove material nor superior.  He wasn't an all-american last year and with last years numbers to go by you think he got snubbed?  Not one 3b on any of the all-american teams including honorable mention had less than seven home runs.  Take a look at the first, second and third team 3b numbers and rethink your snub claim.   
 
 

[Jim Dixon]

Who decides on who makes the list? I'd like to thank them for recognizing a player from the CUNY Conference who truly deserved to be included as one of the best players in D3, Rich Gomez. Unfortunately he might not even get an opportunity to play this year since he AD at CCNY has totally screwed up teh program, and tehy do not have a coach yet.

To the rest of the young men who made this team, congratulations. Hopefully we'll see your names on teh Post Season list, and a few of you will have your name lit up in lights when you're called on Draft Day. Good luck!!

FYI - The list was determined by a vote of a regionally balanced pool of SIDs and D3baseball.com staff.

[SamuelAdams]

I would have to disagree w/ Marvin. While numbers are the most important factor when determining all-americans, the success of your team can surely help your case. If players have relative statistics, the one whose team reaches Appleton most likely will get the nod, historically. There is a reason why 7 of 8 regional winners had all-americans, just like there is a reason why 1/3 of the all-americans were represented in Appleton. Yes, these players led their teams with great numbers, but more importantly, they had the statistics and the success, especially to get themselves nationally recognized.

[StarvinMarvin]

You can disagree all you want but what I said was an opinion not a matter of fact.  In my previous post I said: "where your team ends up at the end of the season should neither help nor hurt a player's chances of being an all-american in my opinion."  There's no doubt that the teams who make it to Appleton are more likely to receive AA's and I'm simply disagreeing with team success being a determinant in the selection process.  The individual success of a player shouldn't be slighted/overlooked or boosted because of how his team performs.  If the success of a team is used in helping to determine AA's then the strength of schedule of that team should also be considered.  Some players wouldn't come close to producing their numbers if they were to play in the NJAC for example.

[dgilblair]

I would have to disagree w/ Marvin. While numbers are the most important factor when determining all-americans, the success of your team can surely help your case. If players have relative statistics, the one whose team reaches Appleton most likely will get the nod, historically. There is a reason why 7 of 8 regional winners had all-americans, just like there is a reason why 1/3 of the all-americans were represented in Appleton. Yes, these players led their teams with great numbers, but more importantly, they had the statistics and the success, especially to get themselves nationally recognized.

I tend to agree. Once you get past the top players team success is the next thing you look at.  If A Rod played for the Yankees his entire career imagine how many more awards he might have.