BB: Player of the Year Candidates

Started by Jim Dixon, October 24, 2007, 04:56:53 PM

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Spence

Quote from: Jim Dixon on November 13, 2007, 01:33:43 PM
Quote from: Spence on November 13, 2007, 08:25:56 AM
The list of favorites has to start with Shawn Gilblair and Kurt Yacko. From there, you could go about anywhere.

Truth spoken.  These two play at a consistently high level.  in 2007, Yacko was the better player and 2006 Gilblair was.  2008 will be interesting. 

Considering Ithaca's Shane Wolf's play in the summer the utility position will be one to watch.

The utility position has historically gotten more credit where player of the year was concerned as well.

I remember when Joe Thomas won it as a junior, then his senior year was actually a little less overwhelming in any one area if you were around for all of it, but the total body of work was such that he won it again.

And apparently Thomas has been hired as an assistant coach at Temple for the upcoming season. Just learned that via google. Good luck to him.

BigPoppa

Quote from: Spence on November 18, 2007, 01:00:57 PM


The utility position has historically gotten more credit where player of the year was concerned as well.

I remember when Joe Thomas won it as a junior, then his senior year was actually a little less overwhelming in any one area if you were around for all of it, but the total body of work was such that he won it again.

And apparently Thomas has been hired as an assistant coach at Temple for the upcoming season. Just learned that via google. Good luck to him.

I thought that in '96 Carthage's Mark Beyer should have been the POY. Beyer led the country with 25 HRs that season. Thomas got the POY but it was hard to argue it either way.
Baseball is not a game that builds character, it is a game that reveals it.

dgilblair

Quote from: Spence on November 18, 2007, 01:00:57 PM
Quote from: Jim Dixon on November 13, 2007, 01:33:43 PM
Quote from: Spence on November 13, 2007, 08:25:56 AM
The list of favorites has to start with Shawn Gilblair and Kurt Yacko. From there, you could go about anywhere.

Truth spoken.  These two play at a consistently high level.  in 2007, Yacko was the better player and 2006 Gilblair was.  2008 will be interesting. 

Considering Ithaca's Shane Wolf's play in the summer the utility position will be one to watch.

The utility position has historically gotten more credit where player of the year was concerned as well.

I remember when Joe Thomas won it as a junior, then his senior year was actually a little less overwhelming in any one area if you were around for all of it, but the total body of work was such that he won it again.

And apparently Thomas has been hired as an assistant coach at Temple for the upcoming season. Just learned that via google. Good luck to him.

Shawn really had a much better year in 2007 than 2006.  Some of the stats may not seem to say that but it's true.  He faced all the #1's in 07 as oppposed to 06 for the most part. And he was expected to do more in 07.  Look how his hitting improved from 06 to 07.  LEC foe better hope that doesn't continue...lol.  He had a great summer in the NECBL and we hope it just keeps going into 08.  ECSU at Fox Cities in May.  Maybe with a couple wins this time.

hitforthecycle

I don't think people realize how difficult it is to be a two-way player.  Many kids do it at programs out of necessity because a program may lack talent through recruiting efforts or depth and need a pitcher or two to do it but to be a two-way player at a great program such ECSU or Chapman for example is something special.  It takes an unselfish young man to do it.  For the kids who do it such as Gilblair, Yacko and Wolf especially at an elite level, I along with many I'm sure wonder how good these kids would be if they decided to stick to one or the other.  However, to be solid on both sides of the ball as opposed to better on one side or the other is more beneficial from a team standpoint but as an individual it can have an impact on the development of a player and his ability to be evaluated to play at the next level.  However, in my opinion if scouts are doing their job it shouldn't matter because projection is key and that's what minor league instructors are there for and that is to develop talent.  What I find so intriguing is the ability of these kids to recover and fight the natural effects of the physical breakdown of the body over a college season.  It's hard to say and I'm sure it's different for each kid for a variety of reasons but how much do the reps on either side of the ball take away from the other?  What's even more amazing to me is pitchers at the major league level who can flat out hit although not many, the one's who can amaze me such as Micah Owings.  I think he had two four-hit games this year for the D-Backs and five or six homers I believe.  I know he was a two-way player at Georgia Tech and then transfered to Tulane to do the same thing.  On top of that to be able to pitch at that level and be productive is special.

Bob Maxwell

Formula, very well stated... I think doing both is much harder then you can imagine.   You have to do twice as much in the same amount of practice time... and something has to give.  For those who to it... and do it well, they are to be respected for it.

Well said...

hitforthecycle

Thank you Bob and I forgot to mention that your son does a very good job of accomplishing this feat as well and best of luck with his continued success in '08.

dgilblair

Quote from: Bob Maxwell on November 21, 2007, 11:15:36 AM
Formula, very well stated... I think doing both is much harder then you can imagine.   You have to do twice as much in the same amount of practice time... and something has to give.  For those who to it... and do it well, they are to be respected for it.

Well said...

I agree well stated.  Shawn last year tweaked both his thumbs just before regionals.  One on a check swing and one on a inside jam.  So the hitting aspect there did have an influence on his pitching.  Both thumbs were swollen, black and blue, so you know it has some impact.  But like Dixon said during regionals, many players have a nagging injury at some point during the season and he's pretty much right about that, except for those guys that never get hurt. 

Spence

The D'Backs should have put Owings in the field so he could bat when he didn't pitch. Their offense was just bad.

NCWC

16 USA South/ Dixie Conference titles, 12 Regional titles, 2  World Series titles

rjburke

Are there any pre-season all-american lists in D3?

rjburke

Quote from: rjburke on October 26, 2007, 03:49:14 PM
I know I'm prejudiced, but Burke at Kean should be watched.

I am prejudiced, of course, because I am his dad.

Jim Dixon

Quote from: rjburke on February 12, 2008, 11:56:47 AM
Quote from: rjburke on October 26, 2007, 03:49:14 PM
I know I'm prejudiced, but Burke at Kean should be watched.

I am prejudiced, of course, because I am his dad.

I expect folks figured out your interest in Kean's Burke.  There are quite a few parents who post actively.  As a D3baseball preseason All-American, his credentials do indeed speak for himself.

OldHasBeen

From the Appalachian Mountains, to the the cozy confines of....North Jersey....why the transfer?  Coaching Change at FSU? Didn't enjoy the Mtns?  Wanted to play for the National Champs?....I hope he wasn't a year too late...

Jim Dixon

Quote from: OldHasBeen on February 13, 2008, 09:11:27 AM
From the Appalachian Mountains, to the the cozy confines of....North Jersey....why the transfer?  Coaching Change at FSU? Didn't enjoy the Mtns?  Wanted to play for the National Champs?....I hope he wasn't a year too late...

I expect the whole situation at Frostburg State was an inducement to transfer.  I dont think that Burke was the only player who moved on. 

maybe he wants to be closer to hone.  You can go from Lindenhurst, NY (on Long Island)  to Union, NJ in 90 minutes (or so says mapquest)

OldHasBeen

I went back and reread what I wrote after Jim followed up....I hope I didn't sound pretentious, I was/am curious about the transfer...FSU was a regional team last year, and am just wondering why the exodus of players