|
|
 |
|
|
|
|
|
 |
 Congratulations
to 2008 Big 12 Champions and Super Regional Participant
|
|
| Texas
A&M Ranked #10 by Collegiate Baseball
|
|
Click here to help
"Strike out Parkinson's Disease" and honor Former Aggie
Coach Tom Chandler
Comment function now ACTIVE on blog so
leave feedback!!
|
Big 12 Coach
of the Year Rob Childress
|
|
Rob Childress continues to improve the Aggie baseball team and
his three years in Aggieland have the program firmly established as one of the
top teams in the Big 12. Despite disappointing losses to Rice in both the 2007
and 2008 Super Regional round of the NCAA playoffs, Childress has won more
games than any other team in the Big 12 and is the only team to advance to
super regional play out of the Big 12 the past two seasons.
By year two Rob Childress has the Aggies on the right track
compared to the coaching starts at of Steve Smith at Baylor and Aggie Garrido
at Texas and had completely surpassed them this last season. We are comparing
"apple to apples" as it had been one season since Baylor was in NCAA
play when Smith took over at Baylor in 1994 and Texas had won the SWC and had
been in the tournament the year before Garrido became coach of the 'Horns in
1997. Texas A&M was also one year removed from tournament play when
Childress was named head coach. Year three again shows how the Aggie coaches
and players have Texas A&M poised for even higher expectations in 2009 and
beyond.
Rob Childress has an overall record of 119-68-1 (.636
winning percentage) and his record in year two and three is 94-38 (.712
winning percentage)
Steve Smith had an overall record of 89-78 (.527 winning percentage) and his
record in years two and three was 64-50 (.561 winning percentage)
Augie Garrido an overall record of 88-80-1 (.524 winning percentage) and his
record in years two and three was 59-58-1 (.504 winning percentage)
A&M Set the Big 12 record of 16 straight conference victories and swept
five conference series in 2008 (it took Texas ten years to sweep five series
and Baylor has never done it)
Won the Big 12 Regular Season Championship (it took Texas and Baylor both six
years to win their first championship)
Childress was named Coach of the Year in year three (it took Garrido and Smith
both six years to earn that honor)
In year two, A&M won the Big 12 Tournament Championship (it took Texas
five years and Baylor never has won it)
In year two, A&M went to Super Regionals (it took Texas four years and
took Baylor five years)
Went to Super Regionals in back to back seasons (it took Texas five years and
Baylor has never done it)
In year two, A&M won 48 Games (it took Texas six years to win at least 48
games and Baylor has only done it in 1999)
Won 46 or more games in back to back seasons (it took Texas seven seasons and
Baylor never has done it)
A&M improved record by 23 wins last year (21 games is Texas' largest
improvement in year six and 17 is Baylor's in year 11)
In Year two, A&M had four players drafted in the first 10 rounds (it took
Texas seven years and Baylor six years)
In Year two, A&M finished the season ranked as high as 11th (it took Texas
four years and took Baylor five years)
A&M finished in the Top 11 in back-to-back seasons (it took Texas seven
years and Baylor has never done it)
In Year two, A&M had three All-Americans (it took Texas five years and
Baylor four years)
In Year two, A&M had a freshman All-American (it took both Texas and
Baylor three years)
A&M has back to back newcomers of the year (it took Texas five years and
Baylor had never had a Newcomer of the Year)
He has accomplished this despite having significant losses
in his two previous recruiting classes. In 2006, LHP Clayton Kershaw (first
high school player taken), LHP Zach Britton and OF Matt Sulentic
signed after being drafted in the first three rounds and LHP Kevin Angelle
and SS Nick Papasan, who signed in August, forgoing their scholarships
at A&M as well. In 2007 it happened again, SS Kevin Ahrens (ninth high
school player drafted), OF Eric Eiland, SS/P Will Middlebrooks and LHP Drake
Britton all took the pro dollars and never enrolled. This year the Aggies
have finally caught a break with the MLB draft with their four prime time
prospects expected to arrive on campus next fall instead of playing pro
baseball. SS Adam Smith and LHP Ross Hales are considered the top
prospects at their position in the State of Texas by professional baseball. Randall
Thorpe was considered to be the third best outfielder in the state and Nathan
Eovaldi was in the top 10 RHP in the state this year. Having the top four
high school prospects of this years recruiting class come to school instead of
signing pro contracts has the Aggies poised to "kick the door in"
next season and advance to the College World Series.
|
|
Comment function now
ACTIVE on blog so leave feedback!!
|
|
Two more 2009 Commitments come on board
Two more players have committed to the Aggies and both already play together for the 17U McKinney Marshals. Former Aggie All-American OF Brian Thomas is one of their coaches with the Marshals. The Dallas Morning News had some information in their recruiting blog about their commitments (click to read). They are the second and third public commitments, joining Clements OF/RHP Brandon Wood.
Mason Leavitt - 6-0, 160, L-L, Frisco, Texas (Legacy Christian Academy)
60 IP, 117K, 22 BB, 0.81 ERA. TAPPS 2A First Team All-State pitcher. Lead team to an undefeated conference record and was the runner up in 2A state championship.
Jake Feckley - 5-10, 180, R-R, Wylie, Texas (High)
2 time District 9-5A Pitcher of the Year (2007 and 2008), went 6-5, 1.85 ERA, 2 SV, 68 IP, 74 Ks, 6 BBs, 23 R, 18 ER for 21-10 team. Career: 15-7, 3 SV, 149 IP, 157 Ks, 14 BBs, 87 Hs, 39 R, 31 ER. TSWA Honorable Mention All-State.
Tuesday 7-22 Summer Update
RHP Steven Martin had a fine outing for the East Texas Pumpjacks in a 9-1 loss to the Brazos Valley Bombers. Martin worked 3.2 innings, allowing just one run (earned) on two hits while walking one and striking out six. He struck out three of the first four batters he faced, but two wild pitches in the seventh inning allowed a runner to move to third and score on a sacrifice fly.
In other TCL news, RHP Jordan Chambless in no longer on the Bomber's roster and Panola transfer RHP Chad Sherman is no longer on the Pumpjack's roster.
Welcome Justin Seely to Texas A&M
He has been brought on to fill the big shoes left by Andy Sawyers (Give 'em Hell New Guy!). Seely is another Texan with 'Husker roots and ties to the Aggie staff. This is another "slam dunk" addition to the program and someone that the Aggie players and fans will enjoy having out at the ballpark. (Here is the link to the Aggieathletics story by Matt Simon)
COLLEGE STATION, Texas- Justin Seely has joined the Texas A&M baseball program as a volunteer assistant coach, Aggie head coach Rob Childress announced Tuesday. A graduate of the University of Nebraska, Seely was a starter on the Huskers' College World Series squads in 2001 and 2002. At A&M, he will work with the outfielders, coach first base and assist with on-campus recruiting. "We're truly excited to have Justin as our volunteer assistant," Childress said. "We have had incredible people in that position in the past, and he will continue that tradition. Justin's expertise and attitude will make our program better in every way. He is a winner from the word go, and we feel very blessed to welcome him and his wife Tara into our family."
Monday 7-21 Summer Update
Alex Wilson worked two innings plus innings in a 9-4 Falmouth victory over the Bourne Braves Monday night. He allowed four hits, four runs (three earned) while walking three and striking out one and did not factor in the decision. After a long top of the second inning, Wilson struggled in giving up a 4-1 lead on several hard hit balls, including two doubles. He was relieved after walking the leadoff batter in the third inning.
Sunday 7-20 Summer Update
LHP Mitch Nelson, pitching for Athletes in Action in the Alaska league, picked up a save yesterday despite only working a third of an inning in a 2-0 victory over Kenai. He was called on to face Duke's Jay Gould who represented the winning run at the plate. Gould, a good left-handed hitter who leads his team in RBI, grounded out against Nelson to end the ballgame.
Nelson has not pitched in his two seasons in Aggieland, he continues to work to overcome an arm injury that cost him most of his senior season at Tomball High School and required further surgery before his first season in Aggieland.
Major League Aggies
Here are the stats for the Aggies that are playing in the majors this year.
Marlin RHP Logan Kensing is 3-1 with a 4.19 ERA in 34 games and has 39 Ks in 43 innings pitched.
Tiger LHP Casey Fossum is 1-0 with a 6.19 in 12 games and has 12 Ks in 16 innings pitched.
Ray OF Justin Ruggiano is hitting .290-1-2, he has played in 15 games.
Indian LHP Zach Jackson was 0-0 with a 4.91 ERA in two games before being traded to Cleveland in the C. C. Sabathia deal.
Cliff Pennington Returns to Texas
Former Aggie All-American Cliff Pennington and the Sacramento River Cats will play at the Round Rock Dragons July 26 to July 29 and the Sunday ballgame will be broadcast on Fox Sports starting at 7:05 pm.
Former 'Husker Jason Birch on Rob Childress
Jason Burch pitched for Rob Childress at Nebraska and he was recently interviewed as a member of the Bowie Baysox, the AA minor league affiliate of the Baltimore Orioles. Here is what he had to say about his pitching mentor.
(click link for whole article)
Why'd you decide on the University of Nebraska?
You know, I didn't want to go there. I wanted to go some place else. I wanted to leave Nebraska, but I ended up going there mostly because of Rob Childress. He was the pitching coach there, he's now the head coach at Texas A&M. He's an amazing recruiter, in the sense that you can feel like you're building a relationship and I thought the program was turning a corner. Which we were, I think we made it to the (college) World Series the first two years. And it's a really good school, so it all just kind of came together.
What set Childress apart as a recruiter?
What made him special can only be answered if you actually met him. He's great...he's a father figure, firm but fair. It's evident, as soon as you meet him, that he just cares about other people's best interest. He listens very well, which can also come back to bite you because he'll make fun of something you said or some inconsistency but he loved baseball and he loved people. That's why he turned A&M around so quickly I think. Partly the fact he's in Texas and there are a lot of good baseball players there. He just has this way about him that makes you feel like you can respect him because he gives out respect so easily.
And on this Date...
Aggies pick up First Commitment for 2009
OF/RHP Brandon Wood has committed to Texas A&M. Wood (6-4, 190, R-R) batted leadoff for the Sugarland Clements Rangers and was named First Team All-District in 2008. The Houston Chronicle named him second team All-Area in the outfield. Houston5ABaseball.com named him First Team All-Greater Houston at Designated Hitter. He was also twice nominated as the Houston5ABaseball.com Hitter of the Week.
photo courtesy of Houston5ABaseball.com
Eovaldi Signs with Dodgers
Aggie Signee Nathan Eovaldi will not enroll and will report to Vero Beach, Fla. instead to play for the LA Dodgers Gulf Coast Rookie league team.
(Here is a link to the story about his signing)
"Once we got to thinking about it, I just wanted to do it — sign with them," Eovaldi said. "To me it was like they took a chance on me and were the first ones to draft me. Plus they offered the right money."
Eovaldi finished his senior season as a Yellowjacket with a 12-1 record and a 1.66 ERA. He recorded 72 strikeouts and three saves along the way.
"It feels great to be a professional baseball player," Eovaldi said. "I just got my physical today and am ready to report."
Tuesday 7-15 Summer Update
At the Cape, RHP Alex Wilson did not earn a decision in a 5-4 Falmouth loss to Harwich last night. Wilson left after five innings, his longest stint of the season. He was nearly perfect in the first three innings, allowing a leadoff walk but after that runner was caught stealing, he faced the minimum until the fourth. He allowed a leadoff double, advanced the runner to third on a wild pitch and saw him score on a sacrifice fly. He was again got in trouble in the fifth inning, the first batter of the inning reached on a single, but two fly balls had Wilson close to escaping the inning unscathed. Auburn first baseman Joe Sanders deposited a pitch over the wall in left-center to stake the Mariners to a 3-0 lead. Wilson would get off the hook for the loss in the ninth inning when his teammates tied the game at four before losing in the bottom of the ninth. Wilson allowed just the three hits and struck out three.
In TCL action, RHP Steve Martin gave his East Texas Pump Jacks a chance to rally in a 12-9 extra inning victory. Martin entered the game down 6-5, as the Bombers had rallied from down 5-0 to go ahead. After a throwing error by the catcher allowed an inherited runner to advance to third, Martin saw the score go to 7-5 on a wild pitch. He settled down and dominated the next 3.2 innings. He retired nine of the ten men he faced before starting the bottom of the ninth inning. Two walks sandwiched around a sacrifice bunt chased Martin from the game. Future teammate Nick Anders was due up and his two RBI double off 'Horn Hunter Harris made cost Martin a win. Anders went 1-for-3 with a run scored and three RBI, the other came while being hit by pitch in the fifth. Martin worked four innings, allowing just a single in the sixth. He walked two and struck out five on the night.
Monday 7-14 Summer Update
LHP Aaron Daab left in the fifth inning leading Florence 5-2, but he received no help from his bullpen as both the runners he had allowed to start the frame came around to score. It would only get worse as 14 runs followed and Fayetteville lost 18-7. Daab gave up eight hits in the four plus innings and only three of the runs were earned, he walked one and struck out two. OF Nick Fleece was two-for-three with two RBI and a run scored he reached on a double and a single while hitting sacrifice fly.
Transfer OF Dylan Petrich has hit safely in for of his last five games, he was 1-for-6 in a 4-3 loss to Petersburg last night. He is hitting .269-1-13 and leads the Outer Banks Daredevils with 24 walks, against just 18 strikeouts.
Sunday 7-13 Summer Update
Here are some quotes from future Aggie INF Nick Anders after a tough 15-5 loss to the McKinney Marshals in TCL play. (click here for complete story)
"Things just didn't go our way," Brazos Valley second baseman Nick Anders said. "You have to go out there and play your best no matter what. You have to back your team. We have to keep our head up and we have a lot of games left to play." The Bombers' defense was solid a night after committing six errors, and Anders came up with a pair of defensive gems. In the second inning, Anders made a nice play on a high chopper to second, jumping up to grab the grounder and throwing to first for the inning's second out. In the fourth, he combined with shortstop Jake Sharrock to turn a difficult double play. Catcher Kip Masuda also chipped in on defense, picking off Chuck Opachich in the sixth. "It's just about where the ball is hit," Anders said. "We don't really practice [double plays]. You just have to go with the flow. You have to make an out, no matter what. If you turn two, then great." Anders collected two of his team's five hits, going 2 for 3 with a walk, and was hit by a pitch. Grichor and Anders were the only two Bombers to get a hit.
Beatrice Update
Here is a look at what Shane Minks and graduate Darby Brown are doing at Beatrice.
7/13/08
Tomas Cruz gave up 2 runs in the first but pitched 6 strong innings to get his 4th win of the season. He yielded to Shane Minks (who earned his 2nd save) in the 7th as the Bruins win game 1, 4-2. David Masters had 3 RBIs on 3 for 3 hitting, and Darby Brown was 3-4 at the plate. The Bruins improve to 23-5 in the MINK League.
7/12/08
The Bruins defeated the Generals in the 1st game of Saturday evening's doubleheader, 10-2. Travis Parker was the winning pitcher, throwing 6 innings, and Shane Minks threw the 7th inning. The Bruins were leading in the 2nd game, 2-1, when the rains came in the 4th inning. This game will not be made up. Sunday's doubleheader will begin at 12pm and will be broadcast via SENE Sports.
Cliff Pennington in 2008 Futures Game
Cliff Pennington started at second base for Team USA in the futures game and while he 0-for-2 at the plate he still showed his skills around second base. He made two outs in the first inning, starting what should have been a double play against the second batter of the game and then taking a feed from his shortstop and making a bare handed catch and quick turn to try and complete the double play.
At the plate, he batted second and was called out swinging on a play in which he clearly checked his swing on a ball in the in the dirt. He battled his second time at the plate, working a full count before popping up to the shortstop a step in foul territory for the first out of the fourth inning.
Friday 7-11 Sumer Update
I spoke with Caleb Shofner before Saturday's Brazos Bomber game and the sophomore infielder was finally starting to see the ball fall in for him. He went 2-for-4 on Friday night and relieved some of the frustration he had felt at the plate.
"I guess I kinda struggled the first week here but after that I was hitting the ball pretty hard," Shofner said before signing autographs for the fans before the Bomber game. "But it seemed they were always right at somebody. I didn't make any adjustment to get the two hits last night, they just didn't find a glove."
Sounds just like the struggles the Aggie offense had during their late season losing streak. Shofner will be a strong candidate to fill one of the infield positions next season.
More Omaha Predictions for 2009
This preview is by Eric Sorenson from College Sports Television. He had a blog on CSTV.com but that site in now redirecting to the CBS Sportsline site.
(Click here for his season wrap up and full predictions)
"OH NO, ANOTHER EIGHT FOR OMAHA IN '09 PREDICTION?---
What's the best way to nearly guarantee a team WON'T make it to the College World Series the following year? Have a media bloke like myself pick them to make it through the Super Regional round 11 months in advance. I have to admit, I have fallen squarely into that trap. I went 1-for-8 in picks for Omaha back in July of 2007. In fact, between myself, Aaron Fitt and Kendall Rogers, our picks went just 4-for-24 in making it to Omaha. None-the-less, I decided to carry on and provide another list of teams to look for next June in Rosenblatt Stadium. (Usual disclaimer here, this isn't a Top 8 pre-season list or a list of who I expect to be national seeds for the NCAAs, etc., etc., you get the picture.): - North Carolina
- Miami
- Texas A&M
Four names to keep in mind: Brooks Raley, Barrett Loux, Travis Starling and Rob Childress. The first two are great Soph-to-be arms, the next is a solid relief ace and the last is a great architect.
- Cal State Fullerton
- Missouri
- Rice
- USC
- Baylor"
|
|
|
 |
| Practice
reports, short Q&A's, and other baseball updates |
|
| 2008
Prospect Report |
| 4.23.08 |
| Sherman
Signs to Play Ball at Texas A&M
By CHASE COLSTON
Tyler Morning Telegraph Staff Writer
Chad Sherman said he always dreamed of pitching in the
Big 12, and he didn't have to be asleep to sign with Texas A&M on
Friday.
Sherman, a sophomore at Panola College and a Bullard
graduate, inked a scholarship to guarantee him two more years of college
baseball and at one of the Big 12's premier programs.
"I just wanted to pitch in the Big 12,"
Sherman said in a phone interview. "They're giving me the opportunity
so I'm going to take it."
The 6-5, 215-pound right-hander will room with former Bullard teammate
Brody Greene, a sophomore for the Aggies. He will also join longtime
friend and former rival Carson Middleton, a Lindale graduate, on the
roster.
"It was definitely part of the decision, growing up
with those guys and playing baseball with them," said Sherman, who
pitches a fastball, changeup and slider. "It will definitely help out
(with the transition)."
Sherman, the Region XIV conference record holder in ERA,
is 3-5 this season for the Ponies with a 3.16 ERA and 67 strikeouts in 57
innings. Opponents, who have scored 42 runs but only 20 earned on Sherman,
are batting .199 against him.
He owned a 5-5 record as a freshman with a 1.90 ERA. He
graduated from Bullard in 2006 after being named All-East Texas and
all-state in 2005 and 2006.
Sherman, who said he picked the Aggies over LSU and
Arkansas, added that Greene's advice and preparation at Panola got him to
this point in his career.
"It's competitive. That's all (Greene) pretty much
told me," said Sherman, a kinesiology major. "Everyone you play
is good and you've got to bring your 'A' game every time you play.
"They're going to give me the opportunity to pitch,
whether it's over the weekend, middle of the week or out of the bullpen.
I'll do whatever I can do to help A&M win."
Notes: Two other East Texas graduates, who signed in the
fall, made their official announcements with Sherman. Scott Copeland, a
White Oak graduate, has signed with Mississippi and Harleton's Daniel
Martin with McNeese State.
more in our archives>>
|
|
|
|
 |
|
Recruit profiles, rankings, season updates, leanings, visits, and commitments |
|
| 2008
Baseball Commitments |
| 7.16.08 |
| 2007-08 TEXAS
A&M BASEBALL SIGNING CLASS
Name Pos. Yr-Exp. Ht. Wt. B/T Hometown (High
School/College)
Nick
Anders INF
Jr-Tr 5-11, 175, R/R
College Station
,
TX
(A&M Consolidated/
Temple
JC
)
Scott Arthur SS Fr-HS 6-0 170 R/R Klein, Texas (Klein
Oak)
Denny Clement RHP Fr-HS 6-0 195 R/R Tulsa, Okla. (Cascia
Hall Prep)
Ross Hales LHP Fr-HS 6-4 190 L/L Mont Belvieu, Texas
(Barbers Hill)
Zack Luther SS Fr-HS 6-1 180 R/R Laguna Niguel, Calif. (Aliso
Niguel)
Brett
Parsons 1B/OF
Jr-Tr 6-4, 210, L/R The
Woodlands, TX (High)
Joe
Patterson C
Jr-Tr 6-1, 200, L/R
Owasso
,
OK
(High/Oral Roberts/Seminole CC)
Dylan
Petrich OF
Jr-Tr
6-1, 180, R/R Maize, KS
(High/Butler JC)
Chad Sherman RHP Jr-Tr 6-5 215 R/R Bullard, Texas (High/Panolla
JC)
Adam Smith SS Fr-HS 6-4 195 R/R Klein, Texas (Klein)
Randall Thorpe CF Fr-HS 6-1 170 R/R Colleyville, Texas
(Heritage)
Estevan
Uriegas LHP/OF
Fr-HS 5-9, 170, L/L Round
Rock, TX (Westwood)
Texas
A&M Press Release on Aggie Fall Signees
|
|
Click the link below to read the stories about these recruits.
|
| more
recruiting >> |
|
|
|
|
|
|  |
| |
| Countdown
Clocks
|
Opening Day 2009 Countdown!
|
|
|
|
|
|
| |
