nice work OshDude!

but what about Independent Leagues?! It may not be the Majors, but its prof. baseball!

RHP Sam Heaps (24-11, 3.06 ERA, 246 K's, 264.2 innings), Elizabethtown College 2006-2009...2008 & 2009 Conference Pitcher of the Year, singed a contract with the Normal Cornbelters out of the Frontier League...one of the better independents in the country.

http://www.frontierleague.com/transactions.php

I'm looking for other DIII players in Independents... that would be just as cool to follow up on them!

The MAC Commonwealth should be a highly competitive conference this season... I see it coming down to Alvernia and Elizabethtown. They both made it to the 2009 Mid-Atlantic Regional and both had good showings. Etown went 2-2, beating Montclair St. (of the high and mighty, no one can touch us, NJAC) and PSU-Berks. Alvernia also defeated Montclair St. and lost 2-1 to the regional runner-up Keystone. Etown lost 10-8 to Keystone in poor weather conditions, and 5-3 to TCNJ in a game that was suspended over night.  Not bad for two teams from a conference everyone thinks is weak.

Last season, these two teams met 4 times, splitting the games. Alvernia beat Etown over Spring break twice, 1-0 and 10-9. Etown came back and defeated Alvernia on their field twice 6-2, and 6-5 (10 innings). The first matchup pitted two of the best returning pitchers on each squad, Chris Stoudt (Alvernia) and Adam Hartzell (Etown). Hartzell ended with 9 k's, but it was Stoudt's bat that beat the Blue Jays. Hartzell came back and beat the Crusaders later in the year.

Etown's number 2 pitcher this year, Matt Vinagro, also had a good showing against Alvernia last season. He started in the 6-5 victory. The Blue Jays didnt face the Crusaders top 2 pitchers, but know what they are up against.

They are now in the same division after Alvernia comes over from the Freedom Conference.

I still like Etown bc of the experience both Vinagro and Hartzell have gained when pitching well in the regionals last season. Etown also has the experience in the MAC Commonwealth, winning 3 of the last 4 championships and losing the last possible game during that non-championship season.

The MAC Commonwealth should be a highly competitive conference this season... I see it coming down to Alvernia and Elizabethtown. They both made it to the 2009 Mid-Atlantic Regional and both had good showings. Etown went 2-2, beating Montclair St. (of the high and mighty, no one can touch us, NJAC) and PSU-Berks. Alvernia also defeated Montclair St. and lost 2-1 to the regional runner-up Keystone. Etown lost 10-8 to Keystone in poor weather conditions, and 5-3 to TCNJ in a game that was suspended over night.  Not bad for two teams from a conference everyone thinks is weak.

Last season, these two teams met 4 times, splitting the games. Alvernia beat Etown over Spring break twice, 1-0 and 10-9. Etown came back and defeated Alvernia on their field twice 6-2, and 6-5 (10 innings). The first matchup pitted two of the best returning pitchers on each squad, Chris Stoudt (Alvernia) and Adam Hartzell (Etown). Hartzell ended with 9 k's, but it was Stoudt's bat that beat the Blue Jays. Hartzell came back and beat the Crusaders later in the year.

Etown's number 2 pitcher this year, Matt Vinagro, also had a good showing against Alvernia last season. He started in the 6-5 victory. The Blue Jays didnt face the Crusaders top 2 pitchers, but know what they are up against.

They are now in the same division after Alvernia comes over from the Freedom Conference.

I still like Etown bc of the experience both Vinagro and Hartzell have gained when pitching well in the regionals last season. Etown also has the experience in the MAC Commonwealth, winning 3 of the last 4 championships and losing the last possible game during that non-championship season.

Sam Heaps (Elizabethtown College)

Sam Heaps, MAR.............  4.69   1-2    40.1 IP, 50 K, 12 BB (Coastal Plains League, 2008 summer)


Player                 ERA   W-L   APP  GS  CG SHO/CBO SV    IP   H   R  ER  BB  SO  2B  3B  HR   AB B/Avg   

22 Sam Heaps........  2.57   6-1    11  10   2   2/0    0  66.2  58  24  19  17  60   7   2   1  252  .230   
(2008 Elizabethtown College, 26-12)

Not to mention...
                           

                            AVG  GP-GS    AB   R   H  2B  3B  HR RBI   TB  SLG%  BB HBP  SO GDP   OB%  SF  SH  SB-ATT   PO   A   E  FLD%

Sam Heaps........  .405  38-38   131  42  53   8   2   2  37   71  .542     23   5     30   1     .503   2     0   6-7    169  19   1  .995