BB: SCAC: Southern Collegiate Athletic Conference

[consultant]

Infielddad,
Garner has elected to attend law school at Miss. College beginning in the fall.  I talked to him just recently.  He is very grateful for the opportunity that the Padres extended to him. 

[Gus Sinski]

 Best of luck to Wetzel in whatever he decides to do from here on out. He was a delight to watch and, like most players from the Millsaps program, a complete class-act.

[frank_ezelle]

Frank,
I saw that Garner Wetzel was released by the Padres.  Any word on other teams that might pick him up or if he will try and sign with an Independent League team?
He sure did not seem to get much of a look in the Padres organization.

Consultant gave you all the info I know.  I think you are right about not giving him much of a look but some of that is bound to come down to the options Garner has in his life.  If I was looking at prospects, I would give more time to the 18 year old high school kid who really doesn't have a fall back plan and therefore is willing to stick around for however long it takes.  I wouldn't give nearly as much time to a 22-23 year old guy with a college degree, a 3.6 GPA at a good academic college, and acceptance papers to law school. 

Some of you remember that Garner was drafted in the 10th round by the Rockies after his junior season and only in the 18th round by the Padres after his more successful senior season.  I have no doubt that the 8 round drop was because Garner had a college degree after his senior season and therefore more options with his life (plus he was one year older and the clock is always ticking on an athletes potential playing years).

[Lynx Tracker]

Lynx defeat CBU, Reach 30 Win Plateau
04/03/07---The Rhodes baseball team defeated Christian Brothers University this afternoon 7-6. Robert Flanagan picked up the victory after relieving starter Kevin McAlpine. Flanagan is now 10-0. Charles Simmons pitched the 8th and 9th to pick up the save, his 7th. Senior Daniel Killary was 2-2 on the day with a double and 2 RBIs. Sophomore Brett Miller was 2-4 with an RBI. With the victory, the Lynx improved to 30-4. This is the first time any Rhodes baseball team has reached the 30 win plateau. The Lynx will return to action next Monday night at Lagrange.

Hurd and Catalanotto earn SCAC Player of the Week honors
04/04/07---Junior outfielder Richard Hurd and Junior pitcher Chris Catalanotto have been named SCAC players of the week for games played from March 26th to April 1st. On the week Hurd hit .542 (13 for 24) with 5 home runs, a double, three walks, 10 runs scored, and 16 RBIs. On the mound, Chris Catalanotto was 1-0 on the week, picking up a complete game 12-1 victory over SCAC opponent, Centre College. Catalanotto kept Centre hitters off balance, scattering only 5 hits, with no walks and 11 strikeouts.

Richard Hurd named Division III National Co-Hitter of the Week
04/05/07---The National Collegiate Baseball Writers Association named Richard Hurd the Co-Hitter of the Week for games played from March 26th to April 1st. Highlighted by two multi home run games, Hurd, on the week went 13 for 24 (.542), belting 5 home runs, driving in 16 runs, and slugging an incredible 1.208. For the season, Hurd leads the SCAC in batting average (.450), runs (48), hits (58) and total bases (93). Behind this great effort the Lynx went 5-0 on the week, including a 4 game sweep of SCAC East opponent, Centre College.

See: http://www.sportswriters.net/ncbwa/news/2007/div3players070405.html

[frank_ezelle]

It's interesting that Flanagan has picked up another win because he came in to relieve a starting pitcher when that pitcher had a lead.  Kevin McAlpine started the game for Rhodes, went 4 innings and left the game with Rhodes leading 7-2.  Flanagan comes in to pitch in the top of the 5th, gives up 4 runs and almost blows the game and he gets the win.

This has happened before the season in the Ill. Wesleyan game where Flanagan was given the win as the 3rd pitcher in the game after the first 2 pitchers left the game with a lead.  That win was later credited back to Ragan after some people questioned the ruling on who should get the win (all of that is under the National Topics, the thread on Baseball Rules, starting at the bottom of page 2). 

To be fair, McAlpine walked 4 in the bottom of the 4th and had 2 wild pitches and somehow got out of the inning giving up only 1 run so he may have been totally out of gas.  It just seems odd that we are seeing Rhodes pull pitchers while leading in the game and then putting in Flanagan so he can pick up the wins.  Maybe that's what it takes to win national recognition.

[Lynx Tracker]

Freshman Kevin McAlpine, while rehabbing an injury, threw 91 pitches against a Division II baseball team, prior to giving out of gas. He did a good job keeping his team in the game and the offense helped him out. Good for him!

Not wanting to take a "knife to a gunfight", Coach Cleanthes simply put in what seemed to be his best bet—his freshest southpaw, Robert Flanagan.  [Note: In a 1 run game against Christian Brothers earlier this season, Chris "Cat" Catalonotto, a lefty, did well—giving up just 2 earned runs in 5.2 innings.]  Baseball is a game of tendencies. You don't throw a change to a guy who can't catch up to your heater.

True, Flanny didn't have his best outing. But, teammate Chuck Simmons came in and slammed the door on the 30th Lynx win.  Booyah!

For years, Millsaps, Trinity and Southwestern pulled into Memphis, got off the bus, beat the Lynx like a red-headed step-child, yawned and left for home. That was life in the SCAC—then. Today, the prospect of Rhodes getting any recognition— national or otherwise, seems to really antagonize some folks. I find that amusing.

[FlightofthePetrel]

Just got the Streamline Text Message.  OU Baseball takes first 2 of the doubleheader from Sewanee!   Great job guys!   2 more now... lets secure that spot for the divisional!

[Gus Sinski]

 Hendrix evened up its series with Southwestern 1-1 with a 2-0 win today. Daniel Ward pitched seven innings for the win, and Wheeler Gnat finished the last two for the save.

The bats were mostly silent for both teams today, and Southwestern starter Wes Willis pitched a strong game in his own right. Frigid temperatures and gusty winds in Conway today...this was a game a Republican would love, as it was a pretty good argument against global warming. David Hagan was the only Warrior player with two hits today.

Gnat, incidentally, has five saves to his credit with an ERA below 2.06 and 26 K's in just over 39 innings. All-SCAC, All-SCAC, All-SCAC...

[frank_ezelle]

Lynx Tracker--I certainly see where you are coming from and I understand that you are going to be defensive about anything that might seem to question the success had by Rhodes or an individual.  For the record, here's a general recap of what I've posted in the past:

--With Flanagan and Holt, Rhodes has a chance to beat any team they play in a short series like the 2 games coming up with Emory, in the SCAC Crossover, and in the SCAC Tournament.  I think the question mark on their other pitchers doesn't come into play very much until the NCAA Regionals.
--The schedule Rhodes plays isn't exactly the strongest schedule in D3 so it makes it hard to determine just how good they are.  Others have made that same point about the schedule but I don't recall anyone saying they think Rhodes is anything less than a very good team.
--I would be surprised if Rhodes doesn't get to an NCAA Regional one way or another.  Maybe the only way they don't get an at-large bid is if they have a total collapse against LaGrange, Washington and Emory next week.  My personal belief is that Rhodes goes 4-1 in those 5 games with the one loss coming to Washington when Rhodes has to use a 3rd starter or in a pitching duel with Jason Glushon of Emory.  He is 9-0 with a 1.10 ERA and he looked really good in his win over Millsaps and it would be very interesting to see Flanagan and Glushon go head-to-head.

As for the post about Flanagan picking up a win when he comes into the game and Rhodes is already winning, I was simply pointing out a situation that has happened on a couple of occasions this year.  To be honest, I would not have a problem with the Rhodes coach IF he was trying to work it where Flanagan got a couple of extra wins.  You've seen that getting recognition as a team is difficult for the newcomer and I'm sure that holds true for the players on a newcomer team.  Getting a few extra wins and leading the nation in wins this year might be the only way that Flanagan will be considered for some regional and national awards and I don't have a problem IF a coach looked at things from that angle.

[Ralph Turner]

Sounds like Rhodes has a version of

Spahn and Sain
And pray for rain

A poem in The Boston Post in 1948 by sports editor Gerald Hern led to the famous phrase about the Braves' two terrific pitchers and had commentary in it about the rest of the staff:

"First we'll use Spahn, then we'll use Sain,
Then an off day, followed by rain.
Back will come Spahn, followed by Sain,
And followed, we hope, by two days of rain."

Other sports may have claims to fame, but baseball probably has the greatest "legacy of literature".

[Ralph Turner]

Infielddad,
Garner has elected to attend law school at Miss. College beginning in the fall.  I talked to him just recently.  He is very grateful for the opportunity that the Padres extended to him. 

This is one ASC (McMurry) fan who is glad that Wetzel has used his eligibility! 

Now he can begin his quest to run a MLB team! 

[frank_ezelle]

Getting back to action from the weekend, things are starting to shape up in some interesting ways:

--In the SCAC East Sewanee and OU have a DH today that will probably determine the 4th seed in the East.  OU won the first 2 games of the series and has a 1-game lead on Sewanee.
--DePauw is looking pretty good as the #2 seed unless Centre can sweep them in a DH today.
--Millsaps looks good to win the West if they are focused when they go to Hendrix next weekend.  At the moment the standings are Millsaps (8-4), Austin (9-6), Southwestern (5-5), Trinity (5-6) and Hendrix (2-8). 
--Hendrix really needs to win both games today to have a chance to get to the crossover series.  On the other hand, if Southwestern wins today they then move to 7-5 prior to their closing series with Trinity and they would be in great shape for a high finish.
--Trinity is in a tailspin at the moment, having lost 3 of 4 to Millsaps and now 3 straight to Austin.  If Trinity loses today then a Rhodes vs. Trinity matchup is very possible at the SCAC Crossover.  If Trinity wins today and wins next week's series over Southwestern then it would probably result in a Rhodes vs. Southwestern matchup.

[Gus Sinski]

Sounds like Rhodes has a version of

Spahn and Sain
And pray for rain

A poem in The Boston Post in 1948 by sports editor Gerald Hern led to the famous phrase about the Braves' two terrific pitchers and had commentary in it about the rest of the staff:

"First we'll use Spahn, then we'll use Sain,
Then an off day, followed by rain.
Back will come Spahn, followed by Sain,
And followed, we hope, by two days of rain."

Other sports may have claims to fame, but baseball probably has the greatest "legacy of literature".

First we'll throw Flanigan, then we'll throw Holt
And we'll see if the SCAC East can cope
Or perhaps we'll start Holt, and move on to Flanigan
I'm not sure...nothing rhymes with Flanigan

[Pat Coleman]

Let's try this:

First we'll throw Flanigan, then we'll throw Holt
Perhaps that will give the division a jolt
Or perhaps we'll start Holt, and move on to Flanigan
And if that doesn't work, we'll simply begin again

[Ralph Turner]

Let's try this:

First we'll throw Flanigan, then we'll throw Holt
Perhaps that will give the division a jolt
Or perhaps we'll start Holt, and move on to Flanigan
And if that doesn't work, we'll simply begin again

+1!   
Or,

Flanigan and Holt
To win baseball games we pitch
Flanigan and Holt.