BB: USAC: USA South Athletic Conference

[El Capitan]

"Well thought out chants".....give me a break.  Have you ever been to a Duke Carolina or UVA VT game?

[Catfishncwc]

I agree. I think it's a generalized thought by all that the USAS, and even dIII in general, does not get enough recognition. Along with the three players you've mentioned, you can throw Trae Bailey into that mix as well. One of the best pure hitters I've ever seen. Brashears, Van Sickler, and Ingram all may have a shot this year, as I certainly think all 3 could compete at that level.

I think brashers and Van Sickler probably have a shot at indy ball.  Not sure any team is draft them this year at least my other scouts i talk with and share info with all say they are fringe at best and like  I have said many times putting up numbers does not get you drafted tools get you drafted and neither has the one tool, they get graded out average on about every tool and the number of players with average tools who are draft eligible would make your head spin.  Ingram I have not seen this year so I can not say.  

[hokieone]

Catfish would know these things...

   Best "heckle" I ever heard of: some frat guys found an assistant coach's mushy poem published on the internet from when he was a college student and when he took the first base box, serenaded him with the group reading it back to him.   

At a Presbyterian College conference weekend series, some frat guys were just hilarious, picking on a fat first baseman, a a slow outfielder-pretty creative funny stuff, sometimes close to the edge, not unlike Ferrum's right field guys. On Sunday afternoon, last inning, the opposing team's first basemen flipped them 3-4 baseballs and told them "Come to our place and be our guys. We wish we had fans like this".   

   Double agree on Henry, Brashears, Van Sickler- mucho grande class acts and great players.

[Richard of Funchester]

Catfish- I would have to agree that Van Sickler and Brashears would be average on most accounts with their tools.  Van Sickler will have a tough chance getting drafted as a pitcher, he would have to be looked at as a utility player.  I would be hard pressed to say that Brashears is average on Fielding and Running.  He is equal to anyone in the country here, there has not been a ball hit to center in the last 2 years that he has not been able to track down.  I will have to agree that his arm is average and might be his biggest deterent to getting drafted.
As an SU fan I hope that they get a good look to continue their careers.     

[CafeBordeaux]

You're right, putting up numbers doesn't NECESSARILY get you drafted, but it certainly can't hurt.  The numbers you put up and how successful your team is gets you more exposure, and more exposure leads to better chances of being drafted.  Both Brashears and Van Sickler have been a HUGE part of SU's success.  I don't know what you categorize as a "tool", but Brashears hits for average, that's a given, his homerun numbers don't lie either over the years, granted, pro ball is with wood bats.  He has the speed and the range, and how many pro outfielders that play CF have "plus" arms?  He might be average in arm strength and power, and there may be many players in the country who have average pro qualities, but SU is getting, and has gotten, exposure over the years so that helps their chances.  Having worked in the minor league organization for the Orioles with the Frederick Keys, I saw SEVERAL players who Brashears and Van Sickler are better than RIGHT NOW!  They had an OF'er who Brashears is bigger than and just as fast and has more power than he did, and the player mentioned is now in AAA at Norfolk.  I think Van Sickler has an above average fastball, not a great fastball, and a plus change, and if they can develop a 3rd "plus" pitch for Van Sickler in pro ball, watch out, cause that kid is the hardest worker of any player I've ever played with.  If he gets the chance, he WILL figure out how to succeed at the pro level. 

And PNeal, this is something we can agree on.  I hated playing you guys and it seemed that Trae was on base every damn time.  He was a great hitter I will agree with you on that PNeal.  Where is he now by the way?  Thought I heard he was picked up in Indy ball by someone.  What's the scoop on him now? 

[D-BAT]

09-1    22-02 SU
10-2    29-03 CNU
05-5    20-15 AU
04-6    22-10 MU
04-6    17-15 GB
02-8    14-15 FC
02-8    12-18-1 NCW

[D-BAT]

I'm just going to put in a little plug here for Coach Harvell.  Quality guy.  I was very impressed a few years ago when he made sure every single player on the roster made an appearance during the season... Even the bullpen catcher. I am sure that most of Coach Anderson's players respect him.  But there are players who chose CNU because that coaching staff was more suitable to them.

How 'bout CNU being cheaper than the other private USA-South schools, now who would not want to go there?

Tuition:

CNU -  $9,250 (in state) $17,992 (out-of-state) ... 2011 figures for CNU

NCW - $21,780

MU - $22,970

GB - $23,350

FC - $23,565

SU - $24,450


Money talks and BS walks!  

[hokieone]

Cafe,  I certainly hope for great things for Van Sickler and Brashears, fine players and fine guys,  AFTER they graduate ( ), but the Catfish IS indeed a pro scout, so his opinions carry some weight...

[PNeal7]

Trae did play Indy Ball the summer following his senior season. However, I believe he is not playing anymore, and is back down in Newport News finishing up school.

I think it's a pretty common thought that both of the SU guys are really good players. However, as Catfish noted, I also believe both will have a hard road ahead in terms of getting drafted.

As far as the tuition goes, obviously that does play a significant role in an individual decision. However, there may be more to it than the money factor. CNU gives just as good, if not better, education that anyone else in the conference (average HS GPA last I saw was a 3.7 or so), and CNU also BY FAR has the nicest campus, as even taking my personal bias out of it I don't see any other campus coming close. The money does play a role, but so does the level of baseball, education, and campus.

[D-BAT]

Cafe,  I certainly hope for great things for Van Sickler and Brashears, fine players and fine guys,  AFTER they graduate ( ), but the Catfish IS indeed a pro scout, so his opinions carry some weight...

It only takes (1) person to like you to have the opportunity and one's opinion is NOT everyone's opinion.  Just Sayin.

[Catfishncwc]

Cafe,  I certainly hope for great things for Van Sickler and Brashears, fine players and fine guys,  AFTER they graduate ( ), but the Catfish IS indeed a pro scout, so his opinions carry some weight...

It only takes (1) person to like you to have the opportunity and one's opinion is NOT everyone's opinion.  Just Sayin.

Actually it takes at least two people unless you get signed over the summer as a undrafted FA.  For the draft at the least you need to be seen by 2 scouts in the organization.  You have the original scout either a Associate Scout like myself or a Area Supervisor.  So once the Area Supervisor turns in a report to the big club then they send out a Cross Checker or another Area Supervisor to confirm what the other scouts have seen.  So it only takes one person to like you but sometimes 1-2 more people in the organization to confirm it. 
But during the summer if a Rookie Ball team or a Short Season A ball team still need players after the draft a Area supervisor can sign them without the extra eye balls on them.  That would be the best chance for both Sickler and Brashears. 
What also hurts Van Sickler on the mound is the fact that he pitches on Saturday's.  Most area supervisor's on Saturday's are at the D1 teams because he can see 2 pitchers at once instead of making a special trip to see one pitcher on a saturday.  I wish the both the best but getting drafted is not a easy thing.  I just wish I got a chance to see Van Sickler pitch but with Anderson changing the day he was pitching and not responding to my email if he was going to pitch or not that day i took a chance and went to the saturday game. 

[PNeal7]

I agree. It doesn't only take ONE person to like you..It takes at least 2. And if it is just ONE, then that one needs to be high up on the scouting board. If ONE guy didn't like Kenny Moreland enough to have him drafted, then I have a hard time saying anyone from the USAS will be.

[cnu13]

let me start out by saying that this weekend's games were great. SU and CNU both fought hard. Now moving onto the topic really at hand. Coach Anderson(sorry for saying his name to all of the people who dont want his name out here but lets be honest, you can find out who he is just about anywhere online) threatening CNU students. Maybe what people were saying was over the top(but that doesn't mean its not true, who really knows what happened), but calling out students and telling them to "bring your best 5"(which for those of you who dont know what that means, it means he wanted to fight). It was completely inappropriate and unprofessional. It is a shot to his character, him as a person, his family, and his program. That was completely out of line and then what i saw which might not have been noticed by anyone else but he then yelled at his player who was on 3rd base. It was a line drive to shallow CF and Shannon Mark made a great play and came up ready to throw. Anderson gave him a huge earful about getting back to the bag and tagging up. I wish he would have gone, because while Shannon has a good arm, he made the play about 30 feet behind the 2nd base bag and it would have been a double play. There are  times to yell at your players, but when you are pissed off at the fans of the other team(and grow up, its #1 v. #2, fans are going to say things, have some class), you dont have to take it out of the base runner, when he was actually in the right. So to all the SU fans out there that are going to try to break this down and say how wrong i am, let me say this, SU baseball program is a very good program but guess what, so is CNU's. There is a reason while we both at #1, and #2. And if you guys are going to tell me, 1, your fans dont stop yelling and 2, if this game was a home game for you guys, your fans wouldn't have acted the same way, then shame on you. Why cant we all just say that it was a great weekend, full of 2 great baseball games, and leave it at that. Why don't the fans stay in the stand, the coaches and players stay focused on the game, and leave it at that. Im done reading this message board cuz i know so many bias fans will come back with stupid comments and honestly, i don't believe have of the things written on here. I wouldn't have written this if the SU fans wouldn't have started this so congrats guys....who looks classy now. You took this away from baseball and now its about your coach's actions and our fans. Why dont you make a new thread and bash on CNU on there and keep this one about baseball? just a thought.......

[Will2Win]

let me start out by saying that this weekend's games were great. SU and CNU both fought hard. Now moving onto the topic really at hand. Coach Anderson(sorry for saying his name to all of the people who dont want his name out here but lets be honest, you can find out who he is just about anywhere online) threatening CNU students. Maybe what people were saying was over the top(but that doesn't mean its not true, who really knows what happened), but calling out students and telling them to "bring your best 5"(which for those of you who dont know what that means, it means he wanted to fight). It was completely inappropriate and unprofessional. It is a shot to his character, him as a person, his family, and his program. That was completely out of line and then what i saw which might not have been noticed by anyone else but he then yelled at his player who was on 3rd base. It was a line drive to shallow CF and Shannon Mark made a great play and came up ready to throw. Anderson gave him a huge earful about getting back to the bag and tagging up. I wish he would have gone, because while Shannon has a good arm, he made the play about 30 feet behind the 2nd base bag and it would have been a double play. There are  times to yell at your players, but when you are pissed off at the fans of the other team(and grow up, its #1 v. #2, fans are going to say things, have some class), you dont have to take it out of the base runner, when he was actually in the right. So to all the SU fans out there that are going to try to break this down and say how wrong i am, let me say this, SU baseball program is a very good program but guess what, so is CNU's. There is a reason while we both at #1, and #2. And if you guys are going to tell me, 1, your fans dont stop yelling and 2, if this game was a home game for you guys, your fans wouldn't have acted the same way, then shame on you. Why cant we all just say that it was a great weekend, full of 2 great baseball games, and leave it at that. Why don't the fans stay in the stand, the coaches and players stay focused on the game, and leave it at that. Im done reading this message board cuz i know so many bias fans will come back with stupid comments and honestly, i don't believe have of the things written on here. I wouldn't have written this if the SU fans wouldn't have started this so congrats guys....who looks classy now. You took this away from baseball and now its about your coach's actions and our fans. Why dont you make a new thread and bash on CNU on there and keep this one about baseball? just a thought.......

You want to get on here and rant and rave about a topic that hasnt been talked about in the last 5-6 posts and then you want to play the "who looks classy now" card? Get out of here man, you're trying to stir up the pot again. Let it be...Numerous people were in the wrong this past weekend and it is what it is. Do yourself a favor and delete your account, as you're posts carry no meaning or legitimacy after a worthless post like your last. If I were a CNU fan i'd be proud to stand beside your "classy self"....ha, get real.

[Boysofsummer21]

I can't believe that with all the games that were played this weekend we are still discussing this. The mentioned coach has to hold himself accountable to; himself, his team and his school.
As for the games I saw at CNU both were very well played games and two different games in themselves. Saturday was a game of who could try and out coach the other and which team adapted better to the changes. Lots of bullpen action and Shenandoah did a good job of hitting a good CNU bullpen.
Sunday's game was a straight here's my best lets tee it up! (and probably #1and #2 pitchers in conference – no disrespect to Chitsay) Van Sickler and Goldsmith both pitched very well, neither dominated but both did a very good job. Each made really only one mistake and both of them left the park! Both teams can flat out hit so holding the other down like they both did gets a big thumbs up from me. Did they leave Van Sickler in to long maybe but I know that both Coaches are better college coaches than I am so they did what they felt was right. Cue the Closers! Nice to see this game come down to who I feel are the two best in the conference! If you were at the games this weekend you got a peak at what I fell will make up the bulk of the 1st team and 2nd team all-conference teams and saw some of the best college baseball you could. These two teams are outstanding and should be ranked 1 and 2 in the nation as they can take on anyone! GO USA SOUTH.