BB: D-3 Players in minor leagues/MLB

[WLCALUM83]

Doug Coe (UW-Stevens Point) was released by Windy City of the Frontier League.

[OshDude]

Messiah's Chris Heisey is currently featured in the top story (and photo), "Southern Schooling," at BaseballAmerica.com as I type. Pretty cool.

[OshDude]

I saw former Cubs great Jim Bullinger is co-repping Robert Whitenack. And yes, I used great, Jim, Cubs and Bullinger is the same sentence.

[WLCALUM83]

Jack Walker (Concordia-Chicago) had a great game for Vermont last night:

http://web.minorleaguebaseball.com/news/article.jsp?ymd=20090702&content_id=5655896&vkey=recap&fext=jsp&sid=t462

[OshDude]

Kratz and Figueroa were named AAA all-stars. League managers selected both to the International League team.

[OshDude]

Heisey landed on Baseball America's midseason all-star team and its midseason all-surprise team. Heisey was the only player to make both lists.

[LTBB1971]

Virginia Wesleyan's Jesse Freeman was released from the Quebec Capitales of the Can-Am League after posting a 6+ ERA.

[RSSmith]

Trinity (CT) is representing well with the Lowell Spinners (Red Sox short season A).  Tom DiBennedeto is leading the team in batting average and Jeremiah Bayer is leading the team in ERA.

http://web.minorleaguebaseball.com/milb/stats/stats.jsp?t=t_ibp&cid=558&stn=true&sid=t558

[szlongball]

Aaron Dott is off to a rough start in the New York-Penn League. Currently 0-3 with a 6.89 ERA.

[RedlandsAsstSID]

Erik Kratz, an Eastern Mennonite alum playing for AAA Indianapolis, was named the IL's All-Star Game MVP after going 2-for-2 with a double, a home run and a walk.

Also, his sister, Janelle, is the assistant athletic trainer at the University of Redlands.

[vwgma10]

Chris Rivera  pitcher from VWC is with the potomac Nationals...   A  team for the Washington Nationals

[RSSmith]

Trinity (CT) is representing well with the Lowell Spinners (Red Sox short season A).  Tom DiBennedeto is leading the team in batting average and Jeremiah Bayer is leading the team in ERA.

http://web.minorleaguebaseball.com/milb/stats/stats.jsp?t=t_ibp&cid=558&stn=true&sid=t558

Oooops.

http://web.minorleaguebaseball.com/milb/stats/stats.jsp?t=t_ibp&cid=558&stn=true&sid=t558

[old scot]

Looking at stats from the Lowell Spinners, I have noticed that D3 All Americans are having a difficult time adjusting to pro ball. Hedman and Killeen put up gaudy numbers during their past college season but have appeared very average or below thus far for the Spinners. Bayher, same results on the mound.

I guess the question is, is the competion in college inferior? Are their college stats enhanced against weak teams? Success with metal bats does not translate to wood bats.

[infielddad]

It is a huge transition to go from even the top levels of DIII to Milb.
That is why players cannot get too high when they are doing well nor too low when they struggle.  Milb is the true marathon and it is where you end, along with how you get there that makes a major difference in who gets another contract and who gets released.
Perhaps the best explanation I can provide on your questions is the following:
For hitters like Hedman, nearly every pitcher he sees this Summer will be better than 99% of those he saw at the DIII level.  They will throw harder, have better breaking balls and combine each with better command.  Hitters need to adjust to 88-94mph thrown on your hands and you are using wood.
For pitchers, they will be facing 9 hitters every night who were better than the #3/4 hitter on any DIII team.  Plus, these are hitters who make adjustments after each AB.  
The last comment which I think is applicable is that players in Milb need to get better every day.  A DIII player has a large gap to bridge in a short period of time to improve the quality of their play so they are fully competitive.  
A DIII player cannot have any feeling of assurance that their ability/stats at the DIII level translates in Milb.  It does not.  They need to have the attitude and work ethic to get better every day and to not be satisfied at any point.

[old scot]

Good explanation infielddad.

I have noticed that your chances may be limited if you are not productive or showing improvement. I think the old saying " your only as good as your last game" really comes into focus for minor league guys.