BB: Candidates for All-American Teams

[BoomerIL]

I've been around baseball and enjoyed the game for many decades, and I try to make some sense of how All-Americans, or MVP's in MLB, or Pitcher's of the Year/Cy Young winners, etc. are chosen.

My question to all of you on D3 is......what, who sets the criteria for these selections.  I'm not nieve enough to think the those players are the best-of-the-best, but through maybe consistent play are given those honors.

In anyones and everyones opinion, how is one player/position chosen out of all the very talented DIII players across the country?

It is indeed difficult to make thee decisions.

At D3baseball.com we always use a ballot and a number of voters who know the players.  Often there is a consensus on who is the best. 

I beleive I said this before but after compiling the All-American list last year, I could make a fifth, sixth...  team that one would say yeah, they are All-Americans but you have to draw the line somewhere.

So then, I would assume coaches, parents, team officials, etc., are the voters that you refer to, correct?  I guess then when these evaluations of a player are made, some sort of a comment or opinion is included with the ballot.  True?  But what is really being evaluated, the batting average, hits, hr's, rbi's, tb's, and so on, plus his defensive prowess?  I know the simple answer is "yes, all of the above" but are there the intangibles, whatever those may be.  Evaluating pitchers is probably easier with a low era, k's/bb's ratio, etc.

I've noticed when discussions occur in MLB about players OBP and SLG %, that many are starting to view those two stats as having an equal, or maybe even greater importance in evaluating a players success or value to a team.  Are these stats taken into consideration as well?
   

[infielddad]

Boomer,
These selections have to be very difficult, if for no other reason than some spectacular numbers  can be put up at the DIII level.
Historically, though, you will find the All Americans include the very best players.  When our son graduated in 2004, the team included Scott Hyde from George Fox, Andrew Pinkney from Emory, Scott(?) Peterson from George Fox and some others.  Ours got included. I think Archie Gilbert from Cal State East Bay was included and he is still playing.  That West Regional was TOUGH!!!!!
Each one of those players had fine MILB careers except Scott Hyde and that had nothing to do with his talent.
When you go to a regional, you truly see how much talent there is at the DIII level and why these types of choices have to be difficult.  While some really good players might get not get the nod, it surely is not because lesser players did.  If you get a DIII All American nod, you have to be a terrific player, at any level of NCAA baseball.

[baseballbaseball]

cant wait to see who is on the pre season all american list even though i know that the south region will get pushed to the side again. the kids we have been talking about in the south region, especially the two pitchers should def be on one of those two teams.


another note on Moore,    he was 9-2 with a team that lead the nation in errors last year, alot to say

also our VA lychburg star won over 30% of his teams games last year, not name mentioned

[Ralph Turner]

cant wait to see who is on the pre season all american list even though i know that the south region will get pushed to the side again. the kids we have been talking about in the south region, especially the two pitchers should def be on one of those two teams.


another note on Moore,    he was 9-2 with a team that lead the nation in errors last year, alot to say

also our VA lychburg star won over 30% of his teams games last year, not name mentioned

Baseballbaseball, the team that Jim Dixon puts out there will have only a limited number of positions.  The teams actually look like the team that you might see in a weekend series.  There won't be 3 first basemen and seven outfielders on the first team.

That being said, there are 8 regions and 360 schools to consider.  The South Region only has 36 schools in it.  I think that the South Region will be well represented on the team, and garner more than 10% of the slots available.

[Hammer Ball]

Only 3 of the D3 players drafted appear not to have signed professional contracts:

1088. Evan Bronson, Trinity (Texas) by Milwaukee (36)
1368. Dean Laganosky, Haverford by Cleveland (45)
1435. Brett Holland, Texas-Tyler by Oakland (48)

Does good enough to be drafted mean good enough to be a D3 Pre-season All-American?

We will find out in January.

[baseballbaseball]

Mr. Turner  you say that the south region will have 10% of the players shown on this years pre-season all american list, but with out being a typical sports writer and beating around the truth, who do you think are the favorites for becoming preseason all americans

1rst team

2nd team

H-mention

[Ralph Turner]

I am still following the posts to see who is on the radar from fans across the country, as they make their cases for their favorites.  So far, Wheaton's Kolb looks good.  I wonder about Devlin and Kitchens as pitchers.

Killeen had some good numbers for a catcher. Youchak as an OF looks good.

There are five that I think show up on the list.   

[Ralph Turner]

Only 3 of the D3 players drafted appear not to have signed professional contracts:

1088. Evan Bronson, Trinity (Texas) by Milwaukee (36)
1368. Dean Laganosky, Haverford by Cleveland (45)
1435. Brett Holland, Texas-Tyler by Oakland (48)

Does good enough to be drafted mean good enough to be a D3 Pre-season All-American?

We will find out in January.

I need help on this about Laganosky. I cannot find him on any of last year's All-Region or All-American lists.  I did not find him in any NCAA stats leader list, e.g., BA, RBI, HR.  Was he drafted as a favor to someone else?

Thanks

[Hammer Ball]

2nd Team All-Centennial Conference in 07 and 08 (OF)
.378 and .344 BA in 07 and 08, respectively.
71 - 80 SB's career.

Was followed by Indians all season and into the summer - not drafted as a favor (to my knowledge)

[Ralph Turner]

Thanks Hammer Ball!

+1! 

(I thought that I remembered that someone was drafted as a favor to someone else, deep in the draft.)

[Mr. Ypsi]

Thanks Hammer Ball!

+1! 

(I thought that I remembered that someone was drafted as a favor to someone else, deep in the draft.)

In the 2007 draft, the White Sox drafted Guillen Oney (son of Ozzie Guillen) from North Park, even though Oney did not even play in 2007 (and batted under .300 in 2006)!  Might that be who you were thinking of?

[Ralph Turner]

Thanks Hammer Ball!

+1! 

(I thought that I remembered that someone was drafted as a favor to someone else, deep in the draft.)

In the 2007 draft, the White Sox drafted Guillen Oney (son of Ozzie Guillen) from North Park, even though Oney did not even play in 2007 (and batted under .300 in 2006)!  Might that be who you were thinking of?

I remember that now that you mention it.  I think that the player was a West Coast player...

[Jack Parkman]

Come on guys!  He is talking about Mike Piazza.  The guy was like the 10,000th pick as a favor to Tommy Lasorda.  I'm with you Ralph.

[BoomerIL]

infielddad......

Very true in your analysis.  I remember last March in Florida when our guys played Emory in Sanford, their 3rd baseman Frank Pfister, was a totally different looking player than the year before.  What I mean is that his physical appearance/size had changed into a true baseball "body type."  His fielding was much improved, as well as his hitting.  He eventually was drafted.  You could tell he was, or could be going places in pro-ball.

The year before, Jason Glushon was sort of the same way.  Not very big in terms of being a pitcher, but he knew how to pitch, hitting his spots and mixing up his pitches.  He is in AA now.

I have watched a lot of college ball, inperson and on t.v., and I have to believe that there are many DIII players that could easily be playing DI, and even have a chance at the pros if only they went to the right school, at the right time, for the right position.  I know that sounds simple, but you and I both probably know that it is not.  It is an honor, a big accomplishment, DIII, DII, and especailly DI to be an All-Amercian.  It doesn't hurt their resume either.

[mr_b]

Thanks Hammer Ball!

+1! 

(I thought that I remembered that someone was drafted as a favor to someone else, deep in the draft.)

In the 2007 draft, the White Sox drafted Guillen Oney (son of Ozzie Guillen) from North Park, even though Oney did not even play in 2007 (and batted under .300 in 2006)!  Might that be who you were thinking of?

Here's a link to Oney's career stats at North Park.