I talked to coach Rex Peters today for a feature on shortstop-turned-pitcher Ryan Coultas, which will run sometime next week. I also asked him a little about recruiting, the schedule and the prospects for next year.
The Aggies begin the 2009 slate at UCLA on Feb. 20 and then host Pepperdine on Feb. 27. A road trip to San Diego State is also on the docket, along with the usual mid-week games against Stanford and Cal.
Peters said he expected to lose one of his three junior pitchers to a professional team, but all three eventually signed. Brad McAtee was a 45th-round pick with the Rockies, but did get around $60,000, according to Peters.
"He was drafted in the 45th round, but he got top-20-round money," Peters said. "That's the reason we lost him."
The coach does expect to have soon-to-be junior Andy Suiter back. Suiter was taken by the New York Yankees but told Peters a few weeks ago he's "100 percent sure he's coming back."
He also expects to have 20 underclassmen on the roster next season, a far cry from 2008 when the Aggies were senior dominant.
Showing posts with label UCD baseball. Show all posts
Showing posts with label UCD baseball. Show all posts
Wednesday, August 6, 2008
Tuesday, July 8, 2008
Fitzgerald sighting
The Giants officially have three former UC Davis players in their system.
Justin Fitzgerald has signed and is pitching for the Giants' rookie league affiliate in Arizona. Fitzgerald, the Aggies' closer last season, did not allow a run in one inning in his pro debut.
Pitcher Dave McKae (6-4, 4.56 ERA, 18 games) is with Double-A Connecticut and Tyler LaTorre (.286, HR, 3 RBIs, 25 games) is with the High-A San Jose Giants.
Fitzgerald becomes the sixth UCD player to sign a pro contract this summer. The only Aggie who has not signed is pitcher Andy Suiter, who is throwing in the wood bat Northwoods League for the St. Cloud River Bats.
Here is how some of the other Aggies are faring in the minors:
Ryan Coultas (St. Lucie Mets) 0-4, 4.91 ERA, 30 strikeouts, 16 BBs, 3 saves, 40 1/3 innings
Daniel Descalso (Palm Beach Cardinals) .215, 4 homers, 28 RBIs, 73 games
Aaron Hanke (South Bend Silver Hawks) .236, 7 homers, 23 RBIs, 47 games
Jake Jefferies (Hudson Valley Renegades) .207, 0 HRs, 4 RBIs, 16 games
Ryan Royster (Everett AquaSox) .158, 1 SB, 0 HRs, 19 games
Eddie Gamboa (Bluefield Orioles) 0-1, 2.93 ERA, 10 SOs, 3 BBs, 15 1/3 innings
Brad McAtee (Tri-City Dust Devils) 3-1, 0.50 ERA, 16 SOs, 6 BBs, 18 innings
Bryan Evans (Jamestown Jammers) 1-1, 5.11 ERA, 7 SOs, 3 BBs, 12 1/3 innings
Justin Fitzgerald has signed and is pitching for the Giants' rookie league affiliate in Arizona. Fitzgerald, the Aggies' closer last season, did not allow a run in one inning in his pro debut.
Pitcher Dave McKae (6-4, 4.56 ERA, 18 games) is with Double-A Connecticut and Tyler LaTorre (.286, HR, 3 RBIs, 25 games) is with the High-A San Jose Giants.
Fitzgerald becomes the sixth UCD player to sign a pro contract this summer. The only Aggie who has not signed is pitcher Andy Suiter, who is throwing in the wood bat Northwoods League for the St. Cloud River Bats.
Here is how some of the other Aggies are faring in the minors:
Ryan Coultas (St. Lucie Mets) 0-4, 4.91 ERA, 30 strikeouts, 16 BBs, 3 saves, 40 1/3 innings
Daniel Descalso (Palm Beach Cardinals) .215, 4 homers, 28 RBIs, 73 games
Aaron Hanke (South Bend Silver Hawks) .236, 7 homers, 23 RBIs, 47 games
Jake Jefferies (Hudson Valley Renegades) .207, 0 HRs, 4 RBIs, 16 games
Ryan Royster (Everett AquaSox) .158, 1 SB, 0 HRs, 19 games
Eddie Gamboa (Bluefield Orioles) 0-1, 2.93 ERA, 10 SOs, 3 BBs, 15 1/3 innings
Brad McAtee (Tri-City Dust Devils) 3-1, 0.50 ERA, 16 SOs, 6 BBs, 18 innings
Bryan Evans (Jamestown Jammers) 1-1, 5.11 ERA, 7 SOs, 3 BBs, 12 1/3 innings
Saturday, June 14, 2008
McAtee a Dust Devil
So much for my projections.
This story indicates UC Davis pitcher Brad McAtee has signed a professional contract and will start the season with the Tri-City (Wash.) Dust Devils in the Colorado Rockies' organization:
McAtee, the Aggies' No. 2 starter who was 8-5 with a 3.18 ERA, was a 45th-round selection.
If Fitzgerald ends up with the Salem-Keizer (Ore.) Volcanoes, there will be three former Aggies in the short-season Northwest League. Ryan Royster was assigned to the Everett (Wash.) AquaSox.
This story indicates UC Davis pitcher Brad McAtee has signed a professional contract and will start the season with the Tri-City (Wash.) Dust Devils in the Colorado Rockies' organization:
McAtee, the Aggies' No. 2 starter who was 8-5 with a 3.18 ERA, was a 45th-round selection.
If Fitzgerald ends up with the Salem-Keizer (Ore.) Volcanoes, there will be three former Aggies in the short-season Northwest League. Ryan Royster was assigned to the Everett (Wash.) AquaSox.
Friday, June 13, 2008
Evans a Jammer
The Aggies were expected to lose catcher Jake Jefferies and pitcher Justin Fitzgerald, both juniors, to professional teams.
It looks like junior starting pitcher Bryan Evans is gone as well.
This story indicates Evans is on the Jamestown (N.Y.) Jammers short-season roster. Evans was picked by the Florida Marlins in the 14th round of last week's baseball draft.
Evans was 3-3 with a 4.91 ERA but he led the staff with 71 strikeouts.
It's kind of an educated guess, but don't be surprised to see Brad McAtee and Andy Suiter pass on professional contracts and return to UC Davis next season. If that happens, the Aggies' weekend rotation would likely be McAtee on Friday, Suiter on Saturday and Jeremy McChesney on Sunday. Of course, that's a long way away.
More updates on where UCD players are assigned when they become available.
It looks like junior starting pitcher Bryan Evans is gone as well.
This story indicates Evans is on the Jamestown (N.Y.) Jammers short-season roster. Evans was picked by the Florida Marlins in the 14th round of last week's baseball draft.
Evans was 3-3 with a 4.91 ERA but he led the staff with 71 strikeouts.
It's kind of an educated guess, but don't be surprised to see Brad McAtee and Andy Suiter pass on professional contracts and return to UC Davis next season. If that happens, the Aggies' weekend rotation would likely be McAtee on Friday, Suiter on Saturday and Jeremy McChesney on Sunday. Of course, that's a long way away.
More updates on where UCD players are assigned when they become available.
Friday, June 6, 2008
Second day of draft
The Aggies have had four more players taken on the second day of the draft: junior closer Justin Fitzgerald (Giants, Round 11), senior center fielder Ryan Royster (Mariners, Round 13), junior pitcher Bryan Evans (Marlins, Round 14) and senior pitcher Eddie Gamboa (Orioles, Round 21).
If Fitzgerald signs, he'll be the third UCD player in the Giants' organization, joining Dave McKae and Tyler LaTorre. McKae is with the Double-A Connecticut Defenders and LaTorre is with the Single-A San Jose Giants.
More updates when they become available.
Looks like two more Aggies were taken in the later rounds: Set-up man Andy Suiter in the 32nd round by the Yankees and Brad McAtee in the 45th round by the Rockies.
The late pick of McAtee could mean that he returns to the Aggies next season and tries to improve his draft stock. McAtee was just as impressive as Gamboa at times this season and pitched well in the regional against Pepperdine. UCD pitching coach Matt Vaughn said he was surprised McAtee was taken that low.
Teams have until Aug. 15 to sign those players. Otherwise, they lose their rights and they can go back into the draft the following season.
If Fitzgerald signs, he'll be the third UCD player in the Giants' organization, joining Dave McKae and Tyler LaTorre. McKae is with the Double-A Connecticut Defenders and LaTorre is with the Single-A San Jose Giants.
More updates when they become available.
Looks like two more Aggies were taken in the later rounds: Set-up man Andy Suiter in the 32nd round by the Yankees and Brad McAtee in the 45th round by the Rockies.
The late pick of McAtee could mean that he returns to the Aggies next season and tries to improve his draft stock. McAtee was just as impressive as Gamboa at times this season and pitched well in the regional against Pepperdine. UCD pitching coach Matt Vaughn said he was surprised McAtee was taken that low.
Teams have until Aug. 15 to sign those players. Otherwise, they lose their rights and they can go back into the draft the following season.
Thursday, June 5, 2008
Jefferies is a Ray
UC Davis junior catcher Jake Jefferies was selected by the Tampa Bay (Don't call them Devil) Rays as the first pick of the third round, No. 78 overall.
Jefferies was the fifth catcher drafted, following Florida State's Buster Posey (Giants, No. 5), high schooler Kyle Shipworth (Marlins, No. 6), Stanford's Jason Castro (Astros, No. 10) and another prep guy Brett Lawrie (Brewers, No. 16).
In case you're wondering, the No. 78 pick from last season, Keith Weiser of Miami, signed with the Rockies for $455,000.
UCD third baseman Daniel Descalso went in the third round last season and was the 112th overall pick.
Jefferies was the fifth catcher drafted, following Florida State's Buster Posey (Giants, No. 5), high schooler Kyle Shipworth (Marlins, No. 6), Stanford's Jason Castro (Astros, No. 10) and another prep guy Brett Lawrie (Brewers, No. 16).
In case you're wondering, the No. 78 pick from last season, Keith Weiser of Miami, signed with the Rockies for $455,000.
UCD third baseman Daniel Descalso went in the third round last season and was the 112th overall pick.
Tuesday, June 3, 2008
Super Regionals
In case anyone is wondering, UC Davis went 7-7 against teams left in the Super Regionals. The Big West will be represented by Cal State Fulleton and UC Irvine as the league did not embarass itself, unlike the SEC, which sent nine schools to the postseason but gained just two in the Super Regionals.
Here's a link to the Super Regional teams, dates and sites by Baseball America:
Check out the Enterprise blog on Thursday and Friday for updates on Aggies taken in the draft. Expect catcher Jake Jefferies to go in the first few rounds. Pitchers Eddie Gamboa, Brad McAtee, Bryan Evans and Justin Fitzgerald are also expected to be taken, along with center fielder Ryan Royster.
Here's a link to the Super Regional teams, dates and sites by Baseball America:
Check out the Enterprise blog on Thursday and Friday for updates on Aggies taken in the draft. Expect catcher Jake Jefferies to go in the first few rounds. Pitchers Eddie Gamboa, Brad McAtee, Bryan Evans and Justin Fitzgerald are also expected to be taken, along with center fielder Ryan Royster.
Sunday, June 1, 2008
Stayin' alive
STANFORD - The Aggies and Cardinal are fighting for their lives in an elimination game at Sunken Diamond. Stanford is ahead 3-2 heading into the top of the fifth.
UCD pitcher Bryan Evans is laboring, but he escapes a two-on, two-out situation in the top of the inning, inducing Stanford's dangerous catcher Jason Castro to fly out to center to end the inning.
The Aggies had Stanford pitcher Jeffrey Inman on the ropes in the first inning, loading the bases with no outs. The Aggies settle for a single run and Inman seems to have settled down in the third and fourth.
Stanford's second run scored when UCD left fielder Kevin James loses Randy Molina's fly ball in the sun. Castro scored on the play and Molina wound up at second for a double.
Evans is at 91 pitches, so it will be interesting how much longer he can go.
UPDATE at 2:51 p.m. The Aggies tie the game 3-3 in the bottom of the fifth on Ryan Scoma's two-out, RBI single to right. Ryan Royster reaches on a bunt single to lead off the inning and scores from second on the single.
UPDATE at 3:03 p.m. UCD reliever Andy Suiter replaces Evans with a runner at third and one out and keeps the game tied. Jake Schlander strikes out and Cord Phelps grounds out. Evans finishes with 113 pitches in 5 1/3 innings.
UPDATE AT 3:21 p.m. Suiter works out a bases-loaded jam in the top of the seventh as Brandon Domarack pops up to third baseman Ty Kelly to end the inning.
UPDATE AT 3:34. Jake Jefferies, who has struggled for much of the regional, singles against Inman with one out to tie Dave Nix for the single-season school record in hits with 95. Kelly had reached on an error prior to the hit. But Inman retires Scoma to end the inning. Marco Grifantini replaces Suiter in the top of the eighth.
UPDATE AT 3:47 p.m. The Aggies summon closer Justin Fitzgerald to pitch with one on and out out in the eighth. Fitzgerald allows a single to Cord Phelps to put runners at first and third, but Joey August grounds into an inning-ending double play.
UPDATE at 4:04 p.m. The Aggies have the lead! Matt Dempsey's sacrifice fly to left scores Evan Hudson to make it 4-3 in the bottom of the eighth. UCD uses a hit-and-run single from Grant Hirnese to set up Dempsey's RBI.
UPDATE at 4:11 The lead is gone! Castro reaches on Hudson's fielding error and Brent Milleville unloads on a 1-and-0 fastball from Fitzgerald over the left-field fence. The Stanford bench is going nuts! Molina follows with a double and Trevor Fox replaces Fitzgerald, who entered the game with 15 saves. Fox strikes out Sean Ratliff but walks pinch-hitter Toby Gerhart, and Jeremy McChesney is the new UCD pitcher.
UPDATE at 4:28: Stanford continues to pile it on. The Cardinal up the lead to 7-4 with consecutive RBI singles from Zach Jones and Schlander against McChesney. Colin McCusker is UCD's seventh pitcher.
UPDATE at 4:31: Phelps' RBI single scored one more run, but Joey August hits into a double play to end the inning. Stanford leads 8-4 heading to the bottom of the ninth.
FINAL UPDATE at 4:44: Kelly and Jefferies each single with two outs, but Scoma grounds out to end the game. With the hit, Jefferies is the school's single-season hit leader with 96. Kelly was 8-for-13 in the regional and finishes the season at .397.
STANFORD 8, UC DAVIS 4.
The Cardinal will play Pepperdine at 5:45 p.m.
UCD pitcher Bryan Evans is laboring, but he escapes a two-on, two-out situation in the top of the inning, inducing Stanford's dangerous catcher Jason Castro to fly out to center to end the inning.
The Aggies had Stanford pitcher Jeffrey Inman on the ropes in the first inning, loading the bases with no outs. The Aggies settle for a single run and Inman seems to have settled down in the third and fourth.
Stanford's second run scored when UCD left fielder Kevin James loses Randy Molina's fly ball in the sun. Castro scored on the play and Molina wound up at second for a double.
Evans is at 91 pitches, so it will be interesting how much longer he can go.
UPDATE at 2:51 p.m. The Aggies tie the game 3-3 in the bottom of the fifth on Ryan Scoma's two-out, RBI single to right. Ryan Royster reaches on a bunt single to lead off the inning and scores from second on the single.
UPDATE at 3:03 p.m. UCD reliever Andy Suiter replaces Evans with a runner at third and one out and keeps the game tied. Jake Schlander strikes out and Cord Phelps grounds out. Evans finishes with 113 pitches in 5 1/3 innings.
UPDATE AT 3:21 p.m. Suiter works out a bases-loaded jam in the top of the seventh as Brandon Domarack pops up to third baseman Ty Kelly to end the inning.
UPDATE AT 3:34. Jake Jefferies, who has struggled for much of the regional, singles against Inman with one out to tie Dave Nix for the single-season school record in hits with 95. Kelly had reached on an error prior to the hit. But Inman retires Scoma to end the inning. Marco Grifantini replaces Suiter in the top of the eighth.
UPDATE AT 3:47 p.m. The Aggies summon closer Justin Fitzgerald to pitch with one on and out out in the eighth. Fitzgerald allows a single to Cord Phelps to put runners at first and third, but Joey August grounds into an inning-ending double play.
UPDATE at 4:04 p.m. The Aggies have the lead! Matt Dempsey's sacrifice fly to left scores Evan Hudson to make it 4-3 in the bottom of the eighth. UCD uses a hit-and-run single from Grant Hirnese to set up Dempsey's RBI.
UPDATE at 4:11 The lead is gone! Castro reaches on Hudson's fielding error and Brent Milleville unloads on a 1-and-0 fastball from Fitzgerald over the left-field fence. The Stanford bench is going nuts! Molina follows with a double and Trevor Fox replaces Fitzgerald, who entered the game with 15 saves. Fox strikes out Sean Ratliff but walks pinch-hitter Toby Gerhart, and Jeremy McChesney is the new UCD pitcher.
UPDATE at 4:28: Stanford continues to pile it on. The Cardinal up the lead to 7-4 with consecutive RBI singles from Zach Jones and Schlander against McChesney. Colin McCusker is UCD's seventh pitcher.
UPDATE at 4:31: Phelps' RBI single scored one more run, but Joey August hits into a double play to end the inning. Stanford leads 8-4 heading to the bottom of the ninth.
FINAL UPDATE at 4:44: Kelly and Jefferies each single with two outs, but Scoma grounds out to end the game. With the hit, Jefferies is the school's single-season hit leader with 96. Kelly was 8-for-13 in the regional and finishes the season at .397.
STANFORD 8, UC DAVIS 4.
The Cardinal will play Pepperdine at 5:45 p.m.
Saturday, May 31, 2008
Aggies not only Cinderella
UNION CITY - The UC Davis baseball team was considered the most dangerous No. 4 seed in the college regionals and the Aggies responded, beating Stanford 4-2 on Friday at Sunken Diamond.
UCD (35-22) was not the only 4 seed to advance though. Lipscomb upset Georgia 10-7 in the Athens Regional and in Long Beach, Fresno State upset the 49ers 7-3. Other Big West teams did advance though as Cal State Fullerton thumped Rider 11-0 and UC Irvine edged Oral Roberts 9-7.
The biggest upset though came in the Tallahassee Regional where Bucknell upset Florida State, the No. 2-ranked team in the nation, 7-0. It was only the Seminoles' 11th loss of the season and first time they had been shut out.
The Aggies will throw Brad McAtee today against No. 2 Pepperdine (37-19). The Waves escaped with a 4-3 win over Arkansas, needing a diving catch in the ninth by Nate Simon to preserve the victory.
The Waves were 7-4 against Big West teams this season, beating Fullerton, Long Beach, Santa Barbara Cal Poly and Riverside. They didn't play UCD or the conference's bottom feeders, Pacific or Northridge.
Since ace Nathan Newman started the opener, Pepperdine has a few choices today, but none has overwhelming numbers: Scott Alexander (7-4, 4.44), Matt Bywater (7-2, 4.97) or Robert Dickman (3-5, 5.46). Baseball America is guessing that the Waves may throw a wild card in Brett Hunter (14 strikeouts in 14 2/3 innings) against the Aggies.
UCD (35-22) was not the only 4 seed to advance though. Lipscomb upset Georgia 10-7 in the Athens Regional and in Long Beach, Fresno State upset the 49ers 7-3. Other Big West teams did advance though as Cal State Fullerton thumped Rider 11-0 and UC Irvine edged Oral Roberts 9-7.
The biggest upset though came in the Tallahassee Regional where Bucknell upset Florida State, the No. 2-ranked team in the nation, 7-0. It was only the Seminoles' 11th loss of the season and first time they had been shut out.
The Aggies will throw Brad McAtee today against No. 2 Pepperdine (37-19). The Waves escaped with a 4-3 win over Arkansas, needing a diving catch in the ninth by Nate Simon to preserve the victory.
The Waves were 7-4 against Big West teams this season, beating Fullerton, Long Beach, Santa Barbara Cal Poly and Riverside. They didn't play UCD or the conference's bottom feeders, Pacific or Northridge.
Since ace Nathan Newman started the opener, Pepperdine has a few choices today, but none has overwhelming numbers: Scott Alexander (7-4, 4.44), Matt Bywater (7-2, 4.97) or Robert Dickman (3-5, 5.46). Baseball America is guessing that the Waves may throw a wild card in Brett Hunter (14 strikeouts in 14 2/3 innings) against the Aggies.
Friday, May 30, 2008
The hat trick
STANFORD - Internet problems at Stanford did not allow a live blog, but Friday's Stanford Regional was everything the Aggies could have hoped for.
Senior Eddie Gamboa threw an unofficial 127 pitches and outdueled Cardinal ace Erik Davis as the Aggies advanced with a 4-2 win in front of 2,644 fans at Sunken Diamond. UCD beat Stanford for the third time this season.
Gamboa was sensational, striking out seven and allowing four hits, but none after the fifth. He walked the leadoff batter in the ninth, but Brent Milleville lined into a double play and Gamboa blew a 3-and-2 fastball past Randy Molina to end the game.
Gamboa's effort reached beyond the win though. The Aggies didn't have to use their bullpen, as the entire pitching staff will be rested for the rest of the regional.
Davis was sharp himself, retiring the first 10 batters of the game, four of those by strikeout. The Aggies hit into double plays in the fourth and fifth and appeared to be headed for the loser's bracket in the regional.
Instead, UCD rallied with four in the seventh. The key at-bat in the inning might have been Ryan Scoma, who couldn't get a bunt down with runners at first and second but singled to left to make it a 2-1 game. Evan Hudson put UCD ahead 3-2 with a single down the line in left and Matt Dempsey's suicide squeeze scored the final run.
Strangely enough, Stanford held two of the Aggies' big guns - Jake Jefferies and Ryan Royster - hitless in seven at-bats, although Jefferies did walk in the four-run seventh.
The Aggies take on Pepperdine at 5 p.m. on Saturday. A win against the Waves and UCD has the inside track on winning the regional.
For more on the Stanford win and the Saturday game, check out Sunday's Enterprise.
Senior Eddie Gamboa threw an unofficial 127 pitches and outdueled Cardinal ace Erik Davis as the Aggies advanced with a 4-2 win in front of 2,644 fans at Sunken Diamond. UCD beat Stanford for the third time this season.
Gamboa was sensational, striking out seven and allowing four hits, but none after the fifth. He walked the leadoff batter in the ninth, but Brent Milleville lined into a double play and Gamboa blew a 3-and-2 fastball past Randy Molina to end the game.
Gamboa's effort reached beyond the win though. The Aggies didn't have to use their bullpen, as the entire pitching staff will be rested for the rest of the regional.
Davis was sharp himself, retiring the first 10 batters of the game, four of those by strikeout. The Aggies hit into double plays in the fourth and fifth and appeared to be headed for the loser's bracket in the regional.
Instead, UCD rallied with four in the seventh. The key at-bat in the inning might have been Ryan Scoma, who couldn't get a bunt down with runners at first and second but singled to left to make it a 2-1 game. Evan Hudson put UCD ahead 3-2 with a single down the line in left and Matt Dempsey's suicide squeeze scored the final run.
Strangely enough, Stanford held two of the Aggies' big guns - Jake Jefferies and Ryan Royster - hitless in seven at-bats, although Jefferies did walk in the four-run seventh.
The Aggies take on Pepperdine at 5 p.m. on Saturday. A win against the Waves and UCD has the inside track on winning the regional.
For more on the Stanford win and the Saturday game, check out Sunday's Enterprise.
Tuesday, May 27, 2008
Tickets at Stanford
This note from the Stanford media relations office:
Here's the link on gostanford.com regarding ticket sales for this weekend.
According to the link, only all-session tickets are available for
advance purchase That began at 9 a.m. on Tuesday. Single-game tickets go on sale on Friday at 9 a.m.
Call 1-800-STANFORD or visit www.gostanford.com for any questions regarding tickets to the NCAA Regional.
Here's the link on gostanford.com regarding ticket sales for this weekend.
According to the link, only all-session tickets are available for
advance purchase That began at 9 a.m. on Tuesday. Single-game tickets go on sale on Friday at 9 a.m.
Call 1-800-STANFORD or visit www.gostanford.com for any questions regarding tickets to the NCAA Regional.
Monday, May 26, 2008
The Ags' chances
Here's what Baseball America writer Aaron Fitt thought about UC Davis' chances in the Stanford regional:
Q: Tim from Northridge, Calif asks:
I saw UC Davis play against Cal State Northridge all weekend. With good starting pitching and an outstanding offense, can UC Davis win that regional having owned the only standout, Stanford, in the regular season?
A: Aaron Fitt: I think the Aggies can win that regional. They're probably the most dangerous 4 seed in the tournament -- UC Davis and Fresno State are the only No. 4 seeds capable of winning regionals, in my opinion. And I don't like Fresno's chances in that loaded Long Beach regional without Tanner Scheppers, so Davis has the best shot to carry the banner for No. 4 seeds.
Q: Tim from Northridge, Calif asks:
I saw UC Davis play against Cal State Northridge all weekend. With good starting pitching and an outstanding offense, can UC Davis win that regional having owned the only standout, Stanford, in the regular season?
A: Aaron Fitt: I think the Aggies can win that regional. They're probably the most dangerous 4 seed in the tournament -- UC Davis and Fresno State are the only No. 4 seeds capable of winning regionals, in my opinion. And I don't like Fresno's chances in that loaded Long Beach regional without Tanner Scheppers, so Davis has the best shot to carry the banner for No. 4 seeds.
Off the bubble
Players gathered at pitcher Brad McAtee's house on Monday morning to watch ESPN's NCAA Selection Show. The Aggies thought they might have to sweep their final series of the season to make the postseason but dropped the final game at Cal State Northridge on a walkoff homer in the bottom of the ninth.
UC Santa Barbara lost its final game of the season and dropped a series at UC Irvine, however, as both teams had good credentials for being the Big West Conference's final at-large team.
The NCAA ultimately picked UCD, which finished sixth in the Big West but had a stronger RPI than Santa Barbara (52 to 61). The Gauchos, who finished a game ahead of the Aggies in the standings, played two games against NAIA Westmont and also opened the season with a sweep of a terrible Marist squad. The Aggies, to their credit, played all of their games against Division I competition.
UCD coach Rex Peters thought Santa Barbara might have gotten in with a win on Sunday at Irvine.
"Santa Barbara is a quality team," Peters said. "If they would have won a series at Irvine on the road, they might have gotten in. Who knows? They might have taken five teams from the Big West."
The Aggies received one of the final three at-large bids, along with Tulane and Arkansas, according to Baseball America. Defending two-time NCAA champ Oregon State was left off the field, along with other bubble teams Missouri State and Baylor.
The Big West was given four slots last season as well as two eventually advanced to the College World Series, another factor that might have played into the selection process this year.
Peters said the team will begin practicing again on Tuesday. He said Eddie Gamboa will throw on Friday against regional host Stanford (33-21-2), a team the Aggies beat twice this season and have won four of five against dating back to 2006.
The game at Sunken Diamond is 5 p.m. Arkansas (34-22) and Pepperdine (36-19) are scheduled to start at 1 p.m.
For a complete story on the selection, see Tuesday's Enterprise.
UC Santa Barbara lost its final game of the season and dropped a series at UC Irvine, however, as both teams had good credentials for being the Big West Conference's final at-large team.
The NCAA ultimately picked UCD, which finished sixth in the Big West but had a stronger RPI than Santa Barbara (52 to 61). The Gauchos, who finished a game ahead of the Aggies in the standings, played two games against NAIA Westmont and also opened the season with a sweep of a terrible Marist squad. The Aggies, to their credit, played all of their games against Division I competition.
UCD coach Rex Peters thought Santa Barbara might have gotten in with a win on Sunday at Irvine.
"Santa Barbara is a quality team," Peters said. "If they would have won a series at Irvine on the road, they might have gotten in. Who knows? They might have taken five teams from the Big West."
The Aggies received one of the final three at-large bids, along with Tulane and Arkansas, according to Baseball America. Defending two-time NCAA champ Oregon State was left off the field, along with other bubble teams Missouri State and Baylor.
The Big West was given four slots last season as well as two eventually advanced to the College World Series, another factor that might have played into the selection process this year.
Peters said the team will begin practicing again on Tuesday. He said Eddie Gamboa will throw on Friday against regional host Stanford (33-21-2), a team the Aggies beat twice this season and have won four of five against dating back to 2006.
The game at Sunken Diamond is 5 p.m. Arkansas (34-22) and Pepperdine (36-19) are scheduled to start at 1 p.m.
For a complete story on the selection, see Tuesday's Enterprise.
Sunday, May 25, 2008
Draft possibilities
This came from a chat about the baseball draft with Baseball America writer Matt Blood:
Q: John Bench from San Diego asks:
With only two college catchers in your top 100, which remaining college catchers follow in the top 200?
A: Matt Blood: The catching crop is thin this year but other names in our list are: Pete Paramore from ASU, Jake Jefferies from UC Davis, Tim Federowicz from UNC, and Ryan Lavarnway from Yale. Expect these guys to go higher than their prospect rankings as there is usually a push for the premium position.
Q: John Bench from San Diego asks:
With only two college catchers in your top 100, which remaining college catchers follow in the top 200?
A: Matt Blood: The catching crop is thin this year but other names in our list are: Pete Paramore from ASU, Jake Jefferies from UC Davis, Tim Federowicz from UNC, and Ryan Lavarnway from Yale. Expect these guys to go higher than their prospect rankings as there is usually a push for the premium position.
Tuesday, May 20, 2008
Peters suspended
The Big West has suspended UC Davis baseball coach Rex Peters one game for his outburst during Sunday's 5-3 loss to UC Irvine. He'll miss Friday's crunch series opener against Cal State Northridge. The Aggies need to win this series to have much a shot at making the postseason.
Peters was thrown in the first inning Sunday for aruging balls and strikes. Presumably he was defending senior Ryan Royster, who had just been ejected. He protest and was kicked out of the game. Before leaving the field, he threw a bag of baseballs onto the field.
"His conduct following this ejection, including the tossing of a bag full of balls onto the field and his approaching of homeplate umpire Rick Scarbery following the game, was inappropriate, unprofessional, and unsportsmanlike," Big West Commissioner Dennis Farrell said in a statement.
Peters spoke harshly about the umpire after the game to The Enterprise:
"In my opinion, the umpire was not ready to umpire when he stepped onto the field, and the strike zone in the first inning showed that," Peters said. "He wasn't calling the strike at the knees, which has been mandated by the supervisor of umps this season. Royster just asked him why he didn't get the same call, and to throw a player like him out in a game of this magnitude for that, isn't right."
UPDATE: Royster will be available for Friday's game against the Matadors.
Peters was thrown in the first inning Sunday for aruging balls and strikes. Presumably he was defending senior Ryan Royster, who had just been ejected. He protest and was kicked out of the game. Before leaving the field, he threw a bag of baseballs onto the field.
"His conduct following this ejection, including the tossing of a bag full of balls onto the field and his approaching of homeplate umpire Rick Scarbery following the game, was inappropriate, unprofessional, and unsportsmanlike," Big West Commissioner Dennis Farrell said in a statement.
Peters spoke harshly about the umpire after the game to The Enterprise:
"In my opinion, the umpire was not ready to umpire when he stepped onto the field, and the strike zone in the first inning showed that," Peters said. "He wasn't calling the strike at the knees, which has been mandated by the supervisor of umps this season. Royster just asked him why he didn't get the same call, and to throw a player like him out in a game of this magnitude for that, isn't right."
UPDATE: Royster will be available for Friday's game against the Matadors.
Monday, May 19, 2008
Aggies vs. Gauchos
With UC Davis' series loss to UC Irvine, the Aggies' postseason hopes are in serious danger. UCD has lost Big West series to Cal State Fullerton, UC Irvine, UC Riverside and Cal Poly while sweeping Pacific and taking two of three from UC Santa Barbara and Long Beach State. A series win (maybe a sweep) over Cal State Northridge is a must.
Santa Barbara is making a case it deserves the Big West's final at-large berth after sweeping Riverside over the weekend. Another factor possibly working against the Aggies: They're a first-year, Division I school. If it's even close with Santa Barbara, don't be surprised to see the committee give the Gauchos the nod.
Here is how Baseball America's Aaron Fitt thinks it might go down for the Aggies and Gauchos:
"As I wrote in Three Strikes today over on the College Blog, I think the Gauchos will get in if they take two of three from Irvine, and they might still have a chance if they can win just one game from the Anteaters. Davis' chances are sagging, but if the Aggies can sweep Northridge next weekend (which is very much within the realm of possibility) and Irvine wins that series at home against UCSB, Davis and Santa Barbara will have identical 14-10 records in conference play. Davis has the more impressive resume, thanks to series wins against Long Beach State, UCSB and Santa Clara, so you'd have to give UCD the upper hand in that scenario. Of course, if neither team finishes strong, the Big West will be a three-bid league."
Santa Barbara is making a case it deserves the Big West's final at-large berth after sweeping Riverside over the weekend. Another factor possibly working against the Aggies: They're a first-year, Division I school. If it's even close with Santa Barbara, don't be surprised to see the committee give the Gauchos the nod.
Here is how Baseball America's Aaron Fitt thinks it might go down for the Aggies and Gauchos:
"As I wrote in Three Strikes today over on the College Blog, I think the Gauchos will get in if they take two of three from Irvine, and they might still have a chance if they can win just one game from the Anteaters. Davis' chances are sagging, but if the Aggies can sweep Northridge next weekend (which is very much within the realm of possibility) and Irvine wins that series at home against UCSB, Davis and Santa Barbara will have identical 14-10 records in conference play. Davis has the more impressive resume, thanks to series wins against Long Beach State, UCSB and Santa Clara, so you'd have to give UCD the upper hand in that scenario. Of course, if neither team finishes strong, the Big West will be a three-bid league."
Wednesday, May 14, 2008
Building the resume
Mid-week nonleague wins aren't quite as impressive as winning series in college baseball because teams are generally saving their best pitchers for the weekend. With that in mind, however, UC Davis' 9-5 win over No. 13 Cal on Tuesday did help to boost the Aggies' resume to make the postseason.
UCD finished 5-3 against the Pac-10 and is now 8-6 against nationally ranked opponents. If the Aggies are on the "bubble" of making the NCAA field, these kind of numbers should come in handy.
The team is still in must-win territory against UC Irvine this weekend and Cal State Northridge next weekend. Losing either series could cost the Aggies an at-large bid.
Baseball America writer Aaron Fitt projected the field again this week and still has the Aggies in the Stanford regional, this time with Pepperdine and Wright State as the other teams.
He did make this point: "UC Davis, Santa Clara, College of Charleston and Notre Dame get in off the bubble, but none of them can afford any hiccups in the next two weeks."
UCD finished 5-3 against the Pac-10 and is now 8-6 against nationally ranked opponents. If the Aggies are on the "bubble" of making the NCAA field, these kind of numbers should come in handy.
The team is still in must-win territory against UC Irvine this weekend and Cal State Northridge next weekend. Losing either series could cost the Aggies an at-large bid.
Baseball America writer Aaron Fitt projected the field again this week and still has the Aggies in the Stanford regional, this time with Pepperdine and Wright State as the other teams.
He did make this point: "UC Davis, Santa Clara, College of Charleston and Notre Dame get in off the bubble, but none of them can afford any hiccups in the next two weeks."
Wednesday, May 7, 2008
Ags are lead item
Baseball America has a lengthy item about UC Davis baseball in its mailbag section. Aaron Fitt talks at length about the UCD pitching staff, the team's draft prospects and the chances of the Aggies being ranked if they win this weekend's road series at UC Riverside.
Monday, May 5, 2008
More poll watching
UC Davis' 3-1 week against No. 3 Stanford and No. 23 Long Beach State earned the Aggies consideration outside the top-25 in the rivals.com college baseball poll and the National Collegiate Baseball Writers Association poll.
UCD catcher Jake Jefferies and third baseman Ty Kelly appear on rivals.com's power rankings this week, rating the best players at their positions. Kelly is 14th among third baseman Jefferies is 15th among catchers.
Kelly (.415), Ryan Scoma (.381) and Jefferies (.379) occupy the top three spots in the Big West for average.
Baseball America writer Aaron Fitt predicted the field of 64 last week and projected UC Davis would be in the Stanford regional, along with Pepperdine and Lipscomb.
Speaking of Fitt, he was asked a question about why the Aggies weren't ranked in the top-25 this week and this is what he said:
"What's really hurting Davis, as far as the rankings go, is that it lost its last two series before this weekend. I do like that 7-5 mark against the top 25, though. The Aggies really do look like a regional team to me."
UCD ends an eight-game stretch against nationally ranked opponents on Tuesday when it travels to Cal (29-15-2). The Bears are 19-5-2 at home and feature top hitters Josh Satin (.401, 15 homers, 45 RBIs) and David Cooper (.389, 18, 52). Win or lose, the Aggies' matchup with UC Riverside this weekend will loom larger. The Highlanders have been one of the hottest teams since conference play began after an awful preseason.
Also, the Aggies moved up to 41st in RPI this week, according to boydsworld.com. UCD is actually just a spot ahead of Long Beach. Fullerton is 13th, Irvine is 20th and Santa Barbara is 63rd this week.
UCD catcher Jake Jefferies and third baseman Ty Kelly appear on rivals.com's power rankings this week, rating the best players at their positions. Kelly is 14th among third baseman Jefferies is 15th among catchers.
Kelly (.415), Ryan Scoma (.381) and Jefferies (.379) occupy the top three spots in the Big West for average.
Baseball America writer Aaron Fitt predicted the field of 64 last week and projected UC Davis would be in the Stanford regional, along with Pepperdine and Lipscomb.
Speaking of Fitt, he was asked a question about why the Aggies weren't ranked in the top-25 this week and this is what he said:
"What's really hurting Davis, as far as the rankings go, is that it lost its last two series before this weekend. I do like that 7-5 mark against the top 25, though. The Aggies really do look like a regional team to me."
UCD ends an eight-game stretch against nationally ranked opponents on Tuesday when it travels to Cal (29-15-2). The Bears are 19-5-2 at home and feature top hitters Josh Satin (.401, 15 homers, 45 RBIs) and David Cooper (.389, 18, 52). Win or lose, the Aggies' matchup with UC Riverside this weekend will loom larger. The Highlanders have been one of the hottest teams since conference play began after an awful preseason.
Also, the Aggies moved up to 41st in RPI this week, according to boydsworld.com. UCD is actually just a spot ahead of Long Beach. Fullerton is 13th, Irvine is 20th and Santa Barbara is 63rd this week.
Monday, April 28, 2008
Good, bad news
The UC Davis baseball team dropped two of three to Cal State Fullerton over the weekend and the Aggies have lost their last two Big West series. The good news is that one, they weren't swept, and two, they still have plenty of time to make up ground.
Stanford, ranked No. 3 by Baseball America and 11th by Collegiate Baseball, is at Dobbins Stadium on Wednesday. The Cardinal have been excellent in the Pac-10 but not necessarily as potent in their mid-week games. Stanford is also 9-6-2 away from Sunken Diamond.
The series with Long Beach State at Dobbins should be even more telling. The 49ers swept a poor Pacific team over the weekend, but two of the games were one-run affairs, the last one coming in 11 innings. Long Beach is 9-10 on the road this season. Friday's pitching matchup could be a good one as UCD's Eddie Gamboa squares off against Long Beach ace Andrew Liebel (5-2, 2.09). The Dirtbags are sixth in the country in ERA, and the Aggies are 38th in the country in batting average.
UCD dropped to 46th in RPI this week, according to boydsworld.com. UC Santa Barbara's RPI is 55th, so UCD still has the edge there. UC Irvine (9), Fullerton (19) and Long Beach (31) are ahead of the Aggies in RPI.
UCD second baseman Ty Kelly raised his average to .422 over the weekend and still leads the Big West. He's 22nd in the nation. Catcher Jake Jefferies is second in the Big West at .397 and 73rd in the nation.
Stanford, ranked No. 3 by Baseball America and 11th by Collegiate Baseball, is at Dobbins Stadium on Wednesday. The Cardinal have been excellent in the Pac-10 but not necessarily as potent in their mid-week games. Stanford is also 9-6-2 away from Sunken Diamond.
The series with Long Beach State at Dobbins should be even more telling. The 49ers swept a poor Pacific team over the weekend, but two of the games were one-run affairs, the last one coming in 11 innings. Long Beach is 9-10 on the road this season. Friday's pitching matchup could be a good one as UCD's Eddie Gamboa squares off against Long Beach ace Andrew Liebel (5-2, 2.09). The Dirtbags are sixth in the country in ERA, and the Aggies are 38th in the country in batting average.
UCD dropped to 46th in RPI this week, according to boydsworld.com. UC Santa Barbara's RPI is 55th, so UCD still has the edge there. UC Irvine (9), Fullerton (19) and Long Beach (31) are ahead of the Aggies in RPI.
UCD second baseman Ty Kelly raised his average to .422 over the weekend and still leads the Big West. He's 22nd in the nation. Catcher Jake Jefferies is second in the Big West at .397 and 73rd in the nation.
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