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Monday - November 28, 2005

Alumni News: Teagarden has surgery

Taylor Teagarden underwent Tommy John surgery last week and may not be able to catch at all next season. I sure hope the recovery goes well.

Posted by Joanna at 8:45 AM | Permalink

Saturday - November 19, 2005

Alumni News: Brandon Fahey added to 40-man roster

Brandon Fahey's been added to the Orioles' 40-man roster. Quote:

Fahey spent the year at Bowie and tied for ninth in the Eastern League with a .291 average. He topped the Baysox with 146 hits and tied for first among all Minor Leaguers with 22 sacrifice hits.

Way to go, Brandon!

By the way, here's the link to the current 40-man roster. 'Course, Brandon hasn't got a number or link as of the date/time of this posting. It's just a matter of time.

Posted by Joanna at 11:37 AM | Permalink

Thursday - November 17, 2005

Alumni News: Huston Street Honored Again

Huston Street was unanimously voted by Major League managers to the Topps Rookie All-Star Team. Cool.

Posted by Joanna at 10:15 PM | Permalink

National Signing Day

According to Texas Baseball News magazine (as reported by the Statesman), the Longhorns have signed seven of the state's top 25 high school recruits. Quote:

The most-prized signees are pitchers Jordan Walden (Mansfield High) and Brandon Belt (Lufkin Hudson), though both could end up signing with major-league teams after being drafted in June.

The Longhorns lost second baseman Robby Hudson, All-America shortstop Seth Johnston and third baseman David Maroul -- the Most Outstanding Player at the 2005 College World Series -- to pro baseball, which made recruiting infielders a priority for Texas.

Josh Prince, the younger brother of former UT outfielder Dooley Prince, will help in this area as will Sanford, Fla., signee Marcus Lemon, the son of former major-league outfielder Chet Lemon.

Other notables who signed include McCallum center fielder Kyle Lusson and outfielder Clint Stubbs, the younger brother of Texas junior center fielder Drew Stubbs.

I have to say that I like reading news that a kid from the Austin area or the younger sibling of a former player has chosen to come to UT. I think that says something good about the program.

And, here's the link to the TexasSports.com press release about all of the signings: Baseball inks 12 during early signing period.

I decided to go looking around and found a few stories about some of the latest crop of signees:

Hook 'em!

Posted by Joanna at 10:05 PM | Permalink

Monday - November 7, 2005

Alumni News: Street sweeps!

Huston Street completed his sweep of the rookie award circuit by being named the AL Rookie of the Year today by the Baseball Writers' Association of America. Two of his teammates, Joe Blanton and Nick Swisher, also received votes (they tied for 6th place in the balloting). His roommate, Bobby Crosby, won the award last year.

Huston was in town yesterday for a celebrity softball game. I imagine he's still here...or at least nearby. Quote:

"This award is something I'll remember for my whole life. It's a tremendous honor. [...] It made my mom cry this morning. It's always a pretty big deal if your mom cries about it."

Congrats, Huston!

Links:

PS: Thanks to Lucas for stopping by and telling me that the award had been announced. I was reading about it yesterday and knew it would be announced today. But, I got busy with that silly work thing and forgot to check on the announcement 'til just now.

UPDATE (Nov. 8). More links to news stories from Bay-area papers:

Posted by Joanna at 4:14 PM | Permalink

Sunday - November 6, 2005

Off-topic: A wee little football rant

So, for those of you that watched the Texas game. Oh wait...no. For those of you that watched the Miami/Va-Tech game. Did you like the way the story and rumblings changed as the game went on? At first it was:

"We really need a play-off system. Or at least a Plus One. Because Virginia Tech is going to be so screwed at the end of the year when it's USC and Texas in the Rose Bowl. There'll be three undefeated teams but only two of 'em get to play for the brass ring. (Nevermind that Alabama and UCLA are also undefeated at this point in time...surely they'll both lose by the end of the season and we'll be left with the other three.)"

But, then...as it became clear that...shock!...horror!...Virginia Tech wouldn't, in fact, be undefeated at the end of the season, the story became:

"We really need a play-off system. Or at least a Plus One. Because it's not fair that Miami lost that first game of the year and now it turns out that they just might be the best team in the country by the end of the year. Even though they have a loss. But, we'll never know it 'cause it'll be those two undefeated teams, USC and Texas, in the Rose Bowl. They just got lucky not to lose early in the season. But, it's clear as day, now that Miami stomped all over the team we know could beat either of those other two given half a chance, that Miami simply should be in the championship game. Waaaahhhhhh."

I sat there watching that game and could not believe how the story changed to fit the pre-conceived thesis that we really must have and desperately need a play-off system (or at least a Plus One) as the game wore on. And, it's not just that we need that. It's more than that. Because, if you're paying attention, you'll notice that things might actually work out and we might actually have a Championship game between the only two undefeated teams at the end of the year. But, that doesn't mean the BCS works. I mean:

"For God's sake...Texas (a team we all know is extremely over-rated...and, oh by the way, it's clear Vince Young just keeps getting lucky) might get into the Rose Bowl. Again! Even though we took those spineless wimps that vote in the AP poll out of the damn equation. How can this be???? Ack. Change the system. And, do it before the end of the year. If at all possible."

I said I couldn't believe my ears as I watched. But, I could. It wasn't at all surprising. It could've been predicted. It's sad nonetheless. That's not to say, by the way, that I think the BCS is the be-all and end-all. But, it's what we've got. And, it's better than what we had. All I want out of those talking heads is a little honesty. Yeah, I know. World peace is also just around the corner.

Posted by Joanna at 9:32 AM | Permalink

Saturday - November 5, 2005

More honors for Coach Garrido

Coach Augie Garrido has been tapped to receive two more honors. He's to be a member of the inaugural Cal State Fullerton Titan Athletics Hall of Fame. The ceremony will be taking place later today in Fullerton. And, he's to be inducted into the Texas Sports Hall of Fame up in Waco. Already in the Hall, by the way, are former UT baseball coaches Disch (inducted in 1980), Falk (1961), and Gustafson (1994)! That ceremony is scheduled for February 15, 2006. Congratulations, Coach!

Posted by Joanna at 12:31 AM | Permalink

Thursday - November 3, 2005

Alumni News: Street gets another award

Earlier today, Huston Street was named the recipient of the Players Choice Award as the AL Outstanding Rookie of 2005 (link). Way to go, Huston!

Posted by Joanna at 11:35 PM | Permalink

Wednesday - November 2, 2005

Alumni News: LeCure

Sam LeCure was named Outstanding Pitcher by the Reds as they handed out their Instructional League honors (link).

Quote:

Right-hander Sam Lecure, the club's fourth-round pick in this year's draft, was named Outstanding Pitcher. Lecure went 5-1 with a 3.27 ERA in 13 games, including six starts, at Rookie Billings this season.

Posted by Joanna at 7:37 PM | Permalink

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