dp Staff – Page 260 – Diamond Prospects

All-Decade Team: 2000-2009

Diamond Prospects All-Decade Team: 2000- 2009 Over the following weeks, Diamond Prospects has opened up the process of selecting our Palmetto State’s All-Decade Team to you, and we needed your help! The listing below is the group of nominees, divided up by position. From December 26- January 12 you had your say. On January 15, DP will unveil the First Team and Second Teams, along with the Teams and Coaches of the Decade. -Pitchers- Name High School College Drafted/Club Will Atwood Greenville USC 12th/Nationals Hamilton Bennett Fort Mill Winthrop – Forrest Beverly Conway USC 23rd/Nationals Alex Burrell Landrum USC – Thomas Berryhill Aynor Newberry 5th/Braves Adam Bullard Mauldin SMC/GW 43rd/Braves Steven Calicutt Dorman ETSU 21st/Giants Matt Campbell Hillcrest USC 1st/Royals Drew Cisco Wando *Georgia – Mike Cisco Wando USC 36th/Phillies Blake Cooper Edisto USC – Josh Cribb Lake View Clemson 8th/Royals Matt Crim Stratford The Citadel 21st/Braves Trey Delk Lugoff-Elgin Clemson 29th/White Sox Shane Dove Fort Mill SMC 38th/Diamondacks Jonathan Ellis St. Andrews The Citadel 6th/Padres Jeremy Epperson Brookland-Cayce SMC/FDT – Alex Farotto Riverside USC 34th/White Sox Zac Fuesser York Walters State 34th/Pirates Brett Harker Hillcrest CofC 5th/Phillies Ben Henry Loris – 30th/Rangers Ryan Hinson Northwestern Clemson 10th/Padres Brad Hocking Riverside USC – Cameron Holmes Boiling Springs CofC – Colby Holmes Conway USC 48th/Braves B.J. Hyatt Wade Hampton USC Sumter 4th/Astros Jay Jackson Christ Church Furman 9th/Cubs +Steven Jackson Summerville Clemson 10th/Yankees Jeff Jeffords Lamar SMC/USC 19th/Reds Curtis Johnson Lakewood FDTC/USC – Michael Kohn Camden USC-U/CofC 13th/Angels Jordan Lyles Hartsville *USC 1st/Astros David Marchbanks Mauldin USC 7th/Marlins Clinton McKinney Greenville UNCG/Clemson 48th/Rockies Brandon Miller Emerald USC – Patrick Mincey Hartsville SMC – Steven Neff Lancaster USC 26th/Pirates Dylan Owen Chesterfield Francis Marion 20th/Mets Ryan Owens Stall The Citadel FA/Astros Kyle Owings Gilbert SMC – Matt Pegler Riverside CofC – Wynn Pelzer Holly Hill USC 9th/Padres Barrett Phillips Belton-Honea Path SMC FA/Pirates Matt Price Sumter USC – Kevin Pucetas Broome Limestone 17th/Giants Aaron Rawl Lexington USC 21st/Phillies Jimmy Revan Boiling Springs SMC/USC – Heath Rollins Lexington USC/Winthrop 11th/Rays Don Sandifer Bamberg-Ehrhardt Francis Marion – Link Saunders Dutch Fork The Citadel FA/Yankees Lee Tabor Manning Francis Marion 30th/Reds Nic Touchstone Sumter NW Florida St. 18/Angels Matt Vaughn Summerville Clemson – Adam Westmoreland Brookland-Cayce USC 35th/Dodgers Brandon White Summerville Francis Marion – Asher Wojciechowski Beaufort Citadel – Marc Young Riverside SMC – Madison Younginer Mauldin *Clemson 7th/Red Sox -Catchers- Name High School College Drafted/Club Brison Celek Bishop England USC – Phil Disher South Aiken USC 15th/Astros Doc Doyle Conway Coastal Carolina 5th/Mets Kyle Enders Riverside USC – Doug Hogan Irmo Clemson 18th/Rangers Richard Jones Wilson Hall The Citadel 9th/Cubs Charlie Lisk Fort Mill *USC 9th/White Sox John Murrian Stratford Winthrop 9th/Tigers Jacob Wallace Dorman SMC/Francis Marion – -First Basemen- Name High School College Drafted/Club David Anderson White Knoll Coastal Carolina FA/Orioles Zach Brown Berea The Citadel 27th/Padres Chris McGuinness James Island The Citadel 13th/RedSox Hank Parks Easley SMC/USC – Justin Smoak Stratford USC 1st/Rangers -Middle Infielders- Name High School College Drafted/Club Shelton Cisson Berea Erskine – Drew Crisp Riverside USC 35th/Orioles Sterling Dye Brookland-Cayce FDT/Wofford – Taylor Harbin Travelers Rest Clemson 8th/Diamondbacks Reese Havens Bishop England USC 1st/Mets Shane Kirkley Lugoff-Elgin Wofford – Chris Owings Gilbert *USC 1st/Diamondbacks Steven Tolleson Dorman USC 5th/Twins Bryan Triplett Gilbert SMC/USC 12th/Astros Justin Trapp Fairfield-Central *Coastal Ca. 34th/Royals Scott Wingo Mauldin USC – -Third Basemen- Name High School College Drafted/Club Danny Brezeale Berkeley *Clemson 19th/Braves Hunter Cole Dorman *Georgia – Lee Curtis Eastside SMC/CofC 8th/Red Sox Trey McDaniel Brookland-Cayce USC/Western Ca. – Brandon Waring Airport Wofford 7th/Reds -Outfielders- Name High School College Drafted/Club Daniel Aldrich Wando CofC – Tommy Baldridge Fort Mill Coastal Carolina 33rd/Yankees Kyle Behrendt Greenwood Wofford – Allen Caldwell Sumter SMC 12th/Royals Shon Carson Lake City – – Brad Chalk Riverside Clemson 4th/Padres Tyler Colvin North Augusta Clemson 1st/Cubs Roscoe Crosby Union Clemson 2nd/Royals Quentin Davis Darlington Francis Marion 13th/Braves Konstantine Diamaduros Spartanburg Wofford – Bryan Fogle Lexington Erskine 30th/Rangers +Brett Gardner Holly Hill CofC 3rd/Yankees Justin Greene Stratford Francis Marion 20th/White Sox Dwayne Lynah Stratford SMC 45th/Mariners DeAngelo Mack Airport USC 13th/Yankees Sonny Meade Stratford Citadel Independant Jason Place Wren *USC 1st/RedSox Kevin White Spartanburg Presbyterian Independant Travis Witherspoon Sumter SMC 12th/Diamondbacks -Utility- Name HS College Drafted/Club Marty Gantt North Augusta SMC – Brooks Hall TL Hanna *USC 4th/Brewers Greg Harrison Hilton Head USC – Richard Mounce Blythewood Clemson – Forrest Koumas Lugoff-Elgin *USC – Daniel Palka Greer *Ga. Tech – Christian Powell Greenwood CofC 47th/Indians Michael Roth Riverside USC – Drake Thomason Eastside *USC – +Matt Wieters Stratford Ga. Tech 1st/Orioles *Denotes committed / +Played in Big Leagues Criteria: Player had to play at least one prep season during the decade. Emphasis is to be placed on performance on the field during the high school career combined with his career beyond high school, their entire body of baseball work to date.

Spring Preview: South Aiken Thoroughbreds

By: Bob Polewski – December 14, 2009 The South Aiken Thoroughbreds baseball team looks to continue to build on last years Region V AAA co-championship team. The T-Breds lost three impact seniors but will be returning six starters along with two others who saw a significant amount of time throughout the season. Paving the way on the… The new DP website is here. For all the great DP content, subscribe. If you have any login/subscription issues, please contact our support team. Your feedback on the new experience is appreciated as well. Username Password Remember Me Forgot Password

Spring Preview: Heathwood Hall Highlanders

By: Ashley Farr – December 14, 2009 Big Shoes to Fill A tradition of winning is something that is hard to achieve. It is a balance of fundamental teaching, chemistry and dedication that few programs ever develop. The Heathwood Hall Highlanders look to continue to progress toward a solid foundation of success in 2010 as they come off a 2009 s… The new DP website is here. For all the great DP content, subscribe. If you have any login/subscription issues, please contact our support team. Your feedback on the new experience is appreciated as well.

Commitments: 2013

-Commitments: Class of 2013- Anderson Name High School Position HT/WT B/T Zack Richardson Greenwood LHP 5-10/190 /L Matthew Powell Belton-Honea Path OF 5-11/159 R/R Storm Grisham Hilton Head 1B/OF – – Hunter Cro… The new DP website is here. For all the great DP content, subscribe. If you have any login/subscription issues, please contact our support team. Your feedback on the new experience is appreciated as well.

Coaches Corner: Dan Roszel – College of Charleston

Coaches Corner – Dan Roszel, College of Charleston: Dan Roszel is in his second season as the Cougars recruiting coordinator and pitching coach. After a stint at Gardner-Webb, Roszel landed back in this area following a stay at Florida Gulf Coast. Roszel is very passionate about the game, teaching college-aged kids and his family. In his spotlight, Roszel took quite a bit of time to give us a glimpse of who he is and what drives him. DP-How many years have you been in coaching? What got you into the business? 11 years. I got into coaching because of my love of the game. My goal was to make it to the big leagues like most players, but I fell short of that goal and the next best job to that was to be a coach and possibly help others fulfill their dreams. DP-What is the most rewarding thing about being a baseball coach? The most rewarding aspect to me is getting a chance to make an impact and mentor young men as they turn into men. We as coaches get to teach through the many up and downs of a baseball season/career and prepare our players for life in the real world. DP-What does the term "coach" mean to you? Mentor/teacher DP-What is something you wish everyone knew about your profession? Though coaching looks glamorous from the outside looking in, coaches spend a tremendous amount of hours into being successful. Most people underestimate the amount of time required to be good at this profession. Coaching on the field is our reward after doing all of the emails, letters, office work, phone calls, recruiting travel… DP-We all know there is very little money in getting started in coaching at the college level yet the time involved is mind-boggling, why did you do it? I was a little crazy I guess. Actually, the explanation is very simple. During my senior year in high school I hurt my arm. In many ways, getting hurt molded into who I became today. I didn’t have a pitching coach growing up and didn’t have anyone there to protect my arm. I have always felt that my injury was something that could have been avoided. I had to take a different path than most after being injured. I had to figure things out for me if I was going to be able to do the thing I loved the most; hold that baseball in my hand and compete till the end of a game and win. I studied the game; read books, watched endless amount of games to study pitching mechanics, talked to every pitching coach I could contact, took care of my body and formulated a routine through weights and thera-bands and stretching that helped me stay on the field. I still went through plenty of pain to pitch, but like I said before, I am probably a little crazy and the thrill of winning outweighed the pain. I did learn early on that if I wasn’t going to pitch in the big leagues that I at least wanted to stay around this game and help kids learn how to pitch and do it without pain. I have a passion for teaching the game of baseball and endured a lot during my playing days to hopefully keep kids from repeating what happened to me. Money never factored into the equation when I first started because baseball was the life I knew and you couldn’t put a price on happiness. DP-How do you balance the time demands of coaching and your family? There is no balance. When it is recruiting season and baseball season, baseball wins. December and January is all family time. The thing I try to do the most is to be the best father/husband I can be to my wife and two girls. My first love is them, though baseball requires a lot of time. There is no true balance in this profession, we can only give 100% of our time to our families whenever we are given the chance and hope that our families understand that we are helping young men to become men and great fathers themselves one day. DP-Quite a few rules have changed the recruiting game over the past 5 years. Which rule changes do you like, not like and how has it altered your approach to recruiting? The rule change I like the most would have to be the Quiet Period from November-March. Much needed rest/recovery time and even more important family time. Which is a change in my stance on this rule after it first came out. I am a firm believer if games are being played then I want to be there, but after I had my first daughter Madyson, being at everything lost its luster. Now knowing that we can’t go out during that time eases my mind. The biggest rule change that I believe is a negative for college coaches is the transfer rule. Many kids get pressured into signing or put ego ahead of feeling and play for the wrong program. Baseball is a funny sport in that it has as much to do mentally as it does physically. For most kids, they will never reach their full potential unless they are at the right place. Whether it is playing for the right coaching staff, playing time, academic atmosphere… I loved when kids had the chance to look at a certain environment and then make a decision to leave if they would have a better opportunity or fit elsewhere. We as coaches now can only hope that kids take everything into account before making decisions because their options are limited. DP-When you hear the expression "old school baseball", what does that phrase mean to you? As a player that means that you love the game and are a ‘baseball rat’, which plays the game with passion. As a coach it is someone who respects the game and runs a program in which …

Coaches Corner: Dusty Blake – Wofford College

Coaches Corner-Dusty Blake, Wofford College: Wofford recruiting coordinator Dusty Blake is amid his third season in the Palmetto State after spending his playing and early coaching career in North Carolina. In his Q & A for DP, Blake let’s us know him better, talks about the Terriers night practices and family life too: DP-How many years have you been in coaching? What got you into the business? I’m in my 6th year of coaching. I was fortunate enough to be contacted by Mark Hayes (Head Coach) at Pfeiffer University when my playing career ended and he gave me an opportunity to join his staff. DP-What is the most rewarding thing about being a baseball coach? The opportunity to develop young men and be a conduit to their success on the field and as human beings is what I enjoy most. DP-What does the term "coach" mean to you? The term "coach" is very dynamic in my opinion. I believe we as coaches are responsible for finding a way to communicate, teach, motivate, mentor, discipline, and encourage every player through words and/or actions in order to help them reach their maximum potential. DP-What is something you wish everyone knew about your profession? You have to love it in order to make the necessary commitment and sacrifices required to have success. DP-We all know there is very little money in getting started in coaching at the college level yet the time involved is mind-boggling, why did you do it? I had two choices when I finished school, take a job that would make it easier to pay the bills, or take a job I knew I would enjoy. DP-How do you balance the time demands of coaching and your family? It’s a difficult task to say the least. My wife is an exceptional woman and is very supportive of what I do. I try to organize my schedule around any opportunities I have to spend with my family. A lot of work gets done after they go to bed and before they get up. DP-You’ve coached at the Division I and II level. What are some of the differences between the two? Off the field, the recruiting timeline is much different. At Pfeiffer and Catawba, the majority of players we signed were after the early signing period. At Wofford, the majority of our recruiting is completed by the early signing period. On the field, the best Division II teams would be competitive at the Division I level. There have been several DII teams that have made the transition to DI and were immediately competitive. However, I think there’s a bigger gap among DII schools top to bottom compared to DI. DP-At Wofford, many of your practices are at night. Tell us the pros and cons to developing players under the lights: The premise behind night practices at Wofford is two-fold. First, many of our games are played under the lights and we feel there is an advantage to practicing in that environment. Second, several of the classes and labs at Wofford are only available in the afternoons. Practicing at night gives our players the time needed to manage their academic requirements and allows us to have every player on the field at the same time and practice as a team. DP-When you hear the expression "old school baseball", what does that phrase mean to you? Playing hard and working your butt off every day! DP-What is the definition of a "student-athlete"? A student-athlete is an individual who can excel in both the classroom and on the field/court. DP-What is your most memorable experience as a baseball coach? Winning the South Atlantic Conference with Catawba College in 2005 Winning the Carolinas-Virginia Athletic Conference with Pfeiffer University in 2004 DP-Who has made the greatest impression on you as a baseball coach and why? I would be remiss to only named one individual to answer this question. I’ve been very fortunate in my short coaching career to have worked or spent time with 3 coaches who’ve taught me a great deal about the game. Todd Interdoanto (Head Coach-Wofford), Jim Gantt (Head Coach – Catawba) and Chris Pollard (Head Coach – Appalachian State) have all been major influences on me as a coach. DP-Who are the best three players you have coached against? Mike Leake – Arizona State, Justin Smoak – South Carolina, Ike Davis – Arizona State DP-What does it mean to be a good teammate and is that important? Being a good teammate means putting your personal agenda aside and helping your team succeed any way possible. It’s important for everyone on a team to pull the same direction; I think bad teammates make that task more difficult. DP-Do you have any superstitions? If so, what? No superstitions. DP-What do you see as the biggest difference in high school-aged players today versus when you played? I feel high school-aged players today have more opportunities to be seen and more resources at their disposal to improve their game. DP-What is your greatest thrill, or two, beyond high school? The birth of my daughter, Mia. DP-Who were the three best players you played against? Stephen Drew– Florida State, Andrew Miller – North Carolina, Kyle Sleeth– Wake Forest DP-Who has made the greatest impression on you as a person and why? No doubt my wife, Amy. Like I mentioned earlier she is an exceptional human being. I don’t have enough room to list everything but I’m a better dad, person, and coach because of her love and support. DP-What MLB feat in history do you wish you’d been inside the stadium to witness and why? October 27th, 2002. Angels won their first World Series DP-Who is you favorite athlete outside of baseball? Peyton Manning Who is your favorite MLB pitcher and position player to watch? Justin Verlander, Chone Figgnis DP-Who is your favorite MLB team Angels DP-What is your favorite sport to play other than baseball? Golf DP-What is your favorite sport to watch other than …

Pre-Season Rankings: DP – 1A

-1A Overview- Bamberg-Ehrhardt has been the big bad wolf in 1A baseball over the past two years as wire-to-wire favorites to win…and they did. But 2010 opens up the field to some degree with quality teams returning their nucleus. -Overall Ranking- 1-Chesterfield: After a strong charge a year ago, the Rams will feed off of that experience wi… The new DP website is here. For all the great DP content, subscribe. If you have any login/subscription issues, please contact our support team. Your feedback on the new experience is appreciated as well.

Pre-Season Rankings: DP – 2A

-2A Overview- 2A baseball is always very compelling to follow and has turned out a fine share of top tier talent over the years. 2010 appears to be another in a long run of successful seasons for this classification, especially at the top of the 2A food chain. But there are plenty of high level prospects in this class too, which could tip the scal… The new DP website is here. For all the great DP content, subscribe. If you have any login/subscription issues, please contact our support team. Your feedback on the new experience is appreciated as well.

Pre-Season Rankings: DP – 3A

-3A Overview- Talent galore is spread throughout 3A baseball this spring, hence, a wide open shot at the title. Big bats and power arms are sprinkled all over this classification, creating the makings for a dogfight down the stretch. More than 20 teams could have made a strong case for debuting in the Top 10 and create one of the most in… The new DP website is here. For all the great DP content, subscribe. If you have any login/subscription issues, please contact our support team. Your feedback on the new experience is appreciated as well.

Pre-Season Rankings: DP – 4A

-4A Overview- Selecting the tip of the 4A pyramid was not too challenging when looking ahead at the 2010 spring, but after the handful of loaded clubs are listed, an avalanche of contenders presented some tough decisions in rounding out a Top 10. As we have seen in previous years, the darkhorses that have emerged late are often the most d… The new DP website is here. For all the great DP content, subscribe. If you have any login/subscription issues, please contact our support team. Your feedback on the new experience is appreciated as well.