Is there any update or information on how well this league is progressing??? How well is the IMG summer college wood/league training program gaining respect?
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1. Welcome Letter from the Vice President
Dear Friends of FCSL,
I would like to personally thank all the fans, players, and coaches who made the Florida Collegiate Summer League’s 2005 season such a successful one. I would also like to congratulate the Zephyrhills Snappers, who won the championship with a 2-1 win over the Sanford River Rats at Tropicana Field, home of the Tampa Bay Devil Rays. The playoffs as a whole were unbelievably exciting and competitive with 6 out of the 8 playoff games being decided by only one run. We at the league are now getting geared up for the 2006 season and are looking forward to another successful summer. This newsletter will periodically be sent out by our talented Director of Public Relations Mack Whiting, so that all of our supporters will be kept up to date on the latest FCSL news.
Here’s to another great year!
Rob Sitz
League Vice President
2. 2005 Season Recap
As Rob mentioned, the 2005 FCSL playoffs had most of the games come right down to the wire, including the Zephyrhills Snappers 2-1 victory in our Championship Game at Tropicana Field. But the playoff excitement was really just an extension of our entire season, which saw three teams, the Winter Park Diamond Dawgs, Daytona Beach Barracudas and Zephyrhills Snappers, tied for first place with only one game left in the regular season. Winter Park clinched the regular season championship by winning their final game of the season against Winter Haven, earning them the top seed and a first round bye in the playoffs. Their regular season crown, won mostly due to a strong pitching staff that boasted Pitcher of the Year Ty Pryor and a league best 2.30 ERA, earned head coach Derek Wolfe Coach of the Year honors. However, their regular season success did not carry over into the postseason, as they twice lost to the Sanford River Rats and were eliminated. The Zephyrhills Snappers, one the two expansion teams for the 2005 season, earned the other first round playoff bye and rolled right through the playoffs without losing a game en route to the League Championship. Led by League MVP Lee Cruz, they were the league’s top hitting team, topping everyone with a .279 batting average, 17 home runs and 167 runs scored. Not just a bunch of sluggers, they also finished the season with a team ERA of 3.03, second best in the league. Our other new team, the Winter Haven Wart Hogs, did not enjoy the same success as the Snappers, finishing with an 11-19 record. However, they did have several outstanding individual performances, including Brantly Clay, whose .505 on-base percentage was tops in the league, and Nick Pugliese, who finished the season with an ERA of 1.60. Of course, we can’t forget about the teams returning from FCSL’s inaugural 2004 season, all of whom enjoyed varying degrees of success. The Daytona Beach Barracudas were tied for first place heading into the final game of the season, but ended the year on a sour note with consecutive losses to Zephyrhills and Winter Park in the playoffs. Still, the team boasted a solid pitching staff that complimented a powerful lineup and overall had a very successful season. The 2004 FCSL Champion Sanford River Rats followed a mediocre regular season, which ended in a fourth place finish and a 16-14 record, with a fantastic run in the playoffs that took them all the way to the Championship Game. Their star-studded roster featured a league high 12 All-Stars and some outstanding individual performances, none better than RHP Drew Shetrone’s, who finished the season with a 2.04 ERA and a league high 57.1 innings pitched. The Orlando Shockers struggled throughout the 2005 season and finished with a league worst 7-24 record. However, returning head coach Chuck Stegall is optimistic that the team can build on its late season improvement from 2005 and make a run all the way to the 2006 Championship Game.
Additionally, we at the FCSL are thrilled to recognize the 14 players from our 2005 season that have been drafted by Major League Baseball teams. In no particular order, they are Kyle Patrick (Mariners), Jarvis Hicks (Nationals), Chris Maher (Braves), Paul Cinder (Cubs), Drew Shetrone (Braves), Austin Pride (Royals), Marquez Smith (Twins), Ty Pryor (Brewers), Michael Branham (Dodgers), Davis Bilardello (Dodgers), Shane Buriff (Brewers), Geoff Strickland (Rockies), TJ Large (Red Sox), and Trey Shields (A’s). We offer our sincere congratulations and wish all of them the best of luck in their professional careers!
3. Baseball America Top 10 Prospects
In August of every year, after the summer seasons have been completed and the players are starting a new semester of classes at their schools, Baseball America prints a list of the Top 10 Prospects in each of the country’s best summer leagues. For those who are unfamiliar with this publication, Baseball America is a bi-weekly magazine that provides in-depth coverage of every level of the game, with a particular emphasis on up and coming players. They base these selections on a combination of a player’s summer league statistics, statistics from the previous season at college, and overall potential as judged by Major League scouts.
FCSL congratulates Baseball America’s 2005 FCSL Top 10 Prospects:
1. Ty Pryor, RHP, Winter Park Diamond Dawgs (Tennessee)
2. Michael Branham, RHP, Daytona Beach Barracudas (Florida)
3. Corey Brown, OF, Zephyrhills Snappers (Oklahoma State)
4. Jon Lucroy, C, Sanford River Rats (Louisiana-Lafayette)
5. Marquez Smith, 3B, Daytona Beach Barracudas (Clemson)
6. Lee Cruz, 1B, Zephyrhills Snappers (Tampa)
7. Drew Shetrone, RHP, Sanford River Rats (Cumberland)
8. Chris Maher, RHP, Sanford River Rats (Seminole CC)
9. Zach Whitmer, LHP, Sanford River Rats (Cumberland)
10. Davis Bilardello, LHP, Winter Park Diamond Dawgs (South Florida)
Dear Friends of FCSL,
I would like to personally thank all the fans, players, and coaches who made the Florida Collegiate Summer League’s 2005 season such a successful one. I would also like to congratulate the Zephyrhills Snappers, who won the championship with a 2-1 win over the Sanford River Rats at Tropicana Field, home of the Tampa Bay Devil Rays. The playoffs as a whole were unbelievably exciting and competitive with 6 out of the 8 playoff games being decided by only one run. We at the league are now getting geared up for the 2006 season and are looking forward to another successful summer. This newsletter will periodically be sent out by our talented Director of Public Relations Mack Whiting, so that all of our supporters will be kept up to date on the latest FCSL news.
Here’s to another great year!
Rob Sitz
League Vice President
2. 2005 Season Recap
As Rob mentioned, the 2005 FCSL playoffs had most of the games come right down to the wire, including the Zephyrhills Snappers 2-1 victory in our Championship Game at Tropicana Field. But the playoff excitement was really just an extension of our entire season, which saw three teams, the Winter Park Diamond Dawgs, Daytona Beach Barracudas and Zephyrhills Snappers, tied for first place with only one game left in the regular season. Winter Park clinched the regular season championship by winning their final game of the season against Winter Haven, earning them the top seed and a first round bye in the playoffs. Their regular season crown, won mostly due to a strong pitching staff that boasted Pitcher of the Year Ty Pryor and a league best 2.30 ERA, earned head coach Derek Wolfe Coach of the Year honors. However, their regular season success did not carry over into the postseason, as they twice lost to the Sanford River Rats and were eliminated. The Zephyrhills Snappers, one the two expansion teams for the 2005 season, earned the other first round playoff bye and rolled right through the playoffs without losing a game en route to the League Championship. Led by League MVP Lee Cruz, they were the league’s top hitting team, topping everyone with a .279 batting average, 17 home runs and 167 runs scored. Not just a bunch of sluggers, they also finished the season with a team ERA of 3.03, second best in the league. Our other new team, the Winter Haven Wart Hogs, did not enjoy the same success as the Snappers, finishing with an 11-19 record. However, they did have several outstanding individual performances, including Brantly Clay, whose .505 on-base percentage was tops in the league, and Nick Pugliese, who finished the season with an ERA of 1.60. Of course, we can’t forget about the teams returning from FCSL’s inaugural 2004 season, all of whom enjoyed varying degrees of success. The Daytona Beach Barracudas were tied for first place heading into the final game of the season, but ended the year on a sour note with consecutive losses to Zephyrhills and Winter Park in the playoffs. Still, the team boasted a solid pitching staff that complimented a powerful lineup and overall had a very successful season. The 2004 FCSL Champion Sanford River Rats followed a mediocre regular season, which ended in a fourth place finish and a 16-14 record, with a fantastic run in the playoffs that took them all the way to the Championship Game. Their star-studded roster featured a league high 12 All-Stars and some outstanding individual performances, none better than RHP Drew Shetrone’s, who finished the season with a 2.04 ERA and a league high 57.1 innings pitched. The Orlando Shockers struggled throughout the 2005 season and finished with a league worst 7-24 record. However, returning head coach Chuck Stegall is optimistic that the team can build on its late season improvement from 2005 and make a run all the way to the 2006 Championship Game.
Additionally, we at the FCSL are thrilled to recognize the 14 players from our 2005 season that have been drafted by Major League Baseball teams. In no particular order, they are Kyle Patrick (Mariners), Jarvis Hicks (Nationals), Chris Maher (Braves), Paul Cinder (Cubs), Drew Shetrone (Braves), Austin Pride (Royals), Marquez Smith (Twins), Ty Pryor (Brewers), Michael Branham (Dodgers), Davis Bilardello (Dodgers), Shane Buriff (Brewers), Geoff Strickland (Rockies), TJ Large (Red Sox), and Trey Shields (A’s). We offer our sincere congratulations and wish all of them the best of luck in their professional careers!
3. Baseball America Top 10 Prospects
In August of every year, after the summer seasons have been completed and the players are starting a new semester of classes at their schools, Baseball America prints a list of the Top 10 Prospects in each of the country’s best summer leagues. For those who are unfamiliar with this publication, Baseball America is a bi-weekly magazine that provides in-depth coverage of every level of the game, with a particular emphasis on up and coming players. They base these selections on a combination of a player’s summer league statistics, statistics from the previous season at college, and overall potential as judged by Major League scouts.
FCSL congratulates Baseball America’s 2005 FCSL Top 10 Prospects:
1. Ty Pryor, RHP, Winter Park Diamond Dawgs (Tennessee)
2. Michael Branham, RHP, Daytona Beach Barracudas (Florida)
3. Corey Brown, OF, Zephyrhills Snappers (Oklahoma State)
4. Jon Lucroy, C, Sanford River Rats (Louisiana-Lafayette)
5. Marquez Smith, 3B, Daytona Beach Barracudas (Clemson)
6. Lee Cruz, 1B, Zephyrhills Snappers (Tampa)
7. Drew Shetrone, RHP, Sanford River Rats (Cumberland)
8. Chris Maher, RHP, Sanford River Rats (Seminole CC)
9. Zach Whitmer, LHP, Sanford River Rats (Cumberland)
10. Davis Bilardello, LHP, Winter Park Diamond Dawgs (South Florida)
Moc1 there seems to be no mention of the IMG team??? Do they no longer participate? From what I read on your post 2005 was quite a successful league and season. Best of luck in 2006
Steve, I'm not sure which IMG team you are referring to-they have not been in the FCSL the
first two years.
first two years.
MOC1 thanks for the info but I am talking about the, Florida Collegiate Instructional League (F.C.I.L.) I guess thats different from the FCSL or are there cross over games???? Here is a copy of the academy speal on this league.
The IMG Baseball Academy will host approximately 120 college players on six teams competing in the Florida Collegiate Instructional League (F.C.I.L.)
The program includes five games per week (F.C.I.L.), daily practices (position specific), daily in-season strength and speed training with the IPI staff, a mid-summer all star game, and a professional scout day.
Players are housed, fed and trained at Pirate City, the spring training headquarters of the Pittsburgh Pirates.
Professional locker rooms, clubhouse amenities, and laundry services are included.
Players are accepted by coach and scout recommendations.
The IMG Baseball Academy will host approximately 120 college players on six teams competing in the Florida Collegiate Instructional League (F.C.I.L.)
The program includes five games per week (F.C.I.L.), daily practices (position specific), daily in-season strength and speed training with the IPI staff, a mid-summer all star game, and a professional scout day.
Players are housed, fed and trained at Pirate City, the spring training headquarters of the Pittsburgh Pirates.
Professional locker rooms, clubhouse amenities, and laundry services are included.
Players are accepted by coach and scout recommendations.
Sorry, Steve-My mistake. No, there's no relationship between the
two leagues. The FCSL is "homed" in Winter Park/Orlando area and
the FCIL is Bradenton/Sarasota.
There is no charge for the FCSL-it is a collegiate summer league
like Cape Cod, Valley, Northwoods etc. and players are recruited
after their freshman year. I'm pretty sure the FCIL is a fee based league and quite pricey. Not sure you'll be getting the bang for your buck but that's just my opinion. They're in the business to make a profit-no problem, just make sure it's what
you're expecting.
two leagues. The FCSL is "homed" in Winter Park/Orlando area and
the FCIL is Bradenton/Sarasota.
There is no charge for the FCSL-it is a collegiate summer league
like Cape Cod, Valley, Northwoods etc. and players are recruited
after their freshman year. I'm pretty sure the FCIL is a fee based league and quite pricey. Not sure you'll be getting the bang for your buck but that's just my opinion. They're in the business to make a profit-no problem, just make sure it's what
you're expecting.
Thanks Moc1 I will look into this further as the Northwoods League is also an option.