Jon Menke (Highland Park '09) named a unanimous First Team All Conference and Liberty League Pitcher of the Year (University of Rochester). Also a Second Team ALL New York Region starting pitcher.
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Ryan Crowley LHP (Morton West High School, Northwest Florida State College) Angles Organization Promoted from Low A Cedar Rapids to High A Advanced California League Inland Empire 66ers
Can I nominate the best D1 Freshman pitchers from Illinois for the 2012 regular college season that just ended?
First place, Wes Benjamin, St. Charles East at Kansas (88 IP, 4-7, 3.68 ERA)
Second Place- Dan Ludwig, Naperville Central at Belmont (61 IP, 5-5, 3.39 ERA)
Despite my obvious bias towards the Naperville Central grad, I must tip my hat to Wes because of the teams he faced in the Big 12.
Did I miss anyone? Let me know.
First place, Wes Benjamin, St. Charles East at Kansas (88 IP, 4-7, 3.68 ERA)
Second Place- Dan Ludwig, Naperville Central at Belmont (61 IP, 5-5, 3.39 ERA)
Despite my obvious bias towards the Naperville Central grad, I must tip my hat to Wes because of the teams he faced in the Big 12.
Did I miss anyone? Let me know.
Not sure if/where he would fall on any list, but couldn't resist..
Ryan Kennedy Valparaiso (9 appearances, 14 IP, 2-0 0.00)
Ryan Kennedy Valparaiso (9 appearances, 14 IP, 2-0 0.00)
Hey nothing wrong with that, a bit surprised that a kid who did not give up an earned run only got to pitch 14 innings, but I don't know the circumstances. Did he get hurt?
And if you followed Valpo baseball you will know they played Belmont in March in Nashville, and the starting pitcher for Belmont that game was none other than Dan Ludwig. In the first 6 innings he only gave up one run because of his own balk, but then quickly gave up a two run homer in the 7th and was lifted.
And if you followed Valpo baseball you will know they played Belmont in March in Nashville, and the starting pitcher for Belmont that game was none other than Dan Ludwig. In the first 6 innings he only gave up one run because of his own balk, but then quickly gave up a two run homer in the 7th and was lifted.
No.. not hurt. Just earning his stripes. Sorry don't remember much about the Belmont game.. that was not a good stretch for Valpo. Is Dan your son? Never can tell who's who with all the assumed identities on the board. If so, best of luck to him in the A-Sun tourny.
Yes I guess I can admit to being Dan Ludwig's dad at this point. I do follow a lot of the players and teams in college baseball, and Valpo is one team I do look at because my son came very close to going there. Coach Woodson was one of the few coaches that would even take a look at him because he is a soft tossing lefty, and just about everyone else just pointed the cursed radar gun at him, saw 83 mph and crossed his name off the list. Valpo made him a nice offer.
I did all kinds of due dillegence on Valpo and could not find anyone who said anything bad about the school or the baseball program. However at the 11th hour Belmont saw him, made him a nice offer, and when he went to look at the school, he fell in love with it. And it has worked out well for him. And let's face it, there are a whole lot of advantages to playing your college baseball at a school that can schedule and play home games in the middle of February.
As far as those schools that passed on him because he "never will make it in D1 baseball because he does not throw hard enough". One team has a team ERA of 6.20 this year (compared to his 3.39) and he pitched against another team about a month ago that told him that in high school and retired all 15 batters he faced in that game. But he was not good enough to pitch for either of those teams (because that's what the coaches told us two years ago), and yes I am chickens**t enough to enjoy thinking about things like that.
Thanks for the note on the A-Sun tourney, good luck to Valpo in the Horizon league tourny. It took 15 innings, but Belmont did win their first game, and Dan is the number 4 starter, so the odds of him getting a start look pretty good now. He was going to come into the game to pitch the 16th inning last night, but thankfully that never happened.
Hopefully the Valpo coaches will get some confidence in your son and start using him more. If not this year, then next.
I did all kinds of due dillegence on Valpo and could not find anyone who said anything bad about the school or the baseball program. However at the 11th hour Belmont saw him, made him a nice offer, and when he went to look at the school, he fell in love with it. And it has worked out well for him. And let's face it, there are a whole lot of advantages to playing your college baseball at a school that can schedule and play home games in the middle of February.
As far as those schools that passed on him because he "never will make it in D1 baseball because he does not throw hard enough". One team has a team ERA of 6.20 this year (compared to his 3.39) and he pitched against another team about a month ago that told him that in high school and retired all 15 batters he faced in that game. But he was not good enough to pitch for either of those teams (because that's what the coaches told us two years ago), and yes I am chickens**t enough to enjoy thinking about things like that.
Thanks for the note on the A-Sun tourney, good luck to Valpo in the Horizon league tourny. It took 15 innings, but Belmont did win their first game, and Dan is the number 4 starter, so the odds of him getting a start look pretty good now. He was going to come into the game to pitch the 16th inning last night, but thankfully that never happened.
Hopefully the Valpo coaches will get some confidence in your son and start using him more. If not this year, then next.
Glad Dan is doing so well. Belmont is a great school.
Valpo is stacked with pitching right now as you can tell by the team ERA. Two starting spots will open in the rotation next year, we are hoping that Sean will take a weekend spot and Ryan will compete for midweek. I am very pleased with their performances this year, Sean finishing his rehabilitation and earning the setup spot, and Ryan proving that he belongs.
Looking forward to the tournament, heading down to UIC for the game tonight at eight. The boys played great down the stretch, winning 22 of 24 (or something like that) to end the season and take the Horizon League and 1 seed. Here we go...
Good luck to everyone. Nice to meet you, Mr. Ludwig.
Valpo is stacked with pitching right now as you can tell by the team ERA. Two starting spots will open in the rotation next year, we are hoping that Sean will take a weekend spot and Ryan will compete for midweek. I am very pleased with their performances this year, Sean finishing his rehabilitation and earning the setup spot, and Ryan proving that he belongs.
Looking forward to the tournament, heading down to UIC for the game tonight at eight. The boys played great down the stretch, winning 22 of 24 (or something like that) to end the season and take the Horizon League and 1 seed. Here we go...
Good luck to everyone. Nice to meet you, Mr. Ludwig.
Here is another freshman D1 pitcher from Illinois that had a good year, Brandon Magalones at Northwestern from Providence. 82.1 IP, 7-5, 4.26 ERA.
Did I miss anyone else?
Did I miss anyone else?
Joe Filomeno 20 punchouts in 11 innings pitched for Louisville. ERA 3.27
I would add John Kravetz from Illinois, 8-3 as a weekend starter as a freshman is impressive.
Nick Bates Saint Louis - (6-1, 3.02 ERA, 56.2 IP)
And congrats to Sam Travis on being named the Big Ten Freshman of the Year..... 
quote:Ryan Kennedy Valparaiso (9 appearances, 14 IP, 2-0 0.00)
Dylan Graig Illinois State - (8-4, 80.0 IP)
Good posts CSG, these guys flew under my radar. I think it's impressive for any freshman to throw at least 30 innings and keep their ERA under 5.00 or so and the guys you mentioned did that more or less. One ERA was 5.08, but that's close enough for me. The Bates kid from Sandburg had a heck of a freshman year.
Word is that Wes Benjamin from St. Charles East at Kansas is in the running for the NCAA Freshman pitcher of the year. I saw him pitch last summer, that kid is the real deal.
Not that I'm biased or anything, but the mighty Belmont Bruins qualified for the NCAA tournament last night, and their number 4 starting pitcher is a freshman from Illinois. He could get a start next Sunday, and it would probably be a game like pitching against LSU in Baton Rouge or something along those lines. A bit of a step up from pitching in the Illinois high school state tournament like last year.
Any more freshman from Illinois to mention? Yes I knew Sam Travis was tearing it up at Indiana. It will be interesting to see if they get an at large bid. It is tough for the northern teams to get into the tournament any way but winning their conference tournament.
Word is that Wes Benjamin from St. Charles East at Kansas is in the running for the NCAA Freshman pitcher of the year. I saw him pitch last summer, that kid is the real deal.
Not that I'm biased or anything, but the mighty Belmont Bruins qualified for the NCAA tournament last night, and their number 4 starting pitcher is a freshman from Illinois. He could get a start next Sunday, and it would probably be a game like pitching against LSU in Baton Rouge or something along those lines. A bit of a step up from pitching in the Illinois high school state tournament like last year.
Any more freshman from Illinois to mention? Yes I knew Sam Travis was tearing it up at Indiana. It will be interesting to see if they get an at large bid. It is tough for the northern teams to get into the tournament any way but winning their conference tournament.
Maui,
Good luck Friday vs Oregon State. You going?
Good luck Friday vs Oregon State. You going?
Kennedy,
It does not look like I'll be going, my daughter gets married on Saturday. If by some miracle my favorite lefty pitches on Monday, I'll go to that.
I was really hoping that the Bruins would also get assigned to Gary like Valpo did, but Kent got that number 3 seed.
Good luck to Valpo, I think you have a decent chance against Purdue, but Kentucky is probably a better team than the Boilers.
Glad to see your son is getting a little more action.
It does not look like I'll be going, my daughter gets married on Saturday. If by some miracle my favorite lefty pitches on Monday, I'll go to that.
I was really hoping that the Bruins would also get assigned to Gary like Valpo did, but Kent got that number 3 seed.
Good luck to Valpo, I think you have a decent chance against Purdue, but Kentucky is probably a better team than the Boilers.
Glad to see your son is getting a little more action.
Maui,
We are very lucky to have their games so close. Agreed, Kentucky will be tough. Here's to hoping that we surprise someone.
We are very lucky to have their games so close. Agreed, Kentucky will be tough. Here's to hoping that we surprise someone.
Good luck to all the Illinois college players that are starting the tournament this weekend!!
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Yes indeed!
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Yes indeed!
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Casey Crosby get the "call" tomorrow night against the Yankees!
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I'll be tuned in!
No, no, no...it's not a Crosby. It's a Crosley®.
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I'll be tuned in!
No, no, no...it's not a Crosby. It's a Crosley®.
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Thanks for the link CSG.
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Thanks for the link CSG.
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Jared Grundy ( johnsbug) gets the win for Kentucky over Valpo.
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Once more 2bagger...who got the win over Valpo?
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Once more 2bagger...who got the win over Valpo?
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Sorry Woody must have sent it twice when I tried to correct the spelling with my phone. I am home now and deleted it.
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I was just being a smarty-pants!
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I was just being a smarty-pants!
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Grundy looked good. Some control issues but 87-88 consistently and saw 92 once. Always in control of the game. 8-1 final.
Austin Wright (Conant, Chipola Jc, Miss) was selested to the florida state league allstar game in high a ball while playing for Clearwater in the Phillies organization.
Michael Heesch (Prairie Ridge, UIC, South Carolina Beaufort) taken 8th round by the cubs.
Kenny Long (Dundee Crown, Illinois State) taken 22nd round Astros.
Congrats to both.
Kenny Long (Dundee Crown, Illinois State) taken 22nd round Astros.
Congrats to both.
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Nothing could be finer!
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- "...then somewhere in Carolina."
Nothing could be finer!
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Kevin Ross Niles West goes to Pirates 8th round, congrats!
Congratulations to Jake Smolinski (Rockford Boylan) as he made the all star squad in the florida state league for double a ball.
Congrats to Casey Crosby (Kaneland) who got his first major league win tonght with the Detroit Tigers!!! Great to see!
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Way to go Casey!
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Way to go Casey!
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