Gamecocks Take Home Final Title at Rosenblatt

South Carolina star junior Whit Merrifield drove this Dan Klein fastball--the final pitch at

Rosenblatt Stadium--into right field to give the Gamecocks their first ever national title.

The 2010 College World Series had its ups (spectacular web gems, great pitching performances, and extra-inning nail-biters) and its downs (weather, long games, and disappointing crowds). But the CWS ended on a fitting note last night as South Carolina topped UCLA in a riveting, hard-fought final game. Whit Merrifield's one-out single in the 11th off Bruins closer Dan Klein brought home the winning run and was the first walk-off hit to win the CWS in a decade. The Gamecocks certainly earned the title, as they won six consecutive games in Omaha after losing their opener to Oklahoma. SC's Jackie Bradley Jr., a sophomore outfielder, received the tournament's Most Outstanding Player award, although RHP Blake Cooper (a senior who did his best Jonah Nickerson impression and threw two straight games on three days' rest) also had a case.

Even if he thought teammate Blake Cooper was more deserving, Jackie

Bradley Jr. wasn't going to complain about more Erin Andrews time.

South Carolina is traditionally known as a team of mashers, but this club was built primarily on its pitching and defense. The 'Cocks didn't have a Justin Smoak or Phil Disher to rely on, but they had a strong 1-2 punch in the rotation and one of the best bullpens in the country. South Carolina and Florida were the class of the SEC pretty much all season long. While the young Gators stumbled in Omaha--as the Gamecocks did in the (decidedly less important) conference tournament--Carolina was able to pick up the second consecutive NCAA championship for the SEC. I still believe Texas, Virginia, etc. were even better, but kudos to the Gamecocks for an amazing postseason run and for beating a terrific UCLA team. I'm excited to see what JBJ, closer Matt Price, 1B Christian Walker and Co. have in store for an encore.

A couple of final screenshots and thoughts from the last College World Series at Rosenblatt Stadium:

Yes, even the big guys like Gerrit Cole and Matt Purke

take it hard when their team is eliminated.

Trevor Bauer is the most exciting player to watch in the nation. Knowing he enrolled at UCLA a semester early, is a long-toss freak, pitches like Tim Lincecum, and is one of the most dominant pitchers in the country, I've liked Bauer for a while. I didn't realize the extent of his quirkiness, however, until watching him in person and on TV in the CWS. Bauer has an insane conditioning and throwing routine. It was a treat to watch him do his crazy gyrations and exercises, then go out and put on a clinic on the mound. If UCLA got to Game 3 and won, Bauer likely would have gotten the CWS MOP, as his first two starts were masterful. The nation's leader in strikeouts, Bauer throws in the low-90s, has an extremely deep repertoire of offspeed pitches, and could be a 1st-round pick next year. Do yourself a favor: set aside an hour and search 'Trevor Bauer' on Google and YouTube.

Trevor Bauer mockingly gave the TCU symbol after he

decimated the Horned Frogs' lineup with 13 Ks in 8 IP.

Trevor Bauer didn't seem to be fazed by the loss. He even

asked to touch SC's trophy during postgame handshakes.

It was great to have some fresh blood at the CWS, with TCU a first-time participant and South Carolina a first-time winner.

ESPN still has work to do with its broadcasts. It is blatantly obvious that Mike Patrick, Orel Hershiser, et al. don't follow the college game until they cover the postseason. They are not familiar with the teams or players. On the other hand, Baseball America continues to do a fantastic job of covering the event and college baseball all season long.

The lights at Rosenblatt Stadium are finally off for good.

With summer leagues in full swing, the signing deadline for draftees on August 16, and next season less than 8 months away, it's time to look forward to 2011. I already can't wait.

It's the Most Wonderful Time of the Year

It has been a woefully long time since I last posted, but I have caught my breath and am back to provide sweet baseball content all summer.

With all due respect to Andy Williams, the best time of the year occurs not in December, but June. School is out, the sun is shining, the MLB Draft was last week, and (most importantly) the NCAA playoffs are in full swing. Over the weekend, eight teams clinched a berth to the College World Series, which kicks off Saturday.

Bracket 1

TCU

Florida State

UCLA

Florida

Bracket 2

South Carolina

Oklahoma

Arizona State

Clemson

There has been little consensus this season in college baseball. Virginia and Texas were seen as two possible favorites, but both of those heavyweights were toppled in the Super Regional round. Most were also surprised to see Coastal Carolina, Louisville, and Cal State Fullerton go down. Each of the teams remaining has its weaknesses, and we could be in for a wild tournament. This is also the last year for Rosenblatt Stadium, the host of the CWS since 1950.

It is tough to know what to expect in the College World Series. Nearly anything can happen in the postseason, especially in the volatile hands of metal bats and the environment of the college game. Nonetheless, I will offer some fearless predictions:

Final

Arizona State over Florida in 3 games

The Sun Devils (52-8) have had an incredible season, but they are not perfect. Starting pitchers Seth Blair, Merrill Kelly, and Jake Borup typically keep their team in the game, but none posted a FIP below 4.40 this season. I could certainly see a situation in which opposing clubs batter the ASU starters in Omaha. The Devils also have only one player with more than 10 home runs this season. With that said, ASU is ridiculously deep and talented and I loved what I saw from them in March. The Sun Devils hit .338/.436/.539 with 314 walks as a team. From Riccio Torrez to Johnny Ruettiger to Kole Calhoun to Zach Wilson to Drew Maggi to Zack MacPhee (all of whom wield a .400+ wOBA), their offense has droves of patient hitters with dangerous sticks. The Sun Devils are relentless and rarely have problems putting runs up. They also have four shut-down relievers (Jordan Swagerty, Mitchell Lambson, Jake Barrett, and Brady Rodgers) and their defensive unit is very athletic and versatile.

If ASU's starting pitchers falter, they could be knocked out quickly. With their talented roster and experience from last season's Omaha trip, however, I'll give the Devils the slight edge in this field. Florida (47-15) has a spectacular team and lost just one (!) weekend series all season. Preston Tucker, Matt den Dekker, Austin Maddox, et al. are dynamite position players, while studs such as Alex Panteliodis, Hudson Randall, and Kevin Chapman give UF a formidable arms corps. For now, I'll wait until 2011 to label them as my championship pick.

Darkhorse

TCU

The Horned Frogs (51-12) have played incredible baseball all season long. Series wins at Cal State Fullerton and Texas highlight their resume. TCU is also one of the more complete teams in the field of eight, with talented hitters, pitchers, defenders, and bullpen options. Although they are making their first trek to the CWS, the Horned Frogs have absolutely no underdog status. Don't be shocked if Freshman of the Year candidate Matt Purke has a coming-out party in Omaha (see below), the crowd rallies behind the Omaha newcomers, and TCU's wealth of talented players (including Kyle Winkler, Bryan Holaday, Matt Curry, Jason Coats, and Taylor Featherston) carries the Frogs deep into the tourney.

Breakout Stars

Omaha is a perfect time for young players to have a coming-out party on the national stage. Hardcore college baseball fans may already know them as household names, but there will inevitably be some players (think UVa.'s Keith Werman last year and Fresno State's Danny Muno in 2008) who star at the CWS and raise their fame. After all, there will be many more mainstream fans watching on ESPN in June than there are devouring box scores in February. Here are a few freshman who could potentially burst onto the national scene with good showings at The Blatt.

Matt Purke, TCU

Not too often does a 1st-round pick turn down pro ball and make his way to college. Almost never, in fact. Purke did just that, though, and he hasn't disappointed in his initial campaign in Fort Worth. The electric 6'4 lefty posted a 2.19 FIP while punching out 133 and walking 28 in 103 IP, positioning himself to be a top-5 pick for next year. I could easily see Purke shutting down FSU in Game 1. Though he is one of the most dominant hurlers in the nation, he looks goofy on the mound, rocking goggles and a crooked, flat-brimmed hat. That could make Purke a fan favorite.

Deven Marrero, ASU

An unsigned 2009 17th-rounder out of American Heritage High in Florida, Marrero showed up in Tempe with high expectations. The exciting young shortstop has exceeded them, having won a starting job for the Sun Devils. Marrero is hitting .392/.439/.628 on the year.

Nolan Fontana, Florida

Fontana is about as polished as they come. The frosh shortstop has committed just three errors all season, and he's maintained a 49-28 BB-K ratio as the Gators' leadoff batter. His steady play should get noticed in Omaha.

Jackie Bradley, Jr., South Carolina

Okay, Bradley isn't a freshman. Still, the Gamecocks did not reach the CWS last year, and most fans do not know the sophomore star. Bradley is hitting .371/.477/.587 with a 38-31 BB-K ratio and 11 home runs. The 5'10 outfielder could make his name known with a big tournament.

Jeff Gelalich and Beau Amaral, UCLA

UCLA has a pair of dynamic starting freshman outfielders in Gelalich and Amaral. Both have speed and promising lefty swings. They are my picks to click, and will play important roles for the Bruins in Omaha.

Site Update

Prospects Paradise has gone silent recently, as schoolwork has consumed much of my free time. This trend will likely continue for a while, but I hope to return some time soon with more college, prospects, and draft info. You can always head over to Twitter for tidbits of goodness.

Indians at Padres, March 14

I unfortunately missed out on Buster Posey and the Giants during my trip to Arizona, but this Sunday afternoon Indians/Padres matchup (here is the box score) gave me a chance to still see a top-10 prospect in baseball last weekend. That player would be Indians catcher Carlos Santana, who hit .290/.413/.530 with a .418 wOBA last year in Double-A. The squat 24-year-old should offer patience and pop from both sides of the plate, and, if all goes well, will help Tribe fans forget about Victor Martinez. He's close to big-league ready, and it was a treat to watch him play. Triple-A C Wyatt Toregas, a fringe prospect, started over Santana, but the latter got some playing time in the second half of the game. Santana singled and grounded out in two trips to the plate.

Another promising Cleveland prospect, OF/DH Nick Weglarz, displayed his talents in AZ. The 6-3, 240-pound Weglarz offers little to no defensive value, but he'll be a useful, three-true-outcomes-type hitter. The Canadian hulk draws walks at a dizzying rate, and possesses plus power as well.

Cleveland's top pitching prospect, righty Hector Rondon, threw 1.2 IP in this game. Rondon's slider and changeup need fine-tuning, but his fastball command makes him a nice mid-rotation starter prospect. The Venezuela native posted a ~3.00 FIP and a superb 4.8 BB% at the top two rungs of the minors last season. Rondon fared well and lived up to his scouting reports in this game, repeatedly pounding the zone with his low-90s fastball.

Lastly for the Indians, their 2009 1st-round pick (RHP Alex White) closed out the 5th inning. White, a College World Series veteran in his North Carolina days, will start the season in the High A Kinston rotation.

There wasn't much to report from the San Diego side. James Darnell and Drew Cumberland were inserted late in the contest, and I didn't get many looks at them.

James Darnell at third with Lance Zawadzki to his left