Comings and goings
So, summer begins. The first day of June brought the end of the South Carolina baseball team’s season and, mercifully, the end of a rather mediocre year for big-time Gamecocks athletics.
I wouldn’t bash Ray Tanner’s baseball team, like some in the blogosphere are doing. Hey, at least Tanner’s boys made the NCAA tournament. Yes, they fell way short of their goals. Yes, a team that will have three players selected early in Thursday’s major league draft still should be playing.
But as you look over the carnage of Gamecocks athletics in 2007-08, you also see a football program that didn’t make a bowl. And you see two basketball programs that had losing records and had both their coaches pushed out the door (one gently, the other not so much.)
Other folks have written screeds about this season, so I’ll leave that well enough alone. On a personal note, this has been far from a boring year from a reporting standpoint. There might not have been much postseason action to cover, but there were two coaching changes and numerous off-field things that make this beat rather interesting.
We’re not done yet – we never are. Here are a few more tidbits to pass along:
- As they follow the draft Thursday and Friday and worry about what next year’s team will look like, USC baseball fans probably should worry less about Justin Smoak, Reese Havens and James Darnell; they’re as good as gone. There is no indication any of the three are planning to hold up major league clubs for big-time money, Scott Boras-style.
No, the future of Gamecocks baseball relies more on what happens with Justin Dalles, who would be next year’s starting catcher and possibly the team’s best power hitter. Dalles, a junior-college player, might go in the first four rounds, according to USC assistant Monte Lee.
The other guys to worry about are instate high school recruits: left-handed pitcher Adam Westmoreland (Brookland-Cayce), right-handed pitcher Matt Price (Sumter) and outfielder Adam Matthews (White Knoll.)
– Inevitably, there will be transfers out of the baseball program. The most likely one, according to Lee, is outfielder Jose Rodriguez. Rodriguez, from the Miami area, was a 17th-round pick last year but only appeared in four games with USC this season, with no starts, going 0-for-4.
– As has been reported by Phil Kornblut, ex-Gamecock Chad Gray is probably headed to Coastal Carolina. Gray was due to visit this week to make it official. He will have two years of eligibility remaining.
– Expect another ex-Gamecock, Trevor Deloach, to end up signing with Chipola Junior College in Florida. Deloach, who redshirted this season as a freshman, decided to transfer after being told by new coach Darrin Horn that he wasn’t in their plans.
– Hillary Clinton is also due to leave the Democratic presidential race. I realize this has no direct relation to USC athletics, but I’m glad it’s finally ending, and I suspect you are too.
Feel free to continue checking this space as news develops on basketball and baseball. I will try to keep everyone updated later this week on the draft. Otherwise, thanks for checking in all year.
State newspaper sports writer Seth Emerson blogs on University of South Carolina basketball and baseball.
Enjoyed your comments and blogs. Keep up the good work.
Seth:
Are the snakes still hanging around? Have ya seen any lately? I’m telling you the only reason they are around is because there is a food source. I hope that a well-spoken chap like yourself keeps his house clean. What I mean by that is if you have mice in your house that could be a reason for the snakes to hang out. So what is the latest on this? Geraldo
what?????????????????????????????????????????
I would like to comment a little bit about Scott Wingo from here in Mauldin. Have you noticed that all players that come from the program here is very sound fundamentally? It is a tribute to the tremendous youth program that the city has,and I would like for you to comment on it sometime if you can. Of course, having an All Conference father doesn’t hurt any!Thanks for all of your articles , and Go Cocks!!
Will the last person out of the Athletic Complex
turn the lights out.
Seth:
Your commentary on the snake situation is relative to sport. It would fall under “Rod and Stream”. Will you please tell us if you continue to have the problem with the snake? You initiated the subject and to not respond is rude, don’t you think? Geraldo
The snake hasn’t been back, but I keep an eye out.