LINE DRIVES Volume 48 • No

THE NATIONAL COLLEGIATE BASEBALL WRITERS NEWSLETTER LINE DRIVES Volume 48 • No. 5 • August 13, 2009 NCBWA PRESIDENT’S MESSAGE 2009-10 NCBWA OFFICERS NAMED by Chuck Dunlap The National Collegiate Baseball Writers Association (NCBWA) recently released its list of 2009-10 officers as approved recently by the organization’s executive board. These officers began their duties immediately and will serve in these roles through Another college baseball season has come and gone and the 2010 College World Series. eyes are already looking forward to 2010 in what will obviously be a very memorable one, concluding with the final College World Series The new president is Chuck Dunlap, longtime baseball contact for the Southeastern Conference and representative of the played at historic Rosenblatt Stadium. Let there be no doubt the NCBWA at several NCAA World Series in Omaha. Dunlap is steeped in the long Mississippi State tradition as a graduate and youthful 2010 CWS will be one that lives on forever. follower of the Bulldogs and succeeds 2008-09 president Joe Dier, the 23-year chief baseball contact for MSU. The 2009 College World Series, the 30th in a row covered by For the second straight year, the group has two female vice presidents. Julie St. Cyr of the Big West Conference moves from ESPN, was the most-viewed and highest-rated in ESPN and ESPN2 second to first vice president, while Tami Cutler of Wichita State advances from third to second vice president. history -- including the best-of-three Championship Series between St. Cyr will coordinate the NCBWA Stopper of the Year nominations and voting process for 2010 as well as design and layout LSU and Texas -- while posting significant audience increases over the organization’s annual directory. Cutler will continue her outstanding work with the Pro-Line Athletic NCBWA pre- and post- 2008. The Championship Series produced three of ESPN’s top four season All-America teams as well as coordinating the prestigious Wilbur Snypp Award. most-viewed NCAA College World Series telecasts ever, highlighted by the most-viewed and second highest-rated for the decisive Ryan Bomberger of Liberty takes over as third vice president. The Flames’ baseball contact has served previously on the Game 3 which averaged 2,303,000 households; 3,160,000 viewers; NCBWA Board of Directors for two years and will now move into the officer rotation and begin coordination of the organization’s and a 2.3 rating. annual Freshman All-American team. Indeed, we are in the “Golden Age” of college baseball and it Bo Carter begins his 10th year as executive director while Russ Anderson, assistant commissioner of Conference USA, should continue to grow even larger. One item missed by some but starts his fifth year as associate executive director. West Virginia director of football certainly one that should be noted was the NCAA’s new designation communications Mike Montoro is opening his fourth year as assistant executive of men’s college baseball as a “revenue” sport (along with football director. All three directors are past presidents, board members and recipients and basketball) in the April 2009 release of baseball’s APR numbers, of the NCBWA Wilbur Snypp Award. In addition, Anderson has served one of the numbers by the way that saw baseball with one of the largest increases and improvements among all NCAA sanctioned sports. longest tenures as an officer in NCBWA history with 13 years as secretary/trea- There are several other items to keep an eye on as the 2010 surer of the organization. college season approaches. One will be how college baseball will For the fifth consecutive year, nationally noted media relations directors Bob McComas (Division II) and Steve Marovich be affected by the current questions throughout the country on (Division III) will serve as divisional coordinators for NCBWA. whether to continue the printing of media guides. There is also a The 2009-10 Board of Directors offers a tremendous mix of geographical diversity and baseball knowledge. Alabama’s proposal by the NCAA Baseball Rules Committee to issue an imme- Barry Allen returns along with Houston’s Jeff Conrad (who will now coordinate the NCBWA Newsletter), past president Dier, diate and indefinite moratorium on the use of composite barreled Florida State’s Jason Leturmy, and Judy Willson of New Mexico ((who will begin coordinating the NCBWA Coach of the Year bats (AKA bat ‘shaving’ or ‘rolling’). The committee believes this ac- Award). Illinois’ Ben Taylor becomes the newest board member and brings to the table a solid grasp of Big Ten Conference and tion is needed in order to protect the integrity of the game and to enhance the safety of the student-athletes. Midwest Region collegiate baseball. Also worth noting was the recent defeat of a proposal to re- For more information contact NCBWA associate executive director Russ Anderson (214-774-1351, rdanderson@c-usa. duce the number of regular season games from 56 to 52. However, org). Recent newsletters and online membership forms are available by accessing www.NCBWA.com. the NCAA did approve a proposal to extend the regular season by one week due to the compression of the season being problematic, SDSU’S Strasburg TAKes 23rd AnnuaL DicK Howser TrophY giving 2010 a start date of February 19. San Diego State’s dominant right-handed pitcher Stephen Strasburg was the recipient of the 23rd annual Dick Howser No matter the issue, please feel free to contact myself or any board member with your opinions and stances so the NCBWA Trophy as college baseball’s player of the year. can continue to be the leader in awareness of and dealing with the Strasburg had one of the finest single season pitching performances in 2009 as a junior right- pressing issues that surround the current and future state of col- hander for Major League Baseball Hall of Fame coach Tony Gwynn’s Aztecs. The San Diego, Calif., resident legiate baseball. was the national leader in strikeouts with 195 and No. 2 in NCAA Division I with a 1.32 ERA and hits al- I am honored and humbled to be named the 48th President lowed per nine innings with 5.37 to compliment a 13-1 overall record. The 2008 USA Baseball Player of of the NCBWA. A tremendous thanks to outgoing president Joe Dier the Year for all divisions, Strasburg was the first selection in the 2009 Major League Baseball free agent for his work not just during the past year but the countless years draft by the Washington Nationals in June. he has served the NCWBA and college baseball. Like many in this Also a finalist for the prestigious Golden Spikes Award, the SDSU righty was the 2009 College fine organization, he has witnessed first-hand and been a large part of the tremendous growth in revenue, media attention, fan Baseball Foundation Pitcher of the Year and totally dominated the Mountain West Conference in ’09. In support and television exposure college baseball has enjoyed over round-robin league play, he was 7-0 with 111 strikeouts and a 1.50 ERA in eight starts. the years. Overall, Strasburg (two-time MWC Pitcher of the Year as A great deal of thanks should also go out to Russ Anderson, a sophomore and junior) pitched 109 innings in 15 starts, had a pair of complete games, Mike Montoro and Bo Carter as they continue their hard work as had a hand in four shutouts (two in personal complete games), gave up 65 hits, and Executive Directors of the NCWBA. These three gentleman have walked just 19 hitters in 15 contests. Opponents batted just .172 against the Aztec overseen an organization that has grown at a pace comparable to standout. He finished 2009 pre-NCAA activity without allowing an earned run in 50 the sport we all covet, highlighted by the inclusion of the NCWBA of his 52 innings worked. annual awards as part of the festivities to recognize and induct the College Baseball Hall of Fame and the inaugural College Baseball The two-time consensus All-America also whiffed 180 batters in his first Awards Show in Lubbock, Texas in July. two seasons at San Diego State in 2007 and ’08 and was a semifinalist for the 2008 One final note, new membership and renewal forms are now Howser Trophy. Strasburg struck out a SDSU and MWC record 23 hitters against Utah being distributed. Please consider passing these forms to as many on April 11, 2008, and allowed opposing hitters a composite .136 batting average of your contacts and colleagues as possible so we can continue to – shattering the previous MWC season mark by 75 points. He was a relief ace for the see this organization grow and achieve new heights. Aztecs as a freshman with seven saves. The presentation was made in July for the first time in Lubbock, Texas, as part NCBWA.com NCBWA NEWSLETTER • AUG. 13, 2009 PAGE 2 of the festivities to recognize and Cove, N.C., was a consensus 2009 All-America performer. He was the second player chosen in DICK HOWSER TROPHY WINNERS induct the College Baseball Hall of the 2009 draft by the Seattle Mariners and led the NCAA World Series fifth-place Tar Heels with 1987 Mike Fiore 1B Miami Fame and the inaugural College a .417 average, with 75 runs, 18 doubles, four triples, a team-leading 22 homers, 73 RBIs, .763 1988 Robin Ventura 3B Oklahoma State Baseball Awards Show streamed slugging percentage and a .512 on-base percentage of .512. 1989 Scott Bryant DH Texas 1990 Alex Fernandez RHP Miami-Dade College live on www.MLB.com and available He was on NCAA Chapel Hill All-Tournament Teams and set an NCAA World Series for 1991 Frank Rodriguez Util.

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