Thursday, May 31, 2007

Second team, shmecond team


As if the target that's painted squarely on his back and the prospect of going to Omaha weren't enough to provide Pedro Alvarez with motivation to dominate in the NCAA Regionals and beyond, the fact that Collegiate Baseball Newspaper just put him on its All America second (not first) team ought to give him the extra ounce of stink he needs heading into tournament play.

The honor of first-team third baseman went not to the first-team All-SEC player and #4 hitter on the best team in the country, but rather to Brandon Waring of WOFFORD College. Now I know what people will say: Waring had a better batting average (.405 compared to Alvarez's .397) and more home runs (27 to Pedro's 17) as well as a few more RBI.

Nevermind that PA had more hits (100 to Waring's 73), but look at Wofford's schedule compared to Vandy's and tell me that our boy wouldn't have destroyed Waring's numbers against the same competition. Big difference between the Southern Conference and the Southeastern Conference. (It's also worth mentioning that Wofford, with a LOSING record of 30-31, wouldn't even be in the Field of 64 had they not won the conference tournament).

Now enough of the sour grapes. I don't want to take away from Brandon Waring and the phenomenal season he's had, but if I were Alvarez I'd be chomping at the bit to make a statement starting tomorrow. A little motivational edge never hurt anyone, and with the love everyone's been showering on the Commies, I'm a little relieved that at least one of our guys might be feeling disrespected. Go Dores.

(Photo courtesy of VUCommodores.com)

5 comments:

Bobby O'Shea said...

Great post.

This serves as further proof that VSL is the place for over-blown outrage when it comes to Vanderbilt sports (see our campaign for Derrick Byars and the carnage that ensued when DB wasn't named SEC POY by the media). Was Pedro more deserving? Certainly. Does Seamus make a compelling case? Of course he does...he's a smart guy. Was it worth all that? Probably not.

All the better, we live for excess and being the perpetual underdogs (despite rooting for an elite(ist) school like Vanderbilt) here at Vanderbilt Sports Line. Seamus, you are 2 for 2 on this one.

Anonymous said...

Brandon Waring numbers are silly and need to be recognized. Vandy is represented very well on the list of All-Americans.

Anonymous said...

unrelated to Vandy or baseball...is it safe to assume that the Nuggets aren't on the short list of teams Kobe wants to be traded to?

Stanimal said...

I mean the women in Denver love him.

Seamus O'Toole said...

Masonfan is a turncoat.