Aaron Fitt, lead college baseball writer for Baseball America, answered a question in his blog today that warmed my heart. Four VMI Keydets played in the Valley League in 2006: Trey Barham (Front Royal, and pictured above), Mike Bowman (Staunton), Chad Rice (Staunton), and Travis Smink (Front Royal). The answer from Fitt covered ALL FOUR OF THEM. (And I didn't ask the question- really!)
Here's the question and answer:
"I have been wondering where you think some of the VMI pitchers will go in the draft if they get drafted. Pitchers like Michael Bowman, Travis Smink, Trey Barham and a couple others. Thanks and GO KEYDETS! Doug Thomas, Lexington, VA
Aaron Fitt: Virginia Military Institute is off to a 16-4 start, the best in school history, and has won 11 of its past 12 games. That stretch includes a split at then-No. 20 Auburn and a sweep of Charleston Southern this past weekend, the Keydets’ first road sweep of a conference foe since joining the Big South four years ago. It doesn’t get any easier this weekend, as VMI travels to preseason conference favorite Winthrop in a big early-season series.
Pitching has been a major strength for the Keydets. Barham, a junior lefthander, is 5-1, 1.56 as the Friday starter. Barham earns plaudits from scouts for his excellent feel for pitching and three-pitch mix, which includes a sneaky fastball in the 83-86 mph range with arm-side run, a quality curveball that he can backdoor against righthanded hitters and a solid changeup. Barham dominated in the Valley League last summer before moving to Wareham in the Cape Cod League late in the summer, posting a 2.08 ERA in four innings. He lacks overpowering stuff, but lefthanders with Barham’s feel for pitching have a way of making it to pro ball. He could be a late-first-day draftee.
Bowman (left), a sophomore righthander, has been overpowering at times this
year, going 4-0, 2.29 with a 43-7 strikeout-walk ratio in 35 innings.
He’s an excellent athlete with an 87-90 mph fastball and a solid
changeup. Smink has gotten shelled in just two appearances this year,
but sophomore righthander Kevin Crum has been outstanding in the closer
role. His loose, easy arm produces fastballs in the 87-89 range and a
decent slider. Crum now has 12 saves, the most in the nation. And
freshman righty Chris Duty (3-0, 1.80) has pitched very well on
Sundays. Bowman and Crum, like Barham, have a chance to be drafted on
the first day in June, though none of them are locks for the top 10
rounds. Most importantly, those arms all give VMI a chance to win any
series.
“Bottom line, all their pitchers throw strikes with all their
pitches, and they flat compete,” said one
coach whose team has played
the Keydets. “Their shortstop, Chad Rice (right), can really defend. Their
center fielder, Thane Smith, can fly, and they have two good hitters in
Jacoby Fields and Robert Crumpler. I also like their right fielder
(Eddie) Van Es. Solid club that looks like it will be near the top of
the Big South. They play hard and are well coached by Marlin Ikenberry.”
That Big South race should be fun to watch. Coastal Carolina has to be considered the favorite right now, but Winthrop and VMI are both very capable of winning the conference. All three look like regional-caliber teams (though Winthrop is just 13-12 against its tough schedule), but unfortunately only two are likely to make regionals."
In the 2006 Valley League:
Barham: 3-1, 2.36, 1.07 WHIP, 50 strikeouts in 42 innings
Bowman: 1-5, 4.11, 1.26 WHIP, 59 strikeouts in 57 innings
Rice: .230/.342/.300
Smink: 1-3, 5.40, 1.38 WHIP, 33 strikeouts in 40 innings
Recent Comments