Home 2008 Season Coverage2008 Conference Previews St. John’s Picked To Repeat As BIG EAST Baseball Champion

St. John’s Picked To Repeat As BIG EAST Baseball Champion

by Brian Foley
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FROM PRESS RELEASE
St. John’s, which won 41 games and claimed a share of the BIG EAST regular-season title last year, has been chosen as the favorite to win the 2008 conference championship by the 12 BIG EAST head coaches, who were not permitted to vote for their own teams.

Louisville, fresh off a College World Series appearance, swept both the 2008 preseason individual honors as sophomore third baseman Chris Dominguez was honored as Preseason Player of the Year and senior Zack Pitts was selected as Preseason Pitcher of the Year.

St. John’s was named the squad to beat in ’08 by seven of the league’s 12 coaches. The Red Storm finished 2007 with a 20-7 BIG EAST record and a share of the league title, a 41-19 overall mark and a trip to the NCAA tournament. Junior pitcher Scott Barnes was one of two unanimous selections to the Preseason All-BIG EAST team. Barnes finished the ’07 campaign with a 7-2 record, a 2.93 ERA and 99 strikeouts. He was also named to the All-BIG EAST First Team last year. STJ was also represented with the selection of sophomore outfielder Brian Kemp. Kemp finished last season with a .348 average and 34 RBIs and was named to the All-BIG EAST Third Team.

Louisville earned the second-place poll spot with five first-place votes and 113 points. The Cardinals finished the ’07 campaign with a 47-24 overall record, a third-place league finish and a 19-8 mark in BIG EAST play. Pitts was the only other player to earn a unanimous selection after being named 2007 BIG EAST Pitcher of the Year. He finished the season with a 10-3 record, a 2.52 ERA and 91 strikeouts. Dominguez, meanwhile, was MVP at the NCAA Columbia Region last season. He finished the year with 15 home runs and 61 RBIs.

The Cardinals placed a total of four players on the preseason team, to be the most represented club on the preseason squad. Along with Pitts and Dominguez, sophomore pitcher Justin Marks and junior catcher Derrick Alfonso were honored. Marks was named the BIG EAST Rookie of the Year last spring and finished the ’07 campaign with a 9-2 record, a 2.67 ERA and 87 strikeouts. Alfonso finished his sophomore season with 32 runs scored, 30 RBIs and a .975 fielding percentage behind the dish. Both earned All-BIG EAST Second Team honors after the ’07 campaign.

USF, with a total of 92 points was picked to finish third in 2008. The Bulls finished last season in fifth place with a league mark of 13-14 and an overall record of 32-24. Representing USF on the preseason team is senior second baseman Dexter Butler. He finished 2007 with a .324 average, 44 RBIs, 45 runs scored and All-BIG EAST Third Team honors.

Rutgers earned a share of the 2007 regular-season league title with a 20-7 record, a 42-21 mark overall and was selected to finish fourth, with 91 points, in 2008. The Scarlet Knights earned a trip to the NCAA Tournament but lost in the regional round to Oregon State, which went on to win its second consecutive NCAA title. Junior first baseman Tom Edwards was the lone RU representative on the 2008 preseason team. He finished his sophomore campaign hitting at a .340 clip with 48 RBIs and seven home runs. Edwards was named to the All-BIG EAST Third Team last season.

League coaches expect Notre Dame to improve on last year’s 28-28 (11-15 BIG EAST) record and have slotted the Irish in fifth place with 80 points heading into the season. Junior RHP David Phelps earned a place on the preseason team after being named to the All-BIG EAST First Team last season. Phelps concluded 2007 with an 8-5 record and 1.88 ERA. In 110.1 innings, he allowed only 96 hits, 23 earned runs, held opponents to a .236 average and recorded 102 strikeouts.

Connecticut is also expected to improve on last season’s 34-27 (10-14 BIG EAST) record and was projected to finish sixth this season, with 66 points. Senior Matt Karl was selected as the preseason team’s designated hitter. Karl finished ’07 with a .301 average, 19 RBIs, 17 runs scored and four home runs. He flourished in conference play, hitting at a .358 clip. Karl had a .453 slugging percentage, drove in nine, scored seven runs and struck out only six times in 53 at bats.

Pittsburgh received 59 points and was picked to finish seventh in 2008. The Panthers finished last season with a 27-27 (15-11 BIG EAST) record and in fourth place. Senior Sean Conley earned one of three outfield spots on the preseason squad. In 2007, he hit .283, with 44 runs scored and 26 RBIs. During league play, Conley hit .376 with a .515 slugging percentage, 23 runs scored, 13 RBIs and only 12 strikeouts.

After finishing sixth last season with a 29-25 (12-15 BIG EAST) mark, Villanova was picked to finish eighth with 51 points in 2008. The Wildcats return 25 lettermen from last year’s squad.

With three players on the preseason squad, Cincinnati is the second-most represented team. The Bearcats ended last season in 10th place with a 28-28 (9-15 BIG EAST) record and garnered 41 points in the preseason poll. Left-handed pitcher Dan Osterbrock made the preseason staff after earning All-BIG EAST First Team honors last season. The junior posted a 9-1 record and a 2.67 ERA with one shutout and five complete games in 2007. He struck out 82 batters while issuing only 25 walks in 94.1 innings. Junior Josh Harrison was selected as the team’s shortstop. He had a .327 average, 59 runs scored, 56 RBIs, 21 stolen bases and nine home runs en route to an All-BIG EAST Second Team selection in ‘07. Senior outfielder Tony Campana was an All-BIG EAST Second Team honoree in 2007 while posting a .329 average, 51 runs scored, 18 RBIs and 60 stolen bases.

West Virginia was tabbed to finish 10th with 39 points after a ’07 campaign in which it finished 29-22 (10-16 BIG EAST). League coaches slotted Seton Hall to finish 11th with 31 points following a 25-25 (9-15 BIG EAST) season. Georgetown rounds-out the preseason poll with 12 points after a 21-34 (8-19 BIG EAST) season.

The first weekend of the 2008 baseball season begins February 22, with 11 of the 12 squads in action. The first weekend of league play is March 14-15 when Seton Hall visits USF. The 2008 BIG EAST Baseball Championship will return to Bright House Networks Field in Tampa, Fla., May 20-24, with the championship game to be televised on ESPNU.

Preseason Poll

Team Points (First Place Votes) 2007 Overall 2007 BIG EAST
1. St. John’s 117 (7) 41-19 20-7
2. Louisville 113 (5) 47-24 19-8
3. USF 92 34-26 13-14
4. Rutgers 91 42-21 20-7
5. Notre Dame 80 28-28 11-15
6. Connecticut 66 34-27 10-14
7. Pittsburgh 59 27-27 15-11
8. Villanova 51 29-25 12-15
9. Cincinnati 41 28-28 10-16
10. West Virginia 39 29-22 10-16
11. Seton Hall 31 25-25 9-15
12. Georgetown 12 21-34 8-19

Preseason Player of the Year:

Chris Dominguez, So., 3B, Louisville

Preseason Pitcher of the Year:

Zack Pitts, Sr., RHP, Louisville

Preseason Team

Pos. Name, Class, School Key 2007 Stats (All Games Played)
LHP Scott Barnes, Jr., St. John’s* 7-2 Record, 2.93 ERA, 15 GS, 1 CG, 1ShO, 95.1 IP, 34 BB, 99 SO
RHP Zack Pitts, Sr., Louisville* 10-3 Record, 2.52 ERA, 18 GS, 1 CG, 121.2 IP, 24 BB, 91 SO
LHP Justin Marks, So., Louisville 9-2 Record, 2.67 ERA, 18 GS, 104.2 IP, 38 BB, 87 SO
LHP Dan Osterbrock, Jr., Cincinnati 9-1 Record, 2.67 ERA, 14 GS, 5 CG, 1 ShO, 94.1 IP, 25 BB, 82 SO
RHP David Phelps, Jr., Notre Dame 8-5 Record, 1.88 ERA, 15 GS, 5 CG, 1 ShO, 110.1 IP, 30 BB, 102 SO
C Derrick Alfonso, Sr., Louisville .274 avg., 234 AB, 32 R, 64 H, 9 2B, 3 3B, 5 HR, 30 RBI, 4-6 SB
1B Tom Edwards, Jr., Rutgers .340 avg., 238 AB, 44 R, 81 H, 10 2B, 7 HR, 48 RBI, 7-10 SB
2B Dexter Butler, Sr., USF .324 avg., 213 AB, 33 R, 69 H, 11 2B, 1 HR, 44 RBI, 2-3 SB
SS Josh Harrison, Jr., Cincinnati .327 avg., 220 AB, 59 R, 72 H, 17 2B, 2 3B, 9 HR, 56 RBI, 21-23 SB
3B Chris Dominguez, So., Louisville .262 avg., 271 AB, 47 R, 71 H, 19 2B, 3 3B, 15 HR, 61 RBI, 9-12 SB
OF Tony Campana, Sr., Cincinnati .329 avg., 237 AB, 51 R, 78 H, 5 2B, 1 3B, 1 HR, 18 RBI, 60-74 SB
OF Sean Conley, Sr., Pittsburgh .283 avg., 205 AB, 44 R, 58 H, 6 2B, 2 3B, 2 HR, 26 RBI, 11-18 SB
OF Brian Kemp, So., St. John’s .384 avg., 230 AB, 53 R, 80 H, 10 2B, 2 3B, 1 HR, 34 RBI, 25-29 SB
DH Matt Karl, Sr., Connecticut .301 avg., 123 AB, 17 R, 37 H, 3 2B, 4 HR, 19 RBI
* – unanimous selection

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5 comments

djbfootball January 3, 2008 - 1:45 pm

WOW,

The BIG East has really picked it up in the baseball arena.

Brian Foley January 3, 2008 - 2:07 pm

I remember going to Providence College games on a borderline high school field. Now the Big East teams are building STADIUMS which I love. I moved to about an hour from UConn so I might be able to see Notre Dame this season down in Storrs. Lots of mileage going on the car.

Ed Wolfe January 5, 2008 - 12:05 pm

I’ve seen a couple of St. John’s player’s in Connecticut this past summer. A couple of pitchers in the NECBL and this guy Brian Kemp can really fly. I’m sure they’ll go far in the Big East and maybe win a regional in 2008.

John Moran January 7, 2008 - 7:55 am

The Big East tournament was in Brooklyn last year and unfortunately not many people attended. The league had many players drafted and the quality of baseball is A+. Todd Frazier is a legitamate pro prospect along with 5 or more pitchers that I saw in Coney Island. St. John’s has a great pitching staff, and USF will be a powerhouse nationally in a few years. Louisville has 2 of the best pitchers in the USA and Cincy, Seton Hall, Villanova, and Notre Dame have many quality players that scouts will be looking at. If you live in the east, close to a Big East team, you should go out and catch a game or two. You won’t be disappointed.

Gabe Djoue January 7, 2008 - 4:35 pm

The Big East is very much on the rise but still has a long way to catch The SEC, ACC, PAC 10 and a few other major D 1’s. Louisville, Rutgers, St. John’s and Notre Dame proved they could play with anyone last year, but the league has a few weak links like Georgetown and Seton Hall. I’m seeing more and more Big East players playing summer baseball in Cape Cod and holding their own. This is a big boost for recruiting for some schools because when you play up there you are playing with the best college players in the country. Good coaching and good recruiting will keep Big East teams in regional and super regional appearances.

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