Two days prior to the open of the 2013 season, the University of Southern California announced it has fired head baseball coach Frank Cruz for “knowingly violating NCAA Countable Athletically-Related Activities limitations.” Read the rest of this entry »
Head baseball coach Frank Cruz has been suspended by the University of Southern California one week before the season is scheduled to begin.
Cruz has been tasked with returning the Trojans to the national power they were for more than half a century under Rod Dedeaux and Mike Gillespie, but it is being investigated by the university whether he push the players too hard toward that goal. USC will be investigating whether Cruz went over the NCAA’s mandated number of hours student-athletes are allowed to participate.
Coaches are only allowed to make 20 hours of supervised athletic activity mandatory while a sport is in season and only eight hours a week when a sport is out of season. Players are also required to have one day off every week (Monday is most often taken off by baseball teams) during the season and in the offseason, two days per week can’t have activity scheduled for the players. Read the rest of this entry »
LOS ANGELES — When USC needed a big start Sunday afternoon from freshman Stephen Tarpley, he supplied it.
Tarpley improved to 5-1 on the season, pitching 7 1/3 innings and allowing only two runs on six hits and a walk to help the Trojans (22-17, 7-10) to a 6-2 victory and a series win over visiting Oregon State (28-14, 8-10).
Tarpley struggled in the first inning, allowing back-to-back doubles to open the game, but found his groove shortly after.
LOS ANGELES — Former Major League second baseman Chuck Knoblauch’s career effectively came to an end when a mental hurdle prevented him from making the short throw from his position to first base.
USC’s Dante Flores is currently facing the same mental battle. After making his first error of the season late in a game at Washington State a week and a half ago, Flores has struggled throwing to first base, making two crucial 12th inning throwing errors Tuesday night in USC’s 8-5 loss to Loyola Marymount.
LOS ANGELES — Cal scored a pair of runs in the top of the ninth inning to complete a five-run comeback after the Golden Bears had fallen behind USC 4-0 Thursday evening at Dedeaux Field.
Cal’s 5-4 win came at the expense of Wyatt Strahan, who allowed his first two runs of the season. Mitch Delfino singled home Vince Bruno and Tony Renda doubled down the third base line to score Delfino.
USC starter Stephen Tarpley (pictured) had a no hitter through 4 2/3, but things unraveled in the sixth inning. A catcher’s interference, single and three walks scored Cal’s first two runs and ended Tarpley’s outing.
LOS ANGELES — USC scored seven unanswered runs Tuesday night at Dedeaux Field to take a 7-4 win over No. 19 Cal State Fullerton. The Trojans (9-3) used 13 singles, including five in a five-run seventh inning, to knock off the Titans (9-4).
After the game we talked to each team’s head coaches. Read the rest of this entry »
LOS ANGELES — The USC Trojans improved to 7-0 on the young season, sweeping Akron over the weekend at Dedeaux Field. The Trojans have received solid starting pitching, allowing them to minimize bullpen innings. Read the rest of this entry »
Another signing deadline goes by and the story stays the same. The big market clubs especially in Boston and New York continue to wait until the last possible second to sign their draft picks. The Red Sox entering Monday had only signed three out of their top ten selections but ended up getting 12 out of the top 13 picks to sign which includes some marquee names in college baseball in LSU’s Anthony Ranaudo and Miami’s Chris Hernandez to name a few.
CBD Scouting Spotlight: Mark Appel (Stanford)
CBD Scouting Spotlight: Adam Plutko (UCLA)
CBD Scouting Report: Kevin Ziomek (Vanderbilt)
CBD Interview with Notre Dame’s Mik Aoki and Dan Slania
CBD Scouting Video: Colton Plaia (Loyola Marymount)
