League News
TCL ALUMNI DEGERMAN & SUBLETT - HAVING TREMENDOUS SEASONSDegerman Setting Fast Pace for No. 1 Rice Owls
Being the ace of the No. 1 team in NCAA Division I baseball and an alumnus of the Texas Collegiate League are two ideals for any college pitcher. In the case of Rice senior right-hander Eddie Degerman of Granada Hills, Calif., these are "the best of times" as he has cruised to a 9-0 record through games of May 4, 2006, owns one of the Top Five (third nationally) earned run averages at 1.18, has struck out 111 batters in 83 2/3 innings (11.9 whiff victims every nine innings), and has allowed foes just a .163 batting average. He's a control hurler as well with just 30 walks issued in 83-plus frames. In fact, Degerman might have a chance to celebrate two titles within a 10-month span from August 2005-June 2006. That occurs if Coach Wayne Graham's Owls streak all the way through the eight-team field and win the NCAA championship at Omaha, Neb. The national player of the year and Roger Clemens Award (Pitcher of Year) candidate sharpened his skills with the 2005 TCL champion Denton Outlaws in the Outlaws' initial season in the summer league. He has continued to mow down hitters as he vies for Conference USA Player of the Year laurels and several weeks atop the national team ratings for the talented Owls. Last year as a second team All-Western Athletic Conference selection (Rice moved to Conference USA for all 2005-06 conference competition), the California native notched an 8-1 record with a 3.28 ERA and limited opponents to a .206 average. He followed that Rice performance before joining the Outlaws for their stretch run for the TCL title in a final series against the McKinney Marshals. Degerman had several clutch innings in the best-of-3 series in August. His 2006 showing for the Owls has been nothing short of spectacular, and Rice has been ranked No. 1 nationally by at least one agency for a total of six different weeks. The team's 39 wins in its first 48 games against world-class opposition in Division I tell most of the story. Eddie Degermen just happens to be the long spoke holding a well-coached and taut "wheel" together throughout the '06 campaign. Wichita State's Damon Sublett Capitalizes on 2006 TCL Experience Damon Sublett got en eyeful of the baseball experience when he starred for the Coppell Copperheads in the 2005 Texas Collegiate League. That experience probably made the Wichita State pitcher-infield standout an All-America candidate in '06 along with the steady guidance of Gene Stephenson - the second-winning head baseball coach in college history behind current Texas mentor Augie Garrido. Sublett's mastery both at the plate (.395-10 HR-45 RBI) to lead the Shockers at the 42-game mark of the 2006 season and on the mound (1-0 record, 13 appearances, seven saves, perfect 0.00 ERA in 12 1/3 innings, 23 strikeouts, eight walks, and a .096 average against) makes him an exemplary candidate for Missouri Valley Conference Player of the Year as well as All-America, Dick Howser Trophy, Brooks Wallace Award, Golden Spikes Award, and any number of national honors. Coaches and fans saw the potential in the now-sophomore right-hander during a productive summer in the TCL and with the level of rugged opposition that the league affords. The Wichita, Kan., resident did not have to travel far to find his college home and put his infield skills to use as a yearling at WSU in 2005 with 60 starts in 65 total outings, a NCAA appearance by the Shockers, a win in the NCAA Regionals, .314 batting average, 36 RBI, 13 stolen bases, 17 pitching appearances, and another spotless 0.00 ERA. He may be the first student-athlete in Division history to work his first 31 2/3 innings as a collegian without surrendering an earned run, and he has 16 saves (nine as a freshman) in his initial 30 trips to the mound. His 54 strikeouts in 31-plus frames translate into 15.3 Ks every nine innings - a nation-leading stat if he had the required one inning pitched per team game. As it is, Damon Sublett continues his "tear" through college pitchers and hitters as he seeks to take Wichita State back to the NCAA tournament and to a possible MVP trophy. bold textbold text |
Browse by Year »
2023 2022 2021 2020 2019 2018 2017 2016 2015 2014 2013 2012 2011 2010 2009 2008 2007 2006 2005
Browse by Month »
December 2023 August 2023 May 2023 August 2022 July 2022 June 2022 May 2022 April 2022 August 2021 July 2021 June 2021 August 2020 July 2020 June 2020 April 2020 March 2020 July 2019 August 2018 July 2018 June 2018 August 2017 July 2017 June 2017 May 2017 December 2016 November 2016 August 2016 July 2016 May 2016 April 2016 March 2016 February 2016 January 2016 August 2015 July 2015 November 2014 August 2014 July 2014 May 2014 April 2014 November 2013 August 2013 July 2013 May 2013 March 2013 November 2012 August 2012 July 2012 June 2012 May 2012 April 2012 March 2012 February 2012 November 2011 October 2011 August 2011 July 2011 June 2011 May 2011 March 2011 September 2010 August 2010 July 2010 June 2010 May 2010 April 2010 March 2010 February 2010 January 2010 December 2009 September 2009 August 2009 July 2009 June 2009 May 2009 April 2009 January 2009 December 2008 November 2008 October 2008 August 2008 July 2008 June 2008 April 2008 February 2008 October 2007 September 2007 August 2007 July 2007 June 2007 May 2007 April 2007 March 2007 December 2006 November 2006 October 2006 August 2006 July 2006 June 2006 May 2006 April 2006 March 2006 February 2006 December 2005 November 2005 October 2005 September 2005 August 2005 July 2005 June 2005 May 2005 April 2005 March 2005 February 2005 January 2005 |