VA Baseball

The Virginia Wesleyan Marlins are one of the most exciting teams in college baseball. They routinely put on a great show for all of their fans, and many people include Marlins games among their fondest memories each summer. With the kind of players they have, it’s no wonder the Marlins are such a popular team to watch.

The Virginia Wesleyan marlins feature three very fluid hitters in their lineup. In the outfield, the Marlins are pleased to have the services of Shayne Paskanik. The junior slugger is one Read the rest of this entry »

The University of Virginia has produced a number of baseball players that have appeared in the Major Leagues, including several high-impact players in recent years. To find the most successful big league pitcher that’s ever come out of UVA, you’ll have to go all the way back to early in the 20th century. Eppa Rixey, a Cavalier in 1911 and 1912, won 266 big league games over 21 seasons and was elected to the Baseball Hall of Fame. For a time, he held the all-time Read the rest of this entry »

The University of Virginia baseball team is coming off of a great season in 2011. They had one of their best results ever in the College World Series by winning their Super Regional and then getting 3rd place overall in the tournament as well. This all capped of a very successful regular season in which they won both the conference regular season and the conference tournament championships as well. They finished with an overall record of 56-12 and a conference record of 22-8.

Their leaders on offense were John Hicks and Steve Proscia. Hicks Read the rest of this entry »

Sure it’s football season but if you’re sick of your direct tv NFL Sunday Ticket you’ve got to switch over and catch an old school Nationals game on your baseball stations! There has been a lot of talent on the team through the years and some players are worth noting:
Bryce Harper: He’s an outfielder and he’s got an arm like few have seen before. He’s a Read the rest of this entry »

These are the best infielders that have worn the Washington Nationals’ uniform, based on what they did for the team.
5- Felipe Lopez, SS. 49 SB in 3 years made him part of this list.
4- Cristian Guzman, SS. Not the best defensive shortstop, but his .316 in ’08 was impressive.
3- Adam Dunn, 1B. 38 HR and 103 RBI in ’10, his first and only season as a full time 1B. Dunn was a very criticized sign, however his 76 HR Read the rest of this entry »

While not one of the most storied franchises in baseball history, the Nationals/Expos have fielded some excellent individual talent over the years.
Warren Cromartie teamed with Andre Dawson in the late 70′s to make one of the longest ranged outfields in their era. Both had monster arms, and could throw a baserunner out from practically anywhere in the ballpark. A career .280 hitter for the Expos, Cromartie led the league in assists in the 1978 season.
Ken Singleton, while maintaining an above average career, had one great season in 1973. He batted .302, knocked 23 homeruns and drove in 103. Read the rest of this entry »

One of the truest statements regarding baseball is ‘defense wins championships.’ Because of this, it is vital to a team’s success to invest in qualities pitchers. Here is a list of the top five Washington Nationals:

5. John Lannan – currently in the rotation for the Nats, looking to make gains with each season

4. Livan Hernandez – career that spans from 1996 to current, Hernandez is back on the Nationals, bring with him his 26-25 record and a 3.41 ERA.

3. Javier Vasquez – Vasquez played for the Nationals – then called the Expos – from 1998 to 2003 and amassed a 50-45 record and Read the rest of this entry »

In many ways 2010 was more of the same for this historically losing Nationals/Expos franchise. However, the season was not without its highlights. Moving forward, despite a 69-93 final record, Nats fans can look ahead with tempered optimism. As fans of the local franchise, here’s a few things to hang your ballcap onAdam Dunn is in Chicago Rarely is losing a 40 home run candidate to free agency a positive building block for an organization. Dunn’s first base play in the field was atrocious, however, and the Nats have replaced the lost power in some degree with Adam LaRoche, a 25 homer guy the past two seasons, not to mention one of the better defensive first basemen in the league. Yes, Dunn’s lumber in the middle of the lineup will be missed, but LaRoche drove in just 3 less runs last year while playing for the Diamondbacks. Meanwhile, a more competent fielder at first should help mitigate the error-proneness of potential laden shortstop Ian Desmond.Jayson Werth and Rick Ankiel Join the Outfield Werth and Rick the Stick should help to provide additional power, collectively more than making up for Dunn’s departure, with Werth also showing the ability to swipe a base from time to time. Between Ankiel, Werth, Zimmerman and LaRoche, the Nats lineup features 4 batters all capable of 25 homeruns this year, with Nyger Morgan and Desmond playing table setting roles and speed on the basepaths. Read the rest of this entry »

Not only is Virginia a great place to be a baseball fan, it’s also a great place for a baseball player to be born. Below is a list of active Major League Baseball players (as of the end of the 2010 season) who call the Old Dominion home, complete with their current major league team and debut year. Bear in mind, Virginia has produced hundreds of big leaguers since the first games were played more than a century ago. This is merely a look at the latest and greatest who continue to contribute to our national pastime at the highest level.-In alphabetical order:

• Kevin Barker (Free Agent, debut 1999
• Brain Bocock (Philadelphia Phillies), debut 2008
• Travis Bowyer (Florida Marlins), debut 2005
• Bill Bray (Cincinnati Reds), debut 2006
• Shawn Camp (Toronto Blue Jays), debut 2004
• Michael Cuddyer (Minnesota Twins), debut 2001 Read the rest of this entry »