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  1. #1
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    Most alumni from a college in MLB

    Recently, the South Carolina Gamecocks had six alumni simultaneously in MLB. Although Michael Roth's stay was brief, there are still five SC gamecocks in MLB: Jackie Bradley, Jr. (Boston CF) Whit Merrifield ( KC second baseman, utility) Sam Dyson (Texas closer), Justin Smoak (Toronto) and Steve Pearce ( Tampa Bay, DL) The first three of those, plus Roth, were on the back-to back national champion teams of the Gamecocks in 2010 and 2011.

    I wonder what's the record for that? Anyway, it shows the value of collecting what you can at the college and minor-league level. You never know who will have a big future.

  2. #2
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    Smile Re: Most alumni from a college in MLB

    Quote Originally Posted by coxfan View Post
    Recently, the South Carolina Gamecocks had six alumni simultaneously in MLB. Although Michael Roth's stay was brief, there are still five SC gamecocks in MLB: Jackie Bradley, Jr. (Boston CF) Whit Merrifield ( KC second baseman, utility) Sam Dyson (Texas closer), Justin Smoak (Toronto) and Steve Pearce ( Tampa Bay, DL) The first three of those, plus Roth, were on the back-to back national champion teams of the Gamecocks in 2010 and 2011.

    I wonder what's the record for that? Anyway, it shows the value of collecting what you can at the college and minor-league level. You never know who will have a big future.
    I though Merrifield was impressive with the bat when KC came here to play the White Sox.

    Dave Miedema

  3. #3
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    Re: Most alumni from a college in MLB

    Of course, all SC Gamecock fans were delighted with Jackie Bradley's going 2/2 in the All-Star game, though his infield single was 85% luck and 15 % hustle. Bradley's very popular here in Columbia, not only because of his multiple talents, but also because he's great with fans one-on-one despite his quiet demeanor.

  4. #4
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    Re: Most alumni from a college in MLB

    The South Carolina Gamecocks are back to five alumni as active MLB players, and all five are on contending teams. Since Merrifield's September recall, he's factored positively in KC's two straight wins. Sam Dyson (Texas) is among the leaders in saves with 32, and Jackie Bradley's up to 23 homers for Boston. All three were big on South Carolina's two straight national championships, though only Dyson had been considered a MLB prospect when they were recruited by the Gamecocks.

    Steve Pearce (Baltimore) and Justin Smoak ( Toronto) are also contributing.

  5. #5
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    Re: Most alumni from a college in MLB

    I'd overlooked that Cleveland's Lonnie Chisenhall was briefly a South Carolina gamecock in 2007, playing in 19 games before finishing his college career at Pitt Community College. Thus, South Carolina had on July 4 seven alumni simultaneously in MLB. Now, each of the four postseason AL teams has one.

  6. #6
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    Re: Most alumni from a college in MLB

    The point is that one shouldn't neglect college ball, where many future MLB players play and coach. In the last three years, there have been at least nine South Carolina Gamecock alums to play in MLB, including one on each of the five AL postseason teams this year. In addition, we've had a number from visiting teams to play here at Carolina stadium: George Springer, David Price, Dansby Swanson, Gordon Beckham, Drew Pomeranz, and others, just off the top of my head from recent years.

    Former greats, like Cal Ripken Jr., Tom Glavine, and Bobby Richardson (who coached here after his historic Yankee career) have also been to our stadium within the last couple of years.

    So college teams now may be a good place to get items, including autographs, from future and past MLB players.

  7. #7
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    Re: Most alumni from a college in MLB

    Jordan Montgomery of the Yankees is also a South Carolina gamecock alum, giving us currently seven alumni active in MLB, plus at least three others within the last 2-3 years. Curiously, all ten of those guys are AL, including four currently playing in the AL East.

  8. #8
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    Re: Most alumni from a college in MLB

    With Tyler Webb's callup to NYY, there are now eight gamecock alumni currently in MLB. Five of them (Jackie Bradley, Sam Dyson, Whit Merrifield, Jordan Montgomery, and Tyler Webb) are from South Carolina's record-setting run from 2010-2012, when they won two straight national championships and a second-place national finish; and set records for most consecutive College World Series wins (12) and most consecutive NCAA tournament wins (22). The other three (Justin Smoak, Steve Pearce, Lonnie Chisenhall) are from earlier years (2005-07). Five are playing in the AL East, and only Dyson's in the NL after his excellent pitching in the World Baseball Classic was followed by a disastrous season start.

    Here in Columbia, SC we're more than 200 miles from an MLB team, but we make up for it with big-time college ball. ESPN's slow to pick up on this. Recently their commentators mentioned that Bradley was Most Outstanding Player in the 2010 College World Series, but mentioned only Michael Roth ( who pitched only a few MLB games) as his college teammate.

 

 

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