Prospects Plus: Cord Sandberg

NAME: Cord Sandberg 

TEAM: Blueclaws 

POSITION: Outfield

PROSPECT RANKING: 21st ranked player in the Phillies system, according to Baseball America. 

FRIDAY VS. AUGUSTA: 1-5 with an RBI and run scored. 

POSITIVES: the former Mississippi State QB commit is a plus athlete. Right now is best tool is his speed. He has a body that could put on more muscle as he gets older. When developed he could be a 20-25 HR type of player. 

NEGATIVES: Still incredibly raw. Right now he is a athlete playing baseball, not a baseball player. During the game against Augusta he looked bad a couple of change ups. With any two sports star it's going to take time for them to develop just ask the Royals when it comes to Bubba Starling. 

Epic Iron Bowl = Epic Front Pages

Yesterdays Iron Bowl between Alabama and Auburn was epic and today the papers in the state are just as classic. I just have a question did that really happen yesterday.

Rutgers is not afraid of the SEC

This is something that you don't see very often. Rutgers has a three game winning streak against the big bad SEC. The last time they lost to an SEC school was in 2002 when Tennessee beat them 35-14

Professional Tailgating: Roasted Hogs

So the Big Bad SEC came to Rutgers Saturday and Rutgers sent a message: we can play football too. Rutgers beat Arkansas 28-24 in a thrilling game.

The good and bad of the NY Times

While the New York Times hit a home fun with its college football preview stories today, it was not with its issues. The historic paper messed up photos with Heisman Trophy candidates Yeldon, Miller and Boyd. But it did hit a home run with its preview of South Carolina star defensive end Jadeveon Clowney and its story about ESPN controlling scheduling. 

The Bad: Messing up photos with Yeldon, Miller, and Boyd

The Good: Awesome graphic 

Prospect Plus: Vanderbilt's Tyler Beede

Name: Tyler Beede
Position: RHP
Prospect Statues: First round pick of the Toronto Blue Jays in 2011, but did not sign. Beede is expected to be a top 10 pick in the 2014 MLB Draft.
Saturday vs. Missouri: 7 innings, 3 hits allowed, one earned run, 10 strikeouts.



Positives: During the course of his start, Beede hit between 92-95 miles per hour. The tigers hitters looked completely over matched. Beede's change up is something special, the bottom completely dropped out of it. During the 2011 Draft, Beede was considered the 14 best right hand prospect in the draft. Beede, who's 6ft 4 in, was the only first round pick in the 2011 draft not to sign. According to the 2011 Baseball America Draft Preview, "Beede has advanced command, feel, and offspeed stuff, and scouts are impressed by his approach to the game.'' Smooth mechanics. Could be a top of the rotation type pitcher.

Negative: Can you sign him. That would be mine question. The only little concern I would have that he does not have an elite fastball. His control can be a little off, 36 walks in more than 50 innings that is a concern.

National Signing Day: An Ode to the Fax Machine

Over the last couple of years as the use of email has become more and acceptable, the fax machine has been rendered useless. Sure most offices still have them, but the constant hum of them has been replaced for the most part by the bing of email in a person inbox. 

But on the National Signing Day, the fax machine takes its spot at the top of the technological chart. Recruits from all over the country will be sending their National Letters of Intent by fax to their schools. Without the fax machine recruits would have to FedEx their letters of intent and that would not be good for television. 

While the concept of fax machine has been around for nearly 70 years, it really gained in popularity during the 60's. A landmark year for fax machines was 1964, in which the Xerox Corporation introduced (and patented) what many consider to be the first commercialized version of the modern fax machine, under the name (LDX) or Long Distance Xerography. This model was superseded two years later with a unit that would truly set the standard for fax machines for years to come. Up until this point facsimile machines were very expensive and hard to operate. In 1966, Xerox released the Magnafax Telecopier, a smaller, 46-pound facsimile machine. This unit was far easier to operate and could be connected to any standard telephone line.

The use of fax machines is not without its negatives, early on National Signing Day FSU officials told ESPN that they were having issues with the fax machines. Lets hope that they got that fixed, so they can get their letter of in intent.

So as we get excited for the classes that our schools get, just remember that the real star of the day is the fax machines. This is one of the few days in the sun that this machines has, so lets respect it.

Cover Story: No more Honey

On Friday the scope of the SEC Title race was blown open when the LSU ticked star corner Tryann Mathieu off the team. The news was so big that three biggest newspapers in Louisiana put the story  on their front page, some even had it as the lead. I guess the Honey Badger sells newspapers.

Cover Story: Bobby P. out at Arkansas

In Arkansas there is no bigger story then the firing of football head coach Bobby Petrino. Here is how two of the newspapers in the state covered the story.

College Baseball would have a different look if MLB followed the NFL Draft rules

So what would happen if baseball required players to go to college for at least three years, it would look very different then it does now. BaseballAmerica.com's Jim Callis takes a look at it and breaks it down. This is all you need to know Bryce Harper would be at South Carolina, now that would be scary.

High School Football All Star Game Recap

The high school football All-Star season has ended. Over the course of the last two weeks, the OTWT Scouting Department has been watching the three majors national games that where played and making a list. Here are some of the players that we where impressed with during the games.


Semper Fidelis Bowl:

• DJ Foster, RB/DB, Arizona: He is a lock down corner who is very comfortable playing against the other team's fastest receiver, and he's very confident with a smooth backpedal and he can turn and run with the best of them. One of the nation's premier cover corners, he also showed great hands, burst, and displayed outstanding moves in the open field at WR.
• Jayodon Mickens, DB/RB, California: One of the more explosive ball players in Los Angeles. He shows the speed, quickness, hands and burst needed to become an impact WR at the next level.

Under Armour All American Game 

• Chad Kelly, QB, Buffalo (pictured above): The nephew of former Bills great Jim Kelly is headed to Clemson. In the skills challenge Kelly arm strong was really shown, he can make any throw out there. Will be a perfect fit in Chad Morris's Clemson offense. 
• Ifenndi Odenigbo, DE, Ohio: The one that got away, instead of picking Ohio State, Odenigbo will be headed to Northwestern. I can not remember the last time the Wildcats had an athlete like this on defense.

US Army All American Game 

• Cyler Miles, QB, Colorado (pictured right):  Miles is a dual-threat quarterback, but he uses his feet more as a weapon than a priority. He has a strong arm and can make all of the throws. Miles, who is heading to Washington next, will be the perfect replacement for Kevin Price in a couple of years. Miles will probably red shirt next years, which will help his development in the future
• TJ Yeldon:, RB, Alabama:Yeldon is an instinctive runner with excellent speed and acceleration. He has a great initial burst, which allows him to hit small windows and attack the defense. His balance and vision allow him to set up tacklers and break tackles. During the game the 'Bama recruit showed his athletic ability hurdling defenders not once but twice. For a larger back he is incredible athletic.

Sometimes getting a 5-star is not all its cracked up to be

In college football, getting 5-star recruits is the name of the game but sometimes it does not work out. Rivals.com took a look at the five years of 5-stars and the results are a mixed bag, for every superstar there is a bust. 

We may not win every game, but we've never lost a party

As a big tailgater, ESPN College Gameday breaks it down and does a great job.

This has to be a first

So yesterday while watching the Carolina Panthers and the Green Bay Packers game, I thought to myself wow I think that I just saw history.

During the game, Panthers' QB Cam Newton was picked off by Packers' DB Charles Woodson twice and after thinking about it for a while, I thought it may have been historical. Since Woodson was the only Heisman Trophy winner to play defense and Cam Newton won the Heisman last year, was this the first time that a Heisman Trophy winner was picked off by another? I have to think it was and if it was I don't think enough has been made of it.  

No One is in Charge

New York Times College Sports Reporter Pete Thamel gets to the heart of the ongoing conference reshuffling. It's basically football run Anarchy.

Just win more games and you will get in

Stop Crying Seth and win more

So the bracket of 68 has been made and now everyone is complaining about one thing or the other. For one they have nothing to complain about. I hear so "experts" complaining about VCU and UAB getting in over Colorado, 'Bama, and Va Tech.

In a year where college basketball has be down and the level of play has been terrible, no one has a right to complain about not getting in. Colorado could have won more games, 'Bama don't get beat by St. Peters, and Va Tech just stop.

My real problem here is with Seth Greenberg and Va Tech. Every year, hours after the selections committee has made its pick, Seth Greenberg is on TV talking about his team got shafted and this year is no different. The show is getting kind of old. Hey Seth how about going out and winning a couple of more games and stop leaving it up to the committee. You play in the ACC and have chances for big wins and maybe you should take advantage of it.

So in the end no one has anything to complain about, the teams that where left out should have done one thing and they would not have to worry about anything, Just win more games and take it out of the hands of the committee.

BCS Title Game In Newspapers

The computers and the polls have spoken and Auburn and Oregon are set to meet in the BCS Title game in Jan. 10. Here are the front pages of a home town Auburn paper and a home town Oregon paper.

Under Armour's Big Day

For the last couple of years Nike and Adidas have been the kings of college football apparel, but on Saturday afternoon another company will have their coming out party before a national TV audience. South Carolina will meet Auburn in the SEC Title Game, with the winner moving on to a BCS Bowl game, but the game means a little more to Under Armour.

Both South Carolina and Auburn jumped on the Under Armour bandwagon a couple of years ago and it appears to be paying off.  For the last couple of years, Under Armour has been making waves in the college football apparel industry but Saturday marks the first time that two Under Armour wearing teams will be meeting on this type of national stage. 

In 2009, Under Armour notched its first really big win when Utah beat Nike wearing Alabama in the Sugar Bowl. The brand could continue to grow if Auburn won and gave Under Armour their first BCS National Title Game appearance. 

This type of exposure will do nothing but sell a ton of jersey and other for both schools and Under Armour. The game should be a money making experience for all involved.

A View from the North on the Iron Bowl

I consider myself to be very knowledgeable and passionate about college football, but in my wildest dreams I have never experience the passion of the game like I have this week. During the last week, I have been listening to the Paul Finebaum Radio Network for my college football talk on the way home from work and boy has it opened it my eyes to the hate in the Auburn/Alabama rivalry. For the last couple of days, the radio has been fantastic with the lunatics on both sides of the game yelling at each other.

Having a show like Finebaum's, which is based in Alabama, allows people like me to see the other side of college football and the passion that two very loyal fan basis have. The passion is fantastic, as a Rutgers season ticket holder, I wish that the Knights would have another group to fight like this. This game defines the state of Alabama and its residents. When you are born in that state you are born on a side of the rivalry. During this week on the program, people have been talking about classic Iron Bowl games, and making fun of the others teams boosters, ex-coaches, and former ADs.

The passion for the game is spelled out by former Auburn David Housel speech a bunch of years back, which I heard on Tuesday's Finebaum show.

With no pro sports in the state, this is the only thing they have and I would like to thank XM for allowing people who live in the northeast to see what the rivalry is like through Finebaum's show.

Son of a Preacher man

Cam Newton is the "Son of a Preacher Man" and this song spells it out. Saw this on ajc.com and truly thought it was well done.