News and Notes 7/5

After three non-stop days of grilling, finally getting to some links from the holiday weekend and a few random ones over last week.

Chevy Troutman is having a fine career in Italy and the Post-Gazette catches up with him while he's in town for the Greentree Summer League.  He still may play a few games in the league and while he's had offers to play in the NBA's Summer League, he's turned them down:

Troutman receives offers to play in the NBA Summer League in Las Vegas, but he has declined those offers in recent years because he has been under contract in Europe. He makes a six-figure salary and feels comfortable with his situation.

"For my size and the way I was being promoted, it was better for me to go over there than anything else," he said. "I realized that early. I said, 'Let me just start my career off as a pro over there and see how it goes.

"Now I'm very successful over there. I'm known in basketball. I don't think I'll ever have a problem having a job the rest of my career. I actually thought about coming back over here [to give the NBA a try], but for me it's probably not worth it.

"It's kind of difficult to get your foot in the door. They have to show the initiative."

Unfortunately, the most alarming part of the article is his new fashion:

Troutman, the former Pitt star, is no longer playing basketball in this country, and his appearance is proof positive. There was a certain European flair to Troutman last week when he strolled into the Greentree SportsPlex in shorts, T-shirt, sandals and a fanny pack to watch some Pitt players compete in the Pittsburgh Basketball Club Pro-Am.

 A fanny pack?  Really?  I think even senior citizens have moved on from those things.

Andy Katz of ESPN writes a little more about Pitt's trip to Ireland and has a good point about how this glut of forwards and big men will need to figure itself out.

ESPN.com's Brian Bennett looks at revenues of the Big East compared to other BCS conferences.  No, it's not pretty, but we already knew that.  According to the numbers, put together by a writer from Fanhouse, Pitt falls somewhere in the middle of Division I programs.

If you're into video games, NCAA Football '11 has some screenshots out for each of the Top 25 teams.  Pitt is ranked #16 in their game.

And former Pitt baseball star Joe Leonard was named to another All-American team. This time, the ABCA/Rawlings All-American First Team.

Joe Leonard Named Player of the Year

Former Pitt standout and recent MLB third-round draft pick, Joe Leonard, was named as the NCBWA (National Collegiate Baseball Writers Association) District 1 Player of the Year. 

District 1 includes Pennsylvania, Maine, Massachusetts, Vermont, New Hampshire, and Rhode Island.

In 2010, Leonard broke single-season school records for saves, hits, RBI, and doubles.

Two More Baseball Draft Picks

After Joe Leonard was selected by the Atlanta Braves in the third round, Pitt saw two more players taken in the MLB Draft. Senior catcher Cory Brownstein was drafted in the 15th round, also by the Braves, while Senior shortstop Danny Lopez was picked by the Seattle Mariners in the 17th round.

Joe Leonard Drafted

Pitt star Joe Leonard was drafted by the Atlanta Braves in the third round of today's MLB Draft:

"I knew I had a good season and everything really worked out for me," Leonard said. "I was just sitting at home with my family and my girlfriend and my name popped up on the computer screen. I was so happy. It was a great moment."

He was the highest draft pick under head coach Joe Jordano, who has been around for 17 years. In the school's history, Pitt has only had eight players drafted in the first ten rounds, but Leonard is the school's fourth in the past five years.

Jordano sees big things for him:

"Right now, he might not put up the power numbers that the pro guys are looking for, but the power is in there," Jordano said. "At the next level ... they'll probably get him to lift the ball a little more. Then, he'll hit the ball out of every park in the country. He's going to be a monster."

And Tony DeMacio, the Braves scout who found Chipper Jones 20 years ago, thinks they've got a great player as well:

In Leonard, a 6-foot-5, 220-pounder, the Braves believe they’ve found a power bat. The 2010 Big East player of the year hit .433 in 55 games as a junior and set school records in hits (104), at-bats (240), doubles (23) and RBIs (71). He hit eight home runs, and that’s while playing for a Pitt team that focused on using the opposite field.

“They don’t teach guys to pull up there,” DeMacio said. “Everything he hits is the other way. He’s big, he’s strong, he’s got a great body to develop yet, and he’s a very good defensive player, too, for his size.”

Finally, a Braves blogger thinks he will sign quickly if offered slot money for his round - even if he can't get the name of the school right:

A solid pick for Atlanta, as they take a polished defender at the hot corner with a good bat. He still needs to develop more power in his swing, but the intangibles are there, especially the 6'5" 220 lbs. frame. A college Junior from Pittsburgh University (my emphasis), he is rated as the top prospect in Pennsylvania, and is the son of a former first round pick. He doesn't have any truly plus-plus skills (maybe his defense), but he is a well-rounded player who should be competitive at the next level. He is said to be willing to sign quickly for slot money.

Joe Leonard - The All-American American

Sorry, pro wrestling flash.

Pitt has its second Baseball All-American in as many years with the news of Joe Leonard being named to Louisville Slugger's All-American team. He made the third team.

That seems a little low for someone who was the Big East Player of the Year and is a semi-finalist for the Dick Howser award - an award for the nation's best player. But then again I know next to nothing about college baseball.

Last season, Chris Sedon made the team. Pitt has four in the past decade alone.

Pitt Baseball on the Ropes

In a week that saw star player Joe Leonard named the Big East Player of the Year, Pitt was dealt an opening loss in the Big East Tournament, losing to Rutgers today 9-5:

"We just have to turn the page and forget about today," said Baker (11-3), who had matched a season high with 12 hits allowed in his first meeting with Rutgers, a 9-8 loss on April 1. "We lose again, we're done, so we can't linger on today and let it affect us."

With innings at a premium on the mound, facing a potential six games in five days, Jordano stuck with Baker for six innings and a season-high 130 pitches. He gave up 16 hits, matching a 16-year-old Big East record.

The baseball fan in me immediately was drawn to the 130 pitches. Holy crap. Even Dusty Baker thinks this kid might be overworked.

Seriously, I know little about pitch counts in college baseball. But minor league teams reguarly limit young pitchers to under 100 pitches, so that seemed a bit high to me.

Anyway, so Pitt is now one loss away from being out of the Big East Tournament. There's a general consensus that 40 wins will get you into the NCAA Tournament most of the time. Pitt is still four away from that number and is now in danger of missing the tournament.

Joe Leonard up for Another Award

Pitt baseball star Joe Leonard is up for another award - the Dick Howser Award, given to collegiate baseball's best player.

Leonard is one of 25 semifinalists for the award.

With its regular season now concluded, Pitt will look to the the Big East Championships which begin Wednesday.

Joe Leonard Gets A Nomination

Pitt baseball standout Joe Leonard picked up an award nomination - the John Olerud two-way Player of the Year Award. Not only have I never heard of this award, I never knew John Olerud was a pitcher. Leonard is continuing a pretty good year:

On the year, Leonard holds a .452 batting average in a 186 at-bats. He has accumulated 57 RBI’s, seven home runs and 20 doubles, along with a 3.60 ERA and seven saves.

I'm sorry, but everytime I hear John Olerud's name, the first thing I think of is the old Rickey Henderson story. It may not be true, but I still laugh out loud every time I hear it.

Leonard Breaks Hits Record

Pitt baseball standout, Joe Leonard, broke the school's single-season hit record - with plenty of games to spare by the way. Pitt still has 12 games left to play in its regular season.

A home run, his 85th hit of the season, broke the record of 84 held by Ben Copeland, who is now in the San Francisco Giants farm system in AAA.

Pitt Baseball Still on the Move

After going 2-1 last week, Pitt baseball is still on the move, climbing up to #20 in the Collegiate Baseball Newspaper poll just out yesterday. The team remains unranked in the ESPN/USA Today and Baseball America polls. The #20 ranking is the highest in school history.

Also in baseball-related stuff, head coach Joe Jordano is headed to the...wait for it...Erie Hall of Fame. He ranks second in school history with 359 wins and with another good season next year, could catch the all-time leader, Bobby Lewis, who has 402. As one of the top teams in the Big East, he could be up for his second conference Coach of the Year award this year. Like most, I don't follow the baseball program all that closely. Still, great to see the school really starting to excel in several sports.

Pitt's best player? That would be Joe Leonard.

And if you can believe it, ESPN actually runs a baseball version of Bracketology. Seriously. Pitt is projected to make the tournament in the regional with #1 overall seed Texas.