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2008 Roster Additions

JoJoforHeisman

JoJoforHeisman

All-American
Dec 7, 2000
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Alex Kubal (5'10/170), a junior centerfielder from Gulf Coast Community College hit .372/.425/.500 last season with 17 doubles and 14 stolen bases. A Minnetonka, Minnesota native, Kubal spent his freshman season at Division II Concordia-St. Paul.

Mike Sharp (6'1/180/Liberty, MO), a junior catcher from Kansas City Kansas Community College, where he raked at an impressive .385 clip, with 10 homers, 18 doubles, and 52 RBIs.

Cole Shelton (6'2/220/Dyersburg, TN), a junior catcher from Dyersburg State Community College. Hit a remarkable .439 last season.

Patrick Nappi (6'0/190/Birmingham), a right-handed reliever from Shelton State. Appeared in 27 games last season, finishing at 4-2/2.58 with 3 saves in 38.1 innings of work.

Jon Kelton (6'0/170/LaGrange, GA), a freshman second baseman, is the brother of former Chicago Cub David Kelton.

Tyler White (6'3/185), freshman righthander from Brandon, Mississippi.

Drew Clark (6'1/230), freshman first baseman from Muscle Shoals.
 
good, a centerfielder. here's hoping he's closer to what Travis Garner was than Brad Van Winkle (as far as contributions to the team, not specific position)

2 catchers that might can actually produce? I think I'm going to tinkle
 
Hopefully Kubal will be able to step in and contribute right away. He will likely have a shot at claiming the leadoff role given the paucity of viable candidates on the roster. This team's success rate with junior college outfielders in recent years has been hit-or-miss, to say the least. As forgettable as Brad Van Winkle was, he wasn't even close to being the worst of the lot. That dishonor would have to go to Scotty Mitchell, hailed as bringing "much-needed speed and power to the Crimson Tide lineup" and for being one of the "premier base-stealers in the country." Mitchell ended a fall practice marked by more helmet-tossing tantrums than base hits as the seventh-best outfielder among a total of, well, seven. He subsequently bolted to NAIA Oklahoma City University, where he rode the pine.
 
Kilcrease was actually one of the early signees, an AISA All-State selection out of the same school (Glenwood) that produced Tim Hudson. Barring the rapid onset of some unusual pituitary disorder, his height - whether fair or not - will prevent him from ever being much of a pro prospect. While he'll undoubtedly have to contend with pro baseball's long-standing bias against short righthanders, by no means does that imply that he is incapable of making an impact at the college level. Listed by some sources as 5'7/165, he's a little guy with a live arm.

One scouting report: "Nathan, an Alabama signee, showed SEC ability with a fastball that sat at 88-89 mph and topped out at 91 mph. This fastball had good, two-seam, arm side action that produced ground balls. He also showed two (curveball and changeup) well above-average offspeed speed pitches with good command and feel. He has a repeatable delivery and arm action with good direction."

You just don't see many players that size with that kind of arm (the ones in the big leagues are all shortstops). I don't care if he's a Lilliputian - the fact of the matter is that he can have a ton of success at 88-91 with some sink and run.
 
The two infielders among the eleven early signees - Ross Wilson and Josh Rutledge - are currently on the roster.


The early signees not on the 2008 roster are MLB draftees Chase Weems, Danny Danielson, and Austin Bailey.

Also missing is Russell County righthander Justin Dutton. I recall reading somewhere that he was unable to pitch for most of his senior season due to injury or some illness, but I don't know any specifics.
 
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