Louisville head coach Dan McDonnell had only been home from Omaha for a couple of days, yet he was already planning his next move. July is no time for rest.
McDonnell had his eyes on the Futures Game in Miami, where 2016 first-rounder Corey Ray will play. He thought about sticking around for the major league Home Run Derby, too, in case 2010 Louisville draftee Adam Duvall participated again. He sent a text to Brendan McKay, the No. 4 overall pick and 2017 College Player of the Year, to congratulate him on the $7.005 million bonus he just signed.“Be who you are,” McDonnell told him. “Don’t let the crooked number and the zeros— don’t let that change you, man.”
Those players are all products of the McDonnell Era, a few of the pillars that have helped prop Louisville baseball into elite territory. McDonnell is quick to credit those players, his assistant coaches and his athletic director, Tom Jurich, for Louisville’s success. And while they’ve all played crucial roles, it’s no coincidence that the Cardinals have emerged as a national power under the guidance of McDonnell—Baseball America’s College Coach of the Year. The award reflects a decade of excellence.
Since McDonnell took over the program in 2007, Louisville has the third most wins of any school in the country. In the last five years, no team has more wins. After making only one NCAA Tournament appearance previously, in 2002, the Cardinals have made 10 appearances in McDonnell’s 11 seasons. This year marked Louisville’s fourth trip to the College World Series—all under McDonnell, including his debut season.
Denne historien er fra July 21 2017-utgaven av Baseball America.
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Denne historien er fra July 21 2017-utgaven av Baseball America.
Start din 7-dagers gratis prøveperiode på Magzter GOLD for å få tilgang til tusenvis av utvalgte premiumhistorier og 9000+ magasiner og aviser.
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Wood Has Towering Upside- Nationals rookie James Wood also stands 6-foot-7 and also has game-changing power.
Aaron Judge and Oneil Cruz are 6-foot7 sluggers who stand out for their power in this year’s MLB Best Tools voting. Wood spent half of this season with Triple-A Rochester before making his MLB debut on July 1. While he was in the International League, he captured managers’ attention. Wood unanimously won Best Power Prospect and also claimed Most Exciting Player in a survey of league skippers. Wood hit .353/.463/.595 with 10 home runs in 52 games for Rochester. His .242 isolated slugging was the best for a player 21 or younger at Triple-A this season.
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