Monday, August 31, 2015

#14 UF Downs #1 FSU in Home Opener

For the first time since 1998, the #14 Florida Gators women's soccer team has defeated the #1 team in the country! It is only fitting that the Gators' victims be the rival Florida State Seminoles. The Gators jumped on FSU as they scored three goals in the first half. Junior forward Savannah Jordan was the first to score, followed by true freshman midfielder Sara Troccoli, and finally junior midfielder Pamela Begić.

FSU did not score until the second half, and was able to cut the deficit to 3-2 before the Gators tightened up on defense and secured the victory. Despite allowing two goals, redshirt junior goalkeeper Valier Tysinger had two saves to help earn her third win of the season.

#14 Florida's home winning streak is now 13 games and they have beaten FSU for the second year in a row! After a hard-fought victory over the defending National Champions, the Gators will now refocus for another home matchup against the Oklahoma State Cowboys on Friday, September 4, at 7 p.m. For #1 Florida State, they head back to Tallahassee but it does not get any easier as they will be taking on the #4 Texas A&M Aggies also at 7 p.m. on September 4th.

*All stats accredited to Gatorzone.com

Thursday, August 6, 2015

Gator Baseball Players Through July

The Florida Gators baseball program prides itself on the players it sends to the MLB year in and year out. With a very exciting 2015 campaign in the books for the Gator baseball team that saw nine players enter the 2015 draft, I figured I should take some time to look at how some of Florida's alumni have been doing in the big leagues through this very day of August 6th, 2015! Let's begin!

Kevin Chapman

Kevin Chapman actually played ball at my old high school, Westminster Academy in Ft. Lauderdale, Florida. With him being a Gator as well, it only gives me more of a reason to root for him. With Chapman only appearing in three games at the MLB level, I will instead elaborate on his minor league stats. In 35 appearances in AAA, Chapman has:
  • 3 wins
  • 2 losses
  • 8 saves
  • 5.21 ERA
  • 38 innings pitched
  • 20 walks
  • 47 strikeouts
While Chapman continues to fine-tune his mechanics in the minors, his Houston Astros are firing on all cylinders as they lead the American League West Division by two games.

Matt den Dekker

Matt den Dekker also played ball at Westminster Academy and is actually the older cousin of Kevin Chapman. In 26 games, den Dekker has accrued:
  • 9 hits
  • 5 runs scored
  • 2 home runs
  • 5 RBI's
  • A slash line of .183/.259/.347 (batting average, on base %, & slugging %)
  • 5 walks
  • 11 strikeouts
Defensively he has:
  • 43 putouts
  • .969 fielding %
  • 0 assists
Den Dekker's Washington Nationals are currently two games out of first place in the National League East Division behind the New York Mets.

Anthony DeSclafani

In 21 starts this season, "Disco" has:
  • 7 wins
  • 7 losses
  • 3.71 ERA
  • 126 innings pitched
  • 46 walks
  • 95 strikeouts
Disco's Cincinnati Reds are currently 10 games out of first place in the National League Central Division behind the St. Louis Cardinals. 

Cole Figueroa

In just two games as a Yankee, Figueroa's stat line sits at:
  • 2 hits
  • 2 runs scored
  • 0 home runs
  • A slash line of .250/.250/.500 (batting average, on base %, & slugging %)
  • 0 walks
  • 0 strikeouts
Defensively he has:
  • 3 assists
  • 1 error
  • .750 fielding %
Figueroa's New York Yankees currently sit at first place in the American League East Division with a 4.5 game lead.

Nick Maronde

Despite what the picture may show, Maronde is a member of the Cleveland Indians after they purchased his contract on July 12, 2014. He has been in the minor leagues for all of 2015 thus far. In the minors, it has not been good for Maronde. In 25 games he has:
  • 0 wins
  • 7 losses
  • 4.81 ERA
  • 78.2 innings pitched
  • 33 walks
  • 75 strikeouts
After seeing these stats, it appears that Maronde may be in the minor leagues for a little bit longer until he figures out how to put hitters away. As for his Los Angeles Angels, they are currently two games back in the American League West Division behind the Houston Astros.

Darren O'Day

I'll start off by saying that Darren O'Day has a wicked awesome pitching delivery with his sidearm approach. Based off his stats so far this season, it has indeed been effective because in 42 appearances O'Day has:
  • 5 wins
  • 1 loss
  • 2 saves
  • 1.31 ERA
  • 41.1 innings pitched
  • 11 walks
  • 54 strikeouts
O'Day is an absolute stopper out of the bullpen and has kept the Baltimore Orioles in contention as they are just one game out of the American League Wild Card.

Ryan Raburn

Raburn has played 10 solid years in the MLB. In 66 games in 2015, Raburn has accumulated:
  • 38 hits
  • 14 runs scored
  • 5 home runs
  • 24 RBI's
  • A slash line of .277/.359/.496 (batting average, on base %, & slugging %)
  • 16 walks
  • 34 strikeouts
Defensively he has:
  • 33 putouts
  • 1 assist
  • 1 error
  • .971 fielding %
Despite the consistent play of Raburn, the Cleveland Indians have been mediocre this season and are seven games back in the American League Central Division behind the Kansas City Royals.

Steven "Paco" Rodriguez

Paco Rodriguez is currently on the 60-Day Disabled List. Before he was injured, however, Paco was a reliable arm coming out of the Los Angeles Dodgers' bullpen. In 18 appearances, he racked up:
  • 0 wins
  • 0 losses
  • 2.61 ERA
  • 10.1 innings pitched
  • 3 walks
  • 8 strikeouts
At this point in August, it is unlikely that Paco will return for the rest of the season. Regardless, the Dodgers have managed without him as they hold a 2.5 game lead for first place in the National League West Division.

David Ross

David Ross is the most seasoned Gator here with 13 years of MLB service. Signing with the Cubs at age 38, Ross has seen action in 49 games and has even pitched a couple of innings this season. So far, Ross's numbers sit at:
  • 19 hits
  • 3 runs scored
  • 1 home run
  • 6 RBI's
  • A slash line of .186/.303/.284 (batting average, on base %, & slugging %)
  • 17 walks
  • 38 strikeouts
Defensively he has:
  • 263 putouts
  • 24 assists
  • 1 errors
  • .997 fielding %
Whether Ross plays or not, his Chicago Cubs are doing well as they trail the National League Wild Card by 0.5 games.

Preston Tucker

In his rookie season, Preston Tucker has been an integral part of the Houston Astros' success this year. In 69 games at the big league level, Tucker has registered:
  • 62 hits
  • 30 runs scored
  • 10 home runs
  • 28 RBI's
  • A slash line of .266/.321/.468 (batting average, on base %, & slugging %)
  • 17 walks
  • 50 strikeouts
Defensively he has:
  • 97 putouts
  • 1 assist
  • 1 error
  • .990 fielding %
With young starts like Tucker, the Houston Astros have surprised the baseball world as they lead the American League West Division by two games.

Mike Zunino 

I actually had Mike Zunino on my fantasy team before dropping him for Derek Norris (a great move by the way). In 98 games as Seattle's catcher, Zunino stats sit at:
  • 54 hits
  • 24 runs scored
  • 10 home runs
  • 24 RBI's
  • A slash line of .175/.234/.308 (batting average, on base %, & slugging %)
  • 19 walks
  • 113 strikeouts
Defensively he has:
  • 720 putouts
  • 42 assists
  • 4 errors
  • .995 fielding %
Zunino's Seattle Mariners are currently 10 games in the American League West Division behind the Houston Astros.

*All stats accredited to baseballreference.com & MLB.com