Player Profile: Joe Panik/FeedCrossing.com

Hello everyone. This is Vince here (yes, it's me). I'm really sorry about all the guest blogging. I've been busy trying to make black and white photography, and I just about got the hang of it. I will be posting some of my articles and blog posts soon, along with a Giants trivia of the day.

For now, enjoy this piece on the Giants' 2011 No. 1 draft pick.

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By Max Frankel






Joe Panik is currently the starting shortstop for the St. John’s Red Storm of the Big East Conference but that soon may change. Panik was selected in the first round yesterday, 29th overall, by the San Francisco Giants. Panik has had a distinguished collegiate career and a successful stint in the prestigious Cape Cod League last summer. I must admit, he was not a random selection for Off The Bench’s first Player Profile. When playing for John Jay East Fishkill High School, Panik hit a long home run off of yours truly. So I am proud to say that I feel at least a little responsible for his success.

Panik has played well in his three years at St. John’s. Here is what the St. John’s website lists as his accomplishments for just his sophomore year: “Named to the NCAA Charlottesville Regional All-Tournament Team … a member of the BIG EAST All-Tournament Team … a third team All-BIG EAST selection … a second team CoSIDA Academic All-District honoree … appeared in 61 games and made 60 starts … batted .374 with 18 doubles, four triples, 10 home runs and 53 RBI … slugged .621 and added a .477 on-base percentage … had 26 multi-hit games and 13 multi-RBI games … hit safely in 51 games … drew a team-best 38 walks … combined to bat .278 (5-for-18) with one double, two home runs, five RBI and four runs scored in five NCAA Tournament games … batted .375 (6-for-16) with two doubles, three RBI and three runs scored in four BIG EAST Tournament games … went 3-for-5 with a home run and three RBI against then-No. 22 Ole Miss (June 6) in the NCAA Tournament … had two doubles and two RBI as part of a 2-for-5 day at the plate against then-No. 18 Connecticut (May 30) in the BIG EAST Tournament championship game … homered and had two RBI at Rutgers (May21) … launched two home runs and had five RBI at Boston College (May 18) … combined to go 5-for-11 with one home run, two RBI and four runs scored in a three-game set at Notre Dame (April 30-May 2) … tripled and had five RBI as part of a 3-for-5 day against Georgetown (April 24) … went 2-for-2 with a home run, three RBI, three walks and five runs scored against Fordham (April 21) … combined to go 6-for-13 with one triple, one home run, three RBI and four runs scored in a three-game set at Cincinnati (April 16-18) … went 3-for-6 with an RBI and two runs scored against West Virginia (April 11) … had two doubles as part of a 3-for-4 game at Wagner (April 7) … combined to go 3-for-6 with a double, two RBI and two runs scored in a double-header against Seton Hall (April 1) … hit a pinch-hit, walk-off single against Columbia (March 24) … went 3-for-4 with a double, a home run, three RBI and three runs scored against Fairfield (March 17) … was 2-for-5 with two doubles, two RBI and two runs scored at Liberty (March 13) … finished a home run shy of the cycle as part of a 4-for-4 day that included two doubles, a triple and three runs scored at ETSU (March 7) … scored two runs and went 2-for-2 against Illinois (Feb. 28) … went 2-for-5 with a double, a home run, two RBI and two runs scored at New Orleans (Feb. 19).”

Also, Panik was an All-Star for the Yarmouth-Dennis Red Sox of the Cape Cod League last season. He hit .276 in the pitching dominated league and hit .393 in the playoffs. He was the starrting shortstop and three hitter in the All-Star game held at Fenway Park.

Panik projects more as a second basemen than a shortstop due to below average arm strength but he’s got a knack for getting on base and making something happen and that could help him get to the pros quickly. Here is what ESPN’s Keith Law says about Panik:

“Panik is one of a handful of overachieving college middle infielders in this draft along with Kolten Wong, Ryan Wright, and Brad Miller, and Panik’s track record of performance rivals them all. He controls the zone well with good hand-eye coordination but nearly bars his lead arm and his swing is long for a guy with a history of high contact rates. He’s an average runner whose feet work well enough for him to play anywhere in the infield, but a fringy arm limits him to second base, and he’ll have to hit for average to profile there with below-average power. I think Panik is ultimately a good utility player, but he might just get on base enough to make himself an everyday player at second.”

It remains to be seen whether or not Panik will leave school and join the Giants' system, but either way, I expect he’ll play well. I certainly know I’m rooting for him and looking forward to getting my Panik Giants T-Shirt when he makes the big club.

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Be sure to visit his site, Off The Bench, for more great baseball articles.

De Anza Rallies to Edge Cabrillo

Player cut by Seahawks gets game-winning pinch-hit for De Anza as Dons improve to 1-3 in Coast Conference.

De Anza 5, Cabrillo 4

The Stars: Chris Freeman, who tried out for the Cabrillo Seahawks but was told he was not good enough, laced an eighth inning, pinch-hit double down the left-field line that knocked in the winning run for the De Anza College baseball team. The clutch knock broke up the tie ball game, helping De Anza edge Cabrillo 5-4 on a spotless Saturday afteroon at De Anza College.

De Anza starting pitcher Ryan Gunther was strong, lasting six and one-third innings and yielding just three runs. He kept the Dons in the ballgame, dazzling Hawk hitters with his knuckleball and exiting the mound in a 3-3 tie. De Anza right-hander Henry Santoro (1-0) earned the win in relief. Outfielder Will Gibson moved from center field to the mound and closed out the game in the ninth, earning his second save of the year. The game was the first win in four tries for De Anza in Coast Conference play.
For the Seahawks, right-handed hurler Taylor Toccalino pitched five strong innings, surrendering just two runs. The game was tied at two at the time

Seahawks catcher Jake Ohmann had a stellar day offensively. After Gunther hit him on the helmet in the fourth inning, Ohmann hit a game-tying RBI double in the top of the sixth inning and blooped a single to load the bases in the eighth. He also stole a base as part of a double steal.

The Turning Point: With the bases loaded and nobody out in the top of the eighth inning, De Anza (4-10, 1-3, Coast Conference) relief pitchers Mason Sperakos and Henry Santoro escaped the jam by allowing just one run on a one-out ground out that was hit too softly for an inning-ending double play. Manager Scott Hertler summoned in Santoro with two outs in the eighth, and he promptly retired the side on an atom ball to center field.

The Dons exhibited good plate discipline going into the late innings. Coming into Saturday’s game, the Dons’ team batting average was just .203, but they have been hitting better of late, scoring 21 runs in the last three games. De Anza’s eighth inning game-winning rally was started on a leadoff single by Kai Washington, who was bunted over to second on a perfect sacrifice bunt by Will Gibson. This set up Freeman’s clutch game-winning double. Freeman showed fundamental plate discipline by taking an outside pitch and lacing an opposite-field line drive.

The Quotes:  “We played hard like we always do, but this time we played perfect defense,” Dons manager Scott Hertler said after the win. “We were very opportunistic [with our hits]. It’s not how many hits you get; it’s when you get them.”

Despite De Anza’s poor record, Hertler knew that his team’s hard work would eventually pay off.

“Every time you come to the yard, you have to expect to win,” Hertler said. “It was not a surprise win.”

Starting pitcher Ryan Gunther had most of his pitches working during the game and was thrilled about his team’s first win in Coast Conference play.

“I bore down, stayed in the game, and threw strikes,” Gunther said. “My curveball and slider were working very well. They beat me on good pitches at the knees. We really needed it [the win].”

The ballgame’s offensive hero, Chris Freeman, admits that beating the team that cut him was a thrilling moment.

“The guy I faced was a good friend of mine, so I knew what was coming,” Freeman said. “There is no better feeling in baseball than to stick a nail in the coffin against a team that said you couldn’t play anymore.”

What's Next? De Anza heads to Gilroy on Tuesday to take on Gavilan College. The game will start at 2:30 p.m.

Cabrillo will host Cañada College on Thursday at 2:30 p.m.

Bottom Line: The Dons played an overall clean game on Saturday. Their hard work showed up on the field on Saturday, as the Dons played baseball the way it should be played. They had made 43 errors in 13 games before Saturday’s game, but made none on Saturday. Cabrillo (11-6, 3-2 Coast Conference) made two crucial errors, contributing greatly to their loss. The Dons also executed good fundamentals, using little ball to score runs since the team does not have much pop. If the Dons can cut down their errors and find ways to score runs, they might just be a factor in the Coast Conference.
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De Anza 5, Cabrillo 4
WP: Santoro (1-0). LP: Cedar Morgan (1-3)
Records: De Anza 4-10, 1-3 Coast Conference. Cabrillo 11-6, 3-2 Coast Conference.

De Anza Dons routed by College of San Mateo

The Dons are trying their hardest to win ball games, but their effort is not showing up on the field just yet.

The Dons committed seven errors in Tuesdays’ 14-1 loss against the College of San Mateo Bulldogs, three of them fueling a Bulldogs’ nine-run sixth inning.

Manager Scott Hertler assures fans that although the Dons appeared sloppy on the field, they are doing all they can to tighten their game up.

“We just had trouble catching the ball, but as long as we work hard, that’s all that matters,” Hertler said. “It [the defense] has been addressed.”

Second baseman Martin Taylor had a rough time at second base, accounting for four of the seven errors, and going 0 for three at the dish. However, the loss was by no means his fault.

All 14 Bulldog runs were charged to starting pitcher Vidanage Shian. In five and two-thirds innings of work, he surrendered nine earned runs, but gave up just two walks and struck out five.

Although Shian yielded five runs before the excruciating sixth-inning, Hertler left him in because he was confident that his righty was still pitching well.

“I thought he wasn’t getting hit hard, and he was throwing strikes,” Hertler said. “The bullpen did an outstanding job, but we don’t have the luxury of having a lot [in the bullpen].”

One bright spot in the game was the Dons’ bullpen, pitching three and one-third scoreless innings of perfect baseball.

Thing looked promising for the Dons in the bottom of the second inning. With the bases loaded and two outs, Bulldogs’ pitcher Daniel Chavez balked in a run, but the Dons squandered the scoring opportunity when shortstop Dalton Lopes struck out to end the inning.

That was the last big mistake Chavez made. In five and two-thirds strong innings of work, Chavez gave up just one run on three hits, while striking out seven and walking only two.

The Bulldogs made things happen with the bat and on the basepaths. College of San Mateo’s second baseman Michael Kathan stole three bases in the game and went three for five with two RBIs.

Bulldogs third baseman Cody Zimmeran also had a great day in the plate, going two for three with two RBIs. In the bottom of the sixth inning, Zimmeran put the exclamation point on the nine-run sixth inning rally with a towering home run that cleared the left-field wall.

The two Bulldog runs in the third inning were all they needed. Speedster Kathan brought in a run on an infield single, and catcher Shawn Walters laced an RBI single to left field, making the score 2-1.

For De Anza, Kevin Roeder was one of the few Dons that excelled at the plate, going two for three. His first hit was a laser beam that bounced off the pitcher Chavez’s legs, but the Bulldogs’ righty was able to continue.

The Dons are not catching many breaks on the diamond – or much of anything -- but Hertler knows that it is no excuse and not for a lack of effort. If the Dons are to succeed, they need to minimize both mental and physical errors.

“We haven’t been lucky, but you make your own luck,” Hertler said.

Hopefully, that luck will shine soon.

                      Video courtesy of Nick Utley/Cupertino Sports Online

Monterey Peninsula capitalizes on De Anza’s mistakes, edges Dons 7-6

I know this is a bit different from what I usually write about, but I'm going to post it here anyway. Here is my game story from today's junior college baseball game between the De Anza Dons and the Monterey Peninsula Lobos.              
               
CUPERTINO -- The Monterey Peninsula Lobos did not beat the De Anza Dons – the Dons beat themselves.

               
The Dons led 5-1 after the fourth inning, and then 6-3 after six innings, but the Lobo hits kept on coming in the later innings. The Dons’ brain lapses and missed opportunities throughout the game complicated matters further.

               
The Dons’ home opener started shaky for De Anza in the top of the first inning. The starting pitcher, Mason Sperakos, balked twice in the inning, once with a runner at first (who reached on an error by third baseman Kevin Roeder) and then again with runners on first and second.

               
With runners at second and third with one out after the balk, the Lobos capitalized on Roeder’s mistake. Chris Untereiner hit a sacrifice fly to left field, scoring Caio Errico and giving the Lobos an early 1-0 edge.

              
Despite the Dons giving up four walks as they approached the bottom of the fourth inning, they still held the Lobos hitless and only trailed 1-0. Then, De Anza erupted.

               
The Dons scored five times in the bottom of the fourth inning to take a 5-1 lead. RBI singles by right fielder Victor Barron, catcher Gary Foster, and a bases-loaded walk by first baseman Rob Garrison fueled the rally. The scoring capped off with a bases-loaded two-run double by center fielder Will Gibson.

               
The Lobos trimmed De Anza’s lead to 5-3, after first baseman Rob Garrison’s throwing error sparked a two-run sixth-inning rally. Had Garrison not committed the defensive miscue, pitcher Brian Fischer’s double-play ball two batters later would have ended the inning with no runs scored.

               
The Dons tacked on another run in the bottom of the sixth inning. Monterey Peninsula pitcher Corbin O’Reilly hit Taylor Martin with the bases loaded, forcing in a run and widening the Don lead to 6-3.

               
Then, in the top of the seventh, it was the Lobos’ turn to erupt

               
Another fielding error by Roeder loaded the bases with one out. After a run came in on an RBI single by the Lobos’ first baseman Jeremy Green, center-fielder Matt Rosa (who went two for five) delivered a clutch two-run game-tying single, knotting the game up at 6. With two outs and runners on second and third, right-handed pitcher Lorenzo Ojeda threw a wild pitch that brought in the Lobos’ tie-breaking run.

               
The Dons blew scoring chances in the late innings. With the Lobos leading 7-6 in the bottom of the seventh inning, Kai Washington led off with a single but was picked off trying to steal second base.

               
The Dons tried to rally once more in the bottom of the ninth inning. After left fielder Nathan Kadlecek walked to lead off the frame, a wild pitch advanced him to second.

               
The next batter, pinch hitter Mike Oram, attempted to bunt Kadlecek over to third. Although he had three decent pitches to bunt at, Oram took strike three on the outside corner at the belt.

               
The rest of the inning was not much better for the Dons. Right-handed hurler Caio Errico, who moved over from shortstop, ended the game and earned the save by striking out the side looking.

               
The Dons had plenty of chances to score but could not come through in the late innings. They left 10 men on base in the game.

               
The Lobos’ Corbin O’Reilly earned the win, pitching two and one-third plus innings while giving up one run on four hits.

              
 The Dons’ Lorenzo Ojeda was tagged with the loss, lasting one inning and surrendering four runs on four hits. De Anza used nine pitchers in the game and walked a combined eight batters.

               
On Thursday, the Dons head to Monterey to take on these same Lobos. If they want to see a better result, they must clean up their game and do the little things right.



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