University Southern California Trojans
USC Baseball: Did You Know?
October 04, 1999 | Baseball
Oct. 4, 1999
LOS ANGELES - Did you know...
That All-American catcher Eric Munson has been named one of the five finalists for the Golden Spikes Award? This prestigious award recognizes amateur baseball's top player and will be announced at Major League Baseball's Salute to Excellence Awards Dinner on Nov. 3 in Las Vegas. Did you also know that this is the third time in the last five years that an SC player has been a finalist (Geoff Jenkins in '95, Seth Etherton in '98), and only SC has had that many finalists in any five-year period?
That Munson, after being the #3 pick in the '99 draft and signing a record $6.75 million dollar contract with Detroit, hit 14 home runs in a little over two months and was named to the Midwest League all-star team?
That Barry Zito, the Pac-10 Pitcher of the year and consensus All-American, rocketed through professional baseball this summer like a meteor? After being selected in the first round by the Oakland A's with the No. 9 pick and signing for $1.6 million, Zito reported to Visalia in the Calif. League and went 3-0 with a 2.48 ERA and 62 strikeouts in 40 innings, was moved to Midland in the AA Texas League where he was 2-1 with 29 strikeouts in 22 innings, and was promoted to AAA Vancouver in time to pitch in the Triple-A World Series.
That Brian Cooper of the Trojans' 1995 NCAA runner-up team was called up by the Angels in September and won his first start against the White Sox, allowing one run in seven innings? That Jacque Jones has been a regular with the Twins since mid-June, hitting .290 with 20 doubles and eight home runs?
That Aaron Boone has been a key to the Reds' drive to a playoff spot, hitting .290 with 14 home runs since mid-June? Also, Aaron was named the National League Player-of-the-Week on Sept. 13 after he hit three home runs and drove in 12 the previous week.
That Aaron and brother Bret Boone of the Atlanta Braves became the first brothers to hit home runs in the same major league game since 1981? Did you also know that Bret, the '98 National League Gold Glove winner at second base, has hit 20 home runs for the Braves?
That Jeff Cirillo of the Milwaukee Brewers is the number six hitter in the National League at .327, and that teammate Geoff Jenkins is hitting .313?
That there are 11 Trojans in the Major Leagues? Mark McGwire, Randy Johnson, Jeff Cirillo, Geoff Jenkins, Bobby Hughes (Brewers), Bret and Aaron Boone, Damon Buford (Red Sox), Gabe Alvarez (Tigers), Brian Cooper (Angels) and Jacque Jones (Twins).
That Randy Johnson leads all National League starters with an ERA of 2.45 and all major league pitchers with 353 strikeouts (as of Sept. 26).
That Mark McGwire finished with 65 home runs, again making history as one of only two players to hit 60 or more home runs in back-to-back seasons?? Did you also know that McGwire is only the third player in history to hit 400 home runs in a decade? Only Babe Ruth and Jimmy Foxx have also accomplished this feat.
That Trojans in the minor leagues are tearing it up? Kurt Bierek was named Rookie of the Year in the International League (AAA) after hitting .280 with 23 home runs and 95 RBI in Columbus ... Seth Etherton led the AA Eastern League with 153 strikeouts ... Jeff Inglin hit .292 with 15 home runs for AA Birmingham ... Randy Flores was 11-4 with a 2.87 ERA for the Yankees' Florida State League affiliate in Tampa Bay ... Robb Gorr led the Calif. League in hits with 174 and was named to the All-Star team ... Scott Henderson was 6-3 with seven saves and a 2.96 ERA for AA Portland, Maine ... Morgan Ensberg had 15 home runs and 70 RBI for Kissimmee ... J.P. Roberge hit .314 with 13 home runs and 16 SBs for the AAA Omaha Royals ... Jason Lane led the short-season Auburn, NY (Astros) with 13 home runs and was named MVP ... Jeremy Freitas hit 13 home runs for Charleston.
That USC's incoming recruiting class is arguably the best group of recruits in the country? Consider that this class consists of Alberto Concepcion of El Segundo, Anthony Lunetta (Arlington), Chad Clark (Glendora), Anthony Reyes (Cal High, Whittier), Eric Verbryke (Righetti), Paki Lum (Hawaii-Kamehameha) and two Freshman All-American transfers from Vanderbilt: outfielder Aaron Fausett and pitcher Mark Prior (who pitched for Team USA).
