May 31, 2011
COLUMBIA, S.C. – South Carolina junior lefthander Michael Roth was named one of 30 semifinalists for the 2011 USA Baseball Golden Spikes Award, USA Baseball announced today.
Roth, a quarterfinalist for the Pitcher of the Year award and a semifinalist for the Howser Award, is 11-3 with a 1.17 ERA on the year with six of his wins coming in league play and another coming in the SEC Tournament. His 1.17 ERA is the best mark in the SEC as well as he has allowed just 14 earned runs in 107.2 innings pitched. Last week, he was named to both the All-SEC First Team and the All-SEC Tournament Team, as well as being named a Capital One Academic All-American by CoSIDA.
GoldenSpikesAward.com — powered by MLB.com — will once again be the online home for the award. The Web site features content devoted exclusively to the GSA, including news, voting history, past winner photo galleries, and photographs and video highlights for the 2011 semifinalists. Fans can follow online at GoldenSpikesAward.com as the list of 30 players is narrowed to three finalists on Monday, June 6.
For the first time ever, the GSA will be awarded live on MLB Network. The presentation will begin at 6:00 p.m. ET on MLB Tonight, Friday, July 15. The three finalists for the award will be at MLB Network’s studios for the presentation, which will feature interviews, video highlights and the announcement of the winner. Online footage of the event also will be available via GoldenSpikesAward.com and MLB.com.
Trevor Bauer (UCLA), Danny Hultzen (Virginia), Taylor Jungmann (Texas), and Anthony Rendon (Rice) were semifinalists for the 2010 GSA and return to the list for 2011. Connecticut and Vanderbilt top all schools with two semifinalists each, and in total 28 college and universities are represented on the list. Among conferences, the SEC leads with five players, while the ACC has four and the Pac-10 and Big East each have three. Juniors are tops with 22 semifinalists and they are joined by four sophomores and three seniors. Daniel Aldrich is the only freshman (RS) on the list.
In 2007, USA Baseball instituted a new selection and balloting procedure for the most prestigious award in amateur baseball, and it will follow the same model again in 2011. After working closely with sports information directors and amateur baseball media across the country to determine watch lists and the top-performing athletes, a committee voted to determine the 30 semifinalists. A ballot featuring the names and accomplishments of the 30 semifinalists will now be sent to a group of nearly 200 voters which will select the three finalists and eventual winner. Beginning today fans will also be able to vote on the 2011 GSA by visiting GoldenSpikesAward.com and selecting their favorite amateur player.
“USA Baseball congratulates each of the 30 student-athletes and their respective baseball programs,” said Paul Seiler, USA Baseball Executive Director/CEO. “With the increased exposure we are bringing to the Golden Spikes Award through the MLB Network this year, there is added excitement surrounding the voting process and live presentation. We wish all of the semifinalists the best of luck.”
A list of the 30 semifinalists is as follows:
Daniel Aldrich, OF, RS-Freshman, College of Charleston, SoCon
Tyler Anderson, LHP, Junior, Oregon, Pac-10
Matt Barnes, RHP, Junior, Connecticut, Big East
Trevor Bauer, RHP, Junior, UCLA, Pac-10
DJ Baxendale, RHP, Sophomore, Arkansas, SEC
C.J. Cron, C/IF, Junior, Utah, Mountain West
Grayson Garvin, LHP, Junior, Vanderbilt, SEC
Sam Gaviglio, RHP, Junior, Oregon State, Pac-10
Sean Gilmartin, LHP/OF, Junior, Florida State, ACC
Greg Gonzalez, RHP, Senior, Fresno State, WAC
Sonny Gray, RHP, Junior, Vanderbilt, SEC
Danny Hultzen, LHP/IF, Junior, Virginia, ACC
Taylor Jungmann, RHP, Junior, Texas, Big 12
Jason Krizan, OF, Senior, Dallas Baptist, Independent
Jake Lowery, C, Junior, James Madison, CAA
Mikie Mahtook, OF, Junior, Louisiana State, SEC
Brad Miller, IF, Junior, Clemson, ACC
Chris O’Brien, C/IF, Junior, Wichita State, Missouri Valley
Joe Panik, IF, Junior, St. John’s, Big East
Mark Pope, RHP, Junior, Georgia Tech, ACC
Nick Ramirez, IF/LHP, Junior, Cal State Fullerton, Big West
Anthony Rendon, IF, Junior, Rice, C-USA
Victor Roache, OF, Sophomore, Georgia Southern, SoCon
Michael Rocha, RHP, Senior, Oklahoma, Big 12
Michael Roth, LHP/IF, Junior, South Carolina, SEC
George Springer, OF, Junior, Connecticut, Big East
Adam Brett Walker, IF/OF, Sophomore, Jacksonville, Atlantic Sun
Kyle Winkler, RHP, Junior, Texas Christian, Mountain West
Mike Zunino, C, Sophomore, Florida, SEC
Chad Zurcher, IF, RS-Junior, Memphis, C-USA
