PERFECT GAME CROSSCHECKER'S DAILY TOP TEN LIST
WEEK 6: 3/12/07 - 3/18/07
 
Friday, March 16, 2007
By happy coincidence, our research shows that there have been 10 players who have played in both the NBA and Major League Baseball. Only one such player, 6-foot-8 righthander/forward Gene Conley, played for both a World Series champion (Milwaukee Braves, 1957) and NBA champion (Boston Celtics, 1958-61).

There are a number of other dual-sport athletes who could have played both baseball and basketball at the highest level, given a little different career path. Hall of Famer Bob Gibson was a basketball star at Creighton and later played for the Harlem Globetrotters, back when the Globetrotters could have competed in the NBA on talent. Another Hall of Famer, Dave Winfield, was selected in both the NBA and American Basketball Association drafts. And many believe that 7-foot North Carolina State righthander Andrew Brackman, a starter on the Wolfpack basketball ream for two years, was on an NBA tract if he hadn’t given up basketball this year to concentrate on his blossoming pitching career.

Los Angeles Dodgers lefthander Mark Hendrickson is the only active big league player who has played in the NBA.

In chronological order of their MLB debuts, here are the 10 dual MLB/NBA athletes.
 
Top 10 Dual MLB/NBA Athletes
  MLB NBA
1. Frankie Baumholtz, of 1947-57 1945-47
2. Chuck Connors, 1b 1949-51 1945-48
3. Gene Conley, rhp 1952-63 1952-64
4. Dick Groat, ss 1952-67 1952-53
5. Steve Hamilton, lhp 1961-72 1958-60
6. Dave DeBusschere, rhp 1962-63 1962-74
7. Ron Reed, rhp 1966-84 1965-67
8. Cotton Nash, of 1967-70 1964-68
9. Danny Ainge, 3b 1979-81 1981-95
10. Mark Hendrickson, lhp 2002-06 1996-2000
-- David Rawnsley
 
Thursday, March 15, 2007
In honor of March Madness, we took a quick look at the NCAA basketball brackets and this week’s PG Crosschecker Top 50 college rankings. Based on their baseball team’s ranking, here’s what the top 10 teams in the basketball tournament would look like.

Fifteen of the top 25 baseball teams do not have basketball teams that qualified for the Field of 64. It should also be noted that three of the major basketball powers, Wisconsin (#2 seed), Oregon (#3 seed) and Marquette (#8 seed), don’t even have baseball programs.
 
Top 10 Baseball/Basketball Schools
1. Vanderbilt (Baseball 18-0; Basketball #6 seed)
2. North Carolina (15-1, #1)
3. Texas A&M (18-2, #3)
4. Virginia (16-2, #4)
5. Texas (15-7, #4)
6. Arkansas (13-5, #12)
7. Long Beach State (10-5, #12)
8. Southern California (15-9, #5)
9. Arizona (15-6, #8)
10. Kentucky (16-0, #8)
 
-- David Rawnsley
 
Wednesday, March 14, 2007
With Vanderbilt lefthander David Price and North Carolina State righthander Andrew Brackman the early favorites to be selected 1-2 in this year’s draft, here are the college pitchers that have been drafted the earliest over the 10-year period from 1997 to 2006. Outside of righthander Justin Verlander, who won 17 games as a rookie for the American League champion Detroit Tigers, none of the 10 distinguished himself in the big leagues a year ago; half didn’t even pitch at that level.
 
Top 10 College Pitchers Drafted, 1997-2006
1. Luke Hochevar, rhp, Royals 2006/Tennessee (1st pick)
  2005 holdout is being counted on to lead the revival of the Royals pitching staff.
2. Bryan Bullington, rhp, Pirates 2002/Ball State (1st pick)
  34-17 in the minors, but has worked only one inning in majors; no longer considered a top prospect.
3. Matt Anderson, rhp, Tigers 1997/Rice (1st pick)
  Career unraveled quickly after 22 saves in 2001; pitched in independent ball in 2006.
4. Greg Reynolds, rhp, Rockies 2006/Stanford (2nd pick).
  His pitching style seems well suited to Coors Field and he should pitch there soon.
5. *Justin Verlander, rhp, Tigers 2004/Old Dominion (2nd pick)
  One of the top young pitchers in baseball quickly established himself as a rookie.
6. *Mark Prior, rhp, Cubs 2001/Southern California (2nd pick)
  Injuries have dimmed what looked like an exceptionally promising career.
7. Adam Johnson, rhp, Twins 2000/Cal State Fullerton (2nd pick)
  Never successful at any level above Class A ball, he was in indy ball in 2005.
8. *Mark Mulder, lhp, Athletics 1998/Michigan State (2nd pick)
  Two-time all-star with a career 103-57 record, but shoulder injury sabotaged ’06 season.
9. *Philip Humber, rhp, Mets 2004/Rice (3rd pick)
  Like Jeff Niemann and Wade Townsend, the rest of Rice’s heralded first-round trio, he has not been healthy since signing.
10. Kyle Sleeth, rhp, Tigers 2003/Wake Forest (3rd pick)
  Has thrown only 37 innings the past two years because of injuries.
-- David Rawnsley
 
Tuesday, March 13, 2007
With a .538 average (14-for-26) to start spring training, outfielder Josh Hamilton has significantly enhanced his chances of making the Reds’ 25-man roster to open the 2007 season. If Hamilton, the first overall pick in the 1999 draft, were to stick with the Reds, it would also help to salvage one of the most unremarkable first rounds in draft history. To date, only 12 of 30 first-round picks from 1999 have played in the big leagues. Starting with Hamilton, here are the first 10 selections that year, with signing bonuses:
 
Top 10 Draft Picks, 1999
1. Devil Rays. Josh Hamilton, of $3,960,000
2. *Marlins. Josh Beckett, rhp $3,625,000
3. *Tigers. Eric Munson, c-1b $3,500,000
4. D’backs. Corey Myers, ss 2,000,000
5. Twins. B.J. Garbe, of $2,750,000
6. Expos. Josh Girdley, lhp $1,700,000
7. *Royals. Kyle Snyder, rhp $2,100,000
8. Pirates. Bobby Bradley, rhp $2,250,000
9. *Athletics. Barry Zito, lhp $1,590,000
10. *Brewers. Ben Sheets, rhp $2,450,000
 
*Has played in major leagues
-- Allan Simpson
 
Monday, March 12, 2007
UC Irvine senior closer Blair Erickson set the Big West Conference record for career saves on Saturday with his 47th. He also closed to within two of the NCAA career mark, held by USC’s Jack Krawczyk. Here are the all-time Division I career saves leaders:
 
Top 10 Saves Leaders
1. Jack Krawczyk, Southern California (1995-98) 49
2. Tommy Hickox, Stetson (1988-91) 48
3. Blair Erickson, UC Irvine (2004-07) 47
4. Gabe Gonzalez, Long Beach State (1992-95) 46
5. Marc Bluma, Wichita State (1996-99) 44
6. Huston Street, Texas (2002-04) 41
7. George Huguet, Miami, Fla. (2001-04) 38
8. Dave Bush, Wake Forest (1999-2002) 38
9. Zane Carlson, Baylor (2000-03) 37
10. Rick Raether, Miami, Fla. (1984-86) 37
-- Allan Simpson