CBB Senior writer NYDore wrote up an extensive article (available here) about how certain players were snubbed from All-American teams especially how Ryan Flaherty was left off the NCBWA Pre-season All-American team while Derek Shunk of Villanova was named to the first team. He was only named to the third-team in the Big East last season.
I made the trip down to UConn on Sunday to take a look at this kid play. He did not have one of his better game as he committed an error on a routine groundball to short as he dropped his arm and the ball sailed on him causing the player to reach safely. The next batter ended up hitting a hot shot up the middle where Shunk dove for the ball and made a spectacular play to get the double play to end the inning.
Shunk only went 1-3 at the plate with an RBI on Sunday after having a great game on Saturday where he went 2-4 with an RBI including a ringing double. He is only hitting .307 on the year with one homer. These are hardly All-Big East numbers while not even remotely close to being All-American numbers.
Looks like NYDore was right in questioning Shuck’s nomination to the NCBWA All-American team over many other quality shortstops in the country including Gordon Beckham of UGA and Ryan Flaherty of Vanderbilt just to name a few.
