FROM USA BASEBALL RELEASE
DURHAM, N.C. — USA Baseball announced Tuesday that it is moving the presentation of the 34th annual Golden Spikes Award (GSA) to a live announcement on MLB Network’s MLB Tonight. Since 2008, the presentation has streamed live online at MLB.com and GoldenSpikesAward.com.
The award presentation will air live at 6:00 p.m. ET on MLB Tonight on 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 ultimately the announcement of the winner of the GSA, which is presented annually to the top amateur baseball player in the country.
“We are very excited to announce the move of the Golden Spikes Award to MLB Network,” said Paul Seiler, USA Baseball Executive Director/CEO. “We look forward to building upon the strong presence our friends at Major League Baseball Advanced Media have created for us online over the last three years, and we are excited to bring it to MLB Network’s signature program, MLB Tonight.”
Beginning with Florida State’s Buster Posey in New York in 2008, through a partnership with Major League Baseball Advanced Media (MLBAM), USA Baseball created GoldenSpikesAward.com and streamed its annual presentations online, live from MLB All-Star FanFest. Stephen Strasburg of San Diego State won the award in 2009 in St. Louis, and most recently, Bryce Harper of Southern Nevada took home the trophy from Anaheim in 2010.
The inaugural GSA was presented in 1978 to Arizona State’s Bob Horner. It has since been awarded to 32 other legends of amateur baseball, including Terry Francona (1980), Robin Ventura (1988), Jason Varitek (1994), and David Price (2007).
Also announced Tuesday was the release of the GSA midseason 60-man watch list. USA Baseball kicked off GSA season in 2011 with a 50-player preseason watch list on Feb. 17, and the midseason list includes 23 new athletes who have played themselves into consideration for the award, while 13 players have been removed. The watch list will continue to be a “rolling list” up until May 31 when 30 semifinalists are announced. This will ensure that athletes can still play themselves into consideration over the course of the month of May.
The 60-man midseason Golden Spikes Award watch list is as follows:
Name, Position, Class, School, Conference (in order of name, new players in bold)
Daniel Aldrich, OF, RS-Freshman, College of Charleston, SoCon
James Allen, RHP, Junior, Kansas State, Big 12
Tyler Anderson, LHP, Junior, Oregon, Pac-10
Matt Barnes, RHP, Junior, Connecticut, Big East
Trevor Bauer, RHP, Junior, UCLA, Pac-10
Jed Bradley, LHP, Junior, Georgia Tech, ACC
Adam Bryant, IF, Senior, Troy, Sun Belt
Garrett Buechele, IF, Junior, Oklahoma, Big 12
Andrew Chafin, LHP, RS-Sophomore, Kent State, MAC
Gerrit Cole, RHP, Junior, UCLA, Pac-10
C.J. Cron, C, Junior, Utah, Mountain West
Alex Dickerson, OF, Junior, Indiana, Big Ten
Kenny Diekroeger, IF, Sophomore, Stanford, Pac-10
Jason Esposito, IF, Junior, Vanderbilt, SEC
Sam Gaviglio, RHP, Junior, Oregon State, Pac-10
Sean Gilmartin, LHP, Junior, Florida State, ACC
Greg Gonzalez, RHP, Senior, Fresno State, WAC
Sonny Gray, RHP, Junior, Vanderbilt, SEC
Kurt Heyer, RHP, Sophomore, Arizona, Pac-10
Paul Hoilman, RHP/IF, Senior, East Tennessee State, Atlantic Sun
Danny Hultzen, LHP/IF, Junior, Virginia, ACC
Brian Johnson, LHP/IF, Sophomore, Florida, SEC
Taylor Jungmann, RHP, Junior, Texas, Big 12
Branden Kline, RHP, Sophomore, Virginia, ACC
Jake Lowery, C, Junior, James Madison, CAA
Mikie Mahtook, OF, Junior, Louisiana State, SEC
Deven Marrero, IF, Sophomore, Arizona State, Pac-10
Cody Martin, RHP, Senior, Gonzaga, WCC
Nick Martini, OF, Junior, Kansas State, Big 12
Mike McGee, RHP/OF, Senior, Florida State, ACC
Anthony Meo, RHP, Junior, Coastal Carolina, Big South
Levi Michael, IF, Junior, North Carolina, ACC
Brad Miller, IF, Junior, Clemson, ACC
Peter O’Brien, C, Junior, Bethune-Cookman, MEAC
Ricky Oropesa, IF, Junior, Southern California, Pac-10
Mark Pope, RHP, Junior, Georgia Tech, ACC
Matt Price, RHP, RS Sophomore, South Carolina, SEC
Nick Ramirez, IF/LHP, Junior, Cal State Fullerton, Big West
Noe Ramirez, RHP, Junior, Cal State Fullerton, Big West
Hudson Randall, RHP, Sophomore, Florida, SEC
Tyler Ray, RHP, Junior, Troy, Sun Belt
Anthony Rendon, IF, Junior, Rice, C-USA
Matt Rice, C, Senior, Western Kentucky, Sun Belt
Nick Rickles, C, Junior, Stetson, Atlantic Sun
Brance Rivera, OF, Junior, Texas Christian, Mountain West
Victor Roache, OF, Sophmore, Georgia Southern, SoCon
Michael Rocha, RHP, Senior, Oklahoma, Big 12
Michael Roth, LHP, Junior, South Carolina, SEC
George Springer, OF, Junior, Connecticut, Big East
John Stilson, RHP/IF, Junior, Texas A&M, Big 12
Nick Tropeano, RHP, Junior, Stony Brook, America East
Preston Tucker, IF, Junior, Florida, SEC
B.A. Vollmuth, IF, Junior, Southern Mississippi, C-USA
Adam Brett Walker, OF, Sophomore, Jacksonville, Atlantic Sun
Christian Walker, 1B, Sophomore, South Carolina, SEC
Aaron Westlake, IF/C, Junior, Vanderbilt, SEC
Kyle Winkler, RHP, Junior, Texas Christian, Mountain West
Kolten Wong, IF, Junior, Hawaii, WAC
Ryan Wright, IF, Junior, Louisville, Big East
Chad Zurcher, SS, RS-Junior, Memphis, C-USA
On May 31, USA Baseball officials will announce the 30 semifinalists for the GSA. The list of 30 will then be sent to a voting body consisting of select professional baseball personnel, past USA Baseball National Team coaches and press officers, members of media that closely follow the amateur game, and current USA Baseball staff, representing a group of nearly 200 voters in total.
Fan voting will once again be a part of the GSA in 2011. Tuesday, May 31, marks the day when amateur baseball fans from across the country will be able to vote for their favorite player for the GSA on GoldenSpikesAward.com. As part of this selection process all voters will be asked to choose three players from the list of 30 names. On Tuesday, June 7, USA Baseball will announce the three finalists, and voting will once again commence that same day.
2011 USA Baseball Golden Spikes Award Important Dates
* Thursday, Feb. 17 – 50-man preseason watch list released, shaped by USA Baseball officials, advisors and college SIDs
* Tuesday, May 3 – 60-man midseason watch list released, shaped by USA Baseball officials, advisors and college SIDs
* Tuesday, May 31 – 30 semifinalists announced, selected by USA Baseball officials; semifinalist voting begins; voters select three
* Friday, June 3 – Deadline to vote for finalists, 5 p.m. ET
* Tuesday, June 7 – Three finalists announced; finalist voting begins; voters to select one
* Friday, June 17 – Deadline to vote for winner, 5 p.m. ET
* Friday, July 15 – Live Golden Spikes Award presentation in MLB Network studios
About the Golden Spikes Award
Since 1978, USA Baseball has honored the top amateur baseball player in the country with the Golden Spikes Award. Following the first ever presentation of the Award to Bob Horner of Arizona State, the Golden Spikes Award has been presented each year to the player who exhibits exceptional athletic ability and exemplary sportsmanship. The 2009 Golden Spikes Award winner was Stephen Strasburg of San Diego State. Past winners of this prestigious award include current Major League Baseball players such as Stephen Strasburg (’09), Buster Posey (’08), David Price (’07), Tim Lincecum (’06), Alex Gordon (’05), Jered Weaver (’04), Rickie Weeks (’03), Khalil Greene (’02), Jason Jennings (’00), Pat Burrell (‘98), J.D. Drew (’97), Mark Kotsay (’95), and Jason Varitek (’94). Former Major League stars that have captured the award include Robin Ventura (’88), Jim Abbott (’87), Will Clark (’85), Dave Magadan (’83), Terry Francona (’80), Tim Wallach (’79), and Bob Horner (’78). For more information, please visit GoldenSpikesAward.com.
About MLB Network
MLB Network is the ultimate television destination for baseball fans, featuring live games, original programming, highlights, and insights and analysis from the best in the business, including Bob Costas, Harold Reynolds, Al Leiter and Peter Gammons. MLB Network launched on January 1, 2009 as the largest launch in cable television history and is currently distributed in approximately 57 million cable, telco TV and satellite homes throughout the U.S. and Puerto Rico. For more information and to find MLB Network in your area, go to www.mlbnetwork.com.
