Victor Rudd should stay at USF

USF sophomore forward Victor Rudd announced he is looking into the draft. He should reconsider.

He doesn’t have an agent and that is good because it means he can return if he changes his mind. The transfer from Arizona State has until April 10th to change his mind before losing his eligibility.

March madness must have gotten into Rudd’s head. The 6-7 wing man’s resume shows five post season games where he averaged 14.7 points and 7 rebounds. He was previously in single digits.

It’s not enough to get him drafted and only first rounders get guaranteed contracts. Rudd has not been mentioned among those figured to be selected in the first two rounds. He is a long shot at best and it makes no sense for him to go.

He is unproven and NBA teams are going to be skeptical of him for leaving Arizona State and getting suspended from his high school team.

The NBA draft has had more than its share of talented kids like him who came out early or out of high school under the old rules and wound up in the basketball graveyard.

Here is some advice Victor: Stay in school, build up your resume. It makes no "cents" to come out now.

USF to face New York Yankees to open Grapefruit League

For the second time in four years, the University of South Florida baseball team will play the New York Yankees.

USF will face the Yankees in an exhibition game on March 2nd that will kickoff the spring training
slate of games for the 27 time World Series Champions.

The teams met in 2008 when USF dropped an 11-4 decision. It will also mark a celebration for USF head coach Lelo Prado, who recently signed a three year extension to his contract that will keep him at USF through the 2014 season.

In his five years running the USF baseball program, Prado has a 150-139 record.

Big East hits jackpot in MLB Draft

The Big East Conference sure has its critics in football, but the league’s baseball image continues to rise.

A record 40 Big East Conference players were taken in this year’s MLB Draft topping the previous record of 35 that was set last year.

For the first time, the Big East had three players selected in the first round including Connecticut outfielder George Springer, who was the 11^th overall pick and is the highest player selected in school history.

USF had five players drafted, including right handed pitchers Kevin Quackenbush, Jim Moran and Randy Fontanez, and lefty Junior Carlin. Infielder Jonathan Koscso was selected in the 29^th round by the Tampa Bay Ray.

The highest pick for USF was Quackenbush, who was selected in the eighth round (263d overall) by San Diego. Moran was chosen in the 18^th round (565^th overall) by Cincinnati.

Florida Marlins select USF's top signee

Going, going, gone!!!

Looks that way.

Jose Fernandez, USF's top baseball signee in this year's class might have other things in mind after becoming the 14th overall pick in the MLB draft on Monday night when he was chosen by the Florida Marlins.

Fernandez led Alonso High to the Class 6A State Championship in compiling a 13-1 record with a 1.34 ERA while striking out 134 batters in 93 innings. He also showed his prowess at the plate with a .409 batting average that included 35 RBIs with nine homers and 23 runs scored.

In winning the award, the right hander joined a very select group that includes previous winners Derek Jeter, David Price, Roy Halladay, Chipper Jones, Derek Lee and John Lester.

A 6-2, 225 pounder, Fernandez's fastball has been clocked as a high as 98 miles per hour and usually settles in the 93-95 mph range.

He was recently named the Gatorade Player of the Year for the State of Florida.