Scenes from a baseball boom

Again, the Atlanta Braves are not in the playoffs and don't bother waiting 'til next year. But aside from one of the few Smoltzless Octobers in your recent lifetime and Clemson missing the NCAA Tournament for the first time in 22 years, the 2008 season was full of highlights for players and teams with Palmetto State and Lowcountry ties.

By the numbers:

.355

The combined batting average (with 27 home runs) for Matt Wieters in his first professional season, which included stops at high Class A Frederick and double-A Bowie in the Baltimore Orioles farm system. No wonder the power-hitting catcher, a Stratford High School graduate who played at Georgia Tech, was named Baseball America's Minor League Player of the Year.

"Matt Wieters obviously created very high expectations when he signed for $6 million, and if anything, he exceeded them," Baseball America Executive Editor Jim Callis said Saturday. "He's as good as any prospect in baseball and at this point, I expect him to be starting for the Orioles on Opening Day next year."

28

Homers hit by former Charleston RiverDogs outfielder Josh Hamilton in the first round of the most dazzling home run derby display in All-Star Game history. Hamilton as a Texas Ranger also led the American League with 130 runs batted in.

$3.5 million

The signing bonus former Stratford High School and South Carolina slugger Justin Smoak received as the Texas Rangers' first-round draft pick.

"The Rangers have the best farm system in baseball, and Justin Smoak might just be their best prospect," Callis said. "He's a switch-hitter with big power from both sides of the plate, and he's a potential Gold Glover at first base. He should move very fast. It wouldn't surprise me if he was playing for the Rangers by mid-2010, if not sooner."

10-7-08

Tuesday, Opening Day in the Arizona Fall League and the reuniting of former Stratford High School teammates Matt Wieters and Justin Smoak, proud members of the Surprise Rafters.

18

Runs scored by former College of Charleston speedster Brett Gardner as a New York Yankees rookie, which included the final run in Yankee Stadium history. Gardner also stole 13 bases in his 42 big league games.

0.51

Earned run average for Mike Cisco while pitching for the Class A South Atlantic League's Lakewood Blueclaws in the Philadelphia Phillies organization. Remarkably, the consistently underrated former Wando High School and South Carolina pitcher struck out 30 batters with no walks — that's right, zero — in his

35 innings at Lakewood (2-1 record). Not bad for a first professional summer.

"Mike Cisco had a tremendous debut," Callis said. "That doesn't make him a top prospect, but he has decent to solid stuff and will get the chance to prove himself at higher levels."

No. 22

Spot where the New York Mets drafted former Bishop England High School and South Carolina shortstop Reese Havens in the first round of the June draft. Baseball America just rated Havens the No. 11 prospect in the New York-Penn League.

42

Home runs hit by former Citadel star Dallas McPherson while playing for the triple-A Albuquerque Isotopes. McPherson led all minor leaguers in homers and earned a promotion to the Florida Marlins.

4,173

Home attendance average for the South Atlantic League's Charleston RiverDogs, a new franchise record.

First and second

Pitchers R.J. Swindle (Phillies) and Bobby Parnell (Mets), respectively, became the first and second former Charleston Southern players to reach the majors.

31

Monte Lee's age. The new College of Charleston head coach is one of the youngest, hardest working and brightest leaders in college baseball.

No. 9

Clemson's incoming recruiting class as rated by Collegiate Baseball.

Two

Number of Charleston RiverDogs catchers rated by Baseball America among the top 10 prospects in the South Atlantic League. Hope you enjoyed watching Jesus Montero and Austin Romine on their way up the ladder.

No. 1

Where Auburn's mouthful of a ballyard, Samford Stadium-Hitchcock Field at Plainsman Park, ranked in Baseball America's 2003 rating of college facilities. With former College of Charleston head coach John Pawlowski and pitching coach Scott Foxhall running the show, the place should be hopping again very soon.

12-11

Former Winthrop pitcher Kevin Slowey's record while establishing himself as an innings-eating pitcher for the Minnesota Twins, a tribute to the depth of player talent in South Carolina college baseball.

$3.1 million

Economic impact benefit, according to a school study, from Coastal Carolina hosting — and winning — a first-round NCAA Regional. A tribute to the depth of program talent in South Carolina college baseball.

No. 25

Where Clemson junior first baseman Ben Paulsen ranks among Baseball America's list of top college prospects for the 2009 draft.

Four

Ex-Charleston RiverDogs on the Tampa Bay Rays' postseason roster: Carl Crawford, Rocco Baldelli, B.J. Upton and Dan Wheeler.

Reach Gene Sapakoff at 937-5593 or gsapakoff@postandcourier.com.