By John Antonik for MSNsportsNET.com
February 26, 2004
MORGANTOWN, W.Va. – Right-handed pitcher Dustin Nippert could very well become West Virginia University’s next major leaguer.
| |
 |
| |
Former WVU pitcher Dustin Nippert was invited to spring training as one of five non-roster pitchers for the Arizona Diamondbacks. (All-Pro Photography/Dale Sparks) |
|
After an undistinguished career at WVU in 2002 winning 3 of 7 decisions with a 4.83 earned run average in 63 1/3 innings pitched, Nippert’s career has skyrocketed in the Arizona Diamondbacks organization.
The 6-foot-7, 200-pound Nippert was named a Midwest League all-star in 2003 pitching for Single-A South Bend before going on the disabled list to have a benign tumor removed from his shoulder.
Nippert returned to the mound eight weeks later in time to pitch in the Arizona Fall League, where he wound up being considered one of the AFL’s top pitching prospects by Baseball America.
Nippert, drafted in the 15th round by the Diamondbacks, has a consistent 93 mph fastball and throws a hard curve. Last month, Arizona extended Nippert a spring training invitation as one of five non-roster pitchers. Nippert is expected to pitch in Double-A this season.
Meanwhile, Scott Seabol is still pursuing his dream of sticking with a major league club. The 29-year-old Seabol appeared in 88 games for the Triple-A Memphis Redbirds last season, batting .300 with 16 home runs and 58 RBI.
Seabol, who appeared in one major league game with the New York Yankees in 2001, is a non-roster invitee with St. Louis this spring. Seabol was a member of West Virginia’s 1996 Big East championship team.
More Notes
All-Pro quarterback Marc Bulger was in town Wednesday afternoon to be interviewed by ESPN along with his younger sisters Kate and Meg. The feature will run on March 15 during the NCAA tournament selection show if West Virginia is invited.
The word coming out of Pittsburgh isn’t good for Amos Zereoue. The former WVU running back is expected to be released in March to give Pittsburgh more room under the salary cap. According to the Pittsburgh Post Gazette, Zereoue is scheduled to earn $2.2 million this season and $2.3 million in 2005. Pittsburgh has had no trade offers for Zereoue, who was named the team’s starter at the beginning of last season and managed to rush for just 433 yards and two touchdowns on 132 carries.
Pittsburgh is also negotiating to resign former WVU defensive back Mike Logan, who becomes an unrestricted free agent next month.
Earlier this week ESPN.com football writer Len Pasquarelli reported that the New York Jets were interested in acquiring Washington Redskins defensive back Champ Bailey. Among the pool of players reportedly offered to Washington was former Mountaineer tight end Anthony Becht, who is coming off a career-high 40-catch season in 2003.
SportsLine.com senior football writer Pete Prisco lists his top 50 available free agents and three former Mountaineer players made his list. Detroit linebacker Barrett Green was seventh, San Diego offensive tackle Soloman Page was 42nd and Cincinnati center Rich Braham was 45th.
All-Big East running back Quincy Wilson wasn’t listed among Mel Kiper’s top five running backs at the 2004 NFL Combines. Kiper likes Tulane’s Mewelde Moore, Iowa’s Fred Russell, Northern Illinois’ Michael Turner, Alabama’s Shaud Williams and Oklahoma’s Renaldo Works.
Former WVU linebacker and Cincinnati Bengals fullback Chris Edmonds is trying to revive his football career in NFL Europe. Defending World Bowl champion Frankfurt Galaxy chose Edmonds with the final pick of the first round in NFLEL Free Agent Draft on Feb. 8.
Edmonds played 12 games over two seasons with the Bengals in 2002-03, recording seven special teams tackles before being released.
Edmonds will have a former Mountaineer as a teammate in fullback Corey McIntyre, also trying to resuscitate his pro career. Philadelphia released McIntyre right before the start of the 2003 season.
Avon Cobourne and Lance Nimmo were allocated to play for the Cologne Centurions. Cobourne spent the 2003 season as a backup running back at Detroit rushing 10 times for 27 yards. Cobourne will battle New York’s Chad Brinker for the starting job.
Nimmo was allocated by the New York Jets and is expected to start at tackle for the Centurions. Nimmo was drafted in the fourth round by Tampa Bay before being released in the preseason. He was later picked up by the Jets but did not appear in any games.
NFL Europe training camp opens in Tampa on Friday, Feb. 27.
For those of you that have emailed inquiring about the 2004 football schedule there is nothing new to report. Blame the ACC.
Since its release last Saturday, more than 2,000 users have registered their Mountaineer Deskmate. Users can expect special messages and offers this spring.
Virginia Tech has sold out its game against West Virginia on Saturday. The Hokies are fighting with Miami and Georgetown to avoid being one of the two teams not invited to the Big East tournament. Tech, with a 4-9 record this year, has failed to advance to New York in each of the previous two seasons it has been in the conference. The Hokies, which beat West Virginia earlier this year, has games remaining at home against Rutgers and on the road at Georgetown to wind up the regular season.
If the Big East season were to end today here is how the tournament would shake out:
Men's Tournament
First round byes: Pitt, Providence, Connecticut and Seton Hall
8-9 game: Notre Dame vs. West Virginia
5-12 game: Syracuse vs. Georgetown
7-10 game: Rutgers vs. Villanova
6-11 game: Boston College vs. Virginia Tech
Outside looking in: Miami and St. John’s
Women's Tournament
First round byes: Connecticut, Notre Dame, Villanova and West Virginia
8-9 game: Virginia Tech vs. Seton Hall
5-12 game: Miami vs. Syracuse
7-10 game: Rutgers vs. Georgetown
6-11 game: Boston College vs. St. John’s
Outside looking in: Providence and Pitt
For the men, Virginia Tech still has games remaining against West Virginia, Rutgers and Georgetown and Miami must play Villanova and West Virginia. Georgetown still has work to do playing Seton Hall, Notre Dame and Virginia Tech. St. John’s at 1-12, will be eliminated from tournament contention with its next loss to either Providence, Boston College or Notre Dame.
On the women’s side, St. John’s has two games remaining against Seton Hall and Virginia Tech, Syracuse has games remaining against Boston College and Notre Dame and Pitt must play Villanova and Virginia Tech. Winless Providence has been eliminated from post-season contention.
For West Virginia to keep its bye it must finish ahead of Miami and Boston College. The Mountaineers play at Miami on Saturday and finish out the regular season at UConn.
Miami closes the regular season with games against West Virginia and Providence while Boston College still has to play Syracuse and Georgetown.
The Big East will once again offer Livestats for each tournament game. Fans can access Livestats coverage through http://www.bigeast.org.
USC’s Mike Williams has become the first college player to take advantage of a court ruling allowing underclassmen to be eligible for the NFL draft. Williams, a wide receiver, made his intensions known on Wednesday after Ohio State running back Maurice Clarett successfully challenged an NFL rule preventing players less than three years out of high school from entering the draft.
Pitt’s Larry Fitzgerald is also entering the draft early but he doesn’t fall under this criteria because he spent one season in prep school.
Former WVU football player Jim Merritts was recently inducted into the Hollidaysburg High School Hall of Fame. Merritts was a two-year lettermen at WVU in 1982-83 at defensive tackle after transferring from Connecticut.
West Virginia’s win against Rutgers on Tuesday helped its NCAA tournament chances, but the Mountaineers may need to bag another victory to seal its first NCAA bid since 1992. West Virginia went into the Rutgers game with an RPI of 60 according to CollegeRPI.com and only moved up two spots after beating the Scarlet Knights. West Virginia, 19-7, 10-4, has regular season games remaining against No. 19 Miami and No. 1 Connecticut before playing in the Big East tournament.
Jill Poe, a former WVU student assistant coach and the younger sister of WVU SID Shelly Poe, is having a great first season as head women’s basketball coach at St. Francis, Pa. Last Monday Poe led St. Francis to an 81-60 win over Farleigh Dickinson to improve her team’s record to 19-5, 15-0. St. Francis has clinched the Northeast Conference regular season title and can become the first team in Northeast Conference history to finish undefeated with three regular season games remaining. Poe was an assistant coach on Dan Durkin’s staff at Duquesne last year.
Have a great weekend!
