Smyly Carver named to watch lists

FAYETTEVILLE – The College Baseball Foundation released a pair of its annual watch lists for the 2010 season Tuesday with a pair of Razorbacks, Drew Smyly and Tim Carver, named to the respective lists. Smyly was placed on the Pitcher of the Year Watch List, while Carver was named to the Brooks Wallace Award Watch List, which goes to recognize the nation’s top shortstop.

Smyly, a sophomore left hander from Little Rock, Ark., is 2-0 this season with a 1.73 ERA. His ERA is the sixth-best mark in the Southeastern Conference. Smyly is currently tied for third in the conference with 36 strikeouts and is holding opposing hitters to a .211 batting average, the ninth-lowest total in the SEC. Earlier this season, Smyly tallied a season-high 11 strikeouts, one off his career best, in a 7-0 win against Wisconsin-Milwaukee.

This will be the second year the College Baseball Foundation will present the Pitcher of the Year Award. All of the major conferences across the country have multiple representatives on the list. The Southeastern Conference is second among the nation’s leagues with eight players listed. The Pac-10 leads the way with nine.

Carver is third on the team with his .308 batting average. Through 18 games this season, the Fayetteville, Ark., native has two home runs, three doubles, 12 RBI and 10 runs scored. All of those offensive numbers either match or surpass his respective season totals from last year. During the Razorbacks’ trip to Cal earlier this season, Carver hit his first career home run, ending that contest with two dingers and a career-high four RBI.

Including Carver, the shortstop award list consists of 54 players. The SEC, along with the Atlantic Coast Conference, leads all conferences with five players on the watch list. The Atlantic Sun Conference features four players on the list.

Both awards will be presented July 2 as part of the College Baseball Awards Show in Lubbock, Texas. After their midweek series at McNeese State, the Razorbacks will return to Fayetteville for a March 26-28 SEC matchup with the Alabama Crimson Tide at Baum Stadium. For more information, log on to ArkansasRazorbacks.com.

Download: Pitcher Watch-March 23.pdf