Sports

Posey wins Golden Spikes

• Leesburg’s Buster Posey caps an amazing 2008 college baseball season Wednesday in New York by winning the most coveted award of all: The Golden Spikes.

Danny Aller

NEW YORK — Just call it a clean sweep.

After one of the greatest college baseball seasons by a player in history, Leesburg native and Florida State product Buster Posey added the final — and arguably most prestigious — award to his packed trophy case Wednesday, winning the Golden Spikes Award after a whirlwind three days spent in New York in which Posey and four other nominees attended the Major League Baseball Home Run Derby on Monday, the All-Star game Tuesday and capped it with the awards ceremony Wednesday.

“This was the one award growing up you always hear about and it’s just such a great honor,” Posey told The Herald as he changed planes en route back to Leesburg from the Big Apple. “Especially considering the other four finalists I was up against and the great seasons they had.”

The other finalists included San Diego’s Brian Matusz, Georgia’s Gordon Beckham, Missouri’s Aaron Crow and Brett Wallace of Arizona State.

But when you put their stats up against Posey’s — the San Francisco Giants’ first-round selection at No. 5 overall in the June 5 MLB Draft — the choice was a no-brainer.

Having already won Baseball America’s Collegiate Player of the Year, Academic All-American of the Year, Dick Howser Award, Johnny Bench Award and Brooks Wallace Award, Posey led the nation for much in the year in nearly every major category, finishing with a .463 batting average, 26 home runs and 93 RBI. He just missed the national triple crown, but won the honor among Atlantic Coast Conference teams.

Posey also became the first to win the Golden Spikes since Valdosta native and Boston Red Sox star J.D. Drew — who coincidentally won the All-Star Game’s MVP award with Posey on hand — earned the honor in 1997.

Posey, who admitted this week marked his first-ever trip to New York, says he managed not to concern himself with the ongoing negotiations with the Giants, deciding instead to simply enjoy himself and just take in all the festivities.

“I tried not to think about it; just soak it in and enjoy the moment. I pretty much hung out with all the guys and got to know them better,” said Posey, who already has a close bond with Beckham after the two played together in a summer league last year. “They’re all really good guys and we had a great time.”

When asked what the highlight of the trip was, Posey didn’t have to think about it very long.

“It’d have to be (the Texas Rangers’) Josh Hamilton during the Home Run Derby,” Posey said of Hamilton, who broke the MLB record for HRs in a single round with a staggering 28 blasts over the fence. “That’s something you’ll probably never see again.”

Posey then added: “Of course, seeing them bring out all the former All-Stars was also really special.”

Of course, once Posey begins his professional career, FSU coach Mike Martin is among those who believe it won’t be long before Posey becomes an MLB All-Star himself.

“This is one of the most memorable moments in Florida State baseball history,” Martin said in a statement released by the school. “Buster Posey has done something that I have never seen in my 34 years as a college coach and I doubt I will ever see it again. I am literally astounded by Buster’s accomplishment of capturing ever major award given to a college baseball player in a given year.I am very proud of Buster and very happy for him and his family.”

Posey was a consensus first-team All-American and finished the season as the national leader in six offensive categories including batting average, hits, RBI, total bases, slugging percentage and on-base percentage. Posey also was honored for his stellar work behind the plate, claiming a Rawlings Gold Glove Award as he posted a .983 fielding percentage in 62 starts. He closed out the 2008 campaign throwing out 40.7 percent of would be base stealers while registering six pickoffs. Posey committed just eight errors on the year closing out the season with a 12-game errorless streak.He had just four errors over his last 62 games.

In the ACC, he was named Player of the Year while nabbing first team accolades for the second consecutive year. He also led FSU to their second Atlantic Division title in a row and the storied program’s first appearance in the College World Series since 2000.

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