Great news today on the UM baseball front.
The NCAA approved former Bethune-Cookman star catcher Peter O'Brien's appeal to compete for the Hurricanes during the 2012 season.
O'Brien, 6-5 and 225 pounds, is a senior, so he needed the OK to be able to finish out his career with the Canes without having to sit out the customary season. He was drafted this past summer in the third round -- 107th overall -- by the Colorado Rockies, but did not come to terms with the Rockies on a contract offer by the Aug. 15 deadline.
O'Brien is a big-time Major League prospect. He was never recruited by UM, and flourished with the Wildcats. He grew up in Miami Gardens and played at Braddock High.
His numbers last season at Bethune: .304 batting average with 14 home runs and 69 RBI. He was named Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference Player of the Year in 2010, and was a freshman All-American from Louisville Slugger in 2009.
"It was awesome,'' O'Brien said of the decision during a UM news conference Friday. "Such a relief. It felt like a ton of weight had been lifted off my shoulders. I had been thinking about it the whole fall.
"Basically, what [the appeals committee] had to do was hear the truth. I spoke to them from the heart and they were really helpful with everything they did... From Day one when I enrolled here [in the fall] I was getting ready for the season. I was giving everything 100 percent to the team, to the university here. I'm always thinking positive and that's the way I felt. ...Honestly, I didn't think about what would have happened if I got denied. I only thought that I couldn't see myself doing anything else [but] in a game here wearing orange and green.''
UM Coach Jim Morris, who called O'Brien a leader, is naturally ecstatic about the decision. The Hurricanes badly needed a catcher of his caliber, and he should make a huge difference this season.
"You get a guy who's a veteran that's one of the best players at their position in the country,'' Morris said, "it's got to help you. We expect him to be our opening day catcher from watching him all of fall practice, hit somewhere in the middle of the lineup, and be a guy who drives in runs.''
The Canes open their 2012 baseball schedule at home against Rutgers the weekend of Feb. 17-19.
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National Signing Day Festivities
UM announced Friday that it will host a National Signing Day party on Wednesday, Feb. 1, from 6-8 p.m. at the BankUnited Center multi-purpose room. The event is free to Hurricane Club members and admission is $1 for fans who are not members of the Hurricane Club.
UM coach Al Golden and his staff will introduce the newest players to fans, and will play a highlight reel of their talents. Food and beverages will be sold.
Fans attending the party are eligible to purchase a ticket to the men's basketball game vs. Maryland for $5. Tipoff is 8 p.m. that night.
SUSAN MILLER DEGNAN
ON THE O'BRIEN MATTER I THINK IT'S GREAT
HE WILL LEAD THE CANES TO OMAHA AND BE AN ALL
AMERICAN AND BE A FIRST ROUND PICK AND THE FIRST
CATCHER TAKEN
GO CANES
AC MIAMI
Posted by: ALEX C | January 20, 2012 at 11:37 PM
great for the 6-5 whiteboy backstop.
maybe he'll be on deck the next U get Eliminated in titletown come Avril ...
Posted by: 3rd. Verse | January 21, 2012 at 03:20 AM
Fans attending the party are eligible to purchase a ticket to the men's basketball game vs. Maryland for $5. Tipoff is 8 p.m. that night.
.
In '82 all it took was jUst me across from Ponce de Leon ...
Posted by: B.K. Whopper ="s Ticket | January 21, 2012 at 04:23 AM
don't be so sure about o'brien..he's facing a whole different animal then he did at b.c..much tougher pitching in the acc....hope he does though..
Posted by: canedude1 | January 21, 2012 at 06:17 AM
ON THE O'BRIEN MATTER I THINK IT'S GREAT
HE WILL LEAD THE CANES TO OMAHA AND BE AN ALL
AMERICAN AND BE A FIRST ROUND PICK AND THE FIRST
CATCHER TAKEN
and Morris will lead the canes to the NC, win the Heisman, and first QB taken in the draft.
Posted by: delUsionalcane | January 21, 2012 at 10:34 AM
Trailertown wil be declared the most toxic waste dump in the US.
Posted by: Realistic UFailure fan | January 21, 2012 at 12:27 PM
Here's the way I see it. The 'Canes signed 18 players last year. Two of them were early enrollees so they counted toward the previous year's class. Meaning that they had 16 guys go against the 25 available slots from last year's recruiting class. They already have seven early enrollees, so they have 2 spots left for early enrollees in this year's class.
The U has 31 commits. Seven enrolled early. So they have 24 commits going up against this year's class. So the 'Canes are in play for anywhere between 1 to 3 more recruits, given that nobody decommits. Hopefully they can get those two more early enrollees, so they can be in play for 3 more really good recruits. If not, they're only in play for one more guy.
February 1 is going to be a nice day.
Posted by: linksys | January 21, 2012 at 01:17 PM
@3rd Verse
Take your UFail spewing Troll Garbage back to the Toxic Waste Dump where you belong!!
"U FAIL AGAIN"
Last time UFAIL won a Baseball Championship?....wait for it....wait for it....crickets
9>5
Posted by: Toxic Waste Dump in Trailerville | January 21, 2012 at 02:39 PM
Ha!...you guys shouldn't sweat the comments of "others".
How credible is a nameless, faceless, cyberpunk anyway?
Posted by: NJshoreCane | January 21, 2012 at 07:25 PM
I see that the Alachua County Detention Center is allowing expanded hours of computer use during the weekends, how nice of them for the UFelony boys!
Okay now it is time for lunch boys, enjoy the baloney and water!
Posted by: AnonymousCane | January 22, 2012 at 07:55 AM
Listen scUMbag, you have more pro bowlers(lots of good that will do ya), large tabs at prime 112, fake swagga, uncle luke, and more empty orange seats then you could ever imagine in the whole nation. Your diploma mill uh diplomas will at best get you behind the local Publix deli or a Pollo. Your sorry program has been done for over a decade. Get on that time machine and go back to 1987 fool.
Posted by: Canetrash | January 22, 2012 at 09:31 AM
Coral Gables has been declared the most toxic waste dump in the US.
Posted by: RealisticscUMbag | January 22, 2012 at 09:33 AM
Ufelony losers on the canes sight simply because their blog fell apart, much like their football program. You see trailer park trash my posted by title really does fit UFelony in the central Florida truck stop.
Posted by: 100 years of mediocrity and counting | January 22, 2012 at 11:47 AM
Wow. The UF fans that troll UM threads are hilarious. Then again, I'm sure it's the same HoggTown Jort wearer posting under different usernames. Do Florida a favor.... and get a job. Although Im sure the fact that youre some leg humping leach isnt your fault. As that UF Degree & $1 wont get you a cup of coffee.
Posted by: UMPride9NCs | January 23, 2012 at 04:35 PM
The UM fans that troll UF threads are hilarious. Then again, I'm sure it's the same CaneTown Jort wearer posting under different usernames. Do the world a favor.... and get a job. Although Im sure the fact that youre some leg humping leach isnt your fault. As that UM Degree & $1 wont get you a cup of coffee.
Posted by: Canetrash | January 24, 2012 at 11:54 AM
Any disconnect like this along the life cycle of green products or services has recently become a much a bigger risk for green businesses and, if addressed, it has the potential to be the catalyst for innovation and improvement.
Posted by: plumbing | January 30, 2012 at 10:50 AM