CSU's Swindle earns mention in Baseball America

Junior lefty R.J. Swindle

CHARLESTON, SC - Charleston Southern junior left-hander R.J. Swindle has been cited several times in the latest edition of Baseball America magazine, the 2004 College Baseball Preview released this week.

Swindle received special mention in the magazine's feature on the 2004 Preseason All-America teams. The magazine released two sets of All-America teams, one based on consultation with major league scouts and using draft potential as the major measuring stick. Swindle was not selected to any of the three teams.

However, the magazine also released an All-America team that uses performance-based scouting as the major criteria, much like the publicized scouting method of the Oakland A's. On that team, where draft potential is not weighed as heavily as numbers on the field, Swindle was selected as one of six pitchers, and one of only three left-handers, from the entire country. The magazine's list consisted of one player at each position and six pitchers.

In 2003, Swindle posted a 10-5 record with a 2.21 earned run average. In 126 innings, the 6-3 southpaw from Orlando, Florida fanned 140 hitters and walked only 26. Swindle set the CSU single-season strikeout record and also became the school's career strikeout leader in just two seasons.

In the magazine's By The Numbers section, Swindle received special mention for having recorded 52.6 percent of CSU's total victories, the top number in the nation. Swindle won 10 of CSU's 19 games last season.

Finally, in the Big South Conference preview of the magazine, CSU was picked to finish fourth in 2004 with Swindle being named the Preseason Pitcher of the Year and noted for having the best control of any pitcher in the league.

CSU junior centerfielder Jordan Haar was named to the preseason all-conference team. Haar bated .316 with 12 homeruns and 36 RBI last season and enters the 2004 season just six homeruns shy of the CSU career record. Haar has belted 23 homeruns in his first two seasons at CSU.

The Buccaneers open the 2004 season on February 13 at South Carolina, the team ranked seventh in Baseball America's preseason poll. The Bucs and Gamecocks will play a three-game series on the opening weekend.