Thought I'd share the ballot I just submitted for the College Baseball Hall of Fame's Class of 2010. This is the third straight year I've been involved in the voting (the inaugural Class was 2006), and it's always flattering to be asked to help determine the best in the game's college history.
This year, voters could select as many as 14 nominees from a list of over 60 candidates. I ended up going with 10. As you'll see below, the nominees are divided into seven eras/categories and voters are required to include at least one person from each.
Voters are told to vote strictly on a player's or coach's college achievement and not take any major league accomplishments into account.
Below, I've listed not only my picks and which order I settled on, but some details on why I consider them worthy for the Hall of Fame. This list of nominees included no Illini. Considering what Darrin Fletcher accomplished in his career, that's one of several glaring omissions, in my opinion.

On another personal note, 2010 will be my 30th year of covering Illini baseball for The News-Gazette. See you at Illinois Field.

VINTAGE/PRE-1947
9. George Sisler, Michigan, 1913-15, (OF/P); Three-time All-American had batting averages of .445, .351 and .451 in three-year career. Believed to have only three pitching defeats during career.

1947-63
10. Charles Teague, Wake Forest, 1947-50 (2B); One of 11 three-time first-team All-Americans in college baseball history. In 1994, he was named 2B on Baseball America's 1947-64 College All-Star squad.

1964-77
8. Gary Gentry, Phoenix College/Arizona State, 1965-67 (Pitcher); First-team All-American for national champions at Phoenix (1966) and ASU (1967). The Sporting News National Player of the Year in ‘67. when he compiled 17-1 record and a 1.14 ERA with then NCAA-record 229 strikeouts (currently No. 2). His ERA in 23 College World Series innings was 0.78.

1978-87
3. Dave Magadan, Alabama, 1981-83 (1B/3B); Hit nation-leading .525 as a junior in 1983, when he was voted Player of the year by Baseball America and Golden Spikes Award winner by U.S. Baseball Federation. Hit .439 for career.

5. Frank Viola, St. John's, 1979-81 (Pitcher); Left-hander's 26-2 career record included 10-0 with 0.87 ERA in 1981, when he was Baseball America first-team All-American. Pitched St. John's to 6-1 victory against eventual national champion Arizona in opener of 1980 College World Series.

1988-99
6. Eddy Furniss, LSU, 1995-98 (1B); Finished career as NCAA Division I's No. 3 all-time in total bases, No. 4 in home runs and doubles, and No. 5 in RBI. Winner of 1998 Dick Howser Trophy as college baseball's most outstanding player after hitting .403 with 28 homers and 76 RBI. Drove in SEC record 103 runs in 1996. One-time member of now-defunct Champaign County Colts summer collegiate team.

1. Mike Smith, Indiana, 1989-92 (SS). Only Division I player ever to win the national Triple Crown, with .490 batting average, 27 home runs and 95 RBI in 1992. Same year named player of year by Sporting News Player. In final two seasons, hit combined .459.

Small School
4. Lloyd Simmons, Seminole Junior College, 1976-2001 (Coach); Winningest coach in junior college baseball history with 1,643-312 record (.840 winning percentage). His teams made an unprecedented 13 trips to the NJCAA World Series.

2. Joe Arnold, Miami-Dade/Arizona State, 1965-67 (pitcher); Two-time junior college All-American finished with 29-2 record at Miami-Dade and was named MVP of the 1966 Junior College World Series. In one year at Arizona State, went 11-1 to complete college career with 40-3 record. Coaching credentials include 316-69 record (.821) at Florida Southern from 1977-83 with two Division II national titles. Won 434 games in 11 seasons at Florida, with two CWS appearances.

Coaches
7. John Winkin, Colby College/Maine/Husson College, 1954-06. Turned northern outpost Maine into unlikely national power. In 22 years at Maine, guided six teams to College World Series, twice finishing third. Won over 1,000 games, with 642 coming at Maine. National Coach of the Year in 1965. A member of the American Baseball Coaches Association Hall of Fame.