I saw over the weekend that Ryan Ripken (son of Cal, of course) has signed to play baseball with the South Carolina Gamecocks.  Of course, people down here are abuzz about having Cal's son become a part of the program.  Coach Tanner is a great guy (got to meet him a couple of years back...total class) and runs a top-notch program, as evident with back-to-back national championships.  I've been told that Cal played a big part in Ryan's decision; that they visited the campus twice and felt it was the right place to be.  I'm sure Coach Tanner made a big impact on Cal because Tanner's style of coaching is similar to the "Ripken Way".  As much as it would have been cool for Ryan to stay in Maryland, I must say it'll be even cooler to go see him in a Carolina uniform.

Questions:  Were the 'Terps ever a contender for Ryan, and how good is this kid?  All I've seen is that he's a 1st Baseman and a lefty hitter.