ALLEN PONDER

9/27/83; '08 45th; Auburn Univ. Montgomery
R/R; 6-6, 230

Level

W-L-Sv

BB/9

K/9

WHIP

OAVG

ERA

2003 NCAA

2-3-0

26.2

3.71

8.10

1.61

5.74

2004 NCAA

2-1-0

15.0

3.60

12.00

1.33

3.60

2005-06 DNP

2007 NAIA

1-0-4

11.1

2.38

7.15

1.32

.255

3.18

2008 NAIA

8-1-6

48.0

2.44

12.75

1.02

.201

2.06

2008 A-

1-2-2

42.2

1.90

8.44

1.45

.305

4.22

2009 DNP

Level	BA	OBP	SA	AB	2B	3B	HR	BB	K	SB	CS
2007 NAIA	.379		.696	214	23	3	13	22	25	3	0
2008 NAIA	.349		.655	235	16	1	18	24	32	4	2

I'm not absolutely sure I have all this right, but it appears that Ponder played for the Univ. of Alabama for two years as a pitcher, then sat out two years before spending two years at NAIA school Auburn Montgomery as the team's firstbaseman and closer. All of this would explain his age—less than four months shy of 25 at the time of the draft—and MLB.com lists him as a fifth-year senior. The Pirates announced him as a pitcher when they drafted him, but their web site listed only his accomplishments as a hitter when they signed him. He did at least strike a lot of people out in his senior year. He throws sidearm, so the Pirates are probably looking at him as a relief specialist. He held his own at State College, which is more than can be said for most of the Spikes' staff. His BB and K numbers were good but he got hit hard. RH batters hit .286 against him while LH batters hit .339. Ponder was on the initial roster in training camp, but he was not on a later one and instead was placed on the restricted list. That generally results from some sort of long-term absence, such as a suspension. He didn't appear all year and I don't know whether he's still in the system.

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