In our post-holiday tradition, here are some young athletes who are just coming onto the scene to watch in 2009. In years past, our lists have included Tim Tebow, Greg Oden, O.J. Mayo and Delmon Young. Last year's list included Terrelle Pryor, who became Ohio State's starting quarterback.
So here are some names we think we will hear for years to come.
-- David Price: We have had a taste of what the Tampa Bay Rays lefty can do as 2007's No. 1 pick blasted his way onto the baseball stage in last season's playoffs, shutting down the Red Sox to preserve the deciding game of the American League Championship Series. There never has been any question about his physical skills, not with a fastball that approaches 100 mph, but now he has shown he can handle big-league pressure, too. Rays slugger Evan Longoria won AL rookie of the year last season. Price, who should be in the rotation, could make it two in a row.
-- Michelle Wie: Okay, we're kind of cheating with this because everyone already knows Wie, who first appeared on the LPGA Tour at age 12 in 2002. But this year will be her first as a full-fledged member of the LPGA Tour, having picked up her playing card at qualifying school last month. She has never won on the tour, but she does have seven top-10 finishes in majors. Now she can just go out and play, as much as she wants, without worrying about sponsorships and exemptions. For some reason, many fans don't like Wie, but women's golf needs her after losing legend Annika Sorenstam to retirement.
-- Ernests Gulbis: This 20-year-old tennis player is ranked 53rd in the world and, if he keeps developing, could make a push into the top 20 or even top 10. Gulbis, from Latvia, made a name for himself in 2007 when he upset two seeds on his way to a fourth-round appearance in the U.S. Open. Then last year, he upset James Blake in the French Open and advanced to the quarterfinals before losing a tough match to third-seeded Novak Djokovic.
-- John Henson: If you didn't know, one of the top high school basketball players in the country plays in Tampa Bay. Henson, a 6-foot-10, 200-pound power forward, is playing at Sickles High in Tampa after his family relocated from Texas in August. How good is he? Good enough that the No. 1 team in the country, North Carolina, has already scooped him up. He can do it all: shoot from the outside, rebound, handle the ball, pass. Henson is ranked third on ESPN's list of the top high school basketball players in the class of 2009.
-- Aaron Murray: We already know about Murray in these parts. The Plant High quarterback just led the Panthers to the 4A state title, and now he's off to the University of Georgia. If junior starter Matthew Stafford opts for the NFL draft , then Murray might be in the mix to start as a freshman this fall. Can you imagine Murray leading the Bulldogs against Tebow and the Gators in Jacksonville next season?
-- Laura Robson: We might be jumping ahead a year or two on Robson. She'll be 15 on Jan. 21, but there is already a buzz about this young tennis star thanks to her Wimbledon junior title in July, the youngest winner since 13-year-old Martina Hingis in 1994. Robson, born in Australia and raised in England, is ranked 517th in the world, but she will climb higher and higher. Cracking the top 100 might be too much to ask this year, but remember the name.
-- Joey Logano: Think the next Jeff Gordon. NASCAR legend Mark Martin said that when Logano was only 15 that he already was good enough to drive with the big boys and predicted a huge NASCAR career. Well, Logano, who turned 18 in May, could have a huge 2009 as he replaces Tony Stewart with Joe Gibbs Racing. Last year in the Nationwide series, Logano had 14 top-10 finishes and won once in 19 starts.
-- Matt Wieters: We're taking a bit of a gamble here because it's possible the Baltimore Orioles can't-miss catching prospect might be a year away from making it to the big leagues, though many believe he'll hit the bigs in 2009. But Wieters is a monster. The fifth overall pick in the 2007 draft out of Georgia Tech, Wieters split time between Class A and AA last season, batting a combined .355 with 27 homers and 91 RBIs. He's 6-5 and solid defensively, can switch hit and his best quality might be his leadership skills. No wonder he was Baseball America's 2008 minor-league player of the year.
(Distributed by Scripps Howard News Service www.scrippsnews.com)
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