Brendon Hayden Interview

I recently was able to ask a few questions to Brendon Hayden, a senior at Wilmot Union High School and Virginia Tech recruit. 
BAW:  Do you consider yourself a pitcher or position player first?

Brendon:  Well I like both pitching and playing a position and I work really hard at both to become the best all around player I can be. So I really can not decide between them.

BAW:  Did you feel any pressure being the only Wisconsin player at the area code games?

Brendon:  I did not feel any pressure for being the only one from Wisconsin to be selected to play at the Area Code Games. It was a real honor and something I will always remember being a part of.

BAW:  Do you have any tips for youth baseball players hoping to get into a D1 program?

Brendon:  I would like to tell younger kids who have a desire to play college baseball, not only at the D1 level but all levels, to always work hard on the field, in the class room, and in the weight room. Once you do that and the season comes around have fun and play your game. There's always a place for you to play, you just have to find that right fit.

BAW:   Can you tell me the toughest Wisconsin hitter and pitcher you have faced so far?

Brendon:  The toughest hitter I have faced so far is hands down Joe Sturino from Waterford. He knows how to fight pitches off and take advantage of any mistakes you give him. As for the toughest pitcher that would be Sam Mahar of Tremper. He's not only a crafty lefty but he can bring the heat at will.

BAW:  Why did you choose Virginia Tech?

Brendon:  I chose Virginia Tech because it is a great academic school with a beautiful campus, and the coaches, facilities, and atmosphere  will help me succeed as a student and athlete.

Thanks Brendon for taking the time to do this interview with me.  

GameChanger

As you have probably noticed I have added scoreboards from GameChanger.  It wont let me add the whole state all at once, and I have to add some more zip codes to get the state covered.  In the mean time if you use GameChanger and want to be added then click on the appropriate scoreboard and add yourself.   I see they now have a beta out in the Android Marketplace. 

Todays Update

Butler may be one of the top dogs in the NCAA basketball tournament, but UWM took two out of three games against them this weekend on the baseball diamond.  Doug Dekoning is still leading them in most offensive categories and has yet to commit an error in the field.  Chad Pierce  has 35 strikeouts and only 9 walks in 7 starts this spring. 

UW La Crosse won three and lost one against UW Stout to improve their record to 11-4.  They face off against UW Oshkosh next weekend for a pair of doubleheaders.

The Wisconsin Timber Rattlers kick off their season on April 7th.  They have announced their roster to start the season.  The Timber Rattlers always seem to be a step ahead of everyone when it comes to improving the experience for fans.  Now they have unveiled the Rattlers In Game mobile phone app.  It will do many things including letting you order food from your seat and helping pick what songs play at the stadium. 

Scorekeeping Apps

Has anyone used a smartphone app to keep score at a baseball game?  I would love to hear people's opinions on ones they have used before.  From what I can tell there are three major apps people use.

• iScore comes from ESPN and also comes in a basketball version.  It currently is available for the IPod touch, IPhone, and Android phones.  
• Pointstreak K-Force is another option for those with Ipod, Iphone, or Ipads.  They make a pc program also to sort through all the data you collect on the go. 

• GameChanger is currently only available for Iphone/Ipod and Ipad but is working on versions for Android and Blackberry phones.  They just added integration with the popular MaxPreps site and also will be used during the Cal Ripken World Series.   

I currently dont have a phone capable of using any of these programs.  I would love to hear in the comments from anyone that has used on of them.  I am putting together my GameChanger scoreboard to try and have on my blog so let me know if you use that so I can add your team.  

Friday's Links

Maryvale Baseball Park, spring home of the Brewers

• Will injuries prevent the Brewers from making a run to the playoffs this year?  I hope not but it is getting worrisome.  Corey Hart is worried he might not be ready for opening day now.  Shaun Marcum left Thursday's game with shoulder tightness.  
• Congratulations to Cody Hanke and the Marathon basketball team on making it to the state finals. 
• The snow is melting in Appleton and the Timber Rattlers open the season on April 7.  
• The Wisconsin Rapids Rafters and the Eau Claire Express will be playing an exhibition game in Marshfield on May 31.  Two dollars from every ticket will go to support the Gary Varsho Baseball League.  
• High school baseball teams can begin practicing on Monday in Wisconsin with games starting before the end of the month in some places. 

Today's Links

Make sure you check out my friends at the Wisconsin College Baseball Network for the most comprehensive source of college baseball news in Wisconsin. 

I am now on Twitter.  Follow me @baseball_wi .


Another great site to check out is Minor League Ball. John Sickels knows so much about minor league prospects. 

Wolves and Rangers

Cardinal Stritch University split a pair of close games with DeSales University.  The Wolves won both games of a doubleheader on Monday against Schreiner University.  Dean Mlachnik has been hot so far this season hitting .500 with 2 HR and 11 RBI.  The Wolves will be in Texas for two more days before returning to Wisconsin.  Their home opener is next Saturday against Trinity International University.

UW Parkside lost last weekend to Wayne State and St Cloud State playing in Evansville,IN.   They dropped a doubleheader to St Cloud State Saturday.  The Rangers picked up the first win of their season Sunday against Illinois-Springfield 9-6.  That afternoon they lost another game to St Cloud State.  They open up at home next Saturday against Quincy University.

Carthage, Concordia and Edgewood

Carthage College won both games of it's season opening twin bill with Muskingum University.  The Red Men lost a pair of one run games yesterday to Marietta College.  The play Rhodes College today and continue their Florida roadtrip through Saturday. Carthage is coached by Augie Schmidt IV. 

Edgewood College stopped in Tennessee to face Div 2 foe Christian Brothers University.  The Eagles kept it close and lost 6-4.  They will continue south to the RussMatt Central Florida Invitational.  They will face Ripon College for a doubleheader today.  Ripon opened their season yesterday with a loss to RPI.

Concordia University lost it's season opener to St. Mary's (MN).  The Falcons rebounded to take two from Pitt-Bradford on Saturday.  They play College of New Jersey this morning and Minot State this afternoon.  They will remain in Arizona until Friday.  You still have time to sign up for Concordia's Spring Hitting Camp on March 27th.

Buccaneers and Sabres and Panthers

Beloit College finished up their Florida trip with a loss to Vassar College.  The Buccaneers ended up with a 4-3 record including two blowout victories against Northland College.  Scoring 57 runs in 7 games is pretty impressive, especially considering they didn't have a single home run. 

Marian University has started out 0-2 this spring while playing St. Mary's(MN) and The College of New Jersey in Arizona.  The Sabres face Augsburg College tomorrow for a doubleheader and will remain in Arizona through March 18.  Marian's head coach Jason Bartelt was inducted into the Lakeland College Hall of Fame last October.  He was named All-Conference in each of his three seasons as a player there. 

UWM dropped 3 to the University or Arkansas last weekend despite being ahead or tied in the fifth inning or later of each of them.   This week the Panthers are in California playing in the Jack Gifford Memorial Tournament.  They lost the first two games to San Jose State and UC Davis.  Today's game was a different story as the Panther pitching staff was lights out against Santa Clara.  Chad Pierce had a perfect game into the fifth inning and only gave up 3 hits and walked none in seven and a third innings while striking out 3.  Greg Blohowiak and Kaleb Engelke finished the 3-0 shutout.  Doug Dekoning went 2 for 3 to extend his hitting streak to 13 games.  He has been on fire this season hitting .500 with 2 HR, 13 RBI, and 4 steals.  UWM will finish up their west coast trip tomorrow with a rematch against San Jose State.

Northwoods League Part 1

The Northwoods League has done a lot to improve Wisconsin baseball.  The teams usually sign a few local players to fill up the roster while waiting for some colleges to finish their seasons.  Sometimes those players do enough to earn a spot for the full year.  We are now up to six Wisconsin teams in the Northwoods League.

Carson Park, Home of the Express

The Eau Claire Express have been around since 2005 and are the defending champions.  They were also ranked #1 by Perfect Game  in their ranking of summer league teams.  Pretty impressive considering not too long ago the Northwoods league was considered inferior to the east coast summer leagues.  Follow them on twitter for all the latest news.

In 2007 the Green Bay Bullfrogs started play. They went through 45 different players last year for a variety or reasons but still finished a respectable 39-31.  The Titletown Entertainment Group is hoping to have a new stadium ready in time for the 2012 season.  Follow that link and check out the photo section.  It's going to be a pretty cool looking stadium.  The Bullfrogs recently signed three Wisconsin natives to return this summer.  Paul Hoenecke and Greg Blohowiak are coming from UWM while Joe Betcher is from the University of Illinois-Chicago.  You can follow Green Bay on twitter also. 

Bobby Juan

The La Crosse Loggers were formed in 2003.  The Lumberyard at Copeland Park has pulled in over 100,000 fans each of the last five seasons.  Three out of the last four MLB drafts have had a former Logger taken in the first round.  2010 Gatorade Wisconsin State Player of the Year and La Crosse native Bobby Juan will be coming home to play for the Loggers this summer.  You can receive text alerts from the Loggers.

Founded in 2001, the Madison Mallards blow away the competition when it comes to attendance.  Already averaging almost 6,000 fans a game, look for that number to increase as they renovate their stadium.  The Mallards will have a new field manager this season as they named former Rochester Honkers manager Greg Labbe to the position.  Madison has also unveiled a new mascot and logo for this season. 

Weekend Roundup

Sorry for the hiatus.  I will try not to go that long without posting again. Now on to the news.

• UWM had to contend with the weather even on their trip to Tennessee last weekend.  They dropped two to Illinois State playing in Clarksville, TN.  Their game against Austin Peay was canceled due to weather.  The Panthers are in Fayetteville this weekend taking on the #16 ranked Arkansas Razorbacks.  Two home runs by Doug Dekoning was not enough on Friday as Arkansas won 15-6.  They play again on both Saturday and Sunday.  Also make sure you check out Diamond Chronicles.  Senior Sam Sivilotti and junior Greg Blohowiak, members of the Milwaukee baseball team, are blogging about the season.
   
•  UW Parkside was swept last weekend in their season opening series against Winona State University.  Their games this weekend in Evansville, Indiana against Wayne State and the University of Missouri- St. Louis have been bumped back a day due to weather, and will be played on Sunday and Monday.  
• Cardinal Stritch University finished its opening weekend with a 1-3 record playing against Harris Stowe State University in St.Louis, Mo.  Andy Klein picked up the win striking out 6 and walking 1 in six innings of work.  This weekends games against Indiana University Southwest have been canceled and they will next play March 12 in San Antonio, TX against DeSales University. 
• The Milwaukee School of Engineering has put in a full week of baseball in Florida.  They were 1-6 before yesterday's doubleheader with Hanover.  I can't find results of those games.  
• UW Whitewater took two from Washington University this week.  Daniel Putnam hit .889 with 3 stolen bases while Rob Coe hit .714 with a HR and two steals.  Riley Tincher and Jeff Donovan picked up the wins.  The fifth ranked Warhawks next play on March 17 against St Lawrence.  
• The Wisconsin Timber Rattlers are having a Rummage Sale today from 10-3 selling lots of game used jerseys and bats among other things.  Individual tickets also go on sale today.  
• The Beloit Snappers are also selling their game worn jerseys. They have a job fair on March 15 and are looking to fill many positions.
• The Milwaukee Brewers have started out 4-2 so far in spring training.   As they showed last year spring training records dont always match the regular season results.  Check out the Brewerfan.net Power 50 to learn more about Brewer prospects than you thought possible.  
• The Wisconsin Woodchucks of the Northwoods League have signed UWM Panther pitcher and area native Cameron Amsrud to play for them this summer. 

Tuesday's Things to Check Out

• Have you ever wished you had a job in baseball?  Then MLB's Dream Job may be for you.  Apply here for a chance to watch baseball and make a living at the same time.  
• Loud Mom in the Stands got a chance to interview Brendan Harris about playing youth baseball.  
• The Rivercats finished up 2-2 playing against elite competition in Cocoa Beach, Florida. The Rivercats winter teams finish the season with a 14-9-1 record against warm weather competition.  
• UW Milwaukee won the finale to finish the series with Tennessee with a 1-2 record.  CF Doug Dekoning earned player of the week honors for the Horizon League by batting .500 for the series.  
• Green Bay Packer Donald Driver will be bringing his charity softball game back to Time Warner Cable Field for a fourth year.  
• If you haven't checked out BrewCrewBall and their daily mug to find most of the Brewers' news you need in one spot, then do it now. 
• ABR has posted the recap from the WI Top 30 Showcase. 

Wanderings

• The 13U Rivercats are headed to Florida to play in the Cocoa Expo President's Day Challenge.  
• Three Brewers spring training games will be televised on the MLB Network.
• UW Milwaukee outhit Tennessee but still lost 0-4 on Friday.
• The Madison Mallards have signed two Wisconsin natives. Michael Handel is from Sun Prairie, and currently attends the University of Minnesota.  Justin Scanlon attends Michigan State and is originally from Verona.  
• Yahoo has an article discussing how well the Brewers pitchers can hit.

Minor League

Wisconsin has been home to numerous minor league teams over the years.  Fans in the state have gotten the opportunity to watch players such as Hank Aaron and Mark McGwire while they were first starting out.  Now all we have left in the state are two minor league teams. 

The Beloit Snappers are the low A level farm team of the Minnesota Twins.  There is hope they will soon get a new stadium.  They will be relying on donations and cashflow generated by Snappers operations.  I hope they are able to get this done. 

The Milwaukee Brewers also have an in-state low A level farm team in the Midwest League.  The Wisconsin Timber Rattlers have been around for a long time but this will be their third season affiliated with the Brewers.  You can become a shareholder and get lots of perks as an owner of the Timber Rattlers. 

I would love to see more minor league teams come back to Wisconsin.  The success of the Northwoods League has shown how popular baseball done right can be in the state.  The key to luring teams back is having a top notch stadium for them to play in.  Hopefully we get another inventive community to find ways to privately finance a new stadium. 

Pitchers and Catchers Report

• Pitchers and catchers have now reported for the Brewers, but none of them made the biggest news of the day.  Milwaukee signed Rickie Weeks to a contract extension.  I like the deal, but hope he can stay healthy and continue to improve defensively.  
• The Wisconsin Baseball Coaches Association has released its preseason poll.  They have expanded their rankings this year to 20 teams in each division.
• UW Milwaukee is opening its season Friday at Tennessee .  Also don't forget to vote for their 20th anniversary team.  
• Here is a good editorial on why they should bring varsity baseball back to UW Eau Claire. 
• A newspaper in Tennessee says It may be the best time ever to be a Cheesehead.    I couldn't agree more.
• Appleton Native Trent Whitcomb has commited  to play at Division 1 Eastern Illinois next year.  
• The Timber Rattlers box office manager was one of the Super Bowl ticket holders that didn't get a seat in the game.  They are offering tickets to the  other displaced fans. 

Cody Hanke

photo by waow

Cody has made the All State Basketball , All State Baseball, and All Region Football teams.  His Marathon High School basketball team is currently ranked 3rd in Division 4.  Marathon has to be a favorite to return to state in baseball this year too.  This YouTube clip shows a Leader Telegram interview with Cody at state last year.  He hasn't committed to a college or a sport yet.  I have seen him mentioned in a bunch of blog posts and on different baseball forums.  I think he has a good chance of being drafted early in the June MLB draft if he continues to dominate this spring.  Tall lefties always seem to be in demand.

Wanderings

• New Berlin West is hosting baseball clinics on March 20 and March 27 for grades K-8.
• Northwest Wisconsin Youth and HS baseball clinic  featuring Mark Hallberg will be in Barron on February 26th for grades 5-12.
• The Milwaukee Brewers have released their promotional schedule.  Im not sure what I would like more, the Axford or Greinke bobble. 
•  Have you always wanted to see the Klement's Racing Sausages in person?  Now you don't have to go all the way to Miller Park.  The La Crosse Loggers have signed a deal with Klements and the sausages will be making a couple appearances at Copeland Park.
• The Badger Herald ran an article last year about bringing varsity baseball back to UW Madison. 
• Shaun Marcum signed for $3.95 million  and avoids arbitration.

Jordan Jess

Jordan Jess from Ripon High School is another one to watch this spring.  He played for WAS baseball in 2005 before joining the  Wisconsin Rivercats in 2006 and  finishing up with the Rays.  He also played last summer for the Reds Midwest Scout Team and was named top hitter in Wisconsin American Legion.  He is headed to  play at the University of Minnesota next fall. 

Milwaukee Area Technical College

Frank Cimorelli is the head baseball coach at Milwaukee Area Technical College.  Here is my interview with him.

BAW:  What tips do you have for youth ballplayers hoping to play college ball someday?

Frank:   I encourage all youth players to just get out and play whether it's in the backyard or with select teams. The more you get out there and play,the more fun you have the better your skill set will get. If the players aren't having fun they won't continue to play and by the time they get into high school they'll be finished with baseball. All players will develop at their own pace. Sometimes the best players at 12 aren't the best at 16 so you really want to encourage them to stick with it and with some determination they will get better.


BAW:  How many all star tournaments do you scout each summer?

Frank:   My coaches and I try to attend atleast a couple showcases a year in WI and northern IL. Our conf. and Region is based in IL. and I think it's important to our program for high school players to know we are out there.

BAW:   Do you have any players lined up to play in the Northwoods League this summer?

Frank:   We do not have any players lined up for the Northwoods League. but have had some success in placing players in other college summer leagues. For players interested in going to a summer league the added exp. will only help in their continued growth as players. Our top priority is to help players improve to the point where after 2 seasons with us they will attract enough attention to receive scholarship money to 4yr schools.

BAW:   Does anybody on your team have a chance to get drafted this summer?

Frank:   We don't have any players this yr. who have a chance to get drafted but each season we get better players and at some point are hopeful that we will have a player advanced enough to attract attention from professional scouts. I played JUCO baseball myself so I know the opportunity it offers. Can you get better sitting and the bench at a 4yr school for 2 or 3 yrs.,sure but in my opinion getting on the field right away and getting game exp. is much more beneficial. If I didn't have the JUCO exp. I'm not sure I would have progressed enough at a 4yr school to get drafted as a junior,play professionally and pitch in the major leagues. When using up eligibility sitting on the bench those are innings and at bats I would have never gotten back and the confidence gained probably would have been put on hold. I was a player who coming out of HS had 0 scholarship offers and by the end of my soph yr at a JUCO knew that someday I had a very good chance at getting drafted. While I don't expect this to happen to all the players that play for me there is a good chance they may improve enough after 2 yrs to get a scholarship and continue their education and play 2 more yrs of baseball.

Brendon Hayden

Brendon Hayden is from Twin Lakes, WI and attends Wilmot Union High School.  He has a good chance to be among the first players from Wisconsin drafted this summer.  He has committed to attend Virginia Tech in the fall.  He has played for the Hitters Baseball team out of Racine and was the only Wisconsin player in last years Area Code Games.  There is a slideshow of him on YouTube.  And a profile on Amateur Baseball Report. 

Links to check out

The Timber Rattlers released their 2011 Promotion Schedule.  Radio announcer Chris Mehring is doing a presentation at UW-Fox Valley on the History of baseball in Appleton.  Nobody from Wisconsin made the Louisville Slugger Preseason High School All American Team.  Some former Brewers helped UW-Lacrosse keep its baseball program going.  Greg Reinhard did an interview with Loud Mom in the Stands. 

Todays Links

On Milwaukee has their all time team of Wisconsin born players.  JS Online did a similar list last winter.  Concordia University is trying to raise funds for a new ballpark.  I hope they get it done.  The Wisconsin Timber Rattlers are putting up new episodes of The Offseason every Thursday.  I love having an in-state farm team for the Brewers.  Amateur Baseball Report  is having their Top 30 showcase in Racine on February 12th.  If you want to find all your Brewers news in one place then check out the Daily Mug at BrewCrewBall. 

UW Milwaukee Panthers

Scott Doffek is the head coach of the UW Milwaukee Panthers.  He answered a few questions for this blog.

BAW:   With the increases in home schooling and online school options, have you ever recruited someone that didnt play high school ball but just played  on a traveling all star team?

Scott:   That is certainly becoming far more prevalent.  I am torn on this subject.  I love the fact that some players want to play for there school and represent there hometown.  That shows some allegiance. However, with the explosion of traveling teams and the exposure they get you can hardly blame any of them for going with that option.  We have recruited players that have chosen to play for traveling teams as well there high school.  Our job is to find the best talent and the best fit possible for the University. We need to look everywhere.

BAW:   Do you have any tips for youth ball players hoping to play college ball someday?

Scott:   My suggestion would be to take care of there academics.  Finding the right fit for a college needs to start with that.  If you have prepared yourself and done well in in school you have opened a lot of doors.  Just like anything you need to work on your craft.  Baseball has become a year round commitment like all sports be at the same time I think you will find most coaches are looking for a well rounded athletes.  If you can play football or basketball or whatever do it!  Just make sure you are getting in your baseball reps along the way.  There is no substitute for competition.

BAW:   Does the lack of D1 baseball schools in the state help or hurt you when recruting?

Scott:   I think this state just loves its sports.  Whether we have 1 or 5 D1 programs people are going to go out support whatever quality product is out there.  In some regards the state has become a big recruiting pool for the D1's.  Coaches from all over now there is only one hometown D1 program that they are going to have to fight through.  There a few schools out there that have really done a great job of recognizing the talent that it is here.

BAW:   Are any of your players signed up yet to play in the Northwoods League this summer?

 Scott:  Yes, we currently have 5.  I'm sure before it's all said and done that number will be closer to 10.

BAW:  Do you have any players whose names might be called in the draft this June?

Scott:   I think we have a few.  Paul Hoenecke who was drafted out of high school by the Tigers is certainly on the radar screen as well as Doug Dekoning and Chad Pierce.  We have 5 or 6 players not yet eligible but are waiting in the wings as well.

Beloit College Buccaneers

Dave DeGeorge is starting his 21st season as head coach of the Beloit College Buccaneers.  I got the chance to ask him a few questions.

BAW:   What do you think is the biggest adjustment to college baseball for incoming freshman?

Dave:  The biggest adjustment for players moving from high school to college baseball is the speed of the game. Foot speed affects both offense and defense. Arm strength is greater across the board. Freshman base runners make mistakes due to the range and arm strength of the defenders. Freshman pitchers can be greatly bothered by running game of a veteran team. Freshman defenders struggle to get the ball to the base on-time against many college runners. The best players make the adjustment to the speed of the game within their first year.

BAW:   How many all star tournaments do you go to in the summer to check out players?

Dave:   Beloit is a national college, so I can recruit the entire country. My bread and butter are the northwest suburbs of Chicago and the areas in and around Milwaukee and Madison.

BAW:   How big is your recruiting area?

Dave:   Beloit is a national college, so I can recruit the entire country. My bread and butter are the northwest suburbs of Chicago and the areas in and around Milwaukee and Madison.

BAW:   Do you have anyone on the team that appears to have a shot to get drafted this summer?

Dave:   Mike Kovach is the player on our team most likely to play at the next level. He can play every position on the field, he is fast and he has a natural knack for the game. If he doesn’t get the opportunity to play in the minor leagues, he may go overseas to play.

Wisconsin All-Stars (WAS)

Wisconsin All-Stars was started in 1998 in Oshkosh by the Burgert family.  Michelle Burgert took the time to answer a few questions for me.

BAW:  What kind of time commitment is required to play for the Wisconsin All-Stars? 

Michelle:  Weekend practice in May and until school is out. Then we practice Tuesday and Thursday June and July. 

BAW:   What do you consider the biggest accomplishment of the WAS so far?

Michelle:  Making the Sweet 16 12 out of 13 years. Winning the tournament in 2000.

BAW:   What players are ones to keep an eye on in the future?

Michelle:   Fred Manke/Matt Byers from Lodi, Nick Schrader from Cambridge, Tyler Willman and Alex Hintze from Oshkosh. Nathan Mikolas from Kenosha. Jordan Jess from Ripon.

BAW:   Have any WAS alumni been drafted yet?

Michelle:   DJ Le Mahieu now in Cubs organization. Chris Roberts, passed and went to Michigan State. Ben Ihde, passed and went to Southern Ill.

BAW:   Do you have a tip for helping kids stay sharp over a Wisconsin winter?

Michelle:   Continue to throw as often as you can. If you have the opportunity to hit that is good also.

BAW:   Anything else you want people to know about the WAS ?

Michelle:   We want the best kids in Wisconsin to come tryout  for the opportunity to play with us. The longevity of our program says a lot about us. We do have the best programs in the state of Wisconsin. People can check out our website www.wasbaseball.com

UW Parkside Rangers

I had the opportunity to interview Joel Weaver, the head baseball coach at Division 2 UW Parkside.

BAW: Do you scout the traveling all star teams at all?

Joel:  From year to year we go through our needs as a program and look at the areas that we'll need to either improve or maintain.  Sometimes that means going with an older, more experienced, transfer and sometimes it's developing a high school player to have around for four years.  Either way, we'll take the time to evaluate players on both sides, and the traveling all star teams are nice since they typically carry a number of college caliber athletes.

BAW:  What do you think is the biggest adjustment a ballplayer has to make
coming into college ball?

Joel:   There are certainly a number of adjustments coming into college baseball that challenge freshmen.  Most often they come from a high school program where they were the best player on the team and when they get to college, they're one of many very talented players.  The competition to win a spot is an adjustment that some players have never had to face before.  Another big adjustment is the speed of the game.  Everything from the velocity of pitches, the athleticism and arm strength of the defenses, the speed of the base runners and how hard the ball comes of the bat makes the college game a lot different from what they've been used to.  Any details that be exposed in a player will and that's tough for a lot of freshmen to adjust to.  To me, the biggest adjustment is the size of the workload and the requirement to perform at a high level day in and day out within that workload.  The quickest way for an incoming freshmen to make an impact on our team is to learn time management skills that will allow him to focus when needed in the classroom and on the baseball field.  If a freshman struggles in his first year it's usually not being able to keep up with the overwhelming workload they're given.

BAW:   Do you have any players signed up to play in the Northwoods league this summer?

Joel:  We do not currently have anyone committed to the Northwoods league for this summer, but from my experience playing and coaching in collegiate summer leagues, I know that there is a lot of late roster movement that could open some doors for some of our them.  We do however have a number of players who will be playing comparative baseball out in the Coastal Plains League, the New York Collegiate League and the Western Major Baseball League.

BAW:  Are any of your players prospects for the MLB draft this June?

Joel:  I've had a number of players that I've recruited and coached play professionally, and lot of them tend to come on strong late.  We'll have a left handed pitcher who will get some strong attention this season with a couple of others that could jump on to the radar if they progress like some I've had in the past.

Thanks Joel for taking the time to answer some questions.

Carroll University Pioneers

Carroll University (formerly Carroll College) plays Division 3 baseball and is located in Waukesha.  Derek Hassell is the head coach and agreed to answer a few of my questions.

 BAW:  How much do you pay attention to the elite all star teams in the state
when recruiting?

Derek:  I pay very close attention to the elite all star teams.  The majority of my recruiting will be out on the road watching summer and fall all star tournaments.  In my experience, watching all star tournaments is a better use of my time because there will be a good number of players from both teams that are good enough to play college baseball.  Watching the elite all star teams play, also gives me a chance to see players multiple times to better evaluate if they would be a good fit for my program.  If I go and watch a high school or a legion game, there may only be one or two players on the field that has a chance to be a really good college baseball player.

BAW:   Do you have any tips for youth baseball players hoping to play college ball?

Derek:  Yes.  Put the video games down and practice, practice, practice baseball.  The more you play and practice baseball, the better baseball player you will become.  Especially starting at the youth level.  Developing strong practice habits at a young age will only make it easier to continue them into high school.  Another tip I would give is to always play hard!  Colleges coaches love players who hustle and work hard in practice and in games.

BAW:   How big of an area do you try to recruit players from?

Derek:   I don't have an area that I try and recruit from exclusively.  For my 2012 recruiting class, I have players from Colorado, Virginia, Illinois and Wisconsin all committed to playing at Carroll next year and we aren't done yet.  I would love to get this program to the point where the best players from the Waukesha and Milwaukee area want to be a part of our University, but I will never restrict my recruiting to just one specific area.  Watching all star tournaments also gives me an opportunity to see recruits from other states that I wouldn't normally have a chance to see as well.

BAW:  Are any of your players legitimate prospects for this summers draft?

Derek:  I don't think we have any pro prospects this year.  But we do have a lot of scrappy type players that are good college baseball players, and we are excited about getting the 2011 season underway!

Lawrence University Vikings

Lawrence University is located in Appleton, WI and plays Division 3 baseball.  Head baseball coach Jason Anderson answered some questions for me. Thanks Jason. 

BAW:  With the increases in home schooling and online school options, have you ever recruited someone that didnt play high school ball but just played  on a traveling all star team?

Jason:  We recruit one or two of those types of players every year.  Home schooled players tend to do well in the class room and fit our academic profile, and some that we have spoken with actually play on a home school team.  Many other guys have gone to a high school with a very competitive baseball program and didn’t make that varsity team.  Those guys still have played legion baseball in the summer and can come in and help out any DIII program.

BAW:  Whats your best tip for youth ball players hoping to play college ball?

Jason:  I have three sons in tee ball right now and I tell them the best thing about baseball is that it is a game and it is fun.  Be passionate about it.  We just play a lot and have fun doing it.  If you can seek out genuine teachers and work on the fundamentals every day then college coaches will be excited to have you as a part of their program.

BAW:  Do you have any players that plan on playing in the Northwoods League this summer?

Jason:  I have a couple that would like to do that and that probably have the ability to do it.  It’s a matter of having a good enough season to get a team to notice them and to want to sign them.

BAW:  Are any players on your team prospects to get drafted this summer?

Jason:  Robert Rashid from Evanston, IL was all region last year and was in the top 10 in the nation in stolen bases per game.  He may not get drafted but I expect him to get some opportunities to play at a higher level. 

Wisconsin Rivercats

It was this article that inspired me to start a blog to help promote Wisconsin baseball.  Greg Reinhard of the Wisconsin RiverCats was kind enough to do this interview with me.

BAW:   What kind of time commitment is required to be a RiverCat? 

Greg:  Each of our levels poses a different time commitment.  We have teams from 10U all the way through 18U, so obviously there has to be a difference.  At 10U, our players will play 5 tournaments, plus a few games here and there.  11U is 6 tournaments, 12U is 7 tournaments, 13U is 8 tournaments, 14U is the same.  Our older division, which is named the GRB Rays, is where all of our high school players are at.  They play 5 showcases at major universities.  They have to start a little later due to high school baseball running into June.  The showcase also need a little more travel and last longer.

What we do which is a little different than everyone else, is we prefer our players in the RiverCat system (9U to 14U) play inside their home town during the week, and then with us on the weekends.  We understand how important it is to be present in your hometown for your future.  Everyone has to play high school baseball there, and it is necessary to be a part of the home town program.  On the weekends, we expect our players to give the first priority to the RiverCats.  Also, since we draw kids from such a vast area due to the talent level we require to be a part of our program, the mid week stuff is not really feasible.

BAW:   What do you consider the biggest accomplishment of the RiverCats so far?

Greg:  We have had some pretty neat success early in our organization's development.  One accomplishment outside of the ballpark, is we are really the only organization in Wisconsin that runs from 10U to 18U.  Everyone usually is one one side or the other.  We believe that development is the number one goal, and that we have some of the best coaches for kids to learn from, regardless if they are 10U or 18U.  That being the case, why not teach them right from the beginning and develop them as they grow in the game of baseball.

On field, our 18U took 3rd place at the Pastime National Championship last July.  Our 14U recently won the prestigious Las Vegas Desert Classic, making us the first team from the Midwest to ever win that tournament I believe.  We have won or placed in several events, but those two seem to come to mind as of recent.

BAW:  What players are ones to keep an eye on in the future?

Greg:  Well, we have players at all age levels that we are super excited about.  I can honestly say that I think our organization has the most talented, baseball loving players, who are serious about the game.  I have, before running the RiverCats, worked with other organizations with practicing and other things.  None of them compare to this collective group of kids, from top to bottom.  

I will say one player, who is now headed to college.  Jordan Jess from Ripon was both a RiverCat and a Ray from a young age until the end of his high school career.  He is headed to the University of Minnesota next year to play for the Gophers, and with him being a lefty with as much velocity and room to improve in the upcoming years, he has a chance to be a very special college and hopefully professional player.  Who knows, he probably will be a name called out on draft day this year.

BAW:  Have any RiverCats alumni been drafted yet?

Greg:  No alums drafted yet, however, this is our first class ever this year getting to the high school graduating level.  I think we will see a few drafted this June.  This really is the first shot we have had as all of the guys who were here at the beginning are finally seniors.  I have to believe in the next 2 to 5 years we will have some kids get the opportunity.

BAW:  Do you have a tip for helping kids stay sharp over a Wisconsin winter?

Greg:  I think players in Wisconsin are naturally at a disadvantage.  Some days I shake my head that I somehow got drafted out of the state and have played 6 years professionally due to the weather and lack of playing time available.  

Players in Wisconsin who really want to excel need to understand the hard work involved, and recognize the disadvantage.  They can't just pick up the bat or glove come March.  It just doesn't work that way anymore.

BAW:  Anything else you want people to know about the Rivercats?

Greg:  Outside of our coaching, we have a winter program that keeps our guys playing year round. It is not necessary for our summer players to play in the winter program because we love kids who are 2 and 3 sport athletes, but many of our summer guys find a way to play year round.

Finally, we have a fall league that we run in southern Wisconsin, along with some really great camps.  We have a facility in the works for next year, and we can not wait for that point of our program.  It really is all about giving players the opportunities.  Everyone who loves the game of baseball as everyone in our program does, should find a way to grow and advance the game so it continues to offer to the youth and future of the sport.

We give the players who are serious about the game everything they need to be successful in their baseball futures.

 

    

Composite bats

Make sure to check the rules for wherever your going to play this year before you buy a new bat.  There has been a lot of changes with the comp bat rules.  Check out Loud Mom in the Stands and her posts on the issue. 

WBA Thunder Jaxx

 I'd like to thank Eric Greening of the WBA Thunder Jaxx for taking the time to answer some questions for me.

BAW:  How did the Thunder Jaxx get started?

Eric:  The ThunderJaxx were started last year when there were guys who weren't in the Legion or Babe Ruth circle. Here in Wausau the Legion team has it's pick of 3 different school districts so it is an All-Star team of sorts. Along with the ridiculous rule Legion put in a few years ago that college freshman could play after their first year in college, this left a lot of underclassmen in the area with no where to play. When we started telling people we were starting a team, people started contacting us from outside of Wausau to try out. We had a very good team at the 16u level last year considering it was our first year, and this year it is looking like we will continue that stride to being one of the more elite programs in the state.

BAW:  What kind of time commitment is required to play for the Thunder Jaxx?

Eric:  The time commitment is dependent on the age level. We are offering teams at the 12u, 14u, 16u, and 18u ages, and the 12u will play 3 weekends in the summer, the 14/16u will play 4, and the 18u will play 5 weekends. One thing that we do not, and will not do, is pull from local leagues (Little League, Junior/Senior League, Legion, etc...) meaning our practices are offered in the mornings during the summer as to not interfere with leagues. Also, we are working very hard on our schedule for the older guys this summer so we don't pull away from the Legion tournaments. We have various events through the winter that we do such as a whiffle ball night, movie night etc, where guys on the teams can come down and interact with other team members.

BAW:  Do you have a tip for helping kids stay sharp over a Wisconsin winter?

Eric:  The key to staying sharp through the seemingly endless winters in Wisconsin is to stay active with your swing/throwing on a weekly basis. I hear it over and over about there not being enough time, but when you think about it, we are open from 3pm-9pm Tue-Fri, 9am-2pm Sat, and by appointment Sun/Mon. All I would suggest in the middle of winter is 1 hour/week. Once the season approaches and the winter sports slow down, then I would start putting in more time, but asking a kid to commit 1 hour/week isn't a whole lot, and that is all it takes to maintain mechanics so when spring rolls around, they aren't picking up a bat or ball for the first time a week before practice. That also helps in injury prevention when a young guy tries to impress his coach on March 21st at the first day of practice and throws out his arm. With this in mind, we have started a "Velocity" program that is a 12 week boot camp to really get arms and bodies in shape so when the first practice comes, guys are already in mid-season form.

BAW:  Anything else you want people to know about the Thunder Jaxx?

Eric:  A big thing we can offer is the level of coaching that you can't find anywhere else in the area. Our head coach at the 18u level was recently named to the "WIAC All-Decade Team" as a member of the UW-Oshkosh Titans. He also played professionally for the Kansas City Royals. He knows what it takes to get to that next level, and that is very important to us to be able to help the guys reach their full potential and get to that next level.  I will be coaching the 14/16u teams and my experience was winning a Division 3 National Championship at UW-Whitewater, coaching there after my playing career was done and also coaching at various positions in high school and other travel ball organizations throughout the state. This past summer I was the hitting coach for the Wisconsin Woodchucks of the Northwoods League. Our dedication to finding top level coaches is very important and will always be an integral part of what the Wisconsin Baseball Academy, and more specifically the ThunderJaxx organization is all about.

Elite All-Star Teams

There are some elite all-star teams in Wisconsin that are not tied to an individual youth baseball league.  They take kids from around the state and travel to play in some higher quality tournaments. Here are some that I have found;

• Wisconsin Rockhounds 
• WAS Baseball
•  Wisconsin All-Stars
• WBA Thunder Jaxx 
•  Wisconsin Rivercats

2010 MLB draft

Wisconsin ranks near the bottom most years when it comes to the number of players selected in the MLB draft.  Last year only 6 Wisconsin born players were selected.

Tyler Jones a RHP from Milwaukee was drafted by the White Sox in the 21st round, but instead chose to transfer to LSU after pitching for Madison College the last two years.  He also pitched for the Madison Mallards of the Northwoods League this past summer.  

Kurtis Muller  was taken in the 22nd round by the Reds. The Sun Prairie native decided to sign and forgo his senior season at Iowa.  He played CF for the rookie level Arizona League Reds last summer.

RHP Conor Fisk was drafted by the Milwaukee Brewers in the 34th round out of Grafton High School.  He didnt sign with the home state team and instead enrolled at Wabash Valley College in Illinois.  

Benjamin Versnik

West Allis native Benjamin Versnik was drafted in the 38th round by the Seattle Mariners after putting up a solid season working out of the pen for UW-Whitewater.  He made six appearances for the Mariners rookie league affiliate in Pulaski to end the summer. 

Kettle Moraine High alum Scott Matyas returned to the University of Minnesota after being selected in the 40th round by Milwaukee.  The RHP will likely be the closer for the Gophers again this season.

The Brewers also selected Billy Schroeder out of Grand Canyon University in the 47th round.  The Muskego native joined the military instead of following in his father's footsteps.  

University Clinics and Camps

The universities in Wisconsin with baseball teams offer a great benefit to youth ball players in their area.  Some of them have had baseball camps or clinics going on since summer ended, and others are just getting theirs started now.  Here are the links to the university camps I was able to find.

•  UW Stevens Point
• UW Superior 
•  UW Stout
•  UW Whitewater
•  Ripon College
•  Madison College
•  UW Platteville
•  UW LaCrosse
•  UW Oshkosh
•  UW Milwaukee
•  Marian University
• Edgewood College 
• Lawrence University 

Let me know if you know of one I missed.

Intro

Baseball players in Wisconsin have it tough.  The season is short and there is a major lack of indoor facilities to practice in over the winter.  And to top it off our biggest university doesn't offer it as a scholarship sport.  I think we still have a ton of good ball players in this state, but they might not get the attention they deserve.  I hope to change some of that and highlight talent from around the state.  I also plan on sharing resources and other helpful info I find along the way.  Maybe even share an opinion about the Brew Crew now and then.