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.