This summer, D3baseball.com will follow some D-III players as they wind their way through the summer playing a little summer baseball. In our first installment, we have this update on Chapman outfielder John Semel.

By Travis Cross

When most college students are at the beach or in an office completing an internship over the summer, a few athletes get the opportunity to play summer baseball. No class, no responsibility except coming to the park to play every day. John Semel, a D3baseball.com All-American from Chapman, is one of these lucky few.

Semel plays for the Green Bay Bullfrogs in the Northwoods League; at least for now. He was selected by the New York Mets in the 26th round on June 10th, finding out the news just after his team had taken the field for batting practice. He's currently undecided on his future, as he still has two years remaining in his NCAA eligibility.

The Northwoods League is regarded as one of the top summer leagues in terms of talent next to Cape Cod. The NWL boasts fourteen teams and a 68 game schedule in 74 days.

"This is a marathon," Semel says, "The college season is a sprint. You drop one here or have a bad game, it's not as big of a deal, you have sixty-something left."

This marathon goes further back than Semel leads on. The typical summer plans begin to be made in early March and culminate in April, when players sign contracts locking them to a team for the summer. For Semel, it was a choice between the New England Collegiate Baseball League, where teammate Wayde Kitchens played in 2008, and the Northwoods league.

Semel talked to both Kitchens and Kurt Yacko (Chapman, Colorado Rockies low-A), who played for the Bullfrogs in 2007, about the leagues and ultimately decided on Green Bay based on the atmosphere.

"You have fans who love baseball here," he says, "Two days ago it was pouring rain and miserable, and we still had 1,500 fans in the stands."

Once the contract was signed in April, the focus was on Chapman's regular season. Chapman advanced to the World Series in Appleton, Wisconsin, which is just a 45-minute drive away from Green Bay. When Chapman lost to Wooster in the semi-finals, sending the team back to California, Semel stayed behind.

His father, Steve, stayed to help with the move to Green Bay where Semel lives with a host family; the same one Yacko lived with in 2007. He lives in his own room, as all of the players on Green Bay do, and was provided his own car for the summer.

With the off-field logistics taken care of, it was time to begin why players are here: to play baseball. The stress of playing every day takes its toll on the body, but Semel says it's more than that.

"It's a grind," says Semel, "Some days you feel great, other days you just have to power through it, there's not time to slow down."

Semel is currently the starting left fielder and three-hitter for the Bullfrogs. Through 16 games, he is the team leader in average (.326), at-bats (62), runs (14), hits (21), doubles (5), RBI's (12), and slugging percentage (.468).

"The competition is the best I've ever faced," Semel says, "it'll eat you up if you're not ready to play".

The hardest part through 16 games?

"The bus rides, by far," he says.

The team travels by charter bus to away games in the 7-team Southern division. The farthest ride is to face the Battle Creek Bombers in Battle Creek, Michigan. The ride is over six and a half hours long.

"A lot of iPod time," Semel quips.

The Bullfrogs provide a number of amenities for their players. Each player receives a pass to the nearby Bellin Health Fitness Center. Bellin has a staff of physical therapists (who are the athletic-trainers for the team), weight room, doctors, and food court in their facility; it's also where the NFL Green Bay Packers condition in-season. Not a bad perk for summer ball.

Green Bay also provides a post-game spread for the players after games and meals on the road, either catered or joint outings; the team does not provide per-diem.

A Bullfrog player's schedule usually looks something like this for a 7:00 pm game:

10:00 am: Gym Lift, treatment from physical therapists, lunch
2:00 pm: Extra work at the field Cage work, running, etc.
3:00 pm: Team-activity begins Batting Practice, ground balls
4:30 pm: Eat Some players go out to a local deli, others bring food from home
5:30 pm: Get suited up
6:00 pm: Pre-game The Bullfrogs take pre-game 4-5 times a week; not every game
7:00 pm: Gametime

Green Bay is currently fifth in the South division with a 7-10 record.

You can find more about the Northwoods League and the Green Bay Bullfrogs at www.greenbaybullfrogs.com. The Bullfrogs provide live audio for their games and are broadcast periodically on Northwoods League TV.