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Todd Emr (pictured) and Brian Hurld have continued their baseball careers playing for the Namur Angels in Belgium.

If it's Tuesday, it's Belgium

In the second installment of our series on international baseball, D3baseball.com catches up with John Hopkins' Todd Emr and Rodger William's Brian Hurld. Grinnell's Gary Kahn was featured last week.

by Travis Cross

The menu might as well be a pictograph. Brian Hurld and Todd Emr are in a restaurant in Belgium and staring at the menu. They look up at each other then back at the menu, uncertainty their next step. One thing is clear: reading a Belgian menu when you don't know French can be bit difficult.

"I do a lot of pointing at menus and saying merci", says Emr. "It's working pretty well."

Hurld and Emr are roommates playing for the Namur Angels in Belgium. The Angels are part of Ligue Francophone Belge de Baseball, which also has seven levels in all including a "Cadet" level for 12-15 year olds. They are both rookies to the league and to Belgium. Hurld, who attended Roger Williams, has been in Belgium for four weeks while the Johns Hopkins graduate Emr has three weeks under his belt.

As part of playing for the Angels, both players are responsible for coaching the Cadet team for two practices and one game per week. The pictograph analogy now switches to the dubbed audio track seen in the cartoon exchanges between a pet and human.

"I do a lot of demonstrations showing how it should be done but it's still hard not being able to explain what they are doing wrong," says Emr.

"I've definitely been able to laugh at myself a lot," Hurld says. "My French is terrible."

Hurld and Emr represent the two allowable players per team with non-European passports. Foreign policy allows them to stay in Europe for a three-month stay before having to return to the US. Both came over in late June to replace two Americans who had played the first half of the season.

Most of their teammates speak English well but it's not easy getting through the language barrier. That doesn't stop the players from trying.

"Guys on the team invite us to hang out all the time because they know we do not know the area that well," says Emr.

As much as their teammates help them get to know the area, as the saying goes, there's no substitute for an American cheeseburger. Or in this case, other Americans.

"Games are very social," adds Emr. "We hang out after the games for an hour or two talking to the Americans on the other teams."

The influence of American players in the Belgium leagues has made its mark both through the players and the coaches. The Angels' coach has attended coaching conventions in the US and brought back a popular fast, small-ball style of play. Many teams employ hit-and-runs regularly and bunt with no outs and a runner on base regardless of the score.

"We have [bunted] down six runs with the bottom of the lineup," says Emr.

"Attempt to bunt," corrects Hurld.

The competition is on par with typical Division III games but there is a marked difference between the top and bottom teams. Hurld says that the league is very top heavy in terms of talent, which explains the necessity to manufacture offense.

"If the first couple pitchers get in trouble there are not many guys left to throw," adds Emr.

Belgium baseball draws about 50 fans to each game held at fields with clubhouses for each team. The fields are comparable to most Division III playing surfaces with some that are better than others. The dimensions of the outfield wall are the only significant difference from DIII.

"It is common to find a field where the dimensions are 280, 330, 390 from left to right," says Hurld. "We have played at one field [in six games] that had normal dimensions."

"This is a great opportunity and I'm having a blast but I do have college loans to start paying back," he adds.

The paycheck isn't enough to start a 401k, but it covers living expenses and a little extra. Players are paid about $740 Euros, roughly $520 US, combined per month.

That's not much to live on much less enjoy a Saturday night at the local drinking establishment having a nice soda pop. That's where the Angels come through again.

"Living expenses are basically non-existent," says Hurld

The Angels, who do not sign their players to contracts opting instead for a verbal agreement, also pay for housing and a round trip plane ticket. The players buy groceries out of their paychecks every two weeks leaving over $400 for the rest of the month to spend on whatever they please.

"We spend our money traveling and on treats in Namur", says Emr.

Playing internationally hasn't convinced Hurld or Emr to move for good; both are planning on coming back to the United States and starting their careers after the summer.

"It was a little nerve-racking in the beginning," says Emr, "but once I got used to it it's been a ton of fun."

Hurld agrees.

"Soak it all in, enjoy every moment because these are the stories you'll tell your kids someday."

With a month and a half left in Belgium, who knows, maybe he'll be able to tell them in French.

More information on the Namur Angels can be found here: http://www.namur-angels.be/HTML/competition.php?div=1BB

Beware, it's in French.

Permalink | Jul 28, 2009

Kahn makes mark in Sweden

As a senior with the Grinnell Pioneers in 2009, Gary Kahn was tops in the Midwest Conference in opponent batting average at .191.

By Travis Cross

This is the first in a series of profiles of former Division III baseball players who are or have played international baseball. Our first installment follows Gary Kahn, a pitcher from Grinnell who is currently playing in Sweden.

Imagine this - it's mid-June and you sit on your couch, an undrafted, recent college graduate. Even though a few teams from an independent league have shown some interest in your right arm, it doesn't quite feel right. An email alert pings from your computer and you roll off the couch to check who it's from.

Flash forward 72 hours and you look out the porthole-sized window of your airplane. What are you looking at? Florida, also known as the last piece of US soil you'll see until September.

Sound unreal? Welcome to Gary Kahn's world.

Kahn plays for the Karlskoga Bats of the Elitserien League in Sweden. The Elitserien (pronounced E-Lee-Serian) is the top level of Swedish professional baseball, offensively geared, and lefty heavy. Most international baseball falls short of the "American" competition standard of MLB and MiLB, but baseball is an international language where lessons can be taught quickly.

"You can't make mistakes to these hitters," says Kahn, "facing lefties almost every at-bat makes it a challenge."

Finding a team to make it all possible was the first step. For this, Kahn relied on an international message board. He posted his 2009 statistics and received an email from Karlskoga in the middle of June expressing their interest and the rest is history.

The Bats sent along a contract and negotiations were conducted through email with terms of a contract being agreed upon very quickly.

"It was only a 72-hour period between the team sending the contract and me boarding a flight out of Miami," says Kahn.

He can't say how much he makes but has only positive things to say in regards to his contract.

"The [contract] is very generous," says Kahn, "and such that I do not have to worry about how to finance my time abroad."

Most pitchers in the league throw in the low 80's with average off-speed stuff, according to Kahn. The season is played primarily on Saturdays in a doubleheader fashion, which doesn't differ much from traditional Division III seasons. Variations between American and Swedish baseball are small, the most noticeable differences are seen outside the lines.

Two functioning bullpens for each team are a rarity as are dimensions on the outfield walls, warning tracks, and spectator stands. Despite the lack of amenities, the quality of the playing surface doesn't suffer.

"The fields themselves are comparable to many collegiate fields," says Kahn, "I was very happy to see this upon my arrival."

The stage is set to begin play except for one vital piece of the puzzle: the fans. The Bats don't draw the 800+ fans an Independent team would in the States but the support is still noticed.

"It's not as many fans as you would see at most professional games," says Kahn, "however the fans do give some nice support for their home team."

And how do they show this support?

"If the weather is nice, you'll see a lot of fans catching some rays, downing some of their beloved beer, and enjoying some baseball," replies Kahn.

Sunshine, tanning, beer, and baseball seem have made the transition to international play almost as easily as Kahn, who studied abroad in the fall of 2007. Kahn, an Anthropology major, traveled to Copenhagen, Denmark for a semester to conduct studies on trafficking and prostitution in Western Europe. While in Denmark he studied the Danish language, which is very similar to Swedish.

"Culturally, Swedish nuances and traditions are quite similar to that of Denmark," adds Kahn.

While abroad in 2007, he learned the best ways to talk to friends and family back home, including his brother Ryan who plays baseball at Johns Hopkins. He communicates via Skype, a free internet-based phone program, and the social networking site Facebook. Email is also a heavily used.

This trip overseas, with the encouragement of friends, he's started a blog that includes pictures and updates for his two and a half month trip.

In the fall of 2010, Kahn sees himself in law school. For the next year and a half he has plans of an internship but wants to play again next season.

"I would recommend it to any player who has enough courage to step outside of their comfort zone and experience a new way of life and brand of baseball," says Kahn.

Kahn's statistics can be found at http://tinyurl.com/orbdrj
His blog can be found at: http://garyinsweden.blogspot.com/

Permalink | Jul 22, 2009

Lesley to add baseball

The Lesley University Athletic Department has responded to the success of their teams and growth of their student-athlete body population by sponsoring their sixth sport on the men's side by adding men's baseball to begin play for the 2010-2011 season. The addition of one of the region's and nation's most historic games will bring Lesley's varsity sports total to 12, six men's and six women's programs.

"The university is extremely excited about the addition of baseball here at Lesley and the successful future we expect it to have," comments Athletic Director Stanley Vieira.

Needing one more sport to meet NCAA compliance for the equality of men's and women's sports on campus, the possibility of making baseball the sixth men's sport seemed intriguing for many different reasons.

"As a staff we felt that being in the New England region that is rich with baseball history, that adding baseball was a wonderful match for our growing athletic department."

Lesley received full support from the New England Collegiate Conference, their site of competition, who agreed that adding another institution that sponsored baseball to their conference had its benefits. The most important benefit will be the automatic qualifier into the NCAA Tournament that the conference champion will receive in the spring of 2011.

Leading the Lynx in their first year of competition will be Head Coach Michael Rocco, a former assistant at fellow NECC school Daniel Webster College, who knows the ins-and-outs of the conference and what Lesley's chances are of success.

"I am privileged and honored that the Lesley Athletic Department has chosen me to pilot it's athletic program to a new level of competition and notoriety with the addition of baseball to the men's varsity sports," says Rocco.

"Lesley University stands out as one of the most outstanding universities in the nation and the addition of baseball will only create more interest from talented student-athletes. The NECC is a conference on the rise in New England and in Division III. The blend of location and what the university has to offer should give us the ability to compete and flourish in our conference."

Before Coach Rocco leads his team on the field, however, he will focus his efforts on recruiting a group of young men to come to the university.

Lesley, a former women's college, opened its doors to the male population in 2004 and has successfully brought in new students with a wide variety of academic majors that embrace a liberal arts philosophy. The expanded curriculum includes business management, global studies, communications and technology, history, and mathematics to name a few but the university still stays true to its roots as one of highest quality education programs in the country.

"With the expanded curriculum and the growth of the university, we feel that Lesley is not just a viable option but an ideal place for student-athletes to grow both in the classroom and on the playing field," says Vieira.

For the next year, however, the Lesley community and its supporters must wait to see the product of a full year of preparation for the 2010-2011 season. The team will plan to play the non-traditional fall ball season where there are two weeks of practice and a single day of competition.

Early in that first year, the baseball team will also be fundraising for a spring training trip to a destination to be determined with the goal of establishing legitimacy in the Division III baseball world right off the bat.

There is a sense of excitement and anticipation for men's baseball in the Lesley community and with strong leadership and direction from the coaching staff, a solid core of student-athletes on the field, and the support of students, faculty, and administrators on campus the team will undoubtedly have success in the years to come.

Permalink | Jul 17, 2009

UW-La Crosse is trying to raise another $25,000 to keep baseball around for 2010.

UW-La Crosse athletics photo

UW-La Crosse makes last pitch for baseball

The UW-La Crosse baseball program is still on the chopping block and finds its future up in the air this summer.

Eagles fans originally heard that their program, which went 22-16, 13-11 in the WIAC this past season, was done.

But a public outcry forced the administration to reconsider.

In early June, the school's chancellor, Joe Gow, released the following statement: "We had planned today to formally notify the Wisconsin Intercollegiate Athletic Association (WIAC) about the elimination of these two programs; however, at the request of numerous alumni, parents and friends of the University we are delaying notifying WIAC officials about our plans so that our coaches and potential donors can determine whether it is feasible for these two sports to be supported entirely through private funding for the coming year, and possibly on into the future."

To save UW-La Crosse baseball, the program needs to raise $50,000. According to SaveUWLbaseball.com, a Web site devoted to helping maintain the sport, a little less than half of that total remains to be pledged.

Division III baseball fans who are interested in doing more should visit the Web site and make a donation.

"There's no question we're in the final inning," coach Chris Schwarz, a UW-L alumnus, told the Wisconsin State Journal. "I think we're down to the final out."

Permalink | Jul 15, 2009

Filak throws no-hitter

Dave Filak's no-hitter is the second in the 14-team New York Collegiate Baseball League this summer.

Photo by James A. Ellis, Leader-Herald

By John McGraw

Oneonta State rising junior Dave Filak knows a thing or two about throwing strikes and not allowing a lot of hits. This spring, he led the nation in strikeouts per nine innings (14.86) and hits allowed per nine innings (5.07).

Sunday night, Filak pitched a seven-inning no-hitter and struck out 13 to lead his Amsterdam Mohawks over the Glens Falls Golden Eagles in a New York Collegiate Baseball League game at East Field in Glens Falls, N.Y. The Oneonta State fireballer faced six batters over the minimum and walked five in the two-hour contest though he allowed just one runner to advance past first base.

"I take my hat off to the pitcher (Filak). He did a great job," said Golden Eagles outfielder Rodarrick Jones to the Glens Falls Post-Star. Glens Falls manager John Mayotte agreed, "Outstanding pitching. Pitching dominated. There's no doubt about that. (Filak) ... just kept going at us and pitched a great game."

Filak's no-hitter is the second in the 14-team New York Collegiate Baseball League this summer. Through six starts, the Burnt Hills, N.Y., native is 3-1 with a 3.14 earned run average. The Red Dragon is second on his team and in the entire league with 48 strikeouts. He has posted double-digit strikeout numbers in two of his six starts this summer.

The Eastern Division of the New York Collegiate Baseball League has taken notice and Filak was one of several pitchers chosen to be in the NYCBL Top Prospects Game, a contest for players whom the league's coaches believe are pro prospects who did not make the All-Star Game roster.

Woods enjoys home cooking: Each summer, many New England based players stay at home to play their summer baseball in the New England Collegiate Baseball League. One of those players is Trinity (Conn.) rising senior Jim Wood. He is currently playing for the Holyoke (Mass.) Blue Sox. Through Sunday, Wood led the 12-team NECBL with a .389 batting average. He is also tied for the league lead in hits (35) and second in RBI (20). Wood was recently part of a team that played at Fenway Park in the Red Sox Draft Class Showcase against a squad made up of Red Sox draft picks.

Twice is nice for Van Sickler: Greg Van Sickler (Shenandoah) is slated to represent two different teams in All-Star competition. Van Sickler, a member of the Valley Baseball League's Front Royal Cardinals was selected to play in the Valley League All-Star Game and the Mid-Atlantic Classic, a contest pitting a Valley League all-star team against one from the Cal Ripken Sr. Collegiate League. Heading into the VBL all-star break, Van Sickler was 3-1 with a 3.69 ERA in five starts. He has struck out 28 batters and walked three in 31.2 innings. Sunday night, Van Sickler threw a scoreless frame in the VBL All-Star Game. The Mid-Atlantic Classic takes place on Wednesday and can be seen on MASN.

Youchak a hit in Prospect: Brian Youchak (Johns Hopkins) leads the Prospect League with a .366 batting average through 27 games. Youchak plays for the Butler (Pa.) Blue Sox and he is one of a few Division III players in the league.

Moran and Ferrell find summer success: St. Joseph (Maine) Monks' right-hander Pat Moran, will represent the Anderson Servants in the Great Lakes Collegiate Summer League All Star Game. Moran leads the league with 29 strikeouts and ranks second with 30 innings pitched. He currently is tied for the league lead in starts (5) and ranks as the Servants' leader in earned run average (2.40). Fellow GLCSL Aall-star, Greg Ferrell of the Stark County Terriers was named the player of the week with a 0.571 BA, 3 doubles, 3 SB, 3 RBI, and 0.786 SLG % last week.

It is an All-Star time of year: Many summer leagues around the country are announcing their All-Star Game rosters and here are just a few of the Division III players that have been recognized in their respective leagues to date:

Atlantic Collegiate Baseball League: Steven King (Farmingdale State), Sag Harbor Whalers, and Ryan Smith (Keystone), Northern New Jersey Eagles.

Cal Ripken Sr. League: Kyle Judson (Salisbury), College Park Bombers.

Clark Griffith League: Mike Manfro (Greensboro), Carney Pirates, Connor McGuiness (Emory), DC Grays, and Greg Uzee (Louisiana College), Vienna Senators.

Eastern Collegiate Baseball League: Nathan Skeen (Texas-Tyler), Utica Brewers; Mike Meola (Brockport State), Utica Brewers, Scott Dubben (Oneonta State), Utica Brewers, Dave Golembiowski (SUNYIT), Rome Thunderbolts, and Josh Fyffe (Penn State Behrend), Sherrill Silversmiths.

Great Lakes Collegiate Summer League: Greg Ferrell (Mount Union), Stark County Terriers, and Pat Moran (St. Josephs (Maine)), Anderson Servants.

Hawaii Collegiate -- Chris Sandini (Wentworth Tech), Kauai Menehunes.

Mountain Collegiate Baseball League: Brian Spinazzola (Stevenson), Putty Hill Panthers Blue, Kevin Williford (Frostburg State), Putty Hill Panthers Gold, George Papuchis (Stevenson), Maryland Orioles, Zac Stavish (Delaware Valley), Western HC Renegades, Chris Huisman (Johns Hopkins), Putty Hill Panthers Blue, and Chris Burke (Bates), Maryland Orioles .

Northwoods: Ryan Demmin (UW-Oshkosh), Mankato Moondogs, Northwoods -- Joel Delorit (UW-Stevens Point), Green Bay Bullfrogs, and Nolan Fadness (UW-Oshkosh), Eau Claire Express.

Prospect League: Brian Youchack (Johns Hopkins), Butler Blue Sox, Joseph Villegas (Mary Hardin-Baylor), Richmond RiverRats, and Adam Painter (Earlham), Richmond RiverRats.

Southern Collegiate Baseball League: Kevin Bratcher (Denison), Morganton Aggies, Matt Sparks (Texas-Tyler), Carolina Chaos, and Chris Colquhoun (Lynchburg), Carolina Chaos.

Valley League -- Greg Van Sickler (Shenandoah), Front Royal Cardinals.

Permalink | Jul 13, 2009

David Colvin leads the Alaska Goldpanners in innings (32.1) and strikeouts (25) with the team's third best ERA (2.23) this summer.

Photo by Jim Dixon, D3sports.com

Colvin, Kang prepare for '10

By Travis Cross with contributions by Jim Dixon

When teams report in the spring for baseball season they are filled with that special Christmas morning feeling of mystery and excitement. It's the potential of what could be, when all teams are tied for first and the stat sheet is still blank.

This year, Pomona-Pitzer ran down the stairs and rounded the corner only to find that two of their coaches had declined to show for the spring season.

"We could either moan and complain," says senior infielder James Kang, "or get on with our season".

A SCIAC championship, regional playoff berth, and a No. 1 ranking on D3baseball.com later, it's safe to say that they moved on. But not as far as they'd like.

"Where we want to be," adds Kang, "is Wisconsin. Regionals aren't good enough".

Kang and junior teammate righthander David Colvin are each playing this summer with next season's success in mind. Regional appearances and championships are won during the spring but the preparation starts the summer before the calendar year even begins. After all, it's called the 2009-10 season for a reason.

Colvin is part of the 50th anniversary season with the Alaska Goldpanners. He's no rookie to summer ball having helped the Keene Swamp Bats to a 24-17 record in 2008 where he was 2-0 with 15 strikeouts in 13 appearances while pitching out of the bullpen.

The Goldpanners, who reside further north than any baseball team on earth, have taken advantage of the near 24-hour sunshine since 1960 by hosting the Midnight Sun Baseball Classic.

"It's a lot of fun," says Colvin, "you don't get to sleep until 5:00 a.m. I get a lot of energy [with the daylight]".

Colvin, who has yet to crack the win column this summer, is 0-4 with a 2.23 ERA in 32.1 innings pitched. It's worth noting that over half of his runs are unearned.

Colvin's counterpart James Kang is playing for the Southern California Black Sox, an independent team in the Southern California area. The team is run by the Red Sox scout who drafted D3baseball.com Player of the Year Drew Hedman in June. Kang is currently the team's starting shortstop, a position that is new to him.

"I want to diversify myself and get ready for next year," says Kang, who will be Pomona-Pitzer's starting shortstop next season.

The team plays elite high school and college teams in the area during the summer but aren't part of an affiliated league.

"The goal of the team is to develop prospects that are potentially draftable," says Kang.

The draft looms far in the future; until then, bettering themselves for the upcoming NCAA season ahead is the focus for Colvin and Kang.

"I want to be the best pitcher in D-III as well as an All-American," says Colvin.

Pomona-Pitzer lost eight players and five starters from the 2009 squad. Moving forward, according to Kang, won't be as hard as some think.

"The upperclassmen have to take it upon themselves to lead," he says, "the program will go where the leaders take it."

For a team who could be seen throwing itself batting practice frequently in the spring, this doesn't seem like a difficult transition for the Sagehens. Where the offense will come from is a different question.

The gaping hole in the middle of the order is courtesy of Drew Hedman, who led all of Division III with 24 home runs and 87 RBI in 2009. Hedman is currently playing in the Red Sox organization for the Class-A Short Season Lowell Spinners.

"It was great having [Hedman] on the team," says Colvin, "Having him in the lineup would get you five RBIs [a game]."

So what does the team do minus the tour de force that was Hedman's left-handed swing?

"[Next year] we're going to be a little more speedy overall," says Kang, "we'll have the skill guys to be a good Cal State Fullerton-type offense".

Cal State Fullerton is about forty minutes south of Pomona-Pitzer. The Titans also happened to take a trip to the Division I World Series last season, their seventh in the last ten years.

Let's just say there's a worse blueprint to follow.

More information on Colvin and Kang's summer seasons can be found at http://www.goldpanners.com/ and http://southerncaliforniablacksox.com.

Permalink | Jul 13, 2009

David Ramirez led Cal Lutheran with a .404 batting average in 2004.

Long Beach Armada photo by Mark Mauno

Ramirez is catching on

By Travis Cross

David Ramirez's tired eyes stare out toward Blair Field in Long Beach, California. His sharp chinstrap mustache is upstaged by black hair jettisoning away from his head, as if he just made the mistake of putting a fork in an electrical outlet. Not exactly who you would expect to be calling pitches for Jose Lima every fifth day.

Ramirez plays for the Long Beach Armada in Long Beach, CA. The team is known for bringing former big league talent to the field; this year, Hideki Irabu and Jose Lima lead the charge. The team is part of the Golden Baseball League, an Independent league that spans three countries and four states on the West Coast.

He's been a member of the team since 2006 and is one of only four to return from the 2008 squad. In Independent baseball, where the word "turnover" is as common as "hillbilly horseshoes" (don't ask), staying on for a second, much less a third season, is an accomplishment in itself.

"Out here," says Ramirez, "if you have a bad week, snip, you're gone; versus college ball where you still have a team to come back to on Monday."

It's the harsh truth of playing for an Independent team, which is not quite as common as "astronaut" on most children's "what I want to be when I grow up" lists. Ramirez's dream, like most who have played baseball, was to make it to the big leagues.

Ramirez was playing at Oxnard College, a junior college in Oxnard, California when scouts started talking about his defense. Both the Cincinnati Reds and San Diego Padres had called, wondering what his status was after his sophomore year. When word got out he was going back home to play for his local college, Cal Lutheran, the calls stopped coming..

"I found out fast that in Division III, you really have to put up numbers to get noticed, " reflects Ramirez

He played two years for Cal Lutheran, leading the team in batting average (.444) in 2004, but went undrafted after his senior year. Ramirez found himself an above average college player looking up through the glass ceiling, wondering how to break through. He decided to do what he had done all his life: keep playing.

Ramirez played for the Santa Barbara Foresters in the summer of 2006 and then finished up his time at Cal Lutheran, graduating with a degree in Sports Medicine in the fall. In December, he decided to give baseball one last go.

The Long Beach Armada open tryout attracted over 600 people and Ramirez was one of the few to sign a contract. The San Diego Padres took notice and invited him to Spring Training as a non-roster invitee.

" I was there a week and caught bullpens," says Ramirez, "then they told me it wasn't going to work out."

That's more than most players can say. He came to the Armada that summer and played until what he thought was his last season in 2008.

After the summer, Ramirez decided it was time to make his off-season job a full-time position. He works for Casa Pacifica, a home that serves abused and rejected children in the southern California area. He was promoted in the off-season and when it came time for Independent ball to start and Ramirez was staying put, people started asking questions why he wasn't going.

With the encouragement of fellow employees and kids at the shelter, he decided to come back to the Armada a week before the Spring Training camps began.

"The kids had pictures of me playing in their rooms," says Ramirez, "it's hard to say no to that."

He hasn't regretted it since. In a league that is traditionally pitching based, Ramirez fits in just fine.

"I love calling the game," says Ramirez, "it's the reason why I'm still here. Back-picking and throwing out runners is what I live for."

A good pitcher always helps a catcher and having two former major leaguers on staff certainly has improved Ramirez's game.

"It's rare to see [Lima and Irabu] throw in the dirt with any of their pitches," says Ramirez.

He pauses and you can see the wheels turning beneath the frayed hair.

"They just don't miss their spots," he adds smiling, "Ever."

The truth of professional sports is that everyone has to stop playing eventually. Everyone has a last game, a last season, it's only a matter of when. Many stay in the game after their playing days are done, but Ramirez doesn't like to think about that. At least that's what he tells people.

Ramirez has plans for his days after playing. He's in the process of buying a house in the Oxnard area with a backyard big enough to build a baseball field. And that's exactly what he's going to do.

"I want to help kids get better at playing the game," Ramirez says, "seeing kids get picked up and get the chance to play at the next level...that's pretty cool stuff."

Whether that's in a classroom on a high-school campus or in his own backyard, Ramirez doesn't know just quite yet.

"I'm just taking it month by month, day by day," he says, "the only thing I know is that I'm going to stay around the game for as long as I can."

Permalink | Jul 06, 2009

D-III players make CBL All Star Game

Kyle Hudson, who played at Ozarks from 2004-06 and in 2008, notched a school-record 14 saves and was an All-Conference player in 2005 and 2006.

Curt Dixon and Kyle Hudson were voted to play in the 2009 Continental Baseball League All-Star Game to be held July 7 in Alexandria, Louisiana, the league office announced. Joining Dixon and Clark on the Texas roster is Nick Sottung.

Both Dixon and Hudson starred at Ozarks as pitchers under head coach Jimmy Clark. Dixon, a starter, plays for the Big Bend Cowboys while Hudson, a reliever, is a member of the Bay Area Toros. Sottung, who played at Ithaca, is a starter for the Texarkana Gunslingers.

The CBL All-Star Game will be a Texas vs. Louisiana format, with the game played at historic Bringhurst Field, home of the Alexandria Aces, beginning at 7:15 p.m. on Tuesday.

"This is what it's all about, a chance for our featured players to face off against each other for one game, in front of a great crowd, and to showcase their skills," said CBL commissioner Ron Baron.

Dixon has given up just 10 earned runs in his five starts and owns a 3-3 record. Opposing batters are hitting just .220 off him, and he's averaging more than a strikeout an inning. Hudson is the league-leader in ERA (1.25) with a 2-1 record in 21.2 innings of work. Hudson has struck out 22 and has given up 15 hits. Sottung is 4-2 through the holiday weekend with a 3.07 ERA. Sottung has 30 strikeouts in 44 innings of work.

Permalink | Jul 06, 2009

Chris Heisey holds career hitting records for batting average (.405) and home runs (23) at Messiah.

Photo provided by Messiah Sports Information

Chris Heisey named to Futures Game

Triple-A Louisville outfielder Chris Heisey was selected to participate in the All-Star Futures Game in St. Louis.

"It's tough to have a better week than what Chris had," said Bryan Engle, Messiah head baseball coach. "Both (being promoted and being named to the Futures Game) are huge. Chris has continued to climb the ladder within the Reds organization, and he's now a step away (from the major leagues). Talent-wise, he's right there. You're the next door neighbor to the big-league team. And I don't mean that geographically."

It's been a dominating season for Heisey who made the jump to the top minor league team in the Cincinnati Red's organization last week. Heisey was the Carolina Mudcat's top batter, batting .347 with 13 home runs, 40 RBIs and a .426 on-base percentage in 71 games before his promotion. In six games for the Louisville Bats, Heisey has continues his hot hitting with a .348 (8-23) batting average in six games.

The 24-year-old Heisey, a 17th-round selection by the Reds in the 2006 First-Year Player Draft, was ranked at or near the top of the Southern League in numerous offensive categories before his promotion. Heisey has led the Southern League batting race for several weeks, while appearing in the top five in a multitude of other offensive categories. Prior to being sent to Louisville, Heisey was fourth in home runs (13), first in hits (94), second in on-base percentage (.426), first in slugging (.572), second in extra base hits (33), and first in runs scored (54).

The 11th annual XM All-Star Futures Game, which pits the best Minor League prospects from the United States against the best from the rest of the world, will be held at Busch Stadium on Sunday, July 12, at 2 p.m. ET. The Futures Game rosters are selected by Baseball America, the Major League Baseball Scouting Bureau, MLB.com and all 30 major league clubs. Every major league organization must be represented by at least one player, but no club is allowed to send more than two.

Permalink | Jul 03, 2009

Carthage shocked by Schissel's death

Kenosha News photo by Drew Thompson

Carthage pitcher Sam Schissel died on June 27 at his home in Somers, Wis., following a 10-day illness with flu or pneumonia-like symptoms. The left-handed pitcher, who would have celebrated his 19h birthday on June 28, sat out the 2009 season after transferring from the University of Minnesota in January 2009.

Schissel was named 2008 Wisconsin Baseball Coaches Association first-team all-state and first-team All-Southeast Conference on a Wisconsin Interscholastic Athletic Association Division 1 state-championship team. He compiled an 8-0 record with a 1.88 earned run average in 15 appearances and eight starts. Schissel attended Park High School in Racine, Wis., his junior year and was named first-team all-conference with a 3-2 mark and a 1.33 ERA.

"Sam was a very talented pitcher, a great competitor, and we considered him a part of us," said Carthage coach Augie Schmidt IV. "For a kid who never played in the program, he touched a lot of people. He was a kid you couldn't help but like. We are shocked and real saddened. He had so much left to do."

"The Carthage athletic department and the baseball program are deeply saddened by this tragic news," said Carthage Director of Athletics Robert Bonn." "I first met Sam when he was working on his transfer from the University of Minnesota. He was so happy to be back in Kenosha and to be a part of the Carthage baseball team. He had a special relationship with Augie Schmidt and pitching coach Cory Everts and was really looking forward to pitching for the Red Men. Sam had amazing athletic talent, but I was struck by his outgoing and fun-loving personality. He made more friends in a month than most students do in their four years. Our thoughts and prayers go out to Sam's family."

Permalink | Jun 28, 2009

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