Aug. 23, 2006
NORMAL, Ill. -
Throughout the country during the summer, collegiate baseball players often travel away from their respective homes and schools to compete in competitive summer baseball leagues to hone their skills. For several of Illinois State's baseball players, the summer was spent learning to adapt to new surroundings, teammates, coaches and to wood bats in those leagues. As the Redbirds return to ISU, they will look to bring their new experiences and talents with them, which will hopefully translate into a successful fall baseball season and a thrilling 2007 campaign.
ISU head coach Jim Brownlee believes that the summer baseball experience is one that teaches the players a lot about the game of baseball.
"When these players compete during the summer, it's the closest thing they can have to being a professional player," said Brownlee. "Often times, they are traveling around the country in buses and playing six out of the seven days of the week, just like professionals do. Plus, most of them have to get used to hitting with or pitching against wood bats, which can be a shock to some of their batting averages and ERA's from the previous spring season. It's always interesting to see how the players react, and it really makes them think if they really want to play baseball for a living."
A few Redbirds traveled long distances to play baseball this summer, with senior outfielder Matt Bolt moving the farthest away from home. Bolt played for the Anchorage Bucs of the Alaska Baseball League for a month before returning home with an injury early in the summer. Junior third baseman Ryan Anetsberger also made a long trip, traveling to Falmouth, Mass., to play for the Falmouth Commodores of the Cape Cod Baseball League. Anetsberger finished the summer with a .224 average, hit two home runs and knocked in 15 RBI in 39 games.
Sophomore pitcher Jim Sajewich also had a solid summer away from the central region of the country, as he traveled to Virginia to play for the Faquier Gators of the Clark C. Griffith Collegiate Baseball League. The right-hander appeared in 11 games for the Gators, and posted a 1-0 record with a 2.82 ERA in 38.1 innings of work. His lone start of the summer was a complete-game, two-hit shutout win over Herndon on July 19.
Junior-college transfer Tyler Cox and senior second baseman Jesse Griswold migrated north to the Northwoods League for the Thunder Bay Border Cats and the Brainerd Blue Thunder, respectively. Cox finished the summer with a 4-2 record on the mound in 10 appearances with Thunder Bay and the Quincy Gems of the Central Illinois Collegiate League. Griswold hit .204 with nine doubles and 15 RBI in 45 games for Brainerd.
The rest of the Redbirds joined Cox in the CICL, with Kevin Dubler leading the way. The sophomore catcher was an All-Star selection for the DuPage County Dragons and won the home run derby at the CICL All-Star Game. He hit .264 and started 42 games for the Dragons, while adding eight doubles, five triples, four home runs and 22 RBI. Sophomores Mike Tokarski and Mike Stalowy were teammates for the Twin City Stars, who went on to win the CICL tournament as Stalowy was named tournament co-MVP. Junior catcher Brad Sashko completed the group in the CICL, as he played in 10 games for the Dubois County Bombers.
- more -
For Brownlee, it doesn't matter which league his players participate in, as long as they continue to improve and come into fall practice ready to play.
"Whether the league is considered `prestigious' or not does not really matter to me, as long as the players work hard and continue to improve their skills," said Brownlee. "No matter if you are playing in the CICL or the Cape League, it all comes down to if you can play or you can't. All of these leagues are good and the players that participate in them often return with higher levels of confidence and a new respect for the game of baseball, which is something that every coach wishes his players have."
