Casey Crosby Chat with Baseball America

Tigers lefthander and No.2 prospect Casey Crosby chatted with fans and Baseball America yesterday 1-29-10.  Casey is from Kaneland High school in Maple Park, Illinois.

Casey was selected by the Detroit Tigers in the 5th round of the 2007 amateur draft.  Last season Crosby played in the Midwest League for the West Michigan Whitecaps and went 10-4 with a 2.41 ERA with 117 strikeouts in 104.2 innings. 


You can read the entire chat by following the link below:

www.baseballamerica.com/today/prospects/chat/2010/269454.html

Rose-Hulman Chosen as Preseason HCAC Baseball Favorite

From Baseball in Illinois News Sources

The Heartland Collegiate Athletic Conference has chosen Rose-Hulman as the favorite to claim the 2010 conference crown. 

Rose returns a host of key components from last season's team including Mideast Region Player of the Year Tim Tepe (Cincinnati, Ohio/Elder). The senior shortstop ranked among the conference leaders, slugging .764 last season with 58 RBI, six triples, 21 doubles, 87 hits, 57 runs scored, a .522 on-base percentage, and a .489 batting average. Also returning to set the table for the heart of the Engineers' order is senior catcher Keenan Long (Chicago, Illinois/Northwestern Uni.). The senior hit .356 a year ago with 45 runs scored, 60 RBI, 10 doubles, and 11 home runs.


On the mound, Rose-Hulman will be led by All-HCAC first team selection Derek Eitel (Marshall, Ill./H.S.). The senior right handed pitcher was 10-1 on the hill last year with a 4.03 earned run average. Eitel ranked first in the conference with 81 strikeouts, 82.2 innings pitched, and a .213 opponent batting average.

2010 Heartland Collegiate Athletic Conference Players to Watch from Illinois:

Keenan Long - C (Sr., Chicago, Ill./Northwestern Uni.)
Derek Eitel - P (Sr., Marshall, Ill./H.S.)
Chandler Kent - 3B (Sr., Antioch, Ill./H.S.)

CBB Interview with Dan Hartleb Head Coach University of Illinois

Excerpts from the College Baseball Blog interview with University of Illinois Head Coach Dan Hartleb.

What are your expectations for the 2010 season?


DH: I expect the program to continue to move forward. We were ranked for half of the season last year and I think that’s something that’s attainable for our program on a regular basis. We need to continue to work to move up in the conference standings and put ourselves in a position to be an NCAA tournament team on an annual basis.

Bryan Roberts is the only returning starting pitcher from the 2009 season. Who do you expect to fill the other two spots in the rotation?

DH: Will Strack also pitched quite a bit for us as a freshman and made five starts in the Big Ten, so he will contribute as a starter. Overall, I think we’re going to have good pitching depth, but It’s too early to know who will fit into that third starter spot on the weekend. My thought is that it will be a young pitcher and we have a number of those guys who are very capable. A lot of those things will be determined as we move through our four early weekends.

Last season, The Fighting Illini had five different pitchers record at least two saves. Do you expect to have someone fill in that position full-time or are you going to use the “closer by committee” theory for the season?


DH: I’m hopeful that our starting rotation is strong enough early in the year where we can use Lee Zerrusen as our full-time closer. He’s very experienced, very competitive and has shown that he’s capable of pitching late in games in tough situations.

Have any of the incoming freshmen impressed you during Fall Workouts? Do you expect any of them to break into the starting lineup/rotation this spring?

DH: I’ve been extremely impressed with our entire freshman class and I do think we have several players who could break into the starting lineup. Brandon Hohl, Kevin Johnson, Christian Cummins and Matt Milroy all are talented and athletic enough to contribute at a high level during their freshman year.

Illinois sent players in the summer of 2009 to the Northwoods League and the Alaskan League to just name a few. How do you decide where to send your players during the offseason?


DH: We’re fortunate that (associate head coach) Eric Snider was a long-time coach in the Northwoods League and has a great feel for the owners, GMs and coaches in various leagues throughout the country. He’s done a great job of getting our players involved in well-run organizations that have allowed them to mature and develop. We continue to look to send our players to different areas to gain different experiences throughout their careers.

How will the new rules with the way the scholarships can be split on the team affect your program? Do you think it is a good change for college baseball?


DH: I think the changes have affected the depth that you’re able to have on your team. I really don’t feel that the rule changes have addressed the problem. In my opinion, the problem is schools being allowed to over-sign players. If schools were forced to stay within the scholarship limits on signing day, you would see more regional recruiting, which would save money, and you would see more parity across the country.

With the removal of the one-time transfer exemption that allowed student-athletes to change schools once without having to sit out a red-shirt year, do you feel that there is more pressure on a coach to recruit with responsibility or for the student-athlete to be aware of what programs are the best fit for them?

DH: I think it’s a combination of both factors. We’ve always tried to be conscious of the type of student-athlete that we recruit. We need to be very aware of the ramifications that careless recruiting can have on the lives of student-athletes. I think it’s important that players choose universities for the right reasons and I hope they understand that after their playing careers are over, the vast majority will need to use their education to make a living. I hope we can get to a point in college baseball where everyone is extremely ethical as we deal with the recruiting process and the futures of our student-athletes.

Nady, Cubs complete one-year deal

Baseball in Illinois News Sources
courtesy of MLB.com

Xavier Nady finalized his one-year contract with the Cubs on Friday, but he still has some health hurdles to leap before Opening Day.


The Cubs' newest outfielder underwent an all-day physical exam at Chicago's Northwestern Memorial Hospital on Thursday in which doctors paid particular attention to his twice-surgically-repaired right elbow. Nady, 31, is not quite seven months removed from his second Tommy John reconstruction, and Cubs general manager Jim Hendry conceded that there remains a chance that Nady will be limited somewhat defensively at the start of the season.

That didn't stop the club from committing to a deal that, according to The Associated Press, guarantees Nady $3.3 million and has $2.05 million more available in incentives for games played.

Cubs Castro cracks Top 50 prospects list

Baseball in Illinois News Sources
Courtesy MLB.com

Shortstop Starlin Castro was the only Cubs player represented on MLB.com's Top 50 Prospects list. That's OK. He's used to being special.


The 19-year-old has charged through the Minor League ranks since he signed out of the Dominican Republic in 2006, moving from the Dominican Summer League in '07 to the Rookie Arizona League in '08 to Double-A in '09 and then to the Arizona Fall League, where Castro was the prospect-laden AFL's youngest competitor.

Now he's the 22nd-best prospect in the game, according to the scouts and executives who helped MLB.com Minor League analyst Jonathan Mayo compile his list. Starlin's meteoric rise has Cubs fans wondering how long it'll be before he's taking grounders at Wrigley Field.

Miners MILONS BACK FOR 2010

From Baseball in Illinois News Sources

The Southern Illinois Miners have announced that outfielder Jereme Milons will return to the team for a second season after a record-breaking first year with the Miners. In 2009 the former Dodgers draft pick hit .285 with 15 home runs and 72 RBIs along with a team-record 38 stolen bases in only 44 attempts. He also set single-season team records in doubles (27) and runs scored (80).

Gateway Grizzlies Sign Eight

From Baseball in Illinois News Sources

Gateway Grizzlies Manager Phil Warren and his coaching staff remain busy, with less than four months left before spring training, filling the roster for the 2010 season.


Coming off of a disappointing 40-54 season, Warren has currently signed eight returners from 2009.

Leading the pack of returners is All-Star catcher, Charlie Lisk. Lisk, who represented the Grizzlies for his third straight All-Star game, batted .282 in 2009. In 84 games he racked up 14 doubles, two triples, 28 home runs and drove in 82 runs. Lisk finished second in the Frontier League in runs batted in, third in home runs, fourth with a .578 slugging percentage, and fifth in total bases (199) and runs scored (77).

Along with Lisk, the Grizzlies signed utility player Brandon Peters, outfielder Jareck West, catcher Breck Draper, infielder Wilson Matos and pitchers Mark Brackman, Tom Vesely and Collin Brennan.

For Peters, 2009 was arguably his break-out season in professional baseball. In 81 games he hit .289 with 17 doubles, one triple and 11 home runs. Peters drove in 52 runs and stole four bases.

West, an Oakland Athletics farmhand until 2009, used his speedy legs tracking balls in centerfield and on the base paths. West snatched 21 bases in 75 games before an injury sidelined him for the remainder of the season. He batted .254 with 18 doubles, four triples, seven home runs and drove in 40.

Catcher/utility man Breck Draper found himself behind the plate and on the mound during the 2009 season. Offensively, Draper hit .253 in 51 games. He hit nine doubles, one triple, seven home runs and drove in 27. Draper also stole five bases. On the mound he threw 15 and 2/3 innings and did not have a record. Draper struck out nine while walking five and had an ERA of 8.04.

Matos came to the Grizzlies in early August after being released by the Windy City ThunderBolts. During his tenure with the Grizzlies, he batted .265 with three doubles and two home runs. Matos drove in five runs and stole one base.

Returning on the mound for the Grizzlies is right handed pitcher Mark Brackman. Brackman finished the 2009 season with a 6-10 record. In 127 2/3 innings, he struck out 112 while walking only 38.

Along with Brackman, right hander Tom Vesely returns from last year’s staff. Vesely finished the season 1-3 with a 5.33 ERA. In 50 and 2/3 innings, he struck out 47 and walked 28.

Lastly, right hander Collin Brennan will make his return in 2010. Brennan saw limited action in 2009 due to an arm injury. In his 23 1/3 innings, he was 2-1 with a 6.94 ERA. He struck out 30 batters while walking 10.

“I am excited about the core group of players that we have returning,” Grizzlies Manager Phil Warren said. “Obviously there will be several new faces wearing a Grizzlies uniform this summer, but the core that we have coming back will compliment the newcomers nicely.”

Cubs, Marshall avoid arbitration

Courtesy of MLB.com

The Cubs on Wednesday struck a one-year contract with left-hander Sean Marshall to avoid arbitration.

The club didn't announce terms of Marshall's new deal, but Brewers assistant general manager Gord Ash mentioned Marshall on Tuesday, along with Detroit's Zach Miner and Kansas City's Robinson Tejada, as recent signees who helped Milwaukee reach terms with arbitration-eligible reliever Carlos Villanueva. Miner, Tejada and Villanueva all will earn the same salary -- $950,000 -- in 2010.

Marshall, who will be competing for a spot in the Cubs rotation or could be a swingman again, asked for $1.175 million in arbitration, while the Cubs offered $800,000. He made $450,000 last season.

With Marshall under contract, the Cubs have only two arbitration-eligible players left unsigned, and they are key ones. Shortstop Ryan Theriot, who made $500,000 last season in his third year as a starter, is seeking $3.4 million, while Chicago offered $2.6 million. Reliever Carlos Marmol who made $575,000 last year and heads into the 2010 season as the team's closer, is asking for $2.5 million. The Cubs offered him $1.75 million.

Head Coach Greg Wallace Previews 2010 for Augustana

From Baseball in Illinois News Sources

Despite absorbing some fairly heavy losses from the 2009 season, veteran Augustana head coach Greg Wallace is optimistic heading into the 2010 baseball campaign. He is looking at a team that he calls “fundamentally sound” and he believes that his young Vikings will be able to hold their own once again. Past history says that he should be correct in his assessment as he has accumulated a record of 356-162 in his previous 12 seasons at the helm of his alma mater.

“We will have the same expectations as we have when we start every year,” said Wallace, who has guided Augustana to three NCAA tournament appearances since 1999. “We are a little younger, no question about that, and we will work hard to get this team to come around quickly.”

Last year the Vikings went 23-17 overall and were 10-10 in the College Conference of Illinois & Wisconsin. That snapped a four year run of 30-plus victories per season. During his tenure as the Augustana head coach, Wallace’s teams have won at least 30 games a total of seven times and have never won less than 23 games in a single season.

“This is a very talented group and they worked hard in the fall and have been very committed in the off-season,” he said. “Fundamentally, we are very sound and that will carry us to a lot of success. We also have some depth in some key positions and that is always a plus.”

The top four pitchers in terms of innings logged are back to take the hill for the Vikings. Senior Matt Erickson (Marmion Academy, Channahon, Ill.) saw the most action in 2009 with 11 starts and 66 2/3 innings worked. He posted a 4-4 record and a 6.48 earned run average and led the team in strikeouts with 57. He is 17-7 during his career at Augustana with an ERA of 4.57. Currently he is fourth on the school’s career strikeout list with 162 and he is 10th in both victories (17) and innings pitched (181 1/3). Fellow senior Mike Pagano (Niles Notre Dame HS, Chicago, Ill.) struggled with some arm trouble last year but still managed to go 5-2 with a 4.33 earned run average in 35 1/3 innings. He posted 30 strikeouts and logged 10 appearances.

Junior Grant Loiselle (Bloomington Central Catholic HS, Normal, Ill.) was 3-0 with a 4.10 earned run average in 37 1/3 innings last year. He struck out 42 and had a team high three complete games. Sophomore Mike Trotta (Niles Notre Dame HS, Chicago, Ill.) earned a spot in the starting rotation midway through the season and he finished the year with a 1-3 record and a 5.01 ERA. He had 27 strikeouts in 41 1/3 innings of work.

Another who will be counted on to handle some innings will be junior Vince Frede (St. Charles East HS, St. Charles, Ill.). Frede was 1-1 with a 0.46 ERA in 19 2/3 innings last year and 17 strikeouts before his season ended early due to injury.

“We also will be relying on some younger guys to handle some innings for us,” said Wallace. “We have confidence in guys like Erickson, Pagano, Loiselle, Trotta and Frede to do the bulk of the work but we have some talented others who will be asked to contribute as well.”

Junior T.J. O’Donnell (New Trier HS, Northbrook, Ill.), senior Jarl Dahlgren (Rockford Auburn HS, Rockford, Ill.) and freshman Jim Sandberg (J.K. Mullen HS, Littleton, Colo.) will battle for the catching position. O’Donnell appeared in 24 games last year and batted .310 with 22 hits in 71 at-bats and had five doubles, five home runs and 25 runs-batted-in. He also threw out three of seven base runners attempting to steal. Dahlgren appeared in six games last year and had two hits in five at-bats.

There will be some new faces in the infield as only sophomore Joe Moran (Niles Notre Dame HS, Chicago, Ill.) and junior Dave Hoffman (Cary Grove HS, Fox River Grove, Ill.) return. Moran should handle things at second base while Hoffman will be at third base. Moran broke into the lineup late last year and hit .392 with 20 hits in 51 at-bats while scoring 17 runs. Hoffman has been a three year regular and he was a first team all-conference performer last year after he batted .363 (58-160) with 13 doubles, one triple, two home runs and 31 RBI. He was third on the team in runs scored with 34. There is a collection of younger player who are vying for playing time at shortstop and first base.

In the outfield junior Mike Lamb (Ottawa Township HS, Ottawa, Ill.) and sophomores Mike Barker (Grandview HS, Centennial, Colo. – now resides in Marina Del Rey, Calif.), Kevin Serna (Rolling Meadows HS, Arlington Heights, Ill.) and Anthony Concialdi (Fremd HS, Barrington, Ill.) will battle for the three open positions. Lamb hit .375 with 21 hits in 56 at-bats and had five doubles, one triple and one home run. He scored 20 runs and had 16 RBI. Barker played in 29 games and hit .232 while Serna played in 15 games and Concialdi did not see any varsity action on 2009.

“I like this group,” said Wallace. “They have been very easy to work with and have been very attentive. We are going to get tested early in the season as six of our first 11 games are against teams that were in the NCAA tournament last year.”

Patriots Sign Three More for 2010 Summer

From Baseball in Illinois News Sources

January 27th, 2010 - Coach Mike Schultz announced the signing of three more players for the 2010 season.

Kevin LaPorta (Oakton Community College) will pick up quality innings on the mound this summer. He held the best record (8-3) at OCC as a freshman last spring.

Jeremy Winnan (Judson University) will add depth to the Patriot roster this summer. He was an All Big Northern Conference player as a unior and senior at Marengo High School. He threw a no-hitter as a Judson U. freshman last spring.

Brian Evans (Elmhurst College) is a solid second baseman with an above average glove and the ability to put the ball in play and make things happen at the top of the lineup. He will look to get on base and set the table for the Patriots.

Cornbelters Sign Five for 2010

From Baseball in Illinois News Sources

Normal, Illinois - The Normal CornBelters, presented by the Illinois Corn Farmers, recently signed their five players. RHP pitcher Jarrett Coker and LHP Alex Smith, C/1B Ryan Boelsen and OF Tim Rawlings, and INF Mike Garcia are the first-ever additions to the roster.

Coker, 24, attended Columbus State University in Georgia where he was a part of the All-Conference first team in 2009. The 6’2”, 190 lb right handed pitcher signed with the White Sox as a non drafted free agent in August of 2009 to the Great Falls Voyagers of the Pioneer League. He was 3-2 with a 5.32 ERA and .289 opponent batting average in his rookie season with the Voyagers.

Smith, 25, born in Virginia Beach, Virginia, attended the University of Virginia and was signed to the Sussex SkyHawks in the Can-Am league in 2009. The left handed pitcher was 0-1 with a 4.40 ERA and a .293 opponent battling average in his first professional season with the SkyHawks. “


Boelsen, 23, comes to the CornBelters as a double threat able to play both catcher and first base. The Garden City, New York native attended Adelphi College where he was named to the first team All-Conference in the ECC. Recently, Boelsen played for the Sussex SkyHawks of the Can-Am league where he had a .224 average in 49 at bats.

Rawlings, standing 6’0” and 210 lb, played for Augusta State University after coming off a very successful start to his college career with the College of Lake County in Illinois. Originally from Mundelein, IL, Rawlings batted .393 with five home runs and 12 doubles. The catcher also proved to be at the top of his game with 39 stolen bases.


Garcia earned his communications degree from Newman University where he was named the 2007 male student athlete of the year. He led the team with a .400 batting average and 42 RBIs while also maintaining a 3.8 GPA. In 2009 Garcia signed with the Joliet Jackhammers of the Northern League. This past summer he had a .286 average in 49 at bats, 14 hits and 7 RBIs.

Champ the Wonder Dog Goes on the Disabled List

From Baseball in Illinois News Sources

Joliet, Illinois - The Joliet JackHammers Wonder Dog Champ has been placed on the disabled list due to an injury last week. The five-year-old Golden Lab had a toenail on his back left foot partially torn off after an incident in the icy weather. Champ was taken to Shorewood Animal Hospital and is said to be resting comfortably at home.

Champ’s absence from the JackHammers Front Office will no doubt leave a void in the weeks to come. He is expected to make a full recovery and be in game shape by the time Spring Training rolls around.


“I know Champ as well as anyone, and he’s one tough dog,” said Nick Hill, Head Groundskeeper and caretaker for Champ. “He will be put through a rigorous rehab program to ensure his return for the start of the 2010 regular season.”

Champ is a vital piece to the Joliet JackHammers team, retrieving bats from the field during the 4th inning of each home game. For further updates on Champ’s comeback, email Nick Hill at nhill@jackhammerbaseball.com or call 815-726-2255.

Lewis Freshman Matt Frahm Named IHSBCA High School Player Of The Year

Baseball in Illinois News Sources

Lewis University freshman Matt Frahm (McLean, Illinois/Olympia) has been named the 2009 Class 2A Player of the Year by the Illinois High School Baseball Coaches Association.


Frahm helped Olympia defend their Class 2A state title by finishing with an overall record of 29-6. Frahm's head coach Ron Smith earned Coach of the Year honors from the IHSBCA.

Frahm finished with an 8-1 mark in a team-best 63.2 innings for Olympia. He struck out 99 batters while allowing a minuscule 0.88 earned run average. At the plate Frahm hit .394 with 44 RBI on 41 hits.

Cubs look to add Nady to mix

Baseball in Illinois News
Courtesy of MLB.com

The Cubs have reportedly struck a tentative one-year deal with free agent Xavier Nady, who could provide some power and depth to Chicago's outfield but must get past the doctors first.


Free-agent contracts almost always require a physical, and in Nady's case, that's no minor formality. He played only seven games for the Yankees in 2009 before undergoing the second Tommy John surgery of his career.

Nady is hoping to join the short list of players -- mostly pitchers -- to return from two such procedures and his agent, Scott Boras, e-mailed FoxSports.com last week to say that the outfielder is "on schedule to be ready in Spring Training." Another source, though, told the same Web site on Tuesday that Nady passing his physical was, "not a foregone conclusion." That physical will likely take place before the end of the week.

Randy Wells to Headline Illinois Baseball Annual Hot Stove Banquet

The University of Illinois baseball team and the Fighting Illini Dugout Club will host the annual Hot Stove Banquet to kick off the 2010 season with second-year Chicago Cubs pitcher Randy Wells as the keynote speaker. Wells, who finished his rookie season in the top 20 of all National League pitchers in wins and ERA, will headline the banquet, which will be held Saturday, Feb. 6, at the I Hotel with cocktails at 3 p.m., and the banquet at 3:45 p.m. prior to that evening's men's basketball game against Michigan State.

Wells is an incredible story, as he was drafted by the Cubs in the 38th round in 2002 as a catcher, but switched to pitching in 2003 after hitting only .158 in 2002. He began pitching full time in 2004 and ascended to double-A West Tenn in 2005, but spent the next three seasons between double-A and triple-A before making his Major League debut on April 5, 2008, with the Toronto Blue Jays, who had acquired him in the 2007 Rule 5 draft. But only 11 days after his debut, the Blue Jays sent him back to Chicago, which assigned him to triple-A Iowa. The Cubs gave Wells a September call-up, though, bringing him out of the bullpen to work the late innings in three games toward the end of the season. The Cubs recalled Wells from Iowa on May 8, 2009, and he remained in the starting rotation the rest of the year.


A native of Belleville, Illinois., Wells is the younger brother of former Illini two-sport athlete Forry Wells, who played baseball and football from 1991-94.

Banquet tickets can be purchased by loggin onto the Fighting Illini Baseball website and filling out the PDF form at the top of the page and mailing it to Fighting Illini Dugout Club, P.O. Box 6777, Champaign, IL 61826-6777 prior to Feb. 1 or by calling the baseball office at 217-333-8605 until Feb. 5. A table of 10, including an Illini player, can be purchased for $500; or a table of eight, with an Illini player, can be purchased for $400. Individual tickets are available for $50 and an Illini player's meal can be sponsored for $50 each.

Rockford Riverhawks Sign Utility Player Ernie Munoz

From Baseball in Illinois News Sources

The RiverHawks announced Monday that they have signed catcher-outfielder Ernie Munoz. Munoz made appearances at six positions for the Coastal Kingfish of the independent Continental League last year.


Munoz hit .288 with no home runs and 27 RBI last year for the Kingfish. His 14 doubles was the league’s fifth-best total.

Munoz played 35 games in right field, five behind the plate, four each as a center fielder and as a pitcher, two at third base and one at second base.

Munoz, 23, has rookie status in the Northern League.

 

Joe Augustine Returns to the Miners for 2010

From Baseball in Illinois News

The Southern Illinois Miners have announced that right-handed starting pitcher Joe Augustine will be back with the team for the 2010 season.


Augustine, 25, went 7-5 with a 3.50 ERA in 2009, his first season with Southern Illinois. His ERA ranked second on the team and eighth best in the Frontier League. He also led the team in innings pitched (110.2) and games started (19). After finishing the season strong, he is looking forward to pitching in Rent One Park once again.

“It’s a great environment,” Augustine said. “It’s the best place I’ve played so far in three years of pro ball. I really enjoy coming to the field every day and pitching here knowing the fans will be behind us.”

The Miners open the season on May 20 at home against River City. For a complete schedule and the latest news on the Miners and events at Rent One Park, visit www.southernillinoisminers.com.

Terre Haute Rex Sign Klye Burnam for 2010 Summer

From Baseball in Illinois News Sources

Two Terre Haute natives and a Marshall, Illinois product will be among the founding players on the Terre Haute Rex team, Indiana State coach Rick Heller said Tuesday.


Heller, who will not be involved with the summer collegiate league team in any way, said that sophomore Koby Kraemer of Terre Haute South and Brandon Dorsett of Terre Haute North, will stay in Terre Haute this summer, as will outfielder Kyle Burnam, who was a part-time starter for coach Lindsay Meggs and the Sycamores last spring.

Burnam, who was a standout at Marshall, played with Kraemer and Dorsett on the same summer league team in Missouri last year.

Kyle lives in Marshall, Illinois.

2010 Big East Conference Players to Watch from Illinois

From Baseball in Illinois News Sources

Listed below are the top players to watch for 2010 in the Big East Conference based on how the Big East Conference coaches voted in the pre-season.


Players to Watch From Illinois:

LHP - Steve Sabatino - University of Notre Dame - Lockport Township High School, lives in Lockport, Illinois

C - Cameron McConnell - University of Notre Dame - Deerfield High School, lives in Bannockburn, Illinois

3B - Phil Wunderlich - University of Louisville - Downers Grove South High School, lives in Chicago, Illinois

C - Jimmy Jacquot - University of Cincinnati - Southwestern Illinois College, Belleville East High School, lives in Swansea, Illinois

Western Illinois University Coaches Clinic

The Western Illinois baseball program will hold a special coaches clinic on Sunday, Feb. 14. Fighting Leatherneck head coach Mike Villano and his staff will hold a clinic for coaches of all levels that will focus on hitting, pitching, catching, base running, infield drills, outfield drills, strength and conditioning, and coaching strategy.


The clinic will start promptly at 9 a.m. with registration and includes a four hour instructional session from 10 a.m.-2 p.m. For more information or to sign up contact head coach Mike Villano at (309) 298-1521 or coach Todd Coryell at toddcoryell@hotmail.com. Payment can be made the day of the camp (checks made out to Western Illinois Baseball) and walk-ins are welcome.

Al Levine Inducted into Saluki Hall of Fame

From Baseball in Illinois News Sources

Al Levine, who was inducted into the Saluki Hall of Fame on Jan. 8, 2010, was one of the most successful pitchers in school history. He is the most recent baseball alum inducted into the Saluki Hall of Fame.


After spending two years at SIU, Levine went on to have a lasting professional career that spanned 10 seasons in the major leagues, including stops with Kansas City, Tampa Bay, St. Louis, Chicago White Sox, Texas, Anaheim, Detroit and San Francisco. At SIU, Levine led the MVC in saves with 11 in 1990, and led the league in ERA with a 1.71 mark in 1991. The Salukis' career saves leader with 19, he was named First-Team All-MVC in 1991. Levine was a key member of the 1990 NCAA Tournament team, SIU's last team to make an NCAA Tournament appearance. As a pro, the right-hander pitched in 416 games, primarily as a reliever, and recorded 24 wins and a 3.96 career ERA.

Play Ball USA Patriots Sign Four More for 2010

From Baseball in Illinois News Sources

Kevin Serna (Augustana College) was a two time all-conference player at Rolling Meadows High School. The former two sport standout is currently a sophomore at Augustana and will be looking to start in the outfield for the Vikings this spring.


Jacob Rone (Parkland College) will be an impact player on the mound as a rising-freshman. He has a fastball with run and good secondary pitches.


Ryan Konsler (John Carroll University) is a top level defensive outfielder who was a an all-conference and all-area player while at Lake Forest High School.


Derek Shomon (Judson University) should put up big numbers in the middle of the Patriots order. At 6'3' and 265lbs. he is an intimidating force."

Rios Returns to Jackhammers for 2010

From Baseball in Illinois News Sources

Kevin Rios to play out option with the JackHammers for the 2010 season. Rios, an Orange Crush alum, was signed to the JackHammers March 12, 2009. The Joliet JackHammers home opener will be on May 28th versus the Lake County Fielders, a 2010 Northern League expansion team



Rios, 28, is from Santa Anna, CA and was drafted in 26th round of the 2003 MLB Draft by the New York Mets. He spent four years in the Mets system, rising to AA in Binghamton, the Mets Eastern League Affiliate. Rios has spent the past three seasons in independent leagues, two in Can-Am League with the Sussex Skyhawks and one with the JackHammers.

Joliet Jackhammers vs Chicago Bandits

From Baseball in Illinois News Sources

The Joliet JackHammers announced “Bandits and Boys” today, an exhibition game against the Chicago Bandits of the National Pro Fast Pitch League. The battle is scheduled for Monday, August 9 at 6:10 p.m.

The JackHammers will face off against some of the most talented athletes in the NPF, in what is sure to be a great clash of genders. Eileen Canney, a second round draft pick out of Northwestern University, spoke today about the match up at a press conference held by the JackHammers. Canney was a two time Big Ten Pitcher of the year, three time All Big 10 selection, two time First-Team NFCA All-Midwest Region and Big 10 Freshman of the Year honors, as well as leading her team to consecutive World Series appearances.

The planning of this event comes on the heels of the Schaumburg Flyers’ success last season. The Flyers drew a record crowd of 8,918 to Alexian Field when they were defeated by the Bandits 4-2. Along with “Bandits and Boys,” the Chicago Bandits also plan to play a regular season game at Silver Cross Field this summer.

Wolverines Add Adam Robinson to 2010 Recruiting Class

From Baseball in Illinois News Sources

University of Michigan head baseball coach Rich Maloney announced today (Monday, Jan. 18) that outfielder Adam Robinson (Northbrook, Ill./Glenbrook North) will continue his academic and athletic career at the University of Michigan beginning next fall.



Robinson has earned two varsity letters for head coach Barry Ruppert heading into his senior season at Glenbrook North. As a junior, Robinson earned All-Central Suburban League honors while bringing his career stolen base total to more than 40 in two seasons. As a member of the Top Tier 17U summer team, Robinson helped the squad to the CABA World Series title and a top-10 finish at the WWBA National Championships.

SCARPETTA RETURNS TO MINERS

From Baseball in Illinois News Sources

The Southern Illinois Miners have announced that right-handed pitcher Brett Scarpetta will return for his third season. Scarpetta is 16-7 with a 3.84 ERA in two seasons with Southern Illinois.


Scarpetta ranks second on the three-year-old team’s all-time list behind Ryan Bird in wins (16), innings pitched (183) and starts (31). After missing spring training and the first three weeks of the 2009 season for personal reasons, the righty posted a 7-4 record with a 3.86 ERA in 95.2 innings of work and finished the season on a four-game winning streak.

In each of his first two seasons, Scarpetta has had one of the best ERAs in the Frontier League. His 3.81 tied him for 13th best in the league in 2008, and last year his 3.86 ERA was 12th best in the league.


“I’m really excited to come back and play,” Scarpetta said. “Our coaches have worked hard to put a very solid team and staff together. There’s nowhere better to play than Southern Illinois in front of 5,000 great fans every night. May can’t come soon enough.”


Scarpetta originally signed with Southern Illinois in mid-June of 2008 following his college career at Bellevue (Neb.) University. As a rookie, he put together a nine-game winning streak, the second longest such streak in team history. He is 8-3 with a 3.05 ERA in 17 starts at Rent One Park. Despite his experience, he will not turn 24 until May 16.

Chicago Bandits vs Rockford RiverHawks

From Baseball in Illinois News Sources

The RiverHawks and the Chicago Bandits of National Pro Fastpitch announced jointly Wednesday that the teams have scheduled the “Battle of the Sexes” – an exhibition fastpitch softball – game for 7:05 p.m. Thursday, June 17 at Road Ranger Stadium.

The Bandits are members of the country’s only women’s professional softball league. A number of team members have represented the United States in the Olympics. Among them is Jennie Finch, a member of the 2004 gold medalists. The RiverHawks are members of the Northern League, an eight-team independent professional baseball league that will play its 18th season in 2010.

Normal CornBelters add Josh Patton as Hitting Coach

From Baseball in Illinois News Sources

The Normal CornBelters announced the addition of Josh Patton to the coaching staff. Patton brings over 12 years of professional baseball experience to the organization. He spent his baseball career in the Northern League and the American Association with the Thunder Bay Whiskey Jacks, Sioux City Explores, Fargo-Moorhead RedHawks, Lincoln Saltdogs, and Sioux Falls Canaries. Patton currently holds the Northern league records for the most games played in a season (96), putouts in a season (219), assists in a season (308), total chances in a season (545) and double plays in a season (76).”


I am excited to be working with Manager Hal Lanier on this new professional baseball team” said Patton. “Coming to Normal will be something special for me. I hope to mentor the players and give them guidance from my experience in professional baseball.”

A former All-Star infielder, Patton finished his career with a .308 batting average, 88 home runs 624 RBI, and 75 stolen bases. He won the American Association championship with Sioux Falls in 2008.