Big Ten Network : Baseball Top Stories

2010 Big Ten/Big East Challenge schedule set

Wed, 16 Sep 2009 14:30:00 +0000

ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. – The schedule has been finalized and two state-of-the-art major league venues have been added to the 2010 Big Ten/BIG EAST Baseball Challenge, hosted by the St. Petersburg/Clearwater Sports Commission, event manager API Sports announced Wednesday. Doubleheaders at Dunedin Stadium and Bright House Field highlight a slate that features 30 games over three days, Feb. 26-28, 2010, at current and former big league facilities in the St. Petersburg and Clearwater, Fla., area. "We are very happy to once again host the Big Ten/BIG EAST Challenge," said Kevin Smith, director of the St. Petersburg/Clearwater Sports Commission. "The inaugural event exceeded our expectations on all fronts, setting up what we hope will be an even more successful second year. We look forward to providing an opportunity for these fine NCAA Division I baseball programs from two of the nation's most visible conferences to escape the winter cold and come to our area to compete against equally matched opponents at major league-caliber facilities." In addition to Clearwater's Bright House Field, the spring home of the World Champion Philadelphia Phillies, and Dunedin Stadium, the spring home of the Toronto Blue Jays, games will be played in Clearwater at Jack Russell Stadium, longtime spring headquarters for the Phillies, as well as in St. Petersburg at Al Lang Stadium and the Naimoli Complex, both of which hosted spring training for the Tampa Bay Rays until this year. There will be 10 games each day matching up teams from the Big Ten and BIG EAST. Last year's Challenge, which featured eight programs from the BIG EAST and all 10 Big Ten baseball-playing institutions, was won by the Big Ten, 15-9. Georgetown, which competed in 2009, will not be back in 2010, allowing newcomers Rutgers, Louisville and Villanova to participate. Rounding out the BIG EAST contingent is Cincinnati, Connecticut, Notre Dame, St. John's, Seton Hall, South Florida (USF) and West Virginia. Big Ten participants include Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Michigan, Michigan State, Minnesota, Northwestern, Ohio State, Penn State and Purdue. The 2010 Challenge gets under way on Friday, Feb. 26, 2010, with 10 a.m. starts at Naimoli, Jack Russell and Al Lang. Naimoli hosts 10 a.m. and 1 p.m. games on Friday and Saturday, with Jack Russell and Al Lang offering starts at 10 a.m., 1 p.m. and 4:30 p.m. those days. St. John's takes on Minnesota at 4 p.m. Friday at Dunedin Stadium, followed by a matchup of traditional NCAA Tournament contenders when Michigan faces Louisville at 7:30 p.m. Saturday's doubleheader at Bright House Field features Notre Dame against Ohio State at 4 p.m., with USF taking on Illinois in the nightcap at 7:30 p.m. Sunday will be highlighted by the Big Ten/BIG EAST Baseball Festival, a celebration of spring baseball in Florida, at the Naimoli Complex, which will host six games, including Penn State vs. Notre Dame, Indiana vs. Connecticut and Illinois vs. St. John's at 10 a.m., and Michigan vs. USF, Minnesota vs. Louisville and Ohio State vs. Cincinnati at 1 p.m. Jack Russell will offer Purdue vs. Rutgers that day at 10 a.m. and Iowa vs. Villanova at 1 p.m., while Northwestern will take on Seton Hall and Michigan State will face West Virginia in similar time slots at Al Lang. "We are pleased to again have the opportunity for our student-athletes and coaches to participate in the Big Ten/BIG EAST Baseball Challenge," said BIG EAST Conference Commissioner John Marinatto. "The St. Petersburg/Clearwater area has proven to be both an outstanding destination and venue for our baseball teams and our fans. We look forward to yet another first-class event against first-class competition in a setting that is second to none." "After a successful inaugural event, the Big Ten Conference is looking forward to more exciting and competitive games during the 2010 Big Ten/BIG EAST Baseball Challenge," said Big Ten Commissioner James E. Delany. "This experience gives our programs the chance to compete in outstanding weather in some of the nation's finest baseball facilities, and we look forward to another great event in the St. Petersburg/Clearwater area." The St. Petersburg/Clearwater area is home to some of America's award-winning beaches. Caladesi Island Beach was voted the nation's top-rated beach for 2008, and Fort De Soto Park received similar recognition in 2005. The area offers 35 miles of white-sand beaches on eight major barrier islands. It's also within minutes of many popular Florida attractions. Tickets for the Big Ten/BIG EAST Baseball Challenge will go on sale in October. For more information please call 410-472-3500 or go to www.BigTenBIGEASTChallenge.com. 2010 Big Ten/BIG EAST Baseball Challenge Schedule FRIDAY, February 26, 2010 TIME LOCATION MATCHUP 10:00 am Al Lang Stadium Rutgers University vs. University of Iowa 10:00 am Jack Russell Stadium University of Connecticut vs. Northwestern University 10:00 am Naimoli Complex Seton Hall University vs. Michigan State University 1:00 pm Al Lang Stadium University of Cincinnati vs. Penn State University 1:00 pm Jack Russell Stadium West Virginia University vs. Indiana University 1:00 pm Naimoli Complex Villanova University vs. Purdue University 4:00 pm Dunedin Stadium St. John's University vs. University of Minnesota 4:30 pm Al Lang Stadium University of South Florida vs. Ohio State University 4:30 pm Jack Russell Stadium University of Notre Dame vs. University of Illinois 7:30 pm Dunedin Stadium University of Louisville vs. University of Michigan SATURDAY, February 27, 2010 TIME LOCATION MATCHUP 10:00 am Al Lang Stadium Villanova University vs. Indiana University 10:00 am Jack Russell Stadium Seton Hall University vs. Penn State University 10:00 am Naimoli Complex Northwestern University vs. Rutgers University 1:00 pm Al Lang Stadium University of Connecticut vs. University of Minnesota 1:00 pm Jack Russell Stadium Purdue University vs. University of Cincinnati 1:00 pm Naimoli Complex University of Iowa vs. West Virginia University 4:00 pm Bright House Field Ohio State University vs. University of Notre Dame 4:30 pm Al Lang Stadium St. John's University vs. University of Michigan 4:30 pm Jack Russell Stadium Michigan State University vs. University of Louisville 7:30 pm Bright House Field University of South Florida vs. University of Illinois SUNDAY, February 28, 2010 TIME LOCATION MATCHUP 10:00 am Al Lang Stadium Northwestern University vs. Seton Hall University 10:00 am Jack Russell Stadium Purdue University vs. Rutgers University 10:00 am Naimoli Complex Penn State University vs. University of Notre Dame 10:00 am Naimoli Complex Indiana University vs. University of Connecticut 10:00 am Naimoli Complex University of Illinois vs. St. John's University 1:00 pm Al Lang Stadium Michigan State University vs. West Virginia University 1:00 pm Jack Russell Stadium University of Iowa vs. Villanova University 1:00 pm Naimoli Complex University of Michigan vs. University of South Florida 1:00 pm Naimoli Complex University of Minnesota vs. University of Louisville 1:00 pm Naimoli Complex Ohio State University vs. University of Cincinnati

Scarlet wins rubber game in OSU World Series

Wed, 14 Oct 2009 20:21:00 +0000

COLUMBUS, Ohio - The Ohio State baseball team's annual Scarlet and Gray World Series was decided on the final game of the three game series with Scarlet coming out on top, 8-3, Wednesday evening at Bill Davis Stadium. The Gray scored a run in the top of the first inning. Senior Cory Kovanda doubled sharply to left and came around to score on senior Cory Rupert's single to right. Scarlet came back against Gray pitcher Theron Minium with two two-out runs to take a 2-1 lead. After a walk to Brian DeLucia, Ryan Cypret, Steel Russell and Joe Ciamacco all singled to plate the two runs. Ryan Dew's RBI single in the third increased the Scarlet lead to 3-1. Scoring on the play was Dan Burkhart, who had stroked a one-out single. Gray threatened in the fourth with two on and nobody out. But like he did Friday with the bases loaded and nobody out, McKinney got out of the jam. He struck out David Corna for the first out and then got an inning-ending and textbook, 4-6-3 double play. Tyler Engle laid down a delicately nice bunt with one out in the Scarlet fifth. He moved to second on a throwing error on the play and went to third on a wild pitch. Minium helped himself by striking out Burkhart to get the second out of the inning. It also signaled the end of Minium's start as Nick Jones came in to try and get the third out of the inning. And he did. With one pitch he coaxed a ground out. Scarlet starter McKinney had another nice outing. He went 5.0 innings allowing just one run off five hits. He struck out three and did not walk a batter to improve his record to 2-0 this fall. Gray cut the lead to one run with a two-out score in the sixth. Stephens singled, stole second and scored on Matt Streng's double to left. But Scarlet went back up by two in its half of the sixth as Burkhart doubled in Chris Griffin, who had singled with one out. Back came Gray. With two out in the eighth and facing side-armed throwing Jared Strayer, Stephens and Matt Streng hit back-to-back doubles with Stephens scoring to make the score 4-3. Scarlet finally put the game away with four runs in the eighth inning off a walk, a hit, a fielder's choice, and three errors to carry a 8-3 lead into the ninth inning. Strayer shut down Gray in the ninth to earn the save. Dan Burkhart and Ryan Cypret each had a pair of hits for Scarlet. Streng finished 3-for-4 with a pair of runs batted in while Kovanda and Stephens each added two hits for Gray.

Illinois junior P Haig dismissed from team

Wed, 30 Sep 2009 16:33:00 +0000

CHAMPAIGN, Ill. - University of Illinois head baseball coach Dan Hartleb announced Tuesday that junior left-handed pitcher Phil Haig has been dismissed from the team for a violation of team rules. "We place great emphasis on conducting yourself in a way that represents our team and the university in a positive way and Phil did not fulfill his responsibilities," Hartleb said. "We will move forward as a team in our preparation for the 2010 season."

Former player joins NU baseball staff

Wed, 26 Aug 2009 15:43:00 +0000

EVANSTON, Ill. - Jon Mikrut, who played at Northwestern from 2002-05, has returned to his alma mater as an assistant coach for the Wildcat baseball team head coach Paul Stevens announced Wednesday. "We're very excited to have Jon back at Northwestern University after being a player here and moving on to professional baseball," Stevens said. "We feel that he will have a strong relationship with our student-athletes. He'll be in charge of infielders and hitters and I think that they will be well instructed and well prepared under his guidance." Mikrut was a standout as both a shortstop and a pitcher during his time at NU, including earning third-team All-Big Ten accolades as an infielder during his sophomore season. His name can be found littered across the Northwestern career record book as he ranks first all-time in at-bats (788), second in games played (212) and saves (16), third in triples (11) and total bases (365), fourth in doubles (44) and sixth in hits (233). A native of Wauconda, Ill., Mikrut was voted by his teammates as Co-Freshman of Year in 2002 and hit a team-best .317 the following year during his All-Big Ten campaign. Doubling as the team's closer, his 16 career saves came over his first three seasons in a Wildcat uniform. Following his collegiate career, Mikrut signed a professional contract with the St. Louis Cardinals' organization. He competed as both a position player and a pitcher for four seasons and advanced to the Double A level. Mikrut played in the 2006 Midwest League All-Star Game as a pitcher for the Swing of the Quad Cities and was also selected to the 2008 Florida State League All-Star Game. He has six years of coaching experience as a baseball instructor at the Libertyville (Ill.) Sports Complex as well as recently serving as the head sophomore baseball coach at Carmel Catholic High School in Mundelein, Ill. Mikrut graduated from Northwestern University in 2005 with a bachelor's degree in learning and organizational change from the School of Education and Social Policy.

3 Ex-Lions advance to minor league playoffs

Mon, 7 Sep 2009 14:39:00 +0000

UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. - Three former Penn State Nittany Lions will play postseason baseball as their respective squads have advanced to baseball's second season. Leading the way is Craig Clark and his league-leading San Jose Giants while Scott Kelley and Drew O'Neil have advanced as well. Clark, who last week was named California League (high-A) Pitcher of the Year, won his 16th game on Sunday in his final tune up before the postseason. Heading into their final regular season game Monday, the Giants had a team-record tying 92 wins. They also reached the 50-win plateau in a half for the first time in club history. Due to their First Half North Division Title in June, they earned a bye and will begin the postseason at home on Saturday at 2 p.m. Like Clark's high-A Giants, Scott Kelley is set for the postseason with his new team, the Wilmington Blue Rocks. Last week, Kelley was promoted for a second time in this, his rookie season. After beginning his professional career with the Burlington Royals (A) in June, he was promoted to Idaho Falls (R-Advanced) before his most recent call-up to high-A Wilmington. The Blue Rocks face the Lynchburg Hillcats in a best-of-five Northern Division playoff series with Game One set for Wednesday in Lynchburg. If they advance, they will play the Southern Division Champions in the Carolina League Championship Series. Drew O'Neil's Kannapolis Intimidators are also playoff bound, set to face the Lakewood BlueClaws, single-A affiliate of the Philadelphia Phillies. Game One beings in Kannapolis on Wednesday. O'Neil has been a key part of the Intimidators' bullpen, posting a 4-1 record with a 2.54 ERA. Meanwhile, in Major League Baseball, former Lion David Aardsma and his Seattle Mariners are still in postseason contention, eight games behind wild card leader Boston with 24 games remaining. Check back to GoPSUsports.com for updates as Clark, Kelley and O'Neil aim for their respective league championships. Be sure to follow all the former Nittany Lion baseball players playing professionally in the new Nittany Lion Baseball in the Pros Alumni Central.

Contract talks to start for coach Todd

Sat, 11 Jul 2009 00:00:00 +0000

Negotiations on a new contract for long-time Ohio State baseball coach Bob Todd will begin within seven to 10 days, a spokesman for athletic director Gene Smith says. Todd, who led the Buckeyes to the regular-season Big Ten championship and the championship game of an NCAA regional, is under a five-year contract that will expire at the end of the month. "Gene Smith is out of town but plans to meet with coach Todd within seven to 10 days to begin talking about a new contract," said Dan Wallenberg, assistant athletic director for communications. "Coach Todd will be the coach next year. The only thing that needs to be worked out are the details." Among the details, Wallenberg said, would be the length of the contract. Todd is a member of the American Baseball Coaches Association Hall of Fame. He has won a team-record 873 games in 22 years at Ohio State and 997 games in his career. The Buckeyes finished the 2009 season 42-19 and won their seventh regular-season championship under Todd. He has led the team to 13 NCAA tournaments and two regional championships. Ohio State's season ended with a 37-6 loss to Florida State in the championship game of the NCAA regional in Tallahassee, Fla. It was the most runs allowed and the worst loss in the history of the tournament. Few, however, expected the Buckeyes to compete for even a conference championship with only three seniors on the roster and a pitching staff that was weakened by injuries and defections. Todd was voted Big Ten coach of the year. mznidar@dispatch.com Copyright 2009 The Columbus DispatchAll Rights Reserved

NCAA committee wants composite-barrel bats tossed

ERIC OLSON — Thu, 23 Jul 2009 17:15:00 +0000

OMAHA, Neb. (AP) -- College baseball is getting ready to crack down on composite-barrel bats. The NCAA Baseball Rules Committee this week proposed an indefinite ban on the bats after anecdotal evidence and research conducted during this year's Division I national tournament, which culminated with the College World Series, indicated many of the bats didn't comply with NCAA standards. NCAA spokesman Cameron Schuh said the proposal is being sent to schools for comment and will be reviewed next week. A formal vote could be taken next month and, if approved, the ban would go into effect at the start of the 2010 season. Aluminum bats have been used in college baseball since 1975 and remain the most popular choice. Composite-barrel bats have been around since the late 1990s but have become more popular the past two seasons, said Jim Sherwood, director of the Baseball Research Center at the University of Massachusetts-Lowell. Sherwood's laboratory is in charge of the NCAA certification process, though it did not do the research at this year's tournament. There are different types of composite bats, each with varying amounts of graphite, fiberglass and resilient plastic, Sherwood said. Bats with composite handles and composite transition areas -- between the handle and barrel -- would still be allowed under NCAA rules if the ban is approved, Schuh said. The beef is with the barrel, which softens over time, creating a trampoline effect. This doesn't happen to factory-fresh bats -- it's what happens later, after repeated use or after the bat is put through a process known as "rolling." Composite-barrel bats that are broken in or "rolled" tend to have more pop and often violate NCAA limitations on the allowable speed at which the ball comes off the bat. The NCAA requires that this so-called "exit speed" be no greater than that of its wooden counterpart, lest it become a safety hazard for infielders and pitchers. "I commend this legislation and am just elated that this is going forth," Florida State coach Mike Martin said Thursday. "You just cannot imagine how far I saw a ball hit with an altered bat." He added: "If a guy took a bat and hit it a thousand times off a telephone pole, he'd likely bat better. That's not right." During the Division I tournament, 20 of the 25 composite-barrel bats selected for "Ball Exit Speed Ratio" certification tests were not in compliance, the NCAA said. Because all bat designs must pass the test before mass production begins, the NCAA said, it was determined that the performance of those bats had changed, most likely because of repeated normal use or intentional alteration. The committee said the ban should remain in place until manufacturers and the baseball community suggest ways that would allow composite-barrel bats to be used within NCAA guidelines. There are a number of Web sites that offer to "roll" bats for about $30 apiece. Rolling, which hastens the break-in time, flattens the barrel and stretches graphite fibers so the ball propels 10 mph to 15 mph faster and, theoretically, leads to more hits. "While the committee does not believe tampering or altering of bats is widespread, there is evidence that it has occurred," said UC Santa Barbara coach Bob Brontsema, the rules committee chairman. "The larger issue here is that the performance of composite bats improves through repeated, normal use, and these bats often exceed acceptable levels. By removing these bats from competition, we believe all bats used will be at or below acceptable levels." Rick Redman, a spokesman for bat manufacturer Louisville Slugger, said the company's top three selling bats have aluminum barrels. He said composite-barrel bats represent a small percentage of Louisville Slugger's sales. Officials at bat manufacturer Easton-Bell Sports did not return a phone message. Copyright 2009 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.

Iowa OF wins Northwoods All-Star MVP

Wed, 22 Jul 2009 12:03:00 +0000

THUNDER BAY, ONTARIO – Kurtis Muller was named the Northwoods All-Star MVP on Tuesday at Port Arthur Stadium. The Hawkeye outfielder went 3-for-5 with a run scored and two stolen bases batting leadoff for the South division in a 4-2 win over the North. This summer, Muller is hitting the third best in the league with a .330 batting average. He ranks in the top ten amongst all Northwoods players in stolen bases (17), on base percentage (.406), at bats (185), runs (38) and hits (61). "We are excited for the success Kurtis has had this summer in the Northwoods," Head Coach Jack Dahm said. "Being voted the Mallards team leader by his teammates, as well as being named to the All-Star team and earning the honor of All-Star game MVP is tremendous. Kurtis' goal was to get better this summer and I think it is safe to say he is doing that." Iowa teammate, southpaw Zach Robertson, pitched the third inning keeping the game scoreless. In one inning of work, he allowed two hits and struck out one. "What a great honor for Zach to be named an All-Star this summer," Dahm said. "He has been doing a great job on the mound for Rochester and we are very thrilled about how he has done this summer."

Mayfield OF commits to Buckeyes

Fri, 17 Jul 2009 00:00:00 +0000

Before he became a highly recruited baseball player, Mayfield's Tim Wetzel always wanted to attend Ohio State. When the Buckeyes offered him a scholarship recently, it made for an easy decision. "Ohio State was the best fit for me academically, and so was the whole school because I have two siblings there [Rob and Christina]," Wetzel said. "I always wanted to go to the school even if I wasn't playing a sport." Wetzel, a senior this fall, has made an oral commitment to play baseball at OSU. A center fielder who bats and throws left- handed, Wetzel hit .412 with 26 RBI in 22 games this year, and was 28-of-29 stealing bases. He hit a school-record six triples. Wetzel said he considered Kent, Dayton and St. Bonaventure. He also is a standout running back / safety and said OSU coaches gave their blessings for him to play football at Mayfield this fall. "They want to come up and watch me play. They're all into high school football," he said. Wetzel said he plans to study chemistry, pharmacy or anesthesiology. Mayfield baseball coach Don Ramer played for Ohio State coach Bob Todd and assistant Greg Cypret when they were at Kent State. "I told them one of these days I'm going to get a player for them and I told them about Tim his sophomore year," Ramer said. "They came up and saw him and wanted him right away." To reach this Plain Dealer reporter: twarsinskey@plaind.com , 216-999-4661 Copyright 2009 Plain Dealer Publishing Co.

Ex-Hawkeye Toole signs with Cleveland

Wed, 8 Jul 2009 16:04:00 +0000

IOWA CITY, Iowa -- University of Iowa graduating senior Justin Toole has signed a free agent contract with the Cleveland Indians. Toole joins Hawkeye pitchers Steve Turnbull, Mike Schurz and Kyle Heim to sign pro contracts this year. Turnbull signed with the Toronto Blue Jays, Schurz with the Houston Astros and Heim with the St. Louis Cardinals. Despite missing the last quarter of the season due to injury, Toole posted a solid .346 batting average with 31 runs scored, 13 doubles and 15 stolen bases. He was named to the 2009 pre-season third all-America team by Ping!, as well as to the Brooks Wallace Watch List. In his four years at Iowa, Toole was named a third team all-Big ten selection twice, was a two-time first team all-region player and a two-time academic all-Big Ten honoree. The native of Council Bluffs, IA, earned himself a spot in the Iowa record book several times in 2008. He established the school record with a 25-game hit streak, scattered 87 hits to place second in Iowa single-season history, scored 63 runs to place eighth in Iowa single-season annals and stole 24 bases to rank 12th in Iowa single-season history. On top of that, Toole went a perfect 5-for-5 against UNI at the 2008 Corridor Classic to tie the single-game hits record at Iowa.

Ex-Michigan great enters College Hall of Fame

Tue, 7 Jul 2009 00:00:00 +0000

Barry Larkin can't pinpoint when he knew he could excel as a baseball player at the University of Michigan, just that it was sometime during his freshman season. But he always thought he'd make his mark on the football team. Late Michigan football coach Bo Schembechler - not then-Wolverines baseball coach Bud Middaugh - offered him a scholarship first, and it was Schembechler who gave Larkin permission later in 1982 to also pursue baseball. Football, after all, was the sport in which Larkin invested more of his time at Cincinnati Moeller High School. He was recruited as a defensive back by Notre Dame, Texas and Southern California. Baseball at Michigan? Yes, he was a second-round draft pick of the Cincinnati Reds out of high school as an outfielder, but football took precedence. Which, in a way, makes his latest hall of fame honor that much more interesting. Larkin, who spurned the Reds' signing money out of high school and started every game in his two-time All-America Michigan baseball career before embarking on a 19-year major-league career, will be inducted with nine others into the College Baseball Hall of Fame on Friday in Lubbock, Texas. That class, the fourth to be inducted, also will include the late Branch Rickey, a former Michigan coach and pioneer of the sport. Larkin admitted he didn't know what his baseball ceiling was when he came to Michigan. "I did get drafted out of high school, so I knew I was pretty good. But I think I got drafted more on potential than skill," Larkin, 45, said Monday. "I just didn't dominate baseball like I did in football, so when I went to Michigan, that's all I had to go by. I mean, I was just thinking, 'football, football, football,' because that's all I did, and that's what I was really good at. "... So at some point during my freshman year, I felt, 'hmmm, I might be able to do this and be really good at it.' " As it turned out, Larkin never played a down for Schembechler. His freshman year on the baseball team was that good (he took a football redshirt). A star from the start, he was named Big Ten tournament MVP that first season, helping Michigan reach the first of two College World Series during his career. Then he became the Big Ten's first two-time Player of the Year and a two-time first-team All-American shortstop in 1984 and '85. He finished his career with a .361 batting average and ranks in the top 10 on Michigan's career records list for slugging percentage, triples, runs, total bases and stolen bases. The induction news, delivered to him after Jim Schneider, longtime Michigan assistant director of media relations put him in touch with the College Baseball Hall of Fame's president last March, surprised Larkin, who retired from the Reds in 2005. It's an honor nobody necessarily strives for or envisions happening, Larkin said. "I just played, and I really enjoyed it," he said. "And I really enjoyed my time on campus and the relationships that I formed when I was there. But the hall of fame? Never anything on my mind. All I ever was focused on was going out and playing and enjoying and trying to be as good as I possibly could be." Never one to savor the spotlight, Larkin, who lives in Orlando, Fla., with his wife and three children and works as a studio analyst for MLB Network, will attend the ceremonies with only his wife. His kids have sports tournaments to attend, he said. Besides, the entire family was there for his induction into the Reds' Hall of Fame last year, and they'd like attend if he gets voted into the National Baseball Hall of Fame, for which he becomes a candidate in 2010. He also was inducted into the Michigan Wolverines' Hall of Honor in 2007. "It's good and all, but I've never been. ... I like the low-key approach, let's put it that way," Larkin said. That's exactly how Middaugh remembers Larkin: a quiet, unassuming player who'd bunt as the No. 3 hitter with no complaints if asked. "Just a joy to coach," said Middaugh, who skippered the Wolverines from 1980-89 before recruiting violations ended his career. "He'd do anything you told him to, he wanted to learn and he worked hard." And he was the best pure athlete during his tenure, Middaugh said. "You could have put 50 good players out there, and he'd still stand out," he said. "Because he could hit, he could throw, he could hit for power and he could run. Boy, could he run." Larkin emerged as a first-round pick of the Reds after his junior year - this time as a bonafide shortstop prospect - and became the National League MVP in 1995 and a 12-time All-Star, including the first player to hit 30 home runs and steal 30 bases in the same season. When he thinks back on his college days, Larkin said he's most proud of how he matured as a person, while ticking off his 1984 U.S. Olympic team berth, College World Series experiences and Big Ten titles. He's still buddies with former Michigan great Casey Close, the ex-roommate who now serves as his agent and keeps in touch with former assistant coach Danny Hall. He also gets a kick out of meeting Michigan fans and alums. "Everywhere I go, I meet Michigan alumni and people so proud of the block 'M.' That's really neat," he said. And what about his thoughts on his College Baseball Hall of Fame induction? "You know, it happens. I'm a realist, and I think it's great," he said. "But it's just something that happened. It wasn't like a goal of mine, so because of that, it comes and ... fame is fleeting. Let's put it that way. "Even if I don't get into the big hall of fame, I still love my time spent playing and the way I did it, because I loved the game," he continued. "My dream was just to play well and be recognized as one of the better players at my position. That's all I wanted to do, and I had a great time doing it." Kevin Ryan can be reached at kryan@annarbornews.com or 734-994-6812. Copyright 2009 Ann Arbor TimeAll Rights Reserved

Former Illini catcher makes PCL All-Star team

Thu, 2 Jul 2009 15:35:00 +0000

CHAMPAIGN, Ill. - Former Illinois catcher Chris Robinson (Dorchester, Ontario) was named to the Pacific Coast League All-Star team, which will face the all-stars from the International League in the annual Triple-A All-Star game, held this year at Portland's PGE Park on July 15 and televised live at 9 p.m. CT on ESPN2. He will start the game and share catching duties with Sacramento's Eric Munson. Robinson currently plays for the Iowa Cubs and is hitting .319 with 30 RBIs and a .440 slugging percentage in 54 games so far this season. It is his first All-Star honor at any level of the minor leagues. The I-Cubs currently stand in second place in the PCL American North Division with a 40-39 record, 4.5 games behind division leader Nashville, with 10 games left before the All-Star break.

Top pick Arnett signed, ready to pitch

Dennis Semrau — Tue, 16 Jun 2009 00:00:00 +0000

The Milwaukee Brewers announced Sunday that they have signed 20 of their draft picks from the 2009 First Year Player draft including right-handed pitcher Eric Arnett, their first-round pick. Arnett, 21, was the 26th overall selection in the 2009 First Year Player Draft and recently finished his junior season at Indiana University. He posted a 12-2 record with a 2.50 ERA and 109 strikeouts and tied school single-season records in wins and strikeouts. A native of Pataskala, Ohio, Arnett was named second team All-America by Collegiate Baseball Newspaper and is one of five finalists for the College Baseball Foundation's National Pitcher of the Year. He became the first pitcher in school history to be named Big Ten Conference Pitcher of the Year in 2009. "We are thrilled to have Eric signed so quickly," Bruce Seid, the club's director of amateur scouting, said in a release. "This shows how committed he is to our organization, he will gain very valuable experience in getting in early and playing regularly on the professional level." Overall, the Brewers have signed 20 of their 53 draft picks. In addition, the Brewers signed two undrafted players to contracts. Signed players have been assigned either to the Helena Brewers (Mont.) of the Pioneer Rookie League or the Arizona Brewers of the Arizona Rookie League. A mini-camp will be held in each location beginning on June 16. The Arizona Brewers begin their season on Sunday, June 21 while the Helena Brewers will begin their season on Tuesday, June 23. Arnett, who left for Helena Monday, said he had no warning that he was about to be selected by the Milwaukee Brewers. Agent Joe Speed had a premonition the morning before the draft. Arnett said his family pulled for him to be picked by the Cleveland, but once the Indians didn't he began to believe he'd go to Milwaukee. "That would have been amazing to be the No. 15 pick, but I knew that once I wasn't called there I had a good shot of going here," Arnett said. "This was really, in line, the next team I wanted to go to." Speed apparently knew it all along. He had written on a cocktail napkin at breakfast where he believed his client would be picked and told him he'd show the 21-year-old right-hander after the selection. Speed showed off the napkin Sunday that said "Milwaukee Brewers, 26th pick" just after Arnett's introductory news conference. "That was fun," Speed said, laughing at the notion he should take his good luck to Las Vegas. Arnett received a $1.2 million signing bonus as the 26th pick, the amount the commissioner's office recommends for that selection. "I know I've still got a lot of work to do and it's back to the bottom," Arnett said. "Hopefully I'll see you guys back here in a couple of years and be able to put a real jersey on and walk out on the field." Arnett's willingness to sign was a major reason the Brewers honed in on him. "You talk about cashing in, he's going to cash in in the big leagues," Brewers scouting director Bruce Seid said. "This is the start. This is the ground floor to catapult him to where he wants to be. To wait two or three months and start that dream was not in his plans based on our conversations." Arnett just finished pitching at Indiana University and helped the Hoosiers reach the NCAA tournament with a 12-2 record and a 2.50 ERA. Scout Mike Farrell said the 6-foot-5 Arnett showed a physical presence and has a smooth arm delivery. The Brewers like Arnett's fastball and the ability to develop his slider into a strikeout pitch. Brewers general manager Doug Melvin said with all the innings Arnett threw in college, he'll likely be limited to two to three innings per start in the rookie league in Helena. The Associated Press contributed to this story. Following is a list of the 20 players who have signed:? Rd. Pick Name Pos B/T HT WT Born Hometown School Date Signed (Club) 1 26 Eric Arnett RHP R/R 6-6 220 1/25/88 Pataskala, OH Indiana University 6/14 (Helena) 2 73 Maxwell Walla RF L/L 5-11 200 4/12/91 Albuquerque, NM Albuquerque Academy, NM 6/14 (Arizona) 3 105 Joshua Prince SS R/R 6-2 190 1/26/88 Sulphur, LA Tulane University 6/14 (Helena) 6 196 Hiram Burgos RHP R/R 6-1 210 8/4/87 Cayey, Puerto Rico Bethune-Cookman University 6/14 (Helena) 9 286 Jonathan Pokorny LHP R/L 6-2 225 4/4/88 Seven Hills, OH Kent State University 6/14 (Helena) 10 316 Tyler Roberts C R/R 6-2 210 10/25/90 Gray, GA Jones County HS (GA) 6/14 (Arizona) 11 346 Andre Lamontagne RHP R/R 6-5 215 3/24/86 Santa Maria, CA Oral Roberts University 6/14 (Helena) 13 406 Sean Halton 1B R/R 6-5 240 6/7/87 Fresno, CA Lewis-Clark State College 6/14 (Arizona) 14 436 Mike Brownstein 2B R/R 5-10 175 8/9/87 Tucson, AZ University of New Mexico 6/14 (Arizona) 17 526 Tyler Cravy RHP R/R 6-3 180 7/13/89 Vallejo, CA Napa Valley College 6/14 (Arizona) 18 556 Caleb Thielbar LHP R/L 6-0 200 1/31/87 Randolph, MN South Dakota State University 6/14 (Arizona) 19 586 Scott Krieger LF R/R 6-0 215 1/30/87 Towson, MD George Mason University 6/14 (Helena) 20 616 Franklin Romero CF R/R 5-11 180 6/24/88 Santo Domingo, DR Cerro Coso CC (CA) 6/14 (Arizona) 22 676 Michael Fiers RHP R/R 6-3 205 6/15/85 Pompano Beach, FL Nova Southeastern University 6/14 (Arizona) 24 736 Peter Fatse 2B L/R 5-10 170 8/3/87 Hampden, MA University of Connecticut 6/14 (Helena) 27 826 Ryan Platt RHP L/R 6-1 195 8/25/85 Chatsworth, CA UC Riverside 6/14 (Arizona) 30 916 Brandon Sizemore 2B R/R 6-0 210 12/10/86 Bryceville, FL College of Charleston (FL) 6/14 32 976 ChrisEllington RF R/R 6-1 195 11/30/85 Weatherford, TX Texas Christian University 6/14 (Helena) 35 1066 Matt Costello LHP L/L 6-1 190 12/17/86 West Barnstable, MA Valdosta St. University 6/14 (Arizona) 43 1306 Kyle Dhanani 3B R/R 6-3 195 9/6/87 Blaine, WA Thompson River University 6/14 (Helena) -- Mitch Miller RHP R/R 6-3 195 11/15/84 Hokes Bluff, AL Jacksonville State University 6/14 (Arizona) -- Connor Lind SS R/R 5-11 170 6/10/87 Burr Ridge, IL Furman University 6/14 (Arizona) Dennis Semrau - 6/15/2009 6:43 am Copyright 2009 Madison Newspapers, Inc.All Rights Reserved

Panthers rookie Scirrotto has baseball backup plan

MIKE CRANSTON — Mon, 15 Jun 2009 17:39:00 +0000

CHARLOTTE, N.C. (AP) -- One of nearly two dozen undrafted rookies with Carolina, Anthony Scirrotto faces long odds to make the Panthers' regular-season roster. Only the former Penn State safety has a fallback plan: professional baseball. Sure, Scirrotto hasn't played competitively since he was a power-hitting high school shortstop four years ago. But it didn't stop the Kansas City Royals from taking him last week in the 50th and final round of the draft. "This is my first priority, I want to play football," Scirrotto said after Monday's offseason workout with the Panthers. "But I look at (baseball) as a business opportunity." How Scirrotto got drafted in baseball and not football is a story that involves a pulled hamstring, a scout who got a bigger job, a high school coach who became a police detective but kept his baseball connections and a round of golf. Got that? "It was exciting," Scirrotto said. Scirrotto grew up a two-sport star at West Deptford (N.J.) High School outside Philadelphia. He caught the attention of baseball scouts after playing in the American Legion World Series before his junior year. The 6-foot Scirrotto also pitched and played some third base, but his favorite sport was football. So when Nittany Lions coach Joe Paterno came calling, the gridiron was the easy choice despite the right-handed hitter's .500 average. "The (baseball) money sounded good, but I sat down with my parents and weighed the pros and cons," Scirrotto said. "Just going to college, trying to earn that degree and having an opportunity to play football for Coach Paterno really outweighed the baseball life of riding around on a bus in the minor leagues." The baseball scouts, including J.J. Picollo of the Atlanta Braves, backed off once Scirrotto committed to Penn State. Scirrotto was part of a class that helped bring the Nittany Lions back to prominence. He also pleaded guilty last year to defiant trespass for his role in an off-campus fight. He finished his career as a two-time all-Big Ten selection with 12 career interceptions. But there were questions if Scirrotto was fast enough to play safety in the NFL. He knew his times in pre-draft workouts would be important. Only Scirrotto pulled a hamstring and couldn't play in a postseason All-Star game. He wasn't invited to the NFL combine and still couldn't run at Penn State's pro day. "It just wound up lingering, lingering," Scirrotto said of the hamstring. "It was a tough situation. At that point, if I got drafted in the seventh round, that would've been a little far-fetched." After going undrafted, Scirrotto was contacted by several teams. He chose to sign with Carolina over Miami, Minnesota and San Diego. "He was a very productive player at Penn State and we thought he fit into what we do at safety," Panthers general manager Marty Hurney said. While Scirrotto wasn't thinking about baseball anymore, his former high school coach kept his name alive in baseball circles. While Sean McKenna had since become a police detective in West Deptford, he remained close with his childhood friend, Picollo, who was now Kansas City's assistant general manager for scouting and player development. So just over a month ago Scirrotto got a call from a Royals scout, saying they might draft him. But when Thursday came, the last day of the draft and an off day with the Panthers, he decided to go golfing. "I was figuring it was the last day, it was getting late, so they just got some other guy," Scirrotto said. "But I got the call while I was out on the golf course. I was pretty excited." Scirrotto's best shot to make the Panthers will be if he can fill a hole on special teams. But he faces a difficult road and isn't even assured of a training-camp invite. Scirrotto said if he's released he'll try to hook on with another football team first. If that doesn't work, there's always baseball. "I love Bo Jackson," Scirrotto said, smiling. "If it really came down to it and I had to hang up the cleats, I'm young and I'd love to keep playing sports." Copyright 2009 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.

Second Big Ten/Big East Challenge set

Mon, 15 Jun 2009 13:22:00 +0000

ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. – Following an inaugural event in which nearly 17,000 spectators attended games in a three-day period, the second Big Ten/BIG EAST Baseball Challenge, hosted by the St. Petersburg/Clearwater Sports Commission, has been confirmed for the weekend of Feb. 26-28, 2010. The 2010 edition, to be held in St. Petersburg and Clearwater, FL, will feature 10 teams from each conference competing in 30 games and be managed by API Sports. "We are extremely pleased to bring the Big Ten/BIG EAST Baseball Challenge back to our area after such a successful inaugural event," said Kevin Smith, Director of the St. Petersburg/Clearwater Sports Commission. "Over the years we have enjoyed a wonderful relationship with the BIG EAST Conference, and to be able to continue to grow our relationship with the Big Ten while providing a weekend of exciting baseball for the local community is a great opportunity for us. We feel privileged to be able to bring two of the nation's premiere athletic conferences together to compete in the St. Petersburg/Clearwater area." All 10 of the Big Ten's baseball-playing institutions will once again compete in the 2010 Challenge, including Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Michigan, Michigan State, Minnesota, Northwestern, Ohio State, Penn State and Purdue. The BIG EAST will send 10 teams to the 2010 event, as Louisville, Rutgers and Villanova will make their first appearances and will be joined by seven squads making a return trip – Cincinnati, Connecticut, Notre Dame, St. John's, Seton Hall, USF and West Virginia. Games will be played daily in St. Petersburg at the Raymond A. Naimoli Complex, the former spring training practice facility of the Tampa Bay Rays, and Al Lang Stadium, the Rays' former spring training game site. Games in Clearwater will take place at Jack Russell Stadium, once the spring home of the Philadelphia Phillies. There will be 10 games each day pitting Big Ten teams against BIG EAST representatives. Games are scheduled to begin at 10 a.m. Friday and Saturday and run into the evening both days. Sunday's games are also slated to start at 10 a.m., but will conclude in the afternoon so that traveling schools can return to their campuses that evening. All three venues will be utilized each day. The 2009 Challenge was very well attended, including a final-day attendance of 5,000 for the six games played at the Naimoli complex. The Big Ten came out on top, compiling a record of 15-9. Michigan and Ohio State completed the Challenge with perfect 3-0 marks, with Illinois, Indiana, Minnesota and Penn State each finishing 2-1 for the Big Ten. Notre Dame, St. John's and Seton Hall led the BIG EAST with 2-1 records. The St. Petersburg/Clearwater area is home to some of America's award-winning Beaches. Caladesi Island Beach was voted the nation's top-rated beach for 2008, and Fort De Soto Park received similar recognition in 2005. The area offers 35 miles of white-sand beaches on eight major barrier islands. It's also within minutes of many popular Florida attractions.

Illini players sign professional baseball contracts

Mon, 15 Jun 2009 15:15:00 +0000

CHAMPAIGN, Ill. - Former Illini shortstop Brandon Wikoff (Peoria, Ill.), third baseman Dominic Altobelli (Oak Forest) and center fielder Joe Bonadonna (Buffalo Grove, Ill.) all signed or will sign their first professional contracts recently, as Altobelli inked his deal Friday, Wikoff signed on Sunday and Bonadonna will sign his contract Tuesday. In addition, Illinois signee Seth Schwindenhammer (Bartonville, Ill.) signed a contract with the Boston Red Sox on Sunday after being drafted in the fifth round and will begin playing with the rookie-league GCL Red Sox in Florida rather than attending college. Wikoff, a fifth-round draftee of the Houston Astros, will start his professional career with the short-season A Tri-City ValleyCats in Troy, N.Y. The ValleyCats play in the New York-Penn League and begin their season on Friday, June 19. Altobelli has been assigned to the rookie-league Casper Ghosts in Casper, Wyo., after being selected in the 16th round by the Colorado Rockies in last week's Major League Baseball draft. The Ghosts are a member of the Pioneer League and begin play on June 23. Bonadonna will begin his pro career with the AZL Rangers after being drafted by the Texas Rangers in the 43rd round last week. The AZL Rangers are a rookie-league team playing in the Arizona League with the season starting June 21. Schwindenhammer has been assigned to the GCL Red Sox in Florida after being drafted by Boston in the fifth round last week. The Gulf Coast League season begins June 24.

Big Ten players selected in MLB draft

Tue, 9 Jun 2009 12:27:00 +0000

Click here to see the Big Ten MLB draft picks .

Brewers RHP Arnett anxious to start pro career

COLIN FLY — Sun, 14 Jun 2009 12:07:00 +0000

MILWAUKEE (AP) -- Brewers right-hander Eric Arnett says he always planned to start his pro career as soon as he could. That means he'll leave for Helena, Mont., first thing Monday. Arnett was Milwaukee's first-round pick in the draft Tuesday and had his introductory press conference Sunday at Miller Park. He received a $1.2 million signing bonus as the 26th pick, the amount the commissioner's office recommends for that selection. The 21-year-old Arnett, of Pataskala, Ohio, just finished pitching at Indiana University and helped the Hoosiers reach the NCAA tournament with a 12-2 record and a 2.50 ERA. Brewers general manager Doug Melvin says with all the innings Arnett threw in college, he'll likely be limited to two to three innings per start in the rookie league in Helena. The league starts June 23. Copyright 2009 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.

Yankees select Minnesota reliever Matyas

Thu, 11 Jun 2009 19:02:00 +0000

Sophomore Scott Matyas (North Prairie, Wis.) was selected by the New York Yankees with the 885th overall pick in the 29th round of the 2009 Major League Draft. Matyas is the first Golden Gopher to be drafted by the New York Yankees since Tim Grice was drafted in the 16th round in 1973. Along with Grice, Matyas joins Bob Nielsen (39th round) and Jerry Wickman (20th round) as one of only four Minnesota players to be selected by the Yankees. Matyas is also the first reliever for the Golden Gophers to be selected since John Gaub was picked by the Cleveland Indians in the 21st round of the 2006 draft. Matyas claimed Second-Team All-Big Ten honors as a reliever for the Golden Gophers. This past season, he went 0-1 with a 2.22 ERA with a school-record 15 saves and struck out 45 batters in 28.1 innings for a strikeout per nine innings ratio of 14.12.In Big Ten play, Matyas had a 2.13 ERA, a school-record 10 saves, struck out 20 batters in 12.2 innings and limited the opposition to a .159 batting average. In postseason play, Matyas pitched five shutout innings, gave up five hits, struck out eight batters and collected a pair of saves. He only gave up a run in three of the 23 outings he made on the season. In his final 10 appearances, Matyas had nine saves, pitched 13.1 shutout innings, gave up seven hits and struck out 22 batters.

Brewers draft Minnesota's Sexton -- again

Thu, 11 Jun 2009 18:43:00 +0000

Sophomore Cullen Sexton (Plover, Wis.) was drafted by the Milwaukee Brewers with the 1,126th overall pick in the 37th round of the 2009 Major League Baseball Draft. He became the first Golden Gopher drafted by the Milwaukee Brewers since 1999 when Frank Wagner was drafted in the 12th round. It marked the second time Sexton has been picked by the Brewers. Sexton also was picked in the 43rd round by the Milwaukee Brewers coming out of high school in 2007. Sexton was 4-0 with a 5.16 ERA, one save and 23 strikeouts in 29.2 innings. In his first five outings of the year, Sexton pitched 10 shutout innings, was 3-0 with a save, gave up four hits and struck out eight batters. He also picked up a win against Dallas Baptist on Mar. 21, giving him four wins and a save in his first seven outings of the year. He finished third on the team in appearances with 21 on the season. In his first two years with Minnesota, Sexton has made 36 appearances for the Golden Gophers. He finished his season a strong not, as he pitched 1.1 shutout innings against No. 2 LSU and struck out a pair of batters in that outing.