EMERSON, Ga. – Generals Baseball is off to a 3-0-1 start in
the 17u PG Summer Showdown, and have had success already in their first summer as
an organization. The Jacksonville, N.C.-based organization started from a need
for a higher-level travel team out of the eastern North Carolina area. Many of
their players had previously driven over 2 1/2 hours to play on a travel team, but
that all changed last year when T.J. Vladyka began Generals Baseball.
“It was actually some of the kids who got together and
approached me about starting a travel organization,” Vladyka said. “They had
known that when we lived up in Virginia, I had coached some travel
organizations there and managed a couple of teams, so they approached me and
actually Greg Strickland’s dad approached me and asked me to do it. I was a
little hesitant at first because running the whole show is different than just
coaching and managing a team.”
Even then, players from all over North Carolina have
traveled to play with Vladyka’s team. They have players from Raleigh and
Belmont, with the latter being over a four-hour drive. Vladyka said that this
has to do with the players they take into the organization.
“It’s more so the way we look at the kids we accept into the
program. We take good kids, we take kids that are there to play baseball, kids
that take it seriously, so the team itself, they automatically gel together
because they’re all on the same plan, they’re all there for the same purpose,”
Vladyka said.
The organization currently has three teams, a 17u, a 13u and
a 14u, and are looking to build up the organization naturally by moving on up
with the current age groups. Next year, the plan is to add a 13u after the
other two move up one level. Vladyka said that the organization is not focused
on the money aspect, but rather providing an opportunity for their kids to
play.
“I think were unique because when we started this, I consider
this the Jerry McGuire effect, we’re not a big organization, we’re a low-budget
team, we do everything at cost, nobody’s getting paid and we promote our
players everywhere we go,” Vladyka said.
Even with being new to the travel baseball scene, Vladyka
said that their team is getting a good number of looks from college coaches.
They have taken a unique approach to this, since they are still gaining
exposure.
“Every tournament we go to, we contact all the local schools
that are around and we let kids know that if they’re interested in these local
schools to personally send them emails,” Vladyka said. “We just promote the
heck out of the kids and it seemed to work. We’ve gotten a lot of interest, we’ve
gotten a lot of kids getting contact from schools, so I think that’s what makes
us different from most organizations.”
One of the players who is garnering some looks is Greg
Strickland who pitches and plays shortstop for the Generals. The 5-foor-11,
180-pound righty is ranked as the No. 13 shortstop in North Carolina for the
class of 2018, but also has been clocked at 87 mph on the mound. The Raleigh,
N.C., native is off to a hot start in the tournament, hitting .455 (5-for-11)
with a double, a triple, three RBIs and three stolen bases.
“Greg’s the player that every coach wants. After every
tournament, even today, Team Elite came up asking me about him. Every
tournament we’re in, there’s always coaches coming up asking about him, and
same thing with college coaches,” Vladyka said. “He plays the game the right
way, he’s a good kid, he’s an academic kid. I wish I had 15 of him.”
On the other side of shortstop is second baseman Jordan
Lathe. Although Lathe is listed as a primary second baseman, the Belmont, N.C.,
native has been playing mainly center field for the Generals, stemming from a
need. The athletic Lathe has been up to the challenge and said that he has
vastly improved his jumps and routes over the summer.
“The thing with Jordan is I can play him anywhere,” Vladyka
said. “This tournament so far I’ve played him at short, he’s not even a
shortstop, he’s a center fielder. I’m not even sure if I’ve played him in
center field this tournament. You can play him anywhere, he’s solid and he goes
100 percent all the time. He’s just a good kid.”
Lathe has also been a catalyst to the Generals success,
hitting .400 (6-for-15) with three doubles and a stolen base out of the No. 2
spot in the lineup, thriving from the environment that this tournament
provides.
“It’s been to attack fastballs early in the count and not
let myself get behind in the count. I just go up there looking for fastballs
and try to drive it up the middle,” Lathe said. “Both times we’ve come here, it’s
been unbelievable competition and it’s gotten me better in so many ways facing
this type of competition.”
The two contributed to the Generals 5-4 win over Team Elite 17u
Nation in their second game on Sunday, a game that meant a lot for the pool as
the Generals came in at 2-0-1 and Team Elite came in at 2-0. The Generals sent
Strickland to the mound, while Team Elite countered with Derrius York. It was
Strickland’s first start of the tournament, and he turned in a terrific
performance going 6 1/3 innings, giving up two hits, two runs, four walks,
while fanning seven. A leg cramp forced him to exit, and even after he pleaded
his way to stay in the game, Vladyka decided to go to the bullpen in the top of
the seventh.
“My fastball command was good the first couple innings,
first three, four innings, and then I really got it with my slider the last
three innings I’d like to say. I realized I wasn’t going to overpower these
guys, it was a hot day, so I had to get [my slider] working,” Strickland said.
Strickland did not pitch as much in high school because his
team needed him at shortstop, but he said that the summer has been a great
opportunity for him to grow as a starter and refine his game. The righty sat in
the mid-80s for much of the game, topping out at 86 mph, and finishing his
start at that velocity.
The offense scored three runs in the bottom of the first
inning and pounded out 10 hits against Team Elite. Petey Frey went 2-for-4 out
of the leadoff spot, while Lathe went 1-for-4 with a run out of the No. 2 spot.
Shane Ratz picked up two RBIs out of the No. 9 spot in the order, while Strickland,
Ryan Kokocha and Andrew Vladyka each picked up an RBI apiece.
“Today was a big step for us,” Vladyka said, “because most
days when we play a double header, that second game our kids tend to be a
little laxed, they tend to get a little tired, especially in this heat, so we’re
still working on it. Today we were really good, but it’s something we always
have to be cautious of and be ready for.”
After the win, the Generals moved to the top spot in their
pool with one game left on the schedule. They will play the Georgia Jackets 17u
on Monday morning at 11:30 a.m. to decide the pool, and the team hopes that
they can make it into bracket play and make a run in the playoffs, something
that would allow them to showcase their organization and gain exposure for the
Generals Baseball name.