With the start of school just around the corner, I thought I'd put a new spin on an oldie, but goodie: How I Spent My Summer Vacation. In theory, I should have done this every week, but with a schedule that had me leaving home on Wednesday and not returning until Sunday night, my free time was scarce.
My summer was spent criss-crossing the Midwest as I hit a variety of showcases and tournaments with my summer travel team, the Central Illinois Outlaws. But this won't be about them. This is about all the wonderful people and things I saw along the way.
Week 1 - June 11-14
I had to miss the Outlaws trip to the Diamond Sports Promotions Elite Invitational at Southern Illinois University and John A. Logan College, but my partner in crime, Bob Schlemmer, reports that Evansville Razorbacks pitcher Justin Hageman was 88-91 mph.
Missing the trip south was disappointing, because some of my favorite baseball people reside there, like legendary Harrisburg coach Jay Thompson, Southern Illinois coach Dan Callahan and Mr. Radio/Williamson County State's Attorney Jimmy Dean. Like my high-school coach Jack Esterdahl once told me, "I have to know the Police Chief and the DA in every town I take you guys to."
Fortunately, I got to see Coach Cal that same weekend at the IHSA Class 3A and 4A state championships in Joliet. He was finally feeling well enough to make his first recruiting trip of the year after yet another battle with the melanoma that has plagued him since 2001. Here's to Coach Cal as he continues to wage that fight and may he continue to be successful.
Callahan was in Joliet to see to two of his recruits, Grayslake Central RHP Aaron Snyder and O'Fallon C Nick Tindall. Unfortunately, Tindall wouldn't be a Saluki recruit for much longer. After enjoying a monster season at the plate in which he hit 17 home runs and drove in 65 runs, Tindall was selected in the 17th round by the Minnesota Twins and later accepted a $75,000 bonus to sign with them.
Tindall wasn't the only big-league talent on display at Joliet. Chicago St. Rita's Mark Payton, the MVP of the 2008 WWBA World Championships, brought his squad to the finals for the second time in three seasons, but the Arizona State recruit and his teammates were upset by Winnetka New Trier in the Class 4A title game.
Week 2 - June 18-21
Finally hit the road with the Outlaws, but it was a short trip to the second of Diamond Sports' Elite Invitationals at Illinois State University and Illinois Wesleyan University in Bloomington-Normal, Ill.
The tournament provided one of the most memorable events of the summer. Outlaws pitcher Lee Weld drove six hours back from the College World Series to make a start against the Illinois Sparks 18-U team that featured Mark Payton, as well as a number of Illinois' best players in the Class of 2009 like Justin Kopale and Nick Ratajczak. Despite functioning on little sleep, however, Weld tossed a one-hitter against one of the nation's best programs.
Week 3 - June 23-28
Off week for the Outlaws, but there was no shortage of baseball.
The first event on the docket was the McDonald's All-Star games, which are put on by the Greater Peoria Baseball Association. The first night pits the best underclassmen from around the Peoria area against each other, while the seniors square off on the second night.
This year's Senior games proved to a wonderful send off for one of the most talented groups ever to come out of Peoria. This year around Peoria, we had players like Bartonville Limestone's Seth Schwindenhammer (fifth round pick of Boston Red Sox), the aforementioned SIU recruit Lee Weld, Heartland College recruit Chris Razo, who made two state-title game appearances with his Illinois Valley Central squad, Olympia's Matt Frahm, who guided his team to back-to-back state championships and the Parr twins, Jordan and Justin, who are headed to Illinois State and Parkland College, respectively.
On the 27th and 28th, it was off to Plainfield for Jim Hall's Plainfield (Ill.) Suburban Baseball Tournament. Each year, Harvey Foster and Jim Hall bring the state's best incoming seniors to Arlington Heights and Plainfield, respectively, for two of the best showcases around.
At Plainfield, Hall's group was typically outstanding, including an appearance by Minooka RHP Mike Foltynewicz, who would later make a commitment to Texas, which offered an 85 percent scholarship. Also in attendance were Harrisburg SS Reid Roper (Illinois), Harrisburg OF Kollin Dowdy (Southern Illinois) Machesney Park Harlem RHP John Lieske (Illinois State), Rockton Hononegah RHP Ryan Scarpetta (Valparaiso), Illinois Valley Central C Derek Sprout (Bradley) as well as St. Rita's Shane Conlon, Streator's Drew Sabol , LaSalle-Peru's David Suarez and Effingham's Chad Green.
The 30 or so Division I coaches and 15 MLB scouts in attendance also got a look at Oak Forest OF/C Tim Barry, a Class of 2011 prospect, who is rapidly cementing his status as one of the best hitters in the country for his class. In two varsity seasons, Barry has driven in 127 runs and he furthered his legend in July when he homered 11 times during Top Tier's run to the CABA 17-U World Series title. He was aided in that quest by the aforementioned Conlon, who would earn CABA MVP honors, thus giving St. Rita to be even more optimistic about a 2010 state championship.
Week 4 - July 2-5
Headed to Indianpolis for the Midwest Wood Bat Championships presented by Pasttime Tournaments.
Over the last three years, I've been able to see a lot of the top programs in the Midwest, such as the Illinois Sparks, Top Tier, the Indiana Bulls and the St. Louis Pirates, but I'd never seen the Midland Redskins out of Cincinnati, Ohio.
I finally caught one of their games in Indy as they took on another Ohio-based team, Greenville Technologies. The Redskins didn't disappoint. I only disappointed myself in that I didn't ask for a roster. But as usual, the Redskins were an impressive bunch. They looked every bit like a college team, from their old-school, replica Michigan uniforms (which I wonder how they get away with in Ohio) to their incredible skill with their gloves and bats. They are truly on another level.
Week 5 - July 9-12
Stayed close to home again as Diamond Sports hosted its Top College Prospect tourney at Illinois State and Illinois Wesleyan. Over the last three years, this has developed into a must-stop for college coaches on the recruiting trail.
The best player I saw here all weekend was Downers Grove North's Eric Jagielo, who accepted a 60 percent scholarship to Notre Dame in early July. Although he was playing shortstop for his DuPage Outlaws team, Jagielo will play outfield for the Irish. At the Top Prospect, he flashed a smooth southpaw swing and hit for both average and power.
Also faced off against the Top Tier 17-U Americans. In some programs, there's a drop off when they try to field two teams at the same age level. Not so with Top Tier. While their 17-U National team was winning the CABA title, the American's were finishing fourth. Not too shabby.
Have to give a shout out to the Americans' RHP/OF Kendall Paluch, who strikes me as one of the most humble kids around. He made an incredible catch-and-throw double play against us from the outfield. Paluch was also the staff ace for Joliet Catholic's Class 3A state championship team earlier in the summer.
Week 6 - July 15-19
On the 15th, I performed my first act as an Associate Scout for the Cincinnati Reds. In conjunction with my boss, Reds' Midwest Scouting Supervisor Andy Stack, I hosted the Reds Illinois Tryout Camp.
Eighty-plus kids journeyed to Bartonville, IL to either impress the Reds staff for future reference or take one last shot at glory. For example, there was a 23-year old from Indianapolis, Ind. by way of Baton Rouge, La. and San Jacinto (Texas) Community College seeking to make the transition from outfielder to pitcher. He flashed a 93 mph fastball.
But the standout at the tryout was a 15-year old named Bret Lilek of South Holland (Ill.). That's right a 15-year old LEFT-HANDER, who was humming it in there anywhere from 88-90 MPH!
After welcoming Lillek to the Millionaire's Club, I headed to the fringe of the Chicago suburbs for the Northern Illinois Invitational. This is another well-scouted event that tends to draw some of Chicago's best teams because they can sleep in their own beds for a weekend.
Unfortunately, the tournament coincided with a Jehovah's Witness convention, so those of us from out of town were left scrambling for beds. In fact, the Best Western where Coach Schlemmer and I stayed was out of pillows when we checked in.
Got a look at two high-quality programs in the McHenry County Hurricanes 17-U squad and the Rockford Boyz of Summer.
The Hurricanes featured one of the fastest-rising members of the Class of 2010 in Connor Sadzeck, a 6-foot-4 righty whose low-90s fastball is responsible for his quick rise. In a state where there don't seem to be as many power arms this year, Sadzeck, of Crystal Lake, is standing out.
Also impressive were the Rockford Boyz of Summer. My Outlaws squad was fortunate enough to face the ISU-bound Lieske, who was anywhere between 86-92 mph that day at Waubonsee College's beautiful facility.
It was also a sneak peek at the future of Valparaiso University baseball. One of our own Outlaw players, 3B/RHP Karch Kowalczyk, is headed to Valpo, while his future roommate, the Boyz of Summer's Matt Carroll, who relieved Lieske, is headed there as well. The Boyz of Summer also featured 2010 Valpo recruits Ryan Scarpetta and Cyrus Wimberly. If that glimpse is any indication, the future is bright for coach Tracy Woodson and the Crusaders.
Week 7 - July 23-26
Was just down the road from Perfect Game HQ at the University of Iowa Invitational and got a look at some more quality prospects.
The first was RHP Ryan Hartman, a 2010 for the Decatur Commodores. Hartman looks like a bit of a goofball with his cap perched precariously atop a mop of hair on his head. But his pitching is nothing to laugh at as he posesses a high-80s fastball.
The second was 1B Brian Neidbalski of the St. Louis Gamers. When I got a closeup look at Neidbalski, who has already committed to Iowa, I was struck by how much he looked like Seth Schwindenhammer. Like Schwindenhammer, he's dangerous with the bat too.
Week 8 - July 30-Aug. 2
For the first time, Diamond Sports sponsored a World Series and some of the best teams in the area got together, including the Illinois Sparks, the McHenry County Hurricanes, the Downers Grove Longshots, the St.Louis Gamers and my Outlaws squad.
In a tightly contested title game, the Longshots 2009 squad showed just how deep their pitching staff was as they trouted a pair of Division I recruits - Indiana's Mike McKinley and Illinois State's Cam Verbeke in the title game. That duo combined to one-hit my Outlaws squad, which was dragging after playing its way through the losers bracket.
But no matter, because we would have had a hard time beating McKinley and Verbeke at full strength. Both featured upper-80s fastballs and offset them with devastating 12-to-6 curveballs. Expect more of the same from the Longshots next year as six members of their 2010 class have already committed to Division I schools.
I also have to give a shoutout to three members of my pitching staff. Class of 2009 RHP Chris Razo tossed a one-hitter against the Illinois Sparks on the second day of the tournament, while 2010 Barry Arnett no-hit the St. Louis Gamers Grey team on Saturday. Luke Staub, another 2010 RHP, followed that up by striking out 11 members of the Gamers Blue team.