3-21-98
BASEBALL PREVIEW
.coaches ··criticize their poll BY DAVE SCHUTIE Enquirer contributor The vote is in, but several vet. eran base ball coaches disagree · with the outcome of The Enquirer's preseason poll. "If Glen Este isn't No. 1, your poll means nothing," Elder coach Mark Thompson said. 'They have about everybody back, including a strong pitching staff." Like it or not, the defending Division I state champion Hamilton Big Blue were picked as Cincinnati's best for the 1998 season followed by Moeller, Oak Hills, Glen Este and Harrison. Veteran Oak Hills coach Chuck Laumann agreed with Thomp!:on. "You've got to be kidding," Laumann said when informed that five coaches didn't include Glen Este in the top 10. 'That's just ignorance." Laumann predicted Glen Este will be ranked in the top five in the state and receive national and regional exposure during the season. 1. Hamilton: Although Hamilton lost seven players to graduation, including pitchers Aaron Cook, Chad Pennington and Curtis Moak, coach Dan Bowling looks for another good season. The Big Blue return experienced hurlers Chris Sears (2-0), James Cornett (1-0) and Seth Morris (3-0). They also will rely on josh - Smith (catcher), Matt Hubbard (second base), Jason Roark (shortstop) and outfielders Jeremy Whittlesey and Adam Grissom. 2. Moeiler: One of Cincinnati's most successful baseball programs the past 31 years under veteran coach Mike Cameron, the Crusaders will again challenge for the poll championship. Eric Fischer, a hard-throwing left hander who has comrnited to the University ofTennessee, will anchor a pitching staff that ' includes Casey Clark, Mark Harris and Chris Held. The Crusaders will be strong defensively behind catcher Rocky Curnyan, shortstop Chris· Welsch; second base Tim Newton and Mike Maupin in center
DIVISION I field. 3. Oak HiHs: Despite the lack of a home field for games or practices, the Highlanders will again field one of Cincinnati's strongest teams. Besides returing a better than average pitching staff that includes senior Brett Raible and Bill Grinck, along with juniors josh Schnurr and Brandon Cress, the Highlanders also have blazing speed. jason Martin,.a senior catcher who hit for a single season school record .519 in 1997, will be the offensive and defensive leader. He threw threw out 21 of 27 runners attempting to steal in 1997. Others to watch include Joey Vandever, Kevin Krimpelman, Tim Roellig, Garrett Gebhardt and Cory Rid ell. 4. Glen Este: The return of seven three-year starters, including four veteran pitchers, is the major reasons many feel the Trojans deserve the No. 1 ranking. The Trojans upset Moeller (134) in the Division I district championship game, but lost to eventual state champion Hamilton in the regional semifinals. Pitching will be one of the Trojans many stengths with Mike McKinney (6-2, 1.87 ERA), Mike Edwards (4-2, 3.20 ERA), Brian Stephany (3-2, 2.10 ERA) and Derek Hemin (3-2, 2.30 ERA) anchoring the staff. "Our biggest surprise could be sophomore pitcher Rocky Spivey," john Hatfield said. "He showed last season he can hit and will also give us some middle infield help." But, catcher Bart Hammack (.460 batting average), may be the Trojans' best player. Other players to watch are Aaron Brady, Zac Means, jason Menneach and Dean Kreimer. 5. St. Xavier: The Bombers strength will be pitching with Woody Fellinger (7·3, 2.5 ERA), jason Provisor, Tony Fasbender and Chris Litzinger returning. Other top players to watch are Matt Tedford, Steve Sollmann, Greg Meyer, Jeff Meyerose and Justin Prince. 6. Elder: The No. 6 ranking may be a little low for a Panther
The Cincinnati Enquirer I Richard Tsong·Taatari
Glen Este catcher Bart Hammack practices throwing runners out at second inside the school's gym this week. The Trojans could be one of the best teams nationally. team that returns nine veteran senior players including Dan Stritker, a projected major· league draft pick Besides Stricker, Thompson will rely on Rob Schroeder and Justin Hoffman on the mound while Jim Detkas should be one of the best pawer hitters in Cincinnati. Others to watch include Kevin Hoffman (catcher), Ben Miller (shortstop), Nathan Hughes (outfielder) and infielders Matt Hambleton and Andrew Brodbeck. 7. Fairfield: Pitching will be the Indians strength with Steve Kelly, a standouffor the national champion Midland Redskins, anchoring an experienced staff Adam Keel, Chris Akers and David Brown are the other pitchers while Robbie Price, Kevin Aston, John Myles, Bill Groeger, Kyle Bolin and Brian Schalk will provide the offense. 8. Harrison: Year after year under 20-year veteran coach Dave Bader, the Wildcats have fielded a winning team and
should contend again this year. Three veteran pitchers, Kevin Kober (6-3), Marc Harnist (3-1) and Brian Gamble (1-1) will anchor a solid staff that will be bolstered by Nick Elrod, Shawn Huff and Nick Kiefer. Elrod, a projected major· league draft pick who has commited to Bowling Green University, is the top returning offense player with a .414 batting average. Others offensive players to watch include Doug Farris (.344), Joe Toney (.355), Paul Holderer (.308), josh Perkins (.367) and jason Dailey (.315). 9. la Salle: With only three returning starters, first-year coach Phil Reichle will rely on a host of juniors this season. Infielders Andi Scheidt (.492 batting average), B.]. Kernen (.359), Mike Cronin (.297) Chris McKeaver (.393), Eric Barsan (.359), Scott Bantel (.310) and Jarrod Zeiser (.293) are the top offensive threats. 10. Colerain: First-year coach Chris Newton inherited a
Division I Baseball Poll 1. Hamilton (1 0) 213 2. Moeller 190 3. Oak Hills (4) 159 4. Glen Este (9) 158 5. St. Xavier 115 6.Eider 114 7. Fairfield (1) 109 8. Harrison (1) 96 9. La Salle 47 10. Colerain 26 Others: Princeton 22, Sycamore, Anderson 21, Mason 11, Lakota West 7, Withrow, Milford 6, Amelia 5, Lakota East 3. Cardinal team that is well stocked with veterans including pitchers James Hursong, Josh Quimby and Nick Bolte. Besides a strong pitching staff, Colerain will have a solid defensive infield with Scott Hirsch (shortstop),Josh Burgin (second base) and MattHeagerty (catcher).
Scouts have plenty to see in the Tristate BY DAVE SCHUTIE Enquirer contributor The baseball talent level is again top-notch. Professional baseball scouts and college recruiters are once again expected to visit Cincinnati in an effort to lure the 25 or more seniors considered top prospects. Although there's no Ken Griffey ]r. or Barry Larkin to showcase, Tyler Minges, Dan Stricker, Vincent Harrison and Steve Kelly will be the major attractions. Minges, a pitcher/outfielder from Ross who has comrnited to Georgia Tech, has drawn the most attention. He has already talked with several professional teams, including the Milwaukee Brewers.
Minges
Harrison
'The base ball people have already come to our scrimmages to watch Tyler," Ross coach Ray Hamilton said. "I don't know if they're looking at him as a pitcher or outfielder. As a junior, Minges went 7-1 as a pitcher with a 1.58 ERA He also led the offense with a .423 average, including 40 RBI and 30 runs scored. 'Tyler is a player who can do
it all," Hamilton said. "He is great as a hitter and outstanding as a pitcher. He's the type of kid who lives and dies baseball." In order to get ready for baseball, Minges skipped football and basketball. Fie has put on 15 pounds and is now 6-foot-1, 195 pounds. Kelly, a hard-throwing righthand pitcher for Fairfield, is another lop player who comrnited to Georgia Tech and is being closely watched by the professional scouts. "Steve is one of the premium pitchers in Ohio," said second year Fairfield coach Ralph Smith. "His record wasn't the best last year because our kids often didn't catch the ball for him." Smith, who also coaches Midland during the summer, point-
ed out that Kelly's stock went sky-high after he pitched the Red skins to the title in the championship game against California. "Steve's fastball has been clocked at 87 to 92 miles per hour," Smith said. "But his breaking ball is much better and very effective." One of Elder's best athletes, Stricker has commited to Vanderbilt University for football although the 6-3, 190-pounder is also an outstanding base ball player. The University of Kentucky football and baseball teams lured Harrison, Princeton's 6-1, 190. pounder who may sign a professional baseball contact if the offer is right An outstanding shortstop, Harrison will be closely
watched. Several major league_ scouts predicted Harrison could be a second-or third-round draft choice in the June draft Moeller has a prospect in Eric; : Fischer, a 6-5, 205-pound pitch-! er/first baseman. , The University ofTennessee-1 bound Fischer went 7-2 in 1997,1 striking out 64 batters while compiling a 2.16 ERA He also compiled a .400 plus batting average for the GCL champion Crusaders. Other seniors who will be closely watched are Nick Elrod, Harrison (signed with Bowling Green); Mike McKinney, Glen Este; Jason Martin, Oak Hills; Bart Hammack, Glen Este; Matt Lasita, La Salle; Rob Bolin (Ohio State), Ross; John VanBenschoten, Milford.