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August 7, 2009 Hey everyone, this is Jason Mahood, letting you know about my summer from San Rafael, CA. I'm going into my second year at USF and unlike most of my teammates, I spent my summer at home after breaking my wrist in early April. Before breaking my wrist I had been scheduled to play in the Cal Ripken Sr. League on the Alexandria Aces with fellow Don Jonathan Abramson. However, after getting a MRI that revealed a broken bone in my wrist, what would have been my first collegiate summer baseball experience was not to be. After getting the diagnosis I was pretty bummed out and was forced to shift my excitement about playing summer ball to focusing on getting healthy
August 5, 2009 Jewish All-American Jonathan Abramson here, reporting from my home in Menlo Park, California regarding my summer-ball experience in Alexandria, VA. The Alexandria Aces are a second year team in the Cal Ripken Sr. League, a league whose eight teams are based out of Virginia, Maryland, and Washington D.C. It being my first time out East, I was shocked when I touched down in Virginia to daily thunderstorms and an influx of brick buildings, both foreign to the west coast. I was able to live in one of these brick buildings, and I'd like to thank my host parents Grayson and Kristina Robertson for providing us with such an amazing place to spend my summer. When I got over the initial shock that it's common to have pouring rain in 90 degree weather and had developed a palette for the variety of bugs I consumed while pitching, I really started to warm up to my surroundings. The Aces play in Alexandria, an incredibly old and beautiful city in Northern Virginia. My roommate and I were fortunate enough to have Old Town, Alexandria practically in our backyard, and Washington D.C. only a 15 minute drive away. Exploring the monuments in D.C. was a highlight of my summer, and seeing my brother Abe's (Lincoln) memorial was awe inspiring. When the heavens cleared and we were actually able to get on the field, our team started to develop great chemistry that seems to define the summer-ball experience. Though we finished one game out of playoffs, our team played in a number of nail biters, and had several walk off wins that I will never forget. I had the opportunity to be a starter this summer, a role which I haven't had since high school, and really relished the opportunity to take what Coach Moore taught me at USF and translate that into my preparation for this new role. My coaches on the Aces were great as well, and I'd like to thank them everything they did for the team this summer (and for the pitcher's bp's). I had an amazing time competing against fellow Dons on the Bethesda Big Train (Cameron Love, Connor Bernatz and Mason Morioka), and was glad to see each of them perform incredibly well (unless I was on the hill, but that is beside the point, don't ask Connor about this he might get bitter). I had an amazing summer playing ball, and thanks to the holy redshirt- it was not my last. I'm incredibly excited to get back to the USF family and in a sick and twisted way I even welcome the thought of morning weights and SPARQ training that will soon be our weekly routine. I can't wait to see all of you guys in a few weeks... AEOP, Go Dons, and most importantly, "Have a great day!"
July 27, 2009
Baseball has always been a key component every summer since I started playing. When I was younger it was just a few games, but it started to get more serious as I became more serious about baseball. Each summer, more games were added to the schedule, and slowly baseball began to take over. Well, the trend continued. This is definitely the most baseball I've played in one summer, and against the best competition. Before college started, I had never been away from home for more then a couple weeks, and the same goes for most college students when they first go to school. The difference is that most college students go home for the summer, but I have been given the opportunity to have some of the most fun playing baseball everyday in a small town named Bend, Oregon. The town itself is beautiful; due to its elevation it is strangely similar to Tahoe. There are trees everywhere, its nice and hot (today got up to 95) and there is a big, slow river that runs right through town that everybody floats down on inner tubes to spend time with friends. One of the perks of playing baseball in Bend is that everybody has heard of the Bend Elks baseball club. Bend has had the Elks for ten years, but before the Elks there were the Bandits, and before them there was another team and so on, so there is a tradition of baseball in the town. Jim Richards, who happens to be USF alum (GO DONS!), has been the owner of the Elks for the past ten years and has made many contributions to the town. The players favorite contribution that Mr. Richards has given the community is called "$2 Tuesdays!" where tickets are $2, beer is $2 and hot dogs are $2. The reason the players like it so much is because every Tuesday night game routinely brings over two thousand fans to come watch us play. This is my first experience living with a host family as well. My "host-parents" are so nice; they're an older couple with a son that is around thirty. He is a retired hand-surgeon and she is a potter. They are an interesting couple, but they love baseball and take really good care of me and Pete. The refrigerator always has food, they have the ultimate cable TV package, and all they ask for in return is for us to be clean. Clean our rooms, keep our laundry clean, clean our dishes and put them in the dishwasher. The only problem is that neither Pete nor I have a car, and since the host family keeps themselves quite busy, we ask for rides from players everyday. It can get a little old asking the same 3 players for rides everyday, but they understand and really don't mind. Previous summer ball experiences have been driving all around to this tournament or that game, maybe a hundred fans at the championship game. But nothing compares to having thousands of people watch you play baseball, and then have thirty kids ask for your autograph when the game ends. When people see you walking around with an Elks shirt on, they ask if you're on the team. My roommate Pete Levin (who is transferring to USF in the fall) was in a Big 5 and the cashier wanted to just give Pete the undershirt he was trying to buy. The Elks are a part of Bend, and the players are loved. Being recognized by complete strangers beats my old summer ball experience. I can't wait to see what the rest of the summer brings, and I can't wait to do it all over again.
July 22, 2009 This is Sean Burns reporting from North Adams, Massachusetts, where I have been fortunate enough to play for the Steeple Cats in the NECBL (New England Collegiate Baseball League). I have come to North Adams alone, but have had the pleasure of playing some of my fellow San Francisco teammates. Doug Murray and Alex Kalogrides are playing for the New Bedford Bay Sox and Travis Higgs is with the Manchester Silkworms. Though New England is a beautiful place to play ball, it has received some rather ugly weather this summer. We have had a total of nine games that have been rained out. Fortunately, on the off days my teammates and I have managed to keep busy and have really enjoyed each other's company. The North Adams community heavily supports the Steeple Cats organization and as a result the players have been blessed to partake in some memorable experiences. During the month of July the team took a trip to Fenway Park to watch the Boston Red Sox take on the Oakland Athletics. Additionally, we were taken to Cooperstown to visit the Baseball Hall of Fame and also had the opportunity to go sky diving, which I seized upon. On top of all of these amazing experiences I have been placed with a phenomenal host family. Jay and Nancy Meehan and their kids Connor and Allison have been the greatest host family that I could have asked for. They have welcomed me into their home and done their best to make this summer a comfortable and enjoyable time for me. From family barbecues, to weekend rounds on the golf course, we have made some memories that will last a lifetime. As for baseball, it has gone well throughout most of the summer. I was in relief when the season started, but I have recently worked my way into the starting rotation where I have had some success. The opportunities that I have been given here have really helped me develop and mature as a pitcher and more importantly as a competitor. My team has played very well this summer and we are preparing to make run at the league title with two weeks left in the season.
July 20, 2009 Hello Dons fans. I am writing from Orleans, Massachusetts where I am currently playing for the Orleans Firebirds (formerly known as the Orleans Cardinals). Orleans is on the eastern side of the cape with the Atlantic Ocean on its eastern border and Cape Cod Bay on its western border. This is my third summer of collegiate summer baseball. The past two summers I spent in Bethesda, Maryland playing for the Bethesda Big Train. Those two years I spent with an incredible host family on a very successful team. Because of this I was coming to Orleans with expectations I was sure could not be matched. This fear was reaffirmed when we got to the cape and not only did it seam to rain for the first two weeks but we also started the season out 0-4 and were the lone team on the cape without a win. However, after winning our first game in dramatic fashion things started to come together. It was a Tuesday morning when seven members of the Orleans Firebirds (0-4) pitching staff (me included) along with one of our catchers left Eldridge Park for Wellfleet Elementary. Wellfleet Elementary was one of the five elementary schools that the Firebirds visited throughout the first few weeks so we could meet the kids, answer any questions, and sing autographs. It seemed like any other normal trip to the elementary schools, but little did we know it could be the turning point for out entire season. After visiting grades 1-4, the eight of us, assisted by our pitching coach, walked down the hall to the 5th graders classroom. We were surprised to see that there was no one in the classroom. We soon found out that we oddly enough were a little behind schedule, (something very foreign to USF pitchers....) and the 5th graders were already out at recess. With recess being the favorite subject in elementary school for most of our group we were eager to get out there. This was until we saw them playing a game of soccer. We were asked to join. Having not won a game all summer we reluctantly joined. It was a nail biter all the way, with either tremendous goal keeping or terrible shooting, either way it was clear no one was going to score. We finally had to turn to penalty kicks. We decided that each team would have three shots. After the first five shots all completely missed the area in and around the goals, it was down to our catcher. It all seemed to happen in slow motion as Matt Koch (LMU) kicked the ball right between the legs of the Wellfleet Elementary 5th grade goalie. It was our first victory of the summer. Later that day we went to Hyannis to play the Mets and were able to get out first baseball win of the summer. The next day the sun came out and everything was great. After getting that tough win on a walk off in penalty kicks everything has seemed to get a little easier for out team and we are now currently in first place in the eastern division of the Cape Cod League and hold the best record in either division. It has been a great summer to date. We have since had absolutely beautiful weather and with the beach about a mile and a half from our field it has been a tough location to beat. I am staying with Nancy Nickerson and her husband Rob. Both of their children have graduated college and have families of their own. Because of this they have been able to take in myself, along with another pitcher Brett Weibley (Kent State), and have treated us as their own. The team is a great group of ball players but more importantly are a great group of guys from all over the country including three NCAA national champions, one from Oregon State, one from Fresno State, and one from Lynn University who won the Division II Championship this year. Being around these players and hearing their stories of Omaha has only got me more ready to start the spring. I hope everyone is enjoying their summers and I will see you all in the fall. AOEP!
July 17, 2009 I am playing summer ball in Lorain, Ohio. Lorain is about 30 minutes west of Cleveland right on Lake Erie. I am playing for the Northcoast Knights in the Prospect League. We are a first year team so we don't draw very many fans. I would say we average about 30 a game, but when we are on the road we get a lot more. When we played in Hannibal, Missouri (home of Mark Twain) I got to pitch in front of about 2,500 people and thought that was pretty cool. The team is doing pretty good; we are currently in second place only a half game back at the all-star break. Our team consists of players from all over like: USC, UC Riverside, Long Beach State, Tulane, Boston College, Coastal Carolina, Washington State, and others. So we have a lot of good talent and we are finally putting it together as a team. We started out kind of slow but now we are right in the mix of things. We have had some problems chemistry wise because of players leaving but I think our team should be set now. The top two teams from the east division and the top two from the west division make the playoffs and I think we have a good chance of winning the league. For me it has been really good baseball wise. I am in the starting rotation and have been pitching pretty well. I currently lead our division in ERA and just got back from pitching in the all-star game, which was pretty fun. The all-star game was played in Springfield Illinois, home of Abraham Lincoln. It was a nice experience and I had a good time. The first day I got here my host family took me to an Indians game and they were playing the Yankees. My host family is huge Yankees fans so I was told to root for them. I also got to go to a pretty cool amusement park called Cedar Point, there are some big roller coasters and it was a lot of fun. I think the best place to visit in Ohio is Put-In Bay. It's an island in Lake Erie and it is more of a vacation place. I went with my family and really enjoyed it. I live with the Melendez family in Amherst Ohio, which is about ten minutes from the field. I live with one of the guys on the team's family, which is nice cause there is someone my age I live with and he shows me around. My experience in Ohio has been good so far and I hope everything continues to go as is. We have a good chance of winning the league and if we keep playing well we should win it. Our owner said we get championship rings if we win the league so I hope to be bringing one home. July 13, 2009 Hey everyone, this is Doug Murray writing from New Bedford, Massachusetts, home of the Bay Sox. I am going to be a senior next year at USF. This is my second summer away from home playing collegiate baseball. Last year I was in Battle Creek, Michigan playing for the Bombers with Sean Burns and Connor Bernatz in the Northwoods league. I flew out to New Bedford May 29th and was greeted by my host parents at the airport. My host parents Jim and Kristen Lancaster have been great; they treat me better than I could have ever wished for. I get to come home to good food, a family that loves baseball, and my new brother and sister, Kyle (7) and Katheryn (5). Katheryn is a fun little girl that was shy at first but has opened up to me and will finally say hi and goodnight. Kyle is the little brother I never had, we play wii, wiffle ball, nerf wars, baseball in the house, basketball, and we watch more baseball than I have watched in my entire life. He flips through games and watches for big name players or his fantasy players, while Kristen, the mom, tells him to leave it on the Red Sox games. The league I play in is the New England Collegiate Baseball League (NECBL). We travel all over New England, four hour bus ride max. Alex Kalogrides and I have been doing pretty well in the bullpen and we have seen a lot of Travis Higgs, who plays for the Manchester Silkworms. So far he is one for three off of me. The Bay Sox management has been great to us as well, we get good meals and they give us everything we need to perform and have fun. I recently had a once in a lifetime experience. The NECBL set up a game against team USA. I got to throw one inning, although I didn't do so well, and it was a great experience facing a bunch of great hitters. New England is a great place, besides the rain. We had rain every other day, but with all the off days I have got some time to travel around. My parents came out for a three week vacation so I spent some time with them in New York and Connecticut. I also got some tickets from my host parents to a Red Sox game and it happened to be for the day that my girlfriend flew out. My host parents know me so well they got the tickets for when the A's were in town, so we wore our A's jersey and saw eight other A's fans at the game. I am having a great time out here and I wish it would never end. I hope everyone is having a great summer. And staff, AEOP. July 10, 2009 Hey everyone, this is Christopher Escobar writing from Silverdale, WA where I am currently playing with the Kitsap Bluejackets. I will be a junior this coming fall and this is my second summer playing in the West Coast Collegiate League. On March 31st, as Kelly Costantini mentioned, I began our 12 hour drive from Stockton, CA to our host family's house in Silverdale, WA. As we arrived to the house, our host mom welcomed us into her home with open arms. She was very excited to finally meet the two players she would be spending the entire summer with. The minute we walked in we were shown to our rooms and given an immediate tour of the house. Pam, our host mom, is known as the Kitsap Bluejackets #1 fan. She even has decorated a room in the house full of Bluejacket memorabilia from over the past couple of years. She isn't the only hard core fan, we have many other fans that dedicate their time and support each and every night to the team. Our team is made up of a bunch of great guys from all over the country. We have come together as a team very well so far and are looking forward to having a good summer as a team. As I mentioned before this is my second summer in this league and I can honestly say the competition level is good. Each team in the league has some good players who can play the game of baseball, so each day at the ball park is a tough one. We are currently 9-14 in league. We struggled at the beginning a little bit but have started winning some games and bringing it all together. I think in the end our team will be fine and have a chance in the post season. The summer has been a lot of fun so far. Playing summer ball is a blast and very relaxing when baseball is the only thing on your mind. We wake up and play baseball just about every day. It doesn't get any better than that. On our off days we have a chance to hang out with teammates and do something fun like bowling or even going and hanging out at the lake for the day. Kitsap County has been a nice and relaxing time, as well as a whole new lifestyle then what I am used to back home in Stockton, CA or even San Francisco. I have learned a lot about myself and others from being in such a different place then what I am used to. I am really enjoying my summer so far playing in Kitsap. I have met a lot of new people and enjoy the small town of Silverdale. It is a very relaxing place where one can concentrate on what one needs to concentrate on. Playing in Kitsap will be something I remember forever and have a lot of great memories of. Good luck to all my fellow teammates and Go Dons! July 8, 2009 Hey Dons Fans, This is Bob Mott. I was a freshman pitcher this past season on the 2009 Diamond Dons. This summer I am playing in the beautiful town of San Luis Obispo, CA. Most players will be able to recall our trip this year to play Cal Poly, and the wonderful area surrounding it. I am currently playing for the San Luis Obispo Rattlers, coached by former major leaguer, Roy Howell. The Rattlers are in the California Collegiate League, comprised of teams down the coast of California, and the defending NBC National Champion Santa Barbara Foresters is leading our league right now. As many of you may know, I am from San Luis Obispo as well. Although I may have gotten some heat from teammates at USF for playing at home, I am definitely happy that I made the choice this year. I have been able to enjoy the fun aspects of living at home such as spending quality time with my family, and hanging out with high school friends that I have not had a chance to see for a year. I have also become friends with many of the guys on my team, showing them around San Luis and even offering some surf lessons. My teammates are from all around the country, from Miami to TCU to Hawaii. I have one WCC teammate from Portland, and there are a few other WCC players scattered around the league. This past season at USF, I was used as a middle reliever and lefty-specialist. This summer I have made the adjustment to starter, and I believe there are some definite positives to starting such as knowing exactly what days you are going to pitch, and how to gear your workouts towards your next start. There are some negatives however: I have found it nearly impossible to pitch solely off adrenaline as a starter, when nearly every pitch I threw in the spring had tons of intensity. You really have to work into a groove and attacking on every pitch is more difficult when you throw 100 pitches instead of 10. I have really enjoyed this challenge and I know it will help me become a better pitcher in the long run. I cannot wait to get back to USF and hear about everyone's summer ball experiences, and I have no regrets playing summer ball in my hometown because it is tough to beat the combination of California Summers and baseball. AOEP and Go Dons! July 6, 2009 Hey everyone! This is Stephen Yarrow writing to you from the tiny town of Brewster, Massachusetts. I will be a junior this coming fall at USF so this is my second summer playing in a collegiate wood bat league. Where to begin? June 9th sounds about right. This is the day that I flew 3000 miles and six hours into Providence international airport. I was lucky enough to have already met my host family before this time. See, the host family I am living with had Dons in the past. Their first player was Tavo Hall in 2006 and 2007, and last year in 2008 they hosted Derek Poppert. Both Tavo and Derek made such good impressions on them that they wanted to stick with players from USF. During our Santa Clara series they came out to see Derek and check out San Francisco, and I was fortunate enough to meet them and have dinner with them. They are truly great people and during the summer their lives revolve and the ball player they are hosting. I could not ask anything more from them; sometimes they treat me better than I deserve to be treated. Every night I come home to a fabulous meal, and during the day they take me anywhere I want to go. Now let's talk about the league. Well, the league is everything everyone says it is. Ten scouts watching BP everyday, fifteen or so by the time first pitch comes around. Advisors hand out packets of info about their companies. It truly is a great experience. I would not say it's the purest form of baseball but it definitely is one of the most interesting forms I have ever been a part of. The other day our whole team had to take a test for the Anaheim Angels to see if we were drafted by them, how we would fit into their organizations. Just on our team I know at least a hand full of players who already have advisors. It is an experience most people only dream of, and I am very lucky to have this opportunity. Our team is made up of people from all across the country, and we have pretty good chemistry so far. We have many players from California, and quite a few from our conference, so we all relate to each other very well. Our coaching staff is headed by UCSB pitching coach and recruiting coordinator Tom Myers, who is very knowledgeable about the game, and seems to be a great coach. As a team we started out slow but lately we have been coming along, and could be a force to be reckoned with soon. I hope everyone is enjoying their own summer ball experiences and I can't wait to see everyone in August. Have a good rest of the summer! July 3, 2009 Hello Dons baseball fans, I am writing from Kitsap, Washington where I play for the Kitsap Bluejackets. Kitsap is a county in Washington surrounded by water, with the Puget Sound and Seattle only about 45 minutes away. To be more specific, I am living in the small town of Silverdale, Washington (in Kitsap County). Early in the morning on March 31st fellow Diamond Don Chris Escobar and I began our 12-hour drive from Stockton, CA to our host mom's house here in Silverdale. Upon our arrival Pam Hansen, our host mom, became very excited and immediately welcomed us into her home to show us our rooms. Pam is the Kitsap Bluejackets self-proclaimed #1 fan and is obsessed with baseball. Surprisingly there are many fans like Pam here. I guess that's what happens when you stick a good baseball team into a very small town with no other teams to root for. On average the attendance at our games is around 500-900 people, which doesn't sound like a lot, but if you were to come here you would wonder if there were even that many people who just live here! Even the players on the team have reached a certain "celebrity status." On many occasions people have recognized both me and other players simply shopping in the local grocery store and asked for our autographs. Players have also made the front page of the newspaper several times. That should give you an idea of how small this town really is... Our team is made up of guys from all around the country as well as some locals. We have players from programs like Oklahoma State, UC Riverside, Texas Tech, Washington State and University of Washington. The competition in this league seems good so far and I am excited to go on some more road trips with the team and see some parts of the country that are new to me. I will also get the chance to visit with fellow Dons who play on different teams in this league like Garret Luippold, Nik Balog, Jordan Remer, and Kyle Lawton. The teams in this league (West Coast Collegiate League) are all located in the Northwest, which makes most of the bus rides relatively short, the longest being about 8 hours. There is one Canadian team, a few in Washington and a few more in Oregon. Our team is currently 6-10 in league. We struggled a little bit at the beginning, but we have been winning some games lately and seem to be putting it all together. There is still a lot of season left and I am excited to see how it will unfold because this league seems to be pretty balanced. So far it has been a blast playing here. It is a lot of fun to simply wake up and go play baseball everyday. Not to mention go hang out with the team on our off days. In our free time we have done many things. Going to Seattle, fishing, boating, and golfing are some of the things we have done as a team. It is also interesting to simply live here and experience a whole new lifestyle. Going from San Francisco to Silverdale was a major transition. In fact, Silverdale is probably just about as opposite as you could get from San Francisco, if you could imagine that... Like I said, I am really enjoying myself here playing baseball, meeting new people, and living a new lifestyle. Silverdale is a great to place to both live, play baseball and make memories that will last forever. Go Dons! July 1, 2009 Well, it looks like it's my turn to share my summer experience so far. I think it's safe to say mine will look a bit different than everyone else's. I'm not playing summer ball, nor am I graduated and moving on to other things.... rather, it's been me trying to make the hardest decision of my life (so far). As people probably know, I was drafted in the 28th round by the Cincinnati Reds. From the outside, I don't think people realize how hard this whole process really is. I know I didn't when I saw the guys who were older than me going through it my freshman and sophomore year. Though it's been extremely difficult for me so far, I have to remember to sit back and realize what a blessing this really is. It can be tremendously taxing and stressful to continuously run the decision factors through your head, and so sometimes the blessing can feel like a burden at times, but I try to remain with things in perspective as best I can. Though it's difficult, not many people are blessed to have such a hard decision with two pretty good options at either end. After this past season, I felt it was really important for me to have a summer off if I wasn't playing pro ball. There are a number of reasons for this, but I don't want to bore people with that. In short, the past year took a big toll on me. I felt it was in my best interest to have this time. Though I've chosen to do so, it's not like I've been sitting here in the sun with a pina colada everyday. In fact, quite the opposite is true. It's been a lot of soul-searching and hard thinking. So far it's been a real mix between relaxing time off, and stressful decision making resulting in a couple sleepless nights. I'm not lying when I say this is the hardest thing I've ever had to do. Some of you may see this for yourself at some point in time. Actually, I can bet everyone will at some point, although it may not be about baseball. All I can say is, one day you will look back on the whole thing and see that it was a huge life experience.... something to grow from, learn from, and ultimately make you grow up. The last few weeks I've been spending a lot of alone time trying to uncover what my heart is saying through all of this, though I've found this much easier said than done. I keep being told to "do what's best for you" and "do what your heart says", but in the midst of it all, as hard as one tries, it is hard to do. I've found, though, that there's only so much you can do in terms of reason and logic. At some point you have to just get quiet and see what voice or feeling is there beneath all the thoughts. One of the things I have done to help me is reach out to people and get their view on the situation. I've found this really helpful, as someone with an objective viewpoint may have insights you may have overlooked. I've sought advice from people who I really trust, as well as guys who have gone through the decision making and pro ball experience themselves. I'm lucky to have very loving and caring support around me. Aside from all that, I try to balance it out with something to take my mind off things. I tend to think through things deeply, and although I think this is a good thing, I also know I run the risk of over-thinking it and getting stressed out. I have to watch out for my own health. Usually I wake up and go to the gym here in my hometown in the morning for a workout. Also working on the tan so I'm not just jacked, I'm jacked and tan. Big difference! I've also got a batting cage I can use near my hometown by a hitting coach I used to go to in high school. He played a number of years in AAA and has some great knowledge of hitting, and I'm lucky to have a good enough relationship with him in which he has made a key to his facility for me so I can use it anytime I want. I've also been doing a lot of reading, catching up with some old friends, and spending quality time with my family. I love being outside, so I haven't done a lot of sitting around watching TV. Okay, maybe I have caught up on some movies I wanted to see... Anyways, I'm glad to hear that people are enjoying their summer ball experiences so far. After two summer ball experiences, I look back at my memories with a smile. It is something you will truly never forget, and something unlike any other you will ever experience. Work hard, play your best, and most of all....enjoy it! I hope to see everyone soon. June 29, 2009 I left June 2 for Spokane, Washington to start my summer ball experience. I was very excited and ready to embark on this new experience. I left San Jose International Airport at 12:25 PM only to arrive in Seattle at 2:00 PM then transfer over to Spokane. Once I arrived in the Spokane Airport I was greeted by my host mom and from there we left for her son's baseball game in Coeur D'Alene resort in Idaho. I am currently living with a single mother and her son. Ganene, the mother, and Tyler, the son, are extremely nice people and welcomed me into their family with open arms. A host family basically takes a baseball player into their home by feeding him and giving him a home. I reside in Spokane Valley which is a little town just on the outskirts of the main city Spokane. Now coming from a city like San Francisco to Spokane is like day and night. Spokane is more on the country side whereas San Francisco is a huge multicultural city. Making this transition was tough in the beginning but once I got used to the area, it is a ton of fun. But what is making this experience great are my teammates. My teammates are a great bunch of kids. We all have a great time but do work when work has to get done. As a team we have gone rafting, fishing, and go out a lot of the time. A lot of WCC players play in this league, so it is really cool that I get to play with some kids from USD, Gonzaga, Pepperdine, and more. I am also playing with my fellow teammates Kyle Lawton, and Garrett Luippold. The team is doing well with a record of 8 wins and 6 losses. Barry Matthews, our head coach, is a great guy. I enjoy playing for him and have a lot of fun off the field too. Our other assistant coaches are also great people, with not only a great knowledge of baseball but they have a great interaction with us players. Traveling makes summer ball summer ball. Our bus is a big charter bus, similar to the one we use at USF, which has Riverhawks written all over it. We travel to a ton of places including Wenatchee, Moses Lake, Corvallis, Bend (Oregon), Kelowna (Canada), Kitsap, and much more. Our shortest bus ride is an hour and a half, while our longest one is eight hours. But time doesn't really matter because we have so much fun messing around on the bus that time flies. All in all, I am having a great time here in Spokane and am getting use to the giant change in culture. I am very grateful to have the opportunity to be experiencing this, knowing these memories will stick with me throughout my life. June 26, 2009 Q&A With USF Basebal Alumnus Zach Kim What are some of your best memories from USF? It's hard for me to really narrow down a few specific instances but I know for a fact that my best memories all have something to do with baseball. Being a college athlete requires a player to sacrifice what many would call "the college experience", so I don't have the typical stories you might hear at a 10-year reunion. What I do have is an experience that will last a lifetime. I was a member of the first and only USF baseball team to play in the NCAA tournament in Lincoln, Nebraska. I remember coming out of the dugout before our game against Nebraska and being able to feel the ground shudder under the roar of Nebraska fans. Our fans were outnumbered roughly 100 to 1, yet at games end, our little section behind our dugout could be heard through Haymarket Park. Words can't describe the rush felt by every player. Being a part of this team has also brought me some of my closest friends who I will have for the rest of my life. Working with them on and off the field has created many of best memories. What will you miss the most? I could sit here and say that I'm going to miss the roar of the crowd and the rush from stealing bases... and it would be the truth... but that's not what I'm really going to miss when I look back on my time at USF. In being a member of the baseball team for 5 seasons, I have had the opportunity to mature, both as a player and a person. I'm going to miss the working through challenges with coaches and teammates. I'm going to miss traveling on the road with my closest friends. Most of all, I'm going to miss being a part of a group of guys brought together by a game to represent an entire university and an entire way of life. How has baseball impacted and influenced your life? Baseball has been dubbed by many as "The Great Equalizer" for its constant failures. In playing this game, I have a new approach to the rest of my life. I am more driven to attack my life and all its challenges with a relentless mentality that enables me to take risks, accept failure, and achieve success in a way that would otherwise not be possible. What are some things you have learned from coaches, professors, teammates, and/or friends while playing here that you will take with you into your next endeavor? The coaching staff at USF is doing more than developing baseball players. They are developing people. I have become a better baseball player in my five years here, but more importantly, I have become a better human being. When a player comes to USF, they are going to be treated as an adult whether they like it or not. In being held to a standard of excellence on and off the field, I have been molded into the person I am today. It is not asked that players carry themselves in a certain way at USF... It's expected. How do you feel having spent your entire time in college at USF? I don't know what it would have been like to go to more than one institution, much less play baseball in two different programs. I have loved every minutes spent at USF. When I was looking at schools to attend, baseball was a big factor in my decision. But I didn't look at schools for the right reasons. I was drawn to the big name schools with the best facilities and the biggest reputations. I had been talking to U.C Berkeley about playing baseball when USF contacted me. I didn't really give USF the time of day until Cal fell through. Had I done my homework and kept in touch with USF, my decision would have been much easier and it would have been made much sooner! USF has been the perfect fit for me. I love the school, the education and the baseball program. I can't imagine spending college in another place. What's next for you? The MLB draft didn't go as I had hoped so it's time for me to go a different direction with my life. Baseball is a funny thing. In a conversation I had with Coach Giarratano after the draft, coach told me "Baseball is a funny thing. It's a great game that you keep with you your entire life, but it never ends on your terms. Even if you play professionally, it doesn't end when you're ready to be done with it". I believe those words completely, and it is for that reason that I have made the decision to move on. I feel there is no better time for me to walk away from the game. I had a good senior year and I spent it with a group of guys I wouldn't trade for any "signing bonus". Currently, I am studying for my LSAT exams before I apply to Law school. I expect to rejoin former teammate Tavo Hall in Munich, Germany for a spring of European ball before I return and begin my graduate studies. That's the tentative plan, but life's a funny thing... I expect a few more curve balls to come my way before it's all said and done. Any advice to your former teammates? You're a part of something special. It's something that most people will never experience. Enjoy your time as a player and as a student. USF is a program unlike any other in the country. You're a part of a program that is bigger than any one person, but at the same time is never too large for any one individual to make a difference. Make the difference or become the difference... and enjoy the process of doing it. Go Dons! June 25, 2009 I'm currently playing summer ball up in Spokane, WA in the West Coast League; and from the experiences I have had thus far, I am greatly thankful and excited to have this opportunity. This year's team has many familiar and soon to be familiar faces to the WCC. Players from USF, Gonzaga, USD, and Pepperdine are on my team; they have all proved themselves great guys, even though they play for the enemies. I find myself enjoying my teammates and my coaches more and more every day I have with them because they are all welcoming and all have positive outlooks not on just baseball, but in matters off the field as well. The team I play for is called the Spokane Riverhawks, coached by Barry Matthews (one of Coach Moore's former rivals who says he could still carve Moore up any day of the week...). Alongside him are two other coaches, one being fresh out of Gonzaga and the other a Gonzaga graduate with five years of minor league ball under his belt. With the baseball experience my coaching staff possesses, I see our team learning much about the game of baseball through different methods of teaching and environment. Thankfully, I am not alone up here in Washington. I have Mr. Kyle Lawton alongside me for the ride, which is not only awesome because he is one of my boys from school ball, but he played here last summer. He has been a great outlet for non-athletic activities and events, showing me the ropes of Spokane and all the cool stuff to do when we have some days off. Lately we have been taking day trips up to Coeur d'Alene Lake in Idaho just thirty minutes away. One of our teammate's host family owns a lake house where we are always welcome to hang out. Three times now we have been up there to get after the water sports and beaches. From tubing, water skiing, to wake boarding, to babe watching has been the highlight of the lake adventures. From time to time we go river floating on big tubes where we travel downstream about five miles. Baseball-wise, I love the competition up here. The league has some serious talent on every team, so there is always a challenge when I get the chance to toe the rubber. Of course our team is the best because I say so, but all the other teams are pretty good (except Matty Lu's team from last summer). Sorry Matty, but Moses Lake is brutal this year again, but whatever. But for real, I am having a great time getting some quality innings up here and working on my summer goals. So far I think I have been doing a pristine job of staying on it and AOEPing with every chance I get. I'm just mad that Abe isn't up here to again this summer. Mr. Love, you have a great opportunity to pitch against the one and only Abe. Last but definitely not least, the O'Neil's (my host family) are awesome! My host dad John and mom Lori are some of the kindest people I have ever met and I will definitely be grateful all summer and the rest of my life for the support they show for me and for taking me into their home, as well as sharing their ten year old son to play catch with and teach. He is really into baseball, so he is always bugging me to toss it around with him. The family is at every home game and at some away games no matter if I pitch or not, which is a great deal, knowing that they like the game. I'm looking forward to the rest of the summer with my new friends and host family. Keep in touch boys and good luck with your summers. AOEP June 24, 2009 What is happening USF fans!?!? This is Matt Lujan reporting on my summer ball experience. This is my second summer traveling away from home; I will be a junior at USF next year and can't wait! Well let me tell you that last summer I thought I was far from home and I was only in Washington. This summer I am blogging all the way from a small town in Cape Cod Massachusetts called Brewster. I was fortunate enough to be one of very few college baseball players playing in the Cape Cod summer baseball league. The environment here is awesome! The people who run the program are all about us and my host family is once again fabulous. The Brewster Whitecaps are embarking on their twentieth year in the "Cape." The coaching staff is awesome, headed by lefty pitching coach from UCSB, Tom Meyers, who I could ask nothing less of. The competition in this league is like nothing I have ever seen before. Everyday a new pitcher is on the mound pounding 90mph fastballs with nasty movement and dirty sliders. With good pitching comes great hitting as well, I have seen 95mph fastballs get turned on and hit a mile. For now though I would say that the pitchers have the upper hand, but I am counting on the hitting to come around. The fields we play at are all within an hour of each other so that makes it very easy to travel from one to the next. I really have no complaints about where I am and the type of people I am playing for and with. Lately the weather has not been great. I got rained out of my second start which is very unusual on the "Cape," or so say the locals. The team here is awesome. We have quite a few guys from California which makes sense because that is where the coaches are from. Guys the readers may know include USD guys Casey Schmidt and Kyle Blair, Pepperdine's Scott Alexander, Cal's Mark Canha, UCLA's Eric Goeddel and Niko Gallego and our very own USF Don Stephen Yarrow. So far my experience has been phenomenal. I am learning something new every day whether it be from a coach, player or our competition. This summer is a wonderful opportunity for me as a person and as a ball player. My roommate this summer is also a left handed pitcher from Vanderbilt University, Sean Bierman, an awesome dude originally from New Jersey. That being said he is a Yankee fan and the Boston fans around here like to give him a hard time. Well Dons readers it has been a pleasure sharing what I have been through so far! Hope everyone is doing great. Take it easy. Go Dons! June 19, 2009 Hello everyone. My name is Alex Kalogrides and I am going to be a senior next semester at USF. This is the third summer that I have traveled to another part of the country to compete in a summer collegiate baseball league. After my freshman year, I went out to Harrisonburg, Virginia for the first half of my summer, and ended up in Yuba City, CA for the second half. Last summer I played on a team in Brainerd, Minnesota in the Northwoods league and we traveled all around the Midwest. This summer I was all set to play in the Cape Cod league but my plans fell through two days before leaving the Bay Area. After a few quick phone calls by Coach Moore, I landed a spot on the New Bedford Bay Sox of the New England Collegiate League. I was thrilled that the team needed another pitcher because I did not have to cancel my plane ticket out to New England since the town of New Bedford is only 20 minutes from the Cape. Also, fellow USF pitcher Doug Murray is on the New Bedford team which makes things out here much more enjoyable. New Bedford, Massachusetts is a small town that used to be a large part of the whaling industry. The town has just about everything I need within walking or running distance. There are places to eat, a gym, a grocery store, and even a mall all within a short walk. There even is a beach that is only a couple miles away, but the weather hasn't been great out here so far. I live with a host family about one mile away from our field. My host parents or perhaps I should call them my host brother and sister (they are only about six or seven years older than me) are Jason and April. They have been very kind to me, providing me with a nice large bedroom and plenty of video games to keep me occupied. They also have taken me out to show me around New Bedford and its surrounding areas. On one of our off days they are going to take me up to Boston which is about forty-five minutes away to spend the day there. They are very kind people and I really appreciate their hospitality. The baseball part of it has been rather slow thus far. Our schedule is quite spread out as we have sixteen off days throughout the summer. We also have had a few games that have been rained out. Last summer I only had about five days off for the whole time I was out there so there is a lot more down time out here which I am not really used to. The New England Collegiate League is sponsored in part by Major League Baseball and our team is sponsored by Under Armor so we have a lot of nice gear. Our team is off to a slow start, but we have a lot of talent. We are currently 3-5. The places where we have played have ranged from high school fields with bleachers, to nice stadiums full of chair back seats, to old time parks where Babe Ruth once played with both dugouts on the first base line. It has been quite interesting to travel around the different states within New England and see all the different areas. June 17, 2009 This summer I was lucky enough to be sent to Honolulu, Hawaii to play summer ball in the Hawaii Collegiate Baseball League. I was very excited to come here and play not only because of the great weather and beaches, but I also have family that live fifteen minutes from where I am staying. I do not get to see this family very often so it is nice seeing them and they have been helping me get situated in my new home for the next 7 weeks. I arrived in Hawaii last Wednesday and headed to my living arrangements, which unlike many other leagues where players stay with host families, all the players in the league stay in an apartment complex. There are over 150 players from all over the country staying in this one complex so you can imagine how interesting the lifestyle is. It is awesome being able to meet players from all over; there are guys from WCC schools like Santa Clara, Pepperdine, and Saint Mary's and many other places all over the country such as New York and Florida. Living with the players really allows you to get know the guys, not only on your team, but on all the other teams as well. I am living with fellow Don Teammate Matt Quintero and we are sharing a room and in our apartment which we also share with guys from Maryland, Rhode Island, and Southern California. We play six games a week then get Fridays off to hang out, go down to the beach, and explore all the beauties of Hawaii. Every day we bus down to the fields together where we play one game of a three game series against each team. It is a 35 game season with a tournament championship the last week. There are six different teams and I am on the Hawaii Aliis (Chiefs) and we are currently 3-2. We started off 0-2 and have won three straight and are shaking off the cob webs and playing really well. I have been playing centerfield and have been batting leadoff. I am having a great time playing in this great weather, I expected it to be extremely hot and uncomfortable to play in, but because of the nice breeze that is constantly flowing it makes for great baseball weather. The coach of our team is Carl Fratecelli and he is from the bay area and coached around the area I lived so we know a lot the same people. He is a really great coach that lets the players play their game, but also is there willing to teach the game. When we are not out on the baseball field we spend a lot of time at the beaches and that has been awesome! It is so nice to go and relax in the water or lay in the sand after a long day at the field. I have also found out how much of a workout it is to go out swimming in the ocean with the strong currents and waves, it has been wiping me out. I am having a blast here and am enjoying every day, it has been a great opportunity to play here so far and I hope to have many more great memories and friendships. What is better than waking up playing the game you love, then going to relax on the most beautiful beaches in the world? June 16, 2009 Q&A with USF Baseball Alumnus Drew Johnson June 15, 2009 After a great five days at home, I embarked on what would be my first trip to the east coast to play my first summer ball in a collegiate league. I am playing in the Cal Ripken Sr. Collegiate League with my teammates Connor Bernatz and Cameron Love and many others from different schools. I flew on Virgin America, watching two movies on the flight over, flying into Washington Dulles Airport. I was warmly welcomed to the east coast when my host father (Brent Weingardt) met me at the baggage claim. I was first introduced to the humid weather while walking to the car when Brent came to pick me up at the airport. When we returned home I was warmly welcomed by Brent's kids: Josh (21), Jason (18), and Julia (15). I later accompanied Brent to pick up his wife, Dani. I sat around that night talking to my host brothers and sister. I found out that Jason is the voice of the Big Train. He is the internet broadcaster when we have home games. He is also attending the College of Wooster, which he found in the latest edition of Sports Illustrated walking off the field losing the championship game for Division III. Julia interviewed me for her school paper. It was my first interview; it was pretty rocky to say the least. She is among the top in her class in just about every category thought of. Josh has been my guide, helping me get around the city and such. Since this was my first time doing anything of this sort, I was really fortunate to have the host family that I do. They have always been there to help me through the transition of being off on my own, 3,000 miles away from home. With great food and hospitality, so far, I can say that I've really enjoyed my stay here in Maryland. Now let's get on to the baseball part of Maryland. To me, it's like I ran into a team that I've known all my life. The guys here are really easy to get along with and have been a real joy to play alongside. There were a lot of returners to the team so it was really easy to get into the mix. Since I don't have a car here, I have been catching a ride with what has become one of my good buddies, Mike Bottoms from Morehead State. The community of Bethesda has brought just over 1,000 fans at every game. Our supporters have been greatly appreciated and our general manager chooses a couple of non-profit organizations to be recognized by throwing out the first pitch of our home games. We are still currently undefeated as our pitching staff has dominated every team that we've played. From what I hear from some of the guys, this is one of the most potent offences that the team has seen. We have the reigning MVP of the Cal Ripken League and many potential draft picks. Our defense has been absolutely outstanding. But the real challenge lies within the Maryland Orioles. They won the league last year, but the Bethesda Big Train is looking to regain that title this year! Since we have a lot of returners, one thing that I have really enjoyed is the questions. We are frequently asked questions like: How is Matt Hiserman doing? How is Zack Kim doing? Hearing all the remarks from the coaching staff and returning players about our guys: all I have to say is that Connor, Cameron, and I have some big shoes to fill! With all of this being said, I hope that we can fill the shoes of the previous Dons. Those guys being Jonnie Knoble, Evan Fredrickson, Matt Hiserman, Zack Kim, and many others. They have left a legacy with our coach, Sal Colangelo and the rest of the coaching staff. Coach Sal talks about those guys all the time and he makes references about them, telling us stories about the previous summers. June 12, 2009 Greetings from Manchester, Connecticut. I am out here in the New England Collegiate Baseball League (NECBL) playing for the Manchester Silkworms this summer, and so far it's been an awesome experience. We travel all over New England to play our competition and the bus rides are anywhere between one and four hours, spanning over five states. The stadiums and parks we play at have been amazing so far. The fans really appreciate the game of baseball and it shows in the attendance. Some games are attended by a few thousand fans, which makes for a wonderful atmosphere to play baseball in. Soon I will have the chance to play some USF teammates including Doug Murray, Alex Kalogrides, and Sean Burns, who are also playing on teams in the NECBL. My teammates are really easy to get along with, which is usually the case with baseball players since we all have a lot in common. Being the only player on the team from anywhere out west, I get a lot of questions about California and the west coast. My favorite is when they ask questions such as, "isn't it a perfect world out there?" or "isn't it true that when you're from California the world seems to revolve around you?" I almost always end up answering these questions by telling them about Newport Beach native, Connor Bernatz. I am currently living with Larry and Grace Cedrone, their two daughters Mimi and Sj, and son Evan. They are a wonderful family with a beautiful home. Every day the refrigerator seems to be fuller then the day before, and I am loving it. They feed my well at the Cedrone house, and after games the teams are fed more than enough food with a meal cooked by volunteers. I am enjoying every moment out here, and every opportunity to get better at the game of baseball. I am also looking forward to the rest of the summer season and what it has to offer me from a personal and baseball perspective. June 11, 2009 My summer ball experience has been a very interesting experience so far, to say the least. For one thing, the league in general is a very competitive league that is structured well and has many good players. In terms of baseball, the Atlantic Collegiate League is a good league with many players from different schools that definitely have a good feel for the game. Our coach is from Santa Clara and is pretty cool considering the fact that he is from Santa Clara! June 8, 2009 This summer I am playing in beautiful Bethesda, Maryland for the Bethesda Big Train. Upon my arrival about a week and a half ago, I met my host family at the Baltimore Airport. Walt, Sheila, and Gage (8 years old) welcomed me to their home on a very wet Friday evening. My host family treats me like a son and I think Gage will try to follow me back home in August. I am fed very well and am comfortable with a nice living space and a 72" high definition satellite television, in addition to my ride to the field occasionally being Walt's 1970 Corvette Stingray. I haven't built up the confidence to request a test drive yet. June 5, 2009 Hello world, my name is Robert Abel and this is my first blog about my summer baseball experience. I am currently playing in the Northwood's collegiate league, and my team is the Lacrosse Loggers. This team and league have a rich history for being one of the best summer leagues in the country. The whole experience is based around mimicking minor league baseball. From start to finish we play 68 games in less than 3 months, we have long road trips (longest being 12 hours) and we get to the baseball field 5 hours before game time to practice. Don't worry, not all teams get to enjoy the opportunity to get to the field that early, I'm pretty sure the loggers are the only ones who do that. Our average attendance at our games right now is around 3000, but school hasn't even been released yet. So our game today is predicted to have 4500. Boy will it be rocking! The town of lacrosse loves its baseball! I get to sign plenty of baseballs after the game as the kids who already know your name and college rush the field when the last out is recorded. Once you put on a logger uniform you have instantly turned yourself into a celebrity. Currently I am batting sixth in the lineup, hitting over .300, and I stole my first bag last night. The competition is very tough and with the wood bats (Rawlings sponsored league) the games go by a lot faster and the scores are lower. My team is also doing well; we sit atop the league with a 6-3 record tied with the Battle Creek Bombers. In our first home game we won in dramatic fashion with a 3-run walk off homerun in the bottom of the ninth. The crowd went crazy! And oh boy was that ball crushed! My host family is great, the Thihlers are a very dedicated host family, and they always have food for us when we get back from the field late at night if we didn't get to eat. They are very caring and most of all; they love their baseball just like us! I am living with another baseball player from Nebraska named Kash (soon to be sophomore RHP/corner infielder) he is a really good player and even better person to live with. So far we haven't had an off day yet, but we have our first one this Sunday and the team has us going to a boys and girls club for a meet the Loggers day, which should be a lot of fun for the kids since they can't get enough of us after the games. In this jammed packed summer season we only have 5 more off days, my host family is in the progress of planning something we all can do as a family ( I heard them talking about going jet skiing!) I just hope I can get back to playing baseball in one piece. So far the Northwood's league experience has been a great one and I am more than grateful to be a part of such a perfectly run operation. In my eyes this is one of the best, if not the best summer league in the country. I am looking forward to grinding out this tough schedule and being able to look back on the summer with a smile and a book full of memories to share with my Dons teammates. June 3, 2009 I am playing Baseball this summer in Folsom, CA for the Folsom Pioneers. So far Folsom has been a great place to be. I am staying with a host family. The owner of the house is actually the mom of the owner of the team. She is a very nice woman and I enjoy being here because I feel very welcome. My gym that I am working out at is about 2 minutes away from my house. Folsom Lake is less than 10 minutes away from me. There is a great Mexican restaurant that is close by my house and if you know me you know that I like to eat a lot. We just finished our first weekend series against Nevada Bighorn, taking two out of three games. On Sunday I hit my first home run in Folsom at our home field. Our next game is on Wednesday at 5:00pm at Canadá College in Redwood City against the Nor-Cal Longhorns and I will be the starting pitcher. There is a catcher on my team that goes to Solano College, which is where Ryan Lipkin went before transferring to USF. There are a couple other guys from the Woodland area that say that they know Robert Abel. The whole team seems like a good group of guys. It looks like our team is going to do pretty well in this league so I'm excited that we have starting playing and have been doing well. I think we have some good arms. We have some crafty pitchers and we have a few good power pitchers. Our line-up has been hitting pretty well. Overall it seems as if both on offense and defense we are pretty solid. I will be playing at three different positions for this team. I will be pitching and playing both left field and first base. There are three St. Mary's players on the Pioneers, two of which I have played with in the past. The area is easy to navigate because everywhere you need to go to is only about 5-10 minutes driving distance away. I'm excited to continue playing this summer and have fun in the warmth of Folsom. It has been great to get going in summer baseball and look forward to the rest of our games. June 1st, 2009 My plane got into Baltimore Thursday night and my host dad was there to meet me right at baggage claim. Most summer ball teams have host families who the players live with for the summer, they provide housing, food, and plenty of good times. My host family consists of Mr. and Mrs. Obrien along with their two daughters, Jackie who is 19 and Laura, 17. We ate dinner my first night out on their porch, this is when I was introduced to the great humidity and bugs of the east coast. From what I am told the heat has yet to arrive, and bugs are on their way. I am anxiously awaiting the arrival of both. Seeing the field for the first time, I was quite impressed. The Big Train has been playing at a local field in the heart of Bethesda which has around 1,000 chair back seats, along with lights, as we play most of our games at night. After getting my uniform and meeting all the guys, we hit in the cages for a bit and afterwards all the guys just hung around and got to know one another. It is always fun to hear where everyone comes from. We have players all the way from Maine, Oregon, Mississippi, and even beautiful Southern California. One day of practice and next thing I knew it was time to lace up the cleats for the first exhibition game. The next night we played against a local club team in front of a packed house at our home field. The Big Train overcame a seven run deficit to win 10-7 in their first game. It is already fun to see how our team is establishing an identity of its own and working together towards wins already. We won our second exhibition game last night. Diamond Don Cameron Love was our starting pitcher and he pitched five innings allowing just one hit, leading our team to our second win. My summer ball experience so far has been nothing but good times one after another. Being able to just go out and play the game I love everyday not having to worry about school or anything else is definitely a nice way to spend the summer. Our season officially starts this coming Friday and I cannot wait for this Big Train to really get rolling.
July 17, 2009
I am playing summer ball in Lorain, Ohio. Lorain is about 30 minutes west of Cleveland right on Lake Erie. I am playing for the Northcoast Knights in the Prospect League. We are a first year team so we don't draw very many fans. I would say we average about 30 a game, but when we are on the road we get a lot more. When we played in Hannibal, Missouri (home of Mark Twain) I got to pitch in front of about 2,500 people and thought that was pretty cool. The team is doing pretty good; we are currently in second place only a half game back at the all-star break. Our team consists of players from all over like: USC, UC Riverside, Long Beach State, Tulane, Boston College, Coastal Carolina, Washington State, and others. So we have a lot of good talent and we are finally putting it together as a team. We started out kind of slow but now we are right in the mix of things. We have had some problems chemistry wise because of players leaving but I think our team should be set now. The top two teams from the east division and the top two from the west division make the playoffs and I think we have a good chance of winning the league.
For me it has been really good baseball wise. I am in the starting rotation and have been pitching pretty well. I currently lead our division in ERA and just got back from pitching in the all-star game, which was pretty fun. The all-star game was played in Springfield Illinois, home of Abraham Lincoln. It was a nice experience and I had a good time.
The first day I got here my host family took me to an Indians game and they were playing the Yankees. My host family is huge Yankees fans so I was told to root for them. I also got to go to a pretty cool amusement park called Cedar Point, there are some big roller coasters and it was a lot of fun. I think the best place to visit in Ohio is Put-In Bay. It's an island in Lake Erie and it is more of a vacation place. I went with my family and really enjoyed it.
I live with the Melendez family in Amherst Ohio, which is about ten minutes from the field. I live with one of the guys on the team's family, which is nice cause there is someone my age I live with and he shows me around. My experience in Ohio has been good so far and I hope everything continues to go as is. We have a good chance of winning the league and if we keep playing well we should win it. Our owner said we get championship rings if we win the league so I hope to be bringing one home.
July 13, 2009
Hey everyone, this is Doug Murray writing from New Bedford, Massachusetts, home of the Bay Sox. I am going to be a senior next year at USF. This is my second summer away from home playing collegiate baseball. Last year I was in Battle Creek, Michigan playing for the Bombers with Sean Burns and Connor Bernatz in the Northwoods league. I flew out to New Bedford May 29th and was greeted by my host parents at the airport. My host parents Jim and Kristen Lancaster have been great; they treat me better than I could have ever wished for. I get to come home to good food, a family that loves baseball, and my new brother and sister, Kyle (7) and Katheryn (5). Katheryn is a fun little girl that was shy at first but has opened up to me and will finally say hi and goodnight. Kyle is the little brother I never had, we play wii, wiffle ball, nerf wars, baseball in the house, basketball, and we watch more baseball than I have watched in my entire life. He flips through games and watches for big name players or his fantasy players, while Kristen, the mom, tells him to leave it on the Red Sox games.
The league I play in is the New England Collegiate Baseball League (NECBL). We travel all over New England, four hour bus ride max. Alex Kalogrides and I have been doing pretty well in the bullpen and we have seen a lot of Travis Higgs, who plays for the Manchester Silkworms. So far he is one for three off of me. The Bay Sox management has been great to us as well, we get good meals and they give us everything we need to perform and have fun. I recently had a once in a lifetime experience. The NECBL set up a game against team USA. I got to throw one inning, although I didn't do so well, and it was a great experience facing a bunch of great hitters.
New England is a great place, besides the rain. We had rain every other day, but with all the off days I have got some time to travel around. My parents came out for a three week vacation so I spent some time with them in New York and Connecticut. I also got some tickets from my host parents to a Red Sox game and it happened to be for the day that my girlfriend flew out. My host parents know me so well they got the tickets for when the A's were in town, so we wore our A's jersey and saw eight other A's fans at the game. I am having a great time out here and I wish it would never end. I hope everyone is having a great summer. And staff, AEOP.
July 10, 2009
Hey everyone, this is Christopher Escobar writing from Silverdale, WA where I am currently playing with the Kitsap Bluejackets. I will be a junior this coming fall and this is my second summer playing in the West Coast Collegiate League.
On March 31st, as Kelly Costantini mentioned, I began our 12 hour drive from Stockton, CA to our host family's house in Silverdale, WA. As we arrived to the house, our host mom welcomed us into her home with open arms. She was very excited to finally meet the two players she would be spending the entire summer with. The minute we walked in we were shown to our rooms and given an immediate tour of the house. Pam, our host mom, is known as the Kitsap Bluejackets #1 fan. She even has decorated a room in the house full of Bluejacket memorabilia from over the past couple of years. She isn't the only hard core fan, we have many other fans that dedicate their time and support each and every night to the team.
Our team is made up of a bunch of great guys from all over the country. We have come together as a team very well so far and are looking forward to having a good summer as a team. As I mentioned before this is my second summer in this league and I can honestly say the competition level is good. Each team in the league has some good players who can play the game of baseball, so each day at the ball park is a tough one. We are currently 9-14 in league. We struggled at the beginning a little bit but have started winning some games and bringing it all together. I think in the end our team will be fine and have a chance in the post season. The summer has been a lot of fun so far. Playing summer ball is a blast and very relaxing when baseball is the only thing on your mind. We wake up and play baseball just about every day. It doesn't get any better than that. On our off days we have a chance to hang out with teammates and do something fun like bowling or even going and hanging out at the lake for the day. Kitsap County has been a nice and relaxing time, as well as a whole new lifestyle then what I am used to back home in Stockton, CA or even San Francisco. I have learned a lot about myself and others from being in such a different place then what I am used to.
I am really enjoying my summer so far playing in Kitsap. I have met a lot of new people and enjoy the small town of Silverdale. It is a very relaxing place where one can concentrate on what one needs to concentrate on. Playing in Kitsap will be something I remember forever and have a lot of great memories of. Good luck to all my fellow teammates and Go Dons!
July 8, 2009
Hey Dons Fans, This is Bob Mott. I was a freshman pitcher this past season on the 2009 Diamond Dons. This summer I am playing in the beautiful town of San Luis Obispo, CA. Most players will be able to recall our trip this year to play Cal Poly, and the wonderful area surrounding it. I am currently playing for the San Luis Obispo Rattlers, coached by former major leaguer, Roy Howell. The Rattlers are in the California Collegiate League, comprised of teams down the coast of California, and the defending NBC National Champion Santa Barbara Foresters is leading our league right now.
As many of you may know, I am from San Luis Obispo as well. Although I may have gotten some heat from teammates at USF for playing at home, I am definitely happy that I made the choice this year. I have been able to enjoy the fun aspects of living at home such as spending quality time with my family, and hanging out with high school friends that I have not had a chance to see for a year. I have also become friends with many of the guys on my team, showing them around San Luis and even offering some surf lessons. My teammates are from all around the country, from Miami to TCU to Hawaii. I have one WCC teammate from Portland, and there are a few other WCC players scattered around the league.
This past season at USF, I was used as a middle reliever and lefty-specialist. This summer I have made the adjustment to starter, and I believe there are some definite positives to starting such as knowing exactly what days you are going to pitch, and how to gear your workouts towards your next start. There are some negatives however: I have found it nearly impossible to pitch solely off adrenaline as a starter, when nearly every pitch I threw in the spring had tons of intensity. You really have to work into a groove and attacking on every pitch is more difficult when you throw 100 pitches instead of 10. I have really enjoyed this challenge and I know it will help me become a better pitcher in the long run.
I cannot wait to get back to USF and hear about everyone's summer ball experiences, and I have no regrets playing summer ball in my hometown because it is tough to beat the combination of California Summers and baseball. AOEP and Go Dons!
July 6, 2009
Hey everyone! This is Stephen Yarrow writing to you from the tiny town of Brewster, Massachusetts. I will be a junior this coming fall at USF so this is my second summer playing in a collegiate wood bat league. Where to begin? June 9th sounds about right. This is the day that I flew 3000 miles and six hours into Providence international airport. I was lucky enough to have already met my host family before this time. See, the host family I am living with had Dons in the past. Their first player was Tavo Hall in 2006 and 2007, and last year in 2008 they hosted Derek Poppert. Both Tavo and Derek made such good impressions on them that they wanted to stick with players from USF. During our Santa Clara series they came out to see Derek and check out San Francisco, and I was fortunate enough to meet them and have dinner with them. They are truly great people and during the summer their lives revolve and the ball player they are hosting. I could not ask anything more from them; sometimes they treat me better than I deserve to be treated. Every night I come home to a fabulous meal, and during the day they take me anywhere I want to go.
Now let's talk about the league. Well, the league is everything everyone says it is. Ten scouts watching BP everyday, fifteen or so by the time first pitch comes around. Advisors hand out packets of info about their companies. It truly is a great experience. I would not say it's the purest form of baseball but it definitely is one of the most interesting forms I have ever been a part of. The other day our whole team had to take a test for the Anaheim Angels to see if we were drafted by them, how we would fit into their organizations. Just on our team I know at least a hand full of players who already have advisors. It is an experience most people only dream of, and I am very lucky to have this opportunity.
Our team is made up of people from all across the country, and we have pretty good chemistry so far. We have many players from California, and quite a few from our conference, so we all relate to each other very well. Our coaching staff is headed by UCSB pitching coach and recruiting coordinator Tom Myers, who is very knowledgeable about the game, and seems to be a great coach. As a team we started out slow but lately we have been coming along, and could be a force to be reckoned with soon. I hope everyone is enjoying their own summer ball experiences and I can't wait to see everyone in August. Have a good rest of the summer!
July 3, 2009
Hello Dons baseball fans, I am writing from Kitsap, Washington where I play for the Kitsap Bluejackets. Kitsap is a county in Washington surrounded by water, with the Puget Sound and Seattle only about 45 minutes away. To be more specific, I am living in the small town of Silverdale, Washington (in Kitsap County).
Early in the morning on March 31st fellow Diamond Don Chris Escobar and I began our 12-hour drive from Stockton, CA to our host mom's house here in Silverdale. Upon our arrival Pam Hansen, our host mom, became very excited and immediately welcomed us into her home to show us our rooms. Pam is the Kitsap Bluejackets self-proclaimed #1 fan and is obsessed with baseball. Surprisingly there are many fans like Pam here. I guess that's what happens when you stick a good baseball team into a very small town with no other teams to root for. On average the attendance at our games is around 500-900 people, which doesn't sound like a lot, but if you were to come here you would wonder if there were even that many people who just live here! Even the players on the team have reached a certain "celebrity status." On many occasions people have recognized both me and other players simply shopping in the local grocery store and asked for our autographs. Players have also made the front page of the newspaper several times. That should give you an idea of how small this town really is...
Our team is made up of guys from all around the country as well as some locals. We have players from programs like Oklahoma State, UC Riverside, Texas Tech, Washington State and University of Washington. The competition in this league seems good so far and I am excited to go on some more road trips with the team and see some parts of the country that are new to me. I will also get the chance to visit with fellow Dons who play on different teams in this league like Garret Luippold, Nik Balog, Jordan Remer, and Kyle Lawton. The teams in this league (West Coast Collegiate League) are all located in the Northwest, which makes most of the bus rides relatively short, the longest being about 8 hours. There is one Canadian team, a few in Washington and a few more in Oregon.
Our team is currently 6-10 in league. We struggled a little bit at the beginning, but we have been winning some games lately and seem to be putting it all together. There is still a lot of season left and I am excited to see how it will unfold because this league seems to be pretty balanced.
So far it has been a blast playing here. It is a lot of fun to simply wake up and go play baseball everyday. Not to mention go hang out with the team on our off days. In our free time we have done many things. Going to Seattle, fishing, boating, and golfing are some of the things we have done as a team. It is also interesting to simply live here and experience a whole new lifestyle. Going from San Francisco to Silverdale was a major transition. In fact, Silverdale is probably just about as opposite as you could get from San Francisco, if you could imagine that... Like I said, I am really enjoying myself here playing baseball, meeting new people, and living a new lifestyle. Silverdale is a great to place to both live, play baseball and make memories that will last forever. Go Dons!
July 1, 2009
Well, it looks like it's my turn to share my summer experience so far. I think it's safe to say mine will look a bit different than everyone else's. I'm not playing summer ball, nor am I graduated and moving on to other things.... rather, it's been me trying to make the hardest decision of my life (so far). As people probably know, I was drafted in the 28th round by the Cincinnati Reds. From the outside, I don't think people realize how hard this whole process really is. I know I didn't when I saw the guys who were older than me going through it my freshman and sophomore year. Though it's been extremely difficult for me so far, I have to remember to sit back and realize what a blessing this really is. It can be tremendously taxing and stressful to continuously run the decision factors through your head, and so sometimes the blessing can feel like a burden at times, but I try to remain with things in perspective as best I can. Though it's difficult, not many people are blessed to have such a hard decision with two pretty good options at either end.
After this past season, I felt it was really important for me to have a summer off if I wasn't playing pro ball. There are a number of reasons for this, but I don't want to bore people with that. In short, the past year took a big toll on me. I felt it was in my best interest to have this time. Though I've chosen to do so, it's not like I've been sitting here in the sun with a pina colada everyday. In fact, quite the opposite is true. It's been a lot of soul-searching and hard thinking. So far it's been a real mix between relaxing time off, and stressful decision making resulting in a couple sleepless nights. I'm not lying when I say this is the hardest thing I've ever had to do. Some of you may see this for yourself at some point in time. Actually, I can bet everyone will at some point, although it may not be about baseball. All I can say is, one day you will look back on the whole thing and see that it was a huge life experience.... something to grow from, learn from, and ultimately make you grow up. The last few weeks I've been spending a lot of alone time trying to uncover what my heart is saying through all of this, though I've found this much easier said than done. I keep being told to "do what's best for you" and "do what your heart says", but in the midst of it all, as hard as one tries, it is hard to do. I've found, though, that there's only so much you can do in terms of reason and logic. At some point you have to just get quiet and see what voice or feeling is there beneath all the thoughts. One of the things I have done to help me is reach out to people and get their view on the situation. I've found this really helpful, as someone with an objective viewpoint may have insights you may have overlooked. I've sought advice from people who I really trust, as well as guys who have gone through the decision making and pro ball experience themselves. I'm lucky to have very loving and caring support around me.
Aside from all that, I try to balance it out with something to take my mind off things. I tend to think through things deeply, and although I think this is a good thing, I also know I run the risk of over-thinking it and getting stressed out. I have to watch out for my own health. Usually I wake up and go to the gym here in my hometown in the morning for a workout. Also working on the tan so I'm not just jacked, I'm jacked and tan. Big difference! I've also got a batting cage I can use near my hometown by a hitting coach I used to go to in high school. He played a number of years in AAA and has some great knowledge of hitting, and I'm lucky to have a good enough relationship with him in which he has made a key to his facility for me so I can use it anytime I want. I've also been doing a lot of reading, catching up with some old friends, and spending quality time with my family. I love being outside, so I haven't done a lot of sitting around watching TV. Okay, maybe I have caught up on some movies I wanted to see...
Anyways, I'm glad to hear that people are enjoying their summer ball experiences so far. After two summer ball experiences, I look back at my memories with a smile. It is something you will truly never forget, and something unlike any other you will ever experience. Work hard, play your best, and most of all....enjoy it! I hope to see everyone soon.
June 29, 2009
I left June 2 for Spokane, Washington to start my summer ball experience. I was very excited and ready to embark on this new experience. I left San Jose International Airport at 12:25 PM only to arrive in Seattle at 2:00 PM then transfer over to Spokane. Once I arrived in the Spokane Airport I was greeted by my host mom and from there we left for her son's baseball game in Coeur D'Alene resort in Idaho.
I am currently living with a single mother and her son. Ganene, the mother, and Tyler, the son, are extremely nice people and welcomed me into their family with open arms. A host family basically takes a baseball player into their home by feeding him and giving him a home. I reside in Spokane Valley which is a little town just on the outskirts of the main city Spokane.
Now coming from a city like San Francisco to Spokane is like day and night. Spokane is more on the country side whereas San Francisco is a huge multicultural city. Making this transition was tough in the beginning but once I got used to the area, it is a ton of fun. But what is making this experience great are my teammates.
My teammates are a great bunch of kids. We all have a great time but do work when work has to get done. As a team we have gone rafting, fishing, and go out a lot of the time. A lot of WCC players play in this league, so it is really cool that I get to play with some kids from USD, Gonzaga, Pepperdine, and more. I am also playing with my fellow teammates Kyle Lawton, and Garrett Luippold. The team is doing well with a record of 8 wins and 6 losses. Barry Matthews, our head coach, is a great guy. I enjoy playing for him and have a lot of fun off the field too. Our other assistant coaches are also great people, with not only a great knowledge of baseball but they have a great interaction with us players.
Traveling makes summer ball summer ball. Our bus is a big charter bus, similar to the one we use at USF, which has Riverhawks written all over it. We travel to a ton of places including Wenatchee, Moses Lake, Corvallis, Bend (Oregon), Kelowna (Canada), Kitsap, and much more. Our shortest bus ride is an hour and a half, while our longest one is eight hours. But time doesn't really matter because we have so much fun messing around on the bus that time flies.
All in all, I am having a great time here in Spokane and am getting use to the giant change in culture. I am very grateful to have the opportunity to be experiencing this, knowing these memories will stick with me throughout my life.
June 26, 2009
Q&A With USF Basebal Alumnus Zach Kim
What are some of your best memories from USF?
It's hard for me to really narrow down a few specific instances but I know for a fact that my best memories all have something to do with baseball. Being a college athlete requires a player to sacrifice what many would call "the college experience", so I don't have the typical stories you might hear at a 10-year reunion. What I do have is an experience that will last a lifetime. I was a member of the first and only USF baseball team to play in the NCAA tournament in Lincoln, Nebraska. I remember coming out of the dugout before our game against Nebraska and being able to feel the ground shudder under the roar of Nebraska fans. Our fans were outnumbered roughly 100 to 1, yet at games end, our little section behind our dugout could be heard through Haymarket Park. Words can't describe the rush felt by every player. Being a part of this team has also brought me some of my closest friends who I will have for the rest of my life. Working with them on and off the field has created many of best memories.
What will you miss the most?
I could sit here and say that I'm going to miss the roar of the crowd and the rush from stealing bases... and it would be the truth... but that's not what I'm really going to miss when I look back on my time at USF. In being a member of the baseball team for 5 seasons, I have had the opportunity to mature, both as a player and a person. I'm going to miss the working through challenges with coaches and teammates. I'm going to miss traveling on the road with my closest friends. Most of all, I'm going to miss being a part of a group of guys brought together by a game to represent an entire university and an entire way of life.
How has baseball impacted and influenced your life?
Baseball has been dubbed by many as "The Great Equalizer" for its constant failures. In playing this game, I have a new approach to the rest of my life. I am more driven to attack my life and all its challenges with a relentless mentality that enables me to take risks, accept failure, and achieve success in a way that would otherwise not be possible.
What are some things you have learned from coaches, professors, teammates, and/or friends while playing here that you will take with you into your next endeavor?
The coaching staff at USF is doing more than developing baseball players. They are developing people. I have become a better baseball player in my five years here, but more importantly, I have become a better human being. When a player comes to USF, they are going to be treated as an adult whether they like it or not. In being held to a standard of excellence on and off the field, I have been molded into the person I am today. It is not asked that players carry themselves in a certain way at USF... It's expected.
How do you feel having spent your entire time in college at USF?
I don't know what it would have been like to go to more than one institution, much less play baseball in two different programs. I have loved every minutes spent at USF. When I was looking at schools to attend, baseball was a big factor in my decision. But I didn't look at schools for the right reasons. I was drawn to the big name schools with the best facilities and the biggest reputations. I had been talking to U.C Berkeley about playing baseball when USF contacted me. I didn't really give USF the time of day until Cal fell through. Had I done my homework and kept in touch with USF, my decision would have been much easier and it would have been made much sooner! USF has been the perfect fit for me. I love the school, the education and the baseball program. I can't imagine spending college in another place.
What's next for you?
The MLB draft didn't go as I had hoped so it's time for me to go a different direction with my life. Baseball is a funny thing. In a conversation I had with Coach Giarratano after the draft, coach told me "Baseball is a funny thing. It's a great game that you keep with you your entire life, but it never ends on your terms. Even if you play professionally, it doesn't end when you're ready to be done with it". I believe those words completely, and it is for that reason that I have made the decision to move on. I feel there is no better time for me to walk away from the game. I had a good senior year and I spent it with a group of guys I wouldn't trade for any "signing bonus".
Currently, I am studying for my LSAT exams before I apply to Law school. I expect to rejoin former teammate Tavo Hall in Munich, Germany for a spring of European ball before I return and begin my graduate studies. That's the tentative plan, but life's a funny thing... I expect a few more curve balls to come my way before it's all said and done.
Any advice to your former teammates?
You're a part of something special. It's something that most people will never experience. Enjoy your time as a player and as a student. USF is a program unlike any other in the country. You're a part of a program that is bigger than any one person, but at the same time is never too large for any one individual to make a difference. Make the difference or become the difference... and enjoy the process of doing it.
Go Dons!
June 25, 2009
I'm currently playing summer ball up in Spokane, WA in the West Coast League; and from the experiences I have had thus far, I am greatly thankful and excited to have this opportunity. This year's team has many familiar and soon to be familiar faces to the WCC. Players from USF, Gonzaga, USD, and Pepperdine are on my team; they have all proved themselves great guys, even though they play for the enemies. I find myself enjoying my teammates and my coaches more and more every day I have with them because they are all welcoming and all have positive outlooks not on just baseball, but in matters off the field as well.
The team I play for is called the Spokane Riverhawks, coached by Barry Matthews (one of Coach Moore's former rivals who says he could still carve Moore up any day of the week...). Alongside him are two other coaches, one being fresh out of Gonzaga and the other a Gonzaga graduate with five years of minor league ball under his belt. With the baseball experience my coaching staff possesses, I see our team learning much about the game of baseball through different methods of teaching and environment.
Thankfully, I am not alone up here in Washington. I have Mr. Kyle Lawton alongside me for the ride, which is not only awesome because he is one of my boys from school ball, but he played here last summer. He has been a great outlet for non-athletic activities and events, showing me the ropes of Spokane and all the cool stuff to do when we have some days off. Lately we have been taking day trips up to Coeur d'Alene Lake in Idaho just thirty minutes away. One of our teammate's host family owns a lake house where we are always welcome to hang out. Three times now we have been up there to get after the water sports and beaches. From tubing, water skiing, to wake boarding, to babe watching has been the highlight of the lake adventures. From time to time we go river floating on big tubes where we travel downstream about five miles.
Baseball-wise, I love the competition up here. The league has some serious talent on every team, so there is always a challenge when I get the chance to toe the rubber. Of course our team is the best because I say so, but all the other teams are pretty good (except Matty Lu's team from last summer). Sorry Matty, but Moses Lake is brutal this year again, but whatever. But for real, I am having a great time getting some quality innings up here and working on my summer goals. So far I think I have been doing a pristine job of staying on it and AOEPing with every chance I get. I'm just mad that Abe isn't up here to again this summer. Mr. Love, you have a great opportunity to pitch against the one and only Abe.
Last but definitely not least, the O'Neil's (my host family) are awesome! My host dad John and mom Lori are some of the kindest people I have ever met and I will definitely be grateful all summer and the rest of my life for the support they show for me and for taking me into their home, as well as sharing their ten year old son to play catch with and teach. He is really into baseball, so he is always bugging me to toss it around with him. The family is at every home game and at some away games no matter if I pitch or not, which is a great deal, knowing that they like the game.
I'm looking forward to the rest of the summer with my new friends and host family. Keep in touch boys and good luck with your summers. AOEP
June 24, 2009
What is happening USF fans!?!? This is Matt Lujan reporting on my summer ball experience. This is my second summer traveling away from home; I will be a junior at USF next year and can't wait! Well let me tell you that last summer I thought I was far from home and I was only in Washington. This summer I am blogging all the way from a small town in Cape Cod Massachusetts called Brewster. I was fortunate enough to be one of very few college baseball players playing in the Cape Cod summer baseball league. The environment here is awesome! The people who run the program are all about us and my host family is once again fabulous.
The Brewster Whitecaps are embarking on their twentieth year in the "Cape." The coaching staff is awesome, headed by lefty pitching coach from UCSB, Tom Meyers, who I could ask nothing less of. The competition in this league is like nothing I have ever seen before. Everyday a new pitcher is on the mound pounding 90mph fastballs with nasty movement and dirty sliders. With good pitching comes great hitting as well, I have seen 95mph fastballs get turned on and hit a mile. For now though I would say that the pitchers have the upper hand, but I am counting on the hitting to come around. The fields we play at are all within an hour of each other so that makes it very easy to travel from one to the next. I really have no complaints about where I am and the type of people I am playing for and with.
Lately the weather has not been great. I got rained out of my second start which is very unusual on the "Cape," or so say the locals. The team here is awesome. We have quite a few guys from California which makes sense because that is where the coaches are from. Guys the readers may know include USD guys Casey Schmidt and Kyle Blair, Pepperdine's Scott Alexander, Cal's Mark Canha, UCLA's Eric Goeddel and Niko Gallego and our very own USF Don Stephen Yarrow.
So far my experience has been phenomenal. I am learning something new every day whether it be from a coach, player or our competition. This summer is a wonderful opportunity for me as a person and as a ball player. My roommate this summer is also a left handed pitcher from Vanderbilt University, Sean Bierman, an awesome dude originally from New Jersey. That being said he is a Yankee fan and the Boston fans around here like to give him a hard time.
Well Dons readers it has been a pleasure sharing what I have been through so far! Hope everyone is doing great. Take it easy.
Go Dons!
June 19, 2009
Hello everyone. My name is Alex Kalogrides and I am going to be a senior next semester at USF. This is the third summer that I have traveled to another part of the country to compete in a summer collegiate baseball league. After my freshman year, I went out to Harrisonburg, Virginia for the first half of my summer, and ended up in Yuba City, CA for the second half. Last summer I played on a team in Brainerd, Minnesota in the Northwoods league and we traveled all around the Midwest. This summer I was all set to play in the Cape Cod league but my plans fell through two days before leaving the Bay Area. After a few quick phone calls by Coach Moore, I landed a spot on the New Bedford Bay Sox of the New England Collegiate League. I was thrilled that the team needed another pitcher because I did not have to cancel my plane ticket out to New England since the town of New Bedford is only 20 minutes from the Cape. Also, fellow USF pitcher Doug Murray is on the New Bedford team which makes things out here much more enjoyable.
New Bedford, Massachusetts is a small town that used to be a large part of the whaling industry. The town has just about everything I need within walking or running distance. There are places to eat, a gym, a grocery store, and even a mall all within a short walk. There even is a beach that is only a couple miles away, but the weather hasn't been great out here so far.
I live with a host family about one mile away from our field. My host parents or perhaps I should call them my host brother and sister (they are only about six or seven years older than me) are Jason and April. They have been very kind to me, providing me with a nice large bedroom and plenty of video games to keep me occupied. They also have taken me out to show me around New Bedford and its surrounding areas. On one of our off days they are going to take me up to Boston which is about forty-five minutes away to spend the day there. They are very kind people and I really appreciate their hospitality.
The baseball part of it has been rather slow thus far. Our schedule is quite spread out as we have sixteen off days throughout the summer. We also have had a few games that have been rained out. Last summer I only had about five days off for the whole time I was out there so there is a lot more down time out here which I am not really used to. The New England Collegiate League is sponsored in part by Major League Baseball and our team is sponsored by Under Armor so we have a lot of nice gear. Our team is off to a slow start, but we have a lot of talent. We are currently 3-5. The places where we have played have ranged from high school fields with bleachers, to nice stadiums full of chair back seats, to old time parks where Babe Ruth once played with both dugouts on the first base line. It has been quite interesting to travel around the different states within New England and see all the different areas.
June 17, 2009
This summer I was lucky enough to be sent to Honolulu, Hawaii to play summer ball in the Hawaii Collegiate Baseball League. I was very excited to come here and play not only because of the great weather and beaches, but I also have family that live fifteen minutes from where I am staying. I do not get to see this family very often so it is nice seeing them and they have been helping me get situated in my new home for the next 7 weeks.
I arrived in Hawaii last Wednesday and headed to my living arrangements, which unlike many other leagues where players stay with host families, all the players in the league stay in an apartment complex. There are over 150 players from all over the country staying in this one complex so you can imagine how interesting the lifestyle is. It is awesome being able to meet players from all over; there are guys from WCC schools like Santa Clara, Pepperdine, and Saint Mary's and many other places all over the country such as New York and Florida. Living with the players really allows you to get know the guys, not only on your team, but on all the other teams as well.
I am living with fellow Don Teammate Matt Quintero and we are sharing a room and in our apartment which we also share with guys from Maryland, Rhode Island, and Southern California. We play six games a week then get Fridays off to hang out, go down to the beach, and explore all the beauties of Hawaii. Every day we bus down to the fields together where we play one game of a three game series against each team. It is a 35 game season with a tournament championship the last week.
There are six different teams and I am on the Hawaii Aliis (Chiefs) and we are currently 3-2. We started off 0-2 and have won three straight and are shaking off the cob webs and playing really well. I have been playing centerfield and have been batting leadoff. I am having a great time playing in this great weather, I expected it to be extremely hot and uncomfortable to play in, but because of the nice breeze that is constantly flowing it makes for great baseball weather. The coach of our team is Carl Fratecelli and he is from the bay area and coached around the area I lived so we know a lot the same people. He is a really great coach that lets the players play their game, but also is there willing to teach the game.
When we are not out on the baseball field we spend a lot of time at the beaches and that has been awesome! It is so nice to go and relax in the water or lay in the sand after a long day at the field. I have also found out how much of a workout it is to go out swimming in the ocean with the strong currents and waves, it has been wiping me out. I am having a blast here and am enjoying every day, it has been a great opportunity to play here so far and I hope to have many more great memories and friendships. What is better than waking up playing the game you love, then going to relax on the most beautiful beaches in the world?
June 16, 2009
Q&A with USF Baseball Alumnus Drew Johnson
June 15, 2009
After a great five days at home, I embarked on what would be my first trip to the east coast to play my first summer ball in a collegiate league. I am playing in the Cal Ripken Sr. Collegiate League with my teammates Connor Bernatz and Cameron Love and many others from different schools. I flew on Virgin America, watching two movies on the flight over, flying into Washington Dulles Airport. I was warmly welcomed to the east coast when my host father (Brent Weingardt) met me at the baggage claim. I was first introduced to the humid weather while walking to the car when Brent came to pick me up at the airport. When we returned home I was warmly welcomed by Brent's kids: Josh (21), Jason (18), and Julia (15). I later accompanied Brent to pick up his wife, Dani. I sat around that night talking to my host brothers and sister. I found out that Jason is the voice of the Big Train. He is the internet broadcaster when we have home games. He is also attending the College of Wooster, which he found in the latest edition of Sports Illustrated walking off the field losing the championship game for Division III. Julia interviewed me for her school paper. It was my first interview; it was pretty rocky to say the least. She is among the top in her class in just about every category thought of. Josh has been my guide, helping me get around the city and such.
Since this was my first time doing anything of this sort, I was really fortunate to have the host family that I do. They have always been there to help me through the transition of being off on my own, 3,000 miles away from home. With great food and hospitality, so far, I can say that I've really enjoyed my stay here in Maryland. Now let's get on to the baseball part of Maryland.
To me, it's like I ran into a team that I've known all my life. The guys here are really easy to get along with and have been a real joy to play alongside. There were a lot of returners to the team so it was really easy to get into the mix. Since I don't have a car here, I have been catching a ride with what has become one of my good buddies, Mike Bottoms from Morehead State.
The community of Bethesda has brought just over 1,000 fans at every game. Our supporters have been greatly appreciated and our general manager chooses a couple of non-profit organizations to be recognized by throwing out the first pitch of our home games.
We are still currently undefeated as our pitching staff has dominated every team that we've played. From what I hear from some of the guys, this is one of the most potent offences that the team has seen. We have the reigning MVP of the Cal Ripken League and many potential draft picks. Our defense has been absolutely outstanding. But the real challenge lies within the Maryland Orioles. They won the league last year, but the Bethesda Big Train is looking to regain that title this year!
Since we have a lot of returners, one thing that I have really enjoyed is the questions. We are frequently asked questions like: How is Matt Hiserman doing? How is Zack Kim doing? Hearing all the remarks from the coaching staff and returning players about our guys: all I have to say is that Connor, Cameron, and I have some big shoes to fill!
With all of this being said, I hope that we can fill the shoes of the previous Dons. Those guys being Jonnie Knoble, Evan Fredrickson, Matt Hiserman, Zack Kim, and many others. They have left a legacy with our coach, Sal Colangelo and the rest of the coaching staff. Coach Sal talks about those guys all the time and he makes references about them, telling us stories about the previous summers.
June 12, 2009
Greetings from Manchester, Connecticut. I am out here in the New England Collegiate Baseball League (NECBL) playing for the Manchester Silkworms this summer, and so far it's been an awesome experience. We travel all over New England to play our competition and the bus rides are anywhere between one and four hours, spanning over five states. The stadiums and parks we play at have been amazing so far. The fans really appreciate the game of baseball and it shows in the attendance. Some games are attended by a few thousand fans, which makes for a wonderful atmosphere to play baseball in.
Soon I will have the chance to play some USF teammates including Doug Murray, Alex Kalogrides, and Sean Burns, who are also playing on teams in the NECBL. My teammates are really easy to get along with, which is usually the case with baseball players since we all have a lot in common. Being the only player on the team from anywhere out west, I get a lot of questions about California and the west coast. My favorite is when they ask questions such as, "isn't it a perfect world out there?" or "isn't it true that when you're from California the world seems to revolve around you?" I almost always end up answering these questions by telling them about Newport Beach native, Connor Bernatz.
I am currently living with Larry and Grace Cedrone, their two daughters Mimi and Sj, and son Evan. They are a wonderful family with a beautiful home. Every day the refrigerator seems to be fuller then the day before, and I am loving it. They feed my well at the Cedrone house, and after games the teams are fed more than enough food with a meal cooked by volunteers.
I am enjoying every moment out here, and every opportunity to get better at the game of baseball. I am also looking forward to the rest of the summer season and what it has to offer me from a personal and baseball perspective.
June 11, 2009
My summer ball experience has been a very interesting experience so far, to say the least. For one thing, the league in general is a very competitive league that is structured well and has many good players. In terms of baseball, the Atlantic Collegiate League is a good league with many players from different schools that definitely have a good feel for the game. Our coach is from Santa Clara and is pretty cool considering the fact that he is from Santa Clara!
June 8, 2009
This summer I am playing in beautiful Bethesda, Maryland for the Bethesda Big Train. Upon my arrival about a week and a half ago, I met my host family at the Baltimore Airport. Walt, Sheila, and Gage (8 years old) welcomed me to their home on a very wet Friday evening. My host family treats me like a son and I think Gage will try to follow me back home in August. I am fed very well and am comfortable with a nice living space and a 72" high definition satellite television, in addition to my ride to the field occasionally being Walt's 1970 Corvette Stingray. I haven't built up the confidence to request a test drive yet.
June 5, 2009
Hello world, my name is Robert Abel and this is my first blog about my summer baseball experience. I am currently playing in the Northwood's collegiate league, and my team is the Lacrosse Loggers. This team and league have a rich history for being one of the best summer leagues in the country. The whole experience is based around mimicking minor league baseball. From start to finish we play 68 games in less than 3 months, we have long road trips (longest being 12 hours) and we get to the baseball field 5 hours before game time to practice. Don't worry, not all teams get to enjoy the opportunity to get to the field that early, I'm pretty sure the loggers are the only ones who do that. Our average attendance at our games right now is around 3000, but school hasn't even been released yet. So our game today is predicted to have 4500. Boy will it be rocking! The town of lacrosse loves its baseball! I get to sign plenty of baseballs after the game as the kids who already know your name and college rush the field when the last out is recorded. Once you put on a logger uniform you have instantly turned yourself into a celebrity.
Currently I am batting sixth in the lineup, hitting over .300, and I stole my first bag last night. The competition is very tough and with the wood bats (Rawlings sponsored league) the games go by a lot faster and the scores are lower. My team is also doing well; we sit atop the league with a 6-3 record tied with the Battle Creek Bombers. In our first home game we won in dramatic fashion with a 3-run walk off homerun in the bottom of the ninth. The crowd went crazy! And oh boy was that ball crushed!
My host family is great, the Thihlers are a very dedicated host family, and they always have food for us when we get back from the field late at night if we didn't get to eat. They are very caring and most of all; they love their baseball just like us! I am living with another baseball player from Nebraska named Kash (soon to be sophomore RHP/corner infielder) he is a really good player and even better person to live with. So far we haven't had an off day yet, but we have our first one this Sunday and the team has us going to a boys and girls club for a meet the Loggers day, which should be a lot of fun for the kids since they can't get enough of us after the games. In this jammed packed summer season we only have 5 more off days, my host family is in the progress of planning something we all can do as a family ( I heard them talking about going jet skiing!) I just hope I can get back to playing baseball in one piece.
So far the Northwood's league experience has been a great one and I am more than grateful to be a part of such a perfectly run operation. In my eyes this is one of the best, if not the best summer league in the country. I am looking forward to grinding out this tough schedule and being able to look back on the summer with a smile and a book full of memories to share with my Dons teammates.
June 3, 2009
I am playing Baseball this summer in Folsom, CA for the Folsom Pioneers. So far Folsom has been a great place to be. I am staying with a host family. The owner of the house is actually the mom of the owner of the team. She is a very nice woman and I enjoy being here because I feel very welcome. My gym that I am working out at is about 2 minutes away from my house. Folsom Lake is less than 10 minutes away from me. There is a great Mexican restaurant that is close by my house and if you know me you know that I like to eat a lot.
We just finished our first weekend series against Nevada Bighorn, taking two out of three games. On Sunday I hit my first home run in Folsom at our home field. Our next game is on Wednesday at 5:00pm at Canadá College in Redwood City against the Nor-Cal Longhorns and I will be the starting pitcher. There is a catcher on my team that goes to Solano College, which is where Ryan Lipkin went before transferring to USF. There are a couple other guys from the Woodland area that say that they know Robert Abel. The whole team seems like a good group of guys. It looks like our team is going to do pretty well in this league so I'm excited that we have starting playing and have been doing well. I think we have some good arms. We have some crafty pitchers and we have a few good power pitchers. Our line-up has been hitting pretty well. Overall it seems as if both on offense and defense we are pretty solid. I will be playing at three different positions for this team. I will be pitching and playing both left field and first base. There are three St. Mary's players on the Pioneers, two of which I have played with in the past.
The area is easy to navigate because everywhere you need to go to is only about 5-10 minutes driving distance away. I'm excited to continue playing this summer and have fun in the warmth of Folsom. It has been great to get going in summer baseball and look forward to the rest of our games.
June 1st, 2009
My plane got into Baltimore Thursday night and my host dad was there to meet me right at baggage claim. Most summer ball teams have host families who the players live with for the summer, they provide housing, food, and plenty of good times. My host family consists of Mr. and Mrs. Obrien along with their two daughters, Jackie who is 19 and Laura, 17. We ate dinner my first night out on their porch, this is when I was introduced to the great humidity and bugs of the east coast. From what I am told the heat has yet to arrive, and bugs are on their way. I am anxiously awaiting the arrival of both.
Seeing the field for the first time, I was quite impressed. The Big Train has been playing at a local field in the heart of Bethesda which has around 1,000 chair back seats, along with lights, as we play most of our games at night. After getting my uniform and meeting all the guys, we hit in the cages for a bit and afterwards all the guys just hung around and got to know one another. It is always fun to hear where everyone comes from. We have players all the way from Maine, Oregon, Mississippi, and even beautiful Southern California.
One day of practice and next thing I knew it was time to lace up the cleats for the first exhibition game. The next night we played against a local club team in front of a packed house at our home field. The Big Train overcame a seven run deficit to win 10-7 in their first game. It is already fun to see how our team is establishing an identity of its own and working together towards wins already. We won our second exhibition game last night. Diamond Don Cameron Love was our starting pitcher and he pitched five innings allowing just one hit, leading our team to our second win.
My summer ball experience so far has been nothing but good times one after another. Being able to just go out and play the game I love everyday not having to worry about school or anything else is definitely a nice way to spend the summer. Our season officially starts this coming Friday and I cannot wait for this Big Train to really get rolling.
July 17, 2009 I am playing summer ball in Lorain, Ohio. Lorain is about 30 minutes west of Cleveland right on Lake Erie. I am playing for the Northcoast Knights in the Prospect League. We are a first year team so we don't draw very many fans. I would say we average about 30 a game, but when we are on the road we get a lot more. When we played in Hannibal, Missouri (home of Mark Twain) I got to pitch in front of about 2,500 people and thought that was pretty cool. The team is doing pretty good; we are currently in second place only a half game back at the all-star break. Our team consists of players from all over like: USC, UC Riverside, Long Beach State, Tulane, Boston College, Coastal Carolina, Washington State, and others. So we have a lot of good talent and we are finally putting it together as a team. We started out kind of slow but now we are right in the mix of things. We have had some problems chemistry wise because of players leaving but I think our team should be set now. The top two teams from the east division and the top two from the west division make the playoffs and I think we have a good chance of winning the league. For me it has been really good baseball wise. I am in the starting rotation and have been pitching pretty well. I currently lead our division in ERA and just got back from pitching in the all-star game, which was pretty fun. The all-star game was played in Springfield Illinois, home of Abraham Lincoln. It was a nice experience and I had a good time. The first day I got here my host family took me to an Indians game and they were playing the Yankees. My host family is huge Yankees fans so I was told to root for them. I also got to go to a pretty cool amusement park called Cedar Point, there are some big roller coasters and it was a lot of fun. I think the best place to visit in Ohio is Put-In Bay. It's an island in Lake Erie and it is more of a vacation place. I went with my family and really enjoyed it. I live with the Melendez family in Amherst Ohio, which is about ten minutes from the field. I live with one of the guys on the team's family, which is nice cause there is someone my age I live with and he shows me around. My experience in Ohio has been good so far and I hope everything continues to go as is. We have a good chance of winning the league and if we keep playing well we should win it. Our owner said we get championship rings if we win the league so I hope to be bringing one home. July 13, 2009 Hey everyone, this is Doug Murray writing from New Bedford, Massachusetts, home of the Bay Sox. I am going to be a senior next year at USF. This is my second summer away from home playing collegiate baseball. Last year I was in Battle Creek, Michigan playing for the Bombers with Sean Burns and Connor Bernatz in the Northwoods league. I flew out to New Bedford May 29th and was greeted by my host parents at the airport. My host parents Jim and Kristen Lancaster have been great; they treat me better than I could have ever wished for. I get to come home to good food, a family that loves baseball, and my new brother and sister, Kyle (7) and Katheryn (5). Katheryn is a fun little girl that was shy at first but has opened up to me and will finally say hi and goodnight. Kyle is the little brother I never had, we play wii, wiffle ball, nerf wars, baseball in the house, basketball, and we watch more baseball than I have watched in my entire life. He flips through games and watches for big name players or his fantasy players, while Kristen, the mom, tells him to leave it on the Red Sox games. The league I play in is the New England Collegiate Baseball League (NECBL). We travel all over New England, four hour bus ride max. Alex Kalogrides and I have been doing pretty well in the bullpen and we have seen a lot of Travis Higgs, who plays for the Manchester Silkworms. So far he is one for three off of me. The Bay Sox management has been great to us as well, we get good meals and they give us everything we need to perform and have fun. I recently had a once in a lifetime experience. The NECBL set up a game against team USA. I got to throw one inning, although I didn't do so well, and it was a great experience facing a bunch of great hitters. New England is a great place, besides the rain. We had rain every other day, but with all the off days I have got some time to travel around. My parents came out for a three week vacation so I spent some time with them in New York and Connecticut. I also got some tickets from my host parents to a Red Sox game and it happened to be for the day that my girlfriend flew out. My host parents know me so well they got the tickets for when the A's were in town, so we wore our A's jersey and saw eight other A's fans at the game. I am having a great time out here and I wish it would never end. I hope everyone is having a great summer. And staff, AEOP. July 10, 2009 Hey everyone, this is Christopher Escobar writing from Silverdale, WA where I am currently playing with the Kitsap Bluejackets. I will be a junior this coming fall and this is my second summer playing in the West Coast Collegiate League. On March 31st, as Kelly Costantini mentioned, I began our 12 hour drive from Stockton, CA to our host family's house in Silverdale, WA. As we arrived to the house, our host mom welcomed us into her home with open arms. She was very excited to finally meet the two players she would be spending the entire summer with. The minute we walked in we were shown to our rooms and given an immediate tour of the house. Pam, our host mom, is known as the Kitsap Bluejackets #1 fan. She even has decorated a room in the house full of Bluejacket memorabilia from over the past couple of years. She isn't the only hard core fan, we have many other fans that dedicate their time and support each and every night to the team. Our team is made up of a bunch of great guys from all over the country. We have come together as a team very well so far and are looking forward to having a good summer as a team. As I mentioned before this is my second summer in this league and I can honestly say the competition level is good. Each team in the league has some good players who can play the game of baseball, so each day at the ball park is a tough one. We are currently 9-14 in league. We struggled at the beginning a little bit but have started winning some games and bringing it all together. I think in the end our team will be fine and have a chance in the post season. The summer has been a lot of fun so far. Playing summer ball is a blast and very relaxing when baseball is the only thing on your mind. We wake up and play baseball just about every day. It doesn't get any better than that. On our off days we have a chance to hang out with teammates and do something fun like bowling or even going and hanging out at the lake for the day. Kitsap County has been a nice and relaxing time, as well as a whole new lifestyle then what I am used to back home in Stockton, CA or even San Francisco. I have learned a lot about myself and others from being in such a different place then what I am used to. I am really enjoying my summer so far playing in Kitsap. I have met a lot of new people and enjoy the small town of Silverdale. It is a very relaxing place where one can concentrate on what one needs to concentrate on. Playing in Kitsap will be something I remember forever and have a lot of great memories of. Good luck to all my fellow teammates and Go Dons! July 8, 2009 Hey Dons Fans, This is Bob Mott. I was a freshman pitcher this past season on the 2009 Diamond Dons. This summer I am playing in the beautiful town of San Luis Obispo, CA. Most players will be able to recall our trip this year to play Cal Poly, and the wonderful area surrounding it. I am currently playing for the San Luis Obispo Rattlers, coached by former major leaguer, Roy Howell. The Rattlers are in the California Collegiate League, comprised of teams down the coast of California, and the defending NBC National Champion Santa Barbara Foresters is leading our league right now. As many of you may know, I am from San Luis Obispo as well. Although I may have gotten some heat from teammates at USF for playing at home, I am definitely happy that I made the choice this year. I have been able to enjoy the fun aspects of living at home such as spending quality time with my family, and hanging out with high school friends that I have not had a chance to see for a year. I have also become friends with many of the guys on my team, showing them around San Luis and even offering some surf lessons. My teammates are from all around the country, from Miami to TCU to Hawaii. I have one WCC teammate from Portland, and there are a few other WCC players scattered around the league. This past season at USF, I was used as a middle reliever and lefty-specialist. This summer I have made the adjustment to starter, and I believe there are some definite positives to starting such as knowing exactly what days you are going to pitch, and how to gear your workouts towards your next start. There are some negatives however: I have found it nearly impossible to pitch solely off adrenaline as a starter, when nearly every pitch I threw in the spring had tons of intensity. You really have to work into a groove and attacking on every pitch is more difficult when you throw 100 pitches instead of 10. I have really enjoyed this challenge and I know it will help me become a better pitcher in the long run. I cannot wait to get back to USF and hear about everyone's summer ball experiences, and I have no regrets playing summer ball in my hometown because it is tough to beat the combination of California Summers and baseball. AOEP and Go Dons! July 6, 2009 Hey everyone! This is Stephen Yarrow writing to you from the tiny town of Brewster, Massachusetts. I will be a junior this coming fall at USF so this is my second summer playing in a collegiate wood bat league. Where to begin? June 9th sounds about right. This is the day that I flew 3000 miles and six hours into Providence international airport. I was lucky enough to have already met my host family before this time. See, the host family I am living with had Dons in the past. Their first player was Tavo Hall in 2006 and 2007, and last year in 2008 they hosted Derek Poppert. Both Tavo and Derek made such good impressions on them that they wanted to stick with players from USF. During our Santa Clara series they came out to see Derek and check out San Francisco, and I was fortunate enough to meet them and have dinner with them. They are truly great people and during the summer their lives revolve and the ball player they are hosting. I could not ask anything more from them; sometimes they treat me better than I deserve to be treated. Every night I come home to a fabulous meal, and during the day they take me anywhere I want to go. Now let's talk about the league. Well, the league is everything everyone says it is. Ten scouts watching BP everyday, fifteen or so by the time first pitch comes around. Advisors hand out packets of info about their companies. It truly is a great experience. I would not say it's the purest form of baseball but it definitely is one of the most interesting forms I have ever been a part of. The other day our whole team had to take a test for the Anaheim Angels to see if we were drafted by them, how we would fit into their organizations. Just on our team I know at least a hand full of players who already have advisors. It is an experience most people only dream of, and I am very lucky to have this opportunity. Our team is made up of people from all across the country, and we have pretty good chemistry so far. We have many players from California, and quite a few from our conference, so we all relate to each other very well. Our coaching staff is headed by UCSB pitching coach and recruiting coordinator Tom Myers, who is very knowledgeable about the game, and seems to be a great coach. As a team we started out slow but lately we have been coming along, and could be a force to be reckoned with soon. I hope everyone is enjoying their own summer ball experiences and I can't wait to see everyone in August. Have a good rest of the summer! July 3, 2009 Hello Dons baseball fans, I am writing from Kitsap, Washington where I play for the Kitsap Bluejackets. Kitsap is a county in Washington surrounded by water, with the Puget Sound and Seattle only about 45 minutes away. To be more specific, I am living in the small town of Silverdale, Washington (in Kitsap County). Early in the morning on March 31st fellow Diamond Don Chris Escobar and I began our 12-hour drive from Stockton, CA to our host mom's house here in Silverdale. Upon our arrival Pam Hansen, our host mom, became very excited and immediately welcomed us into her home to show us our rooms. Pam is the Kitsap Bluejackets self-proclaimed #1 fan and is obsessed with baseball. Surprisingly there are many fans like Pam here. I guess that's what happens when you stick a good baseball team into a very small town with no other teams to root for. On average the attendance at our games is around 500-900 people, which doesn't sound like a lot, but if you were to come here you would wonder if there were even that many people who just live here! Even the players on the team have reached a certain "celebrity status." On many occasions people have recognized both me and other players simply shopping in the local grocery store and asked for our autographs. Players have also made the front page of the newspaper several times. That should give you an idea of how small this town really is... Our team is made up of guys from all around the country as well as some locals. We have players from programs like Oklahoma State, UC Riverside, Texas Tech, Washington State and University of Washington. The competition in this league seems good so far and I am excited to go on some more road trips with the team and see some parts of the country that are new to me. I will also get the chance to visit with fellow Dons who play on different teams in this league like Garret Luippold, Nik Balog, Jordan Remer, and Kyle Lawton. The teams in this league (West Coast Collegiate League) are all located in the Northwest, which makes most of the bus rides relatively short, the longest being about 8 hours. There is one Canadian team, a few in Washington and a few more in Oregon. Our team is currently 6-10 in league. We struggled a little bit at the beginning, but we have been winning some games lately and seem to be putting it all together. There is still a lot of season left and I am excited to see how it will unfold because this league seems to be pretty balanced. So far it has been a blast playing here. It is a lot of fun to simply wake up and go play baseball everyday. Not to mention go hang out with the team on our off days. In our free time we have done many things. Going to Seattle, fishing, boating, and golfing are some of the things we have done as a team. It is also interesting to simply live here and experience a whole new lifestyle. Going from San Francisco to Silverdale was a major transition. In fact, Silverdale is probably just about as opposite as you could get from San Francisco, if you could imagine that... Like I said, I am really enjoying myself here playing baseball, meeting new people, and living a new lifestyle. Silverdale is a great to place to both live, play baseball and make memories that will last forever. Go Dons! July 1, 2009 Well, it looks like it's my turn to share my summer experience so far. I think it's safe to say mine will look a bit different than everyone else's. I'm not playing summer ball, nor am I graduated and moving on to other things.... rather, it's been me trying to make the hardest decision of my life (so far). As people probably know, I was drafted in the 28th round by the Cincinnati Reds. From the outside, I don't think people realize how hard this whole process really is. I know I didn't when I saw the guys who were older than me going through it my freshman and sophomore year. Though it's been extremely difficult for me so far, I have to remember to sit back and realize what a blessing this really is. It can be tremendously taxing and stressful to continuously run the decision factors through your head, and so sometimes the blessing can feel like a burden at times, but I try to remain with things in perspective as best I can. Though it's difficult, not many people are blessed to have such a hard decision with two pretty good options at either end. After this past season, I felt it was really important for me to have a summer off if I wasn't playing pro ball. There are a number of reasons for this, but I don't want to bore people with that. In short, the past year took a big toll on me. I felt it was in my best interest to have this time. Though I've chosen to do so, it's not like I've been sitting here in the sun with a pina colada everyday. In fact, quite the opposite is true. It's been a lot of soul-searching and hard thinking. So far it's been a real mix between relaxing time off, and stressful decision making resulting in a couple sleepless nights. I'm not lying when I say this is the hardest thing I've ever had to do. Some of you may see this for yourself at some point in time. Actually, I can bet everyone will at some point, although it may not be about baseball. All I can say is, one day you will look back on the whole thing and see that it was a huge life experience.... something to grow from, learn from, and ultimately make you grow up. The last few weeks I've been spending a lot of alone time trying to uncover what my heart is saying through all of this, though I've found this much easier said than done. I keep being told to "do what's best for you" and "do what your heart says", but in the midst of it all, as hard as one tries, it is hard to do. I've found, though, that there's only so much you can do in terms of reason and logic. At some point you have to just get quiet and see what voice or feeling is there beneath all the thoughts. One of the things I have done to help me is reach out to people and get their view on the situation. I've found this really helpful, as someone with an objective viewpoint may have insights you may have overlooked. I've sought advice from people who I really trust, as well as guys who have gone through the decision making and pro ball experience themselves. I'm lucky to have very loving and caring support around me. Aside from all that, I try to balance it out with something to take my mind off things. I tend to think through things deeply, and although I think this is a good thing, I also know I run the risk of over-thinking it and getting stressed out. I have to watch out for my own health. Usually I wake up and go to the gym here in my hometown in the morning for a workout. Also working on the tan so I'm not just jacked, I'm jacked and tan. Big difference! I've also got a batting cage I can use near my hometown by a hitting coach I used to go to in high school. He played a number of years in AAA and has some great knowledge of hitting, and I'm lucky to have a good enough relationship with him in which he has made a key to his facility for me so I can use it anytime I want. I've also been doing a lot of reading, catching up with some old friends, and spending quality time with my family. I love being outside, so I haven't done a lot of sitting around watching TV. Okay, maybe I have caught up on some movies I wanted to see... Anyways, I'm glad to hear that people are enjoying their summer ball experiences so far. After two summer ball experiences, I look back at my memories with a smile. It is something you will truly never forget, and something unlike any other you will ever experience. Work hard, play your best, and most of all....enjoy it! I hope to see everyone soon. June 29, 2009 I left June 2 for Spokane, Washington to start my summer ball experience. I was very excited and ready to embark on this new experience. I left San Jose International Airport at 12:25 PM only to arrive in Seattle at 2:00 PM then transfer over to Spokane. Once I arrived in the Spokane Airport I was greeted by my host mom and from there we left for her son's baseball game in Coeur D'Alene resort in Idaho. I am currently living with a single mother and her son. Ganene, the mother, and Tyler, the son, are extremely nice people and welcomed me into their family with open arms. A host family basically takes a baseball player into their home by feeding him and giving him a home. I reside in Spokane Valley which is a little town just on the outskirts of the main city Spokane. Now coming from a city like San Francisco to Spokane is like day and night. Spokane is more on the country side whereas San Francisco is a huge multicultural city. Making this transition was tough in the beginning but once I got used to the area, it is a ton of fun. But what is making this experience great are my teammates. My teammates are a great bunch of kids. We all have a great time but do work when work has to get done. As a team we have gone rafting, fishing, and go out a lot of the time. A lot of WCC players play in this league, so it is really cool that I get to play with some kids from USD, Gonzaga, Pepperdine, and more. I am also playing with my fellow teammates Kyle Lawton, and Garrett Luippold. The team is doing well with a record of 8 wins and 6 losses. Barry Matthews, our head coach, is a great guy. I enjoy playing for him and have a lot of fun off the field too. Our other assistant coaches are also great people, with not only a great knowledge of baseball but they have a great interaction with us players. Traveling makes summer ball summer ball. Our bus is a big charter bus, similar to the one we use at USF, which has Riverhawks written all over it. We travel to a ton of places including Wenatchee, Moses Lake, Corvallis, Bend (Oregon), Kelowna (Canada), Kitsap, and much more. Our shortest bus ride is an hour and a half, while our longest one is eight hours. But time doesn't really matter because we have so much fun messing around on the bus that time flies. All in all, I am having a great time here in Spokane and am getting use to the giant change in culture. I am very grateful to have the opportunity to be experiencing this, knowing these memories will stick with me throughout my life. June 26, 2009 Q&A With USF Basebal Alumnus Zach Kim What are some of your best memories from USF? It's hard for me to really narrow down a few specific instances but I know for a fact that my best memories all have something to do with baseball. Being a college athlete requires a player to sacrifice what many would call "the college experience", so I don't have the typical stories you might hear at a 10-year reunion. What I do have is an experience that will last a lifetime. I was a member of the first and only USF baseball team to play in the NCAA tournament in Lincoln, Nebraska. I remember coming out of the dugout before our game against Nebraska and being able to feel the ground shudder under the roar of Nebraska fans. Our fans were outnumbered roughly 100 to 1, yet at games end, our little section behind our dugout could be heard through Haymarket Park. Words can't describe the rush felt by every player. Being a part of this team has also brought me some of my closest friends who I will have for the rest of my life. Working with them on and off the field has created many of best memories. What will you miss the most? I could sit here and say that I'm going to miss the roar of the crowd and the rush from stealing bases... and it would be the truth... but that's not what I'm really going to miss when I look back on my time at USF. In being a member of the baseball team for 5 seasons, I have had the opportunity to mature, both as a player and a person. I'm going to miss the working through challenges with coaches and teammates. I'm going to miss traveling on the road with my closest friends. Most of all, I'm going to miss being a part of a group of guys brought together by a game to represent an entire university and an entire way of life. How has baseball impacted and influenced your life? Baseball has been dubbed by many as "The Great Equalizer" for its constant failures. In playing this game, I have a new approach to the rest of my life. I am more driven to attack my life and all its challenges with a relentless mentality that enables me to take risks, accept failure, and achieve success in a way that would otherwise not be possible. What are some things you have learned from coaches, professors, teammates, and/or friends while playing here that you will take with you into your next endeavor? The coaching staff at USF is doing more than developing baseball players. They are developing people. I have become a better baseball player in my five years here, but more importantly, I have become a better human being. When a player comes to USF, they are going to be treated as an adult whether they like it or not. In being held to a standard of excellence on and off the field, I have been molded into the person I am today. It is not asked that players carry themselves in a certain way at USF... It's expected. How do you feel having spent your entire time in college at USF? I don't know what it would have been like to go to more than one institution, much less play baseball in two different programs. I have loved every minutes spent at USF. When I was looking at schools to attend, baseball was a big factor in my decision. But I didn't look at schools for the right reasons. I was drawn to the big name schools with the best facilities and the biggest reputations. I had been talking to U.C Berkeley about playing baseball when USF contacted me. I didn't really give USF the time of day until Cal fell through. Had I done my homework and kept in touch with USF, my decision would have been much easier and it would have been made much sooner! USF has been the perfect fit for me. I love the school, the education and the baseball program. I can't imagine spending college in another place. What's next for you? The MLB draft didn't go as I had hoped so it's time for me to go a different direction with my life. Baseball is a funny thing. In a conversation I had with Coach Giarratano after the draft, coach told me "Baseball is a funny thing. It's a great game that you keep with you your entire life, but it never ends on your terms. Even if you play professionally, it doesn't end when you're ready to be done with it". I believe those words completely, and it is for that reason that I have made the decision to move on. I feel there is no better time for me to walk away from the game. I had a good senior year and I spent it with a group of guys I wouldn't trade for any "signing bonus". Currently, I am studying for my LSAT exams before I apply to Law school. I expect to rejoin former teammate Tavo Hall in Munich, Germany for a spring of European ball before I return and begin my graduate studies. That's the tentative plan, but life's a funny thing... I expect a few more curve balls to come my way before it's all said and done. Any advice to your former teammates? You're a part of something special. It's something that most people will never experience. Enjoy your time as a player and as a student. USF is a program unlike any other in the country. You're a part of a program that is bigger than any one person, but at the same time is never too large for any one individual to make a difference. Make the difference or become the difference... and enjoy the process of doing it. Go Dons! June 25, 2009 I'm currently playing summer ball up in Spokane, WA in the West Coast League; and from the experiences I have had thus far, I am greatly thankful and excited to have this opportunity. This year's team has many familiar and soon to be familiar faces to the WCC. Players from USF, Gonzaga, USD, and Pepperdine are on my team; they have all proved themselves great guys, even though they play for the enemies. I find myself enjoying my teammates and my coaches more and more every day I have with them because they are all welcoming and all have positive outlooks not on just baseball, but in matters off the field as well. The team I play for is called the Spokane Riverhawks, coached by Barry Matthews (one of Coach Moore's former rivals who says he could still carve Moore up any day of the week...). Alongside him are two other coaches, one being fresh out of Gonzaga and the other a Gonzaga graduate with five years of minor league ball under his belt. With the baseball experience my coaching staff possesses, I see our team learning much about the game of baseball through different methods of teaching and environment. Thankfully, I am not alone up here in Washington. I have Mr. Kyle Lawton alongside me for the ride, which is not only awesome because he is one of my boys from school ball, but he played here last summer. He has been a great outlet for non-athletic activities and events, showing me the ropes of Spokane and all the cool stuff to do when we have some days off. Lately we have been taking day trips up to Coeur d'Alene Lake in Idaho just thirty minutes away. One of our teammate's host family owns a lake house where we are always welcome to hang out. Three times now we have been up there to get after the water sports and beaches. From tubing, water skiing, to wake boarding, to babe watching has been the highlight of the lake adventures. From time to time we go river floating on big tubes where we travel downstream about five miles. Baseball-wise, I love the competition up here. The league has some serious talent on every team, so there is always a challenge when I get the chance to toe the rubber. Of course our team is the best because I say so, but all the other teams are pretty good (except Matty Lu's team from last summer). Sorry Matty, but Moses Lake is brutal this year again, but whatever. But for real, I am having a great time getting some quality innings up here and working on my summer goals. So far I think I have been doing a pristine job of staying on it and AOEPing with every chance I get. I'm just mad that Abe isn't up here to again this summer. Mr. Love, you have a great opportunity to pitch against the one and only Abe. Last but definitely not least, the O'Neil's (my host family) are awesome! My host dad John and mom Lori are some of the kindest people I have ever met and I will definitely be grateful all summer and the rest of my life for the support they show for me and for taking me into their home, as well as sharing their ten year old son to play catch with and teach. He is really into baseball, so he is always bugging me to toss it around with him. The family is at every home game and at some away games no matter if I pitch or not, which is a great deal, knowing that they like the game. I'm looking forward to the rest of the summer with my new friends and host family. Keep in touch boys and good luck with your summers. AOEP June 24, 2009 What is happening USF fans!?!? This is Matt Lujan reporting on my summer ball experience. This is my second summer traveling away from home; I will be a junior at USF next year and can't wait! Well let me tell you that last summer I thought I was far from home and I was only in Washington. This summer I am blogging all the way from a small town in Cape Cod Massachusetts called Brewster. I was fortunate enough to be one of very few college baseball players playing in the Cape Cod summer baseball league. The environment here is awesome! The people who run the program are all about us and my host family is once again fabulous. The Brewster Whitecaps are embarking on their twentieth year in the "Cape." The coaching staff is awesome, headed by lefty pitching coach from UCSB, Tom Meyers, who I could ask nothing less of. The competition in this league is like nothing I have ever seen before. Everyday a new pitcher is on the mound pounding 90mph fastballs with nasty movement and dirty sliders. With good pitching comes great hitting as well, I have seen 95mph fastballs get turned on and hit a mile. For now though I would say that the pitchers have the upper hand, but I am counting on the hitting to come around. The fields we play at are all within an hour of each other so that makes it very easy to travel from one to the next. I really have no complaints about where I am and the type of people I am playing for and with. Lately the weather has not been great. I got rained out of my second start which is very unusual on the "Cape," or so say the locals. The team here is awesome. We have quite a few guys from California which makes sense because that is where the coaches are from. Guys the readers may know include USD guys Casey Schmidt and Kyle Blair, Pepperdine's Scott Alexander, Cal's Mark Canha, UCLA's Eric Goeddel and Niko Gallego and our very own USF Don Stephen Yarrow. So far my experience has been phenomenal. I am learning something new every day whether it be from a coach, player or our competition. This summer is a wonderful opportunity for me as a person and as a ball player. My roommate this summer is also a left handed pitcher from Vanderbilt University, Sean Bierman, an awesome dude originally from New Jersey. That being said he is a Yankee fan and the Boston fans around here like to give him a hard time. Well Dons readers it has been a pleasure sharing what I have been through so far! Hope everyone is doing great. Take it easy. Go Dons! June 19, 2009 Hello everyone. My name is Alex Kalogrides and I am going to be a senior next semester at USF. This is the third summer that I have traveled to another part of the country to compete in a summer collegiate baseball league. After my freshman year, I went out to Harrisonburg, Virginia for the first half of my summer, and ended up in Yuba City, CA for the second half. Last summer I played on a team in Brainerd, Minnesota in the Northwoods league and we traveled all around the Midwest. This summer I was all set to play in the Cape Cod league but my plans fell through two days before leaving the Bay Area. After a few quick phone calls by Coach Moore, I landed a spot on the New Bedford Bay Sox of the New England Collegiate League. I was thrilled that the team needed another pitcher because I did not have to cancel my plane ticket out to New England since the town of New Bedford is only 20 minutes from the Cape. Also, fellow USF pitcher Doug Murray is on the New Bedford team which makes things out here much more enjoyable. New Bedford, Massachusetts is a small town that used to be a large part of the whaling industry. The town has just about everything I need within walking or running distance. There are places to eat, a gym, a grocery store, and even a mall all within a short walk. There even is a beach that is only a couple miles away, but the weather hasn't been great out here so far. I live with a host family about one mile away from our field. My host parents or perhaps I should call them my host brother and sister (they are only about six or seven years older than me) are Jason and April. They have been very kind to me, providing me with a nice large bedroom and plenty of video games to keep me occupied. They also have taken me out to show me around New Bedford and its surrounding areas. On one of our off days they are going to take me up to Boston which is about forty-five minutes away to spend the day there. They are very kind people and I really appreciate their hospitality. The baseball part of it has been rather slow thus far. Our schedule is quite spread out as we have sixteen off days throughout the summer. We also have had a few games that have been rained out. Last summer I only had about five days off for the whole time I was out there so there is a lot more down time out here which I am not really used to. The New England Collegiate League is sponsored in part by Major League Baseball and our team is sponsored by Under Armor so we have a lot of nice gear. Our team is off to a slow start, but we have a lot of talent. We are currently 3-5. The places where we have played have ranged from high school fields with bleachers, to nice stadiums full of chair back seats, to old time parks where Babe Ruth once played with both dugouts on the first base line. It has been quite interesting to travel around the different states within New England and see all the different areas. June 17, 2009 This summer I was lucky enough to be sent to Honolulu, Hawaii to play summer ball in the Hawaii Collegiate Baseball League. I was very excited to come here and play not only because of the great weather and beaches, but I also have family that live fifteen minutes from where I am staying. I do not get to see this family very often so it is nice seeing them and they have been helping me get situated in my new home for the next 7 weeks. I arrived in Hawaii last Wednesday and headed to my living arrangements, which unlike many other leagues where players stay with host families, all the players in the league stay in an apartment complex. There are over 150 players from all over the country staying in this one complex so you can imagine how interesting the lifestyle is. It is awesome being able to meet players from all over; there are guys from WCC schools like Santa Clara, Pepperdine, and Saint Mary's and many other places all over the country such as New York and Florida. Living with the players really allows you to get know the guys, not only on your team, but on all the other teams as well. I am living with fellow Don Teammate Matt Quintero and we are sharing a room and in our apartment which we also share with guys from Maryland, Rhode Island, and Southern California. We play six games a week then get Fridays off to hang out, go down to the beach, and explore all the beauties of Hawaii. Every day we bus down to the fields together where we play one game of a three game series against each team. It is a 35 game season with a tournament championship the last week. There are six different teams and I am on the Hawaii Aliis (Chiefs) and we are currently 3-2. We started off 0-2 and have won three straight and are shaking off the cob webs and playing really well. I have been playing centerfield and have been batting leadoff. I am having a great time playing in this great weather, I expected it to be extremely hot and uncomfortable to play in, but because of the nice breeze that is constantly flowing it makes for great baseball weather. The coach of our team is Carl Fratecelli and he is from the bay area and coached around the area I lived so we know a lot the same people. He is a really great coach that lets the players play their game, but also is there willing to teach the game. When we are not out on the baseball field we spend a lot of time at the beaches and that has been awesome! It is so nice to go and relax in the water or lay in the sand after a long day at the field. I have also found out how much of a workout it is to go out swimming in the ocean with the strong currents and waves, it has been wiping me out. I am having a blast here and am enjoying every day, it has been a great opportunity to play here so far and I hope to have many more great memories and friendships. What is better than waking up playing the game you love, then going to relax on the most beautiful beaches in the world? June 16, 2009 Q&A with USF Baseball Alumnus Drew Johnson June 15, 2009 After a great five days at home, I embarked on what would be my first trip to the east coast to play my first summer ball in a collegiate league. I am playing in the Cal Ripken Sr. Collegiate League with my teammates Connor Bernatz and Cameron Love and many others from different schools. I flew on Virgin America, watching two movies on the flight over, flying into Washington Dulles Airport. I was warmly welcomed to the east coast when my host father (Brent Weingardt) met me at the baggage claim. I was first introduced to the humid weather while walking to the car when Brent came to pick me up at the airport. When we returned home I was warmly welcomed by Brent's kids: Josh (21), Jason (18), and Julia (15). I later accompanied Brent to pick up his wife, Dani. I sat around that night talking to my host brothers and sister. I found out that Jason is the voice of the Big Train. He is the internet broadcaster when we have home games. He is also attending the College of Wooster, which he found in the latest edition of Sports Illustrated walking off the field losing the championship game for Division III. Julia interviewed me for her school paper. It was my first interview; it was pretty rocky to say the least. She is among the top in her class in just about every category thought of. Josh has been my guide, helping me get around the city and such. Since this was my first time doing anything of this sort, I was really fortunate to have the host family that I do. They have always been there to help me through the transition of being off on my own, 3,000 miles away from home. With great food and hospitality, so far, I can say that I've really enjoyed my stay here in Maryland. Now let's get on to the baseball part of Maryland. To me, it's like I ran into a team that I've known all my life. The guys here are really easy to get along with and have been a real joy to play alongside. There were a lot of returners to the team so it was really easy to get into the mix. Since I don't have a car here, I have been catching a ride with what has become one of my good buddies, Mike Bottoms from Morehead State. The community of Bethesda has brought just over 1,000 fans at every game. Our supporters have been greatly appreciated and our general manager chooses a couple of non-profit organizations to be recognized by throwing out the first pitch of our home games. We are still currently undefeated as our pitching staff has dominated every team that we've played. From what I hear from some of the guys, this is one of the most potent offences that the team has seen. We have the reigning MVP of the Cal Ripken League and many potential draft picks. Our defense has been absolutely outstanding. But the real challenge lies within the Maryland Orioles. They won the league last year, but the Bethesda Big Train is looking to regain that title this year! Since we have a lot of returners, one thing that I have really enjoyed is the questions. We are frequently asked questions like: How is Matt Hiserman doing? How is Zack Kim doing? Hearing all the remarks from the coaching staff and returning players about our guys: all I have to say is that Connor, Cameron, and I have some big shoes to fill! With all of this being said, I hope that we can fill the shoes of the previous Dons. Those guys being Jonnie Knoble, Evan Fredrickson, Matt Hiserman, Zack Kim, and many others. They have left a legacy with our coach, Sal Colangelo and the rest of the coaching staff. Coach Sal talks about those guys all the time and he makes references about them, telling us stories about the previous summers. June 12, 2009 Greetings from Manchester, Connecticut. I am out here in the New England Collegiate Baseball League (NECBL) playing for the Manchester Silkworms this summer, and so far it's been an awesome experience. We travel all over New England to play our competition and the bus rides are anywhere between one and four hours, spanning over five states. The stadiums and parks we play at have been amazing so far. The fans really appreciate the game of baseball and it shows in the attendance. Some games are attended by a few thousand fans, which makes for a wonderful atmosphere to play baseball in. Soon I will have the chance to play some USF teammates including Doug Murray, Alex Kalogrides, and Sean Burns, who are also playing on teams in the NECBL. My teammates are really easy to get along with, which is usually the case with baseball players since we all have a lot in common. Being the only player on the team from anywhere out west, I get a lot of questions about California and the west coast. My favorite is when they ask questions such as, "isn't it a perfect world out there?" or "isn't it true that when you're from California the world seems to revolve around you?" I almost always end up answering these questions by telling them about Newport Beach native, Connor Bernatz. I am currently living with Larry and Grace Cedrone, their two daughters Mimi and Sj, and son Evan. They are a wonderful family with a beautiful home. Every day the refrigerator seems to be fuller then the day before, and I am loving it. They feed my well at the Cedrone house, and after games the teams are fed more than enough food with a meal cooked by volunteers. I am enjoying every moment out here, and every opportunity to get better at the game of baseball. I am also looking forward to the rest of the summer season and what it has to offer me from a personal and baseball perspective. June 11, 2009 My summer ball experience has been a very interesting experience so far, to say the least. For one thing, the league in general is a very competitive league that is structured well and has many good players. In terms of baseball, the Atlantic Collegiate League is a good league with many players from different schools that definitely have a good feel for the game. Our coach is from Santa Clara and is pretty cool considering the fact that he is from Santa Clara! June 8, 2009 This summer I am playing in beautiful Bethesda, Maryland for the Bethesda Big Train. Upon my arrival about a week and a half ago, I met my host family at the Baltimore Airport. Walt, Sheila, and Gage (8 years old) welcomed me to their home on a very wet Friday evening. My host family treats me like a son and I think Gage will try to follow me back home in August. I am fed very well and am comfortable with a nice living space and a 72" high definition satellite television, in addition to my ride to the field occasionally being Walt's 1970 Corvette Stingray. I haven't built up the confidence to request a test drive yet. June 5, 2009 Hello world, my name is Robert Abel and this is my first blog about my summer baseball experience. I am currently playing in the Northwood's collegiate league, and my team is the Lacrosse Loggers. This team and league have a rich history for being one of the best summer leagues in the country. The whole experience is based around mimicking minor league baseball. From start to finish we play 68 games in less than 3 months, we have long road trips (longest being 12 hours) and we get to the baseball field 5 hours before game time to practice. Don't worry, not all teams get to enjoy the opportunity to get to the field that early, I'm pretty sure the loggers are the only ones who do that. Our average attendance at our games right now is around 3000, but school hasn't even been released yet. So our game today is predicted to have 4500. Boy will it be rocking! The town of lacrosse loves its baseball! I get to sign plenty of baseballs after the game as the kids who already know your name and college rush the field when the last out is recorded. Once you put on a logger uniform you have instantly turned yourself into a celebrity. Currently I am batting sixth in the lineup, hitting over .300, and I stole my first bag last night. The competition is very tough and with the wood bats (Rawlings sponsored league) the games go by a lot faster and the scores are lower. My team is also doing well; we sit atop the league with a 6-3 record tied with the Battle Creek Bombers. In our first home game we won in dramatic fashion with a 3-run walk off homerun in the bottom of the ninth. The crowd went crazy! And oh boy was that ball crushed! My host family is great, the Thihlers are a very dedicated host family, and they always have food for us when we get back from the field late at night if we didn't get to eat. They are very caring and most of all; they love their baseball just like us! I am living with another baseball player from Nebraska named Kash (soon to be sophomore RHP/corner infielder) he is a really good player and even better person to live with. So far we haven't had an off day yet, but we have our first one this Sunday and the team has us going to a boys and girls club for a meet the Loggers day, which should be a lot of fun for the kids since they can't get enough of us after the games. In this jammed packed summer season we only have 5 more off days, my host family is in the progress of planning something we all can do as a family ( I heard them talking about going jet skiing!) I just hope I can get back to playing baseball in one piece. So far the Northwood's league experience has been a great one and I am more than grateful to be a part of such a perfectly run operation. In my eyes this is one of the best, if not the best summer league in the country. I am looking forward to grinding out this tough schedule and being able to look back on the summer with a smile and a book full of memories to share with my Dons teammates. June 3, 2009 I am playing Baseball this summer in Folsom, CA for the Folsom Pioneers. So far Folsom has been a great place to be. I am staying with a host family. The owner of the house is actually the mom of the owner of the team. She is a very nice woman and I enjoy being here because I feel very welcome. My gym that I am working out at is about 2 minutes away from my house. Folsom Lake is less than 10 minutes away from me. There is a great Mexican restaurant that is close by my house and if you know me you know that I like to eat a lot. We just finished our first weekend series against Nevada Bighorn, taking two out of three games. On Sunday I hit my first home run in Folsom at our home field. Our next game is on Wednesday at 5:00pm at Canadá College in Redwood City against the Nor-Cal Longhorns and I will be the starting pitcher. There is a catcher on my team that goes to Solano College, which is where Ryan Lipkin went before transferring to USF. There are a couple other guys from the Woodland area that say that they know Robert Abel. The whole team seems like a good group of guys. It looks like our team is going to do pretty well in this league so I'm excited that we have starting playing and have been doing well. I think we have some good arms. We have some crafty pitchers and we have a few good power pitchers. Our line-up has been hitting pretty well. Overall it seems as if both on offense and defense we are pretty solid. I will be playing at three different positions for this team. I will be pitching and playing both left field and first base. There are three St. Mary's players on the Pioneers, two of which I have played with in the past. The area is easy to navigate because everywhere you need to go to is only about 5-10 minutes driving distance away. I'm excited to continue playing this summer and have fun in the warmth of Folsom. It has been great to get going in summer baseball and look forward to the rest of our games. June 1st, 2009 My plane got into Baltimore Thursday night and my host dad was there to meet me right at baggage claim. Most summer ball teams have host families who the players live with for the summer, they provide housing, food, and plenty of good times. My host family consists of Mr. and Mrs. Obrien along with their two daughters, Jackie who is 19 and Laura, 17. We ate dinner my first night out on their porch, this is when I was introduced to the great humidity and bugs of the east coast. From what I am told the heat has yet to arrive, and bugs are on their way. I am anxiously awaiting the arrival of both. Seeing the field for the first time, I was quite impressed. The Big Train has been playing at a local field in the heart of Bethesda which has around 1,000 chair back seats, along with lights, as we play most of our games at night. After getting my uniform and meeting all the guys, we hit in the cages for a bit and afterwards all the guys just hung around and got to know one another. It is always fun to hear where everyone comes from. We have players all the way from Maine, Oregon, Mississippi, and even beautiful Southern California. One day of practice and next thing I knew it was time to lace up the cleats for the first exhibition game. The next night we played against a local club team in front of a packed house at our home field. The Big Train overcame a seven run deficit to win 10-7 in their first game. It is already fun to see how our team is establishing an identity of its own and working together towards wins already. We won our second exhibition game last night. Diamond Don Cameron Love was our starting pitcher and he pitched five innings allowing just one hit, leading our team to our second win. My summer ball experience so far has been nothing but good times one after another. Being able to just go out and play the game I love everyday not having to worry about school or anything else is definitely a nice way to spend the summer. Our season officially starts this coming Friday and I cannot wait for this Big Train to really get rolling.
July 17, 2009 I am playing summer ball in Lorain, Ohio. Lorain is about 30 minutes west of Cleveland right on Lake Erie. I am playing for the Northcoast Knights in the Prospect League. We are a first year team so we don't draw very many fans. I would say we average about 30 a game, but when we are on the road we get a lot more. When we played in Hannibal, Missouri (home of Mark Twain) I got to pitch in front of about 2,500 people and thought that was pretty cool. The team is doing pretty good; we are currently in second place only a half game back at the all-star break. Our team consists of players from all over like: USC, UC Riverside, Long Beach State, Tulane, Boston College, Coastal Carolina, Washington State, and others. So we have a lot of good talent and we are finally putting it together as a team. We started out kind of slow but now we are right in the mix of things. We have had some problems chemistry wise because of players leaving but I think our team should be set now. The top two teams from the east division and the top two from the west division make the playoffs and I think we have a good chance of winning the league. For me it has been really good baseball wise. I am in the starting rotation and have been pitching pretty well. I currently lead our division in ERA and just got back from pitching in the all-star game, which was pretty fun. The all-star game was played in Springfield Illinois, home of Abraham Lincoln. It was a nice experience and I had a good time. The first day I got here my host family took me to an Indians game and they were playing the Yankees. My host family is huge Yankees fans so I was told to root for them. I also got to go to a pretty cool amusement park called Cedar Point, there are some big roller coasters and it was a lot of fun. I think the best place to visit in Ohio is Put-In Bay. It's an island in Lake Erie and it is more of a vacation place. I went with my family and really enjoyed it. I live with the Melendez family in Amherst Ohio, which is about ten minutes from the field. I live with one of the guys on the team's family, which is nice cause there is someone my age I live with and he shows me around. My experience in Ohio has been good so far and I hope everything continues to go as is. We have a good chance of winning the league and if we keep playing well we should win it. Our owner said we get championship rings if we win the league so I hope to be bringing one home. July 13, 2009 Hey everyone, this is Doug Murray writing from New Bedford, Massachusetts, home of the Bay Sox. I am going to be a senior next year at USF. This is my second summer away from home playing collegiate baseball. Last year I was in Battle Creek, Michigan playing for the Bombers with Sean Burns and Connor Bernatz in the Northwoods league. I flew out to New Bedford May 29th and was greeted by my host parents at the airport. My host parents Jim and Kristen Lancaster have been great; they treat me better than I could have ever wished for. I get to come home to good food, a family that loves baseball, and my new brother and sister, Kyle (7) and Katheryn (5). Katheryn is a fun little girl that was shy at first but has opened up to me and will finally say hi and goodnight. Kyle is the little brother I never had, we play wii, wiffle ball, nerf wars, baseball in the house, basketball, and we watch more baseball than I have watched in my entire life. He flips through games and watches for big name players or his fantasy players, while Kristen, the mom, tells him to leave it on the Red Sox games. The league I play in is the New England Collegiate Baseball League (NECBL). We travel all over New England, four hour bus ride max. Alex Kalogrides and I have been doing pretty well in the bullpen and we have seen a lot of Travis Higgs, who plays for the Manchester Silkworms. So far he is one for three off of me. The Bay Sox management has been great to us as well, we get good meals and they give us everything we need to perform and have fun. I recently had a once in a lifetime experience. The NECBL set up a game against team USA. I got to throw one inning, although I didn't do so well, and it was a great experience facing a bunch of great hitters. New England is a great place, besides the rain. We had rain every other day, but with all the off days I have got some time to travel around. My parents came out for a three week vacation so I spent some time with them in New York and Connecticut. I also got some tickets from my host parents to a Red Sox game and it happened to be for the day that my girlfriend flew out. My host parents know me so well they got the tickets for when the A's were in town, so we wore our A's jersey and saw eight other A's fans at the game. I am having a great time out here and I wish it would never end. I hope everyone is having a great summer. And staff, AEOP. July 10, 2009 Hey everyone, this is Christopher Escobar writing from Silverdale, WA where I am currently playing with the Kitsap Bluejackets. I will be a junior this coming fall and this is my second summer playing in the West Coast Collegiate League. On March 31st, as Kelly Costantini mentioned, I began our 12 hour drive from Stockton, CA to our host family's house in Silverdale, WA. As we arrived to the house, our host mom welcomed us into her home with open arms. She was very excited to finally meet the two players she would be spending the entire summer with. The minute we walked in we were shown to our rooms and given an immediate tour of the house. Pam, our host mom, is known as the Kitsap Bluejackets #1 fan. She even has decorated a room in the house full of Bluejacket memorabilia from over the past couple of years. She isn't the only hard core fan, we have many other fans that dedicate their time and support each and every night to the team. Our team is made up of a bunch of great guys from all over the country. We have come together as a team very well so far and are looking forward to having a good summer as a team. As I mentioned before this is my second summer in this league and I can honestly say the competition level is good. Each team in the league has some good players who can play the game of baseball, so each day at the ball park is a tough one. We are currently 9-14 in league. We struggled at the beginning a little bit but have started winning some games and bringing it all together. I think in the end our team will be fine and have a chance in the post season. The summer has been a lot of fun so far. Playing summer ball is a blast and very relaxing when baseball is the only thing on your mind. We wake up and play baseball just about every day. It doesn't get any better than that. On our off days we have a chance to hang out with teammates and do something fun like bowling or even going and hanging out at the lake for the day. Kitsap County has been a nice and relaxing time, as well as a whole new lifestyle then what I am used to back home in Stockton, CA or even San Francisco. I have learned a lot about myself and others from being in such a different place then what I am used to. I am really enjoying my summer so far playing in Kitsap. I have met a lot of new people and enjoy the small town of Silverdale. It is a very relaxing place where one can concentrate on what one needs to concentrate on. Playing in Kitsap will be something I remember forever and have a lot of great memories of. Good luck to all my fellow teammates and Go Dons! July 8, 2009 Hey Dons Fans, This is Bob Mott. I was a freshman pitcher this past season on the 2009 Diamond Dons. This summer I am playing in the beautiful town of San Luis Obispo, CA. Most players will be able to recall our trip this year to play Cal Poly, and the wonderful area surrounding it. I am currently playing for the San Luis Obispo Rattlers, coached by former major leaguer, Roy Howell. The Rattlers are in the California Collegiate League, comprised of teams down the coast of California, and the defending NBC National Champion Santa Barbara Foresters is leading our league right now. As many of you may know, I am from San Luis Obispo as well. Although I may have gotten some heat from teammates at USF for playing at home, I am definitely happy that I made the choice this year. I have been able to enjoy the fun aspects of living at home such as spending quality time with my family, and hanging out with high school friends that I have not had a chance to see for a year. I have also become friends with many of the guys on my team, showing them around San Luis and even offering some surf lessons. My teammates are from all around the country, from Miami to TCU to Hawaii. I have one WCC teammate from Portland, and there are a few other WCC players scattered around the league. This past season at USF, I was used as a middle reliever and lefty-specialist. This summer I have made the adjustment to starter, and I believe there are some definite positives to starting such as knowing exactly what days you are going to pitch, and how to gear your workouts towards your next start. There are some negatives however: I have found it nearly impossible to pitch solely off adrenaline as a starter, when nearly every pitch I threw in the spring had tons of intensity. You really have to work into a groove and attacking on every pitch is more difficult when you throw 100 pitches instead of 10. I have really enjoyed this challenge and I know it will help me become a better pitcher in the long run. I cannot wait to get back to USF and hear about everyone's summer ball experiences, and I have no regrets playing summer ball in my hometown because it is tough to beat the combination of California Summers and baseball. AOEP and Go Dons! July 6, 2009 Hey everyone! This is Stephen Yarrow writing to you from the tiny town of Brewster, Massachusetts. I will be a junior this coming fall at USF so this is my second summer playing in a collegiate wood bat league. Where to begin? June 9th sounds about right. This is the day that I flew 3000 miles and six hours into Providence international airport. I was lucky enough to have already met my host family before this time. See, the host family I am living with had Dons in the past. Their first player was Tavo Hall in 2006 and 2007, and last year in 2008 they hosted Derek Poppert. Both Tavo and Derek made such good impressions on them that they wanted to stick with players from USF. During our Santa Clara series they came out to see Derek and check out San Francisco, and I was fortunate enough to meet them and have dinner with them. They are truly great people and during the summer their lives revolve and the ball player they are hosting. I could not ask anything more from them; sometimes they treat me better than I deserve to be treated. Every night I come home to a fabulous meal, and during the day they take me anywhere I want to go. Now let's talk about the league. Well, the league is everything everyone says it is. Ten scouts watching BP everyday, fifteen or so by the time first pitch comes around. Advisors hand out packets of info about their companies. It truly is a great experience. I would not say it's the purest form of baseball but it definitely is one of the most interesting forms I have ever been a part of. The other day our whole team had to take a test for the Anaheim Angels to see if we were drafted by them, how we would fit into their organizations. Just on our team I know at least a hand full of players who already have advisors. It is an experience most people only dream of, and I am very lucky to have this opportunity. Our team is made up of people from all across the country, and we have pretty good chemistry so far. We have many players from California, and quite a few from our conference, so we all relate to each other very well. Our coaching staff is headed by UCSB pitching coach and recruiting coordinator Tom Myers, who is very knowledgeable about the game, and seems to be a great coach. As a team we started out slow but lately we have been coming along, and could be a force to be reckoned with soon. I hope everyone is enjoying their own summer ball experiences and I can't wait to see everyone in August. Have a good rest of the summer! July 3, 2009 Hello Dons baseball fans, I am writing from Kitsap, Washington where I play for the Kitsap Bluejackets. Kitsap is a county in Washington surrounded by water, with the Puget Sound and Seattle only about 45 minutes away. To be more specific, I am living in the small town of Silverdale, Washington (in Kitsap County). Early in the morning on March 31st fellow Diamond Don Chris Escobar and I began our 12-hour drive from Stockton, CA to our host mom's house here in Silverdale. Upon our arrival Pam Hansen, our host mom, became very excited and immediately welcomed us into her home to show us our rooms. Pam is the Kitsap Bluejackets self-proclaimed #1 fan and is obsessed with baseball. Surprisingly there are many fans like Pam here. I guess that's what happens when you stick a good baseball team into a very small town with no other teams to root for. On average the attendance at our games is around 500-900 people, which doesn't sound like a lot, but if you were to come here you would wonder if there were even that many people who just live here! Even the players on the team have reached a certain "celebrity status." On many occasions people have recognized both me and other players simply shopping in the local grocery store and asked for our autographs. Players have also made the front page of the newspaper several times. That should give you an idea of how small this town really is... Our team is made up of guys from all around the country as well as some locals. We have players from programs like Oklahoma State, UC Riverside, Texas Tech, Washington State and University of Washington. The competition in this league seems good so far and I am excited to go on some more road trips with the team and see some parts of the country that are new to me. I will also get the chance to visit with fellow Dons who play on different teams in this league like Garret Luippold, Nik Balog, Jordan Remer, and Kyle Lawton. The teams in this league (West Coast Collegiate League) are all located in the Northwest, which makes most of the bus rides relatively short, the longest being about 8 hours. There is one Canadian team, a few in Washington and a few more in Oregon. Our team is currently 6-10 in league. We struggled a little bit at the beginning, but we have been winning some games lately and seem to be putting it all together. There is still a lot of season left and I am excited to see how it will unfold because this league seems to be pretty balanced. So far it has been a blast playing here. It is a lot of fun to simply wake up and go play baseball everyday. Not to mention go hang out with the team on our off days. In our free time we have done many things. Going to Seattle, fishing, boating, and golfing are some of the things we have done as a team. It is also interesting to simply live here and experience a whole new lifestyle. Going from San Francisco to Silverdale was a major transition. In fact, Silverdale is probably just about as opposite as you could get from San Francisco, if you could imagine that... Like I said, I am really enjoying myself here playing baseball, meeting new people, and living a new lifestyle. Silverdale is a great to place to both live, play baseball and make memories that will last forever. Go Dons! July 1, 2009 Well, it looks like it's my turn to share my summer experience so far. I think it's safe to say mine will look a bit different than everyone else's. I'm not playing summer ball, nor am I graduated and moving on to other things.... rather, it's been me trying to make the hardest decision of my life (so far). As people probably know, I was drafted in the 28th round by the Cincinnati Reds. From the outside, I don't think people realize how hard this whole process really is. I know I didn't when I saw the guys who were older than me going through it my freshman and sophomore year. Though it's been extremely difficult for me so far, I have to remember to sit back and realize what a blessing this really is. It can be tremendously taxing and stressful to continuously run the decision factors through your head, and so sometimes the blessing can feel like a burden at times, but I try to remain with things in perspective as best I can. Though it's difficult, not many people are blessed to have such a hard decision with two pretty good options at either end. After this past season, I felt it was really important for me to have a summer off if I wasn't playing pro ball. There are a number of reasons for this, but I don't want to bore people with that. In short, the past year took a big toll on me. I felt it was in my best interest to have this time. Though I've chosen to do so, it's not like I've been sitting here in the sun with a pina colada everyday. In fact, quite the opposite is true. It's been a lot of soul-searching and hard thinking. So far it's been a real mix between relaxing time off, and stressful decision making resulting in a couple sleepless nights. I'm not lying when I say this is the hardest thing I've ever had to do. Some of you may see this for yourself at some point in time. Actually, I can bet everyone will at some point, although it may not be about baseball. All I can say is, one day you will look back on the whole thing and see that it was a huge life experience.... something to grow from, learn from, and ultimately make you grow up. The last few weeks I've been spending a lot of alone time trying to uncover what my heart is saying through all of this, though I've found this much easier said than done. I keep being told to "do what's best for you" and "do what your heart says", but in the midst of it all, as hard as one tries, it is hard to do. I've found, though, that there's only so much you can do in terms of reason and logic. At some point you have to just get quiet and see what voice or feeling is there beneath all the thoughts. One of the things I have done to help me is reach out to people and get their view on the situation. I've found this really helpful, as someone with an objective viewpoint may have insights you may have overlooked. I've sought advice from people who I really trust, as well as guys who have gone through the decision making and pro ball experience themselves. I'm lucky to have very loving and caring support around me. Aside from all that, I try to balance it out with something to take my mind off things. I tend to think through things deeply, and although I think this is a good thing, I also know I run the risk of over-thinking it and getting stressed out. I have to watch out for my own health. Usually I wake up and go to the gym here in my hometown in the morning for a workout. Also working on the tan so I'm not just jacked, I'm jacked and tan. Big difference! I've also got a batting cage I can use near my hometown by a hitting coach I used to go to in high school. He played a number of years in AAA and has some great knowledge of hitting, and I'm lucky to have a good enough relationship with him in which he has made a key to his facility for me so I can use it anytime I want. I've also been doing a lot of reading, catching up with some old friends, and spending quality time with my family. I love being outside, so I haven't done a lot of sitting around watching TV. Okay, maybe I have caught up on some movies I wanted to see... Anyways, I'm glad to hear that people are enjoying their summer ball experiences so far. After two summer ball experiences, I look back at my memories with a smile. It is something you will truly never forget, and something unlike any other you will ever experience. Work hard, play your best, and most of all....enjoy it! I hope to see everyone soon. June 29, 2009 I left June 2 for Spokane, Washington to start my summer ball experience. I was very excited and ready to embark on this new experience. I left San Jose International Airport at 12:25 PM only to arrive in Seattle at 2:00 PM then transfer over to Spokane. Once I arrived in the Spokane Airport I was greeted by my host mom and from there we left for her son's baseball game in Coeur D'Alene resort in Idaho. I am currently living with a single mother and her son. Ganene, the mother, and Tyler, the son, are extremely nice people and welcomed me into their family with open arms. A host family basically takes a baseball player into their home by feeding him and giving him a home. I reside in Spokane Valley which is a little town just on the outskirts of the main city Spokane. Now coming from a city like San Francisco to Spokane is like day and night. Spokane is more on the country side whereas San Francisco is a huge multicultural city. Making this transition was tough in the beginning but once I got used to the area, it is a ton of fun. But what is making this experience great are my teammates. My teammates are a great bunch of kids. We all have a great time but do work when work has to get done. As a team we have gone rafting, fishing, and go out a lot of the time. A lot of WCC players play in this league, so it is really cool that I get to play with some kids from USD, Gonzaga, Pepperdine, and more. I am also playing with my fellow teammates Kyle Lawton, and Garrett Luippold. The team is doing well with a record of 8 wins and 6 losses. Barry Matthews, our head coach, is a great guy. I enjoy playing for him and have a lot of fun off the field too. Our other assistant coaches are also great people, with not only a great knowledge of baseball but they have a great interaction with us players. Traveling makes summer ball summer ball. Our bus is a big charter bus, similar to the one we use at USF, which has Riverhawks written all over it. We travel to a ton of places including Wenatchee, Moses Lake, Corvallis, Bend (Oregon), Kelowna (Canada), Kitsap, and much more. Our shortest bus ride is an hour and a half, while our longest one is eight hours. But time doesn't really matter because we have so much fun messing around on the bus that time flies. All in all, I am having a great time here in Spokane and am getting use to the giant change in culture. I am very grateful to have the opportunity to be experiencing this, knowing these memories will stick with me throughout my life. June 26, 2009 Q&A With USF Basebal Alumnus Zach Kim What are some of your best memories from USF? It's hard for me to really narrow down a few specific instances but I know for a fact that my best memories all have something to do with baseball. Being a college athlete requires a player to sacrifice what many would call "the college experience", so I don't have the typical stories you might hear at a 10-year reunion. What I do have is an experience that will last a lifetime. I was a member of the first and only USF baseball team to play in the NCAA tournament in Lincoln, Nebraska. I remember coming out of the dugout before our game against Nebraska and being able to feel the ground shudder under the roar of Nebraska fans. Our fans were outnumbered roughly 100 to 1, yet at games end, our little section behind our dugout could be heard through Haymarket Park. Words can't describe the rush felt by every player. Being a part of this team has also brought me some of my closest friends who I will have for the rest of my life. Working with them on and off the field has created many of best memories. What will you miss the most? I could sit here and say that I'm going to miss the roar of the crowd and the rush from stealing bases... and it would be the truth... but that's not what I'm really going to miss when I look back on my time at USF. In being a member of the baseball team for 5 seasons, I have had the opportunity to mature, both as a player and a person. I'm going to miss the working through challenges with coaches and teammates. I'm going to miss traveling on the road with my closest friends. Most of all, I'm going to miss being a part of a group of guys brought together by a game to represent an entire university and an entire way of life. How has baseball impacted and influenced your life? Baseball has been dubbed by many as "The Great Equalizer" for its constant failures. In playing this game, I have a new approach to the rest of my life. I am more driven to attack my life and all its challenges with a relentless mentality that enables me to take risks, accept failure, and achieve success in a way that would otherwise not be possible. What are some things you have learned from coaches, professors, teammates, and/or friends while playing here that you will take with you into your next endeavor? The coaching staff at USF is doing more than developing baseball players. They are developing people. I have become a better baseball player in my five years here, but more importantly, I have become a better human being. When a player comes to USF, they are going to be treated as an adult whether they like it or not. In being held to a standard of excellence on and off the field, I have been molded into the person I am today. It is not asked that players carry themselves in a certain way at USF... It's expected. How do you feel having spent your entire time in college at USF? I don't know what it would have been like to go to more than one institution, much less play baseball in two different programs. I have loved every minutes spent at USF. When I was looking at schools to attend, baseball was a big factor in my decision. But I didn't look at schools for the right reasons. I was drawn to the big name schools with the best facilities and the biggest reputations. I had been talking to U.C Berkeley about playing baseball when USF contacted me. I didn't really give USF the time of day until Cal fell through. Had I done my homework and kept in touch with USF, my decision would have been much easier and it would have been made much sooner! USF has been the perfect fit for me. I love the school, the education and the baseball program. I can't imagine spending college in another place. What's next for you? The MLB draft didn't go as I had hoped so it's time for me to go a different direction with my life. Baseball is a funny thing. In a conversation I had with Coach Giarratano after the draft, coach told me "Baseball is a funny thing. It's a great game that you keep with you your entire life, but it never ends on your terms. Even if you play professionally, it doesn't end when you're ready to be done with it". I believe those words completely, and it is for that reason that I have made the decision to move on. I feel there is no better time for me to walk away from the game. I had a good senior year and I spent it with a group of guys I wouldn't trade for any "signing bonus". Currently, I am studying for my LSAT exams before I apply to Law school. I expect to rejoin former teammate Tavo Hall in Munich, Germany for a spring of European ball before I return and begin my graduate studies. That's the tentative plan, but life's a funny thing... I expect a few more curve balls to come my way before it's all said and done. Any advice to your former teammates? You're a part of something special. It's something that most people will never experience. Enjoy your time as a player and as a student. USF is a program unlike any other in the country. You're a part of a program that is bigger than any one person, but at the same time is never too large for any one individual to make a difference. Make the difference or become the difference... and enjoy the process of doing it. Go Dons! June 25, 2009 I'm currently playing summer ball up in Spokane, WA in the West Coast League; and from the experiences I have had thus far, I am greatly thankful and excited to have this opportunity. This year's team has many familiar and soon to be familiar faces to the WCC. Players from USF, Gonzaga, USD, and Pepperdine are on my team; they have all proved themselves great guys, even though they play for the enemies. I find myself enjoying my teammates and my coaches more and more every day I have with them because they are all welcoming and all have positive outlooks not on just baseball, but in matters off the field as well. The team I play for is called the Spokane Riverhawks, coached by Barry Matthews (one of Coach Moore's former rivals who says he could still carve Moore up any day of the week...). Alongside him are two other coaches, one being fresh out of Gonzaga and the other a Gonzaga graduate with five years of minor league ball under his belt. With the baseball experience my coaching staff possesses, I see our team learning much about the game of baseball through different methods of teaching and environment. Thankfully, I am not alone up here in Washington. I have Mr. Kyle Lawton alongside me for the ride, which is not only awesome because he is one of my boys from school ball, but he played here last summer. He has been a great outlet for non-athletic activities and events, showing me the ropes of Spokane and all the cool stuff to do when we have some days off. Lately we have been taking day trips up to Coeur d'Alene Lake in Idaho just thirty minutes away. One of our teammate's host family owns a lake house where we are always welcome to hang out. Three times now we have been up there to get after the water sports and beaches. From tubing, water skiing, to wake boarding, to babe watching has been the highlight of the lake adventures. From time to time we go river floating on big tubes where we travel downstream about five miles. Baseball-wise, I love the competition up here. The league has some serious talent on every team, so there is always a challenge when I get the chance to toe the rubber. Of course our team is the best because I say so, but all the other teams are pretty good (except Matty Lu's team from last summer). Sorry Matty, but Moses Lake is brutal this year again, but whatever. But for real, I am having a great time getting some quality innings up here and working on my summer goals. So far I think I have been doing a pristine job of staying on it and AOEPing with every chance I get. I'm just mad that Abe isn't up here to again this summer. Mr. Love, you have a great opportunity to pitch against the one and only Abe. Last but definitely not least, the O'Neil's (my host family) are awesome! My host dad John and mom Lori are some of the kindest people I have ever met and I will definitely be grateful all summer and the rest of my life for the support they show for me and for taking me into their home, as well as sharing their ten year old son to play catch with and teach. He is really into baseball, so he is always bugging me to toss it around with him. The family is at every home game and at some away games no matter if I pitch or not, which is a great deal, knowing that they like the game. I'm looking forward to the rest of the summer with my new friends and host family. Keep in touch boys and good luck with your summers. AOEP June 24, 2009 What is happening USF fans!?!? This is Matt Lujan reporting on my summer ball experience. This is my second summer traveling away from home; I will be a junior at USF next year and can't wait! Well let me tell you that last summer I thought I was far from home and I was only in Washington. This summer I am blogging all the way from a small town in Cape Cod Massachusetts called Brewster. I was fortunate enough to be one of very few college baseball players playing in the Cape Cod summer baseball league. The environment here is awesome! The people who run the program are all about us and my host family is once again fabulous. The Brewster Whitecaps are embarking on their twentieth year in the "Cape." The coaching staff is awesome, headed by lefty pitching coach from UCSB, Tom Meyers, who I could ask nothing less of. The competition in this league is like nothing I have ever seen before. Everyday a new pitcher is on the mound pounding 90mph fastballs with nasty movement and dirty sliders. With good pitching comes great hitting as well, I have seen 95mph fastballs get turned on and hit a mile. For now though I would say that the pitchers have the upper hand, but I am counting on the hitting to come around. The fields we play at are all within an hour of each other so that makes it very easy to travel from one to the next. I really have no complaints about where I am and the type of people I am playing for and with. Lately the weather has not been great. I got rained out of my second start which is very unusual on the "Cape," or so say the locals. The team here is awesome. We have quite a few guys from California which makes sense because that is where the coaches are from. Guys the readers may know include USD guys Casey Schmidt and Kyle Blair, Pepperdine's Scott Alexander, Cal's Mark Canha, UCLA's Eric Goeddel and Niko Gallego and our very own USF Don Stephen Yarrow. So far my experience has been phenomenal. I am learning something new every day whether it be from a coach, player or our competition. This summer is a wonderful opportunity for me as a person and as a ball player. My roommate this summer is also a left handed pitcher from Vanderbilt University, Sean Bierman, an awesome dude originally from New Jersey. That being said he is a Yankee fan and the Boston fans around here like to give him a hard time. Well Dons readers it has been a pleasure sharing what I have been through so far! Hope everyone is doing great. Take it easy. Go Dons! June 19, 2009 Hello everyone. My name is Alex Kalogrides and I am going to be a senior next semester at USF. This is the third summer that I have traveled to another part of the country to compete in a summer collegiate baseball league. After my freshman year, I went out to Harrisonburg, Virginia for the first half of my summer, and ended up in Yuba City, CA for the second half. Last summer I played on a team in Brainerd, Minnesota in the Northwoods league and we traveled all around the Midwest. This summer I was all set to play in the Cape Cod league but my plans fell through two days before leaving the Bay Area. After a few quick phone calls by Coach Moore, I landed a spot on the New Bedford Bay Sox of the New England Collegiate League. I was thrilled that the team needed another pitcher because I did not have to cancel my plane ticket out to New England since the town of New Bedford is only 20 minutes from the Cape. Also, fellow USF pitcher Doug Murray is on the New Bedford team which makes things out here much more enjoyable. New Bedford, Massachusetts is a small town that used to be a large part of the whaling industry. The town has just about everything I need within walking or running distance. There are places to eat, a gym, a grocery store, and even a mall all within a short walk. There even is a beach that is only a couple miles away, but the weather hasn't been great out here so far. I live with a host family about one mile away from our field. My host parents or perhaps I should call them my host brother and sister (they are only about six or seven years older than me) are Jason and April. They have been very kind to me, providing me with a nice large bedroom and plenty of video games to keep me occupied. They also have taken me out to show me around New Bedford and its surrounding areas. On one of our off days they are going to take me up to Boston which is about forty-five minutes away to spend the day there. They are very kind people and I really appreciate their hospitality. The baseball part of it has been rather slow thus far. Our schedule is quite spread out as we have sixteen off days throughout the summer. We also have had a few games that have been rained out. Last summer I only had about five days off for the whole time I was out there so there is a lot more down time out here which I am not really used to. The New England Collegiate League is sponsored in part by Major League Baseball and our team is sponsored by Under Armor so we have a lot of nice gear. Our team is off to a slow start, but we have a lot of talent. We are currently 3-5. The places where we have played have ranged from high school fields with bleachers, to nice stadiums full of chair back seats, to old time parks where Babe Ruth once played with both dugouts on the first base line. It has been quite interesting to travel around the different states within New England and see all the different areas. June 17, 2009 This summer I was lucky enough to be sent to Honolulu, Hawaii to play summer ball in the Hawaii Collegiate Baseball League. I was very excited to come here and play not only because of the great weather and beaches, but I also have family that live fifteen minutes from where I am staying. I do not get to see this family very often so it is nice seeing them and they have been helping me get situated in my new home for the next 7 weeks. I arrived in Hawaii last Wednesday and headed to my living arrangements, which unlike many other leagues where players stay with host families, all the players in the league stay in an apartment complex. There are over 150 players from all over the country staying in this one complex so you can imagine how interesting the lifestyle is. It is awesome being able to meet players from all over; there are guys from WCC schools like Santa Clara, Pepperdine, and Saint Mary's and many other places all over the country such as New York and Florida. Living with the players really allows you to get know the guys, not only on your team, but on all the other teams as well. I am living with fellow Don Teammate Matt Quintero and we are sharing a room and in our apartment which we also share with guys from Maryland, Rhode Island, and Southern California. We play six games a week then get Fridays off to hang out, go down to the beach, and explore all the beauties of Hawaii. Every day we bus down to the fields together where we play one game of a three game series against each team. It is a 35 game season with a tournament championship the last week. There are six different teams and I am on the Hawaii Aliis (Chiefs) and we are currently 3-2. We started off 0-2 and have won three straight and are shaking off the cob webs and playing really well. I have been playing centerfield and have been batting leadoff. I am having a great time playing in this great weather, I expected it to be extremely hot and uncomfortable to play in, but because of the nice breeze that is constantly flowing it makes for great baseball weather. The coach of our team is Carl Fratecelli and he is from the bay area and coached around the area I lived so we know a lot the same people. He is a really great coach that lets the players play their game, but also is there willing to teach the game. When we are not out on the baseball field we spend a lot of time at the beaches and that has been awesome! It is so nice to go and relax in the water or lay in the sand after a long day at the field. I have also found out how much of a workout it is to go out swimming in the ocean with the strong currents and waves, it has been wiping me out. I am having a blast here and am enjoying every day, it has been a great opportunity to play here so far and I hope to have many more great memories and friendships. What is better than waking up playing the game you love, then going to relax on the most beautiful beaches in the world? June 16, 2009 Q&A with USF Baseball Alumnus Drew Johnson June 15, 2009 After a great five days at home, I embarked on what would be my first trip to the east coast to play my first summer ball in a collegiate league. I am playing in the Cal Ripken Sr. Collegiate League with my teammates Connor Bernatz and Cameron Love and many others from different schools. I flew on Virgin America, watching two movies on the flight over, flying into Washington Dulles Airport. I was warmly welcomed to the east coast when my host father (Brent Weingardt) met me at the baggage claim. I was first introduced to the humid weather while walking to the car when Brent came to pick me up at the airport. When we returned home I was warmly welcomed by Brent's kids: Josh (21), Jason (18), and Julia (15). I later accompanied Brent to pick up his wife, Dani. I sat around that night talking to my host brothers and sister. I found out that Jason is the voice of the Big Train. He is the internet broadcaster when we have home games. He is also attending the College of Wooster, which he found in the latest edition of Sports Illustrated walking off the field losing the championship game for Division III. Julia interviewed me for her school paper. It was my first interview; it was pretty rocky to say the least. She is among the top in her class in just about every category thought of. Josh has been my guide, helping me get around the city and such. Since this was my first time doing anything of this sort, I was really fortunate to have the host family that I do. They have always been there to help me through the transition of being off on my own, 3,000 miles away from home. With great food and hospitality, so far, I can say that I've really enjoyed my stay here in Maryland. Now let's get on to the baseball part of Maryland. To me, it's like I ran into a team that I've known all my life. The guys here are really easy to get along with and have been a real joy to play alongside. There were a lot of returners to the team so it was really easy to get into the mix. Since I don't have a car here, I have been catching a ride with what has become one of my good buddies, Mike Bottoms from Morehead State. The community of Bethesda has brought just over 1,000 fans at every game. Our supporters have been greatly appreciated and our general manager chooses a couple of non-profit organizations to be recognized by throwing out the first pitch of our home games. We are still currently undefeated as our pitching staff has dominated every team that we've played. From what I hear from some of the guys, this is one of the most potent offences that the team has seen. We have the reigning MVP of the Cal Ripken League and many potential draft picks. Our defense has been absolutely outstanding. But the real challenge lies within the Maryland Orioles. They won the league last year, but the Bethesda Big Train is looking to regain that title this year! Since we have a lot of returners, one thing that I have really enjoyed is the questions. We are frequently asked questions like: How is Matt Hiserman doing? How is Zack Kim doing? Hearing all the remarks from the coaching staff and returning players about our guys: all I have to say is that Connor, Cameron, and I have some big shoes to fill! With all of this being said, I hope that we can fill the shoes of the previous Dons. Those guys being Jonnie Knoble, Evan Fredrickson, Matt Hiserman, Zack Kim, and many others. They have left a legacy with our coach, Sal Colangelo and the rest of the coaching staff. Coach Sal talks about those guys all the time and he makes references about them, telling us stories about the previous summers. June 12, 2009 Greetings from Manchester, Connecticut. I am out here in the New England Collegiate Baseball League (NECBL) playing for the Manchester Silkworms this summer, and so far it's been an awesome experience. We travel all over New England to play our competition and the bus rides are anywhere between one and four hours, spanning over five states. The stadiums and parks we play at have been amazing so far. The fans really appreciate the game of baseball and it shows in the attendance. Some games are attended by a few thousand fans, which makes for a wonderful atmosphere to play baseball in. Soon I will have the chance to play some USF teammates including Doug Murray, Alex Kalogrides, and Sean Burns, who are also playing on teams in the NECBL. My teammates are really easy to get along with, which is usually the case with baseball players since we all have a lot in common. Being the only player on the team from anywhere out west, I get a lot of questions about California and the west coast. My favorite is when they ask questions such as, "isn't it a perfect world out there?" or "isn't it true that when you're from California the world seems to revolve around you?" I almost always end up answering these questions by telling them about Newport Beach native, Connor Bernatz. I am currently living with Larry and Grace Cedrone, their two daughters Mimi and Sj, and son Evan. They are a wonderful family with a beautiful home. Every day the refrigerator seems to be fuller then the day before, and I am loving it. They feed my well at the Cedrone house, and after games the teams are fed more than enough food with a meal cooked by volunteers. I am enjoying every moment out here, and every opportunity to get better at the game of baseball. I am also looking forward to the rest of the summer season and what it has to offer me from a personal and baseball perspective. June 11, 2009 My summer ball experience has been a very interesting experience so far, to say the least. For one thing, the league in general is a very competitive league that is structured well and has many good players. In terms of baseball, the Atlantic Collegiate League is a good league with many players from different schools that definitely have a good feel for the game. Our coach is from Santa Clara and is pretty cool considering the fact that he is from Santa Clara! June 8, 2009 This summer I am playing in beautiful Bethesda, Maryland for the Bethesda Big Train. Upon my arrival about a week and a half ago, I met my host family at the Baltimore Airport. Walt, Sheila, and Gage (8 years old) welcomed me to their home on a very wet Friday evening. My host family treats me like a son and I think Gage will try to follow me back home in August. I am fed very well and am comfortable with a nice living space and a 72" high definition satellite television, in addition to my ride to the field occasionally being Walt's 1970 Corvette Stingray. I haven't built up the confidence to request a test drive yet. June 5, 2009 Hello world, my name is Robert Abel and this is my first blog about my summer baseball experience. I am currently playing in the Northwood's collegiate league, and my team is the Lacrosse Loggers. This team and league have a rich history for being one of the best summer leagues in the country. The whole experience is based around mimicking minor league baseball. From start to finish we play 68 games in less than 3 months, we have long road trips (longest being 12 hours) and we get to the baseball field 5 hours before game time to practice. Don't worry, not all teams get to enjoy the opportunity to get to the field that early, I'm pretty sure the loggers are the only ones who do that. Our average attendance at our games right now is around 3000, but school hasn't even been released yet. So our game today is predicted to have 4500. Boy will it be rocking! The town of lacrosse loves its baseball! I get to sign plenty of baseballs after the game as the kids who already know your name and college rush the field when the last out is recorded. Once you put on a logger uniform you have instantly turned yourself into a celebrity. Currently I am batting sixth in the lineup, hitting over .300, and I stole my first bag last night. The competition is very tough and with the wood bats (Rawlings sponsored league) the games go by a lot faster and the scores are lower. My team is also doing well; we sit atop the league with a 6-3 record tied with the Battle Creek Bombers. In our first home game we won in dramatic fashion with a 3-run walk off homerun in the bottom of the ninth. The crowd went crazy! And oh boy was that ball crushed! My host family is great, the Thihlers are a very dedicated host family, and they always have food for us when we get back from the field late at night if we didn't get to eat. They are very caring and most of all; they love their baseball just like us! I am living with another baseball player from Nebraska named Kash (soon to be sophomore RHP/corner infielder) he is a really good player and even better person to live with. So far we haven't had an off day yet, but we have our first one this Sunday and the team has us going to a boys and girls club for a meet the Loggers day, which should be a lot of fun for the kids since they can't get enough of us after the games. In this jammed packed summer season we only have 5 more off days, my host family is in the progress of planning something we all can do as a family ( I heard them talking about going jet skiing!) I just hope I can get back to playing baseball in one piece. So far the Northwood's league experience has been a great one and I am more than grateful to be a part of such a perfectly run operation. In my eyes this is one of the best, if not the best summer league in the country. I am looking forward to grinding out this tough schedule and being able to look back on the summer with a smile and a book full of memories to share with my Dons teammates. June 3, 2009 I am playing Baseball this summer in Folsom, CA for the Folsom Pioneers. So far Folsom has been a great place to be. I am staying with a host family. The owner of the house is actually the mom of the owner of the team. She is a very nice woman and I enjoy being here because I feel very welcome. My gym that I am working out at is about 2 minutes away from my house. Folsom Lake is less than 10 minutes away from me. There is a great Mexican restaurant that is close by my house and if you know me you know that I like to eat a lot. We just finished our first weekend series against Nevada Bighorn, taking two out of three games. On Sunday I hit my first home run in Folsom at our home field. Our next game is on Wednesday at 5:00pm at Canadá College in Redwood City against the Nor-Cal Longhorns and I will be the starting pitcher. There is a catcher on my team that goes to Solano College, which is where Ryan Lipkin went before transferring to USF. There are a couple other guys from the Woodland area that say that they know Robert Abel. The whole team seems like a good group of guys. It looks like our team is going to do pretty well in this league so I'm excited that we have starting playing and have been doing well. I think we have some good arms. We have some crafty pitchers and we have a few good power pitchers. Our line-up has been hitting pretty well. Overall it seems as if both on offense and defense we are pretty solid. I will be playing at three different positions for this team. I will be pitching and playing both left field and first base. There are three St. Mary's players on the Pioneers, two of which I have played with in the past. The area is easy to navigate because everywhere you need to go to is only about 5-10 minutes driving distance away. I'm excited to continue playing this summer and have fun in the warmth of Folsom. It has been great to get going in summer baseball and look forward to the rest of our games. June 1st, 2009 My plane got into Baltimore Thursday night and my host dad was there to meet me right at baggage claim. Most summer ball teams have host families who the players live with for the summer, they provide housing, food, and plenty of good times. My host family consists of Mr. and Mrs. Obrien along with their two daughters, Jackie who is 19 and Laura, 17. We ate dinner my first night out on their porch, this is when I was introduced to the great humidity and bugs of the east coast. From what I am told the heat has yet to arrive, and bugs are on their way. I am anxiously awaiting the arrival of both. Seeing the field for the first time, I was quite impressed. The Big Train has been playing at a local field in the heart of Bethesda which has around 1,000 chair back seats, along with lights, as we play most of our games at night. After getting my uniform and meeting all the guys, we hit in the cages for a bit and afterwards all the guys just hung around and got to know one another. It is always fun to hear where everyone comes from. We have players all the way from Maine, Oregon, Mississippi, and even beautiful Southern California. One day of practice and next thing I knew it was time to lace up the cleats for the first exhibition game. The next night we played against a local club team in front of a packed house at our home field. The Big Train overcame a seven run deficit to win 10-7 in their first game. It is already fun to see how our team is establishing an identity of its own and working together towards wins already. We won our second exhibition game last night. Diamond Don Cameron Love was our starting pitcher and he pitched five innings allowing just one hit, leading our team to our second win. My summer ball experience so far has been nothing but good times one after another. Being able to just go out and play the game I love everyday not having to worry about school or anything else is definitely a nice way to spend the summer. Our season officially starts this coming Friday and I cannot wait for this Big Train to really get rolling.
July 27, 2009
Baseball has always been a key component every summer since I started playing. When I was younger it was just a few games, but it started to get more serious as I became more serious about baseball. Each summer, more games were added to the schedule, and slowly baseball began to take over. Well, the trend continued. This is definitely the most baseball I've played in one summer, and against the best competition. Before college started, I had never been away from home for more then a couple weeks, and the same goes for most college students when they first go to school. The difference is that most college students go home for the summer, but I have been given the opportunity to have some of the most fun playing baseball everyday in a small town named Bend, Oregon. The town itself is beautiful; due to its elevation it is strangely similar to Tahoe. There are trees everywhere, its nice and hot (today got up to 95) and there is a big, slow river that runs right through town that everybody floats down on inner tubes to spend time with friends. One of the perks of playing baseball in Bend is that everybody has heard of the Bend Elks baseball club. Bend has had the Elks for ten years, but before the Elks there were the Bandits, and before them there was another team and so on, so there is a tradition of baseball in the town. Jim Richards, who happens to be USF alum (GO DONS!), has been the owner of the Elks for the past ten years and has made many contributions to the town. The players favorite contribution that Mr. Richards has given the community is called "$2 Tuesdays!" where tickets are $2, beer is $2 and hot dogs are $2. The reason the players like it so much is because every Tuesday night game routinely brings over two thousand fans to come watch us play. This is my first experience living with a host family as well. My "host-parents" are so nice; they're an older couple with a son that is around thirty. He is a retired hand-surgeon and she is a potter. They are an interesting couple, but they love baseball and take really good care of me and Pete. The refrigerator always has food, they have the ultimate cable TV package, and all they ask for in return is for us to be clean. Clean our rooms, keep our laundry clean, clean our dishes and put them in the dishwasher. The only problem is that neither Pete nor I have a car, and since the host family keeps themselves quite busy, we ask for rides from players everyday. It can get a little old asking the same 3 players for rides everyday, but they understand and really don't mind. Previous summer ball experiences have been driving all around to this tournament or that game, maybe a hundred fans at the championship game. But nothing compares to having thousands of people watch you play baseball, and then have thirty kids ask for your autograph when the game ends. When people see you walking around with an Elks shirt on, they ask if you're on the team. My roommate Pete Levin (who is transferring to USF in the fall) was in a Big 5 and the cashier wanted to just give Pete the undershirt he was trying to buy. The Elks are a part of Bend, and the players are loved. Being recognized by complete strangers beats my old summer ball experience. I can't wait to see what the rest of the summer brings, and I can't wait to do it all over again.
July 22, 2009 This is Sean Burns reporting from North Adams, Massachusetts, where I have been fortunate enough to play for the Steeple Cats in the NECBL (New England Collegiate Baseball League). I have come to North Adams alone, but have had the pleasure of playing some of my fellow San Francisco teammates. Doug Murray and Alex Kalogrides are playing for the New Bedford Bay Sox and Travis Higgs is with the Manchester Silkworms. Though New England is a beautiful place to play ball, it has received some rather ugly weather this summer. We have had a total of nine games that have been rained out. Fortunately, on the off days my teammates and I have managed to keep busy and have really enjoyed each other's company. The North Adams community heavily supports the Steeple Cats organization and as a result the players have been blessed to partake in some memorable experiences. During the month of July the team took a trip to Fenway Park to watch the Boston Red Sox take on the Oakland Athletics. Additionally, we were taken to Cooperstown to visit the Baseball Hall of Fame and also had the opportunity to go sky diving, which I seized upon. On top of all of these amazing experiences I have been placed with a phenomenal host family. Jay and Nancy Meehan and their kids Connor and Allison have been the greatest host family that I could have asked for. They have welcomed me into their home and done their best to make this summer a comfortable and enjoyable time for me. From family barbecues, to weekend rounds on the golf course, we have made some memories that will last a lifetime. As for baseball, it has gone well throughout most of the summer. I was in relief when the season started, but I have recently worked my way into the starting rotation where I have had some success. The opportunities that I have been given here have really helped me develop and mature as a pitcher and more importantly as a competitor. My team has played very well this summer and we are preparing to make run at the league title with two weeks left in the season.
July 20, 2009 Hello Dons fans. I am writing from Orleans, Massachusetts where I am currently playing for the Orleans Firebirds (formerly known as the Orleans Cardinals). Orleans is on the eastern side of the cape with the Atlantic Ocean on its eastern border and Cape Cod Bay on its western border. This is my third summer of collegiate summer baseball. The past two summers I spent in Bethesda, Maryland playing for the Bethesda Big Train. Those two years I spent with an incredible host family on a very successful team. Because of this I was coming to Orleans with expectations I was sure could not be matched. This fear was reaffirmed when we got to the cape and not only did it seam to rain for the first two weeks but we also started the season out 0-4 and were the lone team on the cape without a win. However, after winning our first game in dramatic fashion things started to come together. It was a Tuesday morning when seven members of the Orleans Firebirds (0-4) pitching staff (me included) along with one of our catchers left Eldridge Park for Wellfleet Elementary. Wellfleet Elementary was one of the five elementary schools that the Firebirds visited throughout the first few weeks so we could meet the kids, answer any questions, and sing autographs. It seemed like any other normal trip to the elementary schools, but little did we know it could be the turning point for out entire season. After visiting grades 1-4, the eight of us, assisted by our pitching coach, walked down the hall to the 5th graders classroom. We were surprised to see that there was no one in the classroom. We soon found out that we oddly enough were a little behind schedule, (something very foreign to USF pitchers....) and the 5th graders were already out at recess. With recess being the favorite subject in elementary school for most of our group we were eager to get out there. This was until we saw them playing a game of soccer. We were asked to join. Having not won a game all summer we reluctantly joined. It was a nail biter all the way, with either tremendous goal keeping or terrible shooting, either way it was clear no one was going to score. We finally had to turn to penalty kicks. We decided that each team would have three shots. After the first five shots all completely missed the area in and around the goals, it was down to our catcher. It all seemed to happen in slow motion as Matt Koch (LMU) kicked the ball right between the legs of the Wellfleet Elementary 5th grade goalie. It was our first victory of the summer. Later that day we went to Hyannis to play the Mets and were able to get out first baseball win of the summer. The next day the sun came out and everything was great. After getting that tough win on a walk off in penalty kicks everything has seemed to get a little easier for out team and we are now currently in first place in the eastern division of the Cape Cod League and hold the best record in either division. It has been a great summer to date. We have since had absolutely beautiful weather and with the beach about a mile and a half from our field it has been a tough location to beat. I am staying with Nancy Nickerson and her husband Rob. Both of their children have graduated college and have families of their own. Because of this they have been able to take in myself, along with another pitcher Brett Weibley (Kent State), and have treated us as their own. The team is a great group of ball players but more importantly are a great group of guys from all over the country including three NCAA national champions, one from Oregon State, one from Fresno State, and one from Lynn University who won the Division II Championship this year. Being around these players and hearing their stories of Omaha has only got me more ready to start the spring. I hope everyone is enjoying their summers and I will see you all in the fall. AOEP!
July 17, 2009 I am playing summer ball in Lorain, Ohio. Lorain is about 30 minutes west of Cleveland right on Lake Erie. I am playing for the Northcoast Knights in the Prospect League. We are a first year team so we don't draw very many fans. I would say we average about 30 a game, but when we are on the road we get a lot more. When we played in Hannibal, Missouri (home of Mark Twain) I got to pitch in front of about 2,500 people and thought that was pretty cool. The team is doing pretty good; we are currently in second place only a half game back at the all-star break. Our team consists of players from all over like: USC, UC Riverside, Long Beach State, Tulane, Boston College, Coastal Carolina, Washington State, and others. So we have a lot of good talent and we are finally putting it together as a team. We started out kind of slow but now we are right in the mix of things. We have had some problems chemistry wise because of players leaving but I think our team should be set now. The top two teams from the east division and the top two from the west division make the playoffs and I think we have a good chance of winning the league. For me it has been really good baseball wise. I am in the starting rotation and have been pitching pretty well. I currently lead our division in ERA and just got back from pitching in the all-star game, which was pretty fun. The all-star game was played in Springfield Illinois, home of Abraham Lincoln. It was a nice experience and I had a good time. The first day I got here my host family took me to an Indians game and they were playing the Yankees. My host family is huge Yankees fans so I was told to root for them. I also got to go to a pretty cool amusement park called Cedar Point, there are some big roller coasters and it was a lot of fun. I think the best place to visit in Ohio is Put-In Bay. It's an island in Lake Erie and it is more of a vacation place. I went with my family and really enjoyed it. I live with the Melendez family in Amherst Ohio, which is about ten minutes from the field. I live with one of the guys on the team's family, which is nice cause there is someone my age I live with and he shows me around. My experience in Ohio has been good so far and I hope everything continues to go as is. We have a good chance of winning the league and if we keep playing well we should win it. Our owner said we get championship rings if we win the league so I hope to be bringing one home. July 13, 2009 Hey everyone, this is Doug Murray writing from New Bedford, Massachusetts, home of the Bay Sox. I am going to be a senior next year at USF. This is my second summer away from home playing collegiate baseball. Last year I was in Battle Creek, Michigan playing for the Bombers with Sean Burns and Connor Bernatz in the Northwoods league. I flew out to New Bedford May 29th and was greeted by my host parents at the airport. My host parents Jim and Kristen Lancaster have been great; they treat me better than I could have ever wished for. I get to come home to good food, a family that loves baseball, and my new brother and sister, Kyle (7) and Katheryn (5). Katheryn is a fun little girl that was shy at first but has opened up to me and will finally say hi and goodnight. Kyle is the little brother I never had, we play wii, wiffle ball, nerf wars, baseball in the house, basketball, and we watch more baseball than I have watched in my entire life. He flips through games and watches for big name players or his fantasy players, while Kristen, the mom, tells him to leave it on the Red Sox games. The league I play in is the New England Collegiate Baseball League (NECBL). We travel all over New England, four hour bus ride max. Alex Kalogrides and I have been doing pretty well in the bullpen and we have seen a lot of Travis Higgs, who plays for the Manchester Silkworms. So far he is one for three off of me. The Bay Sox management has been great to us as well, we get good meals and they give us everything we need to perform and have fun. I recently had a once in a lifetime experience. The NECBL set up a game against team USA. I got to throw one inning, although I didn't do so well, and it was a great experience facing a bunch of great hitters. New England is a great place, besides the rain. We had rain every other day, but with all the off days I have got some time to travel around. My parents came out for a three week vacation so I spent some time with them in New York and Connecticut. I also got some tickets from my host parents to a Red Sox game and it happened to be for the day that my girlfriend flew out. My host parents know me so well they got the tickets for when the A's were in town, so we wore our A's jersey and saw eight other A's fans at the game. I am having a great time out here and I wish it would never end. I hope everyone is having a great summer. And staff, AEOP. July 10, 2009 Hey everyone, this is Christopher Escobar writing from Silverdale, WA where I am currently playing with the Kitsap Bluejackets. I will be a junior this coming fall and this is my second summer playing in the West Coast Collegiate League. On March 31st, as Kelly Costantini mentioned, I began our 12 hour drive from Stockton, CA to our host family's house in Silverdale, WA. As we arrived to the house, our host mom welcomed us into her home with open arms. She was very excited to finally meet the two players she would be spending the entire summer with. The minute we walked in we were shown to our rooms and given an immediate tour of the house. Pam, our host mom, is known as the Kitsap Bluejackets #1 fan. She even has decorated a room in the house full of Bluejacket memorabilia from over the past couple of years. She isn't the only hard core fan, we have many other fans that dedicate their time and support each and every night to the team. Our team is made up of a bunch of great guys from all over the country. We have come together as a team very well so far and are looking forward to having a good summer as a team. As I mentioned before this is my second summer in this league and I can honestly say the competition level is good. Each team in the league has some good players who can play the game of baseball, so each day at the ball park is a tough one. We are currently 9-14 in league. We struggled at the beginning a little bit but have started winning some games and bringing it all together. I think in the end our team will be fine and have a chance in the post season. The summer has been a lot of fun so far. Playing summer ball is a blast and very relaxing when baseball is the only thing on your mind. We wake up and play baseball just about every day. It doesn't get any better than that. On our off days we have a chance to hang out with teammates and do something fun like bowling or even going and hanging out at the lake for the day. Kitsap County has been a nice and relaxing time, as well as a whole new lifestyle then what I am used to back home in Stockton, CA or even San Francisco. I have learned a lot about myself and others from being in such a different place then what I am used to. I am really enjoying my summer so far playing in Kitsap. I have met a lot of new people and enjoy the small town of Silverdale. It is a very relaxing place where one can concentrate on what one needs to concentrate on. Playing in Kitsap will be something I remember forever and have a lot of great memories of. Good luck to all my fellow teammates and Go Dons! July 8, 2009 Hey Dons Fans, This is Bob Mott. I was a freshman pitcher this past season on the 2009 Diamond Dons. This summer I am playing in the beautiful town of San Luis Obispo, CA. Most players will be able to recall our trip this year to play Cal Poly, and the wonderful area surrounding it. I am currently playing for the San Luis Obispo Rattlers, coached by former major leaguer, Roy Howell. The Rattlers are in the California Collegiate League, comprised of teams down the coast of California, and the defending NBC National Champion Santa Barbara Foresters is leading our league right now. As many of you may know, I am from San Luis Obispo as well. Although I may have gotten some heat from teammates at USF for playing at home, I am definitely happy that I made the choice this year. I have been able to enjoy the fun aspects of living at home such as spending quality time with my family, and hanging out with high school friends that I have not had a chance to see for a year. I have also become friends with many of the guys on my team, showing them around San Luis and even offering some surf lessons. My teammates are from all around the country, from Miami to TCU to Hawaii. I have one WCC teammate from Portland, and there are a few other WCC players scattered around the league. This past season at USF, I was used as a middle reliever and lefty-specialist. This summer I have made the adjustment to starter, and I believe there are some definite positives to starting such as knowing exactly what days you are going to pitch, and how to gear your workouts towards your next start. There are some negatives however: I have found it nearly impossible to pitch solely off adrenaline as a starter, when nearly every pitch I threw in the spring had tons of intensity. You really have to work into a groove and attacking on every pitch is more difficult when you throw 100 pitches instead of 10. I have really enjoyed this challenge and I know it will help me become a better pitcher in the long run. I cannot wait to get back to USF and hear about everyone's summer ball experiences, and I have no regrets playing summer ball in my hometown because it is tough to beat the combination of California Summers and baseball. AOEP and Go Dons! July 6, 2009 Hey everyone! This is Stephen Yarrow writing to you from the tiny town of Brewster, Massachusetts. I will be a junior this coming fall at USF so this is my second summer playing in a collegiate wood bat league. Where to begin? June 9th sounds about right. This is the day that I flew 3000 miles and six hours into Providence international airport. I was lucky enough to have already met my host family before this time. See, the host family I am living with had Dons in the past. Their first player was Tavo Hall in 2006 and 2007, and last year in 2008 they hosted Derek Poppert. Both Tavo and Derek made such good impressions on them that they wanted to stick with players from USF. During our Santa Clara series they came out to see Derek and check out San Francisco, and I was fortunate enough to meet them and have dinner with them. They are truly great people and during the summer their lives revolve and the ball player they are hosting. I could not ask anything more from them; sometimes they treat me better than I deserve to be treated. Every night I come home to a fabulous meal, and during the day they take me anywhere I want to go. Now let's talk about the league. Well, the league is everything everyone says it is. Ten scouts watching BP everyday, fifteen or so by the time first pitch comes around. Advisors hand out packets of info about their companies. It truly is a great experience. I would not say it's the purest form of baseball but it definitely is one of the most interesting forms I have ever been a part of. The other day our whole team had to take a test for the Anaheim Angels to see if we were drafted by them, how we would fit into their organizations. Just on our team I know at least a hand full of players who already have advisors. It is an experience most people only dream of, and I am very lucky to have this opportunity. Our team is made up of people from all across the country, and we have pretty good chemistry so far. We have many players from California, and quite a few from our conference, so we all relate to each other very well. Our coaching staff is headed by UCSB pitching coach and recruiting coordinator Tom Myers, who is very knowledgeable about the game, and seems to be a great coach. As a team we started out slow but lately we have been coming along, and could be a force to be reckoned with soon. I hope everyone is enjoying their own summer ball experiences and I can't wait to see everyone in August. Have a good rest of the summer! July 3, 2009 Hello Dons baseball fans, I am writing from Kitsap, Washington where I play for the Kitsap Bluejackets. Kitsap is a county in Washington surrounded by water, with the Puget Sound and Seattle only about 45 minutes away. To be more specific, I am living in the small town of Silverdale, Washington (in Kitsap County). Early in the morning on March 31st fellow Diamond Don Chris Escobar and I began our 12-hour drive from Stockton, CA to our host mom's house here in Silverdale. Upon our arrival Pam Hansen, our host mom, became very excited and immediately welcomed us into her home to show us our rooms. Pam is the Kitsap Bluejackets self-proclaimed #1 fan and is obsessed with baseball. Surprisingly there are many fans like Pam here. I guess that's what happens when you stick a good baseball team into a very small town with no other teams to root for. On average the attendance at our games is around 500-900 people, which doesn't sound like a lot, but if you were to come here you would wonder if there were even that many people who just live here! Even the players on the team have reached a certain "celebrity status." On many occasions people have recognized both me and other players simply shopping in the local grocery store and asked for our autographs. Players have also made the front page of the newspaper several times. That should give you an idea of how small this town really is... Our team is made up of guys from all around the country as well as some locals. We have players from programs like Oklahoma State, UC Riverside, Texas Tech, Washington State and University of Washington. The competition in this league seems good so far and I am excited to go on some more road trips with the team and see some parts of the country that are new to me. I will also get the chance to visit with fellow Dons who play on different teams in this league like Garret Luippold, Nik Balog, Jordan Remer, and Kyle Lawton. The teams in this league (West Coast Collegiate League) are all located in the Northwest, which makes most of the bus rides relatively short, the longest being about 8 hours. There is one Canadian team, a few in Washington and a few more in Oregon. Our team is currently 6-10 in league. We struggled a little bit at the beginning, but we have been winning some games lately and seem to be putting it all together. There is still a lot of season left and I am excited to see how it will unfold because this league seems to be pretty balanced. So far it has been a blast playing here. It is a lot of fun to simply wake up and go play baseball everyday. Not to mention go hang out with the team on our off days. In our free time we have done many things. Going to Seattle, fishing, boating, and golfing are some of the things we have done as a team. It is also interesting to simply live here and experience a whole new lifestyle. Going from San Francisco to Silverdale was a major transition. In fact, Silverdale is probably just about as opposite as you could get from San Francisco, if you could imagine that... Like I said, I am really enjoying myself here playing baseball, meeting new people, and living a new lifestyle. Silverdale is a great to place to both live, play baseball and make memories that will last forever. Go Dons! July 1, 2009 Well, it looks like it's my turn to share my summer experience so far. I think it's safe to say mine will look a bit different than everyone else's. I'm not playing summer ball, nor am I graduated and moving on to other things.... rather, it's been me trying to make the hardest decision of my life (so far). As people probably know, I was drafted in the 28th round by the Cincinnati Reds. From the outside, I don't think people realize how hard this whole process really is. I know I didn't when I saw the guys who were older than me going through it my freshman and sophomore year. Though it's been extremely difficult for me so far, I have to remember to sit back and realize what a blessing this really is. It can be tremendously taxing and stressful to continuously run the decision factors through your head, and so sometimes the blessing can feel like a burden at times, but I try to remain with things in perspective as best I can. Though it's difficult, not many people are blessed to have such a hard decision with two pretty good options at either end. After this past season, I felt it was really important for me to have a summer off if I wasn't playing pro ball. There are a number of reasons for this, but I don't want to bore people with that. In short, the past year took a big toll on me. I felt it was in my best interest to have this time. Though I've chosen to do so, it's not like I've been sitting here in the sun with a pina colada everyday. In fact, quite the opposite is true. It's been a lot of soul-searching and hard thinking. So far it's been a real mix between relaxing time off, and stressful decision making resulting in a couple sleepless nights. I'm not lying when I say this is the hardest thing I've ever had to do. Some of you may see this for yourself at some point in time. Actually, I can bet everyone will at some point, although it may not be about baseball. All I can say is, one day you will look back on the whole thing and see that it was a huge life experience.... something to grow from, learn from, and ultimately make you grow up. The last few weeks I've been spending a lot of alone time trying to uncover what my heart is saying through all of this, though I've found this much easier said than done. I keep being told to "do what's best for you" and "do what your heart says", but in the midst of it all, as hard as one tries, it is hard to do. I've found, though, that there's only so much you can do in terms of reason and logic. At some point you have to just get quiet and see what voice or feeling is there beneath all the thoughts. One of the things I have done to help me is reach out to people and get their view on the situation. I've found this really helpful, as someone with an objective viewpoint may have insights you may have overlooked. I've sought advice from people who I really trust, as well as guys who have gone through the decision making and pro ball experience themselves. I'm lucky to have very loving and caring support around me. Aside from all that, I try to balance it out with something to take my mind off things. I tend to think through things deeply, and although I think this is a good thing, I also know I run the risk of over-thinking it and getting stressed out. I have to watch out for my own health. Usually I wake up and go to the gym here in my hometown in the morning for a workout. Also working on the tan so I'm not just jacked, I'm jacked and tan. Big difference! I've also got a batting cage I can use near my hometown by a hitting coach I used to go to in high school. He played a number of years in AAA and has some great knowledge of hitting, and I'm lucky to have a good enough relationship with him in which he has made a key to his facility for me so I can use it anytime I want. I've also been doing a lot of reading, catching up with some old friends, and spending quality time with my family. I love being outside, so I haven't done a lot of sitting around watching TV. Okay, maybe I have caught up on some movies I wanted to see... Anyways, I'm glad to hear that people are enjoying their summer ball experiences so far. After two summer ball experiences, I look back at my memories with a smile. It is something you will truly never forget, and something unlike any other you will ever experience. Work hard, play your best, and most of all....enjoy it! I hope to see everyone soon. June 29, 2009 I left June 2 for Spokane, Washington to start my summer ball experience. I was very excited and ready to embark on this new experience. I left San Jose International Airport at 12:25 PM only to arrive in Seattle at 2:00 PM then transfer over to Spokane. Once I arrived in the Spokane Airport I was greeted by my host mom and from there we left for her son's baseball game in Coeur D'Alene resort in Idaho. I am currently living with a single mother and her son. Ganene, the mother, and Tyler, the son, are extremely nice people and welcomed me into their family with open arms. A host family basically takes a baseball player into their home by feeding him and giving him a home. I reside in Spokane Valley which is a little town just on the outskirts of the main city Spokane. Now coming from a city like San Francisco to Spokane is like day and night. Spokane is more on the country side whereas San Francisco is a huge multicultural city. Making this transition was tough in the beginning but once I got used to the area, it is a ton of fun. But what is making this experience great are my teammates. My teammates are a great bunch of kids. We all have a great time but do work when work has to get done. As a team we have gone rafting, fishing, and go out a lot of the time. A lot of WCC players play in this league, so it is really cool that I get to play with some kids from USD, Gonzaga, Pepperdine, and more. I am also playing with my fellow teammates Kyle Lawton, and Garrett Luippold. The team is doing well with a record of 8 wins and 6 losses. Barry Matthews, our head coach, is a great guy. I enjoy playing for him and have a lot of fun off the field too. Our other assistant coaches are also great people, with not only a great knowledge of baseball but they have a great interaction with us players. Traveling makes summer ball summer ball. Our bus is a big charter bus, similar to the one we use at USF, which has Riverhawks written all over it. We travel to a ton of places including Wenatchee, Moses Lake, Corvallis, Bend (Oregon), Kelowna (Canada), Kitsap, and much more. Our shortest bus ride is an hour and a half, while our longest one is eight hours. But time doesn't really matter because we have so much fun messing around on the bus that time flies. All in all, I am having a great time here in Spokane and am getting use to the giant change in culture. I am very grateful to have the opportunity to be experiencing this, knowing these memories will stick with me throughout my life. June 26, 2009 Q&A With USF Basebal Alumnus Zach Kim What are some of your best memories from USF? It's hard for me to really narrow down a few specific instances but I know for a fact that my best memories all have something to do with baseball. Being a college athlete requires a player to sacrifice what many would call "the college experience", so I don't have the typical stories you might hear at a 10-year reunion. What I do have is an experience that will last a lifetime. I was a member of the first and only USF baseball team to play in the NCAA tournament in Lincoln, Nebraska. I remember coming out of the dugout before our game against Nebraska and being able to feel the ground shudder under the roar of Nebraska fans. Our fans were outnumbered roughly 100 to 1, yet at games end, our little section behind our dugout could be heard through Haymarket Park. Words can't describe the rush felt by every player. Being a part of this team has also brought me some of my closest friends who I will have for the rest of my life. Working with them on and off the field has created many of best memories. What will you miss the most? I could sit here and say that I'm going to miss the roar of the crowd and the rush from stealing bases... and it would be the truth... but that's not what I'm really going to miss when I look back on my time at USF. In being a member of the baseball team for 5 seasons, I have had the opportunity to mature, both as a player and a person. I'm going to miss the working through challenges with coaches and teammates. I'm going to miss traveling on the road with my closest friends. Most of all, I'm going to miss being a part of a group of guys brought together by a game to represent an entire university and an entire way of life. How has baseball impacted and influenced your life? Baseball has been dubbed by many as "The Great Equalizer" for its constant failures. In playing this game, I have a new approach to the rest of my life. I am more driven to attack my life and all its challenges with a relentless mentality that enables me to take risks, accept failure, and achieve success in a way that would otherwise not be possible. What are some things you have learned from coaches, professors, teammates, and/or friends while playing here that you will take with you into your next endeavor? The coaching staff at USF is doing more than developing baseball players. They are developing people. I have become a better baseball player in my five years here, but more importantly, I have become a better human being. When a player comes to USF, they are going to be treated as an adult whether they like it or not. In being held to a standard of excellence on and off the field, I have been molded into the person I am today. It is not asked that players carry themselves in a certain way at USF... It's expected. How do you feel having spent your entire time in college at USF? I don't know what it would have been like to go to more than one institution, much less play baseball in two different programs. I have loved every minutes spent at USF. When I was looking at schools to attend, baseball was a big factor in my decision. But I didn't look at schools for the right reasons. I was drawn to the big name schools with the best facilities and the biggest reputations. I had been talking to U.C Berkeley about playing baseball when USF contacted me. I didn't really give USF the time of day until Cal fell through. Had I done my homework and kept in touch with USF, my decision would have been much easier and it would have been made much sooner! USF has been the perfect fit for me. I love the school, the education and the baseball program. I can't imagine spending college in another place. What's next for you? The MLB draft didn't go as I had hoped so it's time for me to go a different direction with my life. Baseball is a funny thing. In a conversation I had with Coach Giarratano after the draft, coach told me "Baseball is a funny thing. It's a great game that you keep with you your entire life, but it never ends on your terms. Even if you play professionally, it doesn't end when you're ready to be done with it". I believe those words completely, and it is for that reason that I have made the decision to move on. I feel there is no better time for me to walk away from the game. I had a good senior year and I spent it with a group of guys I wouldn't trade for any "signing bonus". Currently, I am studying for my LSAT exams before I apply to Law school. I expect to rejoin former teammate Tavo Hall in Munich, Germany for a spring of European ball before I return and begin my graduate studies. That's the tentative plan, but life's a funny thing... I expect a few more curve balls to come my way before it's all said and done. Any advice to your former teammates? You're a part of something special. It's something that most people will never experience. Enjoy your time as a player and as a student. USF is a program unlike any other in the country. You're a part of a program that is bigger than any one person, but at the same time is never too large for any one individual to make a difference. Make the difference or become the difference... and enjoy the process of doing it. Go Dons! June 25, 2009 I'm currently playing summer ball up in Spokane, WA in the West Coast League; and from the experiences I have had thus far, I am greatly thankful and excited to have this opportunity. This year's team has many familiar and soon to be familiar faces to the WCC. Players from USF, Gonzaga, USD, and Pepperdine are on my team; they have all proved themselves great guys, even though they play for the enemies. I find myself enjoying my teammates and my coaches more and more every day I have with them because they are all welcoming and all have positive outlooks not on just baseball, but in matters off the field as well. The team I play for is called the Spokane Riverhawks, coached by Barry Matthews (one of Coach Moore's former rivals who says he could still carve Moore up any day of the week...). Alongside him are two other coaches, one being fresh out of Gonzaga and the other a Gonzaga graduate with five years of minor league ball under his belt. With the baseball experience my coaching staff possesses, I see our team learning much about the game of baseball through different methods of teaching and environment. Thankfully, I am not alone up here in Washington. I have Mr. Kyle Lawton alongside me for the ride, which is not only awesome because he is one of my boys from school ball, but he played here last summer. He has been a great outlet for non-athletic activities and events, showing me the ropes of Spokane and all the cool stuff to do when we have some days off. Lately we have been taking day trips up to Coeur d'Alene Lake in Idaho just thirty minutes away. One of our teammate's host family owns a lake house where we are always welcome to hang out. Three times now we have been up there to get after the water sports and beaches. From tubing, water skiing, to wake boarding, to babe watching has been the highlight of the lake adventures. From time to time we go river floating on big tubes where we travel downstream about five miles. Baseball-wise, I love the competition up here. The league has some serious talent on every team, so there is always a challenge when I get the chance to toe the rubber. Of course our team is the best because I say so, but all the other teams are pretty good (except Matty Lu's team from last summer). Sorry Matty, but Moses Lake is brutal this year again, but whatever. But for real, I am having a great time getting some quality innings up here and working on my summer goals. So far I think I have been doing a pristine job of staying on it and AOEPing with every chance I get. I'm just mad that Abe isn't up here to again this summer. Mr. Love, you have a great opportunity to pitch against the one and only Abe. Last but definitely not least, the O'Neil's (my host family) are awesome! My host dad John and mom Lori are some of the kindest people I have ever met and I will definitely be grateful all summer and the rest of my life for the support they show for me and for taking me into their home, as well as sharing their ten year old son to play catch with and teach. He is really into baseball, so he is always bugging me to toss it around with him. The family is at every home game and at some away games no matter if I pitch or not, which is a great deal, knowing that they like the game. I'm looking forward to the rest of the summer with my new friends and host family. Keep in touch boys and good luck with your summers. AOEP June 24, 2009 What is happening USF fans!?!? This is Matt Lujan reporting on my summer ball experience. This is my second summer traveling away from home; I will be a junior at USF next year and can't wait! Well let me tell you that last summer I thought I was far from home and I was only in Washington. This summer I am blogging all the way from a small town in Cape Cod Massachusetts called Brewster. I was fortunate enough to be one of very few college baseball players playing in the Cape Cod summer baseball league. The environment here is awesome! The people who run the program are all about us and my host family is once again fabulous. The Brewster Whitecaps are embarking on their twentieth year in the "Cape." The coaching staff is awesome, headed by lefty pitching coach from UCSB, Tom Meyers, who I could ask nothing less of. The competition in this league is like nothing I have ever seen before. Everyday a new pitcher is on the mound pounding 90mph fastballs with nasty movement and dirty sliders. With good pitching comes great hitting as well, I have seen 95mph fastballs get turned on and hit a mile. For now though I would say that the pitchers have the upper hand, but I am counting on the hitting to come around. The fields we play at are all within an hour of each other so that makes it very easy to travel from one to the next. I really have no complaints about where I am and the type of people I am playing for and with. Lately the weather has not been great. I got rained out of my second start which is very unusual on the "Cape," or so say the locals. The team here is awesome. We have quite a few guys from California which makes sense because that is where the coaches are from. Guys the readers may know include USD guys Casey Schmidt and Kyle Blair, Pepperdine's Scott Alexander, Cal's Mark Canha, UCLA's Eric Goeddel and Niko Gallego and our very own USF Don Stephen Yarrow. So far my experience has been phenomenal. I am learning something new every day whether it be from a coach, player or our competition. This summer is a wonderful opportunity for me as a person and as a ball player. My roommate this summer is also a left handed pitcher from Vanderbilt University, Sean Bierman, an awesome dude originally from New Jersey. That being said he is a Yankee fan and the Boston fans around here like to give him a hard time. Well Dons readers it has been a pleasure sharing what I have been through so far! Hope everyone is doing great. Take it easy. Go Dons! June 19, 2009 Hello everyone. My name is Alex Kalogrides and I am going to be a senior next semester at USF. This is the third summer that I have traveled to another part of the country to compete in a summer collegiate baseball league. After my freshman year, I went out to Harrisonburg, Virginia for the first half of my summer, and ended up in Yuba City, CA for the second half. Last summer I played on a team in Brainerd, Minnesota in the Northwoods league and we traveled all around the Midwest. This summer I was all set to play in the Cape Cod league but my plans fell through two days before leaving the Bay Area. After a few quick phone calls by Coach Moore, I landed a spot on the New Bedford Bay Sox of the New England Collegiate League. I was thrilled that the team needed another pitcher because I did not have to cancel my plane ticket out to New England since the town of New Bedford is only 20 minutes from the Cape. Also, fellow USF pitcher Doug Murray is on the New Bedford team which makes things out here much more enjoyable. New Bedford, Massachusetts is a small town that used to be a large part of the whaling industry. The town has just about everything I need within walking or running distance. There are places to eat, a gym, a grocery store, and even a mall all within a short walk. There even is a beach that is only a couple miles away, but the weather hasn't been great out here so far. I live with a host family about one mile away from our field. My host parents or perhaps I should call them my host brother and sister (they are only about six or seven years older than me) are Jason and April. They have been very kind to me, providing me with a nice large bedroom and plenty of video games to keep me occupied. They also have taken me out to show me around New Bedford and its surrounding areas. On one of our off days they are going to take me up to Boston which is about forty-five minutes away to spend the day there. They are very kind people and I really appreciate their hospitality. The baseball part of it has been rather slow thus far. Our schedule is quite spread out as we have sixteen off days throughout the summer. We also have had a few games that have been rained out. Last summer I only had about five days off for the whole time I was out there so there is a lot more down time out here which I am not really used to. The New England Collegiate League is sponsored in part by Major League Baseball and our team is sponsored by Under Armor so we have a lot of nice gear. Our team is off to a slow start, but we have a lot of talent. We are currently 3-5. The places where we have played have ranged from high school fields with bleachers, to nice stadiums full of chair back seats, to old time parks where Babe Ruth once played with both dugouts on the first base line. It has been quite interesting to travel around the different states within New England and see all the different areas. June 17, 2009 This summer I was lucky enough to be sent to Honolulu, Hawaii to play summer ball in the Hawaii Collegiate Baseball League. I was very excited to come here and play not only because of the great weather and beaches, but I also have family that live fifteen minutes from where I am staying. I do not get to see this family very often so it is nice seeing them and they have been helping me get situated in my new home for the next 7 weeks. I arrived in Hawaii last Wednesday and headed to my living arrangements, which unlike many other leagues where players stay with host families, all the players in the league stay in an apartment complex. There are over 150 players from all over the country staying in this one complex so you can imagine how interesting the lifestyle is. It is awesome being able to meet players from all over; there are guys from WCC schools like Santa Clara, Pepperdine, and Saint Mary's and many other places all over the country such as New York and Florida. Living with the players really allows you to get know the guys, not only on your team, but on all the other teams as well. I am living with fellow Don Teammate Matt Quintero and we are sharing a room and in our apartment which we also share with guys from Maryland, Rhode Island, and Southern California. We play six games a week then get Fridays off to hang out, go down to the beach, and explore all the beauties of Hawaii. Every day we bus down to the fields together where we play one game of a three game series against each team. It is a 35 game season with a tournament championship the last week. There are six different teams and I am on the Hawaii Aliis (Chiefs) and we are currently 3-2. We started off 0-2 and have won three straight and are shaking off the cob webs and playing really well. I have been playing centerfield and have been batting leadoff. I am having a great time playing in this great weather, I expected it to be extremely hot and uncomfortable to play in, but because of the nice breeze that is constantly flowing it makes for great baseball weather. The coach of our team is Carl Fratecelli and he is from the bay area and coached around the area I lived so we know a lot the same people. He is a really great coach that lets the players play their game, but also is there willing to teach the game. When we are not out on the baseball field we spend a lot of time at the beaches and that has been awesome! It is so nice to go and relax in the water or lay in the sand after a long day at the field. I have also found out how much of a workout it is to go out swimming in the ocean with the strong currents and waves, it has been wiping me out. I am having a blast here and am enjoying every day, it has been a great opportunity to play here so far and I hope to have many more great memories and friendships. What is better than waking up playing the game you love, then going to relax on the most beautiful beaches in the world? June 16, 2009 Q&A with USF Baseball Alumnus Drew Johnson June 15, 2009 After a great five days at home, I embarked on what would be my first trip to the east coast to play my first summer ball in a collegiate league. I am playing in the Cal Ripken Sr. Collegiate League with my teammates Connor Bernatz and Cameron Love and many others from different schools. I flew on Virgin America, watching two movies on the flight over, flying into Washington Dulles Airport. I was warmly welcomed to the east coast when my host father (Brent Weingardt) met me at the baggage claim. I was first introduced to the humid weather while walking to the car when Brent came to pick me up at the airport. When we returned home I was warmly welcomed by Brent's kids: Josh (21), Jason (18), and Julia (15). I later accompanied Brent to pick up his wife, Dani. I sat around that night talking to my host brothers and sister. I found out that Jason is the voice of the Big Train. He is the internet broadcaster when we have home games. He is also attending the College of Wooster, which he found in the latest edition of Sports Illustrated walking off the field losing the championship game for Division III. Julia interviewed me for her school paper. It was my first interview; it was pretty rocky to say the least. She is among the top in her class in just about every category thought of. Josh has been my guide, helping me get around the city and such. Since this was my first time doing anything of this sort, I was really fortunate to have the host family that I do. They have always been there to help me through the transition of being off on my own, 3,000 miles away from home. With great food and hospitality, so far, I can say that I've really enjoyed my stay here in Maryland. Now let's get on to the baseball part of Maryland. To me, it's like I ran into a team that I've known all my life. The guys here are really easy to get along with and have been a real joy to play alongside. There were a lot of returners to the team so it was really easy to get into the mix. Since I don't have a car here, I have been catching a ride with what has become one of my good buddies, Mike Bottoms from Morehead State. The community of Bethesda has brought just over 1,000 fans at every game. Our supporters have been greatly appreciated and our general manager chooses a couple of non-profit organizations to be recognized by throwing out the first pitch of our home games. We are still currently undefeated as our pitching staff has dominated every team that we've played. From what I hear from some of the guys, this is one of the most potent offences that the team has seen. We have the reigning MVP of the Cal Ripken League and many potential draft picks. Our defense has been absolutely outstanding. But the real challenge lies within the Maryland Orioles. They won the league last year, but the Bethesda Big Train is looking to regain that title this year! Since we have a lot of returners, one thing that I have really enjoyed is the questions. We are frequently asked questions like: How is Matt Hiserman doing? How is Zack Kim doing? Hearing all the remarks from the coaching staff and returning players about our guys: all I have to say is that Connor, Cameron, and I have some big shoes to fill! With all of this being said, I hope that we can fill the shoes of the previous Dons. Those guys being Jonnie Knoble, Evan Fredrickson, Matt Hiserman, Zack Kim, and many others. They have left a legacy with our coach, Sal Colangelo and the rest of the coaching staff. Coach Sal talks about those guys all the time and he makes references about them, telling us stories about the previous summers. June 12, 2009 Greetings from Manchester, Connecticut. I am out here in the New England Collegiate Baseball League (NECBL) playing for the Manchester Silkworms this summer, and so far it's been an awesome experience. We travel all over New England to play our competition and the bus rides are anywhere between one and four hours, spanning over five states. The stadiums and parks we play at have been amazing so far. The fans really appreciate the game of baseball and it shows in the attendance. Some games are attended by a few thousand fans, which makes for a wonderful atmosphere to play baseball in. Soon I will have the chance to play some USF teammates including Doug Murray, Alex Kalogrides, and Sean Burns, who are also playing on teams in the NECBL. My teammates are really easy to get along with, which is usually the case with baseball players since we all have a lot in common. Being the only player on the team from anywhere out west, I get a lot of questions about California and the west coast. My favorite is when they ask questions such as, "isn't it a perfect world out there?" or "isn't it true that when you're from California the world seems to revolve around you?" I almost always end up answering these questions by telling them about Newport Beach native, Connor Bernatz. I am currently living with Larry and Grace Cedrone, their two daughters Mimi and Sj, and son Evan. They are a wonderful family with a beautiful home. Every day the refrigerator seems to be fuller then the day before, and I am loving it. They feed my well at the Cedrone house, and after games the teams are fed more than enough food with a meal cooked by volunteers. I am enjoying every moment out here, and every opportunity to get better at the game of baseball. I am also looking forward to the rest of the summer season and what it has to offer me from a personal and baseball perspective. June 11, 2009 My summer ball experience has been a very interesting experience so far, to say the least. For one thing, the league in general is a very competitive league that is structured well and has many good players. In terms of baseball, the Atlantic Collegiate League is a good league with many players from different schools that definitely have a good feel for the game. Our coach is from Santa Clara and is pretty cool considering the fact that he is from Santa Clara! June 8, 2009 This summer I am playing in beautiful Bethesda, Maryland for the Bethesda Big Train. Upon my arrival about a week and a half ago, I met my host family at the Baltimore Airport. Walt, Sheila, and Gage (8 years old) welcomed me to their home on a very wet Friday evening. My host family treats me like a son and I think Gage will try to follow me back home in August. I am fed very well and am comfortable with a nice living space and a 72" high definition satellite television, in addition to my ride to the field occasionally being Walt's 1970 Corvette Stingray. I haven't built up the confidence to request a test drive yet. June 5, 2009 Hello world, my name is Robert Abel and this is my first blog about my summer baseball experience. I am currently playing in the Northwood's collegiate league, and my team is the Lacrosse Loggers. This team and league have a rich history for being one of the best summer leagues in the country. The whole experience is based around mimicking minor league baseball. From start to finish we play 68 games in less than 3 months, we have long road trips (longest being 12 hours) and we get to the baseball field 5 hours before game time to practice. Don't worry, not all teams get to enjoy the opportunity to get to the field that early, I'm pretty sure the loggers are the only ones who do that. Our average attendance at our games right now is around 3000, but school hasn't even been released yet. So our game today is predicted to have 4500. Boy will it be rocking! The town of lacrosse loves its baseball! I get to sign plenty of baseballs after the game as the kids who already know your name and college rush the field when the last out is recorded. Once you put on a logger uniform you have instantly turned yourself into a celebrity. Currently I am batting sixth in the lineup, hitting over .300, and I stole my first bag last night. The competition is very tough and with the wood bats (Rawlings sponsored league) the games go by a lot faster and the scores are lower. My team is also doing well; we sit atop the league with a 6-3 record tied with the Battle Creek Bombers. In our first home game we won in dramatic fashion with a 3-run walk off homerun in the bottom of the ninth. The crowd went crazy! And oh boy was that ball crushed! My host family is great, the Thihlers are a very dedicated host family, and they always have food for us when we get back from the field late at night if we didn't get to eat. They are very caring and most of all; they love their baseball just like us! I am living with another baseball player from Nebraska named Kash (soon to be sophomore RHP/corner infielder) he is a really good player and even better person to live with. So far we haven't had an off day yet, but we have our first one this Sunday and the team has us going to a boys and girls club for a meet the Loggers day, which should be a lot of fun for the kids since they can't get enough of us after the games. In this jammed packed summer season we only have 5 more off days, my host family is in the progress of planning something we all can do as a family ( I heard them talking about going jet skiing!) I just hope I can get back to playing baseball in one piece. So far the Northwood's league experience has been a great one and I am more than grateful to be a part of such a perfectly run operation. In my eyes this is one of the best, if not the best summer league in the country. I am looking forward to grinding out this tough schedule and being able to look back on the summer with a smile and a book full of memories to share with my Dons teammates. June 3, 2009 I am playing Baseball this summer in Folsom, CA for the Folsom Pioneers. So far Folsom has been a great place to be. I am staying with a host family. The owner of the house is actually the mom of the owner of the team. She is a very nice woman and I enjoy being here because I feel very welcome. My gym that I am working out at is about 2 minutes away from my house. Folsom Lake is less than 10 minutes away from me. There is a great Mexican restaurant that is close by my house and if you know me you know that I like to eat a lot. We just finished our first weekend series against Nevada Bighorn, taking two out of three games. On Sunday I hit my first home run in Folsom at our home field. Our next game is on Wednesday at 5:00pm at Canadá College in Redwood City against the Nor-Cal Longhorns and I will be the starting pitcher. There is a catcher on my team that goes to Solano College, which is where Ryan Lipkin went before transferring to USF. There are a couple other guys from the Woodland area that say that they know Robert Abel. The whole team seems like a good group of guys. It looks like our team is going to do pretty well in this league so I'm excited that we have starting playing and have been doing well. I think we have some good arms. We have some crafty pitchers and we have a few good power pitchers. Our line-up has been hitting pretty well. Overall it seems as if both on offense and defense we are pretty solid. I will be playing at three different positions for this team. I will be pitching and playing both left field and first base. There are three St. Mary's players on the Pioneers, two of which I have played with in the past. The area is easy to navigate because everywhere you need to go to is only about 5-10 minutes driving distance away. I'm excited to continue playing this summer and have fun in the warmth of Folsom. It has been great to get going in summer baseball and look forward to the rest of our games. June 1st, 2009 My plane got into Baltimore Thursday night and my host dad was there to meet me right at baggage claim. Most summer ball teams have host families who the players live with for the summer, they provide housing, food, and plenty of good times. My host family consists of Mr. and Mrs. Obrien along with their two daughters, Jackie who is 19 and Laura, 17. We ate dinner my first night out on their porch, this is when I was introduced to the great humidity and bugs of the east coast. From what I am told the heat has yet to arrive, and bugs are on their way. I am anxiously awaiting the arrival of both. Seeing the field for the first time, I was quite impressed. The Big Train has been playing at a local field in the heart of Bethesda which has around 1,000 chair back seats, along with lights, as we play most of our games at night. After getting my uniform and meeting all the guys, we hit in the cages for a bit and afterwards all the guys just hung around and got to know one another. It is always fun to hear where everyone comes from. We have players all the way from Maine, Oregon, Mississippi, and even beautiful Southern California. One day of practice and next thing I knew it was time to lace up the cleats for the first exhibition game. The next night we played against a local club team in front of a packed house at our home field. The Big Train overcame a seven run deficit to win 10-7 in their first game. It is already fun to see how our team is establishing an identity of its own and working together towards wins already. We won our second exhibition game last night. Diamond Don Cameron Love was our starting pitcher and he pitched five innings allowing just one hit, leading our team to our second win. My summer ball experience so far has been nothing but good times one after another. Being able to just go out and play the game I love everyday not having to worry about school or anything else is definitely a nice way to spend the summer. Our season officially starts this coming Friday and I cannot wait for this Big Train to really get rolling.
July 17, 2009
I am playing summer ball in Lorain, Ohio. Lorain is about 30 minutes west of Cleveland right on Lake Erie. I am playing for the Northcoast Knights in the Prospect League. We are a first year team so we don't draw very many fans. I would say we average about 30 a game, but when we are on the road we get a lot more. When we played in Hannibal, Missouri (home of Mark Twain) I got to pitch in front of about 2,500 people and thought that was pretty cool. The team is doing pretty good; we are currently in second place only a half game back at the all-star break. Our team consists of players from all over like: USC, UC Riverside, Long Beach State, Tulane, Boston College, Coastal Carolina, Washington State, and others. So we have a lot of good talent and we are finally putting it together as a team. We started out kind of slow but now we are right in the mix of things. We have had some problems chemistry wise because of players leaving but I think our team should be set now. The top two teams from the east division and the top two from the west division make the playoffs and I think we have a good chance of winning the league.
For me it has been really good baseball wise. I am in the starting rotation and have been pitching pretty well. I currently lead our division in ERA and just got back from pitching in the all-star game, which was pretty fun. The all-star game was played in Springfield Illinois, home of Abraham Lincoln. It was a nice experience and I had a good time.
The first day I got here my host family took me to an Indians game and they were playing the Yankees. My host family is huge Yankees fans so I was told to root for them. I also got to go to a pretty cool amusement park called Cedar Point, there are some big roller coasters and it was a lot of fun. I think the best place to visit in Ohio is Put-In Bay. It's an island in Lake Erie and it is more of a vacation place. I went with my family and really enjoyed it.
I live with the Melendez family in Amherst Ohio, which is about ten minutes from the field. I live with one of the guys on the team's family, which is nice cause there is someone my age I live with and he shows me around. My experience in Ohio has been good so far and I hope everything continues to go as is. We have a good chance of winning the league and if we keep playing well we should win it. Our owner said we get championship rings if we win the league so I hope to be bringing one home.
July 13, 2009
Hey everyone, this is Doug Murray writing from New Bedford, Massachusetts, home of the Bay Sox. I am going to be a senior next year at USF. This is my second summer away from home playing collegiate baseball. Last year I was in Battle Creek, Michigan playing for the Bombers with Sean Burns and Connor Bernatz in the Northwoods league. I flew out to New Bedford May 29th and was greeted by my host parents at the airport. My host parents Jim and Kristen Lancaster have been great; they treat me better than I could have ever wished for. I get to come home to good food, a family that loves baseball, and my new brother and sister, Kyle (7) and Katheryn (5). Katheryn is a fun little girl that was shy at first but has opened up to me and will finally say hi and goodnight. Kyle is the little brother I never had, we play wii, wiffle ball, nerf wars, baseball in the house, basketball, and we watch more baseball than I have watched in my entire life. He flips through games and watches for big name players or his fantasy players, while Kristen, the mom, tells him to leave it on the Red Sox games.
The league I play in is the New England Collegiate Baseball League (NECBL). We travel all over New England, four hour bus ride max. Alex Kalogrides and I have been doing pretty well in the bullpen and we have seen a lot of Travis Higgs, who plays for the Manchester Silkworms. So far he is one for three off of me. The Bay Sox management has been great to us as well, we get good meals and they give us everything we need to perform and have fun. I recently had a once in a lifetime experience. The NECBL set up a game against team USA. I got to throw one inning, although I didn't do so well, and it was a great experience facing a bunch of great hitters.
New England is a great place, besides the rain. We had rain every other day, but with all the off days I have got some time to travel around. My parents came out for a three week vacation so I spent some time with them in New York and Connecticut. I also got some tickets from my host parents to a Red Sox game and it happened to be for the day that my girlfriend flew out. My host parents know me so well they got the tickets for when the A's were in town, so we wore our A's jersey and saw eight other A's fans at the game. I am having a great time out here and I wish it would never end. I hope everyone is having a great summer. And staff, AEOP.
July 10, 2009
Hey everyone, this is Christopher Escobar writing from Silverdale, WA where I am currently playing with the Kitsap Bluejackets. I will be a junior this coming fall and this is my second summer playing in the West Coast Collegiate League.
On March 31st, as Kelly Costantini mentioned, I began our 12 hour drive from Stockton, CA to our host family's house in Silverdale, WA. As we arrived to the house, our host mom welcomed us into her home with open arms. She was very excited to finally meet the two players she would be spending the entire summer with. The minute we walked in we were shown to our rooms and given an immediate tour of the house. Pam, our host mom, is known as the Kitsap Bluejackets #1 fan. She even has decorated a room in the house full of Bluejacket memorabilia from over the past couple of years. She isn't the only hard core fan, we have many other fans that dedicate their time and support each and every night to the team.
Our team is made up of a bunch of great guys from all over the country. We have come together as a team very well so far and are looking forward to having a good summer as a team. As I mentioned before this is my second summer in this league and I can honestly say the competition level is good. Each team in the league has some good players who can play the game of baseball, so each day at the ball park is a tough one. We are currently 9-14 in league. We struggled at the beginning a little bit but have started winning some games and bringing it all together. I think in the end our team will be fine and have a chance in the post season. The summer has been a lot of fun so far. Playing summer ball is a blast and very relaxing when baseball is the only thing on your mind. We wake up and play baseball just about every day. It doesn't get any better than that. On our off days we have a chance to hang out with teammates and do something fun like bowling or even going and hanging out at the lake for the day. Kitsap County has been a nice and relaxing time, as well as a whole new lifestyle then what I am used to back home in Stockton, CA or even San Francisco. I have learned a lot about myself and others from being in such a different place then what I am used to.
I am really enjoying my summer so far playing in Kitsap. I have met a lot of new people and enjoy the small town of Silverdale. It is a very relaxing place where one can concentrate on what one needs to concentrate on. Playing in Kitsap will be something I remember forever and have a lot of great memories of. Good luck to all my fellow teammates and Go Dons!
July 8, 2009
Hey Dons Fans, This is Bob Mott. I was a freshman pitcher this past season on the 2009 Diamond Dons. This summer I am playing in the beautiful town of San Luis Obispo, CA. Most players will be able to recall our trip this year to play Cal Poly, and the wonderful area surrounding it. I am currently playing for the San Luis Obispo Rattlers, coached by former major leaguer, Roy Howell. The Rattlers are in the California Collegiate League, comprised of teams down the coast of California, and the defending NBC National Champion Santa Barbara Foresters is leading our league right now.
As many of you may know, I am from San Luis Obispo as well. Although I may have gotten some heat from teammates at USF for playing at home, I am definitely happy that I made the choice this year. I have been able to enjoy the fun aspects of living at home such as spending quality time with my family, and hanging out with high school friends that I have not had a chance to see for a year. I have also become friends with many of the guys on my team, showing them around San Luis and even offering some surf lessons. My teammates are from all around the country, from Miami to TCU to Hawaii. I have one WCC teammate from Portland, and there are a few other WCC players scattered around the league.
This past season at USF, I was used as a middle reliever and lefty-specialist. This summer I have made the adjustment to starter, and I believe there are some definite positives to starting such as knowing exactly what days you are going to pitch, and how to gear your workouts towards your next start. There are some negatives however: I have found it nearly impossible to pitch solely off adrenaline as a starter, when nearly every pitch I threw in the spring had tons of intensity. You really have to work into a groove and attacking on every pitch is more difficult when you throw 100 pitches instead of 10. I have really enjoyed this challenge and I know it will help me become a better pitcher in the long run.
I cannot wait to get back to USF and hear about everyone's summer ball experiences, and I have no regrets playing summer ball in my hometown because it is tough to beat the combination of California Summers and baseball. AOEP and Go Dons!
July 6, 2009
Hey everyone! This is Stephen Yarrow writing to you from the tiny town of Brewster, Massachusetts. I will be a junior this coming fall at USF so this is my second summer playing in a collegiate wood bat league. Where to begin? June 9th sounds about right. This is the day that I flew 3000 miles and six hours into Providence international airport. I was lucky enough to have already met my host family before this time. See, the host family I am living with had Dons in the past. Their first player was Tavo Hall in 2006 and 2007, and last year in 2008 they hosted Derek Poppert. Both Tavo and Derek made such good impressions on them that they wanted to stick with players from USF. During our Santa Clara series they came out to see Derek and check out San Francisco, and I was fortunate enough to meet them and have dinner with them. They are truly great people and during the summer their lives revolve and the ball player they are hosting. I could not ask anything more from them; sometimes they treat me better than I deserve to be treated. Every night I come home to a fabulous meal, and during the day they take me anywhere I want to go.
Now let's talk about the league. Well, the league is everything everyone says it is. Ten scouts watching BP everyday, fifteen or so by the time first pitch comes around. Advisors hand out packets of info about their companies. It truly is a great experience. I would not say it's the purest form of baseball but it definitely is one of the most interesting forms I have ever been a part of. The other day our whole team had to take a test for the Anaheim Angels to see if we were drafted by them, how we would fit into their organizations. Just on our team I know at least a hand full of players who already have advisors. It is an experience most people only dream of, and I am very lucky to have this opportunity.
Our team is made up of people from all across the country, and we have pretty good chemistry so far. We have many players from California, and quite a few from our conference, so we all relate to each other very well. Our coaching staff is headed by UCSB pitching coach and recruiting coordinator Tom Myers, who is very knowledgeable about the game, and seems to be a great coach. As a team we started out slow but lately we have been coming along, and could be a force to be reckoned with soon. I hope everyone is enjoying their own summer ball experiences and I can't wait to see everyone in August. Have a good rest of the summer!
July 3, 2009
Hello Dons baseball fans, I am writing from Kitsap, Washington where I play for the Kitsap Bluejackets. Kitsap is a county in Washington surrounded by water, with the Puget Sound and Seattle only about 45 minutes away. To be more specific, I am living in the small town of Silverdale, Washington (in Kitsap County).
Early in the morning on March 31st fellow Diamond Don Chris Escobar and I began our 12-hour drive from Stockton, CA to our host mom's house here in Silverdale. Upon our arrival Pam Hansen, our host mom, became very excited and immediately welcomed us into her home to show us our rooms. Pam is the Kitsap Bluejackets self-proclaimed #1 fan and is obsessed with baseball. Surprisingly there are many fans like Pam here. I guess that's what happens when you stick a good baseball team into a very small town with no other teams to root for. On average the attendance at our games is around 500-900 people, which doesn't sound like a lot, but if you were to come here you would wonder if there were even that many people who just live here! Even the players on the team have reached a certain "celebrity status." On many occasions people have recognized both me and other players simply shopping in the local grocery store and asked for our autographs. Players have also made the front page of the newspaper several times. That should give you an idea of how small this town really is...
Our team is made up of guys from all around the country as well as some locals. We have players from programs like Oklahoma State, UC Riverside, Texas Tech, Washington State and University of Washington. The competition in this league seems good so far and I am excited to go on some more road trips with the team and see some parts of the country that are new to me. I will also get the chance to visit with fellow Dons who play on different teams in this league like Garret Luippold, Nik Balog, Jordan Remer, and Kyle Lawton. The teams in this league (West Coast Collegiate League) are all located in the Northwest, which makes most of the bus rides relatively short, the longest being about 8 hours. There is one Canadian team, a few in Washington and a few more in Oregon.
Our team is currently 6-10 in league. We struggled a little bit at the beginning, but we have been winning some games lately and seem to be putting it all together. There is still a lot of season left and I am excited to see how it will unfold because this league seems to be pretty balanced.
So far it has been a blast playing here. It is a lot of fun to simply wake up and go play baseball everyday. Not to mention go hang out with the team on our off days. In our free time we have done many things. Going to Seattle, fishing, boating, and golfing are some of the things we have done as a team. It is also interesting to simply live here and experience a whole new lifestyle. Going from San Francisco to Silverdale was a major transition. In fact, Silverdale is probably just about as opposite as you could get from San Francisco, if you could imagine that... Like I said, I am really enjoying myself here playing baseball, meeting new people, and living a new lifestyle. Silverdale is a great to place to both live, play baseball and make memories that will last forever. Go Dons!
July 1, 2009
Well, it looks like it's my turn to share my summer experience so far. I think it's safe to say mine will look a bit different than everyone else's. I'm not playing summer ball, nor am I graduated and moving on to other things.... rather, it's been me trying to make the hardest decision of my life (so far). As people probably know, I was drafted in the 28th round by the Cincinnati Reds. From the outside, I don't think people realize how hard this whole process really is. I know I didn't when I saw the guys who were older than me going through it my freshman and sophomore year. Though it's been extremely difficult for me so far, I have to remember to sit back and realize what a blessing this really is. It can be tremendously taxing and stressful to continuously run the decision factors through your head, and so sometimes the blessing can feel like a burden at times, but I try to remain with things in perspective as best I can. Though it's difficult, not many people are blessed to have such a hard decision with two pretty good options at either end.
After this past season, I felt it was really important for me to have a summer off if I wasn't playing pro ball. There are a number of reasons for this, but I don't want to bore people with that. In short, the past year took a big toll on me. I felt it was in my best interest to have this time. Though I've chosen to do so, it's not like I've been sitting here in the sun with a pina colada everyday. In fact, quite the opposite is true. It's been a lot of soul-searching and hard thinking. So far it's been a real mix between relaxing time off, and stressful decision making resulting in a couple sleepless nights. I'm not lying when I say this is the hardest thing I've ever had to do. Some of you may see this for yourself at some point in time. Actually, I can bet everyone will at some point, although it may not be about baseball. All I can say is, one day you will look back on the whole thing and see that it was a huge life experience.... something to grow from, learn from, and ultimately make you grow up. The last few weeks I've been spending a lot of alone time trying to uncover what my heart is saying through all of this, though I've found this much easier said than done. I keep being told to "do what's best for you" and "do what your heart says", but in the midst of it all, as hard as one tries, it is hard to do. I've found, though, that there's only so much you can do in terms of reason and logic. At some point you have to just get quiet and see what voice or feeling is there beneath all the thoughts. One of the things I have done to help me is reach out to people and get their view on the situation. I've found this really helpful, as someone with an objective viewpoint may have insights you may have overlooked. I've sought advice from people who I really trust, as well as guys who have gone through the decision making and pro ball experience themselves. I'm lucky to have very loving and caring support around me.
Aside from all that, I try to balance it out with something to take my mind off things. I tend to think through things deeply, and although I think this is a good thing, I also know I run the risk of over-thinking it and getting stressed out. I have to watch out for my own health. Usually I wake up and go to the gym here in my hometown in the morning for a workout. Also working on the tan so I'm not just jacked, I'm jacked and tan. Big difference! I've also got a batting cage I can use near my hometown by a hitting coach I used to go to in high school. He played a number of years in AAA and has some great knowledge of hitting, and I'm lucky to have a good enough relationship with him in which he has made a key to his facility for me so I can use it anytime I want. I've also been doing a lot of reading, catching up with some old friends, and spending quality time with my family. I love being outside, so I haven't done a lot of sitting around watching TV. Okay, maybe I have caught up on some movies I wanted to see...
Anyways, I'm glad to hear that people are enjoying their summer ball experiences so far. After two summer ball experiences, I look back at my memories with a smile. It is something you will truly never forget, and something unlike any other you will ever experience. Work hard, play your best, and most of all....enjoy it! I hope to see everyone soon.
June 29, 2009
I left June 2 for Spokane, Washington to start my summer ball experience. I was very excited and ready to embark on this new experience. I left San Jose International Airport at 12:25 PM only to arrive in Seattle at 2:00 PM then transfer over to Spokane. Once I arrived in the Spokane Airport I was greeted by my host mom and from there we left for her son's baseball game in Coeur D'Alene resort in Idaho.
I am currently living with a single mother and her son. Ganene, the mother, and Tyler, the son, are extremely nice people and welcomed me into their family with open arms. A host family basically takes a baseball player into their home by feeding him and giving him a home. I reside in Spokane Valley which is a little town just on the outskirts of the main city Spokane.
Now coming from a city like San Francisco to Spokane is like day and night. Spokane is more on the country side whereas San Francisco is a huge multicultural city. Making this transition was tough in the beginning but once I got used to the area, it is a ton of fun. But what is making this experience great are my teammates.
My teammates are a great bunch of kids. We all have a great time but do work when work has to get done. As a team we have gone rafting, fishing, and go out a lot of the time. A lot of WCC players play in this league, so it is really cool that I get to play with some kids from USD, Gonzaga, Pepperdine, and more. I am also playing with my fellow teammates Kyle Lawton, and Garrett Luippold. The team is doing well with a record of 8 wins and 6 losses. Barry Matthews, our head coach, is a great guy. I enjoy playing for him and have a lot of fun off the field too. Our other assistant coaches are also great people, with not only a great knowledge of baseball but they have a great interaction with us players.
Traveling makes summer ball summer ball. Our bus is a big charter bus, similar to the one we use at USF, which has Riverhawks written all over it. We travel to a ton of places including Wenatchee, Moses Lake, Corvallis, Bend (Oregon), Kelowna (Canada), Kitsap, and much more. Our shortest bus ride is an hour and a half, while our longest one is eight hours. But time doesn't really matter because we have so much fun messing around on the bus that time flies.
All in all, I am having a great time here in Spokane and am getting use to the giant change in culture. I am very grateful to have the opportunity to be experiencing this, knowing these memories will stick with me throughout my life.
June 26, 2009
Q&A With USF Basebal Alumnus Zach Kim
What are some of your best memories from USF?
It's hard for me to really narrow down a few specific instances but I know for a fact that my best memories all have something to do with baseball. Being a college athlete requires a player to sacrifice what many would call "the college experience", so I don't have the typical stories you might hear at a 10-year reunion. What I do have is an experience that will last a lifetime. I was a member of the first and only USF baseball team to play in the NCAA tournament in Lincoln, Nebraska. I remember coming out of the dugout before our game against Nebraska and being able to feel the ground shudder under the roar of Nebraska fans. Our fans were outnumbered roughly 100 to 1, yet at games end, our little section behind our dugout could be heard through Haymarket Park. Words can't describe the rush felt by every player. Being a part of this team has also brought me some of my closest friends who I will have for the rest of my life. Working with them on and off the field has created many of best memories.
What will you miss the most?
I could sit here and say that I'm going to miss the roar of the crowd and the rush from stealing bases... and it would be the truth... but that's not what I'm really going to miss when I look back on my time at USF. In being a member of the baseball team for 5 seasons, I have had the opportunity to mature, both as a player and a person. I'm going to miss the working through challenges with coaches and teammates. I'm going to miss traveling on the road with my closest friends. Most of all, I'm going to miss being a part of a group of guys brought together by a game to represent an entire university and an entire way of life.
How has baseball impacted and influenced your life?
Baseball has been dubbed by many as "The Great Equalizer" for its constant failures. In playing this game, I have a new approach to the rest of my life. I am more driven to attack my life and all its challenges with a relentless mentality that enables me to take risks, accept failure, and achieve success in a way that would otherwise not be possible.
What are some things you have learned from coaches, professors, teammates, and/or friends while playing here that you will take with you into your next endeavor?
The coaching staff at USF is doing more than developing baseball players. They are developing people. I have become a better baseball player in my five years here, but more importantly, I have become a better human being. When a player comes to USF, they are going to be treated as an adult whether they like it or not. In being held to a standard of excellence on and off the field, I have been molded into the person I am today. It is not asked that players carry themselves in a certain way at USF... It's expected.
How do you feel having spent your entire time in college at USF?
I don't know what it would have been like to go to more than one institution, much less play baseball in two different programs. I have loved every minutes spent at USF. When I was looking at schools to attend, baseball was a big factor in my decision. But I didn't look at schools for the right reasons. I was drawn to the big name schools with the best facilities and the biggest reputations. I had been talking to U.C Berkeley about playing baseball when USF contacted me. I didn't really give USF the time of day until Cal fell through. Had I done my homework and kept in touch with USF, my decision would have been much easier and it would have been made much sooner! USF has been the perfect fit for me. I love the school, the education and the baseball program. I can't imagine spending college in another place.
What's next for you?
The MLB draft didn't go as I had hoped so it's time for me to go a different direction with my life. Baseball is a funny thing. In a conversation I had with Coach Giarratano after the draft, coach told me "Baseball is a funny thing. It's a great game that you keep with you your entire life, but it never ends on your terms. Even if you play professionally, it doesn't end when you're ready to be done with it". I believe those words completely, and it is for that reason that I have made the decision to move on. I feel there is no better time for me to walk away from the game. I had a good senior year and I spent it with a group of guys I wouldn't trade for any "signing bonus".
Currently, I am studying for my LSAT exams before I apply to Law school. I expect to rejoin former teammate Tavo Hall in Munich, Germany for a spring of European ball before I return and begin my graduate studies. That's the tentative plan, but life's a funny thing... I expect a few more curve balls to come my way before it's all said and done.
Any advice to your former teammates?
You're a part of something special. It's something that most people will never experience. Enjoy your time as a player and as a student. USF is a program unlike any other in the country. You're a part of a program that is bigger than any one person, but at the same time is never too large for any one individual to make a difference. Make the difference or become the difference... and enjoy the process of doing it.
Go Dons!
June 25, 2009
I'm currently playing summer ball up in Spokane, WA in the West Coast League; and from the experiences I have had thus far, I am greatly thankful and excited to have this opportunity. This year's team has many familiar and soon to be familiar faces to the WCC. Players from USF, Gonzaga, USD, and Pepperdine are on my team; they have all proved themselves great guys, even though they play for the enemies. I find myself enjoying my teammates and my coaches more and more every day I have with them because they are all welcoming and all have positive outlooks not on just baseball, but in matters off the field as well.
The team I play for is called the Spokane Riverhawks, coached by Barry Matthews (one of Coach Moore's former rivals who says he could still carve Moore up any day of the week...). Alongside him are two other coaches, one being fresh out of Gonzaga and the other a Gonzaga graduate with five years of minor league ball under his belt. With the baseball experience my coaching staff possesses, I see our team learning much about the game of baseball through different methods of teaching and environment.
Thankfully, I am not alone up here in Washington. I have Mr. Kyle Lawton alongside me for the ride, which is not only awesome because he is one of my boys from school ball, but he played here last summer. He has been a great outlet for non-athletic activities and events, showing me the ropes of Spokane and all the cool stuff to do when we have some days off. Lately we have been taking day trips up to Coeur d'Alene Lake in Idaho just thirty minutes away. One of our teammate's host family owns a lake house where we are always welcome to hang out. Three times now we have been up there to get after the water sports and beaches. From tubing, water skiing, to wake boarding, to babe watching has been the highlight of the lake adventures. From time to time we go river floating on big tubes where we travel downstream about five miles.
Baseball-wise, I love the competition up here. The league has some serious talent on every team, so there is always a challenge when I get the chance to toe the rubber. Of course our team is the best because I say so, but all the other teams are pretty good (except Matty Lu's team from last summer). Sorry Matty, but Moses Lake is brutal this year again, but whatever. But for real, I am having a great time getting some quality innings up here and working on my summer goals. So far I think I have been doing a pristine job of staying on it and AOEPing with every chance I get. I'm just mad that Abe isn't up here to again this summer. Mr. Love, you have a great opportunity to pitch against the one and only Abe.
Last but definitely not least, the O'Neil's (my host family) are awesome! My host dad John and mom Lori are some of the kindest people I have ever met and I will definitely be grateful all summer and the rest of my life for the support they show for me and for taking me into their home, as well as sharing their ten year old son to play catch with and teach. He is really into baseball, so he is always bugging me to toss it around with him. The family is at every home game and at some away games no matter if I pitch or not, which is a great deal, knowing that they like the game.
I'm looking forward to the rest of the summer with my new friends and host family. Keep in touch boys and good luck with your summers. AOEP
June 24, 2009
What is happening USF fans!?!? This is Matt Lujan reporting on my summer ball experience. This is my second summer traveling away from home; I will be a junior at USF next year and can't wait! Well let me tell you that last summer I thought I was far from home and I was only in Washington. This summer I am blogging all the way from a small town in Cape Cod Massachusetts called Brewster. I was fortunate enough to be one of very few college baseball players playing in the Cape Cod summer baseball league. The environment here is awesome! The people who run the program are all about us and my host family is once again fabulous.
The Brewster Whitecaps are embarking on their twentieth year in the "Cape." The coaching staff is awesome, headed by lefty pitching coach from UCSB, Tom Meyers, who I could ask nothing less of. The competition in this league is like nothing I have ever seen before. Everyday a new pitcher is on the mound pounding 90mph fastballs with nasty movement and dirty sliders. With good pitching comes great hitting as well, I have seen 95mph fastballs get turned on and hit a mile. For now though I would say that the pitchers have the upper hand, but I am counting on the hitting to come around. The fields we play at are all within an hour of each other so that makes it very easy to travel from one to the next. I really have no complaints about where I am and the type of people I am playing for and with.
Lately the weather has not been great. I got rained out of my second start which is very unusual on the "Cape," or so say the locals. The team here is awesome. We have quite a few guys from California which makes sense because that is where the coaches are from. Guys the readers may know include USD guys Casey Schmidt and Kyle Blair, Pepperdine's Scott Alexander, Cal's Mark Canha, UCLA's Eric Goeddel and Niko Gallego and our very own USF Don Stephen Yarrow.
So far my experience has been phenomenal. I am learning something new every day whether it be from a coach, player or our competition. This summer is a wonderful opportunity for me as a person and as a ball player. My roommate this summer is also a left handed pitcher from Vanderbilt University, Sean Bierman, an awesome dude originally from New Jersey. That being said he is a Yankee fan and the Boston fans around here like to give him a hard time.
Well Dons readers it has been a pleasure sharing what I have been through so far! Hope everyone is doing great. Take it easy.
Go Dons!
June 19, 2009
Hello everyone. My name is Alex Kalogrides and I am going to be a senior next semester at USF. This is the third summer that I have traveled to another part of the country to compete in a summer collegiate baseball league. After my freshman year, I went out to Harrisonburg, Virginia for the first half of my summer, and ended up in Yuba City, CA for the second half. Last summer I played on a team in Brainerd, Minnesota in the Northwoods league and we traveled all around the Midwest. This summer I was all set to play in the Cape Cod league but my plans fell through two days before leaving the Bay Area. After a few quick phone calls by Coach Moore, I landed a spot on the New Bedford Bay Sox of the New England Collegiate League. I was thrilled that the team needed another pitcher because I did not have to cancel my plane ticket out to New England since the town of New Bedford is only 20 minutes from the Cape. Also, fellow USF pitcher Doug Murray is on the New Bedford team which makes things out here much more enjoyable.
New Bedford, Massachusetts is a small town that used to be a large part of the whaling industry. The town has just about everything I need within walking or running distance. There are places to eat, a gym, a grocery store, and even a mall all within a short walk. There even is a beach that is only a couple miles away, but the weather hasn't been great out here so far.
I live with a host family about one mile away from our field. My host parents or perhaps I should call them my host brother and sister (they are only about six or seven years older than me) are Jason and April. They have been very kind to me, providing me with a nice large bedroom and plenty of video games to keep me occupied. They also have taken me out to show me around New Bedford and its surrounding areas. On one of our off days they are going to take me up to Boston which is about forty-five minutes away to spend the day there. They are very kind people and I really appreciate their hospitality.
The baseball part of it has been rather slow thus far. Our schedule is quite spread out as we have sixteen off days throughout the summer. We also have had a few games that have been rained out. Last summer I only had about five days off for the whole time I was out there so there is a lot more down time out here which I am not really used to. The New England Collegiate League is sponsored in part by Major League Baseball and our team is sponsored by Under Armor so we have a lot of nice gear. Our team is off to a slow start, but we have a lot of talent. We are currently 3-5. The places where we have played have ranged from high school fields with bleachers, to nice stadiums full of chair back seats, to old time parks where Babe Ruth once played with both dugouts on the first base line. It has been quite interesting to travel around the different states within New England and see all the different areas.
June 17, 2009
This summer I was lucky enough to be sent to Honolulu, Hawaii to play summer ball in the Hawaii Collegiate Baseball League. I was very excited to come here and play not only because of the great weather and beaches, but I also have family that live fifteen minutes from where I am staying. I do not get to see this family very often so it is nice seeing them and they have been helping me get situated in my new home for the next 7 weeks.
I arrived in Hawaii last Wednesday and headed to my living arrangements, which unlike many other leagues where players stay with host families, all the players in the league stay in an apartment complex. There are over 150 players from all over the country staying in this one complex so you can imagine how interesting the lifestyle is. It is awesome being able to meet players from all over; there are guys from WCC schools like Santa Clara, Pepperdine, and Saint Mary's and many other places all over the country such as New York and Florida. Living with the players really allows you to get know the guys, not only on your team, but on all the other teams as well.
I am living with fellow Don Teammate Matt Quintero and we are sharing a room and in our apartment which we also share with guys from Maryland, Rhode Island, and Southern California. We play six games a week then get Fridays off to hang out, go down to the beach, and explore all the beauties of Hawaii. Every day we bus down to the fields together where we play one game of a three game series against each team. It is a 35 game season with a tournament championship the last week.
There are six different teams and I am on the Hawaii Aliis (Chiefs) and we are currently 3-2. We started off 0-2 and have won three straight and are shaking off the cob webs and playing really well. I have been playing centerfield and have been batting leadoff. I am having a great time playing in this great weather, I expected it to be extremely hot and uncomfortable to play in, but because of the nice breeze that is constantly flowing it makes for great baseball weather. The coach of our team is Carl Fratecelli and he is from the bay area and coached around the area I lived so we know a lot the same people. He is a really great coach that lets the players play their game, but also is there willing to teach the game.
When we are not out on the baseball field we spend a lot of time at the beaches and that has been awesome! It is so nice to go and relax in the water or lay in the sand after a long day at the field. I have also found out how much of a workout it is to go out swimming in the ocean with the strong currents and waves, it has been wiping me out. I am having a blast here and am enjoying every day, it has been a great opportunity to play here so far and I hope to have many more great memories and friendships. What is better than waking up playing the game you love, then going to relax on the most beautiful beaches in the world?
June 16, 2009
Q&A with USF Baseball Alumnus Drew Johnson
June 15, 2009
After a great five days at home, I embarked on what would be my first trip to the east coast to play my first summer ball in a collegiate league. I am playing in the Cal Ripken Sr. Collegiate League with my teammates Connor Bernatz and Cameron Love and many others from different schools. I flew on Virgin America, watching two movies on the flight over, flying into Washington Dulles Airport. I was warmly welcomed to the east coast when my host father (Brent Weingardt) met me at the baggage claim. I was first introduced to the humid weather while walking to the car when Brent came to pick me up at the airport. When we returned home I was warmly welcomed by Brent's kids: Josh (21), Jason (18), and Julia (15). I later accompanied Brent to pick up his wife, Dani. I sat around that night talking to my host brothers and sister. I found out that Jason is the voice of the Big Train. He is the internet broadcaster when we have home games. He is also attending the College of Wooster, which he found in the latest edition of Sports Illustrated walking off the field losing the championship game for Division III. Julia interviewed me for her school paper. It was my first interview; it was pretty rocky to say the least. She is among the top in her class in just about every category thought of. Josh has been my guide, helping me get around the city and such.
Since this was my first time doing anything of this sort, I was really fortunate to have the host family that I do. They have always been there to help me through the transition of being off on my own, 3,000 miles away from home. With great food and hospitality, so far, I can say that I've really enjoyed my stay here in Maryland. Now let's get on to the baseball part of Maryland.
To me, it's like I ran into a team that I've known all my life. The guys here are really easy to get along with and have been a real joy to play alongside. There were a lot of returners to the team so it was really easy to get into the mix. Since I don't have a car here, I have been catching a ride with what has become one of my good buddies, Mike Bottoms from Morehead State.
The community of Bethesda has brought just over 1,000 fans at every game. Our supporters have been greatly appreciated and our general manager chooses a couple of non-profit organizations to be recognized by throwing out the first pitch of our home games.
We are still currently undefeated as our pitching staff has dominated every team that we've played. From what I hear from some of the guys, this is one of the most potent offences that the team has seen. We have the reigning MVP of the Cal Ripken League and many potential draft picks. Our defense has been absolutely outstanding. But the real challenge lies within the Maryland Orioles. They won the league last year, but the Bethesda Big Train is looking to regain that title this year!
Since we have a lot of returners, one thing that I have really enjoyed is the questions. We are frequently asked questions like: How is Matt Hiserman doing? How is Zack Kim doing? Hearing all the remarks from the coaching staff and returning players about our guys: all I have to say is that Connor, Cameron, and I have some big shoes to fill!
With all of this being said, I hope that we can fill the shoes of the previous Dons. Those guys being Jonnie Knoble, Evan Fredrickson, Matt Hiserman, Zack Kim, and many others. They have left a legacy with our coach, Sal Colangelo and the rest of the coaching staff. Coach Sal talks about those guys all the time and he makes references about them, telling us stories about the previous summers.
June 12, 2009
Greetings from Manchester, Connecticut. I am out here in the New England Collegiate Baseball League (NECBL) playing for the Manchester Silkworms this summer, and so far it's been an awesome experience. We travel all over New England to play our competition and the bus rides are anywhere between one and four hours, spanning over five states. The stadiums and parks we play at have been amazing so far. The fans really appreciate the game of baseball and it shows in the attendance. Some games are attended by a few thousand fans, which makes for a wonderful atmosphere to play baseball in.
Soon I will have the chance to play some USF teammates including Doug Murray, Alex Kalogrides, and Sean Burns, who are also playing on teams in the NECBL. My teammates are really easy to get along with, which is usually the case with baseball players since we all have a lot in common. Being the only player on the team from anywhere out west, I get a lot of questions about California and the west coast. My favorite is when they ask questions such as, "isn't it a perfect world out there?" or "isn't it true that when you're from California the world seems to revolve around you?" I almost always end up answering these questions by telling them about Newport Beach native, Connor Bernatz.
I am currently living with Larry and Grace Cedrone, their two daughters Mimi and Sj, and son Evan. They are a wonderful family with a beautiful home. Every day the refrigerator seems to be fuller then the day before, and I am loving it. They feed my well at the Cedrone house, and after games the teams are fed more than enough food with a meal cooked by volunteers.
I am enjoying every moment out here, and every opportunity to get better at the game of baseball. I am also looking forward to the rest of the summer season and what it has to offer me from a personal and baseball perspective.
June 11, 2009
My summer ball experience has been a very interesting experience so far, to say the least. For one thing, the league in general is a very competitive league that is structured well and has many good players. In terms of baseball, the Atlantic Collegiate League is a good league with many players from different schools that definitely have a good feel for the game. Our coach is from Santa Clara and is pretty cool considering the fact that he is from Santa Clara!
June 8, 2009
This summer I am playing in beautiful Bethesda, Maryland for the Bethesda Big Train. Upon my arrival about a week and a half ago, I met my host family at the Baltimore Airport. Walt, Sheila, and Gage (8 years old) welcomed me to their home on a very wet Friday evening. My host family treats me like a son and I think Gage will try to follow me back home in August. I am fed very well and am comfortable with a nice living space and a 72" high definition satellite television, in addition to my ride to the field occasionally being Walt's 1970 Corvette Stingray. I haven't built up the confidence to request a test drive yet.
June 5, 2009
Hello world, my name is Robert Abel and this is my first blog about my summer baseball experience. I am currently playing in the Northwood's collegiate league, and my team is the Lacrosse Loggers. This team and league have a rich history for being one of the best summer leagues in the country. The whole experience is based around mimicking minor league baseball. From start to finish we play 68 games in less than 3 months, we have long road trips (longest being 12 hours) and we get to the baseball field 5 hours before game time to practice. Don't worry, not all teams get to enjoy the opportunity to get to the field that early, I'm pretty sure the loggers are the only ones who do that. Our average attendance at our games right now is around 3000, but school hasn't even been released yet. So our game today is predicted to have 4500. Boy will it be rocking! The town of lacrosse loves its baseball! I get to sign plenty of baseballs after the game as the kids who already know your name and college rush the field when the last out is recorded. Once you put on a logger uniform you have instantly turned yourself into a celebrity.
Currently I am batting sixth in the lineup, hitting over .300, and I stole my first bag last night. The competition is very tough and with the wood bats (Rawlings sponsored league) the games go by a lot faster and the scores are lower. My team is also doing well; we sit atop the league with a 6-3 record tied with the Battle Creek Bombers. In our first home game we won in dramatic fashion with a 3-run walk off homerun in the bottom of the ninth. The crowd went crazy! And oh boy was that ball crushed!
My host family is great, the Thihlers are a very dedicated host family, and they always have food for us when we get back from the field late at night if we didn't get to eat. They are very caring and most of all; they love their baseball just like us! I am living with another baseball player from Nebraska named Kash (soon to be sophomore RHP/corner infielder) he is a really good player and even better person to live with. So far we haven't had an off day yet, but we have our first one this Sunday and the team has us going to a boys and girls club for a meet the Loggers day, which should be a lot of fun for the kids since they can't get enough of us after the games. In this jammed packed summer season we only have 5 more off days, my host family is in the progress of planning something we all can do as a family ( I heard them talking about going jet skiing!) I just hope I can get back to playing baseball in one piece.
So far the Northwood's league experience has been a great one and I am more than grateful to be a part of such a perfectly run operation. In my eyes this is one of the best, if not the best summer league in the country. I am looking forward to grinding out this tough schedule and being able to look back on the summer with a smile and a book full of memories to share with my Dons teammates.
June 3, 2009
I am playing Baseball this summer in Folsom, CA for the Folsom Pioneers. So far Folsom has been a great place to be. I am staying with a host family. The owner of the house is actually the mom of the owner of the team. She is a very nice woman and I enjoy being here because I feel very welcome. My gym that I am working out at is about 2 minutes away from my house. Folsom Lake is less than 10 minutes away from me. There is a great Mexican restaurant that is close by my house and if you know me you know that I like to eat a lot.
We just finished our first weekend series against Nevada Bighorn, taking two out of three games. On Sunday I hit my first home run in Folsom at our home field. Our next game is on Wednesday at 5:00pm at Canadá College in Redwood City against the Nor-Cal Longhorns and I will be the starting pitcher. There is a catcher on my team that goes to Solano College, which is where Ryan Lipkin went before transferring to USF. There are a couple other guys from the Woodland area that say that they know Robert Abel. The whole team seems like a good group of guys. It looks like our team is going to do pretty well in this league so I'm excited that we have starting playing and have been doing well. I think we have some good arms. We have some crafty pitchers and we have a few good power pitchers. Our line-up has been hitting pretty well. Overall it seems as if both on offense and defense we are pretty solid. I will be playing at three different positions for this team. I will be pitching and playing both left field and first base. There are three St. Mary's players on the Pioneers, two of which I have played with in the past.
The area is easy to navigate because everywhere you need to go to is only about 5-10 minutes driving distance away. I'm excited to continue playing this summer and have fun in the warmth of Folsom. It has been great to get going in summer baseball and look forward to the rest of our games.
June 1st, 2009
My plane got into Baltimore Thursday night and my host dad was there to meet me right at baggage claim. Most summer ball teams have host families who the players live with for the summer, they provide housing, food, and plenty of good times. My host family consists of Mr. and Mrs. Obrien along with their two daughters, Jackie who is 19 and Laura, 17. We ate dinner my first night out on their porch, this is when I was introduced to the great humidity and bugs of the east coast. From what I am told the heat has yet to arrive, and bugs are on their way. I am anxiously awaiting the arrival of both.
Seeing the field for the first time, I was quite impressed. The Big Train has been playing at a local field in the heart of Bethesda which has around 1,000 chair back seats, along with lights, as we play most of our games at night. After getting my uniform and meeting all the guys, we hit in the cages for a bit and afterwards all the guys just hung around and got to know one another. It is always fun to hear where everyone comes from. We have players all the way from Maine, Oregon, Mississippi, and even beautiful Southern California.
One day of practice and next thing I knew it was time to lace up the cleats for the first exhibition game. The next night we played against a local club team in front of a packed house at our home field. The Big Train overcame a seven run deficit to win 10-7 in their first game. It is already fun to see how our team is establishing an identity of its own and working together towards wins already. We won our second exhibition game last night. Diamond Don Cameron Love was our starting pitcher and he pitched five innings allowing just one hit, leading our team to our second win.
My summer ball experience so far has been nothing but good times one after another. Being able to just go out and play the game I love everyday not having to worry about school or anything else is definitely a nice way to spend the summer. Our season officially starts this coming Friday and I cannot wait for this Big Train to really get rolling.
July 17, 2009 I am playing summer ball in Lorain, Ohio. Lorain is about 30 minutes west of Cleveland right on Lake Erie. I am playing for the Northcoast Knights in the Prospect League. We are a first year team so we don't draw very many fans. I would say we average about 30 a game, but when we are on the road we get a lot more. When we played in Hannibal, Missouri (home of Mark Twain) I got to pitch in front of about 2,500 people and thought that was pretty cool. The team is doing pretty good; we are currently in second place only a half game back at the all-star break. Our team consists of players from all over like: USC, UC Riverside, Long Beach State, Tulane, Boston College, Coastal Carolina, Washington State, and others. So we have a lot of good talent and we are finally putting it together as a team. We started out kind of slow but now we are right in the mix of things. We have had some problems chemistry wise because of players leaving but I think our team should be set now. The top two teams from the east division and the top two from the west division make the playoffs and I think we have a good chance of winning the league. For me it has been really good baseball wise. I am in the starting rotation and have been pitching pretty well. I currently lead our division in ERA and just got back from pitching in the all-star game, which was pretty fun. The all-star game was played in Springfield Illinois, home of Abraham Lincoln. It was a nice experience and I had a good time. The first day I got here my host family took me to an Indians game and they were playing the Yankees. My host family is huge Yankees fans so I was told to root for them. I also got to go to a pretty cool amusement park called Cedar Point, there are some big roller coasters and it was a lot of fun. I think the best place to visit in Ohio is Put-In Bay. It's an island in Lake Erie and it is more of a vacation place. I went with my family and really enjoyed it. I live with the Melendez family in Amherst Ohio, which is about ten minutes from the field. I live with one of the guys on the team's family, which is nice cause there is someone my age I live with and he shows me around. My experience in Ohio has been good so far and I hope everything continues to go as is. We have a good chance of winning the league and if we keep playing well we should win it. Our owner said we get championship rings if we win the league so I hope to be bringing one home. July 13, 2009 Hey everyone, this is Doug Murray writing from New Bedford, Massachusetts, home of the Bay Sox. I am going to be a senior next year at USF. This is my second summer away from home playing collegiate baseball. Last year I was in Battle Creek, Michigan playing for the Bombers with Sean Burns and Connor Bernatz in the Northwoods league. I flew out to New Bedford May 29th and was greeted by my host parents at the airport. My host parents Jim and Kristen Lancaster have been great; they treat me better than I could have ever wished for. I get to come home to good food, a family that loves baseball, and my new brother and sister, Kyle (7) and Katheryn (5). Katheryn is a fun little girl that was shy at first but has opened up to me and will finally say hi and goodnight. Kyle is the little brother I never had, we play wii, wiffle ball, nerf wars, baseball in the house, basketball, and we watch more baseball than I have watched in my entire life. He flips through games and watches for big name players or his fantasy players, while Kristen, the mom, tells him to leave it on the Red Sox games. The league I play in is the New England Collegiate Baseball League (NECBL). We travel all over New England, four hour bus ride max. Alex Kalogrides and I have been doing pretty well in the bullpen and we have seen a lot of Travis Higgs, who plays for the Manchester Silkworms. So far he is one for three off of me. The Bay Sox management has been great to us as well, we get good meals and they give us everything we need to perform and have fun. I recently had a once in a lifetime experience. The NECBL set up a game against team USA. I got to throw one inning, although I didn't do so well, and it was a great experience facing a bunch of great hitters. New England is a great place, besides the rain. We had rain every other day, but with all the off days I have got some time to travel around. My parents came out for a three week vacation so I spent some time with them in New York and Connecticut. I also got some tickets from my host parents to a Red Sox game and it happened to be for the day that my girlfriend flew out. My host parents know me so well they got the tickets for when the A's were in town, so we wore our A's jersey and saw eight other A's fans at the game. I am having a great time out here and I wish it would never end. I hope everyone is having a great summer. And staff, AEOP. July 10, 2009 Hey everyone, this is Christopher Escobar writing from Silverdale, WA where I am currently playing with the Kitsap Bluejackets. I will be a junior this coming fall and this is my second summer playing in the West Coast Collegiate League. On March 31st, as Kelly Costantini mentioned, I began our 12 hour drive from Stockton, CA to our host family's house in Silverdale, WA. As we arrived to the house, our host mom welcomed us into her home with open arms. She was very excited to finally meet the two players she would be spending the entire summer with. The minute we walked in we were shown to our rooms and given an immediate tour of the house. Pam, our host mom, is known as the Kitsap Bluejackets #1 fan. She even has decorated a room in the house full of Bluejacket memorabilia from over the past couple of years. She isn't the only hard core fan, we have many other fans that dedicate their time and support each and every night to the team. Our team is made up of a bunch of great guys from all over the country. We have come together as a team very well so far and are looking forward to having a good summer as a team. As I mentioned before this is my second summer in this league and I can honestly say the competition level is good. Each team in the league has some good players who can play the game of baseball, so each day at the ball park is a tough one. We are currently 9-14 in league. We struggled at the beginning a little bit but have started winning some games and bringing it all together. I think in the end our team will be fine and have a chance in the post season. The summer has been a lot of fun so far. Playing summer ball is a blast and very relaxing when baseball is the only thing on your mind. We wake up and play baseball just about every day. It doesn't get any better than that. On our off days we have a chance to hang out with teammates and do something fun like bowling or even going and hanging out at the lake for the day. Kitsap County has been a nice and relaxing time, as well as a whole new lifestyle then what I am used to back home in Stockton, CA or even San Francisco. I have learned a lot about myself and others from being in such a different place then what I am used to. I am really enjoying my summer so far playing in Kitsap. I have met a lot of new people and enjoy the small town of Silverdale. It is a very relaxing place where one can concentrate on what one needs to concentrate on. Playing in Kitsap will be something I remember forever and have a lot of great memories of. Good luck to all my fellow teammates and Go Dons! July 8, 2009 Hey Dons Fans, This is Bob Mott. I was a freshman pitcher this past season on the 2009 Diamond Dons. This summer I am playing in the beautiful town of San Luis Obispo, CA. Most players will be able to recall our trip this year to play Cal Poly, and the wonderful area surrounding it. I am currently playing for the San Luis Obispo Rattlers, coached by former major leaguer, Roy Howell. The Rattlers are in the California Collegiate League, comprised of teams down the coast of California, and the defending NBC National Champion Santa Barbara Foresters is leading our league right now. As many of you may know, I am from San Luis Obispo as well. Although I may have gotten some heat from teammates at USF for playing at home, I am definitely happy that I made the choice this year. I have been able to enjoy the fun aspects of living at home such as spending quality time with my family, and hanging out with high school friends that I have not had a chance to see for a year. I have also become friends with many of the guys on my team, showing them around San Luis and even offering some surf lessons. My teammates are from all around the country, from Miami to TCU to Hawaii. I have one WCC teammate from Portland, and there are a few other WCC players scattered around the league. This past season at USF, I was used as a middle reliever and lefty-specialist. This summer I have made the adjustment to starter, and I believe there are some definite positives to starting such as knowing exactly what days you are going to pitch, and how to gear your workouts towards your next start. There are some negatives however: I have found it nearly impossible to pitch solely off adrenaline as a starter, when nearly every pitch I threw in the spring had tons of intensity. You really have to work into a groove and attacking on every pitch is more difficult when you throw 100 pitches instead of 10. I have really enjoyed this challenge and I know it will help me become a better pitcher in the long run. I cannot wait to get back to USF and hear about everyone's summer ball experiences, and I have no regrets playing summer ball in my hometown because it is tough to beat the combination of California Summers and baseball. AOEP and Go Dons! July 6, 2009 Hey everyone! This is Stephen Yarrow writing to you from the tiny town of Brewster, Massachusetts. I will be a junior this coming fall at USF so this is my second summer playing in a collegiate wood bat league. Where to begin? June 9th sounds about right. This is the day that I flew 3000 miles and six hours into Providence international airport. I was lucky enough to have already met my host family before this time. See, the host family I am living with had Dons in the past. Their first player was Tavo Hall in 2006 and 2007, and last year in 2008 they hosted Derek Poppert. Both Tavo and Derek made such good impressions on them that they wanted to stick with players from USF. During our Santa Clara series they came out to see Derek and check out San Francisco, and I was fortunate enough to meet them and have dinner with them. They are truly great people and during the summer their lives revolve and the ball player they are hosting. I could not ask anything more from them; sometimes they treat me better than I deserve to be treated. Every night I come home to a fabulous meal, and during the day they take me anywhere I want to go. Now let's talk about the league. Well, the league is everything everyone says it is. Ten scouts watching BP everyday, fifteen or so by the time first pitch comes around. Advisors hand out packets of info about their companies. It truly is a great experience. I would not say it's the purest form of baseball but it definitely is one of the most interesting forms I have ever been a part of. The other day our whole team had to take a test for the Anaheim Angels to see if we were drafted by them, how we would fit into their organizations. Just on our team I know at least a hand full of players who already have advisors. It is an experience most people only dream of, and I am very lucky to have this opportunity. Our team is made up of people from all across the country, and we have pretty good chemistry so far. We have many players from California, and quite a few from our conference, so we all relate to each other very well. Our coaching staff is headed by UCSB pitching coach and recruiting coordinator Tom Myers, who is very knowledgeable about the game, and seems to be a great coach. As a team we started out slow but lately we have been coming along, and could be a force to be reckoned with soon. I hope everyone is enjoying their own summer ball experiences and I can't wait to see everyone in August. Have a good rest of the summer! July 3, 2009 Hello Dons baseball fans, I am writing from Kitsap, Washington where I play for the Kitsap Bluejackets. Kitsap is a county in Washington surrounded by water, with the Puget Sound and Seattle only about 45 minutes away. To be more specific, I am living in the small town of Silverdale, Washington (in Kitsap County). Early in the morning on March 31st fellow Diamond Don Chris Escobar and I began our 12-hour drive from Stockton, CA to our host mom's house here in Silverdale. Upon our arrival Pam Hansen, our host mom, became very excited and immediately welcomed us into her home to show us our rooms. Pam is the Kitsap Bluejackets self-proclaimed #1 fan and is obsessed with baseball. Surprisingly there are many fans like Pam here. I guess that's what happens when you stick a good baseball team into a very small town with no other teams to root for. On average the attendance at our games is around 500-900 people, which doesn't sound like a lot, but if you were to come here you would wonder if there were even that many people who just live here! Even the players on the team have reached a certain "celebrity status." On many occasions people have recognized both me and other players simply shopping in the local grocery store and asked for our autographs. Players have also made the front page of the newspaper several times. That should give you an idea of how small this town really is... Our team is made up of guys from all around the country as well as some locals. We have players from programs like Oklahoma State, UC Riverside, Texas Tech, Washington State and University of Washington. The competition in this league seems good so far and I am excited to go on some more road trips with the team and see some parts of the country that are new to me. I will also get the chance to visit with fellow Dons who play on different teams in this league like Garret Luippold, Nik Balog, Jordan Remer, and Kyle Lawton. The teams in this league (West Coast Collegiate League) are all located in the Northwest, which makes most of the bus rides relatively short, the longest being about 8 hours. There is one Canadian team, a few in Washington and a few more in Oregon. Our team is currently 6-10 in league. We struggled a little bit at the beginning, but we have been winning some games lately and seem to be putting it all together. There is still a lot of season left and I am excited to see how it will unfold because this league seems to be pretty balanced. So far it has been a blast playing here. It is a lot of fun to simply wake up and go play baseball everyday. Not to mention go hang out with the team on our off days. In our free time we have done many things. Going to Seattle, fishing, boating, and golfing are some of the things we have done as a team. It is also interesting to simply live here and experience a whole new lifestyle. Going from San Francisco to Silverdale was a major transition. In fact, Silverdale is probably just about as opposite as you could get from San Francisco, if you could imagine that... Like I said, I am really enjoying myself here playing baseball, meeting new people, and living a new lifestyle. Silverdale is a great to place to both live, play baseball and make memories that will last forever. Go Dons! July 1, 2009 Well, it looks like it's my turn to share my summer experience so far. I think it's safe to say mine will look a bit different than everyone else's. I'm not playing summer ball, nor am I graduated and moving on to other things.... rather, it's been me trying to make the hardest decision of my life (so far). As people probably know, I was drafted in the 28th round by the Cincinnati Reds. From the outside, I don't think people realize how hard this whole process really is. I know I didn't when I saw the guys who were older than me going through it my freshman and sophomore year. Though it's been extremely difficult for me so far, I have to remember to sit back and realize what a blessing this really is. It can be tremendously taxing and stressful to continuously run the decision factors through your head, and so sometimes the blessing can feel like a burden at times, but I try to remain with things in perspective as best I can. Though it's difficult, not many people are blessed to have such a hard decision with two pretty good options at either end. After this past season, I felt it was really important for me to have a summer off if I wasn't playing pro ball. There are a number of reasons for this, but I don't want to bore people with that. In short, the past year took a big toll on me. I felt it was in my best interest to have this time. Though I've chosen to do so, it's not like I've been sitting here in the sun with a pina colada everyday. In fact, quite the opposite is true. It's been a lot of soul-searching and hard thinking. So far it's been a real mix between relaxing time off, and stressful decision making resulting in a couple sleepless nights. I'm not lying when I say this is the hardest thing I've ever had to do. Some of you may see this for yourself at some point in time. Actually, I can bet everyone will at some point, although it may not be about baseball. All I can say is, one day you will look back on the whole thing and see that it was a huge life experience.... something to grow from, learn from, and ultimately make you grow up. The last few weeks I've been spending a lot of alone time trying to uncover what my heart is saying through all of this, though I've found this much easier said than done. I keep being told to "do what's best for you" and "do what your heart says", but in the midst of it all, as hard as one tries, it is hard to do. I've found, though, that there's only so much you can do in terms of reason and logic. At some point you have to just get quiet and see what voice or feeling is there beneath all the thoughts. One of the things I have done to help me is reach out to people and get their view on the situation. I've found this really helpful, as someone with an objective viewpoint may have insights you may have overlooked. I've sought advice from people who I really trust, as well as guys who have gone through the decision making and pro ball experience themselves. I'm lucky to have very loving and caring support around me. Aside from all that, I try to balance it out with something to take my mind off things. I tend to think through things deeply, and although I think this is a good thing, I also know I run the risk of over-thinking it and getting stressed out. I have to watch out for my own health. Usually I wake up and go to the gym here in my hometown in the morning for a workout. Also working on the tan so I'm not just jacked, I'm jacked and tan. Big difference! I've also got a batting cage I can use near my hometown by a hitting coach I used to go to in high school. He played a number of years in AAA and has some great knowledge of hitting, and I'm lucky to have a good enough relationship with him in which he has made a key to his facility for me so I can use it anytime I want. I've also been doing a lot of reading, catching up with some old friends, and spending quality time with my family. I love being outside, so I haven't done a lot of sitting around watching TV. Okay, maybe I have caught up on some movies I wanted to see... Anyways, I'm glad to hear that people are enjoying their summer ball experiences so far. After two summer ball experiences, I look back at my memories with a smile. It is something you will truly never forget, and something unlike any other you will ever experience. Work hard, play your best, and most of all....enjoy it! I hope to see everyone soon. June 29, 2009 I left June 2 for Spokane, Washington to start my summer ball experience. I was very excited and ready to embark on this new experience. I left San Jose International Airport at 12:25 PM only to arrive in Seattle at 2:00 PM then transfer over to Spokane. Once I arrived in the Spokane Airport I was greeted by my host mom and from there we left for her son's baseball game in Coeur D'Alene resort in Idaho. I am currently living with a single mother and her son. Ganene, the mother, and Tyler, the son, are extremely nice people and welcomed me into their family with open arms. A host family basically takes a baseball player into their home by feeding him and giving him a home. I reside in Spokane Valley which is a little town just on the outskirts of the main city Spokane. Now coming from a city like San Francisco to Spokane is like day and night. Spokane is more on the country side whereas San Francisco is a huge multicultural city. Making this transition was tough in the beginning but once I got used to the area, it is a ton of fun. But what is making this experience great are my teammates. My teammates are a great bunch of kids. We all have a great time but do work when work has to get done. As a team we have gone rafting, fishing, and go out a lot of the time. A lot of WCC players play in this league, so it is really cool that I get to play with some kids from USD, Gonzaga, Pepperdine, and more. I am also playing with my fellow teammates Kyle Lawton, and Garrett Luippold. The team is doing well with a record of 8 wins and 6 losses. Barry Matthews, our head coach, is a great guy. I enjoy playing for him and have a lot of fun off the field too. Our other assistant coaches are also great people, with not only a great knowledge of baseball but they have a great interaction with us players. Traveling makes summer ball summer ball. Our bus is a big charter bus, similar to the one we use at USF, which has Riverhawks written all over it. We travel to a ton of places including Wenatchee, Moses Lake, Corvallis, Bend (Oregon), Kelowna (Canada), Kitsap, and much more. Our shortest bus ride is an hour and a half, while our longest one is eight hours. But time doesn't really matter because we have so much fun messing around on the bus that time flies. All in all, I am having a great time here in Spokane and am getting use to the giant change in culture. I am very grateful to have the opportunity to be experiencing this, knowing these memories will stick with me throughout my life. June 26, 2009 Q&A With USF Basebal Alumnus Zach Kim What are some of your best memories from USF? It's hard for me to really narrow down a few specific instances but I know for a fact that my best memories all have something to do with baseball. Being a college athlete requires a player to sacrifice what many would call "the college experience", so I don't have the typical stories you might hear at a 10-year reunion. What I do have is an experience that will last a lifetime. I was a member of the first and only USF baseball team to play in the NCAA tournament in Lincoln, Nebraska. I remember coming out of the dugout before our game against Nebraska and being able to feel the ground shudder under the roar of Nebraska fans. Our fans were outnumbered roughly 100 to 1, yet at games end, our little section behind our dugout could be heard through Haymarket Park. Words can't describe the rush felt by every player. Being a part of this team has also brought me some of my closest friends who I will have for the rest of my life. Working with them on and off the field has created many of best memories. What will you miss the most? I could sit here and say that I'm going to miss the roar of the crowd and the rush from stealing bases... and it would be the truth... but that's not what I'm really going to miss when I look back on my time at USF. In being a member of the baseball team for 5 seasons, I have had the opportunity to mature, both as a player and a person. I'm going to miss the working through challenges with coaches and teammates. I'm going to miss traveling on the road with my closest friends. Most of all, I'm going to miss being a part of a group of guys brought together by a game to represent an entire university and an entire way of life. How has baseball impacted and influenced your life? Baseball has been dubbed by many as "The Great Equalizer" for its constant failures. In playing this game, I have a new approach to the rest of my life. I am more driven to attack my life and all its challenges with a relentless mentality that enables me to take risks, accept failure, and achieve success in a way that would otherwise not be possible. What are some things you have learned from coaches, professors, teammates, and/or friends while playing here that you will take with you into your next endeavor? The coaching staff at USF is doing more than developing baseball players. They are developing people. I have become a better baseball player in my five years here, but more importantly, I have become a better human being. When a player comes to USF, they are going to be treated as an adult whether they like it or not. In being held to a standard of excellence on and off the field, I have been molded into the person I am today. It is not asked that players carry themselves in a certain way at USF... It's expected. How do you feel having spent your entire time in college at USF? I don't know what it would have been like to go to more than one institution, much less play baseball in two different programs. I have loved every minutes spent at USF. When I was looking at schools to attend, baseball was a big factor in my decision. But I didn't look at schools for the right reasons. I was drawn to the big name schools with the best facilities and the biggest reputations. I had been talking to U.C Berkeley about playing baseball when USF contacted me. I didn't really give USF the time of day until Cal fell through. Had I done my homework and kept in touch with USF, my decision would have been much easier and it would have been made much sooner! USF has been the perfect fit for me. I love the school, the education and the baseball program. I can't imagine spending college in another place. What's next for you? The MLB draft didn't go as I had hoped so it's time for me to go a different direction with my life. Baseball is a funny thing. In a conversation I had with Coach Giarratano after the draft, coach told me "Baseball is a funny thing. It's a great game that you keep with you your entire life, but it never ends on your terms. Even if you play professionally, it doesn't end when you're ready to be done with it". I believe those words completely, and it is for that reason that I have made the decision to move on. I feel there is no better time for me to walk away from the game. I had a good senior year and I spent it with a group of guys I wouldn't trade for any "signing bonus". Currently, I am studying for my LSAT exams before I apply to Law school. I expect to rejoin former teammate Tavo Hall in Munich, Germany for a spring of European ball before I return and begin my graduate studies. That's the tentative plan, but life's a funny thing... I expect a few more curve balls to come my way before it's all said and done. Any advice to your former teammates? You're a part of something special. It's something that most people will never experience. Enjoy your time as a player and as a student. USF is a program unlike any other in the country. You're a part of a program that is bigger than any one person, but at the same time is never too large for any one individual to make a difference. Make the difference or become the difference... and enjoy the process of doing it. Go Dons! June 25, 2009 I'm currently playing summer ball up in Spokane, WA in the West Coast League; and from the experiences I have had thus far, I am greatly thankful and excited to have this opportunity. This year's team has many familiar and soon to be familiar faces to the WCC. Players from USF, Gonzaga, USD, and Pepperdine are on my team; they have all proved themselves great guys, even though they play for the enemies. I find myself enjoying my teammates and my coaches more and more every day I have with them because they are all welcoming and all have positive outlooks not on just baseball, but in matters off the field as well. The team I play for is called the Spokane Riverhawks, coached by Barry Matthews (one of Coach Moore's former rivals who says he could still carve Moore up any day of the week...). Alongside him are two other coaches, one being fresh out of Gonzaga and the other a Gonzaga graduate with five years of minor league ball under his belt. With the baseball experience my coaching staff possesses, I see our team learning much about the game of baseball through different methods of teaching and environment. Thankfully, I am not alone up here in Washington. I have Mr. Kyle Lawton alongside me for the ride, which is not only awesome because he is one of my boys from school ball, but he played here last summer. He has been a great outlet for non-athletic activities and events, showing me the ropes of Spokane and all the cool stuff to do when we have some days off. Lately we have been taking day trips up to Coeur d'Alene Lake in Idaho just thirty minutes away. One of our teammate's host family owns a lake house where we are always welcome to hang out. Three times now we have been up there to get after the water sports and beaches. From tubing, water skiing, to wake boarding, to babe watching has been the highlight of the lake adventures. From time to time we go river floating on big tubes where we travel downstream about five miles. Baseball-wise, I love the competition up here. The league has some serious talent on every team, so there is always a challenge when I get the chance to toe the rubber. Of course our team is the best because I say so, but all the other teams are pretty good (except Matty Lu's team from last summer). Sorry Matty, but Moses Lake is brutal this year again, but whatever. But for real, I am having a great time getting some quality innings up here and working on my summer goals. So far I think I have been doing a pristine job of staying on it and AOEPing with every chance I get. I'm just mad that Abe isn't up here to again this summer. Mr. Love, you have a great opportunity to pitch against the one and only Abe. Last but definitely not least, the O'Neil's (my host family) are awesome! My host dad John and mom Lori are some of the kindest people I have ever met and I will definitely be grateful all summer and the rest of my life for the support they show for me and for taking me into their home, as well as sharing their ten year old son to play catch with and teach. He is really into baseball, so he is always bugging me to toss it around with him. The family is at every home game and at some away games no matter if I pitch or not, which is a great deal, knowing that they like the game. I'm looking forward to the rest of the summer with my new friends and host family. Keep in touch boys and good luck with your summers. AOEP June 24, 2009 What is happening USF fans!?!? This is Matt Lujan reporting on my summer ball experience. This is my second summer traveling away from home; I will be a junior at USF next year and can't wait! Well let me tell you that last summer I thought I was far from home and I was only in Washington. This summer I am blogging all the way from a small town in Cape Cod Massachusetts called Brewster. I was fortunate enough to be one of very few college baseball players playing in the Cape Cod summer baseball league. The environment here is awesome! The people who run the program are all about us and my host family is once again fabulous. The Brewster Whitecaps are embarking on their twentieth year in the "Cape." The coaching staff is awesome, headed by lefty pitching coach from UCSB, Tom Meyers, who I could ask nothing less of. The competition in this league is like nothing I have ever seen before. Everyday a new pitcher is on the mound pounding 90mph fastballs with nasty movement and dirty sliders. With good pitching comes great hitting as well, I have seen 95mph fastballs get turned on and hit a mile. For now though I would say that the pitchers have the upper hand, but I am counting on the hitting to come around. The fields we play at are all within an hour of each other so that makes it very easy to travel from one to the next. I really have no complaints about where I am and the type of people I am playing for and with. Lately the weather has not been great. I got rained out of my second start which is very unusual on the "Cape," or so say the locals. The team here is awesome. We have quite a few guys from California which makes sense because that is where the coaches are from. Guys the readers may know include USD guys Casey Schmidt and Kyle Blair, Pepperdine's Scott Alexander, Cal's Mark Canha, UCLA's Eric Goeddel and Niko Gallego and our very own USF Don Stephen Yarrow. So far my experience has been phenomenal. I am learning something new every day whether it be from a coach, player or our competition. This summer is a wonderful opportunity for me as a person and as a ball player. My roommate this summer is also a left handed pitcher from Vanderbilt University, Sean Bierman, an awesome dude originally from New Jersey. That being said he is a Yankee fan and the Boston fans around here like to give him a hard time. Well Dons readers it has been a pleasure sharing what I have been through so far! Hope everyone is doing great. Take it easy. Go Dons! June 19, 2009 Hello everyone. My name is Alex Kalogrides and I am going to be a senior next semester at USF. This is the third summer that I have traveled to another part of the country to compete in a summer collegiate baseball league. After my freshman year, I went out to Harrisonburg, Virginia for the first half of my summer, and ended up in Yuba City, CA for the second half. Last summer I played on a team in Brainerd, Minnesota in the Northwoods league and we traveled all around the Midwest. This summer I was all set to play in the Cape Cod league but my plans fell through two days before leaving the Bay Area. After a few quick phone calls by Coach Moore, I landed a spot on the New Bedford Bay Sox of the New England Collegiate League. I was thrilled that the team needed another pitcher because I did not have to cancel my plane ticket out to New England since the town of New Bedford is only 20 minutes from the Cape. Also, fellow USF pitcher Doug Murray is on the New Bedford team which makes things out here much more enjoyable. New Bedford, Massachusetts is a small town that used to be a large part of the whaling industry. The town has just about everything I need within walking or running distance. There are places to eat, a gym, a grocery store, and even a mall all within a short walk. There even is a beach that is only a couple miles away, but the weather hasn't been great out here so far. I live with a host family about one mile away from our field. My host parents or perhaps I should call them my host brother and sister (they are only about six or seven years older than me) are Jason and April. They have been very kind to me, providing me with a nice large bedroom and plenty of video games to keep me occupied. They also have taken me out to show me around New Bedford and its surrounding areas. On one of our off days they are going to take me up to Boston which is about forty-five minutes away to spend the day there. They are very kind people and I really appreciate their hospitality. The baseball part of it has been rather slow thus far. Our schedule is quite spread out as we have sixteen off days throughout the summer. We also have had a few games that have been rained out. Last summer I only had about five days off for the whole time I was out there so there is a lot more down time out here which I am not really used to. The New England Collegiate League is sponsored in part by Major League Baseball and our team is sponsored by Under Armor so we have a lot of nice gear. Our team is off to a slow start, but we have a lot of talent. We are currently 3-5. The places where we have played have ranged from high school fields with bleachers, to nice stadiums full of chair back seats, to old time parks where Babe Ruth once played with both dugouts on the first base line. It has been quite interesting to travel around the different states within New England and see all the different areas. June 17, 2009 This summer I was lucky enough to be sent to Honolulu, Hawaii to play summer ball in the Hawaii Collegiate Baseball League. I was very excited to come here and play not only because of the great weather and beaches, but I also have family that live fifteen minutes from where I am staying. I do not get to see this family very often so it is nice seeing them and they have been helping me get situated in my new home for the next 7 weeks. I arrived in Hawaii last Wednesday and headed to my living arrangements, which unlike many other leagues where players stay with host families, all the players in the league stay in an apartment complex. There are over 150 players from all over the country staying in this one complex so you can imagine how interesting the lifestyle is. It is awesome being able to meet players from all over; there are guys from WCC schools like Santa Clara, Pepperdine, and Saint Mary's and many other places all over the country such as New York and Florida. Living with the players really allows you to get know the guys, not only on your team, but on all the other teams as well. I am living with fellow Don Teammate Matt Quintero and we are sharing a room and in our apartment which we also share with guys from Maryland, Rhode Island, and Southern California. We play six games a week then get Fridays off to hang out, go down to the beach, and explore all the beauties of Hawaii. Every day we bus down to the fields together where we play one game of a three game series against each team. It is a 35 game season with a tournament championship the last week. There are six different teams and I am on the Hawaii Aliis (Chiefs) and we are currently 3-2. We started off 0-2 and have won three straight and are shaking off the cob webs and playing really well. I have been playing centerfield and have been batting leadoff. I am having a great time playing in this great weather, I expected it to be extremely hot and uncomfortable to play in, but because of the nice breeze that is constantly flowing it makes for great baseball weather. The coach of our team is Carl Fratecelli and he is from the bay area and coached around the area I lived so we know a lot the same people. He is a really great coach that lets the players play their game, but also is there willing to teach the game. When we are not out on the baseball field we spend a lot of time at the beaches and that has been awesome! It is so nice to go and relax in the water or lay in the sand after a long day at the field. I have also found out how much of a workout it is to go out swimming in the ocean with the strong currents and waves, it has been wiping me out. I am having a blast here and am enjoying every day, it has been a great opportunity to play here so far and I hope to have many more great memories and friendships. What is better than waking up playing the game you love, then going to relax on the most beautiful beaches in the world? June 16, 2009 Q&A with USF Baseball Alumnus Drew Johnson June 15, 2009 After a great five days at home, I embarked on what would be my first trip to the east coast to play my first summer ball in a collegiate league. I am playing in the Cal Ripken Sr. Collegiate League with my teammates Connor Bernatz and Cameron Love and many others from different schools. I flew on Virgin America, watching two movies on the flight over, flying into Washington Dulles Airport. I was warmly welcomed to the east coast when my host father (Brent Weingardt) met me at the baggage claim. I was first introduced to the humid weather while walking to the car when Brent came to pick me up at the airport. When we returned home I was warmly welcomed by Brent's kids: Josh (21), Jason (18), and Julia (15). I later accompanied Brent to pick up his wife, Dani. I sat around that night talking to my host brothers and sister. I found out that Jason is the voice of the Big Train. He is the internet broadcaster when we have home games. He is also attending the College of Wooster, which he found in the latest edition of Sports Illustrated walking off the field losing the championship game for Division III. Julia interviewed me for her school paper. It was my first interview; it was pretty rocky to say the least. She is among the top in her class in just about every category thought of. Josh has been my guide, helping me get around the city and such. Since this was my first time doing anything of this sort, I was really fortunate to have the host family that I do. They have always been there to help me through the transition of being off on my own, 3,000 miles away from home. With great food and hospitality, so far, I can say that I've really enjoyed my stay here in Maryland. Now let's get on to the baseball part of Maryland. To me, it's like I ran into a team that I've known all my life. The guys here are really easy to get along with and have been a real joy to play alongside. There were a lot of returners to the team so it was really easy to get into the mix. Since I don't have a car here, I have been catching a ride with what has become one of my good buddies, Mike Bottoms from Morehead State. The community of Bethesda has brought just over 1,000 fans at every game. Our supporters have been greatly appreciated and our general manager chooses a couple of non-profit organizations to be recognized by throwing out the first pitch of our home games. We are still currently undefeated as our pitching staff has dominated every team that we've played. From what I hear from some of the guys, this is one of the most potent offences that the team has seen. We have the reigning MVP of the Cal Ripken League and many potential draft picks. Our defense has been absolutely outstanding. But the real challenge lies within the Maryland Orioles. They won the league last year, but the Bethesda Big Train is looking to regain that title this year! Since we have a lot of returners, one thing that I have really enjoyed is the questions. We are frequently asked questions like: How is Matt Hiserman doing? How is Zack Kim doing? Hearing all the remarks from the coaching staff and returning players about our guys: all I have to say is that Connor, Cameron, and I have some big shoes to fill! With all of this being said, I hope that we can fill the shoes of the previous Dons. Those guys being Jonnie Knoble, Evan Fredrickson, Matt Hiserman, Zack Kim, and many others. They have left a legacy with our coach, Sal Colangelo and the rest of the coaching staff. Coach Sal talks about those guys all the time and he makes references about them, telling us stories about the previous summers. June 12, 2009 Greetings from Manchester, Connecticut. I am out here in the New England Collegiate Baseball League (NECBL) playing for the Manchester Silkworms this summer, and so far it's been an awesome experience. We travel all over New England to play our competition and the bus rides are anywhere between one and four hours, spanning over five states. The stadiums and parks we play at have been amazing so far. The fans really appreciate the game of baseball and it shows in the attendance. Some games are attended by a few thousand fans, which makes for a wonderful atmosphere to play baseball in. Soon I will have the chance to play some USF teammates including Doug Murray, Alex Kalogrides, and Sean Burns, who are also playing on teams in the NECBL. My teammates are really easy to get along with, which is usually the case with baseball players since we all have a lot in common. Being the only player on the team from anywhere out west, I get a lot of questions about California and the west coast. My favorite is when they ask questions such as, "isn't it a perfect world out there?" or "isn't it true that when you're from California the world seems to revolve around you?" I almost always end up answering these questions by telling them about Newport Beach native, Connor Bernatz. I am currently living with Larry and Grace Cedrone, their two daughters Mimi and Sj, and son Evan. They are a wonderful family with a beautiful home. Every day the refrigerator seems to be fuller then the day before, and I am loving it. They feed my well at the Cedrone house, and after games the teams are fed more than enough food with a meal cooked by volunteers. I am enjoying every moment out here, and every opportunity to get better at the game of baseball. I am also looking forward to the rest of the summer season and what it has to offer me from a personal and baseball perspective. June 11, 2009 My summer ball experience has been a very interesting experience so far, to say the least. For one thing, the league in general is a very competitive league that is structured well and has many good players. In terms of baseball, the Atlantic Collegiate League is a good league with many players from different schools that definitely have a good feel for the game. Our coach is from Santa Clara and is pretty cool considering the fact that he is from Santa Clara! June 8, 2009 This summer I am playing in beautiful Bethesda, Maryland for the Bethesda Big Train. Upon my arrival about a week and a half ago, I met my host family at the Baltimore Airport. Walt, Sheila, and Gage (8 years old) welcomed me to their home on a very wet Friday evening. My host family treats me like a son and I think Gage will try to follow me back home in August. I am fed very well and am comfortable with a nice living space and a 72" high definition satellite television, in addition to my ride to the field occasionally being Walt's 1970 Corvette Stingray. I haven't built up the confidence to request a test drive yet. June 5, 2009 Hello world, my name is Robert Abel and this is my first blog about my summer baseball experience. I am currently playing in the Northwood's collegiate league, and my team is the Lacrosse Loggers. This team and league have a rich history for being one of the best summer leagues in the country. The whole experience is based around mimicking minor league baseball. From start to finish we play 68 games in less than 3 months, we have long road trips (longest being 12 hours) and we get to the baseball field 5 hours before game time to practice. Don't worry, not all teams get to enjoy the opportunity to get to the field that early, I'm pretty sure the loggers are the only ones who do that. Our average attendance at our games right now is around 3000, but school hasn't even been released yet. So our game today is predicted to have 4500. Boy will it be rocking! The town of lacrosse loves its baseball! I get to sign plenty of baseballs after the game as the kids who already know your name and college rush the field when the last out is recorded. Once you put on a logger uniform you have instantly turned yourself into a celebrity. Currently I am batting sixth in the lineup, hitting over .300, and I stole my first bag last night. The competition is very tough and with the wood bats (Rawlings sponsored league) the games go by a lot faster and the scores are lower. My team is also doing well; we sit atop the league with a 6-3 record tied with the Battle Creek Bombers. In our first home game we won in dramatic fashion with a 3-run walk off homerun in the bottom of the ninth. The crowd went crazy! And oh boy was that ball crushed! My host family is great, the Thihlers are a very dedicated host family, and they always have food for us when we get back from the field late at night if we didn't get to eat. They are very caring and most of all; they love their baseball just like us! I am living with another baseball player from Nebraska named Kash (soon to be sophomore RHP/corner infielder) he is a really good player and even better person to live with. So far we haven't had an off day yet, but we have our first one this Sunday and the team has us going to a boys and girls club for a meet the Loggers day, which should be a lot of fun for the kids since they can't get enough of us after the games. In this jammed packed summer season we only have 5 more off days, my host family is in the progress of planning something we all can do as a family ( I heard them talking about going jet skiing!) I just hope I can get back to playing baseball in one piece. So far the Northwood's league experience has been a great one and I am more than grateful to be a part of such a perfectly run operation. In my eyes this is one of the best, if not the best summer league in the country. I am looking forward to grinding out this tough schedule and being able to look back on the summer with a smile and a book full of memories to share with my Dons teammates. June 3, 2009 I am playing Baseball this summer in Folsom, CA for the Folsom Pioneers. So far Folsom has been a great place to be. I am staying with a host family. The owner of the house is actually the mom of the owner of the team. She is a very nice woman and I enjoy being here because I feel very welcome. My gym that I am working out at is about 2 minutes away from my house. Folsom Lake is less than 10 minutes away from me. There is a great Mexican restaurant that is close by my house and if you know me you know that I like to eat a lot. We just finished our first weekend series against Nevada Bighorn, taking two out of three games. On Sunday I hit my first home run in Folsom at our home field. Our next game is on Wednesday at 5:00pm at Canadá College in Redwood City against the Nor-Cal Longhorns and I will be the starting pitcher. There is a catcher on my team that goes to Solano College, which is where Ryan Lipkin went before transferring to USF. There are a couple other guys from the Woodland area that say that they know Robert Abel. The whole team seems like a good group of guys. It looks like our team is going to do pretty well in this league so I'm excited that we have starting playing and have been doing well. I think we have some good arms. We have some crafty pitchers and we have a few good power pitchers. Our line-up has been hitting pretty well. Overall it seems as if both on offense and defense we are pretty solid. I will be playing at three different positions for this team. I will be pitching and playing both left field and first base. There are three St. Mary's players on the Pioneers, two of which I have played with in the past. The area is easy to navigate because everywhere you need to go to is only about 5-10 minutes driving distance away. I'm excited to continue playing this summer and have fun in the warmth of Folsom. It has been great to get going in summer baseball and look forward to the rest of our games. June 1st, 2009 My plane got into Baltimore Thursday night and my host dad was there to meet me right at baggage claim. Most summer ball teams have host families who the players live with for the summer, they provide housing, food, and plenty of good times. My host family consists of Mr. and Mrs. Obrien along with their two daughters, Jackie who is 19 and Laura, 17. We ate dinner my first night out on their porch, this is when I was introduced to the great humidity and bugs of the east coast. From what I am told the heat has yet to arrive, and bugs are on their way. I am anxiously awaiting the arrival of both. Seeing the field for the first time, I was quite impressed. The Big Train has been playing at a local field in the heart of Bethesda which has around 1,000 chair back seats, along with lights, as we play most of our games at night. After getting my uniform and meeting all the guys, we hit in the cages for a bit and afterwards all the guys just hung around and got to know one another. It is always fun to hear where everyone comes from. We have players all the way from Maine, Oregon, Mississippi, and even beautiful Southern California. One day of practice and next thing I knew it was time to lace up the cleats for the first exhibition game. The next night we played against a local club team in front of a packed house at our home field. The Big Train overcame a seven run deficit to win 10-7 in their first game. It is already fun to see how our team is establishing an identity of its own and working together towards wins already. We won our second exhibition game last night. Diamond Don Cameron Love was our starting pitcher and he pitched five innings allowing just one hit, leading our team to our second win. My summer ball experience so far has been nothing but good times one after another. Being able to just go out and play the game I love everyday not having to worry about school or anything else is definitely a nice way to spend the summer. Our season officially starts this coming Friday and I cannot wait for this Big Train to really get rolling.
July 17, 2009 I am playing summer ball in Lorain, Ohio. Lorain is about 30 minutes west of Cleveland right on Lake Erie. I am playing for the Northcoast Knights in the Prospect League. We are a first year team so we don't draw very many fans. I would say we average about 30 a game, but when we are on the road we get a lot more. When we played in Hannibal, Missouri (home of Mark Twain) I got to pitch in front of about 2,500 people and thought that was pretty cool. The team is doing pretty good; we are currently in second place only a half game back at the all-star break. Our team consists of players from all over like: USC, UC Riverside, Long Beach State, Tulane, Boston College, Coastal Carolina, Washington State, and others. So we have a lot of good talent and we are finally putting it together as a team. We started out kind of slow but now we are right in the mix of things. We have had some problems chemistry wise because of players leaving but I think our team should be set now. The top two teams from the east division and the top two from the west division make the playoffs and I think we have a good chance of winning the league. For me it has been really good baseball wise. I am in the starting rotation and have been pitching pretty well. I currently lead our division in ERA and just got back from pitching in the all-star game, which was pretty fun. The all-star game was played in Springfield Illinois, home of Abraham Lincoln. It was a nice experience and I had a good time. The first day I got here my host family took me to an Indians game and they were playing the Yankees. My host family is huge Yankees fans so I was told to root for them. I also got to go to a pretty cool amusement park called Cedar Point, there are some big roller coasters and it was a lot of fun. I think the best place to visit in Ohio is Put-In Bay. It's an island in Lake Erie and it is more of a vacation place. I went with my family and really enjoyed it. I live with the Melendez family in Amherst Ohio, which is about ten minutes from the field. I live with one of the guys on the team's family, which is nice cause there is someone my age I live with and he shows me around. My experience in Ohio has been good so far and I hope everything continues to go as is. We have a good chance of winning the league and if we keep playing well we should win it. Our owner said we get championship rings if we win the league so I hope to be bringing one home. July 13, 2009 Hey everyone, this is Doug Murray writing from New Bedford, Massachusetts, home of the Bay Sox. I am going to be a senior next year at USF. This is my second summer away from home playing collegiate baseball. Last year I was in Battle Creek, Michigan playing for the Bombers with Sean Burns and Connor Bernatz in the Northwoods league. I flew out to New Bedford May 29th and was greeted by my host parents at the airport. My host parents Jim and Kristen Lancaster have been great; they treat me better than I could have ever wished for. I get to come home to good food, a family that loves baseball, and my new brother and sister, Kyle (7) and Katheryn (5). Katheryn is a fun little girl that was shy at first but has opened up to me and will finally say hi and goodnight. Kyle is the little brother I never had, we play wii, wiffle ball, nerf wars, baseball in the house, basketball, and we watch more baseball than I have watched in my entire life. He flips through games and watches for big name players or his fantasy players, while Kristen, the mom, tells him to leave it on the Red Sox games. The league I play in is the New England Collegiate Baseball League (NECBL). We travel all over New England, four hour bus ride max. Alex Kalogrides and I have been doing pretty well in the bullpen and we have seen a lot of Travis Higgs, who plays for the Manchester Silkworms. So far he is one for three off of me. The Bay Sox management has been great to us as well, we get good meals and they give us everything we need to perform and have fun. I recently had a once in a lifetime experience. The NECBL set up a game against team USA. I got to throw one inning, although I didn't do so well, and it was a great experience facing a bunch of great hitters. New England is a great place, besides the rain. We had rain every other day, but with all the off days I have got some time to travel around. My parents came out for a three week vacation so I spent some time with them in New York and Connecticut. I also got some tickets from my host parents to a Red Sox game and it happened to be for the day that my girlfriend flew out. My host parents know me so well they got the tickets for when the A's were in town, so we wore our A's jersey and saw eight other A's fans at the game. I am having a great time out here and I wish it would never end. I hope everyone is having a great summer. And staff, AEOP. July 10, 2009 Hey everyone, this is Christopher Escobar writing from Silverdale, WA where I am currently playing with the Kitsap Bluejackets. I will be a junior this coming fall and this is my second summer playing in the West Coast Collegiate League. On March 31st, as Kelly Costantini mentioned, I began our 12 hour drive from Stockton, CA to our host family's house in Silverdale, WA. As we arrived to the house, our host mom welcomed us into her home with open arms. She was very excited to finally meet the two players she would be spending the entire summer with. The minute we walked in we were shown to our rooms and given an immediate tour of the house. Pam, our host mom, is known as the Kitsap Bluejackets #1 fan. She even has decorated a room in the house full of Bluejacket memorabilia from over the past couple of years. She isn't the only hard core fan, we have many other fans that dedicate their time and support each and every night to the team. Our team is made up of a bunch of great guys from all over the country. We have come together as a team very well so far and are looking forward to having a good summer as a team. As I mentioned before this is my second summer in this league and I can honestly say the competition level is good. Each team in the league has some good players who can play the game of baseball, so each day at the ball park is a tough one. We are currently 9-14 in league. We struggled at the beginning a little bit but have started winning some games and bringing it all together. I think in the end our team will be fine and have a chance in the post season. The summer has been a lot of fun so far. Playing summer ball is a blast and very relaxing when baseball is the only thing on your mind. We wake up and play baseball just about every day. It doesn't get any better than that. On our off days we have a chance to hang out with teammates and do something fun like bowling or even going and hanging out at the lake for the day. Kitsap County has been a nice and relaxing time, as well as a whole new lifestyle then what I am used to back home in Stockton, CA or even San Francisco. I have learned a lot about myself and others from being in such a different place then what I am used to. I am really enjoying my summer so far playing in Kitsap. I have met a lot of new people and enjoy the small town of Silverdale. It is a very relaxing place where one can concentrate on what one needs to concentrate on. Playing in Kitsap will be something I remember forever and have a lot of great memories of. Good luck to all my fellow teammates and Go Dons! July 8, 2009 Hey Dons Fans, This is Bob Mott. I was a freshman pitcher this past season on the 2009 Diamond Dons. This summer I am playing in the beautiful town of San Luis Obispo, CA. Most players will be able to recall our trip this year to play Cal Poly, and the wonderful area surrounding it. I am currently playing for the San Luis Obispo Rattlers, coached by former major leaguer, Roy Howell. The Rattlers are in the California Collegiate League, comprised of teams down the coast of California, and the defending NBC National Champion Santa Barbara Foresters is leading our league right now. As many of you may know, I am from San Luis Obispo as well. Although I may have gotten some heat from teammates at USF for playing at home, I am definitely happy that I made the choice this year. I have been able to enjoy the fun aspects of living at home such as spending quality time with my family, and hanging out with high school friends that I have not had a chance to see for a year. I have also become friends with many of the guys on my team, showing them around San Luis and even offering some surf lessons. My teammates are from all around the country, from Miami to TCU to Hawaii. I have one WCC teammate from Portland, and there are a few other WCC players scattered around the league. This past season at USF, I was used as a middle reliever and lefty-specialist. This summer I have made the adjustment to starter, and I believe there are some definite positives to starting such as knowing exactly what days you are going to pitch, and how to gear your workouts towards your next start. There are some negatives however: I have found it nearly impossible to pitch solely off adrenaline as a starter, when nearly every pitch I threw in the spring had tons of intensity. You really have to work into a groove and attacking on every pitch is more difficult when you throw 100 pitches instead of 10. I have really enjoyed this challenge and I know it will help me become a better pitcher in the long run. I cannot wait to get back to USF and hear about everyone's summer ball experiences, and I have no regrets playing summer ball in my hometown because it is tough to beat the combination of California Summers and baseball. AOEP and Go Dons! July 6, 2009 Hey everyone! This is Stephen Yarrow writing to you from the tiny town of Brewster, Massachusetts. I will be a junior this coming fall at USF so this is my second summer playing in a collegiate wood bat league. Where to begin? June 9th sounds about right. This is the day that I flew 3000 miles and six hours into Providence international airport. I was lucky enough to have already met my host family before this time. See, the host family I am living with had Dons in the past. Their first player was Tavo Hall in 2006 and 2007, and last year in 2008 they hosted Derek Poppert. Both Tavo and Derek made such good impressions on them that they wanted to stick with players from USF. During our Santa Clara series they came out to see Derek and check out San Francisco, and I was fortunate enough to meet them and have dinner with them. They are truly great people and during the summer their lives revolve and the ball player they are hosting. I could not ask anything more from them; sometimes they treat me better than I deserve to be treated. Every night I come home to a fabulous meal, and during the day they take me anywhere I want to go. Now let's talk about the league. Well, the league is everything everyone says it is. Ten scouts watching BP everyday, fifteen or so by the time first pitch comes around. Advisors hand out packets of info about their companies. It truly is a great experience. I would not say it's the purest form of baseball but it definitely is one of the most interesting forms I have ever been a part of. The other day our whole team had to take a test for the Anaheim Angels to see if we were drafted by them, how we would fit into their organizations. Just on our team I know at least a hand full of players who already have advisors. It is an experience most people only dream of, and I am very lucky to have this opportunity. Our team is made up of people from all across the country, and we have pretty good chemistry so far. We have many players from California, and quite a few from our conference, so we all relate to each other very well. Our coaching staff is headed by UCSB pitching coach and recruiting coordinator Tom Myers, who is very knowledgeable about the game, and seems to be a great coach. As a team we started out slow but lately we have been coming along, and could be a force to be reckoned with soon. I hope everyone is enjoying their own summer ball experiences and I can't wait to see everyone in August. Have a good rest of the summer! July 3, 2009 Hello Dons baseball fans, I am writing from Kitsap, Washington where I play for the Kitsap Bluejackets. Kitsap is a county in Washington surrounded by water, with the Puget Sound and Seattle only about 45 minutes away. To be more specific, I am living in the small town of Silverdale, Washington (in Kitsap County). Early in the morning on March 31st fellow Diamond Don Chris Escobar and I began our 12-hour drive from Stockton, CA to our host mom's house here in Silverdale. Upon our arrival Pam Hansen, our host mom, became very excited and immediately welcomed us into her home to show us our rooms. Pam is the Kitsap Bluejackets self-proclaimed #1 fan and is obsessed with baseball. Surprisingly there are many fans like Pam here. I guess that's what happens when you stick a good baseball team into a very small town with no other teams to root for. On average the attendance at our games is around 500-900 people, which doesn't sound like a lot, but if you were to come here you would wonder if there were even that many people who just live here! Even the players on the team have reached a certain "celebrity status." On many occasions people have recognized both me and other players simply shopping in the local grocery store and asked for our autographs. Players have also made the front page of the newspaper several times. That should give you an idea of how small this town really is... Our team is made up of guys from all around the country as well as some locals. We have players from programs like Oklahoma State, UC Riverside, Texas Tech, Washington State and University of Washington. The competition in this league seems good so far and I am excited to go on some more road trips with the team and see some parts of the country that are new to me. I will also get the chance to visit with fellow Dons who play on different teams in this league like Garret Luippold, Nik Balog, Jordan Remer, and Kyle Lawton. The teams in this league (West Coast Collegiate League) are all located in the Northwest, which makes most of the bus rides relatively short, the longest being about 8 hours. There is one Canadian team, a few in Washington and a few more in Oregon. Our team is currently 6-10 in league. We struggled a little bit at the beginning, but we have been winning some games lately and seem to be putting it all together. There is still a lot of season left and I am excited to see how it will unfold because this league seems to be pretty balanced. So far it has been a blast playing here. It is a lot of fun to simply wake up and go play baseball everyday. Not to mention go hang out with the team on our off days. In our free time we have done many things. Going to Seattle, fishing, boating, and golfing are some of the things we have done as a team. It is also interesting to simply live here and experience a whole new lifestyle. Going from San Francisco to Silverdale was a major transition. In fact, Silverdale is probably just about as opposite as you could get from San Francisco, if you could imagine that... Like I said, I am really enjoying myself here playing baseball, meeting new people, and living a new lifestyle. Silverdale is a great to place to both live, play baseball and make memories that will last forever. Go Dons! July 1, 2009 Well, it looks like it's my turn to share my summer experience so far. I think it's safe to say mine will look a bit different than everyone else's. I'm not playing summer ball, nor am I graduated and moving on to other things.... rather, it's been me trying to make the hardest decision of my life (so far). As people probably know, I was drafted in the 28th round by the Cincinnati Reds. From the outside, I don't think people realize how hard this whole process really is. I know I didn't when I saw the guys who were older than me going through it my freshman and sophomore year. Though it's been extremely difficult for me so far, I have to remember to sit back and realize what a blessing this really is. It can be tremendously taxing and stressful to continuously run the decision factors through your head, and so sometimes the blessing can feel like a burden at times, but I try to remain with things in perspective as best I can. Though it's difficult, not many people are blessed to have such a hard decision with two pretty good options at either end. After this past season, I felt it was really important for me to have a summer off if I wasn't playing pro ball. There are a number of reasons for this, but I don't want to bore people with that. In short, the past year took a big toll on me. I felt it was in my best interest to have this time. Though I've chosen to do so, it's not like I've been sitting here in the sun with a pina colada everyday. In fact, quite the opposite is true. It's been a lot of soul-searching and hard thinking. So far it's been a real mix between relaxing time off, and stressful decision making resulting in a couple sleepless nights. I'm not lying when I say this is the hardest thing I've ever had to do. Some of you may see this for yourself at some point in time. Actually, I can bet everyone will at some point, although it may not be about baseball. All I can say is, one day you will look back on the whole thing and see that it was a huge life experience.... something to grow from, learn from, and ultimately make you grow up. The last few weeks I've been spending a lot of alone time trying to uncover what my heart is saying through all of this, though I've found this much easier said than done. I keep being told to "do what's best for you" and "do what your heart says", but in the midst of it all, as hard as one tries, it is hard to do. I've found, though, that there's only so much you can do in terms of reason and logic. At some point you have to just get quiet and see what voice or feeling is there beneath all the thoughts. One of the things I have done to help me is reach out to people and get their view on the situation. I've found this really helpful, as someone with an objective viewpoint may have insights you may have overlooked. I've sought advice from people who I really trust, as well as guys who have gone through the decision making and pro ball experience themselves. I'm lucky to have very loving and caring support around me. Aside from all that, I try to balance it out with something to take my mind off things. I tend to think through things deeply, and although I think this is a good thing, I also know I run the risk of over-thinking it and getting stressed out. I have to watch out for my own health. Usually I wake up and go to the gym here in my hometown in the morning for a workout. Also working on the tan so I'm not just jacked, I'm jacked and tan. Big difference! I've also got a batting cage I can use near my hometown by a hitting coach I used to go to in high school. He played a number of years in AAA and has some great knowledge of hitting, and I'm lucky to have a good enough relationship with him in which he has made a key to his facility for me so I can use it anytime I want. I've also been doing a lot of reading, catching up with some old friends, and spending quality time with my family. I love being outside, so I haven't done a lot of sitting around watching TV. Okay, maybe I have caught up on some movies I wanted to see... Anyways, I'm glad to hear that people are enjoying their summer ball experiences so far. After two summer ball experiences, I look back at my memories with a smile. It is something you will truly never forget, and something unlike any other you will ever experience. Work hard, play your best, and most of all....enjoy it! I hope to see everyone soon. June 29, 2009 I left June 2 for Spokane, Washington to start my summer ball experience. I was very excited and ready to embark on this new experience. I left San Jose International Airport at 12:25 PM only to arrive in Seattle at 2:00 PM then transfer over to Spokane. Once I arrived in the Spokane Airport I was greeted by my host mom and from there we left for her son's baseball game in Coeur D'Alene resort in Idaho. I am currently living with a single mother and her son. Ganene, the mother, and Tyler, the son, are extremely nice people and welcomed me into their family with open arms. A host family basically takes a baseball player into their home by feeding him and giving him a home. I reside in Spokane Valley which is a little town just on the outskirts of the main city Spokane. Now coming from a city like San Francisco to Spokane is like day and night. Spokane is more on the country side whereas San Francisco is a huge multicultural city. Making this transition was tough in the beginning but once I got used to the area, it is a ton of fun. But what is making this experience great are my teammates. My teammates are a great bunch of kids. We all have a great time but do work when work has to get done. As a team we have gone rafting, fishing, and go out a lot of the time. A lot of WCC players play in this league, so it is really cool that I get to play with some kids from USD, Gonzaga, Pepperdine, and more. I am also playing with my fellow teammates Kyle Lawton, and Garrett Luippold. The team is doing well with a record of 8 wins and 6 losses. Barry Matthews, our head coach, is a great guy. I enjoy playing for him and have a lot of fun off the field too. Our other assistant coaches are also great people, with not only a great knowledge of baseball but they have a great interaction with us players. Traveling makes summer ball summer ball. Our bus is a big charter bus, similar to the one we use at USF, which has Riverhawks written all over it. We travel to a ton of places including Wenatchee, Moses Lake, Corvallis, Bend (Oregon), Kelowna (Canada), Kitsap, and much more. Our shortest bus ride is an hour and a half, while our longest one is eight hours. But time doesn't really matter because we have so much fun messing around on the bus that time flies. All in all, I am having a great time here in Spokane and am getting use to the giant change in culture. I am very grateful to have the opportunity to be experiencing this, knowing these memories will stick with me throughout my life. June 26, 2009 Q&A With USF Basebal Alumnus Zach Kim What are some of your best memories from USF? It's hard for me to really narrow down a few specific instances but I know for a fact that my best memories all have something to do with baseball. Being a college athlete requires a player to sacrifice what many would call "the college experience", so I don't have the typical stories you might hear at a 10-year reunion. What I do have is an experience that will last a lifetime. I was a member of the first and only USF baseball team to play in the NCAA tournament in Lincoln, Nebraska. I remember coming out of the dugout before our game against Nebraska and being able to feel the ground shudder under the roar of Nebraska fans. Our fans were outnumbered roughly 100 to 1, yet at games end, our little section behind our dugout could be heard through Haymarket Park. Words can't describe the rush felt by every player. Being a part of this team has also brought me some of my closest friends who I will have for the rest of my life. Working with them on and off the field has created many of best memories. What will you miss the most? I could sit here and say that I'm going to miss the roar of the crowd and the rush from stealing bases... and it would be the truth... but that's not what I'm really going to miss when I look back on my time at USF. In being a member of the baseball team for 5 seasons, I have had the opportunity to mature, both as a player and a person. I'm going to miss the working through challenges with coaches and teammates. I'm going to miss traveling on the road with my closest friends. Most of all, I'm going to miss being a part of a group of guys brought together by a game to represent an entire university and an entire way of life. How has baseball impacted and influenced your life? Baseball has been dubbed by many as "The Great Equalizer" for its constant failures. In playing this game, I have a new approach to the rest of my life. I am more driven to attack my life and all its challenges with a relentless mentality that enables me to take risks, accept failure, and achieve success in a way that would otherwise not be possible. What are some things you have learned from coaches, professors, teammates, and/or friends while playing here that you will take with you into your next endeavor? The coaching staff at USF is doing more than developing baseball players. They are developing people. I have become a better baseball player in my five years here, but more importantly, I have become a better human being. When a player comes to USF, they are going to be treated as an adult whether they like it or not. In being held to a standard of excellence on and off the field, I have been molded into the person I am today. It is not asked that players carry themselves in a certain way at USF... It's expected. How do you feel having spent your entire time in college at USF? I don't know what it would have been like to go to more than one institution, much less play baseball in two different programs. I have loved every minutes spent at USF. When I was looking at schools to attend, baseball was a big factor in my decision. But I didn't look at schools for the right reasons. I was drawn to the big name schools with the best facilities and the biggest reputations. I had been talking to U.C Berkeley about playing baseball when USF contacted me. I didn't really give USF the time of day until Cal fell through. Had I done my homework and kept in touch with USF, my decision would have been much easier and it would have been made much sooner! USF has been the perfect fit for me. I love the school, the education and the baseball program. I can't imagine spending college in another place. What's next for you? The MLB draft didn't go as I had hoped so it's time for me to go a different direction with my life. Baseball is a funny thing. In a conversation I had with Coach Giarratano after the draft, coach told me "Baseball is a funny thing. It's a great game that you keep with you your entire life, but it never ends on your terms. Even if you play professionally, it doesn't end when you're ready to be done with it". I believe those words completely, and it is for that reason that I have made the decision to move on. I feel there is no better time for me to walk away from the game. I had a good senior year and I spent it with a group of guys I wouldn't trade for any "signing bonus". Currently, I am studying for my LSAT exams before I apply to Law school. I expect to rejoin former teammate Tavo Hall in Munich, Germany for a spring of European ball before I return and begin my graduate studies. That's the tentative plan, but life's a funny thing... I expect a few more curve balls to come my way before it's all said and done. Any advice to your former teammates? You're a part of something special. It's something that most people will never experience. Enjoy your time as a player and as a student. USF is a program unlike any other in the country. You're a part of a program that is bigger than any one person, but at the same time is never too large for any one individual to make a difference. Make the difference or become the difference... and enjoy the process of doing it. Go Dons! June 25, 2009 I'm currently playing summer ball up in Spokane, WA in the West Coast League; and from the experiences I have had thus far, I am greatly thankful and excited to have this opportunity. This year's team has many familiar and soon to be familiar faces to the WCC. Players from USF, Gonzaga, USD, and Pepperdine are on my team; they have all proved themselves great guys, even though they play for the enemies. I find myself enjoying my teammates and my coaches more and more every day I have with them because they are all welcoming and all have positive outlooks not on just baseball, but in matters off the field as well. The team I play for is called the Spokane Riverhawks, coached by Barry Matthews (one of Coach Moore's former rivals who says he could still carve Moore up any day of the week...). Alongside him are two other coaches, one being fresh out of Gonzaga and the other a Gonzaga graduate with five years of minor league ball under his belt. With the baseball experience my coaching staff possesses, I see our team learning much about the game of baseball through different methods of teaching and environment. Thankfully, I am not alone up here in Washington. I have Mr. Kyle Lawton alongside me for the ride, which is not only awesome because he is one of my boys from school ball, but he played here last summer. He has been a great outlet for non-athletic activities and events, showing me the ropes of Spokane and all the cool stuff to do when we have some days off. Lately we have been taking day trips up to Coeur d'Alene Lake in Idaho just thirty minutes away. One of our teammate's host family owns a lake house where we are always welcome to hang out. Three times now we have been up there to get after the water sports and beaches. From tubing, water skiing, to wake boarding, to babe watching has been the highlight of the lake adventures. From time to time we go river floating on big tubes where we travel downstream about five miles. Baseball-wise, I love the competition up here. The league has some serious talent on every team, so there is always a challenge when I get the chance to toe the rubber. Of course our team is the best because I say so, but all the other teams are pretty good (except Matty Lu's team from last summer). Sorry Matty, but Moses Lake is brutal this year again, but whatever. But for real, I am having a great time getting some quality innings up here and working on my summer goals. So far I think I have been doing a pristine job of staying on it and AOEPing with every chance I get. I'm just mad that Abe isn't up here to again this summer. Mr. Love, you have a great opportunity to pitch against the one and only Abe. Last but definitely not least, the O'Neil's (my host family) are awesome! My host dad John and mom Lori are some of the kindest people I have ever met and I will definitely be grateful all summer and the rest of my life for the support they show for me and for taking me into their home, as well as sharing their ten year old son to play catch with and teach. He is really into baseball, so he is always bugging me to toss it around with him. The family is at every home game and at some away games no matter if I pitch or not, which is a great deal, knowing that they like the game. I'm looking forward to the rest of the summer with my new friends and host family. Keep in touch boys and good luck with your summers. AOEP June 24, 2009 What is happening USF fans!?!? This is Matt Lujan reporting on my summer ball experience. This is my second summer traveling away from home; I will be a junior at USF next year and can't wait! Well let me tell you that last summer I thought I was far from home and I was only in Washington. This summer I am blogging all the way from a small town in Cape Cod Massachusetts called Brewster. I was fortunate enough to be one of very few college baseball players playing in the Cape Cod summer baseball league. The environment here is awesome! The people who run the program are all about us and my host family is once again fabulous. The Brewster Whitecaps are embarking on their twentieth year in the "Cape." The coaching staff is awesome, headed by lefty pitching coach from UCSB, Tom Meyers, who I could ask nothing less of. The competition in this league is like nothing I have ever seen before. Everyday a new pitcher is on the mound pounding 90mph fastballs with nasty movement and dirty sliders. With good pitching comes great hitting as well, I have seen 95mph fastballs get turned on and hit a mile. For now though I would say that the pitchers have the upper hand, but I am counting on the hitting to come around. The fields we play at are all within an hour of each other so that makes it very easy to travel from one to the next. I really have no complaints about where I am and the type of people I am playing for and with. Lately the weather has not been great. I got rained out of my second start which is very unusual on the "Cape," or so say the locals. The team here is awesome. We have quite a few guys from California which makes sense because that is where the coaches are from. Guys the readers may know include USD guys Casey Schmidt and Kyle Blair, Pepperdine's Scott Alexander, Cal's Mark Canha, UCLA's Eric Goeddel and Niko Gallego and our very own USF Don Stephen Yarrow. So far my experience has been phenomenal. I am learning something new every day whether it be from a coach, player or our competition. This summer is a wonderful opportunity for me as a person and as a ball player. My roommate this summer is also a left handed pitcher from Vanderbilt University, Sean Bierman, an awesome dude originally from New Jersey. That being said he is a Yankee fan and the Boston fans around here like to give him a hard time. Well Dons readers it has been a pleasure sharing what I have been through so far! Hope everyone is doing great. Take it easy. Go Dons! June 19, 2009 Hello everyone. My name is Alex Kalogrides and I am going to be a senior next semester at USF. This is the third summer that I have traveled to another part of the country to compete in a summer collegiate baseball league. After my freshman year, I went out to Harrisonburg, Virginia for the first half of my summer, and ended up in Yuba City, CA for the second half. Last summer I played on a team in Brainerd, Minnesota in the Northwoods league and we traveled all around the Midwest. This summer I was all set to play in the Cape Cod league but my plans fell through two days before leaving the Bay Area. After a few quick phone calls by Coach Moore, I landed a spot on the New Bedford Bay Sox of the New England Collegiate League. I was thrilled that the team needed another pitcher because I did not have to cancel my plane ticket out to New England since the town of New Bedford is only 20 minutes from the Cape. Also, fellow USF pitcher Doug Murray is on the New Bedford team which makes things out here much more enjoyable. New Bedford, Massachusetts is a small town that used to be a large part of the whaling industry. The town has just about everything I need within walking or running distance. There are places to eat, a gym, a grocery store, and even a mall all within a short walk. There even is a beach that is only a couple miles away, but the weather hasn't been great out here so far. I live with a host family about one mile away from our field. My host parents or perhaps I should call them my host brother and sister (they are only about six or seven years older than me) are Jason and April. They have been very kind to me, providing me with a nice large bedroom and plenty of video games to keep me occupied. They also have taken me out to show me around New Bedford and its surrounding areas. On one of our off days they are going to take me up to Boston which is about forty-five minutes away to spend the day there. They are very kind people and I really appreciate their hospitality. The baseball part of it has been rather slow thus far. Our schedule is quite spread out as we have sixteen off days throughout the summer. We also have had a few games that have been rained out. Last summer I only had about five days off for the whole time I was out there so there is a lot more down time out here which I am not really used to. The New England Collegiate League is sponsored in part by Major League Baseball and our team is sponsored by Under Armor so we have a lot of nice gear. Our team is off to a slow start, but we have a lot of talent. We are currently 3-5. The places where we have played have ranged from high school fields with bleachers, to nice stadiums full of chair back seats, to old time parks where Babe Ruth once played with both dugouts on the first base line. It has been quite interesting to travel around the different states within New England and see all the different areas. June 17, 2009 This summer I was lucky enough to be sent to Honolulu, Hawaii to play summer ball in the Hawaii Collegiate Baseball League. I was very excited to come here and play not only because of the great weather and beaches, but I also have family that live fifteen minutes from where I am staying. I do not get to see this family very often so it is nice seeing them and they have been helping me get situated in my new home for the next 7 weeks. I arrived in Hawaii last Wednesday and headed to my living arrangements, which unlike many other leagues where players stay with host families, all the players in the league stay in an apartment complex. There are over 150 players from all over the country staying in this one complex so you can imagine how interesting the lifestyle is. It is awesome being able to meet players from all over; there are guys from WCC schools like Santa Clara, Pepperdine, and Saint Mary's and many other places all over the country such as New York and Florida. Living with the players really allows you to get know the guys, not only on your team, but on all the other teams as well. I am living with fellow Don Teammate Matt Quintero and we are sharing a room and in our apartment which we also share with guys from Maryland, Rhode Island, and Southern California. We play six games a week then get Fridays off to hang out, go down to the beach, and explore all the beauties of Hawaii. Every day we bus down to the fields together where we play one game of a three game series against each team. It is a 35 game season with a tournament championship the last week. There are six different teams and I am on the Hawaii Aliis (Chiefs) and we are currently 3-2. We started off 0-2 and have won three straight and are shaking off the cob webs and playing really well. I have been playing centerfield and have been batting leadoff. I am having a great time playing in this great weather, I expected it to be extremely hot and uncomfortable to play in, but because of the nice breeze that is constantly flowing it makes for great baseball weather. The coach of our team is Carl Fratecelli and he is from the bay area and coached around the area I lived so we know a lot the same people. He is a really great coach that lets the players play their game, but also is there willing to teach the game. When we are not out on the baseball field we spend a lot of time at the beaches and that has been awesome! It is so nice to go and relax in the water or lay in the sand after a long day at the field. I have also found out how much of a workout it is to go out swimming in the ocean with the strong currents and waves, it has been wiping me out. I am having a blast here and am enjoying every day, it has been a great opportunity to play here so far and I hope to have many more great memories and friendships. What is better than waking up playing the game you love, then going to relax on the most beautiful beaches in the world? June 16, 2009 Q&A with USF Baseball Alumnus Drew Johnson June 15, 2009 After a great five days at home, I embarked on what would be my first trip to the east coast to play my first summer ball in a collegiate league. I am playing in the Cal Ripken Sr. Collegiate League with my teammates Connor Bernatz and Cameron Love and many others from different schools. I flew on Virgin America, watching two movies on the flight over, flying into Washington Dulles Airport. I was warmly welcomed to the east coast when my host father (Brent Weingardt) met me at the baggage claim. I was first introduced to the humid weather while walking to the car when Brent came to pick me up at the airport. When we returned home I was warmly welcomed by Brent's kids: Josh (21), Jason (18), and Julia (15). I later accompanied Brent to pick up his wife, Dani. I sat around that night talking to my host brothers and sister. I found out that Jason is the voice of the Big Train. He is the internet broadcaster when we have home games. He is also attending the College of Wooster, which he found in the latest edition of Sports Illustrated walking off the field losing the championship game for Division III. Julia interviewed me for her school paper. It was my first interview; it was pretty rocky to say the least. She is among the top in her class in just about every category thought of. Josh has been my guide, helping me get around the city and such. Since this was my first time doing anything of this sort, I was really fortunate to have the host family that I do. They have always been there to help me through the transition of being off on my own, 3,000 miles away from home. With great food and hospitality, so far, I can say that I've really enjoyed my stay here in Maryland. Now let's get on to the baseball part of Maryland. To me, it's like I ran into a team that I've known all my life. The guys here are really easy to get along with and have been a real joy to play alongside. There were a lot of returners to the team so it was really easy to get into the mix. Since I don't have a car here, I have been catching a ride with what has become one of my good buddies, Mike Bottoms from Morehead State. The community of Bethesda has brought just over 1,000 fans at every game. Our supporters have been greatly appreciated and our general manager chooses a couple of non-profit organizations to be recognized by throwing out the first pitch of our home games. We are still currently undefeated as our pitching staff has dominated every team that we've played. From what I hear from some of the guys, this is one of the most potent offences that the team has seen. We have the reigning MVP of the Cal Ripken League and many potential draft picks. Our defense has been absolutely outstanding. But the real challenge lies within the Maryland Orioles. They won the league last year, but the Bethesda Big Train is looking to regain that title this year! Since we have a lot of returners, one thing that I have really enjoyed is the questions. We are frequently asked questions like: How is Matt Hiserman doing? How is Zack Kim doing? Hearing all the remarks from the coaching staff and returning players about our guys: all I have to say is that Connor, Cameron, and I have some big shoes to fill! With all of this being said, I hope that we can fill the shoes of the previous Dons. Those guys being Jonnie Knoble, Evan Fredrickson, Matt Hiserman, Zack Kim, and many others. They have left a legacy with our coach, Sal Colangelo and the rest of the coaching staff. Coach Sal talks about those guys all the time and he makes references about them, telling us stories about the previous summers. June 12, 2009 Greetings from Manchester, Connecticut. I am out here in the New England Collegiate Baseball League (NECBL) playing for the Manchester Silkworms this summer, and so far it's been an awesome experience. We travel all over New England to play our competition and the bus rides are anywhere between one and four hours, spanning over five states. The stadiums and parks we play at have been amazing so far. The fans really appreciate the game of baseball and it shows in the attendance. Some games are attended by a few thousand fans, which makes for a wonderful atmosphere to play baseball in. Soon I will have the chance to play some USF teammates including Doug Murray, Alex Kalogrides, and Sean Burns, who are also playing on teams in the NECBL. My teammates are really easy to get along with, which is usually the case with baseball players since we all have a lot in common. Being the only player on the team from anywhere out west, I get a lot of questions about California and the west coast. My favorite is when they ask questions such as, "isn't it a perfect world out there?" or "isn't it true that when you're from California the world seems to revolve around you?" I almost always end up answering these questions by telling them about Newport Beach native, Connor Bernatz. I am currently living with Larry and Grace Cedrone, their two daughters Mimi and Sj, and son Evan. They are a wonderful family with a beautiful home. Every day the refrigerator seems to be fuller then the day before, and I am loving it. They feed my well at the Cedrone house, and after games the teams are fed more than enough food with a meal cooked by volunteers. I am enjoying every moment out here, and every opportunity to get better at the game of baseball. I am also looking forward to the rest of the summer season and what it has to offer me from a personal and baseball perspective. June 11, 2009 My summer ball experience has been a very interesting experience so far, to say the least. For one thing, the league in general is a very competitive league that is structured well and has many good players. In terms of baseball, the Atlantic Collegiate League is a good league with many players from different schools that definitely have a good feel for the game. Our coach is from Santa Clara and is pretty cool considering the fact that he is from Santa Clara! June 8, 2009 This summer I am playing in beautiful Bethesda, Maryland for the Bethesda Big Train. Upon my arrival about a week and a half ago, I met my host family at the Baltimore Airport. Walt, Sheila, and Gage (8 years old) welcomed me to their home on a very wet Friday evening. My host family treats me like a son and I think Gage will try to follow me back home in August. I am fed very well and am comfortable with a nice living space and a 72" high definition satellite television, in addition to my ride to the field occasionally being Walt's 1970 Corvette Stingray. I haven't built up the confidence to request a test drive yet. June 5, 2009 Hello world, my name is Robert Abel and this is my first blog about my summer baseball experience. I am currently playing in the Northwood's collegiate league, and my team is the Lacrosse Loggers. This team and league have a rich history for being one of the best summer leagues in the country. The whole experience is based around mimicking minor league baseball. From start to finish we play 68 games in less than 3 months, we have long road trips (longest being 12 hours) and we get to the baseball field 5 hours before game time to practice. Don't worry, not all teams get to enjoy the opportunity to get to the field that early, I'm pretty sure the loggers are the only ones who do that. Our average attendance at our games right now is around 3000, but school hasn't even been released yet. So our game today is predicted to have 4500. Boy will it be rocking! The town of lacrosse loves its baseball! I get to sign plenty of baseballs after the game as the kids who already know your name and college rush the field when the last out is recorded. Once you put on a logger uniform you have instantly turned yourself into a celebrity. Currently I am batting sixth in the lineup, hitting over .300, and I stole my first bag last night. The competition is very tough and with the wood bats (Rawlings sponsored league) the games go by a lot faster and the scores are lower. My team is also doing well; we sit atop the league with a 6-3 record tied with the Battle Creek Bombers. In our first home game we won in dramatic fashion with a 3-run walk off homerun in the bottom of the ninth. The crowd went crazy! And oh boy was that ball crushed! My host family is great, the Thihlers are a very dedicated host family, and they always have food for us when we get back from the field late at night if we didn't get to eat. They are very caring and most of all; they love their baseball just like us! I am living with another baseball player from Nebraska named Kash (soon to be sophomore RHP/corner infielder) he is a really good player and even better person to live with. So far we haven't had an off day yet, but we have our first one this Sunday and the team has us going to a boys and girls club for a meet the Loggers day, which should be a lot of fun for the kids since they can't get enough of us after the games. In this jammed packed summer season we only have 5 more off days, my host family is in the progress of planning something we all can do as a family ( I heard them talking about going jet skiing!) I just hope I can get back to playing baseball in one piece. So far the Northwood's league experience has been a great one and I am more than grateful to be a part of such a perfectly run operation. In my eyes this is one of the best, if not the best summer league in the country. I am looking forward to grinding out this tough schedule and being able to look back on the summer with a smile and a book full of memories to share with my Dons teammates. June 3, 2009 I am playing Baseball this summer in Folsom, CA for the Folsom Pioneers. So far Folsom has been a great place to be. I am staying with a host family. The owner of the house is actually the mom of the owner of the team. She is a very nice woman and I enjoy being here because I feel very welcome. My gym that I am working out at is about 2 minutes away from my house. Folsom Lake is less than 10 minutes away from me. There is a great Mexican restaurant that is close by my house and if you know me you know that I like to eat a lot. We just finished our first weekend series against Nevada Bighorn, taking two out of three games. On Sunday I hit my first home run in Folsom at our home field. Our next game is on Wednesday at 5:00pm at Canadá College in Redwood City against the Nor-Cal Longhorns and I will be the starting pitcher. There is a catcher on my team that goes to Solano College, which is where Ryan Lipkin went before transferring to USF. There are a couple other guys from the Woodland area that say that they know Robert Abel. The whole team seems like a good group of guys. It looks like our team is going to do pretty well in this league so I'm excited that we have starting playing and have been doing well. I think we have some good arms. We have some crafty pitchers and we have a few good power pitchers. Our line-up has been hitting pretty well. Overall it seems as if both on offense and defense we are pretty solid. I will be playing at three different positions for this team. I will be pitching and playing both left field and first base. There are three St. Mary's players on the Pioneers, two of which I have played with in the past. The area is easy to navigate because everywhere you need to go to is only about 5-10 minutes driving distance away. I'm excited to continue playing this summer and have fun in the warmth of Folsom. It has been great to get going in summer baseball and look forward to the rest of our games. June 1st, 2009 My plane got into Baltimore Thursday night and my host dad was there to meet me right at baggage claim. Most summer ball teams have host families who the players live with for the summer, they provide housing, food, and plenty of good times. My host family consists of Mr. and Mrs. Obrien along with their two daughters, Jackie who is 19 and Laura, 17. We ate dinner my first night out on their porch, this is when I was introduced to the great humidity and bugs of the east coast. From what I am told the heat has yet to arrive, and bugs are on their way. I am anxiously awaiting the arrival of both. Seeing the field for the first time, I was quite impressed. The Big Train has been playing at a local field in the heart of Bethesda which has around 1,000 chair back seats, along with lights, as we play most of our games at night. After getting my uniform and meeting all the guys, we hit in the cages for a bit and afterwards all the guys just hung around and got to know one another. It is always fun to hear where everyone comes from. We have players all the way from Maine, Oregon, Mississippi, and even beautiful Southern California. One day of practice and next thing I knew it was time to lace up the cleats for the first exhibition game. The next night we played against a local club team in front of a packed house at our home field. The Big Train overcame a seven run deficit to win 10-7 in their first game. It is already fun to see how our team is establishing an identity of its own and working together towards wins already. We won our second exhibition game last night. Diamond Don Cameron Love was our starting pitcher and he pitched five innings allowing just one hit, leading our team to our second win. My summer ball experience so far has been nothing but good times one after another. Being able to just go out and play the game I love everyday not having to worry about school or anything else is definitely a nice way to spend the summer. Our season officially starts this coming Friday and I cannot wait for this Big Train to really get rolling.
July 27, 2009
Baseball has always been a key component every summer since I started playing. When I was younger it was just a few games, but it started to get more serious as I became more serious about baseball. Each summer, more games were added to the schedule, and slowly baseball began to take over. Well, the trend continued. This is definitely the most baseball I've played in one summer, and against the best competition. Before college started, I had never been away from home for more then a couple weeks, and the same goes for most college students when they first go to school. The difference is that most college students go home for the summer, but I have been given the opportunity to have some of the most fun playing baseball everyday in a small town named Bend, Oregon. The town itself is beautiful; due to its elevation it is strangely similar to Tahoe. There are trees everywhere, its nice and hot (today got up to 95) and there is a big, slow river that runs right through town that everybody floats down on inner tubes to spend time with friends. One of the perks of playing baseball in Bend is that everybody has heard of the Bend Elks baseball club. Bend has had the Elks for ten years, but before the Elks there were the Bandits, and before them there was another team and so on, so there is a tradition of baseball in the town. Jim Richards, who happens to be USF alum (GO DONS!), has been the owner of the Elks for the past ten years and has made many contributions to the town. The players favorite contribution that Mr. Richards has given the community is called "$2 Tuesdays!" where tickets are $2, beer is $2 and hot dogs are $2. The reason the players like it so much is because every Tuesday night game routinely brings over two thousand fans to come watch us play. This is my first experience living with a host family as well. My "host-parents" are so nice; they're an older couple with a son that is around thirty. He is a retired hand-surgeon and she is a potter. They are an interesting couple, but they love baseball and take really good care of me and Pete. The refrigerator always has food, they have the ultimate cable TV package, and all they ask for in return is for us to be clean. Clean our rooms, keep our laundry clean, clean our dishes and put them in the dishwasher. The only problem is that neither Pete nor I have a car, and since the host family keeps themselves quite busy, we ask for rides from players everyday. It can get a little old asking the same 3 players for rides everyday, but they understand and really don't mind. Previous summer ball experiences have been driving all around to this tournament or that game, maybe a hundred fans at the championship game. But nothing compares to having thousands of people watch you play baseball, and then have thirty kids ask for your autograph when the game ends. When people see you walking around with an Elks shirt on, they ask if you're on the team. My roommate Pete Levin (who is transferring to USF in the fall) was in a Big 5 and the cashier wanted to just give Pete the undershirt he was trying to buy. The Elks are a part of Bend, and the players are loved. Being recognized by complete strangers beats my old summer ball experience. I can't wait to see what the rest of the summer brings, and I can't wait to do it all over again.
July 22, 2009 This is Sean Burns reporting from North Adams, Massachusetts, where I have been fortunate enough to play for the Steeple Cats in the NECBL (New England Collegiate Baseball League). I have come to North Adams alone, but have had the pleasure of playing some of my fellow San Francisco teammates. Doug Murray and Alex Kalogrides are playing for the New Bedford Bay Sox and Travis Higgs is with the Manchester Silkworms. Though New England is a beautiful place to play ball, it has received some rather ugly weather this summer. We have had a total of nine games that have been rained out. Fortunately, on the off days my teammates and I have managed to keep busy and have really enjoyed each other's company. The North Adams community heavily supports the Steeple Cats organization and as a result the players have been blessed to partake in some memorable experiences. During the month of July the team took a trip to Fenway Park to watch the Boston Red Sox take on the Oakland Athletics. Additionally, we were taken to Cooperstown to visit the Baseball Hall of Fame and also had the opportunity to go sky diving, which I seized upon. On top of all of these amazing experiences I have been placed with a phenomenal host family. Jay and Nancy Meehan and their kids Connor and Allison have been the greatest host family that I could have asked for. They have welcomed me into their home and done their best to make this summer a comfortable and enjoyable time for me. From family barbecues, to weekend rounds on the golf course, we have made some memories that will last a lifetime. As for baseball, it has gone well throughout most of the summer. I was in relief when the season started, but I have recently worked my way into the starting rotation where I have had some success. The opportunities that I have been given here have really helped me develop and mature as a pitcher and more importantly as a competitor. My team has played very well this summer and we are preparing to make run at the league title with two weeks left in the season.
July 20, 2009 Hello Dons fans. I am writing from Orleans, Massachusetts where I am currently playing for the Orleans Firebirds (formerly known as the Orleans Cardinals). Orleans is on the eastern side of the cape with the Atlantic Ocean on its eastern border and Cape Cod Bay on its western border. This is my third summer of collegiate summer baseball. The past two summers I spent in Bethesda, Maryland playing for the Bethesda Big Train. Those two years I spent with an incredible host family on a very successful team. Because of this I was coming to Orleans with expectations I was sure could not be matched. This fear was reaffirmed when we got to the cape and not only did it seam to rain for the first two weeks but we also started the season out 0-4 and were the lone team on the cape without a win. However, after winning our first game in dramatic fashion things started to come together. It was a Tuesday morning when seven members of the Orleans Firebirds (0-4) pitching staff (me included) along with one of our catchers left Eldridge Park for Wellfleet Elementary. Wellfleet Elementary was one of the five elementary schools that the Firebirds visited throughout the first few weeks so we could meet the kids, answer any questions, and sing autographs. It seemed like any other normal trip to the elementary schools, but little did we know it could be the turning point for out entire season. After visiting grades 1-4, the eight of us, assisted by our pitching coach, walked down the hall to the 5th graders classroom. We were surprised to see that there was no one in the classroom. We soon found out that we oddly enough were a little behind schedule, (something very foreign to USF pitchers....) and the 5th graders were already out at recess. With recess being the favorite subject in elementary school for most of our group we were eager to get out there. This was until we saw them playing a game of soccer. We were asked to join. Having not won a game all summer we reluctantly joined. It was a nail biter all the way, with either tremendous goal keeping or terrible shooting, either way it was clear no one was going to score. We finally had to turn to penalty kicks. We decided that each team would have three shots. After the first five shots all completely missed the area in and around the goals, it was down to our catcher. It all seemed to happen in slow motion as Matt Koch (LMU) kicked the ball right between the legs of the Wellfleet Elementary 5th grade goalie. It was our first victory of the summer. Later that day we went to Hyannis to play the Mets and were able to get out first baseball win of the summer. The next day the sun came out and everything was great. After getting that tough win on a walk off in penalty kicks everything has seemed to get a little easier for out team and we are now currently in first place in the eastern division of the Cape Cod League and hold the best record in either division. It has been a great summer to date. We have since had absolutely beautiful weather and with the beach about a mile and a half from our field it has been a tough location to beat. I am staying with Nancy Nickerson and her husband Rob. Both of their children have graduated college and have families of their own. Because of this they have been able to take in myself, along with another pitcher Brett Weibley (Kent State), and have treated us as their own. The team is a great group of ball players but more importantly are a great group of guys from all over the country including three NCAA national champions, one from Oregon State, one from Fresno State, and one from Lynn University who won the Division II Championship this year. Being around these players and hearing their stories of Omaha has only got me more ready to start the spring. I hope everyone is enjoying their summers and I will see you all in the fall. AOEP!
July 17, 2009 I am playing summer ball in Lorain, Ohio. Lorain is about 30 minutes west of Cleveland right on Lake Erie. I am playing for the Northcoast Knights in the Prospect League. We are a first year team so we don't draw very many fans. I would say we average about 30 a game, but when we are on the road we get a lot more. When we played in Hannibal, Missouri (home of Mark Twain) I got to pitch in front of about 2,500 people and thought that was pretty cool. The team is doing pretty good; we are currently in second place only a half game back at the all-star break. Our team consists of players from all over like: USC, UC Riverside, Long Beach State, Tulane, Boston College, Coastal Carolina, Washington State, and others. So we have a lot of good talent and we are finally putting it together as a team. We started out kind of slow but now we are right in the mix of things. We have had some problems chemistry wise because of players leaving but I think our team should be set now. The top two teams from the east division and the top two from the west division make the playoffs and I think we have a good chance of winning the league. For me it has been really good baseball wise. I am in the starting rotation and have been pitching pretty well. I currently lead our division in ERA and just got back from pitching in the all-star game, which was pretty fun. The all-star game was played in Springfield Illinois, home of Abraham Lincoln. It was a nice experience and I had a good time. The first day I got here my host family took me to an Indians game and they were playing the Yankees. My host family is huge Yankees fans so I was told to root for them. I also got to go to a pretty cool amusement park called Cedar Point, there are some big roller coasters and it was a lot of fun. I think the best place to visit in Ohio is Put-In Bay. It's an island in Lake Erie and it is more of a vacation place. I went with my family and really enjoyed it. I live with the Melendez family in Amherst Ohio, which is about ten minutes from the field. I live with one of the guys on the team's family, which is nice cause there is someone my age I live with and he shows me around. My experience in Ohio has been good so far and I hope everything continues to go as is. We have a good chance of winning the league and if we keep playing well we should win it. Our owner said we get championship rings if we win the league so I hope to be bringing one home. July 13, 2009 Hey everyone, this is Doug Murray writing from New Bedford, Massachusetts, home of the Bay Sox. I am going to be a senior next year at USF. This is my second summer away from home playing collegiate baseball. Last year I was in Battle Creek, Michigan playing for the Bombers with Sean Burns and Connor Bernatz in the Northwoods league. I flew out to New Bedford May 29th and was greeted by my host parents at the airport. My host parents Jim and Kristen Lancaster have been great; they treat me better than I could have ever wished for. I get to come home to good food, a family that loves baseball, and my new brother and sister, Kyle (7) and Katheryn (5). Katheryn is a fun little girl that was shy at first but has opened up to me and will finally say hi and goodnight. Kyle is the little brother I never had, we play wii, wiffle ball, nerf wars, baseball in the house, basketball, and we watch more baseball than I have watched in my entire life. He flips through games and watches for big name players or his fantasy players, while Kristen, the mom, tells him to leave it on the Red Sox games. The league I play in is the New England Collegiate Baseball League (NECBL). We travel all over New England, four hour bus ride max. Alex Kalogrides and I have been doing pretty well in the bullpen and we have seen a lot of Travis Higgs, who plays for the Manchester Silkworms. So far he is one for three off of me. The Bay Sox management has been great to us as well, we get good meals and they give us everything we need to perform and have fun. I recently had a once in a lifetime experience. The NECBL set up a game against team USA. I got to throw one inning, although I didn't do so well, and it was a great experience facing a bunch of great hitters. New England is a great place, besides the rain. We had rain every other day, but with all the off days I have got some time to travel around. My parents came out for a three week vacation so I spent some time with them in New York and Connecticut. I also got some tickets from my host parents to a Red Sox game and it happened to be for the day that my girlfriend flew out. My host parents know me so well they got the tickets for when the A's were in town, so we wore our A's jersey and saw eight other A's fans at the game. I am having a great time out here and I wish it would never end. I hope everyone is having a great summer. And staff, AEOP. July 10, 2009 Hey everyone, this is Christopher Escobar writing from Silverdale, WA where I am currently playing with the Kitsap Bluejackets. I will be a junior this coming fall and this is my second summer playing in the West Coast Collegiate League. On March 31st, as Kelly Costantini mentioned, I began our 12 hour drive from Stockton, CA to our host family's house in Silverdale, WA. As we arrived to the house, our host mom welcomed us into her home with open arms. She was very excited to finally meet the two players she would be spending the entire summer with. The minute we walked in we were shown to our rooms and given an immediate tour of the house. Pam, our host mom, is known as the Kitsap Bluejackets #1 fan. She even has decorated a room in the house full of Bluejacket memorabilia from over the past couple of years. She isn't the only hard core fan, we have many other fans that dedicate their time and support each and every night to the team. Our team is made up of a bunch of great guys from all over the country. We have come together as a team very well so far and are looking forward to having a good summer as a team. As I mentioned before this is my second summer in this league and I can honestly say the competition level is good. Each team in the league has some good players who can play the game of baseball, so each day at the ball park is a tough one. We are currently 9-14 in league. We struggled at the beginning a little bit but have started winning some games and bringing it all together. I think in the end our team will be fine and have a chance in the post season. The summer has been a lot of fun so far. Playing summer ball is a blast and very relaxing when baseball is the only thing on your mind. We wake up and play baseball just about every day. It doesn't get any better than that. On our off days we have a chance to hang out with teammates and do something fun like bowling or even going and hanging out at the lake for the day. Kitsap County has been a nice and relaxing time, as well as a whole new lifestyle then what I am used to back home in Stockton, CA or even San Francisco. I have learned a lot about myself and others from being in such a different place then what I am used to. I am really enjoying my summer so far playing in Kitsap. I have met a lot of new people and enjoy the small town of Silverdale. It is a very relaxing place where one can concentrate on what one needs to concentrate on. Playing in Kitsap will be something I remember forever and have a lot of great memories of. Good luck to all my fellow teammates and Go Dons! July 8, 2009 Hey Dons Fans, This is Bob Mott. I was a freshman pitcher this past season on the 2009 Diamond Dons. This summer I am playing in the beautiful town of San Luis Obispo, CA. Most players will be able to recall our trip this year to play Cal Poly, and the wonderful area surrounding it. I am currently playing for the San Luis Obispo Rattlers, coached by former major leaguer, Roy Howell. The Rattlers are in the California Collegiate League, comprised of teams down the coast of California, and the defending NBC National Champion Santa Barbara Foresters is leading our league right now. As many of you may know, I am from San Luis Obispo as well. Although I may have gotten some heat from teammates at USF for playing at home, I am definitely happy that I made the choice this year. I have been able to enjoy the fun aspects of living at home such as spending quality time with my family, and hanging out with high school friends that I have not had a chance to see for a year. I have also become friends with many of the guys on my team, showing them around San Luis and even offering some surf lessons. My teammates are from all around the country, from Miami to TCU to Hawaii. I have one WCC teammate from Portland, and there are a few other WCC players scattered around the league. This past season at USF, I was used as a middle reliever and lefty-specialist. This summer I have made the adjustment to starter, and I believe there are some definite positives to starting such as knowing exactly what days you are going to pitch, and how to gear your workouts towards your next start. There are some negatives however: I have found it nearly impossible to pitch solely off adrenaline as a starter, when nearly every pitch I threw in the spring had tons of intensity. You really have to work into a groove and attacking on every pitch is more difficult when you throw 100 pitches instead of 10. I have really enjoyed this challenge and I know it will help me become a better pitcher in the long run. I cannot wait to get back to USF and hear about everyone's summer ball experiences, and I have no regrets playing summer ball in my hometown because it is tough to beat the combination of California Summers and baseball. AOEP and Go Dons! July 6, 2009 Hey everyone! This is Stephen Yarrow writing to you from the tiny town of Brewster, Massachusetts. I will be a junior this coming fall at USF so this is my second summer playing in a collegiate wood bat league. Where to begin? June 9th sounds about right. This is the day that I flew 3000 miles and six hours into Providence international airport. I was lucky enough to have already met my host family before this time. See, the host family I am living with had Dons in the past. Their first player was Tavo Hall in 2006 and 2007, and last year in 2008 they hosted Derek Poppert. Both Tavo and Derek made such good impressions on them that they wanted to stick with players from USF. During our Santa Clara series they came out to see Derek and check out San Francisco, and I was fortunate enough to meet them and have dinner with them. They are truly great people and during the summer their lives revolve and the ball player they are hosting. I could not ask anything more from them; sometimes they treat me better than I deserve to be treated. Every night I come home to a fabulous meal, and during the day they take me anywhere I want to go. Now let's talk about the league. Well, the league is everything everyone says it is. Ten scouts watching BP everyday, fifteen or so by the time first pitch comes around. Advisors hand out packets of info about their companies. It truly is a great experience. I would not say it's the purest form of baseball but it definitely is one of the most interesting forms I have ever been a part of. The other day our whole team had to take a test for the Anaheim Angels to see if we were drafted by them, how we would fit into their organizations. Just on our team I know at least a hand full of players who already have advisors. It is an experience most people only dream of, and I am very lucky to have this opportunity. Our team is made up of people from all across the country, and we have pretty good chemistry so far. We have many players from California, and quite a few from our conference, so we all relate to each other very well. Our coaching staff is headed by UCSB pitching coach and recruiting coordinator Tom Myers, who is very knowledgeable about the game, and seems to be a great coach. As a team we started out slow but lately we have been coming along, and could be a force to be reckoned with soon. I hope everyone is enjoying their own summer ball experiences and I can't wait to see everyone in August. Have a good rest of the summer! July 3, 2009 Hello Dons baseball fans, I am writing from Kitsap, Washington where I play for the Kitsap Bluejackets. Kitsap is a county in Washington surrounded by water, with the Puget Sound and Seattle only about 45 minutes away. To be more specific, I am living in the small town of Silverdale, Washington (in Kitsap County). Early in the morning on March 31st fellow Diamond Don Chris Escobar and I began our 12-hour drive from Stockton, CA to our host mom's house here in Silverdale. Upon our arrival Pam Hansen, our host mom, became very excited and immediately welcomed us into her home to show us our rooms. Pam is the Kitsap Bluejackets self-proclaimed #1 fan and is obsessed with baseball. Surprisingly there are many fans like Pam here. I guess that's what happens when you stick a good baseball team into a very small town with no other teams to root for. On average the attendance at our games is around 500-900 people, which doesn't sound like a lot, but if you were to come here you would wonder if there were even that many people who just live here! Even the players on the team have reached a certain "celebrity status." On many occasions people have recognized both me and other players simply shopping in the local grocery store and asked for our autographs. Players have also made the front page of the newspaper several times. That should give you an idea of how small this town really is... Our team is made up of guys from all around the country as well as some locals. We have players from programs like Oklahoma State, UC Riverside, Texas Tech, Washington State and University of Washington. The competition in this league seems good so far and I am excited to go on some more road trips with the team and see some parts of the country that are new to me. I will also get the chance to visit with fellow Dons who play on different teams in this league like Garret Luippold, Nik Balog, Jordan Remer, and Kyle Lawton. The teams in this league (West Coast Collegiate League) are all located in the Northwest, which makes most of the bus rides relatively short, the longest being about 8 hours. There is one Canadian team, a few in Washington and a few more in Oregon. Our team is currently 6-10 in league. We struggled a little bit at the beginning, but we have been winning some games lately and seem to be putting it all together. There is still a lot of season left and I am excited to see how it will unfold because this league seems to be pretty balanced. So far it has been a blast playing here. It is a lot of fun to simply wake up and go play baseball everyday. Not to mention go hang out with the team on our off days. In our free time we have done many things. Going to Seattle, fishing, boating, and golfing are some of the things we have done as a team. It is also interesting to simply live here and experience a whole new lifestyle. Going from San Francisco to Silverdale was a major transition. In fact, Silverdale is probably just about as opposite as you could get from San Francisco, if you could imagine that... Like I said, I am really enjoying myself here playing baseball, meeting new people, and living a new lifestyle. Silverdale is a great to place to both live, play baseball and make memories that will last forever. Go Dons! July 1, 2009 Well, it looks like it's my turn to share my summer experience so far. I think it's safe to say mine will look a bit different than everyone else's. I'm not playing summer ball, nor am I graduated and moving on to other things.... rather, it's been me trying to make the hardest decision of my life (so far). As people probably know, I was drafted in the 28th round by the Cincinnati Reds. From the outside, I don't think people realize how hard this whole process really is. I know I didn't when I saw the guys who were older than me going through it my freshman and sophomore year. Though it's been extremely difficult for me so far, I have to remember to sit back and realize what a blessing this really is. It can be tremendously taxing and stressful to continuously run the decision factors through your head, and so sometimes the blessing can feel like a burden at times, but I try to remain with things in perspective as best I can. Though it's difficult, not many people are blessed to have such a hard decision with two pretty good options at either end. After this past season, I felt it was really important for me to have a summer off if I wasn't playing pro ball. There are a number of reasons for this, but I don't want to bore people with that. In short, the past year took a big toll on me. I felt it was in my best interest to have this time. Though I've chosen to do so, it's not like I've been sitting here in the sun with a pina colada everyday. In fact, quite the opposite is true. It's been a lot of soul-searching and hard thinking. So far it's been a real mix between relaxing time off, and stressful decision making resulting in a couple sleepless nights. I'm not lying when I say this is the hardest thing I've ever had to do. Some of you may see this for yourself at some point in time. Actually, I can bet everyone will at some point, although it may not be about baseball. All I can say is, one day you will look back on the whole thing and see that it was a huge life experience.... something to grow from, learn from, and ultimately make you grow up. The last few weeks I've been spending a lot of alone time trying to uncover what my heart is saying through all of this, though I've found this much easier said than done. I keep being told to "do what's best for you" and "do what your heart says", but in the midst of it all, as hard as one tries, it is hard to do. I've found, though, that there's only so much you can do in terms of reason and logic. At some point you have to just get quiet and see what voice or feeling is there beneath all the thoughts. One of the things I have done to help me is reach out to people and get their view on the situation. I've found this really helpful, as someone with an objective viewpoint may have insights you may have overlooked. I've sought advice from people who I really trust, as well as guys who have gone through the decision making and pro ball experience themselves. I'm lucky to have very loving and caring support around me. Aside from all that, I try to balance it out with something to take my mind off things. I tend to think through things deeply, and although I think this is a good thing, I also know I run the risk of over-thinking it and getting stressed out. I have to watch out for my own health. Usually I wake up and go to the gym here in my hometown in the morning for a workout. Also working on the tan so I'm not just jacked, I'm jacked and tan. Big difference! I've also got a batting cage I can use near my hometown by a hitting coach I used to go to in high school. He played a number of years in AAA and has some great knowledge of hitting, and I'm lucky to have a good enough relationship with him in which he has made a key to his facility for me so I can use it anytime I want. I've also been doing a lot of reading, catching up with some old friends, and spending quality time with my family. I love being outside, so I haven't done a lot of sitting around watching TV. Okay, maybe I have caught up on some movies I wanted to see... Anyways, I'm glad to hear that people are enjoying their summer ball experiences so far. After two summer ball experiences, I look back at my memories with a smile. It is something you will truly never forget, and something unlike any other you will ever experience. Work hard, play your best, and most of all....enjoy it! I hope to see everyone soon. June 29, 2009 I left June 2 for Spokane, Washington to start my summer ball experience. I was very excited and ready to embark on this new experience. I left San Jose International Airport at 12:25 PM only to arrive in Seattle at 2:00 PM then transfer over to Spokane. Once I arrived in the Spokane Airport I was greeted by my host mom and from there we left for her son's baseball game in Coeur D'Alene resort in Idaho. I am currently living with a single mother and her son. Ganene, the mother, and Tyler, the son, are extremely nice people and welcomed me into their family with open arms. A host family basically takes a baseball player into their home by feeding him and giving him a home. I reside in Spokane Valley which is a little town just on the outskirts of the main city Spokane. Now coming from a city like San Francisco to Spokane is like day and night. Spokane is more on the country side whereas San Francisco is a huge multicultural city. Making this transition was tough in the beginning but once I got used to the area, it is a ton of fun. But what is making this experience great are my teammates. My teammates are a great bunch of kids. We all have a great time but do work when work has to get done. As a team we have gone rafting, fishing, and go out a lot of the time. A lot of WCC players play in this league, so it is really cool that I get to play with some kids from USD, Gonzaga, Pepperdine, and more. I am also playing with my fellow teammates Kyle Lawton, and Garrett Luippold. The team is doing well with a record of 8 wins and 6 losses. Barry Matthews, our head coach, is a great guy. I enjoy playing for him and have a lot of fun off the field too. Our other assistant coaches are also great people, with not only a great knowledge of baseball but they have a great interaction with us players. Traveling makes summer ball summer ball. Our bus is a big charter bus, similar to the one we use at USF, which has Riverhawks written all over it. We travel to a ton of places including Wenatchee, Moses Lake, Corvallis, Bend (Oregon), Kelowna (Canada), Kitsap, and much more. Our shortest bus ride is an hour and a half, while our longest one is eight hours. But time doesn't really matter because we have so much fun messing around on the bus that time flies. All in all, I am having a great time here in Spokane and am getting use to the giant change in culture. I am very grateful to have the opportunity to be experiencing this, knowing these memories will stick with me throughout my life. June 26, 2009 Q&A With USF Basebal Alumnus Zach Kim What are some of your best memories from USF? It's hard for me to really narrow down a few specific instances but I know for a fact that my best memories all have something to do with baseball. Being a college athlete requires a player to sacrifice what many would call "the college experience", so I don't have the typical stories you might hear at a 10-year reunion. What I do have is an experience that will last a lifetime. I was a member of the first and only USF baseball team to play in the NCAA tournament in Lincoln, Nebraska. I remember coming out of the dugout before our game against Nebraska and being able to feel the ground shudder under the roar of Nebraska fans. Our fans were outnumbered roughly 100 to 1, yet at games end, our little section behind our dugout could be heard through Haymarket Park. Words can't describe the rush felt by every player. Being a part of this team has also brought me some of my closest friends who I will have for the rest of my life. Working with them on and off the field has created many of best memories. What will you miss the most? I could sit here and say that I'm going to miss the roar of the crowd and the rush from stealing bases... and it would be the truth... but that's not what I'm really going to miss when I look back on my time at USF. In being a member of the baseball team for 5 seasons, I have had the opportunity to mature, both as a player and a person. I'm going to miss the working through challenges with coaches and teammates. I'm going to miss traveling on the road with my closest friends. Most of all, I'm going to miss being a part of a group of guys brought together by a game to represent an entire university and an entire way of life. How has baseball impacted and influenced your life? Baseball has been dubbed by many as "The Great Equalizer" for its constant failures. In playing this game, I have a new approach to the rest of my life. I am more driven to attack my life and all its challenges with a relentless mentality that enables me to take risks, accept failure, and achieve success in a way that would otherwise not be possible. What are some things you have learned from coaches, professors, teammates, and/or friends while playing here that you will take with you into your next endeavor? The coaching staff at USF is doing more than developing baseball players. They are developing people. I have become a better baseball player in my five years here, but more importantly, I have become a better human being. When a player comes to USF, they are going to be treated as an adult whether they like it or not. In being held to a standard of excellence on and off the field, I have been molded into the person I am today. It is not asked that players carry themselves in a certain way at USF... It's expected. How do you feel having spent your entire time in college at USF? I don't know what it would have been like to go to more than one institution, much less play baseball in two different programs. I have loved every minutes spent at USF. When I was looking at schools to attend, baseball was a big factor in my decision. But I didn't look at schools for the right reasons. I was drawn to the big name schools with the best facilities and the biggest reputations. I had been talking to U.C Berkeley about playing baseball when USF contacted me. I didn't really give USF the time of day until Cal fell through. Had I done my homework and kept in touch with USF, my decision would have been much easier and it would have been made much sooner! USF has been the perfect fit for me. I love the school, the education and the baseball program. I can't imagine spending college in another place. What's next for you? The MLB draft didn't go as I had hoped so it's time for me to go a different direction with my life. Baseball is a funny thing. In a conversation I had with Coach Giarratano after the draft, coach told me "Baseball is a funny thing. It's a great game that you keep with you your entire life, but it never ends on your terms. Even if you play professionally, it doesn't end when you're ready to be done with it". I believe those words completely, and it is for that reason that I have made the decision to move on. I feel there is no better time for me to walk away from the game. I had a good senior year and I spent it with a group of guys I wouldn't trade for any "signing bonus". Currently, I am studying for my LSAT exams before I apply to Law school. I expect to rejoin former teammate Tavo Hall in Munich, Germany for a spring of European ball before I return and begin my graduate studies. That's the tentative plan, but life's a funny thing... I expect a few more curve balls to come my way before it's all said and done. Any advice to your former teammates? You're a part of something special. It's something that most people will never experience. Enjoy your time as a player and as a student. USF is a program unlike any other in the country. You're a part of a program that is bigger than any one person, but at the same time is never too large for any one individual to make a difference. Make the difference or become the difference... and enjoy the process of doing it. Go Dons! June 25, 2009 I'm currently playing summer ball up in Spokane, WA in the West Coast League; and from the experiences I have had thus far, I am greatly thankful and excited to have this opportunity. This year's team has many familiar and soon to be familiar faces to the WCC. Players from USF, Gonzaga, USD, and Pepperdine are on my team; they have all proved themselves great guys, even though they play for the enemies. I find myself enjoying my teammates and my coaches more and more every day I have with them because they are all welcoming and all have positive outlooks not on just baseball, but in matters off the field as well. The team I play for is called the Spokane Riverhawks, coached by Barry Matthews (one of Coach Moore's former rivals who says he could still carve Moore up any day of the week...). Alongside him are two other coaches, one being fresh out of Gonzaga and the other a Gonzaga graduate with five years of minor league ball under his belt. With the baseball experience my coaching staff possesses, I see our team learning much about the game of baseball through different methods of teaching and environment. Thankfully, I am not alone up here in Washington. I have Mr. Kyle Lawton alongside me for the ride, which is not only awesome because he is one of my boys from school ball, but he played here last summer. He has been a great outlet for non-athletic activities and events, showing me the ropes of Spokane and all the cool stuff to do when we have some days off. Lately we have been taking day trips up to Coeur d'Alene Lake in Idaho just thirty minutes away. One of our teammate's host family owns a lake house where we are always welcome to hang out. Three times now we have been up there to get after the water sports and beaches. From tubing, water skiing, to wake boarding, to babe watching has been the highlight of the lake adventures. From time to time we go river floating on big tubes where we travel downstream about five miles. Baseball-wise, I love the competition up here. The league has some serious talent on every team, so there is always a challenge when I get the chance to toe the rubber. Of course our team is the best because I say so, but all the other teams are pretty good (except Matty Lu's team from last summer). Sorry Matty, but Moses Lake is brutal this year again, but whatever. But for real, I am having a great time getting some quality innings up here and working on my summer goals. So far I think I have been doing a pristine job of staying on it and AOEPing with every chance I get. I'm just mad that Abe isn't up here to again this summer. Mr. Love, you have a great opportunity to pitch against the one and only Abe. Last but definitely not least, the O'Neil's (my host family) are awesome! My host dad John and mom Lori are some of the kindest people I have ever met and I will definitely be grateful all summer and the rest of my life for the support they show for me and for taking me into their home, as well as sharing their ten year old son to play catch with and teach. He is really into baseball, so he is always bugging me to toss it around with him. The family is at every home game and at some away games no matter if I pitch or not, which is a great deal, knowing that they like the game. I'm looking forward to the rest of the summer with my new friends and host family. Keep in touch boys and good luck with your summers. AOEP June 24, 2009 What is happening USF fans!?!? This is Matt Lujan reporting on my summer ball experience. This is my second summer traveling away from home; I will be a junior at USF next year and can't wait! Well let me tell you that last summer I thought I was far from home and I was only in Washington. This summer I am blogging all the way from a small town in Cape Cod Massachusetts called Brewster. I was fortunate enough to be one of very few college baseball players playing in the Cape Cod summer baseball league. The environment here is awesome! The people who run the program are all about us and my host family is once again fabulous. The Brewster Whitecaps are embarking on their twentieth year in the "Cape." The coaching staff is awesome, headed by lefty pitching coach from UCSB, Tom Meyers, who I could ask nothing less of. The competition in this league is like nothing I have ever seen before. Everyday a new pitcher is on the mound pounding 90mph fastballs with nasty movement and dirty sliders. With good pitching comes great hitting as well, I have seen 95mph fastballs get turned on and hit a mile. For now though I would say that the pitchers have the upper hand, but I am counting on the hitting to come around. The fields we play at are all within an hour of each other so that makes it very easy to travel from one to the next. I really have no complaints about where I am and the type of people I am playing for and with. Lately the weather has not been great. I got rained out of my second start which is very unusual on the "Cape," or so say the locals. The team here is awesome. We have quite a few guys from California which makes sense because that is where the coaches are from. Guys the readers may know include USD guys Casey Schmidt and Kyle Blair, Pepperdine's Scott Alexander, Cal's Mark Canha, UCLA's Eric Goeddel and Niko Gallego and our very own USF Don Stephen Yarrow. So far my experience has been phenomenal. I am learning something new every day whether it be from a coach, player or our competition. This summer is a wonderful opportunity for me as a person and as a ball player. My roommate this summer is also a left handed pitcher from Vanderbilt University, Sean Bierman, an awesome dude originally from New Jersey. That being said he is a Yankee fan and the Boston fans around here like to give him a hard time. Well Dons readers it has been a pleasure sharing what I have been through so far! Hope everyone is doing great. Take it easy. Go Dons! June 19, 2009 Hello everyone. My name is Alex Kalogrides and I am going to be a senior next semester at USF. This is the third summer that I have traveled to another part of the country to compete in a summer collegiate baseball league. After my freshman year, I went out to Harrisonburg, Virginia for the first half of my summer, and ended up in Yuba City, CA for the second half. Last summer I played on a team in Brainerd, Minnesota in the Northwoods league and we traveled all around the Midwest. This summer I was all set to play in the Cape Cod league but my plans fell through two days before leaving the Bay Area. After a few quick phone calls by Coach Moore, I landed a spot on the New Bedford Bay Sox of the New England Collegiate League. I was thrilled that the team needed another pitcher because I did not have to cancel my plane ticket out to New England since the town of New Bedford is only 20 minutes from the Cape. Also, fellow USF pitcher Doug Murray is on the New Bedford team which makes things out here much more enjoyable. New Bedford, Massachusetts is a small town that used to be a large part of the whaling industry. The town has just about everything I need within walking or running distance. There are places to eat, a gym, a grocery store, and even a mall all within a short walk. There even is a beach that is only a couple miles away, but the weather hasn't been great out here so far. I live with a host family about one mile away from our field. My host parents or perhaps I should call them my host brother and sister (they are only about six or seven years older than me) are Jason and April. They have been very kind to me, providing me with a nice large bedroom and plenty of video games to keep me occupied. They also have taken me out to show me around New Bedford and its surrounding areas. On one of our off days they are going to take me up to Boston which is about forty-five minutes away to spend the day there. They are very kind people and I really appreciate their hospitality. The baseball part of it has been rather slow thus far. Our schedule is quite spread out as we have sixteen off days throughout the summer. We also have had a few games that have been rained out. Last summer I only had about five days off for the whole time I was out there so there is a lot more down time out here which I am not really used to. The New England Collegiate League is sponsored in part by Major League Baseball and our team is sponsored by Under Armor so we have a lot of nice gear. Our team is off to a slow start, but we have a lot of talent. We are currently 3-5. The places where we have played have ranged from high school fields with bleachers, to nice stadiums full of chair back seats, to old time parks where Babe Ruth once played with both dugouts on the first base line. It has been quite interesting to travel around the different states within New England and see all the different areas. June 17, 2009 This summer I was lucky enough to be sent to Honolulu, Hawaii to play summer ball in the Hawaii Collegiate Baseball League. I was very excited to come here and play not only because of the great weather and beaches, but I also have family that live fifteen minutes from where I am staying. I do not get to see this family very often so it is nice seeing them and they have been helping me get situated in my new home for the next 7 weeks. I arrived in Hawaii last Wednesday and headed to my living arrangements, which unlike many other leagues where players stay with host families, all the players in the league stay in an apartment complex. There are over 150 players from all over the country staying in this one complex so you can imagine how interesting the lifestyle is. It is awesome being able to meet players from all over; there are guys from WCC schools like Santa Clara, Pepperdine, and Saint Mary's and many other places all over the country such as New York and Florida. Living with the players really allows you to get know the guys, not only on your team, but on all the other teams as well. I am living with fellow Don Teammate Matt Quintero and we are sharing a room and in our apartment which we also share with guys from Maryland, Rhode Island, and Southern California. We play six games a week then get Fridays off to hang out, go down to the beach, and explore all the beauties of Hawaii. Every day we bus down to the fields together where we play one game of a three game series against each team. It is a 35 game season with a tournament championship the last week. There are six different teams and I am on the Hawaii Aliis (Chiefs) and we are currently 3-2. We started off 0-2 and have won three straight and are shaking off the cob webs and playing really well. I have been playing centerfield and have been batting leadoff. I am having a great time playing in this great weather, I expected it to be extremely hot and uncomfortable to play in, but because of the nice breeze that is constantly flowing it makes for great baseball weather. The coach of our team is Carl Fratecelli and he is from the bay area and coached around the area I lived so we know a lot the same people. He is a really great coach that lets the players play their game, but also is there willing to teach the game. When we are not out on the baseball field we spend a lot of time at the beaches and that has been awesome! It is so nice to go and relax in the water or lay in the sand after a long day at the field. I have also found out how much of a workout it is to go out swimming in the ocean with the strong currents and waves, it has been wiping me out. I am having a blast here and am enjoying every day, it has been a great opportunity to play here so far and I hope to have many more great memories and friendships. What is better than waking up playing the game you love, then going to relax on the most beautiful beaches in the world? June 16, 2009 Q&A with USF Baseball Alumnus Drew Johnson June 15, 2009 After a great five days at home, I embarked on what would be my first trip to the east coast to play my first summer ball in a collegiate league. I am playing in the Cal Ripken Sr. Collegiate League with my teammates Connor Bernatz and Cameron Love and many others from different schools. I flew on Virgin America, watching two movies on the flight over, flying into Washington Dulles Airport. I was warmly welcomed to the east coast when my host father (Brent Weingardt) met me at the baggage claim. I was first introduced to the humid weather while walking to the car when Brent came to pick me up at the airport. When we returned home I was warmly welcomed by Brent's kids: Josh (21), Jason (18), and Julia (15). I later accompanied Brent to pick up his wife, Dani. I sat around that night talking to my host brothers and sister. I found out that Jason is the voice of the Big Train. He is the internet broadcaster when we have home games. He is also attending the College of Wooster, which he found in the latest edition of Sports Illustrated walking off the field losing the championship game for Division III. Julia interviewed me for her school paper. It was my first interview; it was pretty rocky to say the least. She is among the top in her class in just about every category thought of. Josh has been my guide, helping me get around the city and such. Since this was my first time doing anything of this sort, I was really fortunate to have the host family that I do. They have always been there to help me through the transition of being off on my own, 3,000 miles away from home. With great food and hospitality, so far, I can say that I've really enjoyed my stay here in Maryland. Now let's get on to the baseball part of Maryland. To me, it's like I ran into a team that I've known all my life. The guys here are really easy to get along with and have been a real joy to play alongside. There were a lot of returners to the team so it was really easy to get into the mix. Since I don't have a car here, I have been catching a ride with what has become one of my good buddies, Mike Bottoms from Morehead State. The community of Bethesda has brought just over 1,000 fans at every game. Our supporters have been greatly appreciated and our general manager chooses a couple of non-profit organizations to be recognized by throwing out the first pitch of our home games. We are still currently undefeated as our pitching staff has dominated every team that we've played. From what I hear from some of the guys, this is one of the most potent offences that the team has seen. We have the reigning MVP of the Cal Ripken League and many potential draft picks. Our defense has been absolutely outstanding. But the real challenge lies within the Maryland Orioles. They won the league last year, but the Bethesda Big Train is looking to regain that title this year! Since we have a lot of returners, one thing that I have really enjoyed is the questions. We are frequently asked questions like: How is Matt Hiserman doing? How is Zack Kim doing? Hearing all the remarks from the coaching staff and returning players about our guys: all I have to say is that Connor, Cameron, and I have some big shoes to fill! With all of this being said, I hope that we can fill the shoes of the previous Dons. Those guys being Jonnie Knoble, Evan Fredrickson, Matt Hiserman, Zack Kim, and many others. They have left a legacy with our coach, Sal Colangelo and the rest of the coaching staff. Coach Sal talks about those guys all the time and he makes references about them, telling us stories about the previous summers. June 12, 2009 Greetings from Manchester, Connecticut. I am out here in the New England Collegiate Baseball League (NECBL) playing for the Manchester Silkworms this summer, and so far it's been an awesome experience. We travel all over New England to play our competition and the bus rides are anywhere between one and four hours, spanning over five states. The stadiums and parks we play at have been amazing so far. The fans really appreciate the game of baseball and it shows in the attendance. Some games are attended by a few thousand fans, which makes for a wonderful atmosphere to play baseball in. Soon I will have the chance to play some USF teammates including Doug Murray, Alex Kalogrides, and Sean Burns, who are also playing on teams in the NECBL. My teammates are really easy to get along with, which is usually the case with baseball players since we all have a lot in common. Being the only player on the team from anywhere out west, I get a lot of questions about California and the west coast. My favorite is when they ask questions such as, "isn't it a perfect world out there?" or "isn't it true that when you're from California the world seems to revolve around you?" I almost always end up answering these questions by telling them about Newport Beach native, Connor Bernatz. I am currently living with Larry and Grace Cedrone, their two daughters Mimi and Sj, and son Evan. They are a wonderful family with a beautiful home. Every day the refrigerator seems to be fuller then the day before, and I am loving it. They feed my well at the Cedrone house, and after games the teams are fed more than enough food with a meal cooked by volunteers. I am enjoying every moment out here, and every opportunity to get better at the game of baseball. I am also looking forward to the rest of the summer season and what it has to offer me from a personal and baseball perspective. June 11, 2009 My summer ball experience has been a very interesting experience so far, to say the least. For one thing, the league in general is a very competitive league that is structured well and has many good players. In terms of baseball, the Atlantic Collegiate League is a good league with many players from different schools that definitely have a good feel for the game. Our coach is from Santa Clara and is pretty cool considering the fact that he is from Santa Clara! June 8, 2009 This summer I am playing in beautiful Bethesda, Maryland for the Bethesda Big Train. Upon my arrival about a week and a half ago, I met my host family at the Baltimore Airport. Walt, Sheila, and Gage (8 years old) welcomed me to their home on a very wet Friday evening. My host family treats me like a son and I think Gage will try to follow me back home in August. I am fed very well and am comfortable with a nice living space and a 72" high definition satellite television, in addition to my ride to the field occasionally being Walt's 1970 Corvette Stingray. I haven't built up the confidence to request a test drive yet. June 5, 2009 Hello world, my name is Robert Abel and this is my first blog about my summer baseball experience. I am currently playing in the Northwood's collegiate league, and my team is the Lacrosse Loggers. This team and league have a rich history for being one of the best summer leagues in the country. The whole experience is based around mimicking minor league baseball. From start to finish we play 68 games in less than 3 months, we have long road trips (longest being 12 hours) and we get to the baseball field 5 hours before game time to practice. Don't worry, not all teams get to enjoy the opportunity to get to the field that early, I'm pretty sure the loggers are the only ones who do that. Our average attendance at our games right now is around 3000, but school hasn't even been released yet. So our game today is predicted to have 4500. Boy will it be rocking! The town of lacrosse loves its baseball! I get to sign plenty of baseballs after the game as the kids who already know your name and college rush the field when the last out is recorded. Once you put on a logger uniform you have instantly turned yourself into a celebrity. Currently I am batting sixth in the lineup, hitting over .300, and I stole my first bag last night. The competition is very tough and with the wood bats (Rawlings sponsored league) the games go by a lot faster and the scores are lower. My team is also doing well; we sit atop the league with a 6-3 record tied with the Battle Creek Bombers. In our first home game we won in dramatic fashion with a 3-run walk off homerun in the bottom of the ninth. The crowd went crazy! And oh boy was that ball crushed! My host family is great, the Thihlers are a very dedicated host family, and they always have food for us when we get back from the field late at night if we didn't get to eat. They are very caring and most of all; they love their baseball just like us! I am living with another baseball player from Nebraska named Kash (soon to be sophomore RHP/corner infielder) he is a really good player and even better person to live with. So far we haven't had an off day yet, but we have our first one this Sunday and the team has us going to a boys and girls club for a meet the Loggers day, which should be a lot of fun for the kids since they can't get enough of us after the games. In this jammed packed summer season we only have 5 more off days, my host family is in the progress of planning something we all can do as a family ( I heard them talking about going jet skiing!) I just hope I can get back to playing baseball in one piece. So far the Northwood's league experience has been a great one and I am more than grateful to be a part of such a perfectly run operation. In my eyes this is one of the best, if not the best summer league in the country. I am looking forward to grinding out this tough schedule and being able to look back on the summer with a smile and a book full of memories to share with my Dons teammates. June 3, 2009 I am playing Baseball this summer in Folsom, CA for the Folsom Pioneers. So far Folsom has been a great place to be. I am staying with a host family. The owner of the house is actually the mom of the owner of the team. She is a very nice woman and I enjoy being here because I feel very welcome. My gym that I am working out at is about 2 minutes away from my house. Folsom Lake is less than 10 minutes away from me. There is a great Mexican restaurant that is close by my house and if you know me you know that I like to eat a lot. We just finished our first weekend series against Nevada Bighorn, taking two out of three games. On Sunday I hit my first home run in Folsom at our home field. Our next game is on Wednesday at 5:00pm at Canadá College in Redwood City against the Nor-Cal Longhorns and I will be the starting pitcher. There is a catcher on my team that goes to Solano College, which is where Ryan Lipkin went before transferring to USF. There are a couple other guys from the Woodland area that say that they know Robert Abel. The whole team seems like a good group of guys. It looks like our team is going to do pretty well in this league so I'm excited that we have starting playing and have been doing well. I think we have some good arms. We have some crafty pitchers and we have a few good power pitchers. Our line-up has been hitting pretty well. Overall it seems as if both on offense and defense we are pretty solid. I will be playing at three different positions for this team. I will be pitching and playing both left field and first base. There are three St. Mary's players on the Pioneers, two of which I have played with in the past. The area is easy to navigate because everywhere you need to go to is only about 5-10 minutes driving distance away. I'm excited to continue playing this summer and have fun in the warmth of Folsom. It has been great to get going in summer baseball and look forward to the rest of our games. June 1st, 2009 My plane got into Baltimore Thursday night and my host dad was there to meet me right at baggage claim. Most summer ball teams have host families who the players live with for the summer, they provide housing, food, and plenty of good times. My host family consists of Mr. and Mrs. Obrien along with their two daughters, Jackie who is 19 and Laura, 17. We ate dinner my first night out on their porch, this is when I was introduced to the great humidity and bugs of the east coast. From what I am told the heat has yet to arrive, and bugs are on their way. I am anxiously awaiting the arrival of both. Seeing the field for the first time, I was quite impressed. The Big Train has been playing at a local field in the heart of Bethesda which has around 1,000 chair back seats, along with lights, as we play most of our games at night. After getting my uniform and meeting all the guys, we hit in the cages for a bit and afterwards all the guys just hung around and got to know one another. It is always fun to hear where everyone comes from. We have players all the way from Maine, Oregon, Mississippi, and even beautiful Southern California. One day of practice and next thing I knew it was time to lace up the cleats for the first exhibition game. The next night we played against a local club team in front of a packed house at our home field. The Big Train overcame a seven run deficit to win 10-7 in their first game. It is already fun to see how our team is establishing an identity of its own and working together towards wins already. We won our second exhibition game last night. Diamond Don Cameron Love was our starting pitcher and he pitched five innings allowing just one hit, leading our team to our second win. My summer ball experience so far has been nothing but good times one after another. Being able to just go out and play the game I love everyday not having to worry about school or anything else is definitely a nice way to spend the summer. Our season officially starts this coming Friday and I cannot wait for this Big Train to really get rolling.
July 17, 2009
I am playing summer ball in Lorain, Ohio. Lorain is about 30 minutes west of Cleveland right on Lake Erie. I am playing for the Northcoast Knights in the Prospect League. We are a first year team so we don't draw very many fans. I would say we average about 30 a game, but when we are on the road we get a lot more. When we played in Hannibal, Missouri (home of Mark Twain) I got to pitch in front of about 2,500 people and thought that was pretty cool. The team is doing pretty good; we are currently in second place only a half game back at the all-star break. Our team consists of players from all over like: USC, UC Riverside, Long Beach State, Tulane, Boston College, Coastal Carolina, Washington State, and others. So we have a lot of good talent and we are finally putting it together as a team. We started out kind of slow but now we are right in the mix of things. We have had some problems chemistry wise because of players leaving but I think our team should be set now. The top two teams from the east division and the top two from the west division make the playoffs and I think we have a good chance of winning the league.
For me it has been really good baseball wise. I am in the starting rotation and have been pitching pretty well. I currently lead our division in ERA and just got back from pitching in the all-star game, which was pretty fun. The all-star game was played in Springfield Illinois, home of Abraham Lincoln. It was a nice experience and I had a good time.
The first day I got here my host family took me to an Indians game and they were playing the Yankees. My host family is huge Yankees fans so I was told to root for them. I also got to go to a pretty cool amusement park called Cedar Point, there are some big roller coasters and it was a lot of fun. I think the best place to visit in Ohio is Put-In Bay. It's an island in Lake Erie and it is more of a vacation place. I went with my family and really enjoyed it.
I live with the Melendez family in Amherst Ohio, which is about ten minutes from the field. I live with one of the guys on the team's family, which is nice cause there is someone my age I live with and he shows me around. My experience in Ohio has been good so far and I hope everything continues to go as is. We have a good chance of winning the league and if we keep playing well we should win it. Our owner said we get championship rings if we win the league so I hope to be bringing one home.
July 13, 2009
Hey everyone, this is Doug Murray writing from New Bedford, Massachusetts, home of the Bay Sox. I am going to be a senior next year at USF. This is my second summer away from home playing collegiate baseball. Last year I was in Battle Creek, Michigan playing for the Bombers with Sean Burns and Connor Bernatz in the Northwoods league. I flew out to New Bedford May 29th and was greeted by my host parents at the airport. My host parents Jim and Kristen Lancaster have been great; they treat me better than I could have ever wished for. I get to come home to good food, a family that loves baseball, and my new brother and sister, Kyle (7) and Katheryn (5). Katheryn is a fun little girl that was shy at first but has opened up to me and will finally say hi and goodnight. Kyle is the little brother I never had, we play wii, wiffle ball, nerf wars, baseball in the house, basketball, and we watch more baseball than I have watched in my entire life. He flips through games and watches for big name players or his fantasy players, while Kristen, the mom, tells him to leave it on the Red Sox games.
The league I play in is the New England Collegiate Baseball League (NECBL). We travel all over New England, four hour bus ride max. Alex Kalogrides and I have been doing pretty well in the bullpen and we have seen a lot of Travis Higgs, who plays for the Manchester Silkworms. So far he is one for three off of me. The Bay Sox management has been great to us as well, we get good meals and they give us everything we need to perform and have fun. I recently had a once in a lifetime experience. The NECBL set up a game against team USA. I got to throw one inning, although I didn't do so well, and it was a great experience facing a bunch of great hitters.
New England is a great place, besides the rain. We had rain every other day, but with all the off days I have got some time to travel around. My parents came out for a three week vacation so I spent some time with them in New York and Connecticut. I also got some tickets from my host parents to a Red Sox game and it happened to be for the day that my girlfriend flew out. My host parents know me so well they got the tickets for when the A's were in town, so we wore our A's jersey and saw eight other A's fans at the game. I am having a great time out here and I wish it would never end. I hope everyone is having a great summer. And staff, AEOP.
July 10, 2009
Hey everyone, this is Christopher Escobar writing from Silverdale, WA where I am currently playing with the Kitsap Bluejackets. I will be a junior this coming fall and this is my second summer playing in the West Coast Collegiate League.
On March 31st, as Kelly Costantini mentioned, I began our 12 hour drive from Stockton, CA to our host family's house in Silverdale, WA. As we arrived to the house, our host mom welcomed us into her home with open arms. She was very excited to finally meet the two players she would be spending the entire summer with. The minute we walked in we were shown to our rooms and given an immediate tour of the house. Pam, our host mom, is known as the Kitsap Bluejackets #1 fan. She even has decorated a room in the house full of Bluejacket memorabilia from over the past couple of years. She isn't the only hard core fan, we have many other fans that dedicate their time and support each and every night to the team.
Our team is made up of a bunch of great guys from all over the country. We have come together as a team very well so far and are looking forward to having a good summer as a team. As I mentioned before this is my second summer in this league and I can honestly say the competition level is good. Each team in the league has some good players who can play the game of baseball, so each day at the ball park is a tough one. We are currently 9-14 in league. We struggled at the beginning a little bit but have started winning some games and bringing it all together. I think in the end our team will be fine and have a chance in the post season. The summer has been a lot of fun so far. Playing summer ball is a blast and very relaxing when baseball is the only thing on your mind. We wake up and play baseball just about every day. It doesn't get any better than that. On our off days we have a chance to hang out with teammates and do something fun like bowling or even going and hanging out at the lake for the day. Kitsap County has been a nice and relaxing time, as well as a whole new lifestyle then what I am used to back home in Stockton, CA or even San Francisco. I have learned a lot about myself and others from being in such a different place then what I am used to.
I am really enjoying my summer so far playing in Kitsap. I have met a lot of new people and enjoy the small town of Silverdale. It is a very relaxing place where one can concentrate on what one needs to concentrate on. Playing in Kitsap will be something I remember forever and have a lot of great memories of. Good luck to all my fellow teammates and Go Dons!
July 8, 2009
Hey Dons Fans, This is Bob Mott. I was a freshman pitcher this past season on the 2009 Diamond Dons. This summer I am playing in the beautiful town of San Luis Obispo, CA. Most players will be able to recall our trip this year to play Cal Poly, and the wonderful area surrounding it. I am currently playing for the San Luis Obispo Rattlers, coached by former major leaguer, Roy Howell. The Rattlers are in the California Collegiate League, comprised of teams down the coast of California, and the defending NBC National Champion Santa Barbara Foresters is leading our league right now.
As many of you may know, I am from San Luis Obispo as well. Although I may have gotten some heat from teammates at USF for playing at home, I am definitely happy that I made the choice this year. I have been able to enjoy the fun aspects of living at home such as spending quality time with my family, and hanging out with high school friends that I have not had a chance to see for a year. I have also become friends with many of the guys on my team, showing them around San Luis and even offering some surf lessons. My teammates are from all around the country, from Miami to TCU to Hawaii. I have one WCC teammate from Portland, and there are a few other WCC players scattered around the league.
This past season at USF, I was used as a middle reliever and lefty-specialist. This summer I have made the adjustment to starter, and I believe there are some definite positives to starting such as knowing exactly what days you are going to pitch, and how to gear your workouts towards your next start. There are some negatives however: I have found it nearly impossible to pitch solely off adrenaline as a starter, when nearly every pitch I threw in the spring had tons of intensity. You really have to work into a groove and attacking on every pitch is more difficult when you throw 100 pitches instead of 10. I have really enjoyed this challenge and I know it will help me become a better pitcher in the long run.
I cannot wait to get back to USF and hear about everyone's summer ball experiences, and I have no regrets playing summer ball in my hometown because it is tough to beat the combination of California Summers and baseball. AOEP and Go Dons!
July 6, 2009
Hey everyone! This is Stephen Yarrow writing to you from the tiny town of Brewster, Massachusetts. I will be a junior this coming fall at USF so this is my second summer playing in a collegiate wood bat league. Where to begin? June 9th sounds about right. This is the day that I flew 3000 miles and six hours into Providence international airport. I was lucky enough to have already met my host family before this time. See, the host family I am living with had Dons in the past. Their first player was Tavo Hall in 2006 and 2007, and last year in 2008 they hosted Derek Poppert. Both Tavo and Derek made such good impressions on them that they wanted to stick with players from USF. During our Santa Clara series they came out to see Derek and check out San Francisco, and I was fortunate enough to meet them and have dinner with them. They are truly great people and during the summer their lives revolve and the ball player they are hosting. I could not ask anything more from them; sometimes they treat me better than I deserve to be treated. Every night I come home to a fabulous meal, and during the day they take me anywhere I want to go.
Now let's talk about the league. Well, the league is everything everyone says it is. Ten scouts watching BP everyday, fifteen or so by the time first pitch comes around. Advisors hand out packets of info about their companies. It truly is a great experience. I would not say it's the purest form of baseball but it definitely is one of the most interesting forms I have ever been a part of. The other day our whole team had to take a test for the Anaheim Angels to see if we were drafted by them, how we would fit into their organizations. Just on our team I know at least a hand full of players who already have advisors. It is an experience most people only dream of, and I am very lucky to have this opportunity.
Our team is made up of people from all across the country, and we have pretty good chemistry so far. We have many players from California, and quite a few from our conference, so we all relate to each other very well. Our coaching staff is headed by UCSB pitching coach and recruiting coordinator Tom Myers, who is very knowledgeable about the game, and seems to be a great coach. As a team we started out slow but lately we have been coming along, and could be a force to be reckoned with soon. I hope everyone is enjoying their own summer ball experiences and I can't wait to see everyone in August. Have a good rest of the summer!
July 3, 2009
Hello Dons baseball fans, I am writing from Kitsap, Washington where I play for the Kitsap Bluejackets. Kitsap is a county in Washington surrounded by water, with the Puget Sound and Seattle only about 45 minutes away. To be more specific, I am living in the small town of Silverdale, Washington (in Kitsap County).
Early in the morning on March 31st fellow Diamond Don Chris Escobar and I began our 12-hour drive from Stockton, CA to our host mom's house here in Silverdale. Upon our arrival Pam Hansen, our host mom, became very excited and immediately welcomed us into her home to show us our rooms. Pam is the Kitsap Bluejackets self-proclaimed #1 fan and is obsessed with baseball. Surprisingly there are many fans like Pam here. I guess that's what happens when you stick a good baseball team into a very small town with no other teams to root for. On average the attendance at our games is around 500-900 people, which doesn't sound like a lot, but if you were to come here you would wonder if there were even that many people who just live here! Even the players on the team have reached a certain "celebrity status." On many occasions people have recognized both me and other players simply shopping in the local grocery store and asked for our autographs. Players have also made the front page of the newspaper several times. That should give you an idea of how small this town really is...
Our team is made up of guys from all around the country as well as some locals. We have players from programs like Oklahoma State, UC Riverside, Texas Tech, Washington State and University of Washington. The competition in this league seems good so far and I am excited to go on some more road trips with the team and see some parts of the country that are new to me. I will also get the chance to visit with fellow Dons who play on different teams in this league like Garret Luippold, Nik Balog, Jordan Remer, and Kyle Lawton. The teams in this league (West Coast Collegiate League) are all located in the Northwest, which makes most of the bus rides relatively short, the longest being about 8 hours. There is one Canadian team, a few in Washington and a few more in Oregon.
Our team is currently 6-10 in league. We struggled a little bit at the beginning, but we have been winning some games lately and seem to be putting it all together. There is still a lot of season left and I am excited to see how it will unfold because this league seems to be pretty balanced.
So far it has been a blast playing here. It is a lot of fun to simply wake up and go play baseball everyday. Not to mention go hang out with the team on our off days. In our free time we have done many things. Going to Seattle, fishing, boating, and golfing are some of the things we have done as a team. It is also interesting to simply live here and experience a whole new lifestyle. Going from San Francisco to Silverdale was a major transition. In fact, Silverdale is probably just about as opposite as you could get from San Francisco, if you could imagine that... Like I said, I am really enjoying myself here playing baseball, meeting new people, and living a new lifestyle. Silverdale is a great to place to both live, play baseball and make memories that will last forever. Go Dons!
July 1, 2009
Well, it looks like it's my turn to share my summer experience so far. I think it's safe to say mine will look a bit different than everyone else's. I'm not playing summer ball, nor am I graduated and moving on to other things.... rather, it's been me trying to make the hardest decision of my life (so far). As people probably know, I was drafted in the 28th round by the Cincinnati Reds. From the outside, I don't think people realize how hard this whole process really is. I know I didn't when I saw the guys who were older than me going through it my freshman and sophomore year. Though it's been extremely difficult for me so far, I have to remember to sit back and realize what a blessing this really is. It can be tremendously taxing and stressful to continuously run the decision factors through your head, and so sometimes the blessing can feel like a burden at times, but I try to remain with things in perspective as best I can. Though it's difficult, not many people are blessed to have such a hard decision with two pretty good options at either end.
After this past season, I felt it was really important for me to have a summer off if I wasn't playing pro ball. There are a number of reasons for this, but I don't want to bore people with that. In short, the past year took a big toll on me. I felt it was in my best interest to have this time. Though I've chosen to do so, it's not like I've been sitting here in the sun with a pina colada everyday. In fact, quite the opposite is true. It's been a lot of soul-searching and hard thinking. So far it's been a real mix between relaxing time off, and stressful decision making resulting in a couple sleepless nights. I'm not lying when I say this is the hardest thing I've ever had to do. Some of you may see this for yourself at some point in time. Actually, I can bet everyone will at some point, although it may not be about baseball. All I can say is, one day you will look back on the whole thing and see that it was a huge life experience.... something to grow from, learn from, and ultimately make you grow up. The last few weeks I've been spending a lot of alone time trying to uncover what my heart is saying through all of this, though I've found this much easier said than done. I keep being told to "do what's best for you" and "do what your heart says", but in the midst of it all, as hard as one tries, it is hard to do. I've found, though, that there's only so much you can do in terms of reason and logic. At some point you have to just get quiet and see what voice or feeling is there beneath all the thoughts. One of the things I have done to help me is reach out to people and get their view on the situation. I've found this really helpful, as someone with an objective viewpoint may have insights you may have overlooked. I've sought advice from people who I really trust, as well as guys who have gone through the decision making and pro ball experience themselves. I'm lucky to have very loving and caring support around me.
Aside from all that, I try to balance it out with something to take my mind off things. I tend to think through things deeply, and although I think this is a good thing, I also know I run the risk of over-thinking it and getting stressed out. I have to watch out for my own health. Usually I wake up and go to the gym here in my hometown in the morning for a workout. Also working on the tan so I'm not just jacked, I'm jacked and tan. Big difference! I've also got a batting cage I can use near my hometown by a hitting coach I used to go to in high school. He played a number of years in AAA and has some great knowledge of hitting, and I'm lucky to have a good enough relationship with him in which he has made a key to his facility for me so I can use it anytime I want. I've also been doing a lot of reading, catching up with some old friends, and spending quality time with my family. I love being outside, so I haven't done a lot of sitting around watching TV. Okay, maybe I have caught up on some movies I wanted to see...
Anyways, I'm glad to hear that people are enjoying their summer ball experiences so far. After two summer ball experiences, I look back at my memories with a smile. It is something you will truly never forget, and something unlike any other you will ever experience. Work hard, play your best, and most of all....enjoy it! I hope to see everyone soon.
June 29, 2009
I left June 2 for Spokane, Washington to start my summer ball experience. I was very excited and ready to embark on this new experience. I left San Jose International Airport at 12:25 PM only to arrive in Seattle at 2:00 PM then transfer over to Spokane. Once I arrived in the Spokane Airport I was greeted by my host mom and from there we left for her son's baseball game in Coeur D'Alene resort in Idaho.
I am currently living with a single mother and her son. Ganene, the mother, and Tyler, the son, are extremely nice people and welcomed me into their family with open arms. A host family basically takes a baseball player into their home by feeding him and giving him a home. I reside in Spokane Valley which is a little town just on the outskirts of the main city Spokane.
Now coming from a city like San Francisco to Spokane is like day and night. Spokane is more on the country side whereas San Francisco is a huge multicultural city. Making this transition was tough in the beginning but once I got used to the area, it is a ton of fun. But what is making this experience great are my teammates.
My teammates are a great bunch of kids. We all have a great time but do work when work has to get done. As a team we have gone rafting, fishing, and go out a lot of the time. A lot of WCC players play in this league, so it is really cool that I get to play with some kids from USD, Gonzaga, Pepperdine, and more. I am also playing with my fellow teammates Kyle Lawton, and Garrett Luippold. The team is doing well with a record of 8 wins and 6 losses. Barry Matthews, our head coach, is a great guy. I enjoy playing for him and have a lot of fun off the field too. Our other assistant coaches are also great people, with not only a great knowledge of baseball but they have a great interaction with us players.
Traveling makes summer ball summer ball. Our bus is a big charter bus, similar to the one we use at USF, which has Riverhawks written all over it. We travel to a ton of places including Wenatchee, Moses Lake, Corvallis, Bend (Oregon), Kelowna (Canada), Kitsap, and much more. Our shortest bus ride is an hour and a half, while our longest one is eight hours. But time doesn't really matter because we have so much fun messing around on the bus that time flies.
All in all, I am having a great time here in Spokane and am getting use to the giant change in culture. I am very grateful to have the opportunity to be experiencing this, knowing these memories will stick with me throughout my life.
June 26, 2009
Q&A With USF Basebal Alumnus Zach Kim
What are some of your best memories from USF?
It's hard for me to really narrow down a few specific instances but I know for a fact that my best memories all have something to do with baseball. Being a college athlete requires a player to sacrifice what many would call "the college experience", so I don't have the typical stories you might hear at a 10-year reunion. What I do have is an experience that will last a lifetime. I was a member of the first and only USF baseball team to play in the NCAA tournament in Lincoln, Nebraska. I remember coming out of the dugout before our game against Nebraska and being able to feel the ground shudder under the roar of Nebraska fans. Our fans were outnumbered roughly 100 to 1, yet at games end, our little section behind our dugout could be heard through Haymarket Park. Words can't describe the rush felt by every player. Being a part of this team has also brought me some of my closest friends who I will have for the rest of my life. Working with them on and off the field has created many of best memories.
What will you miss the most?
I could sit here and say that I'm going to miss the roar of the crowd and the rush from stealing bases... and it would be the truth... but that's not what I'm really going to miss when I look back on my time at USF. In being a member of the baseball team for 5 seasons, I have had the opportunity to mature, both as a player and a person. I'm going to miss the working through challenges with coaches and teammates. I'm going to miss traveling on the road with my closest friends. Most of all, I'm going to miss being a part of a group of guys brought together by a game to represent an entire university and an entire way of life. < |