MIF04

[b][i]In the beginning…[/i][/b] There was a little boy who, at age 8, wanted to play baseball.  His dad signed him up to play in the local league where he was such a poor hitter that his coach instructed him to do nothing but bunt every single time he came to the plate.  Ten years later, that little boy [wearing the same jersey # 4 he had worn at age 8] was playing Division I baseball.  That little boy was not Tim – it was me.  Eventually, I did learn to hit and I had the honor to play for Rice University.  Baseball helped me find a way to success that nothing else has.  I still return to that same ballpark in Alvin, Texas and can stand in the same batter’s box in the same exact place as I did at age 8.  A few years ago, I took Tim there to (literally) stand in my shoes and  pass down the generational torch that only baseball possesses.  Admittedly, Tim has reached heights that far exceed mine…but that generational pull still must be strong:  he, too, has always worn the #4. It has been a nearly 50-year love affair for me with the greatest game ever played:  baseball.  With these words, I say goodbye to my active role in baseball, both here in Southeast Texas and across the nation. My ‘baby’ – the Sun Devils – will carry forward under Matt Thompson.  The building (and torch) has been passed to him.  I, of course, wish him (and all of my other and former coaches) the very best, as I do all of my former players.  Remember (always remember) the creed we have followed all of these years:  [i][b]Once a Sun Devil, always a Sun Devil.[/b][/i] Lastly, my deepest thanks and love to Michelle.  And to Tim, thank you for walking this walk with me and ‘standing in my shoes’.  Here’s to hoping the road goes on forever.  Johnny, here's to hoping you make it back to Miller Stadium (this time in a Brewers uni) and one day, as I did for you, get to buy your son a [i]red [/i]baseball glove.  And Cameron, without you the Sun Devils would have ended 5 long years ago.  What a great ride.  Follow the path to Ole Miss and "Hotty Toddy". I intend to post again in the near future.  There are a lot of people who deserve mention as do certain accomplishments and milestones.  Thank you for letting me (and us) be a part of your lives.

[b][i]In the beginning…[/i][/b] There was a little boy who, at age 8, wanted to play baseball.  His dad signed him up to play in the local league where he was such a poor hitter that his coach instructed him to do nothing but bunt every single time he came to the plate.  Ten years later, that little boy [wearing the same jersey # 4 he had worn at age 8] was playing Division I baseball.  That little boy was not Tim – it was me.  Eventually, I did learn to hit and I had the honor to play for Rice University.  Baseball helped me find a way to success that nothing else has.  I still return to that same ballpark in Alvin, Texas and can stand in the same batter’s box in the same exact place as I did at age 8.  A few years ago, I took Tim there to (literally) stand in my shoes and  pass down the generational torch that only baseball possesses.  Admittedly, Tim has reached heights that far exceed mine…but that generational pull still must be strong:  he, too, has always worn the #4. It has been a nearly 50-year love affair for me with the greatest game ever played:  baseball.  With these words, I say goodbye to my active role in baseball, both here in Southeast Texas and across the nation. My ‘baby’ – the Sun Devils – will carry forward under Matt Thompson.  The building (and torch) has been passed to him.  I, of course, wish him (and all of my other and former coaches) the very best, as I do all of my former players.  Remember (always remember) the creed we have followed all of these years:  [i][b]Once a Sun Devil, always a Sun Devil.[/b][/i] Lastly, my deepest thanks and love to Michelle.  And to Tim, thank you for walking this walk with me and ‘standing in my shoes’.  Here’s to hoping the road goes on forever.  Johnny, here's to hoping you make it back to Miller Stadium (this time in a Brewers uni) and one day, as I did for you, get to buy your son a [i]red [/i]baseball glove.  And Cameron, without you the Sun Devils would have ended 5 long years ago.  What a great ride.  Follow the path to Ole Miss and "Hotty Toddy". I intend to post again in the near future.  There are a lot of people who deserve mention as do certain accomplishments and milestones.  Thank you for letting me (and us) be a part of your lives.

Forgive a little fatherly pride but... The Kansas City Royals have named Tim Ferguson (Bmt West Brook/Ole Miss) as their Midwest League Player of the Month: [Hidden Content] For July, Tim hit .352 with 4 HR, 2 3B and 5 2B. 

I got so worked up thinking about Trev that I forgot something: DaytonBaseball101 - best bet would be to call our head of baseball guy, Matt Thompson @ 553-6536.  Good luck, and hope we can help. 

Thanks Bubba ...we're doing the best we can. DaytonBaseball101 - we are not invitation-only (however, we do not do mass tryouts).  We will have individual kids come in for a work out (or more).  Sometimes, we ask them and sometimes they ask us.  I believe it is a true statement that we have never refused any kid a work out/try out for the Sun Devils.  With that being said, we also are very honest with the individual.  Honesty can be, at times, brutal.  And I am sure we may have missed on a kid before (although I cannot really think of one).  Here is a good story about an individual work out: Bubba's son (Trevin Sonnier) worked out for us.  Some of us loved him, others were not sure.  As the "head" Sun Devil, I said we gotta keep this kid, I think he can play, etc. He's fast, has a good arm, and we can work on his hitting (he was already pretty good).  Boom:  he works with us, we work with him, and he gets a D-1 offer.  Good ending for us and good ending for him.  That kid could (and can) play.  Now, was it all us?  Ego says 'yes' but reality says 'no'.  Somewhere between the two is probably the truth.  He was a really good player anyway (and even finer young man).  But I'd like to think we helped some and had something to do with his success. Once a Sun Devil ...

Sun Devils play 8 and lose only 1 game; unfortunately, the 1 loss was in the q-finals and ended our run.  Great event, great time and good run in that event. We also took 7 spots on the All Tournament Team. While all did great (for example, Dane Steinhagen made it for both his hitting and pitching), I gotta give a special shoutout to Bridge City's Hayden Guidry.  He went 3-0 (only person in entire event to register 3 wins), struck out 9 in 6 IP with only 2 BB and 2 H.  His ERA was a perfect 0.00.  In East Cobb, Sun Devils go 5-2 and place 4 on the All Tournament Team including, again, Hayden Guidry who (again) had an 0.00 ERA.  He was 1-0 in 7 IP, allowing 4 H, 2 BB with 5 K.  Heck, shoulda pitched him every game.........

Rumors, rumors... We had a good run in Florida, coming up short in quarterfinals.  Couldn't buy a hit... Some locals with very good showings to wind up their summer: Hayden Guidry (Bridge City 2013) -- of course, I got to watch him most of the spring but he has taken a big step forward this summer.  He was 'nails' for us, his velocity was up, and his breaking pitch improved tremendously.  He was 1 of our 'go to' guys. Dane Steinhagen (Kelly 2012 - Howard JC) -- he may have been our MVP in Florida.  Dane had a ton of key hits and threw a complete game to win the pool for us on Thursday.  Gave up 1 run in  7 IP (and that in the 7th inning). Matt Menard (Bridge City 2012 - Baylor) -- always a gamer.  Among other things, he hit a laser of a HR that was hit so hard you could barely see it.  He played hurt the last 1/2 of the tournament after he took a foul tip off the jaw. and, of course, Cameron Dishon (Bridge City 2012 - Ole Miss) - he played hurt, having hurt his hamstring bad enough that we had to sit him our last game.  He just couldn't go.  He made 1 of the best plays I have ever seen a CF outside of MLB make anywhere...in fact, I can only think of 1 better (that's a hint, by the way)... Still, for a team that lost 3 #1 picks in the draft and 2 more that went in the 3rd round, a great effort.  A really, really good run.  More importantly, we took these kids and (between East Cobb and Ft. Myers) got an already-graduated kid a D-1 scholarship and a 2013 kid (with no offers before) has 2 D-1 visits scheduled (and I gotta believe more to come).  That's how we measure ourselves anyway - how many move on.    Enjoyed every minute (although it sure didn't cool off -- we were in Atlanta when they had a record  high...for their entire existence:  108+). And, by the way, we coulda used Price.  Plus, I miss having the kid around.  Great player, even better guy.  He oughta kill at UH this year.  Let him know we're always watching.

[b]FINAL – SUN DEVILS IN 2012 DRAFT[/b] [b]ROUND 1[/b] #9 Andrew Heaney LHP(Okla) Miami Marlins Okla St. #12 Gavin Cecchini SS(La) NY Mets Commit to Ole Miss #26 Stryker Trahan C(La) Arizona D-backs Commit to Ole Miss #30 Ty Hensley RHP(La) NY Yankees Commit to Ole Miss [b]ROUND 2[/b] #70 Dane Phillips C(Nacogdoches, Tx) SD Padres Okla St./Okla City U. [b]ROUND 3[/b] #125 Zach Green INF(Cal) Phila Phillies Commit to Oregon St. #127 Koby Copeland OF(La) Miami Marlins Commit to Baton Rouge CC [b]ROUND 11[/b] #363 Ben Eckels RHP(Cal) Arizona D-backs Commit to Howard (Tex.) JC [b]ROUND 21[/b] #666 Jacob Lemoine RHP(Bridge City, TX) Texas Rangers Commit to Houston [b]ROUND 27[/b] #819 Tanner Mathis(La) Houston Astros Ole Miss [b]ROUND 35[/b] #1077 Pedro Pizarro C(La) LAA Angels Undecided [b]ROUND 36[/b] #1116 Sterling Wynn LHP(China Springs, Tx) Texas Rangers Commit to Baylor [b]ROUND 37[/b] #1121 Brett Lilek LHP(Ill) Seattle Mariners Commit to Ariz. State [b]ROUND 39[/b] #1186 Jared West LHP(La) Pittsburgh Pirates Commit to Houston [b]ROUND 40[/b] #1232 Nick Sawyer RHP(Carrollton, Tx) Tampa Bay Rays Howard (Tex) JCCommit to Oregon [b]Also, congrats to other draftees[/b]:  Jaden Dillon (29th – Atlanta Braves: Bridge City/A&M-Kingsville), Dustin Cook (30th – NY Mets; Huffman/UH Commit), Jonathan Dziedzic (37th – Boston Red Sox;  (Atascocita/Lamar), Grayson Long (39th -- Barbers Hill/Texas A&M).

Current or former Sun Devils taken through Round 15: ROUND ONE #9 MARLINS               Andrew Heaney LHP #12 METS Gavin Cecchini SS #26 D-BACKS               Stryker Trahan C #30 YANKEES               Ty Hensley RHP ROUND TWO #70 PADRES Dane Phillips C (Nacogdoches) – Okla St./Oklahoma City Univ. ROUND THREE #125 PHILLIES               Zach Green  3B #127 MARLINS               Koby Copeland OF ROUND FOUR #156 RANGERS               Jacob Lemoine RHP (Bridge City) reportedly turned down this draft slot ($277,600) to attend UH ROUND ELEVEN #363 D-BACKS               Ben Eckels RHP More to come?

Current or former Sun Devils drafted thru Round 15 (and I apologize if I missed anyone but I don't think I did) ROUND ONE #9 MARLINS Andrew Heaney LHP #12 METS Gavin Cecchini SS #26 D-BACKS               Stryker Trahan C #30 YANKEES               Ty Hensley RHP ROUND TWO #70 PADRES Dane Phillips C (Nacogdoches) – Okla St./Oklahoma City Univ. ROUND THREE #125 PHILLIES               Zach Green  3B #127 MARLINS               Koby Copeland OF ROUND FOUR #156 RANGERS               Jacob Lemoine RHP (Bridge City) reportedly turned down this draft slot  ($277,600) to attend UH ROUND ELEVEN #363 D-BACKS               Ben Eckels RHP

Current or former Sun Devils taken in the 1st round: #9 -- Andrew Heeney LHP to Marlins #12 - Gavin Cecchini SS to Mets #26 - Stryker Trahan C to D-backs #30 - Ty Hensley RHP to Yankees 1 team, 1 round, 4 picks....awfully proud for this young men. 

That is 2 solid recruiting classes in a row for UH. This is a sleeping giant...

Dustin was a great kid.  I am saddened beyond belief.

Great for Jake.  He had a great summer including closing out our q-final win in Florida with 3 shutout/dominating IP.  Good for him and his family.

The Sun Devils 17U won the Perfect Game BCS National Championships in Fort Myers this past week.  The tournament is billed as invitation only for the top 64 teams in the country.  The Devils went 10-0 over the week, defeating the Orlando Scorpions in the finals.  The week before, the same team had finished 5th out of 200+ teams (going 7-1) in the WWBA Nationals in East Cobb, Georgia (the most heavily scouted and recruited event of the summer).  These young men played well and were quite "popular" with both the colleges and MLB scouts.  We had a blast. FWIW -- it is one long drive from Fort Myers to Beaumont !!!!