Wednesday, May 20, 1998
’Bows of summer
Hawaii players to further
By Al Chase
their 'education'
Star-BulletinFall practice doesn't start for several months, but most of the returning University of Hawaii baseball players will be back in uniform in three weeks.
The Rainbows will be scattered from coast to coast trying to further hone their skills in some of the 20 summer leagues available to college players.
Pitcher Jamie Aloy and catcher Lars Hansen will head to Massachusetts to play for the Brewster Whitecaps in the Cape Cod League. Pitcher Dusty Bergman will attempt to polish his breaking pitch in the same league with the Cotuit Kettleers.
Aloy, who also will play first base, was a late addition to the Whitecaps' 23-man roster as a pitcher, the only slot available.
The Cape Cod League and the New England Collegiate League use wooden bats. Infielder Michael Dartt will get his chance with a wooden bat while playing for the NECL's Danbury (Conn.) Westerners.
Pitcher Patrick McNair has the luxury of playing close to his parents' Virginia home as a member of the Waynesboro (Va.) Generals in the Shenandoah Valley League.
Three Rainbows will play for the Topeka (Kan.) Capitols in the Jayhawk League: third baseman Matt Wheeler, pitcher Randon Ho and catcher Jeremy Stegmaier.
Gavin Garrett will pitch for the Nevada Yankees in the Calvada League. The Yankees are coached by Hal Wheeler, Matt's father.
Three Rainbows, infielders Shane Chan and Wade Taguchi (a redshirt) and catcher Kramer Aoki, will play for Pride of America, a team of 18 and 19 year olds. Pride of America operates out of Reno, Nev., and spends the summer playing in tournaments up and down the West Coast.
Pitchers Ian Jones, Troy Yoshimasu, Ikaika Baptista and Ken Mackenzie are back at Rainbow Stadium competing for the Hawaii Island Movers, the defending Alaska Baseball League champions.
Summer leagues give players the chance to continue their baseball education, and in some cases, enhance their chances with the professional scouts.
A good example is UH center fielder Darren Blakely. He played for the Fairbanks Goldpanners a year ago and was named to the Alaska Baseball League all-star team after hitting .344 with 11 doubles, two triples, six home runs, 41 RBIs and 47 stolen bases.
Those numbers made him a pro prospect. And despite a slow start with the 1998 Rainbows, head coach Les Murakami said Blakely's stock continued to rise with his strong finish for the 'Bows.
http://uhathletics.hawaii.edu
