[ RAINBOW BASEBALL ]
Next year will be A number of Hawaii baseball players are on a short break, before they head off to compete for various summer league teams with the goal of improving their skills.
different for Rainbows
Hawaii loses 6 players to junior
colleges after worst season in historyBy Al Chase
achase@starbulletin.comAnd a number of others won't be back after the Rainbows completed the worst season in school history with a 6-5 loss yesterday at Fresno State.
Not counting the one or two 'Bows who might be drafted and sign a pro contract, only 18 of the 35 players on this year's roster return next year. Some of those coming back will have to fight for a spot on the 2003 roster.
Several Rainbows requested their release. Freshman infielder Danny Mocny is homesick and will transfer to Santa Rosa Junior College in his hometown of Santa Rosa, Calif. Junior catcher Grady Symonds has decided to concentrate on academics and enter a college near his home of Buffalo Grove, Ill.
Infielder Jason Carlson, who needs offseason surgery and will have to sit out next year, will transfer to Hancock (Calif.) Junior College. Infielder Derek Snell will transfer to a junior college in the Seattle area.
First baseman/outfielder Craig Johnson, outfielder Chad Boudon and shortstop Cortland Wilson also plan to transfer. The UH coaches are helping them find a school where they can play.
Ten players, including Derek Honma, Sean Yamashita, Matt Le Ducq and Scooter Martines, have run out of eligibility.
Nearly a dozen of this year's players will likely take part in summer leagues. The position players will take part in 30 to 50 games, depending on the league. Pitchers get to work on a regular basis. And, the wood bat rules during the summer.
Catcher Brian Bock and right-hander Ricky Bauer will play for the Santa Barbara Foresters in the California Coastal Collegiate League.
They will face shortstop Julian Russell and outfielder Arthur Guillen, who will join the San Francisco Seals in the same league.
Right-hander Jason Piepmeier will pitch for the Salinas Packers, also in the CCCL.
Two Rainbows are traveling north to the Alaska Baseball League. Right-hander Bryan Lee will pitch for the Kenai Peninsula Oilers and outfielder Tim Montgomery will play for the Alaska Goldpanners, located in Fairbanks.
Will Quaglieri, a right-handed pitcher, heads to the East Coast to pitch for the Peninsula Pilots (Hampton, Va.) in the Coastal Plain League.
Outfielder Brent Cook is scheduled to play for Northern Ohio (Strongsville, Ohio) in the Great Lakes League, but that will depend on the condition of his groin pull.
"I really want to play this summer, but obviously that is up in the air at this time," Cook said prior to leaving on UH's season-ending road trip.
Outfielder/first baseman Kevin Gilbride and right-hander Chad Giannetti will play for the Santa Maria (Calif.) Indians.
The UH coaches are still trying to place right-hander Chris George with a team. UH coach Mike Trapasso wants George to pitch in the Cape Cod League.
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