{image1}Ben Stanczyk isn't moping about being passed over in last week's baseball draft. Instead, the UWM star is on a roll with the La Crosse Loggers of the Northwoods League.
You have to wonder what Stanczyk, who just completed his junior year at UWM, has to do to attract the attention of the pro scouts. He became the first player in the history of the Horizon League to earn that conference's Pitcher and Player of the Year awards.
Stanczyk hit .374 with 10 homers and 43 RBI, and had a 7-3 pitching record with a 3.42 ERA, for the Panthers. But, Monday and Tuesday passed last week without his name being picked.
"I'm not sure why," Stanczyk said during a rain delay before a Loggers' game at Copeland Park in La Crosse. "I haven't talked to any scouts about it. If I had been taken in a later round, I probably would have returned for my senior year anyway.
"Now, I already forgot about the draft. I just want to have as good a season as I can here. We have a good team. Then, I'll return to UWM to finish my degree and try to get better. I can use this as motivation."
As of this writing, Stanczyk was off to a 2-0 start as a pitcher for the Loggers. He plays the infield when he isn't pitching. Last season, he was a mid-season division All Star in the Northwoods League and a post-season overall All Star in the league, which includes college players from around the region and country.
"This is a real good league," Stanczyk said. "The fans here were amazing last season. It was really an experience to play before 3,000 a game compared to what attendance is like in college baseball when you play in the northern part of the country."
Ironically, the fact Stanczyk can pitch and play as a position player might have hurt him in the draft. "I'm not really worried about it," said Stanczyk, a three-time All State player at Waukesha South before attending UWM.
"I really love pitching, yet I also like to hit. To get the opportunity to do both in college and here is great."
Stanczyk follows the Brewers' Brooks Kieschnick, a reliever who often is used as a pinch-hitter and designated hitter in inter-league play. "He can do both. He might have a better body, and more size for the pros," said Stanczyk.
UWM also is represented on the Loggers by Charlie Reschke, an infielder, and Jay Molstad, a pitcher. In fact, Stanczyk and Reschke live with a host family in the La Crosse area during the summers.
"This league is really a great experience," Stanczyk said. "We play 64 games, after playing 60 in college, so you get a feel for what a pro schedule would be like."
In addition to the Loggers, the Northwoods League includes the Alexandria Beetles, Duluth Huskies, Madison Mallards, Mankato MoonDogs, Rochester Honkers, St. Cloud River Bats, Thunder Bay Border Cats, Waterloo Bucks and Wisconsin Woodchucks.
The Woodchucks, who play in Wausau, won the championship last season. Brewers' manager Ned Yost's son played for the champs.
A group in Waukesha has expressed interest in fielding a team in the league in 2005.
Bucks Draft
The Bucks don't pick until 46th in next week's NBA draft. There isn't likely to be a big impact player around by that time, but at least some scouting services have Milwaukee taking a "big" player in other ways.
Jaber Rouzbani, a 7'5" center from Iran, is projected by some as the Bucks' pick. The report on Rouzbani is that he is still raw and doesn't run that well, but has a soft shooting touch and an 8-foot wing span. He can dunk standing on his tip toes.
Of course, Rouzbani might have difficulties with immigration because of his home country and world politics these days.
Other scouting services have the Bucks taking Kevin Martin, 6'7", Western Carolina junior, or Blake Stepp, 6'4", Gonzaga. See more on the draft next week.
Hot Tix
The Brewers continue their long homestand with an afternoon game Thursday against Seattle and a weekend series against the Minnesota Twins. Expect a lot of Twinkies' fans to make the trip, so Brewers' fans had better get out to the ballpark so Miller Park doesn't sound like the Metrodome.
Wave United is at Virginia Beach Friday and Richmond on Saturday. If you have digital cable with Time Warner, you can see the Virginia Beach game on Channel 114 in the Milwaukee area. WU returns home on June 23 for a game against Portland.
Sectional action in the Badger State Games starts Thursday and runs through Sunday. The southeast sectional is based in Whitewater this year. Finals will be held June 24-27 in Madison.
Weather permitting, the finals of the WIAA spring baseball championship are scheduled Thursday in Grand Chute.
