Local Prep Baseball Star at St. Rita

[The Jackal]

Was talking to some area baseball people and apparently, nationally ranked St. Rita HS's best ballplayer is a local product from Cicero who attended St. Odilo in Berwyn!!!!

I also know there are a couple of local kids at state ranked Nazareth Academy as well...including one whose father I grew up with.

One can imagine what kind of team Morton could have put together with all these kids.

[mustang54]

Was talking to some area baseball people and apparently, nationally ranked St. Rita HS's best ballplayer is a local product from Cicero who attended St. Odilo in Berwyn!!!!

I also know there are a couple of local kids at state ranked Nazareth Academy as well...including one whose father I grew up with.

One can imagine what kind of team Morton could have put together with all these kids.

Andy I think I know who you are talking about from St.Rita. He signed with Louisville last year when he was a junior. I saw him play in last years high school state championship game in Joliet against my nephew who played for Naperville Central. He came in to pitch in relief and was hitting 90 mph on the gun. Hes a player.

[The Jackal]

I saw a scouting report on him from a recent White Sox tryout, and he was between 86-87 on his fastball with a 12-6 curveball...and he's a lefty. He's also built like a brick you-know-what. I believe he signed with Louisville.

The other top kid on the team is a junior from Munster, IN who hit a 400 foot home run at Comiskey...at the age of 16!

Out of curiosity, I looked at St. Rita's roster, and they have kids from as far away as Joliet, Orland Park and Frankfort as well...that's a LOOOONG WAY from 77th and Western. Then again, high school sports have become ultra competitive and certain schools boast all star lineups from across parts of the metro area.

[mustang54]

I saw a scouting report on him from a recent White Sox tryout, and he was between 86-87 on his fastball with a 12-6 curveball...and he's a lefty. He's also built like a brick you-know-what. I believe he signed with Louisville.

The other top kid on the team is a junior from Munster, IN who hit a 400 foot home run at Comiskey...at the age of 16!

Out of curiosity, I looked at St. Rita's roster, and they have kids from as far away as Joliet, Orland Park and Frankfort as well...that's a LOOOONG WAY from 77th and Western. Then again, high school sports have become ultra competitive and certain schools boast all star lineups from across parts of the metro area.

Yes he throws and bats left. He was a hell of a football player too. All around outstanding athlete.

[The Jackal]

Well, since St. Rita got knocked out of the state playoffs, I went to see Nazareth play R-B in a sectional final today at Nazareth.

First off, VERY nice baseball facility at Nazareth, especially considering they're a relatively small, Catholic school. Secondly, starting 3B for Nazareth is a Berwyn boy whose father I grew up with and played with/against. In fact, I also played against his uncle (Mom's brother) who works in the White Sox ticket department and was the starting QB for the last Morton football team to go downstate. From what I understand, the kid will be playing at Lewis University in the fall. Quite a ballplayer, maybe even better than Dad.

In any event, Nazareth won a close game and will be playing in the supersectional with a downstate final four berth on the line. Congrats to the Roadrunners and all the best in their upcoming contest. Hope I can make it out to see em.

P.S. Starting 3B for R-B was the son of Tribune sports columnist Rick Morrissey.

[MRS. NORTHSIDER]

Congrats to Naz - my daughter is an alumni.  From the time she was a freshman and I'm sure long before that Naz always had an excellent baseball program, especially, as you noted, for a small (800 kids) Catholic HS.  Nazareth has always had a steady influx of students from Berwyn and Cicero.  Go Roadrunners!  And before you say I should be rooting for Morton, which I do, they have also had a great baseball program throughout the years. One of my daughter's schoolmates from Irving and Heritage who went to Morton was drafted by the White Sox out of HS.

[The Jackal]

One of my daughter's schoolmates from Irving and Heritage who went to Morton was drafted by the White Sox out of HS.

Poor kid....

[The Jackal]

Congrats to Nazareth boys for their fouth place finish in the Class 3A state baseball finals. They lost 3-1 in the semis to a VERY good Oak Forest team. I also was told that the C, SS and 3B are all from the Berwyn/Cicero area.

Also, congrats to the LT boys for WINNING the state 4A title, in impressive fashion.

Quite a weekend for area baseball.

[LetsGoThrow]

I was at the LT/Prov. final on Saturday. The #3 hitter for Providence, Sam Travis, hit the first pitch he saw in the 1st inning at least 350ft. It was incredible and it seemed like it was going to be a long day for LT. Travis hit .502 with 15 dingers this season and was drafted in the 40th round by the Reds - though he is going to Indiana for college ball.

But the 1-3 hitters in the LT lineup went 7 for 8 (and drew 4 walks) to help LT to an impressive 8-3 win.

[mustang54]

  This is off topic but since we're talking high school performances I thought I'd mention it because it might be the most dominant performance I have ever seen in Illinois High Schools in anything. Last week I went to my grand daughters 8th grade graduation in Ottawa Illinois. It was held at Ottawa High School where she will be attending this fall. On the wall in their gym were a bunch of State Championship banners for Band and Chorus. They have won the state title for 15 consecutive years. After hearing their 7th and 8th grade band and chorus perform I can see why. 15 straight years is an amazing statistic in anything.

[The Jackal]

I was at the LT/Prov. final on Saturday. The #3 hitter for Providence, Sam Travis, hit the first pitch he saw in the 1st inning at least 350ft. It was incredible and it seemed like it was going to be a long day for LT. Travis hit .502 with 15 dingers this season and was drafted in the 40th round by the Reds - though he is going to Indiana for college ball.

But the 1-3 hitters in the LT lineup went 7 for 8 (and drew 4 walks) to help LT to an impressive 8-3 win.

Take a look at the H.S. kid from Florida the Cubs drafted in the second round...he looks like a refrigerator with feet....and hit a ball 508 feet at the Diamondbacks park in Arizona.

The junior from St. Rita hit a ball 400+ feet out of Comiskey to straight away center.

LT had a monster of a team....VERY impressive considering they finished first in a class (4A) that included a couple of teams (Mt. Carmel, St. Rita, Providence) that were basically southland region all star squads.

[mustang54]

  Good point Andy the big 3 of the Catholic League were all stacked with all star squads so LT had to have an awesome team.

[mustang54]

  I just went on youtube to check the kid out. Andy doesn't he look like a young John Kruk only taller? LOL. Kid has awsome power.

[The Jackal]

  Good point Andy the big 3 of the Catholic League were all stacked with all star squads so LT had to have an awesome team.

That's why I've always said private schools should have their own state playoffs.

You can attempt to even the playing field by classifying schools according to enrollment, but how do you adequately gauge and/or compensate for the effect "recruiting" has on an overall sports program? You can't.

Take a look at St. Rita's roster. Their best player is from Cicero. Their second best player is from Munster, Indiana. The rest of the roster is comprised of kids from all over the Chicagoland area south of I-55. Mt. Carmel, similar thing. Ton of kids from Orland, Frankfort/Mokena, Homer Township, etc....They're basically kids paoched from the top flight travel baseball programs on the South Side.

Meanwhile, LT is stuck with whoever is within their district borders. Ironically, Nazareth's stud 6'5" pitcher would have went to LT.

[The Jackal]

  I just went on youtube to check the kid out. Andy doesn't he look like a young John Kruk only taller? LOL. Kid has awsome power.

No, he looks like Yokozuna with a bat!