wibball

I see from the Arkansas web site Maday is doing great this Spring. According to the site, another WI native Ryan Zink who throws for Illinois-Chicago will get the start on Friday against the Hogs. Maybe there will be a WI tandem on the mound during that game.

Colbyjack, Gut feeling. If the draft were today and the Crew had the pick. Who are the top 5 on the WISH list? Who are the top 5 on the NEEDS list? If the lists are different, Why?

colbyjack, Your reply made me look closer at players college and summer numbers. At UIC Zink started 11 games, had 6 complete games, and then throw in being named the NCAA player of the week in May after throwing a conference no hitter. His freshmen college stats deserve a doubletake. UIC is not Miami or Texas so you figure it's a competion issue. I then went to the Madison Mallards site and those numbers are almost identical. If he can even come close to those results this year you may have a legit prospect in 2006. The Eau Claire team is getting good city support. Between Eau Claire, LaCrosse, Wausau, and Madison you can find some good college baseball in WI. The Cape has history but I think the talent gap is narrowing. Stay on the in-laws good side and catch some Express games summer.

Some WI players go to the Northwoods league for summer ball, do you follow that much? Most of those teams carry some WI guys and Eau Claire, a new team in our area I'm sure will also. I read where Tyler Beranek is going to LaCrosse with Dave Schultz and Travis Check. I don't if Maday, Zink and Rohde from the Madison Mallards will be back but I think all those guys were drafted out of High School. Are they draft eligible this year? Do they have a chance to move up in the draft after school?

Last year may have been an exception to the rule for WI players drafted. I now wonder in the next few years if there will be any WI high school or college players that will be drafted in the top rounds. When a good WI player leaves the state for a school they do ok but never come out considered a top MLB prospect. Except for the hs pitcher and the catcher from OK State(?) who were drafted somewhat early in 2004 there seems to be very few that could be considered "top prospects". This is not a rip on WI baseball, just a reality check. There are tons of players in the US but by percentage only a few get that "top rounds" rating. After thinking about this maybe WI players are not doing that bad after all.