Most notably, Mark has received an invitation to training camp with the River City Rascals in the independent Frontier League.
Keep checking back with Flyer9online. It’s going to be an exciting year.
Thursday, February 28, 2002
2002 02 28 - CBC, Maritz, and a Rascals Invite
February 28, 2002 - It was a busy week at Flyer9online headquarters. Tryouts have started over at CBC, where Mark is coaching this spring. In business news, his IT contract at Maritz was just extended through early May.
Tuesday, February 26, 2002
2002 02 26 - Schulte Invited to Rascals Camp
February 26, 2002 — Mark Schulte has been contacted by Neil Fiala, head coach of the River City Rascals. Coach Fiala extended an official invitation for Schulte to join the club for training camp, which begins on May 15th.
The River City Rascals compete as an independent franchise in the Frontier League.
Tuesday, February 12, 2002
2002 02 12 - 300 Guys, One Field: My Trip to the Devil Rays Tryout
February 12, 2002 — Well, I'm back from Florida, and I have to say: it wasn't exactly sunny.
We got down there late Friday night, picked up our truck from the absolute dumbest human in Tampa (thanks, Rick), and headed to my friends Susan and Doug's place. They were nice enough to let Doran and me crash for the weekend.
Saturday started early. Breakfast at 7:00 AM with their boys, William [4] and Christian [2], then off to the Devil Rays spring training complex in St. Pete. When we pulled into the Raymond A. Naimoli Complex just after 9:00, all I could see were cars and cleats.
The "Resume" Registration was a joke. We filled out a 4x6 index card with Name, Height, Weight, Age, and Handedness. That was it. No stats, no history. A great resume to go on.
By 9:15, we were itching to play. We tried to wait in a dugout, but an old guy in a D-Rays coat kicked us out, so we sat in the bleachers with the other 300 participants. That's right—300.
The Director of Scouting finally addressed us at 10:00 AM. They split us by position. I went with the Centerfielders (24 guys) and Doran went with the Corner Outfielders (43).
- The 60-Yard Dash: Catchers first, then the rest. After warming up for 35 minutes, I lined up. The coach dropped his hand, and we were off. 6.8 seconds. I tied for 1st in my heat, but I wasn't happy. I expected a sub 6.5 — a number that turn heads. 6.8 is above average, but not enough to stand out in this crowd.
- Fielding: Simple drill. 5 balls: 3 to third, 2 to home. I felt great here. First ball: picked it clean and threw a seed to 3rd. Second ball: laid out for a nice long one-hopper. Third ball: deep fly over my head, set my feet, threw a long hop to 3rd. The throws to home were "do or die." I fielded the first one on a dead sprint and rifled a one-hop laser to the plate. On the money.
- Hitting: Every guy got 6 cuts. I pulled a line drive to right, took an outside pitch to left, slapped one through the hole, and finished by driving a line drive into the right-center gap.
The Verdict After the coaches deliberated, the crowd thinned out. The director announced they were keeping 40 guys for a Sunday scrimmage to compete for 5 minor league spots and 6 Mexican League contracts.
As you probably guessed, I didn't sign a contract. But I got the exposure and the experience. Now, the plan is to get my legs back in shape so I can nail that 6.5 next time. I’ll be trying out for the Frontier League in May. Until then, I'm staying active by assisting Coach Scott Brown at CBC High School here in St. Louis.
Sunday, February 10, 2002
2001 02 10 | 2001 Season Preview: Chasing the A-10 Title
The Player Profile: I'm Mark Schulte, a Senior from Louisville, KY. Academics: Double Major in MIS and Finance. Position: Outfield. Role: My job is to patrol the grass and set the table at the top of the lineup to get our offense on the board early.
This is my personal site, so I’ll be keeping it updated with facts, numbers, and game recaps. Check back often—it’s going to be an exciting year.
Subscribe to:
Comments (Atom)