Team 'Mines' for experience

June 08, 2007 12:49 am

— By Lance Ogden
logden@joplinglobe.com
The Joplin MIners and coach Tucker Hagedorn can look back on the 25-16 record they posted in 2006 and take solace in a solid season.
And while winning will always continue to be a focus for Hagedorn and his summer select baseball team this year, one goal takes precedent: Continual improvement from every player on the team.
There will be plenty of opportunity to accomplish that task as well. The Miners, who began the season on June 1, will play 38 games and in three tournaments before their regular-season finale on July 19.
“This is just a lot of repetition,” said Hagedorn, who also is an assistant coach for the Joplin High School varsity baseball team. “Summer ball gives kids a lot of at-bats and innings pitched, and if you do it right, it helps develop your pitchers.
“When you play two and three times a week (during the high school season) the same pitchers throw. But when you’re playing every night, you have to find six or seven kids who can pitch.
“It’s just more repetition in the summer, and things are more relaxed. We get to give kids more time on a one-on-one level.”
The Miners, who were 2-2 heading into Thursday’s doubleheader in Pryor, Okla., appear to be solid from top to bottom without boasting a true standout.
And that fact sits perfectly with Hagedorn.
“We have a good group of kids that love to play baseball,” he said. “In baseball, the only way you can prove yourself is by playing games. Our kids will have that opportunity this summer.”
Heath Hutchison and Cory Macy should see a bulk of the work behind the plate. Cory Rector, Garrett Ramsey, Dane Kolkmeyer, Calvin Burr, Kyle Veazey, Taylor Byrd, John McDermid, Barrett Noirfalise and Jake Simpson will share pitching duties when not playing the field.
Logan Nelson, Corey Simmons and Devon Meyer will play in the infield and Marco Maturino, Travis Kunce and Mitchell Burr will patrol the outfield.
“We’re trying to play as many games as we can at a high level and put kids in situations to not only help the development of the high school program, but to develop players that might go on to play college ball,” said Hagedorn, who’s assisted by Wyatt Luebber.
The Miners open their home schedule at 5 p.m. today with a doubleheader against Springdale, Ark., at Joplin High School.