June 10, 2007 12:06 am
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Not many people saw the game, so it’s amazing how many have heard about it.
It was a playoff game for fifth place in the USA Baseball Tournament of Stars, and it was held in the early afternoon at the Joplin High School field. Only the high profile games, for bronze and gold medals, were held at Joe Becker Stadium.
With both teams were low on fresh pitchers at the end of the week-long tournament, the game turned into a slugfest and homers flew out of the park. One memorable blast soared onto the high school roof. The few fans who witnessed it were still shaking their heads in disbelief days later.
Michael Taylor, who hit the shot heard ’round Joplin, didn’t make the USA juniors that summer. But Taylor made an impression to match his size (6-foot-6, 250 pounds). Fans who watched him hit, run and throw from right field won’t soon forget Taylor.
The young slugger from Apopka, Fla., went on to have a steady, if not spectacular, career at Stanford.
Taylor batted .335 as a junior this spring, with 12 homers and 59 RBI. He had 21 homers and 122 RBI in three seasons with the Cardinal, getting about as many at-bats as during a full major-league season.
Taylor may be ready to try his skills on the professional level after being selected by the Philadelphia Phillies in the draft on Thursday.
Just how scary would it be to see Taylor and Ryan Howard hitting back to back in the middle of the lineup?
Scouting report
Another power-hitting Florida player who appeared in the Tournament of Stars was Chris Dominguez.
In June of 2004, Dominguez arrived in Joplin with the reputation as one of the top young corner infield prospects in the game.
He showed flashes of big-time power, but was overmatched by breaking balls and wasn’t selected for the junior team trials.
That’s the same Dominguez, in the case the name seems familiar, who helped knock Missouri out of the NCAA regionals last weekend.
His four-homer weekend propelled Louisville into a surprise regional title.
Dominguez had two homers and seven RBI in Louisville’s 16-6 championship game victory and finished the tournament 5-for-11 with 11 RBI.
Too bad Mizzou didn’t have that TOS scouting report. Dominguez, who’s hitting .259 for the season, has also struck out 81 times in 62 games.
Draft notes
Two players with Joplin Slasher ties were selected in the 33rd round of the major league draft.
Jacob Julius, who earned a scholarship to Arkansas with his play this past summer for the Slashers, was taken by the Baltimore Orioles. Julius, an outfielder, is scheduled to return to Joplin this summer if he doesn’t sign a pro contract.
Former Slashers pitcher Josh Fritsche, a left-hander at Oklahoma State, was selected by the St. Louis Cardinals.
Kyle Haas, a right-handed pitcher for Northeastern Oklahoma A&M, was taken in round No. 46 by Seattle.
Two Springfield prep pitchers were drafted. The Cubs selected Jonathan Casey of Kickapoo in the 35th round. The Marlins chose Tyler Clark, from Catholic, 11 rounds later.
Two MIAA players were drafted. Central Missouri right-hander Bryan Collins was taken in the 32nd round by Oakland. Washburn outfielder Kyle Peter went two rounds later to Detroit.
Address correspondence to Jim Fryar, c/o The Joplin Globe, P.O. Box 7, Joplin, Mo. 64802.
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