Remember when there really was a "crack of the bat" in amateur baseball? You can hear it again in Lorain, where former Indians Kevin Rhomberg and Joe Charboneau are involved with a summer team for college players -- the Lorain Ironmen.
Thanks to amateur summer leagues such as the Prospect League, aspiring baseball players get the chance to test their skills with wooden bats.LORAIN, Ohio -- How would you like to play 58 baseball games in 66 days, in a league crossing seven states? How about spending more hours on a bus than on a diamond, sharing a motel room with three guys and a diet that relies a lot on fast food or the Country Buffet?
Finally, how would you like to be a college player and swing a wooden bat?
"My son loves it," said Tribe radio broadcaster Tom Hamilton, whose son, Nick, plays third base for the Lorain Ironmen of the Prospect League. Hamilton will play for Kent State next season, where Flashes coach Scott Stricklin is a huge fan of the Prospect League.
"The more kids can play in the wooden bat leagues, the better," said Stricklin, whose Flashes have been to the NCAA tournament in the last two seasons.
For years, there were only a few summer wooden bat leagues for college players, in places such as Cape Cod and Alaska. When high school and college players sign pro contracts, they have to leave their aluminum bats behind -- and pick up an old-fashioned piece of wood.
"It's a real shock for them," said Kevin Rhomberg, who played for the Indians in 1982-84. He also had a 10-year college coaching career, five seasons each at Lakeland Community College and Cleveland State.
View full sizeThe logo of the Lorain Ironmen of the Prospect League, where young baseball talents learn the skills needed to succeed with wooden bats and tough schedules.He's now one of the owners (along with Bob Schenosky) of the Ironmen, a first-year franchise in the Prospect League. Rhomberg serves as everything from general manager to a guy who helps out grilling hamburgers.
Along with college coaching, Rhomberg, 54, scouted for the Indians for a few years. He owned a baseball academy. He owned pieces of two Frontier League franchises, and even ran for (and lost) Clerk of Courts in Lake County.
Now, he hopes to capitalize on the growing market for wood bat summer leagues, as coaches such as Stricklin want their players to have that experience -- even if they don't have a pro future.
"It makes you a better hitter, because the sweet spot on the bat is half that of an aluminum bat," said Stricklin. "It turns you into a more disciplined hitter."
The Ironmen have a 16-19 record with nearly 1,200 team at-bats -- and not a single home run.
"We play at the Pipe Yard [in Lorain], where it's 320 down the lines, 380 in the power alleys and 405 in center field," said Rhomberg. "It's bigger than some major-league parks."
Only five of 15 teams have more than eight homers this season.
The Ironmen played at home Thursday night, then embarked on a trip to Butler, Pa., then to Chillicothe, back to Lorain, then to Beckley, W.Va. That's five games in five days in four cities.
Tickets are $3 and $5, the crowds are in the 300-to-1,000 range. For information, check lcironmenbaseball.com.
Players are recommended by college coaches and pro scouts. The Ironmen have a strong local flavor. While most players in the league are from Division I schools, Lorain's best pitcher is Phil Brua (Avon) who plays for Division III Oberlin. He made the league's all star team along with Matt McAllester (Westlake, Ashland), Billy Urban (Gilmour, St. Bonaventure) and Austin Ingraham (Willoughby South, St. Bonaventure).
"It's like being on a summer rookie-league team in the minors," said Tom Hamilton. "The kids are at the park each day at 3 p.m. to do fundamentals. [Former Indian] Joe Charboneau is the batting coach, and he's really helped my son. They have some rough trips. You find out how to play when you're tired and hurt -- and if you really love baseball."