MLB: May 2008 Archives

When did Colin Bates make the leap from a very good high school pitcher to an elite college prospect?

Naperville Central coach Bill Seiple identified somewhere between the end of Bates' spring junior season to midway through the following summer as a turning point.

Bates was splitting his time and innings between Central's summer league and a Bulls/Sox team when he elevated his game and eventually drew the attention of North Carolina, a big-time national program that is now looking for a seventh appearance in the College World Series.

After a series of surgeries, how did Bates make it back to that level? The redshirt freshman explains in his own words during an interview with TarHeelBlue.com. Robbi Pickeral of The News & Observer (N.C.) also has a nice feature here.

If you have subscription to Sports Illustrated and saw the article about the Milwaukee Brewers, then you've probably already had the following thoughts:

1) I hope I can look as good as Bob Uecker when I'm his age.

1B) Who am I kidding, I wish I looked that good now.

2) Those shorts should have come with a warning label.

Just an amazing all around image. You know those two Brewers were battling to the death to impress Uecker.

The game ends with one player hitting it in the net. Ueck looks him in the eye, puts on his $700 sunglasses, adjusts himself and walks away without saying a word.*