4B THE UNIVERSITY DAILY KANSAN
SPORTS
MONDAY, AUGUST 16, 2004
Former Jayhawks to begin careers in minor leagues
BY SHAME KUEREA
skucera@kansan.com
KANSAN SPORTSWATER
Days after the end of the spring 2004 season, three Jayhawk baseball players left the friendly confines of Lawrence and the University of Kansas to begin professional baseball careers.
Spread across the country on different farm league teams, former Jayhawks Ryan Knippschild, Ryan Baty and Travis Metcalf are attempting to climb the minor league ladder.
The three are working toward the big leagues, and so far they are succeeding.
Knippschild was draft pick number 1,037 overall, chosen in the 35th round by the Cleveland Indians. In his last season at Kansas, the left-hander led the team with seven wins, 111.1 innings pitched and 79 strikeouts. Knippschild's success at the Division I level has carried over to his minor league career with the Mahoning Valley Scrappers in Niles, Ohio, where he currently owns an impressive 2-1 record
with a 3.47 earned run average.
Ryan Baty has also spared no time making an impression in the minor leagues with the Class A Hudson Valley Renews in New
York. Throughout 23 games with the Renegades, Baty is hitting .276 with two home runs and 15 RBI.
Baty opted to sign a free-agent contract with the Tampa Bay Devil Rays following the college baseball season. He left several records behind him at Kansas. In his senior season, Baty set the all-time record for career doubles (68) and ended the season on the longest hitting streak ever by a lajawk, at 21 games.
Baty is going to go as far as his bat will take him, said Ritch Price, Kansas baseball coach. There's already discussion of sending Baty to Double-A before the season ends.
Travis Metcalf is the Jayhawks'
Knippschild
third player who moved on to minor league baseball this spring. After turning down a 38th round pick by the Minnesota Twins in the 2003 draft.
Metcalf was able to return to Kansas for his junior year and shatter hitting records. Metcalf broke the 23-year-old single season Kansas home run record and the 24-year career home run mark by blasting 18 balls out of the park in 2004 and 29 in his college career. Choosing to return for another season proved to be a smart decision for Metcalf. He was drafted 27 rounds earlier in 2004 than in 2003, making him the 321st pick overall.
Metcalf has done nothing but dominate so far with the Spokane Indians, a Class A affiliate of the Texas Rangers. In 48 games, Metcalf has proved that the adjustment to a wooden bat from the college level is no reason for a slump:
First baseman Ryan Baty slides into home in the sixth inning of Kansas' 8-7 win against the Wisconsin-Milwaukee Panthers on Monday, March 8. Baty ended the season by signing with the Tampa Bay Devil Rays.
Kansan File Photo
"I'm not really surprised at how well these guys are doing," said
He has already hit 15 doubles, 10 homers and driven in 45 runs.
Mike Zagurski, Kansas pitcher and former teammate of the minor leaguers. "They all played well in the Big 12 Conference, so
you hope to see them do well in the minor leagues like they are."
—Edited by Rupal Gor
Shifty summer weather benefits Clinton Lake anglers
By Paul BRAND
pbrand@kansan.com
KANAS SPORTSWITTER
crappie catches.
Unpredictable summer temperatures and unexpected precipitation have left Lawrence residents feeling unusually comfortable in the season locally known for its oppressive heat.
While theweather feelsrefreshing,somearea fishermen fail to see thebeauty in theconditions that have produced anythingbutreliable fishing resultsatLawrence's Clinton Lake.Thebiggest effecthas been seenin
Crappie spawning, which generally relies on warm water temperatures, was hampered by the lower temperatures this year. Because of the decreased output during the spawning catch, fishermen of the future could suffer even worse luck.
Clinton State Park wildlife manager, said. Schecher added that responsibility and patience are the keys to fishing as well as the future of fishing in area lakes.
As most other Kansas lakes have a 10-inch minimum length in place for crappie, Clinton Lake has no such rule. Park officials, though, do offer advice to local anglers.
"Be responsible about the size of fish to keep," Jerry Schecher,
In addition to temperature above average precipitation during July produced a mixed blessing at Clinton.
The importance of releasing undersized fish becomes increasingly important as the water cools down in the fall. As the lake's water temperature cools down from its current reading of 83 degrees, crappie will become more active.
While the lake's depth fluctuation produced less than desirable fishing in the main lake, the excess rains forced a discharge into the outlet, located on the northeast side of the dam. Local anglers have seen some of the best fishing of the season in that particular area.
"I've had more luck there at the outlet than anywhere else," Drew Marting, Shawnee senior, said.
The summer rains also offer good opportunities to catch channel catfish, which prefer to be in deeper water. The channel catfish are best pursued during and after
rainstorms.
Even though the erratic summer weather has caused decreased catches in the lake, attendance among boaters and fishermen has remained on par with previous years. Lee Kennedy, Clinton Marina general manager, attributes the steady flow of fishermen to the mild weather, which has offset the slightly reduced activity of pleasure boats and jet skis.
Conditions should only become more hospitable for Clinton Lake fishermen as the fall weather arrives.
"Right after Labor Day, all the players are gone," Kennedy said, referring to the boaters and skiers.
With those patrons gone, Clinton becomes a more welcoming site for fishermen. Even with the oddities of the summer weather, fishermen have remained encouraged and motivated by the rewards of a sport that relies largely on patience and luck.
"I go for the feeling you get when your line goes tight," Marting said. "The key is to go catching, not fishing."
Edited by Ryan Greene
kansan.com
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