SPORTS
UNIVERSITY DAILY KANSAN
Wednesday, June 5, 1996
5A
Kliner awaits big-league call
Kansas baseball standout's fate in hands of major league teams
Contributed Photo
Former Kansas second baseman Josh Kliner is waiting to hear if he will be selected in this week's amateur draft. Kliner was Kansas' first All-American since 1980.
By Dan Gelston
Kansan sportswriter
The excited tone in Josh Kliner's voice as he answered the phone from his Placenta, Calif., home and the disappointment in it as he found out it wasn't a major league team calling exemplifies the anxiety that surrounds potential baseball draft picks.
But for Kliner, who was recently named a first team All-American by *Baseball America*, that call should come soon enough.
It isn't often a team will pass on a player who put up the numbers Kliner had this year with Kansas baseball team.
Kliner's fate is now in the hands of major league scouts and teams. For the next three days, Kliner has lost control of his destiny.
"During the year, I didn't really think about things like awards or getting drafted," Kliner said. "Now, obviously, that's all I'm thinking about. I'm excited and nervous, but there's nothing I can do about it."
Kliner reached numbers this year that nobody, not even he, could have predicted. After a junior season of hitting .298, Kliner increased his average 55 points this year and finished eighth in the nation in hitting with a .438 average.
He set Kansas' single-season records for RBI (85), doubles (28), and total bases (161). His doubles total was fourth in the nation and eighth in RBI.
His list of post-season accolades is just as lengthy. He was selected first-team All-Big Eight, conference co-ployer of the year, second
team All-America by Mizuno/Collegiate Baseball and by the National Collegiate Baseball Writer's Association Smith Super Team.
Kliner's greatest achievement was being named a first team All-American by Baseball America.
He was the first Jayhawk since 1980 to be named to the team—the fifth ever—and the only player from the Big Eight this year.
Kliner came to Kansas in 1995 as a transfer from Cypress Junior College.
He was redshirted during the 1993 season at Cal. State-Fullerton. Kliner said it was a humbling experience. Not only did he not play, but coaches told him he wasn't good enough.
"I hope they looking the paper and see how far I've come," Kliner said. "They gave up on me. They didn't really stand behind me. I guess that's what makes this a little more gratifying."
Kliner's portrait will be hung in the Kansas Athletics Hall of Fame because he was selected as an All-American.
"That's so amazing that I'm going to be up there," he said. "There are so many great athletes up there like Danny Manning and Wilt Chamberlain. To be among them is pretty incredible."
Kansas baseball coach Bobby Randall said Kliner was deserving of all the awards he had earned.
"He worked hard to get these honors," Randall said. "What we'll miss most is his durability. He played every game for two straight years. There aren't a lot of players who can do that at second base."
where he's selected in the draft.
"I guess if I had a preference, I'd pick the Angels," he said. "I grew up rooting for them, and they're my favorite team. But I think any team that picked me would be my favorite team."
Kliner said it doesn't matter
Kansas baseball team may lose heralded recruit
By Dan Gelston
Kansan sportswriter
The Kansas baseball team might have to play next season without one of the most heralded recruits in the school's history.
Damion Rolls, a Sch.lagle High School graduate in Kansas City, Kan., who signed a national letter of intent to play for the Jayhawks next season, was drafted by the Los Angeles Dodgers in the first round of yesterday's baseball amateur draft.
Rolls was the 23rd selection overall in the draft.
Baseball America selected Rolls
as the top high school prospect in the state of Kansas.
Rolls has not made a decision on which way he will go. Kansas baseball coach Bobby Randall said he would not push Rolls' decision.
"This could be a good opportunity for him," Randall said.
Rolls was a four-year letter winner in baseball at Schlager as well as an all-league player.
"He's the best high school third baseman I've ever seen," Randall said. "He's got above average major league speed, an above average major league arm. He got great power potential and good hands."
decision. As a late first round pick, he can command a signing bonus of $500,000 and up. However, Randall said that Rolls was happy about the possibility of playing for Kansas.
Several factors will go into Rolls
The first round picks are released today. The draft continues through tomorrow and will not be made public until 10 days after the conclusion of the draft.
Former Kansas second baseman Josh Kliner is expected to be picked in the draft, as well as junior pitcher Mario Opipari and Kansas recruit Jimmy Terrell. According to Baseball America, Terrell is the 17th-rated high
school prospect in the nation.
Kliner said he could do nothing now but wait.
"I did all I could do on the field, so, it's out of my hands now," he said. "A few teams have expressed interest."
Randall was drafted by the Dodgers out of high school in 1966 but in the 26th round. He chose collegiate play at Kansas State and was drafted again by the Dodgers after his junior year in 1969, this time in the second round. That time he went.
"If it were my son, I wouldn't care if he was the first pick. He'd go to college," Randall said.
Men's golf team performs strongly in tournament
Squad ends season at 15th in nation following NCAA Championships
By Spencer Duncan Kansan staff writer
The Kansas men's golf team finished in 15th place Saturday in the NCAA Men's Golf Championships at the par 72 Honors Course near Chattanooga, Tenn. The team shot rounds of 298, 306, 315, and 329 to finish with a total of 1,248 — 62 strokes behind tournament champions Arizona State.
"I was happy that we got into the top 15," Kansas men's golf coach Ross Randall said. "We had the chance to finish higher, but we used up so much energy early on that we were unable to play as well as we would have liked later in the tournament."
Finishing 15th in the nation isn't bad for a team that squeaked into post-season play.
The finish was a big accomplishment for Kansas because the Jayhawks had struggled through the regular season and barely qualified for the regional tournament.
"We played inconsistently all season," Kansas senior Alan Stearns said. "We felt all year we had the talent to play well with anyone, but for some reason we just struggled to play at the level we thought we could. We just barely got invited to the regional tournament."
Kansas was invited to the regional tournament in May and won the tournament, earning a place in the NCAA tournament.
"We played up and down all year, but we deserved to be in the regional," Stearns said. "Our only goal was bringing things together and playing at the level we knew we could play."
After two rounds of play the field was cut from 30 to 15. Kansas made the cut and was placed 10th. Kansas lost ground in the last two rounds and dropped to 15th place, where they finished.
"We didn't play well after we made the cut," Randall said. "The course is one of the toughest in the country, and we just didn't do well on it the last two days."
"Our only goal was bringing things together and playing at the level we knew we could play."
Alan Stearns Kansas senior golfer
Kansas was led by senior Slade Adams who shot a first-round score of 70 and was in a three-way tie for third place. However, he was unable to hold on to his lead, shooting a 78 in the second round, which knocked him down to 23rd place after the first two rounds.
"He pulled some putts and was not able to score as well," Randall said of Adams. Adams shot rounds of 77 and 76 in the third and fourth rounds, respectively. He finished the tournament in a four-way tie for 24th place. Adams had hoped to have a better showing.
"Playing well in the NCAA tournament is important," Adams said. "That is the last chance you have to make anything happen."
Kansas' Chris Thompson finished in 55th place with a four-round total of 310. Kit Grove shot a 323 to finish in 76th place, Dan Rooney finished in 80th place after firing a 326, and Stearns garnered an 82nd-place finish with a four-round total of 327.
Kansas also finished 15th in the tournament in 1993, and Randall said this year's finish provided a foundation on which to build.
"Next year is going to be an entire different team," Randall said. "We have a lot of seniors leaving, and they have set a good example. I will be happy if we can come close to what we have done the past few years."
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