4B THE UNIVERSITY DAILY KANSAN
WEDNESDAY, MAY 10.2006
SPORTS
Baseball
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Baty lived with his brother, former Jayhawk Ryan Baty, for two years with Czyz and Price. The Price brothers presently call the same house home. Czyz said he may move in with younger brother, freshman lefty Nick Czyz, next year.
"Teammates are brothers," Baty said. "It doesn't matter, you can have your individual differences, dislikes and likes, but when it comes to baseball — that's the equalizer."
Even though Baty used to spend his time as the other half of shortstop Price's double play combination at second base, he proved his transition to center field would not harm Kansas in the field.
Although they no longer cover the middle infield together, Price and Baty had much to do with the string of 30-plus victories in their four consecutive seasons at Kansas.
"They are three of the best guys in America," coach Price said. "I call those guys the 'big three' because they've been with me all four years — since I've been here. They've been a big part of the turnaround."
Price neglects to visit their homes, though.
"I allow them to be a player, I allow them to be a teammate," coach Price said. "It's the same when they go home. I have never been to their house in the three years that you've off-campus and I won't go. I try to give them that right and that privilege that every college student has."
Ritchie Price said his mom stopped by twice a year to clean the house. Price said that his dad not stopping by was his own preference.
"He'd never set foot in our house because I don't think he wants to know what goes on inside," Price said.
"We don't always talk about the game, believe it or not," Czyz said. "We do go through the same problems that normal college students go through — girls, school, stuff like that."
With more than 60 games per season, fly balls and base hits aren't the only things on the captains' minds.
Then again, they also go through things normal college students do not go through.
"There's been neighbors having late night parties and us going out there and people wanting to fight us," Czyz said. "There's been people breaking windows in our house, and kids lighting bags of poop on fire and putting them on our front porch."
The captains will be out of eligibility next season, but won't be done at the University for another semester.
Czyz said a couple of years ago, while the Jayhawks were preparing to play Missouri, they came outside to people throwing beer bottles at their house. The house-pegging didn't end in a fight, and Czyz said the ordeal was actually entertaining.
Baty will take two summer classes and will graduate from Kansas after completing an internship with the Big 12 Conference in Dallas next fall. Price and Czyz have one more semester before they're finished playing at Kansas.
Arthur
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"I've already offered everyone on my team a job once I become a big time athletic director like Lew Perkins," Baty said with a laugh.
"I feel very good about Darrell's decision to attend Kansas," Arthur's high school coach James Mays told rivals.com. "I know that his mother and grandmother feel the same way. We were going to support Darrell no matter what because we wanted this to be his decision."
Edited by Lindsey St. Clair
After Indiana coach Mike Davis resigned from Indiana, Kansas appeared to be the front-runner for Arthur, but then Arthur chose to look at new schools after the Final Four and even took an unofficial visit to LSU. It was speculated that Kansas was out of the running when Arthur returned from his visit to LSU because it, as well as Baylor, were able to offer more playing time.
Arthur led his high school to back-to-back Texas 4A state titles in March. He averaged 18 points, 10 rebounds and six blocked shots per game last season.
"Kansas is getting a very special player in Darrell. He has an exceptional skill level and is very smart. He has a great deal of knowledge about the game." Mays told rivals.com. "Darrell is going to compete hard all of the time and has a wide range of skills. He can play down low or he can step out and shoot from the perimeter."
Arthur is the final player to commit to Kansas this season, joining fellow McDonald's AllAmerican Sherron Collins and Lawrence native Brady Morningstar.
If you are tight on cash, this is the best place to experience a KU sporting event. One dollar gets you four hot dogs if you choose the right night and arrive extra early. The condiment? Choose mustard. Delicious. As for the team, it's not bad either.
Column
Really, guys. It doesn't seem like many people have had an opportunity to do it during the past few years. I watched the field flood with exuberant fans after the 'Hawks clinched their bowl eligibility last year. I did so because it wasn't a victory against a team of much significance (Iowa State), but the sight of the masses
marginal-to-big KU football homg victory.
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4. Stay in your seat after a
Going to a few matches as a freshman made me appreciate the skill and athleticism of the women who play volleyball at the Division I level. I was afraid I would get tired of watching the sport when I was assigned the volleyball beat at the Kansan, but that was not the
pouring onto the playing surface turned out to be impressive.
case at all. Aside from Allen Fieldhouse, there is no place louder at the University than Horeisi.
5. Catch a volleyball match at Horeisi Family Athletic Center.
There you have it. Cheers to all of you students returning next year and a salute to those graduating from this special place. If you're lucky enough to have more time on campus, take full advantage of it.
Don't play in traffic
Wilson is a Windsor, Mo., senior in journalism
Eric Riisborn/THE ASSOCIATED PRESS
San Francisco Giants Barry Bonds is seen in left field in the top of the first inning during the baseball game against the Chicago Cubs in San Francisco on Tuesday.
Cardinals pitcher out on disabled list after straining arm muscle
MLB
BY R.B. FALLSTROM THE ASSOCIATED PRESS
ST. LOUIS — Sidney Ponson got the news he expected on Tuesday when the St. Louis Cardinals placed him on the 15-day disabled list with a strained muscle in his right elbow.
Ponson, 3-0 with a 2.81 ERA, had to leave Sunday's 9-1 victory against the Florida Marlins after throwing three innings. The Cardinals are calling the injury an acute flexor muscle strain, and for Ponson one day without a move held no suspense.
"They gave me a hunch, yes," Ponson said. "If they didn't do it, they'd be one guy short."
Off days Thursday and next Monday will allow the Cardinals to get by with a four-man rotation until a three-game series at Kansas City beginning on May 19 when they'd have to call up a pitcher from the minors or have the bullpen combine on a game. Even without that break in the schedule, manager Tony La Russa said the team would be cautious.
"I've been working hard on rehab for eight days, working my shoulder, my elbow." Rincon said. "Yesterday I exercised for the doctor. Not good. He says, no more rehab for you."
The move was backdated to
One of the relievers who's on the DL, left-hander Ricardo Rincon, said he expected to undergo season-ending surgery to repair a shoulder injury and remove bone chips in his elbow later this week.
Monday and La Russa said Ponson would not throw for a week.
General manager Walt Jocketty said Rincon was jumping the gun.
"This just ensures that we're not tempted to rush him," La Russa said. "We just want him to take the 15 days to be sure."
St. Louis recalled left-hander Tyler Johnson from Triple-A Memphis to take Ponson's spot, giving the Cardinals eight relievers.
"The doctor hasn't said it's surgery for sure yet," Jocketty said. "He's thinking that."
Ponson has been relatively happy with the start to his comeback from alcohol problems that led to his release by the Orioles last September, except for an inability to
pitch deep into games. He had yet to throw seven innings.
"I'm giving the team a chance to win every time I go out there, that's the only thing I worry about," Ponson said. "Like I've said, I'm not big on wins and losses, wins and losses are for my agent in the offseason.
"I'm a team guy, you can ask any of the teammates I've played with."
The Cardinals were unhappy Rincon kept his physical problems to himself before finally telling them. La Russia also blamed Rincon's participation in the World Baseball Classic for his injuries.
"It's the consequence of pitching competitively before you're ready." La Russa said. "It's a very unfair competition for high-profile big-leaguers because they were not ready to compete the first part of March.
“it's upsetting when it's over and everybody was 'Oh, hey, this was such a success.'”
Rincon, who was placed on the DL on April 28, is 0-0 with a 10.80 ERA in five appearances and has not pitched since April 18.
Milner
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In addition to all of Milner's efforts on the ball diamond his senior year, he has worked hard in the classroom, as well.
Milner said he'd played baseball with senior right-hander Kodiak Quick since he was in grade school and his decision to come back became easier when he found Out Quick also was returning.
Milner said he was set to graduate this semester, which was yet another reason he had no regrets about coming back to Kansas.
Milner's academic success impressed coach Ritch Price.
who said baseball players, unlike some student athletes, must dedicate their summers to improving their skills on summer league teams instead of taking summer classes.
It's about having a career and not just the opportunity to play and I think he's better prepared to have a career."
Price said Milner's second year at Kansas helped him mature as a
Ritch Price Coach
mature as a player.
"It's about having a career and not just the opportunity to play and I think he's better prepared to have a career," Price said.
Now armed with the stats against elite competition and the body type that pro scouts loved last season, there's no doubt Milner will be getting another phone call from a MLB organization this June.
The only question now is how early that call will come. Price predicted Milner would be picked in the first 10 to 20 rounds.
"I'm a senior, so I don't have any leverage anymore," Milner said. "So, hopefully I go in the first 15 rounds and from there hopefully I just get a chance to play and show them what I got."
Milner has similar expectations.
- Edited by Cynthia Hernandez
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