Wednesday, March 28, 2001
The University Daily Kansan
Section B · Page 3
.
Where are they now?
Pitcher helped lead Jayhawks to College World Series
By Steve Laurenzo
By Steve Laurenza
sports@kanson.com
Kansas sportwriter
Name: Jamie Splittorff
Name: Jamie Splittorff
Sport: baseball
Position: pitcher
Years at Kansas: 1993-95
Hometown: Blue Springs, Mo. Accomplishments at Kansas:
207 career strikeouts (fourth)
71 strikeouts as a freshman (first)
10 wins as a sophomore (tied for first)
42 career starts (second)
23-9 career record in 47 appearances (290.1 innings)
71. 9 career winning percentage (fourth in Kansas history)
42 career starts (second)
Then: Splittorff's best statistical year was 1994, when he had a 10-1 record. But the most memorable year for both Splittorff and Kansas baseball fans was his freshman year in 1993. Splittorff was 7-2, and the team advanced to both the regional finals and the College World Series for the first time in school history under then-coach Dave Bingham.
In the first game of the regional finals, Kansas lost to Fresno State, a traditional baseball powerhouse. The double-elimination format allowed Kansas to advance and defeat tournament host Tennessee with Splittorff on the mound.
After rolling against Rutgers and Clemson, Kansas moved on to play Fresno State again in the championship
game. The Jayhawks pulled out a thrilling victory in the bottom of the tenth inning.
"It was great," he said, "All of the guys
take a seat away on the field to celebrate. It was pretty significant because Kansas baseball had never won anything like that before."
Unfortunately, the team didn't fare as well in the College World Series. The Jayhawks exited early with losses to Texas A&M and Long Beach State. Still, 1993 remains the
Splittorff: currently working as a financial adviser
most successful year in Kansas baseball history.
Life After Kansas: Back pain and injury prevented Splitteroff from seeing serious action after college. He was drafted by the Minnesota Twins and spent time with one of their farm teams in Florida.
He made regular trips back to Lawrence to work out with the team, pitching coach Wilson Kilmer and Kansas coach Bobby Randall. Unfortunately, he couldn't stay healthy consistently.
"I would feel good and play for two weeks, and then have to take two weeks off," he said.
Regardless, Splittorff enjoyed trying and holds no regrets or resentment.
"I saw a lot of guys that were better than me that never made it." he said.
Splittorff then went on to work for Ernest and Julio Gallo as a wine salesman. He spent one year with the company at its Houston office.
Now: SplittorFhas worked as a financial adviser at American Express Financial Advisors Inc. since August of 1999.
"I enjoy helping people make better decisions and improve their situation," he said.
Splittorf's father, Paul, is a member of the Kansas City Royals' Hall of Fame and a nationally-known sports broadcaster. Although Splittorf did make a few attempts at sports broadcasting, he decided early on it wouldn't be his career.
"It's more difficult than it looks," he said. "You have to know the players, the coaches, the strategies, and then you have to sound good."
In the future, when Splittorff has children, he said he planned to treat the sporting lives of his children the way his father did.
"I would like to be a father that supports them in anything that they do," he said.
He said he didn't want to push them in any direction they wouldn't choose and would rather be a spectator than a coach.
Splittorff is looking forward to a reunion this summer of the 1993 College World Series team. All but three players are expected to return.
- Edited by Meaan Phelos
Former Kansas pitching standout Jamie Splittorff left baseball because of back pain and injuries. He now works as a financial adviser at American Express Financial Advisors.
KANSAN file photo.
'Hawks lose game, left fielder
By Ryan Malashock
sports@kansan.com
Kansan sportswriter
The Kansas baseball team lost 6-5 against Arkansas yesterday, but more importantly may have lost one of its team captains to injury in the process.
Two seniors, left fielder Doug Dreher and shortstop John Nelson, collided while converging on a fly ball in the bottom of the sixth innings.
will be re-evaluated in Lawrence today.
Although Nelson escaped the collision without injury and stayed in the game, Dreher was not as fortunate. Dreher injured his left wrist and was taken immediately to Washington Regional Medical Center in Fayetteville. Physicians said Dreher might have broken his wrist, but X-rays were inconclusive and
Despite trailing 5-3 and seeing one of their captains fall to injury, the Jayhawks rallied to tie the game. Arkansas' Wes McCrrotty's RBI single in the bottom of the ninth won the game for the Razorbacks.
Kansas coach Bobby Randall said the Jayhawks showed a lot of poise in their comeback attempt.
"I was pleased with the way the kids battled back late in the game," Randall said. "Obviously we are not satisfied with the outcome of the game because there are a few things we should have done better to put us in a position to win."
Kansas (14-16, 2-1 BIG 12 Conference)
jumped out to an early 30-lead
Arkansas (15-15) answered back
with four runs in the bottom of the second. Kansas junior Jake Wright'two-run throwing error keyed the Razorback's second-imming.
Kansas rallied in the eighth with two runs and tied the game at five. Senior right fielder Jesse Gremminger cut the lead to 5-4 with an ARI single. Freshman Matt Tribble, who entered the game for Dreher, tied the game with an ARI double.
Junior Jeff Davis took the loss in relief for Kansas and dropped to 2-1 on the season.
—Edited by Sydney Wallace
LINE SCORE
Kansas 120 100 020 -5
Arkansas 040 010 010 -6
WP-Josh Memmerman, 3.2, LP-Jeff Davis, 2.1.
Injury forces Griffey from spring training
The Associated Press
SARASOTA, Fla. — Ken Griffey Jr. won't play for the rest of spring training and his status for opening day is in doubt.
The Cincinnati Reds won't know for a few more days whether Griffey's pulled hamstring amounts to a minor setback or a problem that could linger for a few weeks.
Griffey pulled his left hamstring while rounding third base Monday and had to be helped off the field. The leg was swollen yesterday, when he got several hours of treatment.
Dr. Timothy Kremchek said it was the type of injury that was difficult to gauge in the first few days. The Reds expect to have a better idea by the weekend whether Griffey will be available for the season opener on
Monday.
"We're not looking at putting him on the disabled list," Kremchek said. "Right now, I truly believe there's a possibility he'll play on opening day. We're going to do everything we can to get him in the best shape we possibly can.
"On the other hand, we're not going to do something that's going to allow him to rehurt himself on opening day, just to play that one particular game."
The major concern now is that the hamstring injury will turn into a lingering problem that limits him for much of the season.
Griffey never had hamstring problems until last year. The left hamstring was sore much of the season, and he didn't start again after partially tearing it on Sept. 11.
He strained the lower part of the hamstring when he slipped Monday in a 3-2 loss to Kansas City.
"I think what happened yesterday was a break injury," Kremchek said. "He went around third base pretty hard and he slipped and aggravated the hamstring. It could have been any player at any time."
Griffey kept playing with the sore hamstring last season and eventually tore it. The Reds don't want the latest injury to turn into another long-term problem.
"We hope we've nipped this in the bud and it won't be a lingering thing," Kremchek said. "But hamstrings are unpredictable."
Ruben Rivera, signed last week as a free agent, is one of several outfielders who will get a chance to fill in for the rest of spring training.
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