Lengthy wait rewarded
SLIPPERY ROCK — Matt Adams spent Wednesday playing darts and hitting smashes and lobs on a ping-pong table.
The Slippery Rock University junior catcher was doing anything he could to distract himself from the major league baseball draft.
But as the picks came and went and round after round passed without his name getting called, Adams stewed.
"It was a rough day," Adams said. "It was rough because all along teams I talked to told me I would go anywhere from round seven to 17."
But Adams had to wait much longer than that.
The NCAA Division II Player of the Year, who led the nation with a .495 batting average, wasn't selected until the 23rd round by the St. Louis Cardinals.
He had to wait 698 picks until the Cardinals grabbed him.
"To slide at least eight rounds," Adams said, "it was tough to take."
But Adams didn't allow it to dampen his spirits. Enjoying an evening with his family and friends, he contemplated the future.
What looked like a sure thing weeks ago took on a air of uncertainty Wednesday night: Should Adams sign with the Cardinals, or return to The Rock for his senior season?
"I talked to him twice today," said SRU baseball coach Jeff Messer. "I gave him my recommendations. I think he is going to sign."
St. Louis selected three catchers before Adams, including Robert Stack of USC in the second round.
His weight might have been a reason Adams slipped so far: He's 6-foot-3, but weighs 245 pounds.
He already has shed some of the excess girth.
"The teams that didn't like him didn't like him because of his size," Messer said.
Messer said he thinks Adams should return to Slippery Rock, get into better shape and improve his draft status for next season.
Adams, though, said he is strongly considering signing with St. Louis."I'm most likely going (to sign)," Adams said. "I can always get in shape there. I don't need to come back to Slippery Rock to get into shape. I just want to get my foot in the door and prove I can play."Adams has proved he can hit at any level.Last summer in the New England Collegiate Baseball League, Adams dominated against many Division I players in the wooden bat league.He led the circuit in batting average (.351), doubles (16), home runs (seven), slugging percentage (.596), on-base percentage (.425), and won the league's MVP award.He kept hitting this spring at SRU, ranking fifth nationally in on-base percentage (.566), eighth in slugging percentage (.853) and doubles (24), and mashing 14 home runs.Adams said he has nothing left to prove."I know my weight had a lot to do with (me slipping in the draft)," Adams said. "But that can be worked on. That can be fixed. I know I can hit at any level."Messer would love for Adams to return. But he also is a realist."Any kid, since he is in Little League, has a dream to get drafted," Messer said. "I just think Matt is better than a 23rd-round player."(But) I'm excited for him to get drafted and for all that he did for us."Padres tap TremblayFormer Seneca Valley baseball player Chris Tremblay was drafted by the San Diego Padres in the 19th round of MLB draft Wednesday.Tremblay played for the Raiders until his senior season, hitting .551, before transferring to Boardman, Ohio, for his final high school season.The 5-10 shortstop batted .347 in 58 games with Kent State University this spring. He led the team with 66 runs scored. He also had two home runs, 33 RBI and an on-base percentage of .436.Tremblay, a senior, will leave the Golden Flashes with a career .322 batting average.He finished with a school-record 591 assists, third in at-bats (804), fourth in hits (259) and was a Mid- American Conference Tournament MVP after he went 7-for-14 with one home run and eight runs scored.Staff writer Sam Tallarico contributed to this story.
