Wednesday, June 9, 1999 | 10:18 a.m.
Not once, but twice, Josh Laidlaw thought he was ever-so-close to realizing his dream of playing professional baseball.
In 1997, the Montreal Expos selected the Cheyenne High graduate in the 43rd round of the Major League Baseball draft. The signing period came and went without so much as an offer, however, so Laidlaw headed off to Arizona Western Junior College.
A year later, the Expos once again expressed interest in Laidlaw, taking him in the 40th round of the 1998 draft. Although he realized he'd been picked pretty far down in the pecking order, he expected some type of offer. But again, none came his way.
His two years at Arizona Western complete, Laidlaw has signed to play for Nevada-Reno next season. His pro dreams are far from dead, though, which is why he came out for Tuesday's Major League Baseball Scouting Bureau open tryout camp at Cashman Field.
"I'm going to Reno, but my dream is to play professional baseball of course," Laidlaw said. "I just want to get my name out there. Even if I don't show well at this camp, they'll know where I am."
Although he didn't hear his name called in last week's draft, Laidlaw did get more fuel for his fire when the Florida Marlins made his younger brother, Jake, their seventh-round pick this year.
Jake Laidlaw, a 1999 Cheyenne graduate and an infielder on the Sun's 1999 all-state first-team, has signed and is set to join the Marlins' summer Class A club in Melbourne, Fla., on Thursday.
"Of course there's some jealousy, but I'm so happy for him," Josh Laidlaw said. "And I feel I have a good shot to join him someday."
Major League scout Tom Valcke, who runs the annual camp, is quick to point out that the event is intended primarily for high school juniors, such as potential 2000 draftees David Krynzel (Green Valley) and Ryan Ruiz (Silverado).
But Valcke did say that every year 50-60 non-drafted players are signed throughout the country, giving new hope to players like Laidlaw.
"(The camp) gives scouts a fresh point of view," Valcke said. "(The non-draftees) have got to take lemons and make lemonade. If they think they're good enough and they think (teams) made a mistake, they've got to use it as a motivating force. They can talk the talk, but they've got to walk the walk."
Valcke said Laidlaw was able to impress scouts on Tuesday, meaning they'll probably keep a close eye on him next year in Reno.
"I liked what he did," Valcke said.
"He ran OK, he's got instincts and some arm strength and he's a big kid, too."
Like Laidlaw, Bishop Gorman pitcher Nate Fouts hoped to be selected in last week's draft. When that didn't happen, the early UNLV signee focused his attention on college.
But he decided to come out for the camp just in case.
"They tell you they're going to draft you, and it just didn't happen," said Fouts, another member of the Sun's all-state first-team. "This is pretty much for the younger guys, but I figure it can't hurt me to be here."
Fouts' younger brother, Cooper, just finished his sophomore season as Bishop Gorman's starting catcher. Despite his age, he's already drawing rave reviews from scouts, as is fellow junior-to-be Garrett Guzman, an outfielder at Green Valley.
"I'm absolutely zoning in on the high school players that are going to be seniors next year," Valcke said.
"But second is the sophomores and freshmen who can get their names on my list."
archive
