Three Gorman baseball players head to Florida to showcase talent for scouts

Heather Cory

From left to right, baseball players, Stephen Manthei, Jeff Malm and Joey Rickard, pose for a portrait at Bishop Gorman High School on Oct. 2. Spending this past summer on the Ohio Warhawks baseball team, Manthei recruited his two friends for next summer’s season. Currently they are preparing for the upcoming Perfect World Games Wood Bat Association World Championships in Jupiter, Florida, one of the biggest tournaments in the nation.

By Christopher Drexel

Friday, Oct. 10, 2008 | midnight

Even with its status as the reigning American Legion national champions, Bishop Gorman's baseball team doesn't get seen too often by scouts from the East Coast.

That's the main reason three of the Gaels' top players — first baseman Jeff Malm, pitcher Stephen Manthei and center fielder Joey Rickard — have temporarily joined the Ohio Warhawks, a club team stocked with top players from around the country.

The Warhawks will compete in the Perfect Games Wood Bat Association National Championships in Jupiter, Fla., from Oct. 23 to 27.

The tournament, which will be held at the Florida Marlins and St. Louis Cardinals spring training complex, is one of the most scouted fall baseball tournament in the nation.

"Just because of how big that tournament is, especially being on the East Coast, a lot of East Coast schools and pro scouts will be there that normally wouldn't be able to see us," Malm said. "Jupiter is always a prestigious tournament. It's a place where you can showcase your talents."

The Ohio Warhawks' roster features players from 12 states. California is sending the most players with five, while Nevada is second with four — Bonanza's Kris Bryant is going, too.

The Warhawks typically play games throughout the summer based out of Springfield, Ohio. The Jupiter tournament is the only time it gathers in the fall.

Manthei is the only Gorman player with experience on the Warhawks. He played 44 games with the team this summer before rejoining the Gaels for the American Legion playoffs in August.

It was Manthei who put Warhawks coach Ron Slusher in contact with Malm and Rickard. After a few phone conversations, the coach invited them for the Florida tournament.

"It will be fun having them there," Manthei said. "It's the biggest tournament in the fall. You'll average 30 scouts a game easily with some of the players we have."

Rickard said it didn't take much convincing for him to join.

"There was no doubt I was going to go after Stephen told me about it," Rickard said.

The team won't have a chance to practice together, but that doesn't bother Malm.

Malm, who is no stranger to competing for hastily assembled teams after playing on the under-17 U.S. team two years in a row, said it will be nice to compete in Jupiter with two teammates.

"Obviously we're close after playing the last four years at Gorman together," he said. "Usually on teams like that you're not going to know anybody and the first days are real quiet in the dugout. Nobody talks. But when you go with a couple buddies, it's a lot easier to adjust."

Christopher Drexel can be reached at 990-8929 or christopher.drexel@hbcpub.com.