Class B All-Region Teams

The Grand Forks Herald ran the All-Region baseball teams for Regions 2, 3, 4 and 5.

From those regions listed, the upcoming state tournament may showcase a potential pitching matchup of region SPOY in Dakota Prairie's Seth Nichols and Grafton's Anthony Kliniske, 13 All-Region players, and three region COY. Good stuff.

To give it a read, click here.

Chris Coste Book Signing

If you enjoy reading a book about athletes, I highly suggest picking up The 33-Year-Old Rookie, a book spun from the experiences of Philadelphia Phillies catcher Chris Coste. It is probably going to cost you 20 or 25 bucks, but if you are from North Dakota and you dig on baseball at all, this book should be on your shelf.

I'm a huge fan of Coste. His break into the majors and my start in sports journalism kind of happened at the same time. I remember hearing about him going to the Phillies spring training and absolutely tearing it up, and I remember being completely shocked when he didn't make the 25-man roster that spring. But, as the book will demonstrate, it isn't the first time Coste has had to remember patience, it isn't the first time he's been told he was too old and too slow, and it isn't the first time Coste had to deal with failure.

I think that is what draws me to the game of baseball. The game is built on failure and the players' ability to overcome that constant failure. In a way, the game is very much like life. You go out there every day (well, 182 regular season games, plus spring training, plus the postseason) and you see what you can do. If you have an average day (we'll say 1-for-4) it is just that, an average day. But some days, you are unstoppable (we'll say 2-for-3 with a two-run homer, a walk and 3 RBI). Eventually you are going to have to wear the collar of an 0-for-4 or 0-for-5 day and you are going to strikeout. But tomorrow you are going to go right back out and take a hack.

And that is what Coste has done with his career. In it he talks about some of his early baseball memories, his high school, college, minor league and major league career. It is funny, sad, everything in between.

If you are in Fargo on July 15 (and Coste isn't named to the National League All-Star team I'm assuming), swing by Barnes and Noble. Coste will be there selling and autographing his book, starting at 7 p.m.

In a time where some professional athletes that aren't truthful, aren't approachable, aren't anything you want your kid to grow up and be, what Coste is can be what saves professional sports long-term. Also, if you want to check out his website, click here.

B Baseball Region Championship Stories

Here's a chance to brush up on the teams that make up the field of the 2008 state Class B baseball tournament in Jamestown.

Region 1 - LaMoure-Litchville-Marion (Forum story) (Sun story)

Region 2 - Central Valley-Hillsboro (Forum story)

Region 3 - Dakota Prairie (Sun story - scroll down)

Region 4 - Grafton

Region 5 - Munich-Starkweather-Cando

Region 6 - Velva Drake (Daily News story)

Region 7 - Minot Ryan (Daily News story) (W.Herald story)

Region 8 - Steele-Dawson

Darin Erstad - May 21

Major League Baseball's pride of Jamestown, Darin Erstad, recently passed a career hit total of 1600 recently. Gotta say, that is a pile of hits. No, we aren't talking about breaking the MLB record in hits or anything like that, but Ersty has had one heck of a career.

Considering he spent parts of a couple of seasons on the disabled list, his career numbers probably will never reflect the offensive impact he's had over his career. And, because he was such a standout defensive player (the only major league player to get gold gloves in the outfield and infield) a lot of his offensive contributions will likely be overlooked.

For his career he's played in 1,448 games and is a .284 hitter (1602-for-5633). He has 300 doubles, 31 triples, 119 home runs (a .751 career OPS), 668 RBI and 178 stolen bases.

As a part-time player and pinch hitter for Houston this season he's found a bit of a revival in his career. Take the last 10 games he's played in for instance: He's hitting .375 (6-for-16) with 7 RBI, 1 HR, 2 runs, 1 walk and 2 strikeouts. Of hose 10 games he's started three of them, pinch hit in five of them and was a defensive replacement in two without an at bat.

On the season he's hitting .308. Split that between righties and southpaws, he's hitting .300 against right-handed pitching and .400 versus lefties. He gives you quality at bats, drives in runs, and doesn't look foolish with the glove.

Injuries have been his one bugaboo, and it remains to be seen if he'll play throughout the entire season, but he's off to a fabulous start in 2008. Here's to him continuing to provide solid production throughout the entire season.

HTML Test - Standings

Boys	Basketball	Region 9	District 17
School	Wins	Losses	Points
Highland High	15	0	7
Prepland Prep	15	0	6
Schoolland School	15	0	5
Academyland Academy	15	0	4