C8 • SPORTS • S TA R T R I BUN E • TU E SDAY, J U N E 12 , 2 0 12 h

[CMYK] C8 Tuesday, June 12, 2012ZSW

preps all-metro baseball

STAR TRIBUNE METRO PLAYER OF THE YEAR L OGAN SHOR E , COON RAP I D S

BRUCE BISPING • bbisping@startribune.com

Coon Rapids junior righthander Logan Shore already has accepted a scholarship offer to Florida and been invited to try out for the USA BaseballU18 national team, but it hasn’t gone to his head.“He’s not cocky and doesn’t think he’s better than anyone else,” teammate Alex Aase said.

FIRST TEAM

LOGAN SHORE

Coon Rapids, jr., pitcher/utility• The hard-throwing righthander’s fastball hitsthe low 90s on radar guns. He was 6-0 with a 0.80ERA despite being slowed because of a musclestrain in his back. He struck out 51 in 432⁄2⁄2 3⁄3⁄ inning. His 3

WHIP (walks plus hits per inning pitched) was 0.89. Shore alsocan hit for power. He has verbally committed to Florida.

MATT ARENDS

Prior Lake, sr., outfield• Arends has been a four-year starter for theLakers. He covers a lot of ground in center fieldand can hit for power. The stellar student-athletehit back-to-back two-run homers against state tour-nament entrant Eastview. He was in the top 2 percent of hisgraduating class with a 4.105 grade-point average.

RYAN BOLDT

Red Wing, jr., outfield• Boldt’s stock continues to rise on a yearly basis.Like Shore, Boldt is one of 144 players fromaround the country who was invited to try outfor the under-18 Team USA squad. The Nebraska recruit is a five-tool center fielder who hits lefthanded. Hebatted .423 with three home runs and 27 RBI in helping theWingers to a 22-1 season.

ROMAN COLL INS

Maple Grove, sr., first base/pitcher• A three-year starter for the Crimson, Collinscaught the attention of Division I coaches inhis final year. He batted .415 with four homeruns and 26 RBI while striking out only four times for the Northwest Suburban Conference champions.“He isone of our all-time clutch performers,” Maple Grove coachDarby Carlson said.

MATT F IEDLER

St. Paul Academy, jr., pitcher/shortstop• Spartans coach Mike Brown isn’t at a loss forwords when it comes to describing his standoutplayer.“Matt could play for any team in the stateand his numbers would be the same,” Brown said. Those numbers are a 7-1 record with one save and a 0.23 ERAon the mound to go along with a .547 average at the plate.“He is an incredible leader on and off the field,” Brown said.

RYAN POPP ITZ

Wayzata, sr., pitcher/third base• There might not be another player who meantmore to his team than Poppitz. The senior right-hander went 10-2 (the Trojans finished 16-10)with a 1.31 ERA in the tough Lake Conference. Herecorded 76 strikeouts while walking 13.“He collected a lot ofbig wins for us,” Wayzata coach Bobby DeWitt said.

CORY QUINLAN

Hill-Murray, sr., shortstop• “He comes from good stock with the Quinlanname,”Pioneers coach Bill Lechner said. TheClassic Suburban Conference player of the year hit.423 with 22 RBI and 22 runs scored. Quinlan made only two errors in the Pioneers’25 games.“Cory is a stickler todetail. He is always pushing himself to improve,”Lechner said.

KASEY RALSTON

Holy Family, sr., shortstop/pitcher• Ralston is as versatile as they come and is solidboth offensively and defensively. The Indianarecruit is hitting .365 with six home runs and32 RBI heading into the state tournament. On the mound, Ralston posted a 7-0 record with a 0.67 ERA. Hestruck out 93 in 52 innings.

BRENT STONG

Andover, sr., pitcher• The Bradley recruit had an outstanding finalseason. Stong posted a 6-2 record with a 1.34 ERA,striking out 94 in 521⁄3 innings. The lefthander’stwo losses were 3-1 to Maple Grove and 1-0 to Coon Rapids, in which he had a no-hitter through five innings.Stong, a Lions All-Star game selection, also hit over .300.

RONHAGGSTROM

all-metro teams

SECOND TEAM• Pitcher: Matt Herringshaw, Mounds View, sr.• Pitcher: Tanner Schumacher, Blaine, sr.• Pitcher: Tim Shannon, Hopkins, sr.• Pitcher/first base: Evan DeCovich, Eastview, sr.• Pitcher/first base: Cameron Mingo, Eden Prairie, sr.• Pitcher/outfield: Josh Pierce, Minneapolis Washburn, sr.• Third base: Blake Molitor, West Lutheran, sr.• Outfield: Kevin Miley, Cretin-Derham Hall, sr.• Outfield: Dan Motl, Burnsville, sr.

By JASONGONZALEZjason.gonzalez@startribune.com

Everything he did on the moundwas enough.

A perfect record, an ERA be-low 1.00 and an attention-grab-

bing, more than 90 miles-per-hour fast-ball were more than sufficient to makeCoon Rapids pitcher Logan Shore theStar Tribune’s Metro Baseball Player ofthe Year.

Then his teammates and opponentsspoke mostly about the 17-year-old ju-nior’s character.

“He’s always putting other peoplefirst,” teammate Alex Aase said. “He’snot cocky and doesn’t think he’s betterthan anyone else. He’s always looking outfor the team.”

It would be easy for Shore to forgetabout his teammates. Before throwing apitch this season, the righthander accept-ed a scholarship offer from the Universityof Florida and had been invited to partic-ipate in the USA Baseball National TeamIdentification Series.

These achievements, however, nev-er overshadowed the 6-3, 200-pounder’scommitment to Coon Rapids.

“Usually a kid that has that kind of cre-dentials, they kind of get into themselvesa little bit,” Coon Rapids coach Jerry Coesaid. “Logan has been a team player allthree years he’s been here.”

An examplewas his versatility through-out the season. When not pitching, Shoreplayed outfield, shortstop and first base.He often bats third or fourth.

Players around the metro willinglyrecognize Shore as the best. Outside theNorthwest Suburban Conference, teamshave heard stories of his dominance.Mostare of his fastball, but some make men-tion of his bat. Not an every-game hitter,he still managed to maintain the higheston-base percentage on his team and col-lect the most walks.

It was in the middle of the diamond,though, where Shore is most produc-tive. He just missed breaking the school’sERA record. In nine appearances — sev-en of them starts — he gave up less thana run a game and finished with a 0.80ERA. He never lost (6-0) and struck out51 batters.

“He’s definitely the best player in themetro,” Totino-Grace infielder Derek Lo-

K With an ego smaller than his ERA, pitcher Logan Shore impresses teammates and foes alike.

TEAM-FIRST TALENT

PLAYERS OF THE YEARA complete list of the Metro Baseball Players of the Year:

• 1989: Tom Nevers, Edina, SS• 1990: Nevers• 1991:Ryan Kjos, Hopkins, P• 1992:Dave Lance,

Irondale, P• 1993: Chris Schwab,

Cretin-Derham Hall, OF• 1994: Jake Schaffer,

Holy Angels, SS• 1995: Justin Dudinsky,

Brooklyn Center, P• 1996: Ben Birk,

Cretin-Derham Hall, OF• 1997: Mark Pedersen,

Mounds View, P• 1998: Ryan Klocksein,

Minnetonka, P• 1999: Luke Appert,

Park of Cottage Grove, SS• 2000: T.J. Prunty,

St. Paul Academy, P

• 2001: Joe Mauer,Cretin-Derham Hall, C

• 2002: Marcus McKenzie,Minnetonka, P

• 2003: Aaron Jenkins,Champlin Park, P

• 2004: Tim Radmacher,Rosemount, P

• 2005: Dan Leslie,Henry Sibley, P

• 2006: Jed Hanson,Forest Lake, P

• 2007: Danny Miller,Eden Prairie, P

• 2008: Brad Hand, Chaska, P• 2009: Ryan Abrahamson,

Tartan, SS• 2010: Tom Windle, Osseo, P• 2011:Ryan Busch,Roseville,P• 2012: Logan Shore,

Coon Rapids, P

QUARTERF INALS • THURSDAY

CLASS 3A

At Midway Stadium, St. Paul

Upper bracket

• Hopkins (18-6) vs. Eden Prairie (14-10), 10 am

• Bemidji (23-2) vs. Hill-Murray (21-4), 12:30 pm

Lower bracket

• Eastview (20-4) vs. Red Wing (22-1), 3 pm

• Grand Rapids (19-6) vs. Totino-Grace (16-7-1), 5:30 pm

CLASS 2A

At Dick Putz Field, St. Cloud

Upper bracket

• Holy Family (22-4) vs. Cannon Falls (20-5), 10 am

• Roseau (20-5) vs. Fairmont (24-3), 12:30 pm

Lower bracket

• Proctor (17-6) vs. Minneapolis Washburn (25-0), 3 pm

• St. Cloud Cathedral (22-5) vs. Delano (18-7), 5:30 pm

CLASS 1A

At Chaska Athletic Park

Upper bracket

• Browerville (22-3) vs. Kenyon-Wanamingo (19-6), 10 am

• Ely (20-3) vs. Lac qui Parle Valley (16-9), 12:30 pm

Lower bracket

• Blackduck (22-4) vs. BOLD (22-4), 3 pm

• New York Mills (23-0) vs. St. Agnes (20-6), 5:30 pm

FR IDAY

CLASS 3A

Consolation • Dunning Field, St. Paul

• Semifinals, 10 am and 12:30 pm

• Consolation championship, 3 pm

Semifinals • Midway Stadium

• Upper-bracket winners, noon

• Lower-bracket winners, 2:30 pm

• Third place, 5 pm

CLASS 2A

Consolation • Joe Faber Field, St. Cloud

• Semifinals, 10 am and 12:30 pm

• Consolation championship, 3 pm

Semifinals • Dick Putz Field, St. CLoud

• Upper-bracket winners, noon

• Lower-bracket winners, 2:30 pm

• Third place, 5 pm

CLASS 1A

Consolation • Mini Met, Jordan

• Semifinals, 10 am and 12:30 pm

• Consolation championship, 3 pm

Semifinals • Chaska Athletic Park

• Upper-bracket winners, noon

• Lower-bracket winners, 2:30 pm

• Third place, 5 pm

MONDAY • CHAMPIONSHIP GAMESAt Target Field

• Class 1A, noon • Class 2A, 3 pm • Class 3A, 6 pm

baseball state tournament

FAIR TO COMPARE? SHORE HOPES SOThere were few names players around the state unanimously consid-

ered baseball’s best. Among them were Metro Player of the Year LoganShore and, to Shore’s delight, Rochester Century pitcher Mitch Brown.

The two have become nationally touted prospects for their 90-plus-mile-per-hour fastballs.

Shore paid close attention to Brown’s senior season for several rea-sons. He admires the older pitcher, the two were finalists for MinnesotaGatorade Baseball Player of the Year and he was interested in Brown’s MLB draft stock.

The pitchers have become friends and regularly text back and forth.“I had a lot of questions for him [about] what to expect in the draft and how to

handle that,” Shore said.“He works extremely hard. I think I need to get on [Brown’straining routine]. He’s doing something right.”

Here is a look at Shore and Brown:

Brown

dermeier said after admiring Shore’s playduring the Section 5 playoffs. “And he’s agood guy and straightforward.”

Attention has followed Shore since hewas in Little League. Coe heard of therising star and talk of how he would im-mediately benefit the Coon Rapids pro-gram.

The Cardinals coach blew off the hype.In his 20 years of coaching at the school,not once had a ninth-grader played varsi-ty. Shore broke the trend.

“Right away, I noticed his composure,”Coe said. “I think that is what makes himstand out. I knew I would have somethingspecial for the another three years.”

Shore’s Player of the Year seasoncame to a humbling end. Tears filledhis eyes after losing to Maple Grove inthe Section 5 playoffs. The same team heshut out only a few weeks earlier scoredfive runs in his two-plus innings of relief.The runs were unearned, it was a pain-ful outing.

The pitcher ignored a lingeringstrained muscle in his back in hope ofearning a state tournament bid, but hewas punished for it. Shore uncomfort-ably stretched his back after each walk orbase hit he gave up. Yet when relieved by

another pitcher, he was reluctant to giveup the ball.

“I think ifmybackwouldhavebeen fine,I probablywould have pitched like that therest of the year,” said Shore, referring to hisfirst game against Maple Grove.

His opponents didn’t forget about whathe did to them inMay. AMapleGrove par-ent congratulated Shore on his season viaTwitter, referring to him as the best highschool pitcher he’s ever seen.

Scouts recognize his talent as well. Ina week, Shore will attend a USA Baseballevent with the goal of earning a chanceto play for the U18 national team at theworld championships in South Korea inAugust.

“Any time you get invited to somethingto get a chance to represent your countryis a big honor,” Shore said. “It’s been a re-ally, really good year.”

There is still more to come. Shore’sgoal for his senior season is to surpassthe Coon Rapids ERA record of 0.66.But what many others will be watchingis where the teenager lands in next year’sMajor League Baseball draft. As of aweekago, scouting agencies were whisperingrumors into Shore’s ear of being selectedin the first or second round.

SHORE CATEGORY BROWNUniversity of Florida College choice University of San Diego

Ranked by Perfect Game(scouting service) as a Professional ranks Drafted 79th overall2013 Top 50 prospect by the Cleveland Indians

Star Tribune Metro Accolades Minnesota GatoradePlayer of the Year Baseball Player of the Year

JASONGONZALEZ