The first things opponents, scouts, umpires and fans usually notice about Carmel’s Sean Walker are his size and strength.
Walker, the first-team catcher on this year’s Tribune All-State baseball team, stands 6 feet 3 inches and weighs 220 pounds. He was a star tight end and linebacker for the Corsairs and carries that football mentality onto the diamond, enjoying the physical contact that goes with catching.
His strength characterizes his hitting. He clubbed 14 home runs this season, or one about every eight times at bat. He hit close to .500, slugged close to 1.000 and drove in 55 runs.
Besides his size and strength, Walker has uncommonly sharp eyes. He says that most of the time he can tell the instant an opposing pitcher releases the ball what kind of pitch is coming.
Yet baseball also is a mental game, and Walker, a good student who plans to study sports psychology at Michigan State, already has incorporated psychology into his game.
“I’ve played baseball since the time I was 10,” he said. “I played in Little League and on traveling teams. We played more than 50 games a summer. I’ve worked on my swing until it’s become a matter of muscle memory.”
As a result, he tries not to go to bat with his head as filled with “thou shall nots” as the head of a 25-handicap golfer.
“I try to relax–try not to think of too many things,” he said. “Some players get all pumped up. I know my ability. I try to let it take over and flow.”
Walker said he practices the same psychology when he goes to the mound to consult with a struggling pitcher.
“I joke with him,” he said. “I tell him to relax. I don’t criticize him. He already feels bad. I don’t want to make him more nervous.”
Carmel coach Chuck Gandolfi knew Walker was an exceptional athlete when he enrolled at the Mundelein school.
“The first time he took batting practice I said, `We have to find a place for this freshman,'” he said. “We played him at first base, and he made all-conference as a freshman.”
He switched to catcher and has improved yearly. Though he pitches rarely, he has been clocked at 91 m.p.h. from the mound.
“I coached him in football and saw him catch everything with those hands of his,” Gandolfi said. “Now, at Michigan State, he’ll concentrate on baseball. His best days are ahead of him.”
Despite Walker’s strong arm, his hitting and his adroit handling of pitchers, he was not a slam-dunk as No. 1 catcher on the All-State team.
Evansville-bound Pat Tumilty of Naperville Central, the second-team catcher, also was a standout. Behind Walker and Tumilty were several fine catchers: Bill Musselman of Providence, sophomore Ruairi O’Connor of Oak Park, Jordan Wolf of Schaumburg, Garrett Oros of West Aurora, Geoff Dietz of Lake Zurich, John Juergens of Bradley-Bourbonnais and Brett Crusoe of Lake Forest.
Two features mark this team:
– The extraordinary strikeout-to-walk ratios of several of its pitchers.
– The great number of top pitchers who also excel as hard-hitting position players.
For example, first-team pitcher Kyle O’Brien of Glenbard East, besides going 12-1 with a 0.75 earned-run average, struck out 101 batters and walked only 12 in 79 innings. The lefty could have made the team as an outfielder. He batted more than .500, hit with power and starred in the field.
First-teamer Todd Ozog of Ridgewood fanned 128 and walked nine. As for the second-teamers, Casey Erickson (13-0) of state quarterfinalist Chatham Glenwood has struck out 124 and walked seven, and Ted Ratliff of Crystal Lake Central struck out 70 and walked 17.
Two-way pitching and position-playing standouts include first-team All-Staters Ryan Campbell of quarterfinalist Sandburg at third base and Brian Shust of Stevenson in the outfield and second-teamers Steve Walker of Lockport at first base and Bryan Tews of Loyola at second.
Fans who like slugging third basemen should like this team. Campbell has 21 doubles and 43 RBIs and is hitting .509. Second-team All-Stater Chris Harang hit 10 homers this season and had 23 for his career at New Trier.
The first-team middle infielders, both juniors, also hit the long ball. Hinsdale South second baseman Todd Schultz had seven home runs, and Chatham Glenwood’s 5-8, 150-pound shortstop Ryan Hypke has hit nine.
At first base, Zach Rodeghero, who just missed hitting .600, edged out Walker, the All-State quarterback who was a great senior leader for Lockport’s several gifted sophomores.
The team includes several fine outfielders with nearly equal ability. Lyons Township 12-homer slugger Matt Bolt, Hersey’s Casey Garms and Stevenson’s Shust made the first team. Jim Viscomi of Glenbard East, Dean Cademartori of Notre Dame and Mike Sherwood of St. Viator earned second-team honors.
The team was selected from personal observation and from input by coaches, scouts and umpires across the state. It is based on performance as high school players, not potential as college or pro players. For example, Sherwood’s baseball career probably has ended: He will enroll at Marquette, a school without a baseball team.
The first team
PITCHERS
Kyle O’Brien, Glenbard East
Senior had 12-1 record, 0.75 ERA and five shutouts for one of area’s top teams. Also hit .500 and fielded 1.000 as outfielder. Headed to Illinois State.
Todd Ozog, Ridgewood
Senior was 11-0 with 0.48 ERA. Struck out 128 yet walked only nine. Division I prospect has not made college choice.
CATCHER
Sean Walker, Carmel
The 6-foot-3-inch, 220-pound senior batted in .480s, slugged 1.000, had 14 homers and 55 RBIs. Plans to play baseball at Michigan State.
FIRST BASE
Zach Rodeghero, Providence
The senior, a line-drive gap-to-gap hitter, flirted with .600 for Catholic League South champion. Headed for Valparaiso.
SECOND BASE
Todd Schultz, Hinsdale South
The junior hit .522 with 60 runs, 60 hits, 16 doubles, three triples, seven homers and 40 RBIs. No. 3 on school’s career homer list.
THIRD BASE
Ryan Campbell, Sandburg
The senior is hitting .509 with .608 on-base percentage, .880 slugging percentage and 21 doubles. As pitcher, is 8-3 with l.63 ERA. Top player in tough SICA West. Signed with Eastern Illinois.
SHORTSTOP
Ryan Hypke, Chatham Glenwd
The junior mighty mite (5-8, 150) is hitting .438 with nine homers and has made only five errors for perennial Springfield-area power. Rivals rave about his fielding.
OUTFIELD
Matt Bolt, Lyons Township
With 12 homers, the senior is No. 1 power man on slugging team that has ripped rival pitchers for 59 homers. Batting .448, he’s headed to Illinois State.
Casey Garms, Hersey
No. 1 outfielder on coaches’ all-Chicago-area team, the senior hit .490 and had 31-game hit streak. Going to Wisconsin-Parkside.
Brian Shust, Stevenson
Football star has great speed, arm in center. The senior batted third and had 7-0 pitching record for conference champs. Signed with Wake Forest.
Bill Jauss.
The second team
P: Casey Erickson, jr., Chatham Glenwd
P: Ted Ratliff, sr., Crystal Lake Central
C: Pat Tumilty, sr., Naperville Central
1B: Steve Walker, sr., Lockport
2B: Bryan Tews, sr., Loyola
3B: Chris Harang, sr., New Trier
SS: Ryan Curry, sr., Downers North
OF: Jim Viscomi, jr., Glenbard East
OF: Dean Cademartori, jr., Notre Dame
OF: Mike Sherwood, sr., St. Viator
Special mention
Pitchers
Kyle Arthur, sr., Bradley-Bourbonnais
Kyle Bradd, sr., Mattoon
Miles Clauss, so., New Trier
Andy Drain, so., Prairie Ridge
Duncan Elmer, sr., New Trier
George Kontos, sr., Niles West
Clay Kovac, sr., Mundelein
Scott Kowalski, sr., Lyons Township
Dan Larkin, sr., New Trier
Jeff Livek, sr., Schaumburg
Travis Myers, sr., Lake Forest
Dan O’Brien, sr., Mt. Carmel
Clinton Odom, sr., Simeon
Teddy Ogilvie, sr., Stevenson
Gary Perinar, jr., Minooka
Shaun Siebert, jr., Edwardsville
Tyler Thornton, jr., Stanford Olympia
Matt Weber, sr., Rockford Boylan
Catchers
Nick Abernathy, jr., Ridgewood
Brett Crusoe, sr., Lake Forest
Geoff Dietz, sr., Lake Zurich
Joe Hernandez, sr., Oswego
John Juergens, sr., Bradley-Bourbonnais
Bill Musselman, sr., Providence
Ruairi O’Connor, so., Oak Park
Garrett Oros, sr., West Aurora
Jordan Wolf, sr., Schaumburg
Infielders
Jim Adduci, sr., Evergreen Park
Ryan Anetsberger, jr., Glenbard West
Kyle Bjerga, sr., Glenbard East
Joey Bonadonna, jr., Stevenson
John Campbell, sr., O’Fallon
Kevin Diete, sr., Lyons Township
Caleb Fields, sr., Fenwick
Tony Gragnani, sr., Niles West
Trey Johnston, sr., Schaumburg
Kellen Kmiecik, so., Fenwick
Mark Mazzone, sr., New Trier
Austin McAllister, sr., Harlan
Shedrick Mossman, sr., De La Salle
Sergio Ortiz, jr., Clemente
Tanner Roark, so., Wilmington
Tony Steele, sr., Homewood-Flossmoor
Nick Tantillo, sr., Andrew
Kevin White, sr., St. Rita
Outfielders
Mike Irwin, sr., Hinsdale South
Josh Lively, jr., McHenry
Joey Rivera, sr., Clemente
Pete Slowik, sr., Lane Tech
Brian Smith, jr., Richards
Bill Jauss.
