Central Illinois Outlaws

JB, are you sure good ole' www.htosports.com/cioutlaws doesn't work?

Yea that is better. Hope everyone checks out the website.

Class of 2008
No. 35-Josh Parr (IVC) Illinois
No. 56-Phillip Wetherell (Stewardson-Strasburg)-Kaskaskia College
Players to watch: Dan Russell (Henry), Joel Bonnett (Springfield Sacred Heart-Griffin)

Class of 2009
No. 43-Jordan Parr (IVC)
Players to watch: Adam Unes (St. Bede), Robert Hodges (Washington), Alex Wilson (Washington)

Class of 2010
They only ranked 10, but among the players to watch are: Peter Cunningham (Richwoods), Derek Sprout (IVC) and Marshall Escue (Washington)

Thanks for the report Ben...the rankings are a subscription service on the website, bummer

Found this link interesting:

http://siusalukis.cstv.com/sports/m-basebl/spec-rel/120707aaa.html

SIU closer Bryant George is preseason candidate for National Player of the Year.

I mention this because many of the same kids that make up this years edition of the Outlaws were members of a showcase team that beat Bryant George in the summer of 2007. George was pitching for the Southern Illinois Bullets and Canton's Keaton Landis looped a ball to right to score the winning run in the top of the eighth.

The Outlaws are hosting a tournament in June here. The field of teams committed to coming is very impressive for a first time tournament.

I believe some of that info will be on the Outlaws wensite soon.

I just checked out the Outlaw website and the concept is great. Who decides which kids make the team? Is there a tryout or is it invitation only? Also Beamer you talked on another post about the lack of Peoria people coming out to see the McAllisters at The Power Alley, I noticed very few Peoria kids on the Outlaws, why is that? (just curious)

Celtic.....Yea there is a tryout. Its in the Fall. There is a 25.00 non refundable tryout fee. The coaches conduct the tryout and they decide who makes the team. You are right there are few kids from Peoria proper on the rosters and very few kids from Peoria try out. The tryouts have been very well attended. Why is this? I dont have a great answer. COme to the Power Alley some night or during the day on a weekend. Its loaded with kids and Dads from everywehre but Peoria. Probably 10000 kids live within 10 minutes of the facility and most everyone in there is from everywhere else. Heck a kid and his Dad from Galva came in yesterday and joined for 3 months.They will be coming down every Thurs and Sunday..

Are the coaches planning on going out and actively recruiting in the future?

Dont know about actvely recruiting, but sometimes these teams are more invite than tryout. Wouldnt be surprised if the Outlaws end up that way

I hope this post stays up I would like to start following a local team.

Beamer is right, it's not so much recruiting as it is inviting.

For example, on both teams, we still need some pitching. So I've spent the past month identifying possible players and extending them invitations to come in and work out for us. In the future, we'll probably see a little more of that, just so we know what we have to work with rather than just being surprised at a tryout in September/October.

As far as Peoria kids go, I had a post when this forum first opened about baseball's lack of popularity in Peoria proper. I can't find it now, but the basic gist was basketball is the game of choice in Peoria proper.

Here's the teams entered for our Best of the Midwest Tourney on June 27th-29th.

18-U Field

• Bloomington Gold 17-U

• Capital City Sluggers 17-U

• Central Illinois Outlaws 18-U

• Illinois Sparks 17-U

• Kenosha Indians 18-U

• Springfield Statesmen 18-U

• St. Louis Pirates 18-U

• (Need 1 team)

16-U Field

• Bloomington Blue

• Central Illinois Outlaws

• Kenosha Indians

• Naperville Reds

• Springfield Statesmen

• Streator Zips

• (Need 2 teams)

Should be a very-well attended event, both college and professional scout-wise, particularly at the 18-U level. The teams we are bringing in there have long histories of sending very good players on to the Division I and professional levels.

Where are the games going to be played?