Glenbard West alum trying to stick with Florida Marlins

Too early to think about spring? Think again. For a handful of area athletes, it's just another month or so before they report for spring training and another season in baseball's minor leagues.

The Daily Herald's Orrin Schwarz caught up with one of those players, Florida Marlins prospect Ryan Anetsberger, a Glenbard West graduate, working out at HealthTrack Sports and Wellness in Glen Ellyn, getting ready for spring training and the rigors of the season.

Q. How did last season go?

A. It went well. I got there a little late. I jumped right into the mix. It's kind of a funny story. I went and met with my scout and we figured (a contract) out. I signed that night and I was on a plane the next morning to Buffalo. I flew into Buffalo, drove 40 minutes to our stadium where Jamestown (N.Y.) was. Got my uniform, hopped in a van, drove five hours to State College (Pa.), where the team was.

So I got there maybe fifth inning of the game. I dress up in the locker room and just walk out to the dugout with the team. It was nerve-wracking. I show up and there's 6,000 fans. I just walk into the dugout and don't know anybody really. It was kind of a weird experience.

It took maybe three days to get cool with everyone on the team and get relaxed and situated. After that everything was good. I had a pretty good year. Made the midseason all-star team. I think I was hitting maybe .285 with 6 home runs at that time. I was pretty happy at that point.

My last 20 games weren't too hot, though. After the all-star game I probably hit maybe .200. I kind of got worn out. I wasn't used to playing 22 games straight. … Now I realize how important off-season workouts are to get ready to play everyday. That's what I've been trying to do here.

Q. Best thing about minor-league baseball?

A. The best thing is you are pursuing your dream. You've finally made it out of college (Illinois State), you're in pro ball, you're through the door. You can make tons of money supporting your family playing baseball for a living. It's pretty cool. It was fun going to all these different places I've never been to. You get to play with people from all over the country. Half the team is from California. We've got Florida, we've got Texas. … We've got guys from the Dominican Republic. I would never have met those guys unless I was playing baseball. You get to see how everyone else lives all over the world. It was a pretty cool experience.

Q. Worst thing about minor-league baseball?

A. The worst thing is probably the travel. We played a game in Ohio that got over at 11:30. Got on the bus after showering about midnight, drove eight hours to New York City and got there at 8 a.m. and had to play a game that night. That's not too fun.

Q. Toughest thing to adjust to?

A. The toughest thing is just being able to bring it every day. Not just one, two, three days a week. You've got to be able to play seven days a week. You've got a game every day, and you've got to be consistent. That's the biggest thing about baseball is being consistent. You can't go 3 for 4 one day and go 0 for 4, 0 for 4, 0 for 4, 3 for 4. You've got to keep consistent. That's why those major-leaguers are so good, because they're consistent in everything they do.

Q. Best thing about being home again?

A. Just being with my parents and getting nice, homecooked meals. It's great. Not having to spend money. I'd say that would be the best, just being back with my family. My mom is ready to kick me out now, she's had enough. But everything is good here.

Q. Worst thing about being home again?

A. The worst thing about being home is all my friends are at college right now, so I really don't have too many friends around here, which kind of stinks. Right when I got back from pro ball I went down to Illinois State the first four weekends just to get into being normal again, like everyone else.

That got kind of old and I needed to get back here and start working because a minor-league salary isn't that great. So you have to get back here and work a little bit. I got back and started doing camps and stuff. That took up my weekends because that's the big time to do camps. I really haven't been back to Illinois State. It was good having all the guys back for Christmas. …

I work at three different places. I'm trying to keep busy as much as I can. Making money is fun. I never had any, so now I have a little bit. It's not too bad.

Q. One piece of advice for young ballplayers?

A. My advice to young kids is listen to your coaches and you've got to work hard. People don't get to the professional levels by playing video games all day long. It takes a lot of work. When you think you're working hard, there's six, seven, eight, 10, 20, 30 guys working harder than you are. You've just got to keep working at it and try to get better every single day.

It's a process. It's not a one-time thing. You don't just get better in one day. It's a process. You've got to keep working and working and working. That's what our coaches say in pro ball all the time. The season is a process. You've got to keep getting better and better and better and better every day.

Q. When do you leave for spring training?

A. I believe I have to go to a minicamp-type deal for guys who just got drafted. It starts, I think, the 18th of February (in Florida). … I'll be starting spring training with everyone else March first or second. I'm looking forward to getting down there, get away from this cold weather.

Q. How often are you working out?

A. I work out pretty much five days a week. I'll do baseball stuff in the morning (at Bulls-Sox Academy in Lisle with Jamestown teammate Ryan Curry, a Downers Grove South graduate), probably about 10:30 to 12:30, then hop over here at 1, work out with (trainer Greg Dacanay). Work out with Greg till probably 2, 2:30. Then pretty much that's my day for baseball. Usually I have lessons at night that I do. Weekends are mostly just baseball stuff, not lifting or anything like that.

Q. What is the focus of your workouts?

A. I'm just trying to get stronger. I've come to the conclusion that I'm not going to be a speed guy anymore in pro ball, so pretty much as big and strong as I can get is going to help me. They're not really looking to me to steal bases. You still want to stay agile and whatnot, but pretty much just get as strong as possible to put up some power numbers this year. I'm a corner position player, so they're looking for home runs and RBI.

How DuPage County minor-leaguers did in their first pro season in 2007

1. Ryan Anetsberger (Glenbard West) Class A Jamestown Jammers, 1B-3B

.266, 7 HR, 1 SB, 61 games

2. Ryan Curry (Downers Grove South), Class A Jamestown Jammers, 2B

.308*, 8 HR*, 27 RBI, 2 SB, 62 games (* denotes team leader)

3. Kyle Kaminska (Naperville Central) Rookie Gulf Coast Marlins, P

1-1, 2.84 ERA, 5 games, 4 GS, 14 K, 19 IP

4. Marc Lewis (Benet), Class A Greensboro Grasshoppers, Jamestown Jammers, P

4-5, 2.95 ERA, 13 games, 13 GS, 40 K, 58.0 IP

One month till spring training