Wood bat league keeps older players in the game

SPRINGFIELD, Ill. — On the first day of summer, the late-afternoon shadows grew long over the batter’s box as players from the Springfield Rush and Springfield Pallys took their turns at bat.

The teams in the Central Illinois Wood Bat League were playing at Claude Kracik Field at Lincoln Land Community College, whose team usually finishes its season before spring is through.

But thanks to the efforts of Troy Vilayhong and some of his supporters, the wood bat league players have a local, competitive outlet for summer play.

Vilayhong is passionate about baseball. He has been coaching freshman baseball at Springfield High School for 15 years, and he played baseball at LLCC before graduating in 1990.

When the need for a local summer league for adults became apparent, he stepped in, with support from LLCC athletic director and baseball coach Ron Riggle.

Vilayhong describes the six-team CIWBL as being “just a notch below the Prospect League,” a summer team for current college baseball players that includes the Springfield Sliders.

“Prospect leagues are (composed of) selected players. They have to be invited by the Prospect League. They are invited from all over the country,” Vilayhong explained. “This is more central(ly) located for local players who don’t get the opportunity to be invited to the Prospect League, but still play at the competitive level.”

Once baseball players leave high school or college, there aren’t many outlets for them to continue pursuing their love of the game, particularly fastpitch ball played with wood bats instead of aluminum.

“We have guys who tried to play slowpitch softball ... it’s not the same competition. The competitive edge of a baseball game is, to me personally, is beyond a softball game,” Vilayhong says.

Although Springfield boasts semipro football teams and numerous recreational opportunities for basketball, softball and other team sports, competitive sports are often viewed as the domain of the young. That’s one reason the Central Illinois Wood Bat League intrigues players who are no longer in school.

There is no age limit to play, and none of the players are getting paid.

“After a certain age, these young men, after they pass 18, there’s no place for them to go. So this is where I open the door for them,” Vilayhong said.

That door is also open to players many years beyond 18. And the players on each end of the spectrum learn from one another.

“The guys that have been there, they just love it. They love to face an 18-year-old young man and he’s, like, 30 years old, aw, he can’t do anything, and next thing you know the ball’s hit so far ... they just get a `wow’ factor,” Vilayhong said.

When asked who was the oldest member of his team, Vilayhong said, “I am,” and started laughing.

“Right now, I am. I’m 41. I’m the oldest player. All I do, since I’m the oldest, I’ll just DH (designated hitter). I’ll swing the bat. Once in a while I’ll come out and play, but I’ll let my young-legged guys take over.”

Though the league is open to players of all ages, many of the players are students who play for a college during the spring and are taking this opportunity to keep working during the summer.

Brennan Malham of Auburn, who has played for LLCC and Southeast Missouri State University, says he prefers the CIWBL to the Prospect League.

“For me, I played in the Prospect League, I played against the Sliders, and I didn’t like that league so much because you play games every day. You don’t get a chance to work or anything, and everyone’s the same age.

“With this league, everyone’s a different age. You can bounce ideas off all different age groups. The older guys may have a better idea about what to do because they’ve been in the game longer. I prefer that in this league.”

Dennis Boeker, coach for the Springfield Rush, says older players offer something younger players don’t have yet: experience.

“What happens is, these kids are 19, 20, 21, they have all the physical capability in the world. But sometimes they haven’t made the mental connection to the game. An older player comes in, and he’s smarter. They don’t let the mental part get to them. There’s a difference in attitude and demeanor,” Boeker said.

“There was a guy who pitched against us that was, like, 38, down in St. Louis that was excellent. He had nine years in the pros, but he was going down; his arm wasn’t what it used to be. But when he came up to pitch, he did really well against us. And you could just tell there was a difference.”

Frank Stefano, at 32, is one of the older players for the Pallys. He played at LLCC and spent several years playing minor-league baseball.

“I got out of baseball six or seven years ago, and I work at a bank, so having this league gives me the opportunity to get outside and keep playing,” he said.

He also enjoys helping young players who are at the start of their baseball careers.

“I tell them about when I played, or about some of the professionals I was around, and they are excited to hear about what it’s like at that next level,” he said. “There’s a lot of information I have that I’ve gained from coaches in college and coaches in professional baseball that I’d like to pass around.”

But just because Stefano views himself as more of a mentor to the players doesn’t mean the competitive streak stays at bay.

“It’s a motivation to try and stay in shape. I want to see if I can come out here and play at a level that the collegiate kids are doing for summer baseball,” he said. “I actually get butterflies hitting the fields with college kids.”

Vilayhong says he hopes the new league is the beginning of a tradition of local competitive ball for players of all ages.

“This is our field of dreams, right here,” Vilayhong said while looking out over Claude Kracik Field. “The guys are dedicated like I am. I’m 100 percent dedicated to this.”