Coaches rely on these table setters

If you're a connoisseur of fine dining, you likely pay greater attention to the art of table setting.

If you're a baseball coach, setting the table takes on a little different meaning.

While a 7-course meal provides ultimate satisfaction for the food lover, there's nothing that whets the appetite of a baseball coach more than a 7-run inning.

The so-called meat of the batting order generally includes the 3-4-5-6 hitters. Their primary goal is to drive in runs.

However, their job is made a whole lot easier if the first two hitters can reach base on a consistent basis.

They're known as the table setters - and most, if not all, of the good teams have them.

This season is no exception, thanks to players like Batavia's Tim Schofield, Geneva's Brian Cornick and Eric Renner, Kaneland's Joe Camiliere, Marmion's Dave DeSimone and David Brouch, St. Charles East's Robert Wendt, and St. Charles North's Colin O'Carroll and KC Wright.

What are some of the qualities coaches look for from their first 2 hitters?

"The key for the leadoff man is on-base percentage and then speed to move along the bases," said Batavia coach Matt Holm, who guided the Bulldogs to an Elite 8 berth in 2004. "Often coaches look for a guy who can get a pitcher deep in the count so that the other batters can see the pitcher's mix of pitches.

"With the No. 1 spot, on-base percentage is important to me - not as much taking pitches.

"I even like aggressive leadoff men like (former Bulldog, now at NIU) Alex Beckmann because they don't get themselves in trouble they can't get out of. Tim Schofield is aggressive and gets on a lot, like Beckmann, in a variety of ways - hitting, walking, bunting."

Other coaches preach patience.

"Coach (Todd) Genke puts a big focus on approach," said St. Charles North leadoff man O'Carroll. "I usually take the first pitch so I can get a feel for how fast and what a pitcher is throwing.

"I've batted with more full counts this season than the last few years combined."

Jumping on top early can be an immeasurable asset.

"If we can put runs up in the first inning, it relaxes both our pitcher and our defense," said Marmion coach Dave Rakow, whose Cadets have a 1-game lead over Marian in the SCC.

"We want both guys to be contact hitters with high on-base percentages for the big dogs behind them. We'd like guys with speed, the ability to steal bases and handle the bat."

Rakow, who played for Holm at Batavia, served roles as both a table setter and RBI producer during his high school playing days.

"I was the 1 or 2 hitter as a freshman and sophomore and the goal was to reach base any way I could," said Rakow. "At the varsity level, I batted anywhere from fourth to sixth and I was more of an RBI guy so I looked to drive the ball."

Geneva coach Matt Hahn isn't as concerned with his top 2 batters being base stealers as much as baserunners.

"I look for a player that is going to get on base and set things up for us," said Hahn. "They don't have to be fast but they have to be good, aggressive baserunners. I think that is so much more important than the ability to steal bases."

St. Charles East coach Mark Foulkes shares that philosophy.

"You need smarter baserunners more than quick baserunners," said Foulkes, who guided the Saints to a fourth-place state finish in 2004.

When his team got off to somewhat of a slow start last year, Foulkes moved senior catcher Steve Schenck to the leadoff spot.

"Steve just had the knack for getting on base," said Foulkes. "But he also had some pop and we had guys like (Mike) Hoscheit, (Zach) Scott and (Tommy) Lollino hitting behind him."

There's nothing wrong with the occasional power stroke from the guys at the top of the order.

Last week, O'Carroll ripped a 1-0 fastball from Bartlett ace Kyle King over the fence in left-center for an opposite-field leadoff home run.

The hit helped propel the North Stars to a 5-1 victory.

"The first pitch was a slider for a ball so then I was looking fastball - and I got it," said O'Carroll, who hit his second long ball of the season Monday against Larkin.

"It's the first leadoff home run I've ever had," he said. "It was pretty exciting."

Being able to put the bat on the ball may be the most important attribute for No. 2 hitters.

"The No. 2 guy is a definite contact man who can go to right field behind a runner," said Holm. "He's a perfect sacrifice bunter with speed that puts pressure on bunt defenses. He has to be one of the most unselfish offensive weapons on the team."

Of course, after the first time through the order, the early table setters may be asked to be table clearers later in games.

And don't forget the value of the No. 9 hitter - the so-called "second leadoff man."

"I think the No. 9 hitter is just as important to have guys on base when the top of the order gets up again," said Hahn. "Sean Grady, Kevin Massoth and Brian Maurovich have all hit ninth for us as juniors, and then with the exception of Grady, hit at the top of the order as seniors."

"Jim Doyle was probably the best No. 9 hitter I've had (back in 2004)," said Foulkes. "It seemed like he was always on base."

csb4k@hotmail.com