Q and A with Peter Burg
Posted 2/25/2008 - written by Kyle Hoffman

Peter Burg sits on his couch intently watching Jeopardy while playing guitar at the same time.

The 6 foot 1 220 pound left-handed pitcher looks more like a linebacker recruited for the inaugural Saints football season rather than being a left-handed pitcher here to help the baseball team continue in its quest of becoming the winningest NCAA team of the decade.

While he's not quite as big as David Wells, some have given him the nickname "Boomer."

Burg, an All-State pitcher from St. Cloud, transferred to CSS from Division I Valparaiso University last fall, and took a break from both Jeopardy and his guitar to answer some questions for cssbaseball.com.

Kyle Hoffman: You've been at DI Valparaiso for the last two years and now you've chosen to finish your college career here at St. Scholastica. What are the differences between the two?
Peter Burg: The baseball is actually similar, but there's a little less mandatory team time here; there's more individual work here (at St. Scholastica) and certain things are expected of you, but there's not as much required team time. At Valparaiso, it was just too much time and it made it hard to be successful in school. I like it better here (at St. Scholastica). There is definitely more of a team and family atmosphere. At Valparaiso it's more of an individual thing and half of the guys expect to go pro. Teammates are viewed as guys looking to take your spot. It's nothing like that here (at St. Scholastica). People here really want to see their teammates be successful.

KH: It seems that one of the big keys to the baseball team's success is the dedication from all players. What is it about this program makes it that guys want to work so hard?
PB: Well, for an example, in the first few days I got here everyone was working out in the weight room and working hard on the field on an every-day basis. I saw that right when I got here and so did the incoming freshman. You don't want to be the guy not holding up your part of the bargain. You fall into that way of thinking and that work ethic. The captains do put a lot of emphasis on it as well.

KH: Coach Baggs has built a winner here. How do you feel about the opportunity you have to play for him?
PB: I'm looking forward to it. One of the reasons St. Scholastica was high on my list [coming out of high school] and I chose to transfer here is because he makes pitchers better. Good pitchers develop into great pitchers in this program. I really look at that as important piece and I think it's an impressive record of pitching success.

KH: Teammates describe you as a "big lefty who can throw some mean junk". How do you feel about that description?
PB: It's probably about right. I don't really throw that hard. I don't over-power a lot of people; my success depends on whether or not I can pitch with some command and get movement on some pitches. Once in a while I might sneak a fast ball by a hitter.

KH: That's quite a few baseball questions in a row; now let's get to know Peter Burg a little bit better, and then we can end with more baseball. The road trip to Florida is a long one. What will you do to pass the time?
PB: I plan on sleeping quite a bit and reading some. I enjoy John Grisham books. I'll probably listen to some music too. Recently, I'm into a lot of Jason Mraz. My favorite band is the Goo Goo Dolls and I like Train a lot also. I like The Killers and some other popular stuff. I'll enjoy spending that time just hanging out with teammates as well.

KH: If you were in charge of selecting movies for the ride, what would you choose?
PB: Good Will Hunting is an awesome movie. Sandlot and Remember the Titans are definitely good sports movies that I can watch over and over. And Dumb and Dumber just because it's a classic.

KH: Back to baseball. Do you expect bigger things for this season because you're a junior who has some collegiate experience?
PB: Yea, I think I know what to expect from the college game and how to approach things. I know what a college season is like and what it's like to be on the road a lot.

KH: Teammates have said that your coming here will be a huge help to the rotation. Do you feel like there is pressure on you to perform?
PB: I think there are expectations, not necessarily pressure. Not because I played at Valparaiso, but because people know the type of player that I am. There are no unreasonable expectations. I think people know what they are going to get from me and I'll try not to disappoint them.

KH: Let's end the interview like it is the end of a game. You are facing the potential last batter of the game with a 3-2 count. What is your pitch?
PB: Depending on the hitter and what I'd thrown him leading up to that pitch, I'd either throw a change-up that broke to the bottom of the zone, or spot a fastball. I do know that in this program, I better not walk him.

Q and A with Chad Peterson
Posted 2/11/2008 - written by Kyle Hoffman

St. Scholastica red-shirt freshmen Chad Peterson likes his music loud and energetic, and you can hear it from outside of his on-campus apartment. But as soon as someone else is around, the all-state shortstop quiets things down. He is calm, reserved, and modest.

You would never guess that Peterson was the Minnesota High School Baseball Player of the Year in 2006. You would also never guess that a back injury has prevented him from playing a single inning of college baseball to date. Like the noise level in his apartment, there are highs and lows for the popular former high school star and state champion.

Kyle Hoffman: Last year was a tough year for you. You missed the entire season with a herniated disc in your back. Is this year going to be tough for you or are you ready to play? Chad Peterson: I don't really know for sure how it will be, but I'm hoping to come back stronger than I was. I never know what will happen with my back but I'm not worried about that right now. I just want to continue working on my game and hopefully it all works out.

KH: Last year you watched the Saints make it to the NCAA tournament but didn't get to play because of the injury. How was that?
CP: Last year was disappointing for me as an individual, but more importantly, as a team we were disappointed with our performance in the regional and we want to make up for that this year. We have a lot of guys who didn't play key roles last year, but are going to this year, and that includes some freshmen, so it will be interesting.

KH: Being from New Brighton you had a lot of options for schools closer to home and continue your baseball career. Rather than staying close to home you chose St. Scholastica. What was different here that made you choose to be a Saint?
CP: The coaching, the success, and the tradition of the program really made it an easy choice for me to be honest. The entire coaching staff and the winning tradition really impressed me. I felt for me to get better individually and develop as a player, this was the best option for me. I knew I'd get the best instruction and develop faster here. Also, I had so many people tell me what a great school Scholastica is, and that it'd be a good place for me to be. I just wanted to be part of this baseball program more than anything else.

KH: What are your individual and team goals?
CP: Well, I want to get to the World Series. I think that to help us achieve our team goals, I'd like to have a high on base percentage, like over .450 with a big walk to strikeout ratio. I'd like to be used to run (steal) a lot, so I need to be on base. Defensively, I hope to get back to my old rhythm, use my feet well, limit errors. We'll talk about specifics at the team building retreat in Two Harbors later this winter. But ultimately, I just want to stay healthy.

KH: Alright. I'm going to break away from the baseball questions for a little bit and try to learn more about you away from baseball. You were a top bowler in the state in high school. Did you turn down bowling offers to play baseball for the Saints?
CP: I had options to bowl at other schools but I didn't want to pursue bowling since I like baseball much better. I can always bowl later on in life. I love baseball, and even though I was a decent bowler, I just never loved it.

KH: Your senior year you were the Minnesota AA High School Player of the Year. Did that add pressure? Does it continue to add pressure?
CP: I'll always have that label I guess. If I don't play up to the level people expect, it might be difficult. But it's not like I'm supposed to carry this team offensively or anything. I feel like the coaching staff expects the same things from all of us; it doesn't matter what we did in high school. I hope I don't disappoint people, but if I do, I guess that's life.

KH: Ok, now a few more baseball questions and we can be done. How do you like playing for Coach Baggs?
CP: I really like him a lot. I think at times he is tough on you to motivate you. You want to show him you can do what he wants, and in a way he is kind of forcing you to succeed, to do things the right way. He knows his stuff, that's for sure. And he makes me want to succeed off the field as well.

KH: What is the best part of playing Saints baseball?
CP: Being part of this program is a serious thing. It's not just playing a game and I like that. And the fact that I don't really ever feel the need to go home; the guys here are like my family.

KH: What is it about Saints baseball that makes guys work so hard?
CP: I think people just basically want to win for past players. We want to respect the alumni that built this thing by not letting things slip. I basically want to make our program even better if I can, and put our name is the history book as a great team on a national level.

KH: Anything else that you wanted to say?
CP: I'm just excited for the start of the season, excited to try and help to continue the winning tradition of the baseball program. And I'd like to say hi to my Mom, Dad and sister Missy.

Q and A with 2008 Captains
Posted 1/24/2008 - written by Kyle Hoffman

As you knock on the door you hear a friendly voice.

"Come in, it's open."

You walk in you find yourself in a nice on-campus apartment with a definite "lived-in" look. There are a few pieces of clothing scattered around the living room, someone is using the couch for a bed, and you get a relaxed, comfortable feeling from the moment you walk in.

Two frozen pizzas just taken from the oven are sitting on the counter waiting to be divided.

This is the home of Saints Baseball senior captains Blake Eller, Mike Lewis and Steve Kraushaar and the welcoming atmosphere is especially appreciated by the underclassmen in the St. Scholastica baseball program.

These three seniors became close friends as freshmen and have lofty goals for their final season. Although they are from different regions and have different backgrounds, they seem to blend together as they finish each other's sentences and echo sentiments.

The first to enter the kitchen and start in on the pizza is Kraushaar. At 5'10" and 190 pounds, it's obvious the power-hitting outfielder has spent more than his share of time in the weight room. Following Kraushaar, is the 6'2", 220 pound Lewis, an all-conference catcher who seems to prefer leading by example. Eller enters the room last, and instead of grabbing a piece of pizza like his roommates, he opts for a nearly frozen Lipton green tea from the freezer. At 6ft, 180 pounds, Eller is not an intimidating force in the kitchen like his two roommates. But Eller was recently named a d3baseball.com 1st Team All-America outfielder.

KH: I'll start it off simple and let's see if we can build from there; any thoughts on expectations for your senior captain season?
Kraushaar: With it being our last year, we want to make the best year we've ever had as a team. Obviously, we expect that in order for us to do that, we (seniors) have to perform well and lead on the field and off.

KH: Speaking of being captains, it's an important role in this program and it seems that the past captains are legends. How do you think being a captain affects you?
Mike Lewis: I think you're in more of a fishbowl as a captain. Even to your teammates; they look to you to set an example on and off the field. It's something I enjoy even though it's a bit of added pressure.

KH: What are your expectations for the season? Is the NCAA Tournament Regional a goal? Do you think you can go further in the NCAAs than last year?
Kraushaar: I think we can go further; we were a better team than we showed in last year's regional. We lost a lot of guys to graduation, but I know the guys that are here will step up. It won't be a rebuilding year.
Blake Eller: A lot of guys who didn't play much last year are working hard in practice and in the weight room. They want to make it further in the NCAA tournament than we have the last three years.
Mike Lewis: Last year's NCAA regional left a sour taste in all of our mouths. Everyone here wants to advance further and erase that.

KH: Who are you going to rely on to step-up and play a bigger part?
Kraushaar: (Freshman) Chad Peterson can play a big role; he'll play hard for us. Sean Claugherty is another guy we need to step-up. He played well last year as a freshman and has that experience of being in the line-up almost every day. He had a good year last year; now it's time for a great one.
Mike Lewis: I think Grant Eller [Blake's younger brother] might have a really good offensive year as our third outfielder although he hasn't won that job yet.
Blake Eller: Jake Wendland will be healthy, and if he can pitch well, he would be a great addition to our rotation.

KH: Obviously, for this to be another successful year, guys will have to continue to work hard. And hard work seems to be a theme for this team. What about this program makes it that guys want to work so hard?
Blake Eller: It's the tradition. When you get here you see the older guys in there working out all the time and great players that are always in there lifting and putting in extra work with there swing or their mechanics. I think it makes the younger guys feel like it's just what you do. And you want to make sure the work ethic and tradition of the guys that came before you isn't forgotten.

KH: I think we have a pretty solid start on the baseball side of things in this interview, so I'm going to change gears and ask a few questions about the captains as people. What do each of you want to do after college? Continue with baseball, start working, grad school?
Mike Lewis: Get a good job, make some money, be a proud baseball alum, and help recruit. I don't want to pursue playing baseball as a career after this year, but I do want to continue to be part of this program.
Kraushaar: I'll be going to grad school and continuing to play summer ball.
Blake Eller: I want to play baseball as long as I can. If I get an opportunity to continue on in baseball I'll take it. If not, I'd like to find a career in the marketing field in the Duluth area.

KH: Every day there are dozens of baseball players in the Wellness Center working out. What is it that motivates you guys to get in there all the time?
Kraushaar: The motivation is winning. And I always think that if I'm not lifting today, I'm losing ground to someone on another team who is lifting today. Having other guys on our team in there motivates me too. I go in there every day that I can.
Blake Eller: My Ipod helps me. I like to listen to rap, Jay-Z, anything with a big hyped up beat gets me going.

KH: Being seniors you've learned to adjust to and even enjoy the amount of traveling that the team does. On the longer bus rides, what movies would the three of you choose to watch?
Kraushaar: A lot of guys like comedy movies; those are usually a big hit. There is always a new, more serious movie that guys want to watch like 300.
Mike Lewis: I think people will probably want to watch Superbad this year. It's what most people would consider a bus movie.
Blake Eller: I think Bull Durham is a traditional choice.

KH: Alright, let's get a few more baseball questions and then we can finish up. Coach Baggs has built a winner here. How do you feel about the opportunity you have to play for him?
Kraushaar: He expects a lot out of you. He's fair. He gives you a shot at something, and if you don't do well at first, he will still give you another shot. He doesn't give up on you. I also like that everything is done for a reason. You don't throw just to throw, or just hit to hit. He has a purpose behind everything we do on the field and off. It's nice to know there is a purpose, a reason for everything we do. He puts you in a lot of game-like situations. Yes, sometimes with yelling. And he keeps you focused.
Blake Eller: He is the best coach I've ever had in any sport. He pushes your buttons to make you want to work, to want to be successful.
Mike Lewis: You might hate him for one practice or for one minute, but when you look back, you know why he said what he said and did what he did. He makes you a better player and a better person. You know he cares about you as a person, not just as a player.

KH: What is the best part of playing Saints Baseball?
Kraushaar: The best part for me is that everyone is so close, a true family. There is not one guy on the team that I don't like. It's fun to know you have a lot of friends that will be there for you forever.
Blake Eller: I like that the alumni are very involved. Everyone is around for the alumni game and golf outings and Hall of Fame Weekend and it's great to see how close guys that graduated a long time ago are. It's very important for us to keep that tradition going.

Q and A with junior Jake Gaub
Posted 1/7/2008

A self-described funny man whose biggest gripe with his head coach is that he doesn't get soda with his meals, Jake Gaub is the guy who teammates look for when it's time to lighten things up.

A 6'3" 213 pound junior from South St. Paul, Gaub tries to not take baseball or life too seriously. This becomes obvious when you walk into his room and see various posters of cats hanging from the walls.

Despite the class clown mentality, Gaub is extremely competitive and has high expectations for the 2008 Saints.

Kyle Hoffman: You're going into your junior season. What do you think your role will be on the team?
Jake Gaub: Well, I guess I'm battling for innings on the mound and in the outfield. But I'd say I'll help the team more by pitching. I think my role will be possibly a #2 or #3 starter that is expected to shut down a good team. I don't want to be the guy who loses the last game of the season in the regional, and I feel I'm more than ready for the challenge of being in the rotation.

KH:
You mentioned the regional tournament. How do you think the team is going to be this year? National Champs? Last in the UMAC? JG: I think our lineup will be unbelievable offensively. Depending on how well a few pitchers grow and fit in to the rotation, we will make the regional and if those pitchers step up, we will definitely make a run at a regional championship.

KH: After graduating 10 of the top players from last year's squad, who will have to step up for this team to make the NCAA Tournament for the 4th consecutive time?
JG: Our whole pitching staff needs to make strides in order for us to make tournament. Also, our seven, eight and nine hitters need to be productive at the bottom of the lineup for us to compete with elite teams in our region.

KH: Obviously it will be difficult to make the World Series, but the baseball team works extremely hard. They are constantly lifting, running, hitting and throwing. What is it about Saints baseball that makes guys work so hard?
JG: I'd say its alumni and the winning tradition. I know how hard people have worked to get where we are today and I want to a part of the first team to make it to a World Series. I want to continue the winning tradition that guys before me started.

KH: What do you use to motivate yourself?
JG: I really don't listen to music for motivation like most guys do. When I'm in the weight room I lift with [Dan] Lanari, so I sit and talk with him the whole time. I wouldn't lift if I didn't have someone to talk to. Having baseball guys in the weight room with me is my motivation.

KH: I'm going to break up the baseball talk with a few personal questions so we can get to know you a little better and then we will end it with baseball. Your brother played for the Minnesota Gophers and got selected in the MLB draft.. Is there a sibling rivalry or do you guys get along?
JG: He beat me up a lot when we were younger, and now that I'm bigger than him I can beat him up. He has a hard time admitting it, so we wrestle every now and then, and it's usually a pretty good fight until someone cheap shots the other one. When it comes to baseball we have no rivalries. We usually don't talk about baseball to each other very much.

KH: Your teammates have said you're the flake of the team. You keep guys loose and make them laugh. How do you feel about that roll?
JG: I think that's a pretty good role for me. Every team needs to have that guy who does the fun stuff to keep people smiling. Although I wouldn't want to be that guy if I never got to play. Then, that would be, like, your only role. Wouldn't like that.

KH: On the trip to Florida. if you got to pick 3 movies to watch, which ones would they be?
JG: Normal movies get old for me. I think it would be funny to bring, like, funny home movies for all of us guys to watch on the bus. Or high school games that we played in or something silly like that.

KH: Alright, let's get back to baseball and try to finish up. Everyone on the team is here for a reason. They all seem to love the program. What is the best part of playing Saints baseball?
JG: I enjoy how we are all together all the time and there are rarely and problems or arguments. We are like a family. A lot of teams might say that, but we are a true family.

KH: As a player you've been in some pretty important situations. What pitch would you love to see if you had to get a hit? What do you throw if you are pitching and have to get a good hitter out?
JG: I would want a fastball at my knees either in the middle or inner half of the plate to drive to the right center gap. My favorite pitch to get people out is a hard fastball, 2 inches outside, but it's called strike 3. No better way to end it than that.

Happy New Year Q and A with Coach Baggs
Posted 12/26/2007

With the highly-successful camp and hugely-popular Saints Baseball Christmas Store now in his rear-view mirror, St. Scholastica Head Baseball Coach John Baggs finally took the time to sit down with cssbaseball.com for a Q and A session.

As Coach Baggs sits on the couch in his office watching CNBC, above him hangs four NCAA plaques and two pictures.

One picture is of his seven-year old son batting at Wade Stadium; the other is a classic black and white team photo of the 1954 Cicero Braves.

Chris Banks: Who are the Cicero Braves?

John Baggs: A baseball team in Chicago; my grandpa was the coach and my dad played for him. They're standing next to each other in the top row of that picture. My Godfather was also on that team. It's a family thing having a picture of my son playing baseball next to his Grandfather and Great Grandfather who are both gone now.

CB: So baseball is in your blood? Did you grow up playing baseball in Chicago?

JB: Yes, we lived two blocks from a place we called "The Fields". There were six different-sized baseball fields and we'd go there every day in the summer. We played pick-up games all day and our "real" games would be at night. I remember playing All-Star games under the lights at 10 (years old) and thinking that was pretty cool.

CB: You taking your family back to Chicago for the Holidays?

JB: Yes, as soon as I'm done with this, I'm going to start packing.

CB: Well, Happy New Year to you too. Let's move along quickly then. Where's your focus now that the camp and store are successfully completed?

JB: First of the year, the NCAA and ABCA baseball meetings are in Philadelphia, then we'll start working on the Midnight Practice Marathon and the team-building retreat at Superior Shores in Two Harbors. Then it's the Tommies in the Metrodome and ten games in Florida.

CB: After St. Thomas, you play two NCAA Tournament teams in Florida and then come back to the Dome for Oshkosh. Any concerns about playing too tough of a schedule for a younger team that graduated 10 starters?

JB: No, I think with the games you mentioned, along with Gustavus, St. Olaf, and St. Thomas again at the end of the season prepares us well for the NCAA Tournament. And if we don't beat those teams we don't belong in the NCAAs. When it's all over, we'll probably have played 13 games against nationally/regionally-ranked teams.

CB: You open with St. Thomas on February 28 and then the Tommies are coming to Wade Stadium later this year. The Saints and Tommies have played in the same NCAA regional for three straight years. You play each other in the Metrodome every year, and you have a home and home in May each season. Even your JV teams play each other. It must be a pretty good rivalry.

JB: We have a lot of respect for them, for what they've accomplished as a program, and for their coaching staff. They're first-class and we enjoy playing against them.

CB: There have been some great games between the two teams. The Saints even swept the St. Thomas the year they won the national championship. Your favorite win against the Tommies?

JB: Chris LePine beating them with an extra-inning walk-off homer and Brett Nyquist no-hitting them would probably tie at the top of the list.

CB: You mentioned their coaching staff. You and St. Thomas coach Dennis Denning are two of the winningest coaches in the history of college baseball and you're closing in on 500 wins. Did you ever think you'd reach that kind of win total?

JB: First of all, I didn't reach that win total, our players did. Chris LePine and Brett Nyquist beat St. Thomas, I didn't. I don't have much ownership in that win total. Guys like Scott Turner, Ben Sickler, Leland Swenson, Greg Young, and Nick Bjerken own that win total; I don't. Secondly, I've hit 40 (years old) and I've been in this for 16+ years now, so the wins and losses are going to add up.

CB: What's the key to the win total being high and the loss total being so low?

JB: Staff. Assistant Coaches. I have five outstanding assistant coaches and honestly believe that with TA (Tim Anderson), CK (Corey Kemp), Tommy (Berrisford), Wick (Joe Wicklund), and Harri (Justin Harriman) I have the best assistant coaching staff in the country at any level. There are other things that lead directly to success, both on the field and off, but I'm not going to go into those with you since you're not in the program.

CB: And you want this interview to end. So, can you summarize the fall and, going into 2008, tell us what will be the keys to success for the Saints this spring?

JB: Blake (Eller), Krash (Steve Kraushaar), Gert (Steve Gerten), Claw (Sean Claugherty), Petey (Chad Peterson), and Lewy (Mike Lewis) were our most productive players offensively. Some of those guys got over 60 at-bats in the fall and OPS over 1.000. If you were to pencil those six guys into starting spots based on their fall performance, it still leaves open one middle infield position, one outfield position, and the DH. The key offensively might be how well those three positions are filled. On the mound, we weren't as dominant as last year. We no longer have a handful of guys who can touch 90. (Freshman) Matt Lewis and (DI Valparaiso transfer) Peter Burg were our top two pitchers based on fall performance and they're both newcomers. Adian (Kummet) is Adian: He'll be in the 90s and dominant for us, but beyond that, we're still at an early development stage with a lot of these guys.

CB: So who is contending for those three open positions in the line-up and which pitchers stand the best chance of joining Kummet, Burg, and Lewis in the rotation?

JB: I'll know more about that in February. What do you think?
CB: You're the coach. But from what I've heard, I'd guess Jake Gaub has a shot at being the right fielder and also being in the starting rotation.

JB: Yeah, Jake and Woj (Kyle Wojtysiak) are front runners positionally. (Freshman) Josh Retka has legit chance to be a two-way guy for us. Blake and (freshman) Barney (David Barningham) showed some starting pitcher potential with the four or five starts they each got in the fall.

CB: What was the biggest surprise of the fall season?

JB: I'd have to say Matt Lewis.
CB: The freshman from Pennsylvania?

JB: Yeah. We had never seen him pitch in person, and in high school he was more of a positional than a pitcher. But based on his fall numbers, he may have a nice future on the mound. The velocity is there, the slider is there. He just needs to clean up his mechanics and find better command, and those two things could come together quickly with long towel hours.

CB: So, what's your favorite thing about going back to Chicago for Christmas?

JB: My mom's cooking.

CB: And, finally, what do you want for Christmas?

JB: John Grisham's new book and a Dunder Mifflin tee-shirt. We pretend the Xbox games are only for my son.

Saints Baseball Camp Sets Record
Posted 12/26/2007 - written by Kati Lee

The 2007 St. Scholastica Baseball Thanksgiving Weekend Baseball Camp attracted 110 campers making it the best-attended baseball camp in the region.

With three different (age groups) sessions over three days, followed by Sunday's pitching clinic, each camper received individual one-on-one instruction including video analysis.

"This is the best camp my kids have ever attended; they love it," Bob Hoffman said. "The Saints players even get to know the kids and that means a lot to my children. It's fun yet competitive, and it's certainly worth the $150. They look forward to it more than Thanksgiving Day each year."

While several campers came from as far away as Canada, the purpose of the camp is to help improve youth and high school baseball in the Northland.

Any future Saints in this year's camp?

Only time will tell.

A quick scan of the Saints roster shows that nine current Saints attended the camp when they were in high school.

The next Saints Baseball Camp will be held in February and the 2008 Coaches Clinic for youth, high school, and American Legion coaches will be held on March 18 in the Mitchell Auditorium.