Blakley
finds niche in baseball
Senior
is a sparkplug for Butler
By John Enrietto
Eagle Sports Editor
BUTLER TWP— Not tall enough for basketball and not big enough for football,
Darren Blakley opted for baseball.
It was a good choice.
The
"Catalyst is a good word to describe him,"
Blakley overcame a separated shoulder early last season to wind up with an
on-base percentage of over .600.
The 5-foot-7 shortstop aggravated that injury earlier this season, but has
since returned and reached base 13 times in his first 20 plate appearances.
"I want to get on base even more often this year,"Blakley said.
"It's my job. I've become a more disciplined hitter over the past couple
of years."
He's certainly been effective so far in 2008, collecting nine walks, including
five in one game, and four hits as the leadoff batter.
"Being the first batter, it's important for me to see a lot of
pitches,"Blakley said. "I like to see at least five or six, so I can
go back to the dugout and tell the other guys what the pitcher's got."
Florie can't help but smile when watching Blakley go through an at-bat.
"He's got a great eye at the plate and knows how to foul off and spoil
good pitches,"the coach said. "Darren rarely strikes out and he's a
patient hitter. That can frustrate a pitcher."
Blakley played football and basketball at Butler until his sophomore year, when
he decided to drop the other sports to concentrate on baseball.
A left fielder as a sophomore, Blakley has been a shortstop for the Tornado the
past two years. Neither is his natural position.
Blakley, who gave a verbal commitment to Clarion University, will play second
base there.
"I'm playing shortstop now because it's the position the team needs me to
play,"Blakley said. "You do what you gotta do for the team."
Florie refers to Blakley as "simply a good baseball player."
"He's worked hard to get better and he takes pride in finding ways to get
on base,"the coach said. "He gives us solid, consistent defense up
the middle, too.
"Darren's always been talented. Now he's more mature. He's a smarter
player now."
And a tough one.
"A separated shoulder is a painful thing. He didn't allow himself to miss
much time," Florie said.
He's not planning to miss any more.
"I worked hard in the off-season to top what I did last year,"Blakley
said. "We want to be playing for a long time this spring."