Mizzou Diaspora: Hunting , Coaching, Chasing the Dream

♦ The following link has some great info about a Mizzou signee. But I've learned that Paxton Delagarza will apparently NOT be coming to Mizzou in the fall. He will instead be going the JuCo route, heading to Weatherford College.

“Paxton De La Garza is one of the best infielders I’ve ever had,” Hix said. “He makes plays that help his team win defensively as well as offensively.”

♦ I'm scratching my head at this headline, but T-Bones sign former Oakland A’s prospect (Tbonesbaseball.com)

The Kansas City T-Bones have announced the signing of Hunter Mense, a 5-foot-11, 185-pound outfielder from Liberty, Mo.

The Florida Marlins drafted Mense in the 17th round of the 2006 MLB Amateur Draft out of the University of Missouri. He played for three of the organization’s teams between 2006 and 2009, advancing from A- ball to A+ as he played a season with Jamestown, two seasons with Greensboro and one with Jupiter.

In 2010 Mense played for four different teams. His only stint in independent baseball came at the beginning of the year, with none other than the Kansas City T-Bones. After nine games Mense was back in affiliated ball, where he advanced as high as the Marlins’ AAA club in New Orleans. Overall, he saw action in 74 games that year.

To make room for Mense, who will wear number 9, the T-Bones placed infielder Bridger Hunt on irrevocable waivers for the purpose of giving him his unconditional release.

♦ Speaking of Mizzou coaches, Travis Wendte is in Dallas, working with Dallas Patriots.

Travis comes to the Patriots after spending three years as an assistant coach at The University of Missouri. Prior to Travis’s return to Mizzou, he spent a year as an assistant coach at Texarkana College. As a player, Travis was a member of the bullpen for four NCAA tournament teams and one Super Regional team at the University of Missouri. Travis was named a Louisville Slugger All-American in 2002 and was selected to the All-Academic Big XII team three times. In 2006, Travis was a 24th round selection of the Milwaukee Brewers. In his first full season Travis was selected to the South Atlantic League All-Star Team. Travis holds a bachelors degree in communications and an MBA from the University of Missouri.

♦ Mizzou recruit Ryan Phillips is included in The Columbia Tribune's 2012 All-Area Baseball Team

Rock Bridge’s Ryan Phillips hit .394 and went 7-3 on the mound as a senior. He is the school’s career leader in hits, pitching wins and strikeouts and is a three-time Tribune all-area pick.

Check out the great photo of Phillips

♦ And from @kgib44 on Twitter:
Q

uality long toss today back to 190' and it felt great! 30 pitches at 75% tom. Preparing for 1 inning July 10th in GCL! 1 step at a time!