SPORTS Wednesday,June12,1996-- The Michigan Daily Texas Rangers draft Blue shortstop in 4th round -11 James Goldstein aily Sports Editor A phone call never had so much eaning. Michigan shortstop Kelly Dransfeldt aited Thursday in his Morris, Ill. ome for one important phone call. He aited and waited and waited - hop- to get the call that every collegiate high school aseball player reams of as a kid. The call up to the ajors.j He got it.r Dransfeldt was rafted by the Texas angers in the fourth ound of the Major eague Baseball ateur Draft Dransfeldt rsday. The junior was the 113th overall pick f the draft and was the first player cho- en from the Big Ten. Illinois' onference Player of the Year Josh limek was chosen in the 10th round 283rd pick). But being drafted wouldn't have eant a thing had something else not a pened - the actual signing with major league organization. Dransfeldt was drafted before. After is senior year of high school, he was elected by the Minnesota Twins in the eventh round of the 1993 draft. But he asn't signed by the club. This time, the transaction was com- pleted. Dransfeldt signed and worked out a contract with the Hudson Valley Renegades, a single-A minor league club shared by the Texas Rangers and one of the newest expansion teams, the Tampa Bay Stingrays. The Stingrays will have several play- ers on the Renegades this year as part of a shared player-development contract with the Rangers. Tampa Bay will take complete control of the single-A club next year. This season's 76-game schedule gets underway June 18. Dransfeldt heads to Fishkill, NY tomorrow, where he will join the club managed by Bump Wills - an ex- major league player and son of Brooklyn Dodger great Maury Wills. On draft day, Dransfeldt was sitting home with his family and friends at his side. They constantly shouted, "This is the one, this is the one," after the phone rang, but it was only other friends call- ing to find out if he had heard yet. Then after hours of holding his breath, Dransfeldt got a call from the Texas Ranger area scout, who had pre- viously seen the shortstop play in sever- al games at Ann Arbor. This was the one. "It definitely was a sigh of relief," Dransfeldt said. "It feels like I made the right choice coming out of high school. I definitely proved myself." Many of Dransfeldt's teammates called to congratulate their everyday- shortstop. Dransfeldt tried to reach Wolverines' coach Geoff Zahn, but the skipper is in California. Dransfeldt - winner of the Michigan squad's Most Valuable Player Award - definitely proved himself with his all-around play. His 6-foot-3 frame moved fluidly in the field, accu- rately throwing darts to first base in one smooth motion. His .341 batting average ranked third for the Wolverines in 1996. He led Michigan with nine home runs, 43 runs, 27 walks, 1 I stolen bases and 163 assists, and was second on the team with 34 RBI. The shortstop was also a large part in the Wolverines' ascent to the confer- ence tournament playoffs for the sec- ond time in three years. Michigan was eliminated early with losses to Penn State and Illinois. Texas chose Dransfeldt as its first position player of its draft and told him he would be the shortstop for the Renegades. The draft, which consists of both col- legiate and high school players, keeps going until the teams decide to stop picking. If all goes well, Dransfeldt could be invited to an instructional league held during next year's spring training, effec- tively ending his career as a Wolverine. If all goes well, he could be in the real major leagues in a few years. "This is what I worked my whole life for and it came true," Dransfeldt said. "One of my goals in high school was to play college ball and one of my goals in college was to play pro ball. "It's here - the next level - and I am just going to take it one step at a time." Et.......fl........ I Ar I' R EST JUNE 12- 16 Michigan's Premier r atulti-tap lobster ASH JEY' ERVATIONS A MUST! Lie Maine bsters flown fresh daily! 13THANNUAL StBe TE9 FE1 338 S. State Street 996-9191 runner Townsend heads SOlympic trials in Atlanta ROADWAY PACKAGE SYSTEM By Eugene Bowen "I'm sure this'll be the hardest race Daily Spurts Wter l've ever run, Townsend said. But I get While for most collegiate track and better and better every time I run, and field athletes the season has come to an I'm just ready to have that break- nd, for a few the excitement is just through." PACKAGE HANDLERS beginning. The Olympic track and field To make it to the final round of trial PERFECT FOR trial will take place in Atlanta, Ga. to competition, Townsend will have to COLLEGE STUDENTS *ide who will compete in this sum- compete over two days of single-elimi- I ner's Olympic Games. The lone Michigan athlete competing for a spot on the U.S track and field team is, senior Trinity Townsend. He hopes to be one of three Americans chosen to race for the gold in the 800-meter run. nation heats. Only eight runners of the initial 32 will run the final 800-meter race next Wednesday. The top three finishers will qualify to compete in this summer's Olympic Games. Newsletters Newsletters Newsletters Newsletters Big savings on newsletters for all clubs, businesses, and organizations. Saving for tuition? Find part- time work, year round at RPS! - Earn up to $8.50 per hour Roadway Package System, a small package delivery service, hires package handlers to load and unload package vans and semi-trailers. 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