The All Star Baseball Academy Blog: "THE HOT CORNER"..... Sports Shorts with Ken Leidheiser

West Chester Henderson grad Mike McCardell throwing for the Class AA New Britain Rock Cats

All Star Baseball's Trivia Test of the Week: Who has the major league record for most consecutive foul balls hit in one at bat? Bonus: What year did this occur and what did this player do on the last pitch of the LONG at bat?? Send your answers to Ken@allstarbaseballacademy.com. Winners to be announced next week.

Winner of last week's Trivia Test: Ed Crenny of Wayne, PA, who correctly answered that Jim Bunning was the last Phillies' pitcher before Roy Halladay to toss a perfect game. Bunning did the amazing feat on Father's Day in 1964, against the New York Mets. Bunning and lefty Chris Short were the Phillies' aces back in those days. Hopefully, this season will turn out much better for the Phils than that ill-fated one back in 1964!!.......

Mike McCardell has really turned his season around with the New Britain Rock Cats, the Minnesota Twins' AA team in the Eastern League. After going through a tough 0-12 stretch with the last place Rock Cats, Mike has now won 3 in a row! He is 2-0 as a reliever with both wins in the past week. In 19 innings as a reliever, he has allowed only 7 walks while striking out 13 batters..... MIke has been a popular instructor with ASBA for many years during his off-seasons..... How bad are the Rock Cats? They are 39-92 and 38 games out of first place in the Eastern League. Reading, the Phillies' AA team, is at 63-66 in the same division..... McCardell graduated from WC Henderson High before starring as a pitcher for Kutztown University....

ASBA Fall Programs and Instructional Leagues-- Go to the ASBA website for full details on our Fall programs for younger players. Sign up now, as these programs are starting to fill up. West Chester and Warminster both have Fall Instructional Leagues for players in the 9U to 12U age groups. Warminster also has a Fall Hitting League that will start September 5, so get ready to show your stuff now and sign up.... See the Fall Programs link under ASBA Academy News.....

Fall Showcase at Glen Mills School-- ASBA is hosting a super Fall Showcase at the Glen Mills School in Glen Mills, PA on October 2-3, with 7 top college programs participating. Penn State, Temple, Pitt, Coastal Carolina, West Chester, Millersville, and Brown will all have assistant coaches attending to check out the local talent and give tips on skills. Cost of the comprehensive, 2-day Showcase is $350. Fall is a great time to showcase if you are now a high school soph or junior......

Virginia Showcase at Regency Furniture Stadium, Waldorf, MD-- The rating service DigitalBallparks.com has named Regency Furniture Stadium in Waldorf the "2010 Stadium of the Year" in its awards published 2 weeks ago. The Southern Maryland "Blue Crabs" of the independent Atlantic League play at this beautiful new stadium, which is in its third year. The Blue Crabs are owned by Hall of Famer and former Orioles star Brooks Robinson..... This Showcase is for players ages 15 to 18 years of age. Colleges at the Showcase: James Madison, William and Mary, VMI. Richmond, UNC-Wilmington, and Virginia Commonwealth University..... Registration for area players is now open at www.allstarbaseballacademy.com.

Regency Furniture Stadium named Stadium of the Year, see: http://www.somdbluecrabs.com/news.cfm?newsID=710

Tri-State Showcase at Blue Rocks Stadium, Wilmington, DE-- Check out the great list of Tri-State colleges coming to the ASBA Showcase at Blue Rocks Stadium, October 23-24. This is a comprehensive 2-day Showcase for area players, ages 15-18. Colleges include: Stockton, Arcadia, Immaculata, William Paterson, Elizabethtown, Moravian, Susquehanna, Rutgers-Camden and Gettysburg. Super list of colleges coaches and recruiting coordinators to evaluate local, talented players!.....Our 2 Showcases this summer at Blue Rocks Stadium drew nearly 100 players each, so sign up now and reserve your spot...