Winter baseball clinic features locals pros
By Charlie Anderson Contributing Writer

Josh Morgan

With the 2008 Thomasville Winter Baseball Clinic a little over a week away clinic organizers are excited about what appears to be a very good staff of instructors slated to attend the event. Included in those who have already committed to give their time to work with this years clinic participants are four former Thomasville Tigers who benefited from what the clinic has to offer when they were kids trying to learn all they could about the game of baseball.

In that foursome are Corwin Malone, Chicago White Sox; Nick McCurdy, Baltimore Orioles; Josh Morgan, Chicago White Sox; and Hunter Vick, Tampa Bay Devil Rays.

Malone, who is a 1999 graduate of THS, spent the bulk of the 2007 baseball season with the Birmingham Barons, the White Sox's AA affiliate, after a short stint with the Charlotte, North Carolina Knights in AAA. Used primarily as a relief pitcher at both levels he appeared in 43 games, logging 77 innings of work. During the year he posted a combined 2 and 7 record with one save and a 5.84 ERA while striking out 79 hitters and walking 43.

Nick McCurdy

McCurdy, who graduated from THS in 1998, followed a similar path like that of Malone's in 2007, starting the season with the Baltimore Orioles AAA affiliate Norfolk, Virginia Tides before finishing out the year with the AA Bowie, Maryland Baysox. Also being used primarily as a relief pitcher he appeared in 45 games, logging 76 innings of work. During the year he posted a combined 3 and 6 record with three saves and a 3.20 ERA while striking out 65 hitters and walking 22.

Morgan, who finished at THS in 2002, spent the 2007 season recovering from shoulder surgery on his throwing arm. Despite being slowed some by the recovery process he did manage to play in 60 games with the Great Falls, Montana White Sox in the Rookie Pioneer League. In the short season the first baseman posted a .299 batting average and a .420 slugging percentage with 16 doubles, four home runs and 35 RBIs.

Vick, who was a member of the 2000 THS graduating class, spent the 2007 season with the Vero Beach, Florida Devil Rays in the Class A Advanced Florida State league. Known for his defensive prowess, he appeared in 113 games in the infield during the season posting a .214 batting average with nine doubles, two triples, one homerun and 31 RBIs.

Corwin Malone

Some of the other players and coaches who have already committed to attend this year's clinic include; shortstop Drew Cumberland, San Diego Padres; outfielder Shaun Cumberland, Cincinnati Reds; shortstop/ second baseman Brandon Fahey, Baltimore Orioles; outfielder Caleb Gindl, Milwaukee Brewers; catcher Eli Whiteside, Minnesota Twins; Alabama Southern Head Baseball Coach Scott Sealy and University of West Alabama Head Athletic Trainer Brad Montgomery. This is only the beginning list with many more expected to commit this week.

The Clinic is open to youth 8 - 18 who are interested in spending time with some of their sports heroes while learning the basic fundamentals of baseball. Registration for the clinic begins at 8:00 AM at Thomasville High School with the actual Clinic getting underway at 9:00 AM and running to 1:00 PM for participants ages 8 - 12. The hours for clinic participants ages 13 - 18 will run from 9:00 AM until 3:00 PM.

Hunter Vick

In addition to the youth clinic there will also be an adult clinic running simultaneously with the youth clinic for youth coaches and parents who are interested in learning how to teach the fundamentals of the game and how to handle and prevent sports injuries. The hours for the adult clinic will coincide with the hours for the 8 - 12 year old age group in the youth clinic.

As has been the case for the last eighteen years the cost of the youth clinic will continue to be $10.00 while the cost for the adult clinic will be $15.00. Included in the cost are a noon meal and a free clinic t-shirt for the first 300 participants

Pre-registration forms may be found in this paper or may be obtained by calling 334- 636-5673. All pre-registration forms should be mailed to: Thomasville Winter Baseball Clinic, P. O. Box 952, Thomasville, Al 36784 and should be postmarked no later than Tuesday, January 15.

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