DATE: Wednesday, June 11, 1997              TAG: 9706090187

SECTION: SPORTS                  PAGE: C4   EDITION: FINAL 

TYPE: ALL-TIDEWATER 1997

SOURCE: BY ROBIN BRINKLEY, STAFF WRITER 

                                            LENGTH:   67 lines

BASEBALL MIKE CUDDYER, GREAT BRIDGE, SR., INFIELD, PLAYER OF THE YEAR

Player of the Year? How about Player of the Decade?

From making All-Southeastern District as a freshman to hitting 13 home runs as a junior to becoming the ninth pick overall by the Minnesota Twins in last week's Major League Draft, Great Bridge's Mike Cuddyer hasn't just rewritten record books, he's redefined high school baseball in Hampton Roads.

Only Cuddyer could've batted .500 with 6 home runs this spring and had to explain what went wrong?

``I was seeing a lot of breaking balls in the dirt,'' he said. ``I went with what I got and tried to make the best of it.

``I'm happy the team (was) in the state quarterfinals. I had my numbers year last year. I wasn't concentrating on duplicating those numbers this year.''

It should be awhile before anyone duplicates some of Cuddyer's career numbers. He was named four times to the All-Southeastern District team and hit 21 home runs and drove in 108 runs. Although overlooked as a pitcher, his career record is 22-5, including 6-0 this spring.

It's as a hitter that he was drafted, however, and that's what made it tough when he was frequently pitched around. He walked 30 times this season, including four times against Western Branch in the region final.

``He never complained,'' Great Bridge coach Greg Jennings said. `` He did what he had to do to help the team.''

The other first-team members:

Jeff Butler: The senior outfielder from First Colonial is a repeat selection. He batted .531 and led the area in home runs with 11 and RBIs with 38. He expects to attend Pitt Community College in North Carolina.

Jason Dubois: The 6-4, 220-pound senior outfielder from Cox and the 1996 Player of the Year also is a repeat selection. He batted .595 with five home runs and 23 RBIs, despite often being pitched around. He was walked 22 times. Dubois has signed with VCU.

John Curtice: The senior lefthanded pitcher from Great Bridge was 9-1 with 0.72 ERA and struck out 104 batters in 582/3 innings. He was drafted in the first round, 17th overall, by the Boston Red Sox. He was a second-team pick last year.

Ross Robertson: The senior second baseman/shortstop from Greenbrier Christian batted .414 with four home runs and 30 RBIs and didn't commit an error in three seasons. He was a second-team pick last year and has signed with Old Dominion.

Cory Bauswell: The senior catcher from Western Branch batted .471 with four home runs and 30 RBIs and threw out 50 percent of runners attempting to steal. He has signed with VCU.

Steve Tyler: The senior shortstop from First Colonial batted .507 with eight home runs and scored 36 runs. An All-Tidewater wide receiver, as well, he plans to play college football at Clinch Valley College.

Tony Moore: The senior shortstop from Deep Creek batted .522 with six home runs and 25 RBIs. He has signed with James Madison.

Mike Vizcaino: The senior outfielder from Nansemond-Suffolk batted .487 with six home runs and 34 RBIs. He will be an invited walk-on at James Madison.

Thom Ott: The junior righthander from Greenbrier Christian was 10-0 with a 0.20 ERA and struck out 101 batters in 69 innings. He pitched two no-hiters, one a perfect game.

Heath Cataulin: The junior shortstop and pitcher from Granby occupies the utility spot. He batted .417 with 23 RBIs and was 7-2 on the hill with 1.56 ERA. He pitched two no-hitters and two 1-hitters.

Bruce George: The junior third baseman from First Colonial is the designated hitter. He batted .500 with four home runs and 36 RBIs.

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