TERRE HAUTE —
When a ballplayer has been struck by more pitches than his strikeout total, he clearly knows how to handle himself at the plate.
Joe Meggs of the Terre Haute Rex leads the Prospect League in getting hit-by-pitches, reaching base 13 times via the bruise while striking out just nine times.
Despite a recent slump, Meggs was hitting .317 prior to Tuesday’s game. His .420 on-base-percentage is among the best in the league.
“He’s right on the plate and he just competes. That’s a toughness. I’m just impressed by how he comes to the ballpark everyday prepared to play,” manager Brian Dorsett said. “He expects a lot out of himself. He expects to have success.”
He and Koby Kraemer, former teammates at Indiana State, have been mainstays in the No. 3 and No. 4 spots in manager Brian Dorsett’s lineup. Meggs batted cleanup in Kraemer’s absence Tuesday night, going 0 for 3 with a sacrifice bunt.
Meggs was a .326 batter as a freshman at ISU, and he hit .317 during his recent sophomore season, his first on the field at the University of Washington after transferring when his father Lindsay took the head coaching job in Seattle.
The Terre Haute North graduate also has 10 stolen bases despite lacking elite speed.
“I told him before the season he was going to get double-digit steals. He gets good jumps, he knows when to run,” Dorsett said.
West Vigo coach Steve DeGroote once compared Meggs’ approach to Pete Rose, said Dorsett, who explained that assessment.
“He just looks to pound the strikezone with his bat. He’s just right on the plate and his bat just takes that one path right threw the strike zone, does a lot of damage,” Dorsett said.
Meggs earned All-Pac 10 honorable mention honors after leading the Huskies at the plate. Coach Lindsay Meggs’ team went 17-37.
“As a team, it was kind of a long year. We’re pretty young and had some injuries and I think it was a valuable experience. I think it will be valuable for us, and it should help us in the long run,” Joe Meggs said. “The team always comes first. … I did OK for myself.”
Meggs missed 10 games of action at the start of the season due to a broken bone in his hand.
The injury was the result of overuse. In other words, his batting average doesn’t stay above .300 without work ethic and toughness, traits that might make him a successful coach some day.
Meggs just hopes that day comes much later.
“I think it would be hard to say no [to coaching]. You always want to play as long as you can,” Meggs said.
• Prettyman added to coaching staff — Ronnie Prettyman, the son of Indiana State Director of Athletics Ron Prettyman, has joined the Rex coaching staff.
Prettyman was a .263 hitter during five minor league seasons, reaching the Double-A level in 2009 before calling it a career.
After two years away from the game, Prettyman was ready to return.
“I’ve been out of baseball now for about a year and a half. I’m just real excited to get back into it. I had some good opportunities here work-wise. I’m thankful to the Rex for giving me the opportunity to get back into it,” Prettyman said.
Prettyman said he played in the Jayhawk League in Kansas. He had an opportunity to play in the Cape Cod League after getting drafted, but opted to sign to play in the minors.
“It’s a lot of fun for these guys coming from all over the nation to get out in front of a crowd and enjoy playing in front of a good atmosphere,” Prettyman said.
Prettyman is talking with Indiana State coach Rick Heller about joining his coaching staff.
• Fisk throws six no-hit innings — Rex pitcher Conor Fisk, a hard-throwing right-hander, threw six no-hit innings to earn the win Sunday at Lorain County.
He had thrown 105 pitches so Dorsett opted to take him out.
“Out of respect for his college coach, we kind of limit his pitches because he’s pitched a lot,” Dorsett said. “I told him ‘had your coach not said anything, I would have left you in there.’”
Fisk, who was drafted by the Brewers out of high school and opted to continue to work on his game in college, has impressed Dorsett.
“He’s in great shape. He takes really good care of himself, runs all the time. I think he probably could have went the distance. It’s good to find that out if he could,” Dorsett said. “I know he’s made a lot of strides in the past year.”
Terre Haute Rex
King of Pain: Rex’s Meggs leading league in hit-by-pitch
- Terre Haute Rex
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Loss drops Rex into first-place tie
In a battle for first place in the West Division of the Prospect League baseball standings, the Terre Haute Rex fell just short Monday night at Bob Warn Field.
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Sliders’ frustration against Rex continues
The Springfield Sliders probably curse the departure of the Dubois County Bombers from the Prospect League more than most.
What do the Bombers, who now ply their trade in the Ohio Valley League, have to do with the Sliders, or for that matter, the Terre Haute Rex?
When the Bombers left the Prospect League it created a situation where the Prospect League’s West Division teams — the Rex and Sliders both being members — had one less opponent to play in intradivision play.
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Sanchez stays hot to lead Rex to victory
Hot seems to be the right temperature for Terre Haute Rex Ricky Sanchez.
After going 3-for-5 in the Rex win on Tuesday at Hannibal, Sanchez drove in four runs with a two hits Wednesday in Terre Haute’s 6-5 win over the same Cavemen at Bob Warn Stadium.
The win allowed the Rex to maintain a one-game lead on Quincy in the Prospect League West Division standings.
Sanchez, a catcher and outfielder out of Notre Dame, started the night hitting .355 and was 2-for-3 at the plate with a double.
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Rex fall at home to Sliders
Zack Evans drilled the second Terre Haute Rex home run of the season Sunday, smashing a line drive into the trees in left field. The ball left Bob Warn Field in a hurry, but the solo shot was not enough to overcome a 3-1 deficit to the Springfield Sliders.
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Rex looking to return to pitching dominance Sunday against Springfield
During a 7-1 start and franchise-best seven-game winning streak, Terre Haute Rex pitching was the catalyst. Through eight games, the Rex led the Prospect League with an earned-run average of 1.11.
Even after giving up 10 runs Friday night in a 10-6 loss to the Quincy Gems, the Rex (7-2) are still the league leader in ERA at 2.09. -
Terre Haute Rex win franchise-record seventh straight game
Having begun its fourth season as a member of the Prospect League, the Terre Haute Rex summer baseball team had never won seven games in a row.
That is, until now. -
Rex pull even with Gems in first place after 14-inning win
It took 3 hours, 45 minutes on Tuesday at Bob Warn Field, but the Terre Haute Rex got even.
The Rex avenged their season-opening loss to the Quincy Gems, and the 5-4 victory in 14 innings also pulled the team even with the Gems atop the Prospect League West Division standings. -
Rex down Cavemen for fourth straight
Five Terre Haute Rex pitchers scattered six hits and four walks over nine innings on Sunday. All 10 baserunners were left stranded by Hannibal, and the Rex hurlers combined for a shutout of the Cavemen.
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Rex keep rolling with third straight victory
The formula didn’t have to change Saturday night as the Terre Haute Rex extended their winning streak to three games in Prospect League baseball.
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Wampler's three hits, three RBI lead Rex to win at Springfield
Tyler Wampler was 3-for-4 and had three RBI as the Terre Haute Rex earned its maiden victory of the 2013 season with a 6-0 victory over Springfield at Robin Roberts Field.
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Rex edged by Quincy in season opener
Kurt Kudrecki’s defense made a couple costly miscues, and his lineup managed just five hits through seven innings against Quincy, as the Gems held on for a 4-3 victory in the season opener for the Terre Haute Rex.
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2012 an up, down season for Rex
The Terre Haute Rex went through plenty of trials and tribulations during the summer of 2012.
The team got off to a sluggish start to settle for third place during the first half of the Prospect League race, but manager Brian Dorsett rallied the troops to a second-half title. -
Metro Roundup: Dorsett, Rex players honored in Prospect League postseason awards
Terre Haute Rex closer Nick Blount won one award and shared another and Brian Dorsett shared Manager of the Year honors as the Prospect League announced postseason awards Saturday.
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Rex out of playoffs
Successful playoff baseball = clean baseball.
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Rex mix, match their way to win
The Terre Haute Rex clinched a playoff spot last Thursday … but there were still four games to be played.
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Rex turn eye to Prospect playoffs
Fans attending this evening’s Terre Haute Rex game should expect some handouts, some surprises — and probably better start by the home team than the Rex could provide Saturday night.
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Rex drop road game to Sliders 7-1
One night after a dramatic come-from-behind victory, the Terre Haute Rex went down meekly to the Springfield Sliders 7-1 in Prospect League baseball Friday night.
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Rex defeat Springfield twice, clinch spot in playoffs
It was a long but fruitful night for the playoff-bound Terre Haute Rex.
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Playoff march continues: Rex creep closer to postseason with victory over Dans
Hire the band, make the floats, and rent out a street.
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Rex split, retain 3 1⁄2-game advantage in West Division
A five-run ninth-inning rally fell far short for the Terre Haute Rex on Sunday night in Prospect League baseball.
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No no-hitter, but Rex triumphs
Kyle Zimmerman took a no-hitter into the seventh inning, lost his control and the lead, but the Terre Haute Rex offense had an immediate answer Friday night at Bob Warn Field.
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Travel baseball teams enjoy busy summer
So in the past two or three years, the increase in local travel baseball options has been led by three groups, Indiana (formerly Terre Haute) Havoc, Riley Recreation League and Junior Rex.
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First-place Rex top rival Bombers
If you haven’t been to a Terre Haute Rex game yet this season, tonight might be the time to go.
The Rex have a second straight home game against the Dubois County Bombers, a potential Prospect League West Division playoff preview — and a battle between maybe the division’s two biggest rivals. -
Rex top Cavemen, raise record to 14-6
The first-place Terre Haute Rex picked up a 6-4 victory Wednesday at Hannibal, Mo., against the Cavemen.
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Rex win first game of Saturday doubleheader
Terre Haute maintained its stronghold on first place in the Prospect League West Division on Saturday, the Rex defeating Dubois County 6-1 in the first game of a doubleheader.
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Strunc fans 10, Rex win 12-10
Power pitching and power hitting kept a season-high crowd of 1,732 Rex fans on the edge of their seats Friday night at Bob Warn Field.
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Starting role suits Cunningham as Rex win
Nick Cunningham took the mound Thursday in his relatively new role as starting pitcher looking to give the Terre Haute Rex some breathing room atop the Prospect League West Division standings.
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Rex fall at Danville, maintain two-game division lead
The Terre Haute Rex lost 7-4 on Wednesday at Danville, falling to 9-4 in the second half of the Prospect League schedule.
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High drama, but no win
Pinch-hitter Michael Eberle provided patient Terre Haute Rex fans with plenty of excitement by belting a three-run homer in the bottom of the ninth inning to tie the score against the Springfield Sliders at 9-9.
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Rex cool off against Springfield
It was a game Terre Haute probably didn’t deserve to win, and, despite an outstanding bullpen effort and focused hitting in the last few innings, the Rex did lose Monday for the first time since July 4 at Quincy.
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