Corrado Comes Home To Lead Spartans
Published: May 17, 2007
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TAMPA - Craig Corrado had made up his mind. His future was set. The powder blue of North Carolina beckoned, and so did a promising baseball career.
The 2003 graduate of Tampa Catholic told scouts he wasn't going pro - possibly bypassing a six-figure signing bonus - and committed to the Tar Heels. Four years later, he's enjoying the best season of his career - 583 miles from Chapel Hill, N.C. - at home.
Corrado has regained his confidence and resurrected his career since transferring to the University of Tampa prior to his junior season. A key contributor on the 2006 national championship team, Corrado is now UT's top hitter with a .437 average and 57 RBIs.
He and rest of the Spartans (45-9) will begin their defense in the NCAA II South Regional at home this morning at 11 against Stillman College (26-17), the Southern Intercollegiate Athletic Conference champion.
"He's done the things he's needed to do to get better physically," said UT Coach Joe Urso, "and when you watch him go about his business offensively, he has really made adjustments from the day that we got him."
Many professional scouts thought Corrado could be drafted in the top seven rounds coming out of Tampa Catholic. But shortly after committing to UNC, he had a conversation in passing with Urso - words that didn't seem to mean much at the time, but have proved invaluable in the years that followed.
"When somebody does not choose Tampa out of high school," said Urso, "I always tell them congratulations, and you always have a home here with us if you ever need it."
Corrado started his first 20 games at UNC at shortstop, but a severe hitting slump followed. He was moved to second base but the slump continued into his sophomore season. He was benched soon afterward and contemplated his next move.
Though he said he wasn't homesick, he undoubtedly needed a change of scenery.
"I started struggling with the bat, started pressing too much and kind of got into a funk and wasn't able to get out of it," Corrado said. "I think I lost a little bit of confidence in myself up there, too."
With the help of his uncle and Urso's friend, Paul Fernandez, and his second cousin, UT alumni and current Detroit Tigers catcher Mike Rabelo, Corrado got in touch with Urso again and accepted the invitation. He has hit .418 in his two years with the Spartans.
He's expected to get a second chance at going pro after the season, and Urso believes his stock "rises each week he plays." But the one knock on him has been his inability to find a position defensively.
Jokingly called the "super-utility man" by Urso, Corrado has played everywhere but pitcher and catcher in college. But Urso said Corrado has the most athletic ability on the team, and at 6-foot-2 and 185 pounds could get even bigger and stronger. A scout attended UT's practice Wednesday and inquired about Corrado.
One strength that can't be questioned is his leadership, as part of a quartet that includes infielders Jose Jimenez, Ryan Kennedy and Roberto Mena.
"Last year we had the three big leaders in Sergio [Perez], Lee [Cruz] and Orlando [Rosales]. And this year it's kind of switched on to me, Mena, Jose and Kennedy," Corrado said. "And we've got a lot of new guys on the team that haven't been there before, and we're just trying to show them what it takes to get there again."
AT A GLANCE
WHAT: NCAA II Baseball South Regional, double-elimination tournament
WHERE/WHEN: UT Baseball Field, today-Sunday
TICKETS: $10 (adults), $5 (students with ID/seniors); available at the gate.
LIVE STATS: www.tampaspartans.com
SCHEDULE: Today - No. 1 Tampa (45-9) vs. No. 6 Stillman (Ala.) (26-17), 11 a.m.; No. 2 Tusculum (Tenn.) (48-12) vs. No. 5 Florida Southern (40-14), 3 p.m.; No. 3 Carson-Newman (Tenn.) (36-18) vs. No. 4 Florida Gulf Coast (39-15), 7 p.m. Friday - UT/Stillman loser vs. Tusculum/FSC loser, 11 a.m.; UT/Stillman winner vs. C-N/FGCU loser, 3 p.m.; Tusculum/FSC winner vs. C-N/FGCU winner, 7 p.m. Note - Weekend schedule is based on how many teams are remaining.
NEED TO KNOW: The nationally No. 1-ranked Spartans enter the postseason on a 12-game winning streak. They won 11 consecutive prior to last year's national championship run, and went on to defeat Florida Southern and Florida Gulf Coast en route to winning the 2006 regional. … UT will start RHP Anthony Perez (5-0, 4.69 ERA) today against Stillman, saving ace Kevin Ferguson for Friday's game. The Tigers were swept by FGCU in a four-game series April 28-29 by a combined score of 63-12. … The Spartans haven't lost in the postseason since 2005 when Tusculum and Florida Southern beat them.
Bart O'Connell
