Sure, Hal Landers has enjoyed a sensational career at Wheaton College, but this would be a major step up.
Playing for the Mystic (Conn.) Schooners this summer in the rugged New England Collegiate Baseball League, the former Salem High baseball and football star was one of only four non-Division 1 players on the team's 28-man roster.
"It's definitely a higher level," said Landers, who is entering his senior year at Wheaton. "It was against all Division 1 players. I held up pretty well. To be honest, I was a little nervous. ... I definitely put some pressure on myself. I'm a very competitive person."
The pressure he put on himself showed early as he staggered out of the gates and was hitting just .176 (3 of 17) after 11 games. But he turned it around big-time and ended up hitting .319 over the last two-thirds of the season to hike his average to .292, second best on the team.
"He's absolutely a Division 1 player," said Schooner skipper Ray Ricker. "He showed he can compete with the mid-90s and upper-80s (mph pitchers) with a wood bat."
Of course, the wood bat takes away the aluminum-bat fueled pinball numbers you see in the college game.
Landers, a second-team All-New England Division 3 selection, batted .382 with 51 runs and 27 RBIs to help lead Wheaton to a 32-12 record last spring and a berth in the NCAA Division 3 New England Regional semifinals.
But the success with the Lyons wouldn't scare the NECBL elite from the likes of Florida, North Carolina, Vanderbilt, Virginia, Stanford, Georgia Tech and USC.
Landers got a confidence boost from his Wheaton teammate Dan Haugh, a two-time All-American from Andover.
"Dan said, 'You are as good as anyone in the league.' I took his advice and it worked out for me," said Landers, a 6-foot, 180-pounder who throws and bats left-handed.
Perhaps some were better, but not too many.
"He had an extremely great year," said Ricker, the associate head coach at Post University in Connecticut. "He had the opportunity to showcase himself vs. kids he probably saw in the College World Series and he hung with them."
His proud mother Robin (Burba) Landers believed he'd do big things ever since he was in diapers.
"I always knew he had a little something special," said Robin, a former PMA basketball player who grew up with six siblings in Lawrence. "When he was a toddler, he had this silly little plastic bat. He hit the ball so hard the first time he broke my basement window!"
These days he's perhaps better known for his defensive skills.
The centerfielder handled all 109 chances flawlessly this spring and was one of nine American Baseball Coaches Division 3 Gold Glove winners. It was a first for a Wheaton player.
"It meant a lot," said Landers, whose father, Hank, starred in football and baseball at Brown and was drafted in the 12th round by the Brewers in 1982. "I worked hard to be the best player and fielder I could be for the team. It was pretty cool."
Other local NECBL players
NameHometownTeamStats
Michael JohnsonGeorgetownNorth Shore4-5, 3.24 ERA
Dan HaughAndoverNew Bedford.175, 8 RBI
Brian O'NeilNorth ReadingNew Bedford2-4, 3.05 ERA
Chris CarmainMethuenOld Orchard Beach0-3, 4.59 ERA, 37 Ks, 35.1 IP
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