Tepesch gets taste of Cape Cod League

Mike Rooney was doing some paper work at Rod’s Sports when the door opened and a couple of lanky youngsters walked inside.
Rooney looked up from the ledger book and saw former Blue Springs High School and Blue Springs Rod’s Sports A’s standout Nick Tepesch, who enjoyed a solid freshman season at the University of Missouri.
Tepesch, who was with present-day A’s pitcher Ben Briant, was holding a baseball.
“Here you go, Mike,” he said to Rooney, the veteran A’s manager.
Tepesch tossed Rooney an Official Cape Cod League baseball, one the big right-hander had used this past summer while pitching in what many baseball men believe is the finest summer program in the country.
Rooney grinned and looked at the ball.
“Hey,” Rooney said in mock disgust, “you forgot to sign it.”
Tepesch borrowed a pen and put his John Hancock on the ball’s sweet spot.
“Hey, I can almost read it,” joked Rooney.
That’s the type of relationship Rooney has with most of his former players.
“I love coming back to town and talking baseball with Mike,” said Tepesch, who finished his first year at Missouri with a 1-3 record, four saves, a 4.85 ERA and 21 strikeouts in 29 2/3 innings.
“I learned a lot,” said Tepesch, when asked about his first year of Division I baseball. “There aren’t any teams or players you can face and know you’re going to beat or get out. It was like that in high school, but not in college.”
It could be argued that Tepesch was the finest all-around player in the history of Blue Springs High School.
His senior year, The Examiner’s Player of the Year was 9-0 with a 1.50 ERA and 79 strikeouts. He also hit .410 with seven home runs and 30 RBIs last year.
Louisville Slugger named him the Missouri Player of the Year in 2007 and he was also the Gatorade Player of the Year in the state.
The 6-foot-5, 224-pounder also earned Louisville Slugger 2007 All-America honors and was named first-team all-state by both the coaches and media committees.
His bat and arm helped cap a dream season for former Wildcats coach Brad Mayfield, whose team won the Class 4 state championship.
“I’ve had some good ones,” said Mayfield, who is also an assistant manager on the A’s, “and Nick’s right there with the best. And you’ll never find a better kid or harder worker. The young kids on the team could watch Nick, look at his success, and want to work as hard.”
Tepesch’s Cape Cod League season was cut short by a blister problem he experienced with the A’s and the Missouri Tigers.
“I’ve built up a pretty good callous,” Tepesch said, showing the thick callous on the middle finger of his right hand. “It’s not going to be a problem in the future. I’ll work my way trough it.”
While Tepesch was a starter in high school and American Legion ball, he has been moved to the bullpen in college.
“I like it,” he said. “The game’s usually on the line and there’s some pressure, but that’s all right. Whatever they want me to do, I’m ready.”