Morris in the Minors: Will Mike Schwartz's hot bat carry him back to affiliated ball?

Sometimes, Mike Schwartz feels like a 27-year-old Little Leaguer. He's leading the Normal (Illinois) CornBelters with a .323 batting average, and is tied for second in the independent Frontier League with 53 runs scored. That big bat, and a move to the outfield, have been attracting attention from affiliated teams.

"That's how I play, like I'm in Little League," said Schwartz, a Daily Record All-Area first-team honoree as a Montville senior in 2005.

"I just have fun. I don't worry about anything anymore."

Schwartz said he was going to play Major League Baseball in his fifth-grade yearbook at Cedar Hill Elementary School. That same year his parents, Maryellen and Matthew, installed a batting cage and pitching machine in their Towaco backyard so Mike and his younger brother Jason could practice. He watched "SportsCenter" every morning, learned how to read from newspaper sports sections, and improved his math skills by calculating batting averages and slugging percentages from box scores.

But Schwartz quickly soured on his dream. Drafted in the 17th round out of the University of Tampa, he had only limited plate appearances during two summers with the Chicago White Sox's rookie-league teams.

"It humbled me," said Schwartz, who is six feet tall and 205 chiseled pounds. "The game does teach you life lessons. You learn not to believe everything you hear. It's been five years, and I've learned a lot."

Though he doesn't have the strongest arm, Schwartz moved from first base to left field this year. Normal manager Brooks Carey "thought he'd have more problems," but he's committed just two errors in 73 games. In fact, Carey said Schwartz is "probably the best fielding outfielder in the league."

Schwartz's .323 average is sixth in the league, one spot behind Normal third baseman Santiago Chirino (.326), who hits in front of him. Sam Judah, a CornBelters outfielder who bats behind Schwartz, ranks second in the league with 62 RBI — frequently driving him in.

Schwartz went 2-for-3, stole a base and scored a run en route to the MVP award as the West beat the East, 2-0, in the Frontier League All-Star Game on July 16. A two-time all-star starter, he was also selected for the Home Run Derby.

The Phillies and Diamondbacks have contacted Carey, but need to free up a roster spot at Double-A due to Schwartz's age. At least two other major league teams are planning to have private workouts with Schwartz in Illinois in September, with invitations to spring training on the line.

"I think the best guy in the league should get another shot at a major-league organization, and I think he's going to," said Carey, the pitching coach for the 2008 Can-Am championship Sussex Skyhawks.

"He runs good. He does everything well. ... He's really strong and really flexible and he takes care of himself. He's had a pretty good career. He just hasn't gotten to where he wants to be, and that's on TV."

Staff Writer Jane Havsy: 973-428-6682973-428-6682; jhavsy@dailyrecord.com; www.dailyrecord.com/writerjane/

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