Cincinnati Steam

MISSION ACCOMPLISHED

The Cincinnati Steam accomplished the mission that they were told couldn’t be done. An organization built primarily of hometown local talent defeated the defending 2007 tournament champion Columbus All Americans to win the league’s post season championship as well as holding claim to the regular season title, a feat that has not been matched in quite a number a years according to GLSCL Commissioner Dr. Kim Lance. In fact after researching the Lima Locos 2008 Press and Media guide, compiled by Marty Glazier and Larry L. Oatman, the last time the same team won the regular season and the post season crown was 2004, ironically enough accomplished by the Lima Locos.

When Bill O’Conner and Steve Brown embarked on their journey in the fall of 2005 to create a summer collegiate team in Cincinnati built mainly around local, hometown talent they were scoffed at by others and told it couldn’t be done. The local kids can’t win, well we proved everyone wrong! A three year journey that started back in the summer of 06, built primarily around a group of players that just finished their freshman campaign, has matriculated in success and a Championship. After three seasons these young men have compiled a 75-41 regular season record and just completed an unbelievable season at 30-10 and a 4-1 championship record in the playoffs. The Steam have been nationally ranked all summer starting at number 13, climbing to 10^th, then 7^th for two weeks, dropped to 9^th and are currently holding the 8^th position in the country, courtesy of PG Crosschecker.

In three years the Cincinnati Steam have produced the 2006 Co-Top Position Prospect in Josh Harrison, who at the time had just finished his freshman season at the University of Cincinnati, the 2007 Player of the Year in Jake Oester, had finished his sophomore season at the University of Toledo and this season, 2008, produced the Player of the Year and the league’s Top Position Prospect in Zach Hurley, who just finished his redshirt-sophomore season at The Ohio State University. By the way, in case anyone is checking, all of these fall within the confines of the Steam’s mission, local homegrown talent, right here in Southwest Ohio. Josh Harrison played his high school play at Princeton HS. Jake Oester played his high school ball at McNicholas HS and Zach Hurley played his high school ball up the road at Springboro HS. The Steam have had 8 player of the week awards, 21 All Star Selections (8 in 2006, 6 in 2007 and 7 this season), the aforementioned two player of the year awards, 7 1^st team all league selections and 6 2^nd team all league selections. Cincinnati has been tied to several major league baseball amateur draft selections in its three seasons. Josh Harrison (2006 Steam), selected in the 6^th round of the 2008 draft by the Chicago Cubs and is currently playing for the Peoria Cubs. Nate Jones (2006 Steam), was selected in the 5^th round of the 2007 draft by the Chicago White Sox. Charlie Leesman (2006-2008 Steam) was selected in the 11^th round by the Chicago White Sox and Tommy Nurre (2007-2008 Steam) was selected in the 38^th round by the Los Angeles Dodgers.

The future is bright for the Cincinnati Steam and with the wealth of homegrown local talent that is currently at the high school and college level the Steam will not be without for a long time to come. We look forward to the Summer of 2009 and the action and excitement that will be brought to the great fans of Southwest Ohio and Greater Cincinnati at the Home of the 2008 GLSCL Regular Season and Tournament Champion Cincinnati Steam.