About Us
Contact Info
Up To Bat West
14664 Snow Rd.
Brook Park, OH 44142
Click Hear For Map
Phone number: 216-898-0090
Fax number: 216-898-0017
E-mail address: info@uptobatwest.com
UP TO BAT WEST STAFF
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Photo coming soon | Photo coming soon |
| Mark Thomas | Mike Florak | Josh Sorge | Mike Kren |
| Photo coming soon | Photo coming soon | Photo coming soon | Photo coming soon |
| Chuck Smith | Neil Sellers | Kevin May | Trey Lamb |
| Photo coming soon | Photo coming soon | Photo coming soon | Photo coming soon |
| Ed Konopka | Marty Healy | Jim Putko | Divina Minch |
OUR FACILITY
UTB West is an indoor baseball training facility located in Brook Park Ohio. We offer an array of training programs and leagues for ages 4 through 18 as well as provide facility rentals, camps and clinics, private and group lessons.
Our newly redesigned 20,000 square foot facility provides a 80x80 infield, a 32x183 multi purpose practice area, 11 batting cages, 4 baseball Iron Mike machines, 3 slow pitch softball machines, 1 fast pitch Iron Mike machine a 32x70 bullpen and the Pro Pitch Simulator. The Pro Pitch is a video pitching machine capable of throwing any pitch at any speed.
Mark Thomas
Baseball Director
Coach Thomas is in his fourth year as the Baseball Director at UTB West. He brings years of experience in both playing and coaching. He was drafted in 1999 by the Montreal Expos following his junior year at Youngstown State University and played Professionaly for four years. In '99 he played with the Montreal Expos short season "A" affiliate Vermont Expos. In 2000 he played with the Expos "High A" affilate Jupiter Hammerheads. After being realeased from the "AA" Harrisburg Senators roster in the spring of 2001 Mark played two more sesons in the Professional Independent Frontier League with the Evansville Otters in '01 and the Canton Coyotes in 2002
After his four-year professional playing career he returned to YSU as an assistant coach from 2002-2004. He has previously help run two indoor baseball facilities in the Youngstown area for six years conducting training programs and private lessons.
During his three years at YSU he set seven school records and was selected to all conference team once and was voted the Mid Continent Conference Freshman of the Year in 1997.
Coach Thomas attended Warren John F. Kennedy H.S. where he was a three-sport star in football, basketball and baseball.
Coach Thomas will be coaching in all UTB West baseball training leagues and programs. He will be conducting lessons in hitting, pitching and fielding.
Mike Florak
UTB West Instructor
Coach Florak comes to UTB West after coaching at the College level for 14 years (Ohio University,West Liberty State College, Waynesburg University, and Youngstown State University). He has been a college Head Coach for 11 years and has turned out many MLB draft picks over the years.
The following is a brief synopsis of Coach Floracks Head Coaching experience
WAYNESBURG UNIVERSITY -- HEAD COACH 1997-1998
*Team GPA was above 3.0 in 1997 and 1998
*Presidents' Athletic Conference Runner-up in 1997
*Presidents' Athletic Conference Champion in 1998
*HIGHEST TEAM BATTING AVERAGE IN NCAA (.382) in 1997
YOUNGSTOWN STATE UNIVERSITY -- HEAD COACH 1998-2007
*Became one of country's youngest Division I Head Coaches (age 31) in 1998
*Twice in six years (2002 and 2007) team had the HIGHEST TEAM GPA OF ALL MENS' SPORTS IN THE ENTIRE HORIZON LEAGUE
*Team tied for 20th in Division I team batting average (.324) in 2000
*Horizon League Champion in 2004
*Horizon League Runner-up in 2005
*YSU HAD 11 PLAYERS IN FIRST EIGHT YEARS SIGN PROFESSIONAL BASEBALL CONTRACTS, INCLUDING ONE FIRST-ROUND PICK AND ONE FOURTH-ROUND PICK IN MLB DRAFT
*Served on NCAA Regional Selection Committee in 2002 and 2003
*Selected to be an instructor at NCAA YES Clinic in Omaha at College World Series in 2004 and 2005
Coach Florak will be available for hitting, pitching, fielding and catching private and group lessons.
Josh Sorge
UTB West Instructor
Coach Sorge is the current Head Baseball Coach at Strongsville H.S. He has coached the Mustangs to 2 Pioneer Conference championships (2005 & 2007) and a Division I State Championship in 2006. Coach Sorge was named the 2006 Plain Dealer Coach of the Year, the 2006 Greater Cleveland Baseball Coaches Association Coach of the Year and has also been twice named the Pioneer Conference Coach of the Year.
Eight of his former players are playing college baseball with five division I players
He was also was an NCAA All-American in 1996(American Baseball Coaches Association), Assistant Coach at Ohio University (1997 & 1999), Georgia Tech (2000-2001), Associate Head Coach University of Hawaii (2002).
Coach Sorge has managed the Durham Braves (2000) in the Coastal Plain Collegiate League and was voted the East Cobb Baseball Coach of the Year in 2001
Coach Sorge will be available for private and group hitting, catching, fielding and pitching lessons.
Mike Kren
UTB West Instructor
Coach Kren is currently Strongsville High School's pitching coach.
Throughout his time at Strongsville, the Mustangs have won two Pioneer
Conference Championships (2005 & 2007) as well as the Division I State
Championship in 2006 and a Regional Final appearance in 2007. Under Coach
Kren's instruction the Mustang pitching staff has enjoyed an ERA of under
3.00 for the last three seasons. In addition, two of his pitchers have
advanced their careers to the college ranks within the last two seasons
(Justin Novak - Baldwin Wallace & Dan Parsons - Bowling Green).
Coach Kren attended St. Ignatius, Cleveland State and served 4 years in the
United States Marine Corps.
Coach Kren will be available for private and group pitching lessons.
Kevin May
Coach May is returning for his fourth year at UTB West. He played college baseball at Marietta College where he was an All Conference player and played for two Div. III National Championship Runner-Up teams. He attended Avon Lake H.S. where he was an All State catcher and team MVP.
Coach May will be conducting lessons in pitching and catching .
Chuck Smith
UTB West Instructor
Chuck Smith's professional career has spanned 15 years with various clubs. He has played for the Houston Astros, Chicago White Sox, Texas Rangers, Florida Marlins, Colorado Rockies, Atlanta braves, New York Mets and the Baltimore Orioles.
He made his Major League debut with the Marlins in 2000 going 6-6 with a 3.23 ERA and had 118 strike outs in 122 innings. In 2001 he was 5-5 with a 4.07 ERA with 71 strike outs in 88 innings.
Coach Smith will be available for private and group lessons and will be an instructor in selected UTB West training programs, camps and clinics.
Marty Healy
UTB West Instructor
Coach Healy is a 1995 graduate of Mid Park High School where he holds many school records in hitting. He played college baseball at Ohio State University in 1996 and then transferd to Cleveland State University to continue his playing carreer. Coach Healy will be coaching in the MVP Varsity Training Program.
Jim Putko
UTB West Instructor
Coach Putko was drafted in 1995 by the Chicago Cubs out of the University of Akron and had a four year professional career. Coach Putko will only be available for UTB West Camps and Clinics
Divina Minch
Fast Pitch Director
Coach Minch is currently the pitching coach for Myers University and has coached at Notre Dame College and Holy Name H.S. She attended Baldwin Wallace College and Warren Howland High School.