By TYLER DRUMMOND
of The Gazette
Kyle Bohm is living every young boys' dream, he's playing baseball everyday.
Bohm, a 2001 Stevens Point Area Senior High School graduate, is playing full time for the Wisconsin Woodchucks this summer.
"Playing for the Woodchucks is great," said Bohm. "I get a lot of at-bats during the summer, a lot more than I did at Auburn."
Bohm played his first two years at Auburn University but will transfer to Michigan University this fall. "I didn't get hardly any playing time at Auburn and I should get more at Michigan," said Bohm. "Coach Rich Miloni said he couldn't guarantee me playing time but he said they didn't have anyone at my position."
Bohm was talking to other schools such as Minnesota and Creighton but to him Michigan "just felt right." "Academic-wise and team-wise Michigan just felt like the place I needed to be."
In his sophomore year with Auburn, Bohm batted .250 in 28 games. "It was hard to get playing time because we were a nationally ranked team with some of the best players," said Bohm.
Bohm acknowledges that the switch from a national powerhouse to Michigan will be different but, with a little work, Bohm thinks Michigan can become one of the better clubs in the nation. "If we can get a lot of run support, we can be a great team because we have superb pitching."
As for the summer, this is Bohm's second summer with the Woodchucks. In his first year he batted .263, which was second on the team. He also led the team in on-base percentage, walks and times hit by pitch. "A lot of my progression as a baseball player can be attributed to playing with the Woodchucks," said Bohm. "It's nice to play everyday, sure the road trips get long but the group of guys we have this year keep it fun on the road."
As a team, the Woodchucks made the playoffs this year, tying for the second half of the season title. This sets up a three-game playoff series with the Madison Mallards, the first game of that series to take place on Saturday, Aug. 10, at Athletic Park in Wausau.
An admirable aspect to Bohm that sets him apart from other college baseball players is that Bohm knows the cold hard reality that baseball probably won't be a career. "If I keep improving I have a chance to make it to the majors but I know the statistics and the percentages are against me."
That's why Bohm has created a contingency plan if baseball doesn't work out.
With Bohm's academic skills, he plans on attending medical school in Madison or Milwaukee after college and wants to pursue a career in orthopedics or sports medicine.
"I talk to so many other players and ask them what they're going to do after baseball, and they get a glazed look in their eyes like they don't know what I'm talking about. It's nice to have a backup plan in case baseball doesn't work out," said Bohm.