Long Island

BOCA CHICA, Dominican Republic -- It's 88 degrees and Chris Cruz finishes his eighth sprint. It's so hot. And he's exhausted. But there's no place he'd rather be than in the outfield grass of the Philadelphia Phillies major league training complex in Boca Chica.

"It's definitely hot but it feels great," said Cruz, the lefthanded pitching ace at Bay Shore High School. "This is heaven. This is what it feels like to be a professional baseball player in spring training. Great weather, great ballpark and a lot of baseball."

Cruz is in the Dominican Republic with a select group of Long Island's top baseball players training for the upcoming high school season. The winter break during President's week is the perfect time to get away for a little sun and fun. The workouts are demanding and it's certainly not a vacation but the end will justify the means as far as Cruz is concerned.

"We work out indoors all winter," said Cruz, who will attend Cornell University in the fall. "And this is a chance to get outside and get some reps in the open air. There's nothing like batting practice on the field. You can only get so much done in the cage and on the tee. We follow a strict training regimen every day and make the most of the week. It gives us an edge for the start of the high school season."

Cruz, an All-County selection as a junior, will enter his senior campaign as one of the front runners for the Yastrzemski Award, given to Suffolk's best player. The pitcher/first baseman turned down a few Division I and Division II offers to play baseball for Cornell.
"Come on that was an easy decision," he said. "I'm going to get an Ivy education. My parents were totally behind my decision and supported me fully. I'm really excited about Cornell."

Cruz drew the attention of the area scouts when he drove a batting practice pitch some 370 feet out of the park in Monday's morning workout. The ball seems to jump off his bat and it showed in his second game. He lined a two-out single into rightfield for a game-winning RBI in a 3-2 win over the San Pedro Phillies. That big hit came on the heels on a two-inning relief stint in which he retired six of seven hitters.

"I could be home in the snow and rain and freezing cold," Cruz laughed. "Or I could be high-fiving in the Dominican playing ball. Where would you rather be?".