By Ken Barhorst
Sidney Post 217 American Legion baseball coach Jim Koewler and his wife Nancy welcomed two guests into their Florida home last week, calling it “just another leg in our lives making more acquaintences in the baseball world.”
Baseball has always been a big part of their lives, so when they had the opportunity to help a couple of young Major League hopefuls, they didn’t hesitate.
Mike Brosseau of Indiana signed as a free agent last June with the Tampa Bay Rays, and Deion Tansel of Ohio was drafted by the Rays in the 32nd round last summer.
Nancy Koewler explained that the players aren’t supposed to report for actual spring training until tomorrow (Thursday), but they are allowed to report early and get in some work ahead of the official start of camp. But to do that, they have to provide their own room and board.
And that’s where the Koewlers came to the rescue.
Tansel played his college ball at the University of Toledo, where the Koewlers’ grandson, Riverside grad Dalton Bollinger, is currently playing.
Tansel went to Toledo coach Corey Mee seeking help in finding somewhere to play, and Mee immediately thought of the Koewlers.
“Coach Mee knew that we had a home in this area, so he referred them to our grandson (Bollinger),” said Jim Koewler. “Dalton called us and asked us if we would have a room for them for 10 days, and being the baseball fans that we are, we said absolutely we would have room for them.
“With all the turmoil that seems to be going on in the world today, these are two of the nicest and most respectful young men that you would want to be around,” he added.
Koewler said Tansel is one of the top five shortstop prospects in the Rays system, and both are well-traveled in the game.
Brosseau attended Oakland University in Michigan before signing with the Rays. He played shortstop in college, but is playing third with the Rays.
He spent his time last summer playing in the Gulf Coast League, making the Gulf Coast League All-Star game.
After his freshman year in college he played in the Hamptons Collegiate League playing for the River Head TomCats, and after his sophomore year of college he played for the West Virginia Miners. Folllowing his junior year he played in the Valley League for the Waynesboro Generals.
He attended Anthony Wayne High School and then furthered his education at the University of Toledo.
Tansel started out in the Rookie Gulf Coast League, moving to Princeton of the Rookie League and ending up in Class A in Bowling Green, Ky. playing for the Hot Rods.
After his freshman year of college he played for the Dayton Docs in the Great Lake Leagues, and his next two summers were spent with the Chillicothe Paints.
“We are so happy we can help these two players,” Koewler said. “They have to do whatever they can to make the big leagues, and we will do anything we can to help them.”
