By GREG MENGELT
Greg.Mengelt@newsandtribune.com
JEFFERSONVILLE —
Chris Burke is happy that he will be playing baseball close to home in 2010.
But he would prefer not to be too close.
Burke — a Louisville native and an NLDS hero for the Astros in 2005 — signed a minor-league contract with the Cincinnati Reds on Dec. 10.
No matter how things turn out when the Reds’ Opening Day roster is announced, Burke will be a happy man.
He will either be a member of a Major League roster, or he will be playing professional baseball in his home town for the Bats.
Of course, Burke would prefer to be a Red.
“I’m going to play as well as I can (in spring training) and let them make the decision,” Burke said. “If don’t make the team, I’ll start here in Louisville. (Signing with the Reds) was a no-brainer.”
The first-round choice in 2001 believes that his versatility and ability to play any defensive position could land him in Cincinnati in April.
“I think the thing I’ve provided is versatility,” Burke said. “I’m just one guy, but I give a manager a lot of options, and I can give guys a days off. Hopefully, I can play well at camp, play good defense and swing the bat well enough that I can get a spot on the roster as a pinch hitter or a defensive replacement and go from there.”
The former Tennessee Volunteer said the opportunity to make a big league roster was one of two reasons he landed with the Reds. The other was to play in or near Louisville.
“For me, those are the biggest reasons I wanted to sign with the Reds. No. 1 was the opportunity for me to play at (the Major League) level, but No. 2 was the proximity to my family,” he said. “That’s a luxury rarely afford to ball players.”
Burke and his wife, Sara, have two young children — Sidney, 2, and Jackson, six months — who, if things go well, will have their first opportunity to see him play more frequently.
“It’s going to be excited,” Burke admitted. “It’s exciting to play close to home and have family at the games. It allows them to experience what my lifestyle’s been like the last decade or so in profressional baseball. I’m definitely looking foward to this season. It’s a unique situation. A lot of things that are going to be different about this season.”
It shouldn’t be a surprise that family was a priority for Burke. It’s been that way his whole life. For the the Burkes, baseball and family go hand-in-hand.
“Baseball’s a passion in our family,” Burke said. “My dad (Al) taught me the game, and grew up playing with my brother. As I got older, I played in the back yard with my cousins. Baseball is a big part of my family.”
Burke’s uncle, Kevin Burke, is a Jeffersonville native who is heavily involved in baseball coaching, including as a member of Al Rabe’s staff at Jeff High.
One of Kevin Burke’s son, Sam, was the starting catcher on Jeff’s 2008 sectional championship team. Sam is a freshman on the Bellarmine University baseball team in Louisville.
Another of Kevin’s sons, Josh, was the catcher Jeff’s 2008 Little League World Series squad. As an eighth grader, Josh will be a freshman at Jeff starting next season.
Chris Burke, who has lived in Louisville even when playing for Seattle, Arizona and San Diego, said he has enjoyed watching his cousins play baseball and is hopeful to get more of a chance to watch them play now that he’ll be local.
“I see them every year during the holidays. Of course, I saw them more when I was younger,” Chris Burke said. “They used to come to a lot of my games when I was at St. X and Tennessee. Here, in last year or so, I’ve had the opportunity to work with Sam a few times, and I’ve gotten to see him make a player of himself.
“It was a big thrill to watch one of my relatives on TV (in the Little League World Series). It’s neat to see Kevin’s kids grown up and having some success in the game.”
Kevin Burke said he is looking forward to Chris’ 2010 season.
“He’s got the opportunity to be close to home,” Kevin said. “The worst-case scenerio, he’s a Bat. Not many players have an opporunity to play professional baseball at home.”
