Lansing's Boys of Summer

Players to watch

With the departure last week of Sean Marshall to the West Tennessee Diamond Jaxx, a AA Cubs affiliate, the Lugnuts lost a star pitcher. Two other players are making a name for themselves with the team. But you better get to a game quick. You never know how long they'll stay around.

Brian Dopirak, 20

First baseman Dopirak is quickly gaining a reputation as one of the best hitters for the Lugnuts.

"We were doing a commercial shoot and he was just goofing around behind the plate, picked up the ball in one hand and hit the ball out of the park with the other hand," Lugnuts spokesman Justin Furr said. "With one hand, just messing around. He can crush the ball."

So far, Dopirak, 20, leads the Midwest League in home runs, with 11. He didn't always have such luck at the plate, though. During his first season with the Mesa Cubs in 2002, he had 20 hits during his 85 times at bat, but no home runs.

With his play this season, Furr doesn't expect Dopirak to remain in Lansing for very long.

"He's definitely going up," he said. "He can hit the ball like very few people can."

Jake Fox, 21

This 21-year-old catcher used to play for the University of Michigan baseball team before his selection during last year's draft. Fox started with the Mesa Cubs and was promoted to the Lugnuts last July. That season he played in 29 games for the team and batted .260 with five home runs and 12 RBI.

Furr said it's possible that Fox will get moved up before the end of the season, too. He's batting .271, has three home runs, and is considered the best catcher on the team.

On top of all that, Fox hasn't let the talk about him go to his head.

"We have guys that are really good players that are just normal, nice people," he said. "They'd tell you they play baseball, and you'd say, 'Oh really?'