Cameron Burr has made a big splash with the Muhls
While his Muhlenberg baseball teammates spend their winter afternoons in the indoor batting cage preparing for the spring, Cameron Burr is working on a different kind of stroke.
He’s in the pool, trying to improve his backstroke.
He’s been a swimmer as long as he’s been hitting baseballs; he shares a similar passion for both sports.
You might think the time he spends in the pool would cause him to fall behind his baseball teammates, but he doesn’t see it that way.
“That’s basically my weight room for the winter,” the sophomore third baseman says. “I give (credit to swim training) for all my strength. There’s no sport that is more tiring, more demanding and that will just give you the all-around strength that you need. It works your whole body. No workout will beat that.”
It’s hard to argue, given the way he’s played for the Berks League champion Muhls. He’s batting .409, second on the team, with a team-leading 24 runs scored and a team-high 13 stolen bases. He has an OPS over 1.000.
“He’s the igniter,” says Muhlenberg coach Brian Kopetsky of his leadoff hitter. “He’s the guy that sets the table.
“Or, he cleans up when guys are all over the bases. So, he’s done a great job of driving in runs, of setting the table, stealing bases, doing what needs to be done.
‘He started the season something like 0-for-10; I think he’s batted .500 since. The last three-quarters of the season you can’t get him out.”
Burr’s on-base percentage was an incredible .570 after he reached base three times and scored three runs — in the first three innings — of Muhlenberg’s 11-3 win over Oley Valley in the BCIAA championship game last week.
He’s one of the big reasons the Muhls (19-3) are the top seed in the District 3 Class 5A Tournament, which they open Monday with a quarterfinal against No. 16 Gettysburg (12-7) at Gochnauer Field at 7.
He’s part of the league’s most dangerous lineup, which batted .393 and averaged 10 runs per game in sweeping the through the Berks playoffs with wins over Kutztown, Exeter and Oley Valley.
Center fielder Luis Beato is batting .419, with 13 extra-base hits; first baseman Sam Martinez is batting .406 and leads the team with 25 RBIs; shortstop Kenay Rodriguez is batting .400.
It’s one of the best-hitting teams the Muhls have ever had and Burr is at the top getting things started. That’s where he’s always batted, and he’s got the right mindset for hitting leadoff.
“My job is ‘anyway on,’ ” said Burr, who also leads the team with 19 walks. “(Hitting leadoff) you’ve got to be the tone-setter. I feel I’ve got enough speed that I can steal second, and my guys are there to hit me in.”
The 5-9, 165-pound Burr also has the dirtiest uniform on the team. He’s always diving into the dirt, either on the base paths or after a ground ball or line drive.
“I don’t think anybody plays the game any harder than he does,” Kopetsky said.
“He’s just an amazing kid,” Martinez said. “Nothing but hard work from him. Nothing but grit, sweat, flat-out putting everything on the field. It comes from the heart with him.”
Burr’s a natural shortstop but Kopetsky didn’t need him there last year so he pointed him to third. Burr took to the spot quickly and was a part-time starter as a freshman, helping Muhlenberg reach the District 3 semifinals and earn a spot in the PIAA Tournament.
He’s got quick hands, a sure glove and a strong arm — all good attributes for the hot corner. He’s also got natural baseball instincts.
“Love the kid to death,” said Muhlenberg senior Brad Coley, the Muhls’ top pitcher. “I know he’s got my back every single pitch and I know he’s going to make the plays out there.”
Burr was all over the place at FirstEnergy Stadium, where the Muhls played in the league semifinals and finals. He went 4-for-8 with four runs scored and four RBIs in those two games.
He was playing in the same infield where greats such as Mike Schmidt, Larry Bowa, Scott Rolen and Jimmy Rollins once roamed but admits he didn’t give that much thought.
“A guy like me, I like to get in my zone, so I’m not thinking about anything else other than competing and coming out with the win,” he said. “I’m locked in all game.”
College coaches have noticed Burr’s all-around ability on the field — he started and won the Berks semifinal against Exeter — but he’s not ready to give up swimming in order to concentrate on baseball. The routine has served him well to this point.
“When baseball season comes around, I’ve really gotta put my head down and grind to catch back up,” he said. “I don’t think I’m ever too far behind, because I’m always working (on baseball) here and there while I’m swimming.”
