Empire State Games help athletes gain attention from scouts

James Johnson • Staff writer • July 25, 2008 VESTAL — Chris Culver was told it would be a good idea to play for the Western Region's Empire State Games baseball team if he made the team. The key word was "if." Culver, a junior at Irondequoit, was far from being the only Section V standout who hoped to earn one of the 18 roster spots. "I thought it would be a good idea to play at a high level of competition," Culver said during the first day of the games in and around Binghamton. "It's the best of the best. "There were a lot of kids who tried out, 40-50 at the final one." Culver and Penfield senior Alex Lindenmayer were among seven players from Rochester-area high schools who made the final roster. Talk about jockeying for positions. "I would say over 100," Lindenmayer said of the number of players who tried to make coach and... [read full story]