At this time last year, the LSU baseball team was in Omaha, Neb., preparing for a championship run at the College World Series.This year, the Tigers are scattered across the country playing in various summer leagues instead.Eighteen players from the 2010 season are participating in summer leagues, and six of them are playing in the Cape Cod League.Several sophomores, including second baseman Tyler Hanover, shortstop Austin Nola and pitchers Chris Matulis, Joey Bourgeois and Matty Ott, are playing in the Cape Cod League.Junior pitcher Anthony Ranaudo will also be a part of the league, even though he was drafted No. 39 by the Boston Red Sox on June 8 during the MLB draft.”Summer ball is really an important part of the year,” said LSU coach Paul Mainieri. “It gives them a chance to get more at-bats and innings pitched.”Ranaudo and Matulis are teammates on the Brewster Whitecaps, and Ott and Nola are playing for the Harwich Mariners.Mainieri said the Cape Cod League attracts the top college players.”Everyone would say they want to play in the Cape Cod Summer League,” Mainieri said. “Sometimes a kid is better off getting a chance to play more in another league.”Three freshman are spending their summer with the Prospect Leagueout of the Midwest — left fielder Mason Katz, third baseman Alex Edward and pitcher Zach LaSuzzo.Mainieri said summer baseball is a crucial time for inexperienced players to brush up on their skills before returning to Baton Rouge.”Experience is huge, especially for the kids that didn’t get a lot of playing time with us,” Mainieri said.Sophomore catcher Matt Fury and freshman pitcher Chris Cotton are playing in the Texas Collegiate League.Freshman Jordan Rittiner is pitching for the Thomasville Hitoms of the Coastal Plain League.”Summer leagues give them a great experience to see a different part of the country and meet new people,” Mainieri said. “Sometimes they find out how good they have it here at LSU.”Four players are suiting up in the Valley League in the Virginia area  — junior pitcher Daniel Bradshaw, freshman pitcher Michael Reed, sophomore outfielder Johnny Dishon and junior pitcher Ben Alsup.Mainieri said assistant coach Javi Sanchez helped pair the players with the right league and team for the summer.”He’s kind of the liaison for the summer leagues,” Mainieri said. “The teams call us and say, ‘We would like players.’ We can’t help everybody because we don’t have enough.”Mainieri said fitting players with the right team is based on past experiences.”We have relationships with different leagues,” Mainieri said. “For example, we want to make sure our pitchers are getting used a certain way. It’s part of a relationship that has developed over time.”The players aren’t paid for their time on the team, but Mainieri said each player is matched with a host family during his stay.”The family feeds them,” Mainieri said. “Sometimes the players get a summer job and that helps pay the host family.”Sophomore catcher Grant Dozar and freshman third baseman Beau Didier are playing in the Northwoods League located around Minnesota and Wisconsin.Incoming LSU baseball recruits also get the opportunity to play in the summer leagues.The teams in each league play against each other, and eventually a champion is crowned.Mainieri said there are a few practices to begin the season, but most teams spend most of their time playing games, which could be five games a week.Sophomore right fielder Mikie Mahtook and Nola are trying out for the USA Collegiate Team on July 5.Mainieri said Nola will have a short stint with his summer league team before traveling to Cary, N.C., for the USA team trials.”What greater thrill can a kid have than to play for their country?” Mainieri said. “It’s an incredible opportunity.”Ott decided to opt out of the national team to get more time pitching for the Harwich Mariners.”I was afraid he wouldn’t make the team and then not get to play much this summer,” Mainieri said.- – – -Contact Michael Lambert at [email protected]