Lindenhurst's Briggs wins Yastrzemski Award

The pain wasn't excruciating, but it was lingering. Jimmy Briggs continued to feel discomfort in his left knee as he was hitting in February getting ready for his senior season at Lindenhurst.

Briggs went to a doctor and was diagnosed with a torn meniscus. Not good for a power-hitting outfielder.

"I have no idea how it happened," he said. "I think it might have been from working out."

The good news was Briggs still could play baseball. The senior didn't miss one game and also played with a torn labrum he suffered in July, but one could hardly tell he wasn't 100 percent.

Briggs was named the winner last night of the 43rd Carl Yastrzemski Award, which goes to the outstanding high school baseball player in Suffolk County presented by the Suffolk County Baseball Coaches Association. Briggs is the second player from Lindenhurst to receive the award. Mark Frole won in 1996.

"This is an incredible accomplishment," Briggs said. "I worked so hard to get on the field and being a finalist is an honor. To win makes it extra special."

Briggs won the Blue Chips Silver Slugger Award as a junior with 13 home runs and 33 RBIs. As a senior, he batted .554 with 39 runs, five triples, five home runs, and 39 RBIs. He walked 30 times and had an on-base percentage of .683 to lead a potent 26-1 team that won the state Class AA championship for the first time in program history. Briggs, who hits righthanded, went 3-for-7 with a double, triple and three runs in the two games upstate. Both extra-base hits were deep drives to the opposite field.

Briggs was fed a heavy dose of off-speed pitches, and although he didn't hit as many home runs, he had a streak of 15 games with at least one RBI.

"I just had to wait on my pitch and drive it," Brigg said. "They gave me a lot of low pitches. I hit well, had a lot of RBIs and contributed to the team."

Said Lindenhurst coach Mike Canobbio: "He's really been a monster hitter since Little League. He always hit titanic shots. The ball makes a different sound when it comes off his bat in the indoor cages. He has power to all fields."

Briggs played soccer in the fall but wasn't used on throw-ins to protect his shoulder. He didn't play basketball in the winter. He played centerfield his first two seasons but was moved to left this year. He didn't participate in running drills and never took the field in practices.

"It wasn't his decision," Canobbio said. "We wanted to make sure he was able to play."

Briggs, who finished his career with a program-record 21 home runs, has received little interest from colleges. When he played in some showcases last summer, his throws weren't strong because of the shoulder injury. Even with a bad knee, a major-league scout at a Lindenhurst practice told Canobbio he was impressed with Briggs' speed out of the box and that he could see him getting a look after college.

"These college coaches are missing the boat on this kid," Canobbio said. "He had another phenomenal year and he played with a bad shoulder and a knee injury. He never complained. Colleges are making a huge mistake."

Briggs plans to have surgery on the knee next month.

"I don't think it impacted me that much," he said. "It hurt at times when I was running, but I'm relatively good with pain. The shoulder feels really good after a lot of rehab. It's back to new. I think I had a great season. I'm happy with the way I contributed."