BASEBALL SUPER 25 Batting cage investment pays off for top coach Super 25 : Florida teams in top three spots Regional rankings The dandy dozen: 12 players to watch this season

It was 1992. She and her husband, Tony, USA TODAY's coach of the year last season after guiding Russell County in Seale, Ala., to the No. 1 ranking, had just sold some land.

Robin says she thought the profits would be used for a down payment on a house. Instead, Tony, a former California Angels minor leaguer, used more than $5,000 to buy a batting cage, pitching machine and other accessories so his four sons could play in the backyard.

"People thought we were crazy," Robin says. "They said, 'Do you think your kids are going to the majors or something?' "

Says Tony, "We considered it a college scholarship plan."

As it turns out, Colby, a second-team All-USA outfielder in 2005, was a first-round choice of the St. Louis Cardinals last year.

Last August, Cory, 18, the second Rasmus brother, played in the AFLAC All-America Baseball Classic for the nation's top seniors.

Cory, a right-handed pitcher and first baseman, earned a scholarship to Auburn but is expected to be drafted this spring. "It's been a lifelong ambition to play in the majors," he says.

This spring Russell County is 23-6. Cory is joined on the team by younger brothers Cyle (pronounced Kyle) and Case.

Almonte's back:

Left-hander Danny Almonte is back with No. 8 James Monroe (Bronx, N.Y.) after a year in Florida, where he did not play high school baseball.

Almonte, a 19-year-old senior, gained national notoriety in 2001 when his team was disqualified from the Little League World Series when it was discovered he was older than the 12-year-old limit.

"The transition home has been great. He's back with his friends," Monroe coach Mike Turo says.

In seven appearances this season, Almonte is 5-0 with a 0.29 ERA in 24 innings. He's batting .643 with four homers and 50 RBI.

While most Eastern teams have just begun their seasons, Monroe, which began March 11, has played 21 games.

"The aggressive schedule is a necessity in New York where you lose five to 10 games each March," Turo says. "I book games every day to give all the players a chance to play and not sit around."

The Dandy Dozen - 12 players to watch
Pos.	Player	Ht.	Wt.	High school, city, state	Why he's on here
RHP	Jordan Walden	6-4	185	Mansfield, Texas	8-3, 1.20 ERA, 124 strikeouts; signed with Texas.
LHP	Brett Anderson	6-4	215	Stillwater, Okla.	4-1, 0.51 ERA, 64 strikeouts; signed with Oklahoma State.
RHP	Dellin Betances	6-9	215	Grand Street, Brooklyn, N.Y.	7-0, 0.17 ERA; undecided on college.
IF	Kyle Drabek	5-11	175	The Woodlands, Texas	.479, 6 homers, 33 RBI, father pitched in majors.
IF	Chris Parmelee	6-1	200	Chino Hills, Calif.	.412, 11 homers, 23 RBI; signed with Cal State Fullerton.
IF	Ryan Adams	5-10	170	Jesuit, New Orleans	.465, 5 homers, 39 RBI, 40 runs; signed with LSU.
IF	Chris Marrero	6-3	205	Monsignor Pace, Opa Locka, Fla.	.430, 7 homers, 30 RBI, signed with Miami (Fla.).
C	Hank Conger	6-0	210	Huntington Beach, Calif.	.410, 9 homers, 24 RBI, 29 runs; signed with Southern California.
OF	Cedric Hunter	6-1	185	Martin Luther King, Lithonia, Ga.	.584, 8 homers, 34 RBI; undecided on college.
OF	Cody Johnson	6-4	200	Mosley, Lynn Haven, Fla.	.474, 10 homers, 41 RBI, 34 runs; signed with Florida State.
OF	Travis Snider	6-0	230	Jackson, Mill Creek, Wash.	.494, 7 homers, 31 RBI; signed with Arizona State.
OF	Devin Shepherd	6-4	230	Oxnard, Calif.	.444, 4 homers, 18 RBI; signed with Oklahoma.
Note: Statistics are from the 2005 season; players are seniors

Enlarge By Michael A. Schwarz, USA TODAY An unorthodox investment in a batting cage has paid dividends for Tony Rasmus, the 2005 USA TODAY coach of the year. His son, Cory, the oldest of the four boys for whom Rasmus bought the cage, was drafted in the first round by St. Louis last season.