Teen baseball flick covers the bases, but it still can't score

It's no surprise that the director of the teen baseball flick "Summer Catch" was also a producer of the 1998 teen football hit, "Varsity Blues."

"Summer Catch" wants to be the "Varsity Blues" of baseball. All the players are in position: an attractive young cast led by heartthrob Freddie Prinze Jr., romance, sports, various teen high jinks. Still, the movie strikes out.

"Summer Catch" * With Freddie Prinze Jr., Jessica Biel, Matthew Lillard, Brian Dennehy. Directed by Mike Tollin, from a screenplay by Kevin Falls and John Gatins. 113 minutes. Rated PG-13 for sexual content, language and some drinking. Several theaters.

Prinze plays Ryan Dunne, a blue-collar kid and Boston College dropout who becomes the first local boy in years to earn a pitching slot in the prestigious Cape Cod summer baseball league. All he wants to do this summer is impress the scouts, but he's distracted by pressure from his alcoholic dad and his bartender brother, both of whom are still recovering from the death of Ryan's mother.

Then there's Tenley Parrish (Jessica Biel of The WB's "7th Heaven"), the smart, pretty, rich girl who pursues Ryan despite her disapproving father, and Ryan's baseball buddies (led by Matthew Lillard), who are just out to have a good time. No wonder Ryan chokes every time he gets on the field.

It's a good thing he has Tenley to encourage him with tearful advice such as, "Allow yourself to succeed" and "If you want big rewards, you have to take big risks." Part of the problem with "Summer Catch" is that it can't decide if it wants to be a comedy or a drama. Mixed in with the fat-girl jokes and drunken party scenes are supposedly heartfelt moments between Ryan and his father, Ryan and his brother, Ryan and his girlfriend, and Ryan and his coach, during which they all deliver variations of the same inspirational speech.

Unfortunately, what is meant to be inspirational is merely laughable, and what is meant to be a "Summer Catch" is a total dud.

Pam Sitt can be reached at 206-464-2376 or psitt@seattletimes.com.