Jared Valle Utility

Bio:
Jared will be forming our first father/son softball combination with Lee. Jared will be the youngest member of the squad and bring hopeful exuberance along with his youthful energy to the field.

Jared is an unknown when it comes to his defensive capabilities. Utility generally means that a player has equal ability at many positions, but sometimes it just means that I have no idea what that player is capable of on the field. This would be one of those times.

I’m sure Jared can swing the bat, if he’s a chip off the old block. Jared is also known for his affinity for Samurai swords. That could be used very effectively as an intimidation factor against many opposing pitchers and defenses. If he can handle a bat like he handles the steel, he should be just fine.

2006 Highlights:
Successfully graduated high school and spent some quality time overseas trying to determine what his future holds.

Was a spitting image of Snoopy, World War II Flying Ace, for Halloween. Uncanny.

2006 Awards:
Shiniest accessory
Sharpest accessory

2007 Projected Stats:
07: 24-50 .480 avg; 20r; 16 rbi; 4 2b; 1 3b; 4 bb .527 oba; .600 slg; 1.127 ops

Jason Merritt OF

Bio:
Jason means business. Just look at this grill. Enough said. Jason has been a substitute in the area for a couple of years now and helped the Warriors on more than one occasion last year. While he will most likely just be a fill-in sub this season, he is a welcome addition to the official roster.

Jason can be a bit of a circus act in the outfield but somehow he manages to hang onto any balls that come his way. He runs okay and has quick bursts of speed that help him close the gaps on balls over his head.

Offensively, he tries to live on the right-field line and does a nice job of it. He has some pop in his bat, but he is from Chicago and claims that Sammy Sosa corking his bat was one of the greatest things ever in baseball, so we may have to keep on eye on any “personal” bats that he brings. He runs the bases fairly well and has learned his lessons on when to take an extra base.


2006 Highlights:
Jason led his Shakopee team in hitting, which is kind of like winning a game of kickball at 5th grade recess: it’s cool at the time but come on, half of your opponents are 10-year old girls.

Jason also earned co-tournament MVP honors for his play in the post-season tournament with the Warriors. He hit .600 for the tournament and played a good outfield.

2006 Awards:
Co-Tournament MVP

2007 Projected Stats:
06: 56-94 .596 avg; 31 r; 24 rbi; 7 2b; 3 3b; 3 bb .608 oba; .734 slg; 1.342 ops
07: 17-28 .607 avg; 11r; 9 rbi; 3 2b; 1 3b; 1 hr; 1 bb .621 oba; .893 slg; 1.514 ops

Matt Hanson Utility

Bio:
Be careful how you look at this one. Known throughout his hood of Ypsi as simply “Hanson,” he is not one to be taken lightly. He fears nothing and will cruise around on 24’s in an Escalade down the Ave, or roll in an 1988 Honda Accord through his territory.

Matt is as comfortable inside his own skin as anyone I’ve ever met. He is a straight-shooter and there are rumors that he had to prove that while defending his rep to some local hoodlums back in the M I C H I G A N. He likes to keep things simple in his life and his “day-time job” keeps his name out of the papers and doesn’t draw attention to his alleged extra-curricular activities.

As far as softball goes, he simply doesn’t care. He’ll handle the job as it’s thrown at him. He’ll give his best effort, but don’t be surprised if he is always keeping one eye looking over his shoulder. He claims to not have any hobbies and deferred most questions to his personal consigliere.

I’m excited to see what kind of edge Mr. Hanson will bring to the team this season and anxiously await his release, I mean debut.

2006 Highlights:
Successfully completed his required allotment of community service hours.
Patented his famous quote: “An indictment is not a conviction.”

Appeared as a guest host on Martha Stewart Living.

2006 Awards:
East-Sider of the Year
Upper West-Sider of the Year

2007 Projected Stats:07: 20-44 .455 avg; 18r; 16 rbi; 4 2b; 1 3b; 1 hr; 4 bb .500 oba; .659 slg; 1.159 ops

Austin Colby #4 SS Manager

Bio:
It’s hard to be objective about yourself because I tend to be tougher on my own skills and performances than those around me. That being said, I think I’m due for a solid year. This is my fifth full summer of softball and I should have learned enough now to perform day in and day out on the diamond.

I play shortstop, although admittedly my range has diminished over the past couple of seasons due to injuries to my legs in various areas. I still have a quick release and go back on pop-ups very well. My arm has lost some zip but I am still fairly accurate with my throws. I have a tendency to peak on routine grounders and prefer to have to make instinctive decisions with less reaction time.

Offensively, I am still figuring it out. I can swing from both sides of the plate, but have better ball and bat control right-handed, while I can hit for more natural power left-handed. I plan on batting primarily left-handed this year because it’s more fun. I rarely have slumps but my power comes and goes but I know when it’s coming and going and usually take advantage of it. I look for a solid year this season with quality at bats. If I can keep my focus and not worry about out-doing Eric in the homerun bat toss competition, then I should be okay.

2006 Highlights:
I won four Player of the Game awards last year including the last one of the regular season, ending the game with a walk-off homer. My best game may have been against St. Andrew Blue in June, as I hit two three-run homers and had 8 assists and 4 putouts at shortstop.

For the season, I smacked 10 doubles, 8 triples and 11 homeruns. I also added two more homers in the post-season tournament we played.

2006 Awards:
MVP
Gold Glove Infield
1st Team All-League
Mr. Consistency

2007 Projected Stats:
06: 48-67 .716 avg; 41 r; 54 rbi; 10 2b; 8 3b; 11 hr; 3 bb .736 oba; 1.597 slg; 2.333 ops
07: 47-67 .701 avg; 40r; 47 rbi; 11 2b; 5 3b; 9 hr; 3 bb .732 oba; 1.418 slg; 2.150 ops

Jamy Antoine OF

Bio:
If this picture doesn’t just tell you how nice a guy Jamy is, well I guess nothing will convince you. Jamy is a chiropractor, who enjoys outdoor activities and correcting subluxations in people’s spines. Check out his website http://www.hqwellness.com/. I actually posed for the spine simulator on the right side.

He is athletic and played college soccer. He’s known for his cannon of a leg, which of course has no bearing whatsoever on a softball field. He is well-conditioned and does have a plus throwing arm from the outfield so he should be able to handle himself out there well.

Offensively, he’s still a mystery. The scouting report doesn’t really shed much light on what he can or can’t do. In talking to close friends and family members, most seem to think he’s adequate with some speed on the bases. He’ll just have to let his game do the talking for itself.

2006 Highlights:
Helped get my wife in much better physical health which was huge for her marathon birth. Also gave my spine lots of corrective attention while bringing a slight bounce back into my step.

2006 Awards:
Named Chiropractor of the Year in the local BNI chapter

2007 Projected Stats:
07: 33-62 .532 avg; 28r; 25 rbi; 8 2b; 2 3b; 1 hr; 1 bb .547 oba; .774 slg; 1.321 ops

Jon Engbrecht #32 Utility

Bio:
Jon is a hard-working softball player. He definitely puts in his full effort and has a smile on his face for the majority of the time. He’s been playing softball for a long time and even traveled other parts of the Midwest while searching for other brands of ball. However, his travels led him back to Rez Life and the Warriors because he knew that’s where his heart belonged.

When not playing the outfield, infield or pitching for the Warriors, Jon also helps Lockheed Martin build this segment edited due to confidentiality copyright agreements with the US Government.

Jon is the definition of utility and can handle himself anywhere on the diamond. He should be able to play either corner outfield spot as well as both corner infield spots this season.

His bat can be dangerous, as he is a big strong man. He hit three homeruns in one day last year in a different league. He also likes to stroke the ball gap-to-gap and use the whole field. His swing stays consistent and as long as his footwork stays in order, he should be productive with the bat in his hands.

2006 Highlights:
Jon earned two Player of the Game awards last year, both on the same day. On June 1, Jon led the team to two victories over St. Andrew Red and Living Word. He went 6-8 on the day with 2 runs, 5 RBI, one double and a triple. He sparked late inning rallies in both games with extra-base hits.

2006 Awards:
Best Teammate

2007 Projected Stats:
06: 21-37 .568 avg; 10r; 11 rbi; 3 2b; 1 3b; .553 oba; .703 slg; 1.255 ops
07: 28-50 .560 avg; 23r; 22 rbi; 5 2b; 1 3b; 2 hr; 1 bb .577 oba; .820 slg; 1.397 ops

AJ Larson #1 2B

Bio:
AJ is not tall. No one is disputing that. In fact, some people would go as far to say that he is short. However, I happen to like him because I think he’s about 6’ 1” and since I have a few inches on him, that makes me 6’ 3”. Right?

Okay, so AJ and Austin make a smallish middle infield but that doesn’t mean you should take them lightly. AJ has been good from the dawn of time. He is very solid in all areas of his game and you can see the steady improvements that he tries to make as a season progresses.

AJ switched from playing a good outfield to a solid second base last season. His good hands and quick feet make him ideal for the position. With a full season of work under him, he should be a sight to see this season.

2006 was AJ’s worst offensive season but the talk around the league was that it was more of a mental game because of his position switch and had less to do with his fundamentals. That being said, look for another short-stroked productive year from the lefty. He uses the whole field and usually stays on the top of the ball. Last year he floated a little bit out on his front foot and was hitting a lot of balls in the air. He says he worked with his personal hitting guru during the off-season and should be ready to roll come April.

2006 Highlights:
AJ captured a Player of the Game honor in late June by going 3-4 with two runs and four RBI versus the first-place Living Word team. He was clutch in that game, going 2-2 with 2 RBI in the final two innings as the team staged a comeback.

The speedy lead-off hitter also whacked 8 doubles and 4 triples.

2006 Awards:
BasePath Warrior

2007 Projected Stats:
06: 37-69 .536 avg; 37 r; 14 rbi; 8 2b; 4 3b; 4 bb .595 oba; .768 slg; 1.363 ops
07: 44-70 .629 avg; 45r; 18 rbi; 9 2b; 5 3b; 1 hr; 4 bb .662 oba; .943 slg; 1.605 ops

Brendan Finn OF/P

Bio:
Finn is good. Trust me. Okay, to most he’s an unknown. But he has been a consistent All-League performer in his other softball stops. He has been a consistent sub for this team and this year he will strap on the Rez Life Warriors gear once a week.

Finn can play any outfield position and has great hands and the un-teachable instinct. His arm is accurate though not over-powering. He can cover decent ground because of his jumps and reads. He also pitches and is very handy in a USSA league because of the exciting pitches he likes to try and throw.

At the plate Finn has a lefty’s swing in a right-handers body. It’s smooth, fluid and has a bit of an uppercut. He hits for lofty power but can be a singles guy when needed. He is a middle-of-the-order type of hitter and quite a coup for the team.

2006 Highlights:
Finn had what is a down year in his other leagues, but still managed one Player of the Game award which was a 5-5 game with five runs scored and four RBI.

He hit .583 with 8 doubles and 7 dingers in 2006, but in 2005 he earned League MVP honors with a .663 season including 23 homers and 75 RBI. Those aren’t misprints.

2006 Awards:
2nd in Sweetest Swing
Best Substitute

2007 Projected Stats:
06: 56-96 .583 avg; 46 r; 32 rbi; 8 2b; 1 3b; 7 hr; 2 bb .598 oba; .906 slg; 1.504 ops
07: 47-68 .691 avg; 39r; 55 rbi; 6 2b; 14 hr; 2 bb .718 oba; 1.397 slg; 2.115 ops

Nick Larson #2 LF

Bio:
Nick continues to roam the outfield grass for the Warriors. He has been doing so regularly for the past half decade. He is one of the most athletic players on the team and uses those skills to his advantage both in the field and at the plate.

Nick brings a flash and flair to the team and his dramatic catches in the outfield have been a joy to watch for everyone. He plays shallow and has the ability to rob the big hit and cut off a rally before it starts. He also has a very accurate throwing arm and his shallow positioning allows him to hold runners from taking the extra base.

Offensively, he hits the ball hard but has struggled through slumps with his swing during different parts of the past two seasons. However, he always rights the wrongs and puts together a very respectable stat line. He is a gap-power type hitter who routinely bangs out doubles and triples and will launch the occasional homer also.

And if they gave a Patrick Dempsey Great Hair Award, Nick would win unanimously. Let's not kid around here.

2006 Highlights:
Nick earned two Player of the Game honors last season; in late June versus Eden Prairie United Methodist and again in July against the same opponent. He went 2-2 in both games with fantastic catches in the outfield. In the first game he mashed a double and a homer while driving in two runs and scoring three. In the second game, he drove in three runs with two doubles.

For the year Nick hit a team-high tying 10 doubles to go with his 3 triples and one homerun enroute to his 2nd Team All-League status.

2006 Awards:
2nd Team All-League
Gold Glove Outfield
Anyway You Can

2007 Projected Stats:
06: 27-54 .500 avg; 24 r; 13 rbi; 10 2b; 3 3b;1 hr; 6 bb; .597 oba; .852 slg; 1.449 ops
07: 29-56 .518 avg; 27r; 20 rbi; 11 2b; 3 3b; 1 hr; 6 bb; .597 oba; .875 slg; 1.472 ops

Jordan Schumack #22 P/OF

Bio:
Jordan competed in his first full-time campaign in 2006 after flashing glimpses of his abilities the previous couple of seasons. He found a home on the mound less than halfway through the year and completed a strong season on the hill.

Jordan pitches with a lot of enthusiasm. He gets his whole body into every pitch and does an excellent job of fielding his position also. He is rangy and hops off the mound aggressively on plays up the middle.

He swung an impressive stick in 2006, but suffered through a pro-longed early-season slump which hurt his overall numbers. He showed pop at the plate and speed on the basepaths. He knows no fear on the diamond and actually is probably pretty scary to watch because of all his extracurricular activities during a game.

I'll be honest, I've been covering softball for a long time and I can't quite figure out what is going on when Jordan is playing. There, I said it.

2006 Highlights:
Jordan won one Player of the Game last season with a 3-3 game while pitching a dandy. He ripped two doubles in the contest while scoring two and driving in three runs.

He pitched the majority of the team’s innings and made some incredible defensive plays. He also walloped 6 doubles and one triple on the season.

2006 Awards:
Surprise Player of the Year
BasePath Warrior

2007 Projected Stats:
06: 23-53 .434 avg; 21 r; 16 rbi; 6 2b; 1 3b; 3 bb; .509 oba; .585 slg; 1.094 ops
07: 29-58 .500 avg; 25r; 19 rbi; 7 2b; 2 3b; 1 hr; 4 bb; .532 oba; .741 slg; 1.273 ops

Eric Johnson #5 Utility

Bio:
Eric has been one of the top performers on the team for a long time. He has as much softball experience as anyone else on the squad. He is a veteran and knows the umpires and knows how to work a win if need be.

Defensively, Eric doesn’t have a “true” home, but he is capable both in the outfield and the infield. He has seen time at 2b, 3b, 1b, and outfield over the past few seasons. A broken hand cut his time short last year and hampered his defensive growth. He will again be a utility defensive player, filling in spots when needed.

Offensively, Eric can mash with the best of them. He has a natural homerun stroke and a big frame behind hit. He has a flyball swing but can control it and mash liners gap-to-gap also. He can fall into "grandpa" slumps when he doesn't just let the big dog eat. He’ll always be near the team and league lead in homers and slugging percentage.

2006 Highlights:
In just 12 games, Eric mashed 5 2b, 2 3b and 7 hr. He was on pace for a potential triple crown season before the injury slowed him down. He still hit over .650 with 1.960+ ops.

He earned 1st Team All-League honors along with three Player of the Game awards. He captured the first P.O.G. in the season-opener with 4 hits, 2 dingers and 6 RBI. He added another multiple homer game for his second honor and a grand slam propelled him to his third and final honor of the season.

2006 Awards:
1st Team All-League
Mr. Clutch
Power Patrol
Ace Bandage Crew

2007 Projected Stats:
06: 28-43 .651 avg; 23 r; 33 rbi; 5 2b; 2 3b; 7 hr; 1 bb .612 oba; 1.349 slg; 1.961 ops
07: 45-68 .662 avg; 39r; 52 rbi; 8 2b; 2 3b; 10 hr; 1 bb .667 oba; 1.279 slg; 1.946 ops

Lee Valle #7 3B/IF

Bio:
Lee joined the Warriors last season after a long lay-off in his career. The team sure was glad to have him back, as his veteran presence added a much-needed toughness mentality to the squad.

Lee is cagey and crafty and his game is solid all around. He played 3b, SS, and 1b last season and did a fine job at all three places. He has very soft hands and doesn’t miss a beat during a game. While his range has become slightly limited, he is still as trusty as anyone when a ball is in his area.

At the plate, Lee has excellent bat control and routinely takes the ball the other way. He shows some pop and can drive the ball in the gap if needed, but makes his living on the right-field foul line. He had several big hits last season for the Warriors and after a year to shake the rust off, he should be even more formidable this season.

2006 Highlights:
Lee missed six games because of injury but still managed to earn Player of the Game during a late July contest. He finished the game 1-1 with two walks and three RBI. He had a two-out two-run single in the 5th that put Rez Life up for good.

Lee coaxed a team-high 7 walks on the season and also finished with 6 assists and 17 putouts in the field.

2006 Awards:
Anyway You Can
Ace Bandage Crew

2007 Projected Stats:
06: 17-34 .500 avg; 12 r; 12 rbi; 2 2b; 7 bb; .595 oba; .559 slg; 1.154 ops
07: 28-51 .549 avg; 20 r; 16 rbi; 3 2b; 9 bb; .633 oba; .608 slg; 1.241 ops

Jeff Johnson #99 1B/OF Captain

Bio:
Jeff has been around the softball team since the beginning. He has been vital in recruiting some of the top talent on the team also. He has played several positions over the years and has had a hand in running the day-to-day logistics also.

Last year he spent most of his time patrolling the outfield grass and did a fine job. Although his age is starting to creep up there, he still manages to play a solid outfield position. He will most likely get some quality time at first base this season which should help keep his legs fresh for long season. His big frame and good hands make him an easy target at the one-bag.

Offensively, Jeff can get hot with the best of them. He hit lights-out for most of 2005 and had some powerful seasons in 2003 and 2004. Last year he had a bit of an off year, maybe struggling to figure out the pitching in the new league. However, he still managed to swat the ball with much authority and the team expects more of the same for 2007.

2006 Highlights:
Jeff earned one Player of the Game honor in 2006 against Immanuel. Jeff led a thunderous offensive attack in a must-win rematch enroute to a 10-run rule drubbing. He went 3-3 with triple, three rbi and two runs scored.

Jeff also slugged 6 homeruns on the year including what may have been the most impressive of the season, driving a ball over the left-center field fence into a 25+mph wind. He mashed to the tune of .704 with runners in scoring position for the season.

2006 Awards:
Mr. Clutch
Watch Out!

2007 Projected Stats:
06: 27-57 .474 avg; 20 r; 30 rbi; 3 2b; 2 3b; 6 hr; 3 bb; .533 oba; .912 slg; 1.446 ops
07: 33-60 .550 avg; 26r; 35 rbi; 5 2b; 1 3b; 7 hr; 3 bb; .587 oba; 1.017 slg; 1.604 ops

Matt Shuster #10 C/OF Bench Coach

Bio:
Matt is a seasoned veteran who brings invaluable experience and knowledge to the team. He has competed for the Warriors for much of the decade and has been there through the dry years and the more fruitful ones.

His main position in years past has been catcher but he has also manned the outfield and a little first base from time-to-time. His leadership skills behind the plate help maintain sanity and control for the infield. He does a good job of handling the pitching staff and has shown some quick feet on pop-ups around the dish. In the outfield, he can track a flyball and squeeze anything that comes his direction.

Matt has shown marked improvement in his batting abilities the past few seasons. He anchors the bottom half of the order and does a good job of getting on base. He routinely kept rallies going last year with walks and timely base-hits, bringing the top of the order up with runners on. He has a long swing that has potential to generate some pop, and he has hit dingers in both batting practice and live action over the past three seasons.

2006 Highlights:
Matt captured his lone Player of the Game honor in June against Eden Prairie Assembly of God last season. He had a 6-hit doubleheader including a 3-3 performance with a double and two RBI in game one.
Matt also took three foul balls off his body in one game over the span of two innings. One actually drew blood on his forehead which was one of the defensive highlights of the year and helped him earn a Madden turkey leg.

2006 Awards:
Best Teammate
Player You’d Most Like to Be Stranded With on a Deserted Island

2007 Projected Stats:
06 stats: 20-49 .408 avg; 15 r; 12 rbi; 1 2b; 6 bb; .473 oba; .429 slg; .901 ops
07 stats: 23-52 .442 avg; 18r; 15 rbi; 2 2b; 1 hr; 6 bb; .517 oba; .538 slg; 1.055 ops

Welcome to the 2007 Season

This will be the new medium for distributing all softball-related information, including post-game write-ups, highlights, awards and others. This is easily accessible by everyone and should make for good banter because you can comment to any post that you would like.

I will also add different opinion polls about things from time to time and encourage everyone to add their thoughts on each subject.

Special thanks to our Queen of Utility, Jennifer Colby, who put this together and will be responsible for any cool pictures that may appear also.

On to the season....

Last year's team had a strong 2006, posting a 12-5-1 league record, placing them 2nd in the Round Lake league. It was a great showing and I think the Warriors turned some heads around the league. Flashing dominance at times, the team was able to bang out 71 doubles, 29 triples and 41 homeruns. All led the league.

After the regular season ended, the team played in one tournament, going 2-2 on the day and just missing out on the two losses. The final total record was 14-7-1.

This season brings another 18 regular season games and hopefully two more tournaments. It should be a lot of fun as most of last year's team is returning.

The squad placed five members on the 2006 All-League teams, three on the first team and two on the second team. The team loses Adam Predovich, who was a 2nd Team All-League honoree in 2006. The remaining four return, Austin Colby, Chris Burr, Eric Johnson, and Nick Larson.

The defense should be improved this season, with one full year of playing together under their belts, middle infielders Austin and AJ Larson should work very well together and having the very solid Lee Valle manning the three-bag will make for a solid infield.

Adam's departure means the team will have to replace its firstbaseman, but Jeff Johnson and Eric have spent some time there over the years and should fill in nicely.

The outfield should be even better than it was last year. The team returns Gold-Glove-winning Nick in left and has Chris to roam somewhere in the middle. Brendan Finn, a long-time sub, will be able to play another middle spot while filling in on the mound. Another new-comer, Jamy Antoine, has shown a good arm and should be a solid option in the deep grass.

Jon Engbrecht is back and can play all 10 positions and just might again. He will even fill in on the mound when Jordan Schumack or Finn aren't available.

The team will also consist of Matt Shuster, Matt Hanson, Jason Merritt and Jared Valle in some way or another.

Games begin April 27 so keep your eyes open for a full schedule soon.

Each player will have his own individual profile post shortly and you can learn a little bit about everyone.

Play Ball!!

Jordan Schumack

Jordan joins the team again as a long-tenured veteran. He has been playing for the Warriors since he was 7 years old. Back then his speciality was drawing walks and eating mud, but he's developed into a much more potent force.

Jordan is the team's leading pitcher and watching his high-arching pitches drop in for a strike followed shortly by the inevitable fist-pump is pleasure in motion. Jordan not only pitches well, but he fields the bump with a cat-like grace. Or perhaps more of a floppy fish-like grace but either way he gets the job done well.

At the plate and on the basepaths is where Jordan has turned up the entertainment factor. He runs well and would most likely be one of the fastest guys in the league if there was a spandex-only dress code. But, his famous saggy pants create a little drag for the man.

This season I expect Jordan to spend his free time asking for jobs because he is now a college graduate with degrees in basket-weaving, astrophysics, and beginner's golf with an emphasis on torque and backswing stability.

Personal Notes:
He likes Big League Chew and once chewed 6 pouches during a game. He prefers the grape flavor but settles for original and strawberry if need be. He volunteers as a test-driver for brand new BMW's and Maseratis. He really has a heart for the needy.

Career Stats:
g - h - ab - r - rbi - 2b - 3b - hr - bb - k - sf - tob - obo - avg - oba - slg - ops
16-23-53-21- 16 - 6 - 1 - 0 - 3 - 1 - 1 - 29 - 57 -.434-.509-.585-1.094
18-24-60-19- 21- 4 - 3 - 0 - 3 - 0 - 4 - 31- 67 -.400-.463-.567-1.029
34-47-113-40-37-10- 4 - 0 - 6 - 1 - 5 - 60 -124-.416-.484-.575-1.059

Projected Stats:
g - h - ab - r - rbi - 2b - 3b - hr - bb - k - sf - tob - obo - avg - oba - slg - ops
17-28-53- 23-20 - 4 - 2 - 1 - 6 - 0 - 1 - 35 - 60-.528-.583-.736-1.319