June 7, 2013 at 3:40 p.m.
Preview: Rhinelander's youth carries over to American Legion baseball season
Preview: Rhinelander's youth carries over to American Legion baseball season
Many of the same young faces that were part of the Rhinelander High School baseball team will be playing ball this summer for the Post 7 Rebels as their season begins Monday night at Merrill. Only four players on this year's team - Lucas Michlig, Luke Linsmeyer, Alec Baumgartner and Derek Mathison - played in at least 13 games last year for the Rebels, who finished fourth at the Wisconsin Class AA state tournament in Onalaska.
"It's going to be a different looking squad that what we've had in the past," Rebels manager Dan Huhnstock said. "We have just a few veteran leaders and a whole bunch of young kids that are itching to go and play some ball. We will have some youthful mistakes. We will have some growing pains, but hopefully, by the end of this season, we will have been able to get them to a point where we're very respectable on the field and we can gel into a real nice team."
That experience will be valuable for those who will return next season for the RHS baseball team, especially given the lack of outdoor practice the Hodags had this spring due to inclement weather. Several members of the RHS varsity and JV squads will be on the Rebels' roster this summer.
"We want out guys to play as much as possible," said Waksmonski, who also serves as a bench coach for the Rebels.
"We didn't quite get a full season in, or at least the season that we wanted to. Everyone needs to get out and play baseball. We need the guys to get out and get as much time on the diamond as possible," Waksmonski added.
Huhnstock concurred, noting that what happens this summer will go a long way in determining what happens with the 2014 RHS baseball team.
"This summer will be very important for developing next year's high school squad," he said. "We'll find out who can play where, who can throw and who can hit. It's going to be very instrumental since we did have just a ton of gym practice. That compares nothing to actual on the field experience, both during practice and during games."
The Hodags went 5-15 this spring, losing their last six games 49-5. That group of players will be bolstered by the addition of Baumgartner and Michlig. Baumgartner was cleared to practice this week after breaking a bone near his eye during pregame warmups for a doubleheader May 6 at Medford. Michlig graduated last year and served as a volunteer assistant coach for the Hodags this year, but is still eligible to play Legion baseball because his birth date falls after Jan. 1, 1994.
Michlig caught the final out when the Rebels won the AA state tournament in 2010 and is the last holdover from that squad.
"He's had tons of valuable experiences through high school and legion ball," Huhnstock said of Michlig. "Over the last several years, he's played in a lot of big games. Hopefully the kids learn how he approaches the game and works at it and some of that rubs off on them."
The Rebels will start the season with four consecutive road contests before hosting the 2013 Rebel Invite June 21-23 at Hodag Park. Play will continue through the month of July. Regionals are scheduled July 25-28. The location and opponents have yet to be determined.
The last two years, Antigo, Merrill and Lakeland have rounded out Rhinelander's regional. Even though the Hodags are not likely to be favored to advance to this year's state tournament - which will be held in Door County during the first week of August - Huhnstock warned against counting his team out.
"That is our ultimate goal every year," he said of reaching the state tournament. "We'll temper that with our youth. It's going to be a very hard goal to achieve this year. We all know and understand that, but, you know, it's something that is on our goal list. if the regionals don't change at all, I anticipate Merrill and Antigo will probably be fairly tough, but you've still got to play the game. If we can get hot at the right time, I'd love to see us make another push."
Jeremy Mayo may be reached at [email protected].
Comments:
You must login to comment.