Former MVPs return to A’s
Posted: April 3, 2011
Four years of Sheboygan A’s Most Valuable Players are returning to the ball club for the 2011 season.
Grant Berkovitz and Tim Patzman head the early list of players who have committed to play for the club this year. Both are former UW-Milwaukee players and both are 2-time MVPs
Berkovitz was the MVP in 2006-2007 and Patzman 2008-2009.
Work conflicts have kept Berkovitz away and a broken elbow ended Patzman’s season in on May 7 last year.
After leaving UWM, Berkovitz, a shortstop, played for the Reno Silver Sox. He is a .333 hitter in five seasons with the A’s. In his first full season with the A’s “Berko” hit .277 and then came back-to-back-to-back years of .365. .347, and .355.
Berkovitz led the A’s in hits, runs scored and runs batted in for three straight seasons.
He was a career .311 hitter at UWM. His best season was 2007 when he hit .335, led the club in runs batted in with 36, and earned second team All-Horizon League honors. He is a former All-Conference and All-State player from Sheboygan North High School.
Patzman, an outfielder, is a .359 career hitter with the A’s despite fighting through shoulder injuries early in his career. Patzman hit .358, 380 and .368 in his last three years with the A’s. His best year was 2008 when he hit .380 with a club record 28 doubles among his 95 hits. He was also 19-for-19 in stolen bases that year.
At UWM he was a 2-time All-Horizon league pick and was an Academic All-American in his senior year. He finished with a .351 career average with back-to-back .389 and .417 seasons in his junior and senior years.
Others to make early commitments are brothers Phil and Max Kramsky, Joey Patzman, Colllin Willis and Adam Wilson. 
Phil Kramsky (pictured right), a catcher, is starting his fourth season with the A’s and is a .295 career hitter. He hit .321 last year in 29 games. Kramsky played at UW-Stevens Point. Max Kramsky joined the A’s after completing his high school season last year. He is currently at Upper Iowa University.
Joey Patzman, got off to a horrible start last season, his first full season with the club, but came on strong in the last five weeks to finish with a .222 average. Joey, Tim’s brother, is currently playing on the UW Whitewater Club team.
Collin Willis, a North High School grad, who is currently playing at Purdue North Central, will join the A’s for his first full season. An outfielder, he was North’s Most Valuable Player in 2009 and 2010 and the Legion’s most valuable offensive player last year. He joined the A’s after the Legion season and hit .333 in three games. Willis, who cracked the starting line-up in his freshman year at UIPNC, is hitting .370 there in 25 games.
Wilson is a long-ball hitting first baseman from Indiana, whose high showing in Midwest Power Showcases, has attracted the attention of scouts, will join the A’s pending the Major League Draft.
Ryan Schilter, a catcher-outfielder, who was the State League’s Rookie of the Year last year, sent in his player agreement as well, but since has been offered an opportunity with the Green Bay Bullfrogs of the Collegiate Northwoods League. Schilter plays at Wisconsin Concordia. “We’re disappointed because we were really counting on him,” General Manager Denny Moyer said, “but we have a policy of releasing players form commitments if they get an opportunity to advance. Maybe he’ll be back, but he’s a good one and he might stick there. We’ll wait and see. As much as I’d like to have him back, I really wish him well. He’s a great kid.”
A’s Notes:
• The A’s open their 2011 season under new skipper Shaun Wegner on May 27 when the Plymouth Flames invade. Fans are encouraged to check the website (www.sheboyganbaseball.org) for ticket information.
• The club is planning to get back to the construction work at the ball park this week. Weather has put a stop to progress. There may be some opportunities for volunteer help and fans and club members are encouraged to keep up to date with website postings.
• The annual Benefactors Reception (AKA Sponsors and Friends Night) is scheduled for Tuesday, June 14, when the Appleton Legends invade.
The Sheboygan A's are members of the Wisconsin State League and Northeastern Wisconsin Baseball League. The A's have helped develop more than 43 players that have reached professional baseball, including 2002 World Series Champion Jarrod Washburn (Anaheim Angels). All Sheboygan A's home games are played at Wildwood Baseball Park in Sheboygan. Connect with the A's on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and YouTube.
