A’s Add Five to Roster, Lose Willis to Northwoods
Posted: May 9, 2012
Roster building is a win some, lose some proposition.
The A’s latest roster additions include some good bats and some strong arms, but they lost a good one in centerfielder Colin Willis, who will be going to Battle Creek, MI, in the Northwoods League.
Willis makes three key people from the 2011 club who have been lost to the Northwoods. Starting pitcher Collin Weyer and manager Shaun Wegner will be with the Lakeshore Chinooks. “It speaks well for our program that Northwoods personnel directors add people who played for us. And while it hurts, we have to live with it. It is a fact of life that the good kids move on. Creating opportunities for kids is what we’re here for and we wish them well,” A’s General Manager Denny Moyer said.
Closing in on their final season-starting roster, the A’s picked up player agreements from three pitchers, two catchers and two first basemen this week.
Two of them, first baseman Alex Jaskulski of Madison Edgewood and catcher Matt Bromley of Marian University had good spring seasons. Bromley hit .349 with six doubles and Jaskulski .342 with eight doubles.
First baseman Adam Wilson, who hit .298 in 17 games for the A’s last year, is back. He hit .224 for Kishwaukee this spring.
Eric King from UW-Milwaukee heads the list or returning pitchers. King went 1-1 for the A’s in 2010, but missed last season recovering from an arm injury. Also back from last year is Marian’s Jake Schaffhauser, who appeared in only one game due to work conflicts and injuries.
King has seen action in 10 games for UWM this spring and has posted 19 strikeouts in 22 innings. He is 1-1 so far.
Joining the club from the Sheboygan Legion team are pitcher Shane Feustel and catcher Grant Evans. Feustel was a workhorse for the Legion last year, racking up 51 innings and a 3-3 record. Evans hit .347 in 21 games for the Legion a year ago.
A’s Notes:
The A’s open on Saturday, May 26, with a 4 p.m. doubleheader against the Manistee, MI, Saints. The opening day festivities begin right after noon that day when the Buffalo Joe Band will play at the second annual Opening Day Brat Fry.
The ball club will gather for the first time on Saturday, May 19, and then will work out every night the week of May 21 in preparation for the opener.
The Athletic Club will hold a park preparation day on Saturday May 19 beginning at 9 a.m. Volunteers who wish to pitch in can report at 9 a.m.
The second home weekend of the year will also be a big one. The A’s will play the West Allis Nationals in their first ever Langsdorf League game. Preceding the 5 p.m. doubleheader will be an afternoon of entertainment featuring Pat McCurdy. When McCurdy leaves the stage, the state’s top chicken wing eaters will take it over and compete in the Legend Larry’s Chicken Wing Eating Contest.
Season tickets holders are asked to be patient. The tickets should arrive this week and will be delivered in time for opening day.
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.
