Steldt honored as A’s MVP
Posted: January 14, 2013
Hard-hitting third baseman Harry Steldt was selected by his teammates as the 2012 Sheboygan A’s R. Erlien Jewelers Most Valuable Player.
Steldt, who was awarded the R. Erlien MVP ring, and several teammates were honored at the club’s recent awards dinner.
Steldt, a West Bend native, who is currently playing for UW Stevens Point, hit .337, shared the team lead in runs scored, led in hits, was runner-up in RBI, led in sacrifice flies, hit by pitch and doubles.
Others honored by their teammates were Ben Stanczyk, Most Valuable Pitcher, and Drew Pearson, Most Valuable Defensive Player.
Stanczyk went 5-2 with a 1.50 earned run average, while Pearson, who came on board as a catcher, but was moved to the outfield, fielded .961 between the two positions, committing only five errors in 45 games.
Grant Evans, who caught and played infield and outfield, received manager Kyle Trewyn’s Manager’s Award, and pitcher Brandon Winfield received general manager Denny Moyer’s Sine Qua Non Award.
Jon Capasso received the leading hitter award after posting a .341 average.
Accepting rarely presented Special Awards were pitchers Mitch Gardner and Winfield. Gardner for throwing a no-hitter in a second successive season, and Winfield for posting 10 saves this season, which stand as both one-season and career records.
Receiving special citations were Stanczyk for leading both the Wisconsin State League (0.87) and the Northeastern Wisconsin League (0.00) in earned run average, Derek Loomans, who led the Langsdorf League (1.13) in earned run average, and Justin Hunt, who appeared in 59 of the club’s 60 games.
Earning certificates for making the second All-State League team were Stanczyk,Winfield, Steldt, Capasso, Evans and Tim Patzman. And for making the All Northeastern team were first teamers Stanczyk and Steldt and second teamers Winfield, Sam Raff and Pearson.
A’s Notes:
Former pitcher Tom Eckhardt will be inducted into the Wisconsin State League Hall of Fame at the league’s annual Awards and Hall of Fame Dinner on Saturday Jan. 26. The A’s have the honor of hosting the dinner for the eighth consecutive year. The dinner is open to all A’s fans. It will be held at The Heritage House on the grounds of The Bull at Pinehurst Farms in Sheboygan Falls. Reception is 5:30, dinner at 7. Cost is $30. Reservation deadline is Jan. 19. Checks payable to Wisconsin State League can be sent to PO Box 32, Sheboygan, WI 53082-0032.
The 2013 schedule is nearly complete. The club opens on Wednesday, May 29, at Wildwood Baseball Park against the Menasha Macs.
The Athletic Club is hosting a trip to Green Bay to take in a Gamblers hockey game on Friday, Feb. 1. The bus will make a stop at the Oneida casino for those more interested in gambling than the Gamblers. Contact info@sheboyganbaseball.org for details.
Four Guyz in Dinner Jackets are returning on April 13 as the club’s winter fundraiser. The Northern Lights, North High School’s show choir, will open the show at 7 p.m. in the North High School auditorium. Tickets sell for $20 and can be ordered by sending checks payable to Sheboygan Athletic Club to P.O. Box 32, Sheboygan, WI 53082-0032.
The Annual Snipe Scramble Golf Outing has been scheduled for Sunday, Aug. 18, at Town & Country Golf Club.
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.
