MVP Heili Returns to A’s
Posted: May 12, 2014
Following a winter of rehabilitation, last year’s Most Valuable Player Cole Heili heads the latest group of players to agree to play for the Sheboygan A’s this summer.
Heili suffered a shoulder injury in the second last game of the 2013 season, but spent the off season in a post-surgery rehab program and is hoping to step into the batter’s box in Manitowoc on May 28 when the A’s open their season.
The A’s long-ball threat last year, Heili hit .335 the season with a team high .548 slugging percentage on 108 total bases. Heili hit 21 doubles last season. Only Tim Patzman and Lee Wetankamp have hit more doubles in one summer.
The outfielder, who played at Sheboygan Falls High School led the Langsdorf League in hitting, .429, and was named to the Wisconsin State and Northeastern Wisconsin All-League teams. Heili sat out this spring season, but will join UW-Milwaukee’s team next spring.
Also returning are workhorse pitcher Derek Loomans, infielder Trevor Theissen, and pitcher Taylor Ditter.
Loomans started 10 games last year and led the club in innings pitched, 75, and wins, six. He finished with a solid 3.11 earned run average. Loomans has an 11-6 record in two seasons with the A’s.
Theissen is a hard-nosed infielder who hit .295 in 49 games last year. He was with College of Lake County this spring where he hit .288 in 40 games.
Ditter, the Fox River Valley’s Player of the Year in 2012, was 1-2 in 22 innings with the A’s last year before pulling up with an arm injury. The South High grad played for UW-Oshkosh in 2013 but sat out this spring because of a heavy class load but plans to return to the Titans next season.
New people to come on board are right handed pitcher Zach Brenner from UW-Milwaukee, and infielder Pete Hofman from Madison Tech, who is headed for Northwestern University.
The A’s open their 52nd season at Manitowoc on May 28, and play their home opener May 30, a 7:30 p.m. game against Menasha, the club that beat the A’s 4-3 with a run in the bottom of the ninth inning of the rubber game of the best of three championship playoffs.
Prior to the opener, the public is invited to see the results of Project G.R.I.L.L., a year-long grill design-and-build from paper to product program that teamed students from participating schools with area industries. Industry personnel guided students who designed and built working grills. The public can view the Grills at Wildwood Park from 5 p.m. to gametime.
On May 31 and June 1 there will be pregame ceremonies to welcome the two new additions at the park. At 4:15 on Saturday, May 31, prior to the West Allis doubleheader, the A’s will officially welcome the scoreboard to Wildwood Park. At 12:45 on Sunday, prior to the Chicago Clout game, the A’s will unveil the Donor Wall which recognizes those who came through with contributions during the Wildwood Rally fund drive or took part in the club’s Bonding program.
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.
