A’s Roster Complete; Season Opener Wednesday
Posted: May 26, 2014
Chad Langley, who led the club in a number of offensive categories including games played, hits and runs batted in heads the list of latest signees who round out the Sheboygan A’s 2014 opening day roster.
Opening Day is Wednesday, May 28, when the A’s will play a 7:30 p.m. game at Manitowoc against the Bandits to launch the Northeastern Wisconsin League season.
The home opener is Friday night, Project G.R.I.L.L. Night when the A’s host Northeastern League champion Menasha. That will be followed by a 5 p.m. doubleheader Saturday at Wildwood Park when the A’s entertain West Allis. They wrap up the weekend with a single game Sunday at 1:30 p.m. against the Chicago Clout.
Not only is it a busy opening weekend for the A’s, but it is an important weekend for Sheboygan Baseball history. On Saturday the A’s will officially welcome the new scoreboard to Wildwood Park and on Sunday the club will unveil the Donor Wall recognizing those who came through with Wildwood Rally donations and those who bought A’s bonds to help finance the park revitalization project. Both ceremonies will precede gametime by 45 minutes.
Langley, who just completed his senior season at Marian University was the only A’s player to compete in all 62 games a year ago. The slugging first baseman recorded 70 hits and 42 runs batted in. He carried the big stick for Marian this spring as well, hitting .343 in 34 games and earning all-conference honors.
Other returning players to file player agreements are outfielders Dan Barwick and Colin Willis. Both are coming off wrist/hand injuries. Barwick hit .284 for the A’s last year but played in only 23 games as he was hampered and finally shelved by injury. The former all-stater at Brookfield Central just completed his sophomore season at D-1 UWM appearing in 31 games for the Panthers .
Willis, after a great sophomore season at Purdue North Central played for Battle Creek in the Northwoods Collegiate League that summer and was named to the All-Star team. The former Sheboygan North standout managed only seven at bats at UIPNC this spring before the injury ended his season. Willis hit .309 in 42 games in 2011, his only full season with the A’s.
Barwick and Willis join Cole Heili as A’s outfielders who are coming off injuries. While Barwick appears to be 100%, the club will closely monitor the progress of all three as the season gets under way.
Enter Jake Perez. He is an outfielder from West Bend, who played at Wayne State College where he was named Freshman Athlete of the Year and was named to the Nebraska State Intercollegiate Conference all-tournament team.
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.
