WSL Announces Post Season Awards

The Bandits landed a pair of players on the WSL All-League Team when it was announced that secondbaseman Nat Richter and catcher Max Stepan were each given First Team Honors.  In 2008, Richter was a Second Team member and also adds Honorable Mention MVP to his list of 2009 accomplishments, finishing fifth in the League MVP voting.  In addition to his catching honors, Max also finished third in the rookie of the year voting.  This marks the sixth time in the last seven year that the Bandits have had the League's top catcher.  The string dates back to Jason Lensmeyer who won the award twice.  Daniel Morales won the award in his only year in Manitowoc and then shortly thereafter Kyle Schroeder picked up the hardware for another two years before Stepan's arrival in 2009.

Doug Bloom, Sam Spurney and TC Lee each received Honorable Mention for their 2009 accomplishments on the field.

Nate Roberts of the Lombard Orioles was selected as the league’s Most Valuable Player after winning the league batting title with a .421 average and leading the Orioles to another Wisconsin State League title.

Lombard has now won six straight titles and 11 in the last 14 years.

Roberts was the runaway MVP leader, with Eau Claire’s Brad Archambeau the runner-up and Oshkosh’s Kyle Kannenberg third in voting.

Archambeau was the runner-up in the batting race with a .376 mark. Kannenberg posted a .337 average and finished with a 5-4 record and a 3.58 earned run average as he doubled as a pitcher-infielder. Eau Claire finished second to Lombard and Oshkosh was third.

Kenosha’s Jon Olson was the unanimous pick.as the league’s Most Valuable Pitcher.  He had a brilliant year, posting a 0.66 earned run average and a perfect 6-0 record.  Tyler Martin (5-0, 2.25) of Eau Claire was runner up in the voting and Matt Erickson of Lombard (4-0, 2.40) third.

The skipper of the champion Orioles, Jeff Vukovich was selected Manager of the Year.  The Orioles went 24-8 this year to win the title by four games.  Vukovich has won the title for three straight years, five of the last six, and seventh overall.  He ties Dennis Ruh of the Green Bay Blue Ribbons as a 7-time winner

Addison’s Will Schinagl and Oshkosh’s Drew Eichsteadt shared Rookie of the Year honors. Schinagl hit .359 and led the league in home runs with four.  Eichsteadt hit .333.

The awards will be presented at the league’s annual dinner, scheduled for Jan. 23 at The Bull in Sheboygan Falls. Joining the 2009 honorees will be the new inductees into the Wisconsin State League Hall of fame.  Selected in this third class are Troy Cota and Dan Miller of the Green Bay Blue Ribbons, Phil Plamann who split his career between the Appleton Merchants and the Blue Ribbons, Tim Richardson of the Lombard Orioles and Chuck Zeichert, the longtime manager of the Sheboygan A’s.

Cost for the dinner is $25.  All baseball fans are welcome and can make reservations by sending a check for $25 per person to Wisconsin State League, P.O. Box 32, Sheboygan, WI  53082-0032