JACOB NEESE

Starting a season without any practice is better than not starting the season, even for a new manager.

That’s the way Tim Moyer looks at his first year at the helm of the Sheboygan A’s baseball team.

“It’s been interesting, that’s for sure,” the South graduate said. “It would’ve been nice to get to know some of these players and see them at three or four practices before the seasons started, versus just know what positions they play and have to throw them out there in these first games.

“But I’m just glad we’re playing. I was sick of being away from the field. There’s nothing to watch on television. There’s no baseball on TV except for games you already know the outcome of. The Korean Baseball League just hasn’t done it for me. So, it’s fun to just get out on the field.”

After starting the season with six road games, Sheboygan will finally host its home opener at 7:30 p.m. Tuesday against Green Bay.

However, fan attendance will be limited to family members of the players and season ticket holders during the early part of the home schedule.

Sheboygan was supposed to begin its season May 27 but it was delayed because of the Coronavirus.

The A’s were unable to practice because Wildwood Baseball Park was still closed by the county, but they still opened the season with a 5-0 win at Manitowoc on June 13.

“Well, it takes a little pressure off because if I make a mistake, it’s not like I’ve seen them play before,” Moyer said. “But we use these non-league games as a way to see everybody in the beginning of the year anyways, which is why we schedule them.

“At Manitowoc the other day, we had 17 people at the game and all 17 played. So I split it up by positions and they all got half a game. We threw four pitchers that game. And our second game against West Allis (June 16), we had 25 guys there. And I was able to get 23 of them in the game, so everybody played about three innings. We used about five or six pitchers.”

Key players who return are reigning Wisconsin State League first- or second-team members Brad Rindfleisch, Harry Steldt and Jake Falish.

Rindfleisch (first team) finished second in Rookie Pitcher of the Year voting and finished third in Pitcher of the Year voting.

He compiled a 4-1 record with two saves and a 1.78 earned run average in league games a year ago in his Sheboygan debut.

Steldt (first team) hit .290 and drove in 24 runs in 23 league games to go with 17 walks, and Falish (second team), who also made his A’s debut in 2019, batted .337.

Moyer says four starting pitchers return from a year ago, as well as five or six positional players.

His roster features 38 players, but some will not be at every game because of jobs, internships, etc.

“The more the merrier at this point,” Moyer said. “For me, because they can all play, I need to make sure I’ll get them enough at-bats they stay happy and want to keep playing with us, but at the same time, that everybody stays sharp and is ready when we need them.”

SCHEDULE

JUNE

13   at Manitowoc               7:30

16   at West Allis                 7:30

24   at Manitowoc 7:30

27   at Chicago (DH) 4:00

30   Green Bay 7:30

JULY

2     at Appleton 7:30

6     at Menasha 7:30

7     West Allis 7:30

8     Green Bay 7:30

9     at Kewaskum 7:30

11   Kenosha (DH) 1:30

12   at Kenosha (DH) 1:00

14   Kewaskum 7:30

15   Appleton 7:30

16   West Allis 7:30

18   Addison (DH) 5:00

19   Addison (DH) 1:00

21   at Green Bay 7:30

22   Menasha 7:30

23   at Kewaskum 7:30

25   at Burlington (DH) 1:00

27   Kewaskum 7:30

29   at Green Bay 7:30

30   Menasha 7:30

31   at West Allis 7:30

AUGUST

2     Chicago (DH) 2:00

4     at Menasha 7:30

6     West Allis 7:30

7     Appleton 7:30

8     at Lombard (DH) 4:00

9     at Lombard (DH) 1:00

11   Green Bay 7:30

12   at Appleton 7:30

13   at West Allis 7:30

15   Burlington (DH) 4:00

17   NWBL Tournament    TBD

ROSTER

      Pos   No.

Jake Arens       Inf   29

Jacob Bonin (SS)       P   37

Tyler Brandenberg     Inf   46

Fletcher Dallas       Inf   21

Griffin Dersching       Inf   47

Nathan Ebersole       Inf   2

Jacoby Endreas (SF)  Inf   39

Jake Falish       Inf   5

Ryan Fields       Inf   6

Mitchell Gardner (SN) P   9

Josh Gates       Of   36

Noah Imrie         P   49

Jimmy Juergensen     Inf   32

Ross Krist (SF)       Of   31

Bryce Lovisa         P   30

Cole Miklavcic       Of   24

Josh Moses       Of   36

Tim Moyer   Coach   6

Jacob Neese (SN)       Inf   17

Sam Nemetz       Of   48

Drew Nuanes         P   40

Kyle Peterson (SF)    Inf    44

Jackson Pothast (SN)   P   35

Austin Reimann         P    10

Jared Reklaitis (SS)     P   34

Brad Rindfleisch         P   42

Shane Ryan         C   27

Zach Sandoval         P   33

Ethan Scherg (SN)       P   43

Eric Schmitz         P   8

Daniel Stangel       Inf   4

Harry Steldt       Inf   19

CJ Toutant         C   28

TD Walker       Of   22

Mark Wanner       Of   16

Brent Widder (SN)    Inf   14

Vaughn Williston         P   50

Davis Wilson         P   14

* SF (Falls), SN (North), SS (South)