PAGE 12 PRESS & DAKOTAN / PLAIN TALK ■ SPRING SPORTS 2014 In A Century At Wrigley, Innovations Abound BY DON BABWIN AND ANDREW obvious, but back then this from demolition. “If the Cubs SELIGMAN was considered revolution- do that it means they really Associated Press ary,” said Cubs historian Ed don’t understand what it is Hartig. about Wrigley that is unique Power-Hitting Cubs Want To Pile Up Runs Too CHICAGO (AP) — It’s hard The ballpark will mark its (and) the kind of place peo- BY MARK GONZALES The inability to maximize something we’ve conquered to think of Wrigley Field as 100th birthday this spring, ple will come to even when © 2014 Chicago Tribune the home runs wasn’t lost on yet.” anything but a place of heart- and the Cubs plan a celebra- the team is bad.” general manager Jed Hoyer, There have been some break — a place where fans tion in April to honor one of But don’t be so quick to PITTSBURGH (MCT) — who witnessed similar results small signs of improvement, wait, season after season, for the nation’s most classic ball- call Wrigley Field a tired, old The question initially caught this spring. but they’ll have to continue an elusive World Series title parks, where runs still regis- home of a perennial loser. It Mike Olt off guard last week, “You really shouldn’t have working deep counts with that never comes. ter on a manual scoreboard may have been the last ball- like a , but the Cubs a high regularity to build the pitch Yet in the century without and watching a game is like park to install lights for night third baseman caught up and low on-base percentage,” counts of starters like Liri- a championship, the ballpark taking a step back in time. As games, but he park’s ivy-cov- quickly. Hoyer said. “That equals to ano, who recently coped with has been in first time and the centennial approaches, ered walls are a defining fea- “What kind of hitter do not enough runs. That’s a sore left groin. time again in changing the the Cubs and Chicago have ture of what was once a you think you’ll be?” Olt was something we have to keep Newcomers like Emilio way America watches base- found themselves stuck in a sparkling, modern ballpark asked after winning a spot on getting better at, and it’s Bonifacio and Olt hope to ball. debate about how far to go in run by men who were trying the opening-day roster. “Are something we talked about as contribute to the Cubs with It was the first to let fans modernizing the ballpark to create a new experience you all power or nothing?” we built the roster.” more than just their speed keep foul balls. The first with with the same Jumbotron for fans. “No, no,” Olt responded. The need for more batters and power. permanent concession that towers over other fields. The park was built by a Starting Monday against who can reach base with “My approach has gotten stands. The first with organ “When you put a Jum- man named Charles Weegh- formidable left-hander Fran- more frequency was one rea- so much better,” Olt said. music. The first to clean the botron in the outfield I think man for a team in something cisco Liriano in the season son left-handed-hitting out- “That’s going to make me a park and broadcast games as you are messing with what called the Federal League, opener at PNC Park, the Cubs fielder Ryan Kalish earned a better hitter. I’m not going to part of an effort to diversify makes Wrigley Wrigley,” said which was trying to give the must prove they’re more than spot on the 25-man roster as be a .250 hitter. I definitely the fan base and attract Phillip Bess, director of grad- more established National a solo -hitting ma- a non-roster invitee. Although think I can get anywhere from women and their kids to a uate studies at the University and American Leagues — chine to make inroads in the Kalish is unlikely to start .300 to .275, but I want to game traditionally more pop- of Notre Dame’s architecture which the Cubs and the National League Central. Monday against Liriano, he make sure I’m getting on base ular among men. school and who helped lead If Olt, acquired in July from could create a spark because and getting my walks and “We think of all this as so an effort to save WRIGLEY | PAGE 13 the Rangers in the Matt Garza of his pesky approach at the know the situation. trade, stays healthy, he can plate (.385 on-base percent- “If they’re going to work strengthen an offense that age this spring) and speed around guys, that’s some- was second in the league last (six stolen bases). thing I haven’t learned in the S.D. BASEBALL season with 172 home runs. “He does work counts, past. I still went up there ag- But the Cubs ranked 14th in and he gets on base,” Hoyer gressive. Now I’m going to un- the NL in runs scored, prima- said. “We need more guys like derstand and make sure I’m rily because their .300 on-base that. That’s something we’re getting on base any way I percentage ranked 14th. working on. It’s obviously not can.”

Dakota Valley’s Ryan Lammers (above); Bon Homme’s Austin Kaul (below)

Bon Homme COACH: Gary Kortan ASSISTANTS: Cory Kor- tan, Cory Uecker VITALS: District 1B LAST YEAR: The team claimed Region 1B champi- ons last year over Parkston before losing in the finals. They lost four letter winners to graduation. RETURNING LETTER WINNERS: Austin Kaul (Sr.), Chase Kortan (Fr.), Scott Wieseler (Sr.), Hunter Young (Jr.), Zach Sutera (Jr.), Mike Mesman (Sr.), Andrew Poland (Jr.), Cole Uecker (Fr.) TOP PROSPECTS: Carter Mecham (So.), Tanner Van Winkle (Jr.), Duncan Stoebner (Jr.) Dakota Valley COACH: Rob Augustine TOP PROSPECTS: Alex Gayville-Volin’s Steven Bergeson Carter-Dickson (Jr., 2B), Brady Dam (Jr., LF), Paul Danilson (So., SS), Isaac tensen (7th), Noah Maska TOP PROSPECTS: Dan Faldmo (Sr., 1B), Brock Gliss- (7th), Alex Nelson (7th) Stibral (So.), JR Wagner (8th), man (So., RF), Jordan Kinney S.D. Boys Tanner VanDriel (8th) (So., C), Jeffrey Kurtz (So., From Page 11 3B), Ryan Lammers (Sr., C), Platte-Geddes Grant Meier (So., 1B), Ryan COACH: Frank Cutler Tripp-Delmont Owens (So., 3B), Andrew ASSISTANT: Brooke Bonte COACH: Josh Freier TOP PROSPECTS: Randy VITALS: Region 4B VITALS: Region 4B Prochello (Sr., P), John Robin- Valley in the first round of the TOP PROSPECTS: Tru- Fuhrer (So.) son (Sr., CF), Connor Roper playoffs. EPJ lost four players man Ashes (Fr., 3B), Drew LAST YEAR: The team RETURNING LETTER (Fr., P), Karl Schenk (Fr., C), from that team. Fredrick (Jr., LF), Hunter He- Marion won three tournaments over- WINNERS: Austin Bitterman Luke Schmitt (Fr., P), Kaleb RETURNING STARTERS: witt (So., 1B), Caden Kazena all and graduated three letter (Jr.) Schultz (Fr., P), Kaleb Schultz Dillon Streets (Sr., P/C), Cody (Fr., P), Jacob Knodel (Jr., COACH: Todd Obele winners last year. TOP PROSPECTS: Noah (Sr., 2B), Cody Sexton (Sr., Reid (Sr., P/IF), Jarod Mau 3B), Josh Knodel (Jr., 1B), VITALS: Class B, Region RETURNING LETTER Schafers (Fr.), Logan Fechner 1B), Tanner Byrker (3B), (Sr., P/IF), Jacob Herrity (Jr., David Kocer (Sr., P), Tanner 3B, Cornbelt Conference WINNERS: Cody Qualm (Sr.), (Fr.), Zbynek Surovec (Sr.) Austin Carter (P), Jack P/IF), Lorin Gregg (So., IF), Kotab (Jr., SS), Chris Kuca RETURNING LETTERWIN- Cody Steffel (Sr.), Jayden Van Graves (C), Luke Johnson Michael Murphy (So., IF) (Sr., 3B), Nathan Kucera (Fr., NERS: Carson Gross (Jr.), Zee (Jr., state qualifier), Viborg-Hurley (LF), Kyle Windeshausen (2B) Colton Plooster (So., state TOP PROSPECTS: Jacob LF), Konner Lightenburg (Jr., Greg Enbrecht (So.) COACH: Tony Hauger White (Jr., IF), Justin Broek- RF), Logan Mudder (Jr, P), qualifier) TOP PROSPECTS: Cody VITALS: Region 3B, Tri-Val- Elk Point-Jefferson meier (So., C/IF), Taylor Bran- Cody Namminga (Jr., C), An- Parker ley Conference son (So., P/IF) drew Soukup (Jr., LF), Ben Johnson (Jr.), Riley Hoffman COACH: Tyler Nolz COACH: Megan Abel (Fr.), Jarod Severson (Fr.), TOP PROSPECTS: Brian ASSISTANT: Kelly Haber- Soukup (Fr., CF), Derek Dangel (Jr.), Kyle Engen (Jr.), Soukup (Jr., P), Drue Soukup VITALS: Region 3B, Big Casey Steffel (Fr.) ling Wagner-Avon- East Conference Lucas Jacobson (Jr.), Robert VITALS: Region 1 (Jr., P), Quinn Olson (So., RF), Jensne (Jr.), Cody Thompson Chase Zephier (So., P), Larry TOP PROSPECTS: Jayden Scotland LAST YEAR: The Huskies Lake Andes Hertel (Jr.), Ryan John (Jr.), (Jr.), Dylan Jensen (So.), went 2-10 and lost to Dakota Abdo (CF), Jordan Archam- COACH: Turk Peterka Logan Slack (Fr.), Nathan Jo- COACH: Lynn Soukup beau (RF), Terrell Kazena (C), Zach O’Keefe (Jr.), Brandin Jensen (So.), Ryan DeClark VITALS: Region 4B hansen (8th), Jack Lee (8th), Dawson Lensing (1B), Mato RETURNING LETTER Lucas Nielsen (8th), Matthew Perry (2B), Alex Sully (2B), (Fr.), Jayden Even (Fr.), Collin Hansen (Fr.), Trey Chris- WINNERS: Seth Ireland (Sr., Roth (8th), Nicholas Sorlien sen (So.), Brittney Leber Tyler Wilson (LF) state qualifier), Tanner Iwan (8th) S.D. Girls (8th), Hannah Simonsen (7th) (So., state qualifier) Proud to support From Page 11 Wagner the Tanagers COACH: Jim Jaeger RETURNING LETTER VITALS: Region 3A WINNERS: Payton Schafer LAST YEAR: The team (Jr., state qualifier) graduated one letter winner We’re on from last year. +(55(1‡6&+(033 RETURNING LETTER %8,/',1*6833/< Viborg-Hurley WINNERS: Megan Zephier “ HEADQUARTERS FOR THE Mick Breske your team COACH: Tony Hauger (So.), Kathleen Juffer (Sr., BUILDER/HANDYMAN” 112 W. Main, VITALS: Region 3B, Tri-Val- state qualifier) 1000 WEST CHERRY, VERMILLION Vermillion LOCALLY OWNED & OPERATED ley Conference TOP PROSPECTS: Jackie 605-624-2025 for care. TOP PROSPECTS: Ashley Greger (Fr.), Madyson Han- 605-624-2058 Benson (Jr.), Shelby Simon- son (Fr.), Chloe Tiger (So.) 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