2010 Rebel Baseball Preview: Outfielders

 

With none of the regular outfield starters from 2009 leaving the Rebels in 2010, the Rebels will once again have a full compliment of fielders to man the pasture.

 

Although the Rebels will probably end up using Kris Kushnerick, Josh Lyons, Corey Epp and Dustin Solberg as the primary outfielders, the competition for playing time and starting jobs is always open to change, especially with guys not always being around due to work and family obligations.

 

Epp was the Rebels 2009 lead off batter and spent most of the season roaming centre field for the Rebels. Epp plays like a centre fielder, collecting 30 hits (25 singles) while leading the team with 24 runs scored, 13 walks and 5 stolen bases and proved to be a great table setter for the middle of the order.

 

Veteran Rebel Dustin Solberg is also an option in centre field along with his cousin and also one of the holdovers from the previous Rebels team, Josh Lyons. Both have the ability to cover a large area of the field even though speed isn’t their best attributes. Both are able to make up a slight lack of speed by taking excellent routes and being in great pre-pitch position.

 

Lyons, along with Kushnerick, possess two of the better arms in the Powerline Baseball League, which over the years, has turned into a deterrent from the opposition trying to stretch for another base.

 

The key for Lyons, Kushnerick, Epp, and Solberg is to ensure that they can consistently produce defensively and at the plate. With Epp staying as the Rebels leadoff hitter in 2010, and Kushnerick hitting somewhere from the third to fifth, it leaves Lyons and Solberg batting in either the two hole or sixth to seventh spot. A left handed bat in the two-hole might be the way to go with Epp’s high on-base percentage (.464) and Solberg has the ability to handle the bat well enough to hit the ball to left field as well as the ability to hit behind the runner at first.

 

The other options in the outfield for the Rebels in 2010 will be sophomores Travis Jones, and Justin Smith along with super utility man Kevin Reinholt and new comer Jordan Jackson. With the likely-hood of Lyons-Epp-Solberg-Kushnerick being at every game fairly low and the possibility of any of the four having to play in the infield or pitch, the Rebels will rely on the bench to fill in the holes.

 

Jones and Smith both saw action in their first season not only as a Rebel, but in baseball in general, with some mixed results. Both will need to refine their skills both offensively and defensively during the off-season workouts in order to be key contributors to the Rebels in 2010 and management will be leaning on them to chip in with quality innings and at bats when called upon.

 

The x-factor may be Jordan Jackson, who like Brian Tavaroli, is a slo-pitch player being turned into a baseball player. Jackson exploded onto the scene at the Capt. Ayre Lake Tournament going 4 for 7 with 2 runs scored and 3 RBI’s in his first baseball action. Defensively Jackson gives the Rebels yet another strong arm in the outfield and the aggressiveness to cut down opposing runners who are careless.

 

Overall the outfield will be solid for the Rebels, if they can play consistent and smart baseball. General Manager Corey Epp has been preaching more aggressive baseball come summer, which means the Rebel outfielders should be attacking the balls hit into the outfield with more ferocity and looking to challenge runners on the base paths with smart throws. The core of the outfield is made up of veteran players while the new blood showed signs of improvement as 2009 went on.

 

 

Rebel Baseball Season Preview, Part I – Catchers and Infield

Rebel Baseball Season Preview, Part II – Outfielders

Rebel Baseball Season Preview, Part III - Pitchers