Kettering Royals

The Royals are back in action this week after their last victory against the Gem City Braves on April 22nd.  Against the Braves Jason Holmberg picked up the complete game victory and also did some damage at the plate belting a 3 Run Homerun and a triple.  Former Wittenberg teammate Brad Koopman also belted his 1st homerun of the season following up Holmbergs for the rare Back-to-Back bombs!  The Boys in Blue knocked off the Braves 23-5 in the AIA nightcap to string together their first win streak of the young season.

 The Boys in Blue are back in action this week following the Easter break.  They have a tough and long Sunday ahead of them.  The Royals have their first split double header of the season as they'll faceoff against the Thunder in game 1 at 1:00pm at Howell Field, and then following they'll take on the Indians.  Both teams have had up and down starts this season, but have players capable of getting the job done and the Royals will need to continue to play solid defense behind their pitchers, while continuing to put the ball in play early and often.  The Thunder are lead by 2013 Extra Base hit leader and 2012 Rookie of the Year, Ryan Callison, where as the Indians will be lead by the Bionic Arm, Matt Spradlin, 2012 Strikeout leader.

The weather forecast looks great for baseball so come out and support the Royals as they get back into the swing of things this Sunday at Howell Field.

On a beautiful Sunday afternoon the Royals took the field in their first meeting of the season against the new look Ohio Mariner's.  The Royals were looking to rebound from their heart breaking loss on Opening Day to the Dayton Rangers and they came out of the gates swinging.  As the visitors the Royals led off the action, but we're hampered just briefly by some wet field conditions as the slippery batters box brought down Kevin Reynolds trying to leg out a first pitch hit.  After that misstep though they got on track as they would send 10 more batters to the dish in the top half of the 1st inning.  Neil Stafford and new Royal Brandon Reaman both reached on singles and Royals starting pitcher Shaun Delozier helped himself by belting a 2 RBI single.  Jesse French walked and moved up to second as Eric Jameson was able to reach base on a Mariner's miscue, and both guys were running hard off the bat as Royals 2014 Draftee Shane Page knocked his 1st of 3 hits on the day for his 1st hit in the league plating 2 more.  Royals Skipper and Catcher helped his pitcher knocking a 2 strike curveball just up the box to score Page.  When the dust finally settled the Royals had sent 11 batters to the plate picking up 6 runs to kick off the game.  The Mariner's calmed the Royals bats a bit in the 2nd, but in the 3rd 2 more Mariner's miscues and 2 hits allowed the Boys in Blue to score another 4 runs.  In the top of the 4th The Mariner's sent MVABL veteran pitcher Jeff Cherry to the hill.  Cherry worked quickly through the 1st 2 batters he faced getting a quick 6-3 ground out and his 1st K of the game, but alas another error extended the inning for the Royals allowing Page to reach base bringing Franklin up.  He turned on the 1st pitch fast ball from Cherry and belted a high, towering ball that carried and carried, but fell just short of leaving the park, but Page was hustling off the bat and was able to make the long haul trek from 1st to home ahead of the throw on the Franklin double.  With the score sitting at 11-0, and the heart of the Royals order due up things were not looking good for the Mariner's.  They were able to get another quick 6-3 groundout, but 3 straight hits from Reaman, Shawn Rudegeair, and another 2 RBI Delozier single got things going in the top of the 5th.  French was able to work a full count walk to reach base and Jameson got the RBI 5-3 FC and Page capped off the inning with another RBI single to reach the 15 run mark.  On the mound Delozier was nearly perfect throwing all 5 innings, picking up 7 K's and only offering up 1 walk.  The Boys in Blue played perfect defense on the day, rebounding from the Opening Day jitters, and the benefits showed as there were several great plays made to keep the Mariner's off the scoreboard on the day.

Up next for the Royals they travel back to AIA to face-off against the Braves and 2014 #1 Draft Pick Ryan Schlater.  Game time is 4pm, so be sure to come out and support your Boys in Blue as the look to put together their first win streak of the 2014 season.  Thanks to Shawn Rudegeair and Chad Campbell that made time on their Sunday afternoon to come out and help fill out the Royals Roster.

For those Reds fans that may have been watching the Reds 2014 Opening Day "Day Game" you may have seen a face you might have recognized.  In the bottom of the 3rd Reds Outfielder Chris Heisey hit a towering foul ball into the second row of the stands where former Kettering Royal, Chris Smith ('10-'12) just happened to be seated.  Smith stood tall in his seat tracking the foul ball that Cardinals first baseman Matt Adams was also tracking, but Smith had position on the ball and made the catch over Adams glove to give Heisey new life.  What followed after the catch though wasn't very family friendly, but did the catch did get the sports shows and internet buzzing about the contact between player and fan.  It was pretty crazy to see a former teammate in the center of all the buzz.  Great Catch, but remember to keep it classy as you never know who is watching you.  Have to always set a good example for those little eyes and ears that share our passion for the game of baseball.

This year Kettering Royals outfielder Chris Jergens was selected as a 2014 inductee into the Miami Valley Adult Baseball League Hall of Fame.   Chris joins the list of MVABL Hall-of-Famers inducted after their first appearance on the ballot.  Chris is a 2002 graduate of Alter high school and a former Wright State Raider outfielder/pitcher.  He joined the Kettering Royals in 2009 and is the first Hall-of-Famer to have also won the Rookie of the Year award. The 4-time All-Star won two championships with the Royals and was the 2010 Playoff Co-MVP.  Jergens was an All-MVABL first team selection in 2009 and 2011, and earned second-team honors in 2010.  In 5 seasons in the MVABL, Chris has batted .463, which is currently the fifth highest career average in league history.  His 27 home runs also tie him for fifth most in league play.  As a Royal he has set or in the top 3 in numerous single and career records as well.  He is currently the teams Career leader in Homeruns, RBI's, and Slugging.  As for Single season records, he is currently the leader for most Homeruns and holds all 3 Top 3 spots for single season Slugging percentage.

Congratulations to Chris, this is a great honor for a great ball player. Royals hope this is just the first of many more Royals to be inducted over the years to come.

As the final month of the 2014 offseason begins the Royals have been hard at work in the cages preparing for the road ahead. The Boys in Blue are starting the season with a target on their backs. As the defending champions, everyone wants their chance to knock us down, but the team always perseveres and finds a way to get the job done when it counts most. This season the Royals will have some new faces in the lineup. During the offseason the Royals suffered a few key loses that they will be looking to overcome. Future MVABL Hall of Fame Shortstop Brian Duffy made the transition from full-time to player, to full time daddy. Hopefully he’ll find time to squeeze in a few games this summer. The Royals can't replace Duffy, but they will look to fill the gap left by his departure in the field, at the plate, and on the bench. He will be missed weekly, but the team must move on. The Royals also lost the Wilson brothers as they helped the league expand by bringing in some new faces to the league as they begin the adventure into coaching the new expansion team, the Machine. They were a tough loss to the team, but it is good for the league to continue to grow.

Regardless of those losses, the Royals still have a strong core of veterans returning. They’ll be looking to do what only the 2007/2008 Royals and Woodpeckers have done, and that's a chance to repeat. The Boys in Blue have 10 returners from their run in '13 to try and accomplish that goal. Royals speedster, and LF, Kevin Reynolds, looks to continue to reak havoc on the bases. Reynolds led the team in AB's(111), Hits(48), and Stolen Bases(16). Anchoring CF is the newest 2014 Hall of Famer, Chris Jergens. Last season, Jergens was hampered a bit by injuries suffered in non baseball related activities, but he was always there when the team needed his help. Despite his shortened season he continued to lead the team in homeruns with 7, and narrowly missed the team lead in batting average by .006. He still hit a respectable .509 with a 1.070 slugging percentage, a Royals single season record. Rounding up the returning outfielders is 14 year veteran Eric Jameson in RF. Eric is a solid glove and his marathon training allows him to cover outfield grass with ease. When Jameson is up at the plate when the team needs a run or hit to extend the rally he finds a way to put a ball out there to get the job done. Jameson's leadership and knowledge for the game are unmatched, as the teams' Assistant Coach he helps lead the Royals week in and week out.

The infield will look a tad different, as we had to shuffle some players around due to the offseason loses. There will be a lot of the same faces, but they will transitioned to some new positions. First, Neil Stafford moves back into the infield to help out in the middle. Stafford is highly capable of filling this role and is eager to get out there. At the plate he hit almost a full .100 better than he did in '12 with a respectable .385. He really shined in the playoffs leading the team batting .588. Second year Royal, Shaun Delozier, will slide over from the corner to also help out the middle of the infield. Shaun joined the team late last year and proved to be a very solid and dependable infielder making numerous plays on some seriously hard hit balls at the hot corner. Transitioning to short will give him a little more time to make the same plays. Royals regular first baseman Shawn Rudegeair may not be able to return full time, but the team is hoping he is able to make it out more than he expects. In 2013 Rudy's bat continued to put a pop on the ball, upping his slugging from .477 to .604. He also belted 2 home runs last season while hitting just under .400 (.396). Anchoring both corners of the infield this year will be the Koopman brothers. Matt is a versatile infielder who provides a tall target on both corners. At the plate in his, rookie season, Matt hit almost .500 (.493), slugged .627 as he hit 7 doubles and 1 homerun, when he and his brother, Brad, went back-to-back! Due to an offseason pickup, Matt's brother, Brad will move into the infield from time to time to help out at both corners when not behind the plate. Brad, like his brother, is a big target to hit. With his catching background it's hard to get balls by him. At the plate Brad continued to improve on his rookie season increasing his numbers in nearly every offensive category. The Royals hope this trend continues following what is most players "sophomore slump" season. Also helping out in the infield this year, when you don't find him on the mound, is Royals cleanup hitter Jason Holmberg. When he's not on the mound you'll find Holmberg getting some innings at 1st or 2nd. At the plate Jason had a stellar 2013 season. He eclipsed the single season RBI record set by Jergens in 2009, knocking in 47 runs as hit plated 14 alone in 24 at bats in the playoffs. Holmberg also increased all of his offensive categories in 2013, and again led the team in Triples! Jason’s heavy and consistent bat in the middle of the order helps drive and fuel the offense all season. Finishing up the infield, the Royals skipper, Mark Franklin, can be found behind the plate. Franklin's knowledge of opposing teams hitters helps guide the Royals pitching staff to stay ahead and get those strikes when needed. Although at the plate Franklin can be an impatient hitter as he looks to take advantage of the pitches early in the at bat, he is able to put something in play nearly ever at bat. In 2013 he was able to improve his average over .100 points increasing from .283 in 2012 to .400 last season.

The Royals have taken what they had, and added to it over the offseason to keep them in the position to repeat. The Royals added players capable of playing numerous positions during offseason. After years of negotiations, Matt Steinke finally joins the team for his 1st crack at the MVABL. A former Wittenberg Tiger backstop, the Royals are excited to see what can bring to the team. In College Steinke batted .372, and post college he was in the top half of all hitters in the Roy Hobbs league where he hit .424 slugging .591 in his 2013 season. The Royals are excited to see Matt at the plate as they look to replace their regular 5 and 6 batters. Jesse French is also along for his first season as a Royal. The young left hander will help roam the outfield this season as well as provide some innings off the mound. French last played in the MVABL in 2012 as a member of the Sox where he batted just under .300 in 10 games before an injury ended his season early. After a year off to heal and rehab French is ready to take the field again. To help bolster the pitching staff and outfield rotations Will Keller will join the team following his collegiate season. Will is a CJ graduate with a heavy fastball, and the Boys in Blue look forward to him joining the team mid-season following his college season. To help out in the top half of the batting order, and in the middle of the infield, the Royals acquired Brandon Haveman. Brandon is new to the area and is looking forward to getting back into the swing of things after a few years off from baseball.

From this year’s draft, the Royals picked up a pair of quality players, Robert Lowery and Shane Page. Robert is a utility infield/outfield player that also moved back into the area. Robert played 2 years with Wilmington College before moving to continue his education, but a local job has brought him back to the Dayton area. Shane is a tall infielder who will also help out around the field in multiple positions. Shane was a 3 year starter at Kenton Ridge HS before he went on to play with the Wright State club team. In college he held a .400 batting average and his tenure was highlighted by hitting 2 Grand Slams in one game. Both Robert and Shane will also be able to help with innings off the mound. The Royals final, and most recent addition to the squad is Chase Brinson. Chase is a tall Left Hander that recently found a love for the game of baseball. A former college QB, like former Royal Sam Cerreta, Chase has taken to pitching. Chase was a closer for the Cincinnati Chiefs where he used a heavy fastball to dominate batters. He admits he still needs some work, but has the desire and determination to continually improve.

As the snow continues to melt, the Boys in Blue strive to work hard towards kicking off the 2014 schedule. To kick-off the new season, they will play the 2014 MVABL Season Kickoff Game on March 30th at 1pm at Athletes in Action. This matchup features a rematch of the 2013 Championship game against the Dayton Rangers. With only a few more weeks left until this first pitch, the Royals are trying to make the most of each Sunday they have left as they get ready to begin another season of baseball. With a blend of veteran leadership and fresh faces, the Royals will look to continue their tradition of playing championship caliber baseball.