2010  S e a s o n

Coming into 2010, there was slim optimism that if everything swung right, the Rebel club could continue on from their successful season last year and possibly contend for a third straight League Night championship. Instead a dead arms, dead legs, freak injuries, and months of anemic batting lines gave us an up and down season. However, the wild unpredictability of softball blessed us with some unbelievable moments this year, and we should choose to remember those while we place the rest of the season deep into the same memory bank the 2004 and 2007 seasons are stored in our brains.

Summer League Standing

It’s always a good sign when a young player gets better as the season progresses. When they do so in their first taste of full-season ball while playing a premium position, you might have something special. That’s what happened for Noah Sullivan and Justin Yonke in the Lake County summer league in 2010. They followed that up by double-jumping to Fall League and excelling there as well. A plus defender across the board, Sullivan is also a very good baserunner and started showing some legitimate extra-base pop at the plate. Yonke has a very good approach at the plate from the right side that should allow him to hit for average. It isn’t clear how much power he’ll have, but it has started showing up in games more and there could be more in the tank. His speed makes him an extra base threat and a solid outfielder, where he’s worked hard to improve his game. Both were called up for the playoff run in 010′.

Summer  Stats

Player

Poss

G

P.A.

A.B.

Runs

O.B.

Hits

1B

2B

3B

HR

OPS

RBI

BB

AVG

RE

Scott  SinclairP818181444000.44430.2220
Steve  FisherP31102100234541333321.001212.4102
Ralph  LozanoP311039142594422110111.5403812.4843
Chris  MinorC268878365441305331.3962210.5263
Omar  VelaC1033331014116320.969110.3330
Rafi  SantiagoC185246192718115111.128166.3913
Justin  Yonke1B164540112217142101.014105.4250
Saul  Molina1B175251163125202301.243181.4905
Izzy  Solis2B134543182624176011.34592.5580
Noah  Sullivan2B123837112019181001.06741.5140
Todd  Sorensen2B726269181785311.84890.6541
James  Yonke3B2711298385639269131.1022114.3983
Ray  Quinones3B155048243025193121.35092.5213
Matt  MitchellSS269488264537289001.002266.4202
Mike  PeaveySS176160183328226001.108131.4674
Seth  SmoleSS617172764110.94120.3531
Brandon  WedyckLF124440212720108021.000194.5003
Rick  GarzaLF226463243936246331.514331.5712
Joe  YonkeLC71815611852011.47853.5330
Nestor  ToroLC114641222922127211.508195.5372
Chris  OlsonRC311111083862573015751.494373.5282
Tyler  ShepardRC185844193419132131.3131714.4321
Kevin  SimmonsRF249379326042356101.2782314.5324
Clinton  BakerRF515141654100.82921.3570
Zach  SmoleRF4972533000.98542.4290

Most  Valuable  Player

Ralph Lozano, 31, hit .484 with 11 home runs, 38 RBIs and 22 extra base hits. He finished with a sky-high .573 on-base percentage and a 10.6 WAR, putting him a full win ahead of runner-ups. The Rebel Club finished second in the Monday Night League with 16 wins, which didn’t hurt his individual case in the end. Lozano was arguably the best overall offensive player on the best team in the game and showed exceptional defensive versatility by playing in both the first base and pitch. Ralph Lozano a Gold Glover’ also won the Cy Young Award, Silver Slugger, Utility Player of the Year and was Player of the Month Award winner for July and August.

Rookie of the Year

The 2010 season saw an influx of stellar young players around Lake County. There’s no better place to start than with the Rebels’ best rookie of the last 10 years. Chris Olson wanted to be the Rebels starting first basemen from the time he was a kid and with some luck, it came true. By the time he graduated Carmel High School in 2003, he was one of the top players in the country. However, the Rebels had an opportunity to pick him in that year’s amateur draft, a major impediment to making Olson their pick.

He was Player of the Month Award winner in June 2010 and batted ( .528 Avg / .559 OBP/ .935 SLG – 27 XB, 5 HR, 37 RBIs, 38 Runs ). Olson made his team debut on September 9th, 2009 against J’s Bally Muck Squad at Belvidere South going ( 3 for 3, 2B, RBI / Run ).

Team Memorabilia

This is a 2010 authentic softball trading card of the Rebels' Third Basemen James Yonke and Rookie Second Basemen Noah Sullivan. There is a certificate of authenticity from the CEO of Softball Trading Cards on the back of the card.