HISTORY 2003
After finishing one game short of an unexpected perfect 20 wins and 0 lost season in 2003, the Rebels lost their final game to a score of 16 – 14 to JR Wrecker’s club. But, the Rebel Sftbll rebuild was officially over -- ahead of schedule -- and it was clear from the start of spring tune-up tournament that anything short of a semi-final would be considered a disappointment.
The Rebels lived up to their own lofty standards, chasing the JR Wrecker’s club down the stretch for their first summer league Thursday night title while setting a team high in regular season victories in franchise history.
Along the way, the Rebels helped redefine the concept of a modern defense, watched left fielder Rick Garza emerge as All-Star and were just as amazed as their fans while shortstop Brad Jensen re-wrote this history books down the stretch en route to the Lake County Most Valuable Player award.
It was a magical year for Rebels fans yet one that ended with a bitter taste as the Rebels fell two games short of the All-City tournament championship.
As the calendar flips to 2003, expectations are certainly higher for the Rebels as they look to take the next step and excel through Tournament Classic for the first franchise history.
Biggest Move: In the spring of 2003, the players went back to
work but the economics of the game forced the Rebels to break up the brilliant squad of 2002. Nevertheless, adhering to a long-standing policy of developing players within the system, the Rebels quickly rebuilt the ball club and, under the patience and guidance of the Coach they remained one of the top teams on Tuesday and Thursday Nights.
Biggest Disappointment: The struggles of Jon Schumacher, Jeremiah Johnson, Louie Torres and Jerry Vasquez were frustrating but those frustrations were eased when other players on the Rebels deep and versatile roster stepped up and filled the gaps. The Rebels had hoped Jeremiah Johnson would help fill a need for second base production, so much so that Coach sent Carson Florio and two prospects back down to the minors. The move backfired as Johnson batted just .469 in 29 games.
Biggest Surprise: One could point to the impressive performances of the Rebel prospects, Rick Garza, Brad Jensen, Nestor Toro and Kevin Lowery during the playoff run but those efforts might not have been possible had Zach Smole not emerged as one of the Lake County most effective right fielder during the playoff stretch.
Most Memorable Moment: It was, however, the season of pitcher Ricardo Mitchell. Ricardo had a simply magnificent year, winning 24 games to go along with an 11.90 ERA and 206.2 innings pitched. Another bright spot for the Rebels organization was the emergence of rookies Ryan Borre, and infielder Ross Jensen and Nathan DeRohan who all ranked among league rookie leaders in several offensive categories. DeRohan collected his first HR on Tuesday June 3rd against the Service Master club, gm.1 at Belvedere North.
What's Next: Unlike the Rebels' first two seasons, their 2003 summer run felt like the start of something, not the culmination of several years of slow, incremental progress as in 2003, when the Rebels went "all-in" with Brad Jensen approaching free agency. Most of their key pieces are under team control for several more years or locked into long-term deals.
Reasons For Optimism: For one thing, the Rebels bring back nearly everyone from last season's roster and have some pretty impressive young talented waiting to build on their late-season success. Jensen, the reigning MVP, is just entering his prime at 21 years old, and the team's top prospect, offensive prodigy Rick Garza, could make his presence notice before the season ends.
Reasons For Concern: The Rebels Softball players played a lot of games within a short period of time. How those legs will react -- especially Jeff Wilson, who struggled during the postseason and will be expected to pitch more next season -- will be worth monitoring.
