Almost, so close and just about, are not the phrases the Kimball Express want to be mumbling at the end of this season. The team enters the 2003 campaign with only one goal in mind – getting to the Minnesota amateur state tournament held in Northfield and Dundas. Winning a Central Valley League championship or making the region tournament has all been done before and this year’s team wants more. Returning all starters and a healthy pitching staff should put the team in serious contention for a state tournament berth. For the Express to be considered amongst the best in August, they must win some of the best teams in May, June and July. During the 2003 season, the Express will play the most demanding schedule in recent memory – with 34 games. On the road One of the 34 stops along the way will be a June bout with arguably the best team in Minnesota amateur baseball, the Cold Spring Springers. The Express tracks will also travel through New Ulm, Delano, Princeton, Litchfield, Dassel and Hutchinson. The St. Cloud Orthopedic Ice will make an appearance in Kimball on June 14. These are just a few of the teams Kimball Express will face. Not to mention the always-challenging CVL with perennial powerhouse the Watkins Clippers twice during league play and the team that always gives the Express fits, the Eden Valley Hawks. All of the teams mentioned, have had success in the Minnesota amateur state tournament and the Express feel playing this quality competition will get them over their 17-year drought of watching from the stands during the end of August and into September. The Express will start out on the right foot as they return everyone to this year’s team who had a major impact on the success of a year ago. They went 25-10 last season winning the CVL North Division regular season and playoff championships, which earned them a berth into region 10C play giving them great momentum as they dive head first into the 2003 season. With the Minnesota Baseball Association making it mandatory for all amateur teams to make the switch to wood bats last year the Express took full advantage. The switch brought back base running and defense to the game. The Express had a solid defense keeping them in games and creating havoc on the base paths for the competition. The team set a single game record for stolen bases with nine against Pearl Lake last year and stole 64 throughout the season. Look for the same this season. The Express Stars This year’s infield will be anchored by catcher Scott Marquardt (.331, 32 runs, 7 2b, 6 hr, 30 rbi) who led the Express in most offensive categories one year ago. Joe Pennertz (.326, 27 r, 10 2b, 4 hr, 32 rbi) will bat cleanup and hold the fort down at first base. Manning the hot corner again this season will be the soft handed Nate Turck (.294, 18 r, 23 rbi). The Express will be strong again this season up the middle as they have shortstop Jeremy Kuechle (.296, 21 r, 8 2b, 16 rbi, 9 sb) and second baseman Brian Marquardt (.294, 22 r, 8 2b, 18 rbi) flipping the ball back and forth turning double plays along with Brooks Marquardt (.276, 23 r, 9 sb) watching the radar in center field running down anything the right and left fielders cannot pick up. The left and right field will see a rotation of three different players as Mike Arnold (.345, 19 r, 2 3b, 3 hr, 24 rbi, 7 sb) Aaron Knaus (.280, 17 r, 7 2b, 17 rbi) and Pat Arnold (.292, 34 r, 5 2b, 4 hr, 14 rbi) will all take turns throughout the year in the outfield and designated hitter. Thirty-four games is a lot and that gives skipper Tom Marquardt the interesting task of finding a way keep his pitchers healthy all season and keep the team in games without running out of hurlers. The plan at the outset is to set up a rotation and give the ball to whoever is scheduled to pitch that day. It may sound like this is a no brain approach, but in amateur ball most teams do not play 34 games and most teams do not have four starting pitchers that want the ball on a regular basis. Setting up a rotation will let each pitcher know their next date on the mound. The Express lacks a dominating pitcher who is going to blow people away. However, they do have quality starting pitching that will eat up innings. Last year, the Express posted a team ERA of 2.75 and held opponents to a .226 batting average. The projected starting rotation for this season should look a little something like this, with no particular order intended. Pitching it up RHP Justin Hill 4-1 (31.71 IP, 1.71 ERA, 3 BB, 14 SO) will be looked upon to be a work horse for the team as the numbers he put up last year were only a half a years worth; he came off the shelf after recovering from arm surgery. He was an outstanding pitcher the second half of the year. Hill is capable of logging up to 70 innings and making 12 starts for the Express this season. RHP Kris Hagen 4-4 (65.67 IP, 3.97 ERA, 16 BB, 38 SO) is looking to improve off of last year’s season as he put up steady numbers showing a huge improvement from his first season with the Express. His numbers do not begin to show the impact he had on the staff last year as he took a bulk of the work and pitched wonderfully putting together many scoreless innings throughout the summer. RHP Pat Arnold 5-0 (69.67 IP, 2.71 ERA, 22 BB, 40 SO) should see significant innings again this season as he will be looking to keep games close and give the team a chance to win. Last season was the most time he has spent on the hill in his amateur career. RHP Brooks Marquardt 2-1 (30.67 IP, 2.64 ERA, 14 BB, 20 SO) will be looked upon to log more innings this summer. Marquardt has been brought along slowly seeing more and more time on the mound over the last few years and manager Tom Marquardt is hoping it all pays off this season. The left handed crafty throwing rubber arm of Joe Krippner heads the relief core. Krippner will see significant innings this summer working middle relief. Krippner is as valuable on a team as a pitcher can get. He can pitch every day and does not get a sore arm. Krippner will be looked upon to set up closer Jeremy Kuechle. The right hand throwing Kuechle took on the role as closer last year as he developed a side arm delivery. This gave him a very different look compared to any other Express pitcher, which makes him effective in one to two innings of work. He managed five saves for the team last year in as many opportunities with a 0.00 ERA striking out 18 batters in 17 innings of work. Look for Kuechle to have more of an impact this season. Another pitcher coming on the scene this year will be youngster Brian Marquardt, as his high school and legion playing days are over. His arm will be available to the Express whether it be in a starting role or relief role. Others that may see action on the mound this season will be Nate Turck and Scott Marquardt. Joe Pennertz maybe seeing some limited innings as well. The Express will lose Brandon Kuechle who decided to hang it up. Kuechle threw 13 innings last year and would have been looked upon to throw more this year. He will be missed as will Justin Schmitz who is working in Duluth and as of right now is not looking to rejoin the team for the summer. However, knowing Schmitty, he may show up and make his three league games , allowing him to be eligible for post season play, but that is yet to be determined. The Express players all have individual goals set but as a team they have only one goal in mind – making it to a state tournament for the first time since 1985. Look for a hard nosed effort as Kimball’s boys of summer grind out a tough schedule. Hopefully when the dust clears they find themselves on a pretty diamond in southeastern Minnesota playing for a Class C State Championship. Come out to the ballpark to see an action packed summer watching Express baseball. Notes The road will be more traveled, as the Express will not play a home game until June 1, when they host the St. Nicholas Nicks. The Kimball home field is under major renovations and will not be ready at the start of this season. The team hopes to hold their own on the road until the second half of the year. Then they wil
l be able to play in front of the hometown fans and show off the beautiful new outfield fence. The season opener is slated for April 27 in St. Nicholas against the Nicks. A 2 p.m. first pitch is scheduled. More news will come as the season opener approaches.
