Sandgnats 2024 PEBA Champions!
Posted: Fri Jan 27, 2017 2:45 am
CRYSTAL LAKE HERALD
SPORTS – GNATS NOW
Sandgnats 2024 PEBA Champions!
Updated: November 10, 2024 – 11:45PM CST
By Howard Heskin, Staff Writer – Twitter @HowardHeskin1
Holy Cow! We did it!
There's no doubt the Sandgnats were a good team in 2024, winning their first-ever title with a bunch of homers, a great bullpen, and an unlikely young hero as a great starting pitcher. But let's not forget... the Sandgnats were really lucky too.
Clearly, every team that wins a world championship has a tale like this. But for this team, this year, it was the year of the improbable and the year of the come back for some unlikely names. Most incredible was the Sandgnats horrific record of 17-35 in one run games. During the playoffs the Sandgnats were 5-1 in one run games. Clutch pitching and hitting and timely home runs were the difference. One name - second baseman, Jim Klein.
We all remember how pitcher 'Yogi' Robles had a legendary meltdown in game 7 against Aurora in 2023. He vowed he would come back and mend fences with catcher Norihide Yamamoto. And he did by learning Japanese! Yogi stepped up this year improving his ERA to 3.46 and leading the team with 147 strikeouts. His game 6 performance against Shin Seiki will be one for the ages where he will be forever remembered in the hearts of Crystal Lake fans. "我々はチャンピオンです!" Yogi screamed as he could be seen dumping grape Gatorade all over as Norihide lifted him off the ground in the locker room after the championship win.
The 26 year old pitcher, Mr. 'Nice Guy' Tony Cuellar came through with a strong performance against Toyama in game 7 of the Division Series. After a slow start in game one in the PEBA Championship, he stepped up to close the series out in game 5. He also was able to pitch a few key innings of relief during the playoffs. He's proven to be a good high leverage pitcher. Brought over from Neo-Tokyo at the trade deadline he proved to be a key pick up this year, that stepped up, when another late season addition pitcher Tatsui Kouno got cold and bombed in 2 post season starts. Tony stepped up and filed the void again when the ever aging Alfredo Velazquez was injured in game 2 of the championship series.
"Nobody can take this away from us, not ever," said series MVP and first baseman Wilson Muñóz after his club had sealed the victory. "We worked hard and we accomplished our goal." Muñóz finished the series with 13 RBIs and 5 Home runs. Wilson loves winning and finally at age 30 obtained the dream of his childhood - a PEBA Championship.
"From day one of spring training, I could see it in their eyes," said Crystal Lake manager Joe Matterson. "The players had that look of intensity, of hunger, of a desire to accomplish something great, and today they did that. They're champions of the world." This is now Joe's 3rd ring. His first two were with Bakersfield. "I really love Joe. He made all the right moves during the games, the players love him, and he's a proven winner", said General Manager RJ Ermola at the post-series press conference.
The most unlikely hero, who announced his retirement at the end of the game was team trainer, Tokimasa Ojima. Brought in during mid-season after some devastating injuries that saw the Sandgnats tailspin during July and August. Ojima was able to expedite the return of Manuel Corona and other key starters into September and just in time for the playoffs. These key returns to the lineup brought the Sandgnats back to full strength and ready for a late season charge. "Mr. Dole has already announced that the training facility will be named after Mr. Ojima" Ermola stated, "Now I have to get to work to find a new trainer. I can tell you one thing, I won't be hiring someone that I meet at a Holiday Inn Express, like I did at the beginning of last season."
The Sandgnats took the series 4-1. The new titleholders completed the regular season with a first-place finish in the Sovereign League Great Lakes and an unlikely 89-73 record.
The only question now is will the three Amigos of Corona, Robles and Velazquez be back in 2025. Highly improbable given their age and contract demands and price of options. But what a way to end this group's run with Crystal Lake. All three be forever remembered by Crystal Lake fans.
"I'd like like to also thank the previous General Manager that worked for Mr. Dole." Ermola stated. "He didn't leave us any bad long term deals that tied up money to prevent any moves we needed to make this year. We really had the freedom in the front office to bring guys back for this season and also make a few key moves to make a run this year. We put all chips in this year and we did it!"
After all these years Crystal Lake, Illinois has its champions! GO GNATS!
SPORTS – GNATS NOW
Sandgnats 2024 PEBA Champions!
Updated: November 10, 2024 – 11:45PM CST
By Howard Heskin, Staff Writer – Twitter @HowardHeskin1
Holy Cow! We did it!
There's no doubt the Sandgnats were a good team in 2024, winning their first-ever title with a bunch of homers, a great bullpen, and an unlikely young hero as a great starting pitcher. But let's not forget... the Sandgnats were really lucky too.
Clearly, every team that wins a world championship has a tale like this. But for this team, this year, it was the year of the improbable and the year of the come back for some unlikely names. Most incredible was the Sandgnats horrific record of 17-35 in one run games. During the playoffs the Sandgnats were 5-1 in one run games. Clutch pitching and hitting and timely home runs were the difference. One name - second baseman, Jim Klein.
We all remember how pitcher 'Yogi' Robles had a legendary meltdown in game 7 against Aurora in 2023. He vowed he would come back and mend fences with catcher Norihide Yamamoto. And he did by learning Japanese! Yogi stepped up this year improving his ERA to 3.46 and leading the team with 147 strikeouts. His game 6 performance against Shin Seiki will be one for the ages where he will be forever remembered in the hearts of Crystal Lake fans. "我々はチャンピオンです!" Yogi screamed as he could be seen dumping grape Gatorade all over as Norihide lifted him off the ground in the locker room after the championship win.
The 26 year old pitcher, Mr. 'Nice Guy' Tony Cuellar came through with a strong performance against Toyama in game 7 of the Division Series. After a slow start in game one in the PEBA Championship, he stepped up to close the series out in game 5. He also was able to pitch a few key innings of relief during the playoffs. He's proven to be a good high leverage pitcher. Brought over from Neo-Tokyo at the trade deadline he proved to be a key pick up this year, that stepped up, when another late season addition pitcher Tatsui Kouno got cold and bombed in 2 post season starts. Tony stepped up and filed the void again when the ever aging Alfredo Velazquez was injured in game 2 of the championship series.
"Nobody can take this away from us, not ever," said series MVP and first baseman Wilson Muñóz after his club had sealed the victory. "We worked hard and we accomplished our goal." Muñóz finished the series with 13 RBIs and 5 Home runs. Wilson loves winning and finally at age 30 obtained the dream of his childhood - a PEBA Championship.
"From day one of spring training, I could see it in their eyes," said Crystal Lake manager Joe Matterson. "The players had that look of intensity, of hunger, of a desire to accomplish something great, and today they did that. They're champions of the world." This is now Joe's 3rd ring. His first two were with Bakersfield. "I really love Joe. He made all the right moves during the games, the players love him, and he's a proven winner", said General Manager RJ Ermola at the post-series press conference.
The most unlikely hero, who announced his retirement at the end of the game was team trainer, Tokimasa Ojima. Brought in during mid-season after some devastating injuries that saw the Sandgnats tailspin during July and August. Ojima was able to expedite the return of Manuel Corona and other key starters into September and just in time for the playoffs. These key returns to the lineup brought the Sandgnats back to full strength and ready for a late season charge. "Mr. Dole has already announced that the training facility will be named after Mr. Ojima" Ermola stated, "Now I have to get to work to find a new trainer. I can tell you one thing, I won't be hiring someone that I meet at a Holiday Inn Express, like I did at the beginning of last season."
The Sandgnats took the series 4-1. The new titleholders completed the regular season with a first-place finish in the Sovereign League Great Lakes and an unlikely 89-73 record.
The only question now is will the three Amigos of Corona, Robles and Velazquez be back in 2025. Highly improbable given their age and contract demands and price of options. But what a way to end this group's run with Crystal Lake. All three be forever remembered by Crystal Lake fans.
"I'd like like to also thank the previous General Manager that worked for Mr. Dole." Ermola stated. "He didn't leave us any bad long term deals that tied up money to prevent any moves we needed to make this year. We really had the freedom in the front office to bring guys back for this season and also make a few key moves to make a run this year. We put all chips in this year and we did it!"
After all these years Crystal Lake, Illinois has its champions! GO GNATS!
