Woodchucks look for a rebound season

WAUSAU - Sure, having a winning season is a hope for every team in the Northwoods League. But sometimes that just comes together as a byproduct of developing the talents of promising collegiate baseball players over a relentless three-month schedule.

Then there are times when the league teams go through summers like the Wisconsin Woodchucks endured last year — a 24-47 campaign. The Chucks finished 7.5 games ahead of a Kalamazoo team, which finished with the worst record in the NWL.

"It was very frustrating," said Ryan Treu, the Woodchucks president and general manager. "We just didn't have a lot of players pan out the way they were supposed to. It was kind of a quiet team, too, and we didn't really have that leadership from the clubhouse on the players' side. We didn't really have a player step up, so when (the team) was getting beat and grinding (the season) out, they didn't have anyone to bring them up.

"I think (the losing) just caught on like a disease, basically."

To try and make sure the same thing won't happen this summer, the Chucks returned to a player recruiting system that had worked in the past. The Wisconsin front office staff went back to a lot of the college contacts they turned to during the days when the Woodchucks were seemingly contending for a playoff spot every summer.

"We don't follow programs anymore; we follow the coaching staffs," Treu said. "A lot of those guys started out as student assistants and now are assistant recruiting coordinators and assistant coaches (in college). ... We went back to the roots and said, 'We trust you.'"

The Chucks opened the season Tuesday in Rockford in the first of a two-game series. Mike Gedman, the baseball coach at Framingham State University (Mass.) is in his first year managing the Chucks after Jordan Bischel stepped down at the end of last season. Wisconsin's home opener is Friday at Athletic Park, where Phase II of a renovation project was completed over the offseason.

Four players return to the Chucks from last year, including pitchers Robert Ziegler and Devin Skapura, who were both selected to the NWL All-Star Game last year. Skapura ranked second in the NWL with a 2.11 ERA. He also led the Chucks with 51 strikeouts.

Infielder Connor Heady also returns, as does left-handed pitcher Kevin Bolder, a Tomahawk graduate and member of the St. Cloud State University baseball team.

Bolder was originally offered a temporary contract with the Chucks last season but earned his way to a full contract. He posted a 5-2 record at St. Cloud State this year.

The Chucks also have another Wisconsin native on the roster in Connor Hock. The former Bay Port High School standout completed his freshman season at Notre Dame.

The Chucks also have three players who have were drafted by Major League Baseball teams last year - pitcher Jonah Dipoto (38th round, Los Angeles Angels), infielder Stevie Mangrum (28th, Boston Red Sox) and outfielder Ruben Cardenas (37th round, Miami Marlins).

Chucks infielder Jeff Bohling, a third baseman at Gonzaga University, was recently named the West Coast Conference player of the year after having a .532 slugging percentage and a team-leading seven home runs.

Oklahoma freshman outfielder Steele Walker was named to the Big 12 honorable mention all-conference and all-freshman teams. He finished second on Oklahoma with 30 RBI in the regular season.

Chucks outfielder Steve Passatempo, a freshman at the University of Massachusetts-Lowell, was selected to the American East All-Rookie team recently as well.

Tim Johnson: 715-845-0731, or timothy.johnson@gannettwisconsin.com; on Twitter @timmyjo11

Woodchucks schedule

May

31-at Rockford, 6:35 p.m.

June

1-at Rockford, 6:35 p.m. 2-at Wisconsin Rapids, 7:05 p.m. 3-Wisconsin Rapids, 7:05 p.m. 4-Rockford, 6:35 p.m. 5-Rockford, 3:05 p.m. 6-Thunder Bay, 6:35 p.m. 7-Thunder Bay, 6:35 p.m. 8-at Battle Creek, 6:05 p.m. 9-at Battle Creek, 6:05 p.m. 10-at Kalamazoo, 6:05 p.m. 11-at Kalamazoo, 5:05 p.m. 12-Madison, 3:05 p.m. 13-Madison, 6:35 p.m. 14-Kalamazoo, 6:35 p.m. 15-Kalamazoo, 6:35 p.m. 16-Kenosha, 6:35 p.m. 17-Kenosha, 7:05 p.m. 18-at Lakeshore, 6:35 p.m. 19-at Lakeshore, 1:35 p.m. 21-at Duluth, 6:35 p.m. 22=at Duluth, 6:35 p.m. 23-at Madison, 7:05 p.m. 24-at Madison, 7:05 p.m. 25-Rockford, 6:35 p.m. 26-Rockford, 3:05 p.m. 27-Wisconsin Rapids, 6:35 p.m. 28-at Wisconsin Rapids, 7:05 p.m. 29-at Green Bay, 11:35 a.m.; Green Bay, 6:35 p.m. 30-Duluth, 6:35 p.m. 

July

1-Duluth, 7:05 p.m. 2-Green Bay, 6:35 p.m. 3-at Green Bay, 6:05 p.m. 4-Madison, 6:35 p.m. 5-Madison, 6:35 p.m. 6-at Lakeland, 6:35 p.m. 7-at Lakeland, 6:35 p.m.8-at Madison, 7:05 p.m. 9-at Madison, 6:35 p.m 10-at Thunder Bay, 4:05 p.m. 11-at Thunder Bay, 6:05 p.m. 12-Battle Creek, 6:35 p.m. 13-Battle Creek, 6:35 p.m. 14-Green Bay, 6:35 p.m. 15-at Green Bay, 7:05 p.m. 16-Wisconsin Rapids, 6:35 p.m. 17-Wisconsin Rapids, 5:05 p.m. 21-Lakeshore, 6:35 p.m. 22-Lakeshore, 7:05 p.m. 23-at Kenosha, 6:05 p.m. 24-at Kenosha, 1:05 p.m. 26-at Rockford, 6:35 p.m. 27-at Rockford, 6:35 p.m. 28-at Kalamazoo, 6:05 p.m. 29-at Kalamazoo, 6:05 p.m. 30-at Battle Creek, 5:05 p.m. 31-at Battle Creek, 2:05 p.m. 

August 

1-Green Bay, 12:05 p.m.; Green Bay, 7:05 p.m. 2-Kalamazoo, 6:35 p.m. 3-Kalamazoo, 6:35 p.m. 4-6:35-Lakeshore, 6:35 p.m. 5-Lakeshore, 7:05 p.m. 6-Battle Creek, 6:35 p.m. 7-Battle Creek, 3:05 p.m. 8-at Wisconsin Rapids, 7:05 p.m. 10-at Wisconsin Rapids, 7:05 p.m. 11-Kenosha, 6:35 p.m.12-Kenosha, 7:05 p.m. 13-at Kenosha, 6:05 p.m. 14-at Kenosha, 4:05 p.m.