Glen Strandberg
Sports Editor

Like an updated version of Abbott and Costello’s classic routine, “Who’s on First?” the Forest Lake baseball team enters the 2007 season with numerous questions surrounding its roster.

Never mind who’s on first, there are equally unresolved matters surrounding second base, third base, short stop and catcher.

For example, there is the following scenario to consider, and it still leaves a lot to interpretation:

“In the infield, we’re still looking and trying to figure out exactly what we’re going to do, and it’s been a very, very good competition,” Rangers head coach Brian Raabe says before breaking down the various possibilities.

Only four players return from last year’s 21-6 team, and one of those — senior Brady Banse — is a full-time pitcher. That means veterans Drew Cremisino, Christian Fogerty and Trip Schultz will see plenty of new faces on the diamond, and even these three seniors could be in different positions when they’re compared to 2006.

Cremisino was in right field, yet he’s been known to play a mean third base, but he could easily end up at short.

Fogerty is the returning third baseman, but maybe he’ll be the guy at short stop.

Behind the plate looks to be senior Joe Berger assuming the role of catcher, with sophomore Travis Evgen keeping that area competitive.

At first and second base, Raabe give a little bit more than Abbott’s “Who” and “What,” but not by much.

Who’s on first?

“First base is all new,” he says. “It might be a sophomore or it might be a junior.”

And second base?

“Second might be a senior or maybe a sophomore.

“Third base might be a senior, junior or a sophomore.”

Yes, it’s so very clear now.

Thankfully, the outfield appears to be set, with Schultz in center, junior Brent Kolbow likely in right field, and sophomore Kyle Young in left. However, on the days that Schultz takes the mound as Forest Lake’s No. 1 pitcher, Kolbow will move over to center field, which would leave a spot open for someone else to make an impact.

For that player to have an opportunity to contribute, they will have to perform with the glove. Hitting may be fun and exciting, but Raabe is a fundamentalist when it comes to the game of baseball. He obsesses about two things.

“I’m a big believer in defense and pitching. When you pitch and have a defense that can field a routine ground ball, you’re gonna win a lot of games,” he says.

“I always tell the kids, if you can field a routine ground ball, you don’t have to make the spectacular plays, but if you can field the routine ground balls, it gives us the best chance to win.”

To put that into perspective, the Rangers squad that won the Suburban East Conference last spring for the second consecutive season, didn’t even reach .300 for a team batting average.

“We won all those games not because we were a great hitting team, but because we had pitching and defense,” continues the seventh-year head coach.

Handling the pitching duties will be a group of six or seven individuals who will be behind Schultz, while they also try to compensate for the loss of Jed Hanson, the reigning Metro Player of the Year.

“We think we need at least three starters, and then we need one or two guys, minimum, that can come out of the bullpen,” Raabe states.

Brad Cherveny, Nate Crudo, Banse, Kolbow, Fogerty and Myles Carlson will be the ones bringing their arms to a position that Raabe believes dictates everything in baseball.

“If we pitch well, we’re going to win a few baseball games. If we don’t pitch well, and we don’t play defense well, we’re not. That’s just the way it’s going to be. Pitching is the separator.”

The Rangers will also have seniors Steve Brontjes, Garrett Eischen and Robert Dykema on varsity as well as sophomores Mike Schultz and Ken Stelter, which adds just a little more intrigue to the proceedings.

“It’s funny how things work themselves out,” Raabe shares. “And usually after the first week we’re going to have an idea if our front line guys that we put out there can handle it, or if we’re going to have to make some moves.”

With all of that being said, despite seeing 11 teammates graduate last June, Forest Lake isn’t planning on fighting through a frustrating season — they believe their recent history suggests they’ve become a consistently strong program. Cretin-Derham Hall and Hastings will provide the biggest tests in the SEC, but Raabe likes his chances.

“One thing that we do notice is, I think we’ll be fairly young,” he says. “But just because we’re young and inexperienced doesn’t mean were going to be a pushover.

“We expect to win in this program. We’ve built some winning years, and we want to continue that.”

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