Winter Haven American Legion baseball team aims at state title: Meet some of its top players

The sole team playing for Polk County’s American Legion summer baseball has been very active as well. And smack dab in the middle of it is American Legion Post 8 of Winter Haven. 
 
Today, the team stands 20-6 and preparing for Legion State Tournament that is scheduled for the July 26-28 in West Palm Beach. 
 
I believe that just like last season — the bunch was 18-5 last season, if I am not mistaken — the team is doing exceptionally well and has some fresh talents. 
 
“In summer, bigger, stronger and faster is what we work for”, said coach Dan Butler. That is 20 steady students who have been doing workouts. Most of them are young, eager and scouting for opportunities for the next spring high school season. Some of our older players are in travel teams and they decline coming for workouts that may lead to competition. This younger group observes this and ensures that they capital on every chance they have heading to the high school season. 
 
With Fifteen, seniors this year in the high school team, it can open the door tremendously to the future I am referring to Tom Brady, where Drew Bledsoe opened the door for the young, hard-worker and was prepared to take the job of the older veteran player and we all know how that came out, the onus, the best way a student-athlete can prepare is by preparing himself for that chance that will be presented before 
 
Winter Haven:Ralee Blackwell is a Third basemen from Winter Haven, who is strengthening his dream to play college baseball. 
 
The following are the seven top Winter Haven players who also participated this spring for the Winter Haven High School with Butler having to say. 
 
Lucas Jimenez, Is a middle infielder going into to his senior year. He has been also responsible for act as a leader on and off the field that portrayed him as a student-athlete with good performances in the class work. He is more coachable which more helps him skill set. He is fast both in hands and feet but whenever there is a need for Winter Haven to score, he is the man. 
 
”This team (is) setting the tone for being relentless and as the coach I always tell the team you must have this mental attitude of pushing yourself and saying we can’t,” Jimenez said. Organizations with such attitude have their team flying high I have seen kids noticing great changes on their bodies and such changes are also evident on the field since they have sprited many a team and emerged on the field with a victory. 
 
Catcher Preston Willard has worked on aspects relating to framing and arm strength while also improving the IQ with baseball. He is also beginning to learn how to give pitch calls during the game. He is punctual with the workouts, teaching the instructions, and genuinely learning to even really be good at it. 
 
Some of the observations made on pitcher Joseph “JoJo” Bachman are on the right-track regarding the strike and commanding the game with his curveball. He has done this all summer keeping a good taping of the strikes and command in his curve ball. Every time he steps on the rubber, the team will always know of a good performance from him. Besides, he participates in first base. 
 
Mike Richards is one fresh talent that we have in our team and the attendees are quite looking forward to him joining the team as an incoming freshman. He can run, throw and catches the ball as he mainly plays in the outfield. And on the plate he has raw power. And he is practicing on the speed game and improving in terms of the recognition of game situations. 
 
Blake Olejniczak is currently in his second year as a member of this team and physically and intellectually he is now a round man for the team. Out in the field, he has a good strong arm and has power hitting when he is batting. This young man is strictly a weight room guy and his core skills seem to improve with every passing day. 
 
Jody Wilson is in his seventh grade going into eighth and he is able to play any infield position and he pitches. He is rather sporty and driven to improve in anything he decides to do. The characteristics I have noticed in him are he is very accountable not only on the filed but off field as well. He picks balls nicely in a proper manner; he has soft hands, and he possesses a good approach all throughout the plate. 
 
Blake Hannigan is another incoming freshman and the squad is thrilled to get him in the early of summer. He has a tape of an injury and since then he was okay and proved it by his performance in the weight bench and the filed. His hand skills are okay and his arm throw too has a good touch, he also has a very good knowledge in playing baseball. These are all important tools for a young man to continue to home in on his skill set at the workplace. He is malleable and desires improvement every time he practices, as well, with the repetitions.