All-Montgomery Media Softball Team

By Andrew Marcus
Sportswriter for Montgomery Media

Follow me on Twitter @amarcus515

This is the All-Montgomery Media Softball Team. albeit the unofficial team, as Montgomery Media has no affiliation with the picks, it just was the criteria to being selected. Players had to play on a team in our coverage area.

I have chosen players from multiple leagues and multiple classifications. While I know some talented players may have been left off, this is solely based on opinions from what I have witnessed and read about over the past three months.

Katie Ziegler

Player of the Year: Pitcher - Katie Ziegler (Wissahickon) - The senior is always after perfection when she takes the circle and while she did not pitch a perfect game this season, the Trojans were perfect in league play behind Ziegler's dominance. She also hit in the middle of the lineup all season and her ability to contribute in more ways than one makes her a clear cut Most Valuable Player. Ziegler did it all for the Trojans, who made it to the second round of the district playoffs. Ziegler currently does not plan to play softball and Indiana University, where she will major in business. But softball is in this ace's blood and it only a matter of time before walking-on seems more and more enticing. 

Mary Cate Scott

Pitcher - Mary Cate Scott (Lansdale Catholic) 
Pitcher - Maddie Lowery (Methacton)
Pitcher - Keli Krause (Christopher Dock) - As of writing this the Pioneers are on the heels of another District One Class AA championship and another state playoff appearance. The school based out of Lansdale has been the team to beat over the last four years and that has a lot to do with their star pitcher. 
Pitcher - Maggie Shaffer (Hatboro-Horsham)
Pitcher - Lesenia Santiago (Cheltenham)
Pitcher - Nikki Alden (William Tennent
Pitcher - Erica Miller (Plymouth-Whitemarsh)

Jess Mower

Catcher - Jess Mower (North Penn)
Catcher - Emily Hofmann (Pennridge) - Headed to IUP, the four year starter was the lone senior this year for the Rams. Her leadship and her offense sparked the girls to a second place finish in the league and a win over Boyertown in the District One playoffs. She did whatever the coached asked of her, whether it was play first base, put on the gear, hit eighth or hit fourth. She set a great example for her young teammates.


First Basemen - Megan Bolton (Christopher Dock)


Second Basemen - Michele Holweger (North Penn) - Whenever the Maidens needed a big hit it seem Holweger was there to answer the call. With strong defense and powerful bat, the Maidens' pitcher always knew they could rally back with the likes of Holweger hitting.
Second Basemen - Cassie Alexy (Spring-Ford)

Brooke Labs

Third Basemen - Lauren Urbanski (Souderton)
Third Basemen - Brooke Labs (Pennridge)


Shortstop - Val Sadowl (Hatboro-Horsham)
Shortstop - Marisha Bates (Spring-Ford) - The all-area slugger hit a clip unfathomable in the pitching heavy PAC-10. The shortstop is headed to Coppin State (Md.) after the Rams are done and the senior is graduated. Right now, the Rams just want to get back to the state playoffs and if Bates has anything to do with it, they will surely be there. 
Shortstop - Sam Yoos (Archbishop Wood)


Outfielder - Alexa Gable (North Penn)
Outfielder - Taylor Delmonte (Springfield)

Taylor Delmonte

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MLB Power Rankings

By Andrew Marcus
Sportswriter for Montgomery Media

Follow me on Twitter @amarcus515

Yu Darvish

It's only May 8th and my head hurts from all of these questionable managerial and front office decisions. Even the best teams in baseball have made me wonder who handed the keys of the depth chart to that guy.

Now, I know it is a difficult job and it's easy to second guess from my couch, but I think I am allowed to call out whoever I want.

So a month into the season here are my Power Rankings and the things that are making me think I need to hand my resume to somebody in baseball operations. I can do a better job than this.

1. Rangers - No more Cliff Lee, no more C.J. Wilson, so is Yu Darvish really the rookie you will call on in game one of a postseason series? Texas is talented, but needs to figure a few things out. Whose the ace of the staff and what are they doing with Josh Hamilton. I know Hamilton comes with some risk, but they better sign him before he wins MVP and walks.

2. Rays

3. Cardinals - I give props on the decision to sign Carlos Beltran and Lance Berkman a year prior because it has saved their offense, but I have my questions about their starting rotation. The magic man Dave Duncan is gone and while Wainwright may be the one struggling right now, he's the least of my worries. They are crazy if they think they can roll with Lance Lynn all season. If Chris Carpenter cannot regain his form, the Cards could be the team going in the wrong direction in September.

4. Dodgers

5. Nationals - The amount of mixed messages make me want to scream. They are a contender this season, yet their ace Stephen Strasburg has a 160 innings limit? Make up your mind. The starters have been great, but I still doubt the youngsters ability to handle the pressure of the race in the heat of summer. They are still a year or two away.

Freddie Freeman

6. Braves

7. Yankees - Somebody didn't do their homework. Michael Pineda came to Spring Training overweight and injured while their top former prospect Jesus Montero sips Starbucks in the Northwest. Since March Joe Girardi has named seven different fifth starters. At least Derek Jeter can still hit.

8. Tigers

9.Reds - You can only get so much from value from a set-up man and right now that's all they are using the electric talents of Aroldis Chapman for. While they have a lefty-specialist closing and two struggling starters in the rotation Chapman has been lights out for one middle inning. It's time to move him to ninth or my opinion, a starter. This team could take off.

10. Brewers

11. Phillies - No more free passes for Chase Utley. You're telling me he was fine all offseason and the second he got to Clearwater he decided he won't be ready until June? Utley left the Phils in a bad spot and the offense has no idea how to play small ball. It's a waste of the three aces (Halladay, Lee, and Hamels) talents.

Matt Wieters

12. Orioles

13. Blue Jays

14. Giants - I think Bochy is one of the best managers in baseball, but he's off to a rough start this season. There are way to many players on this roster with undefined roles or jobs they cannot handle. Brandon Crawford is not the answer at shortstop, Brandon Belt does not know if he's an everyday player or on his way back to Triple A. And who knows why Tim Lincecum cannot throw strikes. At least Matt Cain has taken his game to the next level.

15. Indians

16. Diamondbacks

17. Angels - First and foremost, they have too many players that expect to play everyday. The Halos just thought with Albert Pujols hitting third in L.A. they sun would shine with rainbows every day. But Pujols has seen the pressure, Mark Trumbo does not have a position and Vernon Wells is still collecting a giant paycheck for his piss-poor performance.

18. Red Sox

Heath Bell

19. Marlins

20. White Sox - A mere two years ago the White Sox drafted Chris Sale in the first round TO BE A STARTER. Sale entered 2012 TO BE A STARTER. After five starts all of the sudden decided it's not going to work. GM Kenny Williams and rookie manager Robin Ventura make me want to hit something with the way they handled this young and talented lefty. Give a chance to start. That's why you drafted him.

21. Mets

22. Rockies

23. Royals - Everybody wanted to talk about all the great hitters coming to Kansas City this season. And while they were not over hyping Eric Hosmer and Mike Moustaskas, they completely forgot pitching wins. And in their five man rotation they are lucky to say they have 1 1/2 big league starters. Another long year in KC.

24. Astros

25. Pirates

26. Athletics - I actually thought Billy Beane was smart and then I saw Moneyball. He has not won a thing and he should not be praised for making the playoffs. True, it's difficult to compete with their budget, but lets applaud his out-of-the-box thinking and not he on-the-field results. Some old story this year. They aren't winning anything anytime soon.

27. Cubs

28. Mariners

29. Padres

30. Twins - I really wanted to give Ron Gardenhire and Joe Mauer the benefit of the doubt, but after a dismal display this April I have to say the best days for the Twin City got blown up with the Metrodome. No player likes to play at Target Field and Fransisco Liriano and Justin Morneau's injuries and ineffectiveness sum up the last 15 months. Bert Blyleven will have to circle bagged heads for a few more months.