Hoffmann continues tradition

NEW ULM -- Over the years, the New Ulm High baseball team has had some very good shortstops.

The names Scott Schmidt, Brian Schmidt and Travis Fleck immediately come to mind.

And there will be one more name to add to that list -- a name that may well be on the top line of the shortstops who have patrolled the middle infield for the Eagles.

In fact, in a lot of people's minds, he may well be the best ever.

"I think that Jamie Hoffmann is coming on very, very strong defensively," commented his coach Jim Senske about his junior shortstop. "He has been rock solid for us there, turns the double play and has some range. I think that he is going to get better, and if he even stays like he is now he is more than adequate."

Senske said that hitting-wise " he is streaky, needs more discipline at the plate and more selective on pitches that he hits. He needs to develop that confidence when he does get his pitch, he can hit it rather than go fishing for pitches out of the strike zone."

But that, Senske said, will come.

"He is pretty young as a ballplayer; he has the rest of this baseball season, the Legion Gold season and next year. I think that he is going to be as good as any shortstop that we have had here at New Ulm High School."

While he does still have this season and all of next baseball season left, Senske feels that Hoffmann, the son of Rich and Lisa Hoffmann, is a solid college prospect.

"He has the size (6-foot-1)," said Senske. "But I don't know if it will be D-III, D-II or D-I; I think that it is obvious that he can play D-III now. Playing D-II or D-I is more difficult. He has to be more disciplined at the plate with his hitting, and if that comes I feel that he will be a D-II or D-I prospect.

"His strength is his defense and he does hit with some power, but he is not quite confident enough yet as a hitter that he can wait for his pitch and hit it hard. That will come," said Senske.

"I need to learn to go with the pitch; take the curveball a certain way and a fastball a certain way," said Hoffmann. "I haven't dome that much this year."

"He has that size at 6-foot-1 and maybe even 6-foot-2, which is a rangy shortstop. He has fielded everything that has been hit at him this year and done it effortlessly."

So baseball is Hoffmann's future in college, right?

"Jamie led the team in points this year with 57 points with 23 goals and 34 assists," said Eagle hockey coach Tom Macho. "He has the potential to play whatever he wants in college, whether it be hockey or baseball or even both. I know that he loves to play hockey and I feel that we are looking at him playing D-II hockey after high school. If he wants to go the route of playing junior hockey he can, but I really feel that he wants to play both sports. Right now, he is looking at a place where he can play both baseball and hockey in college."

Macho said that the feel for the game of baseball that Hoffmann has is also one of his strengths that he has in hockey. "He really understands the game and sees the ice very well. That is what makes him better than other players; they may have the same skills as Jamie but they do not have the same determination or the same look on the ice. He is one of the hardest workers that we have ever had here in hockey.

"He can be one of the best hockey players to come out of New Ulm with his work skills and attitude. He has the skills. And he loves the game."

So what does Hoffmann feel?

"I have thought about college and I really would like to play both," Hoffmann said. " It would be hard to decide on just one sport in college."

Right now, St. Olaf has shown interest in him for both hockey and baseball, as well as the University of Minnesota-Duluth. But the list of colleges will grow.

"I want to go into engineering, but my mind changes every day. And if a college says that I have to decide on one sport that will be a tough decision. I like both sports."

But in the meantime, before Hoffmann has to make a decision not only what college to attend but which sport to potentially play, New Ulm fans can enjoy the best of both worlds watching Hoffmann skills on the baseball field, and when the snow flies again, the hockey rink.

HALL OF FAME SELECTIONS NAMED: Three former players and one non-player are the 2001 selections to the New Ulm Amateur Baseball Hall of Fame.

Former players Jerry Fesenmaier, Al Wieland and Dave Wilner, along with non-player Larry Oslund, have been elected. The induction ceremony will take place on Saturday, June 23, with a pregame reception at the Kaiserhoff and a sit-down dinner and ceremony at 5:30. The electees will then be introduced to the public prior to the New Ulm Kaiserhoff-St. Peter Ara Wilson League game at 8 p.m.

Fesenmaier began his playing career in 1953 with the New Ulm Millers as a high school junior, and as a 19-year old he played with the semi-pro Brewers. He returned to New Ulm in 1957 and hit safely in 20 of 25 games. In 1958, he hit safely in 23 0f 28 games and had nine multiple-hit games.

Wieland played from 1978-86 with the New Ulm Brewers. In 158 games he had a career batting average of .305, including 25 doubles. In 1982, he had 11 multiple-hit games and had five RBI in one game against Redwood Falls in 1982. He also hit safely in 16 of 17 games that year.

Wilner, one of four brothers to play amateur ball in New Ulm (Kevin and Eric have previously been inducted in the Hall of Fame), is one of the best center fielders ever in New Ulm. In a stretch of 111 games, he had 155 hits. Fifty-six of those hits were for extra bases. Playing from 1983-87, he had hitting streaks of 15 and 18 games and hit safely in 25 of 27 games in one stretch. He also had a .365 career batting average.

Oslund has been a member of the New Ulm Baseball Association since 1988 and one of its hardest workers. He has volunteered thousands of hours to not only amateur ball but to Post 132 Legion baseball. Oslund was co-chairman of the 1990 State Amateur Tournament. It is because of volunteers like Oslund that baseball is alive and well in New Ulm.

Column by Jim Bastian, Journal sports writer