A wise man (me) once said that a baseball team is only as good as the sum of the whole of its parts when put together. And an important part of any team is the performance of the freshman players. The thieves have been fortunate this year in gaining some excellent contributions from three unsung rookie performers: Jeremy Hinds, Aaron Crute, and Phil Longdin. All three have swiftly moved along the Thieves patented “fast-track” system to become vital cogs in the machine that is Thieves baseball. Blessed with natural athleticism and hand-eye coordination, they have managed to successfully transfer their skills in other disciplines (cricket, cricket and poker) to the demanding rigours of college hardball. Lets take a minute, break it down and have a look at the cold hard statistics.

Hinds, J. (3B)

AVG: .353 OBP .478 SLG .412 FPT .800 RGF: 3.13

Hinds is a promising third baseman with a good arm and an increasing knowledge of the game, The rookie has shown excellent eye  and contact skills at the plate, where his natural cricketers' tendency to hit the ball on the ground has led to plenty of balls put in play, and an increase in fitness levels as the season progresses will see an increase in doubles, raising that SLG yet further still. His discipline at the plate makes him an ideal man for the two-hole, and a demonstration of an ability to turn on the inside pitch will see him as a danger man for opposition pitchers for years to come. His strong arm also makes him a potential candidate for a spot in the rotation next year, provided he keeps his arm in good shape over the summer break.

Crute, A. (SS) AVG: .471 OBP .630 SLG .706 FPT .900 RGF: 4.76 Versatility is the key to Aaron Crute's game – a natural shortstop, he also has the unerring ability to fill in at second base and center field when needed. Despite reaching March with a zero batting average, Crute quickly dispelled any myths about a lack of power at the plate, showing good hands and an ability to hit the ball hard, leading to his maiden homer for the club against Herts Falcons. His speed on the basepaths, combined with his increasing power potential, means he could happily slot in to any spot of the lineup. Despite recent arm troubles, Crute remains a leading candidate for a fall pitching spot, as long as he strengthens his arm through the summer.

Longdin, P. (CF) AVG: .545 OBP .706 SLG .727 FPT .830 RGF: 1.67 A latecomer to baseball, Longdin has put up the gaudiest numbers of any rookie player. Despite his relatively small stature at the plate, he retains an ability to hit the ball hard, and his speed and hustle around the basepaths have turned many a single into a double.  Blessed with such horizontal velocity, and combined with a remarkable OBP, Longdin is the ideal leadoff man. He has been hitting in the 9 hole so far, but surely a promotion can't be too far away? He has also filled a vital hole in the center of the outfield, and continues to work on, and improve, his fly ball technique.