New faces, same goal for Rum River Bandits

The Rum River Bandits feature a number of familiar faces year after year since the 2007 season when the team was formed.

Tom Koplitz was the manager; the everyday lineup often featured Kevin Auth, Mike Koplitz and Andy Julkowski; and typically Nate Knudsen or Shawn Motl were among those who took the mound.

This year? Much has changed.

John Gaub, who joined the team last season, now signs the lineup cards in 2024. Auth has played in three of the team’s first six games, and Mike Koplitz remains on the roster, but otherwise there has been a changing of the guard for the Bandits.

“I respect what Tom Koplitz did as manager, and what those veterans such as Kevin and Mike Koplitz and Knudsen did on the field,” Gaub said. “Kevin coming back was big: People look up to him because he’s been around the block.

“But a lot of those guys decided to hang up their spikes, so now most of our guys are 22 [years old] – or younger. I think we have to have one of the youngest teams in the state.”

As a result, Gaub said putting together a roster, and then figuring out an everyday lineup, has been a challenge.

“I think piecing together a roster will be a season-long chess match,” he said. “We’re trying to get looks at guys in multiple positions. And some of these guys are playing positions they aren’t familiar with.

“I’m treating this season as if it were spring training. I’m taking the opportunity to move guys around and see where they fit in. It would be great to win the Eastern Minny, but the goal is to make it to state.”

Among the centerpieces of the offense are centerfielder Ryan Garlick and brothers Jaxson and Colton Skoglund; Jaxson is the shortstop, while Colton sees action on the mound and in the outfield.

“Ryan Garlick may be the best all-around player in our league,” Gaub said. “He’s an on-field leader, and he leads with how hard he works. I hope he takes some of our younger players under his wing.

“But outside of Ryan and Jaxson, a lot of players are in positions they aren’t familiar with.”

Gaub said he also has been impressed with utility infielder Cody Randall, who reached base 12 times in his first 15 plate appearances thanks to seven walks and five hits.

“Cody Randall is a great team player,” Gaub said. “He may not be a guy who wows you with his ability, but he plays hard, and he always plays with a smile on his face.”

Rum River had four different starting pitchers in its first six games: Colton Block, Peyton Browen, Seth Plohasz and Duke Waxberg.

“There have been times when they have pitched well, and times where they have struggled to throw strikes,” Gaub said of his pitching staff. “If we can clean that up as the season goes along, I think we can do some damage in the region tournament.”

His other goal is to keep alive the feeling that Tom Koplitz helped establish.

“Obviously our goal is to make it to state, but ultimately we want to put a competitive team on the field,” Gaub said. “We want our guys to have a great time so that they want to come back year after year.”