In the history of the Kansas City Baseball League, the book of great rivalries between similar players playing the same position is long. It started with Podres vs Dean, continued with Bench vs Fisk, and was taken to a new level with Boggs vs McGraw.
Wednesday night another chapter will be added as two of the great ASB second basemen collide in inter-league play, Max Bishop of the Boggstown Boilers and Eddie Stanky of the Merrimack Owls. Owning a similar skill set, each hopes to prove that they are the best second baseman in the league.
“Honestly, we thought Eddie was a steal when we grabbed him in the third round,” Owls Manger Ryne Sandberg said. “I have always thought that he could be a premier player in this league if given the chance to be himself… Max has been fantastic for a long time, and we think Eddie has just as many tools.”
After several sub-par seasons, Stanky seems to be finally finding his potential under the tutelage of Sanderg through four games of the KCBL. Owning a blistering .720 on-base percentage and a through-the-roof .588 batting average, he is quickly making a name for himself on the list of premier table-setters in the league.
Bishop, who currently owns the league all-time record for most walks in a season (30) is not a new comer to attention.
“The Boilers have been great to me,” Bishop commented. “Being at the top of Cracker Jack McKeon’s lineup is amazing, they put a real emphasis on being patient at the plate and that’s what I do best.”
A staple at the top of the batting order and everyone’s draft list is something that Bishop has enjoyed for years and Stanky strives for.
“The top of our order is pretty Stanky,” Sandberg said with a grin after week one action. “And that’s alright with us.”
