2012 NPF Rookie of the Year, Kristyn Sandberg

There's a storm brewing in the NPF, her name is Kristyn Sandberg

     In every draft in any sport there are draft day stories of players being passed up by other teams and staking a redemption tour on the teams that passed them by. Well in the NPF it's really easy to be passed up on since there are only four teams. In Kristyn Sandberg's situation though she was passed up on her own team twice before being picked. The Pride have to be pretty happy they didn't pass on her a third time! Even as I sit here and await the announcement of Kristyn as the ROY, I wont how much more pop the hometown Racers would have in their lineup had they not choose Lexi Bennett with their first choice in this years draft. Altough hindsight is 20/20 a fan has to wonder if a team needing firepower had Sandberg and not a player who appeared in 11 games and hit 1 for 18. To Kristyn its all good, shes just trying to enjoy her season. "I'm feeling pretty good,  just trying to mesh well with my team." Sandberg said when asked how her rookie season is going, "Taking one day at a time, seeing how the league is, having a great time so far and really just enjoying myself with my teammates."
     Kristyn is also very grateful for the chance she has gotten in the NPF, being drafted to such a talented and intelligent team. She is playing with some of the best to ever play the game. On a daily basis she can watch and learn first hand from Mendoza, Watley, Lowe and others who are some of the best to ever swing a bat. When I asked Kristyn how her season has lived up to her expectations coming into the season she made sure to point out how fortunate she is. "I think it s been a great experience so far. I'm very fortunate to be on the team that I am with all the knowledge that they all bring to the game. Just coming here from day one, seeing how it is, learning and having a great time." It had to take some of the pressure off of Kristyn from day one knowing that the lineup was already loaded with production and her performance didn't directly affect a win or a loss.
     Sandberg had a good example to follow by, her Georgia teammate from '09-'11, Alisa Goler, won the award last year. The league is full of ex Georgia Bulldogs and it seems they get to play against each other every weekend, if not together. "It's a lot of fun to see them all the time. It's definitely a plus in playing because you know you still get to see them, still get to hangout and have a great time. We're all great players and we've trained really hard of the last four years we've been playing together, its exciting to see how well we can all do in the league." This kind of familiarity coupled with the great teammates she has put Kristyn in a pretty comfortable place every weekend at the plate, and it showed.

     Kristyn led the NPF in RBI's this year with 33 and added in 7 homers. She didn't waist any time getting started either, batting 12 for 18 (.556) with a homer and 7 RBI's in her first go around with the other three teams. Three of her home runs this year I had the opportunity to watch first hand in Akron and I jokingly asked her if she ever got tired of hitting the ball so far. "(laughing) Nooo, I don't get tired of it. But you certainly demand a lot out of yourself so when you don't get it all the time its gets frustrating." explains Kristyn, "You just gotta remember, its just a game, you go out there and have fun." Fortunately for her she didn't have too many of those moments where she wasn't getting it. Kristyn hit safely in 24 of the 36 games she played in and her average never went below .344 all season. She had 9 games with more than one hit. Her longest slump was only four games. Her best stretch of the season came in an 8 game stretch from July14 til July 26. In those 8 games Kristyn hit 11 for 12 with 4 homers, 13 RBI's, and 9 runs. Sprinkle in 10 walks and a league leading 18 bean balls over the course of the season and she seen the basepaths quite a bit.
     With all these individual accomplishments Kristyn still has the bigger picture in mind. She wants to win the title just as bad as any veteran on the team. As great as she is at the plate she also gives her team some versatility in the field, being able to play first base or catch, and obviously pinch hit at any time off the bench. When I asked Kristyn about the possibility of winning ROY and she kept it simple saying, "It would be pretty awesome." There's no mistaking her bigger goal being in line with the rest of the team, winning an NPF title, "I think we're feeling pretty confident, playing some of our better games now. Our pitching has really come along, playing defense pretty well, and you know just having fun every day were out here."

     Congrats from Hall of Fame Huddle on a great season Kristyn and all fans look forward to seeing you leave the ballpark for years to come!
     

@KSandberg23

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