Earl German brings his veteran status back to all of the Spirits squads for the 2023 campaign. German was a member of the 2017 NTABL Veterans (35+) League Champions, providing timely hits and runs batted in, as well as providing some additional pitching to both the Spirits (35+) and Spirits (40+) squads. As a former foe of the team, the club continues to reap the benefits of Earl’s solid pitching and intelligent play at the plate.
In past seasons, German was a veteran pitcher with the Dallas Rangers, a perennial power in the NTABL community and championship caliber team over several previous seasons of play. German didn’t miss a beat as the club benefited from his baseball tenure during its 2017 championship runs. German batted .381 during 2017 for the Masters (45+) squad, with 7 hits, a double, and 6 runs batted in. German finished 3-2 from the mound, displaying a 70% strike-to-ball ratio, finishing with a 2.55 ERA.
In 2018, German hit .355, adding 11 hits, 8 RBIs, and 10 runs scored. More importantly, German’s hits always come at key moments. German can be counted on for game-tying and game-winning hits and his timing always seems to provide the appropriate level of momentum needed during a game to help lead his team to victory. German finished at 3-1 with one save on the Spirits (45+) championship campaign, finishing second on the team with 441 pitches thrown and with 284 of them crossing the plate as strikes. He finished with a 4.85 ERA while striking out 20 opponents and finishing with a ball/strike ratio just under 60%. In 2019, German batted .310 for the Spirits (35+) squad, finishing with 9 hits and 6 RBIs. He pitched in 4 games, finishing with a 1-1 record while compiling a 2.33 ERA with 8 strikeouts. For the Spirits (40+), Earl hit .263 finishing with 5 hits including a double and 7 RBIs, while finishing 3-1 on the hill, compiling a 4.99 ERA with 13 strikeouts. During the team’s trip to the MSBL Las Vegas Kickoff Classic this season, Earl finished the tournament with a .400 average after drawing 5 walks and earning one RBI. German had limited play for the Spirits (35+) squad in 2020, finishing with a .143 batting average and played a larger role for the Spirits (40+) squad, hitting for .200 while finishing with a 2-1 pitching record that included a 5.91 ERA.
In 2021, German compiled a .226 average that didn’t accurately reflect some of the big hits that aided the Spirits (40+) squad in winning ball games. His 7 hits, 5 walks, and 4 RBIs were usually timely, assisting the team during difficult game scenarios, and assisting with helping the team get the W. On the mound, Earl finished 4-0 with a save, adding a team best 1.10 ERA in 26.33 innings pitched, throwing well over a two to one ratio in strikes to balls, while adding 10 strikeouts to his dossier. For the 2021 League Champion Spirits (45+) squad, Earl hit for .533 in 9 games. He finished 8 hits including a double, 9 runs scored, and 11 runs batted in. He also added 6 free passes to first. He added a bit of mop-up work from the mound as well, throwing just 51 pitches, allowing no runs, 2 hits, and adding 2 strikeouts.
In 2022, German earned the Spirits “Big Arm” award for both the Spirits (45+) and (50+) squads. Earl hit .333 for the (40+) squad, adding 8 hits, 6 walks, and 3 runs batted in. German hit .382 for the Spirits (45+), finishing with 13 hits, 6 walks, 10 runs scored, and 9 RBIs. He finished 5-1 on the mound, with 3 complete games and a save, ending the season with a 2.45 ERA and 13 strikeouts. For the Spirits (50+) squad, Earl was on fire with a .455 average, adding 10 hits that included 3 doubles. He finished 4-1 on the mound, ending with a 2.31 ERA and 21 strikeouts.
German’s ability to read hitters and place pitches is well-known throughout the league and the left-handed pitcher is well-known throughout all leagues. Capable of several positions on the field, you can also expect to see German serving defensively at first base or in the outfield. Outside his ability to pitch, German also brings a great bat to the offensive side of the game.
German can be relied upon for both his offensive and defensive skills , but also from his vast knowledge of the game and players throughout both leagues. German also spends time utilizing his MMA skills and he’s revered for his real world job being employed as a Firefighter in the Dallas area.
Nickname: “Earl”, “Big Earl”