Valdosta’s catalyst signs with North Florida
Standout shortstop as a Wildcat, Danbury could be moved to the outfield

Author: Christian Malone
Publication Date: May 2, 2006 The Valdosta Daily Times




VALDOSTA — All season long, Ryan Danbury has been the one who has gotten Valdosta’s offense started.

Danbury has played a major part in Valdosta’s surprising rise to the top of the Region 1-AAAAA standings and its 18-5 season. He’s hurt opponents with his bat, with his glove and especially with his speed.

Down the road in Madison, Fla., North Florida Community College head coach Steve Givens noticed. As a result, Danbury will be an NFCC Sentinel next season.

“I went there for a visit, and I liked the atmosphere. I got along great with Coach Givens and the players,” Danbury said. “They’re bringing in a good recruiting class. It’s not too far from home, so my family can come to all my games. My grandpa’s retiring, so he will be at all my games. And it’s a full ride to play baseball.”

Danbury has been a standout shortstop for Valdosta this year, but with his versatility, he could wind up at one of several positions at NFCC. Right now, North Florida visualizes him as an outfielder and a backup at shortstop.

But if the Sentinels put him in the leadoff spot, it would make sense.

Coaches like to have certain things out of their leadoff hitter. They want a guy who can get on base. They love it if the guy has speed (Danbury has been clocked at 4.38 seconds in the 40-yard dash and a 6.5 in the 60), and can steal bases and get in scoring position a lot. They want someone who helps the team score runs. Danbury has done all of that.

In the first game of the year, Valdosta head coach Bart Shuman put Danbury in the leadoff spot. He’s been there ever since.

“At the beginning of last summer, Coach Shuman said, ‘I want you to be my leadoff hitter, and I don’t ever want to take you out of that spot,” Danbury said.

Good teams have to have good defense out of their shortstops. Valdosta’s been a good team this year, and Danbury has been a good shortstop. The Wildcats’ infield has gotten a lot better defensively this year.

Danbury himself has gotten a lot better all around. A part-time starter last year as a junior, he wanted to play a bigger part for the Wildcats as a senior.

So he went to work. He hit ball after ball in Valdosta’s batting cages. He took ground ball after ground ball in the infield. He began working with a personal trainer, state powerlifting champion Billy Hamilton, and got stronger, faster and more agile.

“Coach Shuman always said I had what it took to be a good shortstop. I just had to work at it,” Danbury said. “In the off season, I was out here every day. Hitting, running, working.”

The results are obvious.

This season, Danbury is batting .349, has a .423 on-base percentage, and has scored 17 runs. He has also become a master on the basepaths, stealing 30 bases, which may be a team record.

“I get a rush every time I steal a base,” Danbury said. “You can change a game. When I get on base, I want to steal, and I want to score.”

“He has been playing here a long time, and he’s continued to work, and each year, he has improved his game, especially his hitting,” Shuman said. “He’s come into his own this year, and has really been a pleasant surprise.”

When All-Region shortstop Scott Shuman transferred to Tift County for football reasons, it could have created a major void for the Wildcats. Instead, Danbury took over at short, and is having an All-Region caliber season himself.

“He’s having a real good season,” Coach Shuman said.

Danbury also worked on his pitching, and has helped give Valdosta another dependable pitcher, going 2-0 with a 4.50 ERA in eight appearances.