THE FUNNEL REPORT 6/18/12 - The Kansas City Tornadoes have begun to play better ball.  After being 8-games under .500 through April and May, the Tornadoes have posted a 10-6 record in the first half of June.  And sure, the pitching has started to come around in support of the hitting.  But the time has come to recognize one of the quiet heroes of the 2012 Tornadoes---  left fielder Lawrence Fox.  Fox was the 14th round selection for the Tornadoes and came into the season as the projected leadoff hitter.  Scouting reports suggested that Fox had all the speed you would want in a leadoff hitter, but lacked the ability to hit for average and wasn't selective enough at the plate.  For these reasons, the leadoff role didn't appear to be a natural fit for Fox.  But as the season nears its midpoint, it is undeniable that no player in the ABL is wreaking more havoc on the basepaths than Lawrence Fox.  "He causes so much trouble for our opponents," said manager Damian Connor.  "That kind of speed and energy breathes so much energy into our team."  With 33 stolen bases thus far, Fox has nine more thefts than any player in the league.  In addition, his speed and baserunning instincts have resulted in many singles that are stretched into doubles, as well as doubles that are stretched into triples.  Fox is 2nd in the ABL with 26 doubles, and he continues to lead the league in triples with 10, which is almost twice what any other player in the league has.  Combine this with his 4 homers, and Fox has 40 extra base hits already, just one off the league lead.  Additionally, Fox is now batting an even .300 on the season, and is tied for the team lead with 24 walks.  There are several hitters that have made their mark this year for the Tornadoes, but Lawrence Fox has been as valuable as any player on the team and is certainly making early noise as a team MVP candidate.