Coach Hastings, Coach Lakey, Coach Overstreet and Coach Walk are all smiles after both GSL teams swept their Jamboree doubleheaders. (courtesy of Becca Howell)
Monday, June 8, 2009
Coaches Celebrate Sweep
Coach Hastings, Coach Lakey, Coach Overstreet and Coach Walk are all smiles after both GSL teams swept their Jamboree doubleheaders. (courtesy of Becca Howell)
The Ringers
Since the James Gang was playing short-handed due to vacation schedules, a couple of Hubermen helped us fill out the lineup -- including J.D. and Avery, seen here with Coach Huber. (courtesy of Becca Howell)
Coach Celebrates Birthday
The Saints surprised coach with a birthday party in between Jamboree games. (courtesy of Becca Howell)
Game Ball
The Saints present the coach with a game ball signed by all the studs! (courtesy of Becca Howell)
Batting Champ
Owen is all smiles after going 5 for 5 with two home runs in the Jamboree twin bill. (courtesy of Becca Howell)
Taking a Breather
Some of the Saints take a break in between Jamboree games. (courtesy of Becca Howell)
Saturday, June 6, 2009
How Sweep It Is
The Saints wrapped up the 2009 season in grand fashion by sweeping a doubleheader Saturday afternoon with a 10-1 romp over Grace Evangelical and a 7-3 grinder against Holy Communion.
The stud among studs for the day was Owen, who went 5 for 5 with two home runs and six RBI in the split twin bill played at Holy Communion.
The noon game was no contest as Grace Evangelical struggled to put metal on the ball, striking out eight times in the three-inning game. The Dragons only managed to put five balls in play.
The Anchormen had no such trouble. Nino got things started with a bleeder to second, and the Reds jumped out to an early lead when Owen stroked his first dinger of the season to straight-away center. Whit grounded out to the shortstop on a bang-bang play, and T-Dog legged out anubber to the pitcher. After Brian popped up to the mound, Berent brought his three-at bat hit streak to the dish and smashed a RBI double to right. Eubank whiffed to end the inning.
The Dragons whiffed their way out of the first.
Khalid fanned to start the Saints' half of the second and Avery -- on loan from the Hubermen -- beat out a grounder to short for an infield knock. Nino nubbed another one to second that he beat out while the second baseman tried unsuccessfully to tag the speedy Avery. Owen hit a shot to third base that resulted in an overthrow at first, scoring Avery, moving Nino to third and allowing Owen to stroll to second. Whit scooted one by the first baseman for a RBI single. Walk whiffed and Brian stroked a single to center, scoring Owen. Berent extended his hit streak by legging out a slow roller to the pitcher. Eubank popped up to the pitcher for the final out.
The Dragons threatened to get something started when their first two lumbermen got base knocks, but the next three batters fanned.
Khalid led off the top of the third with a K and J.D. -- another loaner who replaced Avery in the lineup -- pounded a double to left. Nino scorched one to short and beat it out for his third infield hit of the day. Owen stroked another one to third, and then took second on an error by the first baseman. Whit dumped a RBI single into center and after Walk whiffed, Brian hit his second consecutive RBI single to center. Berent kept the rally going with his sixth consecutive hit, scoring Whit. Eubank whiffed to end the inning.
With the score 10-zip, the Dragons had been slain. But they took their final at-bat and bravely started a rally. They started the inning with yet another K, but the No 2 hitter swatted a double to left, stunning the Anchormen momentarily. Brian botched a grounder at second, but he hung tight and atoned for the sin on the very next batter with a strong 4-3 putout, which scored Grace Evangelical's only run. The game ended, appropriately, with a strikeout.
Saints win! Saints win! Saints win!
With the next game an hour away, the Saints surprised the coach with a birthday cake, an autographed baseball and a fungo bat. After stuffing their faces with cake and ice cream, the studs christened the fungo with a very productive practice before the back-end of the doubleheader.
The final game of the season pitted the Saints against the Holy Communion team that they had beat 8-0 in the second game of the season.
The game started ominously when Holy Communion's first batter put the ball in play and Nino booted it at second. T-Dog pounced on a roller to the mound for a 1-3 putout that moved the runner to second. Another roller to second was bobbled and the runner took home aggressively while the batter remained at first. The next batter smoked one to Whit at shortstop and he raced the runner to second, making the putout despite a textbook take-out slide by the Holy Communion speedster. After a hard shot to third put runners on first and second with two outs, Whit scooped up a grounder and fired to first for the third out.
But the Anchormen had been put on notice: Holy Communion was going to hit and run aggressively and play a hard-nosed brand of baseball.
As usual, Nino got things started with a shot to third that he legged out for his fourth infield hit of the day. Owen, who was really on top of his game, erased the 1-0 deficit with a two-run dinger to center, his second of the day. Whit followed that with a stroke to center. Walk K'd but Brian dumped another one in center. And Berent extended his at-bat streak to seven with a RBI single to center. The rally ended with Ks by Eubank and Khalid.
Holy Communion led off the top of the second with a K, but their No. 8 hitter slugged one to center that scooted by the defending Angel in the outfield for a home run, making the score a very uncomfortable 3-2. But two Ks sandwiching an infield single ended the inning.
With a 3-2 lead, the Anchormen realized they were in for a dog fight. And when Jack -- the third loaner from the Hubermen -- was robbed on a liner to second, the fun and games came to an abrupt halt on the Saints' bench. Nino went to work with a single to center and Owen tapped one to second that he legged out for a base knock. With runners on first and second and a frightening one-run lead, Whit relieved his teammates, coaches and fans with a bases-clearing three-bagger to center. Walk ended his mini-slump by legging out a roller to the mound, scoring Whit. Brian imitated Walk with another tapper to the mound.Berent ended his seven-at bat hit streak with a whiff, but Eubank picked him up with a slow roller to second that scored Walk. Khalid's struggles continued with a K.
The 7-2 lead was better than 3-2 but was not secure by any means. A six-run mercy rule inning by the hot-hitting Holy Communion batsmen could end the Anchormen's season on the sourest of notes. And when the leadoff batter smoked a double to center, followed by a infield hit to second and a line drive single to left by the third hitter of the inning, it was suddenly nail-biting time again. But a K, a 1-3 putout and another K ended the game.
Saints win! Saints win! Saints win!
Thus, the Saints finished a splendid season at 8-1. A season nobody wanted to see come to an end. It was a scrappy team that always played hard, continued improving throughout the season and displayed the best of sportsmanship in the face of some lopsided victories. The one loss of the season was arguably the best game the studs played because they showed a never-say-die attitude that fans on both sides of the diamond were forced to notice and admire.
A tip of the hat and a wink of the eye to these boys of summer. Great things will surely follow them in seasons to come.
Go Saints!
The stud among studs for the day was Owen, who went 5 for 5 with two home runs and six RBI in the split twin bill played at Holy Communion.
The noon game was no contest as Grace Evangelical struggled to put metal on the ball, striking out eight times in the three-inning game. The Dragons only managed to put five balls in play.
The Anchormen had no such trouble. Nino got things started with a bleeder to second, and the Reds jumped out to an early lead when Owen stroked his first dinger of the season to straight-away center. Whit grounded out to the shortstop on a bang-bang play, and T-Dog legged out anubber to the pitcher. After Brian popped up to the mound, Berent brought his three-at bat hit streak to the dish and smashed a RBI double to right. Eubank whiffed to end the inning.
The Dragons whiffed their way out of the first.
Khalid fanned to start the Saints' half of the second and Avery -- on loan from the Hubermen -- beat out a grounder to short for an infield knock. Nino nubbed another one to second that he beat out while the second baseman tried unsuccessfully to tag the speedy Avery. Owen hit a shot to third base that resulted in an overthrow at first, scoring Avery, moving Nino to third and allowing Owen to stroll to second. Whit scooted one by the first baseman for a RBI single. Walk whiffed and Brian stroked a single to center, scoring Owen. Berent extended his hit streak by legging out a slow roller to the pitcher. Eubank popped up to the pitcher for the final out.
The Dragons threatened to get something started when their first two lumbermen got base knocks, but the next three batters fanned.
Khalid led off the top of the third with a K and J.D. -- another loaner who replaced Avery in the lineup -- pounded a double to left. Nino scorched one to short and beat it out for his third infield hit of the day. Owen stroked another one to third, and then took second on an error by the first baseman. Whit dumped a RBI single into center and after Walk whiffed, Brian hit his second consecutive RBI single to center. Berent kept the rally going with his sixth consecutive hit, scoring Whit. Eubank whiffed to end the inning.
With the score 10-zip, the Dragons had been slain. But they took their final at-bat and bravely started a rally. They started the inning with yet another K, but the No 2 hitter swatted a double to left, stunning the Anchormen momentarily. Brian botched a grounder at second, but he hung tight and atoned for the sin on the very next batter with a strong 4-3 putout, which scored Grace Evangelical's only run. The game ended, appropriately, with a strikeout.
Saints win! Saints win! Saints win!
With the next game an hour away, the Saints surprised the coach with a birthday cake, an autographed baseball and a fungo bat. After stuffing their faces with cake and ice cream, the studs christened the fungo with a very productive practice before the back-end of the doubleheader.
The final game of the season pitted the Saints against the Holy Communion team that they had beat 8-0 in the second game of the season.
The game started ominously when Holy Communion's first batter put the ball in play and Nino booted it at second. T-Dog pounced on a roller to the mound for a 1-3 putout that moved the runner to second. Another roller to second was bobbled and the runner took home aggressively while the batter remained at first. The next batter smoked one to Whit at shortstop and he raced the runner to second, making the putout despite a textbook take-out slide by the Holy Communion speedster. After a hard shot to third put runners on first and second with two outs, Whit scooped up a grounder and fired to first for the third out.
But the Anchormen had been put on notice: Holy Communion was going to hit and run aggressively and play a hard-nosed brand of baseball.
As usual, Nino got things started with a shot to third that he legged out for his fourth infield hit of the day. Owen, who was really on top of his game, erased the 1-0 deficit with a two-run dinger to center, his second of the day. Whit followed that with a stroke to center. Walk K'd but Brian dumped another one in center. And Berent extended his at-bat streak to seven with a RBI single to center. The rally ended with Ks by Eubank and Khalid.
Holy Communion led off the top of the second with a K, but their No. 8 hitter slugged one to center that scooted by the defending Angel in the outfield for a home run, making the score a very uncomfortable 3-2. But two Ks sandwiching an infield single ended the inning.
With a 3-2 lead, the Anchormen realized they were in for a dog fight. And when Jack -- the third loaner from the Hubermen -- was robbed on a liner to second, the fun and games came to an abrupt halt on the Saints' bench. Nino went to work with a single to center and Owen tapped one to second that he legged out for a base knock. With runners on first and second and a frightening one-run lead, Whit relieved his teammates, coaches and fans with a bases-clearing three-bagger to center. Walk ended his mini-slump by legging out a roller to the mound, scoring Whit. Brian imitated Walk with another tapper to the mound.Berent ended his seven-at bat hit streak with a whiff, but Eubank picked him up with a slow roller to second that scored Walk. Khalid's struggles continued with a K.
The 7-2 lead was better than 3-2 but was not secure by any means. A six-run mercy rule inning by the hot-hitting Holy Communion batsmen could end the Anchormen's season on the sourest of notes. And when the leadoff batter smoked a double to center, followed by a infield hit to second and a line drive single to left by the third hitter of the inning, it was suddenly nail-biting time again. But a K, a 1-3 putout and another K ended the game.
Saints win! Saints win! Saints win!
Thus, the Saints finished a splendid season at 8-1. A season nobody wanted to see come to an end. It was a scrappy team that always played hard, continued improving throughout the season and displayed the best of sportsmanship in the face of some lopsided victories. The one loss of the season was arguably the best game the studs played because they showed a never-say-die attitude that fans on both sides of the diamond were forced to notice and admire.
A tip of the hat and a wink of the eye to these boys of summer. Great things will surely follow them in seasons to come.
Go Saints!
Tuesday, June 2, 2009
A Crooked Number in the W Column
The Saints improved to 6-1 with an 18-12 win over Holy Communion -- the same team that dealt the Anchormen their lone defeat of the season. (courtesy of Jennifer Balink)
Uh oh. Loose Ball!
Three infielders struggling for the egg never leads to anything good -- and it didn't here in the fourth inning. (courtesy of Jennifer Balink)
Whit Digs Out Dinger
Whit rounds third on his two-run bomb in the second. (courtesy of Jennifer Balink)
Eubank Brakes!
After slamming a double to left, Eubank skids to a stop. (courtesy of Jennifer Balink)
Berent Rides Hot Streak
Berent bumps his average up to .625 with a 3 for 3 game with 2 runs, a double and a ribbie. (courtesy of Jennifer Balink)
Grand Salami
Zach jacks the Anchormen's first slammie of the season while his teammates rush to congratulate him on achieving every ballplayer's dream: a home run with the bases juiced! (courtesy of Jennifer Balink)
Grand Salami Routs Holy Communion
Hot, tired and generally lethargic, the Saints arrived at Holy Communion Tuesday afternoon only to be confronted by those early season purveyors of anguish: the Coach Cox-led Holy Communion team that inflicted the 11-10 Heartbreaker at Snowden Field back in early May.
Resolved to the avenge their lone defeat of the season -- the one blemish standing between them and a perfect regular season record -- the Anchormen did what they have done all season: wielded the lumber with malicious intent.
Nino the Firestarter did what he always does: got the rally started out of the gates with a seeing-eye grounder past the pitcher. Owen followed with an infield knock to short. With the bases getting cluttered, Whit scooted one past short for the inning's third consecutive single. With Sonny menacingly pounding the plate with his Thunderstick, clearly intent on mauling whatever pitched ball tried to sneak by him, everybody in the park was paying attention.
But Sonny just missed his pitch and legged out an RBI-single to short. As Sonny took his place at first, the Holy Communion bench sighed in relief, fully aware that that transaction could have proven far more costly than it did.
Then Zach strode to the plate, straddled the batter's box and went salami -- the Anchormen's first grand slam of the season. It was a no-doubter on contact: he slapped a hard liner down the first base line and well past the right fielder. Owen could walk home, and Whit only needed a light jog. But Sonny had to hoof it hard to stay ahead of Zach, whose long-legged strides had him rounding third before the right fielder had run down the ball.
T-Dog whiffed on some beautiful cuts, but Brian cranked a hard one to short for an infield hit. Berent drove home the mercy rule-inducing sixth run of the inning with a smoking double to left.
In a rosin bag, that is the story of the James Gang's year at the plate: the sluggers have mashed 131 hits in 199 at-bats for a .658 average while outscoring their opponents 90-39 -- a per-game run differential of 13-6. So while their lumber has been an awe-inspiring weapon, their leather has not been too shabby as they have held their opponents to 51 fewer runs than they've scored.
But when Holy Communion came to the plate in the first inning, the Saints were flashing back to May 14 when the Cox Nine whiffed a mere two times while methodically adding crooked numbers to the scoreboard on a barrage of singles and GSL fielding errors. The Anchormen were determined not to let that happen again.
Nino fielded a hot shot at second but had to put it in his pocket. After an untimely K by the No. 2 hitter, the No. 3 hitter stroked a ball that scooted by T-Dog in center for an RBI-double. After a shot to right skipped past Khalid for an RBI-single, the Saints recorded another Whit-to-Owen, pitcher-to-first putout. Then Owen scooped up a slow roller for the third out of the inning.
While pleased with only allowing two runs, the Saints' halos were chapped by two errors that led to two runs. It is a law of baseball physics: errors lead to runs.
With the bottom of the lineup at the dish in the top of the second, Eubank got another rally started with a shot to left that put him on the keystone thanks to some good hustle. Nino got a rare RBI from the one-hole with a double to right that scored Eubank. Owen hit another shot to left, scoring Nino on a single. And then Whit stepped up and launched a beautifully-arched, two-run rainmaker, his second dinger of the year.
After scorching one just foul of third base, Sonny poked one to right for a single -- a beautiful job of hitting. With two strikes, he shortened his swing and took it the other way. Zach experienced the humbling nature of this game when he whiffed unceremoniously just an inning after hitting the jackpot amid hoots and hollers. And don't talk to T-Dog about humbling -- despite some textbook cuts at the ball, he whiffed for the second consecutive time for the third out of the inning.
At 10-2 heading into the home half of the second, it was perfectly clear what the Saints had to do: catch the ball, throw the ball. But they weren't given the opportunity as the Holy Communion team that only whiffed twice during the entire four innings on May 14, whiffed three times in the first eight batters. Whit snagged a soft grounder for the third out, and the Saints notched a shut-out inning -- every bit as important as its polar opposite, the six-run mercy rule inning.
Finally being able to breathe easy with a 10-2 third inning lead, the Saints immediately began staging another offensive rally with singles by Brian, Berent and Khalid sandwiching a whiff by Eubank. Nino recorded a productive ground-out to first by driving in Eubank -- for another rare RBI from the No. 1 slot. Owen tapped one past the pitcher that scored a hustling Berent. But Whit suffered a painful 7-pitch whiff.
A 12-2 lead in the bottom of the third spawned a false sense of security among the sunflower seed-obsessed Anchormen. When the baseball gods peer down on one of their magnificent diamonds (or even one of their not-so-magnificent diamonds), they are quick to notice any disrespect of the game. And hell hath no fury like a baseball god disrespected.
The Saints took the field in the third frame under an ominous sign -- the coach inadvertently fielded the fourth-inning defensive unit instead of the third-inning squad, on oversight that disrupted the team's karma. Five fielding errors and six runs later, the stunned Saints were huddled dazed and confused on the first base line as the coach pleaded for the Anchormen to focus on catching the ball and throwing the ball.
12-8 was clearly unacceptably close, and the baseball gods -- apparently satisfied with the mercy-rule spanking handed to the chastised Saints -- blessed the Good Guys with Sonny Thunderstick leading off the inning. When Sonny steps to the plate and pounds the dish with that threatening grimace , mothers in the stands twitch with a protective urge to fetch their sons from any potential path No. 52 may choose to send his rocket launches.
Having sprayed the ball all over the field thus far, Sonny locked in left field for his fourth-inning scorcher. When the smoke cleared and Holy Communion still had 10 relatively unharmed boys in the field, mothers exhaled in relief.
While Sonny carries a big stick, he also tends to clog the bases -- but Zach had an answer for that in the first with his slammie. Now, in the fourth, he looked to ease Sonny's path home again, this time by belting a triple to right field.
T-Dog took the dreaded hat trick with his third whiff of the game, and his evident disgust was in danger of spreading along the bench. But Brian picked up his teammate with a timely, beautiful stroke to center to score Zach. At 14-8 the Saints were butter -- they were on a roll. Both Berent and Eubank legged out bleeders to second with Eubank scoring Brian. Khalid whiffed and Nino continued making the case that RBI from the one hole are not that rare after all with a two-run triple to left. Owen triggered the mercy rule with an RBI-single to center.
At 18-8 in the home half of the final inning, Holy Communion was batting for pride because there would be no winner, winner, chicken dinner for them on this night. And with no way to lose the game, the Saints lollygagged the final frame by giving up four runs on five hits and an error. It appeared that the only thing that would stop the Holy Communion bats was the mercy rule, but they stopped themselves with two more Ks to end the game.
It started with a bang, was full of moments of brilliance and was marred by its share of blemishes, but it was a game in which each of the 10 Saints battled heat and exhaustion, man upped for four innings against a scrappy baseball team and reached deep for that little extra something to finish the regular season on a high note en route to a 6-1 record.
Saints win! Saints win! Saints win!
Game Leaders:
Owen: 4/4, 4 runs, 3 RBI, 2 putouts, assist
Sonny: 3/3, 2 runs, RBI
Brian: 3/3, 3 runs, RBI
Berent: 3/3, 2 runs, double, RBI
Nino: 3/4, 3 runs, double, triple, 4 RBI, assist
Zach: 2/3, grand slam, triple, 5 RBI, 2 runs, putout
Whit: 2/3, 2 runs, 2-run homer run, 2 RBI, 2 putouts, assist
Resolved to the avenge their lone defeat of the season -- the one blemish standing between them and a perfect regular season record -- the Anchormen did what they have done all season: wielded the lumber with malicious intent.
Nino the Firestarter did what he always does: got the rally started out of the gates with a seeing-eye grounder past the pitcher. Owen followed with an infield knock to short. With the bases getting cluttered, Whit scooted one past short for the inning's third consecutive single. With Sonny menacingly pounding the plate with his Thunderstick, clearly intent on mauling whatever pitched ball tried to sneak by him, everybody in the park was paying attention.
But Sonny just missed his pitch and legged out an RBI-single to short. As Sonny took his place at first, the Holy Communion bench sighed in relief, fully aware that that transaction could have proven far more costly than it did.
Then Zach strode to the plate, straddled the batter's box and went salami -- the Anchormen's first grand slam of the season. It was a no-doubter on contact: he slapped a hard liner down the first base line and well past the right fielder. Owen could walk home, and Whit only needed a light jog. But Sonny had to hoof it hard to stay ahead of Zach, whose long-legged strides had him rounding third before the right fielder had run down the ball.
T-Dog whiffed on some beautiful cuts, but Brian cranked a hard one to short for an infield hit. Berent drove home the mercy rule-inducing sixth run of the inning with a smoking double to left.
In a rosin bag, that is the story of the James Gang's year at the plate: the sluggers have mashed 131 hits in 199 at-bats for a .658 average while outscoring their opponents 90-39 -- a per-game run differential of 13-6. So while their lumber has been an awe-inspiring weapon, their leather has not been too shabby as they have held their opponents to 51 fewer runs than they've scored.
But when Holy Communion came to the plate in the first inning, the Saints were flashing back to May 14 when the Cox Nine whiffed a mere two times while methodically adding crooked numbers to the scoreboard on a barrage of singles and GSL fielding errors. The Anchormen were determined not to let that happen again.
Nino fielded a hot shot at second but had to put it in his pocket. After an untimely K by the No. 2 hitter, the No. 3 hitter stroked a ball that scooted by T-Dog in center for an RBI-double. After a shot to right skipped past Khalid for an RBI-single, the Saints recorded another Whit-to-Owen, pitcher-to-first putout. Then Owen scooped up a slow roller for the third out of the inning.
While pleased with only allowing two runs, the Saints' halos were chapped by two errors that led to two runs. It is a law of baseball physics: errors lead to runs.
With the bottom of the lineup at the dish in the top of the second, Eubank got another rally started with a shot to left that put him on the keystone thanks to some good hustle. Nino got a rare RBI from the one-hole with a double to right that scored Eubank. Owen hit another shot to left, scoring Nino on a single. And then Whit stepped up and launched a beautifully-arched, two-run rainmaker, his second dinger of the year.
After scorching one just foul of third base, Sonny poked one to right for a single -- a beautiful job of hitting. With two strikes, he shortened his swing and took it the other way. Zach experienced the humbling nature of this game when he whiffed unceremoniously just an inning after hitting the jackpot amid hoots and hollers. And don't talk to T-Dog about humbling -- despite some textbook cuts at the ball, he whiffed for the second consecutive time for the third out of the inning.
At 10-2 heading into the home half of the second, it was perfectly clear what the Saints had to do: catch the ball, throw the ball. But they weren't given the opportunity as the Holy Communion team that only whiffed twice during the entire four innings on May 14, whiffed three times in the first eight batters. Whit snagged a soft grounder for the third out, and the Saints notched a shut-out inning -- every bit as important as its polar opposite, the six-run mercy rule inning.
Finally being able to breathe easy with a 10-2 third inning lead, the Saints immediately began staging another offensive rally with singles by Brian, Berent and Khalid sandwiching a whiff by Eubank. Nino recorded a productive ground-out to first by driving in Eubank -- for another rare RBI from the No. 1 slot. Owen tapped one past the pitcher that scored a hustling Berent. But Whit suffered a painful 7-pitch whiff.
A 12-2 lead in the bottom of the third spawned a false sense of security among the sunflower seed-obsessed Anchormen. When the baseball gods peer down on one of their magnificent diamonds (or even one of their not-so-magnificent diamonds), they are quick to notice any disrespect of the game. And hell hath no fury like a baseball god disrespected.
The Saints took the field in the third frame under an ominous sign -- the coach inadvertently fielded the fourth-inning defensive unit instead of the third-inning squad, on oversight that disrupted the team's karma. Five fielding errors and six runs later, the stunned Saints were huddled dazed and confused on the first base line as the coach pleaded for the Anchormen to focus on catching the ball and throwing the ball.
12-8 was clearly unacceptably close, and the baseball gods -- apparently satisfied with the mercy-rule spanking handed to the chastised Saints -- blessed the Good Guys with Sonny Thunderstick leading off the inning. When Sonny steps to the plate and pounds the dish with that threatening grimace , mothers in the stands twitch with a protective urge to fetch their sons from any potential path No. 52 may choose to send his rocket launches.
Having sprayed the ball all over the field thus far, Sonny locked in left field for his fourth-inning scorcher. When the smoke cleared and Holy Communion still had 10 relatively unharmed boys in the field, mothers exhaled in relief.
While Sonny carries a big stick, he also tends to clog the bases -- but Zach had an answer for that in the first with his slammie. Now, in the fourth, he looked to ease Sonny's path home again, this time by belting a triple to right field.
T-Dog took the dreaded hat trick with his third whiff of the game, and his evident disgust was in danger of spreading along the bench. But Brian picked up his teammate with a timely, beautiful stroke to center to score Zach. At 14-8 the Saints were butter -- they were on a roll. Both Berent and Eubank legged out bleeders to second with Eubank scoring Brian. Khalid whiffed and Nino continued making the case that RBI from the one hole are not that rare after all with a two-run triple to left. Owen triggered the mercy rule with an RBI-single to center.
At 18-8 in the home half of the final inning, Holy Communion was batting for pride because there would be no winner, winner, chicken dinner for them on this night. And with no way to lose the game, the Saints lollygagged the final frame by giving up four runs on five hits and an error. It appeared that the only thing that would stop the Holy Communion bats was the mercy rule, but they stopped themselves with two more Ks to end the game.
It started with a bang, was full of moments of brilliance and was marred by its share of blemishes, but it was a game in which each of the 10 Saints battled heat and exhaustion, man upped for four innings against a scrappy baseball team and reached deep for that little extra something to finish the regular season on a high note en route to a 6-1 record.
Saints win! Saints win! Saints win!
Game Leaders:
Owen: 4/4, 4 runs, 3 RBI, 2 putouts, assist
Sonny: 3/3, 2 runs, RBI
Brian: 3/3, 3 runs, RBI
Berent: 3/3, 2 runs, double, RBI
Nino: 3/4, 3 runs, double, triple, 4 RBI, assist
Zach: 2/3, grand slam, triple, 5 RBI, 2 runs, putout
Whit: 2/3, 2 runs, 2-run homer run, 2 RBI, 2 putouts, assist
Friday, May 29, 2009
Man of the Hour
A very happy Khalid relaxes with a snack after his big game Thursday. He went 2 for 3 with a run and a ribbie. (courtesy Becca and Lang Howell)
Thursday, May 28, 2009
Another W for the Saints!
The Saints take their record to 5-1 with a 16-10 romp at First Evangelical. (courtesy of Jennifer Balink)
Textbook Relay
Leftfielder Sonny fields a grounder and throws a strike to second sacker Brian, who was alertly covering the bag for a perfect relay. Awesome play, fellas!
Patrolling the Daisies
Shortstop Zach retreats as leftfielder Wendell makes a play on a ball in the second inning. (courtesy of Jennifer Balink)
The Slugger
Sonny extended his hit streak to 12 consecutive at-bats before grounding out to the pitcher in his final trip to the dish Thursday. His streak had him hitting clean-up and he made good: 2 for 3 with two doubles, three RBI and two runs scored. (courtesy of Jennifer Balink)
A Three-fer
Berent gets love from Coach Morad as he notches one of his three hits Thursday. Berent was perfect on the evening, going 3 for 3 with two ribeyes. (courtesy of Jennifer Balink)
Coaching, Counseling and Cajoling
Coach explains some of the nuances of the coach-player relationship to Owen, who had a stellar day going 3 for 4 with a two singles, a double, three runs scored, two putouts and three assists. (courtesy of Jennifer Balink)
Another Dinger for Nino
Nino celebrates his team-leading third home run of the season. (courtesy of Aubrey Overstreet and Jennifer Balink)
Khalid Slays Slump!
Khalid scorched one to center for his first knock of the season, putting a horrendous 0 for 10 slump out of its misery. Khalid went on to go 2 for 3 with a run scored and an RBI. (courtesy of Aubrey Overstreet and Jennifer Balink)
Missed Tag
Nino fielded a ball cleanly at second with two outs and went for the runner instead of getting the easy out at first. Missed him by that much, as Maxwell Smart would say. (courtesy of Aubrey Overstreet)
Whit To Owen Putout
Whit at pitcher and Owen at 1B is turning into a deadly 1-3 combination. (courtesy of Aubrey Overstreet)
Eubank: Down But Not Out
The Saints wanted to win No. 5 for Eubank, who took a nasty tumble in the kitchen just before the game and needed a few stitches. (courtesy of Jennifer Balink)
You Did What?
Eubank explains why needed to be rushed to the ER for stitches to his coconut. (courtesy Aubrey Overstreet)
This One Was For Eubank!
With news of their fallen comrade circulating the bench, the Anchormen (4-1) went to work at First Evangelical Thursday night wanting to win No. 5 for Eubank.
Money took a nasty spill in the kitchen just prior to the game and had to be rushed to the hospital for a few stitches in his melon. After a "One, two, three - Eubank!" cheer, the Saints grabbed their lumber and proceeded to bang out 23 hits in 32 at bats, plating 16 runs while allowing 10 and stretching their win streak to three games.
And while Eubank is proving to be a hound for headlines, this day belongs to Khalid Morad, who soundly slayed his slump by going 2 for 3 with a run scored and a ribbie, polishing off his fine performance at the dish with a critical stop in centerfield that held the damage to two runs scored in the bottom of the fourth when First Evangelical had unleashed their rally monkeys in a valiant effort to narrow the deficit.
With Eubank on their minds, the Saints led off the game with an absolute barrage of batted balls, spraying the outfield and infield with shots that eventually activated the 6-run mercy rule and sent the shell-shocked First Evangelical defenders to their bench wondering if it was still Thursday, May 28, 2009.
Nino led off with one of his signature clotheslines to center, Owen scorched one to short that was way too hot to handle cleanly and Whit cleaned the bases with a two-strike, two-RBI double to left. Sonny, whose red-hot stick has him moved into the cleanup spot, stayed hot by launching a two-sacker to left that scored Whit easily. Zach topped one to the mound, but legged out a base hit and caused the pitcher to make an errant throw, allowing Sonny to score and Zach to trot to second.
Wendell dug out a grounder to third, moving Zach to the hot corner. Then, after staying alive with a couple of fouls, Harris whiffed for the first out. But Brian was there to pick up his teammate with a beautiful stroke to center for an RBI single. With Wendell on second and Brian on first, Berent made amends for his 0fer against the Hubermen with a RBI-single to center. That scored the 6th run of the inning and when the Saints grabbed their gloves and hats to defend the diamond, Eubanks was there showing off some stitch work that would make the skilled baseball stitchers in Costa Rica envious.
First Evangelical's lead-off hitter tapped a grounder to the mound, resulting in the seemingly unstoppable Whit-to-Owen 1-3 putout combination. The No. 2 hitter rolled a softy to second - but Nino booted it, lost it and put it in his pocket for an E4. The No. 3 hitter rolled another grounder to Whit, who fired to Owen at first for the second out and it looked like it was time to polish the lumber for another bombardment. But First Evangelical smoked a ball to center and then legged out a bleeder to the mound that Whit and Owen just missed combining for the putout. After another scorcher to Brian in center, Nino snagged a pop-up for the final out. Two runs scored, but the Saints defense stranded First Evangelical's runners at second and third.
Khalid led off the second by ending a 0 for 10 dry spell, hitting a dart to center that brought cheers to the bench and stands alike. After a pop-up to the mound by Nino, Owen stroked another single to center. With runners on first and second, Whit pounded a single to left, juicing the bases. Sonny -- riding an 11-at-bat hit streak -- stepped up and smashed one to center for a two-RBI double. Sonny is so hot with the stick that if this game was kid pitch, he would be drawing intentional walks.
Zach kept the rally going with a two-run single to left. Wendell moved him over to the keystone on a soft grounder to second. And Harris atoned for his 1st inning K with a RBI-single to left. Brian whiffed and Berent smoked another to left, scoring Wendell for the 6th run of the inning.
After a couple of miscues in the first, the Saints tightened their D in the second and put First Evangelical down in order with two grounders to second that resulted in Owen-to-Whit putouts with a whiff in the middle.
Up 12-2 after two innings, the Anchormen were in no mood to toy with the opponent and instead went for the jugular by continuing their offensive assault unabated. Khalid took a tough K to the bench and Nino immediately lifted everybody's spirits by ordering a Jack, straight up, to right. Before First Evangelical could recover from the homer, Owen smashed a double to left. Inspired by the slug fest, Whit ripped an opposite-field triple to right that put him a dinger away from a cycle.
With a HR, double and a triple already in the scorebook, the Saints needed a single to complete the team cycle in the inning. And this beautiful game saw fit to bring Sonny and his 12-at-bat hit streak to the dish. Alas, Sonny grounded out to the pitcher on a slow roller that he nearly legged out, ending his streak. Zach got the team its cycle with a single to right, and Wendell whiffed on a high one for the third out. No 6-run mercy rule, but an effective barrage nonetheless as First Evangelical was certain that the Saints could not be stopped, only contained.
Down 15-2 and coming off a 1-2-3 second, First Evangelical could have mailed the rest of the game in. To their credit, they cowboyed upped and started to grind it out. Owen and Sonny helped them out with errors on the mound and at second to put the first two hitters on base. Then Owen fielded a slow roller and was just a hair too late to get the runner at first, loading the bases. Whit and Brian worked out their communication issues from last game as Brian stepped back to let a hard-charging Whit field a pop up for out No. 1. Owen fielded a roller to the mound and fired to Zach at first for putout No. 2.
Just when it looked like the Saints were going to escape the bases-loaded jam, a ball was hit sharply to first, hit the bag and ricocheted into right. That scored two and Wendell inexplicably threw the ball to first, sending the third runner across the dish and the hitter to second. Then a ball was hit to left and Nino inexplicably threw the ball to first, allowing the runner on second to score and the hitter to take second on the throw. The only thing between the Saints defense and a 6-run, mercy-rule inning was an untimely whiff by First Evangelical's No. 9 hitter.
Up 15-6, the Anchormen were rattled. With a possible two innings left to play and First Evangelical's sticks coming alive and the Saints' defense coming undone, a laugher was suddenly in doubt. Harris led off with his second K of the day and Brian stroked a single to center. Berent - with two hits under his belt already - hit a bullet to third and beat the throw out for an infield single, capping a 3 for 3 day. With runners on first and second, Khalid sent a daisy cutter to second for his first RBI of the season. With the thump of the lineup coming up, the Saints were ready to end the game once and for all. But Nino grounded out to third on a bang bang play that could've gone either way and Owen popped out to the pitcher.
Down 16-6 with possibly two at-bats left, First Evangelical put their rally caps on and went to work. An E4 on Brian put their lead-off hitter on first. A pop out to Zach on the mound should have resulted in a double play as the First Evangelical runner took off for second, leaving him a sitting duck. But Zack froze, scrambled around and before he could gather himself to throw to first, the runner had scurried backed.
In baseball, if you give your opponent an extra out, the baseball gods invariably make sure you pay the toll. Such was the case Thursday as the next four batter stroked the ball to left, center and right fields, respectively, followed by a shot between first and second, scoring four runs in the process. Zach fielded the next ball cleanly, fired to Harris at first for the second out. And another untimely K saved the Saints from anymore fielding miscues.
With the Saints on the feel-good end of a 16-10 line, time had run out on First Evangelical. And Saints fans exhaled. Another romp in the field could have been disastrous.
But the Saints win! Saints win! Saints win!
Money took a nasty spill in the kitchen just prior to the game and had to be rushed to the hospital for a few stitches in his melon. After a "One, two, three - Eubank!" cheer, the Saints grabbed their lumber and proceeded to bang out 23 hits in 32 at bats, plating 16 runs while allowing 10 and stretching their win streak to three games.
And while Eubank is proving to be a hound for headlines, this day belongs to Khalid Morad, who soundly slayed his slump by going 2 for 3 with a run scored and a ribbie, polishing off his fine performance at the dish with a critical stop in centerfield that held the damage to two runs scored in the bottom of the fourth when First Evangelical had unleashed their rally monkeys in a valiant effort to narrow the deficit.
With Eubank on their minds, the Saints led off the game with an absolute barrage of batted balls, spraying the outfield and infield with shots that eventually activated the 6-run mercy rule and sent the shell-shocked First Evangelical defenders to their bench wondering if it was still Thursday, May 28, 2009.
Nino led off with one of his signature clotheslines to center, Owen scorched one to short that was way too hot to handle cleanly and Whit cleaned the bases with a two-strike, two-RBI double to left. Sonny, whose red-hot stick has him moved into the cleanup spot, stayed hot by launching a two-sacker to left that scored Whit easily. Zach topped one to the mound, but legged out a base hit and caused the pitcher to make an errant throw, allowing Sonny to score and Zach to trot to second.
Wendell dug out a grounder to third, moving Zach to the hot corner. Then, after staying alive with a couple of fouls, Harris whiffed for the first out. But Brian was there to pick up his teammate with a beautiful stroke to center for an RBI single. With Wendell on second and Brian on first, Berent made amends for his 0fer against the Hubermen with a RBI-single to center. That scored the 6th run of the inning and when the Saints grabbed their gloves and hats to defend the diamond, Eubanks was there showing off some stitch work that would make the skilled baseball stitchers in Costa Rica envious.
First Evangelical's lead-off hitter tapped a grounder to the mound, resulting in the seemingly unstoppable Whit-to-Owen 1-3 putout combination. The No. 2 hitter rolled a softy to second - but Nino booted it, lost it and put it in his pocket for an E4. The No. 3 hitter rolled another grounder to Whit, who fired to Owen at first for the second out and it looked like it was time to polish the lumber for another bombardment. But First Evangelical smoked a ball to center and then legged out a bleeder to the mound that Whit and Owen just missed combining for the putout. After another scorcher to Brian in center, Nino snagged a pop-up for the final out. Two runs scored, but the Saints defense stranded First Evangelical's runners at second and third.
Khalid led off the second by ending a 0 for 10 dry spell, hitting a dart to center that brought cheers to the bench and stands alike. After a pop-up to the mound by Nino, Owen stroked another single to center. With runners on first and second, Whit pounded a single to left, juicing the bases. Sonny -- riding an 11-at-bat hit streak -- stepped up and smashed one to center for a two-RBI double. Sonny is so hot with the stick that if this game was kid pitch, he would be drawing intentional walks.
Zach kept the rally going with a two-run single to left. Wendell moved him over to the keystone on a soft grounder to second. And Harris atoned for his 1st inning K with a RBI-single to left. Brian whiffed and Berent smoked another to left, scoring Wendell for the 6th run of the inning.
After a couple of miscues in the first, the Saints tightened their D in the second and put First Evangelical down in order with two grounders to second that resulted in Owen-to-Whit putouts with a whiff in the middle.
Up 12-2 after two innings, the Anchormen were in no mood to toy with the opponent and instead went for the jugular by continuing their offensive assault unabated. Khalid took a tough K to the bench and Nino immediately lifted everybody's spirits by ordering a Jack, straight up, to right. Before First Evangelical could recover from the homer, Owen smashed a double to left. Inspired by the slug fest, Whit ripped an opposite-field triple to right that put him a dinger away from a cycle.
With a HR, double and a triple already in the scorebook, the Saints needed a single to complete the team cycle in the inning. And this beautiful game saw fit to bring Sonny and his 12-at-bat hit streak to the dish. Alas, Sonny grounded out to the pitcher on a slow roller that he nearly legged out, ending his streak. Zach got the team its cycle with a single to right, and Wendell whiffed on a high one for the third out. No 6-run mercy rule, but an effective barrage nonetheless as First Evangelical was certain that the Saints could not be stopped, only contained.
Down 15-2 and coming off a 1-2-3 second, First Evangelical could have mailed the rest of the game in. To their credit, they cowboyed upped and started to grind it out. Owen and Sonny helped them out with errors on the mound and at second to put the first two hitters on base. Then Owen fielded a slow roller and was just a hair too late to get the runner at first, loading the bases. Whit and Brian worked out their communication issues from last game as Brian stepped back to let a hard-charging Whit field a pop up for out No. 1. Owen fielded a roller to the mound and fired to Zach at first for putout No. 2.
Just when it looked like the Saints were going to escape the bases-loaded jam, a ball was hit sharply to first, hit the bag and ricocheted into right. That scored two and Wendell inexplicably threw the ball to first, sending the third runner across the dish and the hitter to second. Then a ball was hit to left and Nino inexplicably threw the ball to first, allowing the runner on second to score and the hitter to take second on the throw. The only thing between the Saints defense and a 6-run, mercy-rule inning was an untimely whiff by First Evangelical's No. 9 hitter.
Up 15-6, the Anchormen were rattled. With a possible two innings left to play and First Evangelical's sticks coming alive and the Saints' defense coming undone, a laugher was suddenly in doubt. Harris led off with his second K of the day and Brian stroked a single to center. Berent - with two hits under his belt already - hit a bullet to third and beat the throw out for an infield single, capping a 3 for 3 day. With runners on first and second, Khalid sent a daisy cutter to second for his first RBI of the season. With the thump of the lineup coming up, the Saints were ready to end the game once and for all. But Nino grounded out to third on a bang bang play that could've gone either way and Owen popped out to the pitcher.
Down 16-6 with possibly two at-bats left, First Evangelical put their rally caps on and went to work. An E4 on Brian put their lead-off hitter on first. A pop out to Zach on the mound should have resulted in a double play as the First Evangelical runner took off for second, leaving him a sitting duck. But Zack froze, scrambled around and before he could gather himself to throw to first, the runner had scurried backed.
In baseball, if you give your opponent an extra out, the baseball gods invariably make sure you pay the toll. Such was the case Thursday as the next four batter stroked the ball to left, center and right fields, respectively, followed by a shot between first and second, scoring four runs in the process. Zach fielded the next ball cleanly, fired to Harris at first for the second out. And another untimely K saved the Saints from anymore fielding miscues.
With the Saints on the feel-good end of a 16-10 line, time had run out on First Evangelical. And Saints fans exhaled. Another romp in the field could have been disastrous.
But the Saints win! Saints win! Saints win!
Batting Order, Fielding Assignments vs. First Evan.
Batting Order:
1 - Nino
2 - Owen
3 - Whit
4 - Sonny
5 - Zach
6 - Wendell
7 - Harris
8 - Brian
9 - Berent
10 - Eubank
11 - Khalid
(Walk absent)
Fielding Assignments:
1st Inning
P - Whit
C - Sonny
1B - Owen
2B - Nino
3B - Harris
SS - Zach
LF - Wendell
CF - Brian
RF - Khalid
2nd Inning
P - Nino
C - Eubank
1B - Whit
2B - Owen
3B - Zach
SS - Harris
LF - Berent
CF - Wendell
RF - Sonny
3rd Inning
P - Owen
C - Khalid
1B - Zach
2B - Sonny
3B - Brian
SS - Whit
LF - Eubank
CF - Berent
RF - Wendell
4th Inning
P - Zach
C - Berent
1B - Harris
2B - Brian
3B - Wendell
SS - Nino
LF - Sonny
CF - Khalid
RF - Eubank
5th Inning
P - Harris
C - Brian
1B - Whit
2B - Nino
3B - Zach
SS - Owen
LF - Khalid
CF - Wendell
RF - Sonny
1 - Nino
2 - Owen
3 - Whit
4 - Sonny
5 - Zach
6 - Wendell
7 - Harris
8 - Brian
9 - Berent
10 - Eubank
11 - Khalid
(Walk absent)
Fielding Assignments:
1st Inning
P - Whit
C - Sonny
1B - Owen
2B - Nino
3B - Harris
SS - Zach
LF - Wendell
CF - Brian
RF - Khalid
2nd Inning
P - Nino
C - Eubank
1B - Whit
2B - Owen
3B - Zach
SS - Harris
LF - Berent
CF - Wendell
RF - Sonny
3rd Inning
P - Owen
C - Khalid
1B - Zach
2B - Sonny
3B - Brian
SS - Whit
LF - Eubank
CF - Berent
RF - Wendell
4th Inning
P - Zach
C - Berent
1B - Harris
2B - Brian
3B - Wendell
SS - Nino
LF - Sonny
CF - Khalid
RF - Eubank
5th Inning
P - Harris
C - Brian
1B - Whit
2B - Nino
3B - Zach
SS - Owen
LF - Khalid
CF - Wendell
RF - Sonny
Catching and Throwing
One of the authorities on youth baseball is Cal Ripken (and his lesser known brother Billy). In fact, they have developed a highly-respected system for preparing kids for years of baseball enjoyment.
If you are interested in helping your baseball studs really learn the fundamentals of the game, you should add them to your list of resources: http://www.ripkenbaseball.com/
Here's the latest article from their Web site:
By Bill Ripken
I’ve said it before, and I know if you are familiar with our articles and instructional products that you’ve either read it or heard it come out of my mouth on more than one occasion: The better we play catch, the better we play baseball.
It’s very simple. Defense is a huge part of the game, and when you really break defense down, every play that is made on the diamond involves a catch and a throw. Even the most complicated plays such as relays and double plays are comprised of a series of catches and throws.
A double play, for instance, includes a catch of the initial batted ball, a throw to the player covering second, a catch and throw by that same player and a catch by the first baseman.
Likewise, when a relay situation arises, the outfielder must either catch a ball that is hit and still rolling or pick up a ball that has stopped rolling and throw it to a relay person who has to catch the ball and then throw it to either another relay person or the base where the lead runner is heading. So, in its simplest form, defense really consists essentially of catching and throwing.
In baseball, like in most sports, defense often is overlooked or at least somewhat taken for granted. The reality, however, just like in other sports is that a strong defensive team can win a championship. To understand this, I’ll break it down a little further. If your team is really powerful offensively but can’t make routine plays, you could lose a lot of 13-11 games. If your team really battles to score a even a few runs a game, but your pitchers throw strikes and you are sound defensively, you have a chance to win every game. You can be competitive every time you take the field with that formula. And if by chance your team is an offensive powerhouse and you play good defense, look out! You definitely have the makings of a championship club.
Look at the Colorado Rockies of two years ago and their surprising run to the postseason. They emerged as the best defensive team in baseball and rode that all the way to a National League title. Our 1989 “Why Not?” team in Baltimore was very similar. Our pitchers were always ahead of the hitters and we were very strong defensively – up the middle and in the outfield particularly. Other than Cal we really didn’t have a bona fide power hitter or even an offensive star in the lineup, but we were able to score enough runs to come within one game of winning our division.
Another observation that I make all the time is that I can almost always watch two youth or high school teams play catch before a game and tell you which team s going to win that day. The team that plays catch the best, and by that I mean throwing and catching with a purpose – catching the ball with two hands out in front, throwing over the top using a four-seam grip, turning the front shoulders, stepping toward the target and working on good footwork – will win almost every time. The group that is lazy and clanging every second or third throw off of the fence … not so much. In my opinion the worst sound in baseball is the sound of a thrown ball hitting a fence.
I’ve never taken this belief to the extreme of turning it into a scientific study, but I don’t have to. I’d bet this is the case at least nine times out of 10 without a doubt, so in my mind there’s no need to validate the theory.
Despite the importance of throwing and catching to overall team defensive success – and ultimately wins and losses – the portion of practice devoted to warming up and playing catch often is ignored. Even high school players are still in their developmental stages, so it is important to understand that the more your team practices certain motor skills incorrectly, the more apt their bodies are to respond incorrectly under the stress of a game situation. Dad always said that perfect practice makes perfect. Well, sometimes I prefer to flip that around by saying, “If you practice like a moron, you’ll play like a moron.”
The problem is that younger players don’t necessarily understand the value of approaching everything they do in practice the same way they would in a game. Once they get beyond the fear of the ball and catching becomes more second nature, playing catch gets boring to them. So, with that in mind, here are a few ways to make things more interesting for players of any age and to help them improve at the same time.
Play 21
Twenty-one is a game that is played by baseball players of all ages. It promotes focus, concentration and proper mechanics while placing players in a situation in which there is at least some pressure to perform in a more competitive setting. Once your players are warmed up, have them stand anywhere from 60 to 100 feet apart. Ask them to play catch, but have them compete against their partners. Any throw that arrives at a player’s head level scores two points for the player throwing the ball, while throws that arrive at chest level are worth a single point. The first player to 21 wins. See who wins the head-to-head competitions and which player is the first on the team to get to 21.
Quick Hands/Quick Feet
Ask your players to stand between 60 and 90 feet apart, depending on their age and the distance between bases for their age group. You should have two lines of players playing catch, so make sure that all of the balls are held by players who are in the same line. At your command to start, the players in one line shuffle their feet and throw using as quick of a release as possible to the other line. Players in the other line catch the ball with two hands out in front of the body, funnel the ball to the center of the body, turn to shuffle their feet and make a quick throw back to the player in the other line. Throw for 30 seconds. Any pair that misses a ball or makes a bad throw sits immediately. The other players should count how many successful throws and catches they complete in the allotted time. The pair that records the most successful throws and catches in 30 seconds wins. Establish a team record and see if it can be broken every practice.
Around the Horn
Another game that promotes quick feet and a quick release as well as accuracy is a game that we play with the teams during the Cal Ripken World Series skills contest called Around the Horn. Place players at each base and home plate. The player at home starts with a foot on home plate and a ball in his or her glove. This is a timed contest. Start the clock when the first throw is released. The player at home shuffles and makes a quick throw to first. The player at first must catch the ball and tag the base before shuffling and making a quick throw to second. The ball continues in this manner until it comes all the way around to home plate. Once the player who started the series of throws receives the ball at home, he or she throws back to third and the ball goes back around the horn in the opposite direction. If players are pulled off the bag they must go back and touch the base before throwing to the next base. Place an extra ball near each base so that if there is an errant throw the player on the base can go and pick up the extra ball before running back to touch the base and making the throw to the next base. Players do not chase bad throws. The team with the fastest time wins. Again, have your team establish a record time and try to beat it every time you play this game.
Bunt-Run-Throw Game
This game is great because it allows your pitchers to work on fielding bunts and throwing to batters at the same time that your hitters get to practice bunting and baserunning and your defense works on throwing and catching under pressure. The pitcher delivers the ball and the batter lays down a sacrifice bunt. The pitcher fields the ball, with the initial throw going to first base. Once the ball is bunted, the batter runs all the way around the bases, making proper turns, no matter what happens in the field. The first baseman catches the first throw and throws to the catcher at home. The catcher throws to the second baseman, who is covering second and then throws the ball to third after receiving it. Once the third baseman receives the ball, he or she throws it to first, where the first baseman relays it to the shortstop covering second. At this point the runner should be rounding third, and if everything has gone well defensively there should be a close play at the plate if the shortstop can make a strong and accurate throw to the catcher. Players should come off of their bases to receive errant throws (they do not have to go back and tag the base), and they must chase down any ball that gets away and complete the drill no matter what.
If you are interested in helping your baseball studs really learn the fundamentals of the game, you should add them to your list of resources: http://www.ripkenbaseball.com/
Here's the latest article from their Web site:
By Bill Ripken
I’ve said it before, and I know if you are familiar with our articles and instructional products that you’ve either read it or heard it come out of my mouth on more than one occasion: The better we play catch, the better we play baseball.
It’s very simple. Defense is a huge part of the game, and when you really break defense down, every play that is made on the diamond involves a catch and a throw. Even the most complicated plays such as relays and double plays are comprised of a series of catches and throws.
A double play, for instance, includes a catch of the initial batted ball, a throw to the player covering second, a catch and throw by that same player and a catch by the first baseman.
Likewise, when a relay situation arises, the outfielder must either catch a ball that is hit and still rolling or pick up a ball that has stopped rolling and throw it to a relay person who has to catch the ball and then throw it to either another relay person or the base where the lead runner is heading. So, in its simplest form, defense really consists essentially of catching and throwing.
In baseball, like in most sports, defense often is overlooked or at least somewhat taken for granted. The reality, however, just like in other sports is that a strong defensive team can win a championship. To understand this, I’ll break it down a little further. If your team is really powerful offensively but can’t make routine plays, you could lose a lot of 13-11 games. If your team really battles to score a even a few runs a game, but your pitchers throw strikes and you are sound defensively, you have a chance to win every game. You can be competitive every time you take the field with that formula. And if by chance your team is an offensive powerhouse and you play good defense, look out! You definitely have the makings of a championship club.
Look at the Colorado Rockies of two years ago and their surprising run to the postseason. They emerged as the best defensive team in baseball and rode that all the way to a National League title. Our 1989 “Why Not?” team in Baltimore was very similar. Our pitchers were always ahead of the hitters and we were very strong defensively – up the middle and in the outfield particularly. Other than Cal we really didn’t have a bona fide power hitter or even an offensive star in the lineup, but we were able to score enough runs to come within one game of winning our division.
Another observation that I make all the time is that I can almost always watch two youth or high school teams play catch before a game and tell you which team s going to win that day. The team that plays catch the best, and by that I mean throwing and catching with a purpose – catching the ball with two hands out in front, throwing over the top using a four-seam grip, turning the front shoulders, stepping toward the target and working on good footwork – will win almost every time. The group that is lazy and clanging every second or third throw off of the fence … not so much. In my opinion the worst sound in baseball is the sound of a thrown ball hitting a fence.
I’ve never taken this belief to the extreme of turning it into a scientific study, but I don’t have to. I’d bet this is the case at least nine times out of 10 without a doubt, so in my mind there’s no need to validate the theory.
Despite the importance of throwing and catching to overall team defensive success – and ultimately wins and losses – the portion of practice devoted to warming up and playing catch often is ignored. Even high school players are still in their developmental stages, so it is important to understand that the more your team practices certain motor skills incorrectly, the more apt their bodies are to respond incorrectly under the stress of a game situation. Dad always said that perfect practice makes perfect. Well, sometimes I prefer to flip that around by saying, “If you practice like a moron, you’ll play like a moron.”
The problem is that younger players don’t necessarily understand the value of approaching everything they do in practice the same way they would in a game. Once they get beyond the fear of the ball and catching becomes more second nature, playing catch gets boring to them. So, with that in mind, here are a few ways to make things more interesting for players of any age and to help them improve at the same time.
Play 21
Twenty-one is a game that is played by baseball players of all ages. It promotes focus, concentration and proper mechanics while placing players in a situation in which there is at least some pressure to perform in a more competitive setting. Once your players are warmed up, have them stand anywhere from 60 to 100 feet apart. Ask them to play catch, but have them compete against their partners. Any throw that arrives at a player’s head level scores two points for the player throwing the ball, while throws that arrive at chest level are worth a single point. The first player to 21 wins. See who wins the head-to-head competitions and which player is the first on the team to get to 21.
Quick Hands/Quick Feet
Ask your players to stand between 60 and 90 feet apart, depending on their age and the distance between bases for their age group. You should have two lines of players playing catch, so make sure that all of the balls are held by players who are in the same line. At your command to start, the players in one line shuffle their feet and throw using as quick of a release as possible to the other line. Players in the other line catch the ball with two hands out in front of the body, funnel the ball to the center of the body, turn to shuffle their feet and make a quick throw back to the player in the other line. Throw for 30 seconds. Any pair that misses a ball or makes a bad throw sits immediately. The other players should count how many successful throws and catches they complete in the allotted time. The pair that records the most successful throws and catches in 30 seconds wins. Establish a team record and see if it can be broken every practice.
Around the Horn
Another game that promotes quick feet and a quick release as well as accuracy is a game that we play with the teams during the Cal Ripken World Series skills contest called Around the Horn. Place players at each base and home plate. The player at home starts with a foot on home plate and a ball in his or her glove. This is a timed contest. Start the clock when the first throw is released. The player at home shuffles and makes a quick throw to first. The player at first must catch the ball and tag the base before shuffling and making a quick throw to second. The ball continues in this manner until it comes all the way around to home plate. Once the player who started the series of throws receives the ball at home, he or she throws back to third and the ball goes back around the horn in the opposite direction. If players are pulled off the bag they must go back and touch the base before throwing to the next base. Place an extra ball near each base so that if there is an errant throw the player on the base can go and pick up the extra ball before running back to touch the base and making the throw to the next base. Players do not chase bad throws. The team with the fastest time wins. Again, have your team establish a record time and try to beat it every time you play this game.
Bunt-Run-Throw Game
This game is great because it allows your pitchers to work on fielding bunts and throwing to batters at the same time that your hitters get to practice bunting and baserunning and your defense works on throwing and catching under pressure. The pitcher delivers the ball and the batter lays down a sacrifice bunt. The pitcher fields the ball, with the initial throw going to first base. Once the ball is bunted, the batter runs all the way around the bases, making proper turns, no matter what happens in the field. The first baseman catches the first throw and throws to the catcher at home. The catcher throws to the second baseman, who is covering second and then throws the ball to third after receiving it. Once the third baseman receives the ball, he or she throws it to first, where the first baseman relays it to the shortstop covering second. At this point the runner should be rounding third, and if everything has gone well defensively there should be a close play at the plate if the shortstop can make a strong and accurate throw to the catcher. Players should come off of their bases to receive errant throws (they do not have to go back and tag the base), and they must chase down any ball that gets away and complete the drill no matter what.
Tuesday, May 26, 2009
Fun and Games
The boys celebrate a thrilling 6-4 win. While the mantra up until now has been "Have fun!", these boys are now of the age in which having fun strongly correlates with having success. As Ebby Calvin "Nuke" Laloosh said: "I love winning... It's like, you know, better than losing." And given the opportunity, these boys will rise to the level of the competition. (courtesy of Aubrey Overstreet)
Working the Kinks Out
Khalid is working super hard to get out of his slump. Here he is hitting the stick before his turn at the plate. (courtesy of Aubrey Overstreet)
Cool Hand Luke Play
Huge Putout in the Third
While Brian and Whit botched the fly ball, Whit quickly snapped up the egg and tagged the runner trying to get to third for the second out of the inning. Brian then followed up with an excellent unassisted putout to end the inning. (courtesy of Jennifer Balink)
Big Bat
Sonny has been swinging a red-hot stick, including this RBI triple in the first inning Tuesday night. (courtesy Aubrey Overstreet)
Edge of the Seat
Saints fans were treated to an excellent display of baseball Tuesday night as both Saints teams showed off their skills in a 6-4 game. (courtesy of Jennifer Balink)
Big RBI for Brian
Brian knocks in his first RBI of the season -- a big one in the first on a sharp grounder to short that he beat out by running through the bag. (courtesy Jennifer Balink)
First to Third
Nino goes from first to third on Owen's single in the first inning. Nino went on to score the team's first run.
Popular 1-3 PO
Owen catches one of three 1st inning 1-3 putouts from Whit. (courtesy Jennifer Balink)
Focus!
To stay in the game with a team as talented as the Hubermen, the Saints would need to focus, focus, focus. (courtesy Jennifer Balink)
Saints Teams Put on Clinic
Two GSL teams met at Snowden Field Tuesday night and proceeded to treat their fans to an absolute baseball clinic as The James Gang squeaked past the Hubermen in a 6-4 nail-biter that featured a combined 15 putouts in the field and only 9 strikeouts at the plate.
After losing four of five scrimmages to their intra-school rivals, Overstreet's Saints were not exactly brimming with confidence when Huber's Saints arrived at the park with an unblemished 4-0 league record -- unquestionably the class of the East Shelby Church Recreation Association.
Avery led off the game with a scorcher to center, which was followed by Grant's grounder with eyes through second. Jack grounded out to the pitcher as Whit fielded it cleanly and fired a strike to Owen at first. But JD cashed in with a two-run single to right and it looked like it could be a long night for the Home Nine. Will topped one to Whit, who tossed it to Owen for the second out. Charles stroked one to left for an RBI single and Joseph hit a dribbler to Whit for the third 1-3 putout of the inning. Good defense held the Hubermen to three runs on four hits in the inning.
Nino led off the bottom of the first with a shot to right that you could hang clothes on, and Owen followed up with a bleeder that scooted by the second sacker, putting runners on first and third on Nino's heads-up baserunning. Whit hit a weak cue shot to first for the unassisted putout, but Nino scored. After Zach grounded out to first, red-hot Sonny squared one up and sent it flying over the left fielder's head for a stand-up, RBI triple. Wendell ended the inning with a liner to second.
On the wrong end of a 3-2 score, the Anchormen needed a stop in the bottom of the second and they got some help from the Hubermen. Tyler and Baker whiffed and Louis grounded out to the pitcher for the fourth 1-3 putout of the game.
Harris led off the bottom of the second with a hard-hit infield single to shortstop. Berent moved him over to second on a ground-out to first and Brian drove him home with a single to center -- senior circuit small ball at its finest. Eubank and Khalid whiffed to end the inning with the score knotted at 3.
As is often the case in well-played baseball games, one inning was the difference -- in Tuesday's tilt, it was the third.
With Huber sending his big bats up to the plate in a 3-3 tie, the James Gang needed a shut-down inning. Avery lined a single to left and Grant moved him to second with a single to center. Jack whiffed for the first out and JD popped one to short. A miscommunication between Whit and Brian resulted in a dropped ball, but Whit alertly picked it up and tagged Avery as he ran for third for the second out. With runners on first and second in a tie game, Will drilled one to third that Brian snagged and made the unassisted putout at third to shut the Hubermen down again.
With a huge defensive stand under their belt, the Anchormen picked up their sticks with malice. Nino led off the bottom of the third with a sharp grounder to the pitcher that was then thrown over the first baseman's head. Trying to take the extra base on the overthrow, Nino was caught by the equally speedy Avery. Runners advance at their own risk on overthrows at first, and the Saints have been running like a toddler's nose so far in ESCRA. But the Hubermen don't give up bases easily -- as the Saints discovered on this play. Owen then grounded out to the pitcher and it looked like the Saints were going to go down quietly.
But Whit mowed the grass with a hard grounder to short that was smothered by Jack, who recovered nicely and made the throw to first just a nanosecond too late. After legging out the infield single, Whit moved from first to third on Zach's single to center. And man-of-the-hour Sonny stepped to the plate, cashing in yet again with a RBI single to left. Wendell snuck one by the shortstop, scoring Zach, and Harris legged out a soft grounder to the pitcher to score Sonny. Berent hit a fielder's choice to third that resulted in an unassisted putout. But the Saints put up a 3 spot and took a 6-3 lead going into the top of the fourth.
After Charles struck out to lead off the top of the fourth, Joseph grounded a ball to second that Sonny fielded cleanly and threw to first. But the Speed Merchant beat it out for an infield single. Tyler K'd for the second out, and then the wheels fell off the defense for first time all night when Baker hit a slow roller to second that went right through Sonny's legs and into right field. Eubank fielded the ball, but instead of throwing the ball to second, he air-mailed it over the first baseman's head. Joseph scored on the errors and Baker moved to second. Louis K'd to end the inning. Disaster averted -- barely.
In an attempt to get 5 innings in, the Home Saints batted in the bottom of the fourth despite holding a 6-4 lead. The Hubermen set them down in order with Brian grounding out to short, Eubank grounding out to the pitcher and Khalid striking out.
While both Saints teams were eager to keep locking halos -- and with the top of both orders due up in the fifth, it would have certainly been a fantastic finish -- time had run out on arguably the best played baseball game of the ESCRA season.
The Hubermen made 9 putouts. The James Gang made 6 putouts. There were 9 strikouts in the game -- 6 by the Hubermen and 3 by the James Gang. The two teams have averaged better than 13 runs a game so far this season, so the 6-4 game is a testament to how skilled these two teams are.
And maybe they will meet one more time when it counts: June 6.
After losing four of five scrimmages to their intra-school rivals, Overstreet's Saints were not exactly brimming with confidence when Huber's Saints arrived at the park with an unblemished 4-0 league record -- unquestionably the class of the East Shelby Church Recreation Association.
Avery led off the game with a scorcher to center, which was followed by Grant's grounder with eyes through second. Jack grounded out to the pitcher as Whit fielded it cleanly and fired a strike to Owen at first. But JD cashed in with a two-run single to right and it looked like it could be a long night for the Home Nine. Will topped one to Whit, who tossed it to Owen for the second out. Charles stroked one to left for an RBI single and Joseph hit a dribbler to Whit for the third 1-3 putout of the inning. Good defense held the Hubermen to three runs on four hits in the inning.
Nino led off the bottom of the first with a shot to right that you could hang clothes on, and Owen followed up with a bleeder that scooted by the second sacker, putting runners on first and third on Nino's heads-up baserunning. Whit hit a weak cue shot to first for the unassisted putout, but Nino scored. After Zach grounded out to first, red-hot Sonny squared one up and sent it flying over the left fielder's head for a stand-up, RBI triple. Wendell ended the inning with a liner to second.
On the wrong end of a 3-2 score, the Anchormen needed a stop in the bottom of the second and they got some help from the Hubermen. Tyler and Baker whiffed and Louis grounded out to the pitcher for the fourth 1-3 putout of the game.
Harris led off the bottom of the second with a hard-hit infield single to shortstop. Berent moved him over to second on a ground-out to first and Brian drove him home with a single to center -- senior circuit small ball at its finest. Eubank and Khalid whiffed to end the inning with the score knotted at 3.
As is often the case in well-played baseball games, one inning was the difference -- in Tuesday's tilt, it was the third.
With Huber sending his big bats up to the plate in a 3-3 tie, the James Gang needed a shut-down inning. Avery lined a single to left and Grant moved him to second with a single to center. Jack whiffed for the first out and JD popped one to short. A miscommunication between Whit and Brian resulted in a dropped ball, but Whit alertly picked it up and tagged Avery as he ran for third for the second out. With runners on first and second in a tie game, Will drilled one to third that Brian snagged and made the unassisted putout at third to shut the Hubermen down again.
With a huge defensive stand under their belt, the Anchormen picked up their sticks with malice. Nino led off the bottom of the third with a sharp grounder to the pitcher that was then thrown over the first baseman's head. Trying to take the extra base on the overthrow, Nino was caught by the equally speedy Avery. Runners advance at their own risk on overthrows at first, and the Saints have been running like a toddler's nose so far in ESCRA. But the Hubermen don't give up bases easily -- as the Saints discovered on this play. Owen then grounded out to the pitcher and it looked like the Saints were going to go down quietly.
But Whit mowed the grass with a hard grounder to short that was smothered by Jack, who recovered nicely and made the throw to first just a nanosecond too late. After legging out the infield single, Whit moved from first to third on Zach's single to center. And man-of-the-hour Sonny stepped to the plate, cashing in yet again with a RBI single to left. Wendell snuck one by the shortstop, scoring Zach, and Harris legged out a soft grounder to the pitcher to score Sonny. Berent hit a fielder's choice to third that resulted in an unassisted putout. But the Saints put up a 3 spot and took a 6-3 lead going into the top of the fourth.
After Charles struck out to lead off the top of the fourth, Joseph grounded a ball to second that Sonny fielded cleanly and threw to first. But the Speed Merchant beat it out for an infield single. Tyler K'd for the second out, and then the wheels fell off the defense for first time all night when Baker hit a slow roller to second that went right through Sonny's legs and into right field. Eubank fielded the ball, but instead of throwing the ball to second, he air-mailed it over the first baseman's head. Joseph scored on the errors and Baker moved to second. Louis K'd to end the inning. Disaster averted -- barely.
In an attempt to get 5 innings in, the Home Saints batted in the bottom of the fourth despite holding a 6-4 lead. The Hubermen set them down in order with Brian grounding out to short, Eubank grounding out to the pitcher and Khalid striking out.
While both Saints teams were eager to keep locking halos -- and with the top of both orders due up in the fifth, it would have certainly been a fantastic finish -- time had run out on arguably the best played baseball game of the ESCRA season.
The Hubermen made 9 putouts. The James Gang made 6 putouts. There were 9 strikouts in the game -- 6 by the Hubermen and 3 by the James Gang. The two teams have averaged better than 13 runs a game so far this season, so the 6-4 game is a testament to how skilled these two teams are.
And maybe they will meet one more time when it counts: June 6.
Sunday, May 24, 2009
Wendell Digs It Out
Wendell legs out a base hit during the scrimmage on Sunday. (Courtesy of Jennifer Balink)
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