Author: AspiDimitrov

by AspiDimitrov

WAY TO GO DAVE, ATTABOY BORIS

It is unusual for the Herts Baseball Newswire to be getting into political analysis, but when the House of Commons is debating a bill which could have a significant effect on the game of baseball in Great Britain, then we like to sink our teeth into it. 

  

A new ‘tourism strategy’, to be published by the Coalition Government within days, is expected to contain plans to move the country to ‘double summertime’. Putting the clocks forward by an hour to British Summer Time +1 (equivalent to Greenwich Mean Time +2) would mean lighter evenings in the summer months. The plan already has influential support among Conservative MPs, safety campaigners and environmentalists on the basis of data which suggests that the decision could result in reduction in overall number of car accidents, significant energy savings and a boost to tourism, among others. Rebecca Harris, the Conservative MP for Castle Point, Essex, said: “The tourism industry has been crying out for extra daylight saving for years. It could extend the tourist season and boost the economy by up to £3.5billion a year.”  

  

But most importantly, as far as we are concerned, it would be a substantial boost for summer sports such as baseball.  Double summertime would put British clocks in line with the rest of Europe which means that for three months in the height of summer between May and July baseball teams around the country would be able to enjoy sunlight as late as 10pm.  With limited or no funding available for luxurious capital items such as floodlights for baseball fields, the longer, lighter evenings would be an ideal and cost-effective substitution, without any energy or other consumption costs.   

  

 

  

Could this be a sign of the future?  It’s 10:22pm and the sun is still up at the ballpark. 

  

This could open up the opportunity for British baseball to add midweek baseball action in the evenings just like Wednesday Night Baseball on Channel 5 which we became accustomed to over the years. It would add a different dimension to the British Baseball leagues if teams could no longer rely on two starting pitchers for the whole of the league season. Instead teams would have to have stronger starting rotation bringing us closer to the conditions which MLB teams play in and which give baseball its unique weekly cycle.  The bottom line is more baseball for adult and youth leagues around the country. 

  

For many years members of Herts Baseball Club have been looking for solutions to the problem of very short evenings in the UK compared to our Central and Western European rivals and the conclusions have always been that there are no financially-viable options. 

  

It would appear that there is a lot of support for this bill among members of parliament and with one swing of the bat they could give British Baseball a major boost.  So, for all fans of Herts and British Baseball in general, if you bump into the Prime Minister or the Mayor of London and they ask whether you support the government’s “double summertime bill” then you know what your answer should be. Way to go Dave.  Attaboy Boris. 

by AspiDimitrov

HERTS BASEBALL LITTLE LEAGUE 2010 AWARDS ANNOUNCED

 

  

The 2010 season ended many months ago but the busy baseball schedule at the end of last year did not leave time in the calendar for the club’s annual Little League awards event, until today.  

  

The players and families of the Herts youth baseball teams started the day with a Family Bowling Tournament with 56 players taking part and there were many more who wanted to take part but were either out of the country or had prior half-term arrangements. 

  

Attention then turned to the all-important 2010 Herts Little League awards.  All 2010 players as well as players who will be joining in 2011 received a commemorative medal.  This was followed by the presentation of the awards in the various categories including Infield and Outfield Gold Glove, Batting Champion, Rookie of the Year, Cy Young Award, and the most sought after award for the Most Valuable Player (MVP) of the year which is voted on by the players. 

 

 

  

This event was also the first opportunity to see the National Championship Trophy in the Under-14 age group which the Herts All-Stars brought back to Hertfordshire last October after their unforgettable 2-1 win against their deadly rivals, the London Mets. 

  

The members of the team were also presented with their 2010 British Champions’ medals which they did not have a chance to get their hands on until today.  Members of Herts Baseball Club also had an opportunity to show their appreciation for Marty Cullen who sadly will be leaving Herts to focus on the Great Britain National Team programme which he is heavily involved in.  Marty Cullen, together with Lee Manning, were the two club members who started the Herts youth programme in 2007.  Marty Cullen will be missed but hopefully he and his national team colleagues will have many reasons to come to Herts to see and evaluate the many talented Herts youth players, especially now that so many of the club’s players have moved into the Under-17 age group and will be competing in the Pony Leagues. 

  

Click here for more images form the event. 

HERTS CARDINALS
MVP Kieran Manning
Batting Champion Kyle Lloyd-Jones 
Infield Gold Glove Jonathan Compton-Weight
Outfield Gold Glove Drew Mayhew
Rookie of the Year Joshua Jones
Cy Young Award Carlos Casal Jr
HERTS YANKEES
MVP Marty Cullen Jr
Batting Champion Aaron Witter
Infield Gold Glove Jose Morillo
Outfield Gold Glove Cameron Ross
Rookie of the Year Richard Ganster
Cy Young Award Marty Cullen Jr
HERTS RED SOX
MVP Zack Longboy
Batting Champion Jake Caress
Infield Gold Glove Charlie Owens
Outfield Gold Glove Yuki Ariga
Rookie of the Year Ben Day
Cy Young Award Zack Longboy
HERTS CUBS
MVP Nickolas Martinez
Batting Champion Alexander Deacon
Infield Gold Glove George Owens
Outfield Gold Glove McKenna Martinez
Rookie of the Year Christian Lynch
Cy Young Award Lewis Green
by AspiDimitrov

BASEBALL FAMILIES COMPETE FOR BOWLING HONOURS

 

Ahead of the 2010 Herts Baseball Little League Awards presentation, players, coaches, family members and friends of the club took part in a Bowling Tournament at the Hotshots Bowling centre in Hemel Hempstead.  The participants were divided into two teams – the San Francisco Giants and the LA Dodgers. They were competing for individual and team honours over two games, with the individual and team averages over the two games used to determine the winners.

 

 

In the individual contest the pace setters after the first round were John Machin with 140, Raymond Moulton and Brodie Caress both with a  round of 138 and Chris Deacon and Jeff Witter close behind them with 137 and 131, respectively.  Jeff Witter, Chris Deacon and Brodie Caress has a nightmare second round all recording scores below 100 which put them out of contention. 

 

 

The real surprise of the day was Vincent Moulton who recorded a solid 126 in the first round and did even better in the second round with 133.  That big second round score pushed him into the Bronze medal position with an average of 129.5 over the two rounds.  Later we learned that this score was no fluke and that 12-year old Vincent Moulton used to play bowling quite regularly in the past. 

 

 

Coming into the silver medal position was Vincent’s father, Raymond Moulton, who finished with an overall average of 133.  John Machin, who led after the first round remained untouchable and became the Tournament Champion with an average of 137.

 

 

In the team competition the Dodgers had a healthy lead after the first round.  Their team average was 106.96 compared to the Giants’ 99.86.  The Dodgers still needed a solid second round to ensure overall victory over the Giants.  The final team averages over the two rounds were Dodgers (103.38) Giants (97.23).

 

Click here for more images form the event.

 

GIANTS Round1 Round2 AVG DODGERS Round1 Round2 AVG
Kieran Manning 65 77        71.0 Vincent Moulton 126 133        129.5
Cameron Manning 106 73        89.5 Brian Moulton 112 91        101.5
Tracey Manning 118 76        97.0 Raymond Moulton 138 128        133.0
Jonny Compton-Weight 72 104        88.0 Geertje Moulton 111 99        105.0
Lindsay Compton-Weight 117 82        99.5 Marty Cullen Jr 96 119        107.5
Keith Compton-Weight 129 88      108.5 Cameron Ross 106 70          88.0
Josh Faulks-Rodriguez 102 98      100.0 Daisy Ross 118 77          97.5
Dominic Faulks-Rodriguez 116 104      110.0 Alison Ross 109 140        124.5
Grant Faulks 129 92      110.5 Alan Ross 93 128        110.5
Brodie Caress 138 90      114.0 Jose Morillo Jr 102 90          96.0
Mark Caress 66 98        82.0 Jose Morillo Sr 99 106        102.5
Robert Binns 107 91        99.0 Joshua Jones 94 89          91.5
Mags Binns 129 101      115.0 Rachel Jones 88 75          81.5
Aaron Witter 76 88        82.0 Zack Longboy 83 69          76.0
Hayley Witter 84 79        81.5 Theo Longboy 93 68          80.5
Jeff Witter 131 89      110.0 Susie Longboy 94 72          83.0
Lisa Witter 87 95        91.0 Arnie Longboy 125 123        124.0
Ozan Martin 85 92        88.5 Lewis Green 106 106        106.0
Ian Martin 112 119      115.5 Lawrence 119 117        118.0
Nese Martin 78 112        95.0 Natasha Hobbs 91 79          85.0
Talia Martin 112 90      101.0 Chris Deacon 137 98        117.5
Ryan Reynolds 79 69        74.0 Alexander Deacon 91 112        101.5
Christian Lynch 87 93        90.0 Liam Green 95 106        100.5
John Lynch 94 137      115.5 John Machin 140 134        137.0
Carlos Casal 103 136      119.5 John Machin Jr 125 106        115.5
Carlos Casal Jr 92 87        89.5 Bianca Machin 95 89          92.0
Lewis Auchterlounie 76 71        73.5 Nicole Machin 102 82          92.0
Paul Auchterlounie 106 118      112.0 Ilya Dimitrov 107 88          97.5
TEAM AVERAGE        99.86        94.61      97.23 TEAM AVERAGE      106.96        99.79      103.38

 

OTHER STATISTICS

 Highest scoring round – John Machin (140)

Largest increase in second round – John Lynch (+43)

Largest drop in second round – Brodie Caress (-48)

by AspiDimitrov

IN ALL THE RIGHT PLACES

So, weeks after it started, I actually went back to pre-season training. Twice. And it is already clear to me that the theme of my pre-season blogging — and quite possibly the whole year’s efforts — will be my aches and pains. My old age. Don’t forget it’s all about me, me, me.

Here’s a quick run-down of what we have been doing. There were about ten carefully constructed drills, with the assistance of little plastic cones laid out on the floor. Most of these exercises involved short range throwing and catching. They were designed to improve hand speed and reflexes, I think, but many also seemed to involve knackering my knees and thigh muscles.

There were plenty of options to get the blood flowing (inside the veins, that is — I don’t think there were any mishaps allowing it to escape). Two weeks ago, there was also the Hitting Zone, Pitchers’ Corner, and another curtained off area which I never got to peek inside. Best not ask too many questions about that. Then last week there was intensive infield work. Herts legend Geoff Hare put the crowds of willing victims through their paces, with choppers, bunts and grounders.

All in all, these sessions have been good fun, and certainly a good workout. On each occasion, I was left with a series of persistent aches. For a couple of days after the session, I did only stretching work before getting really adventurous and maybe running. I felt it’s what I most needed, and what I could most easily achieve.

Despite all this middle-aged moaning, there is a saving grace — the aches are in all the right places. They are in my thighs, my calves, my back, my shoulders. And I am counting that as progress. When I first played baseball it would be absolute murder on my elbow. For a couple of nights after a training session, I would even take painkillers to help me sleep because of my throbbing elbow. Whilst even I realised that this pain might be a “bad thing”, I mostly put it down to the fact that I had not played such an impact sport for years. The experience never turned me off baseball, which says something. But I am hoping that my newly-placed aches and pains also say something. I hope they say that I am doing something right, and that I am no longer screwing up my elbow.

Two final notes from the indoor sessions. One is a word of thanks to the coaches. It is always gratifying as a player to find that coaches have put some thought and planning into the training, so that you are not standing idle. That cools you down, which is no use, and also frustrates you if you feel you are wasting a precious opportunity to play ball. These sessions have flown by.

The second note is an illustration of how far I have to go, no matter where my aches and pains are appearing. In one drill I partnered the 2010 GB Cadet call-up, Liam Green. Each of us starting with a ball, we were to throw them to each other simultaneously, then make the transfer and throw it back. It’s a good exercise for keeping your eye on the ball. But also a telling example of a gifted arm. Even twenty feet apart, I was catching Liam’s ball what felt like seconds before my throw arrived at his glove! I was making the catch, then becoming a spectator while he waited to catch mine. I could have gone for a hot dog while I waited. Humbling.

by AspiDimitrov

BASEBALL MOVIE PREMIERE ON BBC THIS FRIDAY NIGHT

At 11:50pm this Friday, 18 February 2011, BBC2 will show the premiere of the baseball movie “Sugar”. 

There is no better way to get the members of Herts Baseball Club in the zone for this Sunday’s first Spring Training outdoor session than with one of the many great Hollywood movies.

By 2008, more than 25 percent of major league baseball players were born in Latin America. At 19, Miguel “Sugar” Santos, a serious kid from the Dominican Republic, signs with Kansas City. He flies to Phoenix for tryouts and is sent to the Class A team “The Swing” in the fictional town of Bridgetown, Iowa, where he lives with a farm family. Thus begins his odyssey: leaving his mom and girlfriend; living in an alien culture; learning English; overcoming jitters; working hard; achieving early success; navigating friendships, and a woman’s mixed signals; dealing with an injury; and, searching for his place in the world. Will he make it to the Majors; will he play in New York?

 

This little-known movie proved to be a big hit when it was released.  Enjoy.

 

If you missed Friday night’s showing, you can watch it again on BBC iPlayer (Parental Guidance: Contains strong language): http://www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/episode/b00ythc3/Sugar/

by AspiDimitrov

BACK TO THE BALLPARK

Herts Baseball club takes its pre-season preparations up a notch this coming weekend, Sunday, February 20th.  For the first time this year, the players are heading out on to the turf of Grovehill ballpark in Hemel Hempstead. This now consists of two purpose-built baseball diamonds, with the second field having opened last year. Only a handful of British clubs can boast such excellent facilities.

 

The Herts club members have spent the past few weeks training hard inside the gymnasium in Berkhamsted.  Players of all abilities have been mixing together to go through drills to improve their fielding, batting and pitching – as well as their overall fitness. But everyone is keen to get closer to the real thing. Nick Russell, who helped the Eagles to the national playoffs last season, spoke for many when he said “Training was good today – look forward to getting on to the field next weekend, though!”

 

The session will start at 1pm and the coaches hope to cram in as much action as possible if the weather is kind. The club’s mechanical pitching machine will allow players to practice their hitting on one field, while a special clinic for pitchers and catchers on the second diamond will be followed by more work on throwing and catching. The plan is to play some mini games, too. Wrap up warm, bring a drink, and get ready for some action.

 

New club members are arriving all the time – converted softball players and cricketers, and some complete novices. The Herts Club President, Aspi Dimitrov, says this is the perfect time to join – “The players have been doing some really good work inside the gym, and it has set us up nicely for the season, but there’s something special about getting back on to the baseball diamond.  This is where the year really starts, and we think it could be a big year for the club.”

 

by AspiDimitrov

BBC RADIO PREVIEWS UPCOMING HERTS BASEBALL SEASON

Members of Herts Baseball Club joined BBC London Radio’s Wednesday Night Sports Show to look ahead to the upcoming Herts Baseball Little League season as the players returned for pre-season training last Sunday after the winter break.

 

Host Nick Godwin spoke with Jonny Compton-Weight who is a member of the Herts Cardinals team competing in the Herts Little League and also represented Herts nationally as a member of the Herts All Stars who are the reigning Under-14 National Champions.

 

by AspiDimitrov

BASEBALL PRE-SEASON BEGINS FOR HERTS YOUNGTERS

 

Herts Baseball Club’s youth teams began their pre-season training as they prepare for the start of the 2011 Herts Little League season and the national championships which the Herts boys and girls will be involved in this year.

 

Usually Spring Training for the Herts youth teams begins in March or April, but this year the League decided to make use of the good indoor facilities which are available in Dacorum Borough and to give the young players a chance to start playing earlier after the winter close season.  Despite the fact that the session was held at a significant distance away from the club’s home ballpark and it clashed with the football, rugby and other youth sports fixtures, the young baseball players came out in force.  Amongst the players were many new faces joining the Herts baseball family.

 

Spring Training is also the time for coaches to get ready for the season.  15 coaches were involved in running 16 stations simultaneously, covering all aspects of the game of baseball. This enabled the teams to go through an intensive 2-hour session covering a large amount of baseball work, despite the limited space available for the large number of players who were involved.

 

This is just the start of Spring Training.  Over the next few weeks Herts will be carrying out various recruitment activities to grow its youth programme further and reaffirm its status as one of the best youth baseball organisations in the country.

 

Last year the club’s Under-14 Herts All-Stars team became National Champions completing the season with an unbeaten record of 10 wins and no losses. They clinched the British title against their old rivals, the London Mets, in an unforgettable 2-1 win.  A large number of the players from that Championship-winning team will be ready to make the step up to the Under-17 league.  They will face tougher opponents and that will be the best way for them to continue their development as Herts players.  With players moving to the Under-17 age group, the opportunity will open up for a new generation of Under-14 year olds to defend the National title. This will be a fantastic boost for the many Herts players who have not had the opportunity to experience baseball at the national level in the past.

 

As Herts players move up to the older age groups they will have a big challenge on their hands playing against tougher opponents.  The club is determined to get the community in and around Hertfordshire involved in what will be another exciting season of Herts baseball.

 

Note: For more details about joining the Herts Baseball Little League visit www.hertsbaseball.com and contact the club.  Boys and girls aged between 6 and 16 are eligible to play for the club’s youth teams.  The Club welcomes players from complete beginners to experienced ballplayers. Players over the age of 16 can join up with the club’s adult teams who compete in the British Baseball Leagues. 

by AspiDimitrov

SAM DEMPSTER APPOINTED AS GB BASEBALL HEAD COACH

The following article was first published by britishbaseball.org 

The executive board of the British Baseball Federation has appointed Sam Dempster to be the new Head Coach and Performance Director for Great Britain Baseball.  Dempster served as Assistant Coach of the Senior National Team in 2010, helping former skipper Pat Doyle lead the squad to an eighth-place finish in July’s European Championships.  The BBF board has signed Dempster to a three-year appointment, which means he will be at the helm as the British men make another pass at the European A-Pool and, perhaps, the MLB World Baseball Classic.  Dempster is the Head Coach at Durham College in Ontario, Canada, and spends his summers working as MLB Envoy to Britain and Europe. 

Also appointed to a three-year post is Jason Greenberg, returning as General Manager and Director of Operations for the GB programme.  Greenberg first joined the staff in April 2010, and works full time in British baseball as Marketing, Communications and Events Manager for BaseballSoftballUK.
 
“There is no better coach to lead this team into the new decade,” said Greenberg. “Sam is dedicated, loyal, intelligent, honest, unbelievably hard working… and most importantly he knows baseball and he knows how to win. He already has the respect of our GB players and the domestic baseball community, and I have no doubt he will both strengthen the foundation of our programme while pushing our Senior Team to new heights.”
 
These staffing decisions were reached by the BBF board’s National Teams Committee of chairman Marty Cullen (National Teams Programme Official), Mark Salter (BBF President) and James Pearce (Development Officer), with the counsel of former GB coaches and staff.
 
Other recent assignments include Will Lintern as Head Coach of the GB Junior squad, and Brendan Cunliffe as GB Cadets Head Coach.  (read more here)
 
No GB Baseball staff member receives a salary, and all are volunteers working entirely in their free time.

 
SAM DEMPSTER
  
The newly appointed GB Head Coach and Performance Director brings an impressive array of experience and credentials.
  
Dempster has been the only coach that the Durham College men’s baseball program has ever known, as he was fashioned the programme for its inaugural season in 1992.  Under Dempster’s guidance, the Durham baseball program has been a contender in the Canadian Intercollegiate Baseball Association (CIBA) for the last 19 years, recording only one losing season. Since 1995, the team has qualified for the Ontario Championship finals in all but one year; while Dempster has gone on to compile an impressive overall record of 280-180 and a conference record of 185-108.
  
In January of 2007, Dempster was awarded the Julio Puente Envoy International Coach Award by Major League Baseball at the American Baseball Coaches Association Conference in Orlando, Florida. The prestigious award is presented by MLB for unselfish, dedicated and passionate work in growing the game of baseball.
  
“Coach D” works every summer as an MLB Envoy, touring throughout Africa and Europe on behalf of Major League Baseball (MLB) with the goal to promote and grow the game of baseball worldwide. Dempster has also organized the Lords efforts of donating baseball equipment and uniforms to several different European Baseball Clubs.
  
In addition to his lead role at Durham, Dempster is also an associate Canadian scout for Major League Baseball’s Milwaukee Brewers and previously a scout for the New York Yankees.
 
In April 2010, Dempster was inducted into the Whitby Sports Hall of Fame.
 
Sam Dempster’s Career Stats
Head Coach of the Lords: 1992 – Present
Overall Record: 280-180 (.609 winning percentage)
Conference Record: 185-108 (.631 winning percentage)
National Championship Appearances (Eight): 1994, 1999, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010
Ontario Championships (Six): 1999, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2008, 2010
 
by AspiDimitrov

FRAGILE ARM, FUTURE PROMISE

He came out of college as THE most heralded prospect in history.  His numbers his senior season at San Diego St. were extraordinary.  In 109 innings, he went 13-1 with a 195 strikeouts and a 1.35 ERA.  His repertoire included a triple digit radar gun, a 4 and two seam fastball, a 12 to 6 curve and, when mixed his fastball, a virtually unhittable changeup.  On top of his incredible stuff, he possessed a very competitive spirit, a commanding mound presence.  Stephen Strasburg had the whole package, and was the crown jewel that only comes along once a century.

The Washington Nationals selected Strasburg with the first pick in the 2010 draft, and rewarded him with a record $15.1 million contract, the highest in Major League Baseball history for a rookie pitcher, which far surpassed Mark Prior’s $10 million deal.  After the signing, the club prudently announced that their prize investment would be protected with a strict pitch and inning limit.  Every precaution would be made to insure that he would remain healthy and protect their investment.

After beginning the 2010 campaign in the minors, Strasburg was called up to the Nationals in June.  His debut, against the Pirates, was a gem.  In 7 innings, he struck out 14, issued no walks, gave up 4 hits in a 5-2 win.  He followed that up in his next home start with a 10 strikeout effort against the White Sox.  The kid was attracting a lot of attention, and there was a buzz all through MLB when the rookie phenom took the mound.  His starts at Nationals Park became an event.  The moribund franchise finally had something to brag about as tickets became a premium on his starts.

But there were dark days ahead.  Strasburg initially went on the 15 day DL on July 29 with a shoulder injury. He returned to the mound on August 10th against the Marlins, but there were to be only three more starts.  On August 21st, against the Phillies, he left the game in the 5th inning after complaining of a twinge in his elbow.  Later that week, after he received an MRI, everyone’s worst fears were confirmed.  He had suffered a significant tear to his ulnar collateral ligament.  His season was over, and his career was in jeopardy.  He later had Tommy John surgery, and then began his rehabilitation.

Despite all the precautions the Nationals took, it didn’t matter.  Two trips to the disabled list, a season cut short, and an ominous future.  Strasburg’s rookie numbers, albeit abbreviated, were excellent.  He finished with a 5-3 record in 12 starts, with a 2.91 ERA and 92 strikeouts.

The club really can’t be criticized for the precautions they took.  But what is troubling and what needs to be examined are the prevalence of arm injuries in the major leagues.  Despite the advantages in technology, training, and prevention, pitchers are much more fragile these days and break down much more frequently than they did in the past. 

In the 1960’s, four man rotations were the norm.  40 starts and 300 innings were the expectations for most pitchers.  Bob Gibson and Juan Marichal were two of the prominent pitchers in that generation that always picked up the ball every fourth day, gave quality outings, and never seemed to go on the disabled list.  Most of the pitchers in that era wanted to start what they finished, and considered it a personal affront to be pulled for a relief pitcher.  And the pitchers from that era definitely seemed much more durable.

The advent of the 5 man rotation and pitch counts also brought unwanted changes in the game, including specialty pitchers, repeated trips to the mound, continued delays, and three hour plus games.

The prevalence of pitcher injuries is a concern and a troubling question.  What are the causes?  Is it the reliance of the slider, which causes a lot of stress on the elbow?  Is it the year round regimen that pitchers are now expected to participate in?  In the past, most high school athletes were encouraged to play more than one sport. Nowadays, a pitching prospect is expected to work on his game 12 months a year.  This doesn’t permit any rest for the arms, which may be a considerable factor for the avalanche of arm injuries.

Everyone is holding their breath with regards to Strasburg’s long term prognosis.  Most pitchers come back stronger after Tommy John surgery.  The bigger concern is his shoulder.  Shoulder injuries for pitchers are much more problematic, and the long term prognosis seemingly more tenuous.

When he returns, all of MLB will be holding their breath every time Strasburg takes the mound.  It will certainly be great news if he comes back injury free and duplicates his success of 2010. 

Let’s hope that he becomes as durable as Nolan Ryan, and the next Walter Johnson for Washington D.C., rather than another Kerry Wood.