Author: Herts Baseball News Editor

by Herts Baseball News Editor

Contest to determine Herts team logos

Herts Baseball Club gave names to three of its teams last month and it is now time to create the team logos. The club is running a contest to design a logo for all 7 of the Herts baseball teams playing in the various BBF leagues. They are Herts Falcons, Herts Ravens, Herts Hawks, Herts Raptors, Herts Eagles, Herts Harriers and Herts Cardinals.

Four of the seven teams have existing logos and these will be considered against any new entries which are submitted as part of this contest, therefore some of the Herts teams may retain their current logos.

The Herts Baseball brand is increasing in value and the addition of the individual team brands will further enhance the club’s identity, marketing and commercial opportunities primarily from selling team-branded merchandise at the club shop.

The club is hopeful that its members and fans will come up with logo designs and concepts which can be adopted and become part of a recognisable family of Herts Baseball brands for the next 100 years and beyond. Contestants do not have to be members of Herts Baseball Club. Entries can be submitted by any individuals (see link to full terms and conditions below) including students who may or may not be specialising in art design.

Entries must be submitted by 23:59 on 31 March 2013.

Winning designs will be announced on the Herts Baseball Club website and each winner will receive a Herts baseball cap (adjustable strap model).

For full terms and conditions of the contest and for details on how to submit your entry, click here.

 

by Herts Baseball News Editor

Casal appointed as Herts Ravens manager

Last month Herts Baseball Club confirmed the return of Carlos Casal to the club after a two-year spell at NBL rivals, Harlow Nationals. This evening the club announced that Casal has been appointed as the manager of the Herts Ravens, the club’s newly-formed fifth adult league team which will play in the AAA League this season.

We had an opportunity to speak with the new Ravens manager about the appointment and the season ahead.

This is the first season of the newly-created Herts Ravens. What should the rest of the AAA League expect from the team in 2013?

Carlos Casal: It is difficult to define the right strategy and expectations at this early stage, especially when I don’t know the teams in the division. However, discipline, right motivation and optimism are the main ingredients towards success. I won’t raise the bar too high but our success will be based in individual progress play by play and who knows, there may be a surprise. I had a quick look at these teams in the GB website and noticed some names in Spanish which suggests potential Latin American opponents, and also seems to be a big presence from London with equal international contingent…. As it should be, that isn’t a deterrent for our success. Remember, we are our own biggest enemies!

When the club announced that this fifth Herts team is entering the AAA league, the Board indicated that one of the main reasons for this was to fill the gap at the AAA-league level and help players progress through the leagues and develop. Will the team’s goal in 2013 be to win games, help the development of the club’s upcoming prospects, enjoy playing the game or perhaps all three?

Carlos Casal: Based on the choices given, the answers are in the following order: enjoy playing the game and help the development of the club’s upcoming prospects. However, remember that physical, mental and skills preparation are a key factor to achieve these goals.

What would be a realistic win-loss percentage target for the Ravens this year? Can the team challenge for a postseason spot?

Carlos Casal: Again, difficult to define. Our goal(s) for the AAA team this first season will be all around individual and team performance. As said before, with the right motivation and mindset surprises are possible. Remote, but it would be fantastic securing a spot in the postseason.

Who do you think are likely to be the strongest opponents in the AAA league this season?

Carlos Casal: Each one of us players of the Herts AAA team are our strongest opponents. The opposing team at any given weekend is as strong as our desire to fail.

Your appointment as the first Herts Ravens manager was confirmed this evening and we have less than five weeks before Opening Day. Does this give you sufficient time to assess the players and be ready for the first pitch of the league season?

Carlos Casal: It is certainly a big challenge putting together a team ready for competition in five weeks. However, in conjunction with the managers of the other Herts teams we believe we have sufficient experienced resources to create a good core for the AAA team. All the years I spent in the past with Herts as a player and adult coach helped me realise the potential with this group of players. In relation to the elite youth players added to the roster, I am happy with their inclusion which is a reflection of their improvement as youth players and their long jump towards adult’s standard baseball based on skills, physical and mental conditions in the baseball field. For these youth players and some new adult players added to the roster, the experience will come during the season with a big helping hand from the senior/experienced players within the team, and surely from some other experienced players scattered among the other top division teams in the club. In summary, yes we will be ready for the first pitch of the league season.

We understand that as soon as your appointment was confirmed you had to go straight into the process of determining the preliminary rosters of the five Herts adult league teams ahead of the Herts Spring League. Should we expect any surprises when the Ravens preliminary roster is announced?

Carlos Casal: Surprises are, for every team in the club, all down to players acceptance to join the team they have been selected to play for. The main highlight of the AAA team however, is the large contingent of elite youth players which include players from the Herts U17 team and players who are becoming 17-years-old this year.

You have previous experience of being a player-manager while you were in charge of the Herts Hawks. In football player-managers find it difficult to perform this dual role. Is it easier to do it in baseball?

Carlos Casal: That is right. Baseball gives you the possibility to perform managerial duties while playing. However, despite feeling with enough energy to keep performing at top level in baseball, this year I will reduce playing time as possible to give way to the development of our team.

You have been playing in the National Baseball League for the Herts Falcons and the Harlow Nationals in the last few seasons. Taking the AAA manager role will obviously make it difficult for you to battle for a spot on the club’s NBL roster. How difficult was it to make this decision?

Carlos Casal: I still feel that my experience, abilities and physical conditions allow me to fight for a spot at NBL in this country. However, with the progress of the sport the last few years and the interest created among the youth moving up and international players to come and play in the UK, it makes the life of any NBL manager a nightmare at the time of selecting a competitive team. I can’t deny that deep inside me I would like to face the best of the best in the NBL but I have taken a more pragmatic approach and use that energy to develop and make a successful Herts AAA team.

During the voting to decide the name of the Herts AAA League team last month, did you vote for the name “Ravens” or did you prefer one of the other names?

Carlos Casal: I have to be honest, I didn’t follow this voting poll as, sadly, all my internet time was focused in the current problems currently developing in Venezuela. I would have picked up another name but surely I will get used to this one.

by Herts Baseball News Editor

Countdown to HSL – first chance to see British baseball’s best teams ahead of the 2013 season

The biggest pre-season baseball tournament in Britain is back. Commencing on March 23, the Herts Spring League (HSL) will see 18 teams compete over the 3 weeks of the HSL. Organised by Herts Baseball Club, it is Britain’s very own version of MLB’s Grapefruit and Cactus Leagues currently under way in the US, and it signals that the season is just around the corner.

FORMAT

The 18 teams will be entered into three HSL tiers. The top teams in the country from the National Baseball League will play in the HSL Majors. The HSL-AAA is the second tier of the Herts Spring League. It will feature predominantly British AAA-League teams as well as an U16 team. The HSL-AA bracket consists of AA and A-League teams and one U17 team.

The organisers considered the possibility of a tournament format, but ultimately adopted a league format in the same way as the Grapefruit and Cactus Leagues in MLB. “The objective of the HSL is to enable the teams to prepare for the new season and we have noticed that teams are increasingly starting to approach the HSL in the same way as MLB teams approach the Grapefruit and Cactus Leagues” said HSL Commissioner, Aspi Dimitrov. He added “we have taken this into account when formulating the schedule putting greater emphasis on the preferences and requirements of the teams over the format of the competition”.

The teams finishing on the top of their respective division will win the HSL. The “games-back” column in the standings will be critical, but undoubtedly some teams will end up with the same record and so it may go down to the number of runs conceded per game to break the tie.

SCHEDULE

34 games are scheduled to be played so every possible game slot at the two diamonds has been filled. The competition begins on March 23 with a clash between the London Mammoths and the Herts Ravens in the AAA bracket, and a AA clash between the Herts Eagles and the London Marauders. The Majors division commences 24 hours later.

The final day of each HSL division will see clashes between the top two seeds of each HSL division: Nationals vs Falcons, Royals vs Bucks and Marauders vs Mariners. Will those prove to be the games which will decide the HSL champions or will one of the lower-seeded teams upstage them?

The final day of the HSL coincides with the Opening Day in the National Baseball League as the Herts Falcons will face the South London Pirates so we are expecting a packed venue.

Click to view full 2013 HSL schedule

EXCITEMENT BUILDING UP

The Herts Spring League adds a competitive edge to Spring training. It’s the time for managers to work out their winning formula going into the BBF league season. It is an opportunity to evaluate existing and newly recruited players – which players will earn a spot in the pitching rotation and who will be batting where in the batting order? Who will make the first team and who will have to work their way up with the minor league teams? Not forgetting, it’s a chance to size up your rivals for the year ahead. It’s the first big challenge and the first big excitement of the baseball year. Don’t miss it.

GET IN THE GAME

For more details about the event or if you are interested to give baseball a try in this competition contact Herts Baseball Club.

THE VENUE

The action will take place at Grovehill Ballpark in Hemel Hempstead. This will be the first time that HSL games are played since the £17,000 upgrade last season.

 

by Herts Baseball News Editor

One more last-minute HSL entry

The Essex Arrows with celebrity umpire, Jerry Springer - they have made a late entry into the HSL.

Last week we announced the team lineup for the 2013 Herts Spring League (HSL). At the time the number of team entries was 16. It has now increased to 17.

The Essex Arrows, who are members of the National Baseball League (NBL), have made a late entry. This means that six of the nine NBL teams will be on show during the HSL. This will be the first opportunity to gauge the strength of these NBL teams before they begin their league campaigns.

The full HSL lineup has now been updated and available to view here.

The HSL schedule is expected to be announced shortly.

by Herts Baseball News Editor

“Bring a Friend” for Herts Baseball Club’s Open Day this Saturday and Sunday

The Herts baseball teams returned to the ballpark for the first time at the weekend after spending the previous six weeks preparing indoors. The weather forecast shows that the sun will come out and temperatures are expected to rise to 13oC later this week. Spring is here and baseball is well and truly back.

Herts Baseball Club is preparing for a big weekend of baseball at its Grovehill Ballpark in Hemel Hempstead.

SATURDAY – OPEN DAY FOR 6 TO 16-YEAR-OLDS

On Saturday, March 9, boys and girls as young as 6 and as old as 16 will be coming for the Open Day for youth team players. “This is the ideal opportunity for youngsters in Hertfordshire, North West London and the surrounding regions who have never tried the game of baseball to come to the ballpark and give it a go” said Club President, Aspi Dimitrov. He added that “our coaches will guide new players throughout the day to introduce them to the game of baseball and hopefully they will enjoy it and join the growing number of youngsters for whom baseball is their preferred summer sport”. The event is free to enter and players will be provided with all the necessary baseball equipment on the day so they can just come and enjoy the event”. To sign up for the event and to receive full details click here to contact the club. Even if the event clashes with football or other activities, families can still contact the club for details of upcoming events in the following weeks. New players can join the baseball teams at any time of the year.

SUNDAY – OPEN DAY FOR ADULT TEAMS (PLAYERS AGED 14 TO 55+)

On Sunday, March 10, it is the turn of the adult teams who will have a similar Open Day for male and female players aged between 14 and 55+. “We have 5 teams playing in the various British baseball league levels so we welcome players regardless of their ability or previous experience, from those who have never thrown a baseball in their lives to accomplished players with previous experience” said Dimitrov.

This is a very exciting time of the baseball season as the team managers assess the players and plan their rosters. Players will have a chance to impress the coaches on the day with their batting, fielding, pitching and running abilities. Every year new players come to give baseball a try and there are always one or two who surprise the coaches by turning up quietly, just like Robert Redford in the movie “The Natural”, and show incredibly strong throwing arms and/or ability to hit the ball out of the park. “Who will be our Roy Hobbs this weekend?”

The event is free to take part  and players will be provided with all the necessary equipment. To sign up for the day and to receive full details click here to contact the club. If the event clashes with other activities, interested players should still contact the club for details of other upcoming events which they can come to in the coming weeks.

BRING A FRIEND

The Club is promoting this weekend as “Bring a Friend” event. Youth and adult players and fans of the club are encouraged to invite their school friends, colleagues from work, neighbours and anyone who may be interested to give baseball a try.

“Our existing members are our most successful promoters as over the years the club has grown largely as a result of members recommending the club to their friends and relatives. If every member invites a friend to the club we would be in a position to enter 9 new teams in the British Baseball leagues, which would be incredible. This is unrealistic to expect, but if one out of ten members invites a friend that would be a fantastic 10% growth in one weekend” said Dimitrov.

 

by Herts Baseball News Editor

Former Minnesota Twins infielder joins Herts Falcons

British baseball clubs do not have the financial capacity to compete for talent with the multi-million dollar budgets of Major League Baseball clubs in America and the NPB league teams in Japan, but sometimes circumstances work in favour of British baseball teams enabling them to gradually close the gap. This evening Herts Baseball Club unveiled its newest signing, Xavier Gonzalez. The 24-year-old played under professional contract with the Minnesota Twins. This was as part of the Twins’ farm system in the Venezuelan Summer League in 2007 and the Dominican Summer League in 2008.

This was almost 5 years ago, but Xavier Gonzalez is still keeping in touch with his former Minesotta Twins teammates. He said “I have been following their progress. Jairo Rodriguez and Oswaldo Arcia played with me in the Dominican Republic and in Venezuela and they have since been invited to Spring Training camp with the MLB teams but have not made it to the big leagues yet”. He added: “One teammate who made it through to MLB is Eduardo Escobar, who played for the Chicago White Sox in 2011 and was traded to the Minnesota Twins in 2012”

Gonzalez’ primary positions during his time with the Twins were second base and third base, but Herts Falcons Manager, Lee Manning, is also expected to add him to the team’s pitching staff.

BATTING STATS WITH MINNESOTA TWINS
Year Team G PA AB R H RBI BA OBP SLG
2007 Cubs/Twins 37 116 98 13 18 8 0.184 0.281 0.204
2008 Twins 23 78 65 4 10 1 0.154 0.295 0.169
2 Seasons 60 194 163 17 28 9 0.172 0.286 0.19
FIELDING STATS WITH MINNESOTA TWINS
Year POS G Ch PO A E DP Fld%
2B (2 seasons) 2B 22 111 47 62 2 12 0.9820
RF (2 seasons) RF 2 4 4 0 0 0 1.000
LF (2 seasons) LF 4 4 4 0 0 0 1.000
SS (2 seasons) SS 2 5 2 3 0 0 1.000
3B (2 seasons) 3B 21 58 11 42 5 4 0.914
1B (1 season) 1B 1 12 12 0 0 0 1.000
2 Seasons 52 194 80 107 7 16 0.964

 

He will be travelling from Bournemouth every week to play for Herts, which is a 4-hour round trip. When asked what convinced him to make this major commitment he said “The love of this beautiful game, the baseball environment and how well organized Herts Baseball Club is”.

He played for the Poole Piranhas last season and had a very successful run reaching the national semi-finals where the Piranhas lost dramatically in extra innings. Xavier Gonzalez pitched 4 innings striking out 6 batters in that game.

Xavier Gonzalez (second from left) with his Minnesota Twins teammates in the Dominican Republic Summer League

In the last 20 years there has been only one player who has played in the British leagues and then has gone on to play professionally for an MLB team. This was John Foster who played for Brighton Buccaneers and went on to play for the Milwaukee Brewers and the Atlanta Braves. Xavier Gonzalez has now had a first-hand look at British baseball and he is positive that this is not going to be the last player to make it to the big leagues. “When I first came to England I didn’t have any idea that I was going to be able to play baseball as I had always thought that football is the only sport here, but then I found the British Baseball Federation and saw how well organised baseball is in this country. I think British baseball is growing and doing its best to take the game to the next level”. He added that “if we start to introduce the game of baseball in primary schools then this is going to make a big difference in the coming years”.

The Herts Falcons attracted international scouts in last year’s NBL games. Xavier Gonzalez turned 24 last week so if he performs well for the Falcons perhaps this could reopen the opportunity to give MLB another try, but for now “my goal in Herts is to help as much as I can to win the national championship” said Gonzalez.

This signing makes it a total of six Venezuelan players across the nine Herts adult and youth league teams, and it would be a big boost for British Baseball clubs if more members of the large Latin American communities in this country could get involved in British baseball. Xavier Gonzalez pointed out that there are many more communities out there for British Baseball to engage with and get them involved in the game. “Promoting the game through language schools can attract not only Latin Americans like me. This is also a way of attracting players from Asia and other parts of the world.”

Xavier Gonzalez is expected to make his Herts Falcons debut in the Herts Spring League which commences on 23 March.

 

by Herts Baseball News Editor

16 teams will signal the arrival of Spring in the 2013 HSL

UPDATE: After this article was posted the Essex Arrows (NBL) made a last minute HSL entry to make it 17 teams in total.

Herts Baseball Club has confirmed that 16 teams have entered this year’s Herts Spring League (HSL). The teams come from all British baseball leagues including the National Baseball League (NBL), Triple-A, Double-A, Single-A, Under-19 and Under-17 Leagues.

The HSL teams will be divided into three divisions based on their league ranking going into the 2013 season.

HSL – MAJORS

Before the 2012 NBL champions make their return to Grovehill Ballpark they will clash with the AAA champions Liverpool Trojans at Leicester's Western Park

The reigning NBL Champions, the Harlow Nationals (20-6 in 2012), go into the competition as the top seed. They will make their first appearance at Grovehill Ballpark since they lifted the NBL trophy last September. Before that they will be involved in an intriguing match-up versus the best team in the North, the Liverpool Trojans. This game is part of the Leicester Spring League. The second seed in the HSL Majors are last year’s NBL runners-up, the Herts Falcons (17-6) who have once again been in the news signing new players ahead of the new season. The London Mets (13-10) go into the HSL as the third seed, but judging by the noises coming out of Finsbury Park, they will be a major player in the race for the title. Entering the HSL for the first time are the South London Pirates (2-21), formerly the Croydon Pirates. The team goes into the season with a new name and the hope of a return to winning ways. The BBF announced the promotion of the Essex Redbacks (16-10) from AAA to the NBL this year and they go into the HSL as the fifth seed. These Spring League games will give fans an indication of what they can expect from the Redbacks in their NBL debut season. Completing the HSL Majors lineup are the London Mets U20 team, which is expected to feature players who are fighting for a place in the Mets NBL Opening Day roster.

HSL – AAA

The Cambridge Royals (15-11) were one of the pleasant surprises of 2012 when they made their debut in the AAA league, and reached the postseason. On top of that they took the eventual AAA champions, Liverpool, right down to the wire losing 3-2 in the Semi-Final which was arguably one of the most nail-biting games of the season. They are the number one seed in the HSL AAA division. The Milton Keynes Bucks finished second in the AA league last season losing to Nottingham making it very clear that the Midlands conference is now too good for their AA opponents in the South and North. The BBF League lineup has not been announced yet, but rumours around the leagues are that the success of the Midlands teams will prompt the BBF to promote them into the AAA league tier this year. On that basis the MK Bucks’ (9-5) ranking as the second seed in the HSL AAA division is fully justified. The Herts Hawks (11-4) are the third seed after their successful run to reach the AA playoffs going out in the Semi-Finals. The London Mammoths (11-5) finished just half a game behind the Hawks last season. The HSL will give us a glimpse at what we can expect in the race for the 2013 AA playoffs. The final team in the HSL AAA division is the London Mets U16 team. They have been seeded last, but this is purely on the basis that they have not faced senior league teams. They could prove to be one of the big surprises within this group.

5 London teams have entered this year’s HSL and all of their rosters feature predominantly young and upcoming prospects

HSL – AA

The AA bracket is led by the Kent Mariners who had a 4-14 record in AA last year. They finished third in the same division of the HSL 12 months ago and they are the favourites to win it this year. The fifth London team in the HSL is the Marauders (8-2). They reached the Semi-Finals in last year’s Single-A League playoffs and are seeded second. The Herts Raptors (6-4) and Herts Eagles (5-5) are the third and fourth seed in this bracket. The 16th team in this year’s HSL is the Herts Harriers. This is the Herts Under-17 League team and this is their debut year in the HSL.

To view the full HSL lineup, click here.

SCHEDULE AND FORMAT

The HSL will be played over three weeks commencing on the weekend of 23 and 24 March and ending on 6 and 7 April. The HSL format and games schedule are expected to be announced in the next few days and hertsbaseball.com will bring this and all other HSL news as they happen.

WEAR THE HERTS BASEBALL JERSEY IN 2013

Herts Baseball Club welcomes youth players from 6 to 16 and adult players from 14 to 50+ from complete beginners to experienced ballpalyers. New players can join at any time of the year. For more details on how to give baseball a try contact us.

 

by Herts Baseball News Editor

Cardinals added to Herts Baseball family

Herts fans have been voting to decide the name of the Herts U14 team over the last few days. The polls closed at midnight on Monday and the results of the vote showed a four-way tie between Cardinals, Kestrels, Ospreys and Red Wings. To break the tie, the poll deadline was extended by 21 hours.

The extended deadline passed a few minutes ago and Herts Baseball Club can officially confirm that the name of the Herts U14 league team is Herts Cardinals. The cardinal (pictured above) certainly fits with Herts Baseball club’s official colours of Red, Black and White.

The Cardinals proved to be the most popular name according to Herts baseball fans with 33.3% of the vote.

 

TEAM NAME POPULARITY (%)
Herts Cardinals
 33.30%
Herts Red Wings 23.80%
Herts Kestrels 19.00%
Herts Ospreys 19.00%
Herts Red Kites 4.80%
Herts Crows 0.00%
Herts Griffins 0.00%
Herts Loons 0.00%
Herts Red Deers 0.00%
Herts Woodpeckers 0.00%
by Herts Baseball News Editor

Herts Harriers confirmed as the club’s U17 team name. Only U14 team name remains to be decided

The poll closed a few minutes ago and Herts Baseball Club can officially confirm that the name of the Herts U17 league team is Herts Harriers.

The Harriers proved to be the most popular name according to Herts baseball fans with 39.40% of the vote. A wave of votes in the last few hours of voting pushed the Harriers beyond the reach of any of the other challengers.

Herts U17 Team Name Poll Result
TEAM NAME POPULARITY (%)
Herts Harriers 39.40%
Herts Red Wings 21.20%
Herts Cardinals
 15.20%
Herts Griffins 6.10%
Herts Kestrels 6.10%
Herts Ospreys 6.10%
Herts Red Kites 6.10%
Herts Crows 0.00%
Herts Loons 0.00%
Herts Red Deers 0.00%
Herts Woodpeckers 0.00%

U14 TEAM NAME POLL HAS JUST OPENED

Fans of the club have been voting intensively over the last few weeks. Just one final poll remains. It will determine the name of the Herts U14 team.

10 team names remain for fans to choose from. This final voting round has just opened (CLICK HERE TO CAST YOUR VOTE). Voting will end at 23:59 on Monday, 25 February 2013.

The British Baseball Federation is expected to announce the 2013 U17 and U14 league schedule on March 1. Herts will submit the name of the U14 team to the league as soon as the poll closes and in time for the announcement of the BBF Youth League schedule.

 

by Herts Baseball News Editor

Voting to decide Herts U17 team name has commenced

Herts fans chose Herts Ravens as the name of the new Herts team which will play in the BBF AAA League in 2013.

Now it is time for fans to select the name of the club’s U17 league team. The preliminary round of voting determined the 11 team names which are through to the Final round for this U17 team name vote.

The Final Voting Round has just opened (CLICK HERE TO CAST YOUR VOTE). Voting will end at 23:59 on Wednesday, 20 February 2013.

The British Baseball Federation is expected to announce the 2013 U17 and U14 league schedule on March 1. As soon as this U17 team name vote is completed it will be the turn of the Herts U14 team name to be decided and this will enable the club to confirm the names in time for the announcement of the BBF League schedule.