Ken Pike presents a brand new show on Herts Baseball TV. This first edition of the show features a roundup of the action from the Opening Day of the 2012 Herts Spring league a look ahead to next weekend when all 20 teams are in action as the AAA and AA teams start their Spring Training games.
Author: Herts Baseball News Editor
Weather spoils exciting 2012 HSL opening day
The Opening Day of the 2012 Herts Spring League got off to a thrilling start with high quality baseball on display, but after just one hour and forty minutes heavy rain halted proceedings.
The Harlow Nationals had the most to shout about at the end of the day as they find themselves at the top of the HSL Majors standings. The 2011 NBL Champions overcame the London Mets in a close game. Nationals starting pitcher Brendan Cunliffe had a solid outing and the run support from the Nationals’ batting lineup. Marty Cullen Sr. came in to close the game and pick up the save to squeeze out a 4-2 win for Harlow just before play was suspended for the rest of the day. Luis Goncalves went 3-for-4 for the Nationals with 14-year-old Marty Cullen Jr going 1-for-1 on his debut for the Nationals.
The London Mets can feel disappointed as they had the opportunity to win the game, but found two of their runners thrown out at home plate ending their offensive rallies. Were the London base-coaches a bit too eager after a long winter break? Perhaps credit should be given to the Nationals defence for executing the plays.
At the same time on the new diamond at Grovehill Ballpark in Herts the Lakenheath Diamondbacks and the Herts Falcons produced a high quality game for the fans who braved the weather. The Falcons started the game with a lineup featuring some of the star-signings which they unveiled recently. Mike Osborn started on the mound and pitched with the control and effectiveness which fans of British Baseball have become accustomed to in the last 14 years. Cris Hiche and Jake Michels started at first and third base respectively, with Kevin Niedringhaus and Kimiyoshi Saionji as the middle infielders. Louis Hare came in as short stop later in the game. Starting catcher was the longest-serving player of Herts Baseball Club and Falcons Manager, Lee Manning. In centerfield was the reliable glove of 2011 Falcons MVP and leadoff batter, Mahendra Prasad. In left and right field were two new players the identity of which remains something of a mystery. The club has indicated that more roster announcements are expected to be made shortly so we hope that the identity of these players will be made public in the next few days.
The Falcons took the lead after a two-run double by Niedringhaus. The Dbacks gradually came back into the game and going into the late innings they tied the game 3-3. The fans may have come out to see the new Herts arrivals, but it was the Herts veteran, Kimiyoshi Saionji, who stole the show with a two-run home run flying over the right field wall.
With a 5-3 lead and a solid defensive performance up to that point, Herts seemed in control going into the sixth and final inning, but then the heavens opened turning the ballgame into a water-polo match-up. The rain clearly affected Osborn’s previously impeccable control resulting in four consecutive walks.
Lakenheath took full advantage of this and drove in four runs to take a 7-5 lead at which point the game was suspended in the top of the sixth inning due to the rain, with the Falcons unable to bat in the bottom of the inning as the home team.
To resolve the outcome of this incomplete game, the HSL Commissioner had to refer to the MLB Rules and Regulations. The MLB Rules indicate that suspended games should be resumed the next time the two teams meet, but as the HSL schedule does not have any more games between the two teams, the rule indicates that “any suspended game not completed prior to the last scheduled game between the two teams during the championship season shall become a called game.” It further states that “If such game becomes a called game and has progressed far enough to become a regulation game, and one team is ahead, the team that is ahead shall be declared the winner”, regardless of the fact that the home team has not had the opportunity to bat in the bottom of the inning.
This meant that the game was to be declared a 7-5 win for Lakenheath, however in an act of sportsmanship the Diamondbacks offered to resume the game and complete the sixth inning on Saturday, March 24 after the end of the other HSL Majors games scheduled on that date.
With the rain wiping out the remaining games of the day, the four teams involved in these two games managed to have game time against closely-matched opponents which will be valuable for those teams as they prepare for Opening Day on April 1st. The Essex Arrows were the unlucky fifth team which unfortunately did not see game time and they were visibly disappointed waiting for a long period of time after play was suspended in the hope that the standing water would disappear.
The Grovehill Ballpark grounds crew felt that they “should have suspended play earlier and covered the critical areas with tarpaulin”, however that may not have solved the problem as unlike MLB clubs Herts do not have a tarpaulin large enough to cover the whole infield. In any case the rain returned later in the day, which would have made it impossible to play any of the subsequent games.
The action continues next weekend with the AAA and AA divisions staring their HSL campaign, which means that all 20 HSL teams will be in action at the baseball diamonds in Herts and Guildford, weather permitting.
For more pictures from the Opening day of the 2012 HSL visit: britishbaseball.blogspot.co.uk
See full 2012 HSL games schedule
Team rosters to be announced on Herts TV tonight
We are counting down to the first pitch of the 2012 Herts Spring League and the Managers of the Herts adult league teams will be announcing their preliminary rosters for the upcoming Herts Spring League games. The announcement will be shown on the Herts TV Channel at 10:00pm, Thursday, 15 March 2012, (right after the end of the televised football game Manchester City vs Sporting Lisbon).
The show will be hosted by Herts Baseball TV’s anchorman, Ken Pike.
Viewers will be able to interact and chat with each other using the ChatZone on the side of the TV screen and via facebook or twitter.
It must be noted that the Herts team managers are still evaluating players, especially as new players are arriving every week. Therefore the rosters which will be announced are not final and may be subject to changes. For example, players may receive a call up from another team etc.
Herts Falcons confirm another major acquisition
The Herts Falcons have added another piece in their 2012 NBL jigsaw with the signing of three-time National Baseball League champion, Michael Osborn.
Osborn has spent the last 14 seasons in the NBL and is the longest serving active NBL player with 14 consecutive seasons (tied with Rob Rance of the Bracknell Blazers). He played 8 years with the London Warriors between 1998 and 2005 winning the NBL title in 2000. He spent the next six seasons with the Richmond Flames lifting the championship trophy twice (2006, 2010). This year Osborn will be wearing the Herts jersey. “I have been part of very successful teams in the past and I hope that the experience I will be bringing to the team will help us have a fruitful season.“ said Osborn.
He shared his optimism about Herts’ chances “Getting Herts back in the habit of winning is very important and with the arrival of several new players we will be very strong competitors this year”.
For players who have experienced so much success it is often difficult to decide which one was their best year. “Winning the Championship in 2010 probably rates as my most enjoyable moment and season, but I can think of several other seasons which were as fulfilling.” He emphasised that “All these seasons had a common denominator: the players were good ballplayers but also great guys. I think we will have both at the Falcons and that’s what I’m personally looking forward to. The team atmosphere promises to be fantastic and that’s one of the main reasons I have chosen Herts.”
Osborne is one of the most effective pitchers in the NBL. He led the NBL in wins last year (7) and in 2009 (6) when he also won the strikeouts title (57). He has a career ERA of 4.44, and leads in career wins among active players in British baseball (37). He has a career batting average of .303, and has power with 8 home runs. Judging by his performances over the years, Herts fans will be very pleased to see one of the most reliable and consistent players in the NBL join the team.
Marquee pitchers of MLB teams are reluctant to move to teams with “hitter-friendly ballparks” as that can often take its toll on their career stats and Hall of Fame credentials, but Osborn does not seem to be concerned about Grovehill Ballpark being the field with the highest number of home runs since it was opened in 2010. “I’m not worried at all and I hadn’t actually given it a thought to be perfectly honest. It comes down to making fewer mistakes than the opposing pitcher. Hopefully, I can add some home runs to my personal account as a hitter!”
The signing of Michael Osborn is another in a series of high-profile player transactions concluded by the Herts Falcons this Spring, including Robbie Unsell, Ryan Bird, Cristobal Hiche, Jake Michels among others. Herts fans will have the opportunity to see most of the new arrivals in a Herts jersey for the first time in the opening game of the 2012 Herts Spring League this Saturday, 17 March 2012, when the Falcons will face the Lakenheath Diamondbacks at Grovehill Ballpark. First pitch 10:50am.
NBL stats courtesy of projectcobb.org.uk
20 teams line up for 2012 Herts Spring League
Herts Baseball Club has confirmed that 20 teams have entered this year’s Herts Spring League (HSL). This equals the record set last year. The teams come from all British baseball leagues including the National Baseball League, AAA league, AA League and A League. For a second year in a row the HSL lineup also includes an international team, and for the first time the competition will feature a team from the Under-17 League.
To match the teams more equally and create much closer contests, for the first time the HSL teams will be divided into three separate leagues based on their league ranking going into the 2012 season.
HSL – MAJORS
The HSL Majors includes teams form the NBL. The reigning NBL Champions, the Harlow Nationals (formerly the Southern Nationals), go into the competition as the top seed. They are joined by the NBL runner-up, the Lakenheath Diamondbacks, as the second seed. Entering the HSL for the first time are the London Mets led by their newly appointed manager, Fredi Vibert, who last managed the Richmond Flames ending up as the team with the best record in the regular season (19-5). The Essex Arrows and the Herts Falcons are the fourth and fifth seeded teams in the HSL Majors, respectively.
HSL – AAA
The Essex RedBacks’ impressive performance in the AAA last year makes them the favourite to win the HSL AAA section. Joining them are the always competitive Milton Keynes Bucks from the AA Midlands League, the Sidewinders, the Herts Hawks and the Cambridge Royals who were confirmed to be making the jump from the A League last year to the AAA League in 2012. For the first time ever the HSL will feature an Under-17 League team. The London Mets U17 team are the reigning U17 National Champions and it will be fascinating to see how they will fare against teams from the AAA adult leagues. The London Mets U17 team is using the HSL as a final test before the team flies to the Czech Republic for the qualifying stage on the way to the PONY Baseball Colt World Series in Lafayette, Indiana in early August.
HSL – AA
The Guildford Mavericks are the top seed in the HSL-AA section. They are joined by the Essex RedBacks II, Kent Mariners, London Marauders, Guildford Mavericks II, the two host teams, the Herts Raptors and the Herts Eagles.
Completing the lineup are two teams who enter the HSL for the first time – the Torbay Barons, a newly formed independent team, and finally the Great Britain Under-15 National Team who will utilise the HSL as part of their preparations for their international schedule this season. The GB U15 team includes players from many of the other teams in the HSL so those players will be facing their club team mates.
To view the full HSL lineup, click here.
SCHEDULE AND FORMAT
The HSL will be played over four weeks commencing on the weekend of 17 and 18 March and ending on 7 and 8 April. The HSL format, games schedule and venues are expected to be announced on or around 6 March 2012 and hertsbaseball.com will bring this and all other HSL news as they happen.
Herts add a Venezuelan, a Swiss-Bulgarian and a Brit
Herts have brought an added international flavour with three more acquisitions ahead of the 2012 season.
MIKE CATTERMOLE
Mike Cattermole joins Herts with nearly 20 years experience in the National Baseball League (NBL). His first appearance in the NBL was with the Hounslow Rangers with whom he played until 1996. He then moved on to the Windsor Bears where he spent 4 seasons between 2001 and 2004. This was a very successful period for the Bears winning the NBL title in 2003 and finishing as runner-up in the other three seasons (2001, 2002 and 2004). This was followed by 5 years with the Bracknell Blazers with whom he won the NBL in 2009 in that memorable comeback wining the last three games of the NBCs to clinch the title. Cattermole has been used predominantly in the outfield but has also appeared at third base, second base and on the mound. His batting average between 1995 and now stands at .246.
VASSIL BOTEV
Vassil Botev joins Herts from the Imperial Falcons, a team representing Imperial College in the British University Baseball Association. Fans of Herts Baseball will remember him from the 2010 University Fall Cup which was held at Grovehill Ballpark. Botev was the winning pitcher in the final between the Imperial Falcons and Nottingham University. On a very wet day he managed to knock out the high-profile Nottingham pitchers George Lintern (Southern Nationals and Great Britain Senior Team) and Gordon Sheppard (Bracknell Blazers and Great Britain U19 Team) both with extensive NBL and international experience.
Vassil Botev started his career in Switzerland playing little league ball and later moving on to the Swiss National League B with the Geneva Dragons finishing in the top 4 in 2005 and reaching the Swiss playoffs in 2006. In the same year the Swiss-Bulgarian also received a call-up to the Swiss Under-18 National Team. The 23-year-old has been used primarily as a pitcher but also has extensive experience at third base and as a catcher. Botev’s arrival means that all three players known to have a Bulgarian origin in the British adult baseball leagues are now rostered with Herts.
GILBERTO MEDINA
If there was a contest for the most muscular baseball player in Great Britain, Gilberto Medina is likely to be right up there with the Edwin Alcantaras of this world. The imposing figure of the Venezuelan is going to be a scary sight for opponents of Herts this season.
Medina’s education and career in chemical engineering meant that he had to end his baseball career when he graduated from high school in his hometown of Coro in Venezuela. However his professional career brought him to Hatfield in Hertfordshire which has opened up the opportunity for him to resume his baseball career. “When I found out that there was another chance for me to fill the baseball void with Herts, I got a very satisfying feeling in the knowledge that playing is possible again” said Medina. “Some of the players from my school in Venezuela went on to have tryouts and some of them got chosen by scouts for national and international teams. I always wonder – what if I had carried on playing? What or where could I be today?”. Well, Gilberto Medina is now with Herts and he can look forward to a very intriguing season of baseball. “It’s a really exciting experience for me and is an honour to join Herts. The people I have met so far just make me want to give my best. I am having a good time” said Medina.
WILL YOU BE WEARING THE HERTS JERSEY IN 2012?
Herts’ recruitment efforts ahead of the new season continue and in fact new players can join at any point during the year. The club welcomes players from complete beginners to accomplished players. 6 to 16-year-olds play for the Herts youth teams while adults (over the age of 14) play for the club’s major and minor league teams. For more details contact Herts Baseball Club.
NBL statistics courtesy of www.projectcobb.org.uk
Two-time MVP Bird joins Herts flock
Ryan Bird is one of the biggest stars of the National Baseball League and he will be wearing the Herts jersey this season. In the last four years the 29-year-old has been one of the most dominant baseball players in Great Britain. His name appears prominently across the majority of the defensive and offensive stats of the NBL.
BACK-TO-BACK
He received immediate recognition, voted as the NBL’s Most Valuable Player (MVP) in 2008. This was his first season in the League and this achievement is even more significant given that this was a time of total league domination by the amazing London Mets. In the following year Bird was once again voted as the League’s MVP, making him the first player to receive two MVP awards since the days of Simon Pole during the London Warriors era. In 2009 he was also the league’s home run champion with 5 dingers.
He has performed consistently throughout and he is the NBL leader in career batting average (.477), career on-base average (.560) and career slugging average (.804). His primary position is catcher, but he has also had a real impact as a pitcher. His career ERA is 3.49 with a record of 10 wins and 4 losses and, very notably, one of the highest strikeouts per nine innings ratios (16.29).
REVIVAL
In his four seasons with the Flames, Bird has reached the postseason on each occasion lifting the National Championship trophy in 2010 and finishing as Runner-up twice (2008, 2009). His is now making the move to a team which has struggled in the last two years, but he feels that 2012 could be a turning point for Herts. “I am excited ahead of the new season and look forward to being a part of the team. I believe the Falcons will be more competitive this year as a result of the winter recruitment, dedicated team and solid framework already in place.” he said.
Bird feels that “A playoff place is well within our reach this year” adding that “From there anything can happen”.
The addition of Ryan Bird is the latest in a list of some very significant player acquisitions for Herts. The news of these has travelled fast not only in and around Hertfordshire and North West London, but also nationally and has even featured in European publications.
WILL YOU BE WEARING THE HERTS JERSEY IN 2012?
Herts’ recruitment efforts ahead of the new season continue and in fact new players can join at any point during the year. The club welcomes players from complete beginners to accomplished players. 6 to 16-year-olds play for the Herts youth teams while adults (over the age of 14) play for the club’s major and minor league teams. For more details contact Herts Baseball Club.
NBL statistics courtesy of www.projectcobb.org.uk
Herts beef up roster with three more players
Herts Baseball Club has confirmed the acquisition of three more players for the coming season. Kevin Niedringhaus, Matt Spaulding and Seth Lipstock all played for the Richmond Flames last year winning the pennant with the best record in the NBL regular season (19-5). They will be wearing the Herts jersey in 2012.
KEVIN NIEDRINGHAUS
25-year-old right-handed pitcher and utility player, Kevin Niedringhaus, spent the last two seasons in the NBL with the Flames. He was one of the most versatile players for Richmond over that period playing every position in the field apart from first base. Impressively, he has committed only two errors in the NBL. But it is his performance at the plate which stands out. With an NBL career batting average of .397 and a .512 on-base average he is expected to bring much needed boost to the Falcons offensive lineup.
Prior to 2010 Niedringhaus played in America. He captained his high school team, the Northwestern Trojans. He then progressed on to the American Legion Baseball in (Post 34) Rock Hill, South Carolina where he played between 2000 and 2005. British baseball fans may not be familiar with the American Legion Baseball, but its alumni base includes some of the sport’s most recognizable names. Yogi Berra, Ted Williams, Frank Robinson, current Yankees slugger Mark Texeira, played in the league’s 1997 World Series. Babe Ruth was too old to join when Legion Baseball started, but he spent the final years of his life promoting the program as its director of operations. Other prominent players include Ryne Sandberg, Roy Campanella, Dusty Baker, Albert Pujols, Greg Maddux, Chipper Jones and many others.
MATT SPAULDING
Herts baseball fans remember Matt Spaulding best from a deciding AA-League clash between the Herts Falcons and the Richmond Knights 9 years ago. 10 August 2003 was the hottest day in Great Britain since records began, but more importantly it was the day of the game to decide who will remain in the race for the AA postseason. Spaulding pitched a complete game leading Richmond to a 9-5 victory breaking Falcons’ hearts on the way.
In the following season Spaulding was promoted to the Richmond NBL team and has been a regular for the last four seasons including the national championship-winning Richmond team of 2010. Left-handed pitcher Spaulding has been predominantly used as a reliever. He has a NBL win-loss career record of 7-7 on the mound. He has also been used by Richmond in left and right field.
SETH LIPSTOCK
33-year-old Seth Lipstock made his NBL debut with the Richmond Flames in 2011. He joined the team arriving from America in the latter part of the season so he remains an unknown quantity for British baseball teams. Herts will hope that Lipstock will bring an element of surprise in 2012 catching opponents unprepared without scouting reports on him.
Herts Baseball Club has indicated that a further roster announcement will be made imminently. We are following developments closely and will bring the news to you as they happen.
WILL YOU BE WEARING THE HERTS JERSEY IN 2012?
Herts’ recruitment efforts ahead of the new season continue and in fact new players can join at any point during the year. The club welcomes players from complete beginners to accomplished players. 6 to 16-year-olds play for the Herts youth teams while adults (over the age of 14) play for the club’s major and minor league teams. For more details contact Herts Baseball Club.