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.
Category: Eagles
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.
Countdown to HSL – first chance to see British baseball’s best teams ahead of the 2012 season
The biggest pre-season baseball tournament in Britain is back. Commencing on March 17, the Herts Spring League will see a record 20 teams travelling from as far afield as Torbay and Milton Keynes to compete for the title. Organised by Herts Baseball Club, it’s 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
This is the fifth year of the HSL and for the first time the 20 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. They will play each of their opponents in a league format. The team finishing on the top of the standings wins the title.
The HSL-AAA is the second tier of the Herts Spring League. It will feature predominantly British AAA-League teams. The teams will meet each other once over the course of the competition in a race to finish top of the league.
The HSL-AA is the third and largest tier in this year’s HSL. Five of the teams are located north of the river Thames and they will play against each other in the first two weeks. Over the same period the four HSL-AA teams located south of the river Thames will do the same in their own region. Despite the geographic separation in the games schedule the teams from both north and south will be keeping an eye on each other as they will be battling for positions in the same standings. The top two at the end of the league stage will meet in the final week to determine the HSL-AA Champions. The third and fourth placed teams will meet in the Bronze Medal game, fifth versus sixth and so on. 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.
THE VENUES
The action will take place at two of Britain’s best baseball venues, Grovehill Ballpark in Hemel Hempstead, and Broadwater Park in Guildford. This is the first year in which HSL games are held in Guildford and is a tremendous opportunity for fans of baseball in that region to enjoy some Spring League action. The opportunity to add Guildford to the schedule comes as a relief for the Torbay Barons to reduce their journey slightly in what must be a record 7-hour round trip.
SCHEDULE
Over the four weeks of the HSL a total of 45 games will be played. The reigning champions, Harlow Nationals open up the HSL-Majors with a game against the London Mets at Grovehill Ballpark in Hemel Hempstead on Saturday, 17 March (first pitch 10:50am). On the adjacent diamond the hosts, Herts Falcons, will face the National Runners-up, Lakenheath Diamondbacks. The Falcons have been unveiling star signings every week this Spring and this will be a first opportunity to see how the team is shaping up ahead of the 2012 NBL season.
The Sidewinders open up HSL-AAA with a game against the newest AAA team in the country, the Cambridge Royals on Saturday, March 24, also at Herts.
The opening games in the AA bracket will see the Herts Raptors welcome the Essex RedBacks, while over in Guildford, the hometown Mavericks clash with the rejuvenated Kent Mariners.
Herts Baseball President, Aspi Dimitrov was delighted with the surge in interest: “We have equalled last year’s record with 20 teams entering the HSL, but Herts Baseball Club would not have been able to satisfy this demand without the Guildford Mavericks who have so generously agreed to host HSL games.” Dimitrov added “Very importantly the HSL has had fantastic support from so many umpires which will mean that games will be covered by some of the country’s best umpires in the first two weeks of the HSL before the start of the NBL season”
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.
RELATED LINKS
For more details about the event you can contact Herts Baseball Club
Season set by BBF for Hawks, Raptors and Eagles
by Joe Selfe, hertsbaseball.com
With the BBF’s recent release of the league schedule for the AA and A Leagues, Herts Baseball Club is now very pleased to be able to set the season for the Herts Hawks, Raptors and the newly reformed Herts Eagles teams.
Opening Up
The Hawks, retaining their place in the AA league will open up on the 15th April at home against the Richmond Dragons. The fixture last year saw the Hawks triumph as part of their strong finish to the 2011 season. The Eagles, newly reformed in the BBF’s A league, will also entertain a Richmond side, the Dukes, on what should be a fantastic opening day at Grovehill Ballpark. The Herts Raptors, also competing in the A league this season will have to wait until the following week to get their season underway, entertaining the Essex Redbacks which will also take place at Grovehill Ballpark.
The Leagues
The largest tier of British Baseball, the AA league, will this year see a total of 24 teams competing to become national champions. With such a fantastic intake, the league has adopted a geographical split into four sub divisions of North, Midlands, South Pool A and South Pool B. Situated in the southern section of the league, the Hawks season will concern the final two pools where notable changes and additions include the Southampton Mustangs 2 who have moved up from the A league while the Essex Archers drop down. The Latin Tigers are also replacing their affiliated Latin Boys who have stepped up to AAA and there are two new teams in the shape of the London Mammoths and Daws Hill Spitfires. Placed in South Pool B will see the Hawks compete in a 7 innings double header against each of their pool opponents who include the: Essex Redbacks (H); Kent Mariners (A); London Mammoths (H); Brentwood Stags (H); Sidewinders (A) and Daws Hill Spitfires (A). A single 9 innings match will then be played against each member of South Pool A which includes the: Richmond Dragons (H);Croydon Pirates III (A); Latin Tigers (A); Guildford Mavericks AA (H); Thames Valley Bisons (A); Southampton Mustangs 2 (A) and completing their 23 match season at home to the Poole Pirates on 5th August. It is assumed, that as with previous seasons, the most successful of the North and Midlands Pools, comprising of six and five teams respectively, will join those top of the southern pools in the postseason to decide the overall national champion.
With the recent addition of the Herts Eagles, the A League will this season comprise of 11 teams and operate as a straight 11 team league. As well as the Eagles and Archers, the A league welcomes Hove Tuesday to the BBF and the newly formed Richmond Dukes. With no league divide, the Raptors and Eagles will compete against each of their opponents once in a single 9 innings match resulting in a ten match regular season. In addition to the teams stated above, this will include games against the: Guildford Mavericks A; Old Timers; Tonbridge Bobcats; Braintree Rays and the London Marauders. The big A League season date for all Herts fans and both the Raptor and Eagle teams however will be their face off taking place on 17th July, where a strong crowd and competitive spirit will be expected!
Pushing for Success
The BBF calendar also has a London Tournament scheduled for the 15th of July for all the teams to look forward to as well as the chance for further games in the postseason. For now though, Herts will be keen to ensure that both the Hawks and Raptors can build on their strong end to last season and that the Eagles can join them in getting off to a flying start in their return to the BBF. With preparation well underway for the fast approaching new season, we hope to see all three teams soaring high in their respective leagues before long.
This article was written by Joe Selfe, who is the newest addition to the hertsbaseball.com media team. Over the course of the season he and the rest of the team will be bringing you all the latest news from Herts and from around the British baseball leagues. hertsbaseball.com is constantly looking to add to its media roster. If you are interested to join the team, in any role please contact us. Some of the roles include: reporter embedded with one of the Herts teams; blogger for our “Opinion” section; event correspondent; Herts TV and radio host or member of the TV/Radio production staff, MLB correspondent, British Leagues correspondent etc.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
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.
The return of the Eagles
Herts Baseball Club officially confirmed that there will be four Herts teams entering the senior leagues of the British Baseball Federation. This means that the Herts Eagles will return to the league after missing the 2011 season. The big question for the executive board of the club was which BBF leagues should these four teams be entered in.
The club’s first team, the Herts Falcons, will be hoping for big improvement in the National Baseball League (NBL) after two difficult seasons. In 2010 the team ended the season with 9 wins 19 losses, and the win-loss record went down further in 2011 to 4-20. Judging by recently announced player acquisitions, the Falcons appear to be determined to turn their fortunes around in 2012.
The Herts Hawks will once again be entering the AA League, which is Britain’s third league tier. The Hawks roster is also expected to be in much better shape compared to last year.
The Herts Raptors will remain in the Single-A League. Last year they ended the season on a high with three wins in the last four games and they will be looking to continue that run. If they do that, theoretically they should secure a place in the postseason.
The club has experienced a substantial increase in new players joining the organisation during the close season. The size of the club’s rosters mushroomed further thanks to a large number of the club’s Under-17 players showing interest in being considered for the Herts adult teams. This meant that the club was ready to enter an additional team, signalling the return of the Herts Eagles. The Eagles first entered the league in 2009 playing in the AAA-League. The following season the team reached the AAA National Championship losing to the Oxford Kings in the Semi-Final. The Eagles did not enter the League last year reflecting the lower number of players in the Herts rosters.
But which league should the Herts Eagles go into in 2012? To decide this, the Board needed to carry out a careful analysis of the team rosters. The club has always been very successful at attracting players who have never played the game before and this trend has continued this winter. The majority of the Board agreed that two of the club’s four teams are not equipped to play higher than the Single-A League. Some of the Board members were of the opinion that the Eagles should enter the AAA League and move the Hawks down to the Single-A League, but ultimately, taking all factors into account, it was decided that the Eagles should enter the Single-A League. This means that in 2012 Herts will have a team in the NBL (first league tier), no teams in the AAA (second league tier), one in the AA (third league tier) and two teams in the Single-A (fourth league tier).
The entry of a fourth Herts team also means that the club will now be inviting candidates for the role of Manager of the fourth team.
Herts baseball teams return to Grovehill Ballpark
Report by Will Baxter, hertsbaseball.com
This weekend the Herts teams returned to Grovehill Ballpark for the first time in 2012. The last baseball game played at Grovehill Ballpark was on 9 October 2011 in the Hunlock Series. That seems a long time ago now. Although there are still 42 days left before the start of the new league season, Spring Training is well underway with a series of indoor sessions in the last few weeks.
However, there is no better feeling than going back to the ballpark. The ground conditions may not be ideal after months in the harsh winter conditions and without cutting the grass as the heavy maintenance vehicles cannot enter the field, but the sun was out and it is starting to feel like the new baseball season is just around the corner.
Herts baseball fans will be very pleased to learn that catcher, Dave Westfallen, returned to training after a long period on the DL with a shoulder problem. It will take some time before he returns to full fitness but the progress is very positive.
The Herts coaches put the players through the riggers of a hard training session and finished with a scrimmage game giving the players the opportunity to go through some game situations.
NBL’s best pitcher joins Herts
This evening Herts Baseball Club confirmed the acquisition of pitcher and infielder, Robbie Unsell, from the Richmond Flames. This is arguably the biggest player transaction so far this winter in the National Baseball League (NBL).
The 25-year-old American who is now based in Potters Bar, Hertfordshire, confirmed his decision late last night. He said: “Herts’ home ballpark has been one of my favourite places to play at since joining the League three years ago. The Club has some of the best facilities in Great Britain and fantastic organisation, which makes it a very attractive club to play for.” He added: “I am also really impressed with the club’s marketing efforts and the promotion of baseball in the UK. That’s why the prospect of playing for Herts is exciting for me.”
Herts Falcons Manager, Lee Manning, is also excited to have Unsell in his team: “Robbie would be one of the first players in the starting lineup in any of the NBL teams, so for us this is a major boost. I am looking forward to working with him.’
Unsell makes the move to Hertfordshire as a free agent after spending the last three seasons with the Flames. During that period he has become one of the most valuable players in the NBL picking up a large collection of awards. He is considered one of the best short stops in the country and was given the NBL Short Stop Fielding Award in 2011. Last year he was also added to the Richmond pitching rotation and his performances on the mound were phenomenal. He had the lowest ERA (earned run average) of 0.90 and WHIP (walks and hits per inning pitched) 0.98. We have to go back to Troy Kantor of the 2008 London Mets (ERA 0.51) and Simon Pole in 2002 with the London Warriors (ERA 0.62) to see the kind of pitching stats which Robbie Unsell had last year. He deservedly received the 2011 NBL Most Valuable Pitcher Award*.
Unsell will also bring a lot to the Herts Falcons offensively. His speed around the bases has caused havoc for opponents over the years winning the Most Stolen Bases title in 2009 (21) and 2010 (23). Last year he led the league in On-Base Average (.589) and in Runs Scored (42) confirming him as one of the most dangerous lead-off men in the country. The arrival of Robbie Unsell in Hertfordshire will open up the opportunity to compare his speed with that of the 2011 MVP for the Herts Falcons, the lightning-fast Sri Lanka National team player, Mahendra Prasad.
Unsell’s time with the Flames proved to be one of the most successful periods in Richmond’s history. They won the NBL title in 2010, runner-up in 2009 and reached the postseason playoffs in 2011. Herts is one of the biggest sleeping giants in British baseball. Will Robbie Unsell’s arrival bring the same kind of success for Herts?
The Falcons have struggled in the last two years in the NBL, however Unsell sees this as an exciting challenge and an opportunity to turn the team around. ‘I honestly think that with a few additions, we can have a real positive impact on the Herts team this year’ he said.
Aspi Dimitrov, President of Herts Baseball Club, explained how significant Robbie Unsell’s arrival is for the club as a whole. He said: ‘Whether it is fans of MLB baseball clubs or Premier League football clubs, new players can bring a lot of excitement in the hope of success on the field of play. However, acquiring players like Robbie means a lot more to our club. It will add value in every department. It enables us to market our club and the game of baseball much better. Members and fans of the club can look forward to seeing the highest quality of baseball at Grovehill Ballpark. Adding such talented players will also inspire the players of the Herts youth teams to emulate them.’
Herts expect to make several other recruitment announcements shortly. Dimitrov added: ‘We are in advanced discussions with more players and we hope that Robbie will be the first of many more players to join Herts this year and for many years to come.’
WILL YOU BE WEARING THE HERTS JERSEY IN 2012?
The exciting news of adding one of the best players in the country to the Herts squad does not mean that the club will be changing its key objective of attracting new players to the game of baseball regardless of their baseball abilities. 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. New players can join at any time of the year. For more details contact Herts Baseball Club.
*NBL statistical data courtesy of Project COBB