Category: Eagles

17 June 201917 June 2019 by Rob Jones

Eagles twice bitten by Redbacks

Herts had tied the score in the final inning of Game 2. They had put the winning run at third base. A spare runner was at first base as insurance, and there was only one man out.

The Eagles were poised for a glory moment.

After working the count, the hitter lined it up the middle. Off the bat, it looked promising. But then it flew straight into the shortstop’s glove. And he promptly doubled off the runner on third, who was inescapably hung up.

Inning over. Chance missed. Game still tied.

It perhaps summed up a day when the Herts Eagles simply couldn’t get enough good hits into gaps to ever gain any momentum.

Let’s skip back to the start.

The Eagles were hosting the Redbacks at Basing Hill ballpark. The Essex team won both games when these teams met at Forest Glade a month ago. But since then the Eagles had shown consistent improvement and had finally won their first game.

Simon Langton got the start on the mound for Herts and worked around one walk for a scoreless opening inning. He struck out five over the first three frames, limiting the Redbacks to 5 runs.

But the Eagles bats were struggling even more. In those same three innings, they had mustered just one hit and scored no runs.

Redbacks’ pitcher Dennis Rodebush – who had bamboozled the Eagles when they first met – now did the same again. His final line was very different to Langton’s – only one strikeout compared with 8, but – crucially – no runs.

Somehow he induced a consistent series of squibs, dribblers, and pop-ups. Only Kumail Jaffer managed a solid hit, driving a double to centre.

Rodebush helped his own cause, golfing a home run to lead off the fifth inning as the Redbacks finally managed to break open what had remained a tight game despite everything. They brought home 5 runs in that inning, 4 more in the next, chasing Langton.

*Kumail Jaffer – slugger, outfielder, infielder*

Rob Gibson stepped in as relief pitcher, striking out 3 in two innings of work. But he could not close down the Redbacks offense. The game went a full seven innings, but ended with the first shutout the Eagles had suffered all year. 19-0 the final score.

In Game 2, Herts turned to their winner from last week Yasu Ichige as starting pitcher. This was to be a very different type of game. Instead of a cagey affair which turns into a blowout, this was back and forth with good hitting on both sides.

Essex scored 3 in the first, but Herts matched them immediately. Essex hit another homer to give them a 4-3 lead in the second.

For Herts, Gibson – who had hit the ball a long way in Game 1, but always a long way into the air – now got his eye in and drove balls to the outfield. Ichige got vital hits, as did first baseman Max Trautman.

Essex led 10-8 going into the final inning, with no run limit. But they were held to just one, so Herts needed four to walk it off and win.

With three runs in, Kumail Jaffer at third and Adam Collins at first, things looked good. Then that liner off the end of the bat from catcher Rob Jones, and swift work from the Essex shortstop, took it to extras.

This time, the Redbacks were able to pile on some runs, and Herts could not get them back. It ended 16-11 to Essex.

Frustrations came in different forms for the other Herts teams, because of the weather.

The Hawks were able to get under way at Grovehill against Richmond, with manager Michael Cresswell back in place after a trip to Bulgaria playing with the Herts Falcons. As an added bonus, Louis Hare hit a homer in the first.

But a downpour caused a delay then a cancellation. It was the same story for the Herts Raptors, who hope to reschedule quickly against the Essex Archers.

In Triple-A, the Londoners were due to be miles away in Oxford. But the rain wiped them out too.

Next week, the Falcons, Londoners, Hawks — and possibly now the Raptors – are back in action. Then British baseball takes a break from playing to watch the historic first MLB game in London.

12 June 201913 June 2019 by Adam Collins

Showdown in Richmond sees Eagles’ first win!

Another Sunday, another double-header for Herts Baseball’s newest single-A team. This weekend saw the Eagles travel to Connare Field to take on the 4-4 Richmond Dukes in search of their first win.

Rob Jones opened the game at the plate for the Eagles, drawing a walk and making it to third on aggressive base running. With a runner in scoring position Arnie Longboy got the ball in play to bring home Jones for an early Eagles lead, unfortunately being thrown out at first in the process. Two more quick outs ended the inning with a narrow lead for Eagles.

Herts then took to the field with regular starter, Alex Trautman, on the mound. The Dukes got off to a quick start bringing home 4 runs. The Richmond line-up were making consistent contact. However, Rob Gibson had control at the Hot Corner making a clean throw to Max Trautman at first and taking a fly ball for outs two and three. Eagles down by three at the end of the first.

At the top of 2, the Eagles were ready to rally with the first three batters getting on to load the bases. Out number 1 was taken on a five pitch strike out with Mo Abdule working the pitcher hard. The next three would take walks to load the bases.

Yasu Ichige steps up in the three hole with the bases loaded, tied ball game. Lewis Harrison (DH) is at third, Jones at second, Longboy on first. The next out is forced at home on a ground ball.

Next up to the plate Rob Gibson, not satisfied with his fielding credentials unleashes a shot into the gap in left field, a ground rule double bringing in a pair of RBI’s bringing up the 5 run limit – Eagles lead 6-4. Richmond would come back in the bottom of the second with aggressive base running on 3 hits and 3 walks to bring in their 5 runs for the inning making it a tight 6-9 game going into the third.

With a close game on their hands Eagles came into the third looking for a big inning, some solid at bats drawing walks got runners on bases with RBI’s from Lewis Harrison and Rob Jones. These would be the only runs for the Eagles, reducing the deficit to one.

As the Eagles took to the field the next inning kept the game tight with a shut-out inning on three hits for Trautman giving the team a chance into the fourth, and final, inning as time-limit was called.

To start the fourth Gibson remained consistent, going 2 for 3 with a single. Aggressive base running sees him progress to third with Max Trautman at the plate, who draws a walk. Simon Langton achieves the same and the bases are loaded again giving the Eagles the opportunity to take the lead.

Adam Collins next in swings at the second pitch, its a ground ball to short who makes the throw to second forcing out Langton, meanwhile the game is tied by Gibson running in to home. With the score even, Mo Abdule steps up to the plate driving a solid RBI single to bring Max Trautman home, Eagles lead!

Eagles would score one more with Collins running in on a wild pitch before the next two outs. A narrow two-run lead into the final half. Unfortunately, it was not meant to be; the top of the Richmond order came out strong scoring three runs to end the game 11-12 and another narrow loss for Herts Eagles.

Game two saw Yasu Ichige take to the mound in an impressive outing, which saw defensive prowess and aggressive base running from the Eagles. The top of the first saw Jones and Longboy reach base on balls and stealing to get into scoring position, with Ichige batting in the runners from second and third.

Yet more stealing and three more walks allowed the Eagles to reach 5 on no outs in a strong first inning. Ichige came out in the bottom of the first with aggressive pitching recording one groundout and two strikeouts. Unfortunately, one hit mixed with stealing and a wild pitch allowed one to come home for the Dukes.

The second inning showed patience in the batting order with walks being the order of the day, one base hit brought one home with the Eagles scoring 4 in the second. The defence in the Eagles line-up continued to be problematic for Richmond with two quick outs.

With two down one man managed to get on base and progressed to third on steals. With a runner in scoring position the Dukes needed to get back into the game, the pitch from Ichige receives a big swing, the ball high in the air but lacking distance is easily fielded by Longboy at second base to retire the side resulting in one very pleased pitcher – a shutout inning and Eagles lead 9-1.

Into the third, and pitching frustrations continued for Richmond. Four walks and two outs later Gibson steps up to the plate, finding the gap in left field again for another ground-rule double and notching up two RBI’s in the process. Although no one mentioned the number of runs at the time it was 13-1 Eagles heading into the bottom of the third.

Ichige started strongly again, striking out the first man up but the top of the order brought the Richmond bats to life, five hits including a double allowed the home side to bring in 4. Though the Eagles kept their resolve retiring the side on a pop-up to first and a final K with a beautiful curveball for Ichige.

Time was called on the fourth inning. With no cap on runs now the Eagles couldn’t afford to lose their resolve, some showing their superstitious dispositions not wanting to discuss wins, numbers or score lines. After all, we all know anything can happen on the diamond.

However, here at Connare field the Eagles batting order were seeing the ball well and making contact. Max Trautman opened the inning with a beautifully hit double and a contender for the best sounding hit of the season, the next three would walk on to first base with an out in between with Trautman making it home on a passed ball.

Yet again aggressive on the base paths, Eagles would get runners in scoring position with Kumail Jaffer and Lewis Harrison showing off their wheels. Inspired by the events, Longboy smacks a long ball into centre scoring a ground rule double, followed by base-hits from Ichige and Gibson. Through the order we go and Trautman is back at the plate, another swing, the crack of the bat, another double and one for the highlight reel. The inning ends with 9 runs scored with a further RBI for Kumail Jaffer.

At the bottom of 4 Eagles knew they had a commanding lead, all that needed to be done was to bring it home with a clean defensive effort. First pitch and the ball is hit hard on a line drive towards Aspi Dimitrov at short, a leap and his glove hand stretched high he makes the play for the first out.

Two walks saw the runners on the bases for the Dukes as we head through the top of the line-up and the three-hole hitter. A well hit ball on the first pitch flies into centre field, Kumail Jaffer is on the move and under it to make the play putting two away.

The Eagles bench is on their feet, Ichige needs to see one more out to get the W, the first batter is walked on a seven pitch duel and the bases are loaded. The next man up is patient, waiting for his pitch to come in, he swings and makes contact, the ball zipping towards Alex Trautman at second base, the ball is fielded off the ground and all that stands between the Eagles and their first win is a force at any base. But what would baseball be without a sense of family? Trautman throws to Trautman for a 4-3 play to end the game and secure Herts Eagles first win!

If nothing, this outing was a display of how much this Eagles team has grown since the start of the season. The progress individually and as a team has resulted in some close games in recent weeks and I’m sure that everyone on the roster feels that this one has been in the pipeline for some time. Now the Eagles can rest up before facing Essex Redbacks at Basing Hill on Sunday 16th June.

27 May 2019 by Rob Jones

Last gasp drama as Eagles burned by Inferno

It was an agonising end after a back and forth day of baseball battles, reports Rob Jones from Basing Hill Ballpark.

The Herts Eagles – one of the club’s two new teams – went in search of their first win of the season at home to the Bracknell Inferno. The visitors are putting together a strong year, including a win over the division-leading London Musketeers, but Herts pushed them all the way.

Alex Trautman was given the responsibility of starting on the mound for the Eagles, and he struck out the first two batters he faced. He held Bracknell scoreless for the first two frames, closing out the second with another strikeout when threats were on the bases.

Herts batters started strongly, too. Zack Longboy drove in a run with a double in the first, and Giacomo Zaffalon brought home two in the second.

Defence was solid, as the Eagles continued to improve in this, their first season. Adam Porte turned a double play, and Francois Earp hauled in outfield catches securely.

But walks, strong hits and aggressive stealing in the third inning helped Bracknell fight back. They scored 5 and chased Trautman. The Eagles’ heads didn’t drop though. Longboy led off the bottom of the third with a home run to right field, cutting the deficit immediately to 5-4.

Bracknell made a timely pitching change after surrendering back to back walks, and Herts could not build on their momentum. Jamie Lang went 2-for-2 and Porte got on base for a second time but the Eagles bats could not generate the offense they needed to come back. Game 1 ended 8-5 to the visitors.

Zack Longboy got the start in Game 2 of the double-header. He had already showed his quality, but Bracknell came out swinging and chalked up two early runs. Trevor Clissold and new recruit Yasu Ichige struck back immediately with hits which were converted into runs by Max Trautman and by Longboy, whose hit fell just inches shy of a second homer.

This time around, the Eagles were keeping their noses in front. The team is made up of a mixture of players entirely new to the sport, and a sprinkling of old hands, and the blend was working well. Debutant Lewis Harrison scored a run after being hit by a pitch. Herts still led 7-5 after four innings.

Again, the defense remained solid when it might otherwise have buckled. Mohamed Abdule caught a drive in centre field which had made the bench nervous; Kumail Jaffer, making his debut at second base, secured all three outs in one inning.

But as, perhaps, tiredness set in, the Eagles missed chances to get out of the fifth, and Bracknell were able to take the lead. They were able to score 3 runs on just one hit. They extended their lead to 9-7 in the top of the sixth and the stage was set. Herts had to score 2 to save the game, 3 to walk-off.

After two quick outs, Darren Priest came to the plate. He had garnered headlines in his guest appearance for the Herts Londoners last week, and made his presence felt this time, too. He worked a full count before getting a hit, then Arnie Longboy walked.

Up stepped Kumail Jaffer – without a hit yet in his young baseball career. He delivered in the clutch with a drive to right field that brought home both runners and sparked celebration on that nervous bench. The scores were even at 9-9.

Into extra innings. Yasu Ichige was pitching in relief and had been battling well to contain Bracknell. Priest, Longboy and Rob Jones made plays to back him up. But one double was the key hit for Bracknell as they took the lead.

The Inferno relief pitcher, who had helped close out the first game, now did the honours again. The top of the Herts order couldn’t make another rally, and a groundout ended it. 12-9 to Bracknell.

The Eagles have shown consistent improvement over the first few weeks of the season, moving from blowouts to a narrow, extra innings defeat. Every player could look back on a highlight from the games, and they look forward to the next outing.

13 May 201914 May 2019 by Rob Jones

Homers help the Herts cause

In a big year for the Herts Falcons, recent weeks have been a bit scratchy. But on Sunday, they bounced back to chalk up their second win of the season. Herts’ National Baseball League (NBL) side came from behind to beat the London Capitals in a dramatic game at Grovehill.

The Falcons, sponsored by Regin Products, were trailing 4-1 going into the late innings. 2019 signing Gary Davison had put in a strong pitching performance but the bats needed to deliver.

Then they saw their new slugger Jarrod Pretorius hit a 3-run home run to tie it up, before Dominic Hill added the exclamation point of a walkoff homer. Robbie Smith closed it out with 2 great innings of relief.

Herts competed strongly in Game 2 of the double-header, but ran out 8-6 losers. Tyler Badenhorst got 3 hits, while Marco Pestana clubbed a double.

Manager Cris Hiche was delighted with the effort his players put in. “I could write a book if I mentioned how great everyone played!”, he said. The Falcons are now 2-6 on the year, and next week need to capitalise when facing the Essex Arrows, who are also below .500.

The Herts Londoners continued their hot start in the AAA division, taking Game 1 against the Oxford Kings 5-3 at Grovehill (the Londoners will be moving shortly to their real home at Basing Hill Ballpark).

Manager Wade Lynch pitched a complete game for the win, while adding in a couple of RBIs to help his own cause.

Sebastian Molina also helped provide the offense with 2 hits, as did Chris Gregory. Gregory pitched Game 2 and continued his impressive year with 10 strikeouts and just 6 hits across 7 innings of work.

However, Oxford’s lefty pitcher in the second game was able to bamboozle the Herts bats. Lucas Lebrato drove in the only run and the visitors won 4-1.

The Herts Hawks suffered a rare setback on the road at Richmond in the AA division. Andrew Slater returned to the pitching mound and put in a solid performance, going 5 innings. But then things unravelled.

Hawks’ manager Michael Cresswell acknowledged they had simply run out of pitching, and a big inning did big damage. Herts went down 22-11, despite good hitting from Brian Morgan – who went 4-for-5 — Hunter Devine, and Cresswell himself.

The Hawks are still well positioned, with a 4-1 record. The Guildford Mavericks are up next.

In Single-A, the Herts Eagles were swept at the Essex Redbacks, but still have a lot to be positive about. For the veteran first baseman, Max Trautman, there was his first career home run! It was a towering blast which helped Herts rally in the final inning of Game 1. But it wasn’t enough to prevent a 19-7 defeat.

Adam Porte perhaps got the best contact of the day, smoking a line drive in Game 1. But, in a sign that luck would not fall the way of the underdog, it was snared in the blink of an eye by the Essex pitcher.

Herts bats actually improved in Game 2, with Trevor Clissold continuing his excellent start to the year and Aspi Dimitrov chipping in a double which fell just short of the fence. Rookie players Adam Collins and Louis Verman also got hits – while young Alex Trautman performed well on the mound.

The Redbacks just had too much experience and too deep a hitting lineup for the Eagles, though. Game 2 ended 14-7.

29 April 20199 June 2019 by Adam Collins

Eagles continue to grow despite tough day in Bracknell

(photos by Darren Priest)

Adam Collins reporting from Westmorland Park, Bracknell

The third weekend of Herts Eagles’ inaugural season saw them travel to Bracknell Inferno in search of their first league wins. The task ahead was clearly in the minds of the players and, despite late additions to the DL, the Eagles continued to show growth as a newly-formed team in the face of strong pitching and batting from Bracknell.

Game 1 saw a determined start to what would be a great day for Eagles lead off man Trevor Clissold, showing great patience against tough pitching to work a full count and draw a walk. Clissold, making the most of base-running opportunities; aiming to steal second during the second at bat; the gun down throw came and missed the target resulting in a fantastic run to home, bringing in an opening Eagles run. Unfortunately for the Eagles the pitching only improved, striking out the next two and forcing a 6-3 groundout to end the inning.

The Eagles defence came out into the bottom of the first with debut appearances from Francois Earp (CF) and young Alex Trautman pitching. Trautman, in his first senior appearance on the mound, displayed excellent control going toe-to-toe with a much older, and more experienced, batting line-up limiting Bracknell to two runs in the first.

Unfortunately, it was not to be the Eagles’ game. Consistently strong batting and pitching from Bracknell secured the Game 1 win despite strong defensive efforts and a base hit and stolen base from Clissold being driven home by Aspi Dimitrov in the top of the third . Bracknell Inferno 17- Herts Eagles 2 .

Game 2 saw Eagles come out with more of the same effort and a number of players take to the mound for the first time. Aspi Dimitrov led the way as the opener, followed by Andy Stratford, Max Trautman and Kumail Jaffer all stepping up to the mound.

The defensive effort was strong with excellent plays from new players throughout the game. Francois Earp (CF) displayed excellent range chasing down fly balls and Kumail Jaffer (3B) showing cat-like reflexes and a cannon arm picking off potential base hits. Excellent base running from Clissold and Earp allowed the Eagles to take advantage of Bracknell errors to bring home two runs.

Unfortunately, Bracknell brought more of their depth and experience with yet more strong pitching and a flow of at bats that couldn’t be stemmed by Eagles fielding efforts. Bracknell Inferno 12 – Herts Eagles 2.

Overall, it was a tough away day for Herts Eagles. However, there is a clear sense of development amongst the team. This is the first time playing baseball for many of the Eagles, and each week fielding plays are becoming more routine, more contact is being made at the plate, and the team is growing in confidence with each rep. An 0-6 start may be a tough pill to swallow, but the 2011 Tampa Bay Rays did the same before taking the Wild Card slot from the Red Sox – watch this space.

2 April 2019 by Herts Baseball News Editor

Teams ready for Opening Day of a huge season for baseball in the UK

Millions of MLB fans are enjoying the Opening Week of the 2019 baseball season and British Baseball fans will do the same this Sunday, 7 April, as the NBL and Triple-A League seasons get underway, followed by the Double-A and Single-A Leagues on 14 April.

The BBF schedules have been published and the five Herts teams have difficult opponents on Opening Day.

NATIONAL BASEBALL LEAGUE

The Herts Falcons start with games against London Capitals and the Essex Arrows in a 3-team day at Finsbury Park. In the second week they travel to the reigning NBL champions, London Mets. This will be the first opportunity to see if the Falcons have been able to close the gap between them and the Mets since the end of the 2018 season which was dominated by the NBL champions.

The Falcons will have to wait until 28 April for their home-opener, and it is set to be a special occasion as all NBL teams will be in action at Grovehill Ballpark with four games on the two diamonds.

The NBL regular season will be played over 13 weeks, ending on 18 August. The Playoff Semi-Final and National Final will be played at Farnham Park on 24 and 25 August. The postseason is usually played in September, but it has been brought forward to August due to a clash with the European Championships where many NBL players will receive an international call-up from the GB Team and other European national teams.

Herts Falcons Schedule

TRIPLE-A LEAGUE

The Herts Londoners go into their inaugural season as one of three expansion teams in the Triple-A League. The other two are the East London Latin Boys and the Kent Bucs, both promoted from the Double-A League which the Latin Boys won last year.

Similar to Tottenham Hotspurs and their newly-built stadium this year, the Herts Londoners will have to wait a few weeks for their first home game at their new Basing Hill Ballpark in North West London which is being built at the moment. Until then, they will play their first two home games at Grovehill Ballpark in Hemel Hempstead starting with a doubleheader versus Kent Bucs on Opening Day, 7 April. Their first game at Basing Hill Ballpark will be on 19 May.

The Triple-A League Playoffs will be played on 24-25 August alongside the NBL postseason.

Herts Londoners Schedule

DOUBLE-A LEAGUE

After reaching the Playoff Semi-Final last year, the Hawks will be hoping to go one better this time around. They open the new season on Sunday, 14 April, at home against the Richmond Dragons.

They have been placed in a division which looks very different this year as the geographic boundaries had to be redrawn after the addition of the Bristol Badgers who were the 2018 runners-up having previously played in the Central Division.

The Double-A Postseason will be played over three weekends starting with the Quarter-Finals on 25 August, Semi-Finals on 1 September and ending on 8 September with the National Final.

Herts Hawks Schedule

SINGLE-A LEAGUE

Herts will be represented by two teams in the Single-A League. The Herts Raptors will play their home games at Grovehill Ballpark in Hemel Hempstead and the Herts Eagles will be based at the club’s new Basing Hill Ballpark in North West London.

Both teams open their campaigns at home on 14 April – Raptors versus London Musketeers and Eagles versus London Mustangs which will be the first ever baseball game to be played at Basing Hill Ballpark.

Both Herts teams are in the same division which brings the mouth-watering prospect of the Herts derby, which is always a special occasion for Herts baseball fans. Mark 14 July and 11 August in your diaries when the two teams will play at Grovehill Ballpark and Basing Hill Ballpark, respectively. The last Herts derby took place in 2016 when the Raptors were drawn to play against the Herts Hawks in the Single-A Playoff Quarter-Final.

The Single-A Playoffs will be played over three weekends – Wild Card games on 25 August, Quarter-Finals on 1 September, Semi-Finals on 7 September and the Final on 8 September.

Herts Raptors Schedule

Herts Eagles Schedule

MLB LONDON SERIES

There will be no games in any of the four BBF leagues on the weekend of 29-30 June to make way for the Boston Red Sox and New York Yankees who will play two regular season games at the London Stadium as part of the MLB London Series.

PLAYERS STILL REGISTERING

It is not too late to register and play for the Herts adult and youth league teams based in Hemel Hempstead and North West London. In fact, the club has intentionally left extra capacity in the team rosters to accommodate the anticipated increased interest from new players on the back of the excitement surrounding the MLB London Series. Contact us for more details how to join or to come and try baseball at an upcoming open session.

1 April 20191 April 2019 by Herts Baseball News Editor

Falcons, Sidewinders and Bobcats are the HSL champs

NBL/TRIPLE-A

The Herts Falcons won the NBL/Triple-A Division of the HSL convincingly with a 100% record (4-0). The London Mammoths were tied with the Herts Londoners both with a .500 record, but the Mammoths took second place based on their two wins over the Londoners in the head-to-head games. The Falcons and Londoners rosters were mixed for the HSL games as the managers of the two teams were assessing their squads for the 2019 season. We expect the Opening Day rosters of the two teams to be announced shortly. The London Archers impressed everyone and they now head to the Czech Republic where they will represent Great Britain in the PONY Tournament in Prague.

There were some flame-throwers on show and coaches came prepared (photos by Rob Jones)

DOUBLE-A

In the Double-A Division the Sidewinders overcame all challengers to clinch the HSL title. MK Bucks and the London Marauders were not not far away which suggests that we will see a very competitive race in the BBF Double-A League this season. The Hawks finished in last place, but don’t write them off. Over the last few years they have been one of the front runners in Double-A.

SINGLE-A

There was a very close three-horse race in the Single-A Division and the tie-break rule had to be applied to determine the HSL winner. Tonbridge’s superior head-to-head record against the London Musketeers nudged them into first place. We saw a large number of new players in the Eagles and Raptors rosters during the HSL and the managers of both teams experimented with various lineups, trying players in different positions. This would have given them valuable information and, as the league games commence, players will get a clearer idea of the positions and roles which they will be playing this season.

View HSL scoreboard

View HSL standings

GB NATIONAL YOUTH TEAM TRIALS

The HSL schedule also featured the Great Britain National Youth Team Trials which Herts has now hosted for a second consecutive year. We saw around 100 young players take part and they impressed. The GB coaches will now have the difficult task of whittling the list down before announcing the National Team squads for the upcoming international competitions. Many of the candidates were members of the Herts youth and adult teams and we hope to see them in action around the world this year.

2019 OPENING DAY JUST DAYS AWAY

We saw home runs, spectacular defence, lights-out pitching, many players who will be making their BBF league debuts in 2019 and a whole lot more over the last three weeks of the HSL.

With Spring Training completed, British baseball teams up and down the country will hope that this will be their year. Stay tuned as we build up to the 2019 Opening Day in the coming days. Also follow us on Twitter and Facebook for a comprehensive coverage of the 2019 baseball season.

10 March 201925 March 2019 by Herts Baseball News Editor

Herts teams announce preliminary 2019 rosters for the HSL

The five Herts teams have announced their preliminary rosters for the 2019 Herts Spring League .

We understand that these rosters are not fixed and it is likely that there may be movement between teams over the course of the HSL. Some players may play for more than one team as managers look to evaluate them ahead of the announcement of the 2019 Opening Day rosters. The Falcons and Londoners rosters are combined for this reason and it is expected that there will be a large amount of crossover between the two teams throughout the HSL.

The HSL games commence on 16 March 2019.

New players are registering every week, therefore some new names may be added to the rosters over the course of the HSL and throughout the league season.

HERTS FALCONS / HERTS LONDONERS

Aaron Witter
Alex Deacon
Andrew Roberts
Carlos Casal Jr
Christopher Gregory
Colin Whitton
Cristobal Hiche
Daniel Whitton
Darrin Ward
Dennis Grogan
Dominic Hill
Duane Badenhorst
Gary Davison
Hector Miguel Sarmiento de la Cruz
Jamie Warren
Jarrod Pretorius
John Blose
Kimiyoshi Saionji
Lucas Lebrato
Marco Pestana
Matthew Moran
Miguel Rodriguez
Moise Vasquez
Nicolas Goetz
Petar Kikel
Phil Clark
Robert Gibson
Sebastian Molina
Tetsuro Shinkawa
Tom Carson
Tyler Badenhorst
Wade Lynch
Walter Bates
Yosdany Bueno

HERTS HAWKS

Andrew Slater
Andy Cornish
Antony Lavender
Brian Morgan
Charlie Mayhew
Dan Bartram
Edoardo Lisi
Gilberto Medina
Giuseppe Basilea
Greg Bochan
Hunter Devine
Jamie Lang
Jonathon Lewys
Josh Morgan
Louis Hare
Michael Cresswell
Rod Naghar
Sonam Lama

HERTS RAPTORS

Alex Coakley
Bobby Gould
Callum Barwick
Daniel Gipple
Daniel Moran
Daniel Shaw
David Grindstaff
Francois Earp
Jay Curtis
Jack O’Brien
James Emblow
John Kjorstad
Jordon Fox
Kai Rajah
Laurence Currington
Lee Manning
Mantas Poderys
Matthew Jackson
Michael Johnson
Nicholas Durer
Oliver Durer
Paul Barton
Rob Jones
Stephen Patmore

HERTS EAGLES

Adam Collins
Adam Scales
Alessandro Antonini
Alexander Trautman
Andy Stratford
Antonio Lourenco
Arnold Longboy
Aspi Dimitrov
Clive Johnson
Darren Priest
Kumail Jaffer
Max Trautman
Mohamed Abdule
Robert Gibson
Tom Lock
Trevor Clissold

Adult and youth players, from beginners to advanced players, are now registering for the 2019 baseball season. For more details about how to join any of the Herts adult and youth baseball teams in Hemel Hempstead and in NW London or for more details about the HSL or if you are interested to give baseball a try in this competition contact Herts Baseball Club.

22 February 201922 February 2019 by Herts Baseball News Editor

Veteran duo in the Eagles hot seat

Herts Baseball Club has gone for experience with the appointment of Arnie Longboy (pictured right) and Aspi Dimitrov as co-managers of the Herts Eagles.

This is a role which Longboy is familiar with after previously reaching the Single-A National Semi-Final as manager of the Herts Raptors in 2013, a game which they lost 10-6 to the Haverhill Blackjacks. This time around he will be managing alongside Dimitrov and the two of them are expected to hit the ground running as they have worked together at board level and in coaching capacity over the last 12 years.

The Eagles are one of five Herts teams which will be playing in the four leagues of the British Baseball Federation. They are back in the Single-A League after a three-year absence, but this time they will be playing their home games at the club’s new Basing Hill Ballpark in North West London. Herts fans can look forward to a Herts derby as the Eagles are expected to be in the same Single-A division as the Herts Raptors. This would imply that Arnie Longboy will come up against the team which he took to the Playoffs six years ago.

Arnie Longboy celebrating with the Raptors after clinching a Playoff place in 2013

The two co-managers may be familiar figures but fans of the Eagles will see many new faces make their Herts debuts this year so it is very difficult to make any predictions at this stage about whether the team will be battling at the top or the bottom of the league standings.

There are only six weeks remaining until the first league game of the season so the coaching staff have limited time to prepare the team. The Herts Spring League will give them valuable opportunity to see the players working as a team before the league season commences.

Then there is the MLB London Series factor. The club is already seeing the positive effects of this, and the Eagles are likely to get an even bigger influx of new players as we approach the Boston Red Sox and New York Yankees games at the London Stadium on 29 and 30 June. We understand the club has left sufficient room in its five team rosters in Hemel Hempstead and in London to be able to welcome new players throughout the year.

The first opportunity to see the Eagles and the other four Herts teams in action this year will be in the Herts Spring League which will be played over three weekends from 16 to 31 March.

Adult and youth players, from beginners to advanced players, are now registering for the 2019 baseball season. For more details about how to join any of the Herts adult and youth baseball and softball teams in Hemel Hempstead and in NW London or to try baseball at an upcoming open session, contact Herts Baseball Club.

1 February 20191 February 2019 by Herts Baseball News Editor

Deadline Day bombshell – not 3, not 4, but 5

With just a few minutes remaining before midnight on Deadline Day for registration of teams for the 2019 league season of the British Baseball Federation, Herts Baseball Club submitted five team entries, adding two new Herts teams to the three which played in the BBF leagues last season.

The Herts Londoners were unveiled three weeks ago, so their league entry was expected. The question which everyone was asking was which league the Londoners would play in. The club has now confirmed that they will play in the Triple-A League – the second league tier of British baseball.

A Triple-A team has been the missing piece in the Herts team lineup. There hasn’t been a Herts Triple-A team since 2015 and the last time they won the Triple-A National title was in 2008 (pictured right). The club now has a team in all four league tiers which gives them the opportunity to offer baseball to players of all levels from beginners to players of the highest calibre.

The Triple-A League is seen as the stepping stone for players aspiring to play in the National Baseball League (NBL). Triple-A teams are monitored closely by the Great Britain National Team coaching staff as they feature many players who are bidding for a place in the various GB National Teams.

It is a very competitive league so the Londoners will probably be seen as the underdogs in 2019, but with two months remaining until Opening Day and new players registering to play for Herts every week, they may surprise their opponents.

We thought that this would be the only news today but, without any advance notice, Herts also confirmed that they will be entering a fifth team, reviving the Herts Eagles who played in the Triple-A and Single-A Leagues in the past. Like the Londoners, the Eagles will also be based at the club’s new Basing Hill Ballpark in North West London.

This season they will play in the Single-A League which is the fourth tier of the British baseball league system. “Since player registration commenced for the 2019 season we have seen players of all levels registering to play at our new ballpark in NW London and having two teams there in Triple-A and Single-A enables us to offer the right baseball experience to players of all levels” said a club spokesperson.

Herts Baseball Club has had five senior league teams only once in its history. That was back in 2013. The difference this time around is that three of the teams will play their home games in Hemel Hempstead and two in NW London.

TEAM	LEAGUE	HOME BALLPARK
Herts Falcons	NBL	Grovehill Ballpark, Hemel Hempstead
Herts Londoners	Triple-A	Basing Hill Ballpark, NW London
Herts Hawks	Double-A	Grovehill Ballpark, Hemel Hempstead
Herts Raptors	Single-A	Grovehill Ballpark, Hemel Hempstead
Herts Eagles	Single-A	Basing Hill Ballpark, NW London

We understand these decisions were made by the club late into the night at a conference call which was originally scheduled to last only 45 minutes, but ended up being a tense discussion which took nearly three hours to come to a conclusion. They had to consider a vast number of factors such as roster size and competitiveness at the two ballparks, how many more players are likely to join the club between now and Opening Day, and how many more will do so throughout the six months of the baseball season.

Then there is the MLB London Series factor. The club is already seeing the positive effects of this, and it is likely to be felt even more as we approach the Boston Red Sox and New York Yankees games at the London Stadium on 29 and 30 June. Deadline Day for team entries has now passed, but Herts has left sufficient room in its five team rosters to be able to welcome new players throughout the year.

We now wait to see what surprises the BBF will have for us, what the four league lineups will look like in 2019, and what opponents will stand in the way of the five Herts teams.

Adult and youth players, from beginners to advanced players, are now registering for the 2019 baseball season. For more details about how to join any of the Herts adult and youth baseball and softball teams in Hemel Hempstead and in NW London or to try baseball at an upcoming open session, contact Herts Baseball Club.