Ken Pike presents a roundup of the second week of games in the 2012 Herts Spring League. The programme was first shownon Herts Baseball TV.
Category: Hawks
NBL Opening Day baseball extravaganza for the whole family this Sunday
If you happen to be anywhere around Hemel Hempstead this Sunday, you wouldn’t want to miss the baseball gala at Grovehill Ballpark. This is the Opening Day of the 2012 National Baseball League (NBL) season as the Herts Falcons face the Bracknell Blazers, but there will be so much more as part of this special day.
EVERYONE PLAYS
The show begins with a softball tournament for the whole family. The teams will feature members of the Herts youth teams, but very importantly it will see their parents, other family members and friends join in the fun similar to the MLB All-Star Celebrity and Legends Softball Game. The club is also inviting supporters and friends of the club to get involved in this game by simply coming down to the ballpark wearing sporty clothing. For more details and to sign up for the softball tournament contact the club.
HSL CONTINUES
At the same time on the adjacent diamond the Herts Spring League (HSL) continues with 6 more teams in action starting from 10am and finishing at 7pm.
THE MAIN EVENT
The softball tournament will be followed by Awards presentations to the Herts youth team players and then the Opening Game of the 2012 NBL season, national anthem and all. Can the Herts Falcons get off to a winning start? Everyone connected with the club is optimistic that this year the team would be able to compete in the title race and, who knows, perhaps the NBL trophy will return to Hertfordshire. It has been 43 years since the Watford Sun Rockets lifted the NBL trophy beating the Liverpool Trojans 8-7 in extra innings in the 1969 NBL Final.
HOT DOGS
The baseball season cannot start without hot dogs at the ballpark. Fans and players will be able to enjoy not just hot dogs, but all sorts of other snacks including freshly made Krispy Kreme donuts, hot and cold beverages and more.
WEATHER
Will the sunny warm weather stay with us for the weekend’s event? If the event has to be postponed due to rain, this will be announced on hertsbaseball.com, and to all followers of Herts Baseball on twitter and facebook. Click here to follow us on Twitter or to like us on Facebookand you will receive a weather alert if the event is cancelled.
THE DAY’S SCHEDULE
- · 9:45am Softball Tournament participants (young and old, male and female) report to ballpark
- · 10:00am Softball Tournament begins
- · 10:00am Herts Hawks vs London Mets U17 (HSL-AAA)
- · 12:00pm Herts Little League Awards Presentation
- · 1:00pm Milton Keynes Bucks vs Cambridge Royals (HSL-AAA)
- · 1:20pm The National Anthem
- · 1:22pm Ceremonial First Pitch
- · 1:30pm Herts Falcons vs Bracknell Blazers (NBL 2012 Opening Game)
- · 4:00pm Herts Falcons vs Bracknell Blazers (Game 2)
- · 4:00pm Essex RedBacks vs Sidewinders (HSL-AAA)
VENUE
HSL AAA and AA week 1 roundup
HSL-AAA
When the BBF AAA League lineup was announced many fans were surprised to see the Cambridge Royals in the list. It is very rare for a team to rise by two league tiers which is what happened in the case of the Royals this winter. They may have played in the Single-A last year but have already had a strong performance in their first HSL AAA game beating the Sidewinders 32-5. With new additions like former Bracknell Blazers starting pitcher, Matt Maitland, they look like they will not be out of place in the AAA this year.
The Essex Redbacks were just as impressive winning 16-7 against the Herts Hawks. A grand slam by Matt Jennings put them in the lead and didn’t look back after that.
The MK Bucks managed to squeeze out a 7-4 win against the impressive London Mets Under-17 team. The boys from the capital were ruing a missed opportunity. They outhit the Bucks 10-to-4, but crucially left 11 runners stranded on base. Defensively they ended up committing more errors in this game than their last four Spring Training games combined.
HSL-AA
Over in Guildford the HSL-AA action involved teams from South of London. John Kristensen took the win for Guildford Mavericks I in a close game that was tied at 5-5 until the 6th innings when Guildford broke it open with a 5-run bottom half of the inning. Guildford offensive highlights were doubles from James Guerra and John Kristensen, whilst Kent’s Jamie Morris also had an extra base hit. Mavericks starter, Sam Jones gave up just 3 hits in 4 innings of work. In a high scoring contest, Guildford Mavericks II scored early and often to ease to victory over the Barons. In a game dominated by offence, the Mavericks benefited from Owen Hazelby going 5-for-6 (2B), along with extra base hits from John Gray and Gillian Conway. Torbay had an extra base hit from Tony Watson, and Gabor Nemeth went 2-for-3. Owen Hazelby took the win for Guildford.
This year the HSL features the GB Under-15 National Team and it was fascinating how the superstars of tomorrow will compete against their older opponents. A strong start from GB and Herts pitcher Tom Armstrong, followed by Patrick Hansford produced a close game versus the London Marauders. They were tied 4-4 going into the 4th and GB put up 8 runs with two outs, but couldn’t close out the game as London came back with 10 of their own to win as the GB pitching and defence started to struggle. In their second GB faced the Essex RedBacks. They had another great start this time from Jonathan Fretheim who pitched two quick innings securing a 3-0 lead going into the fourth inning. Once again the fourth innings curse struck as a combination of pitchers struggling to find the zone and poor defence resulted in GB conceding 12 runs. Fretheim came back into the game to close out the inning and the game, but the damage was done.
The Herts derby game between the Raptors and Eagles ended with a win for the Eagles which featured a youthful lineup of Under-17 players. Starter Jake Caress pitched a complete game for the win supported by lively Eagles bats to record a 5-3 vistory. The Raptors remain without a win after they lost their earlier game against the Essex RedBacks II. The second game for the Eagles was against the London Marauders who were looking for their second win. Zack Longboy started for the Eagles. He needed one inning to get a feel for the mound and then produced a very confident pitching performance. Going into the fourth inning the game was tied 1-1 which is very unusual for two Single-A teams, but it must be said that the Marauders were always threatening and it took a 1-3-5 triple-play to keep the game tied. A combination of good hitting by the Marauders and too many London players getting on base after being hit by pitch or walking was costly for the Eagles and they couldn’t catch up.
The HSL AAA and AA action continues next weekend.
Click to view full HSL scoreboard and standings
VIDEO: Roundup of Opening Weekend of 2012 HSL
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.
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.