Category: Adult Leagues

by Herts Baseball News Editor

London teams dominate week one of the HSL


Herts Falcons’ John Blose beats the ball sliding into third base. (photo by Will Baxter)

At the weekend the MLB season got underway with the opening series between the LA Dodgers and Arizona D’Backs at the Sydney Cricket Ground in Australia and so did the Herts Spring League at Grovehill Ballpark in Hemel Hempstead and Town Mead Ballpark in Waltham Abbey.

With the exception of the biting wind and a ten-minute game delay due to hale, this was the ideal way for British teams to make their pre-season preparations. The weekend had everything from home runs and spectacular fielding plays to walk-off wins and shutouts.


The 4 London teams overpowered their opponents winning all five of their games. On Saturday in the HSL Single-A division, the Marauders and Musketeers won against the Kent Mariners and Herts Raptors respectively. This was the first game for the Musketeers as they prepare for their debut season in the BBF Single-A league. They seemed like a fun group of players with some outstanding heavy-metal hairstyles and facial hair.

On Sunday, the London Mammoths and London Metros continued the winning streak with wins over Southampton Mustangs (AA), Herts Hawks and the Herts Falcons. John Peters continued his incredible streak of remaining unbeaten so far in his pitching career. The streak goes back to last season when he appeared on the British baseball scene like Jimmy Morris of the Tampa Bay Rays as depicted in the movie “The Rookie” starring Dennis Quaid. Last season he was a member of the London Marauders but his performances have pushed him up into the Double-A roster of the London Mammoths. He allowed a home run by GB Team player, Gary Davison, but that didn’t prevent him from picking up the win with a final score 11-7.

The London Metros versus Herts Falcons game was much anticipated as it was an opportunity to see a few of the new arrivals for the two teams. Both teams fielded a mix of NBL and AAA players. The Falcons gave debut to Abelardo Salas (pictured right). The leftie had a good outing on the mound working well with catcher Ryan Bird. Errors in the field proved to be very costly for the Falcons as the Metros went on to win the game convincingly. Herts fans were also able to see Robert Davis for the first time. He impressed driving the ball deep into left field in his first at bat. The ball fell just a few inched short of the home run fence and that was with the wind blowing in the opposite direction. The highlight of the game was 2014 NBL MVP, Ryan Bird, at bat against Pietro Sollecito who had the lowest ERA in the NBL last season. It was a 10-pitch battle which started with Bird driving the ball deep over the right field wall only for the wind to take it to the wrong side of the foul pole. Sollecito came back strong forcing Bird to foul-off a large number of pitches. The at bat ended with a not so dramatic walk but everyone knew that this was a battle of titans. It will be interesting to see them clash again on Sunday, 6 April, as the Mets and Falcons open the 2014 NBL season at Grovehill Ballpark.

Over in Waltham Abbey, Essex Arrows won convincingly in the Essex derby with the Essex Redbacks. The Arrows are expected to be in the thick of the NBL title race this year. Milton Keynes Coyotes picked up a good win against last year’s Single-A national runners-up Haverhill Blackjacks.

Click to view the full HSL scoreboard and HSL standings.

The action continues next weekend with the addition of 6 more teams making an appearance.

WEAR THE HERTS BASEBALL JERSEY IN 2014

Herts Baseball Club welcomes youth players from 6 to 16 and adult players from 14 to 45+ from complete beginners to experienced ballpalyers. New players can join at any time of the year. For more details on how to give baseball a try contact us.

 

by Herts Baseball News Editor

Pre-season rosters announced

The managers of the 5 Herts teams which will be playing in the Herts Spring League over the next 3 weeks have announced their 2014 preliminary rosters for these upcoming HSL games.  We understand that these rosters are not fixed and it is very likely that there may be movement between teams over the course of the HSL.  Some players may be asked to play for more than one team as managers look to evaluate players ahead of the announcement of the 2014 Opening Day rosters.

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

   
   

WEAR THE HERTS BASEBALL JERSEY IN 2014

Herts Baseball Club welcomes youth players from 6 to 16 and adult players from 14 to 45+ from complete beginners to experienced ballpalyers. New players can join at any time of the year. For more details on how to give baseball a try contact us.

 

by Herts Baseball News Editor

Herts Falcons add U19 GB Team player Jamie Gregory

Great Britain Under-19 National Team third baseman and right-handed pitcher, Jamie Gregory, has joined Herts. He is the third big signing for the club after Abelardo Salas and Andrew Fulford joined this Spring.

Gregory started his career with the Essex Redbacks as a member of their Under-17 league team. At the age of 16 he was already a member of the Redbacks first team making his debut in the Triple-A League which is the second league tier in British baseball. His talent was recognised early by the Great Britain National Team and he was added to the GB Under-19 squad with whom he took part in the tour of South Africa.

The six-feet-three-inch righty made his debut in the National Baseball League in 2013 with the Essex Arrows. He was utilised as a relief pitcher but played predominantly at third base. He had a batting average of .261 and a slugging average of .333, driving in 12 runs.

Gregory is 18-years-old and it is an exciting prospect for Herts fans to see how this young talent will develop both as a member of Herts and with the Great Britain National Team. “I greatly look forward to joining such a well established and ever growing baseball club as Herts” said Gregory.

He is expected to make his debut in the Herts Spring League pre-season games which commence on 22 and 23 March.

by Herts Baseball News Editor

Leading the Raptors into the new season

The Board of Herts Baseball are delighted to confirm the appointment of Rob Jones (above left) and Geoff Thomas as the co-managers of the Herts Raptors.

The Raptors will play in the Single-A League for 2014 after the BBF rejected their application to be promoted to Double-A.

This managerial role has been vacant since the club’s AGM last November.  On advertising the role, a large number of candidates expressed an interest, which gave the Board some real encouragement in the commitment at the club.  However, it also left them with a lot of thinking to do and choices to make!

The club now believe that, in Rob and Geoff, they have the right men for the job.

Rob Jones has considerable experience, having been with Herts since the early days when the club had only one team.  Rob has played a key role in the remarkable growth of Herts Baseball.

As a player, Rob was 2005 Batting Champion with the Herts Falcons second team playing in Division 1 (now AA) and in 2008 was Batting Champion for the Herts Raptors (Single-A league) and in the same season was awarded the Outfield Gold Glove.

Geoff Thomas is a knowledgeable player, with over 10 years playing experience.  Geoff has been a member of the Herts Eagles for the last 2 seasons, having previously played and been on the Board at Bristol.

Together, Rob and Geoff have outlined their vision for developing a team culture and have a strong coaching ethic to ensure the players understand all aspects of the game.

The timing of the appointment is key as the managers of the adult league teams will shortly be going through the process of determining their preliminary 2014 rosters.  The Raptors will be active in the Spring League series, commencing on 22 March with a home fixture against London Musketeers.

All at Herts Baseball are behind Rob and Geoff for a great season ahead.

by Herts Baseball News Editor

Countdown to HSL – first chance to see the teams ahead of the 2014 British baseball season

The biggest pre-season baseball competition in Britain is back. Commencing on March 22, the Herts Spring League (HSL) will see 19 teams compete over the 3 weeks of the HSL. Organised by Herts Baseball Club, it is Britain’s very own version of MLB’s Grapefruit and Cactus Leagues currently under way in the US, and it signals that the season is just around the corner.

FORMAT

The 19 teams will be entered into three HSL tiers. The top teams in the country from the National Baseball League and Triple-A Leagues will play in the HSL Majors. The HSL-AA is the second tier of the Herts Spring League. It will feature predominantly British Double-A League teams as well as U19 and U17 teams. The third tier is the HSL-A consisting predominantly of Single-A teams.

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

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

THE VENUES

The action will take place at Grovehill Ballpark in Hemel Hempstead and Town Mead Ballpark in Waltham Abbey, the home of the Essex Arrows and Essex Archers.

SCHEDULE

23 games are scheduled to be played on the three diamonds. The competition begins on March 22 with a clash between the London Marauders and the Kent Mariners in the HSL-A bracket followed by the game between the London Musketeers and the Herts Raptors. The HSL-AA and HSL Majors divisions commences 24 hours later.

Several youth league games have also been added to the HSL schedule.

The final day of the HSL coincides with the Opening Day in the National Baseball League as rivals Herts Falcons and London Mets meet.  We are expecting a packed venue for a game which has always been a fiery affair.

Click to view full 2014 HSL schedule

EXCITEMENT BUILDING UP

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

GET IN THE GAME

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

 

by Herts Baseball News Editor

19 teams will signal the arrival of Spring in the 2014 HSL

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

The HSL teams will be divided into three divisions as follows:

HSL – MAJORS
TEAM CLASS HSL RANKING
Cambridge Royals AAA 4
Essex Arrows NBL 2
Herts Falcons NBL 1
London Metros AAA 3
Milton Keynes Bucks AAA 5
HSL – AA
TEAM CLASS HSL RANKING
Essex Redbacks AAA 1
Herts Hawks AA 3
Herts Ravens U19/U17 4
London Mammoths AA 2
London Mets U17 U17 5
Southampton Mustangs II AA 6
HSL – A
TEAM CLASS HSL RANKING
Cambridge Royals II A 7
Haverhill Blackjacks A 1
Herts Raptors A 4
Herts Harriers U17 8
Kent Mariners A 2
London Marauders A 3
London Musketeers A 6
Milton Keynes Coyotes A 5

SCHEDULE AND FORMAT

The HSL will be played over three weeks commencing on the weekend of 22 and 23 March and ending on 5 and 6 April. The HSL format and games schedule are expected to be announced shortly and hertsbaseball.com will bring this and all other HSL news as they happen.

WEAR THE HERTS BASEBALL JERSEY IN 2014

Herts Baseball Club welcomes youth players from 6 to 16 and adult players from 14 to 45+ from complete beginners to experienced ballpalyers. New players can join at any time of the year. For more details on how to give baseball a try contact us.

 

by Herts Baseball News Editor

The Return of Fulford


 

Herts have confirmed another player acquisition as they prepare for the 2014 baseball season. Andrew Fulford hit the headlines in 2012 when he helped the Herts Hawks reach the Double-A National Championship Semi-Final. He will be back in a Herts uniform again this year.

During the 2012 season the Herts’ coaching staff had a difficult decision to make. Should they add him to the Herts Falcons roster in the National Baseball League or to one of the club’s minor league teams? With only a few more games remaining for the Herts Falcons, Fulford would not have been able to meet the postseason requirement of playing in 45% of the Falcons’ regular season games. However, the 45% requirement does not apply at Double-A League level and there were sufficient number of games left for Fulford to meet the 20% postseason eligibility. On the basis of this the coaches decided to add the American to the Hawks roster. The team was in the middle of an almighty playoff battle with the Sidewinders, London Mammoths and the Daws Hill Spitfires. He proved to be a key player for the team as they surprised everyone going all the way to the National Semi-Finals where they lost to the eventual winners, Nottingham.

In the five games which he played for Herts in 2012, Fulford hit two home runs and had .571 batting average, 1.214 slugging average, .682 on-base average, with 15 runs batted in. He also proved to be one of the outstanding catchers in the league throwing out 5 out of 12 stolen base attempts.

Hawks fans will be hoping that Andrew Fulford will be able to appear for the Hawks, but this is highly unlikely. Fulford is expected to go into the Falcons roster, especially as the Falcons have several vacant spots in the lineup which they need to fill.

Andrew Fulford is 23-years-old. His primary position is catcher. He has also played in second base, and can fit pretty much anywhere else in the field. He started playing when he was 4. After spending his early years in the Citrus Park Little League, Fulford went on to play for the varsity team at Sickles High School and later with Cambridge High School finishing as Florida Sate runners-up in 2009. During his career he has played under former MLB players Jody Reed, who played as second basemen for the Boston Red Sox, and Sam Marsonek who was a pitcher with the New York Yankees.

Fulford comes from Tampa, Florida, but his wife is from Hemel Hempstead so he will be in the UK available for selection for certain weeks over the course of the season. He may be eligible to play for the Great Britain national team and it will be interesting to see whether he will be able to attract interest from the GB national team coaches in time for the European Championships in September.

by Herts Baseball News Editor

The Dynamic Duo becomes the Formidable Trio

Herts Baseball Club has reacted quickly after the rejection of the Herts Raptors bid to be promoted to the Double-A League, by appointing Herts Raptors Manager, Arnie Longboy, as the joint-Herts Hawks Manager. This means that the Herts Hawks will be managed by three co-Managers in 2014. Longboy joins current co-Managers, Andy Cornish and Greg Bochan. The Cornish and Bochan managerial team has become known in media circles as the Dynamic Duo. Members of the media will have to find a new name for this newly formed managerial trio.

We have been searching through the archives to find other sports teams which have had three joint managers. There have been several high-profile cases of teams with two joint managers such as Roy Evans and Gerard Houllier at Liverpool Football Club in 1998 and Jimmy Quinn and Mick Gooding at Reading Football Club, but so far our search has been unsuccessful. Does this mean that Herts Baseball Club has made sporting history with today’s announcement? We invite our readers to send in any details which they are able to find in our search for another sports team with three joint managers.

The Herts Hawks will play in the Double-A League which is where the Herts Raptors were hoping to be this season, but after their application was rejected the Herts Hawks will be the team where Herts will have to fit players who are most suited to the standard of baseball played in the Double-A League.

by Herts Baseball News Editor

BBF rejects Herts Raptors’ Double-A bid

The Herts Raptors after the heart-breaking National Championship Semi-Final defeat last September. They have received another painful blow today.

Last month the Herts Raptors submitted an official bid to be promoted from the Single-A to the Double-A League. The club has just confirmed that it has received the decision of the British Baseball Federation and, unfortunately for Herts fans, the bid has been rejected.

A club spokesman indicated that Herts does not know which aspects of the entry criteria for the Double-A League were not met, but has asked the BBF for some feedback on this so that the club can put together a much stronger bid in the future.

The club indicated that the BBF did give them four alternative options for the Herts Raptors to consider. This included entry into the Triple-A South, Triple-A Central and Single-A South, however none of these options were suitable for the team for the 2014 season and as a result the club will be entering only four teams in the BBF adult leagues in 2014.

The Herts Falcons will be competing in the National Baseball League, Great Britain’s top tier. The Herts Eagles will be representing Herts in the Triple-A League. Fans of the club will recall that when the Eagles were formed in 2009, they represented Herts in the Triple-A League. They stayed in that league tier in 2010 losing in the National Championship Semi-Final to the Oxford Kings. In 2011 the Eagles did not enter the BBF leagues as the club entered only three adult league teams. A year later they were back in the league, but this time they entered the Single-A, where they have been playing over the last two seasons. With the Eagles moving up to Triple-A this year, their place in Single-A will be taken by the Herts Raptors. The Herts Hawks remain in the Double-A League.

This means that after just one season in the Triple-A League the Herts Ravens will take a year off, but hopefully we will see them back in the leagues in 2015.