Category: Raptors

2022 Hunlock Series Roundup: Buzzards are the champions

2022 Hunlock Series Roundup: Buzzards are the champions

The Blue Buzzards were the favourites to win this year’s Hunlock Series so it was no surprise when they beat the Bears in the Final late on Sunday evening as the sun was going down on the final game day of the 2022 season.

It may have been a stroke of luck that they had the first pick of Free Agents but manager, Danny Preston, certainly hit the jackpot when Conner Brown appeared in the Free Agents’ block when he would usually be a first-round-pick.

They dominated in the league stage during the first two weeks finishing in first place which put them in pole position for the Playoffs.

Glorious sunshine and clear skies for all three weeks of the Hunlock Series

At the other end of the standings the Ducks and the Pilgrims finished fourth and fifth, respectively, setting up a dramatic elimination series which the Ducks won 4-2.  They had to face the third-placed Black Bears next. Ducks ran out of pitching arms and, despite putting up a good fight, lost the series 4-2.

Pilgrims manager Mike Cresswell with some unusual headwear, presumably to make himself more aerodynamic

The second seeded Red Roosters went the distance against the Buzzards ut it was the blue team who won it to clinch a place in the final while the Roosters had to face the Bears in a best-of-3 semi-final series. A walk-off win for the Bears took them to the Final.

The Buzzards had a considerable advantage as the Bears pitchers had gone through two gruelling series earlier in the day and the reds won the Final 2-1.

Hunlock Series Scoreboard

This year’s Hunlock Series saw around 100 players play 64 one-inning games. Many of the players were new to Herts and the club hopes to see them wearing the Herts jersey when the 2023 British baseball season commences.

These were the final games of the 2022 baseball season. The players now take a break over the winter but Spring Training is not too far away and preparations for the 2023 season have already began.

If you are not a member of the club yet, the best way to keep up-to-date is to be added to the club’s mailing list. Contact us for more details about joining the club or to subscribe to the mailing list.

Hunlock Series starts this Sunday.  League and playoff games will adopt the 9th Inning game format.

Hunlock Series starts this Sunday. League and playoff games will adopt the 9th Inning game format.

The 9th Inning game format is back

The game schedule for the 2022 Hunlock Series has been published and it has been confirmed that the “9th Inning” game format is back which means that all games will be decided over a single inning only. This format was first adopted in the 2017 Hunlock Series. It recreates the tension and drama of the ninth inning.

The Green Pilgrims open the competition with a 4-game series against the Black Bears at 10am at Basing Hill Ballpark, followed by four more of these 4-game series with the day ending at around 5:30pm.

The following regulations will apply to the “9th Inning” format.

• The batting order of each team remains unchanged for the duration of the day unless a substitution is made.

• A substituted player cannot re-enter the same game, however that player can re-enter a subsequent game.

• The batter who was next to bat upon completion of the previous game will be the first batter in the next game with the rest of the batting lineup coming up to bat in order.

What is also noticeable from the schedule is that the home team alternates over the course of the 4-game series which implies that the fielding team in the bottom of the inning will remain on the field in the top of the inning of the subsequent game. This scheduling approach was adopted in previous years and it sped-up the games enormously as that halved the number of times teams go in and out of the field. There even was no need for warm-up pitches as the pitchers were ready. The downside is that a pitcher will need to stay on the mound for 6 outs without a break as opposed to the usual 3 outs, which could mean twice as many pitches thrown in an inning. This is where the defence can really help pitchers, by minimising errors and not adding to the pitcher’s pitch count.

League and Playoff Format

The first two weeks of the Series will see a league format where each team will play a total of 16 games, 4 games against each of their opponents.

The difference this year is that there will be a postseason playoff format in week 3 which will also feature the one-inning game format. See playoff tournament tree above.

Other rules

The other rules which differ from what teams are used to in the BBF leagues are:

• Pitching Restrictions. A player can appear as a pitcher in one, two or more games per day, but no player shall accumulate more than 3 innings (9 outs) as a pitcher over the course of the day. It is the responsibility of the opposing team to inform the umpire when a pitcher reaches the limit. Managers must inform opponents of the number of innings pitched by each of their pitchers during the day prior to the start of each game.

• No Mercy Rule will be in force.

• If the game is tied after completion of the final inning, each team is awarded half a win and half a loss in the standings.

The 2022 Hunlock Series Draft took place on Thursday night.  See more details here.

If you have not signed up to play in the Hunlock Series, it is not too late. Contact Herts Baseball Club for details on how to sign up.

Carter, McMenamin, Dearing, Wong and Ferroni are the first round picks.

Carter, McMenamin, Dearing, Wong and Ferroni are the first round picks.

The 2022 Hunlock Series Draft was completed on Thursday night. The managers of the teams had a plethora of talent to choose from with 87 players drafted over 18 rounds.

THE FIRST ROUND PICKS

It was no surprise that four of the five first round picks were pitchers.

On a toss of a coin, the Herts Ducks had the first pick. Manager, Brad Charalambous, determined to keep as many players from his 2021 roster as possible, selected Kent Bucs pitcher, Chris Carter.

Green Pilgrims manager, Mike Cresswell, was next to pick. He selected one of the top performers of the Herts Hawks, pitcher and third baseman, Harry McMenamin.

Red Roosters boss, Jack O’Brien, chose Herts Cardinals player-manager Brian Dearing whose primary positions are starting pitcher and shortstop.

The Black Bears went for pitcher, Stephen Wong, who has settled very well on the mound in his first season with the Herts Cardinals in the Triple-A League.

Finally, the Blue Buzzards picked another Herts Cardinals player Giorgio Ferroni who will bring a lot of speed on the bases and in the outfield. It would be interesting if we could see him in a race with Herts Falcons legend, Robbie Unsell.

FREE AGENTS AND TRADES

The full team rosters determined at last night’s draft are shown here. Shortly after the end of the draft the Blue Buzzards traded infielders Vytas Macenas and Miguel Gibson to Black Bears in exchange for Giorgio Ferroni and catcher Hunter Devine.

As more players sign up to play they will be able to join the teams as free agents.

Carter, McMenamin, Dearing, Wong and Ferroni are the first round picks.

One of the players who has just appeared on the Free Agents Block is Herts Falcons and Great Britain catcher and pitcher, Conner Brown (pictured above), who would usually be a first round pick. We will keep you updated about free agent signings and trades over the course of the Series.

New players aged 14 or above, regardless of whether they are members of Herts or another club or completely new to baseball, can be added to the teams at any point. To be added to the teams or for more details contact Herts Baseball Club.

OPENING DAY

The Series commence on Sunday, 1 October. The first games start at 10:00am at Basing Hill Ballpark in north west London. Admission is free. For complete Series schedule click here.

Hunlock Series managers announced. The Live Draft is on Wednesday night.

Hunlock Series managers announced. The Live Draft is on Wednesday night.

We are counting down to the 2022 Hunlock Series Live Draft which will take place this Wednesday, 21 September at 8:00pm.

For those who are new to the Hunlock Series, in the days leading up to the Draft, the 100+ Herts players (aged 14 and over) and newly registered players mark their availability for the three weeks of the Hunlock Series. The team managers then take turns picking players one by one over the twenty or so rounds of the Draft. It will be interesting to see which players among the club’s 100+ players will be picked in the first round and who will be the very first pick.  In previous years, that honour has gone primarily to Conner Brown.

Players and fans can follow the Draft picks here as they happen. Participants will also be able to interact and chat about the Draft on the Herts Facebook Page, on Herts Twitter and in WhatsApp groups as the managers make their picks.

The team managers

Five teams go into this year’s competition. The managerial appointments have just been announced.

  • Black Bears – Matt Bell
  • Blue Buzzards – Danny Preston
  • Green Pilgrims – Mike Cresswell
  • Herts Ducks – Brad Charalambous
  • Red Roosters – Jack O’Brien

Fans will see some new faces in the Hunlock Series this year who have joined the club in the last few weeks, so there will be an element of surprise in Wednesday’s Draft. Some of them may be new to Herts fans but they are not new to the game. The Hunlock Series could be a glimpse at some of the new players who will be wearing the Herts uniform in 2023.

Historically the Herts adult league team managers have used the Hunlock Series games to evaluate current and new players in preparation for the new season, to populate their rosters and positions and to decide which leagues the Herts teams should go into in 2023.

How to regsiter

All Hunlock Series players will be drafted into teams. To be eligible for the Draft players will need to update their availability for all the Hunlock Series dates in the online Clubhouse by 7pm on Wednesday, 21 September. If you miss the deadline or the first one or two weeks of games, don’t worry. New players will still be eligible to play but will have to be assigned as free agents after the Draft.

If you already have a Clubhouse account you can update availability by logging on with your existing username and password. Click here to go to the Clubhouse.

If you do not have a Clubhouse account but wish to play in the Hunlock Series, please register here and select “Play Hunlock Series” in the membership category list. After registering you can log on and mark your availability.

To be eligible to play in the Hunlock Series, players must be 14 years of age or above on 31 December 2022.

Entry fee

2022 club members, including non-roster club members, do not have to pay an entry fee as the Hunlock Series is part of their membership package. If you don’t have a Hunlock Series team shirt, you can buy one before your first game. The price is £8. Many players already have Hunlock Series team shirts from previous years and, to keep costs down for players, an online group will be set up where they can exchange their shirt if they have been picked by a team wearing a different colour team shirt.

New players or players from other clubs can play by paying the £18 entry fee which includes a free Hunlock Series shirt of the team which has drafted them.

For more details about playing in the Hunlock Series, contact us.

Coach Monte Brooks is coming back to the UK to work with Herts players

Coach Monte Brooks is coming back to the UK to work with Herts players

In June 2019 the head coach of The Master’s University baseball team, Monte Brooks, was a special guest of Herts Baseball Club and Herts players had the unique opportunity of being coached by him.

He will be coming back to the UK and he will once again be working with the Herts adult and youth teams at the club’s two branches in Hemel Hempstead and in London. The two events which he will be taking part in are:

  • 6pm, Wednesday, 1 June, Grovehill Ballpark, Hemel Hempstead
  • 6pm, Thursday, 2 June, Basing Hill Ballpark, London

Brooks has just completed his 26th season as head coach of The Master’s University baseball team in the USA. He is the program’s all-time leader in wins with a record of 790-535. He has led the Mustangs to four NAIA World Series appearances (2000, 2013, 2016, 2017) and three regular-season GSAC titles.

As a player, Brooks was drafted by the San Diego Padres in 1987 with whom he spent four seasons in the minor leagues and later coached in the Padres organisation before his appointment with Master’s University.

Players who have developed through The Master’s University have gone on to be drafted by MLB clubs. One of them is Conner Menez (pictured above) who was drafted by the San Francisco Giants in the 14th round of the 2016 MLB Draft. Shortly after Coach Brooks’ visit to London in 2019, Menez made his MLB debut for the Giants where he played until last year. This season he was signed by the Chicago Cubs and with rumours going around that the 2023 MLB London Series will feature the Chicago Cubs and the St Louis Cardinals, Herts fans may have the opportunity to see Menez in action at the London Stadium.

Coach Brooks’ area of expertise is working with hitters and infielders so his visit to the club is a fantastic opportunity for players from the various Herts teams.

The sessions are open to all current Herts members as well as new players who are considering joining the club. If you are not a current club member and wish to take part in one of these sessions, please contact us.

Opening Day rosters published

Opening Day rosters published

After two months of Spring Training and three weeks of Herts Spring League games, the managers of the five Herts adult league teams have confirmed their Opening Day rosters. Just like Major League Baseball, there may be movement of players up and down the leagues in accordance with BBF regulations.

Herts Cardinals (Triple-A League)

RankPlayerPositionB/THtWt
1jpnHiroki FujimotoP, 2B, SSR/R--
2usaJames Hicks1B, P---
3usaSean BennettP, 2B, SS---
4gbrAndy Cornish2B, 3B---
5cubOsvaldo Badia Rivero1B, 3B---
6usaTyler CoteC, OF, P---
7gbrWill DavisIF, OF---
8usaJoshua Pines1B---
9usaBrian DearingP, SS---
10gbrJames CavanaghC, OF---
11usaArik RavivP---
12hkg“Stephen” Chun Hung WongC, IF, OF---
13canRobert LaflammeOF---
14domGiorgio FerroniC, OF---
15cubJavier Cardenas TomasOF---
16ltuVytas Macenas2B, 3B---
17gerYves SchwarzbartIF, OF---
18gbrMichael Cresswell1B, OF, P---
19cubgbrRoberto HernandezOF, 2B---

Herts Hawks (Single-A League)

RankPlayerPositionB/THtWt
1gbrGiuseppe Basilea1B, IF, OF, P---
2usaElroy DavisSS---
3gbrMichael Cunningham1B, OF---
4gbrHarry McmenaminP, 3B---
5gbrDanny PrestonIF, OF---
6irlAntonio LourencoIF, OF---
7gbrPaul Le GuillouLF---
8gbrAntony LavenderCF---
9gbrKennet PikeC, P, SS---
10porLuis MartinsIF---
11rsaDeclan CarleanOF, P, SS---
12canCameron SchultzC---
13gbrHarry EwenIF, OF, 2B---
14gbrNick BarnabyIF, OF, SS---
15porPedro MartinsP, SS---
16gbrTodd NevilleIF, OF---
17gbrCharlie ObrienC, OF---
18gbrDale HardwickCF---
19gbrLaurence Currington1B, IF---
20gbrPeter HoggIF, OF---
21gbrJack ObrienIF, OF, P---

Herts Raptors (Single-A League)

RankPlayerPositionB/THtWt
1gbrCallum FerrierIF/OF---
2gbrRufus LloydIF, OF---
3gbrTom RokerIF, OF---
4gbrJamie BerlofskyOF, 2B---
5gbrBeth WainIF, OF---
6gbrBradley CalvertIF---
7ncaJoel EdenIF, OF---
8gbrjpnMarcus WathewIF, OF---
9gbrHarry WilliamsonIF, OF---
10gbrJack BurkettIF, OF---
11ltuMantas PoderysIF, P---
12gbrSimon Jackson-TurnerIF, OF---
13gbrBilly PerryIF, OF---
14gbrPaul AuchterlounieC, P---
15usaJohn Kjorstad1B, OF---
16gbrAdam ScalesIF, OF---
17gbrMax FarmbroughIF, OF, P---
18gbrEllie PageC, OF---
19porLuis MartinsIF---
20gbrRory VangundyOF, P, SS---
21gbrNoah TaborCF, LF---
22gbrLauren Dutch1B---
23gbrCalum ThompsonIF, OF---
24gbrJordon FoxSS---
25gbrJamie WiseIF, OF---
26gbrThomas BrowneIF, OF, P---

Herts Eagles (Single-A League)

RankPlayerPositionB/THtWt
1ausMichael WakelamC, IF, P, SS, 3B---
2gbrIsabella TrautmanIF, OFR/R--
3gbrAishiek Mitra NandyIF, OF---
4gbrReece Williamson-WhiteIF, OF---
5gbrDowan BelleroseC---
6polOlo SzostakIF/OF---
7gbrErrol JarrettIF/OF---
8swefinAnders Pettersson---
9gbrAndy StratfordIF, OF, 2B---
10usaMax Trautman1B, OF---
11gbrPeter WilsonOF---
12gbrcypBradley CharalambousC---
13indParas Patravale3B---
14gbrThomas HillC, SS---
15gbrMichael Anunobi1B---
16gbrKumail JafferIF, OF, 2B, SS, 3B---
17gbrNeil Chilton1B, OF, P---
18usaDaniel GippleIF, OF---
19usaEvan RobinsIF, OF---
20gbrAlexander TrautmanIF, OF, P---
21gbrMichael GreenOF---
22gbrJoe GippleIF, OF, 2B---
23ausSaira SmithC, OF, P---
24denMohamed AbduleIF, OF---
25gbrJamie Lang-RichardsC, IF, P, SS---

Herts Londoners (Single-A League)

RankPlayerPositionB/THtWt
1gbrSammy EnglishIF, P, SS---
2gbrSony LamaC, CF, IFR--
3gbrSimon LangtonP, 2B, SS, 3B---
4gbrJack PageIF, OF---
5gbrZak BellerIF, OF, 2B---
6gbrAspi DimitrovIF/OF, IF, OF, P---
7gbrRob JonesC, 1B, IF, 2B---
8gbrHenry BellCF, IF, OF, PR/R--
9gbrMatthew BellIF/OF---
10usaArnold LongboyC, IF, P---
11usaGreg Bochan1B, IF, P, 3B---
12gbrJoseph FieldOF---
13tpeKenny Liao1B---
14tpeWei Chieh WangIF, P, 2B, 3B---
15usaCory EnglishIF, P, SS---
16gerNicolas GoetzIF, P, 3B---
17gbrHunter DevineC, CF, IF, OF, 2B---
18gbrJason ReynoldsCF, IF, OFR/R--
19gbrDan TaylorRF, 2B---
20gbrZephaniah Prime MenciasC, OF, P---
21gbrLuke WardC, OF, 2B---
22tpeNorman Peng1B, IF, LF, OF, 2B---
23venGilberto MedinaSS---
24gbrAndrew Slater1B, IF, P, 2B---
Herts teams announce preliminary 2022 rosters for the HSL

Herts teams announce preliminary 2022 rosters for the HSL

The five Herts teams have announced their preliminary rosters for the 2022 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 2022 Opening Day rosters. The Eagles and Londoners rosters are combined for this reason and may split later in the HSL.

The HSL games commence on March 19th.

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 Cardinals (Triple-A)

  • Alexander Trautman
  • Andy Cornish
  • Arik Raviv
  • Brian Dearing
  • James Cavanagh
  • James Hicks
  • Javier  Cardenas Tomas
  • Joshua Pines
  • Michael Anunobi
  • Michael Wakelam
  • Nicolas Goetz
  • Osvaldo Badia Rivero
  • Paras Patravale
  • Robert Laflamme
  • Roberto  Hernandez
  • Sean Bennett
  • Tetsuro Shinkawa
  • Tyler Cote
  • Vytas Macenas
  • Will Davis
  • Yves Schwarzbart

Herts Hawks (Single-A)

  • Andy Cornish
  • Antonio Lourenco
  • Antony Lavender
  • Cameron Schultz
  • Charlie Obrien
  • Dale Hardwick
  • Danny Preston
  • Declan Carlean
  • Elroy Davis
  • Harry Ewen
  • Harry Mcmenamin
  • Jack Obrien
  • Jordon Fox
  • Kennet Pike
  • Laurence Currington
  • Luis Martins
  • Michael Cunningham
  • Nick Barnaby
  • Paul Le Guillou
  • Pedro Martins
  • Peter Hogg
  • Todd Neville

Herts Raptors (Single–A)

  • Adam Scales
  • Beth Wain
  • Billy Perry
  • Calum Thompson
  • Ellie Page
  • James Morrell
  • James Watson
  • Jamie Berlofsky
  • Jamie Wise
  • Joel Eden
  • John Kjorstad
  • Lauren Dutch
  • Marcus Wathew
  • Mantas Poderys
  • Max Farmbrough
  • Neil Chilton
  • Noah  Tabor
  • Paul Auchterlounie
  • Rory Vangundy
  • Simon Jackson-Turner
  • Thomas Browne
  • Tom Roker

Herts Eagles / Herts Londoners (Single-A)

  • Aishiek Mitra Nandy
  • Alexander Trautman
  • Andy Stratford
  • Arnold Longboy
  • Aspi Dimitrov
  • Brad Charalambous
  • Bryan Mencias
  • Cory English
  • Dan Taylor
  • Daniel Gipple
  • Gilberto Medina
  • Giorgio Ferroni
  • Greg Bochan
  • Henry Bell
  • Hunter Devine
  • Isabella Trautman
  • James Angelou
  • Jamie Lang-Richards
  • Jason Reynolds
  • Joe Gipple
  • Joseph  Field
  • Kenny Liao
  • Kumail Jaffer
  • Kwong yan Li
  • Luke Ward
  • Mark Lewinson
  • Matthew Bell
  • Max Trautman
  • Michael Green
  • Michael Wakelam
  • Mohamed Abdule
  • Nicolas Goetz
  • Norman Peng
  • Peter Wilson
  • Rob Jones
  • Saira Smith
  • Sammy English
  • Thomas Hill
  • Wei Chieh Wang
  • Yu Tsz Cheung
  • Zak Beller
  • Zephaniah Prime Mencias

Players, from beginners to advanced, are now registering for the 2022 baseball season. For more details about how to join the Herts 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.

Countdown to HSL – first chance to see the teams ahead of the 2022 British baseball season

Countdown to HSL – first chance to see the teams ahead of the 2022 British baseball season

The biggest pre-season baseball competition in Britain is back. Commencing on March 19, 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 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 – NBL, Double-A and Single-A.

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 preparatory requirements of the teams over the format of the competition”.

The teams finishing at the top of their respective division will be the HSL champions.

The Venue

The action will take place on the two diamonds at Grovehill Ballpark in Hemel Hempstead, the home of Herts Baseball Club.

Schedule

Over the three weekends 40 games are scheduled to be played on the two diamonds. The competition begins on March 19 with a morning clash on Diamond 1 between the London Metros and the Essex Redbacks in the HSL NBL division. At the same time on Diamond 2, there is a Double-A clash between the Croydon Pirates and the London Musketeers.

The Herts Raptors are the first Herts team in action on that day as they meet the Mustangs. The first opportunity to see the Herts Cardinals’ first ever game will be on Sunday, 20 March, when they will meet ACS Cougars and the Sidewinders.

Alongside the deciding HSL games on the final day (April 3), Grovehill Ballpark will host the NBL Opening Day doubleheader between the Lancashire Legends and newly promoted BC Vetra who won the Triple-A National Championship last year.

Click to view full 2022 HSL schedule

Youth Baseball Open Days

In addition to the games, there will be three Youth Baseball Open Sessions for any boys and girls aged 6 to 14 who are not members of a baseball club at the moment. This is a good opportunity for them to try baseball at no cost. Each session is 2 hours long.

For more details and to book a place, please complete this form.

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

Players, from beginners to advanced, are now registering for the 2022 baseball season. For more details about how to join the Herts 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.

19 teams will signal the arrival of Spring in the 2022 HSL

19 teams will signal the arrival of Spring in the 2022 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 and Single-A Leagues.

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

HSL (NBL) Teams
HSL (Double-A) Teams
HSL (Single-A) Teams

Schedule and Format

The HSL will be played over three weeks commencing on the weekend of 19-20 March and ending on 2-3 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.

5 Herts teams enter the 2022 BBF leagues. Falcons aiming for 2023 return to NBL.

5 Herts teams enter the 2022 BBF leagues. Falcons aiming for 2023 return to NBL.

With just a few hours remaining until the deadline for British baseball clubs to submit their league entries for the 2022 baseball season, Herts Baseball Club confirmed that they will once again be entering five teams.

Herts Falcons

However, the Herts Falcons are not among them. The team had a difficult season last year finishing in last place with a record of 1 win and 24 losses. They went into it with a depleted roster of 15 players and suffered further setback when player-manager, Cris Hiche, had to go back to his home country due to a family bereavement. Another three players and the interim manager left partway through the season.

In November, the club started the process of rebuilding the roster.  Despite a large number of players signing up to try out with the team, the club struggled with the appointment of a new manager.  They came close to securing a highly rated candidate last month but he received a contract offer from an MLB club.  The identity of that coach has not been made public yet to enable him to decide when to do so in what is a very positive news story for British baseball.

This morning club president, Aspi Dimitrov, said: “we ran out of time and we have to bear the pain of withdrawing our flagship team from the National Baseball League”.

We understand the club considered assigning the Falcons team name to one of its other teams in the lower leagues in order to continue the team’s record of 26 uninterrupted seasons playing in the BBF leagues, but decided against it. “Our work to rebuild the Falcons continues and our target now is the 2023 season” said Dimitrov.

The club’s other five teams will now have to carry the Herts flag in the playoff races this year.

Herts Cardinals (Triple-A)

The Cardinals are the newest Herts team, unveiled just a week ago.  They go into the Triple-A league – the second tier in the British baseball league system. When taking on the role, team manager Brian Dearing did not expect that his team would have the extra pressure of being the club’s highest ranked team but Herts fans hope that the team will thrive on this.

The Cardinals will play their home games at the club’s Basing Hill Ballpark in North West London which is currently under construction and is scheduled to open in late April or early May.

Herts Hawks (Single-A)

The Hawks are one of four Herts teams which will play in the BBF Single-A league. They will be managed by Ken Pike, who was in charge of the Herts Raptors last year.  His team is expected to feature many of his 2021 Raptors players but the squad may also feature new faces as the competition for places intensifies.  The Hawks will play their home games at Grovehill Ballpark in Hemel Hempstead.

Herts Raptors (Single-A)

As confirmed at the end of January, Mantas Poderys, is back at the helm. He managed the Raptors in 2020 bringing his trademark enthusiasm but the season was wiped out by Covid so this will be his managerial debut in the BBF leagues.  The Raptors will play their home games at Grovehill.

Herts Londoners (Single-A)

Last year Herts Londoners improved on their win-loss record of the previous season but the team still finished far from the playoff places. They hope to climb up the standings further this year.  Co-manager Arnie Longboy has taken up the front office role of co-General Manager and Matt Bell takes his place as co-manager. The Londoners will play their home games at Basing Hill.

Herts Eagles (Single-A)

The Eagles finished the season with the best record out of the three Herts teams in the Single-A league last season with some exceptional numbers put up by MVP, Mike Wakelam, including 9 home runs. Will he be back with the Eagles or will he be called up by the Cardinals to the Triple-A team.  The Eagles hope to announce their new manager soon.

It remains to be seen if all four Herts Single-A teams will be placed in the same pool which would mean that there would be a plethora of Herts derby games this season.  Would this increase the chances of seeing a Herts team reach the playoffs or will the four Herts teams end up knocking each other out? In the next few weeks the BBF will also reveal who they will face. Will it be their old rivals the Redbacks the Minotaurs and the Mustangs who are the reigning Single-A national champions or will the BBF reshuffle the composition of the pools perhaps bringing in teams like the Richmond Dukes and the Bracknell Inferno?

The managers have left some room in the rosters so new players can still join the Herts teams. However, the club reported that the number of players registering to play is higher than on deadline day last season so those available places are likely to be filled quickly.

Herts also announced the tryout dates to play for the Herts Cardinals in the Triple-A league.  For more details contact the club.