Category: Headlines

by Herts Baseball News Editor

Herts teams announce preliminary 2017 HSL rosters

The managers of the Herts teams which will be playing in the 2017 Herts Spring League over the next 3 weeks have announced their preliminary rosters. 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 2017 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.

HERTS FALCONS

Aaron Witter

Andrew Fulford

Andy Cornish

Cristobal Hiche

Darren Meintjes

Jake Caress

Jamie Warren

Jeremy Lengyel

John Blose

Jonathon Lewys

Lee Manning

Louis Hare

Mario Escobedo

Robert Smith

Tyler Badenhorst

HERTS HAWKS

Andrew Slater

Andy Cornish

Aspi Dimitrov

Dan Bartram

Duane Badenhorst

Ernest jr Ayala

Ernie Ayala

Gilberto Medina

Greg Bochan

Hunter Devine

Iain Mccrimmon

Jamie Lang

John Kjorstad

Jonathon Lewys

Louis Hare

Matthew Gentry

Michael Cresswell

Rod Naghar

Simon Langton

Sonam Lama

Tim Elkins

HERTS RAPTORS

Adam White

Andrico Patsalides

Arnold Longboy

Ben Sinclair

Clive Johnson

Darren Butterworth

Darren Priest

James Emblow

Jim Arnott

Joseph Osborne-brade

Martin Rooney

Matthew Jackson

Michael Johnson

Mitchell Taylor

Nick White

Paul Auchterlounie

Paul Barton

Rahie Rahman

Rich Brown

Rob Jones

Tim Lawrence

Tom Carson

William Belbin
by Herts Baseball News Editor

Countdown to HSL – first chance to see the teams ahead of the 2017 British baseball season

The biggest pre-season baseball competition in Britain is back. Commencing on March 18, the Herts Spring League (HSL) will see 16 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 16 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. The third tier is the HSL-A consisting mainly 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 preparatory 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, the home of Herts Baseball Club.

SCHEDULE

23 games are scheduled to be played on the two diamonds. The competition begins on March 18 with a clash between the Bracknell Inferno and the Kent Mariners in the HSL Single-A bracket. The HSL Majors commences on the same day when the London Mammoths will face the Lakenheath Lancers while the HSL Double-A division will open with an encounter between the Essex Redbacks and the London Marauders.

In the final weekend of the HSL the schedule will include the National Baseball League season opener between the Herts Falcons and the Brighton Jets. It will be interesting to see if the attendance at Grovehill Ballpark will be higher than that at Farnham Park on the same day for the other NBL clash between the London Mets and the Southampton Mustangs.

Click to view full 2017 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

16 teams will signal the arrival of Spring in the 2017 HSL

Herts Baseball Club has confirmed that 16 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. This year the lineup has an added international flavour with the entry of the Lakenheath Lancers which is a team made up of American high school players based around RAF Lakenheath. The last team coming out of RAF Lakenheath to play in the HSL was the Lakenheath Diamondbacks who won the Majors division in 2012.

This year’s HSL will also feature the Taunton Tigers which is a team from the South West Baseball League which is an independent league.  Another team making their HSL debut is the Birmingham Bandits who have impressed in the BBF Midlands conference over the last few years.

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

HSL – MAJORS

TEAM

CLASS

HSL RANKING

South London Pirates

NBL

1

Herts Falcons

NBL

2

London Mammoths

AAA

2

Lakenheath Lancers

International

4

Taunton Tigers

Ind.

5

HSL – AA

TEAM

CLASS

HSL RANKING

Essex Redbacks

AAA

6

Birmingham Bandits

AA

7

Milton Keynes Bucks

AA

8

London Marauders

AA

9

Herts Hawks

AA

10

Cambridge Monarchs

A

11

HSL – A

TEAM

CLASS

HSL RANKING

Tonbridge

A

12

London Musketeers

A

13

Herts Raptors

A

14

Kent Mariners

A

15

Bracknell Inferno

A

16

SCHEDULE AND FORMAT

The HSL will be played over three weeks commencing on the weekend of 18 and 19 March and ending on 1 and 2 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.

by Herts Baseball News Editor

Herts Raptors manager announced

Paul Barton has been confirmed as the manager of the Herts Raptors and he also joins the club’s executive board. He co-managed the team in 2016 alongside Michael Cresswell, but this season Cresswell is looking to try out for one of the other Herts teams playing in the higher leagues. This means that Barton will take charge in the more conventional way of having only one person at the helm.

Paul Barton made his league debut for the Raptors in 2015 and his tremendous performances were recognised as he was voted Raptors’ Most Valuable Player. In 2016 he and Cresswell managed to turn the team’s fortunes around ending the regular season with a .667 winning percentage, which was even better than the Herts Eagles .500 in 2012 – an amazing achievement for the team in the Herts hierarchy which is made up of newcomers most of whom play baseball for the first time in their lives. In the playoffs the Raptors went on to eliminate the reigning Single-A national champions, Tonbridge Bobcats, at their own ground, and were knocked out at the quarter-final stage by the eventual winners, Herts Hawks.

The team had tremendous chemistry last season where players enjoyed being part of the Raptors’ journey and Barton will be looking to continue it in 2017. Will the Raptors be able to repeat or even improve on their 2016 performance? A lot will depend on the next few weeks as the rosters are put together. At this time of the year the club usually sees many new players join the club, some of whom may have never played baseball before, but go on to become key players for the Herts teams. Spring Training continues this Sunday, 19 February, with another open sessions which anyone over the age of 12 is welcome to attend. Contact the club for more details.

With the earlier announcement of Mike Wakelam also joining the Board, the number of members on the Herts Baseball Executive Board is now 11, which puts the club in a strong position ahead of the 2017 season.

by Herts Baseball News Editor

Mike Wakelam joins Herts Baseball Board

Mike Wakelam has been appointed to the Herts Baseball Club executive board. He already manages the Herts Under-13 programme and now will also carry out the role of Youth Baseball Commissioner overseeing the whole Herts youth baseball programme which offers baseball to boys and girls from 4 to 16 years of age.

Mike Wakelam was born in Australia. His baseball background goes back a long way, from playing tee-ball as a 7-year-old in Melbourne at the well known Upwey Ferntree Gully Baseball Club. As a teenager he played for various teams and travelled to the USA as a 15-year-old to progress his career at the Mickey Owens Baseball School in Springfield, Missouri. 2 years later he returned to the USA on an exchange program to play high school baseball, where he finished the season with an All-Conference honourable mention. A knee injury meant that his playing days were limited. However, this didn’t deter him from continuing his involvement in baseball in a coaching capacity. He has been coaching little league teams since the age of 16. When he was 19 he coached the Under-16 All-Star team at Upwey Ferntree Gully baseball club, and went on to coach several players privately, two of whom travelled to the US and played and trained at the Playball Baseball Academy in Ft Lauderdale, Florida.

As a big Kansas City Royals fan Mike Wakelam made sure he was able to get to Kansas for the MLB All Star game in 2012.

In 2009 Mike Wakelam happened to be at the Northwick Park baseball and softball centre when Herts were running an exhibition event there and decided to join Herts Baseball Club. He went on to play for the Herts Eagles in the AAA League and also for the Falcons in the NBL establishing himself as one of the most feared sluggers. His career batting average in the NBL stands at an impressive .667. His persistent knee problems have kept him out of the game since 2010 but he has stayed involved in baseball contributing to the success of the Herts Baseball youth programme.

In the beginning of 2010 he was a candidate for the Coaches Commissioner role on the Board of the British Baseball Federation. He generously withdrew his candidacy to make way for Leicester’s Mark Meredith to run for that office. This has been a blessing for Herts as it has allowed him to give all of his expertise and time to the club and contribute to its success.

by Herts Baseball News Editor

Teams starting to enter 2017 Herts Spring League

The Herts Spring League (HSL) has confirmed the game dates for the 2017 edition of the competition*.

HSL (Week 1 of 3)
Sat, 18-Mar-17
Sun, 19-Mar-17

HSL (Week 2 of 3)
Sat, 25-Mar-17
Sun, 26-Mar-17

HSL (Week 3 of 3)
Sat, 1-Apr-17
Sun, 2-Apr-17

Spring is the time when managers put together their teams and aim to turn them into winning machines ahead of Opening Day. Similar to the Grapefruit and Cactus Leagues in MLB, the HSL provides a competitive edge to spring training. This is the tenth year of the HSL. Every year this competition keeps growing. The geographic spread of participating teams seems to be expanding as well. For more details visit the HSL site.

LEAGUE FORMAT

Teams will be placed in two or more divisions (HSL Majors and HSL Minors) based on the teams’ ranking going into the new season. The exact format will depend on the number of teams entering the HSL and the availability of venues, therefore full details will be published when the league line-up is confirmed.

TEAMS

Over the years the HSL has featured teams from the National Baseball League (NBL), Triple-A, Double-A and Single-A Leagues, as well as international teams such as the GB Under-19 and Under-16 National Teams and the ASL Eagles.

“The number of team entries has been going up every year. Last year we somehow managed to fit all of the entrants, however in 2017 we have to be mindful of the fact that we may once again reach our full capacity and we may have to restrict team entries when we reach that level again.” said HSL Commissioner, Aspi Dimitrov.

The addition of U19 and U17 league teams in previous years has worked very well. The high standard of most of the BBF U19 and U17 League teams will certainly enable them to comfortably compete at the level of adult teams from the Double-A and Triple-A League teams, or perhaps even the NBL.

Teams from around the United Kingdom will be submitting their entries over the next few weeks and the HSL lineup and games schedule is expected to be published in early March.

* – The HSL dates are based on the indication that the BBF league season will start on April 2 for NBL teams and on April 9 for all other leagues. If these dates change the HSL may make adjustments where necessary.

 

by Rob Jones

Buzzards: the new face of Herts softball

The logo can now be revealed for Herts’ new slowpitch softball programme, which is introducing the Buzzards to the British sporting scene.

The first session will take place at 10 am this Sunday, 12th February, at the excellent facilities at John F. Kennedy Catholic School in Hemel Hempstead.

The invitation is open to everyone wanting to give the sport a try — baseball players, their families, or completely new faces looking for something different. These first taster sessions are free of charge.

The Buzzards will start as a fun, recreational team playing in selected tournaments and friendlies with local teams as it develops and finds its feet. The expectation is that they will either join a local league or be able to start their own by 2018.

Softball is a social and enjoyable game that’s easy to learn and play, even for people who are not “athletes” or don’t have much experience of team sports. The fact that men and women play together in the same team and on an equal level gives the sport a social buzz.

This team has been created by some Herts parents at a loose end after guiding their kids through the youth programme, and by veterans needing a different pace of game.

But don’t imagine that this is just a game for the old folks!

Herts has a great pedigree in softball, as the former youth players Theo Longboy and Marianna Casal won the U-19 European Softball Championship with the GB team in 2016.

The Buzzards may not recreate the GB success just yet, but the more players we can get having fun, the better the results will be!

The Buzzards shirt

All equipment will be provided this Sunday – you just need comfortable sporting clothes, water, and your enthusiasm!

For more information on the Buzzards please contact http://hertsbaseball.com/contact-us/

 

by Herts Baseball News Editor

The Return of Hiche

The Herts Falcons have announced their first big signing of 2017.  It is the return of Cris Hiche who is joining Herts from Austrian top league team, Dornbirn Indians. Hiche was missed in a big way by the Falcons when he signed a professional contract in Austria, so this news comes as a major boost for the club.

Cris Hiche originally joined the Falcons ahead of the 2012 season and it is not a coincidence that his four seasons with Herts proved to be among the best in the club’s history and included reaching the NBL playoffs in three out of these four seasons. That included finishing as NBL runner-up in 2012 and reaching the NBL Playoff semi-finals in 2013 and 2015.

His outstanding performances were recognised with the award of the NBL Outfield Gold Glove in 2012 and 2013 when he did not commit a single error. In 2013 he was also the team’s home run leader.

The Chilean was also instrumental off the field for Herts. He joined the club’s executive board as the head of the Under-17 and Under-19 programmes. In 2013 he led the Herts Under-17 team to the National Final finishing as runners-up which is the club’s best position in that age group.

Last season with the Dornbirn Indians Hiche had the third best batting average in the team (.314) with a slugging average of .412 and on-base average of .455. He committed only 2 errors ending with a fielding average of .979.

Prior to joining Herts in 2012, Hiche developed in the USA where he played at the high school, college and semi-professional league level as well as at international level representing Chile at Under-12, Under-16 and now at senior level with the National Team. In 2002 he joined the International Baseball Academy in Brazil where he played alongside the legendary Cuban player, Lazaro Vargas, who won the Olympic gold medal with the Cuba National Team twice, in 1992 and 1996. Hiche then went on to play for Glendale Community College in Arizona, followed by two seasons (2005-2007) with the Athletics in Liga Valle del Sol. Between 2008 and 2010 he played for the Sahuaripas in the Mesa Semi-Pro League alongside former or injured Minor League players trying to work their way back into the pros, as well as former MLB players such as pitcher Omar Daal, who played for the LA Dodgers, Philadelphia Phillies, Arizona Diamondbacks and ended his career with the Baltimore Orioles in 2003.

by Herts Baseball News Editor

Players now registering for the 2017 Herts baseball…and softball season

The wait is over. Player registration for the 2017 season has commenced.

SOFTBALL

In addition to adult and youth baseball, this year will see the launch of the Herts softball programme. This will enable the club to offer playing opportunities to a much wider audience and to women in particular. Slowpitch Softball is the more recreational version of the game, which is equally appealing to male and female players. Softball is a social and enjoyable game that’s easy to learn and play, even for people who are not “athletes” or don’t have much experience of team sports. The fact that men and women play together in the same team and on an equal level gives the sport a social buzz.

There will be four open softball sessions to get the programme started and give as many male and female players the opportunity to give it a try for free.  The first session is at 10am on Sunday, 12 February. These first few sessions will be held indoors at the modern sports facilities of John F Kennedy School in Hemel Hempstead. All equipment will be provided so anyone aged 14 and over can come and enjoy the day, meet new friends and try a new sport. For more details about the Herts Softball Programme click here. If you are interested to come and try softball at any of the upcoming  open sessions contact us and we will provide you with full details and add you to our mailing list.

ADULT LEAGUES

Herts has already completed the 2017 British Baseball League entry process and will be represented by three teams. The Herts Falcons will be looking to bounce back in the National Baseball League after a season in which they had more losses than wins. Herts Hawks have made the step up to the Double-A League after winning the Single-A National title. The Herts Raptors will be flying the flag in the Single-A League, looking to repeat or even improve on last year’s amazing season in which they reached the playoff quarter finals, eliminating the reigning national champions Tonbridge along the way.

KEY DATES – ADULT TEAMS

5 February – Adult team players report for first Spring Training indoor session

5 March – Adult teams return to Grovehill Ballpark for the first time in 2017

18 March – Start of the 2017 Herts Spring League

2 April* – Opening Day (National Baseball League)

2-9 April*, Opening Day (Double-A and Single-A Leagues)

May – Start of Midweek Evening Baseball

August-September – Postseason Playoffs and National Championships

September-October – Hunlock Series

* – these are preliminary dates. The BBF will be making its official announcements in due course.

YOUTH LEAGUES

The hard work which the Herts youth teams have put in over the last few years is starting to pay off and it must have felt good for all the players and coaching staff to see the teams do so well in 2016.  They may have fallen at the semi-final stage in the National Baseball Championships, but those games were worthy of being the Finals of the respective age groups.  But the success of the youth programme is not measured only by looking at where the teams finish in the National Championships.  The coaches have built something very special which the players and their families enjoy being part of every week.

The British Baseball Federation has provided preliminary details of a model which they hope to adopt in 2017 which is expected to enhance youth baseball further and make it even more attractive to boys and girls of all ages.  We will keep you updated as more details come out about the upcoming season.

KEY DATES – YOUTH TEAMS

5 February – U17 and U15 players report for first Spring Training indoor session

11 February – U13 and U11 players report for first Spring Training indoor session

March – First session at Grovehill Ballpark for the youth teams

April – U17, U15, U13, U12, U8 Season Opening Day

June – Little League UK Qualifiers (U17, U15, U13, U11)

July-August – Little League Europe Qualifier (Poland or Italy) and World Series (USA) (subject to qualification)

September – National Youth Baseball Championships (U17, U15, U13, U11)

September – Herts Futures Tournament (U17, U15, U13, U11, U8)

HOW TO REGISTER FOR THE 2017 HERTS BASEBALL AND SOFTBALL SEASON

Herts Baseball Club has commenced the 2017 member registration process. For those who already have a Herts Online Club House account they will be prompted to register when they log on next time (click here to go to the Herts Online Club House and log on with your existing username and password). Those who are new to Herts and do not have an online account will be able to register as 2017 members by completing this form.