Category: Headlines

by Herts Baseball News Editor

The small man with the big heart

Kimiyoshi Saionji launches a home run over the right field wall against the legendary Cody Cain in a 2-1 win over the eventual NBL champions, Richmond, in 2010

Herts Baseball Club has announced the departure of one of its most loved members, Kimiyoshi Saionji. He has just completed his transfer from the Herts Falcons to NBL rivals, Southampton Mustangs.

Kimi joined Herts in 2005 recruited thanks to another Herts legend, second-baseman, Shunji Kakutani. He made his debut for the Falcons on Opening Day of the 2005 season as the team made its debut in the Premier League (AAA-class) at the Shropshire Panthers after earning promotion in 2004.

Since then Kimi has been an ever-present figure at the club giving everything on and off the field through the ups and downs of relegation to AA in 2006 and then two consecutive promotions which included winning the AAA National Championship and promotion into the NBL in 2008 and finishing as NBL runners-up last season.

In 2006 Kimi suffered a horrific injury fracturing his jaw after a brave play as second baseman covering first base and colliding with an oncoming Richmond batter. That didn’t deter him. He was back within a few months better than ever.

In his 8 years with the club Kimi’s outstanding performances were recognised with a long list of awards, including the 2010 Falcons Most Valuable Player (MVP), three-time Infield Gold Glove Winner (2006, 2007, 2008), Batting Champion (2008), Home Run Champion (2010), Most RBIs (2008, 2010).

Kimi may have been one of the smaller players in the NBL but he has a big heart and the power of a giant.

Herts Falcons Manager, Lee Manning, said: “I’m sad to see Kimi leave but I will hold onto the great moments we had together on the field. I will never forget the image of Kimi with his trademark battle cry at second base every time he hits a double to start a rally.” He added “I and everyone connected with the club is grateful to Kimi for always playing hard and for sticking with the club during the dark years. Kimi will always be one of Herts Baseball’s greatest legends”.

His Herts Falcons team mates and members of the front office tried their best to convince him to stay, but the club will ultimately have to accept and respect Kimi’s decision.

Before his departure Kimi had a message for the club’s members: “Thank you for your kindness for nine years as a member of Herts Baseball Club. I love Herts and all the members. I want to wish the Falcons and all the Herts teams good luck this season. Please don’t feel sad. I will see you soon.”

 

by Cristobal Hiche

Falcons bounce back after dramatic walk-off loss

Falcons player-manager, Lee Manning, came up big with a 3-run double in game two (photo by Will Baxter)

written by Cristobal Hiche

The weather was perfect for some great baseball if it wasn’t for some strong winds from right to left field which effectively killed the “long ball” from the game. This set the tone for the first game in which solid pitching by Jordan Farkas (Herts) and Ryan (Diamondbacks), kept batters at bay with few hits and no runs scored by either team in the first 4 innings. Added to that was the fact that both teams weren’t efficient and both teams left too many men on base. In fact, Herts had men on 2nd and 3rd with no outs in the first inning but the heart of the order couldn’t bring the runners home. Lakenheath also had the bases loaded with 1 out in the bottom of the 3rd but ended up empty.

Both teams realised this game was going to go down to the wire and a small mistake could prove costly. Also, both teams realised they needed to manufacture runs and switched strategies by playing small ball. Sacrifice and drag bunts were attempted but a great play by third baseman James Brooks prevented Herts left fielder John Blose reaching base on a great surprise bunt down the line.

It wasn’t until the bottom of the 5th when Xavier Gonzales made an error on a very routine ground ball. The ball made an unusual bounce due to poor ground conditions and Xavi couldn’t do anything about it. Tough luck but this sparked the Dbacks to go on and score 3 runs. Herts felt the blow and quickly bounced back to tie the game at 3-3 in the top of the 6th inning. All looked like it was going to extra innings with quick two outs in the bottom of the 7thinning, but Jordan Farkas’ pitch count was rising and he gave up the first and only walk of the game for him, which at the end of the day proved to be costly. Matt Mulvaney, who was already 2-3 in the game, hit a timely line drive for a double in the gap in left-centerfield. The runner was held at 3rd base, but Shawn Benton became the hero with a single up the middle, which neither Robbie Unsell (2B) nor Xavier Gonzalez (SS) could reach. Walk-off single – game over.

This was truly a MLB-type game, with solid pitching, changing strategies by both teams, and with a nail biting finish which unfortunately didn’t go the way the Falcons wanted. “We left too many guys on base and we didn’t give Jordan the run support his pitching deserved” said Falcons manager, Lee Manning, after the game.

Click to view game 1 box scores

Given the disappointment by the Herts players and believing they should have won the first game, they were hungry to respond in the second game. They came out of the dugout with determination and in the top of the first they scored 5 runs. The highlight of this inning was a great 3-run bases-clearing-double by Lee Manning, proving the manager still has the skills to play at the top level. This proved to be enough as Darrin Ward again pitched a solid game, managing the game and his pitching repertoire to keep the Diamondbacks’ bats quiet. It was only in the 3rd inning that the heart of the Dbacks batting order managed to string a few singles together and scored two runs. With 2 outs and a man on first and third, Matt Mulvaney who was 3-4 with that great double in the first game, came up to the plate with the potential tying run. However, Ward won the battle and Matt hit a ground ball to second for a routine 4-3 play. Herts managed to get an insurance run in the 5th and sealed the game with additional 3 runs in the top of the 7th.

Click to view game 2 box scores

Herts Falcons Manager, Lee Manning, felt that the team responded well after the difficult loss in the first game.  He said: “we quickly picked ourselves up and exploded on the ball. Wardy (Darrin Ward) coasted through the game and we never looked back.” Manning added that “It’s always hard to travel to Lakenheath with the extra players they have for their home games. The wind played its part and affected both teams. Losing the way we did in game 1 was hard for the boys to take but we showed spirit to get ahead early in game 2 and stay there.”

Standout Herts players:

Robbie Unsell: 3-5, 1R, 2RBI, 3BB, 3SB, 1K

Darrin Ward: 7IP, 2R, 2ER, 3SO, 3BB

Xavier Gonzales: 3-6, 4R, 2 doubles, 2BB, 1SB

 

by Herts Baseball News Editor

UPDATE: Ravens vs Knights postponed. Hawks vs Mammoths is on

The Herts Ravens’ Opening Day game at home against the Richmond Knights has been postponed. The rain on Saturday has flooded the new diamond and the grounds crew will simply not be able to repair it in time even with the help of the expected warmer weather on Sunday.

The new diamond was already flooded on Saturday and the youth games scheduled for that day had to be moved to the Old Diamond. The additional rain on Saturday afternoon and evening has added to the problem and the grounds crew had no other choice but to postpone the Ravens verus Knights game on the new diamond.

UPDATE: A later inspection at the Old Dimaond has indicated that the grounds crew should be able to have that field ready for a 1pm start of the Hawks vs Mammoths game with some assistance from warmer and sunnier weather predicted for today.

 

by Herts Baseball News Editor

Falcons strengthen roster ahead of Dbacks clash

Last week the Herts Falcons were approached by pitcher, Barry Wiles, with a view to joining the National Baseball League team this season. He is expected to make his Herts debut this Sunday against the Lakenheath Diamondbacks.

Wiles has previously played for the Mildenhall Bulldogs in 2010 and for the Essex Arrows in 2012. His NBL career winning record on the mound is 4-7 with 57 strikeouts over 71 2/3 innings (7.2 per 9 innings). His NBL career batting average is .364.*

The Falcons also expect to welcome back Cris Hiche who missed the Opening Day encounter against the Pirates with a hamstring injury. Great Britain U16 National Team catcher, Conner Brown has also been added to the squad, in a call up from the club’s AAA League team, the Herts Ravens.

* – statistics courtesy of Project COBB

 

by Herts Baseball News Editor

Ravens prepare for their first ever league game

The newly formed Herts Ravens will play its first ever league game this Sunday as they host the Richmond Knights. We put several questions to Ravens Manager, Carlos Casal, and here are his thoughts.

We are just days away from Opening Day. Do you feel ready or has the bad weather in March affected preparations?

Carlos Casal: Being a newly formed team it is always difficult to achieve readiness at the beginning of the season however the preparation programme started slowly during the Spring League but will be fully implemented soon after week one.

What are your main goals for this season?

Carlos Casal: Enjoy playing the game and help the development of the club’s upcoming prospects. However, remember that physical, mental and skills preparation are a key factor to achieve these goals.

What win-loss percentage would be seen as a successful season for the team and is it realistic to expect your team to reach the playoffs or even challenge for the title?

Carlos Casal: Difficult to define. Our goal(s) for the AAA team this first season will be all around individual and team performance. With the right motivation and mindset surprises are possible. Remote, but it would be fantastic securing a spot in the postseason.

Who are the players we should look out for this year?

Carlos Casal: We have a great group of skilled and experienced players equally important for the process. However, the young group of players in our roster are a strong acquisition who will need our support to progress during the year.

Which league game are you looking forward to most?

Carlos Casal: Every game where the weather is clear and in the right temperature, otherwise every game.

The postseason playoffs will be played at the brand new Farnham Park. Will this act as an even greater incentive for players to reach the postseason?

Carlos Casal: I think this is a great incentive for every team in each league to go and play postseason games in these new facilities as all eyes will be there during those days.

What is your message to Herts Baseball fans ahead of Opening day?

Carlos Casal: Get behind each team and every player in our club and where possible come to the games and cheer us on. We all promise an exciting season for the club this year.

 

 

by Herts Baseball News Editor

Is British Baseball inadvertently damaging its competitiveness and market share?

What would be the effect on British Baseball if superstars like Mike Piazza (left) were able to play in some of the NBL games? Would they be ineligible to play in the postseason as a result of the 45%-rule?

In the winter of 2011 delegates of the National Baseball League (NBL) clubs met in central London to discuss issues at hand ahead of the 2012 season. Among the various items on the agenda was the subject of postseason player eligibility.

Prior to those winter meetings the BBF had a rule in place, which required players to have played in 20% of the regular season games of that team in order to be eligible to play in the postseason. The rule has been in place over the years to ensure that only players who have been part of the team during the regular season are fielded during the high-profile postseason games.

During those December 2011 Winter Meetings some NBL teams felt that 20% is insufficient protection and that the criteria needed to be stricter. Apart from setting a mid-season player registration deadline for postseason eligibility, it was also proposed that the percentage should be increased from 20% to 45%. Most of the NBL teams cast their votes in favour of this proposal and so the 45% requirement was adopted by the NBL (this 45%-rule does not apply to BBF’s minor leagues or youth leagues).

Although the reasons for adopting the 45%-rule are understandable, are there some unintended side effects?

In 2012 the NBL encountered problems with the maintenance of statistics and they were only partially available. This meant that we were not able to see how NBL postseason rosters would be affected and how many players had played in 45% of the regular season games of their team. Estimates would suggest that most NBL teams would have had 10 or less players eligible to play in the NBL postseason – not enough given the gruelling postseason schedule on pitchers, player ejections, potential injuries and player unavailability due to other reasons.

Commendable efforts are being made currently by the BBF to utilise the latest technology to achieve reporting of 100% of all league game stats. If this is accomplished, in 2013 the 45%-rule could prove to be a ticking time-bomb for the NBL and could damage the credibility of British Baseball. We could potentially end up with one or more teams which simply do not have 9 players who meet the 45%-rule and would either have to forfeit games or the BBF would have to issue special dispensations just to make sure that teams have 9 players.

NBL managers reading this article are likely to take note and in fact we have already seen in the first weekend of NBL games that managerial decisions are being influenced by the rule and they are making unnatural lineup decisions and substitutions just to prepare themselves for the effect of the 45%-rule. This implies that there will be times this season when NBL teams will play with under strength lineups, which means that at a time when the NBL is looking to increase the standard of play and attract fans and media interest, the hands of managers will be tied.

Perhaps an even greater concern is the fact that the rule will make some very big stars of British baseball ineligible to play in the postseason games when the BBF is investing resources to showcase the sport to a wider audience. The 45%-rule was not in place in 2009 and Bracknell were able to field some high-profile baseball players who played a few games during the regular season but their other commitments prevented them from reaching the 45% mark. Bracknell won the national title that year. If the 45%-rule was in place they, along with the other NBL teams, would have ended up with significantly weaker rosters.

Assume an NBL team has managed to secure a high-profile player, perhaps one with professional experience in MLB, for example someone like former MLB star, Mike Piazza. The team then registers that player at the start of the season knowing that he would be available only for a few regular season games but most importantly will be there for the postseason. A high-profile player like Mike Piazza would attract hundreds and perhaps thousands of fans to the postseason events if this is promoted correctly. However, with the 45%-rule in this example Mike Piazza would not be eligible to play. Removing the 45%-rule would give teams the incentive to actively recruit such star players, even if it is just for the postseason games. This could potentially place the NBL right alongside the established European baseball leagues of the Netherlands, Germany and Italy.

The world’s most successful sports leagues, from MLB (baseball) to the English Premier League (football), do everything possible to remove such restrictions and allow teams to bring the best talent in the world. The English Premier League’s superiority in world football and ability to win multi-billion dollar TV contracts across the globe is based to a large extent on the fact that the leagues have established the right regulatory environment to give teams the freedom and incentive to sign the best players on the planet.

Obviously, the integrity of league competition has to be protected to avoid movement of players away from clubs who are out of contention. Governing bodies achieve this by imposing a deadline on player transactions such as the MLB trade-deadline in August and the January player transfer deadline in football.

A similar deadline, for example 1 July, would also be appropriate for British Baseball to prevent movement of players away from teams which are out of the postseason race. At this stage of the development of the NBL there is an argument that such deadline should apply only to movement of players from one team to another, while new arrivals who have not been registered with a club during the season should still be eligible to play after the deadline and in the postseason.  This would give teams the freedom and incentive to recruit, grow and imporve the standad of play throughout the year, bringing the Mike Piazzas of this world.

None of the leading sports leagues have restrictions such at the 45%-rule. While MLB increases the size of the postseason team rosters from 25 to 40 players, British Baseball rules appear to have the effect of leaving the teams down to the bare bones. Is British Baseball inadvertently making itself less competitive than other European leagues and more importantly, is this damaging the ability of baseball to start winning market share in the competitive UK sports industry? We are currently running a poll on Facebook to gauge the opinion of British Baseball fans on this subject. Click here to take part in the Facebook poll.
.

by Herts Baseball News Editor

Challenging season ahead for the Hawks

Many of the 2012 Hawks who reached the National Semi-Final have moved up to the Herts Ravens but the core remains and some new faces have been added

The Herts Hawks get their season underway this Sunday at home against the London Mammoths at Grovehill Ballpark in Hemel Hempstead (first pitch 12:00pm). We caught up with one half of the Hawks managerial duo, Andy Cornish, to get a sense of the mood in the Hawks club house.

We are just days away from Opening Day. Do you feel ready or has the bad weather in March affected preparations?

Andy Cornish: Yes, totally. The indoor training was great, but there is a certain something that you get from playing games and getting used to the ground. Last weekend, with our first game outdoors, was something that we feel should have happened a few weeks earlier, but that is life, we all have to deal with the same situation, and I look forward to a summer of warmth!

What are your main goals for this season?

Andy Cornish: I think that this season is going to be challenging. Our main goal is to get a few wins, develop a few players and have fun while doing it.

What win-loss percentage would be seen as a successful season for the team and is it realistic to expect your team to reach the playoffs or even challenge for the title?

Andy Cornish: For the hawks, a .500 would be a successful season. We are in a season of re-building at our level, so if we get a few players playing above that, getting called up, then I will be chuffed

Will the entry of the Herts Ravens in the AAA League affect your team’s chances this season by diluting the strength of the Herts rosters across a larger number of teams?

Andy Cornish: As an organisation, we have got stronger. The AAA addition will help get the younger players, and the players with drive to increase their game. It was always going to be tough for our team, going from a post-season type team, a lot of the players were bound to get the call, and I would have been upset if they didn’t. But it does reduce some of our quality, which gives the players coming up the opportunity to shine and develop. I am looking forward to the challenge

Who are the players we should look out for this year?

Andy Cornish: I am looking forward to getting a few guys on the field, Hunter is back, Ben is new to the team, John Kjorstad is always a pro, but I will always have a bit of a moment when Nick Russell gets on the mound. Nick was a class act last year, and with a pitcher of his quality, you always have that little bit more of a chance of winning the game.

Which of your opponents in the league are likely to be the biggest challengers for the national title?

Andy Cornish: Guildford play excellent baseball, but as we found out last year, it is the midland teams that are the ones to beat.

Which league game are you looking forward to most?

Andy Cornish: The first home game. Always.

The postseason playoffs will be played at the brand new Farnham Park. Will this act as an even greater incentive for players to reach the postseason?

Andy Cornish: It is always a pleasure to play at home, and especially for the post season, so I will miss that. Herts has grown so much over the last few years and we would have liked Herts to continue to be the home of baseball for post-season. The new Farnham Park is always going to have a special place from now on, and that additional excitement to go to another field, specially made for baseball in the UK, then of course it is going to have an effect.

What is your message to Herts Baseball fans ahead of Opening day?

Andy Cornish: Hello. Come down, watch some baseball!

 

by Herts Baseball News Editor

Falcons off to a flying start

Robbie Unsell prepares to take one for the team (photo by Rob Jones)

The Herts Falcons opened the 2013 season with two wins in the home doubleheader against the South London Pirates.

GAME 1: FALCONS 11 PIRATES 0 (click to view box scores)

Darrin Ward started on the mound in game one and had a smooth ride allowing only 2 hits and 2 walks over 4 innings. Robbie Unsell came in to close the final inning with 2 strikeouts.

The Falcons had the best offence last season and despite missing several big hitters through injury they still managed to score 11 runs in 4 innings. Robbie Unsell and Xavier Gonzalez contributed with 2 hits and 1 RBI each. Ryan Bird delivered the deadly blows which drained the energy out of the Pirates. He went 3-for-3 with a double and 3 RBIs. Carlos Velazco-Carus made his debut as a substitute for Bird in the final inning and he picked up where Ryan Bird had left with the walk-off 2-run double.

GAME 2: FALCONS 14 PIRATES 4 (click to view box scores)

The Pirates took the lead early in game 2. Jim Farley 2-4 2B(2) and manager Alex von Rosenbach 2-3 RBI (2) led the Pirates rally, but Herts responded quickly. Robbie Unsell continued to wreck opposition defences doing what top lead-off batters do. He went 2-3 with a double 3 RBI and 4 runs adding 5 stolen bases to the 2 he picked up in the first game of the day. Jordan Farkas (3-4 2B 2 RBI) Mike Osborn (2-3 2 RBI), Phil Clark (2-3 RBI) added to the Pirates woes.

Jordan Farkas and Mike Osborn were the pitchers for Herts and although they may feel that they should have allowed less runs, those that were allowed were largely due to uncharacteristic fielding errors (5).

Herts Falcons Manager, Lee Manning, was pleased with the team’s good start of the season. “Our fielding in the first game was very good and Wardy threw a great game. In the second game we put runs on the board in most innings and played solid baseball from start to finish” said Manning. He added “The Pirates have improved massively since last year and they definitely got stronger as the day went on. Hopefully their hard work will pay off soon. British Baseball needs a strong Pirates ballclub.”

The ceremonial first pitch of the 2013 season was thrown by Dave Ward. This was a very fitting tribute to one of the Pirates’ longest serving members who has been the backbone of that organisation over the years.

NEWS FROM AROUND THE LEAGUE

After the end of the game news came in that the reigning champions, Harlow Nationals, shared the spoils in their doubleheader at the Southampton Mustangs. On one hand this gives the Falcons an early 1-game lead over the Nationals who everyone sees as the favourites, but on the other this could be a signal that Southampton may be mounting an even bigger challenge than they have in the last 3 seasons when they reached the postseason but couldn’t quite overcome the eventual winners. Since the end of the game the Mustangs also announced the addition of Czech national team pitcher Tomas Zondra from Hrosi Brno in the Czech top league.

London and Bracknell swept against the Lakenheath Dbacks and the Essex Redbacks, respectively. The Bracknell Blazers are currently leading an online poll asking who will finish top of the NBL and these Opening Day scores seem to justify the confidence of their fans.

 

by Herts Baseball News Editor

MK Bucks and London Marauders win HSL titles

The third and final week of Herts Spring League action was completed this weekend. With the NBL teams turning their attention to the opening day of the 2013 league season the games involved the AAA and AA League teams.

AAA

The MK Bucks finished the HSL in style with two more wins to complete a perfect 4-0 record clinching this year’s HSL AAA championship. They first needed to do battle with the London U16 team which will be heading to the Pony tournament in Prague, Czech Republic. The youngsters form London put up a good fight but at the end the 2012 AA national runners-up from Milton Keynes came out on top in an exciting 9-8 win.

In the afternoon the Cambridge Royals had a chance to leapfrog over the Bucks in their direct clash, however the Bucks won again by 1 run (7-6).

With Ravens Manager, Carlos Casal, out of the country Louis Hare and Pete Kikel were the stand-in managers and they secured a win against the London Mammoths which put the Herts team in third place. Unconfirmed reports indicate that Carlos Casal is on a scouting mission in France, so we will have to wait and see if Herts will add more French players after adding Frenchman, Elie Colin, earlier this Spring.

AA

The London Marauders came into the final HSL weekend in pole position with a 2-0 record. They lost their first game of the day against the Kent Mariners. They quickly recovered beating the Herts Eagles convincingly to win the HSL AA title. The Herts Harriers, which plays in the BBF U17 league had a chance to share top spot with the Marauders. To do this they needed to beat the London Mets U16 team, which proved to be beyond them on this occasion.

Click to view full 2013 HSL schedule

Click to view the final HSL standings

Despite the cancellation of the first week of HSL games due to the snow, the competition proved to be very productive for the teams involved giving them the best possible preparation for the new season playing at one of the best baseball venues in the country. We understand that the participating teams have been sending messages of thanks to the umpires who officiated this year’s HSL games. Many of the HSL teams will be playing in the lower leagues this season where there is a critical shortage of umpires, so playing with the country’s top umpires is appreciated by these teams in particular.

Attention now turns to this weekend’s Opening Day in Britain’s Minor Leagues (AAA, AA and A) as well as week 2 of the National Baseball League.

 

by Herts Baseball News Editor

One better than last season

As we build up to the Opening Week of the 2013 British baseball season across the six BBF leagues, we will be speaking with the managers of each of the Herts teams.

With the Herts Falcons starting their NBL campaign this Sunday, we spoke with Manager, Lee Manning.

We are just days away from Opening Day. Do you feel ready or has the bad weather in March affected preparations?

Lee Manning: I don’t think any British team can be ready after the poor weather we’ve had. The only good thing is that all teams are in the same boat. The Falcons have shown amazing commitment this season with guys hitting the batting cages and even taking time off work to train mid-week to get to the level they want to be at.

What are your main goals for this season?

Lee Manning: We all want to go one better than last season. Winning the championship is a must for all of us.

What win-loss percentage would be seen as a successful season for the team?

Lee Manning: We will look to finish the season with a record of .750 but the main goal is to get everyone in enough games to play in the post season.

Will the entry of the Herts Ravens in the AAA League affect your team’s chances this season by diluting the strength of the Herts rosters across a larger number of teams?

Lee Manning: No. We are probably the one team in the club this expansion will help. Every year we rely on players stepping up to the NBL level from the lower leagues and choosing from a AAA roster rather than a AA roster will only make the Falcons stronger.

Who are the players we should look out for this year?

Lee Manning: We have a strong roster and with all team sports it takes more than one player to win a game. Last year we added 15 new players to the Falcons and it took us a few months to get to know each other. This year we have added again but the core of the roster from last year team is returning. I’m really looking forward to watching all of these great players in Herts uniforms pulling together for one clear goal – winning it all.

Which of your opponents in the league are likely to be the biggest challengers for the national title?

Lee Manning: Hard to say at the moment but it’s got to be Harlow Nationals, Southampton Mustangs, Lakenheath Dbacks and maybe the London Mets.

Which league game are you looking forward to most?

Lee Manning: The old rivalry between Essex and Herts is great and is one I personally like to play in but the Falcons vs. Nationals is the best baseball game on the British isle right now. Both teams always seem evenly matched and we hope our new players will give us the extra edge this year.

The postseason playoffs will be played at the brand new Farnham Park. Will this act as an even greater incentive for players to reach the postseason?

Lee Manning: I was heartbroken we couldn’t win the championship at our ground last year in front of our fans but we don’t really mind where the playoffs/NBC will be played. Winning is winning and we want to win every game we play. I’ve been to the new park and it looks great. I can’t wait to see how it plays after all the hard work that has been put in by everyone connected to the project.

What is your message to Herts Baseball fans ahead of Opening day?

Lee Manning: Get your thermal on and bring your chair. It’s going to be an exciting season which begins this Sunday.