Message Board
The ability to post to this message board has been suspended indefinitely.
Jeff Wood  6/14/2001 11:45:00 PM  Email	What a week, Eh? School's letting out, kids can almost taste summer, and we still have a bit of unfinished business from the baseball season to attend to.... The Championships of NOLL and SOLL..... Aside from the promise of redemption afforded by upsets, this is really what you want from your championship games...the 4 best teams, throughout the season, playing, essentially, for the right to play more baseball. No one can say that any of these teams does not belong here, and even though I am involved with one of them, I cannot venture a guess as to who the likely winners will be. I am hopeful we will have 2 quality games worthy of a championship, and then whoever goes to TOC, I hope they continue to win impressively.... It is somewhat eerie how both games feature similar matchups....power vs speed. It is also odd that one bracket (SOLL) clearly represents the end of an era for 2 long time coaching staffs, and the other bracket (NOLL) could potentially be a preview of next season's championship game (I said potentially....no need for the Tigers, White Sox, Athletics and Royals to get upset), with many of the same folks returning for another season... so, let's break it down, shall we... The NOLL Championship (Brewers vs Giants): 10:00am Saturday 6/16 Chabot Field These two teams split the season series, so not much to draw upon there...the Giants seemed to have the upper hand most of the season, but their stumble at the finish line cost them the #1 seed...even so, these teams both finished 17-5, and the Brewers only managed to take the crown via tie breakers....Both teams are somewhat young, and have many players who are in their first year of Majors baseball... The Giants play fundamental, traditional baseball, with some good contact hitters, some power hitters, and a depth at pitcher that is so uniform and consistent, it is difficult to dub an ace of the staff. The Giants play solid defense, and have good team speed. They are a young team, and I imagine we will be writing about them again next year at this time. The Brewers rely on team speed, scrappy, timely hitting, and good solid defense as well. The Brewers manufacture a lot of runs, and don't generate the big blast as much as the Giants can. The hallmark of the Brewers is their defense, and if it goes well, they are tough to beat. The Brewers pitching can be dominating at times, but they often play their best defense when they just let the other team hit the ball (A risky proposition with the Giants.) They have played a lot of close games, and seem to be able to handle themselves well when the game is on the line. Of course, I cannot pick a winner here. I will say that both teams can look in the mirror and say to themselves, the only team that can beat us is ourselves...meaning, this game will hinge on who dictates the game...if it is wide open with balls flying all over the yard, the Giants will take home the prize. If both teams play good defense, you can look for a good close game that could swing either way on a defensive error or baserunning miscue. I also think that the losing team will be counting the days until next season to have another crack at the champions...really, this rivalry has a 2 year life span....stay tuned! The SOLL Championship (Angels vs Orioles): 1:00 pm Saturday 6/16 Chabot Field Again, speed vs power, but this time with two of the most veteran laden teams in the league. For many of these kids and the coaches, this is the final chapter of their little league career (the Seniors await, though), and they will want to go out on top. The teams split the regular season, and though the Angels had the better record at 18-4 (the Orioles were at 17-5), the O's led the league in both the runs scored, and the least runs allowed categories...clearly, they are not runner's up in anything but the record. The Orioles came into the season with swagger, and the Angels sort of took the quiet approach. The Orioles present the most potent batting order in the league, and some times, they simply hit the cover off the ball. The Angels, though, have the ability to catch or field any ball hit, so long as it stays on this side of the fence. The Orioles also have the most depth at pitcher of any team in the league, and have the luxury of rolling out another ace if the first one doesn't have it...though that kind of scenario is pretty rare. 7 runs separated this team from an undefeated season....you can assume they will not get blown out. The Angels are the classic run and gun baseball team...sometimes scoring runs without ever hitting the ball out of the infield...they are fast, and they are smart, and they can be difficult to stop once they start rolling...their starting pitching can take over a game, and if that is working, it can shut the Orioles attack off, but if the Orioles break through early, it could undermine the Angels game plan...If the game is close at the end, the Angels will put pressure on the O's in ways they are unaccustomed to...but they must not let the Orioles break off to a lead that forces them out of their game..... Tough game to call...it is pretty easy to see the Orioles scoring alot of runs based on the finale of the regular season...but the Yankees used effective pitching to keep the Orioles close, and the Angels can do the same, and perhaps come up with the timely hit the Yankees could not find. For what its worth, I think the winning team will be the first one to 5 runs, but I will say that as this game winds down, neither team will accept losing quietly...there may be a late inning flip flop of the score....someone will come up a hero... (Please note that between the games, we will be presenting the Valim Award for sportsmanship. Please plan on being there to honor these deserving players) _______________________________ Most of all, lets remember we are friends. We are setting an example for the players on our teams, and their siblings in the stands...lets play really hard...lets play really well...but lets also be really happy for the teams that win, and take a moment to appreciate how difficult it is to get so close and not win...these are 4 well coached, talented teams, any one of which could be considered the best team in the league on a given day, and losing will not diminish that....I wish every team the best of luck, and I hope everyone plays at the top of their game. As I write this, I am saddened to bid adieu to some great coaches, players, and fans....We have had fun...and most of you have understood that these weekly writings were meant to stir interest beyond our own teams...nothing more than that...I have never wanted to use this forum as a place to criticize anyone, though I will always take a moment to apply a well placed bit of needling...it is all meant in fun, and based on your comments, that has been the way it has been received. I have appreciated your notes of encouragement, your compliments, and perhaps most of all, your assistance in making our league a wee bit better. New faces will join in, and hopefully add some new energy to the mix. Those that remain, I hope to be here again next season (as coaches, we are all on a 1 year contract, so I will plead my case and hopefully be welcomed back). We still need some field marshalls for the TOC/District Allstars games to be played at Chabot....those that have stepped forward, we will discuss things next week. The teams that win will be playing in a weeklong Tournament of Champions...the North Oakland representative will get to play their first 3 games (assuming the keep winning) at Chabot....I will publish the schedule next week, but please, come on out and support the representative; lets have a standing room crowd! And in the short term...if you are not playing this weekend, the tickets are cheap (free!), the players are good, and many are friends, so why not come out, cheer on your buddies, and see how the final chapter of this season unfolds....I hope to see you out there!
Jeff Wood  6/6/2001 9:59:00 AM  Email	Saturday, June 9: Game 1 (9:30am) - NOLL #4(WHITE SOX) vs. NOLL #5(A'S) Game 2 (12:00pm) - NOLL #3(ROYALS) vs. NOLL #6(TIGERS) Game 3 (2:30pm) - SOLL #4(TWINS) vs. SOLL #5(RANGERS) Game 4 (5:00pm) - SOLL #3(YANKEES) vs. SOLL #6(INDIANS) Sunday, June 10: Game 5 (9:30am) - NOLL #1(BREWERS) vs. GAME 1 WINNER Game 6 (12:00pm) - NOLL #2(GIANTS) vs. GAME 2 WINNER Game 7 (2:30pm) - SOLL #1(ANGELS) vs. GAME 3 WINNER Game 8 (5:00pm) - SOLL #2(ORIOLES) vs. GAME 4 WINNER [] Higher seed (lower number) is home team and sits in 1st base dugout [] All games are at Chabot
Jeff Wood  6/4/2001 10:31:00 PM  Email	The final weekend of the regular season played out under blue skies. We had a few surprises, and a few sighs of relief, and we had the close of what I hope has been a fun season for all who have participated. I have enjoyed watching, reporting, and at times, commenting on the events on the field. Most of all, I have enjoyed watching the kids play every variety of baseball, and I have enjoyed the friendly banter, and good natured competition that has been the hallmark of this league. As we head into the postseason, when half the kids on the field are facing the end of their season, let's remember to be gracious in victory and defeat. We play to win, but that is not really the point of what we are doing, only a barometer of progress. Whether in the winning or losing dugout, treat one another as you would wish to be treated. The Orioles served notice to anyone watching that they are poised and ready for the postseason. Victories over their closest rivals in the SOLL division gave them a bit more bounce in their step. The Yankees could not solve the Oriole puzzle, and fell 9-3. On Sunday, the Angels and O's squared off with a game that could possibly be a preview of the championship (I said "possibly") in 2 weeks, and for the Orioles, it was clear evidence that they could beat the Angels, who nevertheless, finished the season with the league's best record. The Brewers made an improbable comeback from 2 games back, to overtake the Giants, (via tiebreakers) to take the NOLL crown. Victories over the Athletics and then the Giants themselves made up the ground. Both teams finished 17-5, and split the season series....perhaps they will have the chance to play one another again to settle things...at least until next season....The Royals answered the challenge posed by the surging White Sox, with a 1-0 nail biter, giving them the #3 seed, where they will face the Tigers, who also finished the season on a high note with an extra inning win over the Athletics...the Twins hit the postseason on a mini roll, gaining a weekend sweep with convincing wins over the Indians and Rangers....finally, the Yankees and Indians gave us a preview of things to come next weekend and the Yankees prevailed 12-3.... Who's Hot....? The Orioles and Brewers both hit the postseason having won 5 in a row, and the Twins and Royals have 2 game win streaks underway. And the Stats?...The Orioles took the runs scored crown, going away, hitting the dish 210 times...their next closest rival was the Angels with 191 runs scored, and after that, the Brewers at 177 runs scored....defensively, the Orioles allowed only 66 runs, with the Brewers being next stingiest at 90 runs allowed...the Royals (91 runs allowed) and the Angels (95 runs allowed) followed close behind. OK Folks... Any good informational rag should have a bit of prognostication and commentary....at the risk of hurting feelings (I absolutely do not intend anything like that) or the risk of creating bulletin board fodder (I will temper my remarks), here is the way I see things as we head into the playoffs: SOLL #6 Seed (Indians) 3-19 One way to measure success is to improve steadily, and I think the Indians have been able to find their way a bit better as the season wore on, winning a few, and playing some close games. They are certainly a longshot to take the title, but if someone looks past them, I have no doubt they will be ready to take a game if the opportunity is there....and remember, everyone's record is the same now...3 game winning streak takes the title....impossible? I don't think so! #5 Seed (Rangers) 4-18 A team that played some tough games, and could easily have won 3 or 4 more games if the ball bounced the right way...seem poised to go on a run until the 12 inning marathon loss to the Brewers sort of dampened their spirits. Capable of an upset if the pitchers keep them close. Their defense is capable of great things, but sometimes don't rise to their potential... #4 Seed (Twins) 7-15 Do you really want to play this team? I thought not. A slumbering tiger who could awaken at any time....scored a lot of runs, but allowed far too many to move up in the standings, but certainly capable of outscoring anyone in the league on a given day. On a late season roll, and pity the team that looks past them...a hot pitcher could dash the dreams of any team out there. An upset seems not out of the question. A dark horse? We shall see.... #3 Seed (Yankees) 11-11 The defending champs played in stops and starts this season, but has the team to beat anyone on a given day. Lacks a victory over any of the top teams, but still has a bit of swagger (is it the pinstripes? or the LOUD warmup drill?). Has enough depth at pitching to win 2 games on first weekend, but must get some bounces to go their way. A second round victory (assuming of course they get there) is not out of the question, and would not be a total surprise. Team is veteran laden, with players accustomed to winning, and playoff tested. Take this team lightly, and you can be assured of watching the next round. #2 Seed (Orioles) 17-5 Despite the second place finish, this team would surprise no one (well, maybe the Angels) if they won it all. Tops in runs scored, tops in lowest total runs allowed, never allowed an opponent to score more than 6 runs, yet they scored in double figures 8 times and lost 5 games by a TOTAL of 7 runs...I could go on...at the outset of the season, they seemed the team to beat, and perhaps with their season ending victory over the Angels, they have grabbed that distinction back. They have the pitching and hitting to rival any team, and their defense is other wordly at time....is there a weakness?...perhaps not so much anymore....early on, I thought they had bought into the notion they were the best, and mailed in a few performances...perhaps the best medicine for them was to lose a few games, and confront their fallibility early on...they seem to have retained the confidence, with a dash of humility. To beat them, you will need to play at the top of your game, and probably hope they are not playing theirs...Went 4-2 against the other "bye" teams, (as Wade put it, the big 4), however, that means they were upset victims 3 times . #1 Seed (Angels) 18-4 Best record in the league sums it up rather nicely. A team built on speed, defense and pitching, with a good dose of timely hitting, and superb execution, makes a pretty formidable combination. Experience makes an upset a tall order, and only one of their losses would really qualify as an upset. Great team defense and scrappy style means they are unlikely to ever let a game get too far out of reach, and they are capapble of scoring runs in bunches. Probably exceeded their own expectations a little bit, but have settled nicely into the role of frontrunner. Pitching can be devastating when it is going well, and even if it isn't, they have the defense to help out the pitchers whenever the need arises. A team without a real weakness. To beat them, you will need to play well...waiting for them to make big mistakes will likely be a long wait. Will they be satisfied with the regular season crown, or are they hungry for greater recognition? Went 3-3 against the others in the big 4. NOLL #6 Seed (Tigers) 7-15 A scrappy team that was in contention until the Easter break, and then lost their stride. Have the talent to beat anyone, and can claim one of the 4 victories over the Angels as well as over the Giants as proof. This team, though in the basement in NOLL would be a 4 seed in SOLL, so they are ready to play with anyone. Seems an impossible team to look past, because they will beat you if you try. Pitching runs hot or cold, but when it is on, you have your hands full. I think an upset from this spot is not unthinkable....this is the defending NOLL champion, and their veterans know how to get it done. #5 Seed (Athletics) 8-14 Played best ball down the stretch, but still lost too many close games...a few bounces go their way, and they are easily in contention for 3rd place. Have plenty of pitchers, but spent all season trying to figure out the rotation that works best....may have got it figured out in time, and are poised to make some postseason noise. A team that could easily salvage the season in the tourney, but they must play good defense to get it done...defensive lapses have haunted them all season, but have the ability to play 2 or 3 good games in a row....just ask the Orioles. #4 Seed (White Sox) 11-11 A win on the last day of the season would have had them in the #3 spot. Highlights have to be wins over the Giants, and any number of improbable come from behind victories in the last frame....no lead is really safe against this team...they hit well, and have the pitching to match up with anyone....defense has been the achilles heel, but they have played well as we head down the stretch, and must feel able to play with anyone. Will need to get inspired performances from their starting pitchers to make a dent, but that is not an impossible request. Path to championship, though difficult, does not seem impassable to this team. #3 Seed (Royals) 12-10 A veteran team with a point to prove...seemed to play their most inspired baseball against the best teams, which is always a good thing in the playoffs, but also makes them vulnerable to the upset in the early going. Pitching will be the barometer of this team...if it is going well, they have the goods to beat anyone, and could easily take the crown. If they stumble from the mound, they will need to score runs, and that has not been their strong suit as the season unfolds. They play good defense, and have the ability to play in close, low scoring games without wilting. If there is a team that comes from back in the pack to take a championship in this postseason, this is the likely choice. #2 Seed (Giants) 17-5 A young team, filled with veterans, if that makes any sense. I think, top to bottom, the most versatile and dangerous team in the league. Late season stumble is perhaps the kick in the pants they need to assure good focus in the playoffs, however, I am certain it was not the game plan. Nevertheless, no one will look forward to seeing this team on the dance card...they can pitch, and they are loaded with kids who can pitch well, they play good fundamental defense, and their batting order is a veritable 'murderer's row'...they can play long ball, or just slap the ball around the yard and scamper about the bases...and then there is the swagger...they have it, and the 2 losses at the end of the season will not cause them to give it up. If they have a weakness, it seems to have cropped up late in the season, and that is getting behind early. Time will tell if this is just a bump in the road or a portent of things to come...I doubt they will let this bother them, and pity the poor team that plays them in round 2....they might be angry. Went 3-3 against the others in the big 4. #1 Seed (Brewers) 17-5 The very essence of an "upstart" team, but this team, a mix of veterans, and well qualified newcomers, raised eyebrows early, and finally earned a place at the big kids table with a wins over the Yankees and then the Angels...and then simply refused to believe they should relinquish the spot. Played their division tough, going 9-1, and took possesion of 1st place with the last out of the regular season. Team is built on defense and team speed...(though I happen to know they wish they could play long ball), with solid, and occasionally stellar pitching....when defense is clicking, this is a hard team to beat...and they tended to keep things close with 8 runs being the most they allowed by an opponent...never could figure out the Orioles, though, and hence their record against the other teams with a first round bye was 2-4, but they also did not lose many games one would call an upset. Best way to beat these guys is to score more runs, but that only happened 5 times this year.
Jeff Wood  5/29/2001 3:29:00 PM  Email	The Season heads into the final weekend, and many issues are still in the air....the Angels continue to take the suspense out of the South's pennant race, dealing both the Yankees and Indians convincing losses, and clinching a share of the crown....similarly, the Giants continue their amazing win streak, gaining a hard fought, come from behind nail biter over the resurgent Athletics, and then with a Sunday afternoon display of power and finesse over the Royals.....both the Giants and Angels have 17 wins against 3 losses, and they need only play .500 ball next weekend to wrap up their respective crowns. The Royals were still smarting over their 3-2 loss to the Brewers on Saturday....These two teams played twice this season, and the Brewers prevailed in both cases, and yet the total runs scored in the two games totals only a 4-2 advantage for the Brew-Crew....two great little league games!....for the Royals, they must now peer into the rear view mirror (or perhaps out their side window!) and keep track of the White Sox who are now tied with them, and the meeting between these two teams stands as one of the most important games this coming weekend...at stake is the early game on Saturday morning following A's night....The Sox dispatched the Tigers on Saturday, and then failed to work their come from behind magic against the A's who prevailed on Sunday....and unless the Sox or Royals are careful, the A's might pull along side one of them as well...The Yankees kept the Twins down, and assured themselves 3rd place...The Orioles have taken the stealth road to the title....as the early season favorites, they took a pretty high profile...now they just go about their business, handing the Rangers a loss, and staying within striking distance of the Angels...similarly, the Brewers dispatched the Tigers, and kept the Giants with in sight....what a nice season ending treat we can look forward to, as the Angels and Orioles mix it up, followed by the Giants and Brewers, as all 4 teams seek to gain some edge as we head into the post season...(Twins v Yankees) Who's Hot...the Giants are simply mowing us down, folks...they have won 11 straight, and need only beat the White Sox and the lowly Brewers to reach the 19 victory mark...the Angels have won 7 straight, and both the Orioles and Brewers are working on modest 3 game win streaks.... In the stat department...(after a week on hiatus)....surprise, surprise, the Orioles continue to pile up runs, having scored 192 and zeroing in on the 200 run benchmark....After that, the Angels have crossed the plate 167 times, and the Brewers are just behind at 160 runs scored....defensively, the Orioles continue to guard the dish carefully, allowing only 60 runs by opponents, after that, the Giants have allowed only 77 runs, and the Brewers have allowed just 82 (Angels only 83!).... Up Next...some good games...aside from the battle of 1st vs 2nd place teams, look for the White Sox to be playing with great urgency as they take on the Giants this Wednesday....and of course the Royals and Sox battle will carry big seeding implications.....and of course, the A's who are playing their best ball of the year, will hope to catch the Brewers looking ahead (not likely)....and lets not forget the Yankees and Orioles, as the Yankees look to restore the natural order of things as they head into the playoffs....
Jeff Wood  5/25/2001 12:09:00 PM  Email	"And down the stretch they come......" Some games to mention.....The Yankees and Angels will get it all started and for the Angels, it will mean solidifying their grasp on the top spot in the South, and for the Yankees, a victory will clinch 3rd place, and keep the Twins in the rear view mirror....The game with the most implications to the standings will be played in a special time and place...the Royals and Brewers have moved their game to 5:30 Saturday at Chabot (from OAB at 3:30)...a Brewer victory assures them of no worse than 2nd place, and the Royals must win to have any hope of moving up into a first round bye...for the Royals, though, it gets no easier on Sunday, as they must deal with the Giants...any Royal loss or Brewer win seals the deal for the Brewers, who play the hot or cold Tigers on Sunday. The Giants start the weekend off against the Athletics, who still have their eye on the next rung of the ladder, and then Sunday play the team they are chasing, the White Sox. For the Sox, they start off on Saturday with the Tigers, who could use a couple of victories to help pull out of the basement...The Indians are playing far better of late (just ask the Sox and the Rangers), and they will test themselves against the Angels on Sunday morning...the Rangers have struggled of late, but still have the ability to play with anyone, and this week, they get to try that theory out on the Orioles, who are still smarting over their loss to the A's last weekend...Kind of doubt they will be taking anyone lightly....The Twins and Yankees are the only 2 teams who have not yet played each other, and on Sunday they will play the first of 2 meetings in the next couple of weeks. The Twins have no trouble scoring, but have allowed most of their opponents to outscore them...for the Yankees, we will see if their run scoring woes are behind them---these are 2 teams no one will want to face in the playoffs.... [] some random thoughts....another plea to hose down the outfield grass at the end of practice or after the last game....lets get this grass greened up in time for the playoffs...if you are the last team to practice or play, 15 minutes with the hose will go a long way to get the grass looking good...On Saturday June 16th, the second championship game wil be played at 1pm, and likely will be over by 3pm...in lieu of a coaches dinner, it has been suggested we have a league wide, pot luck barbecue at Chabot...we can award trophies, make some acknowledgements, and have a bit of fun...I suggest each team appoint a volunteer to organize things, and we can arrange to have a few grills on site, and have a nice end of the year moment....in order to keep the madness to a minimum, each team or family can bring their own stuff to grill and drink....even if you are not playing, make plans to attend (pass this note along to your team), and celebrate the fun season we have had, and congratulate the teams that played well enough to win the championships....Coaches of winning teams should plan to attend the organizational meeting on 6/20...it will be in Concord.....remember to get your reservations/money in to Midge Walterhouse for the upcoming A's night on June 8th (also, if you see my wife that evening, be nice to her, because she is joining the 40 year old club that very same day....)...Rich Dodson will be organizing the snack bar duty for during the TOC and District allstar games that we are hosting...I expect that each team will take a couple of shifts , and the dates again are June 23rd (1-3pm), 26th (6-8pm), 28th (6-8pm), and July 7th (10am-noon)....we will need folks to grill the sausage, keep drinks stocked, and take the money....thanks in advance for being generous with your time.... [] Finally, Monday (5/28) at 11am we will gather the coaches, assistants and scorekeepers from each league to Chabot field for a softball game (NOLL v SOLL) and a postgame barbecue (BYO)...hope to see you out there...
Jeff Wood  5/11/2001 8:53:00 AM  Email	The weekend approaches, and here is the assortment of games you will play, watch or hear about...game of the week, hands down pits the Giants vs. the Orioles....the latest version of the battle of the Titans...seems like we get one of these almost every week! The Giants and Orioles both come in sporting winning streaks, and both need victories to hold on to their position, so it should be mildly amusing...3:3o at Chabot (Saturday), and folks, please, no wagering!....The Yankees and Brewers have at it early Saturday, and the Yankees will be playing for a measure of revenge, and the Brewers will be playing to keep within a chip shot of the Giants...expect a dogfight!...The Tigers and Twins will square off, both with hopes of reversing the course of things...the Tigers got hot early on, and have faded of late...the Twins seem always on the verge of putting it together, but one or two cylinders fail to fire...things don't get any easier for the Tigers, as they get to play the Orioles on Sunday, though it is always tough to come out sharp following those big games....might an upset be in the offing?....rounding our the Saturday schedule, the White Sox play the Indians at OAB...the White Sox suffered a tough weekend last week, and will be looking to get back to winning, and for the Indians, it is yet another chance to turn things around, and for them, the road gets tougher the next day, because the Giants will be in the other dugout.....Sunday, the Brewers get a crack at avenging one of their early season losses at the hands of the Rangers, who are playing improved ball of late...The Yankees and the White Sox will do battle, in a compelling clash of two teams with serious 3rd place aspirations...folks...this could be among the most exciting games of the weekend, as the White Sox tend to play to the very last out....The Twins and Athletics will strap 'em on, and don't you think the A's will be looking to redeem themselves following their collapse in the late innings last time these teams met?...Finally, and certainly importantly, the Royals play the Angels, and for the Royals it is approaching must win status if they want to hop into the pennant race in the North. They have been making the move lately, and this will be a good barometer of where things are headed the rest of the season...for the Angels, it is yet another test, and they generally do well in these tests....and a victory is key to holding onto a share of 1st place....watch for fireworks! For those of you who monitor such things, the Angels defeated the Athletics this past Wednesday 8-5...and next Wednesday, the next chapter in The Big Game, as the Angels play the Brewers. The Angels will be looking for a measure of revenge, and the Brewers are looking to show them it was no fluke at all. I'll be there !(guess you knew that, though). The Royals and Twins will be featured in the other midweek game. Ok, quickly to the rest of the gibberish....the question has been posed about water at Holy Names...can anyone out there tell me?...I have not heard any news one way or the other....Since the Royals are playing there on Sunday, I'll just ask Donald to bring along the firehose early Sunday, and those of you ready and willing to help work the field should plan on a 7am arrival at Holy Names...Perhaps Mr. Carrasco can look into this matter, since he has had the most contact with the various parties at HN and GGA...... Of course we will be working Chabot early tomorrow (saturday)... Random thoughts: Don't forget A's night (Reserve your tickets this weekend, or risk being left out), Because of a variety of things, it looks like the oft postponed coaches meeting will be Tuesday May 22nd...despite what I wrote earlier...I am still trying to get confirmation, but it looks as if we will conduct business at the Montclair Golf Course where we can have refreshments, and it will be a bit quieter than other venues.... There has been a few instances of teams more or less packing up after the last game of the day and leaving without cleanup or equipment pickup. This is not a home or visitor thing....volunteers for field work on both teams (at a minimum) should be working on and completing the task, and it does not hurt to solicit help from anyone else on hand...the more the merrier, as they say! Lets make this the last mention of this...bottom line, it is a lot of work if only a few folks are doing it...and it should not be that way...with the fence at Chabot, there is a lot less to do, so this is really not something we should be worrying about...
Jeff Wood  5/7/2001 11:37:00 AM  Email	As always, a few reflections on the weekend just past....The anticipated matchup between the Orioles and Brewers delivered alot of entertainment, as the Orioles raced to a commanding 7-1 lead, before the Brewers mounted a deliberate, if undersized, comeback...pulling to within 2 runs before succumbing 8-5. Both teams played their share of Santa Claus, but in the end, the Orioles defense stiffened and kept the victory intact.... The Orioles are off and running again, completing the weekend sweep with a win over the White Sox, who fell short in their dream of retribution for the earlier smacking at the hands of the O's..... The Brewers got right back to winning with a convincing victory over the struggling Indians in the springtime heat of Holy Names. ... The Giants played the role of frontrunner pretty well, as they held off the Twins, who had designs on an upset after their nail biting victory over the White Sox on Saturday. ... The Royals have started to make their long anticipated move, taking two victories, first over the Indians, and then on Sunday with a convincing win over the Yankees..... The Yankees had something to smile about this weekend, though, as they prevailed over the Athletics...the Athletics are reeling a bit as a result of some flu bugs...and the Rangers were able to exploit that on Sunday with a thrilling come from behind victory over the short-handed A's..... Finally, the Angels wanted to even the score with the Tigers, (one of the few teams that has been able to beat them), which they did to the tune of 8-0...Who's Hot? ... Well the Giants certainlyqualify, having won 5 in a row...the Royals have won 3 straight, and the Orioles and Rangers have both won 2 in a row.....The Stat leaders are as follows...Offense: The Brewers remain the most potent offense (124 runs scored), followed closely by the Orioles (122) , and then the Giants (115)...Defensively, the Orioles continue to allow the least runs (35), followed by the Brewers (54), and finally, the Giants have allowed 57 runs .... Some acknowledgements.....I wanted you to know that 2 individuals mowed the entire outfield at Holy Names...Dick Walterhouse, who was not even playing there on Sunday (Think about that for a moment!....he took 2 hours out of his early Sunday morning and pushed a mower back and forth, while his team got ready to play on another field)...alongside him was Colin Crabb, who readily took my call on Saturday evening and jumped (maybe not exactly) at the chance to mow grass all morning. This field was unplayable, with grass as high as a players knee, and these guys got it done...a tip of the cap to them. Also wanted to let you know that Donald Pierce raced the sun to Holy Names in order to groom and water the infield, and then stuck around all day to keep a firehose at the ready to water the infield between games. And Paul Dries and his son Andrew spent nearly an hour picking up trash from Holy Names late Sunday afternoon...Friday evening Wade Hufford and myself water and groomed Chabot, ably assisted on hose duty by Bryce Hufford and Spencer Wood...and get this, for the most part, they sprayed the field instead of each other! We can always use help after 8pm on Fridays, and before 8am on Saturdays to get Chabot looking good....we are trying to get selected to host some Tournament of Champions games for the district in mid-June, and we want the field at its best all the time lest it be inspected by district honchos... OK...not all the news is upbeat. After our game, the last of the day at Holy Names, I stood on the edge of the infield and looked at a baseball field with litter strewn about, equipment sitting outside the storage locker, trash cans overflowing, and, well, I could go on, but you get the drift. It honestly seems a tad remedial to write a list of what needs to be done after any game, particularly the last game of the day....certainly, proper trash removal seems minimum performance. If the trash can is over flowing, would it be so hard to carry it over to the dumpster? even between games. Hey, we are all tired at the end of the day...and I realize if your team has lost, it is hard to get fired up to put stuff away, but it is a volunteer organization....lend a hand, even if you don't feel like it. Lets make this a new policy: After every practice or game...every player is responsible to run around the field and pick up 10 pieces of litter and deposit it into a trash can that has some room in it. I bet if we all do this, we will see a marked improvement in the appearance of our fields...lets also remember that we do not own these fields...we are tenants, and the better we care for them, the better our reputation as caretakers will be... In addition, the field crew volunteers have more to do than simply haul the fence away....bases need to be picked up, plugs inserted into the base posts, and when stuff is put away, that means something more than tossing the stuff into the box and slamming the door....how about organizing it so that a person can walk through the shed to access things at the rear, without climbing over equipment.???...we are all doing each other a diservice by creating disorder...it will not take too much time to do it right, and it certainly adds time needed if the box is cluttered ...It is also not too much to ask for the field volunteers to water down the mound (assuming water is on at Holy Names) and batters box, and spend a moment or two filling in the holes in these places....if these things are done, the fields will stay in better shape... The right hand shed at Chabot is for the TRACTOR ONLY...meaning, no batting machines, no buckets of balls, or extension cords, or anything...It is inviting to throw stuff in there, but beleive me, the tractor takes up all the space, and it is no fun to have to haul stuff out of there (those pitching machines are darn heavy if you are alone), prior to parking the machine...if you see someone putting stuff in there, stop them! OK folks...sorry to go "whiner" on you a bit there, but a feeling of exaspparation did come over me, and I needed to let you know, otherwise, no reason to expect improvement....Upcoming games: the final clash of the teams wearing black and orange, as the Orioles and Giants square off on Saturday afternoon, and the Orioles will be trying to avenge the loss that spoiled their perfect (at the time) record....and of course, there is the matter that a loss by either team could send them out of the top spot...so the stakes are high...first pitch is schedule for 3:30pm. Orange tie, optional! Elsewhere, the Yankees look back upon their first meeting with the Brewers and blame them for their minor tailspin that followed...the date(9:30 am, Saturday) is circled on the pinstriped calendar...and finally, look for a great game between the resurgent Royals, and the mighty Angels on Sunday at 12:30 (Holy Names).
Jeff Wood  4/30/2001 2:43:00 PM  Email	Tough weekend for the (former) front runners......The second place teams did their part to keep the pennant race alive and well...the Giants served notice to the Brewers that their days alone atop the North are over, with a convincing 6-3 victory...the Brewers can take some solace that another shot at the Giants looms in a scant 5 weeks. Over in the South, the Angels spoiled the Orioles coronation with an exciting come from behind effort in the bottom of the 6th inning in the fading light and cooling air at Chabot. It got worse for the Orioles, as they dropped a tough 2-1 game to the dangerous Royals on Sunday, in a game that handed the Angels, perhaps temporarily, the title of best record in the league at 10-2. The Angels came out on Sunday and shook off the flatness that sometimes follows a big game for a well fought victory over the White Sox. Over in the North, the Brewers took out their frustrations on the Twins with a 19-3 slugfest that allowed them to keep pace with the Giants ,who carefully avoided a let down by besting the Rangers.... The Twins had high hopes following their convincing victory over the Rangers on Saturday.....The Yankees, thriving in the shadows just outside of the spotlight, took two victories from the weekend, the first a hard fought victory over the Indians, and the Sunday no-hitter (nearly a tradition!) over the Tigers who are fading following their hot streak only a few weeks ago. The Athletics made me sound like a pretty good prognosticator, as they won their second straight, besting the Indians Sunday morning. Who's Hot?...well the Angels seem to be the consensus team of the week, winning their 6th straight, which now stands as the season's longest winning streak, and the Giants took their 3rd straight, and the Yankees and A's have both won 2 in a row....The week Ahead...a tip of the hat to Dick Walterhouse for his schedule induced drama as we get to see the Angels and Giants, newly adorned frontrunners, square off to decide who can knock the other off the top of the heap...the Giants will be trying to avenge their opening day no hit loss, and the Angels will be looking to solidify their hold on the South. The Athletics and White Sox will play their make up game today at 5pm (Chabot). And the Brewers and Orioles, still very much in the hunt, will take aim at each other in next weekend's game of the week...Stat Leaders:....On Offense, the Brewers have moved into the run scoring lead with 105 runs scored, followed by the Orioles (99) and the Giants (95 runs scored). On Defense, the Orioles are still by far the stingiest team allowing only 26 runs scored, followed by the Giants (41 runs allowed) and then the Brewers who have allowed only 42 runs.
Jeff Wood  4/23/2001 1:43:00 PM  Email	We got back to Baseball this weekend, and the game of the week for my money was the Royals finally winning a close game over the Giants, as a 3 run 1st inning was all the Royals needed (That and a put out at home for the last out of the game...the would- be tying run!)...as always, in a close game like this, no one really deserved to lose...The Royals completed the weekend sweep with a victory over the Tigers, who have now dropped 2 in a row...the Giants made the most of their second chance on Sunday, prevailing over the scrappy White Sox...The Angels and Brewers both enjoyed themselves with a pair of victories each...for the Angels, it took a no hitter on Saturday as they prevailed over the Indians (who had been looking to start a winning streak), and they went on to an extra inning barn burner on Sunday to get over on the Rangers...the Brewers took advantage of the base on balls in their win over the Tigers on Saturday, and then prevailed on Sunday over an Athletics team that is far better than their record would indicate...look for the A's to bust out in the weeks a head!...What about the Orioles? They just keep on winning, posting their 5th straight victory, over the Yankees, following their lone defeat.....The Twins aim to live up to their potential as the season gets rolling again. They sent the Indians home unhappy on Sunday morning....Postponements: the A's vs. White Sox (TBA), Twins vs. Yankees (TBA), and White Sox vs. Tigers(TBA)...the Royals vs. Rangers (originally scheduled for May 9th to be played on May 12th at 5:30)...keep me posted on the dates for make up games so we don't double up...and remember it is the coaches job to inform umpires... The Pennant Race.....In the South, the Orioles continue to lead the Angels by one game, with the Yankees currently the only other team with a shot at crashing the party....In the North, The Brewers hold a one game lead over the Giants, and they are both creating a bit of a cushion between themselves and the rest of the pack....The Hottest teams are the previously mentioned Orioles, and the Brewers, who have matched their 5 game winning streak, and don't forget the Angels who have won 4 in a row themselves....Next Week, in a bit of schedule making genius, the 1st and 2nd place teams in both divisions will meet on Saturday, as we close out the first half of the season...The Giants and Brewers will start it all off at 9:30am, and the Angels and Orioles will close out the day (It looks like we may move that game to Chabot instead of OAB so that we can sell tickets...perhaps a 5:30 start...details will be posted)
Jeff Wood  4/9/2001 10:07:00 AM  Email	We watched our breath as we exhaled into the frosty air, stepped carefully around frozen puddles, and huddled up against the wind, and wondered when kickoff was...and then we realized...it's not football season, even if the weather reminded us the winter must be dragged kicking and screaming from the table, but it didn't rain, and we had dry weather for all our game slots....thanks to the efforts of the Athletics and Royals ground crew for getting the field playable on Saturday morning (another medal for Donald Pierce!)...depsite the inhospitable weather, I hope you got a chance to see some baseball this weekend....if you spent any time out there, there was a pretty good chance you saw a no hitter....our league served up 3 of them this week...one third of the schedule!...It all began Saturday in the early afternoon at Chabot, as the Yankees kept the Rangers at bay with the weekend's first no hitter...a 1-0 thriller. Not to be outdone, the Orioles put up a 17-0 hurt on the Indians...without allowing a hit....and then on Sunday the Brewers needed to pitch 7 innings of no hit ball to prevail over the Royals, who didn't allow too many hits either...another 1-0 affair....and this is our first season with batting cages! (Something doesn't quite fit!!!) ... A tip of the hat to the pitchers noted below for outstanding effort...the fact that it happened three times this weekend by no means diminishes the effort!.... And big time congrats go to the Indians, who bounced back in style with their first victory....so now every team has won at least one game...Lets hope they go on a nice winning streak...teams tend to recover strongly after being spanked by the Orioles....The Giants returned to winning, spoiling the Athletics plans for a weekend sweep with an efficient effort the featured a lot of bat contact. The Athletics arrived at the park on Sunday with a smile on their face following their victory over the Royals on Saturday...and the weekend concluded with a barnburner at Holy Names where the Angels played some good defense and flat out hit the ball around while holding the Yankees at bay. The Yankees knocked the cover off the ball as well, but just couldn't get the big hit when they had the bases occupied....The Angels had a pretty good weekend, mounting a 6 run rally in the bottom of the 6th on Saturday to defeat the hardluck Twins, who also had the misfortune of playing the Orioles close, before succumbing 5-2....The Tigers and White Sox decided to postpone their game, in order to see how deep their pitching really is...Who's Hot!...no reason to assume theTigers have cooled off, though they didn't get to play this weekend...the Brewers have won three straight, as have the Orioles, and the Angels seem to be in a nice groove, posting a weekend sweep....The Pennant race, as we head into the break has the Giants and Brewers tied atop the North...and putting some space between themselves and the pack....and in the South, the Orioles have a one game lead but cannot seem to shake the Angels...Stats?...here is a weird one!...every team that has played the Orioles has won their next game, regardless of how they fared against the O's...so whoever gets the Twins next (Yankees!) better watch out!
Jeff Wood  4/5/2001 10:59:00 AM  Email	This Saturday (4/7) ONLY: The 3:30 game (Twins v. Angels) will be moved up to 3:00pm.. The 3:30 OAB Game (Orioles v. Indians) will be moved from OAB to Chabot, and started at 5pm This means a number of things...first of all, umpires must be contacted and advised of the change...if they are unable to alter their schedule, then Dick has offered to fill in if/as required...we will arrange a base ump if need be...The coaches are responsible to advise the umpires, and then advise Dick if his services are required.... This also means that all games...all day...must start on time and MOVE ALONG....., and if all parties are present and able, it would not be the worst thing in the world to start a game a few minutes early...I leave that to your discretion. Warmup time will be affected, and it may be necesssary that for these later games we eliminate on field batting practice, and restrict things to a few minutes of Infield each...keep in mind that the small backstop is available for wiffle ball BP, and the cages are reserved for the teams playing the next game... It is hoped that over the Easter break, we can make OAB into a majors quality field (more about that later...), but it might be necessary to ammend the schedule to play 4 games at Chabot on Saturday...we will make that decision in the next week or so.... I need acknowledgement of receipt of this from all effected parties ASAP! (Twins/Angels/Indians/Orioles), and keep DIck advised of umpiring situation. I also understand it might rain, but that is a problem I cannot easily remedy... By the way.....The Giants and Tigers needed 7 innings to settle things, and the Tigers extended their winning ways, prevailing 8-7...the Brewers and White Sox left their gloves at home, but brought their bats, and the Brewers moved into a tie for 1st place with a 12-7 victory..... Please let me know if this changes raises any unforeseen problems, or if you have concerns, comments, or ideas... Jeff
Jeff Wood  4/2/2001 1:37:00 PM  Email	Is Baseball a part of summer, or summer a part of baseball? Either way, we got a healthy dose of both this weekend. Those of us lucky enough to watch a few innings got to see some fine pitching, some good fielding, some timely hitting and some heads up baserunning....never mind that we also saw all these skills in various states of disrepair as well. In any event, we are now fresh out of undefeated teams as the Giants stood jaw to jaw with the Orioles and prevailed, and in the process grabbed a piece of the "team to beat" moniker. The Giants would go on to complete the weekend sweep by besting the Yankees, who suddenly seem vulnerable.. .. meanwhile, the Orioles got right back to winning, sending the Athletics home to their 3rd straight defeat on Sunday morning... The battle of second place clubs from each division saw the Brewers get over on the Angels in a game that sort of defined the expression "nail biter". The rematch of this game has already been circled on some calendars. ..The White Sox could honestly make the case that they in fact were the second place team in NOLL, after completing a weekend sweep of their own over the Indians ( a seven inning , come from behind effort) and Rangers, moving to 4-2 overall. The White Sox and Brewers get to sort all this out on Wednesday afternoon as they help break in divisional play. The winner gets a leg up in their pursuit of the Giants, who also play on Wednesday against the Tigers, who come in on a roll....The Tigers completed a weekend sweep, first with a come from behind victory over the Twins, and they then prevailed over the hard luck Indians...the Royals discovered the finer points of hitting the ball hard, as they kept the Twins from capitalizing on their momentum from last week's dramatic win...After seeing these results and pondering the records to date, the only word that comes to mind is 'parity'...the difference between the top teams and the rest of the pack is razor thin...and while I doubt we will have 12 teams wind up at .500, it certainly is not out of the realm of possibility...Who's hot ...The Giants have won 5 in a row; the Tigers have won 3 out of 4...and the White Sox have been white hot (3 wins in a row) since their tussle with the Orioles...Pennant Fever: In the North (NOLL) the White Sox and Brewers both trail the Giants by one game, and in the South (SOLL), the Angels trail the Orioles by one game...how about some Stats?... good, glad you asked....the North went 21-15 against the South...does that surprise any of you? ...Through the first 6 games, the stingiest defenses are the Orioles (12 Runs allowed), the Giants (18 Runs allowed), and the Brewers (20 runs allowed), while the big bats are being swung by the Orioles (52 runs scored), the Royals (50 runs scored), and the Brewers (42 runs scored)...