A new rule is in place for American Legion baseball. Starting this year, all base coaches must wear a protective helmet. Here's the official memo from the national legion site:
Memo to: Members of the National Baseball Subcommittee
Department Baseball Chairmen
From: Larry Price, Chairman of the National Baseball subcommittee
Date: February 29, 2008
Subject: Official Baseball Rule changes for 2008
Major League Baseball’s Playing Rules Committee has adopted a number of slight changes to the language of the Official Baseball Rules that will take effect in the 2008 season.
Rule 4.05 in Official Baseball rules now requires that a coach, until being passed by a batted ball, must position himself no closer to home plate than the front edge of the coach’s box and no closer to fair territory than the edge of the coach’s box closest to the field.
Major League’s General Managers also adopted a new coaches helmet rule, which mandates all coaches “on the lines” shall wear a protective helmet.
The American Legion uses Official Baseball Rules authorized by the Commissioner of Baseball; therefore American Legion coaches shall be mandated to observe the new coaching box rules as well as wearing a protective helmet. Coaches may wear a no-flap; a single flap or a double flap helmet. The type of helmet shall be a personal choice of the coach. MLB will not mandate the type of helmet nor shall The American Legion dictate the type of helmet a coach wishes to wear while in the coaching box.
These rule changes do not appear in the 2008 American Legion rules. We did not get this official language until after our 2008 rulebook was printed and distributed.
Helmet Rule Violations: Umpires are instructed not to put the ball into play and to warn the coach on wearing a protective helmet. If the coach refuses to wear a helmet he shall be ejected from the game.
Coaching Box Rule Violations: Umpires are instructed to warn the coaches on the rule. Coaches who fail to observe the rules shall be warned. Continued violation may result in the coach being ejected.
These rules are a result of a minor league baseball coach being killed in 2007. These rules are a safety rule. If coaches are confused as to what type of helmet to wear, we suggest they watch any Major League or Minor League ballgame and follow the lead of the professional coaches “on the lines."
Saturday, June 7, 2008
Thursday, June 5, 2008
Blue & Gold Classic
If you’re looking for something to do this Fourth of July weekend, look no further than Utica because that is when Adrean’s annual Blue & Gold Classic will be played. Put simply, this tournament field is flat out loaded. There are seven teams from New York, including each of the past three NYS championship teams, three perennial powers from New Jersey and a two-time Maryland state champion. Rounding out the field of 12 is the winner of two of the previous five World Youth Championships from Guaynabo, Puerto Rico.
Baseball fans are in for a treat when this weekend comes around. With the NYS Tournament taking place in Newburgh this year, this is sure to be the best baseball in the area this summer. This might even be the best display of amateur baseball in the state in 2008 as the field is likely even deeper than that of the NYS Tournament. Play will be begin on Thursday, July 3 with the championship game slated for Sunday, July 6. The games will take place at three locations in the area: Murnane Field at Donovan Stadium, Joe Corr Memorial Field at New Hartford Sr. High School and Notre Dame Junior/Senior High School. I will post a detailed schedule once I receive the information.
Here's a quick run-down of the teams:
Adrean Post 625, NY
Three-time NYS champions (1966, 1972, 1982)
Binghamton Post 80, NY
Melvin Roads Post 1231, NY
2007 NYS champions
New Hartford Post 1376, NY
2006 NYS champions
Shrub Oak Post 1080, NY
2005 NYS champions
Utica Post 229, NY
1974 NYS champions
Vestal Post 89, NY
2002, 2007 District 6 champions
Brooklawn Post 72, NJ
6-time World Youth Tournament champion
23 NJ state championships since 1954 (most recent in 2001)
12-time Mid-Atlantic Regional champion (most recent in 2005)
2-time national champion (1991, 2001)
Manager Joe Barth Sr. was named 2000 amateur baseball manager of the year by USA Baseball in Las Vegas. Barth is entering his 56th year as Brooklawn manager.
Haddon Heights Post 149, NJ
2003 NJ state champions
Hamilton Post 31, NJ
5-time NJ state champions (1966, 1967, 1987, 1993, 2006)
Gaithersburg Post 295, MD
Two-time MD state champions (2003, 2004)
Guaynabo Post 154, PR
Winner of two of the previous five World Youth Championships
Team Preview: Adrean Post 625
Manager Mike Macchione, Coach Joe Milazzo, Coach Gene Leuthauser.
Losses: Jason Simone.
Returning Players: Steve Campbell (P/OF), Rafaele Cordero (IF), Jack Lottermoser (C/3B), Luke Manolescu (C), Cesar Pujals (P/IF), Matthew Rotundo (IF), Kevin Rowlands (P/IF), Steve Sarcone (P/C/IF), Craig Warncke (P/1B/OF).
Newcomers: Ryan Andrews (P/IF/OF), Thomas Appleton (Util.), Michael Gaetano (P/1B), Mike Hill (P/Util.), Collier Maddox (P/Util.), David Morgan (C/OF).
Adrean manager Mike Macchione and I met up at the Patio Drive-In last week to discuss the upcoming legion season. Macchione has been a staple of Oneida County legion baseball for more than 30 years, spending all of his time with Adrean. Below are some of his thoughts on his team’s outlook for the 2008 season. For the complete audio interview, which includes more on Adrean, a look at the Blue & Gold tournament in July, and Macchione’s thoughts on the state of legion baseball today, click here: http://www.uticaod.com/sports/legionbaseball/x765550528/Legion-Baseball-Audio
AD: Losing a kid like Jason (Simone), what does that mean to your team?
MM: Every year you lose somebody. It’s not one of those situations where you keep a player forever. We turn over players all the time. Who wouldn’t like to have him? We would all like to think that there’s someone behind him, but it’s hard to find anybody that’s going to come close to what Jason did in high school and what he’s done hitting-wise over the course of his career with us. You just move forward. You try to fill the holes the best you can. You certainly have to understand that you have to develop a different profile for your team.
AD: Who do you look to step up from the younger guys?
MM: We have one young player in his second year, which is (Steve) Sarcone. He’s going to be very important performance-wise. He’s a pitcher; he can catch and play the infield. Potentially, he can be a dominant pitcher even at a young age. He threw a no-hitter for us last year as a fourteen-year-old. He’s fifteen this year and he’s done very well in high school. He’s going to be a big time player for us. His performance will be important to us on the mound. He’s still young in the other positions, but he’s a hard worker. He’s more of a throwback player. He’s worked all winter long…Other young players that we have are totally untested.
AD: What is a potential weakness of this team?
MM: The biggest question mark is our pitching, the depth of our pitching. We’re usually eight, nine, 10 pitchers deep, but that doesn’t mean that we have 10 frontline starters. This year we’re lean with our pitching, we’re short on pitching. We’re at about eight and we like to carry nine or 10, so we’re going to be short on pitching this year.
AD: How about the strengths of your team?
MM: I don’t know. I’d like to think that the college players are going to make us a good hitting team. We’re not going to be a great hitting team. If we’re going to have anything that’s going to end up being positive it’s going to be how we practice; if we practice hard and we pay attention to details. You know, we’re not going to scare anybody coming out onto the field, that’s for sure. But we’re going to have to do things well. We’re going to have to make routine plays. If we don’t make routine plays, we’ll be in trouble…It’s really going to come down to how much fundamental baseball we can play.
AD: What do look at in terms of a goal this year?
MM: Just improving, improving every game. Seeing improvement; seeing desire to play. Certainly the most important thing that we need is to have 18 players going in the same direction.
AD: You’re picking from a few different schools, which could be seen as an advantage. But at the same time, you could have chemistry issues. How do you hash out any little rivalry issue that might be there and make sure they all come together for the summer?
MM: Everybody continues working on their game. It’s hard not to have clicks. But everybody’s wearing the same uniform and it’s the responsibility, really, of the coaches to break down the barriers.
On whom he thinks will be the league’s major contenders:
MM: It should, on paper, be a race between Whitestown and Smith. And at least in my mind, a dark horse in there, and I’m not sure they’re a dark horse, is New Hartford. New Hartford’s capable of beating anyone on any given day. But with the acquisition of (Joe) Melioris and (Jake) Ross and the second baseman, that really kind of puts them up over the top at least I think talent-wise. Maturity-wise, obviously I think the edge has to go to Whitestown. Those guys are older. They’ve got the college players in there.
Losses: Jason Simone.
Returning Players: Steve Campbell (P/OF), Rafaele Cordero (IF), Jack Lottermoser (C/3B), Luke Manolescu (C), Cesar Pujals (P/IF), Matthew Rotundo (IF), Kevin Rowlands (P/IF), Steve Sarcone (P/C/IF), Craig Warncke (P/1B/OF).
Newcomers: Ryan Andrews (P/IF/OF), Thomas Appleton (Util.), Michael Gaetano (P/1B), Mike Hill (P/Util.), Collier Maddox (P/Util.), David Morgan (C/OF).
Adrean manager Mike Macchione and I met up at the Patio Drive-In last week to discuss the upcoming legion season. Macchione has been a staple of Oneida County legion baseball for more than 30 years, spending all of his time with Adrean. Below are some of his thoughts on his team’s outlook for the 2008 season. For the complete audio interview, which includes more on Adrean, a look at the Blue & Gold tournament in July, and Macchione’s thoughts on the state of legion baseball today, click here: http://www.uticaod.com/sports/legionbaseball/x765550528/Legion-Baseball-Audio
AD: Losing a kid like Jason (Simone), what does that mean to your team?
MM: Every year you lose somebody. It’s not one of those situations where you keep a player forever. We turn over players all the time. Who wouldn’t like to have him? We would all like to think that there’s someone behind him, but it’s hard to find anybody that’s going to come close to what Jason did in high school and what he’s done hitting-wise over the course of his career with us. You just move forward. You try to fill the holes the best you can. You certainly have to understand that you have to develop a different profile for your team.
AD: Who do you look to step up from the younger guys?
MM: We have one young player in his second year, which is (Steve) Sarcone. He’s going to be very important performance-wise. He’s a pitcher; he can catch and play the infield. Potentially, he can be a dominant pitcher even at a young age. He threw a no-hitter for us last year as a fourteen-year-old. He’s fifteen this year and he’s done very well in high school. He’s going to be a big time player for us. His performance will be important to us on the mound. He’s still young in the other positions, but he’s a hard worker. He’s more of a throwback player. He’s worked all winter long…Other young players that we have are totally untested.
AD: What is a potential weakness of this team?
MM: The biggest question mark is our pitching, the depth of our pitching. We’re usually eight, nine, 10 pitchers deep, but that doesn’t mean that we have 10 frontline starters. This year we’re lean with our pitching, we’re short on pitching. We’re at about eight and we like to carry nine or 10, so we’re going to be short on pitching this year.
AD: How about the strengths of your team?
MM: I don’t know. I’d like to think that the college players are going to make us a good hitting team. We’re not going to be a great hitting team. If we’re going to have anything that’s going to end up being positive it’s going to be how we practice; if we practice hard and we pay attention to details. You know, we’re not going to scare anybody coming out onto the field, that’s for sure. But we’re going to have to do things well. We’re going to have to make routine plays. If we don’t make routine plays, we’ll be in trouble…It’s really going to come down to how much fundamental baseball we can play.
AD: What do look at in terms of a goal this year?
MM: Just improving, improving every game. Seeing improvement; seeing desire to play. Certainly the most important thing that we need is to have 18 players going in the same direction.
AD: You’re picking from a few different schools, which could be seen as an advantage. But at the same time, you could have chemistry issues. How do you hash out any little rivalry issue that might be there and make sure they all come together for the summer?
MM: Everybody continues working on their game. It’s hard not to have clicks. But everybody’s wearing the same uniform and it’s the responsibility, really, of the coaches to break down the barriers.
On whom he thinks will be the league’s major contenders:
MM: It should, on paper, be a race between Whitestown and Smith. And at least in my mind, a dark horse in there, and I’m not sure they’re a dark horse, is New Hartford. New Hartford’s capable of beating anyone on any given day. But with the acquisition of (Joe) Melioris and (Jake) Ross and the second baseman, that really kind of puts them up over the top at least I think talent-wise. Maturity-wise, obviously I think the edge has to go to Whitestown. Those guys are older. They’ve got the college players in there.
Wednesday, June 4, 2008
Team Preview: New Hartford Post 1376
Manager John Randall, Coach Greg Jones, Coach Edmund Timpano.
Losses: Jordan Groah, Steve Guzski, Mike Kennedy, Marc Montesano.
Returning Players: Joe Betar (SS/P), Steve Bieganowski (OF/P), Patrick Calli (OF), Joe Carcone (2B), Joe Desens (IF/OF), Mike Doyle (C), Chandler Evans (P/OF), Alex Giovannone (P/1B), Kris Kallay (P/OF), Mike Matt (OF), Dan Nelson (P/3B), Erik Sheridan (P/OF), Eric Verbickas (1B/P), T.J. Zalocha (IF/OF).
Newcomers: Mike Bower (P), Pat Derrane (P), Tim Whalen (C).
I talked to New Hartford manager John Randall after his team's tryouts last Sunday. Check out some of what he had to say about the upcoming season. For more, click here for the complete audio interview: http://www.uticaod.com/sports/legionbaseball/x765550528/Legion-Baseball-Audio
AD: Losing Guzski and Montesano, your best pitcher and best hitter, and Groah who was the emotional leader, how do you replace that?
JR: We don't. We can't replace those guys. (Montesano) was probably the best hitter that was in this league, (Guzski) was one of the best pitchers and (Groah) was the best defensive third baseman. So we've got to just hope that we've got four or five guys to fill those three spots. But, there isn't one guy that's going to replace any one of those guys. We just don't have it.
AD: Who are you looking for to be leaders this year?
JR: I think Mike Matt's got to be the biggest leader. I think playing the last three years for us, and playing in college, I think he's just ready to take on that role. And, you know (Alex Giovannone), all those college guys...I think Mike Matt will just make sure that everyone's got their head in the game all the time.
AD: Three of those four (college) guys played in college, how much does that help?
JR: I think it helps a ton. With Danny (Nelson) and Giovannone, they didn't get a ton of innings. But, just working out with those two programs all fall, all winter and all spring is definitely going to help them conditioning-wise, strength-wise. I think we've got a ton of games with both Danny and (Giovannone) on the mound. Even Pat (Calli), he kept himself in shape, got stronger. I think all four of those guys will definitely help us out.
AD: What do you like about the team at this point?
JR: Pitching. I think we have a ton of it. We don't have the ace so to speak, but let's say we have a lot of kings. They're all good. I think anybody can win a big game at any time. I think that they're all going to give us a lot of innings.
AD: How much will it help having Eddie (Timpano) coaching?
JR: He's all business...Anytime you can bring a team back from a regional final, state champ, that just goes about doing things the right way when the uniform is on...Anybody that's been around the game like he has is definitely going to help out. Not just the catchers; everybody. He'll be great in the dugout, just all around.
AD: You mentioned the regional and winning the state. How does having a year like last year, a year removed from that - I mean you guys didn't do as well as you hoped to.
JR: I think a lot of these guys now, don't even know about that state title...These guys are kind of their own kind of team now. They're looking to set their own standard; put the bar where they want it. That state team obviously doesn't come around very often. As much as I enjoyed that, I think it's time to get a new identity here with these guys. And I'm not sure what that is. I think that it could be very good; it could be below average.
AD: Obviously playing, I know the goal is always set really high. Like you just said, you don't really know what to expect, so what is the goal?
JR: The goal is still high. If we're not in that winners bracket final or that losers bracket, if we're not one of the last three teams remaining in the counties, then I'll be dissapointed. I'm not going to say that we're going to win the counties or the districts, but I hope that we're one of those final three teams that's still playing on Saturday or Sunday.
On not being able to play games at New Hartford Sr. High School in July due to the construction of the football field:
JR: As much as you don't like it, it's definitely the right decision to do. Even though it doesn't involve the field, there's just way too much traffic for the games that we get down here if you get a big crowd. There's just going to be too much going on. So we're going to play all our (home) games in June and then we'll be out of here at the beginning of July.
Losses: Jordan Groah, Steve Guzski, Mike Kennedy, Marc Montesano.
Returning Players: Joe Betar (SS/P), Steve Bieganowski (OF/P), Patrick Calli (OF), Joe Carcone (2B), Joe Desens (IF/OF), Mike Doyle (C), Chandler Evans (P/OF), Alex Giovannone (P/1B), Kris Kallay (P/OF), Mike Matt (OF), Dan Nelson (P/3B), Erik Sheridan (P/OF), Eric Verbickas (1B/P), T.J. Zalocha (IF/OF).
Newcomers: Mike Bower (P), Pat Derrane (P), Tim Whalen (C).
I talked to New Hartford manager John Randall after his team's tryouts last Sunday. Check out some of what he had to say about the upcoming season. For more, click here for the complete audio interview: http://www.uticaod.com/sports/legionbaseball/x765550528/Legion-Baseball-Audio
AD: Losing Guzski and Montesano, your best pitcher and best hitter, and Groah who was the emotional leader, how do you replace that?
JR: We don't. We can't replace those guys. (Montesano) was probably the best hitter that was in this league, (Guzski) was one of the best pitchers and (Groah) was the best defensive third baseman. So we've got to just hope that we've got four or five guys to fill those three spots. But, there isn't one guy that's going to replace any one of those guys. We just don't have it.
AD: Who are you looking for to be leaders this year?
JR: I think Mike Matt's got to be the biggest leader. I think playing the last three years for us, and playing in college, I think he's just ready to take on that role. And, you know (Alex Giovannone), all those college guys...I think Mike Matt will just make sure that everyone's got their head in the game all the time.
AD: Three of those four (college) guys played in college, how much does that help?
JR: I think it helps a ton. With Danny (Nelson) and Giovannone, they didn't get a ton of innings. But, just working out with those two programs all fall, all winter and all spring is definitely going to help them conditioning-wise, strength-wise. I think we've got a ton of games with both Danny and (Giovannone) on the mound. Even Pat (Calli), he kept himself in shape, got stronger. I think all four of those guys will definitely help us out.
AD: What do you like about the team at this point?
JR: Pitching. I think we have a ton of it. We don't have the ace so to speak, but let's say we have a lot of kings. They're all good. I think anybody can win a big game at any time. I think that they're all going to give us a lot of innings.
AD: How much will it help having Eddie (Timpano) coaching?
JR: He's all business...Anytime you can bring a team back from a regional final, state champ, that just goes about doing things the right way when the uniform is on...Anybody that's been around the game like he has is definitely going to help out. Not just the catchers; everybody. He'll be great in the dugout, just all around.
AD: You mentioned the regional and winning the state. How does having a year like last year, a year removed from that - I mean you guys didn't do as well as you hoped to.
JR: I think a lot of these guys now, don't even know about that state title...These guys are kind of their own kind of team now. They're looking to set their own standard; put the bar where they want it. That state team obviously doesn't come around very often. As much as I enjoyed that, I think it's time to get a new identity here with these guys. And I'm not sure what that is. I think that it could be very good; it could be below average.
AD: Obviously playing, I know the goal is always set really high. Like you just said, you don't really know what to expect, so what is the goal?
JR: The goal is still high. If we're not in that winners bracket final or that losers bracket, if we're not one of the last three teams remaining in the counties, then I'll be dissapointed. I'm not going to say that we're going to win the counties or the districts, but I hope that we're one of those final three teams that's still playing on Saturday or Sunday.
On not being able to play games at New Hartford Sr. High School in July due to the construction of the football field:
JR: As much as you don't like it, it's definitely the right decision to do. Even though it doesn't involve the field, there's just way too much traffic for the games that we get down here if you get a big crowd. There's just going to be too much going on. So we're going to play all our (home) games in June and then we'll be out of here at the beginning of July.
Team Preview: Utica Post 229
Manager Greg Gaeta, Coach Frank Parisi, Coach Rob Sisti, Coach Bryan Stamboly.
Losses: Mike Arcuri, Mike Mason, Josh Omes, Steve True, Dan Weber.
Returning Players: T.J. Abounader (P), Ryan Donovan (P/1B), Vin Gaetano (1B/RF/DH), Alex Handzel (P/C/3B), Mike King (P/Util.), Joe Mazzara (OF), Mike Obernesser (C), Joe Perrotta (P/Util.), Mike Scotellaro (P/Util.), Mark Van Dreason (2B), Devin Warmack (P/OF).
Newcomers: Tom DeBernardis (P/1B), Justin Hall (P/2B/SS), Mike Lackey (P/Util.), Gary McConnell (P/3B/OF), Tom Reilly (2B/3B/OF), Wendell Wright (P/OF).
I caught up with UP manager Greg Gaeta at the Proctor baseball Raider Classic. We talked about the upcoming legion season. Read on to see Gaeta's thoughts. For the full audio interview, which includes Gaeta's thoughts on the newcomers and two season-ending injuries, click here: http://www.uticaod.com/sports/legionbaseball/x765550528/Legion-Baseball-Audio
AD: There's a lot of competition on your schedule. How much do you think that helps the kids in the long run?
GG: Ideally when we schedule the non-league games, we try to play teams around here because it's economical and it's easier. But when we go to tournaments, we try to make sure there's some good competition in the tournaments because we want to get better. Especially the young guys, a lot of the young guys will go out there and get thrown out right into the fire against some really good teams and it kind of wakes them up to what legion baseball is.
AD: Looking at the all-star team from last year, you have two all-stars returning in Abounader and VanDreason. How important is it to have them coming back this year?
GG: Well, we lost six guys I think. We lost the bulk of our order, so you need to have some stability coming back and some things you can count on. Even for the young kids, they come up and they weren't here last year, they need to go out there and have the confidence of T.J. pitching and have some guys that have the experience.
AD: Also looking at the all-stars from last year, Omes and Mason are gone. How big of a shot is that?
GG: I mean that's the heart of the order. If I remember correctly, our order was somehow Omes and Mason and Weber and Arcuri. Those are the 2, 3, 4, 5 guys in the line-up and those guys are gone. It happens almost every year. Generally the guys you lose are the better guys.
AD: So who are looking at to be the leaders this year?
GG: Well the natural would be the two college kids, VanDreason and Mazzara. But other guys, I look at this team out here. Perrotta's played, Perrotta's a senior this year. He's played four years now, so he's got enough experience and knows what it takes. So those guys probably. You know, we're young. We have a lot of young guys. The only two kids that graduate are those college kids, Mazzara and VanDreason. So off the team, we'll only lose two players this year.
AD: Will you look at (Perrotta) to be an everyday player this year?
GG: Absolutely, yes.
AD: Do you have a position in mind?
GG: No. We actually have quite a few positions that I'm not sure about. The one thing I like about the team is most of the guys we have are versatile, they can play multiple positions. So getting into that routine of the starting line-up and the rotation of who does what when who pitches and that kind of thing, it's going to take some time this year.
AD: What do you like most about this team?
GG: I like the versatility. We're young. We're only going to lose two players; none of it is pitching. And I think pitching is probably one of our stronger points this year and we're not going to lose any of it.
AD: How about something your team might have to work on?
GG: Offensively, I'm concerned because I'm not sure what kind of line-up we're going to have and how guys are going to adjust. The thing that you have is a lot guys that have experience on the team, but not everyday players...Can they step into the role and produce on a daily basis?
AD: What would you say, at this point, would be an ultimate goal for the team?
GG: We should go out there and compete to win the county every year.
AD: The way you talk about it, you're more concerned with what your guys are doing than with what everybody else is doing. Talk about that a little.
GG: Absolutely. First off, it's too hard to pay attention. Second, that's out of your control. The only thing I can do is get my guys out there and get them better...I need to get my guys to perform and get them to understand how to compete...That's the only thing you can do as a coach. That's the only thing you can do at all.
Losses: Mike Arcuri, Mike Mason, Josh Omes, Steve True, Dan Weber.
Returning Players: T.J. Abounader (P), Ryan Donovan (P/1B), Vin Gaetano (1B/RF/DH), Alex Handzel (P/C/3B), Mike King (P/Util.), Joe Mazzara (OF), Mike Obernesser (C), Joe Perrotta (P/Util.), Mike Scotellaro (P/Util.), Mark Van Dreason (2B), Devin Warmack (P/OF).
Newcomers: Tom DeBernardis (P/1B), Justin Hall (P/2B/SS), Mike Lackey (P/Util.), Gary McConnell (P/3B/OF), Tom Reilly (2B/3B/OF), Wendell Wright (P/OF).
I caught up with UP manager Greg Gaeta at the Proctor baseball Raider Classic. We talked about the upcoming legion season. Read on to see Gaeta's thoughts. For the full audio interview, which includes Gaeta's thoughts on the newcomers and two season-ending injuries, click here: http://www.uticaod.com/sports/legionbaseball/x765550528/Legion-Baseball-Audio
AD: There's a lot of competition on your schedule. How much do you think that helps the kids in the long run?
GG: Ideally when we schedule the non-league games, we try to play teams around here because it's economical and it's easier. But when we go to tournaments, we try to make sure there's some good competition in the tournaments because we want to get better. Especially the young guys, a lot of the young guys will go out there and get thrown out right into the fire against some really good teams and it kind of wakes them up to what legion baseball is.
AD: Looking at the all-star team from last year, you have two all-stars returning in Abounader and VanDreason. How important is it to have them coming back this year?
GG: Well, we lost six guys I think. We lost the bulk of our order, so you need to have some stability coming back and some things you can count on. Even for the young kids, they come up and they weren't here last year, they need to go out there and have the confidence of T.J. pitching and have some guys that have the experience.
AD: Also looking at the all-stars from last year, Omes and Mason are gone. How big of a shot is that?
GG: I mean that's the heart of the order. If I remember correctly, our order was somehow Omes and Mason and Weber and Arcuri. Those are the 2, 3, 4, 5 guys in the line-up and those guys are gone. It happens almost every year. Generally the guys you lose are the better guys.
AD: So who are looking at to be the leaders this year?
GG: Well the natural would be the two college kids, VanDreason and Mazzara. But other guys, I look at this team out here. Perrotta's played, Perrotta's a senior this year. He's played four years now, so he's got enough experience and knows what it takes. So those guys probably. You know, we're young. We have a lot of young guys. The only two kids that graduate are those college kids, Mazzara and VanDreason. So off the team, we'll only lose two players this year.
AD: Will you look at (Perrotta) to be an everyday player this year?
GG: Absolutely, yes.
AD: Do you have a position in mind?
GG: No. We actually have quite a few positions that I'm not sure about. The one thing I like about the team is most of the guys we have are versatile, they can play multiple positions. So getting into that routine of the starting line-up and the rotation of who does what when who pitches and that kind of thing, it's going to take some time this year.
AD: What do you like most about this team?
GG: I like the versatility. We're young. We're only going to lose two players; none of it is pitching. And I think pitching is probably one of our stronger points this year and we're not going to lose any of it.
AD: How about something your team might have to work on?
GG: Offensively, I'm concerned because I'm not sure what kind of line-up we're going to have and how guys are going to adjust. The thing that you have is a lot guys that have experience on the team, but not everyday players...Can they step into the role and produce on a daily basis?
AD: What would you say, at this point, would be an ultimate goal for the team?
GG: We should go out there and compete to win the county every year.
AD: The way you talk about it, you're more concerned with what your guys are doing than with what everybody else is doing. Talk about that a little.
GG: Absolutely. First off, it's too hard to pay attention. Second, that's out of your control. The only thing I can do is get my guys out there and get them better...I need to get my guys to perform and get them to understand how to compete...That's the only thing you can do as a coach. That's the only thing you can do at all.
Kudos & Cancellations
I just wanted to extend my congratulations to the Proctor and Whitesboro high school baseball teams. Well done boys!
And because of their success, the legion season will be delayed for some teams. League play was set to kick off on Friday night with Helmuth-Ingalls taking on Whitestown at SUNY-IT and Fort Schuyler playing Moran at DeLutis, but these games have been postponed. The Helmuth-Whitestown game is rescheduled for June 20th. No word yet on a make-up date for the other game.
Having said that, best of luck to both Proctor and Whitesboro in the regionals and states - relish the moments guys. We went to regionals and the final four my senior year at NH, and it was an awesome experience.
Last thing - check back tonight - I'll have two more preview Q&A's posted - New Hartford and Utica Post (both with audio).
Until then, take it easy legion fans...
And because of their success, the legion season will be delayed for some teams. League play was set to kick off on Friday night with Helmuth-Ingalls taking on Whitestown at SUNY-IT and Fort Schuyler playing Moran at DeLutis, but these games have been postponed. The Helmuth-Whitestown game is rescheduled for June 20th. No word yet on a make-up date for the other game.
Having said that, best of luck to both Proctor and Whitesboro in the regionals and states - relish the moments guys. We went to regionals and the final four my senior year at NH, and it was an awesome experience.
Last thing - check back tonight - I'll have two more preview Q&A's posted - New Hartford and Utica Post (both with audio).
Until then, take it easy legion fans...
Monday, June 2, 2008
Oneida County Preview
Hey guys. Just wanted to give you a heads-up that our season preview article will run in tomorrow's (Tuesday's) Observer-Dispatch. Be sure to pick up a copy and check it out. And feel free to come on here and share your thoughts about it. Whether you agree or disagree with my outlook, feel free to voice your opinion here. This site is a forum for you - the legion fans.
Also, check back tomorrow and Wednesday. I'm going to do my best to get a few more team previews up - should have Adrean, New Hartford and Utica up by Wednesday night. I've also been trying to contact the Love and Sherrill coaches as well to get something up here for them, but my attempts have been unsuccessful. I'll keep trying for you guys though! And I haven't forgot you Whitestown fans. I've been in contact with coach Englehart and he would prefer to hold off until after the high school season.
Last thing...I'd love to hear your thoughts on the blog. If you guys have any suggestions or comments on how we can make this better, I'd love to hear it. I think we can do some really good things with this throughout the season. Like I said, this is a forum for you and your input is important.
Also, check back tomorrow and Wednesday. I'm going to do my best to get a few more team previews up - should have Adrean, New Hartford and Utica up by Wednesday night. I've also been trying to contact the Love and Sherrill coaches as well to get something up here for them, but my attempts have been unsuccessful. I'll keep trying for you guys though! And I haven't forgot you Whitestown fans. I've been in contact with coach Englehart and he would prefer to hold off until after the high school season.
Last thing...I'd love to hear your thoughts on the blog. If you guys have any suggestions or comments on how we can make this better, I'd love to hear it. I think we can do some really good things with this throughout the season. Like I said, this is a forum for you and your input is important.
Team Preview: Smith Post 24
Manager Tony Abone Sr., Coach Tony Abone Jr.
Losses: T.J. Abone, Marc Capponi, Joey Mazzaferro, Carl Tardugno.
Returning Players: Zack Ciccotti (C), Dustin Colgan (P/OF), Ryan Cooke (P/OF), Alex Kierpiec (P), Ryan Kramer (SS), Nate Mallinder (3B/OF), Ryan Marquette (P/1B), Jason Nowicki (IF), Kyle Richardson (P/OF), Josh Seaton (IF), Mike Stevens (P/2B), Matthew Wanner (C).
Newcomers: Tryouts in progress.
I just had a short conversation with Smith coach Tony Abone Jr. He said that tryouts for his team are in progress (started last night) and he expects the team to be selected by the beginning of next week. But, with a solid core of players returning from last year’s team, he still offered me some of his thoughts on the upcoming season. Check out what he had to say below:
AD: You have a lot of guys coming back from last year. What does that mean for your team?
TA: Coming off of the success of last year’s team, we have that nucleus coming back of Ryan Marquette, Jason Nowicki, Kyle Richardson, Ryan Kramer and Nate Mallinder as position players now with a year of experience under their belts, some of them with two years. With that in mind, we’re excited. We’re excited to get started. Having said that, a couple of our college guys didn’t play at school…They’re in good physical shape, but we need to get them in baseball shape.
AD: A lot of people think you’re the team to beat. What are you thoughts on that and who else do you see as being the contenders?
TA: At this point it’s very hard to predict that. Everything always looks good on paper…Coming off of last year, and with some of these teams, my thought would be Whitestown. They have some great pitching coming back. Adrean Post was a very young team. Coach Milazzo and Macchione, I think they’re going to do a great job there. And you can never count out New Hartford. John Randall and Jonesy (Greg Jones) always have those guys ready to play…Really though, I think it could be six, seven teams in the hunt. That’s what makes American Legion baseball so exciting around here…On paper it looks good, but so do the Yankees…You’ve got to execute, things have to fall your way.
AD: Can you tell me if Joe Melioris will be part of Smith and what that would mean to your team?
TA: Joe is a very good talent. Unless there is some character flaw or something like that, I would see him as being part of our team. He’s shown in high school that he’s one of the better pitchers around. We’re excited to have him blend with the returning players that we have and I know the returning players are very excited to have a player of his caliber join the team.
AD: Any other thoughts you want to share with me about the upcoming season?
TA: We’re excited to get started. I think the players, as a team, we may have overachieved a little bit last year. We kind of came together at the right time at the end of the year. We’ve just got to hope to carry that through. We can’t get complacent. I’m excited about having new players and a good mixture this year so we can do some good things and do some teaching. As coaches, you love bringing in new players and teaching them…We’ve got to get on the field and execute and make some good plays.
Losses: T.J. Abone, Marc Capponi, Joey Mazzaferro, Carl Tardugno.
Returning Players: Zack Ciccotti (C), Dustin Colgan (P/OF), Ryan Cooke (P/OF), Alex Kierpiec (P), Ryan Kramer (SS), Nate Mallinder (3B/OF), Ryan Marquette (P/1B), Jason Nowicki (IF), Kyle Richardson (P/OF), Josh Seaton (IF), Mike Stevens (P/2B), Matthew Wanner (C).
Newcomers: Tryouts in progress.
I just had a short conversation with Smith coach Tony Abone Jr. He said that tryouts for his team are in progress (started last night) and he expects the team to be selected by the beginning of next week. But, with a solid core of players returning from last year’s team, he still offered me some of his thoughts on the upcoming season. Check out what he had to say below:
AD: You have a lot of guys coming back from last year. What does that mean for your team?
TA: Coming off of the success of last year’s team, we have that nucleus coming back of Ryan Marquette, Jason Nowicki, Kyle Richardson, Ryan Kramer and Nate Mallinder as position players now with a year of experience under their belts, some of them with two years. With that in mind, we’re excited. We’re excited to get started. Having said that, a couple of our college guys didn’t play at school…They’re in good physical shape, but we need to get them in baseball shape.
AD: A lot of people think you’re the team to beat. What are you thoughts on that and who else do you see as being the contenders?
TA: At this point it’s very hard to predict that. Everything always looks good on paper…Coming off of last year, and with some of these teams, my thought would be Whitestown. They have some great pitching coming back. Adrean Post was a very young team. Coach Milazzo and Macchione, I think they’re going to do a great job there. And you can never count out New Hartford. John Randall and Jonesy (Greg Jones) always have those guys ready to play…Really though, I think it could be six, seven teams in the hunt. That’s what makes American Legion baseball so exciting around here…On paper it looks good, but so do the Yankees…You’ve got to execute, things have to fall your way.
AD: Can you tell me if Joe Melioris will be part of Smith and what that would mean to your team?
TA: Joe is a very good talent. Unless there is some character flaw or something like that, I would see him as being part of our team. He’s shown in high school that he’s one of the better pitchers around. We’re excited to have him blend with the returning players that we have and I know the returning players are very excited to have a player of his caliber join the team.
AD: Any other thoughts you want to share with me about the upcoming season?
TA: We’re excited to get started. I think the players, as a team, we may have overachieved a little bit last year. We kind of came together at the right time at the end of the year. We’ve just got to hope to carry that through. We can’t get complacent. I’m excited about having new players and a good mixture this year so we can do some good things and do some teaching. As coaches, you love bringing in new players and teaching them…We’ve got to get on the field and execute and make some good plays.
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