18-Grip Shield Glory Days

Baseball is the only major sport where... The defense has the ball. Where only the defense can touch the ball. Where the manager wears the same uniform (as his players). Where you score and the ball doesn't. Where the field includes all the geometric shapes. Where you hit a round object with another round object (and hit it square) Where only one player wears a mask. Where there is no time limit (except of course in the NABA and other Adult Leagues because we have to get all the games in before the sun goes down because we can‘t afford to turn on the lights every week). ============================== Baseball Players Prayer Lord, give me the strength to hit the ball And if I do, don't let me fall Help me to pick the pitch that's right Then let me knock it out of sight. Then let me run with deer-like grace Don't let me miss, but tag first base Then on to second, stay with me, Lord, Cause this one out, we can't afford. Then let me zoom like a flying bird Right down the line and on to third Then let me slide with feet out-thrust Across home plate in the swishing dust BUT FIRST OF ALL, DEAR LORD, I PRAY JUST TELL THE COACH TO LET ME PLAY! =================================== SOME PEOPLE THINK BASEBALL IS JUST A GAME…. THEY ARE WRONG!!!! Baseball is about reaching deep inside yourself to catch the ball that can’t be caught…. And to hit the pitch that can’t be hit…. It is about the soul…. Baseball is about bad hops, bad breaks, bad throws and bad calls… It is about striking out and making errors…. It is about overcoming all those things…. Baseball is about kids who become stars…. Stars who become heroes… And heroes who become LEGENDS ============================================================ BASEBALL (as explained to a foreign visitor) You have two sides, one out in the field and one in. Each man that's on the side that's in, goes out, and when he's out, he comes in and the next man goes in until he's out. When three men are out, the side that's out comes in, and the side that's been in goes out, and tries to get those coming in, out. Sometimes you get men still in and not out. When both sides have been in and out nine times including the not outs, THAT'S THE END OF THE GAME!

18AA ALL STAR GAME-Tuesday, June 29, 2004-at Lantana Sports Complex The Americans rallied for two runs in the bottom of the ninth, including a daring, two out double steal, to nip the Nationals 11-10 in the spring league’s 18AA All Star game. Pat Moroney (Dobson Roofing Hurricanes) drew a leadoff walk, but was forced at second on a comebacker to the mound off the bat of Hurricanes’ teammate Fred Carr. Blair Craven (Cubs) reached on an error, and with two outs, Ramon Serpa drove in the tying run on a bad hop single to right field. Then, with Brian Vail (Cubs) at bat, Serpa stole second and Craven stole home for the winning margin. The Americans took an early 4-0 lead. Louis Ortiz (Sharpe Cardinals) struck out three in the first inning, but two of them reached on wild pitches and Ortiz issued a third wild toss. Fred Carr (Hurricanes) and Steve Grove (Los Potros) had singles in the inning. Lee Holmes (Hurricanes) singled in two more in the second . The Nationals scored singletons in the third and fourth. Jeff Schector (Expos) reached second on a two base error, moved to third on a passed ball and scored on a single by the Yankees’ Hicidro Ortiz. O’Neill Ramos (Los Potros) was called for a balk that allowed Max Johnson (Cardinals) to score, making it a 4-2 lead for the Americans. Jim Bergman (Hurricanes) made it 6-2 with a two run single in the fourth inning, scoring Moroney, who had doubled and Craven, who was hit by a pitch and stole second. The National Division scored two in the fifth on a double by Andy MacFarland (Cardinals), two outfield errors and a wild pitch, but the Americans made it 7-4 in the fifth on singles by O’Neill Ramos, Rivera and Holmes. A weird five run sixth inning gave the Nationals the lead. Louis Ortiz, Randy Castricone (Seminoles) both singled and Edwin Perez (Cardinals) drove in Ortiz with a base hit. Castricone scored and Perez circled the bases on a wild throw from the outfield to tie it at 7-7. Johnson walked, stole second and third. After Holmes replaced John Dobson (Hurricanes) on the mound, Mike Pitti (Seminoles) drew a pass, then engineered a double steal with Johnson swiping home to make it 8-7. Pitti moved to third on a grounder and scored on a wild pitch. Singles by MacFarland, Hicidro, and Louis Ortiz in the 7th widened the Nationals’ lead to 10-7. The Americans scored a pair in the 8th. Dobson walked, Ramos was hit by a pitch and Rivera singled to load the bases. De la Cruz singled to score one run, but Ramos was cut down at the plate on a great throw from center fielder Johnson. Ramos was also ejected on the play for violation of the no collision rule at home. After Yo Perez (Cardinals) replaced Hicidro Ortiz on the mound, Juan Panta’s infield roller plated Rivera. That set the stage for the Americans’ winning rally in the ninth inning. Serpa, who had three hits, including the game tying single in the 9th, and the steal that triggered the winning tally, was selected as the game’s Most Valuable Player and received an NABA commemorative plaque. Dax Rankine (Cubs) who pitched a scoreless ninth, received credit for the win. Yo Perez was tagged with the loss. The game was marred by some field deficiencies. Three easy outs were turned into singles by bad hops, all on the second base side.

NATIONALS DOWN AMERICANS 9-3 IN 18AAA ALL STAR GAME A pair of big innings carried the Nationals to a 9-3 victory over the Americans in the 18AAA League’s spring All Star game at the Lantana Sports Complex on Thursday, June 23, 2004. The Nationals took the lead with a three run first inning. After Emilio Vargas (Twins) led off the game by reaching on an error and stealing second, his Twins’ teammate Melvin Bruno, singled him in. Matt Bautz (Indians) clouted a double to right field, scoring Bruno. Bautz moved to third on an infield hit by Diego Santos (Twins) and scored on a sacrifice fly to left by Ricky Dominguez (Twins). The Nationals added four more in the fourth. Vargas singled, stole second, moved to third on a throwing error and scored on Bautz’s RBI single past third base. Another error and a walk loaded the bases for Francis Dinzey, who smacked a two run single to right to score Bautz and Santos, and Dominguez scored when the throw from the outfield skipped past the catcher. The Americans cracked through with an unearned run in the fourth inning on a two out single by the Pirates’ Perry Menschel. That scored Jason Alice (Boynton Red Sox) who had walked and took second on a passed ball. The Nationals got that run back in the fifth when Billy Campbell (Indians) doubled and scored on a single by Indians’ teammate Duane Cyr. Blake Rus (Rockets) doubled to lead off the sixth for the Americans and scored on a single by the Rockets’ Mike Draper. The Americans posted another run in the seventh on a double steal by the Boynton Red Sox’ Chris Barulic (Home) and Aaron Hancock (second base). Barulic singled, moved to second when Jason Russianoff (Glory Days) was hit by a pitch and advanced to third when Hancock hit into a fielder’s choice putting runners at the corners. The Nationals closed out the scoring in the eighth on a double by Dinzey and an RBI single by team manager Nelson Sanchez (Twins). Dinzey was selected as the game’s Most Valuable Player. He was two for three with a double and two run single. He also had four putouts and three assists at shortstop, starting a double play, and pitched the final inning for the Nationals, striking out the side. Bautz also had a fine game with a double and a single, both of them driving in a run. Vargas had one hit and two steals for the Nationals. Bruno, Santos, Sanchez, Campbell, Cyr and Jim Oberdier (Rockhounds) had one apiece. Seven different players, five of them from the Rockets, had one hit apiece for the Americans. Billy Brescia, Nestor Sanjurjo, Brian Fitzsimmons, Rus (double), and Draper (RBI) had one apiece, with Menschel (RBI) and Barulic getting one each. Pete Fuster (Twins) pitched two scoreless innings to earn the victory. He was followed to the mound for two innings each by Marino Vasquez (Los Tigres), Dave Caruthers (Rockhounds) and one each by Jared Green (Indians), Bruno and Dinzey. Draper pitched the first two innings and took the loss. Chris Zehetmaier (Red Sox), Matt Schnelly (Pirates), and Menschel (Pirates) worked to innings apiece, and Willie Martinez (Rockets) pitched one. NATIONALS (9)--Emilio Vargas (Twins) 1-3, 2 runs; Melvin Bruno (Twins) 1-3, run, one RBI, one strikeout; Matt Bautz (Indians) 2-3, double, single, two RBIs, 2 runs scored; Diego Santos (Twins) 1-2, run, base on balls; Ricky Dominguez (Twins) 0-1, run, RBI, base on balls; Francis Dinzey (Los Tigres) 2-3, double, single, run, two RBIs; Jared Green (Indians) 0-3; Ariel Rodriguez (Los Tigres) 0-2, base on balls; Nelson Sanchez (Twins) 1-3, RBI, one strikeout; Bill Campbell (Indians) 1-3, double, run, one strikeout; Duane Cyr (Indians) 1-3, RBI, one strikeout; Jim Oberdier (Duffy's Rockhounds) 1-2, base on balls; Dave Caruthers (Duffy's Rockhounds) 0-2, one strikeout; Pete Fuster (Twins) 0-3, two strikeouts); Marino Vasquez (Los Tigres) 0-2, two srikeouts. NATIONALS TOTALS 11-38, 9 RUNS, 8 RBIS, FOUR BASES ON BALLS, NINE STRIKEOUTS. AMERICANS (3)--Aaron Hancock (Orioles) 0-3; Billy Brescia (Bru's Room Rockets) 1-3, two strikeouts; Nestor Sanjurjo (Bru's Room Rockets) 1-2, base on balls; Brian Fitzsimmons (Bru's Room Rockets) 1-2, base on balls; Willie Martinez (Bru's Room Rockets) 0-3; Blake Rus (Bru's Room Rockets) 1-3, double, run, two strikeouts; Brad Barbaccia (Orioles) 0-3, one strikeout; Chris Zehetmaier 0-1; Mike Draper (Bru's Room Rockets) 1-3, RBI, one strikeout; Derek Kuryliw (Boynton Red Sox) 0-3, one strikeout; Jason Alice (Red Sox) 0-0, run, two bases on balls; Matt Schnelly (Pirates) 0-2, one strikeout; Perry Menschel (Pirates) 1-2, one RBI, one strikeout; Chris Barulic 1-1, run, base on balls; Jason Russianoff (Glory Days) 0-1 AMERICAN TOTALS 7-32, 3 RUNS, 2 RBIS, FIVE BASES ON BALLS, NINE STRIKEOUTS. LINE SCORE Nationals 300 410 010-9-11-1, LEFT ON BASE-7 Americans 000 101 100-3-7-4, LEFT ON BASE-9 Errors-Sanjurjo, Zehetmaier, Alice, Russianoff, Dinzey Doubles-Bautz, Campbell, Dinzey Stolen Bases-Vargas 2, Hancock, Barulic Caught-Fitzsimmons Double Plays-Nationals 1, Americans 1 Hit by Pitch-Russianoff (by Green) Passed Balls-Cyr, Bruno, Russianoff Sacrifice Fly-Dominguez PITCHING NATIONALS-Fuster (Twins) (W) 2 IP, 2 hits, 0 runs, one K; Vasquez (Los Tigres) 2 IP, 1 hit, 1 run, 0 ER, 2 BB; Caruthers (Rockhounds)2IP, 1 hit, 1R, 1ER, 3BB, 2K; Green (Indians) 1IP, 1H, 1R, 1ER, 1K; Bruno (Twins) 1IP, 1H, 1K; Francis Dinzey 1IP, 3K AMERICANS-Draper (Rockets) (L) 2IP, 3H, 3R, 2ER, 1BB; Zehetmaier (Red Sox) 2IP, 3H, 4R, 1ER, 1BB, 4K; Schnelly (Pirates) 2IP, 2H, 1R, 1ER, 1BB, 3K; Menschel (Pirates) 2IP, 2H, 1R, 1ER, 1BB, 1K; Martinez (Rockets)1IP, 1H, 1K Time of Game: 2:48 Umpires-Jim Wilson (P), Bernie Ginsburg (B) MVP-Dinzey Managers-Nelson Sanchez (N), Rick Brescia (A) Coaches-Tim Bautz, Michael Paine (N)

SEVENTEEN PLAYERS ADDED TO PALM BEACH LEAGUE ROSTERS THROUGH TRYOUTS Some brand new players, returning ones and fall league players who've switched teams made up the list of seventeen drafted by six Palm Beach League teams in the spring tryouts held at the Santaluces Complex on Sunday, Feb. 29. Will Ford, 19, from Jupiter was the first pick of the Boynton Red Sox who are moving into the 18AAA Wood Bat League after a successful campaign in the 18AA Fall League. Ford showed ability in the outfield, infield and on the mound in Sunday's trials. He played with the Rockies in the Fall 18AAA league. The Rockies took 26-year old outfielder David Gabrielson of Lake Worth and Carl Pultz, 28 year old first baseman-third baseman from Lantana. The Pirates, who played as the Red Sox in the 18AAA league in the fall and now managed by Scott Woronick, selected a former Palm Beach League player. Jason Liberto, 33year old third baseman from Lake Worth, formerly played with the NABA White Sox in the late 1990's. The Rockets made one selection and picked up a versatile type in 29 year old Damien Tullier (pronounced Tool-yay). Tullier is a middle infielder but can play just about any position. 18AA selections included 23-year old outfielder Nelson Godoy of Greenacres and 24-year old lefthanded hitting outfielder Kevin Rubel of West Palm Beach. Both were selected by Duffy's Palm Beach Seminoles. The Yankees, dropping into the 18AA league after playing in 18AAA in the fall, wound up with brothers Hicidro Ortiz, a 30-year old middle infielder who played with the Rockies in the 18AAA league in the fall and 22-year old outfielder Jose Sime of Boynton Beach. Steve Ausdenmoore's Cardinals will have a bevy of newcomers as they drop down to the 18AA league after several years in the upper league. They selected Adam Sallas, a 22-year old second baseman from Jupiter. The other new Cardinals, who were invited to practice sessions are: Ed Cooper, 33, (1B-OF from Wellington) who played with the Atlantic Sails (18AA) in the fall and Tom Dudley, 33 OF-Pitcher from Lake Worth; Kevin Morrison, a 28-year old first baseman; 34-year old Edwin Vasquez, a second baseman; Malvin DelaCruz, a 19-year old second sacker; Edgar Santos, 18-year old outfielder and Lino Batista, 26 year old outfielder, all from West Palm Beach. Batista played with the Seminoles last season.

SEVENTEEN PLAYERS ADDED TO PALM BEACH LEAGUE ROSTERS THROUGH TRYOUTS Some brand new players, returning ones and fall league players who've switched teams made up the list of seventeen drafted by six Palm Beach League teams in the spring tryouts held at the Santaluces Complex on Sunday, Feb. 29. Will Ford, 19, from Jupiter was the first pick of the Boynton Red Sox who are moving into the 18AAA Wood Bat League after a successful campaign in the 18AA Fall League. Ford showed ability in the outfield, infield and on the mound in Sunday's trials. He played with the Rockies in the Fall 18AAA league. The Rockies took 26-year old outfielder David Gabrielson of Lake Worth and Carl Pultz, 28 year old first baseman-third baseman from Lantana. The Pirates, who played as the Red Sox in the 18AAA league in the fall and now managed by Scott Woronick, selected a former Palm Beach League player. Jason Liberto, 33year old third baseman from Lake Worth, formerly played with the NABA White Sox in the late 1990's. The Rockets made one selection and picked up a versatile type in 29 year old Damien Tullier (pronounced Tool-yay). Tullier is a middle infielder but can play just about any position. 18AA selections included 23-year old outfielder Nelson Godoy of Greenacres and 24-year old lefthanded hitting outfielder Kevin Rubel of West Palm Beach. Both were selected by Duffy's Palm Beach Seminoles. The Yankees, dropping into the 18AA league after playing in 18AAA in the fall, wound up with brothers Hicidro Ortiz, a 30-year old middle infielder who played with the Rockies in the 18AAA league in the fall and 22-year old outfielder Jose Sime of Boynton Beach. Steve Ausdenmoore's Cardinals will have a bevy of newcomers as they drop down to the 18AA league after several years in the upper league. They selected Adam Sallas, a 22-year old second baseman from Jupiter. The other new Cardinals, who were invited to practice sessions are: Ed Cooper, 33, (1B-OF from Wellington) who played with the Atlantic Sails (18AA) in the fall and Tom Dudley, 33 OF-Pitcher from Lake Worth; Kevin Morrison, a 28-year old first baseman; 34-year old Edwin Vasquez, a second baseman; Malvin DelaCruz, a 19-year old second sacker; Edgar Santos, 18-year old outfielder and Lino Batista, 26 year old outfielder, all from West Palm Beach. Batista played with the Seminoles last season.