Major League Preview to a championship

The 11-12 season winds down this weekend as teams finish off the rain-out games from the rainy month of May. At this point in the season there is only one game with any meaning as the Red Sox have captured the second half championship. The first half champion Rangers will face the second half champion Red Sox on Monday at 6:00 to determine the 2010 11-12 champion. Both teams have had solid seasons and have arrived at the championship game on opposite ends of the spectrum. The first half of the season was all about the Rangers as they swept through with a rain shortened record of 10-1 which far outdistanced the next opponent. The second half was controlled by the Red Sox who, at the time of this article, are sporting a record of 11-1 with one game remaining tonight.

 The championship game on Monday should be competitive as the top two twelve year old pitchers will square off on the mound to decide it all. Austin Carlisle has put together a solid second half for the Rangers while the Red Sox counter with Ryan Hatten who has been the Red Sox ace the entire season. I can’t think of a better way to end the regular season than see these two teams square off to send the season out in style. Let’s pack the park for this one!!

 

Side Note: Congratulations to the 9-10 National Red Sox who fought off a determined Yankee team to win the National League title on Tuesday night, 8-7.

 

On to the All-Star season!!! Please send in those big hits and scores so we can honor these kids who are working so hard.

Championship Weekend Review

Championship weekend was everything it was expected to be. I was fortunate to catch some final scores and had the pleasure to see the “AA” Reds and Yankees game in its entirety.  As usual we will begin at the bottom and move our way up.

“A”

The National League Indians were once again the cream of the crop in the “A” National League as they waltzed, easily, to the second half crown and the overall title for the 2010 season so these little guys were spectators during the day’s festivities. Congratulations to the Indians on a great season.

American League

The American League had two fine teams competing for the league crown. The 1^st half champion Braves and the 2^nd half champion Cubs squared off on field 8 in a winner take all duel. The Cubs entered the game with the slight advantage, having defeated the Braves 10-3 in the last meeting between the two, but on this day the Braves were ready and able to finish the task at hand and that task was winning the 2010 “A” championship.  When the dust settled the Braves had the trophy in hand, defeating the Cubs 18-5. Way to go Braves!

“AA”

American League

The “AA” division had playoff games in both leagues. The first game pitted the first half champion Phillies and the Braves, who tied the Phillies for the second half championship. This game would determine the second half champion and, if necessary, there would be a second game to settle it all if the Braves won the first game. Both teams entered the game on a roll. The Braves were on a seven game win streak and the Phillies had won the previous five out of six. The Phillies came out throwing knockout blows as they jumped out to what I and almost everybody in the crowd figured was an insurmountable lead. The problem was, there was no time limit and the game would be played to the final out. The Braves shook off the cob webs and battled back to put the Phillies on the brink of defeat only to have the Phillies regain their composure and finish off the Braves by a score of 15-13. This game had enough emotion to fill an entire season. Hats off to both teams!!

National League

The National League championship game between the Yankees and the Reds had some serious electricity in the air before the start of the game. It seemed as if the fans were anticipating a Yankee victory possibly because they were the defending 2009 champions and the Reds were trying to defeat the Yankees for the third time this season or it could have been pre-game tension from the Yankees because they hadn’t beaten the Reds all season. Adding more drama to the moment was the fact that these two had just played on Friday with the Reds winning 7-6. This one was intense.

The game itself lived up to the pre-game drama but not in a way you would expect a 7-8 year old game to unfold. The defenses, not the offenses, of both teams ruled the day. I pity any all star team that has to face the National League All Stars because, in my opinion, there were enough players on both of these teams to fill an all star roster and there are three more teams to choose from. These two teams made plays that the 11-12 year olds would be envious of. The future stars of the league are primed and ready to represent Goodlettsville for the next few years.

In the end, the Reds produced enough runs to subdue the Yankees and win the 2010 league championship, 5-1. It was truly a great game to watch as a fan and both teams deserved a loud round of applause.

“AAA”

American League

You know what’s coming………..REDS…………REDS…………….REDS……………..REDS…………………

Champions again!!!! The ring of destiny fit quite nicely thank you as the Reds defeated the Braves on Saturday to clinch the second half and avoid a three-way tie for the second half championship. The LONG six year wait has ended!!! Way to go Reds!!

National League

As was expected, the National League contenders couldn’t get across the finish line without tripping over themselves along the way as the Yankees lost Friday night to give the Red Sox a clear path to the second half title only to see the Red Sox fall flat on their face by a determined Mets team on the following day which allowed the Yankees, once again, to have a chance to force a second half playoff by defeating the defending champion Cubs. PHEW!!!!!!!!! Did you get all of that????

The Yankees managed to crawl across the finish line to force the playoff which will be played tomorrow evening, June 8th. If the Yankees win, both teams will take a short break and play another game to determine the National League champion. If the Red Sox win, the National League title is theirs. I have absolutely no idea how this one will unfold. All I can say is come by the park tomorrow night and check it out.

Major League

The Major League season lasts one week longer than the rest of the league and the likely second half champion will be the Red Sox who enjoy a three game lead over the Phillies after defeating the Reds 12-0 Sunday behind the dominate arm of Ryan Hatten. The championship game for the big boys will be on Monday June 14, 2010 between the first half champion Rangers and most likely the defending champion Red Sox.

 

The All Star season begins in a few weeks. Good luck to every player fortunate enough to make the team in each division. Go Goodlettsville American and National Leagues!!!!

Championship Week Primer

“A”

 

Ok, we finally have some up to date information on the “A” division so here goes. The Indians, at this point, are reminiscent of the Spanish tradition, the running of the bulls. The Indians represent the bulls and the rest of the National League teams are the people in the streets, running for their lives. The Indians took no prisoners all season long!! Congratulations to the 2010 National League champion tribe for a great first and second half season!

American League:

The American League was a tale of two halves. The first half was all about the Braves and their run to a perfect season. The second half was under the rule of the Cubbies as they took down the Braves 10-3 and continued to run the table undefeated up to this point with one game remaining versus the Tribe, who are undefeated as well. The Cubs are the second half champ and will play the Braves in a winner take all championship for the 2010 American League championship on Sunday at 1:00. These are two very good teams so come by and watch Goodlettsville’s future stars battle it out. This one will be full of entertainment.

“AA”

American League

The “AA” American League has come down to two teams worthy of claiming the second half championship. The first half champion, Phillies stand at 7-2 and hold a one game lead over the Dodgers who sport a solid 6-3 record. The Phillies end the season versus a tough Reds team while the Dodgers finish versus the Diamondbacks and the Red Sox. The Dodgers should hold on to finish the second half with three losses, but the question of the day remains. Can the Reds help out the Dodgers and hand the Phillies their third loss or will the Phillies hold on and win the second half by a game over the Dodgers and claim the 2010 championship outright? Stay tuned…..

National league

The “AA” National League has developed into a two team race between the defending champion Yankees and the first half champion Reds. The Reds are guaranteed no worse than a playoff for the 2010 championship but I believe the Reds would rather win over the Yankees tonight to pull even and force a second half playoff with a championship game if necessary. We will have some nervous coaches in the dugouts tonight!!!! Check it out if you are out and about this evening.

“AAA”

American League:

REDS****REDS****REDS****

Everybody chant with me! It is looking more and more like the big red machine will once again stand on home plate to receive the 2010 American League championship trophy after six long years. This proclamation may be slightly premature, but I have faith. The challengers to the Reds claim to the crown are the Braves and the Dodgers. The Braves control their destiny as they face the Reds in the final game of the season to try to pull even. The Dodgers are a helpless bystander, rooting for the Braves in hopes of making it a three-way affair for the second half title. It seems as if destinies ring is fit snugly on the Reds finger.

Turn around award:

I would like to congratulate the Dodgers coaching staff for a fine job in turning the fortunes of the team around in the second half. The Dodgers had one lonely win in the first half and have since turned this team into a contender. My hat is off in respect.

 

National League:

The National League race has been anything but civil this season. Al Pacino said it best; “Just when I try to get out, they pull me back in.” Words the Yankees can relate to. The Yankees raced out to a two game lead over the Red Sox, only to have the league reach up and pull them back into the fray. Now we are left with two teams racing neck and neck for the second half finish line. The Red Sox hold the advantage as they have only one game remaining versus the Mets while the Yankees have two remaining versus the Braves and the Cubs. Not an easy task with the title on the line. It seems as if destiny is also shining brightly on the Red Sox as it is on the American League Reds. Two new champions are poised to claim the thrown.

Major League:

Hamburger Hill was a pool party on a hot summer day for the Major Red Sox this past week. Faced with, in my opinion, an impossible task of having to face the Reds and Rangers (2x) in the same week, the Red Sox shrugged off the scheduling massacre in waiting and waltzed through unscathed. The Red Sox, now 8-0, are in total control of the second half with five games remaining. The ten game winning streak has given the Red Sox a three game lead over the leagues closest competitor. Two more wins and the defending champions will claim the second half and turn their attention to the first half champion Rangers on Tuesday night June 15.

Turn around award:

What an incredible coaching job the Phillies staff has accomplished. This team had players abandoning ship before the season started and all these guys did was roll up their sleeves and get to work. The season started slowly as the Phillies lost the first seven games before claiming their first win. At this point, most teams would pack it in and quit trying but not the Phillies. The staff kept the team focused and before long, the team was rewarded with a four game win streak in the second half to move into second place. The Red Sox finally ended the Phillies win streak but not after being knocked to the canvas a few times by this dramatically improved team. Unbelievable job guys!! Look out for this team next year. They are on the right track. The winning track!!!!

 

Good luck to every team competing for league championships!

The Week That Was: Minor League and Major League Version

 

Now we are getting down to the “nitty gritty;” The point in the season where dreams are realized or mashed into unpleasant memory. Unfortunately, we don’t have all the results for this week but I will try my best to be as accurate as possible.  Note: The “A” and “AA” will be omitted as I do not have enough current information to report accurately.

 

“AAA”

The 9-10 second half season is coming around the final stretch with a few teams still jockeying for position for the final push across the finish line. It has been a roller coaster ride for many and a new champion will be crowned in both leagues as the American Rays and National Cubs couldn’t overcome the challenges facing them this season. Let’s take a look at the National League race first.

National League

The National League was all about the Yankees in my last report but things have recently changed as the Red Sox have pulled even with a record of 5-2. The Cubs lost a tough one to the Rockies to fall one game behind and at this point in the season with the number of games left, I think the Cubs will not get a chance to repeat as National League champions for 2010. My best guess is the Red Sox will hold on and take the second half and complete a season sweep to become the 9-10 National League Champions. The Red Sox finish the season against the Mets while the Yankees finish versus the Cubs. The odds favor the Red Sox in this instance. If not, a playoff will be in order to determine the second half champion.

 

American League

The American League is still under the huge foot of the Reds. The Big Red machine has continued its climb to the top of the heap and from my point of view will finish off the second half ahead of the pack. The surprising Dodgers and the steady Braves are one game back sporting records of 4-2 as of Saturday’s games.

The Braves still control their fate as they catch the Reds the last game of the season while the Reds have a tough game versus the Rockies before they have to lock horns with the Braves. We could have a second half tie in store but my gut feeling says the Reds will “get err done” and win the second half out right and the overall championship as well. Two more wins and the Reds return to the winner’s circle, a place they haven’t graced in six long years. Can they do it? We will see. Go Reds (Whisper) J

Major League

WIN STREAKS!!

The premier league in the park has seen some impressive winning streaks this year. The Rangers winning the first ten games of the season was very impressive when you acknowledge the fact they were one pitcher short while Austin Carlisle was nursing a sore arm. That had to be the most impressive thing that any team has accomplished this season. Since the run, the Rangers have fallen back to the pack, struggling through the second half with 3 wins and 4 losses.

Speaking of streaks, what about the Phillies? The Phillies took their lumps in the first half but have really turned it around in the second half reeling off four wins in a row to move a half game ahead of the Reds for second place.

The third winning streak belongs to the defending champion Red Sox who have gone on a small streak themselves in the second half. The Red Sox have won nine consecutive games dating back to the final two games of the first half and sport a second half record of 7-0.

Major League Prediction revisited

I have stated, at least twice, that I thought the Reds and the Rangers would battle it out for the second half championship due to a more favorable schedule compared to the Red Sox. Apparently the Red Sox didn’t agree with my feelings on the matter and proceeded to take on the three game gauntlet set before them, knocking off the Rangers twice and the Reds once to complete a very improbable three game sweep for the week. The three wins give the Red Sox a little breathing room for the second half title as they now sport a three game lead over their closest competitor.

Contrary to popular opinion, the second half isn’t quite over as the Red Sox have to face the Reds, again, on Wednesday (which, coincidentally,  gives them a four game stretch of Rangers, Reds, Rangers, Reds), the Phillies on Thursday and the White Sox on Saturday. The powers that be that re-schedule these games must really dislike the Red Sox.

After last week’s events, it does appear as if the second half championship will now go through the Red Sox and the Rangers are now preparing for a one game playoff versus the second half champion to determine the 2010 Major League Champ. The Phillies and Reds are the best bet to challenge the rest of the way and the Red Sox face both teams back to back this week on Wednesday and Thursday. Sounds like a familiar theme for the Red Sox huh? Let’s see how they handle this new challenge set before them.

 

Minor League Prediction revisited

I wrote at the end of the first half that I liked the Rockies chances of winning the second half championship in the National League, “The Rockies are for real.” I kind of got that one wrong as well as the Red Sox and the Yankees are the two teams scratching and clawing their way to the second half finish line. We may have a second half tie between these two with a playoff at the end to determine the second half champion. There aren’t enough games left for anyone else to be included in the mix. The Cubs and the Rockies need the Mets to play their best game of the season versus the Red Sox to have any chance of moving into a tie.

Unfortunately I don’t have any information about the 7-8 and 5-6 divisions so we will have to wait until next week. Hopefully there will be some information available at that time.

 

Ok, the first half is in the books so we can finally focus on the second half where things tend to get interesting. Let’s begin our journey with the 5-6 division and move upward shall we.

 

“A”

The 5-6 division is out of the second half gates with the Cubs from the American League and the Indians from the National League taking the early lead. Both teams are undefeated, having both beaten the previously undefeated Braves in the same week. The Braves were trying to get through this week undefeated to possibly run the table for the season but came up short.

National League

The Indians are once again separating themselves from the pack in the National League. I am still confident they will win the second half to complete the season sweep and take the National League crown unopposed.

American League

The Cubs are being pushed by the surprising Tigers which have turned it around from a 4-3 start in the first half to post a 3-1 record thus far in the second half.  The Cubs still have a little work to do to secure the second half championship as they have to face the Tigers and the Indians to finish out the season. Stay tuned because 5-6 year olds are, as Forrest Gump would say, “like a box of chocolates, you never know what you’re going to get.”  They can play great one day and the next look like the bad news bears which is the beauty of 5-6 baseball.

“AA”

American League

In the 7-8 division we have a three-way battle for the second half lead in the American League. The Braves and Dodgers have posted a record of 4-3 while the Phillies are leading with a 5-2 record. The Braves or Dodgers need to continue their great play to keep the pressure on the Phillies. The Phillies in the meantime are on cruise control knowing they have the first half championship in the books and are guaranteed no worse than a championship game for all the marbles if they happen to lose the second half. Winning the first half is such a huge advantage.

National League

The National League race has become a two team affair between the Yankees (defending champs) and the Reds. The Yankees have steadily improved as the season has progressed and are in position to win the second half and force a playoff with the Reds for the overall championship. They still need the Reds to cooperate and lose another game but I don’t think the Reds are willing to comply so it looks like a second half playoff is in store with a possible championship game at the end of the season to decide the league champion.

“AAA” Minor League

The Minor League up to this point has been very entertaining. Both races should go down to the last week before anything is decided.

National League

In the National League we have the Yankees surging out to a 4-0 record and a comfortable two game lead. The Cubs and first half champion Red Sox are hot on their tail and both get a shot at the Yankees at the end of the season so this one isn’t over yet. Check back soon.

The American League is an absolute free for all as four of the six teams in the league have one loss. The Reds and Diamondbacks are in the lead with 4-1 records while the Dodgers and the Braves sit a half game behind at 3-1. I am still slightly partial to the mighty Reds because of the six year gap between their last American League championship but anything can and usually will happen to throw a wrench in the equation. Go Reds! I am so unbiased.

 

Major League

The Major League is shaping up to be a three team race for the second half championship. Going into this week (Tuesday-Thursday excluded) the defending champion Red Sox have a one game lead over the Reds and a two game lead over the Rangers who they play twice this week. My previous prediction still stands as I believe the Rangers and the Reds will battle it out for the second half title due to the easier second half schedule and the brutal schedule the Red Sox have to play to finish out the season. Up to this point the Red Sox have proven me wrong but the week isn’t over yet. The defending champs have to survive this week’s gauntlet for me to give them serious consideration.  

PLAYS AND GAMES OF THE WEEK

The Game of the week award was easy even though the 9-10 Reds vs. D’Backs warranted consideration. The Game of the week award goes to the Major White Sox and the Major Reds. This game would have been a nice plot for a Tom Cruise Mission Impossible movie. The mission could have read…”Defeat the Reds after falling behind 8-0 with two outs in the bottom of the sixth. If you choose to accept this mission, a victory of a lifetime could be yours. “The White Sox accepted the mission and a victory of a lifetime is what they achieved. After the bottom of the sixth had ended the White Sox had scrapped and scratched for eight runs to tie the game only to fall behind in the bottom of the seventh, 9-8. The White Sox didn’t flinch as they responded with two runs in the bottom half to seal the win. This is why coaches tell their players to never give up because you just never know.

 

Big hit number one

OLLIE…..OLLIE……OLLIE…..

Ollie Talmadge of the 9-10 Braves does it AGAIN! Earlier in the year I wrote about Ollie hitting a walk-off triple to left field to defeat the Rays. Lightening struck twice because “Big O” hit a carbon copy shot over the left fielders head to drive in the go ahead runs against the Rays AGAIN to seal the victory for the Braves. The Rays have to be glad they are finished with the Braves for the season and Ollie in particular.

No Hitters

There were two no-hitters pitched in the Major league last week. Ryan Hatten of the Red Sox pitched his second “no no” of the season defeating the White Sox while the Reds pitched a combined no-hitter over the Mariners. Congratulations to every player involved.

“Big Hit” TIMES 2 of the week

We have already mentioned Ollie Talmadge of the 9-10 Braves, now we can acknowledge Big John Williams of the 9-10 Diamondbacks. John helped the D’Backs defeat the previously undefeated Reds 10-6 by crushing a walk off grand slam homerun. Nice!!!

Surprise Leader of the second half

The surprise leader in the second half has to be the 9-10 National Yankees. The Yankees are undefeated and enjoy a two game lead over the National League field. Will they hold on and play the Red Sox for the overall championship or will they surrender their lead? As chaotic as the National League has been, I expect the Yankees to fall back to the pack.

Surprise team times 2

The second surprise team of the second half is not a division leader but the way they have turned it around in the second half deserves a mention. The 5-6 Tigers are 3-1 as far as I know (weather) which is a nice improvement over their first half record which was 4-3. Good job guys.

Homerun Hitter Supreme

John Pentecost. Big John has been putting on a power display lately. He displayed that power for a league leading 5^th time last week. His long balls are really impressive to watch. If you want to see some powerful homeruns, come watch the 11-12 Red Sox when you get a chance because they have some kids who can really hit it deep.

 

That’s all we have for now. Hopefully we will get this week in without any serious rain delays........ probably not.                             

It wasn’t easy but we actually made it, somewhat, through the first half of the season. After three consecutive weeks of blissful sunshine and warm temperatures to start the season the last three weeks have really been a pain, and here we are again, fighting another weekend of rain for the third straight week.

On to the first half recap:

“A”

The 5-6 division has shaped up to be a two team race in the American League and a David vs. Goliath battle in the National League. The American League has been all about the Braves to this point in the season. The Braves finished off an undefeated first half in impressive fashion defeating the Phillies 21-3. No TNT drama here, just plain ole’ behind the woodshed bludgeoning. The American Cubs and the National Indians seem to be the only two teams capable of staying on the field with these little guys without coming away from the affair seeing stars and, lucky for us, these teams actually catch the Braves in back to back games starting today (Indians) and Wednesday (Cubs) if we actually get any games in. If the Braves win both games, I don’t see how they could lose another game the rest of the season.

The National League race has been all about the Indians. The Indians finished up the first half with a 5-2 record which was more than enough to claim the first half title. The next best record in the National League was 2-5. The two losses suffered by the Indians were to the Cubs (11-10) and the Braves (16-14). I have a feeling that the Indians will be your second half champion as well as no other team in the division has showed that they can stand toe to toe with them.

 

“AA”

The “AA” division is very similar to the 5-6 division as there are a few teams that have separated themselves from the rest of the field. These teams are the National Yankees, American Phillies, National Giants and the National Reds. The National Reds stayed closely behind the Giants rear bumper and drafted around the National Giants to claim the first half championship outright. The Giants caught a flat tire around the final turn and limped in at 7-2 after winning the first five games. The Phillies and the Yankees provided the crippling damage to the Giants’ first half hopes. The National League second half race should be very interesting as three of the “Big Four” reside in this division.

American League                                             “One is a lonely number:”

I’ve heard that phrase somewhere before……

The poor Phillies are almost all alone in the American League with only one other challenger to the title at this point. The American Diamondbacks appear to be the only threat to the Phillies running away with the 2010 American League championship. The first game between these two produced a very competitive game, won by the Diamondbacks, 14-13. I would expect the same will be the case the next time these two lock horns.

The rest of the Phillies games, other than playing the Reds, Yankees, or Giants, have been pretty uneventful. Let’s hope the Phillies are challenged in the second half by the Diamondbacks or some other American league team because it can be very lonely at the top.

9-10

The 9-10 division was finally settled at Hunters Lane High School during the park’s week of dog paddling. The fields at the quad were still recovering from the flood of a lifetime so the 9-10 division took their show on the road.

American League:

REDS****REDS****REDS

It is a breath of fresh air to see the Reds back on top after the first half in the American League. I have already mentioned that the Reds are six years removed from their last American League championship and it would be nice to see the big red machine standing at home plate receiving their championship trophies in June once again. The Reds had one bump in the road in the first half coming at the hands of the defending American League champion Rays, 12-2. The Rays are not going to relinquish their title with a smile on their face. I fully expect them to fight to the very end as they have averaged 11 runs per contest through the first half. That’s a pretty strong offensive team people.

The Reds not only have the Rays to contend with. The Diamondbacks and the Braves also reside in the American League. The Braves were the last undefeated team in the 9-10 division before losing to the Cubs. They haven’t been able to right the ship since that loss, losing three in a row after opening the season 5-0. The Diamondbacks were also in the mix in the first half but faltered down the stretch to finish at 6-2 with the Rays. The American league is once again loaded with talent across the board and the Reds will be challenged game after game to finish on top after the dust or mud, in our case, settles.

National League:

The National League……. WOW!

If anyone can correctly predict how the National League is going to finish I would like to get a few Lottery ideas from you as well. This division was a complete mess as late as the final two weeks of the first half. At that juncture the Yankees, Cubs, Red Sox and Rockies had a chance to claim the title. In the end, the teams claiming the right to hold the first half championship belt would be settled in a playoff between the Red Sox and the Rockies.  The Red Sox never gave up after falling behind 6-2 in the championship game scoring ten runs in the 5^th and 6^th to finish off the Rockies 12-9 and claim the first half championship belt.

The second half should be just as entertaining as the first as several teams are capable of beating the other on any given day. The schedule is really dictating the outcome of these games with pitching matchups playing a big role. I am going to take a wild guess and say the Rockies will win the second half and play the Red Sox in a winner take all championship game at the end of the season. The Rockies are for real! Minor League teams Beware!!!!

11-12

The 11-12 division has been all about the Rangers the entire season. The Rangers won the first half with two weeks left and have started the second half the same way with a big fat “W”.

The Reds should mount a challenge to the Rangers in the second half based on the way they have played lately. The Reds, in my humble opinion, are the best hitting team in the league and the pitching staff is getting into a groove. The Reds second half schedule is really favorable also.

Speaking of schedules, the Rangers schedule doesn’t look too daunting either as they don’t have two difficult games in a row in the second half. I think it will come down to these two for the second half championship. Schedules and pitching matchups rule the day in this league.

I am sure there are those of you thinking, “What about the defending champion Red Sox?” The way the schedule has been changed due to the weather, I don’t see them having a legitimate chance to challenge. Remember, it is all about the schedule and pitching matchups. The Red Sox have the worst possible schedule in the second half as they have to face the Rangers on back to back days and the Reds on Saturday in the same week. There will be an uneven pitching matchup in one of those three games. The Rangers and Reds do not have the same task before them so their pitching will be in better shape which is why I have those two fighting it out for the second half championship. The schedule seems too difficult for the defending champion Red Sox to navigate. I may be wrong, we will see.

 

Flood of a Lifetime version of The Week That Was…..

 

I have to say that I have seen some flooding at Moss Wright Park and in the city of Nashville in general over the years but the events that took place Saturday May  1st and Sunday May 2^nd qualifies as the worst I have ever seen in my lifetime.  There have been years past where the water has risen up to the parking lot behind field 5, but to have the water rise into the outfield on field 5 and completely cover field 8 was surreal. The 11-12 Red Sox have some pictures of the flood around parts of Nashville, the Gaylord Opryland Hotel and the Opry Mills Mall posted to their team page that is worth taking a look at. Go to the teams/rosters link and find the Major Red Sox link to see the slideshow.

 

This week’s games were in multiple locations around Nashville this weekend and we haven’t received any news other than the 11-12 and a few 9-10 games so we will cover those.

Meanwhile……Over at Hunters Lane High School

The 9-10 division took center stage with the first half on the line for several teams. In the American League, the Reds took all the suspense out of the first half race by sweeping both of their games to take the first half championship with a 7-1 record.

The National League race was a little more interesting as several teams were still hanging on to dreams of winning the first half title. In the end the Rockies took care of their end of the bargain and sat back to see if the Red Sox could follow suit by defeating the Mets and Yankees. The Red Sox were able to take down the Mets 15-3 with Jake Rucker bringing the big stick with a two-run homerun but were given a stern test from the Yankees. If the Red Sox were to join the Rockies in the first half championship game, they would have to battle back from the jaws of defeat. The Yankees had command of the game entering the bottom of the 6^th leading 10-6 but the Red Sox were not to be denied as they rallied in the bottom of the 6^th with four runs to tie the game and send it into extra innings. In the bottom of the 7^th the Red Sox’s Justin Smith ended the game with a two-out walk off home-run to win the game 11-10 and send the Red Sox into a first half championship game tonight (May 11) versus the Rockies.

Rainy Week 5 Abbreviated version of the week that was

 

Aside from a spotting of Noah’s Ark, there wasn’t much going on at the park this week. The two-week rain fest we have been enjoying has everyone pairing up two by two and heading for the ship, leaving the quad to the fish. Fortunately the rain cleared temporarily during the week and I was able to catch the big boys (11-12) and one 9-10 game so this will be short, sweet and a little damp.

 

·         The 11-12 Rangers continue to plow through the Major League division. On Wednesday they wrapped up the first half with another hard fought win over the Red Sox. The score of this one was 3-1 with all of the fireworks coming in the 4^th inning. The Rangers struck first by getting their leadoff and second batters on base with singles over the infielder’s heads and Austin Carlisle cleared the bases with a nice smash to the right center field fence for a triple. Walker Beatty hit a routine grounder to third to bring Carlisle home to end the scoring. The Red Sox scoring came off the bat of Big John Pentecost who promptly parked a hanging breaking ball over the right center field fence.

·         The National Minor League race continues its wacky turns. The National Rockies and National Cubs met Wednesday night and to my surprise the Rockies came away with the win to stay tied with the Red Sox for the first-half championship and push the Cubs back in the pack. If the Cubs are to repeat as National League champs they are going to have to really dig deep the remainder of the season. The rest of the National League seems up to the task this time around the bases in 2010.

·         The American Minor Rays defeated the American Dodgers to stay in the hunt for the American League first half chase. I wasn’t able to watch this game as it was being played at the same time as the big clash between the Red Sox and Rangers and that was the game to watch, but I heard the Rays won big.

GREAT PLAYS OF THE WEEK!

·         Dalton Hall: The 11-12 Rangers’ Dalton Hall has been a rock up to this point in the season. Wednesday night he pitched another 3-hit gem versus the Red Sox to wrap up the first half championship for the Rangers. He also managed a hard fought hit off of Ryan Hatten in the 4^th inning to help his cause and struck out Hatten three times in the game.  The last strikeout secured the win as the Red Sox were threatening with the tying runs on base. Hall has really put his stamp on this team as a team leader the others can rally around. Nice job Dalton!

·         John Pentecost: Everyone remembers the music from JAWS right? (Queue music) The 11-12 Red Sox’s John Pentecost has officially arrived at the quad. Pitchers, RUN FOR YOUR LIVES!!! The coaching staff said it was a matter of time before this man-child brought his swing from the practice field to the game field. I can attest that his practice swing has, indeed, reached field five and is making noise. John hit his first home-run versus the Phillies last week to give him a taste of blood in the water. Now that he has smelled that sweet smelling scent of the baseball, he has become a pitchers nightmare, dorsal fin included. He hit his second home-run Wednesday night versus the Rangers and followed that up the next night with two home-runs and 7 RBI’s in the first inning versus the Mariners. That’s not a typo; he hit TWO homeruns in the first inning giving him four home-runs for the season. The first landed in the street behind the right center field fence some 280’ away. The second wasn’t too far behind as both were crushed line drives. He ended the game with 9 RBI’s. I hope he continues to stay hot as this will really add some spice to the Major division in the second half. The Kid is a BEAST!!!

 

PLAY OF THE WEEK

 

The Play of the week was produced in the Rangers/ Red Sox game Wednesday night.  In the fifth inning Austin Martin of the Rangers hit a hard grounder between first and second. The Red Sox’s second baseman, Hunter McGee, raced to his left and into the outfield grass to make the grab; He continued his momentum to the left, spun around 360° counter-clockwise and made a perfect throw to first for the out. The play was one of those bang-bang plays. This play was just another example of the great skill that is displayed at the quad on a weekly basis. It is really amazing to watch these youngsters play this game at such a high level.

 

PREDICTIONS

 

Well, it looks like the Rockies had other plans in reference to my Minor National League race coming down to the Cubs and Red Sox. It now looks like the Rockies could very well take the first half title outright next week. All that stands in the way of a first half championship, besides a National Red Sox loss which they need, is the National Cardinals. This is a hard working, blue-collar team. I haven’t seen any standout player like I have seen on other teams, what I have seen is a collection of fine baseball players playing as a unit, getting the job done together. That’s the epitome of team sports; playing as one to overcome your obstacles. Well done guys.

As for the rest of the league, let’s get the rain out of here so we can get back to business and settle these first half championships on the field.

 

 

 

Since we have rain today and we’re not able to complete week four, let’s look at what we were able to see from earlier in the week and make some predictions for the first half.

Week 4 Observations:

Major League Supremacy

The Major League Rangers are the team to beat! This team is still undefeated after thrashing the Reds on Tuesday. This was not a roster depleted Reds team, as has been the case for most games this year. All hands were on deck and the Rangers put them on the deck, 9-2. From my perspective, it looks as if this team may run the table for the season. The Rangers are really clicking on every front.

Minor League Madness

The Minor League race is as unpredictable as ever. The games played earlier this week turned the Minor League race AGAIN, into a wide open affair. The Cubs defeated the undefeated Braves and the Rays defeated the first place Red Sox to bring the leaders back to the pack. We now have a three-way tie for first in the American League. The Braves, Reds and Diamondbacks all have one loss and the defending champion Rays are one game behind with two losses.

The National League might as well start over since every team at this point has a shot at the first half championship. The Red Sox, Cubs, Rockies and Yankees have three losses and the Cardinals are one game behind. There are six teams in this division.  My prediction is the Cubs and Red Sox will win their final two games of the first half and play each other in a first half championship game. The edge has to go to the Red Sox with Jake Rucker at their disposal even though the Cubs were able to defeat the Red Sox 6-3 earlier in the season.  

American League Prediction

I have three theories for the American League race. The first is the Reds win out and take the first half title. No drama here. The Reds have been a pleasant surprise.  They haven’t won the American League title for six years since the days of Caleb Mitchell, Myles Hale, Tanner Hale and Paul Kirby. The second scenario is the Reds beat the Phillies and lose to the Braves to finish with two losses. The Braves win out and take the first half title. The third theory has the Reds beating the Phillies but losing to the Braves; the Braves lose to the Diamondbacks but defeat the Reds to finish with two losses and the Rays win out and finish in a three-way tie for the first half championship. I don’t think the Diamondbacks can survive the three-game stretch they have ahead to include them in the mix.

My guess is we will have a three-way tie for the first half championship. That would be a very interesting scenario indeed. The winner will be the team that draws the bye into the championship game. The other two will have to play each other for the right to face the team that drew the bye.

Rest of the league

There hasn’t been any information from the 7&8 division this week so my best guess is the Giants are still undefeated and the Reds are giving chase. Hopefully we will get something in so we can update the status of the teams in the chase for the first half titles.

The 5-6 division hasn’t played any games this week so we have nothing to report until today’s games are rescheduled.

 

4/18/2010                                          Week 3: The Week That Was

 

Another wonderful sunny week has passed and week three is now in the books. Let’s look back on the memories week three brought us.

 

The single A division looks like it may be a one sided affair after the third lap around the bases. The American Braves are undefeated at 4-0 while the rest of the American league has one loss entering Saturday’s games. (Not posted yet) Can the Braves stay perfect or will someone step up and take them down to even the race? We will see.

 

The AA National race is still hot as ever as the Giants remain undefeated and the Reds are hot on their heels with one loss, coming at the hands of the Giants, 13-12. How will the first half finish? Your guess is as good as mine.

 

The Minor National race looked as if the Cubs were going to take command entering the week after catching the Red Sox after week two for first place. Thing is, we had to play week three, and now the National race is as muddy as possible without the rain. The Cubs faltered this week losing both games to fall to 2-3 while the Red Sox were able to stay somewhat upright by posting a record of 1-1, losing to the Dodgers and strong armed pitcher Ryan Lyle and defeating the Rockies by one run yesterday giving them a one game lead over virtually everybody in the league. The Yankees, Cardinals, Rockies and Cubs are all tied for second with identical records of 2-3 entering the fourth lap. It doesn’t look at this point that any team is going to separate themselves from the pack and it is going to come down to the final week of the first half to decide the first half champion; pretty good stuff from these kids.

 

The American Minor League race, for five innings, looked as if it would be all square between the Rays and Braves but a funny thing happened; they had to play the entire one hour and thirty minutes. The Braves only needed the last one minute and twenty seconds to win the game. We will get back to this one later in the game of the week.

 

After three laps, we have the Braves alone on top at 5-0 with the Reds drafting behind at 4-1, going virtually unnoticed. The Rays fall to third after losing to the Braves on Saturday and now stand at 3-2 along with the Diamondbacks. I still think this race still has some legs as the Braves are set to play the Cubs and D’Backs this week, the Reds are scheduled to play the Phillies and Cardinals and the Rays have the toughest task of all, facing the Red Sox and Jake Rucker and the Dodgers and Ryan Lyle. If I was Kippy Brown, head coach of the Rays, I would get some Aleve today and have it handy. He’s going to need it.

 

Now on to the premium league in the park, the mighty Major League. After three laps around the bases the Rangers have taken a comfortable three game lead over the field and enter week four at 6-0. The Reds finally had an entire roster for every game this week and proved they belong among the elite by winning three and improving to 6-3 on the season. The Red Sox had the Reds problem this week of not having an entire starting roster and lost two times to the Reds, falling to third at 4-3. The White Sox stayed steady putting together a 1-1 week and stand at 4-3 also.

 

The fourth lap around is where the men will be separated from the boys as the Rangers enter their first three game week of the season and have to face the Reds who are hungry for revenge after losing 4-2 earlier in the season. Let’s see if they actually have a complete roster this week. If so, look out!

It could get tight after this week because the Rangers and Reds play twice and the Rangers meet the Red Sox the following Tuesday to start their second three game week. I am rubbing my hands in anticipation!!

 

Plays of the Week:

 

 

The Game of The Week:

 

The game between the Minor American Braves and the Minor American Rays was an epic battle of two talented teams. For five innings, it looked as if the Rays were going to walk away with an easy win, which I have to say, I was expecting when I settled in with my popcorn and coke. The score was somewhere around 11-4 after four innings and the Rays, Jayson Brown, had the game in complete control. The problem was; Jayson was at the end of his allotted innings for the week so a relief pitcher had to finish this one off for the Rays. The Braves took total advantage of the situation scoring nine runs in the final two innings. The Rays were a little unlucky as the time was almost expired at the end of the fifth (1 minute and fifteen seconds the score keeper informed me). The Rays defense was too efficient in the fifth and it ended up being their downfall. This is not the first time the clock has been a factor in a game and it will not be the last. The Rays were just unlucky in this instance as Ollie Talmadge ended the game in the bottom of the sixth with a base clearing bomb to left field with two outs. Both teams played well and there were several big plays made by both teams. I fully expect to see another gem the next time these two get together. Congratulations to Ollie for such a big hit for his team!

 

Commissioners please send in those big games and plays to your wonderful web wizard.

 

4/10/2010                            Week 2: The Week That Was

 

The second week of the season brought us several moments worth noting. Let us begin in the 7 & 8 division. This division hasn’t had anything written to this point, but there was one game that stood out. The big game of the weekend was the match up between the Giants and the Reds who were both undefeated entering the game. One team had to lose the game, but neither seemed willing to accept defeat. In the end, the Giants scored one extra run than the Reds, earning the victory 13-12.

 

The 9-10 division has tightened up a bit since the first week. The Rays have righted the ship after a season opening loss to the Phillies. The American Braves are the only remaining team left undefeated. The Braves have the week off until Saturday when they face the Rays. We will have a better idea how the first half will unfold after this week.

 

The 9-10 National League race has become a little tighter after the Cubs bounced back from one of the biggest losses in coach Boguskie’s career, defeating the National Red Sox 6-3. The win moved the Cubs into a first place tie with the Red Sox.

 

The Major League race has gone from three wide racing to single file after week two with an unexpected leader after the second lap. The Rangers, not the Red Sox as expected, are alone atop the standings after their hard fought win Saturday night over the Red Sox, 2-0. The Rangers bats were silent, but they found a way with opportunistic base running from passed balls. Both pitchers were in command the entire game allowing only three hits combined. I wonder how long this one would have lasted if not for the passed balls with runners on third because neither team looked like they had an answer for either pitcher on the mound. With the win, the Rangers are now 4-0 while the Red Sox are 3-1. The White Sox are in third at 3-2.

 

Now on to the plays of the week:

 

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Monday April 5, 2010 The Week That Was

Last week we saw the first Major League and Minor League balls hit out of the park, I was fortunate enough to see both. The Major League honor went to Jonathan Hasselblad who blasted a shot over the right center field fence some 250’ away. This was a big deal because the fences have been moved back 30’ to 230’ for the 11-12 age level and the homerun numbers are expected to be lower than in years past. Time will tell, as we will explore as the season progresses. The Minor League bomb was hit by a nine year old, I thought, but the main page says it was a ten year old. I may be wrong about the age of the player, but I am right when I say the ball majestically cleared the left field score board (Shown in the picture above) and landed close to, if not, in the parking lot street behind field 8. That was some inning the Phillies put together. I was equally impressed how the Red Sox responded after losing the lead the way they did.

 

The race for the Minor League National and American titles will be wide open as I expected and the road will not be as easy for the defending champion Rays and Cubs this time around. The Cubbies opened their season yesterday with a hard fought win over the Mets and the Rays opened with a close loss to the Phillies. After the first week we have the American Braves and American Reds atop the American League standings with the National Red Sox and National Cubs perched atop the National League standings. Almost every game has been competitive to this point as expected.

 

Major League division:

 

The Rangers have looked impressive in their first two games of the season. Their number one pitcher, Austin Carlisle, is nursing a sore arm so they have managed to get by with their star 11 year old, Dalton Hall and reliable 12 year old Alec Nelson. The bats on this team are where they have shined to this point. They are putting the ball in play and forcing the issue on the base paths.

 

The White Sox are another team that has looked strong at the plate early in the season scoring eleven runs in both games they have played. This is a young team and the Young Guns, Terron Smith, Nelson Smith, Austin Richardson, and Ty Sutley are producing! Sprinkle in Creighton Couch and Brett Hall and you have a team that is as dangerous as any.

 

The Reds are battling constant absent players each game to start the season. Coach Randy Hunley has done a masterful job putting a competitive team on the field with the number of top players missing games to this point. Hopefully he can have a full roster at least once this season so he can see how good they can be. They have the talent folks.

 

The Red Sox opened defense of their Major League championship in grand fashion this week, blanking both teams they faced, allowing only one hit in each game. From the looks of things, they aren’t going to give up the title without a fight.

 

 

Jamboree day is here with a new season upon us and my question of the day is; with the talent level so high in the 9-10 age level, will the American League Rays and National League Cubs be able to repeat as league champions? I had an opportunity to watch both teams in the pre-season tournament, that thing that the majors never get to play each year, and I would say that both teams will have a say in whoever wins the league.

 

The Rays are full of Mighty Mites; small players who can really swing the bat and play defense. Coach King calls them a bunch of midgets in a loving way and I would say his assessment is correct. More than I can say about his NCAA tournament bracket. Ryan Kemp, who played here a few years back, would be proud of these guys.

 

The Cubs are an extremely young team with at least 80% of the team nine years old, but that doesn’t bother Coach Bo. He’s been to this dance one or two times before, probably with a few of you reading this article. He always finds a way to prepare his team for the season and every year they are knee-deep in the championship mix. My thoughts after watching them in the pre-season tourney are that they will once again be a team to reckon with.

 

As for the rest of the league, there are twelve teams competing in the Minors with six teams in each and from the looks of things; it will be a very interesting year. Every team, from my account, has a solid number one pitcher and they all seemed to be in pretty good shape with their starting lineup and defense.

 

The sun has come out, a new season is about to begin and the never ending battle for the 11-12 Major League championship is about to begin. 6 teams will once again vie for the coveted championship trophy and from all accounts, the race should be wide open with no true front runner heading into the weekend’s jamboree games.

 

The Red Sox feature the only returning all-star from last years 2009 World Series Runner-up in the 6’0” strong armed, Ryan Hatten. The Red Sox also feature power hitting catcher, Trevor Talmadge, Heath Pentecost, the top pitcher from the 2009 9-10 American League World Series participant and his 5’10” 12 year old brother, John, who is returning to terrorize the league after taking the previous year off.

 

The Rangers are out for revenge after having their 6 year reign as Major League champs snapped by the Red Sox. The Rangers feature the 5’8” power pitcher, Austin Carlisle. Along with Carlisle, the Rangers have a core of solid players to give him plenty of support. Alec Nelson and 11 year old Dalton Hall will give teams trouble all year on the mound as well as with the bats. A return to the top is the focus for this years team.

 

The White Sox were last years Astros and feature a multitude of young talent from last years 9-10 all star team. Head coach Eric Sutley is the new coach this year and brings his multi-talented son Ty in tow. Also new to the squad is the always solid Nelson Smith, Terron Smith and Austin Richardson, who is returning after a years absence. The returning players feature the power hitting Creighton Couch and Brett Hall. This team will be dangerous every game they play and will be next years odds on favorite to take the title.

 

The Phillies were the Cubs from last year and also feature a returning player to the league. Jesse McCoy returns after a year’s absence and from all accounts, looks ready to pick up where he left off. The former 2008 Goodlettsville 9-10 American League State Champion member brings size and power to a young Phillies team that has solid talent across the board. Backing up McCoy will be two players from the 2009 9-10 Goodlettsville American League State Champions, Steven Biggerstaff and CJ Laws. Sebastian Amaro, a 2009 9-10 National League All-Star, will provide consistent all around support.

 

The Mariners were the Indians from last year. The top threat for the Mariners will be the wild and crazy Briley Hankins.  Briley has the size, 5’6”, and talent to carry this team to many wins this season. Two newcomers to the Mariners that will supply solid support will be Josh Brown, who is as good as they come and Chase Snyder who has as much power as any 11 year old in the league. Both players are from the 9-10 National League All-Star State tournament team. Not to be forgotten is the giant 5’11” Jonathan Hasselblad who, as a twelve year old, is looking to help Hankins carry the team to new heights this year.