18-Grip Shield Glory Days

PB Indians 6 Los Tigres 1 Lefthander Brian Holden held the Tigres to a single run in a route going performance, and Jared Green smacked a solo home run as the Indians won their fifth Palm Beach League championship at the Lantana Sports Complex. The five titles ties the Young Guns’ league record for most championships. It was their first, however, since Spring 1998. Holden kept nine hits well scattered, fanning seven and walking only two in a speedy 2 hours, 8 minutes. After Green homered in the second to give the Tribe a 1-0 lead, the Indians scored four unearned runs over the next two innings. A throwing error on a sacrifice bunt by Craig Bautz allowed Derek Alleman to score all the way from first. Bautz later scored on a sacrifice fly by Andy Lewis. In the fourth, an infield error with two outs allowed Jordan Rothman to single in two more to make it 5-1. The Indians added their final run in the ninth on a two out double by Billy Campbell and Lewis’ RBI single. Los Tigres bunched four hits, including two doubles in the fifth, but managed only one run as two runners were thrown out trying to score. Ariel Rodriguez doubled, but Nick Adames was thrown out at the plate. After Jose Yoel Peroso doubled in Rodriguez, Peroso was thrown out at the plate on a strong throw by leftfielder Green after Dinzey’s single. Holden pitched hitless ball the last four innings and retired the last seven to earn MVP honors. Campbell led the Tribe with a double and single. Lewis (2 RBI) had a single and sac.fly. Green (HR), Matt Bautz, Rothman (2 RBI) and Alleman had one hit apiece. Peroso led Los Tigres with a double and two singles. Rodriguez (double), Dinzey, Jose Espino, Miguel Cuello, Adames and Lee Luna also had hits for Los Tigres who wound up outhitting the Indians 9-7.

The Palm Beach Indians shut out Los Tigres 5-0 in a matchup of NABA Palm Beach teams in the annual Labor Day Tournament at Santaluces. Click on the headline for details. Brian Holden fired his second shutout of the tournament, fanning 14 Tigres and yielding only four hits. Earlier in the tournament he had blanked the Orlando Mets in pool play. Billy Campbell led the Indians in the championship game, going 4 for 4 with a home run. Chris Murphy also went deep for the Tribe. It was the only loss of the tournament for Los Tigres. The Indians lost their first pool game 4-3, but proceeded to win their next four to claim the title. Two other NABA teams---the NABA All Stars, managed by Keith Buck, and the Orlando Mets from the NABA league in that city, managed by League President Jorge Munoz, participated in the event.

FALL LEAGUE 2002--CLICK ON HEADLINE FOR DETAILS NABA Palm Beach will open its 22nd season on Sunday, October 20. Due to the closing of Seminole Palms Park in Royal Palm Beach for a ten week maintenance period, we have had to secure a NEW FIELD for the fall season. We will be playing at HALPATIOKEE REGIONAL PARK (Hal-PATEE-oh-kee) in Stuart. This is a brand new facility, 330' down both foul lines and 400' to dead center. The park will have a full concession stand. The ball field has an all dirt infield and because it is a multipurpose field, officials in Martin County will install a portable pitching mound before the start of each day's games. All teams in the league will make at least one appearance at Halpatiokee, some may have two trips there and the northern Palm Beach County based Glory Days will treat it as a "home field". In addition to the new facility, we will also play Sunday games at Fields 1 and 2 at the Santaluces Complex in Lantana, Dyer Park in West Palm Beach and the Lantana Sports Complex. The Lantana field closes down for maintenance during the month of January, but has agreed to host tournament games for the Citrus Classic Wood Bat Tournament January 18-20, 2003. SUNDAY, OCT. 20, 2002---OPENING DAY Overview- Team fee will be $1100 for a 16 player roster, with three dozen NABA logo Wilson A1036 baseballs or $1180 with five dozen balls. $35 for each additional player added once roster has reached 16. Umpire fees will be $55 for 9 inning games, $50 for 7 inning games. 12-14 game season. Midseason All Star game in each league. League shirts for all players, All Star shirts for participants, team and individual awards for regular season (division) winners, team and individual awards for championship game winners, team award for league championship game runnerup team. No games on December 29 (Christmas-New Year’s weekend) and January 19 (Citrus Classic tournament). Playoffs on February 2, with championship games on February 9, 2003. IF YOU WOULD LIKE TO REGISTER IN OUR PLAYER POOL FOR THE FALL 2002 LEAGUE, PLEASE CONTACT LEAGUE PRESIDENT LOU PALMER AT (561) 753-0068 OR BY EMAIL AT FLANABA@AOL.COM.

I'M A BIG GAME PLAYER, IF: 1) I act as if it were impossible to fail. 2) I control my thoughts, they don't control me. 3) I feel strong and in control. 4) I never think can't, don't, won't; only think do, can, and will. 5) I don't have to win to feel good, I only have to do my best. 6) My best weapon is my own discipline. 7) I'm a risk taker. 8) I never get down on myself. 9) It isn't my best day, but I keep battling back. 10) I'm gentle to myself, even in defeat. 11) When I don't play my best game, I learn and I forget. 12) I don't try to impress anyone but myself. 13) When I get behind in a game, I come right back. 14) I always stay cool and calm. 15) I never fail, I always learn. 16) I respect my opponent and they respect me. 17) I never let negative emotions show up on the field. 18) I respect the umpires and never question them. 19) I never let the little things get in my head. 20) I feel like I can win every time I play. 21) My confidence is contagious. 22) I'm a challenger, not a nit-picker. 23) When I need a big hit, I get it. 24) Attitude is everything. 25) I take time to mentally prepare for every game. 26) When I'm on the field, I act like I own it. 27) When situations get tough, I get tougher. 28) I create great games by recalling past successes. 29) When I act confident I feel like a winner. 30) I continuously work on becoming mentally tougher. 31) When I'm on the field I feel relaxed, focused, and powerful. 32) I never give in and I never quit, NEVER!!!

NABA Newsletter JULY-AUGUST 2002 Welcome to the Dugout FIREWORKS IN NABA EVENTS MILE HIGH TOURNAMENT DENVER, COLORADO Warriors, Nashville sky high in Mile High BOHICA UPSET CHAMPS Denver’s Bohica Warriors surprised the Colorado Reds 15-14 to take 18AA honors in the NABA Mile High Tournament. The Warriors built an early 8-1 lead, fell behind by a run, then went ahead for good with three in the 8th. Stacy Soltys singled in a run to tie it and his brother Jaimie Soltys cracked a two run homer for a 14-12 lead. Ethan Lopez singled in an insurance run in the ninth. The Reds scored two in their half, but fell one run short. The Reds had beaten the Warriors in pool play..and were heavily favored to win the tournament. Stacy was the winning pitcher in relief, and also drilled a homer in the first. The Soltys brothers combined for six hits, three apiece, while the Iseli brothers chalked up five. Mike had three, Dave two. Troy Rodgers drove in five with a 3-run homer and two-run single. Matt Jerebker led the Reds with a 3-run blast and six RBIs. The Reds battled back to lead 12-11, but couldn’t hold off the Warriors. NASHVILLE DOMINATES 18A DIVISION The A’s (5-0) trounced the Huskies 24-8 in the 18A finale. PJ Yoder led a torrid offense with five hits, (3 run HR, five RBIs). Shawn Hughes drove in four, three of them with a four bagger, and Trent Gann connected with one aboard. Eric Kohler collected four hits, with two doubles for Nashville. For the Huskies, Brian Smith smacked a grand slam, Brad Engle a solo shot as the Huskies cut Nashville’s early 9-0 lead to 9-7. Shane Hicks, though, stopped the Huskies cold after that with a brilliant relief job (4 2/3 IP, 0 runs, 6K) and the offense blew it open with fifteen runs in four innings to put it out of reach. HALL OF FAME WOOD BAT COOPERSTOWN, NY The Danbury (CT) Barons, one of five teams in the tournament from the Westchester-Rockland NABA and the Denver Bears took divisional titles in the NABA Hall of Fame Wood Bat Tournament in Cooperstown, New York. Danbury defeated the St. Pete Pirates from Florida 9-2 in the 18AA title game, while the Bears shut out the Tri-State Titans (NJ-PA-DE) 5-0 for the 18A crown. Danbury gave MVP Chris DiScali all the run support he would need with three in the first inning. DiScali pitched a complete game seven hitter with five strikeouts. He yielded runs in the second and ninth innings, but was never in trouble. The Barons collected eleven hits, led by Lou Vernagallo with two doubles, a single and an RBI. Scott Marinich, Tom Gergley and Rick Matthews had two hits each. Matt Termillion, Marinich and Troy Lehrer had RBI doubles, and Pete McGowen a sacrifice fly. Matt Joyce, Alan Castro and Jonathon Palencia had two hits apiece and Chris Garrand added one for St. Pete BEARS BLANK TITANS—Chad Thomas pitched a six hit shutout and Joe Collins had a three run homer and two other hits to lead the Denver Bears past the Tri-State Titans 5-0 in the 18A title game. Thomas struck out eleven in earning Most Valuable Players. Collins smacked a 3-run homer in the 7th inning to provide a little extra cushion. Brian Cole led off the second inning with a homer and Scott Wayne singled, and scored on a hit by Derrick Kellin. Ben Brocoli and Tim Fancher had two hits each for Denver. Luis Medina, Willy Colon, Carlos Rodriguez, Enrique Vegas, Manuel Lopez and Edwin Lebron had one hit apiece for Tri-State. Independence Day Holiday Tournament Results Hall of Fame Wood Bat Tournament Cooperstown, NY Seedings in parentheses 18AA Championship (2) Danbury (CT) Barons 9 (1) St.Pete (FL) Pirates 2 18AA Semifinals (2) Danbury (CT) Barons 5 (3) San Diego (CA) Stars 4 (1) St.Pete (FL) Pirates 7 (4) Prince William (VA) Yankees 4 18A Championship Denver (CO) Bears 5 Tri-State (NJ-PA-DE) Titans 0 18A Semifinals Denver (CO) Bears 8 Lancaster (PA) Samauri 2 Tri-State (NJ-PA-DE) Titans 8 Throgs Neck (NY) 5 POOL STANDINGS 18AA POOL A W L T Danbury Barons 3 0 0 Tarrytown Lookouts 2 1 0 Middlesex Bears 1 2 0 New York Knights 0 3 0 18AA POOL B W L T San Diego Stars 2 0 1 Prince Wm. Yankees 2 0 1 Ct. Storm 1 2 0 New York Monarchs 0 3 0 18AA POOL C W L T St.Pete Pirates 3 0 0 Irvington Cardinals 2 1 0 Chemscope Blackbirds 1 2 0 Pleasantville Red Sox 0 3 0 18A POOL A W L T Denver Bears 3 0 0 Tri-State Titans 2 1 0 The Outsiders 1 2 0 Murphy’s Green Sox 0 3 0 California State Championships San Diego, CA 18AA Championship Universal Black Sox 8 San Diego Independ. All Stars 6 18AA Semifinals SD Independent All-Stars 16 SD Sox 12 Universal Black Sox 12 San Diego Trots 7 18A Championship Easton Condors 14 NCSan Diego Ast 1 18A Semifinals NC San Diego Ast 6 San Diego Stars 1 Easton Condors 5 San Diego Heat 1 29A Championship SanDiego 40’s 12 SanBernardino Angels 3 29A Semifinals San Diego 40’s 7 Las Vegas Dawgs 3 SBernardino Angels 8 N.Cnty Dodgers 2 Over 40 Championship Charlie Rose 50’s 15 Arizona Indians 5 POOL STANDINGS 18AA Div #1 W L T SDiego Ind.All Stars 4 0 0 Universal Black Sox 3 1 0 San Diego Sox 2 2 0 San Diego Trots 2 2 0 Scottsdale Mudcats 0 3 0 US Navy All Stars 0 3 0 18A Div #1 W L T Easton Condors 4 0 0 Imperial Vall Red Sox 2 1 0 Baldwin Park Mariners 1 2 0 Phoenix Firebirds 0 3 0 18A Div #2 W L T North County SD Astros 3 1 0 Upland Lugnuts 2 1 0 Berry's Athletic Supply 2 1 0 San Fernando Valley Tigers 0 3 0 18A Div #3 W L T Las Vegas Mudcats 2 1 0 San Diego Stars 2 2 0 So Cal Quakes 1 2 0 Los Angels 1 2 0 18A Div #4 W L T San Diego Heat 3 1 0 Palm Springs Go Yard 2 1 0 Poway Power 1 2 0 Santee Mariners 0 3 0 29A Division #1 W L T San Bernardino Angels 3 0 0 Las Vegas Dawgs 2 1 0 San Diego 40's 2 1 0 North County Dodgers 2 2 0 Phoenix 40's 1 2 0 San Diego Sting 1 2 0 Chandler Sidewinders 0 3 0 40 & Over W L T Charlie Rose 50's 3 1 0 Arizona Indians 2 2 0 Diamonds 1 3 0 Mile High Tournament Denver, Colorado Seedings in parentheses 18AA Championship (3) Bohica Warriors (CO) 15 (1) Colorado Reds 14 18AA Semifinals (3) Bohica Warriors (CO) 8 (2) Sampson’s Construction (CO) 3 (1) Colorado Reds 17 (4) Colorado Cannons 10 18A Championship (2) Nashville A’s (TN) 24 (1) Huskies (CO) 8 18A Semifinals (1) Huskies (CO) 18 (4) Colorado Braves 12 (2) Nashville A’s (TN) 15 (3) Denver Buzz (CO) 12 POOL STANDINGS 18AA POOL A W L T Colorado Reds 3 0 0 Sampson’s Construction 2 1 0 Bohica Warriors 1 2 0 Colorado Cannons 0 3 0 18A POOL A W L T Nashville A’s 3 0 0 Denver Bulldogs 2 1 0 Sky Sox 1 2 0 Bombers 0 3 0 18A POOL B W L T Huskies 3 0 0 Colorado Braves 2 1 0 Knights 1 2 0 Cubs 0 3 0 18A POOL C W L T Denver Buzz 3 0 0 Grizzlies 1 2 0 Dawgs 1 2 0 Lincoln All Stars 1 2 0 League Profile—NABA Rochester, New York Time really does fly when you’re having fun. It may seem a trifle corny, but it’s true in Rochester NABA League President John Scarpelli and the managers and players find it hard to believe that this 2002 season is the ninth for the upstate New York league. Many of the players have been with the league since it started in 1994 and all have stories about returning to the game of their youth. According to Scarpelli, most of the stories aren’t even embellished, although he heard that Phillies’ manager Ed Renica’s dramatic game tying home run at Doubleday Field in Cooperstown, NY is now up to 454 feet. Not bad for a guy who became a grandfather recently. The NABA Rochester league has done an incredible job of bringing out the players, especially when you consider the weather in upstate New York doesn’t break until the middle of May. That causes a later start than most other leagues even downstate. Nonetheless, the 19 teams who are playing in the 2002 season comprise the hot-shot college players to father-son combos enjoying the game together. With over 300 players, it is the largest amateur baseball league north of New York City. The league offers separate divisions for players Over 18 and Over 28. League teams play a 16-18 game season on some of the area’s finest fields and the league prides itself on working with local baseball programs and schools, helping them to maintain their fields in the best possible condition. Positive sportsmanship and competitive rivalries on the field and lasting friendships and camaraderie off the field are the hallmarks of the NABA Rochester league. Scarpelli points out that the teams would rather lose a well played one-run game than win a 14-1 blowout. This season, Scarpelli and the rest of the league have put much more emphasis on maintaining the league’s website. All teams and players are encouraged to contribute articles of their own so when you punch up game highlights you’ll see many different “bylines”. You can find the league’s website at http://home.rochester.rr.com/nabarochester. You can also find it by logging on to the NABA’s national website at www.dugout.org and accessing the Rochester NABA listing. Opening day in Rochester is always a special event, as is the league’s All Star game at Frontier Field, home of the Class AAA Rochester Red Wings. The league also holds a unique “play hooky from work” sandlot day at nearby St. John Fisher College. WRNABA on “hitting” streak in June Congratulations to the NABA’s Westchester-Rockland, NY league. Their league website accumulated over 38,000 points to finish third in the country for the month of June in the eteamz system .Eteamz awards e-points for websites based on the number of “hits” on its websites. The WRNABA is a “wood bat league” that features young college players and prospects. NEW NABA LEAGUES City/League League President Cedar Rapids, IA Kyle Huxford Hollywood, CA John Williams Mid-Michigan Tray Abbey Moline, IL Gary Massey North Louisiana Brandon Ramsey Pittsburgh, PA Adam Kennah Richmond, VA Laura Russell SE Mass/Rhode Island Bob Smith Sioux City, IA Jeremy Gosch Southern Illinois Roman Basi St. Louis, MO Eric Ellis Tampa/Hillsborough, FL Jason Bolduc Tri-State, NJ-PA-DE Tania Garcia Western Arizona Greg Cole It happened on July 4 1905-The Philadelphia Athletics (Rube Waddell) beat the Boston Red Sox (Cy Young) 4-2 in 20 innings. Both pitchers went the distance. Young did allow a walk. 1976-The Phillies’ Tim McCarver lost a grand slam when he passed Garry Maddox on the basepath between first and second base and was credited with a single. The Phillies still beat the Pirates 10-5 at Three Rivers Stadium in Pittsburgh. 1983-Dave Righetti of the NY Yankees no-hit the Boston Red Sox 4-0 at Yankee Stadium. 1984-The New York Mets beat the Atlanta Braves 16-13 in 19 innings in a game that ended just before 4 a.m. July 5. It was followed by fireworks for the 10,000 fans left in the stands. Pitcher Rick Camp’s HR in the 13th tied the game at 13-13. Special Feature—Florida’s Los Tigres go back to roots to bring NABA Baseball to the Dominican Republic Until this year they were known as the Caribbean Stars. For the spring of 2002, the team adopted a new name—–Los Tigres del Caribe, spanish for Caribbean Tigers, a legendary team regarded by some as the New York Yankees of the baseball crazed Dominican Republic. Last month, manager Santos Adames and his coach-son Basilio (Nick) Adames brought their team, made up largely of players from the Dominican, other Caribbeean countries and Central and South America, to the Dominican Republic. Los Tigres wanted to show the Dominicans what American Adult Baseball is all about and they succeeded, winning three of the five games they played against pro prospects and former professionals. The trip was a welcome return home for many of the Dominicans, as well as a once in a lifetime experience for the players born and raised here in the states. Los Tigres has carved somewhat of a national reputation in the NABA. They won three league championships in the Palm Beach, Florida league as the Caribbean Stars, finished runnerup twice in the prestigious NABA Las Vegas tournament and reached the semifinals last October in the NABA’s National Championship Tournament in Phoenix, Arizona. They are currently in first place in the league’s most competitive 18AAA division and are planning to return to Phoenix for the NABA’s biggest event, now called the NABA World Championship Tournament. The “fantasy trip” started with a three game series against a team from the Atlanta Braves’ academy on pristine fields of major league quality, a stark contrast to the rugged town fields that more accurately typify baseball in the Dominican. The academy team consisted of young prospects in their teens, most of them unsigned, along with some veterans with previous pro experience. The games were televised locally with public address systems to keep the crowds informed. It sent chills up and down the spine of Santos Adames as he walked to center field to raise the flag of his adopted United States, flanked by the Braves’ director who raised the Dominican flag. Julian Javier, one of the hundreds of Dominicans to star in the major leagues, threw out the first pitch. You might remember it was Julian who got the only hit off Red Sox’ ace Jim Lonborg, a double off the green monster wall in the 1967 World Series at Fenway Park in Boston. Julian is also the father of another big league star, Stan Javier, who played for several teams including the Dodgers, Cards, Phillies and Giants. The crowds at the Braves’ complex at San Francisco de Macoris (not to be confused with the more famous San Pedro de Macoris) were very loud and very parochial, waving Dominican flags amidst a Caribbean World Series atmosphere. Nick Adames said “they wanted to see us get our butts kicked”. Los Tigres picked up second sacker Pedro Liriano, a Seattle Mariners’ prospect who made the Sporting News’ 2001 All Prospect team with the likes of present major leaguers Josh Beckett and Blaine Neal of the Marlins, Adam Dunn, Carlos Pena, and Carlos Zambrano. Problem is, Pedro’s real age is in dispute. Major league scouts are convinced that he’s seven years older than he’s reported, although he maintains, at 22, he’s only two years older. Los Tigres didn’t really care about his age, but stood in awe of his talents, which they liken to those of Roberto Alomar. Some of the Dominicans’ pitchers threw as high as 94 miles per hour, but Los Tigres was not intimidated taking the series two games to one. In the series finale, as lefty collegian Jeremy Dooley struck out eleven in seven innings, while giving up only one run in a Los Tigres’ 9-5 win.. The Northwood University (FL) impressed major league scouts in the Dominican, giving up only two earned runs, six hits in 12 1/3 innings (1.46 ERA), fanning 17. The scouts loved his movement and sharp curveball. Los Tigres split the final two games in the home towns of Tigres’ outfielder Juan Perez (Castillo) and the Adames family (Jarabocoa). Both are small towns, but characteristically rich in baseball talent producing several professional players. In Castillo, the team encountered a “horrible” field which was considered the town’s best. The result was horrible too as they lost a slugfest 17 to 12. In Jarabocoa (La Vega), the field was a little better and there was local television and a public address system and the result was better too. The Tigres won the game 3-1, shortened by rain but declared “official” by the town in the fourth inning. Los Tigres picked up seven Dominican players, including Liriano, but to the locals, they were all from the states. While the series was great, Nick Adames was disappointed with the umpiring. He was amazed at how little they knew about baseball rules considering they umpired for pro organizations in the Dominican. “NABA umpires are of major league quality compared to those guys”, added the Tigres’ catcher. Following the games, the Los Tigres’ contingent was treated to lots of food, music and trophies. Lots of women were on hand, too. “For the single guys of course”, added the younger Adames). Airport security being what it is nowadays, Nick lost most of the team statistics which he keeps in his “palm pilot” portable minicomputer. The security staff actually reset the machine and detailed stats disappeared. However, Nick reports some very impressive numbers. Dinzey pounded three homers and hit .519. Ariel Rodriguez, the stepson of Santos Adames, batted .429 and cracked the first homer of his life. Antuan Bunkley, who joined Los Tigres this season after several pro and Independent League seasons, hit a pair of homers and batted .412. Nick himself wound up at ..340. Liriano, though, was the big show. He hit three homers, two triples and three doubles while batting .469 as an “adopted” member of Los Tigres. If the age discrepancy can be cleared up, the Adames’ feel he is a future major leaguer. If he doesn’t make it, they like the chances of his 16 year old brother who recently signed a contract with the Oakland A’s. The Tigres’ trip not only provided a great experience for the Palm Beach players, but it may open the way to an NABA tournament and maybe a league there in the future. We will be pursuing that. In the meantime “Mucho, Los Tigres”. That’s spanish jargon for a job well done.