17-Expos

Back to back doubles by Matt Ballinger and Carlos Castaneda in the top of the ninth inning gave the Americans a 9-8 victory in the 18AA All Star Game at the Lantana Sports Complex June 19. Ballinger cranked his second two bagger of the game off the center field fence and Castaneda followed by driving a shot to the gap in right center scoring Ballinger with the winning run. Earlier, Ballinger had driven in a run with a sacrifice fly. The Americans took a 1-0 lead in the first on back to back doubles by Yoendry (Yo) Perez and Dave Duritsa, then widened the lead with three more in the third. Perez singled in one with the bases loaded, and Duritsa followed with a two-run double to left. The Nationals cut the deficit to 4-3 with a three run third inning. Two walks, an error and a passed ball accounted for one run. Pete David and Les Husted had RBI singles to cut the Americans’ lead to one. The Nationals took their only lead of the game with two runs in the fourth. Three walks, two steals by Jason Levy, an RBI hit by John Guadagnino and a throwing error made it 5-4. The Americans tied it at 5-5 in the fifth. Mike Castelluccio scored on a bases loaded wild pitch. Both teams scored twice in the sixth. Hits by Scott Stimzer and Nick Castelluccio, a walk, two passed balls and a sacrifice fly by Matt Ballinger made it 7-5 in favor of the Americans, but the National squad tied it with two in their half. Patrick Mullin beat out an infield hit and Husted reached base on catcher’s interference. Chris Laforge singled to left to drive in one run with Husted scoring on a throwing error on the same play. John Pacifico’s run scoring single in the seventh put the Nationals ahead 8-7, but the Americans again tied it in the eighth on Joe Stone’s sacrifice fly, scoring Bruce White who had singled and moved to third on two wild pitches. Ballinger, who commutes from Orlando for league games, was selected as the game’s MVP and was presented with an NABA All Star MVP plaque. Yo Perez led all hitters with three hits, and Duritsa knocked in three runs for his team with a pair of doubles. Husted had two hits to lead the Nationals. All players received NABA All Star Selection commemorative shirts. The outstanding defensive plays of the game were a diving catch by the Nationals’ center fielder Brett Siew that led to a double play on a ball hit by Golson, and shorstop Laforge’s diving stop of a ball hit by Mike Castelluccio, turning it into a 6-4-3 twin killing. The 18AAA All Star game was scheduled for Friday, June 21 at 7PM at the Lantana Sports Complex.

Glenn Kelly has retired after 50 years of calling games. Glenn has turned over the reins of his Amateur Umpire Development (AUD) program to Jeff Roth, a graduate of the Wendelstedt School of Umpiring. Jeff will be working with Bernie Ginsburg to provide umpires for our league for the remainder of the season. Glenn has not only been a great umpire, but a terrific umpire trainer and organizer. Most of all, a good friend. Congratulations, thanks, and best wishes to GLENN KELLY, our UMPIRE EMERITUS!!!!!

ROCKETS CHANGE TEAM NAME TO---GUESS WHAT? ROCKETS. OTHER NAME CHANGES---CARIBBEAN STARS NOW LOS TIGRES. EXPOS NOW RENZO YANKEES. THREE 18AA TEAMS CHANGE NAMES---DOZEN ROOKIES ADDED THROUGH TRYOUTS The defending league champion Rockets now have TWO NEW sponsors for the 2002 season. Sports Attic at Lantana Road, just west of Jog Road is the second major sponsor of the Rockets. El Mariachi restaurants, a chain of four dining spots featuring Spanish/Mexican cuisine in Broward County, is also on board. The two will replace Sports Page as the team sponsor. So as not to slight either sponsor, the team will be known simply as the ROCKETS. The Rockets won both the 2001 Spring and Fall Leagues, as well as the NABA's Hall of Fame Wood Bat National Tournament at the Baseball Hall of Fame in Cooperstown, NY last July. The Caribbean Stars have changed their team name to Caribbean Tigres (TEE-grays). The team name was inspired by a legendary team from the Dominican Republic. Disappointed by the Stars' somewhat lacklustre performance in both the spring and fall 2001 leagues, club spokesman and coach Nick Adames said "It's time for a change", adding that the club will be seeking "fun and enjoyment first, the wins will come later". As the Stars, the Caribbean team managed by Nick's father Santos Adames, won three league 18AAA titles in the past and have finished runnerup two years running in the NABA's Las Vegas Tournament. The Expos have also been busy and the 18AA Fall League champs will take on the team name of Renzo Yankees in honor of the pizzeria restaurant that has entered into a major sponsorship with the team. Welcome the Patriots to the 18AAA league. The team played under the banner Body Perfect Pulse, but decided to name the team Patriots. Good decision since the New England Patriots won the Super Bowl and because millions of true patriots have emerged since the tragic events of September 11, 2001. Three 18AA teams have changed names as well. The latest are the Rangers, who now become the Marlins. Earlier, the Braves changed their team name to Team USA and the WPB Yankees switched to the Atlantic Sails. A dozen rookies have joined Palm Beach League teams through the Open Tryouts and league draft held on Sunday, March 3. Third baseman Tim Scharf of Pembroke Pines revealed a strong bat from the left side and was the first overall pick. He was selected by the 18AA champion Expos who will be entering the 18AAA league this spring. Centerfielder Mark Wynder, 19, of Lake Worth was chosen by the Body Perfect Pulse with the second pick. The Pulse has yet to announce their new team name for the spring season. The Mariners took middle infielder Kevan Allen, 18, of West Palm, with the third pick. The remaining nine draftees were selected by 18AA teams. They are: veteran Palm Beach league player James Sansenbach (C-IF, Atlantic Sails, formerly WPB Yankees); Mitch Block (OF, Palm Beach Rockhounds); Chaz Freshaur (IF-OF, Green Space Royals); Matt McKeown (C-IF, Team USA (formerly Braves)); Herb Robb (IF, Yankees); Jordan Chuster (IF-OF, Atlantic Sails); Jesse Josephson (IF-P-OF, Palm Beach Rockhounds); Lou Medved (CF-P, Green Space Royals); and Jim Kamm (P-3B, Yankees).

---Baseball and Las Vegas have a lot more in common than you might think, a poor man’s guide to our national pastime and our national playground. ACE---Three or four of these at a poker table or a video machine in Las Vegas and you’re sittin’ pretty. Unless somebody catches a straight, a flush or a full house to top your three bullets. Or a straight flush or royal flush to beat your four aces. Don’t worry though, three or four aces will win you most pots. In fact, in five card stud a pair of aces or even ACE HIGH can win you a pot. Now if your team is headed for the NABA Last Vegas Tournament May 26-28, better bring at least one ACE pitcher. A pair is better, three of a kind better yet, and if you come to Las Vegas with FOUR aces, we might as well get the championship trophy ready for you. You’ll be walking in the tall corn. STICK---The guy (or gal) who wields the rake at the craps table. Also known as Stick Man or the Sticker. He almost always rakes it in for the house, but if you’re lucky he may rake some chips your way. On the ball field, though, you’re going to need some good stickers to win. Big hitters in the middle of your lineup is a start. If you have a whole team full of stickers, you might want to start thinking about treating your team to some Las Vegas Tournament Championship jackets to go with the nice awards we supply. SPLIT A PAIR---A pair of picture cards or aces and you’ll think about splitting a pair at the blackjack table. Try not to split a pair (of games that is) on the opening day of the tournament, but if you do you’re not out of it. If you split a pair and lose both at the table it could cost you. It you split a pair in baseball you’re still very much alive. DOUBLE DOWN---Did the dealer just deal you a King and a Queen? As long as the dealer doesn’t turn over 21, it’s big winnings---twice as much as you started out with. In baseball, doubling down the line leads to big innings. JACKPOT---You can hit the jackpot in Vegas, whether it’s in the casino or on the ball field when you walk away with the championship. With the NABA Las Vegas Tournament on your team’s calendar, if you lose at the tables you might win on the ball fields. And, if you lose on the ball fields, you may win at the tables or slots. It’s a pretty good gamble at that. Of course it’s no gamble at all when you book into one of our three downtown host hotels---Main Street, California Casino or Fremont. Great restaurants, shows, beautiful rooms that are reasonably priced, and the great atmosphere of Fremont Street and Downtown Las Vegas. And baseball besides. Better than even money you’ll have the time of your life, WIN, LOSE OR PUSH. By the way, the 40’s and 50’s divisions will be using wood bats in Las Vegas which should add to the enjoyment. Call the national office at 1-800-621-6479 or click on Tournaments. VIVA LAS VEGAS. THREE SEVENS OR THREE BARS TO EVERYONE. NABA SPOTLIGHT LEAGUE OF THE MONTH WESTCHESTER-ROCKLAND NABA---WOOD BAT LEAGUE WITH A HEART OF GOLD The Westchester-Rockland NABA (WRNABA) is anything but a one-man show. It‘s a model for group operation and cooperation, as well as community involvement in charitable organizations. In its second year of NABA affiliation, the league was founded in 1996 and operates as a corporation headed by League President and Commissioner Steve Madey. Steve is a highly respected certified umpire who took time off from calling balls and strikes to oversee the league’s new national affiliation in 2001. Under his leadership, the WRNABA located just north of New York City, has expanded from ten teams to fourteen for the coming season and has become a WOOD BAT league, featuring nine inning games. Professionally, he is the Executive Director of United Cerebral Palsy for Westchester and Putnam Counties. Madey has plenty of help, though, from his executive board made up of team managers and other advisors. Chris Jones, manager of the Tarrytown Point Lookouts is the league’s director of operations, responsible for all field relationships and schedule development. He is also Madey’s right hand man on umpire management, media relations, non-profit world and community relations and oversees the selection of the league’s best defensive players as head of the WRNABA’s Gold Glove Committee. Chris’ Lookouts team reached the finals of the 2001 Hall of Fame Tournament in Cooperstown, NY after finishing 17-3 in league play. Chris is the Vice President of Corporate Communications for Marsh, Inc. the world's largest commercial insurance brokers. Jones also sits on the board of directors of the Goodwill Sports and Education Association. Scott Perlman, manager of the Pleasantville Red Sox, is the WRNABA's Director of Code and Conduct, as well as the league's webmaster responsible for all changes to the league’s site. In 2001, Scott handled the development and continued improvement of the WRNABA rule book during the league's change in affiliations. He also chairs the league rules committee which handles conduct infractions. Scott has led his team to two league championship (1999 and 2000) and as a pitcher was named the league’s MVP in 2000. He played college ball at Union College. Scott is a special ed teacher in the Pleasantville (NY) school system. WRNABA NOTES---The WRNABA Board consists of six others, including a treasurer (Mike Kaseman), as well as liaison, rules and advisory members…..The league has established a Players Council to hear from players who have complaints….. The league may expand to 20 teams or more in 2003 after discussions with a nearby independent league in Rockland County. No less than six different groups have petitioned the WRNABA to join the organization…….The tragic events of September 11, 2001 had a profound effect on the WRNABA, which has many players who worked at the World Trade Center. Canceling plans to send a team to Phoenix for the NABA Championship Tournament was just one of the many side effects. More importantly, almost everyone in the WRNABA was affected personally. The league has vowed that from the tragedies of last year will rise a new spirit of togetherness and enjoyment for the greatest game in the world. For more, check out the league website at http://www.eteamz.com/WRNABA/ PRESIDENT’S UPPER DECK-We are in the process of establishing a President’s Upper Deck, a password-protected section of our national website where League Presidents will be able to find all of the appropriate interactive forms they need for a smooth operation. Among the forms we’ve created so far are an NABA League Planner, NABA Insurance Certificate Request Form, At Bat Package Options Form, All Star Game Order Form and Championship Game Order Form. The national office will supply League Presidents with a password that will allow access. We plan to develop other forms that will make communication between our local leagues and the national office a lot quicker and more efficient. For a sneak preview of the forms, click on Presidents Only on the home page. COLLECTIONS ASSISTANCE-The national office is now making available to all leagues the services of a national collections agency. If you’ve been hit with an NSF check and have tried continuously to collect and have not been successful, the national office can help. We stress that assistance can be provided for particularly troublesome situations, not just the standard collection of team fees. All League Presidents might experience some collection problems from time to time. However, when it surpasses a certain level of tolerance, League Presidents will be able to assist. We are in the process of developing an interactive form which will be placed on the President’s Upper Deck. NABA TRYOUTS-Mar 10-Charlotte (NC), Flagstaff (AZ), Washington (DC) Mar 16-Susquehanna Valley (PA) Mar 17-No.Virginia (VA), Salt Lake City (UT). San Angelo (TX), Washington (DC), Raritan Valley (NJ) Mar 24-Nashville (TN), Tampa-Hillsborough (FL) NABA LEAGUE OPENINGS-Mar 10-Orange County (CA), Ventura (CA), Baton Rouge (LA) Mar 17-Central Valley (CA), Denver (CO), Fresno (CA), Sacramento (CA)

CLICK HERE TO FIND YOUR TEAM'S OWN WEBSITE. All Palm Beach League teams have a website of their own within this website. You can use it to enter your team's roster, photos, schedule, stats and other valuable information. We've designated the team manager and/or coachs as administrators, so editing access will be limited only to them. However, your players may enter by requesting access from the team website administrator. To access your team's own website, click on TEAMS on the left side of his home page, find your team name, then click on it and you're there. Eteamz is very easier to work with and in a matter of minutes you'll be able to use it. Click on ADMIN on your team website to make changes. If you cannot gain access, please notify me. You may need a new USER NAME and PASSWORD.