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MVP Ballot Results for Tulare's Spring 2004 Thursday Night League
Posted by Vernon Amaro at Jul 15, 2004 5:00PM PDT
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Gentlemen (And Ladies!), The Winner Is...!!!
Finally, here are the results, in short summary, of the MVP balloting that took place recently in which most of you participated. A special thanks to all who voted by replying to my e-mail messages and phone calls (remember, tournament MVPs will still be selected using our time-honored offensive points system). Fifteen Heavy Metal Softball members were eligible to vote this time, having participated in the Tulare City, Thursday Night, spring 2004 league. In order of highest cumulative point total, with adjoining number of 1st, 2nd, and 3rd place votes, here is this league's MVP and the rest of the worthy contenders:
League MVP: Nelson Vieira (42 total points -- 7 first place votes, 2 second place votes, 1 third place vote. Excellent individual representation, buddy!!!)
1st Runner-Up: Kurt Chambers (23 total points -- 2 first place votes, 4 second place votes, 1 third place vote. Cowboy up, big guy!)
2nd Runner-Up: Lee Garcia (16 total points -- 3 first place votes, 1 third place vote. Our main man in the middle!)
3rd Runner-Up: Frank Fletcher (15 total points -- 1 first place vote, 3 second place votes, 1 third place vote. Mr. Consistency!)
4th Runner-Up: Vern Amaro (12 total points -- 2 second place votes, 6 third place votes. Older than dirt but still contributing!)
5th Runner-Up: Gordon Caudle (7 total points -- 2 second place votes, 1 third place vote. A fine job, despite the injury!)
6th Runner-Up: Gene Hitt, Donny Aguiar (1 total point, tie -- 1 third place vote. Somebody loves ya, guys!)
In the interest of integrity and not wanting to violate any trust, I kept meticulous records of all the oral and online ballots that I received from the 13 members who decided to vote. Despite repeated reminders and for reasons of their own, Wes Avery and Waylon Hawley did not give me any responses and, thus, did not affect any of the above results, though they remained eligible to receive MVP votes and have them posted. But let these be some words of warning: Rule #1 -- If a player decides not to participate in the balloting to determine our league MVP, he will remain unqualified to receive this honor, despite perhaps receiving the most cumulative points (the honor will be bestowed upon the next eligible player in line). This rule has been instituted to enforce fairness with the outcome of the voting -- in other words, as you give, so shall you receive. Two other rules also affect a player's MVP eligibility: Rule #2 -- At least half the games of a league/tournament must be played; and Rule #3 -- The agreed-upon league/tournament participation fee must be paid. I'm sure everyone can see the need for such rules. I, myself, voted for who I thought were three deserving men. Because I am the ballot collector and, also, because the results could possibly hinge upon my final selections, I always believe it is wise to make clear my own personal choices for MVP, hopefully without offending any of my other close friends on the team, who already know that only three choices can be given. My votes, in order, were: Nelson Vieira (1st place vote); Kurt Chambers (2nd place vote); and Lee Garcia (3rd place vote). I will not give any specific reasons for my choices (none of us have to), but I will say that I really appreciated these men for the contributions they made during this league. Furthermore, I find it coincidental that they just so happen to have finished in the final tally by that exact same order! And my votes were the second ones to be recorded this time around -- go figure. In all actuality, everyone on this team is deemed valuable, both on and off the field. I hope all of you will understand this personal feeling of mine, and why I have such a difficult time revealing my selections. But I feel I must. No other selections from specific team members will be revealed unless one of you is curious and wants to inquire, in which case, I'll gladly let you know. And to the eight people who gave me consideration this time around, a sincere thanks to all of you.
As I have mentioned a time or two before, I would really like to promote even more team spirit within the ranks of our members before this year comes to a close. "There's More in Store For 2004" is what I have been saying. The perpetual MVP plaque, our "Circle of Honor," was eventually unveiled at our first team meeting back on February 29th, bearing the names of past recipients, and is to be kept in the current MVP's home until another deserving player is selected (enjoy the 2nd place trophy, also, Nelson -- it's yours to keep!) Also, a Heavy Metal Softball fence banner is being looked into that will grace our future dugouts, letting others know boldly who we are and to take notice of what we stand for -- team spirit, first and always, followed by hard play and sportsmanship. And finally, pay attention to your future e-mail for news concerning the upcoming fall Visalia city league and a tournament or two, most notably the October Bash (Saturday, October 9th -- mark your calendars!), which we will be defending as last year's champions. Stay tuned!
And that's a wrap for now, folks....
Finally, here are the results, in short summary, of the MVP balloting that took place recently in which most of you participated. A special thanks to all who voted by replying to my e-mail messages and phone calls (remember, tournament MVPs will still be selected using our time-honored offensive points system). Fifteen Heavy Metal Softball members were eligible to vote this time, having participated in the Tulare City, Thursday Night, spring 2004 league. In order of highest cumulative point total, with adjoining number of 1st, 2nd, and 3rd place votes, here is this league's MVP and the rest of the worthy contenders:
League MVP: Nelson Vieira (42 total points -- 7 first place votes, 2 second place votes, 1 third place vote. Excellent individual representation, buddy!!!)
1st Runner-Up: Kurt Chambers (23 total points -- 2 first place votes, 4 second place votes, 1 third place vote. Cowboy up, big guy!)
2nd Runner-Up: Lee Garcia (16 total points -- 3 first place votes, 1 third place vote. Our main man in the middle!)
3rd Runner-Up: Frank Fletcher (15 total points -- 1 first place vote, 3 second place votes, 1 third place vote. Mr. Consistency!)
4th Runner-Up: Vern Amaro (12 total points -- 2 second place votes, 6 third place votes. Older than dirt but still contributing!)
5th Runner-Up: Gordon Caudle (7 total points -- 2 second place votes, 1 third place vote. A fine job, despite the injury!)
6th Runner-Up: Gene Hitt, Donny Aguiar (1 total point, tie -- 1 third place vote. Somebody loves ya, guys!)
In the interest of integrity and not wanting to violate any trust, I kept meticulous records of all the oral and online ballots that I received from the 13 members who decided to vote. Despite repeated reminders and for reasons of their own, Wes Avery and Waylon Hawley did not give me any responses and, thus, did not affect any of the above results, though they remained eligible to receive MVP votes and have them posted. But let these be some words of warning: Rule #1 -- If a player decides not to participate in the balloting to determine our league MVP, he will remain unqualified to receive this honor, despite perhaps receiving the most cumulative points (the honor will be bestowed upon the next eligible player in line). This rule has been instituted to enforce fairness with the outcome of the voting -- in other words, as you give, so shall you receive. Two other rules also affect a player's MVP eligibility: Rule #2 -- At least half the games of a league/tournament must be played; and Rule #3 -- The agreed-upon league/tournament participation fee must be paid. I'm sure everyone can see the need for such rules. I, myself, voted for who I thought were three deserving men. Because I am the ballot collector and, also, because the results could possibly hinge upon my final selections, I always believe it is wise to make clear my own personal choices for MVP, hopefully without offending any of my other close friends on the team, who already know that only three choices can be given. My votes, in order, were: Nelson Vieira (1st place vote); Kurt Chambers (2nd place vote); and Lee Garcia (3rd place vote). I will not give any specific reasons for my choices (none of us have to), but I will say that I really appreciated these men for the contributions they made during this league. Furthermore, I find it coincidental that they just so happen to have finished in the final tally by that exact same order! And my votes were the second ones to be recorded this time around -- go figure. In all actuality, everyone on this team is deemed valuable, both on and off the field. I hope all of you will understand this personal feeling of mine, and why I have such a difficult time revealing my selections. But I feel I must. No other selections from specific team members will be revealed unless one of you is curious and wants to inquire, in which case, I'll gladly let you know. And to the eight people who gave me consideration this time around, a sincere thanks to all of you.
As I have mentioned a time or two before, I would really like to promote even more team spirit within the ranks of our members before this year comes to a close. "There's More in Store For 2004" is what I have been saying. The perpetual MVP plaque, our "Circle of Honor," was eventually unveiled at our first team meeting back on February 29th, bearing the names of past recipients, and is to be kept in the current MVP's home until another deserving player is selected (enjoy the 2nd place trophy, also, Nelson -- it's yours to keep!) Also, a Heavy Metal Softball fence banner is being looked into that will grace our future dugouts, letting others know boldly who we are and to take notice of what we stand for -- team spirit, first and always, followed by hard play and sportsmanship. And finally, pay attention to your future e-mail for news concerning the upcoming fall Visalia city league and a tournament or two, most notably the October Bash (Saturday, October 9th -- mark your calendars!), which we will be defending as last year's champions. Stay tuned!
And that's a wrap for now, folks....
Spring 2004 End-of-Season Categorical Leaders -- Thursday Night
Posted by Vernon Amaro at Jul 1, 2004 5:00PM PDT
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)
Some Bragging Rights From Our 2004 Tulare City League Campaign!!!
At the end of each league season, some recognition is always given to those individuals who contributed to the team in some way. The following categories -- most real, some intended for a few laughs -- are mostly from the offensive part of softball; some are just plain offensive! (Have a little sense of humor, guys! Don't get defensive. Get it -- "defensive"! Oh, never mind....) By the way, some new defensive categories have been added this time around, also. So, for what it's worth, here we go:
Tulare City League, Thursday Night, spring 2004
8-2 record: 2nd place (trophy)
OFFENSIVE CATEGORIES --
Most Plate Appearances: Vern Amaro, Frank Fletcher, Nelson Vieira (tie, 36)
Most At-Bats: Vern Amaro (35)
Most Runs: Frank Fletcher (18)
Most Singles: Vern Amaro (17)
Most Doubles: Art Tabacco (5)
Most Triples: Nelson Vieira (3)
Most Home Runs: Kurt Chambers (5)
Most RBIs: Kurt Chambers, Nelson Vieira (tie, 16)
Most Walks: Frank Fletcher (4)
Most Sacrifices: Nelson Vieira (2)
Highest On-Base Percentage: Vern Amaro, Frank Fletcher (tie, .583)
Highest Slugging Percentage: Kurt Chambers (1.094)
Highest Batting Average: Vern Amaro (.571)
Most Hits: Vern Amaro (20)
Most Single-Game Points: Kurt Chambers (34)
Most Offensive Points: Nelson Vieira (112)
DEFENSIVE CATEGORIES --
Most Put-Outs: Joe Machado (34)
Most Assists: Lee Garcia (19)
Most Errors: Donny Aguiar (7)
Highest Fielding Percentage (infield): Vern Amaro (.946 -- inaugural "Gold Glove Award") (Waylon Hawley had a 1.000 fielding percentage, with one put-out, but a minimum 5 games participation must be achieved to receive a team award. If I remember right, Lee got the strikeout, but the put-out is officially awarded to the catcher! Sounds logical to me!)
Highest Fielding Percentage (outfield): Rich Avery, Adam Goltz (tie, 1.000 [no errors!] -- inaugural "Gold Glove Award")
Most Defensive Points: Vern Amaro (31 -- 18 put-out pts. plus 17 assist pts. minus 4 error pts.) (Reminder: +1 point for a put-out, +1 point for an assist, -2 points for each error. In other words, errors "take away" from your overall offensive/defensive effort!)
All of which leads to, if the above stats were used primarily in making our choices...
Most Valuable Player (Tulare City League, Thursday Night, spring 2004): Nelson Vieira (42 total points; by team ballot vote)
And for our "special" categories...
Most Deferred "O-fer Shirt" Wearings: Art Tabacco (2 innings; somehow became allergic to retro tie-dye products as well as developed recurring amnesia in regard to retroactive "O-fer shirt" offerings! Sorry, only "physical" disabilities, such as Gordy's, are deemed acceptable; we all need to fight through the "physiological" ones, a.k.a. "the dark forces"! Remember, this is just in jest, O' Superstitious One!) (And, I might add, Gordy and Adam still owed 1 inning of wear by league's end! What do you think, guys, should we let these go? Hmmmm...!)
Most Non-Appearances: Gordon Caudle (4; of course, he had a good excuse! Unofficially, he has 2 in my book. He gets my vote for most inspirational because he showed up at a couple of games, after getting injured, just to cheer us on. You're a good man, Gordy!) (Donny and Adam were a close second, tied with 3; Art and Joe took third, tied with 2. Some others also were considered, even though their bodies actually made it to the games!)
Perfect Attendance: Vern Amaro, Lee Garcia, Gene Hitt, Nelson Vieira, and, of course, our team statistician, Jerry Amaro (All 10 games; gold stars to all of you!)
Most Memorable Performance: Nelson Vieira (Birthday boy does good! Important occasions sometimes bring out the best in some people -- remember Joe last year after the birth of his first child! This year, on May 6th -- a fine date! -- Nelson proceeded to accumulate 31 points, going 4 for 4, with 1 single, 3 triples, 1 HR, 6 RBIs, 2 runs, 3 bonus points, and a 1.000 BA. He even made his only opportunity for a put-out good, giving him a 1.000 fielding percentage. As close to a perfect game as one can get! You're contributions to the team have not gone unnoticed, big guy!)
Greatest Increase in Batting Average from Last League (Visalia, 2003): Nelson Vieira (+.152, from .407 to .559) (Only two others, Vern Amaro [+.123} and Gordon Caudle [+.097], were eligible for this recognition. Not a good sign!)
Biggest "Plunge" in Batting Average from Last League (Visalia, 2003): Donny Aguiar (-.566, from .882 to .316) (When you're on top, the only place left to go is down -- way down! Just kidding, buddy! Don't worry, eight others joined you in a disconcerting, downward spiral!)
Best Description of Player Performance: "A Work of Art" for Art Tabacco's hitting prowess in Saturday tournaments (contributor: Vern Amaro)
Best Acting Performance by a Player/Manager: Drum roll, please...Vern Amaro!!! (2nd year in a row! Amazing! This is for impersonating, once again, the second baseman/shortstop/catcher -- and spokesperson -- of a pretty darn-good softball team! By the way, were there any other eligible candidates on the team?)
You've been a great bunch of guys to play side-by-side with, men! All kidding aside, I was really proud of our efforts, most especially the consistent team attitude displayed. I tip my cap off to all of you, as I know some of you come to play despite conflicting personal schedules, various aches and pains, balancing family and friends, and putting up with my managerial decisions. Y'all ready for more in the fall Visalia league? I'll see what I can stir up and let you know at a later date. Have a nice summer time-off from the team, stay hungry if playing for other teams, and keep some future tournament dates in mind as we rest our bats and put away our gloves for Heavy Metal Softball...for awhile! In the meantime...keep rockin', guys!
At the end of each league season, some recognition is always given to those individuals who contributed to the team in some way. The following categories -- most real, some intended for a few laughs -- are mostly from the offensive part of softball; some are just plain offensive! (Have a little sense of humor, guys! Don't get defensive. Get it -- "defensive"! Oh, never mind....) By the way, some new defensive categories have been added this time around, also. So, for what it's worth, here we go:
Tulare City League, Thursday Night, spring 2004
8-2 record: 2nd place (trophy)
OFFENSIVE CATEGORIES --
Most Plate Appearances: Vern Amaro, Frank Fletcher, Nelson Vieira (tie, 36)
Most At-Bats: Vern Amaro (35)
Most Runs: Frank Fletcher (18)
Most Singles: Vern Amaro (17)
Most Doubles: Art Tabacco (5)
Most Triples: Nelson Vieira (3)
Most Home Runs: Kurt Chambers (5)
Most RBIs: Kurt Chambers, Nelson Vieira (tie, 16)
Most Walks: Frank Fletcher (4)
Most Sacrifices: Nelson Vieira (2)
Highest On-Base Percentage: Vern Amaro, Frank Fletcher (tie, .583)
Highest Slugging Percentage: Kurt Chambers (1.094)
Highest Batting Average: Vern Amaro (.571)
Most Hits: Vern Amaro (20)
Most Single-Game Points: Kurt Chambers (34)
Most Offensive Points: Nelson Vieira (112)
DEFENSIVE CATEGORIES --
Most Put-Outs: Joe Machado (34)
Most Assists: Lee Garcia (19)
Most Errors: Donny Aguiar (7)
Highest Fielding Percentage (infield): Vern Amaro (.946 -- inaugural "Gold Glove Award") (Waylon Hawley had a 1.000 fielding percentage, with one put-out, but a minimum 5 games participation must be achieved to receive a team award. If I remember right, Lee got the strikeout, but the put-out is officially awarded to the catcher! Sounds logical to me!)
Highest Fielding Percentage (outfield): Rich Avery, Adam Goltz (tie, 1.000 [no errors!] -- inaugural "Gold Glove Award")
Most Defensive Points: Vern Amaro (31 -- 18 put-out pts. plus 17 assist pts. minus 4 error pts.) (Reminder: +1 point for a put-out, +1 point for an assist, -2 points for each error. In other words, errors "take away" from your overall offensive/defensive effort!)
All of which leads to, if the above stats were used primarily in making our choices...
Most Valuable Player (Tulare City League, Thursday Night, spring 2004): Nelson Vieira (42 total points; by team ballot vote)
And for our "special" categories...
Most Deferred "O-fer Shirt" Wearings: Art Tabacco (2 innings; somehow became allergic to retro tie-dye products as well as developed recurring amnesia in regard to retroactive "O-fer shirt" offerings! Sorry, only "physical" disabilities, such as Gordy's, are deemed acceptable; we all need to fight through the "physiological" ones, a.k.a. "the dark forces"! Remember, this is just in jest, O' Superstitious One!) (And, I might add, Gordy and Adam still owed 1 inning of wear by league's end! What do you think, guys, should we let these go? Hmmmm...!)
Most Non-Appearances: Gordon Caudle (4; of course, he had a good excuse! Unofficially, he has 2 in my book. He gets my vote for most inspirational because he showed up at a couple of games, after getting injured, just to cheer us on. You're a good man, Gordy!) (Donny and Adam were a close second, tied with 3; Art and Joe took third, tied with 2. Some others also were considered, even though their bodies actually made it to the games!)
Perfect Attendance: Vern Amaro, Lee Garcia, Gene Hitt, Nelson Vieira, and, of course, our team statistician, Jerry Amaro (All 10 games; gold stars to all of you!)
Most Memorable Performance: Nelson Vieira (Birthday boy does good! Important occasions sometimes bring out the best in some people -- remember Joe last year after the birth of his first child! This year, on May 6th -- a fine date! -- Nelson proceeded to accumulate 31 points, going 4 for 4, with 1 single, 3 triples, 1 HR, 6 RBIs, 2 runs, 3 bonus points, and a 1.000 BA. He even made his only opportunity for a put-out good, giving him a 1.000 fielding percentage. As close to a perfect game as one can get! You're contributions to the team have not gone unnoticed, big guy!)
Greatest Increase in Batting Average from Last League (Visalia, 2003): Nelson Vieira (+.152, from .407 to .559) (Only two others, Vern Amaro [+.123} and Gordon Caudle [+.097], were eligible for this recognition. Not a good sign!)
Biggest "Plunge" in Batting Average from Last League (Visalia, 2003): Donny Aguiar (-.566, from .882 to .316) (When you're on top, the only place left to go is down -- way down! Just kidding, buddy! Don't worry, eight others joined you in a disconcerting, downward spiral!)
Best Description of Player Performance: "A Work of Art" for Art Tabacco's hitting prowess in Saturday tournaments (contributor: Vern Amaro)
Best Acting Performance by a Player/Manager: Drum roll, please...Vern Amaro!!! (2nd year in a row! Amazing! This is for impersonating, once again, the second baseman/shortstop/catcher -- and spokesperson -- of a pretty darn-good softball team! By the way, were there any other eligible candidates on the team?)
You've been a great bunch of guys to play side-by-side with, men! All kidding aside, I was really proud of our efforts, most especially the consistent team attitude displayed. I tip my cap off to all of you, as I know some of you come to play despite conflicting personal schedules, various aches and pains, balancing family and friends, and putting up with my managerial decisions. Y'all ready for more in the fall Visalia league? I'll see what I can stir up and let you know at a later date. Have a nice summer time-off from the team, stay hungry if playing for other teams, and keep some future tournament dates in mind as we rest our bats and put away our gloves for Heavy Metal Softball...for awhile! In the meantime...keep rockin', guys!
New Feature for 2004 Season: Fielding Statistics
Posted by Vernon Amaro at Jan 1, 2004 4:00PM PST
( 0 Comments
)
Defense Will Be Emphasized This Year!
A new added feature this 2004 season will be the inclusion of fielding stats for defensive evaluation by the manager -- hey, that's me! Because our website can calculate these defensive stats as well as the offensive ones, I thought I would put this feature to full use this year. There will be only four categories recognized: Put Outs (PO); Assists (A); Errors (E); and Fielding Percentage (FPct). I thought it would make things a little more interesting to finally expose the vulnerable side of our team's defensive capabilities, hopefully with more progressive improvement in this area. Normally, I would tell my teammates not to get too defensive about a new team revelation, but this time it is exactly what I want -- let's get really "defensive" this time around, not emotionally, but softball-wise! This feature will also help in a better evaluation of an MVP, where too often offensive stats take precedent in the final balloting. A well-rounded team will always be in the hunt for a championship; an unbalanced team will have its good hitting days and bad ones. To me, defense has really taken a backseat to hitting in today's softball -- this year, I'd like to restore it to its rightful place as the "great equalizer". Anyone who follows sports, or even life for that matter, knows that balance is a key to success. In order for us to call ourselves "successful" this year, I am calling on all members of the team to put their own personal emphasis on defense. Take as much pride in it as you would your offensive contributions. Let's all make it a team goal.
A new added feature this 2004 season will be the inclusion of fielding stats for defensive evaluation by the manager -- hey, that's me! Because our website can calculate these defensive stats as well as the offensive ones, I thought I would put this feature to full use this year. There will be only four categories recognized: Put Outs (PO); Assists (A); Errors (E); and Fielding Percentage (FPct). I thought it would make things a little more interesting to finally expose the vulnerable side of our team's defensive capabilities, hopefully with more progressive improvement in this area. Normally, I would tell my teammates not to get too defensive about a new team revelation, but this time it is exactly what I want -- let's get really "defensive" this time around, not emotionally, but softball-wise! This feature will also help in a better evaluation of an MVP, where too often offensive stats take precedent in the final balloting. A well-rounded team will always be in the hunt for a championship; an unbalanced team will have its good hitting days and bad ones. To me, defense has really taken a backseat to hitting in today's softball -- this year, I'd like to restore it to its rightful place as the "great equalizer". Anyone who follows sports, or even life for that matter, knows that balance is a key to success. In order for us to call ourselves "successful" this year, I am calling on all members of the team to put their own personal emphasis on defense. Take as much pride in it as you would your offensive contributions. Let's all make it a team goal.
Breakdown of MVP Ballot Results for Visalia's Fall 2003 Division "D" League
Posted by Vernon Amaro at Dec 31, 2003 4:00PM PST
( 0 Comments
)
Let's Give It Up For Our Newest League MVP, Please!
Finally, here are the results, in short summary, of the MVP balloting that took place recently in which most of you participated. A special thanks to all who voted by replying to my e-mail messages and phone calls (remember, tournament MVPs will still be selected using our time-honored offensive points system). Fifteen Heavy Metal Softball members were eligible to vote this time, having participated in the Visalia City, Division "D", fall 2003 league. In order of highest cumulative point total, with adjoining number of 1st, 2nd, and 3rd place votes, here is this league's MVP and the rest of the worthy contenders:
League MVP: Gene Hitt (27 total points -- 2 first place votes, 5 second place votes, 2 third place votes. Excellent individual representation, buddy!!!)
1st Runner-Up: Donny Aguiar, Frank Fletcher (19 total points, tie -- both had 3 first place votes, 1 second place vote, and 1 third place vote. The Twin Towers of Consistency!!)
2nd Runner-Up: Joe Machado, Lee Garcia (12 total points, tie -- both had 2 first place votes and 2 third place votes. Great job, guys!)
3rd Runner-Up: Kurt Chambers (8 total points -- 2 second place votes, 2 third place votes. Good man to have around!)
4th Runner-Up: Art Tabacco, Vern Amaro (6 total points, tie -- Art had 1 first place vote and 1 third place vote; Vern had 2 second place votes. An "original member" and a "newbie" -- good effort in shoring up the left side of the infield!)
5th Runner-Up: Rich Avery (4 total points -- 1 second place vote, 1 third place vote. Came up big in the clutch this year, brother!)
6th Runner-Up: Wes Avery (3 total points -- 1 second place vote. Somebody loves ya, big guy!)
7th Runner-Up: Nelson Vieira (1 total point -- 1 third place vote. Congratulations, new dad!)
In the interest of integrity and not wanting to violate any trust, I kept meticulous records of all the oral and online ballots that I received from the 13 members who decided to vote. Despite repeated reminders and for reasons of their own, Wes Avery and Adam Goltz did not give me any responses and, thus, did not affect any of the above results, though they remained eligible to receive MVP votes and have them posted. But let these be some words of warning: Rule #1 -- If a player decides not to participate in the balloting to determine our league MVP, he will remain unqualified to receive this honor, despite perhaps receiving the most cumulative points (the honor will be bestowed upon the next eligible player in line). This rule has been instituted to enforce fairness with the outcome of the voting -- in other words, as you give, so shall you receive. Two other rules also affect a player's MVP eligibility: Rule #2 -- At least half the games of a league/tournament must be played; and Rule #3 -- The agreed-upon league/tournament participation fee must be paid. I'm sure everyone can see the need for such rules. I, myself, voted for who I thought were three deserving men. Because I am the ballot collector and, also, because the results could possibly hinge upon my final selections, I always believe it is wise to make clear my own personal choices for MVP, hopefully without offending any of my other close friends on the team, who already know that only three choices can be given. My votes, in order, were: Joe Machado (1st place vote); Kurt Chambers (2nd place vote); and Donny Aguiar (3rd place vote). I will not give any specific reasons for my choices (none of us have to), but I will say that I really appreciated these men for the contributions they made during this league. In all actuality, everyone on this team is deemed valuable, both on and off the field. I hope all of you will understand this personal feeling of mine, and why I have such a difficult time revealing my selections. But I feel I must. No other selections from specific team members will be revealed unless one of you is curious and wants to inquire, in which case, I'll gladly let you know. And to the two people who gave me consideration this time around, a sincere thanks to both of you, though personally I don't think I deserved a nod during this campaign.
As I have mentioned a time or two before, I would really like to promote even more team spirit within the ranks of our members this year. "There's More in Store For 2004" is what I say. A perpetual MVP plaque will be ordered within the next week that will bear the names of past and current recipients and is to be kept in the current MVP's home until another deserving player is selected (a belated Christmas present, Gene!) Also, a Heavy Metal Softball fence banner is being looked into that will grace our future dugouts, letting others know boldly who we are and to take notice of what we stand for -- team spirit, first and always, followed by hard play and sportsmanship. Stay tuned!
And that's a wrap, folks....
Finally, here are the results, in short summary, of the MVP balloting that took place recently in which most of you participated. A special thanks to all who voted by replying to my e-mail messages and phone calls (remember, tournament MVPs will still be selected using our time-honored offensive points system). Fifteen Heavy Metal Softball members were eligible to vote this time, having participated in the Visalia City, Division "D", fall 2003 league. In order of highest cumulative point total, with adjoining number of 1st, 2nd, and 3rd place votes, here is this league's MVP and the rest of the worthy contenders:
League MVP: Gene Hitt (27 total points -- 2 first place votes, 5 second place votes, 2 third place votes. Excellent individual representation, buddy!!!)
1st Runner-Up: Donny Aguiar, Frank Fletcher (19 total points, tie -- both had 3 first place votes, 1 second place vote, and 1 third place vote. The Twin Towers of Consistency!!)
2nd Runner-Up: Joe Machado, Lee Garcia (12 total points, tie -- both had 2 first place votes and 2 third place votes. Great job, guys!)
3rd Runner-Up: Kurt Chambers (8 total points -- 2 second place votes, 2 third place votes. Good man to have around!)
4th Runner-Up: Art Tabacco, Vern Amaro (6 total points, tie -- Art had 1 first place vote and 1 third place vote; Vern had 2 second place votes. An "original member" and a "newbie" -- good effort in shoring up the left side of the infield!)
5th Runner-Up: Rich Avery (4 total points -- 1 second place vote, 1 third place vote. Came up big in the clutch this year, brother!)
6th Runner-Up: Wes Avery (3 total points -- 1 second place vote. Somebody loves ya, big guy!)
7th Runner-Up: Nelson Vieira (1 total point -- 1 third place vote. Congratulations, new dad!)
In the interest of integrity and not wanting to violate any trust, I kept meticulous records of all the oral and online ballots that I received from the 13 members who decided to vote. Despite repeated reminders and for reasons of their own, Wes Avery and Adam Goltz did not give me any responses and, thus, did not affect any of the above results, though they remained eligible to receive MVP votes and have them posted. But let these be some words of warning: Rule #1 -- If a player decides not to participate in the balloting to determine our league MVP, he will remain unqualified to receive this honor, despite perhaps receiving the most cumulative points (the honor will be bestowed upon the next eligible player in line). This rule has been instituted to enforce fairness with the outcome of the voting -- in other words, as you give, so shall you receive. Two other rules also affect a player's MVP eligibility: Rule #2 -- At least half the games of a league/tournament must be played; and Rule #3 -- The agreed-upon league/tournament participation fee must be paid. I'm sure everyone can see the need for such rules. I, myself, voted for who I thought were three deserving men. Because I am the ballot collector and, also, because the results could possibly hinge upon my final selections, I always believe it is wise to make clear my own personal choices for MVP, hopefully without offending any of my other close friends on the team, who already know that only three choices can be given. My votes, in order, were: Joe Machado (1st place vote); Kurt Chambers (2nd place vote); and Donny Aguiar (3rd place vote). I will not give any specific reasons for my choices (none of us have to), but I will say that I really appreciated these men for the contributions they made during this league. In all actuality, everyone on this team is deemed valuable, both on and off the field. I hope all of you will understand this personal feeling of mine, and why I have such a difficult time revealing my selections. But I feel I must. No other selections from specific team members will be revealed unless one of you is curious and wants to inquire, in which case, I'll gladly let you know. And to the two people who gave me consideration this time around, a sincere thanks to both of you, though personally I don't think I deserved a nod during this campaign.
As I have mentioned a time or two before, I would really like to promote even more team spirit within the ranks of our members this year. "There's More in Store For 2004" is what I say. A perpetual MVP plaque will be ordered within the next week that will bear the names of past and current recipients and is to be kept in the current MVP's home until another deserving player is selected (a belated Christmas present, Gene!) Also, a Heavy Metal Softball fence banner is being looked into that will grace our future dugouts, letting others know boldly who we are and to take notice of what we stand for -- team spirit, first and always, followed by hard play and sportsmanship. Stay tuned!
And that's a wrap, folks....
Oh, No! -- Gone, But Not Forgotten!
Posted by Vernon Amaro at Nov 28, 2003 4:00PM PST
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Summaries For Last Four Games Omitted; Manager Takes The Blame!
Sorry, guys, I know you all have been waiting with baited breath for results, but I waited too long to write game summaries for the last four games of the recently completed Visalia city league, Division "D", and my site administration won't let me go back and amend the oversight. I'm sure those in attendance probably remember the action and results of the slowly-fading past, but I still want to recognize the MVPs and honorable mentions (if any) of those contests. So, for what it is worth (and these players earned it!), here are the selections:
Game VII vs. "F.O.A.D"
MVP:
Frank Fletcher -- 16 points (1 for 1; 2 walks; 1 HR; 2 RBIs; 3 runs; 1.000 BA)
Honorable Mention(s):
Wes Avery -- 10 points (2 for 3; 2 triples; 1 RBI; 1 run; .667 BA)
Donny Aguiar -- 10 points (2 for 3; 2 singles; 2 RBIs; 2 runs; .667 BA)
Game VIII vs. "Dirty Dozen"
No MVP awarded (won by forfeit)
Game IX vs. "Pro-Tow"
MVP:
Rich Avery -- 24 points (4 for 4; 2 singles; 1 double; 1 triple; 3 RBIs; 4 runs; 3 bonus points [4/4]; 1.000 BA)
Honorable Mention:
Frank Fletcher -- 15 points (3 for 3; 1 walk; 2 singles; 1 double; 3 RBIs; 2 runs; 1.000 BA)
Game X vs. "Bogart & Lulu's"
MVP:
Gene Hitt -- 12 points (3 for 4; 2 singles; 1 double; 1 RBI; 3 runs; .750 BA)
Honorable Mention:
Kurt Chambers -- 11 points (3 for 3; 2 singles; 1 triple; 2 RBIs; 1 run; 1.000 BA)
Though I was looking forward at this time to entering full game summaries, this will have to do for now. For individual player statistics, please go to "Games Info" as usual and click on the particular game that you want to check out. Congratulations, guys! -- your efforts did not (and will not) go unnoticed while you are part of Heavy Metal Softball. It was a pleasure being your manager again this year. I hope to see you all once more during the 2004 spring season -- hey, that's not too far away!
Sorry, guys, I know you all have been waiting with baited breath for results, but I waited too long to write game summaries for the last four games of the recently completed Visalia city league, Division "D", and my site administration won't let me go back and amend the oversight. I'm sure those in attendance probably remember the action and results of the slowly-fading past, but I still want to recognize the MVPs and honorable mentions (if any) of those contests. So, for what it is worth (and these players earned it!), here are the selections:
Game VII vs. "F.O.A.D"
MVP:
Frank Fletcher -- 16 points (1 for 1; 2 walks; 1 HR; 2 RBIs; 3 runs; 1.000 BA)
Honorable Mention(s):
Wes Avery -- 10 points (2 for 3; 2 triples; 1 RBI; 1 run; .667 BA)
Donny Aguiar -- 10 points (2 for 3; 2 singles; 2 RBIs; 2 runs; .667 BA)
Game VIII vs. "Dirty Dozen"
No MVP awarded (won by forfeit)
Game IX vs. "Pro-Tow"
MVP:
Rich Avery -- 24 points (4 for 4; 2 singles; 1 double; 1 triple; 3 RBIs; 4 runs; 3 bonus points [4/4]; 1.000 BA)
Honorable Mention:
Frank Fletcher -- 15 points (3 for 3; 1 walk; 2 singles; 1 double; 3 RBIs; 2 runs; 1.000 BA)
Game X vs. "Bogart & Lulu's"
MVP:
Gene Hitt -- 12 points (3 for 4; 2 singles; 1 double; 1 RBI; 3 runs; .750 BA)
Honorable Mention:
Kurt Chambers -- 11 points (3 for 3; 2 singles; 1 triple; 2 RBIs; 1 run; 1.000 BA)
Though I was looking forward at this time to entering full game summaries, this will have to do for now. For individual player statistics, please go to "Games Info" as usual and click on the particular game that you want to check out. Congratulations, guys! -- your efforts did not (and will not) go unnoticed while you are part of Heavy Metal Softball. It was a pleasure being your manager again this year. I hope to see you all once more during the 2004 spring season -- hey, that's not too far away!
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