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Al Thomas Baseball Club Athletics

2014 record: 22-10

Carl Yastrzemski Division Champs

YBL Championship runners up

2014 Season Review:

ATBC came into 2014 hungry after a disappointing 2013 campaign that ended with being knocked out in the first round of the playoffs. The 2014 season brought new challenges as the Al Thomas squad transitioned into their new organization structure, promoting Joe O’Hara to President/GM and John Kostas to Manager. The boys banded together and responded by winning the division and making their first finals appearance since 2004. Though this deep trip into the playoffs was a good first step, the boys are getting that old familiar feeling as we kick off the 2015 campaign.

At the dish, 2014 was punctuated with a formidable offense that produced from top to bottom. Leading the charge was Carrera (.474, 50 hits), Katsiroubas (.389, 35 hits), and Lambert (.305, 32 hits). They continued their torrid regular seasons into the playoffs, coming up with many clutch hits and home runs, including the often-overlooked grand slam by Katzy in game 5 of the Division championship series against Revere. Elsewhere in the lineup, the addition of the “Three-headed-Matt” (Jacobs, Rodriguez, Levasseur) proved to be one of the catalysts that had eluded the club for so long, and it paid dividends in spades as the three of them bolstered the lineup (.303, .292, .280, respectively).

With the pill in 2014, Willie Archibald led the pitching staff with a 7-1 record, posting 57.1 innings pitched and a 1.59 era. Willie pitched in many roles throughout the summer and led by example to the younger guys on what it takes to be a go-to pitcher. He is a leader through his work ethic and every bit of that showed as he brought home the Cy Young award. Not many YBLers are running poles after their appearance like Willie, and it seems to rub off on the rest of the Athletics. Notable contributions from the bump were made by rookies Bobby Freeman, Trevor Derochea and Mike Musto, and veterans Dan Gaughan and Bill Clang. Archibald and Freeman also tossed no-hitters during the 2014 campaign.

As a special aside, the ATBC is thankful for the 2014 addition of Milton native, Matt Levasseur, and look forward to great things from this young player. The Iron Man shortstop played in every inning of Al Thomas’ 40+ game summer. While at it, chipping in solid defense and some much needed energy out of the nine spot.

Key Losses:

Chris McDonough (1B), Matt Jacobs (CF), Kevin White (C)

Key Additions:

Mike Hicks (2B), Ryan McGeown (c), Wes Kroniger (P), Duncan Finigan (P), Dane Dudman (P)

Season Outlook:

As we look forward to 2015, Al Thomas has its sights set on unseating the perennial championship incumbents and finishing what they started last year in the YBL Championship series. Obviously this will be a tough row to hoe, as the Yawkey League has more and more parity every year, but the Athletics remain resolute in their goal. Al Thomas is returning 6 field starters and the bulk of its pitching staff. As always the ATBC will put together another formidable lineup at the plate, one that will be ready to support the young arms that we have added to the staff. There is still plenty of work to do before game 1, but the boys are anxious to work hard and win. And as always, the team is eternally grateful for the support and friendship of the man at the top of the organization, Mr. Al Thomas!

South Boston Saints

2014 Record: 19-11-1

Carl Yastrzemski Division 3^rd place

The 2014 Saints team finished the year exactly like the previous years squad, dropping a winner goes on/loser goes home game 5 to the Revere Rockies at St. Peters field. The 2014 squad started out as one of the hottest teams in the league but slumped a little after top of the rotation starters Dylan Joyce and Rob Cahill moved to NYC during the season. The team finished up at 19-11-1, a two game improvement from the year before.

In 2015 the Saints will bring back much the same team as they had last year. Their biggest loss will be losing David Lightbody to free agency. Lights has decided to takes his talents north of the city to join the Somerville Allibrandis.

Reports from Saints spring training (Extra Innings, Watertown) say the team’s leading hitter Kent Graham is in the proverbial “best shape of his life” and looking to have a monster year after injuries limited him to 21 games in 2014. The Babson triplets, Jeff Wojnar, Trevor Boyce and Bryan Evans, along with team rbi leader Jim McLaughlin will provide punch in the middle of the Saints order.

Pete McCauliffe returns at SS and will be joined in the middle infield by newcomer Dylan Katz-Wicks (Union 2014). Johnny Hayes returns in his quest to play all 9 positions in a game and then crush karaoke at the Banshee the same night.

Pitching – The team that threw 4 combined pitchers in a 5 game series remains a bit thin in the rotation. Rubber armed veterans Steve Hueston and Lucas Gheoghegan will head up the rotation, with Chris Dupay filling the “one start every 10 days” role. New faces Matt Bertuch (Swarthmore 2014) and Ben Oliva (Williams 2012) should provide depth. The Saints are also hoping their veteran pitchers Jon Miarecki and Jon Tenney can provide some quality innings on the hill as both deal with the same arm injury (old)

With the dawn of the 2015 season, the Brighton Braves are entering their 50th summer of baseball, all played at their beloved Rogers Park. They are also expecting to put a tough 2014 campaign behind them and return to the form that saw them reach the playoffs in 2012 and 2013.

Perhaps the most notable addition will be the installment of Ed Lee as manager. Lee has coached in Newton for many years, and is the father of former Bravos short stop, Alex Lee, who is currently playing pro ball in the Czech Republic after spending the winter playing pro ball in Australia.

There are two key losses from the roster this season. After seven seasons in the YBL, Evan Hudson will no longer be patrolling center field and hosing runners who dared test the Huddy Cannon. The Bravos will also be without the services of short stop Hector Coscione, who has signed with the Pittsfield Suns of the Futures Collegiate Baseball League.

Other than that, the veteran core of the Bravos is returning. Billy Uberti will once again lead the Bravos offense after tying for the league-lead in 2014 with a ridiculous .507 average. Outfielder Steve Robb, who has batted .375 over his first two seasons with the club, and infielder Ari Glantz, who posted a .338 average and .962 OPS in his rookie season last year, will both be cornerstones of the lineup. Super utility man Teddy Ballgame Tracy is entering his 19th season in the YBL, and Steve DeFusco, the man they call StevieD, who entertained thoughts of retirement for a week or two, is back for another round as well.

The Bravos pitching staff will once again be led by former big leaguer Mike Smith. Behind him are veteran righties Pete Lankarge, James Greeley, and Joe Schlesinger. The Bravos also received some strong work on the mound from youngsters Brendan Ryan and Richard Arms last season and hope that that trend continues. One of the biggest keys to a rebound by the Bravos will be a rebound by their pitching staff to the form they showed in 2013 when Smitty, Lank, and Greels combined for 17 wins.

With their strong veteran presence and a savvy Lee at the helm, the Bravos think their 50th summer in Brighton will be a winning one.

Brighton Black Sox

2014 Record: 15-16-1

Ted Williams Division 4^th place

2014 Season Review:

The 2014 season brought several new faces to the Brighton Black Sox. While there was some level of uncertainty surrounding the amount of turnover, there was still a great deal of optimism in the promise of what could potentially be there.   Inconsistency reigned in the early months of the season.

While the Sox struggled early to beat the teams at the standings, the Sox were able to find enough wins to make it back to the playoffs for the first time since 2011. In the playoffs, the Sox would face off with the eventual champion Somerville Alibrandis. Despite solid albeit losing efforts in Games 1 and 2, the Sox would end up being swept in three games.

2015 Season Preview:

Losses —

Despite efforts to change his mind, it appears that Sox will enter the 2015 season without the services of Billy Reichmann.     Billy was often the driving force behind much of the team’s success over the years.

Billy’s leadership will be missed both on and off the field.

Additions —

While the Sox are still working to add some depth to the roster, there have been a couple of off season additions.

Joe Loynd has returned to Massachusetts from Tennessee and will be joining the Sox.   Joe played college baseball at Brandeis and has been playing in Memphis area league while living in Tennessee.

While technically an addition, the return of the Kevin Hopwood can be seen more of a homecoming. Hopwood played for the Sox in 2013.   When a few of the Sox players became coaches on the Lesley University coaching staff, Hopwood was forced to find another team for the 2014.   After playing the 2014 season with the West Roxbury Nationals and finishing his senior year at Lesley, Hopwood returns to the Sox where he belongs.

Season Outlook:

The Black Sox enter the 2015 season with a great deal of optimism, as they return the core group of players from the last year’s playoff team.

Pitching will once again be the strength of the Sox.   The rotation will again be anchored by veterans J.T. Ross, Matt Nicholson and Jared Rooney, with Joe Shebertes and Collin Geagan providing much needed depth.

The Sox offense will look to build on the solid first seasons of Kurt Beulke, Adam Sudbeck, Billy Cather and Will Cousins while looking for bounce back years from veterans Cam Owens, Tim Varakis, Aqib Shah and Will Baker.

East Boston Knights

2014 Record: 21-10-1

Carl Yastrzemski Division 2^nd place

2014 Season Review:

Coming into the 2014 YBL season the East Boston Knights felt this was their best team on the field and they did not disappoint. Although they fell short of their goal to win the YBL it was a season in which they had overcome lots of injuries and adversity. Season ending injuries to Brad Monroe, Kenny Luongo and Mikey Oliveria were thought of as devastating but this team somehow found a way to keep on and be a threat in the playoffs. It was a season in which they won their first playoff series in their short history and exercised the demons against the Stoneham Sabers in dramatic style. The season ended abruptly in a hard fought series vs the Somerville Alibrandis, getting swept by the eventual champs 3 games to none that saw historic games that one had to be there to appreciate. All in all a successful season for EBK, one to build off of and apply to 2015.

2015 Season Preview:

Once again the Knights believe that this is their most talented team in their 6 year history. Mostly all of the roster will return in 2015 to try and take care of unfinished business. The pitching staff remains intact with the exception of hard throwing righty John Tangherlini. Tango was scooped up by the Southern Illinois Miners in the Frontier League in the offseason. Jeff (Jeffy) Allison will return to the bump along with Jon Shepard, Everyday Max Ockner and Billy Riggieri. EBK veteran Branden Eaton will be returning for his 4^th season along with a rejuvenated Sean Hannon the cannon. Field captain Jose Paulino will be returning to lead the troops to the Promised Land along with most of last year’s roster still intact.

Key Losses:

The Knights suffered some losses as most good teams do. As mentioned John Tangherlini will be moving on to the Frontier League. Also moving on will be Victor LeBron. LeBron, last year’s ROY and the best leadoff hitter in the game has also signed a contract to play in independent ball for the 2015 season. Victor shattered a YBL record last year with 47 steals and was top 5 in almost every offensive category. His speed at the top of the order will surely be missed as well as him patrolling CF and tracking down anything hit near or around him. Brad Tardugno a sure HOF’r has retired after a great YBL career that sees him as the all-time single season RBI record holder with 47 back in 2010 for the Malden Bulldogs. Also moving on is Omar Ortiz, an original East Boston Knight who had a tough year for EBK nursing a leg injury that limited him last season. Also moving on another original Knight Josh Valerio who played a key role for the Knights in 2015. Another huge loss for the Knights will be veteran Kenny Luongo. The heart and soul of EBK, Kenny has an elbow injury that will require surgery and he will miss the entire 2015 season. He will be back!!!!

Season Outlook:

The Knights have lofty goals for 2015 as they always do. This team is built for the playoffs with a pitching staff that has professional talent and lots of experience. Although the team has suffered some key losses they also have added to their roster. Key veterans Wilson Mercado, Jose Paulino, Kenny Polanco and Geoff Harris will all be returning. Catchers Marty Dunlap and Brett Remon also return to form a great 1-2 punch behind the dish. The Knights welcome back senior and captain of Curry College, Kyle Connors to the squad after missing last year with Tommy John surgery. Also returning super utility man, pitcher and 2014 All Star Justin Wojcik. Wojcik spent last season with the West Roxbury Nationals. Another former Nat joining the team will be Johan Villalona. Johan is a welcome addition who will deepen the already tough EBK line-up and play DH, 1B and catch. The Knights also have Mikey Oliveria returning from his ACL surgery returning to 2B for the home town team. Bench coach Richard Soohoo will also be returning for his 6^th season. The Knights have added some depth to the roster and have a strong bench and bullpen. Another signing is former Houston Astro product Kilby Pena. Pena a hard throwing lefty is 2 and ½ years removed from Tommy John surgery and ready to return to the mound in hopes of helping EBK and hopefully returning to the professional baseball ranks. All in all the Knights are ready for the 2015 season to start after an offseason of hard work and dedication.