Yawkey Baseball League

Malden Maddogs
2014 Record: 14-18
Ted Williams Division: 5th place

2014 Season Review:

The 2014 campaign was the first under new manager/franchise holder, Nick Vennochi. The team consistently pitched well enough to win, with highlight performances from Kenny Chaves, Blaine McLean, and Jon Klein. Chaves and Klein both finished with 1.88 ERAs, and Chaves led the team with six wins. He and McLean combined for 10 of the team’s 14 victories. Rookie Paul Mahoney also showed promise, with two wins, and pitching in nine games over 38.1 innings.

But the team’s offense was inconsistent in key moments, and the Maddogs missed the playoffs by one game. Veterans Matt Delaney, Geoff Lopes and Pete Maltzan led the team offensively. Delaney batted .355 with an OPS of .971. He ripped four doubles, four homers and had a triple, while driving in 21. Lopes caught 30 games and hit .319 with 17 RBIs. Maltzan led the team with 34 hits and 20 runs. Delaney, Lopes, Maltzan and Nick Vennochi combined for 128 of the teams 219 hits. In the end, the team didn’t get enough contributions from the entire lineup to consistently win games.

2015 Season Preview:

With all the struggles offensively in 2014, the team still missed the playoffs by only one game. This year’s version of the Maddogs is using last year’s disappointment as motivation. We have been working hard in the offseason to get over the hump and end a two-year playoff draught. A few new additions coupled with returning the core of the team gives the Maddogs franchise hope for the present and future.

The team returns seven key starters offensively and four-fifths of a starting rotation that combined for 3.57 ERA last season. Blaine McLean and Kenny Chaves look to continue their consistent track records with Paul Mahoney and Brad McLean looking to build on solid progression. Jeff Croteau (Bentley, ’13) joins the staff looking to pave his own Maddog legacy. He was a teammate of Blaine McLean and right fielder Bryant Johnson at Bentley during the 2012-2013 season.

Veterans Jay Sablone and Taleh Saleh are also returning for the 2015 season. Sablone will be in his 12th year, while Saleh will be in his 10th. Matt Delaney, Blaine McLean, and Brad McLean return for a six season, while Vennochi, Lopes, and Maltzan all return for a fourth.

Youngsters Joe Klingensmith (Stonehill), Mahoney (UMass Dartmouth), Matt Keefe (Rivier), Noah Tocci (Colby), Brooks Parker (Deerfield Academy), Tyler McLean, JP Whalen (Babson) and George Gouthier will all be competing for playing time with the veteran-laden team.

The team believes a good mix of young and experienced will lead to a 2015 season to remember.

South End Astros
2014 Record: 13-18-1
Carl Yastrzemski Division: 5th place

2014 Season Review:

The South End Astros definitely didn’t end their season the way they would have liked to, but there were definitely some bright spots in an otherwise disappointing season. The Astros were 2-0 against Yawkey powerhouse Stoneham Sabres, and also had impressive victories over East Boston, Al Thomas, and Revere. It was their inability to beat teams like Savin Hill, West Roxbury, and Malden that ultimately kept them out of the playoffs once again.

Offensively, South End was led by the most dangerous 3-4 hitters in the league, Luis Uribe and Julian Alvarez. Uribe finished the season with a team leading .403 average with 5 HR and 19 RBI. Alvarez finished with a .349 average with a team leading 6 HR and 24 RBI. Key injuries to relievers Joey Ortiz and Izzy Velez in the 2nd game of the season really hurt the Astros. They then lost 2nd baseman Paul Politsopoulos to a concussion and Chris Deane to a horrific knee injury. One of the main reasons the Astros were able to remain competitive was the arm of staff ace Starling Arias. The right hander threw 61 innings, ending the season with a 5-4 record, a 2.87 ERA, and a Yawkey League leading 75 strikeouts!

2015 Season Preview:

The 2015 South End Astros are looking forward to starting the season healthy and stronger than ever. Starting pitchers Starling Arias and Alex Weldon will anchor the Astros rotation. A healthy Chris Deane will add leadership and power to the lineup that already boasts names like Peguero, Sanjurjo, Uribe, and Alvarez. The return of closer Izzy Velez and hard throwing lefty Jonathan Matos will give the Astros depth and versatility for Coach Carl Rodriguez, and the return of Moises Maza behind the plate will be great for Carl’s knees! The Astros also have a few surprises for the upcoming season that the league will just have to wait to see…….

Revere Rockies
2014 Record: 24-8
Ted Williams Division Runner-ups

Season Review:

The end of their 2014 campaign was arguably the most heartbreaking in the team’s history, but it was galvanizing and has only increased the sense of family that has developed around the team in the past few seasons. This is evident in the markedly low turnover experienced this offseason. Families stick together, and this one is ready for spring.

Key Losses:

– John Young will be missed this year as he has relocated for work, but we plan to have him back in 2016. Attempting to fill his roll will be several new faces but they will surely find they are tall shoes to fill. Revere will have to find a way for more “free stuff” in 2015.

– Revere loses Rich Wlodarczyk to relocation as well. His bulldog mentality will truly be missed. You don’t just replace a Woody. The new arms will have big shoes to fill.

– Mike Hicks will be moving on from the Rockies. We wish him all the best

Key Additions:

– The biggest news of the offseason is that they will again be joined by 2013 League MVP Luis Rodriguez, who missed the last season recovering from surgery. Luis’ presence should really set the tone for an already formidable Revere lineup.

– Revere will add 2 new young arms to the pitching mix, in Andrew Wells and Jake Kelley. Both will be counted on to log important innings if Revere intends to make a playoff push come August.

Season Outlook:

The 2015 edition of the Revere Rockies looks a lot like the 2014 edition, returning all but one of the 2014 playoff Roster. Revere is excited to unite former league MVP Luis Rodriguez alongside reigning MVP Tom Englehardt. Revere will also turn to Bobby Foote to build off his 2014 campaign seeing him lead the YBL in RBIs. If Rockies veterans Chris Hartery and Sean Glavin can cement the middle of the lineup the Revere offense should be amongst the league’s best.

The top end of the pitching staff returns mainly unchanged. Veterans Adam Del Rio and Chris Sandini have combined for 20 Rockies wins over the last three seasons, and will again be joined by Alex Wong and Alex Torres who both turned in ERAs under 2.00 in their 2014 campaigns.