YBL SemiFinal Round Preview

Quarterfinal Recap:

And then there were 4.  Following all highly contested series, no one can say that the 4 best teams aren’t still playing.  Even though all teams have at least quality pitching, these are the best four offensive powerhouses the YBL had to offer in 2014. Top-seeded  Somerville now rides a 13-game win streak after dispatching the Black Sox in 3.  Although it was a sweep, the series was much tighter than many may have expected with 2 close games before the Alibrandis slammed the door shut in game 3.  Yaz Division winners Al Thomas were taken to task by the upstart Dodgers in a heated 5 game battle. The Savin Hill squad threw everything they could at the Athletics, but simply couldn’t match the hitting of their opponents. 3-seed Revere also went 5 games against a resilient South Boston team trying to make ends meet without 2 of their top wings. Down 1-0 “late-ish” in the final game, the Rockies woke up the lumber and advanced to the semis. Lastly, East Boston in the 4-seed made a date with Somerville by taking down the league’s early-season favorite Sabers in 4 games. Seemed like almost every Knight batted .400+, and they brought the dramatics in game 4, tying it with 3 in the 7th before winning in extras.

Somerville vs East Boston:

Having closed out the series quickly, Somerville gets some advantage of an extra day’s rest….but more importantly, one less game of stress on their rotation. This matchup features 2 teams with loaded lineups and strong rotations/bullpens.  The numbers put up over the course of 2014 by both squads were simply staggering, as they were each in the top-3 in runs, hits, RBI, AVG, OBP, and OPS, and they also posted the top 2 strikeout totals in the league. Somerville won the season series 1-0-1.

On the Bump – Somerville only had to tap into their ‘Big3’ of Chris Foundas, Chris McKenzie and Jon “GimmeSome” Morse in the first round. Dan Mahoney and Brian Tanguy threw the only 2 innings of relief, so this team knows they have an arsenal of arms just waiting to jump in if needed. For East Boston, Jeff Allison and Branden “Carpet” Eaton both had strong starts to get wins, and John Tangherlini was tough in relief.  If Jon Shepard and Billy Riggieri step up their game (like they did all year), the defending champs will have a war on their hands.

At the Dish – No sugarcoating this one, East Boston kept up their ridiculous regular season pace at the plate in the first round putting up a .339 average against the Sabers.  Victor Lebron led the way going .445 with 5 steals, and Kenny “Polongball” Polanco and his .429 dropped a 2-run bomb at Maplewood in game 1. Business as usual. But the biggest contribution came from Jose Paulino, who followed up a sub-par season to rake at a .462 clip. Eastie is going to need all these guys and more to build up the Alibrandi pitch counts and put some dents in the armory. Somerville wasn’t quiiiiiiiiite the offensive juggernaut in the first round as they had been all year, but a good chunk of that can be attributed to having to deal with facing JT Ross and Matt Nicholson, who held them to 8 hits combined in 13 innings. But there are few things in life you can count on, and they are death, taxes, and Alibrandi offense. Look for the Barbershop Quartet of Mike “MoneyMags” Maguire, Teddy Dziuba, Kevin Salines and Logan “Airport” Gillis (ok, that one was lame) to set the table for the rest of the battalion to get work done.

Wildcards – If the series goes at least 4 (and in all likelihood, it should), we could see Sean Sullivan make his 2014 tourney debut. A postseason legend, Carrottop was last seen at game 4 of the A’s/Dodgers series asking both managers if he could get some innings in. For East Boston, Brad Tardugno struggled in the first round, but you don’t want to poke the bear. If he follows in Paulino’s footsteps and gets back into gear, its another big bat in the middle of the order.

X Factor – I’m going with Wilson Mercado. After undergoing a recent surgical procedure, Wilson was limited to 3 pinch-hit ABs against the Sabers. If he is healthy enough to see regular ABs in the semis, its just another potential nightmare for Alibrandi pitching. Without him, the Knights have some good bats to fill his spot in the lineup, but no one can really fill his size tens (total guess).

Series Prediction – Both of these teams are tough all around. I’d have to give a slight pitching edge to Somerville, but a perceptible offensive advantage to the Knights (can’t argue with stats, right?).  Game 1, featuring probable starters McKenzie vs Allison, can very well be a tone-setter for the entire series.  If Eastie can steal the first game at Trum, Somerville is going to be facing an uphill battle against a team that will be fired up and looking to bury the dynasty. But if they can’t take 1 of the first 2 and get home-field advantage, Sweeney Todd will be waiting for them not once, not twice, but thrice.

The Red Army, battered and bloodied, move on in 5

Al Thomas vs Revere:

Normally going to 5 games is a disadvantage, but since both Revere and Al Thomas were pushed to the brink in their opening round matchups, they will come back Thursday on equal footing. Like the other semi-final pairing, these teams both have simply huge offensive potential almost top to bottom through the lineup. Revere took the season series 2-0, but past success is indicative of nothing in the YBL playoffs.

On the Bump – With the rain pushing the series back one day, and the YBL Golf Tourney granting a reprieve after game 1, both teams will get a little extra downtime and seemingly be able to throw on normal rest. For the purple machine, Chris Sandini, Alex Wong and Adam Del Rio were all fantastic in their starts and look to eat up most of the innings before handing the ball over to Ian Titcomb. For the green and gray, look for one start out of team ace Willie Archibald after having thrown twice in round 1 in dominating fashion. If management can convince him “no, really, that’s the Dodgers in purple” – its all but a guaranteed Athletics win. This series will rest heavily on the performances of the A’s wings, as they hope to keep the games competitive and allow their beasty offense to do the heavy lifting. Rookie Bobby Freeman will look to follow up a no-hitter and turn that into success against a Rockies team that only saw him throw 1 inning in 2014.

At the Dish – Once again, no shortage of offense in this series either. Tom Englehardt and Bobby “el diablo” Foote maintained huge 2014 seasons, which saw them combine for 62 RBI, with .438 and .389 averages in the first round. If the top of the lineup is getting on base in front of them regularly, this series could get ugly. However, after leading the league in hitting for the season, the A’s may have the scariest meat of the order in the league. If Freddi “ARRIBA!” Carrera, James Katsiroubas and Steve Lambert (2dbl, trpl, 6rbi in round 1) keep getting pitches to hit, their offense can keep them in any game.

Wildcards – John Young and Mike DeMille. While both of these guys were workhorses for their teams this past season, they will need to bring their A game against relentless lineups. If one of them has a big game, look for the series balance to tilt in favor of their squad.

X Factor – Perhaps the biggest discrepancy between these 2 teams is on the basepaths. Al Thomas was 2nd in the league with 62 steals (plus 9 in round 1), while Revere had the fewest. The Rockies’ batteries will have their work cut out for them if they want to keep the Athletic wheels from getting into scoring position.

Series Prediction – With so much run-scoring potential, this is all going to come down to pitching. Runs will likely come in bunches, as both teams simply feast once they get inside an opposing pitcher’s head. If Revere gets solid production out of veterans Sean Glavin and Chris Hartery in the middle, it could prove to be too much for AT to handle.

Revere advances 3-2 for a second consecutive shot at the YBL title.

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Playoff Preview: (4) East Boston Knights vs. (5) Stoneham Sabers

Season Review

The East Boston Knights snatched the 4-seed with a second-place finish in the Yastrzemski Division.  Eric Bellavia has led them through a bit of roller-coaster season that saw the Knights (21-10-1) vacillate between the top and middle of the Yaz division.  With a similar style of play as their round 1 opponents, the Knights have no glaring weaknesses.  They have really put up some highly impressive, almost unrealistic statistics with a .426 OBP to go along with 122 steals, a new YBL record (since the inception of 400hitter, only two other clubs have amassed three-digits in steals).  And they back it up with a grocery list of pitchers who could each contribute significantly in the series.

On the flip side, the Stoneham Sabers (22-10) quickly established themselves as the team to beat in the YBL with a big win over Revere and then 2 more over Somerville in the first month+ of the season. There is never an ‘easy’ inning against the Sabers with their solid pitching, tough bats all the way through the lineup and speed all over the place. Player/Manager Angelo Colucci has kept the kids focused and has the comfort in knowing there will be superior defense at the 3 key positions on the field.

Stoneham may have taken the season series 2-0, but they have yet to play EB on one of their many turf fields.

Potential Matchups

Game 1 – Jeff Allison (2-0-1, 18.0 IP, 1.94 ERA, 20 Ks) vs. Chris Dion (4-1, 45.2 IP, 1.99 ERA, 36 Ks)

Game 2 – Jon Shepard (3-1-3, 26.1 IP, 0.53 ERA, 42 Ks) vs. Corey McNamara (6-1, 37.0 IP, 1.51 ERA, 20 Ks)

Game 3 – Branden Eaton (4-1, 31.0 IP, 4.06 ERA, 27 Ks) vs. Sam Cummings (5-3, 48.1 IP, 1.16 ERA, 45 Ks)

Players to Watch

The Knights can march 7 hitters to the plate who hit over .340 (with at least 35 ABs) in 2014, including Marty Dunlap (.375) and Josh Valerio (.352) who both had solid years. Wilson Mercado (.364, 24 RBI) was one of the scarier hitters in the YBL as usual, and Brad Tardugno (.343, 17 RBI) always seems to be lurking on deck when guys get on base.  Shepard and Allison will anchor the starting rotation, and Billy Riggieri (5-2, 31 IP, 2.09 ERA, 39 K) will likely start game 4 (if needed).  Max Ockner (1-2, 1.31 ERA) should get plenty of innings in relief.  But Eastie also has THE guy to watch in the postseason.  Victor ‘the better’ LeBron was lauded with “dude is the real deal” merely a couple weeks into his rookie YBL season.  Since then, his legit-ness has only escalated with a .459 avg, 3 HR and a ridiculous, YBL record 45 SB (surpassing Drew Tambling’s old mark of 37).  If this guy is getting on base with any regularity, stopping Eastie will be like trying to get a bad pie at Santarpio’s.

Stoneham may not have a LeBron of their own, but there is no debating that they are one of the more complete teams top-to-bottom in the league.  Now in his 4th YBL campaign, Mike Robinson (.268 avg, 15 SB) has been a pitcher’s nightmare who brings power and speed in addition to being a top-tier YBL center fielder. And while 2014 has seen a slight regression from mmmRob at the dish, this 3-hitter can break out at any time.  Jake Zelnick (.408 avg, 4 triples) leads the team in hitting, and Travis Adams (.358 avg, 11 doubles) has been among the top 2-way catchers in the YBL. The Sabers also have their own arsenal of wings, to the point where they can play matchups.  Greg Dubela (4-2, 1.78 ERA) and his rubber arm could easily see a start in the first few games, or even be the primary reliever leading up to a potential start in game 4.  One thing is for sure, these guys can play on any of the 11 different surfaces the schedule throws at them.

Wildcards

The Eastie bullpen.  If the starters are able to get through 5 innings with minimal damage, they will hand the ball to either John Tangherlini (2-1, 2.28era) or Max Ockner (1-2, 1.31 ERA) to close the door for Bellavia.  If those 2 are on point, the Sabers could be working uphill.

Colucci – A career .324 hitter, Ang has had a tough 2014 despite logging his 4th consecutive 90+ AB season.  History has shown that he has a certain flair for the dramatic, so 1 big hit can easily wake this hairy, hardball-hammering beast and cause big problems for Knights pitching.

X-Factor – Is there any question?  THE BEACH.  If the weather holds off, Stoneham will get to host the Knights at the most ligament-terrifying field on the eastern seaboard for at least 1 if not 2 games this upcoming weekend.  Are there any 2 fields more vastly different than Rec Park and Maplewood?

Series Prediction

While Eastie was up and down all year and Stoneham hit a bit of a rough patch over the last couple weeks of 2014, both teams have shown that they are perennially among the league’s best.  This series is going to be all about taking it one pitch at a time.  Hits will become outs, and mistakes can quickly turn into chaos.  The combination of pitching and hitting from both squads could lead to a bunch of 2-1 games, 15-14 games, or anything in between.

Stoneham moves on in 5

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Playoff Preview: (3) Revere Rockies vs. (6) South Boston Saints

Season Review

The 2013 Johnny Pesky Division Champion Revere Rockies are looking to take home their franchise’s first Yawkey Baseball League title after falling just short last season, losing to the Somerville Alibrandi ballclub in last year’s YBL Championship.  After a slow start, AJ Bucciarelli’s crew rifled off an incredible 17 consecutive wins, placing them firmly in the hunt for the league’s top seed (24-8 overall).  Settling into the #3 spot despite a clutch 2-game weekend series sweep of the top-ranked Stoneham Sabers, these perennial playoff contenders (10 consecutive trips to the postseason) are rested and focused for a deep playoff run.

The Rockies will face off against the “Saints of South Boston” (Cue the Boondock Saints intro music) in this year’s first round, who enter playoff play with a 19-11-1 overall record, good enough for the #6 seed.  Playoff participants in 6 of the last 7 seasons, Jon Tenney’s Saints opened up the season with victories against all 3 top seeds – Al Thomas, Revere, & Somerville – and look to continue their winning ways on the backs of some impressive veteran bats.

If the regular season matchups are any indication, this series could be hotly contested with some very close ballgames.  The season series is tied at one win a piece, with each team walking off with a one-run victory in the final at-bat.

 

Probable Matchups

Game 1 –  Steve Hueston (3-1, 35.1 IP, 1.58 ERA, 35 K’s) vs.  John Young (3-1, 33.2 IP, 0.83 ERA, 31 K’s)

Game 2 –  Luke Geoghegan (3-4, 40.1 IP, 5.55 ERA, 41 K’s) vs.   Chris Sandini (3-2, 32 IP, 1.97 ERA, 31 K’s)

Game 3 –  Jon Tenney (3-0, 12.2 IP, 0.55 ERA, 17 K’s) vs.  Adam Del Rio (3-2, 32.2 IP, 3.21 ERA, 27 K’s)

 

Players to Watch

The offseason additions of Tommy Englehardt (.507, 7 HR, 30 RBI) and Bobby Foote (.368, 4 HR, 32 RBI) added some thump to an already potent Revere Rockies lineup, anchored by de facto captain Chris Santosuosso (.323, 28 Runs, 17 RBI).   The loss of reigning league MVP Luis Rodriguez to injury hasn’t stopped the Rockies from pounding out nearly 6 runs per game, with all the usual suspects chipping in throughout the 2014 campaign.

This year’s squad may be the franchise’s best yet thanks to a frighteningly deep pitching staff to complement their dynamic offense.  While veteran arms “Donkey” Del Rio, Sandini, and Rich “Woody” Wlodarczyk (4-0, 2.63 ERA) handled the bulk of last season’s playoff workload, it could be the emergence of Young as the staff ace (League-Leading 0.83 ERA in 33.2 IP) which gets the squad over the hump.  Veteran closer Ian Titcomb (4 saves, 1.14 ERA) turned in another strong performance in 2014, and his ability to shorten games will be critical in keeping the Revere arms fresh for a condensed playoff schedule.

South Boston will have to find a way to overcome the loss of their top 2 starting pitchers – Dylan Joyce & Rob Cahill – if they want to advance out of the first round.  If there is an offense in the league that can do it, it just might be South Boston’s.  Kent Graham remains one of the league’s top right-handed bats, and the Saints will need more of his team-leading 4 home runs if they want to take the series.  New faces David Lightbody (.373, 8 2B’s, 16 BB’s) and former NCAA National Gold Glove recipient Trevor Boyce (24 runs, 16 SB’s) have been key contributors throughout the campaign, and catcher Jim McLaughlin continues to be a run-producer in the middle of the lineup, chipping in a team-best 19 RBI’s.

The series might hinge on Hueston’s bionic arm (106 innings in 2014 for 4 different teams) and his ability to snag a pair of wins in Round 1.  With victories against playoff participants Somerville and Savin Hill, he has proven he can handle top teams with ease.  Tenney’s intensity and mound presence cannot be counted out.  He has shown over the years that he thrives in the big game atmosphere.

 

Wildcards

Perhaps the most clutch bat on the squad, Kyle Rufo has asserted himself as field general behind the plate for Revere.  His steady presence has softened the blow of losing league legend Tony Iafolla to adulthood.

MSBL All-Stars Lightbody and Ryan Raddabaugh may not be household names to the newcomers in this league, but they have been terrorizing the amateur baseball scene throughout New England for decades.  Playoff baseball is all about poise in pressure situations, and these 2 have been there before, many times over.

 

Series Prediction

In the end, winning in August is all about pitching.  Revere has it.  South Boston does not.  I wouldn’t bet my own money against Lights and Graham, but Revere has the bats and pitching staff to go all the way this season.

Rockies advance, 3 games to 1.

 

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Playoff Preview: (1) Somerville Alibrandis vs. (8) Brighton Black Sox

Season Review

Masquerading as a different team than the buzzsaw that won 40 games over the course of 2013 (regular season plus playoffs), this year’s Alibrandis took longer than usual to get in sync.  Two-thirds of the way through the season, Somerville had posted a respectable 14-7-1 record yet found themselves amongst a group of teams vying to break away from the pack.  In early July, Manager Bernie Driscoll must have administered a healthy dosage of wedgies and purple nerples, because the Red Army has gotten back to business by winning their last 10 games to lock up the top seed in the YBL.

On the other side of the chalk, and clinching the 8th playoff spot with only a couple games left in the season, Manager John Griffith’s Black Sox fought through a grindstone year by doing what a playoff team is supposed to do…..beat the teams they should beat.  Griff kept his squad in the mix all the way despite a constantly changing lineup, and was rewarded in the form of a series with the most dominating franchise in recent YBL history.

Somerville took all 3 matchups between the teams in 2014. But if the Black Sox can build off the most recent 2-1 tilt, this series will be more interesting than most may anticipate.

Probable Matchups

Game 1 – Chris McKenzie (3-1, 30.1 IP, 1.38 ERA, 42 Ks) vs. JT Ross (3-5, 51.0 IP, 3.71 ERA, 65 Ks)

Game 2 – Chris Foundas (7-2, 58.1 IP, 0.96 ERA, 66 Ks) vs. Matt Nicholson (5-5, 64.0 IP, 3.72 ERA, 41 Ks)

Game 3 – Jon Morse (8-0, 48.1 IP, 1.16 ERA, 54 Ks) vs. Joe Shebertes (3-3, 31.0 IP, 1.13 ERA, 58 Ks

Players to Watch

The Black Sox offense boasts some quality bats in Adam Sudbeck (.311avg and 15rbi) and Bill ‘throwing it back to ’09’ Reichmann (.351avg with 34hits). But it can be argued that the Black Sox’ offensive tempo rises and falls with Kurt Beulke.  In his rookie campaign, Beulke has handled YBL pitching to the tune of a .363avg, terrorized defenses with swift base running (14sb), and turned center field into a place where hits go to suffer a supple, leathery death.  On the bump, the Sox will trot out a pair of veteran YBL workhorses in Ross and Nicholson, who have compiled 8 wins and 106 strikeouts between them.  Rounding out the playoff rotation is rookie Joe “Raspberry” Shebertes, who has sliced his way through hitters while amassing 58 strikeouts in 31 innings to go along with a sparkling 1.13era.

As for the Alibrandis, they always come at you with a lineup that never really gives you a chance to chew some seeds.  Typically at the top of the lineup, Mike “Mags” Maguire and Thaddeus “don’t call me Thaddeus” Dziuba are both having MVP-caliber seasons.  The freshly assimilated Kevin Salines shares the YBL lead in runs scored (31, tied w/Dziuba), and there is no shortage of production throughout the line with Logan Gillis, Stan DeMartinis, and the never-aging Doc DesRoches.  On the mound, count on an heaping helping of Morse, Foundas and McKenzie who will gladly hand the pill to The Tanguy for an inning every night.

Wildcards

Sean Sullivan – if the series goes to a game 4, the Alibrandis will likely turn to Ol’ Yukon Cornelius who has seen limited work due to injuries in 2014. He’s been a studly ginger for Somerville since 2009, does he still have the playoff goods?

Will Cousins – the Black Sox will need contributions up and down their lineup, and this rookie infielder can be the guy who keeps the lineup moving. Can regular season success turn into playoff success?

X-Factor – The Somerville Basketball twins always lead the Red Army fan base and can get into the heads of anyone that dare step onto the sacred Trum battlefield.

Series Prediction

While it may be easy to predict a blowout, you can’t go to sleep on these Black Sox.  Smart money is on the Red Army, but don’t be surprised if the Sox paint it Black and make a series out of it. Quality pitching and solid defense is the recipe for taking down the consensus YBL Championship favorites. If they can play clean baseball and refrain from giving Somerville too many free passes, they have the pitching to make this a good series.

Somerville in 4

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Playoff Preview: (2) Al Thomas Athletics vs. (7) Savin Hill Dodgers

Season Review

Finishing the regular season with an impressive 22-10 record, John Kostas’s Al Thomas Athletics are divisional champions for the 3rd year in a row, securing the #2 seed in the 2014 Yawkey Baseball League Playoffs as Carl Yastrzemski Division champions.   Sporting a potent, balanced lineup from 1 through 9, the A’s managed to bang out a league-best 207 runs while reaching base at a remarkable .430 clip.  Producing more than 6 runs per game, the offense provided more than enough punch for the veteran A’s pitching staff to snap off its 3rd consecutive 20-win season.  After a disappointing playoff run in 2013 which saw the A’s fail to advance out of the first round – thanks in no small part to a pair of gutsy pitching performances by former big leaguer Mike Smith and the upstart Brighton Braves – these stallions of the South Shore will look to make a deep run in 2014 and take home another championship for their historic and illustrious franchise.

Standing in their way in Round 1, and reaching the postseason in the first year of their existence as a hybrid franchise, is the Savin Hill Dodgers.  Dave Bonnell and Matt Grimes joined their respective squads (The Savin Hill Hornets and the Boston Dodgers) at the outset of this season and quickly became a force to be reckoned with in the Yawkey Baseball league, leading the Yastrzemski division for much of the 2014 campaign.  While runs were at times hard to come by for the Dodgers, Savin Hill has proven that it can handle the pressure of tight ball games, with 10 wins by a margin of 2 or fewer runs.  Buoyed by a trio of arms that rivals any team in the league, Savin Hill enters the YBL Playoff scene as a dangerous squad looking to shake up the YBL hierarchy, of which Al Thomas is very much a part.

Al Thomas won the season series 2 games to 1, but if the last matchup between these two teams is any indication (4-3 walkoff win on 7/20 @ Kelly Field), then this series has all the making of a YBL classic.

 

Probable Matchups

Game 1 – Brendan Huber (10-2, 67 IP, 1.78 ERA, 48 K’s) vs.  Mike Demille (5-2, 32.2 IP, 3.21 ERA, 21 K’s)

Game 2 – Eddie Samp (4-4, 48 IP, 2.48 ERA, 37 K’s) vs.  Bill Clang (5-4, 44.1 IP, 2.21 ERA, 33 K’s)

Game 3 – Kyle Breidenstine (2-4, 50.2 IP, 2.49 ERA, 32 K’s) vs.  Willie Archibald (7-1, 57.1 IP, 1.59 ERA, 63 K’s)

 

Players to Watch

Outfielder Freddi Carrera of the Al Thomas Athletics turned in an MVP-caliber season, becoming only the 3rd player since the inception of 400Hitter to slug 50 hits in a single season.  Finishing the year at .472 with a team-best 26 runs and 25 RBI’s, Freddi sets the table for the rest of the “ATBC” lineup and is one of the toughest hitters to strike out in the entire league (Only 8 K’s in 116 plate appearances).  The former face of the Savin Hill Hornets franchise, there will be no love lost when Freddi steps into the box against the newly formed Dodgers organization.

Driving Freddi in are YBL stalwarts Steve Lambert and James Katsiroubas who combined for 25 extra base hits and 46 RBI’s. Newcomer Matt Lavasseur showed a penchant for walks, drawing 24 free passes and ranking amongst the league’s leaders in runs scored with 25.  The addition of catcher Matt Rodriguez brought further balance to the AT lineup, driving in 22 runs and playing superb defense behind the dish.

While Archibald was undoubtedly the staff ace in 2014 – with his 7 wins and 63 K’s ranking him among the league’s best – they will need to draw on their veteran arms of Clang, Demille, and Dan Gaughan if they want to advance.  Especially if they plan on trading pitches with the likes of Huber, Samp and Breidenstine.

Savin Hill relied on their pitching and defense to get the lion’s share of their wins this season, but several key contributors will look to catch fire as the postseason looms.  Perennial All-Star Nate Hodor had another solid campaign, chipping in a team-best 21 RBI and 7 XBH.  Jay Shatto and Nick Tapper led the team in hitting, batting .352 and .368 respectively, and those 3 have proven in year’s past that they can provide all the offense the team needs to win.

A few runs may be all that the Dodgers need if the pride of Canada, Huber, takes the mound for Savin Hill.  The Canuck workhorse led all YBL pitchers in innings pitched (67) and wins (10), tying Evan Tardugno as the only pitcher in the .400 hitter era with double-digit victories.  Huber didn’t amass those wins against cupcakes either, boasting clutch W’s against playoff teams such as Somerville, East Boston, Stoneham and South Boston.  If Samp or Breidenstine can toss a gem in games 2 or 3, Al Thomas may be staring down the barrel of another 1st round upset thanks to a starter that can bounce back on short rest in the 5-game set.

 

Wildcards

Rathapoom Asdornvuttikrai, aside from having the greatest name in baseball history, has had some clutch knocks throughout the 2014 campaign.  Look for him to come up in a big spot in round 1.

Tom Trull can still run the bases like a madman.  If ATBC needs a run, expect them to steal to get it.

 

Series Prediction

As good as the Savin Hill arms have been, the Al Thomas offense is simply on another level. Katsiroubas drove in the winning runs in both of the Al Thomas victories over Savin Hill this season, and he was not in the lineup for the lone Dodgers victory. If Savin Hill can find a way to stop the bat of Jimmy Kats, they might have a shot. However, considering the rest of the league hasn’t found a way to do so in three years, it’s not looking too good for the boys in blue.

 

Al Thomas advances, 3 games to 1.

 

 

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Player Profile: Ryan Bere (Brighton Minutemen #3)

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Ryan Bere is the Kevin Bacon of the Yawkey Baseball League.  Scanning his career stats on .400 Hitter, you quickly realize that every amateur baseball player in the greater Boston area is within 6 degrees of separation from Ryan and the many teams/ballplayers he has played both with and against.  As a jack of all trades who can play literally any position, Ryan has slugged 200 hits in his illustrious career playing for the likes of the Brighton Minutemen & Chelsea Cyclones of the YBL, as well as the Orioles, Blue Jays, and Cutters of the Boston MABL, and Royals of the MWABL.  As if playing for 5 teams in a calendar year wasn’t enough baseball, Ryan is also one of only a handful of “Iron Men” who play every inning of the annual “100 Innings of Baseball Spectacular” which has raised over $600,000 for ALS research since its inception.

A baseball-aholic if there ever was one…get to know Ryan Bere of the Brighton Minutemen:

 

Nickname:  Ryno

Position(s): Super Utility, literally have played every position for every team I’ve been apart of.  Best position is 3B or SS

Bats/Throws: Left/right

Club(s) Played for in YBL: Winter Hill Cyclones-2010;  Brighton Minutemen: 2012-present

Where did you grow up: Belmont,MA

Where do you live now: Belmont,MA

Where did you go to college: Rhode Island College

Birthday: 4/29/86

Do you coach anywhere outside the YBL?  Coached in the MABL from 2009-2013; Asst. Coach for Dirt Dawgs 14U AAU Softball

Awards/Accolades: 2010 Manager of the Year in the MABL

What do you do for a living?  Store Manager for Olympia Sports

Been part of any championship teams prior to / outside of the YBL?  2010 MABL Blue Jays

Favorite MLB position player of all time: Ken Griffey Jr

Favorite MLB pitcher of all time: Nolan Ryan

What are the three best movies you’ve seen in the last year?  Lone Survivor, Captain American Winter Soldier, Captain Phillips

Who is the most underrated player on the Minutemen? Kevin Loveless – he’s got some good stuff on the mound.  He always seems to keep the game close for us when he takes the hill.

Who else on the Minutemen would make for an interesting interview? Steve Walsh – he always has something to say.

Who have you most looked up to in the YBL? Rob Linn – he has been in the league for a while and goes about the game the right way.  One of the best clutch hitters I’ve played with.

Who is the toughest pitcher to face in the YBL? JT Ross of the Black Sox – I literally strike out every time against him.

Who is the toughest hitter to face in the YBL? Marc DesRoches – he can hit to all fields and always is a tough out.

What was the most exciting moment you’ve had in the YBL? A game last year against South End, I pitched in relief.  I went from getting a potential save to almost getting a loss, and finally our team pulling it out and I got the win.  Since that will probably never happen again I’ll always remember it.

How would you improve the YBL? I think it is run pretty smoothly compared to some of the other leagues I play in.

What are your hobbies/passions outside of baseball? Big into fantasy football and spending time with family/friends.

What was the greatest accomplishment in your life? I coached my MABL squad to the 2010 championship and also getting to interview Cal Ripken Jr.

Who is the most influential person(s) in your life? My parents and my grandfather.  My dad was a big influence in the way I play, always taught me that hard work and dedication will always pay off.

Tell me something about you that people wouldn’t know: I can throw a perfect spiral with either hand.

How does your significant other handle your baseball habit? She handles it great.  She is always trying to make as many games as possible.  Very understanding about my love of baseball, since she has a love of the game as well.

What drives you to keep playing ball every summer? I love the game and wouldn’t know what to do with my summers if I didn’t play.  I’ve been playing since I was little (haven’t grown much since then either) and don’t see that changing until I can’t swing a bat or field a ball.

 

Predictions for the 2014 YBL Playoffs:  Somerville – have to go with the team that knows how to win the big games.

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