Location: Freeport Tavern, Dorchester
BOD meets at 6:30, General Membership at 7:30.
New Protocol for YBL All-Star Events
The Yawkey Baseball League’s All-Star Committee, with approval from the Board of Directors, has issued the following protocol by which it will govern the league’s three All-Star events in 2014:
YBL All-Star Game at Fenway Park
Objectives:
* To give players the chance to play at Fenway Park.
* To represent the Yawkey Baseball League in one of the most revered parks in baseball history.
Rosters:
* Each YBL team manager will nominate their own players who will participate in the game.
* The 6 teams that failed to make the previous year’s playoffs may send 2 position players and 1 pitcher.
* The 6 teams that were eliminated in the first two rounds of the previous year’s playoffs will be allowed 1 additional position player for a total of 4 players.
* The 2 teams that made it to the previous year’s YBL Finals will be allowed to send an additional pitcher and position player for a total of 5 players per team.
* This makes a total roster size of 26 players per conference (max. 16 position, 2 DH, and 8 pitching–depending on whether the semi-final losing team decides to send a pitcher or position player)
Management:
* Managers representing the teams with the best overall record in their conference will manage their conference in the All-Star Game.
* Additional coaching for each team, consisting of 1 bench coach and 2 base coaches, will be provided by the remaining playoff teams in each conference, with managers of the remaining 6 teams as the bench and base coaches for each conference’s All-Star team.
EMass Classic
Objective:
To win.
Rosters:
* There are no requirements stating that each team must be represented, however the All-Star Committee will do its best to ensure as diverse a YBL representation as possible.
* The All-Star Committee will develop a bank of YBL players from which each team manager will be asked to vote for a starting roster.
* This bank of players will be compiled after a review of each player’s:
1 – current season performance
2 – career YBL performance (weighted more heavily towards recent seasons)
3 – prior All-Star / Select team performance
4 – career YBL attendance numbers
5 – availability to participate
* The managers will vote for a starter at each field position, a designated hitter, 3 starting pitchers and a closer (**managers may NOT vote for a player from their own teams).
* The remainder of the team will be selected by the All-Star Committee, culminating in a set number of pitchers and position players (as yet TBD)
Management:
* The manager of the previous year’s YBL Champion will be the default manager for this event.
* Additional coaches for the tournament, consisting of 1 bench coach, 2 base coaches, and 1 pitching coach will be selected by the manager in cooperation with the All-Star Committee.
* If the manager of the reigning YBL champion can not attend, the All-Star Committee will select the manager after discussion with the Board of Directors.
Military Game
Objectives:
* To show respect and support for our armed forces.
* Provide a competitive and fun baseball game.
* Win.
Rosters:
* Any player with a military service record will be given the opportunity to dress and participate in the event.
* Each YBL manager will again be asked to submit a starting lineup (**again, no selections from their own team)
* The All-Star Committee will fill out the rest of the roster, ensuring that each team is given ample opportunity to be represented in the game.
Management:
* The manager of the previous season’s 2nd-place team will be the default manager for this event.
* Additional coaches for the game, consisting of 1 bench coach, 2 base coaches and 1 pitching coach, will be chosen by the manager in cooperation with the All-Star Committee.
* Should the manager not be able to attend, a replacement will be selected by the All-Star Committee and the Board of Directors.
Filed under YBL News
Former YBL Pitcher Rich Hill Signs Again with Red Sox
Former YBL pitcher, Rich Hill, has been signed by the Red Sox once again to a minor-league deal. The 6’5″ lefty from Milton, who was recently inducted to the YBL Hall of Fame, was a member of the Al Thomas Athletics prior to being drafted by the Cubs in the 4th round of the 2002 amateur draft. He spent three previous seasons with the Red Sox (2010-12) and spent last season playing for Terry Francona in Cleveland, where he made a career-high 63 appearances.
Filed under YBL News
Player Profile: Alex Alcantara
Whether it was an athletic play in the outfield or a moonshot off his bat, it’s very likely that Alex Alcantara caught your attention when you watched the Nationals last year. He slugged .396 and stole 13 bases without being caught. Alex also led his team in doubles (9), runs scored (22), and hits (25). He will begin the 2014 season with the Nats until it’s time for him to leave for basic training with the Army.
Position: Outfield
Bats/Throws: R/R
Where did you grow up?
Bronx, NY
Where do you live now?
Quincy, MA
Where do/did you go to college?
Eastern Nazarene College
If you served in the military, where?
United States Army
Clubs Played for in YBL:
Forest Hills Force in 2012, then the West Roxbury Nationals in 2013. And until I have to report for basic training, I’ll be back with the Nationals for 2014 as well.
What baseball awards / honors have you won in your life?
High School MVP, Seniors All Star Team, Yawkey Baseball League All Star Team
Favorite MLB position player of all time?
Manny Ramirez
Favorite MLB pitcher of all time?
Pedro Martinez
Who is the most underrated player on the Nationals?
Who else on the Nationals would make for an interesting interview?
Who have you most looked up to in the YBL?
Our team owner
Who is the toughest pitcher to face in the YBL?
What was the most exciting moment you’ve had in the YBL?
Beating Somerville two years ago. It was the right combination of pitching for us (Matt Bernstein going all 7) and timely offense against one of the top two pitchers in the YBL.
What do you like most about playing in the YBL?
The competition in the league gets stronger every year and it makes it more fun to play against the best players available. Anything that keeps pushing the quality of players and talent level higher is always a good thing.
What was the greatest accomplishment in your life?
Joining the military
Who is the most influential person(s) in your life?
My mother
What drives you to keep playing ball every summer?
Just the love of the game. Stepping out into the field and forgetting about bills, problems, school, work, or just life in general while I’m having fun.
Filed under Player Profiles
Player Profile: Bill Reichmann
In eight YBL seasons, Bill Reichmann has amassed 225 hits, scored 147 runs, and stolen 56 bases. He is a lifetime .311 hitter and two-time recipient of a YBL Silver Slugger Award. In 2009, he tied for the league lead in hits with 44, and was fourth in batting average at .419. In a three-game sweep of the Savin Hill Hornets in 2011, he went 5-7 (.714) with 4 BB. He has also been known to make legendary comments on the YBL Facebook group. #CurseOfSledge
Position(s): LF but growing into a DH. Every once in a while I’ll fake it as a pitcher.
Bats/Throws: R/R
Club(s) Played for in YBL?: Brighton Black Sox (2006-Present)
Where did you grow up?
Callicoon, NY on a dairy farm. If you need your cow milked I’m your go to guy.
Where do you live now?
Danvers, MA
Where do/did you go to college?
King’s College (PA, which must be specified as some people think of London first for some reason). Class of 2005.
When is your birthday?
May 23
What baseball awards / honors have you won in your life?
YBL Silver Slugger (2008, 2009)
Been part of any championship teams prior to / outside of the YBL?
3-Time Section IX Champions… in football.
What years have you been an All-Star in the YBL?
I think I’ve played in three [All-Star Games]: one in Lynn, which was an intra-league game; one in Nashua vs. the Military All-Stars; and one at Fallon Field, which was an intra-league game. I think they were 2008, 2009, and 2011.
Favorite MLB player of all time?
When you have the honor and privilege of rooting for the Yankees your entire life, it is difficult to choose just one, so I’ll give you one dead and one alive: Lou Gehrig and Mariano Rivera. Both were not only great players, but great men and role models. (p.s. – What are the chances that the first sentence gets me a fastball to the ribs this summer?)
Who is the most underrated player on the Brighton Black Sox?
I think that Matty Nicholson flies under the radar every year and has a great year. He never gets mentioned in the Facebook discussions (arguments), but he consistently puts up an ERA in the low 2s. He’s one of the most competitive players on the team and we are lucky to have him.
Who else on the Black Sox would make for an interesting interview?
Mazz for sure. Don’t talk to the Owens brothers though. No one likes talking to those two.
Who have you most looked up to in the YBL?
Definitely Griff. He does so much to keep the Brighton Black Sox up and running and without a complaint. The guy wasn’t back-to-back Gentleman of the Year for nothing!
Who is the toughest pitcher to face in the YBL?
There are a lot of very good pitchers in the league. The toughest for me last year was definitely Jon Morse of Somerville. I remember we faced him twice and I could not really get a beat on what he was doing.
What was the most exciting moment you’ve had in the YBL?
Winning a playoff series against Savin Hill in 2011 definitely ranks up there. Also being able to contribute as much as I did during those three games makes it that more special. It was probably the best three-game stretch I have ever played.
Who is the most influential person(s) in your life?
Definitely my dad, who I unfortunately lost back in 2008. He was such a big part of my life growing up. He was always willing to throw the football, shoot some hoops, or hit fly balls and ground balls after a long day of work on the farm. He is the one who set an example of hard work, competitiveness but also in treating others with respect.
Tell me something about you that people wouldn’t know.
I grew up in a very small town in upstate NY and before my senior year my school merged with two other schools. It was a transition period so I ended up wearing three different school colors that year. For football, we played as all three schools to increase the numbers (we still only had about 40 guys in grades 9-12 playing). For basketball, all three schools had more than enough guys for their own team so we played as three separate schools. The tough one was for baseball. My school did not have enough players to field a team, but the other two schools did. They ended up shipping us to one of those schools so that there were only two teams, but I had to wear a rival’s uniform during my senior year.
What drives you to keep playing ball every summer?
I have always loved playing baseball. When I first joined the YBL, I felt like I had a lot to prove to myself because I did not get a lot of playing time in college. I wanted to prove that I could play at a higher level than just small town high school baseball. It is still what drives me to this day.
What was the greatest accomplishment in your life?
Definitely marrying the awesome lady in the picture below. This is one of my two pictures of shame from my wedding. To all those getting married out there, be sure to check the bottom of your shoes before going out there!
Filed under Player Profiles
Szathmary’s House Destroyed by Fire
YBL Hall of Famer Steve Szathmary’s house was tragically destroyed in a recent fire. A donation fund has been created online to help the families affected. Please visit http://www.gofundme.com/6ipcrw and offer your support. Szathmary was inducted to the YBL Hall of Fame in 2012. He spent his playing days with the West Roxbury Devils and Somerville Alibrandis, and retired in 2010.
Filed under YBL News