Arlington Senior Babe Ruth: ASBR News

Fall ball is underway.  Find the full fall schedule for the Prep and Senior leagues at the link.

Fall 2012 Schedule 

Fall Ball is approaching! The Arlington Senior Babe Ruth Baseball 2012 fall season will open with clinics on Saturday, September 8th and Sunday, September 9th.

We especially want to welcome all rising 13-year-old players from Arlington Little League and Arlington Babe Ruth, Cal Ripken League who are moving up to the regulation diamond.

Fall ball teams will be formed into two leagues. The 13-14 League includes rising 13 and 14 year olds who will turn those ages on or before April 30, 2013. The 15-18 League includes rising 15-18 year olds who will turn those ages on or before April 30, 2013.

Games for both leagues are scheduled to begin on Saturday, September 15th. Games will continue with one game during the week and one on the weekend through the weekend of October 31st. Due to the shortage of fields and the abbreviated fall ball season there will be limited opportunities for team practices during the fall.

Fall ball registration is $60 which includes a fee of $8 for the county imposed capital improvement field fund. Financial assistance is available upon request.

We request that all players register as soon as possible by mail or on-line. You may register at the clinics for your age group on September 8 and 9 (15s-18s may also drop off registrations at these clinics). Click here to register on-line, or click on the following to download a copy of our Registration and Consent for Treatment Forms. At this point we are looking for parents to help as coaches for our fall ball teams and to help with our clinics to be held on September 8 and 9. Please e-mail me at alan.schneider@fcc.gov if you are interested in serving as a coach and/or assisting at the clinics.

The schedule during the first weekend for the 13 - 14 League follows:

Saturday, September 8th

9:30 am - 11:30 am @ Yorktown/Greenbrier 3 -- Rising 13-year-olds last names A-L

12:30 pm - 2:30 am @ Yorktown/Greenbrier 3 -- Rising 13-year-olds last names M-Z

3:00 pm - 5:00 pm @ Barcroft 6 -- All Rising 14 year-olds

Sunday, September 9th

12:00 pm - 2:00 pm @ Barcroft 6 -- All Rising 13 & 14 year-olds

There will be no clinics for the 15-18 League.

Teams will be formed for both leagues during the week of September 10, with coaches notifying their players during that week of their first games on Saturday, September 15th.

We are looking forward to seeing you and to having a great fall ball season. Please join us for a fun and rewarding experience. If you have any questions about the Prep League, please call me at (703) 533-0748. If you have questions about the Senior League, please call Chris Valtin, Senior League Commissioner at (703) 338-2582 or send an email to asbrwebmaster@yahoo.com. 

Sincerely,
Alan Schneider
President, Arlington Senior Babe Ruth Baseball
Commissioner ASBR Fall Prep League

ASBR continues it's post season success.  Reported in the Arlington Sun-Gazette:

Monday, July 23rd

Sunday, July 22nd

Saturday, July 21st

Friday, July 20th

Click the links below for the VA state tournament brackets:

14u VA State Tournament Bracket

15u VA State Tournament Bracket

Standing (L to R): Coach Andrew Shreeve, Harry Spitz, Arthur Speck, Parker Denny, Teddy Herbert, Alex Saenz, Quinn Montante, James Levenberg, Daniel Bowler, Coach Greg Wigton, Coach Brooks Valtin
Front (L to R): Daniel McCreedy, Tanner Patton, Will Burgess, Miles Dulman, JJ Ricchetti, TR Sheehy
Not Pictured: Andrew Lewis 

 ASBR's 14u All-Star team is headed to States.  Check out the following news reports for details.

Clarendon.patch.com

Arlington Sun Gazette

ASBR has been highlighted in a short article in the Arlington Sun-Gazette. Check it out here.

The Rosenthal Jaguar Orioles met the Italian Store Rangers in the American League Championship Game Thursday night, June 21, before packed stands at Greenbrier Park. The Orioles blew into the game by beating the Federal Lock & Key Astros in the semi-finals; the Rangers by overcoming the Sanctus Sports Therapy Nationals.

The Orioles burst out to a 3-0 lead in the top of the first with big hits from Andrew Long, Jeff Contantz, and Will Burgess. Powered by a deep pitching staff – Tyler Spicer, Ronnie Fecso, Chris Seymour, Nathan Broffman, Long, and Contantz, toed the rubber for the Orioles -- and a RBI double from Fecso, the O's took a 5-4 lead going into the bottom of the 7th. With help from slick-fielding Chris Seymour, Nathan Broffman closed out the game and the championship for the Orioles. The Orioles pitching staff was led by Patrick Girard and Quinn Montante. Nate Jones and Danny McCreedy powered the Rangers offense with hits.

The Orioles were lead by coaches Mark Murray and Taylor Triggs. Mike Krulfeld and Andrew Shreeve skippered the Rangers.

The Manning & Murray Timber Rattlers earned the 2012 Prep League Championship on June 18th at Barcroft Field before an excited crowd by coming from behind to win 4-3 over the tough 1st Commonwealth Bank of Virginia Bulls. The championship match up was set up after the Manning & Murray Timber Rattlers beat the Jimmy John’s Knights, 6-1, and the Bulls overcame the BuckRealtors.com Scrappers, 8-2, in the semi-finals.

Brendan Hemstreet started on the mound for the Timber Rattlers and Gavin Anderson started for the Bulls. The Bulls jumped out to a 3-0 lead in the top of the first inning as the Bulls took advantage of a 2-RBI base hit by Jim Bardo. The Timber Rattlers struck back in the bottom of the first to cut the lead to 3-2 after a 2-RBI single by Chandler Mouw. The pitching, lead by strong outings by Hemstreet and Anderson, as well as excellent defense prevented any additional runs in the second and third innings. Timber Rattler Foster Gray led off the bottom of the fourth inning with a single. After advancing to third base, Gray stole home on a passed ball to tie the game at 3-3. Alec Glasser took over on the mound for the Bulls in the fifth inning and did not allow any base runners in the fifth and sixth innings. Zack Allen took over the pitching duties for the Timber Rattlers in the sixth inning, allowing only one base runner in the sixth and seven innings. Timber Rattler Gray led off the bottom of the seventh with another single. After Mouw reached first base, Zack Allen executed a sacrifice bunt to move the runners to second and third. Hemstreet was then intentionally walked to load the bases. Richard Wright worked the count to full, and then drew a walk to move the score to 4-3 for the Timber Rattlers win. After the game, Richard Wright observed: “We were almost the same team, equally as good as the other.”

The Timber Rattlers were lead by coaches Al Schneider and Bart Gray. Max and Eric Glasser managed the Bulls. The Hurley Write Muckdogs, Better Lawn Service Owlz, and Falls Church Foot & Ankle Grasshoppers also competed in the 2012 Prep League season and tournament.

Tryouts for our All Star and travel teams have been scheduled for the following dates:

13s 6-8 pm Quincy Friday, June 15 AND 4-6 pm Quincy Sunday, June 17  

14s 7-9 pm Quincy Sunday, June 17

15s 6-8 pm Greenbrier Sunday, June 17

14/15 Travel Team 10am - 12pm Quincy Saturday, June 23

State Senator Barbara Favola of Arlington threw out the ceremonial first pitch of the ASBR Alliance League season at Greenbrier Park on Saturday, April 21st, prior to the Alliance League game between the Better Sports Club Rangers and the Jhoon Rhee Tae Kwon Do Marlins. Pictured above with Senator Favola, from left to right, are Rex Birgisson, Blade Aliu, and Henry Bramham of the Rangers, and Michael Timpane, Michael Dewhirst, and Brandon Timpane of the Marlins.

In the crisply played contest, the Marlins came from behind and held on to win 9-7 in six innings. The Marlins were led by Emory Myers, who had a two-RBI double to tie the game in the bottom of the third at 4-4, and who made three key defensive plays at third base to help hold off the Rangers. The Marlin's Jordan Whalley-Hill launched a bases clearing double to take the lead, 7-4, in the fourth inning. Micheal Dewhirst, Cormal O'Donovan, and Mike Hewitt also pounded doubles. Whalley-Hill and Brandon Timpane toed the rubber for the Marlins. Southpaw Michael Timpane dampened the Rangers' rally in the sixth and final inning. For the Rangers, Quinn Montante rocketed two doubles, and Danny McCreedy earned three RBIs on a triple and a single. Montante and Matt Friedman shared the pitching duties for the Rangers.

On Saturday, April 28, from Noon to 1:00pm at the Yorktown High School baseball field, Elías Sosa Martínez will hold a pitching clinic for Arlington Senior Babe Ruth League pitchers and other interested players. All youth baseball players and the public are invited and welcome to attend

Elías Sosa Martínez (born June 10, 1950 in La Vega, Dominican Republic), is a former right-handed relief pitcher in Major League Baseball.

Elias Sosa is now the Coordinator for Latin America, Major League Baseball International. He acts as an envoy and does coaching seminars for coaches and youth in Latin America. He also works with local Baseball Federations and with the U.S. Embassies to bring baseball instruction along with a positive message to the youth, parents and baseball communities.

He was signed by the San Francisco Giants as an amateur free agent on March 4, 1968. He played for the Giants (1972-1974), St. Louis Cardinals (1975), Atlanta Braves (1975-1976), Los Angeles Dodgers (1976-1977), Oakland Athletics (1978), Montreal Expos (1979-1981), Detroit Tigers (1982), and San Diego Padres (1983).

Sosa was used almost exclusively in relief during his 12-year MLB career. He appeared in 601 games, just three as a starter, and performed as both a closer and a long man. He had several excellent seasons in the big leagues. He twice had an earned run average below 2.00 (1977 and 1979), and in his rookie year, 1973, he won 10 games, saved 18, and pitched in 71 games, all of which would become career highs.

Also of note in 1973, he saved nine of teammate Ron Bryant's major league-leading 24 wins, including #20 . He finished in the American League or National League TOP TEN four times for games pitched and games finished, three times for saves, and once for winning percentage.

Other career highlights include:

3 scoreless innings to earn a save against the Philadelphia Phillies (June 2, 1973)

won games on two consecutive days vs. the Atlanta Braves, pitching a combined 4 scoreless innings with 4 strikeouts, no walks, and giving up just one hit (September 1 and 2, 1973)

4 scoreless innings to earn a save against the Cincinnati Reds (July 26, 1974)

4 innings, allowing just one run (unearned), to earn a save against the San Francisco Giants (May 23, 1976)

4.1 scoreless innings, with a career-high 6 strikeouts, for a no decision vs. the San Diego Padres (July 10, 1977)

3 perfect innings to earn a save against the Toronto Blue Jays (May 2, 1978)

4 scoreless innings, allowing just one hit, to earn a save against the San Diego Padres (July 15, 1979)

Sosa did not get taken deep too often, giving up just 64 home runs, or one for every 14.1 innings pitched. But one of those home runs became quite famous, for it was the second home run of three hit by Reggie Jackson of the New York Yankees in Game 6 of the 1977 World Series.

For his career, he finished with 59 wins, 51 losses, 83 saves, 330 games finished, and an ERA of 3.32.

In 1989 he played for the St. Petersburg Pelicans of the Senior Professional Baseball Association.

Arlington Senior Babe Ruth Baseball invites all 16-18 year olds to play baseball in our Senior League this Spring.

This includes players born on January 1, 1993 through April 30, 1996. All players are eligible to play, regardless of skill level.

Initially, we will hold group practices every Saturday:

Games will begin on Saturday, May 12. Teams will play two to three games per week. The season ends in late June. Once games begin, there will be no practice.

We request that players register as soon as possible. Doing so will greatly assist our program in planning for the upcoming season by allowing us to more accurately estimate the number of teams we will field, and our corresponding uniform, equipment, field and volunteer needs. The registration fee for the spring 2012 season is $145. This fee includes a County imposed $8 per player charge. To help defray league expenses you may also include a tax deductible contribution with your registration fee.

ASBR continues to use on-line registration and payment available to you! Please click here to begin the on-line registration process.  When you register on line, please remember to download the medical release form and bring it with you to the league’s preseason clinics. If you would rather register the traditional way, you can download registration and medical release forms here.

We look forward to your participation. If you have any questions, please contact Chris Valtin, Commissioner, Senior League at (703) 338-2582 or christopher.valtin@fitchratings.com.

Play Ball!

Alan Schneider President

Spring training is underway for the Prep and Alliance leagues.  The updated practice schedule for the Prep league till April 5th is:   

 Saturday, March 31st (all at Kenmore)

Harris - 1:00 - 2:15
Open - 2:15 - 3:30
Schnieder - 3:30 - 4:45
Open - 4:45 - 6:00
Open - 6:00 - 7:15

Monday, April 2nd

Open - Barcroft 6 6:00 - 7:30 
Hurley & Schneider - Barcroft 6 7:30 - 9:00

Tuesday, April 3rd 

Andrukonis  - Barcroft 6 7:30 - 9:00

Connole - Barcroft 6 7:00 - 8:15 
Open - Barcroft 6 8:15 - 9:30

Thursday, April 5th

Open - Barcroft 6 6:00 - 7:30 
Open - Barcroft 6 7:30 - 9:00

Dear Senior Babe Ruth Player, Parent, and Coaches

The 2012 Spring Senior Babe Ruth season is rapidly approaching. I strongly urge all players to register as soon possible (click the On-Line Registration link in the left hand menu). Two leagues will start in March: the Prep League consists of all players who are 13-year-olds, and the Alliance League is for players who are 14- and 15-year olds who are not playing on a high school team. The American League, which is for 14- and 15-year olds who are playing on a high school team, will begin in early-May. The Senior League, for 16-18 year-olds will begin in mid-May after the high school baseball season is over.

  All players for the Prep and Alliance leagues should plan to attend the following group practice sessions, which officially kick off the Spring 2012 Arlington Senior Babe Ruth season.

 Saturday, March 10th - Group Practice

All Prep (13 year-old players)

13-year-olds Last Names begin with A-L at 9:00 - 10:45 a.m. at Kenmore (indoors)

13-year-olds Last Names begin with M-Z at 11:15 - 1:00 p.m. at Kenmore (indoors)

All Alliance (14/15 players NOT on high school team) 3:00 - 5:00 at Quincy (W/L)

(Please arrive 15 minutes before session.)

Sunday, March 11th – Group Practice

All Prep (13-year-old players):

  13-year-olds Last Names begin with A-L at 1:00 - 2:30 p.m. at Quincy (W & L)   

13-year-olds Last Names begin with M-Z at 2:45 - 4:15 p.m. at Quincy (W & L)

All Alliance (14/15 players NOT on high school team) 2:00 - 4:00 at Greenbrier (Yorktown)

(Alliance practice ONLY if rained out on Saturday)

 If you cannot attend the practice for which you are scheduled based on your last name please attend the other session if possible.

Inclement Weather: Remember to call the Recreation Department's Inclement Weather # 703-228-4715 to learn whether any of the outdoor practice days mentioned in this letter have been canceled!

The 2012 season promises to be better than ever. Along with all our coaches and volunteers, I look forward to your participation. If you have any questions, please send us an email at asbrwebmaster@yahoo.com.

Sincerely,

Al Schneider, President
Arlington Senior Babe Ruth Baseball

Dear coaches, players, and parents: Although winter is now upon us the opportunities for learning and playing baseball are seasonalless. To enhance your own skills and understanding of the game and that of your children we invite you to take advantage of two upcoming coaches clinics and 2 upcoming players clinics.  Please click on the links below to get details about all of these exciting opportunities.

GW Coaches Clinic (free): January 21, 2012

Babe Ruth Coaches Clinic: February 18, 2012

GW Players Clinics: January 22, 29, February 5, 12, 2012

Virginia Baseball Club Players Clinics

Alliance Brackets

It was a great ASBR Alliance day which began with the completion of the rain postponed game from Friday night. The Italian Store Marlins defeated the Arlington Better Sports Club Nationals to earn a berth in the Championship game at Barcroft #6. The Championship game began with a ceremonial first pitch from The Honorable J. Walter Tejada of the Arlington County Board. It was rumored that Mr Tejada's fastball was once timed at 91 miles per hour!! (Mr. Tejada (second from left) posed with the Rangers' Ethan Greenhaus, the Marlins' Daniel Scholl, and ASBR Board Member Casey Triggs.) The first pitch was received by the Fiore & Levine Ranger's catcher Ethan Greenhaus with both teams lined up along the 1st & 3rd base lines. After the National Anthem was played, with the U.S. flag being held at the pitcher's mound by one of the Ranger's mothers, the Alliance Championship game began.

The Championship Game was a very well played game that was tied at 2-2 through 5 innings. The Fiore & Levine Rangers prevailed with the victory in 7 innings of play.

The medal ceremony for the Alliance Champion Fiore & Levine Rangers and the Alliance Runner-up Italian Store Marlins took place immediately following the game, along the 1st & third base lines. The Marlins Head Coach Ed Rozynski presented the medals to the Alliance Tourney Runner-up Marlins & Rangers head Coach Tom McNulty to the Alliance Tourney Champion Rangers. The regular season was completed with a pizza party, courtesy of the Alliance Rangers & Alliance Marlins parents, & a sheet cake courtesy of ASBR Alliance League.

A great day was had by all players, coaches & parents. Thanks to all the Alliance Coaches & Assistant Coaches. It was a great Alliance season, which is only possible with the help and cooperation of many unsung heroes.

Bob Furlong, ASBR Alliance Commissioner

County Board Member Mary Hynes threw made a great ceremonial first pitch at the Prep League Championship Games between the 1st Commonwealth Bank of Virginia River Dogs and Falls Church Foot & Ankle Center Bees. Joining Ms. Hynes are the River Dogs' J.J. Ricchetti and the Bees' Sam Veroneau, along with ASBR Board Members Casey Triggs (left) and Bill Murray (right).The Bees won an exciting two-day, nine-inning first game, which was suspended overnight due to lightening. The River Dogs ended up taking the Championship in the second game.

Dear 16-18 Year Old Baseball Player:
Arlington Senior Babe Ruth Baseball invites 16-18 year old players to play baseball in our Senior League. This includes players born after January 1, 1992 and prior to April 30, 1995.

All 16-18 year old players are eligible to play in the Senior League, regardless of whether they are on a high school team. In fact, minimum play rules and snake batting orders ensure equal playing opportunity for all.

 Initially, beginning after the public school spring break, we will hold two group practices per week. These practices will be held on April 27, April 30, May 5, May 7, and May 14.

Games will begin Sunday, May 15. Following the regular season, there will be a league tournament. The tournament will conclude in late June.

The registration fee for the spring 2011 season is $135, and you can register and pay on-line. Please click here to begin the on-line registration process. If you would rather register the old-fashioned way, you can download registration and medical release forms here.

Please - we urge you to register as soon as possible. Doing so will greatly help us to plan for the upcoming season.

We look forward to your participation. If you have any questions, please contact Chris Valtin, Commissioner, Senior League at (703) 338-2582 or christopher.valtin@fitchratings.com.

Play Ball!

 Alan Schneider, President
Arlington Senior Babe Ruth Baseball

Spring Baseball is upon us! The Arlington Senior Babe Ruth spring season will open on Saturday, April 9th with games in our Prep and Alliance leagues.  We especially want to welcome all rising 13-year-old players, from Arlington Little League and Arlington Babe Ruth Cal Ripken, who are moving up to the regulation diamond. The American and Senior league seasons will begin in mid-May. 

 Schedules will soon be added to the web site and you will be able to find them on the bottom of this page and on each team's individual web page.

There will be no practices on any of the baseball fields this weekend with the possible exception Barcroft #6 on late Sunday afternoon.  Please check with the Arlington County weather line (703) 228-4715 for updates.

Please click here for the latest Babe Ruth bat rule changes.  For a list of the approved composite bats for 2011, please click here.

Arlington County has closed all diamond fields for today, Saturday, March 27 and that information is reflected on the inclement weather tape at 703/228-4715. However, I have cleared it with the county to let us use the batting cages at each of the fields, information which is not on today's recorded message. Therefore please send an e-mail or phone your players that your practices are on time as scheduled but that they will be limited to batting cage use only. Under no circumstances are any players or coaches to go on the fields.

ASBR's 16u travel is involved is several community service projects during the spring/summer of '09 as part of an effort to give back to the Arlington community which has supported our team over the past year. The team, which won the 15 year-old Virginia State Championship last summer, consists of 13 ASBR 16 year-olds and will play a 30 game combined Babe Ruth/travel schedule this upcoming summer.

http://www.ahcinc.org/documents/FebruaryNewsBriefs.pdf

ASBR is sending six teams to districts this summer, 13U, 14U, 15U, 14/15U Alliance, 16U and 18U. 

The 16U district team won it's district by defeating Northern Fairfax twice on Monday, July 7th at Chantilly H.S.  They play in the State tournament starting July 16th in Brunswick, VA.  Click here for the State tournament bracket.

 Click here for district tournament brackets for the other teams.

 GO ARLINGTON!

The 14/15U Alliance team finished it's district tournament as champions!  Click here for the Arlington Sun Gazette news article about the team. Congratulations to Coach Rick Boyle and the whole 14/15U Alliance team!

Fall Ball is traditionally a period of games and no practices. This is primarily due to the lack of fields and practice times. I would like to conduct some group practices on Sunday afternoons starting this Sunday, October 3, for all interested players to attend. This would be in lieu of requests for individual team practices. To this end I have reserved the Virginia Highlands Field # 4 from 3:30 - 5:00 for a pitching and catcher's clinic. All players and coaches who would like to attend this clinic are welcome.

Sorry for the short notice, but the more games I've observed and the more coaches I have talked to convinced me that this clinic will help improve the overall caliber of play in our fall ball program. I will also be reserving fields for additonal Sunday afternoon practices throughout the season and will send you the details early next week.

At this point I am the only one working the clinic, so if any of the other coaches or league officials are free to help that would be greatly appreciated.

Sincerely,

Alan Schneider President, Arlington Senior Babe Ruth Baseball