We are entering the final week of Niskayuna Recreational Baseball. 

Tonight:
GE Fields are closed
All other fields are open;  Plan for extra preparation time as Coaches.  Plan for wet feet and mud as players

Cal Ripken All-Star Teams:
All teams were announced this week and posted on line. Thanks all those who tried out, and congratulation to our All Stars!

Fundraising:
We appreciate the tremendous amount of PC Raffle Ticket sales, and everyone working diligently to get them to the League despite all the rain outs.  

Bottle Drive:
Despite the rainout last weekend, thanks for all those that filled the return truck.

Summer Programs:
Coach Furey has announced his summer camps and Sandlot programs.  More details on our web site. 

Reschedules:
We appreciate every family's patience in rescheduling the games and fields.  From Tee Ball to Connie Mack.  Rec and Travel.

Although what may seem straight forward requires efforts to find fields, fix fields, re-schedule umps and try to balance all the various divisions while also leaving enough time for all those involved to be contacted.

As a general rule the NBL season closes with the school year.  This year, we will make up T-Ball, A, and AA games canceled on Saturday 6/8 on Saturday 6/22.  Same scheduled opponent, time slot and field location.   We hope most teams can accommodate.    If rained out that will be the close of the season.

Trophies:
For Coaches that purchased, they will be put in the Babe Ruth 2nd floor tonight for pick up.

Playoffs:
Playoffs start this week for Babe Ruth, Majors and AAA.  Good luck to all the teams!

Weekend Schedule:  
Games shown are those scheduled, and don't include make ups or other arrangements.
Note some fields haven't been mowed due to rain. 

Rec:
Babe Ruth :  Playoff start
Majors:         Playoff start
AAA:             Playoffs start
AA:                normal slate
A:                  normal slate
Tee:              normal slate

Travel - All Games Sunday:
8U    Travels to Clifton Park
9U    Travels to Wilton
11U  Travels to Clifton Park
10U Plays at Home verse Clifton Park 12:30pm at Field 4
12U Plays at Home verse Saratoga 12:30pm at the Majors Field

Enjoy the final week!

When you are ready to check out, click on payment options, and choose to pay by credit card or check. Be sure to confirm the registration. You will automatically receive a confirmation email.

11U All-Star Tryouts are also cancelled for tonight and are re-scheduled for Sunday, June 9th from 5:30 to 8:30pm on the Majors Field.

Latest News...

- WEATHER UPDATE....The League will review the fields and weather Saturday at 7am to determine if playing Saturday games and All Star Tryouts.  We will update the web site and email out by 8am.

- ALL STAR TRYOUT...see the web page for tryout times.  If fields are closed Saturday, Saturday tryouts will be held on Sunday 6/9 rain out times published below.
                
                  8u: Sunday, June 9th from 3:30-5:30pm Field #3
            10u: Sunday, June 9th from 6-8pm Field #4
            11u: Sunday, June 9th from 5:30-8pm Majors Field

To All,

Thank you all for the last big push on the Price Chopper raffle tickets!  I will need to collect back all the stubs, money and unsold tickets from you soon.  Please get them to your coaches, or get to me directly. 

Below are times that I have for you to drop off to me...

Saturday, June 8th at the Majors field from 12-2:30
Saturday, June 8th at the AAA field from 3-5
Tuesday, June 11th at the AAA field from 5:30-7 

If it rains and games are canceled, the Saturday picks up will be canceled as well and we will communicate a new collection schedule.  

Thank you for your support of Niskayuna Baseball,

Tracy Morra
Fundraising Chair

As we enter the month of June, we are into the final 3 weekends of "regular" season baseball.  Enjoy!

News from The Week:

Our 13U Travel/All-Star Team won a Tourney in Colonie this past weekend in their preparation tour for the Mid-Atlantic Regionals.  Below is a picture of the team.

Price Chopper Raffle Tickets are due this week.

Bottle Drive Next Saturday June 8 at the Babe Ruth complex.  Proceeds go to support the 13U Travel/All-star team

This Weekends Games:

Saturday:
Babe Ruth has games 1pm, 4pm and 7pm
Majors is playing games 10am, 12:30pm and 7pm.  
AAA plays 9:30 and 12pm at Field 4.  At 3:30 there is a game at the Majors Field 
AA-A-T-Ball has games starting at early as 9am and plays through out the day.

Sunday Travel Games:

8U and 9U play at home starting at 10am
10U travels to Halfmoon
11U travels to Wilton
12U travels to Twin Towns (Wynantskilll)

Enjoy the weekend!

---

13U Bottle Drive in Support of Mid Atlantic Regional Babe Ruth Tourney 

DATE: SATURDAY JUNE 8, 2013

Bring your empty bottles and cans to the

DROP OFF LOCATION: BABE RUTH PARKING LOT

TIME:   9:00 AM-1:00 PM

PLEASE help us out as we raise funds for the tournament by donating your deposits. 

Please contact Laura Graham if you have any questions.  370-2791 or laura5graham@gmail.com

Have a safe and enjoyable Memorial Day Weekend!

Reminder: Coaches please remember to pick up and distribute team pictures.  About 20% left.

All AAA, AA, A game make ups should be arranged by the Coaches working with their Player Rep.  The calendar on the Web site will hold the make up games to avoid field conflicts.

Thanks for those that participated in and those that attended the Niska Day Parade!

Happy Mothers Day weekend from
Niskayuna Baseball!

Another great week of games, comebacks, home runs over the fence, and walk offs.

Field 3 is released to play starting with tonight's 6pm game!  

Final lower field fencing work for this year, and the reinstall of Field 3 dugout roofs will happen early next week.  Babe Ruth field fencing work to start in the next few weeks.

Thanks for all the volunteers who worked on the GE Field 1 this past weekend.  Also thanks to all the teams that shifted their games there this past week.

Next weekend reminder its Niska Day.    AA and A have no games next weekend.  T-Ball Games start time next Saturday May 18 will be shifting to the afternoon - your Managers will let you know.  AAA has regularly scheduled games next Saturday.

This weekend:

Friday 

This weekend starts off with 11U and 12U travel games tonight at the Majors Field:
6pm         11U vs Clifton Park Bobcats
8:30pm   12U vs Bethlehem Blackhawks



Saturday

Monitor the weather and stay in tuned with your coaches if games are postponed.  All games are still scheduled as of right now.  If a league wide postponement happens, we will update the www page and send out an email blast:

Rec Games:
Babe Ruth Field :                 Sat 11am, 2pm, and 5pm
Major League Field:            Sat 12:30, 3:30 and 7pm.   7pm Molino's Molars are playing South Colonie
Lower Level Fields:             All Fields have games starting from 9am through 6pm.

Sunday

Travel Games:
8U travels to East Greenbush for 10am game
9U travels to Colonie for a 12:30 game
10U travels to North Colonie for a 12:30 game

Exciting weekend of Niskayuna Baseball at Blatnick Park!   

The weather says sun each day, so bring your sun screen and enjoy some baseball.

This week the 13U All Star Team was announced.  Congratulations to Coach Bianchi and the players:

This weekend Varsity starts us off tonight at 6pm at the Babe Ruth Field.  Proceeds will go to support the 13U All Star team raising funds for their tourney quest.

Saturday

Rec Games:
Babe Ruth Field :                 Sat 11am, 2pm, and 5pm
Major League Field:            Sat 10am and 12:30
Lower Level Fields:             All Fields have games starting from 9am through 6pm.

Sunday

Field Day at GE Field 1 9am to Noon....   giving the field an update.  THe more volunteers the better!

Travel Games:
8U plays  Sunday at 12:30 and 3 at Field 4
11U plays Sunday at 3pm at the Majors Field (70 foot diamond/50 foot mound)
12U plays Sunday at 12:30 at the Majors Field (70 foot diamond/50 foot mound)
9U and 10U travel to Clifton Park

NEW!!!  MLB Free Pitch, Hit and Run Competition for Boys and Girls ages 7-14 as of July 7, 2013.  Its this Sunday, May 5, at the Oregon Avenue Little League Baseball Field in Schenectady.  Registration begins at 1pm and competition begins promptly at 1:30.  For contact information: JMONTONE@NYCAP.RR.COM             www site: http://mlb.mlb.com/mlb/kids/mlb_pitch_hit_run.jsp

Next Week Reminder:

Field 3 fence work is to begin.  Expect a new improved backstop, left field line and corner.   

Have a great weekend! 

This Friday at 6pm at the Babe Ruth Field, come on out and cheer on our Varsity Baseball Team for Senior Night verse Mohonasen.

Gates open at 5:30, and the 13U All Star team will be fundraising for the Mid-Atlantic Regional Tournament in their quest to reach the Babe Ruth World Series.  They will be staffing the outdoor grill, concession, running a 50/50 and selling a host of desserts!  

The weather looks great,  join your friends and neighbors, and come on out and enjoy the game with the smells of grilled chicken, burgers and hot dogs!  Help raise funds for the 13U, and root on our Varsity Baseball team.  

Thank you

The Niskayuna Baseball Board and all our Baseball community would like to Congratulate our 13U All-Stars:

The team is lead by Coach Chris Bianchi.

The travel season will begin Memorial Day weekend and continue though the months of June and July.  This team will represent Niskayuna at the Mid-Atlantic regional tournament at Blatnick park the first week of August.

Good luck to the team and Coach Bianchi!  Come out and cheer on the team on their quest to the Babe Ruth World Series!

Weather looks good for this coming weekend.

Just in time for Opening Day:  its apparel pick up time for those that partipated in our Online Apparel Sale Fundraiser.

If you ordered any Nisky Baseball Apparel from the Online store you can pick up your order this THURSDAY, April 18^th upstairs at the Babe Ruth field concession stand between 6:00 – 6:30pm.

If you chose the option for direct ship of the apparel to your house, it will arrive by FRIDAY, April 19th.

The League thanks you for participating in our largest apparel sale fundraiser on record.   THANK YOU!

We will have a bus to collect all refundable bottle types from 9am to 1pm.

Come on down to help with the fields, and bring all your empties.  Thanks

From Rand Booth, Equipment Manager.  For any managers that want to pick up their baseball equipment:

I have set up a few times where you can come to the Clubhouse which is above the upper field (Babe Ruth) concession stand and get your teams equipment.

Today Wednesday 4/3 from 6pm to 7pm

Next Wednesday 4/10 from 5:30pm to 7pm

Or I can meet you there anytime Saturday morning 4/13 since I will be helping out for field day. Please contact me if you have any questions.

Rand Booth rbooth1@nycap.rr.com Cell 527-1074

Expect to hear from your Managers in the next week.

A and T Ball Teams have been released. 

Reminder to all Teams: Blatnick Park fields, upper and lower, are not opened till released by the Board's Field Manager.  Have a great season!

Expect to hear from your Managers in the next few days.  

All Majors and AAA Teams have been released. 

Reminder to all Teams: Blatnick Park fields, upper and lower, are not opened till released by the Board's Field Manager.  Have a great season!

A few updates from the league:

1) Thanks everyone who attended the Majors and AAA tryouts this weekend, and the tryouts for 12U, 11U, 10U, 9U and 8U Spring Travel Teams. We also want to thank the Managers, Assistants and Volunteers that helped make it a smooth event.

2) Cal Ripken Recreational Teams: 

       Majors and AAA completed their drafts.  Teams will be announced this week.

        AA-A-Tee Ball.   We are pulling together the teams this week. Expect information this coming weekend.

3) Travel Teams....will also be announced this week.

4) Senior Babe Ruth Registration is still open for any that are interested and haven't signed up yet.  Register on line.  Go to the registration tab.

5) Field Day is Saturday April 13.  It is also Bottle Collection Day.  We will take your recyclable bottles and collect the deposit using the funds to offset Field expenses.  More information on Field Day to follow.

6) Weather permitting the 2013 Recreation Season will Open Saturday April 20.  Schedules to come once we finalize teams.

7) Picture Day is Thursday April 25.  More information to follow.

8) Yankees Fundraiser update, we sold out our bus alotment and acheived our goal.  Thank you!   There is still a dozen or so seats on a second bus if you have any interest.  Register on line or email the registrar.  http://www.eteamz.com/niskybaseball/news/index.cfm?cat=417646

9) AAA Schedule will include a few games at the Major's Field this season.  We will install a pitching rubber at 46' but keep the bases the same distance, 70'.  This will allow the players to play at least one game under the lights,  and also get a chance to get a feel for a larger diamond.

10) Field Use Reminder.   No practices on the Blatnick Park fields lower level, fields 1 to 4, or upper level, Majors and Babe Ruth, till cleared by the Board Field Manager.   We appreciate your honoring this request.

11) We are still looking for sponsors if you have interest, know a local business that may have interest or want to ask your work place if they want to help support the 600 families that participate in Niskayuna Baseball.

Thanks again for your support.  We're looking forward to a great season, spring will eventually get here!

 Niskayuna Baseball Board

1) Price Chopper will be a sponsor, and is providing a new scoreboard for the Babe Ruth Field!  

2) TransTech Systems will be a sponsor, and is providing a new scoreboard for the Majors Field!

3) The Board has approved a capital investment in upgrading and repairing fencing at the Lower Fields.  This includes a permanent backstop and dugouts for T-Ball (Field 1) and improvements to Fields 2, 3 and 4.   Additionally there are some improvements for the Babe Ruth Field.  We are working to start and complete before opening day, though some work will continue into the season.

We'd like to thank Price Chopper and TransTech Systems for their support.  We'd like to encourage others to join the momentum as we prepare for the 2013 Recreational Season and later this summer, hosting teams from across the Mid Atlantic in a qualifier to Babe Ruth World Series. If you are interested in sponsoring, or targeting your sponsorship in support of field work, please visit our "how to sponsor" tab on our web site.  http://www.eteamz.com/niskybaseball/

As a reminder, our store is currently open on line - check out all new Niskayuna Baseball clothing for 2013.  http://www.eteamz.com/niskybaseball/news/index.cfm?cat=417646

Additionally tomorrow at Dicks Sporting Goods Crossgates, 11am to 4pm, come use your coupons as Dicks Sporting Goods hosts a Niskayuna Baseball Appreciation day.  Coupons can be picked up there or on our home page.   (Consider your equipment needs: gloves, helmets, bats, batting gloves, cleats, pants, belts, bags, balls, etc, etc)

LASTLY, this is the last weekend to register for AAA and Majors.  We are selecting Managers and doing a final compilation of teams on Sunday.  Tomorrow at Niskayuna High from 10 am to 2 pm you can register in person, and or pay via cash or check.  The Majors and AAA draft are next Saturday at the UNION Field House.  Time slots will be emailed as we get closer.  Registration information can be found at: http://www.eteamz.com/niskybaseball/news/index.cfm?cat=25788

Thanks to our lead sponsors Price Chopper and TransTech Systems, and we look forward to a tremendous 2013 season!

This past summer four Niskayuna Baseball Cal Ripken players were named All State All-Stars.

Please join the Niskayuna Board in congratulating our All-Stars:

10U  Aaron Whitley
10U  James Murphy
12U  Alec Ritzenthaler
12U  Ben Funyak
(pictured left to Right)

Board President Tom Spataro is in the back.   ( Note its coincidence they lined up in height order.  )

Great job guys!  Have a great 2013 season!   - Niskayuna Board

  vs 

August 9 7:05pm   Check out the Fundraisers tab for more details.

Bus is 1/2 full after 24 hours open.  Register soon.

http://www.eteamz.com/niskybaseball/news/index.cfm?cat=417646

Mark your calendars.  Baseball picture night is April 25.  Times  and location TBA.

Niskayuna Baseball would like to thank Dicks Sporting Goods for its 2013 Sponsorship for our recreational league and travel teams, as well as the 13U Mid-Atlantic Regional.  Dick's has given a coupon to all Niskayuna Baseball supporters. Click the link to download the Coupons.
  
Please support all of our sponsors, and thanks Dick's for the coupons!

http://app.dcsg.com/couponsheet/?s=464976

Or click the headline...

Winners of the 2013 13u M.A.R. advance to Williston ND for the 2013 World Series (August 17-24th)

Tuesday, October 30, 2012
By Steven Cook Gazette Reporter


Niskayuna Babe Ruth was recently awarded the 2013 Mid-Atlantic Regional for 13-year-old Babe Ruth teams, a tournament that will draw 10 teams from five states, each vying for a chance to move on to the World Series tournament held next year in North Dakota.

Click here for full story.

Niskayuna Baseball LTD was awarded the Connie Mack and Mickey Mantle Charters for the Town of Niskayuna for 2013 Baseball Season at the recent President's meeting in North Colonie.

Congratulations to our 15U Niskayuna Warriors for their successful run to the 2012 Babe Ruth World Series!

From the Babe Ruth League…

June 7, 2012 (Updated November 21, 2012)

RE:   Babe Ruth League, Inc. 2013 Approved and Non-Compliant Bats

APPROVED BATS FOR 2013:

To follow up our previous correspondence and information posted on the Babe Ruth League website, the following details on all baseball bats approved by Babe Ruth League, Inc. for 2013 local league and tournament play. 

Such descriptions are included as part of the 2013 Babe Ruth League Rules and Regulations.

CAL RIPKEN BASEBALL DIVISION
The bat may not exceed 33"in length, and the bat barrel may not exceed 2¼" in diameter.  Only 2¼" barrel non-wood bats marked BPF 1.15 will be allowed.  Wood 2 ¼" barrel bats are allowed.

13-15 BASEBALL DIVISION
The bat may not exceed 34" in length, and the bat barrel may not exceed 2 5/8" in diameter.  All aluminum/alloy barrel bats and all composite handle (only) aluminum/alloy barrels are allowed.  Only composite barrel bats certified and marked BBCOR .50 will be allowed.  Wood barrel bats conforming to the specifications of Official Baseball Rule 1.10 are allowed.

16-18 BASEBALL DIVISION
The bat may not exceed 34" in length and the bat barrel many not exceed 2 5/8" in diameter or be greater than a -3 length to weight ratio.  Only metal/composite bats certified and marked BBCOR .50 are allowed.  Wood barrel bats conforming to the specifications of Official Baseball Rule 1.10 are allowed.

• If the illegal bat is discovered prior to a batter completing his "at bat" the bat is simply removed from play and the "at bat" continues.
• A player who uses an illegal bat or non-conforming barrel dimension and hits a fair ball will be ruled out.  No advancement on the bases will be allowed, and any outs during the play shall stand.  This is an appeal play.  The "at bat" will be considered legal once a pitch is thrown to the next batter.
• Any bat discovered prior to the game that does not conform to the above rule shall be directed to be removed immediately and not be allowed for use during the game.