New York Mets Baseball Academy Holds Night at Shea
Syosset Baseball Association players who attended the New York Mets Baseball Academy camp at Syosset Woodbury Park in late August were invited to join the New York Mets Baseball Academy at Shea Stadium to see the New York Mets battle the Colorado Rockies on New York Mets Baseball Academy Night.
Although the New York Mets weren't in the playoff hunt, the attendance from this group filled the picnic area, reserved exclusively for the group this night. Of the approximately 1,200 picnic area attendees, the Syosset Baseball Association group represented approximately 100 players and families enjoying the evening's events and game.
Gates opened up at 5:45 p.m., with all players receiving a free promotional item, courtesy of the New York Mets. There was an autograph session for the kids to receive complimentary autographs from many of their favorite, current New York Mets. On hand to accommodate these requests in three different autograph stations were pitchers Aaron Heilman, Juan Padilla, Heath Bell, coaches Sandy Alamor, Jerry Manuel and Manny Acta and player Victor Diaz. After the players accommodated all the kids' requests, they returned to the dugout for the evening's game.
All campers were instructed to wear their New York Mets Baseball Academy shirt and hat. At 6:55 p.m., they were assembled in center field behind the fence. The gates opened and the campers paraded out onto the warning track on "The Big Shea" field comprising both sides of left field, stretching over to right field. The group was accompanied by 1986 New York Met George Foster, who was on hand to sign autographs and take pictures throughout the night and mingle with the crowd, answering any questions, telling stories and enjoying the evening with fans. New York Mets Baseball Academy Director Kevin Surdi and Coordinator Tom Hopke, as well as many staff members from the summer who attended the game, joined the group on the field for the National Anthem and a PA announcement acknowledging the group's attendance at the game.
Upon completion of the national anthem, the group paraded back to the center field to return to their seats to watch the game. The kids enjoyed watching an exciting two-hit Tom Glavine shutout of the Colorado Rockies, 11 to 0.
Syosset Baseball Association and The New York Mets Baseball Academy are already planning next year's dates and events to ensure the success and enjoyment that this year's second year provided to Syosset Baseball Association players, families and the community.
Source: http://www.antonnews.com/
Cowboys' Yaussi comes home again
Friday, October 21, 2005
Deric Yaussi's still scratching his head. He just can't seem to figure out how his 42-yard field-goal attempt last Saturday against New Mexico was ruled wide left.
The fourth-quarter kick appeared to slide inside the left upright. Yaussi and his Wyoming teammates were so sure it was good that they started celebrating - until, that is, the officials started waving their arms to signal that the kick was not good.
"I've watched it a lot on film, and the weird part is that the kick ended up in the middle of the net," Yaussi said of the net that stretches behind the uprights to keep kicks from sailing into the stands. "I certainly thought it was good but there's not anything I can do about it now. It was a tough break but it's one of those things where you've just got to move on."
It wasn't until the end of the game that the impact of Yaussi's miss was known. Instead of going into overtime in a critical Mountain West Conference, the Cowboys had to swallow a 27-24 defeat that all but knocked them out of the championship race.
But that's the way the season has gone for Yaussi, the former Poudre High School standout. His always-reliable right leg has been off the mark at times, and he comes into Saturday's Border War game against Colorado State University in the worst slump of his career.
After hitting 71.4 percent of his field goals during his sophomore and junior seasons, Yaussi is just 6 of 13 (46.1 percent) this season. He has missed five of his past seven attempts and was just 1 of 4 vs. New Mexico.
"I liken it to (Colorado Rockies star) Todd Helton," Wyoming coach Joe Glenn said. "There's a great player who went through a part of the season where he couldn't get anything going. That's where we're at with Deric. He's hitting the ball well but he's not grooving it.
"I expect he will be a Poke and start playing great down the stretch."
Yaussi agreed with the baseball analogy.
"It just goes that way sometimes, where you just get into a slump," he said. "I've been in a tough stretch but I've had a good week in practice. Right now, I'm just trying to focus on my next kick, not my last one."
Yaussi's about the last Wyoming player you figured for a senior slump. He has been all but automatic on his kicks since earning a scholarship as a walk-on, earning all-MWC honors last year and honorable mention as a sophomore.
He came into his final year as a preseason all-MWC pick, All-America candidate and Lou Groza Award nominee. He has hit a pair of field goals from 50-plus yards and is 21 of 22 on PATs but has yet to find his rhythm.
"All I can do is keep working hard and make sure I'm ready when I'm called upon," he said.
Yaussi, a former winner of the Coloradoan's Athletic Excellence Award following a standout three-sport career at Poudre, got married June 12 and has enjoyed building a life with his wife, Jennifer, a communications major at Wyoming.
"It's going great," he said. "It means a lot to always have her support. It's also nice to be able to come home to a home-cooked meal. She's really great."
Yaussi is looking forward to Saturday's game. Due to a scheduling quirk, three of his four career games against CSU will be played in his hometown at Hughes Stadium - and he's not complaining.
"Hughes Stadium is the place where I grew up watching games," he said. "It has been a lot of fun for me being able to play CSU there. I'll have some friends and family there, and there's always a great environment. I'm looking forward to it."
Both teams have plenty on the line. Wyoming (4-3, 2-2 MWC) needs a win to halt a two-game losing streak and to solidify its bowl chances. CSU (3-3, 2-1) needs a win to say in the title chase and to build its resume for bowl consideration.
Yaussi never has had to make a game-changing kick in the Border War but wouldn't mind getting a shot in his final go-round.
"If I get that chance I'll certainly go out there and give it my best effort," he said. "It would be a lot of fun if I had a chance to help my team win that game."
Source: http://www.coloradoan.com/
Spilborghs developing his stroke
DENVER -- Because Colorado Rockies outfield prospect Ryan Spilborghs took a step back last winter, he has a good chance to move forward to the Major Leagues in 2006.
Spilborghs, who starred in Double-A and Triple-A and went 2-for-4 in his only Major League game in 2005, is continuing his forward progress in the Mexican Pacific League. Through Monday, Spilborghs was batting .256 with two doubles and four home runs while playing for Obregon. He had started all 11 games in center field.
In 2004, Spilborghs, a seventh-round pick in 2002 out of Cal-Santa Barbara, batted just .259 at Class A Visalia, and his homers dropped from 15 the previous year at low Class A Asheville to eight. Feeling Spilborghs was a better hitter than that, Colorado invited him to its Winter Development Program at Coors Field in January. It was there that the turnaround began.
Spilborghs left Denver determined not to think so much about home runs. As a result, he batted .341 with a .435 on-base percentage in 71 games at Double-A Tulsa, and he upheld that performance at Triple-A Colorado Springs by batting .339 with a .405 OBP. The Rockies called him up as an injury replacement after the All-Star break, and he went 2-for-4 with an RBI and a strikeout in his only appearance -- a 7-6 loss at Cincinnati on July 16.
"He's become a dangerous hitter," Rockies player development director Marc Gustafson said. "He came to Spring Training and was one of the best performers that we had. [He] became a leader in Tulsa, and after he was promoted to Colorado Springs, he hung with that. I think he found a comfortable routine and approach."
What impressed Gustafson is the way Spilborghs, 26, found solutions to his hitting issues last winter.
Colorado Springs hitting coach Allan Cockrell and Asheville hitting coach Dave Hajek, both of whom live in Colorado Springs during the winter, and Rockies traveling hitting instructor Jimmy Johnson helped him with the technical parts. But Spilborghs had the mental parts under control.
"Before we bring our guys in for Winter Development, we do one-on-one interviews and we do an exit interview," Gustafson said. "When we talked to him, he said, 'I know what I need to do, and that's make an adjustment back to the way I used to hit.' "
Spilborghs, a left-handed hitter, earned All-Big West honors twice during his career at UCSB by using the whole field, especially the right-field gap. But an inviting right field in Asheville in 2003 and at Visalia in 2004 made him pull-conscious. But Spilborghs succeeded at rewiring his mind.
It's not as if Spilborghs became a mere singles hitter in 2005. He knocked 17 homers, including 11 with Colorado Springs, and finished with OPS figures of .961 at Tulsa and .955 at Colorado Springs. (As a comparison, a Major League player at .961 would have finished fifth in the National League, and a .955 mark would have placed him sixth).
Johnson said the numbers weren't cheap ones.
"What I use as a rule of thumb is when he goes against the better pitchers, whether he makes solid contact and doesn't get overmatched," Johnson said. "Against Corpus Christi, which had a couple of real good pitchers for the Astros' system, and in Triple-A against some good pitchers, he was on them. He can hit a good fastball, stay off a breaking ball in the dirt and hit a bad breaking ball."
The Rockies are looking to fill the job vacated when they parted ways with Dustan Mohr, but it won't be easy for Spilborghs to join projected starters Matt Holliday, Cory Sullivan and Brad Hawpe in the 2006 Colorado outfield. The Rockies intend to bring back left-handed hitting Larry Bigbie, who is eligible for arbitration. Also, left-handed hitting Jorge Piedra will be bucking for more playing time after a strong year as a pinch-hitter. Right-handed hitting Choo Freeman and Jeff Salazar, true center fielders, also are candidates for jobs.
Gustafson said Spilborghs fits best in left field, but an intelligence that helps him learn hitters quickly and his ability to get good jumps on balls give him enough range to fill in at the other spots.
"No question the outfield is a position of depth in our system, and already through competition within our system he has emerged as a guy that could compete for one of those Major League jobs," Gustafson said. "Even if he's not on the club at the beginning, he's valuable at Triple-A, a scenario that could offer [Colorado manager] Clint [Hurdle] peace of mind."
On the Rox: Right-handed reliever Mike DeJean is in the final stages of completing negotiations on a one-year contract with a $1.15 million base salary plus a mutual 2007 option. The contract is expected to have performance bonuses based on appearances. DeJean, 35, went 2-3 with a 3.19 ERA in 38 appearances after signing with the Rockies on June 20. He began the season with the Mets, and he went 5-4 with a 4.48 ERA in 66 total appearances. ... Shortstop Clint Barmes did it again. On Opening Day 2006, Barmes hit a two-run homer to beat the Padres at Coors Field. Recently, on Opening Day of the winter ball season in the Dominican Republic, Barmes hit a two-run game-ending homer to give Escogido a victory over Licey. Barmes struggled at the end of the Major League season after missing 68 games with a broken left collarbone, and he is playing winter ball to regain his swing.
Source: http://colorado.rockies.mlb.com/
Uribe, champs show gift of grab
HOUSTON - Ozzie Guillen couldn't see the play. From the dugout on the third-base side, the White Sox manager couldn't see where Chris Burke's ninth-inning popup was going, couldn't see Juan Uribe charging over from shortstop, running hard toward the left-field stands.
And he couldn't see Uribe's glove somehow rise above a mass of hands, the ball landing in the pocket as Uribe tumbled headfirst into the seats.
The play silenced the home crowd hoping for one last rally. It was the sort of play the White Sox have made all month, all year.
"I was hoping someone was going to put a hand in his face," Burke said. "Definitely."
Uribe's brilliant catch was the second-to-last out of the season. Moments later, pinch-hitter Orlando Palmeiro hit a chopper that bounced just over top of closer Bobby Jenks' mitt and rolled slowly on the grass behind the mound.
Uribe, who was traded from the Rockies to the White Sox before the 2004 season, came running in again. He snagged the ball, quickly pulled it up and fired a rifle to first that beat the runner by a split-second and sent the Sox into delirium.
Uribe was not the only White Sox player to make an impact with his glove. Joe Crede had an outstanding World Series, and his two spectacular plays in Game 1 that saved runs nearly overshadowed the go-ahead homer that he hit.
Crede made another spectacular play in the fifth inning last night, turning an improbable double play that snuffed out any hope the Astros had of breaking the scoreless tie. Brad Ausmus led off with a single to center and then got a great jump as Freddy Garcia pitched to Adam Everett.
If Everett had simply let the pitch go by, Ausmus would have had an easy stolen base. But Everett swung and smacked a hard grounder down to third that Crede half-fell to grab. Despite Ausmus' jump, Crede rifled a laser to second that arrived milliseconds before Ausmus' outstretched leg slid into second. The relay on to first was well ahead of Everett and the twin killing deflated the Astros' rising hopes.
"This team is built on pitching and defense," Guillen said. "Whatever happens, I know we can catch the ball."
Center fielder Aaron Rowand might win a Gold Glove this year, and he ranged over in the eighth to catch Morgan Ensberg's long fly with runners on first and second. Scott Podsednik made a sliding catch in left field; Tadahito Iguchi made a deft turn at second base.
Source: http://www.nydailynews.com/
D-Backs name Byrnes new GM
PHOENIX -- Before they began drawing up a list of candidates to interview for their general manager's job, Diamondbacks managing general partner Ken Kendrick and general partner Jeff Moorad first came up with the profile of their ideal GM.
They wanted someone with a background in player evaluation and development, someone with character, intelligence and leadership skills.
And after interviewing seven candidates, they felt like they found their man in Red Sox assistant GM Josh Byrnes.
"At the end of the day, we think we did an outstanding job of finding someone that met every one of those needs in a way that each of the three of us that made this decision together were unanimous in our choice," Kendrick said referring to he, Moorad and team president Rich Dozer.
Brynes impressed the Diamondbacks with his preparation for the interview, during which he shared an intimate knowledge of their organization and its practices, some of which were even news to Kendrick and Moorad.
That should come as no surprise as the 35-year-old Byrnes is known for his preparation and attention to details. He has risen steadily through the baseball ranks -- first with the Cleveland Indians where he became one of the youngest scouting directors at the age of 27. He was the assistant GM with the Rockies for three seasons before filling a similar role with the Red Sox under Theo Epstein from 2003-2005.
"He's been an invaluable member of the Red Sox, both in terms of assembling our big league team and the behind-the-scenes work in scouting and player development," Epstein said of Byrnes. "We would not have won the World Series without him."
With baseball people seemingly split down the middle with those favoring statistical analysis on one side and those who rely on more traditional methods of scouting, Byrnes said he falls somewhere in the middle.
"I think everyone is declaring affiliations out there, and as I said, I like information," he said. "I think both are valuable. I think when they overlap as a decision maker, you feel like you've got a good process in place. When they don't connect, maybe you pull aside and look at another player or another move. I think I'll get my hands on as much information as I can, both subjective and objective."
For Byrnes, it all comes back to balance -- balancing old school vs. new school, wanting to win now but not at the expense of the future and balancing numbers vs. subjective judgment.
The team gave Byrnes a four-year deal with a club option for a fifth season and his first task will be to shape his baseball operations staff. The contracts of assistant GM/director of player development Bob Miller and scouting director Mike Rizzo are set to expire on Oct. 31, and Byrnes will have to decide whether to retain them.
Bob Gebhard, who filled the GM position on an interim basis after Joe Garagiola Jr. left to take a job with Major League Baseball in August, will likely stay on in some capacity. Byrnes talked with Gebhard about that on Friday and was set to meet with Miller later in the evening. He will spend the weekend talking with the rest of his staff.
"Until I sort of hear what was here and talk about job descriptions and my own expectations, it's hard to forecast what we're going to do," Byrnes said.
It wouldn't be surprising to see Brynes hire Jerry DiPoto in some capacity. The former pitcher has been the Rockies director of pro scouting and the two are close.
Byrnes spent some time talking with manager Bob Melvin, and though they hardly know each other, organizational insiders feel the two will get along fine as they both are highly intelligent and share a passion for learning.
"It was a good conversation," Byrnes said of the meeting. "We don't really know each other very well. I've heard great things about him so I'm looking forward to working with him."
While there's been talk that Moorad wants to continue to have a significant say in personnel decisions, both he and Kendrick said on Friday that their only interference would come if acquiring a player meant going over the club's payroll budget.
"For the most part, we have concluded when we looked at this profile that we needed to recognize that we aren't baseball guys [though] we are baseball fans and have a passion for the game," Kendrick said. "I've been one in my life who wanted to become associated with people who were expert and then who were given the responsibility and authority to act on their expertise. So for the most part, that's what we're going to do."
Speaking of payroll, Arizona's was around $57 million last year and will likely range between $60-$65 million this year. That's a far cry from what Byrnes was used to in Boston, but he said it's more than enough.
"I think, in this division, it will be a very competitive payroll," he said. "Again, it's only an obstacle to the extent that you want it to be. You can build a culture around what your payroll is, what it means, what kind of players you target. I think the payroll is more than enough to win games and win championships."
Source: http://washington.nationals.mlb.com/
Joyous Sox fans found in Wrigleyville
CHICAGO -- As the rain came down outside of the Cubby Bear sports bar and the celebration increased inside, JP Zarka was a picture of calm as storm clouds of his own brewed underneath his Cubs hat.
Zarka stood there amid the piercing cheers of White Sox fans, just minutes after Juan Uribe's throw reached Paul Konerko's mitt and the White Sox were officially World Series champions for the first time since 1917.
"I was hoping I would never see this," said the 22-year-old native of Palatine, a Northwest suburb of Chicago. "We're in the Cubby Bear and everyone is just going crazy. Why? We should be rooting for the Astros."
Zarka, fully disgusted after the White Sox 1-0 win and four-game sweep of the Houston Astros, began to trail off as Queen's "We Are the Champions" blared throughout the large open bar, filled mostly by Sox fans or those just interested in a few beers and a good time, and possibly some history.
Like World Series titles, Cubs fans (still waiting for their first championship since 1908) were hard to find in Wrigleyville on Wednesday night. Sox hats and paraphernalia, however, both old and new, were ubiquitous. At Casey Moran's, one man wore a full Sox road uniform. At The Sports Corner, John McGinty ("South Side Irish," he said) wore an authentic Jon Garland jersey. His friend, Brian Tryba, wore a shirt that told non-believers "God Must Be a Sox Fan."
While Sox Nation hadn't quite moved north, separate colonies had spread out through the area.
At Slugger's, the bar where Sox legend Minnie Minoso often hangs out, a joyous crowd celebrated as it watched team chairman Jerry Reinsdorf accept the World Series trophy.
"Good for them," said lifelong North Sider and Cubs fan Dizzy Bolinski, 50. Bolinski wore a batting helmet that fused the Cubs and Sox logos, and a patch on his denim jacket to honor Harry Caray, the beloved broadcaster of both teams who would surely enjoy the celebration unfolding throughout the city.
"I'm kind of jealous," Bolinski added.
At Murphy's Bleachers, now in the shadows of the ongoing construction of Wrigley's outfield seating, several Cubs fans sat in the front, watching the game in the early innings, hoping for a collapse.
"I'm hoping for a sweep the other way," said John Catarello, a 38-year-old Northbrook native and Lake View denizen. "The best thing that could happen would be for them to lose four straight."
What pained Catarello even more than a Sox Series win was his friend, Jim Pryor, wearing a White Sox retro jersey.
"When there were eight teams left, the best one out there was the White Sox," said Pryor, 41, as his buddies groaned. "Hey, when they play AL teams, I root for them. I root for them every year to make it to the AL Championship."
"This guy's been to [U.S. Cellular Field] once this year and that's to see the Crosstown Classic," said a disbelieving Jeff Churuvia, 36, Pryor's friend.
Catarello was continuing to believe ... that the Sox wouldn't win the Series.
"If that happens, I'm out of here. I'm going out of town," he said.
By game's end, the way out of Wrigleyville, however, was clogged with traffic. Honking horns providing a dim chorus for a legion of fans feeling left behind by their team.
"I've felt like I'm in another city sometimes," said Tony DeMaria, a friend of Zarka's and also sporting a backwards Cubs hat, about the rise of Sox pride taking shape in bumper stickers and car flags. He admitted that he's rooting a little bit for the Sox "out of civic pride." He was out at the bar because his class at DePaul let out early for the game.
Across the bar where Zarka, DeMaria and fellow Cubs fan Matt Kiehl drowned their sorrows in beers and complimentary champagne, White Sox fan and ESPN.com columnist Scoop Jackson was celebrating the win with his friends.
He came up to the area from his home on the South Side to see how this game was treated in Chicago's epicenter of baseball. He scuttled a trip to Houston to watch the game in his hometown. "This is personal to me," he said.
Jackson was disappointed that bars were half-empty throughout the area. The Cubby Bear was standing room only, but there was plenty of room to move around. This was an insult to Sox fans, he believed.
"Were you here last year?" he asked. "This place was packed. You couldn't get in."
There was no line this year at any bar in the area. Everyone was welcome. Few came.
Wait 'til next year, right?
"If you talk to [Cubs general manager] Jim Hendry," DeMaria said, "can you tell him to build us a winner next year?"
Source: http://chicago.whitesox.mlb.com/
Julie Jag, Snow Job: Resistance is futile, snow season right around the corner
October 27, 2005
It’s here, finally.
Ski and snowboard season officially started Oct. 14. That’s when Loveland Ski Area in the central Colorado Rockies opened for business, becoming the first resort in the United States to open for continuous operation. It’s the sixth straight year Loveland has held the honor.
On Sunday, Arapahoe Basin, another Colorado resort that often battles Loveland for the title of first to open, joined in the game.
Forget for a moment that between the two resorts there are two runs with no more than a foot and a half of base snow. The significance is that people are shooshing down slopes right now. And that means the Lake Tahoe resorts can’t be far behind.
The way I see it, there are two ways to deal with this news. You can pretend summer’s not over, which will likely require frequent trips to Hawaii’s sunny shores. Or, you can cave to the giddiness and goose bumps and bury yourself up to your turtleneck in all things snow sports related.
Care to join me in opening door No. 2? Careful, it’s holding back an avalanche of options. Here are just a few:
Ski swaps
Ah, the ski swap, a cheapskate’s paradise. It’s a second-chance for those of us who were too lazy or too broke to upgrade our gear last spring. It’s also a great chance to unload any extra snow-related stuff you might have lying around (like the ski pants your buddy from New Hampshire left in your car two years ago).
Cabrillo College kicks off the season Sunday with its 32nd annual Ski and Snowboard Sale.
The swap is put on by Alpha Gamma Sigma, a student honors and community service group, and it works like this: People with something to sell can take their goods to the Cabrillo Student Center (building 900) on Saturday between 9 a.m. and 5 p.m. (this is a good way to get a sneak preview of what other people are selling).
AGS will try to sell the items Sunday between 9 a.m. and 5 p.m. According to a press release, it will retain 15 percent of the price of everything sold to put toward "student scholarships and community service projects."
According to Billee Paul, an advisor emeritus for AGS who has been working the swap since its inception, diligent shoppers can find just about anything they’ll need for the season.
"The best thing to do is just come in that front door and go up and down the isles," Paul said. "Skis are in the middle. Boots are set up in far side lounge. And there are retailers with boards and clothing. You just need to have enough time to really look at displays."
A bigger (but not necessarily better) ski swap comes to the McEnry Center in San Jose on Nov. 11-13. For $15, attendees of the Bay Area Ski and Snowboard Expo get access to a smorgasbord of information and products from resorts, ski/snowboard gear manufacturers and retail stores. And if you’re willing to wait in line, your entrance fee also buys a lift ticket to one of 11 Tahoe-area resorts (restrictions apply).
Expo hours are 3-10 p.m. Nov. 11, 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. Nov. 12 and 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Nov. 13. Tickets are available at the convention center box office or at Mel Cotton’s, 1266 West San Carlos St., San Jose.
Also that weekend, Skateworks at 1125 Pacific Ave. will be having its own swap and sale. People can bring in items Nov. 11 to sell for a 25 percent commission or 100 percent store credit. For more information, call 427- 4292.
Powder shots
Nothing really says "Get ready ’cause winter is coming" better than a Warren Miller film. Last year Santa Cruzans got a treat when one of our own, skier Cody Townsend, made the reel. This year in "Higher Ground," we’ll have to settle for the likes of wild man Glen Plake, Olympian Jeremy Bloom and mountaineer Dave Barlia.
The movie hits at the Rio Theatre, 1205 Soquel Ave., Nov. 22 and 23 at 8 p.m. Tickets are pricey — $18 — but include a ticket to Heavenly and usually some free swag. Get them at Helm of Sun Valley, 1408 41st Ave., or Ticketmaster.
If you really want to see Townsend, get online and order the ski flick "High Life." It was named Powder Magazine’s 2004 Movie of the Year and it moved co-star Kent Kreitler to say this of Townsend in an interview on the Teton Gravity Research Web site:
"There’s a racer kid from Squaw named Cody Townsend who is going to keep the old definition (of ‘big mountain’) alive," Kreitler said. "He is a bad ass."
Calendar spots
Finally, be sure to get out the calendar and circle the projected opening dates for Tahoe resorts in bright red erasable marker. Start with Nov. 18, the date Squaw is eyeing.
Source: http://www.santacruzsentinel.com/
