Practice #1

The 2013 Mudcats practiced for the first time Wednesday night on the frozen muddy tundra of Nowell Field. The evening began with a few brief words from Coach Sean, who decided to go the brutally honest route by admitting he makes more mistakes than anyone on the team (not sure what it means that everyone was mumbling, "Yeah, like in selecting assistant coaches").

After deciding not to wrestle a 13-14 year-old team for possession of the other lower field, the Mudcats took the field at Nowell and promptly lost two six-year-olds in the mud, trimming the roster from 15 down to 13. Good job by Jay and Jackson to not sink to the bottom of the West Raleigh complex. The Minor League is considering adding a mud-dodging station to next year's tryouts.

Practice began with some work on form throwing, using four seams and keeping the elbow high. Players then took some grounders in the infield before splitting into two groups for infield and outfield work. The evening ended in the romantically lit batting cages. That's when it was discovered that your signup fees apparently don't cover a pitching screen for the batting cages. That left Coach Sean to bravely stand there and have baseballs ripped at him from 13 angry, muddy hitters.

You will be receiving uniform order confirmations in your email today. Please make sure to return them as soon as possible to make sure we get our order in on time. Also, as a reminder, we will be using the WRMudcats Twitter account this year for practice/game updates, so make sure you (and your relatives who want to keep up with the Mudcats) are signed up to receive updates.

The next practice is bright and early on Saturday at 9 a.m., as part of our continuing efforts to make sure we never practice when the temperature is above 50 degrees.

It's time

The spring 2013 draft just finished up at West Raleigh Baseball world headquarters. We hope everyone enjoyed the live streaming feed we set up of the Mudcats war room (Coach Sean is on the right). The world's foremost experts have already given the draft, which clocked in at roughly the same amount of time as the first three rounds of the NFL Draft (which stretches over two days), high marks.

We have added seven new Mudcats, and you will see the spring 2013 roster on the right-hand side of the page. It won't take long for us to get acquainted, as our first practice is scheduled for Wednesday night at West Raleigh. You'll be hearing much more about this week's schedule from Coach Sean in the next 24 hours.

It's registration time

Yes, Mudcat fans, if the calendar says January, you know what time it is: the leaves are off the trees, there is a chill in the air, and Coach Sean is slumbering away in his winter hibernation, only to emerge in early February to see if he sees his shadow. Oh, wait, that's someone else.

However, we do know for certain something that happens at this time of year: it's time for you to sign up your Mudcat for the spring 2013 baseball season. This is the time-honored rite of spring in which you pay the West Raleigh Exchange Club in exchange for the privilege of getting to pay them more money when they hold the annual raffle. You can find the registration link here. Practice will be here before we know it, and we look forward to seeing everyone on the field.

We should also note that now there is a new way to keep up with all the latest West Raleigh Mudcats news. No, not the ESPN Bottom Line, although you can expect all games to be televised on The Ocho, as per usual. This year, we will also be using the Mudcats Twitter account to provide game updates, practice changes/updates, groundskeeping tips from alums Coach Mike and Gabe, etc. You can follow the Mudcats on Twitter here.

Summer recap

Officially, the first day of summer in 2012 was June 20. Unofficially, the first "real" day of summer is today, when the last Mudcat (or in one case, former Mudcat) completed his summer season. A quick recap of what happened in summer ball for the All Blacks in competition for the various West Raleigh summer teams:

Christopher Gruskin, who last played for the Mudcats in the spring of 2011, played with the 9U West Raleigh Red squad. They finished in third place this weekend at the Summer Championship event in Greensboro.

Zach Hurand, who last played for the Mudcats in the spring of 2011, played with the 9U West Raleigh Blue team. With Zach handling almost every inning at catcher, 9U Blue won the Southeast Regional championship today in Gaffney, S.C., with a 13-3 win over Palm Beach Gardens, Fl.

Brady Dunlap, a 2012 Mudcats alum, played with the 8U West Raleigh Red team. Brady played both second base and outfield, and made a key defensive play getting a forceout from the outfield in the championship game as Red won the Tarheel state title today with a 5-1 win in Shelby over Rolesville.

Brady was joined on the Red team by Bryce Friedlander, another 2012 alum. Bryce played first base--where he dug out several throws in the title game today to preserve the great defensive performance by the Red team--and outfield for the state champs.

The third Mudcat member of the Red team was '12 Mudcat Donovan Shepard, who hit leadoff, flew around the bases, and made a terrific catch in centerfield in the title game--in other words, a typical Donovan game.

The achievements of the Red team are even more prolific considering they had to hit off the dreaded southpaw, Coach Andy, who wasn't above throwing the occasional brushback pitch just to keep the hitters loose. 

Yet another eight-year-old, Charley Hegeman, played for the 8U Blue team that won the southeast regional championship last weekend in Alabama. Charley is a 2012 Mudcat alum (are you getting the feeling the 'Cats are losing a lot of key players?). 

Gavin Gallaher, a seven-year-old in 2012, played for the ENC state champion 7U Blue team. Gavin played almost every inning at shortstop and was one of the team's leading hitters for a 7U team that blew their way through the state tournament in Wilson. The 7U team was coached by Coach Sean, who was mostly interested in throwing water balloons at the coaching staff.

Asher Lucas was also a member of the 7U team, and spent most of his time at catcher, where he consistently drew quizzical looks from opposing hitters wondering why the catcher was constantly shouting the current outs and game situation.

Tournament game 4: Bees 10, Mudcats 7

An incredibly fun season came to an end Thursday night at Nowell Field, as the Bees scored eight runs in the first two innings and held off the Mudcats in the late innings for a 10-7 win. The win advances the Bees to the championship round against the Riverdogs.

The first three innings were fairly uncharacteristic, as the 'Cats picked up just three hits the first time through the order and had some lapses in the field. But trailing 8-0 after three, Coach Sean challenged them to give a quality effort over the final three innings and see what happens. The defense responded by allowing just four hitters to come to the plate in the fourth, and then the offense chipped away at the deficit with three runs in the bottom of the inning. That set the stage for a furious sixth-inning rally, as the All Blacks eventually brought the tying run to the plate, prompting even the Bees head coach, who was very gracious in victory, to tell the 'Cats after the game, "I was trying to tell my team I wasn't worried, but I was worried!"

Several team events remain, including Tuesday's closing ceremonies at 7 p.m. and Wednesday's final team party. In the meantime, tonight marked the final game in the Minor League for the eight-year-olds. They are:

Christopher: As Coach Sean said after Thursday's game, Christopher was always one of the loudest Mudcats in the dugout. Even a midseason wrist injury couldn't slow down his enthusiasm for baseball, and he continued to be a vital part of the team--even when he didn't have to be.

Noah: A two-season Mudcat, Noah showed rapid improvement over his two seasons in the all black uniforms. His bat turned into a weapon in the middle of the order, and he picked up some key hits in the second half of the season. He earned a spot at catcher and usually filled that role in the first two innings, where he was stellar behind the plate.

Donovan: Moved to leadoff midway through the season, his ferocious bat speed and tremendous footspeed on the bases were the primary catalysts for the Mudcat offense. In his first year with the Mudcats, he was among the team leaders in runs scored, hits, and doubles.

Charley: A three-year Mudcat, Charley settled in at third base this season and was very consistent on defense. His experience in the league was invaluable to the younger players--no matter what happened, Charley could always explain the play or provide some insight into what was happening. Charley led the team in RBI and hits this season.

Bryce: In his first year with the Mudcats, Bryce solidified the first base position and made himself into one of the best players in the league at that position. He caught fire offensively over the last month, and reached base in seven of his last nine trips to the plate. He was consistently one of the most vocal Mudcats in the field and always a supportive teammate.

Brady: Originally, I was convinced that Brady was part of Coach Mike's master plan to turn Asher into an NC State fan. It turned out, thought, that Brady was a natural on the diamond. His line drive stroke was essential to the top half of the All Blacks order, and he developed into a solid second baseman with tremendous range. In 18 games of standing in the dugout, I never heard him say one negative word to a teammate.

Gabe: It is hard to imagine the Mudcats without Gabe on the team. Not just because I'm not sure who will keep the field in pristine condition, but because he was always the most eager to be part of everything that was going on at the field. Play pickle? Gabe is there. Play wall ball? Yep. Buying drinks for the whole team? Sure. It sums him up that when the Bees needed to borrow a chest protector during Thursday's game, it was Gabe who wanted to be the one to hand-deliver it to them each inning, and to recover it from them after three outs. He also was one of the 'Cats most consistent hitters all season, finishing among the team leaders in batting average and hits.

We also lose three coaches after this season. They are:

Coach Andy: In his one and only season with the Mudcats, Coach Andy had a Dimaggio-esque record of always being the first person at the field. By the final month of the season, Asher would always scour the parking lot to see if, by chance, we beat Coach Andy and Bryce to the field. It never happened. In addition to his tireless work at practices, before games, and occasionally in the third-base coaching box, Coach Andy was also one of the centerpieces of the rowdy fans down the first base line, where they could safely talk about important issues such as why the coaches kept messing up all the time.

Coach Tom: I think Coach Tom would take this as the highest possible compliment, which is exactly how it is meant--on most nights, I think he may have had more fun at the baseball field than anyone over the age of eight. Good for a positive word for anyone who was feeling a little down, Coach Tom at one time or another called everyone on the roster, "My favorite Mudcat." A little-known fact about Coach Tom: he has a greater collection of baseball tools and toys than anyone in America. No matter what hitting problem you are having, Coach Tom probably has a gadget that can help solve the problem--and he'll likely be even more excited than you are when that work translates to the field in the next game.

Coach Mike: Asher was drafted onto the Mudcats in the fall of 2010. When GM Jenn was telling me about the coaching staff, she said, "One of our coaches is a huge State fan." We live in Chapel Hill, where they have not invented State fans yet, but I grew up in Cary, so I thought I remembered something about State fans. The very first day I met Coach Mike, he said, "Did Marvin Austin give you those blue shorts as a gift?" I was wondering what we had gotten ourselves into. What he taught both Asher and me is that it is possible to hate everything about Carolina (except Woody Durham) and still be a great guy. I secretly think Coach Mike has a little Carolina in him, and I think he secretly thinks I have a little State in me. Maybe that is true on both sides. I just know I feel very lucky that no matter who he cheers for in his spare time, that he coached Asher and all the rest of the Mudcats for two years.

One of Coach Mike's greatest achievements is that he somehow persuaded Team Photographer Tonya to put up with him. We probably take it for granted that after every game, there are going to be terrific photos on the blog. Just so you know, that's not the case for any other team. She somehow managed to juggle taking care of a big kid--not Gabe or Luke, but Coach Mike--with also being at the West Raleigh field virtually every night to watch Gabe and Luke, all while taking great pictures.

Now that the season is over, it's probably OK to reveal some Mudcat secrets. For example, remember those high-level strategy talks held by the 'Cats in the corner of the outfield before each game? You probably thought that was about making defensive plays and getting good swings, right? Well, not exactly. This is how I'm going to remember the 2012 Mudcats, although some of the questionable dancing by a certain #10 makes me question what his mother has been teaching him.


Thursday's Mudcat scoring plays
Fourth inning
The offense awoke in the fourth, as Donovan ignited the rally with a one-out single. After a fielder's choice, the 'Cats put three two-out runs on the board, capped with an RBI single from Brady that scored Bryce.
Score after four innings: Bees 8, Mudcats 3


Sixth inning
With the dugout gaining confidence with every hitter, the Mudcats threw a major scare into the Bees with a sixth-inning rally. Ben started it off with a leadoff single, the second of his two hits on the night. With one out, Channing drove in Ben with a single. Donovan ripped a single to left, then moved to second on Charley's single. With the bases loaded, Bryce picked up two RBI with a hard-hit single to left. Brady completed the scoring with a hard-to-handle drive to the shortstop.
Final score: Bees 10, Mudcats 7

Thursday's Web Gems

• Donovan made a leaping catch in left-center to rub a Bee of extra bases in the second inning.
• Will made a terrific snag of a fly ball in right-center to help the 'Cats hold the Bees scoreless in the third and keep the game within range.
• Noah made a tough play look easy leading off the fifth, snagging a fly ball down the line.
• On the very next hitter, Bryce made a diving stop of a hard line drive that looked headed down the first base line for a double. 

Thursday's line score	1	2	3	4	5	6	R	H
Bees	4	4	0	0	2	0	10	17
Mudcats	0	0	0	3	0	4	7	12

It's the Bees

The Bees defeated the Lookouts, 10-2, on Tuesday night. That means the Bees advance to face the Mudcats on Wednesday at 5:30. Pregame begins at 4:30. The winner advances to the championship round against the Riverdogs.

Tournament game 3: Riverdogs 11, Mudcats 1

The Mudcats suffered their first loss of the postseason Monday, falling 11-1 to the Riverdogs.

The 'Cats stayed close through two innings, as some solid defense limited the 'Dogs to just three runs in the first two innings. But the Riverdog defense was also making virtually every play--in fact, they played an errorless game, a major factor in holding the Mudcats to just six hits and one run. The big inning was the third, when the Riverdogs smacked a pair of home runs (they finished with three in the game) and plated six runs.

Coach Sean emphasized focus and effort to the team after the game. "Every time you leave the field, I want everyone to feel like they gave their best effort," he told them.

The loss means the next game is Wednesday night at 5:30 against the winner of Tuesday night's Lookouts-Bees game. Pregame on Wednesday begins at 4:30.

As a reminder, the postseason bracket is available here.

Monday's Mudcat scoring plays
Fourth inning
Even on a day when the 'Cats got just one run, it--as usual--came with two outs. With two down, Donovan, Gavin and Brady strung together three straight singles to put the All Blacks on the board. Of the Mudcats' 23 runs in the postseason, 13 have come with two outs.
Score after three and a half innings: Riverdogs 9, Mudcats 1

Monday's Web Gems

• While straddling the foul line, Colin made a nifty catch of a line drive in left field in the first inning and foreshadowed a day that saw Coach Sean describe him as "being all over the place." He also spent time at pitcher, where he helped combine to make six of the game's 15 outs from the pitcher position.
• Brenner cleanly picked up a one-hop rocket to right-center in the fifth and immediately fired it into second, holding the Riverdog leadoff man to a single.
• Charley made a pair of catches of hard line drives in left-center in the fifth, short-circuiting what would have been a very big Riverdog inning.

Monday's line score	1	2	3	4	5	6	R	H
Mudcats	0	0	0	1	0	0	1	6
Riverdogs	1	2	6	0	2	X	11	15