Saturday, March 12, 2011
Tuesday, March 8, 2011
Practice #3--Yes, a real practice
The Mudcats convened for their first legitimate two-hour practice of the spring 2011 season on Tuesday evening. Practice began with work on throwing form, which culminated in a throwing competition that was won by JJ. The highlight, however, was Gabe declining to get down on one knee to perform the throwing drills. His reasoning? "I don't want my mom to have to wash my pants." He followed this theory for roughly 26 seconds.
After a brief review of the Mudcat Motto, the Mudcats split into four groups for stations:
1. Infield station with Coach Andrew. Players rotated between second base, shortstop, pitcher and occasionally first base. The fielding emphasis was using good form in getting in front of the ball and receiving it in the triangle, and then following the throw to first base. The highlight of this station was when GM Jenn promised a raise for the entire coaching staff, perhaps in the form of cupcakes.
2. Outfield station with Coach Jim. With Coach Rob still nursing his tennis elbow from last week, Coach Jim took over the tennis ball-smacking duties. It's a pretty simple philosophy: if the Mudcats can catch a tennis ball, squeezing it in their glove and covering it with their free hand, they can catch a baseball. You might have seen a close corollary to this principle in some of America's finest cinema.
3. Baserunning station with Coach Rob. With the aid of a giant plastic bat and some wiffle balls, Coach Rob taught some of the baserunning basics. Without Coach Mike there to whisper instructions in his low, peaceful tone, a substitute had to be found.
4. I don't know exactly what was going on with Coach Tom, but it looked like fun. There were bats being spun around and crab walking and all kinds of things straight out of the Mr. Miyagi handbook. I'm not sure why, but Coach Tom said next practice he is bringing a bunch ofchopsticks.
After stations, the Mudcats huddled quickly at the pitcher's mound. Coach Jim identified Brenner and Anthony as exhibiting great focus. That turned them into captains to pick sides for a quick relay race, which was won by Brenner's squad (Gabe, Smiley, JJ, Zach, Chris and HD).
Coach Andrew capped practice with a few key questions for the group:
"Did you have fun today?"
Response: YES!
"Did you work hard today?"
Response: YES!
"Did you have good focus today?"
Response: YES!
"Are your baseball pants irredeemably dirty, causing your parents to have to purchase stock in the Fels-Naptha Soap company?"
Response: Absolutely.
The Mudcats hit the practice field again Thursday, which also marks less than three weeks until the first game.
After a brief review of the Mudcat Motto, the Mudcats split into four groups for stations:
1. Infield station with Coach Andrew. Players rotated between second base, shortstop, pitcher and occasionally first base. The fielding emphasis was using good form in getting in front of the ball and receiving it in the triangle, and then following the throw to first base. The highlight of this station was when GM Jenn promised a raise for the entire coaching staff, perhaps in the form of cupcakes.
2. Outfield station with Coach Jim. With Coach Rob still nursing his tennis elbow from last week, Coach Jim took over the tennis ball-smacking duties. It's a pretty simple philosophy: if the Mudcats can catch a tennis ball, squeezing it in their glove and covering it with their free hand, they can catch a baseball. You might have seen a close corollary to this principle in some of America's finest cinema.
3. Baserunning station with Coach Rob. With the aid of a giant plastic bat and some wiffle balls, Coach Rob taught some of the baserunning basics. Without Coach Mike there to whisper instructions in his low, peaceful tone, a substitute had to be found.
4. I don't know exactly what was going on with Coach Tom, but it looked like fun. There were bats being spun around and crab walking and all kinds of things straight out of the Mr. Miyagi handbook. I'm not sure why, but Coach Tom said next practice he is bringing a bunch ofchopsticks.
After stations, the Mudcats huddled quickly at the pitcher's mound. Coach Jim identified Brenner and Anthony as exhibiting great focus. That turned them into captains to pick sides for a quick relay race, which was won by Brenner's squad (Gabe, Smiley, JJ, Zach, Chris and HD).
Coach Andrew capped practice with a few key questions for the group:
"Did you have fun today?"
Response: YES!"Did you work hard today?"
Response: YES!
"Did you have good focus today?"
Response: YES!
"Are your baseball pants irredeemably dirty, causing your parents to have to purchase stock in the Fels-Naptha Soap company?"
Response: Absolutely.
The Mudcats hit the practice field again Thursday, which also marks less than three weeks until the first game.
Monday, March 7, 2011
Separated at birth
Coach Tom makes a very astute point regarding a recent blog post. Does anything look familiar in these two photos?
I would remind you that Tyler Hansbrough eventually dunked on Kenny George. Bags or Hayes did not dunk on me (yet).
Saturday, March 5, 2011
Practice #2--Also not a practice
The Mudcats assembled Saturday morning at the Hegeman Hitting Wonderland for a quick hitting session that was designed to help a few certain parents keep their minds off the evening's other games (not Texas-Baylor). The team was split into several stations, including tee, soft toss, Hurricane #1, Hurricane #2 and live pitching. I assume that something happened at those stations but I have no idea what it was. That's because, in an effort to keep me away from the actual baseball, Coach Andrew assigned me to the basketball station. Therefore, I can provide the following scouting report on the hoops skills of the spring 2011 Mudcats:
Gabe: Good physical presence, willing to battle for rebounds. One way or another, there is never any doubt where he is on the court. One of the few players capable of playing a solid game while wearing batting gloves.
Zach: Could have posted up most Mudcats and maybe even a coach or two, but chose to focus on his perimeter game. Dangerous from anywhere on the asphalt.
Brenner: Surprising range and a killer crossover. Used the basketball station as a warmup for a stellar performance in his team's basketball game later in the afternoon.
Bags: Sees the whole floor, gets his teammates involved.
Drew: Spent a good bit of his time as the referee. A very fair arbiter, and certainly more competent than the crew that will be in the Smith Center tonight.
Smiley: Actually made a shot on the basketball goal by throwing the football. Might have been watching too many trick shot videos.
Asher: Tenacious rebounder, spends more time on the ground than in the air. Doing his best to overcome a significant lack of athletic genes.
Hayes: Dangerous from the corner, good quickness.
Charley: Was on fire. Later revealed he is coming off a championship season with his rec team. Said if the team had had a better coach, could have perhaps made the NCAA Tournament field.
Noah: Sneaky fast. Also caught several pop flies in a row in the grass adjacent to the basketball court.
Luke: Has mastered the art of the runner going right.
Asher's Dad: I have no idea how, but somehow managed to be the leading rebounder. Game marked first time in recorded history a member of the Lucas family was the tallest person on a basketball court.
The Mudcats hit the floor for a legitimate, regulation-length practice tomorrow at 3 p.m. at West Raleigh.
Gabe: Good physical presence, willing to battle for rebounds. One way or another, there is never any doubt where he is on the court. One of the few players capable of playing a solid game while wearing batting gloves.
Zach: Could have posted up most Mudcats and maybe even a coach or two, but chose to focus on his perimeter game. Dangerous from anywhere on the asphalt.
Brenner: Surprising range and a killer crossover. Used the basketball station as a warmup for a stellar performance in his team's basketball game later in the afternoon.
Bags: Sees the whole floor, gets his teammates involved.
Drew: Spent a good bit of his time as the referee. A very fair arbiter, and certainly more competent than the crew that will be in the Smith Center tonight.
Smiley: Actually made a shot on the basketball goal by throwing the football. Might have been watching too many trick shot videos.
Asher: Tenacious rebounder, spends more time on the ground than in the air. Doing his best to overcome a significant lack of athletic genes.
Hayes: Dangerous from the corner, good quickness.
Charley: Was on fire. Later revealed he is coming off a championship season with his rec team. Said if the team had had a better coach, could have perhaps made the NCAA Tournament field.
Noah: Sneaky fast. Also caught several pop flies in a row in the grass adjacent to the basketball court.
Luke: Has mastered the art of the runner going right.
Asher's Dad: I have no idea how, but somehow managed to be the leading rebounder. Game marked first time in recorded history a member of the Lucas family was the tallest person on a basketball court.
The Mudcats hit the floor for a legitimate, regulation-length practice tomorrow at 3 p.m. at West Raleigh.
Thursday, March 3, 2011
Practice #1--Not A Practice
Practice #1 was not officially a practice. Instead, it was labeled a team meeting. These are mere semantics designed primarily to make the parents feel like they had an important function. In all seriousness, the parents were delighted with the 10 minutes devoted to team rules and expectations. That's because that portion of practice was held in a tiny sliver of sunlight and away from the coldest place in the Western Hemisphere, AKA the Nowell Field stands.
When all players and parents had gathered around, Coach Andrew outlined the keys to being a Mudcat, plus the Mudcat Motto. Having done extensive draft research, Coach Andrew was well aware of the memory recall shortcomings of theparents kids, so he came prepared with a handout. Hey, why is everyone laughing? OK, you're right, GM Jenn came prepared with a handout. The parts of the Mudcat Motto are as follows:
1. Sportsmanship--For example, no parent should say such things as, "I believe this 14-year-old umpire may possibly have a wager on this game and be purposely blowing the foul/fair calls." Obviously no one would ever say that.
2. Hustle--Incorporated in this part of the motto (not really, but this seems like a good time to mention it) is the Best Rule In All Of West Raleigh: Kids must carry their own bags. If nothing else, this rule was created for the sheer entertainment value of watching Asher try to balance his bag on his back without tipping over. When he gets to be 16 or 17, we may finally tell him about the 30-pound lead weight we put in his bag.
3. Form and Focus--Already practiced, with lots of practice on throwing form (stance/separate/power), fielding form (catch ground balls in the triangle) and tennis ball smacking form (only in West Raleigh could Coach Rob say, "I've been making kids lie down in the grass and then swatting tennis balls at them" and not receive a visit from Child Protective Services).
4. Toughness in Mind & Body--We do not cry on the Mudcats, unless the concession stand runs out of hot chocolate at the 9 a.m. games. Oh, and kids don't cry, either.
5. Confident but Humble--Considering this was being outlined by a man wearing a yellow stopwatch, this one seemed a little odd.
6. Have Fun!--Unless you forget the six parts of the Mudcat Motto, in which case you may drop down and give me 20.
Players were also asked to introduce themselves, along with their favorite major league team and player, at which time it became obvious that this must be the West New England Little League instead of West Raleigh. Kudos to Noah for going with Texas Rangers and Asher with Chicago Cubs to buck the trend. In related news, ESPN reported tonight that the Yankees and Red Sox have purchased the Rangers and Cubs to assimilate these two outliers.
Following the team meeting, players split into infield and outfield stations while GM Jenn gathered the parents so she could pretend to care about their thoughts on the team uniform for 2011. In the outfield, Coach Rob worked on his forehand. In the infield, players focused on getting in front of ground balls and receiving it in the triangle made between their feet and their glove. They then fired the ball back into the catchers and followed their throws.
The final drill of the day was a relay. Since the Bees couldn't be located to run their all-time relay record against the Mudcats to 0-846, the Mudcats split into two squads. In a close finish, the group of Brenner, Noah, Gabe, Chris, Smiley and JJ pulled out the victory.
A speedy team meeting was held at the conclusion of practice, with everyone gathered at the top of the hill. At this point, Coach Andrew had several puzzling questions for the Mudcats, including "What position on the field is the most important?" The still-raw Mudcats couldn't get that one, but the parents huddled around all realized the obvious answer was, "Wherever my kid is in that particular inning."
Finally, it was time for GM Jenn to set up her puppet regime and hold a "vote" on team uniforms. The two options were black shirt/white pants/black socks or black shirt/black pants/red socks (yikes!). Votes were counted--which was a challenge since most players voted at least twice--and results were tallied, and...no one is really sure who won. Look for an update soon on the winners of the "vote." (BREAKING NEWS UPDATE 9:03 p.m. Black shirts/black pants/red socks is the winner)
The next practice will be held at the Hegeman Hitting Wonderland on Saturday at 10 a.m.
When all players and parents had gathered around, Coach Andrew outlined the keys to being a Mudcat, plus the Mudcat Motto. Having done extensive draft research, Coach Andrew was well aware of the memory recall shortcomings of the
1. Sportsmanship--For example, no parent should say such things as, "I believe this 14-year-old umpire may possibly have a wager on this game and be purposely blowing the foul/fair calls." Obviously no one would ever say that.
2. Hustle--Incorporated in this part of the motto (not really, but this seems like a good time to mention it) is the Best Rule In All Of West Raleigh: Kids must carry their own bags. If nothing else, this rule was created for the sheer entertainment value of watching Asher try to balance his bag on his back without tipping over. When he gets to be 16 or 17, we may finally tell him about the 30-pound lead weight we put in his bag.
3. Form and Focus--Already practiced, with lots of practice on throwing form (stance/separate/power), fielding form (catch ground balls in the triangle) and tennis ball smacking form (only in West Raleigh could Coach Rob say, "I've been making kids lie down in the grass and then swatting tennis balls at them" and not receive a visit from Child Protective Services).
4. Toughness in Mind & Body--We do not cry on the Mudcats, unless the concession stand runs out of hot chocolate at the 9 a.m. games. Oh, and kids don't cry, either.
5. Confident but Humble--Considering this was being outlined by a man wearing a yellow stopwatch, this one seemed a little odd.
6. Have Fun!--Unless you forget the six parts of the Mudcat Motto, in which case you may drop down and give me 20.
Players were also asked to introduce themselves, along with their favorite major league team and player, at which time it became obvious that this must be the West New England Little League instead of West Raleigh. Kudos to Noah for going with Texas Rangers and Asher with Chicago Cubs to buck the trend. In related news, ESPN reported tonight that the Yankees and Red Sox have purchased the Rangers and Cubs to assimilate these two outliers.
Following the team meeting, players split into infield and outfield stations while GM Jenn gathered the parents so she could pretend to care about their thoughts on the team uniform for 2011. In the outfield, Coach Rob worked on his forehand. In the infield, players focused on getting in front of ground balls and receiving it in the triangle made between their feet and their glove. They then fired the ball back into the catchers and followed their throws.
The final drill of the day was a relay. Since the Bees couldn't be located to run their all-time relay record against the Mudcats to 0-846, the Mudcats split into two squads. In a close finish, the group of Brenner, Noah, Gabe, Chris, Smiley and JJ pulled out the victory.
A speedy team meeting was held at the conclusion of practice, with everyone gathered at the top of the hill. At this point, Coach Andrew had several puzzling questions for the Mudcats, including "What position on the field is the most important?" The still-raw Mudcats couldn't get that one, but the parents huddled around all realized the obvious answer was, "Wherever my kid is in that particular inning."
Finally, it was time for GM Jenn to set up her puppet regime and hold a "vote" on team uniforms. The two options were black shirt/white pants/black socks or black shirt/black pants/red socks (yikes!). Votes were counted--which was a challenge since most players voted at least twice--and results were tallied, and...no one is really sure who won. Look for an update soon on the winners of the "vote." (BREAKING NEWS UPDATE 9:03 p.m. Black shirts/black pants/red socks is the winner)
The next practice will be held at the Hegeman Hitting Wonderland on Saturday at 10 a.m.
Monday, February 28, 2011
The Spring 2011 Mudcats
The draft is over and we are ready to play baseball. The 2011 Spring West Raleigh Minor League will have a 13 man roster. With 7 returning players, the Mudcats drafted 6 new spring players to the team: Brenner, Asher, Hayes, John, Gavin, and Noah.
The complete numbered roster for this Spring includes:
#00 Gabe "Lil Papi" Proctor
# 1 Brenner "Double B" Bouquin
# 1 Brenner "Double B" Bouquin
# 2 John "JJ" Chapman
# 3 Jacob "Smiley" Mitchell
# 8 Gavin Gallaher
#10 Asher "Stones" Lucas#11 Andrew "Sticks" DiMeo, Jr.
#12 Hayes "HD" Anderson
#13 Christopher "Spunk" Gruskin
#14 Charley "Hustle" Hegeman
#22 Noah Hatcher
#28 Zach "Attack" Hurand
#99 Anthony "Red Hot" Alberghina
#99 Anthony "Red Hot" Alberghina
The new Spring 2011 Mudcats hit the dirt for the first time on Thursday, March 3rd at 5:15PM.
Friday, January 21, 2011
Update and Upcoming Events for the Spring 2011 Season
- New bat regulations on composite bats. These rules have been adopted by West Raleigh starting immediately.
- Baseball Explosion at Johnson-Lambe on Saturday, January 29th from 9 am to 4 pm. West Raleigh will be present from 9 am to 12 pm for walk-in registration for spring baseball. To find out more visit J-L on line.
- Registration deadline is Saturday, Feburary 12th.
- Tryouts will be held February 19-20 and 26-27. If the second weekend is canceled it will not be reschedule.
- Drafts will take place the week of February 27.
- Practices will begin the weekend of March 5.
- Opening day is scheduled for April 2.
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