Commish Mid-Season report: The best ability – is availability
Here we are at the Independence Day Break – One of my favorite holidays of the year. What was the old Chevy commercial: “Baseball- Hot Dogs – Apple Pie – and Chevrolet”!!
What a year already with a huge influx of Youth into the Tri-State Baseball League with a million close games which sets us up for an exciting Playoffs! I am betting we hit 1000 fans this year (900 last year) who came out for the Tri-Sate Baseball league 3-game World Series – not bad for an amateur Summer League. As mentioned by Gene Fischer, a baseball lifer who comes all the way from Pleasantville, New York to watch Tri-State games and in particular likes to follow the Trojans “Part of why I come down is because of the fans. This league draws an attendance, its not like that back home, it’s always fun to hear the roar of the crowd.”
The Playoff push is on! Top 11 teams make the playoffs. Top 5 teams get a BYE directly into the double-elimination round. Wildcard games are set for Tuesday July 30 (Seeds #6 – #11) single elimination – one game seven innings. One team (#12 seed) watches from the sideline and prepares for next season. Post Season dates and rules are listed on the website under the Post Season tab. I know its summer – vacation time and parties – make sure everyone has the playoff dates on their calendar. Every team tells me “If we have everybody we are the team to beat” – well, now is the time to prepare. The best ability – is availability. No excuses and don’t hit me up with weddings, stags, concerts, or any other excuse. I need to know – now – if any dates the rest of the summer will be a problem!
Back to Baseball: Four teams look like they have a strangle hold on the TOP 4 spots. Bethlehem Plowboys, Tri-Town Trojans, Burlington Hunters, and Valley Ducks all have 9 wins or more.
Tri-Town Trojans: Gunning for their 4th straight World Series title which would tie a Tri-State record is still the team to beat. Lots of names you recognize: Yahn, Fabiaschi, McCarty, Bunnell, Scribner, Troy, Chatfield, and this year youngsters Aiden Donohue and power hitter Bryan Carr add to the arsenal. Trojans are 11-2 at the break.
Bethlehem Plowboys: Can you be any more loaded at pitcher: Keegan Daigle, Ty Boisvert, Matt Sabilia, Kyle Blanche, Austin Brown, and now to the bats, 2023 MVP Greg Campbell, Matt Mancini, Jon Wilson, Jesse Swaartout. Jon Conlon, Rupe, Ponte and the list goes on. Plowboys are 12-0 at the break and own a victory over the Trojans so far this year.
Burlington Hunters: As in their previous generation: this team can hit. Captain Andrew Bunger, George Zaruba, Josh Sway Lopez, Tamasso Tollis, Chad Lavelle, Jeff Osak. Throw in pitchers, Ty Morin, Dave Alarcon, Tim Krol, and stud Taylor Donofrio and Burlington is a serious contender who also holds a Tri-Town victory earlier this year. The Hunters are 10-2 at the break.
Runs Scored to date: Bethlehem – 111, Tri-Town – 103, Burlington – 103
Valley Ducks – “pitching and defense” – where have we heard that before (Tri-Town Trojans?) – this team is a serious contender. 7 games this year where Ducks pitching has kept their opponent to 1 run or less led by 2023 Cy Young runner-up Zach Royka, Kyle Daddona, Ty Pelletier and bats from 2023 MVP runner-up Chris Oliwa (who also finds time on the mound), Tino Ciarlo, Steve Harrison, Frank Frosceno. Valley just lost a 3-2 ballgame to Tri-Town this past Monday showing they can hang with the 3-time champs.
Runs Allowed to date: Tri-Town – 21, Bethlehem – 27, Valley Ducks – 38
Next up we have that ever-important #5 seed who gets a bye in the wildcard round and goes directly into double-elimination weekend. We have several teams vying for that spot.
The Amenia Monarchs are revived under the leadership of first year coach DJ Reilly and control their destiny at 6-6. When you hear Amenia – you know you have your hands full that day! The hottest team in the league CT Sliders (winners of 6 of their last 7 games) lead by head coach Patrick Smith who has a game tying ninth inning homerun and a walk-off single RBI on his resume just over the last 2 games. The youthful (former high school state champs) Wolcott Scrappers (4-8) are learning to play-up in the Tri-State League and will be a handful come playoff time under coach and former Plowboy Alex Sconziano. Every year there is that one team who keeps getting rained out, rescheduled game, or town closes the field = and this year that team is Winsted Whalers (5-5). They have a million makeups. Sure enough – this past Sunday doubleheader at Fuessenich – Rained out!! With names like MVP Candidate Johnny Lippincott, Jay Torres, Grunynik brothers and Austin Brochu this team will be dangerous in the playoffs no matter where they land.
Lots of baseball left and any one team can make a big move. The fight is on for a TOP 5 spot!!
Reminder: 1 team DOES NOT make the playoffs and at the midway point – its basically a tie for the final playoff spots!
The expansion Naugatuck Scorpions have a leg up on the remaining teams with their 3 wins. A couple more victories may do the trick and qualify them in their inaugural season.
The Valley Kraken are 9 big hits from having a winning record at worst. Seems like every one of their games is a one run loss including 1-0 loss earlier this season to the Trojans… just a matter of time.
Canton Crushers have to get over their injuries. As one of the veteran ballclubs in the league with names like, Spirito, Rose (Matt and Jack) Bryant, Sullivan, and Dubois; the talent is there to be competitive in every game.
Torrington Thunder – another very young team learning to play up at the Tri-State level have notched two victories recently to get right back in it! The addition of former Yankee farmhand Mauro Bonriocio hitting bombs was no coincidence in turning this ballclub around.
Have a great holiday Break everyone – see you all on the field Sunday July 7!