Archive for the ‘Players’ Category

So Cal Players Among 2006 USA Team Selections

Wednesday, September 28th, 2005

Sonny Perkins Arrives on National Stage as First Time Selection

Following last weekend’s training camp at Chula Vista, CA, head coach Pete Turner announced the 2006 USA Softball teams, with a number of So Cal players among them, including Travis Price (So Cal Bombers), , and Sonny Perkins (Team Rainey and Team Iowa).

Pitcher Tony Peeples (So Cal Bombers) and catcher Todd Garcia (So Cal Bombers) were chosen as a members of the National Training Team.

Pitcher/DH Gerald Pyle, the big man on the El Segundo Rounders, was chosen as an alternate, and member of the National Training Team.

Fellow Californian, Craig Daniels, the explosive leadoff hitter for A-1 Tank of Northern California was also named as an alternate and member of the National Training Team.

Cody Thomson, from Utah was selected as a member of the National Team, as was longtime veteran USA team member, pitcher Michael White, who resides in Oregon, rounding out the list of players from west of the Rockies.

Our heartiest congratulations to these players, and to all those selected to represent the USA.

(Cap tip for the info to Angel “Scoop” Saucedo)

2006 USA Men’s Team Announced

Wednesday, September 28th, 2005

(Cap tip for the info to Angel “Scoop” Saucedo)
From the ASA Website:

OKLAHOMA CITY, Okla. — The Amateur Softball Association, the National Governing Body of Softball in the United States and USA Softball announced today the 17-member 2006 Men’s National Team as well as the 2006 National Training team. Selected by the Men’s National Team Selection Committee, players participated in a three day camp September 23-25 at the U.S. Olympic training center in Chula Vista, Calif.

The Men’s National team will compete in January at the AAU Tournament in Orlando, Fla. The 2006 National Training team will train together during selected weeks from January- May of 2006.

Pete Turner (Stockton, Calif.) will lead the Red, White and Blue in Orlando assisted by Mitch Munthe (Modesto, Calif.) and Rich Clements (Stockton, Calif.)

The following is a complete breakdown of both teams with their hometowns (* are players with international experience):

2006 Men’s National Team

*Chad Boom (Barnesville, Minn.)
*Matt Darling (Winterset, Iowa.)
Frank DeGroat, Jr. (Ringwood, N.J.)
*Chris DeLarwelle (Appleton, Wis.)
Jose Garcia (Derry, N.H.)
*Don Garvey (Appleton, Wis.)
*Adam LaLonde (Kentwood, Mich.)
*Terry Luster (Bunceton, Mo.)
*Kyle Magnusson (Salt Lake City, Utah)
*Chris Miljavac (St. Joseph, Mo.)
*Blake Miller (Albany, Ga.)
*Tom Owen (Elkhart, Iowa)
Philip Perkins (St. Michaels, Ariz.)
*Travis Price (Santa Ana, Calif.)
Orlando Rodriguez (Haverstraw, N.Y.)
*Cody Thomson (Salt Lake City, Utah)
*Michael White (Eugene, Ore.)

Alternates

Craig Daniels (Stockton, Calif.)
Ben Fjelland (Slater, Iowa)
Gerald Pyle (Las Vegas, Nev.)
Chad Seeman (Chenoa, Ill.)
Brad Webb (Anderson, Ind.)

2006 NATIONAL TRAINING TEAM

Chad Boom (Barnesville, Minn.)
Craig Daniels (Stockton, Calif.)
Matt Darling (Winterset, Iowa)
Frank DeGroat, Jr. (Ringwood, N.J.)
Chris DeLarwelle (Appleton, Wis.)
Mike Dryer (Excelsior Springs, Mo.)
Ben Fjelland (Slater, Iowa)
Jose Garcia (Derry, N.H.)
Todd Garcia (Woodbridge, Calif.)
Don Garvey (Appleton, Wis.)
Adam LaLonde (Kentwood, Mich.)
Terry Luster (Bunceton, Mo.)
Kyle Magnusson (Salt Lake City, Utah)
Chris Milijavic (St. Joseph, Mo.)
Blake Miller (Albany, Ga.)
Tom Owen (Elkhart, Iowa)
Tony Peeples (San Miguel, Calif.)
Philip Perkins (St. Michaels, Ariz.)
Travis Price (Santa Ana, Calif.)
Gerald Pyle (Las Vegas, Nev.)
Orlando Rodriguez (Haverstraw, N.Y.)
Ryan Rutt (Bernville, Pa.)
Todd Schultz (Williamston, Mich.)
Chad Seeman (Chenoa, Ill.)
Cody Thomson (Salt Lake City, Utah)
Brad Webb (Anderson, Ind.)
Michael White (Eugene, Ore.)

Primos (So Cal) Roll Out New Website

Tuesday, September 27th, 2005

The Primos team, which competed in the So Cal ASA Alliance “C” league, have rolled out their new team website. Click here to visit the site.

The Primos are holding a public tryout for the team, so all of you folks who ask “how do I get on a team?” — here is your chance !

Tryouts:
October 22, 2005, 10am – 1pm, at Pico Park. Click here for a map.

ASA “C” National Champ Penn Power Garners Some Ink

Sunday, September 25th, 2005

Penn Power, PA, which won this year’s ASA “C” Nationals in Stockton, CA got some newspaper ink back home. Click here to read the story.

Also a second news story on the retirement of one of their players, Pat Stock.

Stories linked, courtesy of The Tribune-Democrat Newspaper, Johnstown, Pennsylvania, with a cap tip to “Lefty” at the PA Forum

The Pro’s and Con’s of the PRAWN rule

Sunday, September 25th, 2005


Some more good discussion at the Fastpitchwest Forum about the pro’s and con’s of the ISC’s new “PRAWN” rule, limiting the number of All World players a team can have, starting in 2006.

New player rep Rick Smith posts at the Fastpitchwest Forum and invites players and fans to post their comments on the new rule.

Please comment on the idea of the prawn ruling. Sign your name to it if you have any comment for or against it.

Thanks
Rick Smith
Player Rep for the West

Player rep Tom Crouch says:

I never said the big teams were killing the game. We need them. However, you are way off base if you feel that sponsors do not drop out because they cannot compete with the best teams. Many teams have folded becuase they cannot keep up with the pitching market.

Farm27 points out that the rule could force all-world players to travel outside their area, even if they wanted to play for the local team.

“8 new guys make all world next year but their team’s fold….now they have to find a place to play or not play at all. Just what we need lets drive more people out of the game. Guys want to play in there own area but can’t because of this rule. “

The posters make good points, pro and con, so no matter what side of the issue you are on, it makes for thought provoking reading.

Lots more discussion on PRAWN’s at Al’s Fastball Mailing List Archive.

The GHFL.ca Forum, hosted by my friend Blair Setford in Ontario Canada has more discussion, as well, including some great analysis on the possible unintended consequences of the rule, as argued by Scott Wagar:

For example if Kris Kiefel decides to not come back to the US in 2006 and County needs to find a SS. Due to Prawn, they are limited in their search. So where do they turn? Do they grab Kevin Schellenberg, Ian Fehrman or Evan Boyd. All of which would hurt the local teams that developed them.

The Prawn rule in effect promotes the raiding of the young teams that are building and may kill them off before they even get a chance to taste any success. It does not promote local development and it does not level the playing field (if that is what they are after?)

.

Help Wanted – in New Zealand & San Francisco

Wednesday, September 21st, 2005

Some “help wanted” posts in our Free Agent Central” section of the Fastpitchwest Forum.

Criticism of ISC’s PRAWN Rule

Saturday, September 17th, 2005

The Board of Directors of the International Softball Congress has passed the PRAWN restrictions, a set of rules governing the number of All-World players from the most recent five years a team can have on its roster.

The rule has quickly come under criticism, with a number of postings to Al’s Fastball Mailing List, including those linked below:

[Alsfastball] Prawn Ruling – by Dean Holoien

Pitcher Roberto Bahler concurs in Holoien’s criticism of the PRAWN rule.

Hallman Twins pitcher Todd Martin weighs in.

Sylvia Ryan suggests a player survey on the new rule.

What do you think? Post your comments by clicking the “comments” link below. Simple, one-time registration required to post comments, to keep the spam robots at bay.

ISC Limits Number of All-World Players Per Team

Saturday, September 17th, 2005

I.S.C. Board of Directors Passes the PRAWN Restrictions – –
To Take Effect With the 2006 Season

The Board of Directors of the International Softball Congress has passed the PRAWN restrictions, a set of rules governing the number of All-World players from the most recent five years a team can have on its roster.

This rule, introduced to the Board in August at their meetings in Eau Claire, Wisconsin, was tabled for further discussion and an e-mail vote at that time.

The PRAWN restrictions will take effect beginning with the 2006 fastball season.

Those players who comprise the PRAWN list have now been determined. These names will be made available to the teams immediately, and they are posted on the ISC website at http://www.iscfastpitch.com/webstartme/prawn/2006.htm

An excel attachment of the list will be sent to any who request it by e-mailing iscken@comcast.net

PRAWN Restrictions

A PRAWN (Player Rep All World Name) list will be maintained by the ISC containing each name of the two all-world teams for the most recent 5 years, including MV Player and Outstanding Pitcher. The PRAWN list will be released on Al’s list by August 30 each year and posted on the ISC web site as soon as possible.

Each team will be limited to 6 players (combination of pitchers and position players), plus exceptions (see below) that have been named All World in the last 5 years – only one of which may be a pitcher. Teams are still limited to 2 OOA pitchers for the season. All teams must name their PRAWNs to the Executive Director by May 1 each year. If a player who is also a pitcher is selected to either one of the All World teams at a position other than pitcher, he will NOT be considered as a pitcher for PRAWN status but rather as a player.

Current hardship rule 9a will be allowed given the following: the team replacing the player is still required to abide by the PRAWN limits for both players and pitchers. E.g. if the player being replaced is a pitcher with PRAWN status and he was the only pitcher with PRAWN status on the team then that team may replace that pitcher with another PRAWN pitcher.

Exception for a team that has 6 current PRAWNs: If a non-PRAWN player or players make an All World team in the current year, that team will be allowed to carry that player or players until such time that a PRAWN player leaves the team or drops out of the 5 year criterion. If a player makes All World while with Team A and they have 6 current PRAWN players, then Team A would be allowed to carry 7 until one of the 7 leaves the team (or they fall outside of the 5 year boundary), then they will only be allowed 6 for the following year.

This also applies for the one pitcher All World status restriction. If a pitcher is selected to an All World team in the current season and that team already has a pitcher on their team with PRAWN status, that team will be allowed to carry 2 (or however many) prawn pitchers until such time as one of the prawn pitcher(s) leaves the team or falls outside of the PRAWN status.

Phase in Period – If a PRAWN was selected all world in the last 5 years with a team and remained with that team, the team may qualify for the above exception as if the PRAWN restrictions were in effect for those 5 years. 2006 only – Teams can play the 2006 season with 2 PRAWN Pitchers if both PRAWN pitchers were on that team’s WT roster in 2005.

PRAWN Restriction Interpretation

No team may add a PRAWN to their roster until their total Prawn count falls below 6

September 15, 2005
Gordon Wise
ISC Information Officer
www.iscfastpitch.com
sgwise@woh.rr.com

ASA “C” All-Americans

Wednesday, September 7th, 2005

Rounders’ Erik Geierman, Tom Morton, Rude-Pac’s Jose Sandoval Among ASA “C” All-Americans

Three So Cal ASA Alliance players earned All American honors at the ASA “C” National Tournament in Stockton, CA over the Labor Day weekend.

Erik Geierman of the Rounders
was a First team selection, going 14 for 23, for a .609 batting average, a .679 OBP, with 9 runs scored.

Tom Morton of the Rounders was a Second team selection, going 11 for 23, for a .478 batting average, a .519 OBP, with 6 singles, 2 doubles, a triple and two home runs, and 6 RBI.

Jose Sandoval of Rude Pac
was a First Team selection, and also named the tournament’s batting champion, with a .688 average. Jose was 11 for 16 (.688), had an OBP of .762, with seven singles, a double and two home runs, 7 RBI and 9 runs scored.
Sandoval was also the Batting Champion for the tournament.

Derrick Zechman
of 2005 Champion Penn Power (21-35, a .600 avg, with 11 singles, 5 doubles, 3 triples, 2 home runs, and 12 RBI) was named the tournament’s Most Valuable Player, while Joe Given of third place Team Taylor was the Most Valuable pitcher with his 4-0 record and 0.52 ERA. Readers might recognize Zechman as a member of the ISC World Team, the Quaker Riversharks, PA, one of the ten “super-pool” teams at this year’s tournament.

Mike Butler, of Black Oak Casino, who played for the So Cal Bombers during the regular season, and at the ISC World Tournament earned second team ASA “C” honors at shortstop, hitting .550 (11-20) with 4 homers, 4 doubles and 2 singles.

Click here for the complete list of First and Second Team All Americans.

ASA “B” All-Americans

Tuesday, September 6th, 2005

Click here for list of ASA Class “B” All-Americans, First and Second teams.

Congrats to High Desert Dawg, UT players Brandon Bringham, David Raliff and Jesse Bullock.