This is the first in a series of polls for the forty (40) team AAU International Tournament, at Orlando, Florida, January 22-25, 2009.
Editor’s note: We’ve bumped this post back up, after adding a second poll, for readers to predict the three teams that will make the championship playoff bracket. (Vote for 3). See Morning Brief post above for full details on the 2009 Playoff format.
Midwest Stampede Roster
Bondurant, IA
Gerald Muizelaar
Sean Whitten
Tony Peeples
Bob Rosthenhausler
Bruno Motroni
Tony Kunka
Joe Morales
Greg Cascaes
Matt Palazzo
Paul Walford
Chris Bohlmann
Ben Enoka
Justin Dauvin
Cody ParsonsSteve Moulton/coach co-owner
Bev Moulton/co-owner
Steve Kooser, Field Manager
Cobourg Force Roster
Mike Crawford
Steve Ketchell
Wayne Wells
Bill Fairney
Sam Forbes
Aaron Fraser
Ross Herold
Mike Kelly
Frank Lang
Carl Maloney
Anthony Palmieri
Matt Swift
John Garland
Craig MinifieSylvia Ryan Manager
Virgin Islands Roster
[none submitted]
Maccabi Red Roster – USA
[none submitted]
Rosters courtesy of Al’s Fastball
The forty team field marks the largest ever at the tournament, which began ten years ago, as an 8 team tournament. The last few years, the tournament filled out a 32 team bracket, but continues to grow as word about the tournament spreads.
AAU teams often feature “mixed rosters”, with players from several “regular” teams joining forces, or moving from one team to another. A good part of the fun for fans is perusing the rosters before the tournament, and making their predictions on the eventual winners.
Not all teams have submitted rosters yet, but we encourage all to do so. Send them to Al Doran at: fastball (at) prmi.com or here to jim (at) fastpitchwest.com, and we’ll forward to him as well. Be sure to visit his AAU International Tournament page
Below are rosters for two of the teams in Pool E, the Midwest Stampede and Cobourg Force of Ontario Canada.
For the Midwest Stampede, plenty of familiar names to be sure. Pitcher Gerald Muizelaar was with Team Minnesota the last few years, including a couple of trips to the championship game. Sean Whitten was with Florida Fastpitch, a top finisher last year, who pitched in one of 2008’s more memorable games, against Dave Drotzmann and the Virgin Island Ambassadors, a low scoring pitchers’ duel. Whitten showed up last January in mid-season form, with many fans commenting that he was throwing harder than anyone at the tournament. Tony Peeples, a member of the So Cal Bombers the past few years, will make what I think is his first trip to the AAU. Lots of top drawer ISC talent to go with the pitching staff, and a youngster from New Zealand, Ben Enoka, who played with New Zealand’s 19u team at the ISF Jr. Worlds last summer. Ben is one of two Enoka brothers from the Black Sox squad. Thomas pitched, while Ben played outfield and hit in the heart of the order, behind slugger Sam Bishop. Ben was 2 for 3 in his team’s 9-0 win over eventual Gold Medalists, Australia, the only loss in the tournament by the Aussies.
For Cobourg, it will be a couple of leapers with pitchers Wayne Wells and Steve Ketchell. Wells continues to display top form well into his 40’s, helping to pitch Waterdown Hammer into the championship game at last summer’s ISC II Tournament of Champions, and earn all-world honors along the way. Ross Herold, longtime ISC II all star catcher, and member of the 2006 ISC II champion Tavistock squad will be behind the plate, with plenty of Ontario’s finest joining in, including the ageless Sammy Forbes.
No roster yet for the Virgin Islands or Maccabi USA.
If they follow form, the Virgin Islands will land some top pitching talent to go with a hard playing squad that has been more than competitive in past years. In 2008, it was Dave Drotzmann and Mike Egerdeen on the hill for the Virgin Islands. That duo went on later in the year to pitch the California Lumberkings to the ISC II Tournament of Champions title, with Dr. Dave nabbing MVPitcher honors. The year before, it was Shaun Winship on the hill for the Virgin Island Ambassadors. (Last year, Winship pitched Mike Cutro’s CPI squad into the Final Four, the highest finish ever for an ISC II team.)
Perhaps Dave Blackburn can fill us in on the Maccabi team? And someone from the Virgin Islands?
The 10th annual AAU International Tournament will be held January 22-25, 2009 at the Disney complex in Orlando, Florida, hosting 40 teams from around the world. Selected games will be broadcast live on Ballparkradio.com