One of our astute readers who posted a comment to the Poll question (below) noted that starting in 2010, the ASA will no longer play their Class “A”, “B” and “C” National Tournaments over the Labor Day Weekend. Instead, it will be a month earlier, over the final weekend of July. Sure enough:

ASA Code, Article 509 “Dates of Championship Play”:

EFFECTIVE 2010 Men’s Class A, Class B and Class C Fast Pitch. These National Championship Finals shall be scheduled on the weekend that includes the last Saturday in July and commence no earlier than 6:00 p.m. Wednesday and concluding no later than Sunday.

ASA National Championship Final – Post Championship Fact Sheet
Men’s Class C Fast Pitch National Championship Tournament

Number of Teams
50

Tournament Site
Prescott. Arizona

Champion
Landis Supermarket, Telford City, PA
Manager – Brent Moyer

MVP
Troy Hertzler, Landis Supermarkets, Telford, PA

Home Run Champion
Javier Fierro – 7 Home Runs
Savala Silverhawks, Bakersfield CA

Batting Champion
Justin Stock, Landis Supermarkets, Telford, PA

ASA All-American Fast Pitch Team

First Team

Position Player Team Name

IF Andy Devalles , Katman Sports, MA
IF Steve Vierra, Manor Dirtbags, TX
IF Frank Keating, Landis Supermarket, PA
IF Jeff Schultz, Santa Rosa, CA
OF Justin Stock, Landis Supermarket, PA
OF Alfonso Gonzalez, Tuscon Hurricanes, AZ
OF Josh Horton, Katman Sports, MA
OF Darryl Banks, Nor-Cal, CA
Utility Marc Young, Santa Rosa, CA
Utility Brent Moyer, Landis Supermarket
Utility Mo Duran, Tuscon Hurricanes, AZ
C Brian Schultz, Manor Dirtbags, TX
P Troy Hertzler, Landis Supermarket, PA
P Wiley Billings, Katman Sports, MA
P Jeff Want, Santa Rosa, CA

ASA All-American Fast Pitch Teams
Second Team

Position Player Team Name

IF Shane Reul, Katman Sports, MA
IF Danny Maclear, Santa Rosa, CA
IF Gil Pachero, Albuquerque Hitmen, NM
IF Gabe Moraga, G2, Wilcox, AZ
OF Matt Ratliff, Salt Lake Magic, UT
OF Eric Middough, Manor Dirtbags, TX
OF Lance Bobki, Piper Lake, KS
OF Charles Lewis, Nor-Cal, CA
Utility Carlos Gomez, Santa Rosa, CA
Utility Aaron Pennington, Piper Lake, KS
Utility Mike Gehman, Landis Supermarket
C Bobby Rosthenhausler, Tuscon Hurricanes, AZ
P Tony Mancha, Wolf Pack, NM
P Mark Blair, G2, Wilcox, AZ
P Johnny Mize, Manor Dirtbags, TX

Editor’s Note: In winning the MVP, Justin Stock of Landis Supermarket, Pennsylvania, batted .818 (18 of 22), which included three home runs, three triples and three doubles with 15 RBIs and 20 runs scored. In addition, he was hit by pitches three times and walked twice, pushing his on base percentage to .852.



The last time we saw numbers like this, it was another Pennsylvania player, Darren Zechman of PA Power in the 2005 ASA “C” Nationals in Stockton, going 21 for 35, a .600 avg, with 11 singles, 5 doubles, 3 triples, 2 home runs, and 12 RBI.

“Half-National Champions”? A Really Bad Idea

Not sure who cooked up this idea, but count me among those who think it’s half-baked.

This year’s 50-team tournament in Prescott had a large field of teams — one of the few divisions in Men’s Fastpitch that can still fill out of a full bracket of teams and make the champions feel like they’ve really won something.

Ask any player what is most important to them — what they play all year from — and more often than not, they will tell you “Nationals”. Their dream? To be a National champion. So now they’re going to split it in two? So the winners can tell people that they are “Half-National Champions”? A really, bad idea, in my humble opinion.

And holding the “West” region in Nebraska, with the “East” in nearby Illinois? Huh? What is the logic of that?

Of course there are more teams from states closer to the host city, but here is how the “West” and “East” stacked up for 2008

West – 43 Teams

California – 15
Arizona – 12
New Mexico – 7
Utah – 3
Colorado – 2
Idaho – 1
Nevada – 1
Oregon – 1

East – 7 teams

Pennsylvania – 4
Georgia – 1
Massachusetts – 1
South Carolina – 1
Kansas – 1*
Texas – 1 **

* Note: We put Kansas in the “East” — because it is west of the Rockies. However, under next year’s scenario, with the “West” region being hosted in Hastings, Nebraska — Kansas is actually much closer to Hastings, Nebraska, at the same longitude as Hastings. So do they play in the East or West? (They’re only a 4 hour drive south of Hastings, the host for the “Western” division. ) If the west, that would leave 6 teams in the “Eastern” region.

** For the same reason (longitude), for this example, we put Texas in the “east”, though many consider Texas to be part of the “west” (Southwest conference, for example).

Regardless, Kansas and Texas only change the numbers for 2008 by two teams. Start pulling other western region teams to the East, and you wind up with California and Arizona teams playing each other — something they already do more than they like. That’s why they go to a National – to face new teams.

So where does the ASA put the line of demarcation in separating teams? That information not yet available. A 2008 search of the “ASA Communications” center for Men’s fastpitch yields just two posts, one a story about a women’s bat that appears mis-indexed, and one about medical benefits of ASA membership. Nothing about the split-National, not to mention nothing about men’s fastpitch.

Want to build up the numbers in the other divisions of play? Fine. But don’t do it by devaluing the (former) ASA “C” National Championship.

Maybe instead of chopping up the “C” division, the ASA should be coming up with a central classification system that would make it a true “C” division — one without teams loaded with players from the USA National team, ISC, ISC II, ASA “A”, ASA “B”, NAFA AA Major, and NAFA AA divisions.

For 2008 ASA Nationals, there were (50) teams in the “C” division, with just (6) in the B” and (10) in the “A”. Wonder where all of the “B” and “A” teams were? Start by taking a look at the rosters at the “C” National in Prescott.

Anyone want to lay odds on how many of the 34 teams from California, Arizona and New Mexico “morph” into “B” teams and return to Prescott, Arizona in 2009? Some would say that “morphing” not necessary.