Duane Makes His Comback, Cedric Makes His Debut

Posted by Mark Smith – 2 Comments May 16th was a great day for the Bush League - An old player made his return and three new Rookies took the field.  Duane DeSpain was a dominant force during the first few years of the Bush League existence.  He won the League's Most Improved Player Award back in 2002 but was then sidelined with a shoulder surgery and was forced to retire for medical reasons after the 2002 season.  He was able to play in some exhibition games over the years but never could commit to a full season.  With his arm feeling better and now being neighbors with Mark, he is coming out of his retirement and ready to compete with the others in the Bush League on a regular basis.  Duane is already in line to win the Comeback Player of the Year and from what was seen on the filed possibly make a run at a Gold Glove.  He was able to make 3 stops in the infield and he recorded one pop fly out.  He had a few struggles at the plate but if his batting practice was any indication of things to come the league better watch out.  Welcom back Duane!
Riley DeSpain was able to make his stickball Debut over the weekend.  There are some rumors that he already has the Bush League competitive spirit as he bet his dad $5 that he could not stop his next hit - Read the above paragraph about the pop out - He owes his dad $5.  But other than that he did phenominal.  Riley went 6 for 8 with 5 runs scored.  If he can keep those numbers he will be a serious canidate for the Rookie of the Year. 
Cedric Williams is another player who made his fisrt trip out the the sandlot.  He has bee working Mark and in a small town is always looking for something to do.  He was so desperate this last weekend that he considered playing stickball.  During batting practice he did not think he would be able to hit it out.  When players started to rag on him and say "it's okay if you can't hit it out like Ashley" he became focused - "she hit it out?  Okay, I'll get one then".  He sure did get one.  In only his second atbat, coming to the plate with the bases loaded he was able to send one over the fence for a grandslam.  On the day he went 4 for 7 with 5 RBI and is the first player in league history to start 2 and 0.  We hope to see Cedric on the field a lot more!
Cedric Jr. was also able to get his first (and when I say first I really mean that, he has never played baseball before) at bats.  After a few quick pointer from like everyone on the field he was ready for his first game.  In that game he went 3 for 4 with a double.  His teammates went a combined 2 for 7 and he came up short in his first official game.  On the day Cedric was 4 for 8, a very respectable .500 avg for his first ever game.   He almost made the most spectacular defensive play in the last 10 years of stickball.  He was placed in the outfield when his father hit a bullet to center field.  Remember he never has played baseball before, so when the ball came out he just stuck his arm out to catch the ball, except the glove was not on and it slowly fell out of his bare hand.  All the players at the game were in awe of the strength of young Cedric.  With his athletic ability he could vastly improve into one of the best young all-around players in the league. 
Overall it was a great day to get old and new players alike out for a game of stickball and we look forward to hearing more from each of these players as the season continues.
 
  

Rule Changes?

Posted by Mark Smith – 3 Comments After hearing some of the complaints and seeing some of the problems from last year and just trying to make the league a little more challenging for some players the commissioner's office is submitting the following rule changes to be voted on by the players association.  So review them and see what needs to be changed or added and then either vote on which ones you want to see of add other rules you think would be good.  For a rule to pass it will have to receive at least 4 votes.  As president of the players association Doug will be there for any player to talk about the rules and other possible changes.

 

1)      5 total pitches and only two swings no matter what, no more fouls or tips (for players hitting over .600 prior to that day - if you play 1 game of 5 games that day your rule for that day will stay the same)

2)      If the ball does not leave the infield, touch the grass it is an out - the fielder can have his feet in the grass as long as the ball never touches the grass - if at any moment it touches the grass even a strand and comes back in it will be a hit - also no more running to first base

3)      You are not allowed to be the starting pitcher for two consecutive games

4)      The batter will be the one who calls balls fair or foul

5)      There has to be at least 3 players to have a stat game in the Gila Valley - 2 players in any other location - Out of those at least 2 players have to be members of the Bush League - Stats will not count from those games played with less than two players in the league - For example I can't go out with Ashley and count stats

6)      The last day of  the regular season will be October 31^st, the top four teams who play in at least 8 games will be in the playoffs  

7)      For the playoffs the number 1 seed will match up with the 4 and the 2 with the 3 for the first round - It will be a one game first round - The home team will get the first pick of players and will choose where they have the game played - The championship series will a 5 game series - the higher seed will select the players first and location of the first two games as well as the 5^th game the lower seed will select players first and location in games 3-4.  Whoever wins three games will be awarded with a Championship

Most Valuable Player: Brandon

Posted by Mark Smith – 0 Comments
Brandon started the awards off 14 days ago with Batting Champion and finishes with the League MVP.  Brandon had the greatest offensive statistical season of all time.  With everything Brandon did at the plate this year he just did enough to edge Mark for the most prestigious award in the league.  The final vote ended with Brandon one vote ahead of Mark - 31 to 30.  Five years from now no one will remember how close the voting was but they will remember the amazing season Brandon had.
Stickball has been played now for 9 seasons while we keep stats.  Some of the all time records have been amazing but this year Brandon made them look silly.  Jason held the batting average record at .783 - everyone said that it might be impossible to hit over .800.  Then Brandon came along and on the last day of the season went for not just .800 but .900 and fell just short but finished with an incredible .890!  I honestly can say now I don't think that will every be done again. 
Back in 2002 Mark had his best season ever and finished with a home run ratio of 3.00 - this was another record that many people felt would be hard to break.  Mark took a HR ratio of under 3 into the last game of 2007 but could not keep it under and finished at 3.02.  Brandon put the question to rest as he demolished the HR ratio hitting a long ball every 2.14 times he came to the plate.  Simply amazing!
To put what Brandon just did into perspective lets take a look at his seasons stats and Mark's 2002 year in which he won the MVP.
AB - B 109, M 120   
Runs - B 80, M 73 - Advantage Brandon
Hits - B 97, M 93 - Advantage Brandon
2B - B 24, M 13 - Advantage Brandon
3B - B 3, M 0 - Advantage Brandon
HR - B 51, M 40 - Advantage Brandon
HR ration - B 2.14, M 3.00 - Advantage Brandon
RBI - B 89, M 96 - Advantage Mark
KO ratio - B 21.8, M 20 - Advantage Brandon
AVG - B .890, M .775 - Advantage Brandon
Out of the 9 offensive categories Brandon won 8 in the head to head battle of greatest seasons ever.  It can easily be seen why this season will go down as the greatest display of offense in the history of stickball.  Great season Brandon - What are you going to do for an encore?

Total Votes: Brandon 31, Mark 30, Jason 11, Craig 8

I just want to thank everyone in the league for the great season we had.  I think that for the most part it was a success and most everyone enjoyed themselves.  Next year will be our 19th year of keeping stats and I hope we will make the best of it.  Stats can cause some problems but I think that for the most part they make the game more fun.  I hope everyone enjoyed their awards.  We might be having some rule changes in 2009 but I will write an article and give you a chance to comment before we make any official changes.  Great season guys, can't wait for next year.


     

Pitcher of the Year: Jason

Posted by Mark Smith – 0 Comments Jason won the Pitcher of the Year and when you look at the numbers there wasn't much debate.  He put up some incredible numbers many of which were career highs for him.  Jason finished the season with a 10-7 record.  This is the first season that Jason has reached the double digit win total.  This year was the year of the home run and Jason contributed to that total not only with his bat but this season as a pitcher he pitched 57 long balls which is the most of his career while facing the 2nd fewest batters of his career.  Jason ended up with an astronomical ERA of 10.69 which led the league.  That ERA gives him the second highest ERA in league history of pitchers with at least 200 batters faced (Robin hold the ERA record of 10.76 back in 2005 when he was winning multiple POY).  Jason also tied for second with 5 saves.  With the great numbers Jason put up as a pitcher it is no wonder he ended up with the best record in the league at 18-11, the Stixs finished first in the regular season after which his bat failed him in the first round of the playoffs.  One thing is sure going into the next season - Jason will be there in the end because good pitching will win ball games - just ask Robin.  Great year Jason!

Total Votes: Jason - 32, Mark - 26, Clifton - 9, Kimball - 6, Robin - 6, Doug - 1

On Deck: MVP  

Defensive Player of the Year: Mark Smith

Posted by Mark Smith – 0 Comments In a year where the awards have been changed up a little once again a new award has been created - and Mark takes home the first ever Defensive Player of the Year.  Defense?  We talking about defense?  This is stickball and we're talking about defense?  Yes that's right we do play a little defense in stickball.  Mark had a phenomenal year in the field as he tried to improve his overall game with the glove.  He led the league in pop-outs with 28 and was second in the league with 26 ground-outs.  Players in the league recognized his efforts by giving him 65 out of the 80 total votes.  When asked what Mark has in store for us in 2009 he said "I want to go out and break the all-time record for most out recorded in a season.  I also want to make a run at Brandon's single season record for most pop-outs recorded.  I think defense is a little underrated, but it actually can make a big difference in the game."  Those records that Mark will be after in 2009 will be the all time most outs in a season - 80, and most pop-outs recorded - 40 - currently held by Brandon.  If he can break either one of these records he might be looking at his second strait Defensive Player of the Year award.  Although many people think that stickball is all about the offense, there's a little saying in each sport that "defense wins championships".  That held true as the Yard Dogs won their 3 Championship in the last 4 years led by Mark and his defense!

Total Votes: Mark - 65, Jason - 7, Craig - 3, Brandon - 3, Kimball - 1, Doug - 1

On Deck: Pitcher of the Year 

 

Golden Glove Infield: Doug, Jason & Mark

Posted by Mark Smith – 2 Comments
As was mentioned in the previous article, Golden Gloves will not be given to not just one player but multiple players who had great years. All three of these players had great seasons in the infield and would be a force if they all played on the same team. 
Jason had another great year protecting third base.  He recorded 29 ground outs which was tops in the league.  He used his "little old glove" for many of those outs which makes his total even that much more impressive.  This is the Jason's 6th year to win a Gold Glove.
Mark also had a solid year in the infield and with the glove.  He was able to snag 26 grounders this season which paced him just behind Jason for the league lead.
But the headline of this award is: Doug wins his first ever Gold Glove!  Yes that's right Doug wins a Golden Glove.  At first glance at the stats you might see that Doug only had 6 ground outs.  But let's take a little closer look at the stats and see what they say.  Jason ended up with 29 ground outs and he went up to bat 208 times.  With those numbers in mind let's go back to Doug - he had 6 outs and he had 52 at bats.  With some simple math if you figure Doug went up to bat 208 times and then factor in his out ratio - he would have ended up with somewhere in the neighborhood of 24 ground outs.  When you look at those numbers you can realize that he definitely deserves this award.  Doug's biggest problem his whole career has been his inability to get enough games played.  Just the other day I was talking to him and he said he would love to see what he could do for an entire season - so would we Doug...so would we.


On Deck: Defensive Player of the Year

Golden Glove Outfield: Mark and Kimball

Posted by Mark Smith – 1 Comments We decided to give out multiple awards this year for the Golden Gloves.  On a typical Bush League team, two or three players will play the infield while one or two will play the outfield.  So why not just give out one award but rather more per position.  Mark and Kimball both were outstanding in the filed.  For starters they actually played the outfield which is becoming a lost art in stickball.  Catching a fly ball might just be the hardest thing to do in the sport and that little ball high in the air has made each one of us look pretty silly on occasion. 
Kimball did a great job in the outfield this year.  He made 7 pop-outs which were all recorded in the outfield.  Those seven fly ball outs put him just behind the 8 which were recorded by Clifton, Robin, Doug and Brandon...COMBINED!  That's incredible.  He also made many plays which don't necessarily show up in the stat sheet at the end of the game like stopping a single from going to a double and being a threat in the outfield when everyone else is fine just waiting for the ground balls.  Kimball you had a great year and you finally get your first golden glove, great job!
Mark was able to lead the league in the number of pop-outs recorded with 28 which is just 3 behind his career best and good enough for the 3rd most pop-outs recorded in league history.  If Mark can see the ball, which is another story altogether...right Doug, he will make a run for it.  He won't always get there but you can't fault him for his effort.  This is Mark's 7th year he has won a Golden Glove.

Most Improved Player: Clifton

Posted by Mark Smith – 1 Comments Clifton brings home his third strait award of 2008 as he is this year's Most Improved Player.  Clifton had a great season in 2008 as can be seen by how his numbers improved from 2007.  With only 9 more at bats than he had last year Clifton was able to increase his hits from 49 to 65, his runs went from 31 to 45, home runs skyrocketed from 4 to 15, RBI from 22 to 32, his KO dropped from 8 to 6 just to name a few.  One of his most significant increase was in his batting average which went from .576 to .691.  Of all the improvements Clifton made from last season to this season perhaps the one that is the least recognized but that might be the most significant is his pitching stats.  His ERA went from 5.25 to 9.87, that's incredible!  He finished with the third best ERA in the league.  He also won 3 games and had 3 saves to boot, he only had one save last year and no wins.  Clifton's turnaround was simply amazing - he increased or stayed the same in every single offensive category and increased every pitching category as well.  If Clifton can do the same thing next year we won't be talking about Most Improved but rather Most Valuable!

All Votes: Clifton - 29, Kimball - 23, Brandon - 18, Craig - 7

On Deck: Golden Glove Outfield 

  

Sportsmanship Award: Doug & Clifton

Posted by Mark Smith – 2 Comments

When I said the voting was close...this is what I meant, Doug - 31, Clifton - 31!  And if you probably asked either one of them they would probably say to just give it to the other guy.  This is why they both deserve this award.  Clifton and Doug are some of the most competitive guys in the league but that does not get in the way of what's important to them.  They both come to the field each time to play well - but more importantly to have fun with the other players.  You can always count on them being positive and upbeat about the game - no matter what the situation is.  Speaking from first hand experience, I know how great it is to have teammates on your team who are there to support others and be good sports.  I know for a fact that I have never seen Doug or Clifton throw their bat or get mad at the pitcher when they strike out.  They also always have a good word for the winning and loosing team no matter how they fared in the game.  They embody the phrase, "It's not whether you win or loose, it how you play the game".  Jim Smith would be proud of both of these guys, remember what he lived by, "Fair play or no play".  Thanks Doug and Clifton for reminding us how we should play the game!

Comback Player of the Year: Clifton

Posted by Mark Smith – 0 Comments Clifton received 46 of the total 80 votes - the second highest vote total of any award.  So let's take a closer look at what made Clifton the 2008 Comeback Player of the Year.  Some people voted for Clifton because he did come back from his bad back.  Clifton has been notorious for playing great one day and then being hobbled for not just the next game but for the next 6 weeks.
In 2007 Clifton's back was hurt for a long time after one stickball game.  He credits his cure in 2008 to a basketball game played with family during the Bush League eXperience.  "My back has felt so much better since that basketball game, I don't know why". Clifton was also able to comeback to AZ after hosting the first ever Utah tournament.
He also came back to being the player we knew before.  He got back into double digit HR's with 15 after posting 4 in 2007.  His average was once again right around .700 (he finished at .691) after he hit .576 in 2007.  He also had his best year ever with his KO ratio above 15. 
But the highlight of the season and what locked up the award for Clifton was his performance in the Championship.  Going into the last inning the Yard Dogs were down, that was until Clifton "came back" up to the plate and sent a towering home run over the right field fence.  He then "came back" later that inning with one out and kept his championship hopes alive with a single to tie the game.  Clifton and the Yard Dogs ended up winning the game and he was able to "come back" to AZ and get his first ever Championship.  Anyway you look at it Clifton did comeback in 2008 - hey Clifton will you do it again in 2009?