HGRA Majors Bees vs Seals game

Rotation has been updated for our game – Bees vs. Seals Highland Senior High Thur May 28 (I corrected a mistake on my unofficial blog calendar). The game starts at 6:30, but please arrive around 6:00 pm.

The rotation now has a brief of explanation on how positions are assigned

1. Pitchers can do 3-6 outs, they must be consecutive outs

2. No more than twice in any position except catcher

3. Catchers get to play more innings (because it's a demanding position)

We distribute bench time as evenly as possible, but it’s rare to have a completely even distribution. Anyone willing to catch will always get extra time, so if someone wants less bench time catching is a good option!

Coach John will be away for this Thursday game and for next Tuesday practice. We know Jimmy and Aaron will miss this game and that Ben may have a sore ankle (though he moved well in practice!).

If there are any other known absences, or late arrivals, please email BOTH coach John (jfaughnan@gmail.com) and coach Paul (pbmeekin@gmail.com).

Asher and one other player left a glove behind, we think Asher might have taken Aidan’s glove by accident. We’ll bring them in our equipment bag.

Ben Taylor is bringing our treats tomorrow.

It may be cold and wet. We recommend a t-shirt, then a long sleeved shirt, then our uniform top on cooler days with a backup rain/wind jacket.

We’ve now had several practices and two games, so this is a good time to pick up early feedback. Please email or pass on ideas, suggestions, etc. Especially let us know if your player is feeling stressed, worried, unhappy, etc.

I’m sorry I’ll miss the game, the Bees have been improving quickly!

Very good game two vs. the Grays

I was happy with our 6-4 game. I'd have preferred a victor, but we continue to show very good improvement and our team stayed in the game. Most of all, we were hitting well and running well. We could easily have won; our two teams were a good match.

Our pitchers did very well. We are going to work with their teammates to make sure pitchers feel appreciated. It's a touch job!

Special thanks to Luke (Shanahan?) for doing our player tracking and scoring.

At our Tuesday practice we'll continue to work at hitting and grounders and we'll do some basic review on fly balls. We're also going to be working with our team to encourage their pitchers.

For all games we work to balance bench time, but there's one exception. Our catchers get extra playing time if they want it. Catching's a tough position and few want to do it, so it has some perks.

Rotation up for 5/21 game

The rotation for our 5/21 game is available for review.

I'm sure it will change, even before the game starts!

We did fine in our first game

Well, technically we lost, but I felt pretty good.

At our last bats we told the players to just swing and have fun -- at that point we couldn't win given the 10 batter rule. Turns out, we can really hit when we swing!

Everyone did better after the second inning. We have several good and promising pitchers; that's really going to help. We now have two solid catchers (thank you Aidan and Tim); Aidan had never caught before but did great. When Collin is fitted with new gear we'll have 3 catchers.

I was happy to see several players in long sleeves (David, Sophie and ?). They looked a lot more comfortable than most of the team when the sun went down. May and June can be cold.

At our next practice we'll drill on grounders and throwing to first, relays from the outfield, and player position. For position we'll try this (hopefully fun) drill ...

1. 9 players start at home
2. each runs to a position.
3. out of position players do a push up.

This should be a good Bees year.

PS. One of the Redhawks is new to HGRA but will probably be promoted to the post-Majors league. Yes, he's the guy who it two home runs and struck us out so quickly. So next time we play the Redhawks things will be closer!

Rule clarification (for coaches)

This is for us coaches. The rules on the HGRA site need a minor update. Here's the official rule on pitching ...

No pitcher may pitch more than two innings or six outs per game. The innings or outs must be consecutive. For example, getting the third out in one actual inning and the first two outs in the next actual inning is considered to be one “inning pitched.” No player may play more than two innings at any one defensive position, except catcher if no other player wishes to catch. Adults are not permitted on the field. Each team plays three (3) outfielders.

Game Thursday - how to dress, lost and found, time, notices for late players

We picked up a red jacket and a water bottle after practice. John will bring them to the game on Thursday.

Please arrive around 6:00 to 6:10 pm for the 6:30 game.

Please let John (jfaughnan@gmail.com) know if your player will be late for the game. We're generally good with this as long as we know ahead of time. My apologies for misplacing prior notices.

We play Bees vs. Redhawks 6:30 pm at Riverside 1 - by the school building, parking is on Albion Ave on the NE side of the field. The official HGRA site has directions:

Riverside Park - East on Grand to Lexington, South on Lexington to W. 7th (Fort Road). Park is on east side of Lexington.

Positions are available online, but they do change.

It may be cold. A good way to dress for cold this time of year is layers such as:

• a t-shirt base
• a long sleeved shirt
• an optional thin windbreaker
• uniform on top
  

Depending on weather and what gear you have the windbreaker may go on top. Please dress your player as best you can. I know my son won't go along with the above list but your child may be more agreeable. I will have a solid windbreaker for Tim. Players who are not adequately dressed may be sent home. I played one may game last year where some players had chattering teeth and I don't want to do that again. Hypothermia can happen on a cold wet night.

We are short catchers. To encourage more to volunteer to catch anyone catching gets to play extra innings, and non-catchers get more bench time -- at least until we have more catchers!

The Bees name comes from the "... Burlington Bees, affiliate of the KC Royals. Hall of Famers Paul Molitor and Billy Williams (Chicago Cubs) played for them." We'll ask the players at the game who knows this.

There's a bug on the HGRA web site; it's not showing game schedules correctly when you go to your personal page. There's a public Posted Schedule page on front page of the baseball site. I'd link to it but I'm not sure that the site content is "linkable".

Schedule correction: flip a coin for home and visiting teams

The HGRA game scheduler was supposed to randomly assign us to be home and visiting team status, but it didn't work.

So Commissioner Dennis has asked that we go back to flipping a coin at the start of games.

Practice tonight and weather

Stormy weather, but unless there's a lightning issue we'll have practice tonight. Be sure to wear a cap and a rain jacket.

Coach Marty won't be able to attend tonight so it would be good to get extra help.