OPENING WORLD SERIES BLOG 2009
Hey-Ho to all our Network fans and followers.
The 2009 World Series is upon us. National Network, the 2008 35+ National Amateur Baseball Champions, are ready to take on all comers as we go for back-to-back titles in Phoenix Arizona, Oct 11th-16th.
This year's competition is much sterner than last year's and the NABA has made it even tougher for us to repeat. If we can survive the first 3 games against 3 top opponents in an 18 hour period we should be on our way to at least a trip to the semis and beyond.
As reigning champs, and with the debut of our award-winning documentary, "Faded Glory," the year was filled with fond memories and great moments. As I traveled around the country showing our film at various festivals, each one of my teammates was able to make an appearance in select cities. We premiered in Atlanta where Terry Loe, Pat Zapp, Josh Davis, Bobby Atwater, Miles Whitlock, Darien Smith, Chris Pullaro and Mike Moore joined in on the Q & A after th show to a packed audience. And who could forget the appearance of Viginia Beach, Virginia's own Troy Startoni? Chad Brown came to the Delray Beach FF in Florida. Brien Blakely in Kings Mountain, NC. Robert Wasmund in Newport Beach, CA. The LA Boys: Bruno, Davidson, Bailey, Army, Wellsie, KC, Ahearne and Schaefer at both LA United and ALL Sports LA festivals. Even newcomer Mike Veronesi made the 2nd Atlanta screening...Besides, he wanted to see what he was getting himself into! lol
Well, the 2009 version of National Network is a slightly altered version of 2008, and even more altered from 2007. This year, with hard economic times falling upon us all, the week-long commitment in Phoenix will be tough on everybody. We lost a great bat and a great leader in Josh Davis not returning and two of our best pitchers, two ex-pros, Mike Roesler and Pat Ahearne. We also won't have the rah-rah services of our team mascot Darien Smith. Darien, happy to say, is doing well after his 2008 deep brain stimulation surgery for Parkinson's Disease. He'll be within all our thoughts and our hearts.
With that said, the newcomers to the Network team fit the team pie nicely. First off, we finally have a regular shortstop in the Atlanta Clowns Mike Veronesi. Mike is a gritty, gutty, determined player with both a great glove and bat. He'll slide in perfectly at the #2 spot in our line-up and steal hits away from batters with his range and arm. What's really got me excited are the addition of three stud pitchers. Ken Lorow, an Atlanta Bulls member, brings his confidence and curveball to the mound in Game 2. Mike Player from Birmingham, Alabama is a solid 6' 4" side-winding righthander who will put the fear of God in any opposing batter from the right side. And finally, DJ Austin, from Richmond, Indiana and the Atlanta Bulls has joined Network for the first time and is slated to pitch us to victory in the championship game.
Coming off the 3 errors in 8 games performance from last year, the infield will be expectedly solid. Hard to improve on last year's numbers but with a slew of first baseman and the Bruno-Veronesi-Cohen 3b-ss-2b combo, we'll make it tough for opponents to sneak one through either side of the infield.
The outfield is the same as last year with its Usual Suspects. JD, Schaefer, KC and Bobby A will work the 4-man rotation to perfection.
Chad Brown and his stick return after missing 2007 and will be a nice DH addition. The monster bat of Robert Wasmund returns as well.
An opening day line-up (check the box score, it's already posted) could be compared to any Murderer's Row line-up. There isn't a soft stick in the bunch, (no Viagra needed here.)
Pitching-wise we are as deep as ever. Mike Player will open the series against the So Cal Tuzos, the team Network beat last year in the championship game, 13-12. You can bet the Tuzos will be gunning for us in that first game, Sunday, 7 PM PCT at Tempe Diablo.
Game two and three, doubleheader day, will be pitched by Bulls' stalwarts Ken Lorow (vs. Cal Zephyrs) and Mike Moore (vs. last year's 35A Runner-Ups, the Portland Red Sox.) It will be a very difficult day for us not only because of the competition, but our games are at 8:30 AM and 12 noon (Tempe Diablo) less than 8 hours away from playing a night game the day before. With our deep roster, we should be able to weather the storm, however, our age finally becomes a factor when getting a good day/night's rest. Network, however, always rallies around each other and we're sure to come out of this okay. We always hope for a 3-0 start but would take 2-1 and been done with the 18 hours.
Game Four on Tuesday has ironman Scottie Bailey on the mound against our last year's semi-final opponent, the Colorado Bulls (you get the picture now, NABA is throwing the whole kitchen at us.) The game will be played in the new Goodyear Stadium, home of the Dodgers spring training facility. Game 5 on Wednesday vs. the Ventura Cubs goes to the senior member of the team, the 57 year old submariner, Jeff Wells.
With playoff expectations high, and a first round bye in the works, Bill "Flip" Filippone returns to hopefully pitch the semi-final game and newcomer DJ Austin will be set to pitch us to back-to-back championships. If we get a quarterfinal game, Mike Player gets the nod.
Well, that's it in a nutshell, baseball fans.
I will try and post these blogs daily along with the box scores and the schedule score in the front. Please feel free to respond to anyone of these blogs. Wish us luck!
Rick Cohen
