Rhode Island Baseball Community – Need Your Photos For A Veteran’s Day Salute To Service Tribute

To this day, given all of the baseball memories I have from attending Pawtucket Red Sox games and now making new memories attending Worcester Red Sox games, the Salute to Service portion of the games clearly stands out. You feel patriotic, emotional, proud of a fellow Coventry or Cranston or Tiverton Veteran or Active service member as they show a photo, their name and rank, and their hometown on the large TV screen in the outfield. Fans are encouraged to stand for the moments our Rhode Island (and surrounding states) service men and women are announced on the big screen … Continue reading Rhode Island Baseball Community – Need Your Photos For A Veteran’s Day Salute To Service Tribute

The Baseball GOALS Project – How To Start and Run A Youth Baseball Tournament

This past weekend, while I was lugging fence posts, dumping concrete, and attempting to install level stockade fencing in my backyard, I took a moment to drift into my comfort zone – baseball! I thought to myself – “How would I start and run a youth baseball tournament here in Rhode Island?” It was a nice distraction, brief as it may have been, from a tiresome activity which I was clearing overmatched against. Maybe you or someone you know is a league director or league volunteer and thought the same thing about organizing a youth baseball tournament in your city … Continue reading The Baseball GOALS Project – How To Start and Run A Youth Baseball Tournament

Rhode Island Baseball Dugout Chatter – Narragansett Little League Fall Ball Champs, RI Riverdogs ABL 14U Champs, UCONN’s Andrew Sears Stock Rising, Peña Doubles In Astros Win

If your weather temperatures this week look like a healthy EKG reading, you are definitely experiencing the ups and downs of weather conditions in Rhode Island. Freeze warning? Come on! Right after a beautiful day to enjoy a baseball game or a harvest fair or attempt to install a fence in your yard (my Saturday activity) with warm temperatures and plenty of sunshine, you hit us with a freeze warning??? My weather app says 35° and my lawn is frosted over and the few remaining leaves in my trees are falling like orangey snowflakes. So, while the sun is coming … Continue reading Rhode Island Baseball Dugout Chatter – Narragansett Little League Fall Ball Champs, RI Riverdogs ABL 14U Champs, UCONN’s Andrew Sears Stock Rising, Peña Doubles In Astros Win

The Rhode Island Baseball Community Speaks – Can A Rec Baseball Player Make It Up The Ladder Without Travel Ball?

Before I get to the responses by the Rhode Island Baseball Community, I wanted to take a quick detour and acknowledge Classical High School’s and current Houston Astros Jeremy Peña, who became the first Rhode Island High School alum to record a base hit in a World Series game in over 40 years. The last one to do it? La Salle Academy’s Davey Lopes, Los Angeles Dodgers, recorded a hit in the 1981 World Series against the New York Yankees. Technically, Paul Konerko, Chicago White Sox in 2005 (Baseball Reference shows him born in Providence, RI) was the last Rhode … Continue reading The Rhode Island Baseball Community Speaks – Can A Rec Baseball Player Make It Up The Ladder Without Travel Ball?

My Latest Rhode Island Baseball Community Project – Tales From The Senior Circuit

Growing up here in Rhode Island, I would visit my mother who worked in nursing homes and assisted living centers around the South County area.  She would bring me into the patient’s rooms and I would chat with them about (what else???) baseball.  From what I can recall, the patients loved the time and the opportunity to talk to me about baseball, when they were a little boy or girl growing up here in Rhode Island or a surrounding state.  Some were knowledgeable about the current state of the game, who was playing for the Yankees or the Red Sox, … Continue reading My Latest Rhode Island Baseball Community Project – Tales From The Senior Circuit

RI Rays Fall Champions, ATC Looking For Players, The ALCS MVP, MSBL Father/Son Tourney News and More

As the fog continues to blanket the view out of my baseball office window, I thought I would shed some light on some recent Rhode Island Baseball News. Not bad for a baseball writer huh??? Fall championships were competed in and champions were crowned. A few AAU teams are looking for players to complete rosters for 2023. And a group of Rhode Island Father/Son teams competed in Arizona against other Father/Son teams from around the USA. Oh and we may have a Classical High School Baseball alumni hoisting a World Series trophy in about a week or so. (Harper, Wheeler, … Continue reading RI Rays Fall Champions, ATC Looking For Players, The ALCS MVP, MSBL Father/Son Tourney News and More

Can An Above Average Youth Rec Baseball Player Make It Up The Baseball Ladder Without Travel Baseball?

Happy October Saturday Morning everyone. I wanted to pose a question to the Rhode Island Baseball Community this morning and start a dialogue about a topic I am very curious about. In today’s youth baseball world, can an above average baseball player, who plays only recreation (Little League, Babe Ruth, Cal Ripken) baseball make it to and through high school and into a collegiate program, possibly professional baseball organization without the benefit of ever playing AAU, travel, showcase baseball growing up? Wow, that was a long winded question so let’s break it down so we can analyze and discuss it … Continue reading Can An Above Average Youth Rec Baseball Player Make It Up The Baseball Ladder Without Travel Baseball?

Rhode Island Baseball Has Strong Ties To 2022 Major League Baseball Division Series Teams

The 2022 Major League Baseball Divisional Series got underway yesterday with 4 games on the schedule. The 8 teams remaining will play a best of 5 series for the opportunity to move on to the American or National League Championship … Continue reading Rhode Island Baseball Has Strong Ties To 2022 Major League Baseball Division Series Teams

RHODE ISLAND’S GREGORY FLEURY SELECTED FOR 15TH ANNUAL WORLD POWER SHOWCASE HOME RUN DERBY

I am so thrilled to share this news and press release with the Rhode Island Baseball Community. Narragansett’s Gregory Fleury has been selected to represent Rhode Island in the 15th Annual World Power Showcase Home Run Derby next month. Here is the official press release and Gregory’s player profile, courtesy of the Fleury Family: For Immediate Release: 10/06/2022The 15th Annual World POWER SHOWCASE Home Run Derby and All-American Classic is being held in Miami at the Loan Depot park – from November 19th through the 23rd. The event features the most prolific amateur players from around the country/world and provides the perfect … Continue reading RHODE ISLAND’S GREGORY FLEURY SELECTED FOR 15TH ANNUAL WORLD POWER SHOWCASE HOME RUN DERBY

What Would You Do If You Caught A Historic Home Run Baseball?

Picture this…Your local Little League baseball field, for time purposes let’s use Wilson Park’s Cooney Field, is abuzz one particular Saturday night in June. The local press is there (probably Will from the Independent Newspaper in the press box) along with yours truly. Youth baseball players from other teams are crowding the backstops, lining the perimeter of the foul lines and outfield fences. Parents have called in family and friends from out of town to the game. By the time, the lineup cards are announced, the stands around Cooney Field are packed and there is literally no “seat in the … Continue reading What Would You Do If You Caught A Historic Home Run Baseball?