July 2015 Recap

ON THE MOUND

Avoid walks, past balls and hitting batters. All of these allow the opposition to get on base or move into scoring position without having to earn it. Do your best to limit free passes that make it easier for the other team to get on base and score.

Here's another tip...
If a hitter opens up his hips early, you should attack the strike zone down and away with fastballs, off speed pitches and breaking balls. The more a hitter's hips slide forward prior to
the heel of the stride foot landing, the more difficult it is for him to get the barrel of the bat through a ball away.

AT THE PLATE

Soft-toss requires the help of another person or machine and there are some things that will increase productivity if adhered to by the batter and the person doing the tossing. Here are several:

Always hit towards a safe area or into a net to prevent damage and/or injury.
In a basic soft-toss drill, the thrower will usually be free of harm if he is far enough away and the toss is made towards a spot slightly in front of the batter’s lead hip.
The process of tossing the ball should be one continuous movement that includes these three stages: 1) show the ball to the batter, 2) swing the arm down and back up towards the release point, and 3) release the ball with a small arc to the area where contact should be made.
Tosses should not be too hard and should not have a big arc unless they are components related to specific drills.
Enough time should be given between tosses to allow the batter to reset properly for the next swing. No rapid fire unless the drill specifically calls for it!
Your partner doing the tossing should wear a helmet.

Soft Toss Drill

Over 60 Update

It was definitely touch and go for the month of July. Games were on the schedule but participation was pretty low. Despite the lack of numbers there is still an effort to keep the Over 60 League going this season. That is were you come in! If you want some extra playing time, or a few more at bats I suggest you give the Over 60 a try. They could use the help and you get to play some baseball as a reward. If you have any questions, concerns or suggestions please contact Dick Hill. dhillcmd@yahoo.com

Dates To Remember

Playoffs Begin In August:
To be eligible for the playoffs, players need to have played in the minimum number of games (8), and league fees need to be paid in full ($195). The first two rounds of the playoffs will be played at Kelley Field in Bath.

August 22nd:
First round of playoffs. Times yet to be determined. Second and third place teams in each division face off in a single elimination format.

August 29th:
Second round of playoffs. Times yet to be determined. First place teams in each division will face first round winners in a single elimination format. Winners in the second round will play the championship game at Hadlock Field in Portland on September 12th. There will also be a consolation game comprised of the four teams not in the championship game. Contact your manager for more information.

July Highlights

July seemed to zoom by and the regular season may be starting to wind down, but the race for the playoffs is heating up as we head into August. First place for each division appears to be locked up (maybe), but the second and third place teams in each division are hoping to finish strong in an attempt to earn home field advantage in the first round. Home field advantage will be very valuable in a single elimination tournament. Good luck to all.

Giants Recap:
The Giants finally got into the win category in the month of July. In fact they went on a very satisfying three game winning streak to help breath new life into the team. The pitching staff was led by Bob Savary and Mike Doucette with great bullpen help from Joe Baum and Dave Wilson. Offensively the team was helped by Robby Craig and rookies Dave Beauregard and Kent Fischer. They also had great defensive contributions from Nava Spaulding, Dan Gargan and Beauregard in centerfield.

Pirates Recap:
Argh…Raise the flag…the Pirates are on the move in July and riding a three game win streak. Improvements in hitting and defense have definitely helped. Highlights include the pitching dynamic duo of Johnson and Houston who are tightening their grip on the opposing batters. On the offensive side…the Pirates have benefited from steady hit and run baseball from top and middle part of the line up and now enjoying a run surge from the tail end quartet of Brandt, McFarland, Grill and Coray. Note to all catchers…is group now has one or two stolen bases too and the scouts are noticing!!!

Braves, Cubs, Cardinals, and Dodgers Recaps:
Did not make it in time for publication. Maybe next month.

Current Standings

W L Played

CUBS	14	1	15
PIRATES	8	7	15
CARDINALS	2	12	14

W L Played

DODGERS	8	6	14
BRAVES	7	7	14
GIANTS	5	11	16

July Snapshots

See more photos at: www.facebook.com/mainewoods45

Today's Quote

" If you're not having fun in baseball, you miss the point of everything."

-- Chris Chambliss --

MW45 Merchandise

Show your support for Maine Woods 45 and help spread the word about your Midcoast Maine Men's Baseball League. Order an item listed below or get the league logo added to your own gear.
Email mainewoods45@gmail.com for more details or to place an order.

Stickers: $2.00 (stickers are 4" round)
Hats: $15.00
Mugs: $8.00
T-shirts: $18.00
Sweatshirts: $28.00
Logo On Your Item: $8.00 each

MW45 merchandising is a not-for-profit venture. It's primarily a league marketing tool and all profits, minus administrative and shipping costs, will be used to offset league expenses.

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