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Saturday, May 31, 2008

Montero gets first pro hits

Despite tonight's loss, Armada rookie SS Petie Montero can breathe a sigh of relief as he recorded his first two hits as a professional baseball player.  Montero, who played at William Penn University, knocked an infield single in his first at bat of the evening in the 3rd inning.  He also blooped a ball into shallow right field in the top of the seventh.

LB 3, CHI 8: Outlaws get 1st W of '08

By Josh Feldman
5/31/2008


The Chico Outlaws celebrated receiving their championship rings by beating the Armada, the team they defeated in the 2007 GBL Championship Series, 8-3 at Nettleton Stadium Saturday night.

The Armada (3-2) failed to score first for the first time in 2008, as the Outlaws 1B Julian Benavidez hit a 2 RBI double to left field in the bottom of the first.

SP Rik Currier (0-1) took the loss, giving up 4 runs (all earned) on 6 hits while striking out two and walking four in five innings pitched.

Outlaws SP Derrek Loop retired the first six batters he faced before Armada C David Parrish put Long Beach on the board with a solo homerun to lead off the third inning. The Outlaws (1-5) retaliated with a run in the bottom of the frame when CF Lino Garcia’s triple scored 3B Jose Valdez to put Chico up 3-1.

Armada DH Tony Torcato added a run in the fourth when he singled to drive in CF Steve Moss.

Ryan Claypool came in to relieve Currier in the sixth inning and gave up four runs on four hits to add to the Outlaws lead. In the sixth, Valdez started the scoring with a two-RBI double before eventually coming around to score his third run of the game.

The Armada and the Outlaws will wrap up this three-game series Sunday night. Jerome Williams will start for Long Beach and Tyler Pearson is expected to take the ball for Chico. First pitch is scheduled for 6:05pm and you can hear all the action live at www.longbeacharmada.com.

Outlaws get championship rings

Before tonight's game, the Outlaws will receive their 2007 GBL Championship rings. Chico beat Long Beach in the best-of-five series 3-1 last September, winning the deciding game at Blair Field. As if pink pants and a grudge against schedule-makers isn't already fueling the Armada's fire, watching this ring ceremony might set them off for another double-digit run performance. Several of the Outlaws who were on last year's title team are back tonight for the ceremony as well as a dozen or so Outlaws who are uniform tonight.

Ladies night?

Armada manager Steve Yeager and his players received a colorful surprise when they arrived in their locker room at Nettleton Stadium.  It appears the Chico clubbie who did last night's laundry did not get the memo about mixing white pants with red jersey tops.
Ryan Lehr shows off Yeager's pink pants


David Parrish and Ryan Lehr explain how to wash laundry

Bierbrodt gets his run support

Nick Bierbrodt retired the three batters he faced Friday in the sixth inning. By that time, the Armada has nine runs on the board on their way to an 11-5 route
After the St. George series in which Bierbrodt received only six runs of support (compared to 14 and 13 scored in the other two STG games), Bierbrodt jokingly called out his teammates for not putting enough guys across the plate when he took the ball. Bierbrodt may pitch in relief in the third game of this series on Sunday. His next scheduled start is not until the Armada take on Reno on June 4.

Chico's home field advantage?

I have a theory about why Chico could have a serious home field advantage in 2008.  I realize, by the way, that this theory can be completely and totally discounted after Friday's 11-5 Armada win, but I'm going with it anyway.

Each GBL team has a hotel that sponsors the team.  The teams and hotels work out trade deals so that opposing teams get discounted rates to stay at the hotel, and the hotel gets a lot of advertising at the ballpark.  Chico's partner hotel:  Feather Falls Casino & Hotel.

Not only is the hotel a minimum 30 minute drive from Nettleton Stadium, where the games in Chico are played, but there is a 24-hour non-stop party going down in the casino, which is directly adjacent to the hotel.

I'm not saying Armada fans should expect a let down in the next two games.  The way the bats are booming and with Currier and Jerome Williams on the mound in games 2 and 3 of this series, LB will be tough to take down.  That being said, the majority of players in this league are younger guys - typically in their mid 20s or so - and if there is fun to be had, they'll have it.  Period.

But as the season goes on, and the Outlaws get their first win (they are currently 0-5 after Friday night's home-opening beat down), keep an eye on their home record.  Not only do I think they'll have one of the best home records in the GBL, I think you could bet on it.

Josh Feldman is the play-by-play voice of the Armada at all away games this season.  He serves as on-field host for Armada home games and can be reached via email by clicking here.  His own personal sports blog - NO JOSHIN' - has been published since 2004.

Armada still offensive

Long Beach posted double-digit runs for the third time in four games in 2008. Look out. Two more HR by Sailors Ryan Lehr (2) and Norm Hutchins (2) to propel the fleet forward.

That five-run first inning was nice. Parrish's 3-RBI double off the wall to put LB up 4-0 told me everything I needed to know about this Armada squad: the bats will be there. All five runs in the 1st were scored with two outs. Hmm. Not too bad.

Friday, May 30, 2008

LB 11, CHI 5: LB spoils Chico home opener

By Josh Feldman
5/30/2008


Armada third baseman Ryan Lehr blasted a solo homerun, catcher David Parrish added a three RBI double, and Norm Hutchins’ RBI single scored five runs for Long Beach – all in the first inning. The Armada (3-1) thumped the Outlaws 11-5 at Nettleton Stadium in Chico in front of more than 4,000 paid attendees on Friday night.

SP Dusty Gober (1-0) earned the win, giving up five earned runs on four hits in 5 IP while recording five strikeouts and walking five and hitting two batters. Gober, the reigning GBL Rookie Pitcher of the Year, made his first start of 2008. By the time he took the ball in the bottom of the first, Long Beach led 5-0, a lead they would never surrender.

All nine Armada hitters batted in the five-run Top 1. After RF Chris Klemm singled to score CF Steve Moss in the second inning, Chico added runs in the second and fourth for a 6-2 score.

1B Norm Hutchins finished the night with three RBI, including a two-run homerun in the fifth inning to put the fleet up 8-2 and chase Outlaws SP Rudy Quinonez from the game. Quinonez allowed eight earned runs on seven hits in 5 IP and finished with four strikeouts, four walks and one hit batter.

The Outlaws (0-5) rallied for three runs in the bottom of the fifth. Chico DH Todd Gossage, son of Hall of Fame reliever Goose Gossage, anchored the frame with a two RBI double. The Outlaws never got closer than the 8-5 score after the fifth inning.

Relief pitching slammed the door on the Outlaws, as four pitchers each threw a scoreless inning. Nick Bierbrodt retired the side in the sixth inning. Justin Segal only faced three hitters in the seventh and induced a 6-4-3 double-play ground ball from SS Petie Montero to 2B Cleatus Davidson to Hutchins to close the frame. Sean Buller and Nick Cavanaugh pitched one-two-three innings in the eighth and ninth, respectively, to finish the Outlaws.

Rik Currier will make his 2008 debut Friday night when he starts for the Armada. First pitch is scheduled for 7:05pm, and the game can be heard live via internet broadcast at www.longbeacharmada.com.

Thursday, May 29, 2008

Additional Riptide mascot pics

Thanks to the Palm Springs Power for posting these pictures of all the craziness of a dozen mascots getting together at Rippy's Birthday at the LA Riptides opener...

MORE PICTURES OF ARBY AT RIPTIDES MASCOT BIRTHDAY PARTY

Wednesday, May 28, 2008

STG series recap

The Long Beach Armada entered the season with hopes that an experienced pitching staff would propel the team’s success in 2008. The Armada bats, however, proved to be the winning catalyst in the season-opening series in St. George.

The Armada (2-1) exploded into 2008 with a 14-run, 23-hit performance to kick off the season last Thursday against the Roadrunners at Bruce Hurst Field. The 14-3 opening-night win set the tone for the offensive production Armada fans can look forward to throughout this season. St. George (1-2) bounced back Friday night to hand the Armada their first loss of the year in a 6-9 defeat before the bats burst out again for a 13-3 win Saturday.

Centerfielder Steve Moss anchored the offense batting second in the lineup in Southwest Utah. Moss leads the GBL in home runs (3) and RBI (8) while being tied for the lead in hits (8) and extra-base hits (4) after the Armada’s first three games. Even though the season is still just beginning, three Sailors are in the top 10 in hitting in the GBL, including Moss (.533, 8-for-15), first baseman Norm Hutchins (.545, 6-for-11), and catcher David Parrish (.750, 6-for-8) who is tied for the league-lead.

As a team, the Armada is perhaps tops in the GBL with each team now one series into the 2008 season. Long Beach leads the league in runs (33) and hits (43) while ranking just behind Yuma in batting average at .358.

Lead-off man Cleatus Davidson’s triple and three doubles in the opening series put 2-3-4 hitters Moss, Ryan Lehr, and Tony Torcato in great position to drive in runs. Long Beach is batting a GBL-best .327 (16-for-49) with runners in scoring position with two homeruns and 26 RBI.

With so much production from the plate in the first three games, it’s easy to overlook three solid starts by the Armada pitching staff. Opening day starter Jerome Williams (1-0) allowed only two earned runs through five innings to earn the W for Long Beach. Williams, Nick Bierbrodt (0-1) and Ryan Claypool (1-0) each lasted at least five innings in their respective starts against St. George and amassed a total of seven strike outs to only three walks.

The bullpen was equally as efficient. Relievers Garrett Murdy, Justin Segal, Nick Cavanaugh, Dustin Gober, Andrew Layfield and Sean Buller allowed a combined two earned runs in 10 innings of relief work against the Roadrunners. Because of the offensive onslaught provided by the Armada hitters, the relievers were not eligible for saves in either Armada victory last weekend.

While early-season stats sometimes require a few more games to balance out, the Armada definitely started the season out the right way with two big victories in St. George. The fleet sets sail this week for a 2007 championships rematch against the Outlaws in Chico from May 30 to June 1. You can hear all the action live at www.longbeacharmada.com.

Monday, May 26, 2008

Arby I goes to Rippy's birthday

Arby I and some of his Armada friends went to Major League Lacrosse's LA Riptides season opener. Tons of fun all around. Enjoy these awesome pictures from a fun evening.

(also see video from Riptide mascot birthday party)




















Video: Arby I @ Rippy's BDay

Arby I goes "Slapshot" at Riptides game


Swing & a miss...


Arby I plays lacrosse


Arby I on the field at HDC


Arby I pumps up the crowd


(also see pictures from Riptide mascot birthday party)

Saturday, May 24, 2008

Moss is boss

CF Steve Moss crushed his 2nd and 3rd HR of the 2008 season (which is three games old) to power the Armada to a 13-3 win.

Clear-cut player of the game.  No doubt.  This is the same Steve Moss who said he expects hitting performances like the 23-hit explosion fro Thursday night.  Now - obviously - we understand why.  He's doing a great job hitting in the 2-spot behind lead off man Cleatus Davidson, but with so much power, it'll be interesting to see if he stays in that lineup spot or if Yeager decides to move his bat around.

I know it's only three games in, but what do yall think should happen?

LB 13, STG 3: 4th inning powers fleet

I quickly finished tonight's post-game wrap up and dashed out to the bus (from which I'm typing these words) so as not to get left behind as was the case after last night. But I wanted to get the post-game story to yall, so here's the story from the Armada website that I put together before scurrying out of the press box.

The Armada used an eight-run 4th inning to sail away from the Roadrunners in St. George for a 13-3 win Saturday night at Bruce Hurst Field.

CF Steve Moss had a monster game, blasting two home runs in the fourth and fifth innings for 5 RBI on a 3 for 5 night. Moss scored three runs, including the first of the night for Long Beach on a Dan Trumble single in the first inning.

SP Ryan Claypool (1-0) nabbed the win after 6 IP, surrendering 3 earned runs on 6 hits while striking out 2 on 93 pitches.

The Roadrunners scored two early runs in the second and third innings, but the Armada put the game away shortly thereafter.

St. George SP Jason Norderum (0-1), who took the loss, started off the top of the fourth inning by walking the first three Sailors he faced. With the bases loaded with C David Parrish, DH Julian Williams and SS Petie Montero, 2B Cleatus Davidson knocked a two-run double to right field to make it 5-2.

Moss followed Davidson with a 3-run HR (2) to left field to make it an 8-2 ball game. The Armada went on to score three more 4th inning runs for an 11-2 lead as Parrish, Williams and Montero each batted twice in the frame.

Moss tacked on the final two Armada runs with a 2-run HR (3) in the top of the 5th for his fourth and fifth RBI of the evening.

Andrew Layfield (2 IP) and Sean Buller (1 IP) both came in to finish what Claypool started, and the duo held the Roadrunners scoreless in the final three innings.

Long Beach next plays Friday, May 30 in Chico, Calif. First pitch is scheduled for 7:05pm PDT. You can catch all the action live at www.longbeacharmada.com.

In the booth and ready to go

Tex & JR pre-game.

Btw, that cupcake JR is holding, those are awesome! I had a chocolate chip one just earlier, and it was amazing. Shameless plug: the cupcake place is Twentyfivemain.com has awesome cupcakes, and they have a booth set up here at the St. George field.

Weather or not...

Right now there are a few clouds in the background but above the field is blue skies.  There were sporadic rain drops earlier, but nothing substantial amounted from it.

Thirty minutes til the scheduled first pitch, and we're looking good.  Should be a fun rubber match today.

Pictures from China series

Hey Armada fans.  Just got a hold of some cool pics from the Armada/China series last weekend.  Click here to see some of the great times from Blair Field.  Okay, it's time for a baseball game.  Let's see if LB can get the best of the Roadrunners in this opening series...

newspaper recaps

Here's a look at the Game 2 articles in the Press Telegram & The Spectrum (the local paper in St. George, Utah). Just a good way to get another feel for last night's game. If you like us posting these additional articles, let me know and we can keep it up.

Paul Delos Santos had a nice article in The Spectrum detailing the Roadrunners nabbing a win from LB

ST. GEORGE - When the Long Beach Armada put up three runs in the first inning, it was deja vu of Thursday's game.

However, the game went in a completely different direction as the St. George Roadrunners' offense returned and put up six runs in the first three innings in the 9-6 victory Friday over the Armada in front of 709 fans.

"It was good to see the team bounce back and have a good game," St. George manager Cory Snyder said. "(Long Beach's) offense is going to be there. It's the first inning. It's a long game. I'm not panicking. It's one of those things we'll have to learn as we go on."

The win marked the first time that the Roadrunners (1-1) claimed victory on a Friday in franchise history. The two teams are set to play again today at 7:05 p.m.

The offense returned again for the Roadrunners. They smacked 13 hits Thursday in a losing effort, but failed to string them together to generate runs. It wasn't the case Friday, as the Roadrunners bunched together their hits allowing them to build the lead.

The Roadrunners claimed their lead in the bottom half of the third inning. The Armada (1-1) was up 4-3, but throwing mistakes by the shortstop and third baseman allowed the St. George players to advance.

"We played sloppy in some defensive situations," Long Beach coach Steve Yeager said. "Our defense let us down a little bit. It's one of the secrets of being successful is not beating yourself. We beat ourselves out there."

The defense was also solid for the Roadrunners. Mike Done made a pair of spectacular stops in the first inning, and in the eighth, Brandon Taylor made a run-saving dive and caught Norm Hutchins trying to advance to third.

"(Brandon's play) was unbelievable," Snyder said. "He's been getting good jumps on the ball, and good reads. He knows how to play the game."

Juan Serrano went 2-for-3 with a pair of doubles with three RBIs.

Serrano was not listed as an opening day starter. He was a last minute addition, as Brian Martin was scratched before the game, and Serrano stepped into his spot.

Serrano went hitless in the season opener, but came on strong in the second game.

"(Thursday) was about nervousness. It was my pro debut, and I was pressing myself," Serrano said. "(On Friday,) I talked to the veterans pre-game and they told me to have fun and play some baseball."

Martin's injury also caused the Roadrunners to sign Trevor Dimick. Dimick did not disappoint in his debut. He went 3-for-3 with a double and a RBI.

Dimick wasn't on the opening day roster because of roster limitations. He was added on the roster when Martin was placed on the inactive list.

"He had a great spring. It's just one of those things, where he got pushed off (the roster)," Snyder said. "I told him to hang around. He's a great kid and works hard. He did an outstanding job tonight."

Justin Abbott was credited with the win. He went five innings allowing four runs on five hits with four strike outs. Abbott also walked three batters.

"(Justin) did great. He came out, and he's a gamer," Snyder said. "He threw five great innings, and he has a big heart out there. He came out and got it done for us."

The losing pitcher was Nick Bierbrodt. Bierbrodt went five innings and allowed seven runs on nine hits.

"Nick is very capable of doing the job," Yeager said. "He couldn't get his rhythm and couldn't find a release point. He left balls up in some situations. That's not his pitching. His pitching is like the fourth and fifth. If you look up they're all zeroes. That's what we're used to seeing from him.

"He made the adjustments. That's a sign of a ball player. He made the adjustments when he had to."

Notes: Brian Martin injured his back and hamstring, and is listed as day-to-day. He is set to be on the inactive list until Tuesday.

The probable starter today for the Roadrunners is Jason Norderum.

Seven of the 13 Roadrunner hits went for extra bases with six doubles and one home run.

The Roadrunners improve to 15-5 all-time when leading after six innings.

Long Beach Press Telegram

Long Beach Armada pitcher Nick Bierbrodt, a Millikan High graduate, had a tough night - giving up seven runs and nine hits in five innings in a 9-6 loss to St. George in a Golden Baseball League game in Utah. Bierbrodt did have four strikeouts and hit two batters while throwing 98 pitches.

The field was damp but you wouldn't know it by the way the teams came out in the first inning. Long Beach scored three in the first while the Roadrunners brought two across the plate in their half of the frame.

Center fielder Steve Moss led the third inning with a monster shot off the scoreboard for his first home run of the young season giving the Armada a 4-3 lead.

After that it was all St.George as the Roadrunners dropped four runs on Bierbrodt and reliever Dusty Gober.

Brandon Taylor launched one over the left field wall off Gober for a solo home run to extend the St. George lead to 9-5 in the bottom of the eighth inning.

The Armada added a run off a pinch-hit single by catcher David Parrish, but that was as close as they would get.

Today's weather watch in STG

Good morning baseball fans. LB and STG played through the rains last night and managed to complete the game in full fashion. Today's forecast calls for 60% chance of thunderstorms with a high of 69F. Tonight 60% chance of showers, low of 54F.

Yesterday the weather didn't seem to bother play too much - except for when the grounds crew came out to put some fresh dirt (oxymoron?) on the batters box in the later innings. The rain continued to gently fall through the later innings. If tonight there are thunderstorms accompanied by lightening, perhaps the umpires won't be as patient with the weather.

The Armada need to have a lead after 5 innings. Just incase.

Friday, May 23, 2008

LB 6, STG 9: Roadrunners even series

ST. GEORGE, Utah -- As the rain began to pour down, the Roadrunners bats continued to produce. Long Beach could not keep pace with St. George, which used a three-run third inning to take the lead for good in the 6-9 Armada loss on a wet night at Bruce Hurst Field.

Earlier today, St. George DH Trevor Dimick sat at his Odgen, Utah home when Roadrunners manager Cory Snyder tapped him to fill a open spot on the roster. Dimick, one of final cuts of St. George training camp, went 3-3 with 2 runs and an RBI. Roadrunner SS Brandon Taylor contributed three runs of his own, including a solo homerun in the eighth inning. Taylor finished 2-4 on the night.

The pitching debut for Long Beach native Nick Bierbrodt started off promising, as he struck out the first batter he faced. He finished with 5 IP, 9 hits, 7 run (5 earned), 4 SO, 2 BB and 2 HBP. Bierbrodt (0-1) took the loss despite flirting with fastballs in the low 90s throughout the night.

Offensively the Armada dipped from last night's 23-hit, 14-run outburst. Long Beach scored three in the top of the first inning to jump out to another early lead in this series. 2B Cleatus Davidson led the game off with a triple, and came around to score. 3B Ryan Lehr and LF Dan Trumble also scored in the first.

The Roadrunners third inning appeared to be the back-breaking difference-maker for St. George. Taylor reached base on an error to kick off a 3-run frame that put the Roadrunners up 6-4.

Lehr also blasted a solo homerun for the Armada in the seventh inning to narrow the lead to 8-5. Each team scored once more in the latter innings to bring the game to its 9-6 final.

SP Justin Abbott (1-0) earned the win for St. George, with 5 IP, allowing 5 run (3 earned), 4 hits and 4 SO on 88 pitches.

Ryan Claypool will start for Long Beach tomorrow night as the Armada look to win the season-opening series in St. George. First pitch will be at 6:05pm PDT, and you can hear all the action with Josh and JR at www.longbeacharmada.com.

Recap of Armada Opening Series: Game 2

After the offensive onslaught in game one by the Armada, Game two was the exact opposite. Steve Moss was quoted as saying he's "not surprised" they scored 14 runs and had 23 hits in Game one. He expects that from this team. You could hear that and more audio from J.R. Reed and Josh Feldman on the road in St. George, Utah at fromthecheapseats.net and video at youtube.com/Armadabaseball.


It looked as though things would repeat themselves in Game two. 2B Cleatus Davidson started off the game with a lead off triple. He would later score thanks to 3B Ryan Lehr who reached base on an error. Lehr would score off a single by RF Chris Klemm, and LF Dan Trumble would score off a base hit by 1B Norm Hutchins. CF Steve Moss would hit a solo HR in the 2nd inning. Lehr would hit a solo shot in the 7th and C David Parrish drove in Davidson on a pinch hit single in the 9th.


It was a complete 180 from Game one for the Roadrunners. RF Juan Serrano doubled in both 2B Liu Rodriguez and SS Brandon Taylor in the 1st to cut the Armada lead to one run. 3B Mike Done would drive in DH Trevor Dimick in the second to make it a 4-3 lead for the Armada. Dimick would drive in another run after being put on the roster that very same day. SS Brandon Taylor would hit a solo home run in the 8th. Serrano and 1B Ryan Brown would each drive in a run to bring the final score in favor of the Roadrunners 9-6.


The win is credited to St. George starter Justin Abbott, who went 5 innings. Giving up 5 runs (3 earned), on 4 hits and nodding 4 K's. The loss is charged to Armada starter Nick Bierbrodt who went 5 innings giving up 7 runs (5 earned), on 9 hits and striking out 4. Tomorrow's starters will be right-hander Ryan Claypool for the Long Beach Armada and the southpaw Jason Norderum for the St. George Roadrunners. Game time is scheduled for 6:05 PDT. Tune in ten minutes before at 5:55 PDT for the pregame show with Josh "Big Tex" Feldman and J.R. Reed. Below is a box score for both the Armada and the Roadrunners. Tune into LongBeachArmada.com and click on the radio/on-air link to listen to Game 3 tomorrow from Bruce Hurst Field.


ARMADA
2B C. Davidson 1 FOR 4, 3B, BB, SB, 2R
CF S. Moss 1 FOR 5, HR
3B R. Lehr 1 FOR 4, HR, 2RBI, BB, 2R
DH T. Torcato 1 FOR 4
D. Parrish 1 FOR 1, RBI
LF D. Trumble 0 FOR 4, BB, R
RF C. Klemm 3 FOR 4, RBI
1B N. Hutchins 3 FOR 3, RBI, 2B, BB
C O. Martinez 0 FOR 4
SS P. Montero 0 FOR 4
P N. Bierbrodt 5in, 9 H, 7 R, 5 Earned, 4 K
P D. Gober 3in


ROADRUNNERS
LF R. Stevenson 0 FOR 5, 4K
2B L. Rodriguez 1 FOR 4, 2B, BB, R
SS B. Taylor 2 FOR 4, HR, 3R
RF J. Serrano 2 FOR 5, 3RBI, 2 2B, R
1B R. Brown 1 FOR 4, RBI, 3B
C W. Gonzalez 1 FOR 4, 2B, R
DH T. Dimick 3 FOR 3, RBI, 2B, 2R
CF G. Harris 1 FOR 4
3B M. Done 2 FOR 2, RBI, 2B, 2BB
P J. Abbott 5in, 4 H, 5 R, 3 Earned, 4 K
P C. Hunter 2in
P L. Urdaneta 1in
P A. Pluta 1in

New Dirt for home plate

New dry dirt being dumped around home plate...

Rainbow view over right field

Beautiful view here in STG

GAME ON!

The teams skipped batting practice and the dirt is a little moist, but the game will be played tonight between LB and STG. We'll be on the air at www.longbeacharmada.com in about 15 minutes.

Bus delayed

The team bus was scheduled to leave the hotel at 4pm for the stadium. Change of plans. Rain is moistening up the field, so in an attempt to let things blow over, the team is now leaving at 5:30pm.

If the teams can't get the game in tonight, they'll try for a double-header tomorrow.

weather watch

A little drizzle outside right now here in St. George. The forecast is calling for showers and possible thunderstorms here in the SW corner of Utah. As of right now, there is no reason to cancel the game, but here's a weather report for Saint George, Utah.

60% chance of showers this afternoon and tonight. Saturday there is 60% chance of thunderstorms.

Thursday, May 22, 2008

LB 14, STG 3: Armada open '08 with bang


The St. George Roadrunners scheduled a fireworks show for after tonight's season-opening game, but no one must have told the Long Beach Armada, who displayed their own fireworks in a 14-3 thumping at Bruce Hurst Field.

Eight of the nine starting Armada position players scored at least one run, including a 4 run game by LF Dan Trumble. C David Parrish finished with 3 RBI on a 4-for-6 night where he stood alone as the one Armada starter who did not cross the plate. SP Jerome Williams went 5 IP, giving up 3 runs (2 earned) and 10 hits to earn the win. When Williams (1-0) took the mound in the bottom of the first, he already had a 3-0 lead.

DH Tony Torcato's 2 RBI double in the top of the 1st inning scored SS Steve Moss and 3B Ryan Lehr, and RF Chris Klemm drove in Torcato for a lead the Armada would not relinquish. Long Beach Manager Steve Yeager said before the game he planned on being aggressive in manufacturing runs. Yeager stood by his words as the Armada had four stolen bases within the first three innings.

After scoring two runs in the 2nd and one more in the 3rd, Trumble officially drove the game into blowout mode with a two-run homerun (1) to right-center for a 8-2 lead. "I haven't seen a ball hit that hard in a long time," Yeager said. Trumble finished 3-for-5 with 2 RBI. Trumble's home run would be the last pitch St. George SP Billy Simon (0-1) threw on a night where he went 3 2/3, giving up 8 runs (8 earned) and 12 hits while striking out three.

The highlight of the night for the Roadrunners came in the early stages of the opener. St. George LF Ryan Stevenson led off the bottom of the first with a solo homerun.

The game's third and final homer came in the Armada's five-run 6th inning. 1B Norm Hutchins (1) turned on a ball and powered it over the left field wall for two more LB runs. The 6th inning put Long Beach ahead 13-3, giving Yeager plenty of cushion to work other players into the game.

Julian Williams, Steven Yoo and David Ramirez all saw time in the opener in the latter innings.

The Armada and Roadrunners square off in game two of this three game set Friday at Bruce Hurst Field. First pitch is scheduled for 6:05pm PDT, and you can catch all the action via www.longbeacharmada.com.

Recap of Armada Opening Series: Game 1

The pregame show that J.R. Reed and Josh "Big Tex" Feldman put together was fantastic. They gave us a run down of what to expect for this series, as well as audio of manager Steve Yeager before the game. Which if you would like to hear the audio and see video of them on the road in St. George, Utah you can go to fromthecheapseats.net and youtube.com/Armadabaseball to hear and see all the action from the Long Beach Armada.


Steve Yeager wasn't kidding when he said before the game that he wanted his ball club to be the aggressors. Back to back hits by CF Steve Moss and 3B/Hitting Coach Ryan Lehr in the 1st led to a Tony Torcato 2RBI double, driving in both. RF Chris Klemm followed with a RBI single to give the Armada an early 3-0 lead. Not to be outdone, leading off the same inning for St. George was LF Ryan Stevenson who blasted a leadoff HR off starter Jerome Williams. The celebrating would not last for the Roadrunners who, only down by two in the 2nd, would give up two more runs thanks in part to 2B Cleatus Davidson's RBI double to drive in 1B Norm Hutchins followed up by CF Steve Moss singling in Davidson to give Long Beach a 5 -1 lead.


It wasn't just the hitting that did it for the Armada. Starting pitcher Jerome Williams pitched 5 strong innings. Giving up 10 hits on 3 runs (2 earned) and striking out 1 Roadrunner. Garret Murdy pitched 2 innings in relief giving up 2 hits, 0 runs and striking out 1. Justin Segal and Nick Cavanaugh pitched a combined 2 innings giving up 1 hit, 0 runs, 1 walk and 1 strikeout. Starting out this season, the strongest point for the Armada was going to be their pitching and they did not disappoint tonight.


The hitting onslaught would not end. After scoring 5 in the first two innings they would score 9 more in the course of the game. Including five in the 6th inning thanks in part to a 2 run HR by 1B Norm Hutchins and a RBI single by CF Steve Moss. The Roadrunners offense did add two more runs after the solo HR by Stevenson in the 1st. C Dustin Hicks scored in the 2nd off a base hit by CF Gary Harris and a fielding error by LF Dan Trumble (don't worry Trumble did make up for it, 3for5 HR, 2RBI). SS Brandon Taylor scored on a wild pitch in the 5th inning for the Roadrunners.


Long Beach would take Game 1 by a final score of 14-3. Below this post is a box score of the lineups for the Armada and Roadrunners. The win going to Jerome Williams and the loss to Roadrunner starter Billy Simon who went 3 2/3 innings giving up 12 hits, 8 runs (all earned) and striking out 3 batters. Tune in ten minutes before tomorrow's game at 5:50 PDT for another great pregame show with Josh "Big Tex" Feldman and J.R. Reed. Both of whom will have audio of a player(s) and manager Steve Yeager before game time. Game 2 and 3 of this series is May 23rd and 24th at 6:05 PDT at longbeacharmada.com. Just click on the Radio/On-Air link on the Long Beach Armada website. What a way to start a season!


Armada
2B C. Davidson 2 for 5, RBI, 2 2B, 2 R
Ju. Williams 0 for 1
CF S. Moss 4 for 5, 2 RBI, R, SB
3B R. Lehr 2 for 4, RBI, 2B, 2 R
S. Yoo 0 for 1
DH T. Torcato 1 for 5, 2 RBI, R
D. Ramirez 0 for 1
LF D. Trumble 3 for 5, HR 2 RBI, 4 R
RF C. Klemm 4 for 6, RBI, 2B, SB
C D. Parrish 4 for 6, 3RBI, R
1B N. Hutchins 3 for 5, HR 2 RBI, SB, 2 R
SS P. Montero 0 for 4, R, BB
P J. Williams 5in, 10 H, 3 R, 2 Earned, K
P G. Murdy 2in, 2 H, K
P J. Segal 1in, 1 H,
P M. Cavanaugh 1in, BB, K


Roadrunners
LF R. Stevenson 2 for 5, HR RBI, 2 R
2B L. Rodriguez 1 for 5
SS B. Taylor 3 for 4, R, SB, BB
RF J. Serrano 0 for 5
1B R. Brown 1 for 4
DH C. Nowlin 1 for 4
C D. Hicks 1 for 4, R
CF G. Harris 3 for 4
3B M. Done 1 for 3
G. Lemon 0 for 1
P B. Simon 3 2/3in, 12 H, 8 R, 3 K
P D. Collis 1 2/3 in, 4 H, 4 R, 3 BB
P J. Segovia 1 2/3 in, 5 H, 2 R, K
P D. Hall 2 in, 2H


GBL season preview: LB wins!

check this out...

GBL season preview

8 armada score

It's the 7th inning stretch, and eight of the nine starters for the Armada have scored runs. The only one who hasn't: C David Parrish.

And it looks like Julian Williams will now take over for Cleatus Davidson at 2B...

Opening Day Landing

What an entrance. The two Roadrunners mascots just landed on the field in centerfield in a helicopter. What a way to make an entrance on opening day.

TIME CHANGE FOR ARMADA OPENER

Since the mountain time zone is one hour ahead in Utah, the game start is at 6:05 and not 7:05 pacific standard time for May 22, 23, 24 at St. George, Utah. Josh and J.R. will have the pregame for you starting at 5:50 pacific standard time. You can listen to them at longbeacharmada.com at the radio/on air link. GO ARMADA!!!

Wednesday, May 21, 2008

Armada Opening Day Roster + The Opening Roadie




The Armada set sail for St. George, UT and a date (three of 'em actually) with the Roadrunners. The action starts at 7:05 PM Thurs, Fri and Sat but you can hear Josh Feldman and J.R. Reed with the pre-game at 6:45 PM. Tune into longbeacharmada.com for all the action. Don't forget to check back here for "Stories From The Road with Josh & JR. Plus there is likely to be audio and video as well. Plus, listen for Wes Komathy's trivia question during the broadcast. Want to ask the broadcast crew a question or leave a comment? Then e-mail: wesandjr@gmail.com and we will get to them during the broadcast. Please keep them sports or player related please. And keep them clean...


Armada Opening Day Roster—Road Numbers

2 Cleatus Davidson 2B Lake Wales, Florida MLB - Minnesota Twins
2nd Round Draft Pick
3 Stephen Yoo 2B Calabasas, California Rookie – TCU

4 Pedro Montero SS San Fernando, CA Rookie – William Penn University

5 Justin Segal P Calabasas, California A – New York Yankees, UCSB

6 Steve Moss OF Sherman Oaks, CA AA – Milwaukee Brewers, 29th Round Draft Pick

9 Dustin Gober P Long Beach, CA 2007 GBL Rookie Pitcher Of The Year
CSUDH
11 Julian Williams OF/MI Upland, CA A – Philadelphia Phillies, 21st Round Draft Pick
Long Beach CC
12 Rik Currier P Dana Point, CA AA – New York Yankees, 6th Round Draft Pick, USC
Holds Career Strikeout Record At USC
14 Ryan Lehr 3B San Diego, CA A – Atlanta Braves, 8th Round Draft Pick
Armada Hitting Coach
15 Octavio Martinez C Bakersfield, CA AAA- LA Dodgers, 10th Round Draft Choice
Bakersfield CC
16 Nick Cavanaugh P Redlands, CA A – Houston Astros, University of Redlands

17 Ryan Claypool P Arcade, NY Long Beach Armada 3 Year Veteran
Stony Brook University
18 Jerome Williams P Honolulu MLB – Giants, Cubs, Nationals, 1st Round Draft Choice

19 Norm Hutchins 1B/OF White Plains, NY AAA – Anaheim Angels, 2nd Round Draft

20 Tony Torcato DH Salem, OR MLB – SF Giants, 1st Round Draft Choice

21 David Ramirez C Oxnard, CA Armada 2 Year Veteran, Cal Lutheran University

22 Andrew Layfield P

23 Chris Klemm OF La Jolla, CA A -Philadelphia Phillies, UC Irvine

24 Sean Buller P Signal Hill, CA AAA – Detroit Tigers, Armada Bullpen Coach

25 Dave Parrish C Yorba Linda, CA AAA – New York Yankees, 1st Round Draft Choice

31 Nick Bierbrodt P Long Beach, CA MLB – Diamondbacks, Devil Rays, Rangers, Indians
1st ever Draft Choice of Diamondbacks
Millikan High School, Long Beach

32 Garret Murdy P Fullerton, CA A – Houston Astros, 16th Round Draft Pick
Texas A & M – Kingsville

34 Dan Trumble OF Nampa, ID AA – SF Giants, 25th Round Draft Choice
University of San Francisco

Monday, May 19, 2008

Armada split series with China

Tony Turcato, Jerome Williams & David Parrish
Photos by: Smith Prasirtpun

Blair Field was the place to be this past weekend as the Long Beach Armada hosted the National Team from the Peoples Republic of China for two games. The weekend was originally intended to be an exhibition series—a chance for both managers to evaluate their players so that they could trim their rosters. After the devastating earthquake in China the focus shifted to fundraising and helping people across the world that desperately need it.

China came out strong in the first game, scoring four runs in the first inning behind a bases loaded triple by Feng Fei. Rik Currier, player/pitching coach, received little help defensively from his Armada teammates as the team committed four errors in the first three innings. Boo Tao pitched 4 2/3 innings for China and gave up four runs including a bases-empty home run by Steve Moss in the first inning and an RBI double to catcher David Parrish. Parrish also threw out a Chinese base runner.

The Chinese team held on for a 9-6 victory on Saturday night but couldn’t stop the Armada on Sunday. Long Beach Manager Steve Yeager cut three players after Saturday’s game, trimming the roster down to 34. Yeager needs to get down to 22 players before the season opener on May 22 in St. George, UT.

Long Beach native and Millikan H.S. alum Nick Bierbrodt took the mound for the Armada and the first ever draft pick of the Arizona Diamondbacks looked sharp as he struck out five batters during his three innings on the mound. Ryan Claypool took the hill after Bierbrodt and fanned four more Chinese hitters as the Armada won the game 5-2.

Kris Kasarijian singled and scored on a sacrifice fly from Ryan Lehr to give the Armada a 1-0 lead in the fourth inning. Marland Williams later reached base on an error and scored on an RBI single by Tony Torcato.

Steve Moss lined a two-run single in the eighth inning that highlighted a three-run rally giving Long Beach a 5-0 lead.

Feng Fei singled in two runs in the top of the ninth inning for China. Fei had five RBIs in the series, including a bases-loaded triple in the first inning on Saturday.

Andrew Layfield threw two scoreless innings for the Armada, while Brandon Buxbaum pitched the ninth inning and allowed the two China runs.

The Armada open the regular season on May 22 with a three-game series in St. George, UT. You can listen to all the action right here at longbeacharmada.com as Josh Feldman and J.R. Reed start with the pre-game show at 6:55 PM.

You can follow the team on the road with audio, video and a blog. Click on the links for all the action.

Silent Auction proceeds top 6K

Don't have a final total yet, but the early word is that the silent auction proceeds from the China Series have totaled approximately $6,200. That's a solid chunk of change going to the Red Cross for victim relief. We're still waiting on the totals from ticket sales and from Red Cross bucket donation, and once we know, you'll know.

Thanks to everyone who helped by buying a ticket, bidding on an item, or putting some extra $$ into the buckets.

Great way to start a season

I could not have put together a better fundraiser than the one that went down Saturday and Sunday. Besides bidding on many items that were donated for the silent auction at Blair Field. You also saw some pretty good baseball played both days.


The Chinese National Team (that are playing in the 08 Olympics in August) won the first game on Saturday night 9-6. Jim Lefebvre's squad scored five runs in the first two innings off the Armada starting pitcher Rick Currier to jump out to a 5-3 lead. It was 5-4 in favor of the Chinese until the 6th and 7th innings when China scored 4 more runs to pull ahead and win 9-6.


Sunday night was a different story. The Armada, lead by starter Nick Bierbrodt, shut down the Chinese offense. Nick pitched 3 innings striking out five. Four of them consecutively. Two runs scored in the 4th inning thanks to a sacrifice fly by 3B Ryan Lehr and an RBI single by DH Tony Torcato. Long Beach would add three more in the 8th to put the final score at 5-2 in favor of the Armada.


First of all, I would like to say that on behalf of everyone for the Long Beach Armada, give a big thank you to everyone who placed a bid at the silent auction on Saturday and Sunday. Plus to anyone who gave cash donations at the ballpark. Big thank you to the American Red Cross for getting on board for this fundraiser. And thank you to the Long Beach Armada for their help in this noble cause. Twenty five percent of all ticket proceeds for each game went to the American Red Cross as well as one hundred percent of proceeds from the silent auction. All the way up to the front office right down to the concessions, broadcasters and on field personnel, this turned out to be one fantastic weekend.


Check out IBNSPORTS.COM for the archive of Saturday night's broadcast. Plus keep the dates of May 22-24 open to listen to Josh "Big Tex" Feldman and J.R. Reed's live broadcast of the season opening series against the St. George Roadrunners. I unfortunately will not be able to make it on most road trips (only when they play @ Orange County Flyers), but I will be listening to the live broadcast and e-mail Josh and J.R. at wesandjr@gmail.com from time to time during the broadcast. The trivia question for each game will be provided by yours truly Wes "The Sports Guy" Komathy. Thanks again to everyone involved for Saturday and Sunday's exhibition/fundraiser games. This was a HUGE success. See ya at the ballpark.

Friday, May 16, 2008

Follow the Armada as they host China this weekend

Blair Field in Long Beach is the place to be this weekend! If you like helping people, then you definitely want to get down to Long Beach. 25% of all ticket sales will be donated to the Red Cross to assist with the relief effort following the earthquake earlier this week.

If you like baseball we have you more than covered. Armada manager Steve Yeager has assembled a team that includes four first round draft picks--including Millikan grad Nick Bierbrodt, the first ever pick of the Arizona Diamondbacks--and two second round picks. Can't make it to Blair? Relax. You have two ways to follow the games. On Saturday night you can log onto www.iBNsports.com to see the exclusive pay-per-view broadcast of the game. iBN is donating a percentage of the $5 fee to the Red Cross. You can also listen to the game at www.longbeacharmada.com. Sunday's game is audio only and Wes Komathy and J.R.Reed will bring you all the action no matter whether you watch it or listen to it.

If you like sports memorabilia, we have what you want. We have a silent auction with items donated by virtually every pro sports team in LA plus we have several non-sports items to bid on. What kind of stuff do we have? How about this:

Earthquake Relief Auction Items

Torii Hunter Autographed Bat

Tim Salmon Autographed Jersey

John Lackey Signed ball

Vlad Guererro Signed ball

Ervin Santana Signed ball

Matt Kemp Signed ball

(4) Dodger Tickets

LA Kings Team Signed Stick

Anaheim Ducks Team Signed Jersey

Chivas USA Suite for 5

Chivas USA Family Basket with signed jersey, soccer ball, tickets

LA Galaxy Team Signed Soccer Ball

LA Galaxy signed player cards

Clippers signed team hat

Cuttino Mobley Signed NBA Basketball

LA Avengers Team Signed Football

Armada Season Tickets for (2)

Armada Fielders Choice Tickets

Throw out the first pitch at an Armada Home Game

Dean Anthony Gift Basket

Caught in the Moment Family Portrait Gift Cert

Cookies by Design Gift Cert and Cookies

Chick-fil-A Gift Cert for 21 people

Krispy Kreme Gift Cert for a free (2) dozen donuts

Entertainment Book 2008 for Long Beach & South Bay

Long Beach Symphony Orchestra Tickets

Thursday, May 15, 2008

Q & A with Armada catcher David Parrish


During the season we will bring you audio features from the booth, from the field, from the dugout and from the road. We’re starting the season off with catcher David Parrish. Parrish is a former first-round draft pick of the New York Yankees who spent two season at Michigan before embarking on a professional baseball career that has seen him compete at every level of the minor leagues. Though he spent the majority of his career in the Yankees organization, he has also seen time at camp with he Pirates and Rockies. But this season you can see him at the helm of an outstanding Armada pitching staff.

For all the info click on “Armada” to go to their website. You can also follow the links to the Armada YouTube channel.

To hear the David Parrish interview, click HERE.

Wednesday, May 14, 2008

Meet the Armada players Thursday night & see the video broadcast Saturday

The Long Beach Armada, along with Title Sponsor Chik-fil-A Long Beach, have teamed up to bring both the Armada and the Chinese team together this Thursday evening May 15 at their location in the Long Beach Towne Center. Players and coaches from both teams along with broadcasters Wes Komathy & J.R. Reed will be in attendance, as will Armada season ticket holders and local media outlets. Chik-fil-A is located at 7681 Carson Blvd, Long Beach, Ca. 90808.

iBN Communications, which begins broadcasting GBL games this month, will be airing a special presentation of the Saturday May 17 game on their website www.ibnsports.com, on a $5 pay per view basis, with 25% of all proceeds going to aide the quake victims. Komathy and Reed will call the game on iBN as well as the web radio broadcast of the game at www.longbeacharmada.com


Wes, JR and Josh on KLBC

Wes & JR (Tuesdays 2-4 on KLBC) welcomed Josh Feldman onto their show this week. We talked about each and every one of the 4 major sports and we even learned why Snoop carries an umbrella Hint: the answer is in Segment 2. We also hyped (maybe even over-hyped) the LB Armada. If you missed it, don't sweat it because we have the whole thing podcasted. Click Here to listen.

Go to longbeacharmada.com for all the info!


Wes & JR host the top rated sports show in the history of KLBC and they are your home broadcasting crew for the Armada. Josh Feldman is your On Field Host at Blair Field and he handles play-by-play when the Armada hit the road.

Tuesday, May 13, 2008

China series now fundraiser

In light of Monday's 7.9 magnitude earthquake that devastated parts of China, the Armada are teaming up with the Red Cross to turn the two-game exhibition series against the China Olympic Baseball Team into a relief effort fundraiser. The Red Cross be at Blair Field on May 17 & 18 to help raise money, and 20% of ticket proceeds will go to the relief fund.

Armada Baseball on YouTube

You can now follow the Armada at the Official Long Beach Armada YouTube site. Spring Training is underway, but before that there was Tryout Day. Here is some un-edited footage from Tryout Day for you to check out. Subscribe and get each and every new Armada video sent right to your e-mail!

Armada to play Chinese National Team

The Long Beach Armada are proud to announce that they will host the Chinese National Team for two games at Blair Field this weekend, May 17 (7:05 PM) and May 18 (6:05 PM). Armada management is putting together a disaster relief drive of some kind to aid victims of the recent Chinese earthquake. More details will be available as plans are finalized. For tickets, information or both, call the Armada at 562-498-HITS (4487) or visit longbeacharmada.com

>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>

Manager Steve Yeager took 46 players to Spring Training Monday morning at Cal State Dominguez Hills. Yeager needs to get the squad down to 22 players before the opener on May 22 at St. George. The team will play inter-squad games on Wednesday and Thursday of this week and cuts are expected on Friday. The practices are open to the public. To find out about when and where the Armada will be training, call the Armada office at 562-498-HITS (4487).

For Armada audio features you can visit fromthecheapseats.net

Saturday, May 10, 2008

Expectations are high for the Armada

To introduce myself my name is Weston "the Sports Guy" Komathy and I'm the new play-by-play announcer for the Long Beach Armada for the 2008 season. I will be joined by Jason Reed and Josh Feldman for the entire year. As a play-by-play person I have to know a thing or two about the team that I will be calling this summer. So without further adieu, my season preview.


The Armada will have a new coach this summer in former 1981 World Series Co-MVP Steve Yeager. The former Dodger catcher will field a talented team with plenty of pitching (mostly left handed) and lots of speed. The speed will be anchored by Outfielder Marland Williams who averaged 35 steals per season for the Arizona Diamondbacks organization. Infielder Cleatus Davidson had a total of 274 steals in the minor leagues and made his major league debut for the Minnesota Twins after being drafted by them in the Second Round.


The pitching will start at the top with Nick Bierbrodt (lefthander) a local boy from Long Beach Millikan High School. He was the first ever draft pick of the Arizona Diamondbacks back in 1996. He went a combined 45-51 with 752 strikeouts in both the Minor and Major leagues. Also played in Taiwan last season. Jerome Williams the former Giant, Cub and National will follow Bierbrodt in the rotation. His major league totals stand at 23-29 with a 4.24 ERA.


There's also plenty of pop in the lineup as well. Catcher David Parrish (the son of former major leaguer Lance Parrish) signed back on April 16th. He batted .243 with 33 home runs and 260 RBIs in the minor leagues. Outfielder/First Baseman Tony Torcato the former Giant, White Sox, and Mariner brings even more major league experience to the Armada. With a lifetime average of .296 in the minors and .298 in the majors he is counted on to provide a big bat from the left side. Four former first round picks headline this year's team (Bierbrodt, J. Williams, Parrish, Torcato).


Manager Steve Yeager starts Spring Training this Monday May 12th with over 40 players on the roster. The roster will need to be cut down to 23 active players by the following week. No easy task for any manager. This season is looking to be a productive one for the Armada and we hope that all of these players will get to the show sooner rather than later. Our first broadcasts take place Saturday May 17th at 7:00pm and Sunday May 18th at 6:00pm as the Armada play the Chinese national team at Blair Field.


I'm looking forward to a great season at Blair Field which is celebrating its 50th anniversary this season. For all information regarding Armada baseball, log on to LONGBEACHARMADA.COM. From ticket prices to promotional schedule, heck the broadcasts will be there to. Plus 10 of the home games will be televised live at IBNSPORTS.COM. I'm planning on giving a weekly blog here at LONGBEACHARMADA.BLOGSPOT.COM throughout the season. Stay tuned for many more postings in the coming weeks. I'd like to thank the Long Beach Armada for bringing me and Jason aboard this summer and to Josh Feldman for putting this blog together. This will be a fun summer. See ya at the ball park.

Thursday, May 8, 2008

PODCAST: Williams, Bierbrodt @ tryout

Armada arms Jerome Williams and Nick Bierbrodt were on hand at today's open tryouts (pictures) checking out some of the players could potentially be invited to camp.  Williams signed with LB in early April, and hometown hero Bierbrodt boarded the ship less than two weeks ago.

Hear what each had to say with the season around the corner...


Today's tryouts

Here's a few snap shots from today's open tryouts. Probably more on the way.
Watching some of the guys try to field from short and make the throw to first proved interesting.  Some of the players at the tryout really impressed Steve Yeager, and there's a good chance the number of players receiving an invitation to camp grew as a result.
At the same time, some of the other players were - um - not quite as qualified.  All in all, it was a good day.

Squirrels are cool :-)   Blair Field is "animal friendly"

What wasn't friendly was the pitching machine to the more than half-dozen wooden bats that shattered during BP.  Seven, yes seven, bats were cracked.  On the bright side, the Armada can now host "camp fire night" thanks to all the extra timber.

Good luck to everyone who came out for the tryouts.  

Yeager podcast + New ways to follow the Armada

Armada Manager Steve Yeager joined Wes Komathy & J.R. Reed on their weekly KLBC show and in case you missed it, we have the podcast for you. FromTheCheapSeats.net is your home for Long Beach Armada audio this season. Wes, J.R. & Josh Feldman will get you caught up on the news of the week, plus share some Stories From The Road. There's also an Armada YouTube site for you to check out. The site is up and content will be up shortly after Tryout Day on May 8

Follow all the games on the official Armada site, longbeacharmada.com

Monday, May 5, 2008

Yeager on KLBC Tuesday

Skipper Steve Yeager is expected to join the new voices of Armada home games - Wes Komathy and JR Reed - tomorrow sometime between 2:30 - 3pm on KLBC. There's a good chance if you miss it, you'll regret it, so play it safe and tune in.

Also joining them tomorrow afternoon (@ 3:30pm) is Steve Carroll of the Anaheim Ducks to talk NHL playoffs.

You can catch Wes & JR's internet radio show Tuesdays from 2-4pm at klbc.org.

Season On Deck

Get ready baseball fans as the Long Beach Armada prepare to set sail on their fourth season of GBL action! This weblog will be your quick fix for daily insight and maybe even some in-game analysis from within the Armada organization. With training camp around the corner, make sure to check back here regularly for all the latest info.

In the mean time, make sure you are ready for the Armada season by:
Getting your tickets to upcoming Armada games
Visting the Armada team shop for your '08 gear

It should be a fun season, and we're glad you'll be joining us as the Armada look to return to the GBL Championship series for the second consecutive year!