Na Ikaika Koa Maui

The new GBL team in Maui has its name, and it's a mouthful. The Na Ikaika Koa Maui, roughly translated as the Warriors of Maui, will be managed by former RoadRunners manager Cory Snyder with former RoadRunners GM Rick Berry leading the front office. In fact, they have signed their first player as well. Three-year GBL veteran Mark Okano, known around the league as the Flyin' Hawaiian, was the first signee of Na Ikaika Koa Maui. Okano spent the 2007 and 2008 seasons with the OC Flyers. He began the 2009 campaign with the Calgary Vipers before making his way to the Edmonton Capitals late in the season.

Here's a little more about where the Islanders are heading, courtesy of the Maui News and GBL:

Valley Isle’s Golden Baseball League team to be called Na Ikaika Koa Maui
By ROBERT COLLIAS, Staff Writer

WAILUKU --- The name has been revealed, the logo is under construction, the team colors have a Rasta feel, the first player has signed, the manager has spoken, the front-office folks have shaken hands with the politicians.

Now, about five months remain before Na Ikaika Koa Maui will throw the first pitch of their existence in the independent Golden Baseball League.

At a news conference Tuesday morning in the Mayor's Conference Room, the team name was unveiled --- it essentially translates to ''the strong warriors of Maui'' --- Mark Okano, a 30-year-old veteran of the league, signed and officially became the first player on the roster and manager Cory Snyder, a nine-year major leaguer and former Olympian, talked about the future.

Among the names Snyder tossed around as possibilities to join Okano, an Aiea High School graduate, were Shane Komine, the former Nebraska standout who once made up the majors' first all-Hawaii-born battery with Oakland Athletics catcher and Baldwin graduate Kurt Suzuki; Keoni DeRenne, a former University of Arizona infielder from Iolani; Onan Masaoka, a former Los Angeles Dodgers pitcher signed by Maui scout Iron Maehara in the third round of the 1995 draft out of Waiakea who last played in the majors in 2001; and infielder Milton Loo, a Molokai graduate and former ninth-round draftee of the Cincinnati Reds.

''I am talking to those guys,'' Snyder said. ''I hope to get all of them --- you want to see where they're at. I know Keoni is trying to get on with some other teams, Shane is trying to get on with some other teams. If that doesn't work out, I told them, 'Have your agent call me and we will work something out.' ''

Loo was a junior college All-American shortstop for a national runner-up team at Yavapai (Ariz.) Community College.

''Milton Loo is definitely on the list,'' Snyder said. ''We will see how it goes the next month or so, what the possibilities are to get those guys. Otherwise, we will open it up to all the local guys in spring training and see what happens. ... I will get as many local guys as I can. I know the talent we need to compete in the league. I know kind of where we are at and I will watch them in spring training. I will be able to say, 'That guy will work and that guy may not.' It is finding guys who are ready for this level.''

Waipahu graduate Jerome Williams --- a former major leaguer with the San Francisco Giants, Chicago Cubs and Washington Nationals --- has pitched in the GBL before. Snyder said he has not talked to Williams or his agent, but would inquire about his status.

Snyder said the league will offer eye-opening talent to Maui baseball fans.

''It is probably between a Double-A and a Triple-A level,'' he said. ''In Triple-A you have got the guys who have been up and down, so they have some big league time, they have some Triple-A time. You are going to have your

A-ball guys, you are going to have your rookies. It is going to be a Double-A to Triple-A league. Every team is going to have two to three former big leaguers on the roster. The competition is very good and people will be surprised to see what kind of talent we have.''

The team colors will be black, green, yellow and red and the logo is being worked on by team president Rick Berry. Michael Cummings, the CEO of XnE Corp., which owns the team, said he envisions the word ''Ikaika'' large across the breast of the uniforms with a smaller ''Koa'' below that.

Berry said he wants a logo that incorporates a Hawaiian warrior. Berry designed the logo for the St. George (Utah) Roadrunners franchise --- a bird running with a bat in its beak chasing a baseball.

XnE has owned the Utah team for three seasons, but is in the process of selling to concentrate on Maui and Hawaii. XnE owns the GBL rights to the state, and has said its goal is to have four teams in Hawaii in the future.

Snyder managed the Roadrunners the last three seasons.

''Of course, there is a little sadness with that,'' Snyder said. ''That is where I came back to start pro ball (managing) was St. George, so we have friends, we have a lot of people who are still there, but it is a new experience. I have been there for three years, we have done it, we have made the playoffs. We have kind of set the groundwork there, but me and Rick kind of felt, 'You know what? We want to go to Maui (and) we want to win the first year.' ... I think it is a good move for me and the league and career-wise, too.''

Berry said he has been working on this project for three years and is fully aware of the challenges that await.

''We just feel this is the right time,'' he said. ''I love Maui and I love the opportunity. ... In talking to a lot of people, it was just the excitement. You have to have a passion for it. There's facilities and all that that comes into play, but in talking to the community, just going into a store and saying, 'Hey, what do you think of this?' The excitement from the people and the passion is there. They say, 'You know what? Maui is a baseball town.' ''

The travel challenges certainly cannot be ignored. Berry said that home teams are responsible for supplying housing for visiting teams, and that he is looking for local hotel sponsors and an airline sponsor.

''We need both,'' he said. ''I need hotel partners. In St. George, we had about five or six different hotel partners. We traded rooms for advertising, promotions and tickets. ... Those hotel partners will not just be trading out rooms, but also getting revenue from the booster clubs and traveling (fans) from the visiting teams.''

The league season runs from May to August. A schedule is to be released next month.

''We are a little behind where we want to be right now, but we know what we need to get done and that really helps,'' Berry said. ''There is no question that the last three years in St. George is a definite plus for me to know what we need to get done and accomplished here.''

Berry said ticket prices will range from $5 to $14.

Cummings said a break-even attendance figure is about 1,200 per game.

Okano was a four-year player at New Mexico, and wore a 2008 GBL championship ring from the Orange County (Calif.) Flyers on Tuesday.

''I'm excited,'' he said. ''I mean, I'm a 30-year-old trying to get picked up. Like (Snyder) said, if you have a uniform on, you never know. This is my living dream, playing at home in front of the home crowd. It is very cool to be the first signee. Great name and this is Hawaii, you know, representing my home state. ... We want to bring one of these (championship rings) here.''

Bouchie to Tigers

The Armada's 2009 team MVP won't be back with the Fleet in 2010. That's because catcher Andy Bouchie just had his contract acquired by the Detroit Tigers organization, who will have him report to Lakeland, Florida, in February. It was great having him in Long Beach this season. He earned All-Star honors with not only solid numbers at the plate but also an ability to throw out any runner foolish enough to try to steal on his watch.

Congratulations, Andy!

Here's the official press release from the GBL:

Long Beach Armada All-Star Catcher Purchased by Detroit Tigers
Andy Bouchie is on His Way To Lakeland For Spring Training

(San Ramon, CA. December 19, 2009) The Golden Baseball League (GBL) announced today the Long Beach Armada catcher Andy Bouchie has had his contract purchased by the Detroit Tigers. The GBL All-Star catcher was in his first season for the Armada and will now report to Tigers spring training in Lakeland, Florida in February.

Bouchie, 24, was signed by the Milwaukee Brewers as a 7th round selection after an outstanding junior year at Oral Roberts University where he led the club in batting, and was named 1st Team All Conference as the Golden Eagles advanced to the College World Series and ended up ranked #17 in the nation. The hard hitting catcher spent three years in the Brewers organization before being released last year as the higher minor league levels in Milwaukee's farm system were stacked with catchers. He was signed by manager Garry Templeton of the Long Beach Armada and quickly became the dominant catcher in the Golden Baseball League in 2009. Selected a GBL All-Star he hit .290 for the Fleet with 7 home runs and 42 RBI in 59 games. Defensively he was considered the finest catcher in the league as he handled an Armada staff full of experienced pitchers, including ex-major league stars Jose Lima and Hideki Irabu.

"I'm not surprised that Andy was acquired by a major league team," said Armada skipper Garry Templeton. "I was expecting it to happen much sooner as he's one of the best young catchers I've ever had, including my years managing in AAA for the Angels. He should do very well with Detroit."

Bouchie is the 18th player from Golden Baseball League teams to have his contract purchased this year and the 104th in the five year existence of the league.

End of the Road(Runners)

Good article from The Spectrum, the local newspaper in St. George, regarding the end of the road for the RoadRunners.

Loss of a team

Summers will be just a little less exciting in St. George and the surrounding area. Bruce Hurst Field at Dixie State College won't be home to the sounds of baseballs cracking off wooden bats. We won't hear cheers.

The Roadrunners, a minor-league baseball team that had played in St. George the past three summers, announced last week that it will cease operations here. Despite a shoe-string budget and growing fan support, owners simply couldn't make the team profitable. The loss of some sponsors because of the poor economy proved to be too much for the team to weather.

The Roadrunners came on the scene in 2007 and, to be honest, had a difficult time building a fan base because of how badly the team played. But the ownership proved that it wanted to build a winning franchise by continually changing personnel throughout that first year and into the next.

Then, in 2009, the team posted a 48-34 record and qualified for the playoffs in the Golden Baseball League. Attendance grew to 1,168 people per game, but that only ranked eighth out of nine teams in terms of average fans per game. Too many empty seats this year will equate to an empty stadium next year. That's sad.

It's true that not everyone is a fan of the game of baseball. America's pastime has been said to be too slow to keep the attention of people in today's fast-paced world. But a look at the faces in the stands at Hurst Field last year shows that old and young alike came together to enjoy a game at a reasonable price. Fathers and sons, mothers and daughters - and don't forget grandparents - would come together to cheer on the team and enjoy the atmosphere.

Especially in 2009, it wasn't too difficult to see Roadrunners apparel being worn by residents as we traveled to the grocery store or the mall. People wore those items with pride. Little did they know at the time that those shirts and hats would become relics.

Indeed, the loss of the Roadrunners leaves a void in St. George and the region.

Flyers owners awarded Palm Springs rights

The ownership group that operates the GBL's Orange County Flyers is apparently looking to expand. The group was awarded the rights to a franchise in Palm Springs and the Coachella Valley, according to the GBL's latest press release. While the press release does not specifically mention the Orange County Flyers, it does say that the group has owned other minor league teams, including a GBL team that has employed Phil Nevin, Gary Carter, and Garry Templeton -- ladies and gentlemen, the OC Flyers managers of the last five years.

There is no specific timeline for putting a team in Palm Springs. It could be as early as this upcoming 2010 season or perhaps delayed until 2011. If they do play in 2010, it would bring the GBL back to 10 teams after the recent news of St. George folding. This could make for a six-team South Division in the GBL, as the press release says the Palm Springs club would join OC, Long Beach, Tucson, Yuma and Maui in the South Division. That leaves a North Division that currently holds Calgary, Edmonton and Victoria up in Canada to go along with Chico.

One thing to keep in mind is that this doesn't say there will be a franchise in Palm Springs. The group has merely been granted the rights to a team in the area. As I understand it, the Flyers ownership group also has the rights to the entire County of Orange as well. Just because you have the rights to put a team somewhere doesn't make it automatic. Here's to hoping they are operational for 2010 to even out the absence of the RoadRunners.

Here's the official release from the GBL:

GBL Grants Operating Rights to Palm Springs Group
Experienced Team Operators Acquire Rights to Bring Professional Baseball Back to Palm Springs and the Coachella Valley

The Golden Baseball League (GBL) announced today that they have reached an agreement with Palm Springs Professional Baseball, LLC that grants the rights to operate a professional baseball team in Palm Springs and the Coachella Valley. This would return professional baseball to the region for the first time since the minor league Palm Spring Suns played in 1997.

"We are pleased to reach an agreement with such an impressive and experienced ownership group," said GBL Commissioner Kevin Outcalt. "The team could play in either 2010 or 2011 depending on what they work out with the City of Palm Springs regarding the ballpark facility, or potentially in a ballpark elsewhere in the Coachella Valley. This is a big win for all parties as the league expands into a great market with outstanding professional baseball history, the City is able to receive an increased and true market value for their stadium lease, the fans will enjoy exciting professional baseball with well known players and managers as teams from all over western North America come to play, and the local economy is the benefit of $5M or more in annual economic impact as has been documented in other GBL markets."

Headed up by a trio of baseball industry executives who have owned minor league teams in the New York - Penn League and the Golden Baseball League, the team will host 45 regular season home games, plus playoffs, in a season that will stretch from mid-May to mid-September. Headed on the field by a Major League All-Star Manager (this group in the past have employed Gary Carter, Phil Nevin, and Garry Templeton) the team should feature the typical GBL mix of 5-6 ex major leaguers along with minor league experienced players and a few college graduates at a level of play that is rated at or above AA by experienced minor league baseball operators. Considered the premier independent pro league in western North America and one of the top in the country, the GBL regularly has 20 -30 players purchased by major league baseball and is the annual leader in Top Prospects and All-Independent Pro All-Stars as selected by Baseball America. Major League MVP and All-Stars such as Rickey Henderson, Jose Canseco, Jose Lima, Robert Fick, Scott Spiezio, Junior Spivey, and Felix Jose have all played in the league. Four GBL alumni have already made it to the major leagues.

The Palm Springs team would play in the South Division of the GBL which includes the Tucson Toros, the Orange County Flyers, the Long Beach Armada, the Yuma Scorpions and the Maui ballclubs at this time.

Goodbye DH

The winter meetings wrapped up last week, and the GBL will be without the designated hitter in 2010, according to an article posted on the Edmonton Capitals website. The rule change will take the Golden League back to its roots of pitchers taking their turn in the batting order, something the league hadn't employed since the inaugural 2005 season.

The league will also expand rosters for the playoff stretch of the season from 22 to 25 men per team.

Here's the article:

GBL Winter Meetings
December 11, 2009 4:12 PM

Indianapolis, IN - The Golden Baseball League wrapped up their annual winter meetings in conjunction with Minor League Baseball's winter meetings in Indianaplis, Indiana. A few major developments came out of the proceedings including details on the Annual All-Star festivities and a couple notable changes when it comes to rules governing rosters in the GBL.

The designated hitter will be obsolete in 2010. In an effort to speed up the duration of games. the GBL will require pitchers in the league to take their turn at-bat.

Also, rosters will be allowed to expand from 22 players to 25 players after August 15th during the latter part of the regular season.

The Golden Baseball League (GBL) and the Northern League of Professional Baseball (NoL) announced that the leagues have agreed on a two year partnership where they will play their All-Star game against each other this season and next. This annual clash will pit some of the finest international all-stars from teams in Canada and the U.S. made up of players from at least seven countries.

The 2010 game will be played on Wednesday, July 14th in Tucson, Arizona as the Tucson Toros host the game at the historic 11,000 seat Hi Corbett Stadium. The 2011 game will be played in Zion, Illinois hosted by the Lake County Fielders in the state of the art ballpark currently under construction.

The GBL and NoL are two of the most successful and heavily scouted independent leagues in the country and together had over 30 of their players from 2009 acquired by major league organizations. The 20-man rosters will be comprised of players from the ten GBL teams in Edmonton, Calgary, Victoria, California, Arizona, and Hawaii versus players from the eight Northern League teams in Winnipeg, Illinois, Indiana, Kansas, and North Dakota.

"This will be exciting for our players and fans and also for major league organizations focused on finding the best talent available in the independent minor leagues," said Golden Baseball League Commissioner Kevin Outcalt. "The Northern League has long been the finest independent professional baseball league and we are looking forward to hosting their top players in Tucson this summer and then sending our best to the Chicago area for the rematch the following season."

RoadRunners will not return in 2010

Just found out the news this morning. Three seasons ago, the GBL sold the rights to one of its six franchises, and the St. George RoadRunners became the second independently-owned team in the league. Three years later, it appears the Runners have closed there doors after falling on hard times.

It's never a good thing when a team goes through this, and it hurts even more after seeing a team have it's best season ever (by a LONG shot) and then not have a chance to follow it up. Remember, this team won only 7 games during it's first half of 2007, but they continued to build, and achieved the best record in the South Division in 2009.

Here's the official article from The Spectrum newspaper in St. George:

Roadrunners call it quits
BY JOHN RENSHAW
jrenshaw@thespectrum.com

ST. GEORGE - The St. George Roadrunners made tremendous strides during the 2009 season - just not enough to stay in business.

Rick Berry, general manager of the St. George Roadrunners, said the team will not be renewing its contract with Bruce Hurst Field next season in a move that marks the end of the three-year franchise in Southern Utah.

Behind a franchise best 48-34 record, the Roadrunners secured its first Southern Division championship in the Independent Golden Baseball League this past season.

"We made the decision last weekend that the St. George Roadrunners will not be back next season," said Berry, part of the Triple Play Group that owns the team. "We were very optimistic about returning (for a fourth season) toward the end of last season, even releasing ownership opportunities to the public, but there just wasn't enough support.

"We tried our best to weather the storm for three years on one of the lowest operating budgets in the Golden Baseball League, but financially we were unable to turn a net profit or break even financially."

Despite success on the field, attendance numbers were still low for home contests. According to pointstreak.com, St. George averaged 1,168 fans per game, the second lowest total attendance (paid and complimentary tickets) in the nine-team league.

Berry said the low attendance combined with a drop in sponsorship revenue was too damaging for Roadrunners majority owner Todd Vowell to keep operating beyond this point.

"It's been a rough-go of it here lately," said Cory Snyder, Roadrunners manager who spent eight years as a player in Major League Baseball. "The economy's been bad for a while. I'm just saddened by this whole thing. I really feel for Todd (Vowell) and his family. They've done everything possible to keep this franchise going in St. George. To keep losing money year in and year out eventually takes its toll."

The end result contradicts Vowell's assertion of St. George being a major part of the GBL in 2010 following the Roadrunners' first round loss to Tucson in September.

Vowell welcomed XnE's (Xcellence in Entertainment) purchase of the Triple Play Group in August. Vowell, along with Berry, were to also oversee XnE's four-team GBL expansion in the Hawaiian Islands. In a letter to shareholders in early November, XnE projected combined annual sales revenues exceeding $25 million.

However, Berry said Wednesday the deal had been reversed and Vowell is not in business with XnE in any capacity. Berry will remain as a consultant to XnE's Hawaiian project.

Vowell, a Dixie High alumnus, did not return several phone calls requesting comment.

Although this outcome didn't come as a surprise to Snyder, it was to the players, including three-year Roadrunners veteran Ryan Stevenson.

"I heard it might be a possibility, but I'm pretty sad that it actually happened," said the center fielder who hit .311 with 34 RBIs in 82 games last season. "It was a good experience. I really enjoyed the organization, the fans and the host families."

Stevenson didn't find out St. George's fate until Tuesday when he made a phone call to Berry to catch up and see how things were going. The 26-year old was under contract for 2010 and has rigorously been working out for the upcoming season.

Utility player Juan Serrano hit .290 with 31 hits in 34 games last season. Like many others in the organization, he enjoyed his time in St. George. He credits ownership for building a winning team in just three years and for being personable with both players and coaches.

Serrano said it takes time for any organization to build a fan base.

"You got to give it time," Serrano said. "I think it takes four to five years to get the fan base behind the franchise. And in St. George I feel like ownership cut it a little bit too short."

In tough economic times, Berry acknowledges there will be approximately 25 jobs lost, most of those coming within stadium positions like concession and memorabilia stands - many filled by high school and college students.

For Snyder, though, the three-year St. George manager has options open. He's spent time working with Major League Baseball's Cleveland Indians spring training program. The veteran manager wants to be coaching in 2010.

"One thing I like about the GBL is I get to be both the manager and hitting coach," Snyder said. "There have been some inquiries from GBL teams during the winter meetings, but nothing is official yet."

Serrano credits Snyder for turning the Roadrunners (.306 batting average, 543 runs in 82 games, and 69 home runs) into GBL's second ranked offense and improving players' hitting throughout the season.

St. George didn't go without making news during its brief three-year stint.

Earlier this year, Darin L. Kracl, who was part of the original ownership group and doubled as the pitching coach in 2007, was convicted of running an investment scam. The 41-year-old used investors' money to buy cars, jewelry, travel and pay his tithing. He spent $327,000 to purchase his share of the Roadrunners, which he relinquished in 2008.

Kracl served a 90-day sentence for securities fraud and the Utah Attorney General's Office sold valuable memorabilia from Kracl's collection to repay $4.6 million.

This marks the second Southern Utah Independent baseball franchise to fold this decade. The Zion/St. George Pioneerzz (1999-2001) went out of business due to the entire Western Baseball League closing up shop.

Winter Meetings

It's that time of year again. The GBL's big-wigs are in Indianapolis this week for baseball's Winter Meetings. It seems the Golden League will have a record 10 teams in action in 2010, with a pair of 5-team divisions.

Maui joins the ranks of Calgary, Chico, Edmonton, Long Beach, Orange County, St. George, Tucson, Yuma and Victoria. Representatives from each team are on hand to discuss everything from potential rule changes in a 2010 GBL to the schedule itself (which might be out by the end of the year).

One of the more popular questions asked of the Armada is about the rumored return of Jose Lima. Last season the former NL All-Star led by example from the mound as the team's opening day starter and was named a GBL All-Star for Long Beach. While his trade to Edmonton caught many off guard, the Armada -- not Edmonton -- did retain Lima's rights. So where does that leave it? Well, it seems the ball is in Lima's court. If he wants to be back, there doesn't appear to be a reason why he wouldn't be.

The organization has exercised club options for 2010 on pretty much the entire 2009 roster. As listed on the GBL website:

November 5:
Long Beach Armada: Exercised the 2010 contract options for the following players:
Chase Baran, Zach Beal, Andie Bouchie, Omar Bramasco, Matt Edgecombe, Ben Fox, Dustin Gober, Kris Honel, Brandon Howard, Daryl Jones, Rusty Jones, Jonny Kaplan, Scott Lonergan, Kiochi Misawa, David Ramirez, Dan Luyben, Justin Segal, Asif Shah, JJ Sherrill, and Scott Watson. Released the following players: OF Josh Womack, RHP Sean Buller, and OF Steve Moss.

For everyone wondering why Buller didn't officially have an option exercised, he has a different contract as a coach, but the Angry Lego Face has deep roots in Long Beach, and it's hard to see him playing or coaching anywhere else. And with his new local coaching gig, that's not likely to change.

Buller's new gig

Sean Buller came by the Armada office the other day to deliver his good news. The big lefty has been tapped as the new head coach at Valley Christian in Cerritos. Here's the official release:

Buller named head coach at Valley Christian
Left-hander could still be involved with LB in 2010

LONG BEACH (October 20, 2009) -- For the past three seasons, Sean Buller has cut his coaching teeth with the Golden League’s Long Beach Armada. Now the Long Beach native will take over his own program as the newly named head baseball coach at Valley Christian High School in Cerritos.

The official announcement came from Valley Christian this weekend, less than two months after the Armada’s season ended in August.

Buller served as the Armada’s only player/coach in 2009, his second straight year of double-duty. A fan favorite at Armada games, Garry Templeton kept Buller on his staff as Bullpen Coach – a position he held since the 2008 campaign – to begin this past season and promoted him to Pitching Coach at the season’s midway point.

Not only did the Armada lead the GBL with a team ERA of 3.94, almost one run better than the next best team (Tucson at 4.77), but Buller led by example from the mound. In 2009, he worked out of the bullpen for three saves and a 2.70 ERA while striking out 19 batters in 20 innings of work.

After pitching collegiately at University of San Francisco, Buller began his professional career as an undrafted free agent with the Detroit Tigers in 1998. The left-hander worked his way up the Tigers farm system to become one of the organization’s top pitching prospects in 2001 for the Triple-A Toledo Mudhens before a shoulder injury kept him out of baseball until his 2007 comeback with the Armada.

While Buller’s main responsibilities lie with Valley Christian’s baseball program, he’s tenure with the Armada isn’t necessarily over as a result.

“If Garry decided to bring me back, I’m still a part of the team,” said Buller. “The school is okay with it as long as I can balance it.”

The school’s season would finish in May, around the same time as the Armada begins training camp for the 2010 campaign.

2010 Slogan Contest

The Long Beach Armada has had it with minor league baseball teams sporting regular run-of-mill slogans each season, and to this point, we haven't really been a part of it. Trotting out tired old phrases like "Greatest Show on Dirt" and so many others aren't the tagline this team needs. That's why in preparation for the 2010, the Armada is turning to it's fans here in Long Beach and across the nation to determine what should be our slogan for the team's sixth season in the International City.

Maybe we should play off the fact that this is the home of Snoop Dogg. Would something like "Play Bizzall" make for a good slogan? I'm not sure, but that's what we want the fans to decide. We're a few years to late to rip off the Blair Witch Project's title which shares with the name of our stadium. "The Blair Field Project" anyone?

So we are turning to the community of Long Beach - and to the entire country really - to determine our 2010 slogan.

A few other ideas we're kicking around include:

• "Catch the Fever!"
• "All Aboard!"
• "Baseball Ahoy!"
• "Get into the Game!"

Personally, I guess "Play Bizzall" is the most unique, but is it what the people want? Could we get Snoop Dogg himself out there to say it on Opening Day 2010 to really kick this thing off the right way? Between that and the potential for another run at Lima Time, the stadium might blow up.

Now is the time to make suggestions for what you think would be a great minor league baseball tagline for the Long Beach Armada as we enter our sixth season. We'll open up some of the best suggestions to a public vote soon, but right now we need suggestions.

Who knows what may happen. Perhaps we will fall victim to random celebrities using their popularity to hijack the voting the way Stephen Colbert did to NASA. Something tells me we might get a few too many votes for the tagline of "Tune into the Colbert Report tonight after the Daily Show" which doesn't really get our point across, but neither does something like "Come Out & Play" so what's the harm.

Please leave your preliminary suggestions in the comment field below. Let the madness begin!

Replay coming to MLB?

One problem that is about to blow up in Major League Baseball that you won't see as an issue in the Golden Baseball League: the use of instant replay. And the first dominos have already fallen. Here comes the rest...

With one round of the 2009 MLB playoffs in the books, baseball's instant replay debate is once again being, um, replayed -- this time with new evidence a la the League Division Series. With bungled calls in several series, most notably the fair ball called foul in the Yankees-Twins ALDS, look out as critics will begin the cries for more use of replay technology while purists defend the use of umpires who "get it right more often than not."

A year ago I said that implementing instant replay for home runs would lead Major League Baseball down the slippery slope of letting instant replay decide most of if not all of a very objective game. Because of the baseball's objective nature compared to particular calls in football or basketball (calling holding or block fouls is much more subjective than safe or out), it's much easier to instant replay to overtake the game, which I must say may not be the worst thing.

"I realize a home run is more important than a regular old play because it means point are either on or off the scoreboard. But where does it stop?

Home runs are okay to replay. But not a play at the plate, which might be more difficult to call despite an umpires close proximity to the play. I don't like the concept of limited instant replay. That's how things started in the NFL, and the league seems to expand replay every year to include more and more rules that were either overlooked or deemed not important enough when the NFL originally added replay.

...

If MLB is going to use instant replay, they shouldn't decide to do it just for HRs. Might as well implement it everywhere and get the whole thing over with.

That's what I wrote over a year ago, and now it's time for us all to get ready as baseball could very realistically be adding new elements to it's replay abilities by as soon as next season. I don't think this will get as advanced as the NFL where managers are throwing challenge flags and instead of losing timeouts, the teams have to make extra outs or something.

But what if the MLB used tennis's Hawk-Eye replay system (in use since 2006) to rule fair and foul balls in relation to where they bounce down the foul lines. It takes tennis less than 10 seconds, and it's accuracy is virtually unsurpassable. That could easily be implemented, and calls like the one from the Yankees-Twins series would not longer be in doubt.

Let's get an official in the booth who can quickly assess if the ball beats the runner to the bag on routine force outs. Or perhaps make it extremely centralized a la the NHL, and have the MLB headquarters directly review any plays in question. After all, while a home run directly reflects points on the scoreboard and thus clearly can affect a final score, what about a runner called out at first base who might have come around to score after subsequent hits later in the inning?

Don't argue about the sanctity of the game being ruined by the addition of technology. The "sanctity" of the game is in doubt so long as umpires are blowing these calls. Replay doesn't worsen the game's reputation.

The flood gates are open with home runs, so it's only a matter of time before everything else flows through.

from the No Joshin blog

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General Admission Seat	$175	$157.50	$40

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Lima's ERA also went North

The Armada season did prematurely end this season without a playoff berth. Despite the team's strong showing in sweeping the final four games of the year over Victoria, it just didn't seem the same without the man who was the face of the team this year - Jose Lima - there to enjoy it.

For Lima, he put together a very solid year in returning to baseball in the US after last year's stint in Korea. Lima dominated opposing hitters in his time with the Fleet putting together a 2.93 ERA despite his 5-5 record. The run support Lima had was a big part of why his record looked so mediocre, but his control was still as good as ever -- at least while he was in Long Beach.

Statistically, the trade did not help Lima's cause for a return to the big leagues. Here's a look at his numbers in his time with the Armada and then with the Edmonton Capitals:

Season	Team	W	L	ERA	G	GS	SHO	SV	IP	SO	BB	H
Playoffs 2009	Edmonton Capitals	0	1	4.69	1	1	0	0	7.2	3	0	9
Summer 2009	Long Beach Armada	5	5	2.93	11	11	1	0	83	51	9	84
Summer 2009	Edmonton Capitals	1	2	6.48	5	5	0	0	33.1	16	11	41
TOTAL		6	8	3.99	17	17	1	0	124	70	20	134

His ERA spiked in the cold Canada air, and while he wasn't at the comfy confines of the pitchers park that is Blair Field, his control didn't seem to go with him on the trade. Lima had 51 strike outs pitching for the Armada compared to 9 walks. In Edmonton, 16 Ks to 11 walks. Not as impressive.

His average outing in Long Beach was longer than in Edmonton as well. He averaged 7 1/3 to 7 2/3 innings with the Armada in his 11 starts. In five outings in Edmonton, "Lima Time" was cut short, averaging 6 2/3 innings per outing.

He's a guy who was great in the clubhouse. Great for the fans. Great for singing national anthems. Great for the community and the team, but his numbers were not great for the Capitals. Hopefully Lima Time will get a chance to return to the big leagues some day, a dream does not seem close to giving up on, but the folks in Long Beach wouldn't mind another pit-stop through town first. It'd also be a great way to get the ugly taste of an inflated Canadian ERA out of everyone's mind.

Armada regain lead

The Armada regain the lead after scoring two runs in the bottom of the seventh. Josh Womack came home and scored off the RBI single from Matt Edgecombe, then Kaplan was able to walk home from third and score after first baseman Daryl Jones was hit by the pitch to put the Fleet up 4-3. The Armada has four runs, eight hits, and no runs. The Seals have three runs, six hits, and no errors.

Ramirez scores for Fleet

We go into the sixth and the Fleet scored one run in the bottom of the fifth to trail the Seals by a run. Catcher David Ramirez came home and scored off the RBI single form Matt Edgecombe. Edgecombe picked up his 39th RBI of the season. David Ramirez told us this is his final season with the Armada, so look for Ramirez to end his career with the Armada strong.

Seals take a 3-1 lead

Bottom of the fifth and the Armada find themselves trailing the Victoria Seals 3-1. Matt Kavanaugh came home and scored off the sacrifice fly from Brett Flowers. Let me say that for the end of the season for the Seals and the Armada they are giving us fans a good show tonight. Brandon Howard is now up to bat for the Armada. Manager Gary Templeton gave Omar Bramasco the night off, so Howard is replacing Bramasco at short stop. The Armada has one run, six hits, and no errors. The Seals have three runs, five hits, and no errors.

Seals score two runs

The Victoria Seals have taken their first lead of the night after scoring back to back doubles to take a 2-1 lead. Petie Montero was brought in off the RBI double from Brett Flowers to tie the game at one. Gabriel Riley responded with an RBI double of his own as he brought in Brett Flowers from second to give the Seals a 2-1 lead over the Armada. The Armada has one run, two hits, and no errors. The Seals have two runs, five hits, and no errors.

Armada take first lead

The Armada were able to take the first lead in the bottom of the first 1-0. It started with Matt Edgecombe's base hit advancing to first base. J.J. Sherrill then came up to bat and with a deep base hit allowed him to advance to second but brought in the speedy Matt Edgecombe from first. Matt was going to put on the breaks at third but Skipper Gary Templeton signaled him to run for home. The Armada has one run, two hits, and no errors. The Seals have no runs, two hits, and no errors

Armada vs Seals Season Finale

Good evening Armada fans and welcome to the final game of the 2009 Armada season. We would like to thank all of the fans for supporting the Armada this season. We hope all of you were able to catch a game at Blair Field and experience Lima Time and IRABUMANIA. The Armada look to end this season with a bang as they host the visiting Victoria Seals in the final game of this four game series. Zach Beal will get the ball tonight as he looks to end the season with win number two.

Armada Starting Lineup:
1. Brandon Howard #3 SS
2. Jonny Kaplan #5 3B
3. Matt Edgecombe #34 LF
4. J.J. Sherrill #19 DH
5. Daryl Jones #31 1B
6. Asif Shah #25 RF
7. Dan Luyben #10 2B
8. David Ramirez #21 C
9. Josh Womack #20 CF

SP: #27 Zach Beal
1-1, 2nd Start, 8.03 ERA

Armada putting away Seals

We go into the eighth and it's all Armada as they pick up three runs to extend the lead to 11-4. Asif Shah with his first home run as an Armada pushed the lead to 4-9. J.J. Sherrill was hit by the pitch and advanced to first while Brandon Howard came home and scored putting the Fleet up 10-4. The Armada wasn't done as Josh Womack ran home and scored off the RBI form Andy Bouchie. The Armada looks like they have picked up their third win of this series which means they have done their part to keep their playoff hopes alive. The score is tied in Tucson at two in the top of the third.

HOME RUN!!!

With the Armada fans going crazy right fielder Asif Shah picks up his first home run as an Armada, hitting it deep into left field to put the Fleet up 9-4. This is turning out to be a good game tonight fans, Blair Field is the place to be. The Armada has nine runs, nine hits, and no errors. The Seals have four runs, eleven hits, and no errors.

Gabriel Riley comes through for Seals

Bottom of the seventh and Victoria not going away easy as they were able to score two runs in the top of the seventh. Gabriel Riley was the factor for the Seals as he scored his third home run of the season to bring the lead to 3-7. Riley scored again as he scored off the RBI single from Billy Krause.

Armada closing away

We go into the seventh and the Armada increase their lead to eight. Matt Edgecombe came up to bat and picked up a double, advancing to second base. Jonny Kaplan with a hit into center field brought in Matt Edgecombe to score. So the Armada playing good baseball tonight as they try to keep their playoff hopes alive.

Seals show life

The Victoria Seals have responded by scoring two runs in the top of the fifth. Matt Kavanagh scored off an RBI from Gabriel Riley which put Riley at first, Flowers at second, and Rios at third cutting into the Armada lead 2-7. The Seals would score once more as Brian Rios came home and scored off the RBI walk from Billy Krause which brought the Seals within four runs of the Fleet. The Armada has seven runs, six hits, and no errors. The Seals have three runs, eight hits, and no errors.

Fleet score five runs

The Fleet was able to score five runs in the bottom of the third to extend their lead to 7-1. It started with Asif Shah coming up to bat and was walked to first and Sherrill was able to walk home and score to bring the lead up to 3-1. Then Brandon Howard brought in Jonny Kaplan to extend the lead to 4-1. A wild pitch from James Garcia to Omar Bramasco allowed Brandon Howard to advance to second, Josh Womack to third, and Asif Shah to come home and score to give the Armada a 5-1 lead. The Fleet would make one last run as Omar Bramasco picked up a two run single bringing in Josh Womack from third, and Brandon Howard from second to give the Armada a commanding 7-1 lead over Victoria. The Armada are playing a Seals team that really has struggled most of this season, as they currently hold a 15-24 record in the second half, 32-48 overall.

Armada regain lead

We go into the third and the Armada have regained the lead, scoring one run in the bottom of the second. Omar Bramasco with a broken bat and base hit that barley missed the glove of first baseman Brett Flowers brought in Asif Shah from second to give the Armada a 2-1 lead over the seals. Bramasco picked up his 50th RBI of the season. Bramasco is also the leader in RBIs for the Armada this season. The Armada has two runs, four hits, and no errors. The Seals have one run, two hits, and no errors.

Seals tie ball game

Bottom of the second and the Seals not letting the Armada slip away as they tie the game at one. Billy Krause with a hit deep into right field picked up the double bringing in Gabriel Riley from third for the score. That put Krause at second, and Mermer at third. Takashi Miyoshi came up to bat and hit a fly ball that ended the inning. The Armada has one run, two hits, and no errors. The Seals also has one run, two hits, and no errors.

Armada score one run

We go into the second and the Armada were able to score one run to give themselves a 1-0 lead over the seals. Brandon Howard came up to bat and picked up the double advancing to second base. Omar Bramasco with a base hit brought in Brandon Howard, running all the way home from second to score for the Fleet. The Armada has one run, two hits, and no errors. The Seals have no runs, no hits, and no errors.

Armada vs Seals 8/30

Good evening Armada fans and welcome to game three of this four game series between the Armada and the Victoria Seals. For the Armada to advance to the playoffs they have to do it two different ways:

1. The Armada need to win either tonights game or tomorrows game.
2. The St. George RoadRunners need to win the next two games against the Tucson Toros at Hi Corbett Field.

We will keep you posted throughout the game of the score between the RoadRunners and the Toros. In my mind I think we will see the Armada playing in the Playoffs in September. Buckle up your seat belts fans, were going down to the wire. Kris Honel will get the ball tonight. Honel was acquired by the Armada in exchange for fan favorite Jose Lima. Honel will look for his third win of the season.

Armada Starting Lineup:
1. Brandon Howard #3 2B
2. Omar Bramasco #6 SS
3. Steve Moss #32 LF
4. J.J. Sherrill #19 DH
5. Andy Bouchie #15 C
6. Matt Edgecombe #30 1B
7. Jonny Kaplan #5 3B
8. Asif Shah #25 RF
9. Josh Womack #20 CF

SP: #34 Kris Honel
2-1, 6th Start, 1.80 ERA

Seals earn one run

The Armada need some insurance runs as the Victoria Seals are within one run of the Armada 6-5. Billy Krause came home from third and scored off the RBI single from Jamar Hill. Hill picked his 64th RBI of the season. It's still anyones ball game fans as Omar Bramasco is now up to bat. Also fans just wanted let everyone know we have some scouts at Blair Field tonight.

Armada on top

We go into the eighth and what an inning that was as the Armada were able to capture the lead from the Seals late in this ball game 6-4. It started with Brandon Howard coming home and scoring from third to trim the Victoria lead to 2-4. Then Josh Womack came home and scored to bring the lead down to 3-4. The Armada were able to keep it going as Andy Bouchie was walked to first base, plus Bramasco was able to walk home from third and score to tie the game at four. The Armada made on last run in the seventh as Matt Edgecombe brought home Moss from third and Sherrill from second. The Armada are starting to play good baseball late in this game, plus are doing their part to keep their playoff hopes alive. Good news fans the RoadRunners beat the Toros 6-2.

Armada desperately need runs

Bottom of the seventh and the Armada now playing catch up as they trail the Victoria Seals 4-1. Jamar Hill came home and scored from third off the RBI single from Brett Flowers. Flowers picked up his 47th RBI of the season. Brandon Howard is now up to bat for the Armada. The Armada has one run, seven hits, and one error. The Seals have four runs, nine hits, and no errors.

St. George and Tucson update

Fans just wanted to give you the current score between the St. George RoadRunners and the Tucson Toros taking place at Hi Corbett Field in Tucson. Bottom of the sixth and the RoadRunners has a 5-2 lead over the Toros. That is some good news for us Armada fans, we need help from the RoadRunners to keep our playoff hopes alive.

Armada in trouble down 3-1

The Fleet find themselves in trouble as the Victoria Seals were able to pick up two runs in the top of the third to lead the Armada 3-1. Matt Kavanaugh came home and scored from third off the RBI from Josh Arhart to give the Seals the lead 2-1. Victoria wasn''t done as Jamar Hill came home from third and scored off the RBI from Gabriel Riley to put his team up 3-1. The Armada has one run, five hits, and one error. The Seals have three runs, seven hits, and no errors.

Sherrill ties ball game

We go into the third and we have a tie ball game as the Armada and the seals are tied at one. J.J. Sherrill came away with a double and advanced to second base. The Armada would capitalize as Andy Bouchie came up to the plate and was able to bring in the speedy J.J. Sherrill from second to tie the ball game. J.J. Sherrill came threw once again for the fans at Blair Field as he sent some lucky fans home with some In and Out Burgers. The Armada has one run, four hits, and no errors. The Seals have one run, six hits, and no errors.

Seals take a 1-0 lead

The Seals were able to earn one run in the top of the second and now take a 1-0 lead over the Armada. It started with Bret Leveir coming up with a base hit advancing to first,and Brett Flowers was put into scoring position at third. Billy Krause stepped up to the plate and came away with a base hit and advancing to first first while Brett Flowers came home and scored giving the Seals a 1-0 lead over the Armada.

Armada vs Seals 8/29

Good evening Armada fans and welcome to game two of this four game series between the Long Beach Armada and the visiting Victoria Seals. The Armada game away with a much needed win last night as the Fleet went onto beat the Seals by a score of 2-1. Jonny Kaplan closed out the game with a walk of base hit to give the Armada the victory. The left hander Ben Fox will get the ball tonight, as he looks for his sixth victory of the season.

Armada Starting Lineup:
1. Brandon Howard #2 3B
2. Omar Bramasco #6 SS
3. Steve Moss #32 LF
4. J.J. Sherrill #19 DH
5. Andy Bouchie #15 C
6. Matt Edgecombe #30 1B
7. Jonny Kaplan #5 RF
8. Dan Luyben #10 2B
9. Josh Womack #20 CF

SP: #16 Ben Fox
5-7, 16th Start, 3.67 ERA

Toros lead RoadRunners

An update from Hi Corbett Field the Toros now have a 6-5 lead over the RoadRunners in the bottom of the fifth. The Armada really need the help from the St. George RoadRunners.

Seals tie ball game

Bottom of the sixth and we have a tie ball game as the Seals were able to pick up a run in the top of the sixth. Josh Arhart getting the job done done for the seals as he came through with a base hit to bring in Pedro Montero from second base. Matt Edgecombe is now up to bat. The Armada has one run, two hits, and no runs. The Seals have one run, four hits, and one error.

RoadRunners vs Toros update

Fans just wanted to update everyone on the score from Hi Corbett Field between the St. George RoadRunners and the Tucson Toros. Bottom of the forth and the RoadRunners has a commanding 5-0 lead over the Toros. David Seccombe is the pitcher for the RoadRunnners and Pete Hartmann is the pitcher for the Toros.

Armada on the board

We go into the fifth and the Armada was able to come away with one run to put themselves up 1-0 over the Seals. Steve Moss came home and scored from third base off the Triple from Jonny Kaplan. The Armada has one run, two hits, and no errors. The Seals has no runs, two hits, and one error.

Armada vs Seals

Good evening Armada fans and welcome back to Blair field as the Armada trying to keep their playoff hopes alive as they meet the visiting Victoria Seals for the first time at Blair Field this season. The Armada need to take 3 of 4 games this weekend plus they look for help from the St. George RoadRunners to keep their playoff hopes alive. We will keep you posted on the game versus the RoadRunners and the Toros, which is taking place in Tucson tonight. Dusty Gober will get the ball tonight as he looks for his fifth win of the season.

Armada Starting Lineup
1. Brandon Howard #2 3B
2. Omar Bramasco #6 SS
3. Steve Moss #32 LF
4. Matt Edgecombe #30 DH
5. Andy Bouchie #15 C
6. Jonny Kaplan #5 RF
7. Dan Luyben #10 2B
8. Daryl Jones #31 1B
9. Josh Womack #20 CF

SP: Dusty Gober
4-0, 9th Start, 3.74 ERA

Playoff picture

With only five games left in the 2009 season, the GBL playoff picture is coming into focus.  Three of the four post-season spots have been locked up.  The Calgary Vipers, the overall best team in the North Division, will face the Edmonton Capitals (who compiled the second-best overall record) in the playoffs, while the South Division first-half winning St. George RoadRunners still wait to see who they will play in the first round.

The Armada can still make the playoffs if BOTH of the following scenarios play out:
1. The Long Beach Armada must win at least 3 of its final 5 games; AND
2. The Tucson Toros must lose at least 4 of their final 5 games to the St. George RoadRunners.

This would mean the RoadRunners would win the first- and second-halves, and the Armada would have the second-best overall record to earn the final playoff berth.

For a more detailed breakdown, here's a current look at the South Division's second half standings:

South Division 2nd Half	W	L	PCT	GB	Streak	Last 10
Tucson Toros	19	11	0.633	-	1L	7-3
St. George RoadRunners	20	17	0.541	2.5	1W	5-5
Yuma Scorpions	19	19	0.500	4	1W	6-4
Long Beach Armada	16	17	0.485	4.5	2W	6-4
Orange County Flyers	16	18	0.471	5	2L	2-8

The Armada is the only team still alive to make the playoffs other than the first-place Toros. Long Beach has five games left in the regular season as do the RoadRunners and Toros who finish the season with all their games against each other. For the Armada to reach the playoffs for a GBL-record fourth time, the RoadRunners must win the second half to clinch an overall title like the Calgary Vipers did in the north division. For St. George to win the second half, the RoadRunners must win four of their final five games against the Toros.

If the RoadRunners win both halves, the second South Division playoff spot will be awarded to the team with the second-best overall record.

Currently, here are the South Division overall standings:

South Division Overall	W	L	PCT	GB	Streak	Last 10
St. George RoadRunners	45	32	0.584	-	1W	5-5
Tucson Toros	36	32	0.529	4.5	1L	7-3
Long Beach Armada	36	35	0.507	6	2W	6-4
Orange County Flyers	33	383	0.465	9	2L	2-8
Yuma Scorpions	29	46	0.387	15	1W	6-4

If the RoadRunners do win four of their final five games to clinch the second half, that would leave the Tucson Toros with an overall record of 37-36 for a winning percentage of 0.507 on the season. Long Beach would have to win at least three of its final five games to finish at 39-37 on the year (a 0.513 winning percentage) for the second-best overall record and the final playoff berth. If the Armada only wins two of the final five games, the team would finish 38-38, and the Toros would earn the final playoff spot with a better overall record.

So the simplified version of how the Armada can make the playoffs:
Armada must win at least 3 of final 5 games, AND Tucson must lose at least 4 of final 5 games.

Here are the remaining schedules for Long Beach, St. George and Tucson:

Remaining Games	Long Beach Armada	St. George RoadRunners	Tucson Toros
Thursday, August 27	@ Orange County	Tucson	@ St. George
Friday, August 28	Victoria	@ Tucson	St. George
Saturday, August 29	Victoria	@ Tucson	St. George
Sunday, August 30	Victoria	@ Tucson	St. George
Monday, August 31	Victoria	@ Tucson	St. George

Armada beat RoadRunners

The Armada pick up a much needed victory last night as they went onto beat the St. George RoadRunners 6-1. Kris Honel picked up his first win at Blair Field, pitching seven innings. He is now (2-1) with the Armada.

The Fleet exploded in the bottom of the fifth as Omar Bramasco came home and scored off the RBI double from J.J. Sherril. Sherrill moved up to second, and Moss was in position to score at third. Andy Bouchie stepped up to the plate and came through with a base hit into center field bringing in Moss and Sherrill, extending the Armada lead to 5-1.

Bottom of the sixth the Fleet wasn't done as Brandon Howard brought in Jonny Kaplan from third to extend the lead to 6-1 over St. George.

Rusty Jones replaced Honel and pitched two innings to close out the RoadRunners, and picked up the win for the Armada.

The Armada are now 13-15 in the second half, 33-33 overall. The Fleet will face the RoadRunners in St. George for a three game series.

Fleet up 5-1

We go into the sixth and what an inning that was as the Armada were able to score three runs to end the fifth. It started with Omar Bramasco scoring off the RBI double from J.J. Sherril. Sherrill moved up to second, and moss was in position to score at third. Andy Bouchie stepped up to the plate and came through with a base hit and picked up an RBI double bringing in Moss from third and Sherrill from second. The Armada has five runs, nine hits, and no errors. The RoadRunners has one run, four hits, and one error. Thanks to J.J. Sherrill some lucky Armada fans are going home with some In and Out Burgers.

Scorpions and Toros update

Fans just wanted to update everyone on the Game between the Yuma Scorpions and the Tucson Toros taking place at Desert Sun Stadium in Yuma. Top of the sixth the Toros and Scorpions are tied at two. The Scorpions have been playing good baseball in the second half, better than they did in the first. If you read the post by Josh earlier today their was a bit of a brawl going on between the Toros and the Scorpions, resulting in injuries, and six ejections. I totally agree with Josh the GBL front office will defiantly review this game and their could be some suspensions.