LB Armada Blog

It's morphin' time: North American League

2010-11-19T09:57:00.000-08:00

It's official. Three have become one.

As expected, the Golden Baseball League has joined forces with the United and Northern leagues to form the largest independent baseball league in the country, both in terms of number of teams and geography. The announcement came down yesterday. Here's a look at the official GBL press release:

New Professional North American League Formed
Northern and United Leagues Join Forces with Golden Baseball League to Create New Circuit

(San Ramon, CA. November 18, 2010) The Golden Baseball League, Northern League, and the United League announced today that they have joined forces in the creation of a new professional independent league that will be known as the North American League. The league will have 16 - 20 teams in multiple countries and cover many of the major markets in the U.S. and Canada in 2011 with expansion already set for 2012. Except for Major League Baseball, it will be the largest professional league in terms of number of teams and geographies and amongst the top minor leagues in terms of attendance. The existing leagues will keep their names and their baseball operations structure while consolidating and enhancing a number of business activities and will adhere to a single and consistent set of league operating by-laws.

"This is an exciting opportunity for the teams of these three leagues", said Kevin Outcalt, Chief Executive of Diamond Sports & Entertainment, the company that owns and operates the Golden League and will administer the North American League. "This will provide more value to our marketing and business partners, more exposure for our players to advance their careers, and increased excitement and fun for the fans of all of our ballclubs. In addition, the business advantages of league-wide advertising and sponsor revenue, collective/volume purchasing to lower costs, and shared best practices amongst the teams in the league should drive additional profitability for the North American League member clubs."

The structure of the NAL will be set up with the three original leagues covering their respective regions where the teams will play approximately 75% of their games within their region and 25% outside their region/division. This will be followed by playoffs that will conclude with a North American Championship Series. It is anticipated that the league will play a 92 - 100 game regular season schedule that will be determined at the inaugural NAL meetings that will be held in northern California at the end of this month. All of the existing Golden League, Northern League, and United League teams will be part of the circuit, and it is expected that additional teams will be announced in the coming weeks as well. The full slate of 2011 NAL teams and the makeup of each region will be announced following the league meeting. Baseball related playing rules will also be finalized including player classification/eligibility and playing rules (National League or American League).

"This is an excellent move for the Northern League," said Northern League Commissioner Clark Griffith. "By becoming part of this new league, we will enjoy benefits that can't be found anywhere else in minor league baseball and some exciting opportunities that were never available in the Northern League in the past."

Although these three leagues totaled 35% of the professional independent minor league baseball teams in North America in 2010, they were responsible for placing half of the players on the Baseball America Indy Top Prospects list and six of the fourteen players named to the all Independent Leagues First Team by Baseball America. In addition, the three leagues have sold 35 player contracts to major league organizations so far in 2010 and are all recognized as an important source of baseball talent including players, umpires, coaches/managers, and front office/business personnel by big league clubs.

Byron Pierce, United League president, stated, "The United League is pleased to announce it is becoming part of North American League Baseball. By doing so the United League will be able to bring a national presence and the rich tradition of three leagues to each of our United League cities, while maintaining our regional rivalries and identity."

Better to see them survive as one then watch them all crumble apart. While the league doesn't apparently have any immediate plans to return a team to the humble community of Long Beach, it does provide local players additional opportunities to continue their baseball careers.

While there are still many markets that need to be finalized within the new North American League, there won't be an incredible influx of crossover between the three leagues, meaning each team is going to get a steady dose of teams within its own "division" (which are keeping the names of their original leagues). That's great in theory, especially after the last two years of GBL schedules that featured division opponents who did not play against each other in a given half of a season. However after Calgary and Edmonton play more than half of their games against each other, the act could get stale relatively quickly. Even the old Long Beach/Orange County rivalry had its limits.

It will be fun for teams to host new opponents, but one concern for players in the Northern League and United League circuits joining the new GBL will be getting their passports straightened out, a process that should be more familiar to Northern League veterans (Calgary and Edmonton were part of that league until leaving for the GBL in 2008). Nevertheless, each year, passport problems seem to snag a few players per team, preventing whole squads from making the road trip. Hopefully all GMs are on the same page in terms of having everyone able to cross borders. It was logistical nightmare in 2009 for the all-Colombian Yuma Scorpions to get proper documentation before their road trip to Canada, and while seems similar affiliation deals might not be on the horizon after the 2010 debacle that saw the GBL reclaim control of the Yuma franchise, it's still something that must be address thoroughly before the season.

Still, it's much better to have baseball than to not, and the new North American League will provide plenty of summer nights under the lights in 2011.

GBL joining United, Northern leagues?

2010-11-16T14:49:00.000-08:00

It's been a crazy off-season in the Golden Baseball League. After that announcements that the franchises in Tucson and Victoria won't be playing in 2011, it looked like the league was in trouble. That is until the GBL said it was on the verge of a major announcement (I smell merger!).

Turns out, that's exactly what they have in mind. The Golden League looks to be on the verge of teaming up with the United and Northern Leagues to form what's reportedly being called the North American League for 2011.

Here's the article from BaseballDigest.com that had some details:

New for 2011: North American League
TUESDAY, 16 NOVEMBER 2010 10:00

There's a name on the table for the combined Northern League, Golden Baseball League and United League Baseball: North American League, as reps from the three independent circuits continue negotiations on a game plan for the 2011 season.
To say that baseball in many of these cities relies on the formation of this new league is an understatement: as standalone entities, it would be hard for all three of these leagues to struggle through a 2011 season. Together, of course, it will be a struggle as well, as teams are choosing a plan that features lots more travel in what's still a bad economy, but there's also the greater chance of expansion in the future. Going national, of course, has been the dream of many an indy magnate, and this plan does just that.

It also gives a home to two teams being sold: the Schaumburg Flyers and the Joliet JackHammers, both of the Northern League. Negotiations for the JackHammers sale are in the final stages (a letter of intent was submitted to city officials yesterday) and could be wrapped up this week, subject to due diligence (indeed, the announcement of the new league hinges on the status of the sale), but the potential new owners are not bound to the new entity. Indeed, the word is that this city could end up playing in the Frontier League next season (the team, like all the Northern League teams, has already submitted a FL application). In Schaumburg, the new owners -- who could be in place by the end of the month -- sound very committed to the North American League.

Here are the teams involved: From the Northern League, the Rockford RiverHawks, the Schaumburg Flyers, the Lake County Fielders and (as of now) the Joliet JackHammers. From United League Baseball: the Coastal Bend Thunder, the Edinburg Roadrunners, the San Angelo Colts and the RGV WhiteWings. From Golden League Baseball: the Orange County Flyers, the Edmonton Capitals, the Calgary Vipers, the Maui Na Koa Ikaika, the Chico Outlaws (assuming a lease is worked out) and perhaps a new team, the Tijuana Ambassadors (Embajadores), as GBL officials were down there a few weeks ago to check things out. That's 14, and there's a chance the new circuit could pick up teams in Omaha, where Northern League commissioner Clark Griffith has been working on a deal, and Yuma.

It's been reported that an announcement of the new league could come as soon as tomorrow, but that may be a little optimistic: we hear the holdup is over the status of the Joliet sale.

The plan, we're told, is for each league to play an abbreviated schedule (76 games in the case of the Northern League teams), with 24 or so games against the other two leagues.

Evans surfaces in St. George

2010-03-30T21:19:00.001-07:00

The original Captain of the Crew, the Armada's inaugural manager Darrell Evans will be at the helm of the St. George RoadRunners in 2010. Evans, who served as skipper for the Fleet from 2005-07, will be managing his third GBL franchise. The 1984 World Series Champion with the Detroit Tigers won a championship with the Orange County Flyers in 2008 before taking the job in Victoria to manage the expansion Seals in 2009.

Here's the full run down of Evans joining St. George, via the OC Flyers team blog.

Evans has always been well-liked among Armada fans, even when he put on the Flyers orange in 2008 as a member of Gary Carter's coaching staff. He received a warm welcome in Victoria's only visit to Long Beach last August.

Is a return to Long Beach in the cards?

2010-02-12T23:41:00.000-08:00

The Press Telegram's Bob Keisser wrote the following piece this evening for Saturday's paper. Very good to read some positive things about the Armada. Definitely sad there won't be baseball during the summer at Blair Field next season, but hopefully the possibility of a GBL return to Long Beach will materialize in the future.

The article from Keisser:

KEISSER: GBL would like to see a return to Long Beach

By Bob Keisser, Sports Columnist
Posted: 02/12/2010 10:38:58 PM PST

There's the High Road, and then there's the path to Mt. Everest.

David Kaval chose the latter.

The subject was the Long Beach Armada (RIP, 2005-09), and the Golden Baseball League, and the city's decision to lease Blair Field to Long Beach State and pull the team and league's permit to use the park.

Needless to say, the team and league weren't happy about the way the situation was handled, and they and their modest legion of fans were angry when this space responded with a not-so-fond adieu.

So what did Kaval, the Stanford grad who created the league and its league-ownership model, say when we finally connected on the phone?

He said he would like to come back to Long Beach.

Seriously. He thinks Long Beach is still a good fit for an independent league team and a good fit for his league.

When the three previous minor league team ownership groups all were in the throes of death - one crumbled (Barracuda), one moved (Riptide) and one folded (Breakers) along with the league - they usually departed by pointing a finger at the city and the community, literally and figuratively.

Kaval wasn't happy with the way things ended, but he understands that in today's recessionary climate, the deal made sense for the city and Long Beach State on a lot of levels.

He even confirmed that the league once offered the city a bus as collateral, which isn't the usual compensation municipalities seek.

But he just wishes the city hadn't pushed the league aside the way they did. Or as one might say, hadn't thrown them under the bus.

That said, he'd like to come back.

"At some point, I think we will be back in Long Beach," Kaval said. "I think Blair Field is a great park and think Long Beach is a great community for baseball.

"We just feel like we had the rug pulled out from underneath us. We had two years left on a lease when they pulled the permit. We offered to write them a check right away for what we owed them, but they said not to bother."

Kaval and I agreed not to debate the quality of the baseball or concession prices. We weren't going to agree on those points. But we did agree that the basic saga comes down to business decisions.

The city is strapped and wanted to remove a $1 million-plus line item (running Blair) from the budget.

They found someone who was willing to take over operation of the field, Long Beach State, because the university wants the revenue stream that comes from concessions and rent of the park for other events. More on that later.

The Armada would have found it difficult to operate the team financially without the concession deal, which is why they pressed to have the lease honored. Kaval acknowledged that the league owed the city $50,000, half in expenses incurred and the other half in a bank line of credit (LOC) that had expired.

The city exercised the expired LOC to lease the facility. The lawyers will now get their turn at-bat to see how everything is resolved.

"We invested a lot of time and money with the Armada," Kaval said. "We prepaid our rent each year and wanted the city to honor the lease. When I offered to bring the city a check (for $25,000), they said not to bother. The message was clear that they didn't want us at any price."

The bus thing: When the bank LOC first expired, the league offered to give the city the bus as collateral. City officials preferred cash but let the Armada play on without the LOC. Until they didn't.

"I understand that this was an important deal for the city, and the city was under pressure to make a move," Kaval said. "This is a difficult financial environment right now.

"Long Beach State is in a position to do things the city couldn't with Blair. We would have liked a chance make some kind of arrangement that could have allowed us to stay, but we weren't given a chance."

The concession rights were part of the reason why Long Beach State wanted Blair, so any kind of arrangement would have been difficult.

Here's what the university can do that no minor league can:

The concession deal and right to rent the stadium provides the athletic department and university new revenue streams. The university can find ways to renovate Blair - and the 52-year-old stadium needs renovating - that others can't. A capital campaign is in the works, and 49ers A.D. Vic Cegles believes some alums will step up now that Blair is officially the school's to operate.

Once the team moves to Blair permanently, for practice as well as games, the university can consider development of the land being vacated on campus. Money (state, federal) is available for universities to build multi-use facilities for the entire student body; that's how the Pyramid was built.

There were local connections to the Armada that are regrettable with their departure. The two guys who ran the team last year were Tony Soares, who once ran the Ice Dogs, the only minor league franchise here that ever could call itself a success, and Mike Callin, who is also the Dirtbags' Director of Baseball Operations. Their efforts were under-appreciated.

Kaval also said the league is sound and not headed to bankruptcy. He said several teams are doing well and he said the travel costs for a league with franchises in Canada, Mexico and Hawaii aren't as bad as some would think.

No tougher than taking the high road. The harsh assessment here was a case of guilt by association, and they deserve that mea culpa. They also deserve notice for being the first team to keep the door ajar rather than slam it on the way out.

Long Beach Armada 2005-2009 ... for now.

What's going on in Long Beach...

2010-01-05T18:22:00.001-08:00

From the Gazette newspapers...

Armada Owners Prepare To Sue City Over Blair Field Permit

By Harry Saltzgaver
Executive Editor

Published: Tuesday, January 5, 2010 5:02 PM PST

The Golden Baseball League, owners of the Long Beach Armada, is one step away from suing the city for terminating its permit to play baseball at Blair Field this summer.

While the legal path has just begun, it seems clear there will be no Armada baseball sailing in Long Beach this year. California State University, Long Beach, already controls maintenance of the field and expected to sign a long-term lease with the city in the next month or two, and that lease includes the right to negotiate any new permits for field use.

Tuesday night, the City Council was notified of a claim from the league’s attorney saying that the permit had been wrongfully terminated. While the claim mentions a separate claim for damages, only the claim itself was forwarded by the city attorney’s office. The deputy city attorney handling the case is on vacation this week.

The Long Beach Armada has played at Blair Field since 2005 as part of the independent Golden Baseball League. It is the third semi-pro team in recent years to locate in Long Beach, and the longest lasting so far. Rather than being owned individually, teams in the Golden Baseball League all are owned by the league, providing a deeper resource pool.

The claim, filed by attorney Alexander M. Polyachenko, notes that there have been several alterations in the contract between the city and the baseball team over the last four years in an attempt to keep the team playing in Long Beach. Last year, the Armada took over concessions at Blair Field, providing service for the Long Beach State baseball games as well as their own.

According to J.C. Squires, manager of the Parks, Recreation and Marine Department’s Business Operations Bureau, the Armada had been falling behind in payments for the last year. When a $25,000 letter of credit expired, the league was told to renew it immediately, especially in light of $26,000 in unpaid bills.

“The letter of credit was supposed to be renewed in June, but it wasn’t,” Squires said. “There was a separate letter of credit to pay the Armada’s share of the new scoreboard, and the Partners of Parks (which had financed the scoreboard purchase with promises of partial repayment from the Armada and Long Beach State) had to make a call on that letter. That wasn’t involved in the decision to revoke the permit, but it did show the trend of decline the Armada was in regarding payments.”

The permit was revoked on Nov. 3. Squires said that decision came only after a direct conversation between Phil Hester, director of the Parks, Recreation and Marine Department, and Dave Kaval, CEO of the Golden Baseball League. Even so, the claim says the city did not give the league an opportunity to reinstate the letter of credit, and contends that pulling the Armada permit was a condition of the Blair Field lease between the city and the university.

“It is no secret that the city wishes to cede responsibility for maintaining Blair Field to its most important tenant, the Long Beach State ‘Dirtbags,’ a national powerhouse baseball program,” the claim says. “It is also no secret that Long Beach State does not wish to have the Armada share the facilities or control the concessions during its games. Our sources advise us that the negotiations between the city and Long Beach State are much more advanced than we have been told and that in fact a prerequisite of any deal between the city and Long Beach State was that the Armada’s permit be terminated.”

Squires denied that the Armada permit termination had anything to do with the negotiations to lease the facility to the university. Talks began between the two early last year, before the fiscal 2010 budget was prepared. The lease is figured into the 2010 expense savings in the Parks, Recreation and Marine Department budget, and maintenance was turned over to the university on Jan. 4, although the lease is still being negotiated. That lease would go to the City Council for final approval.

“The two situations are mutually exclusive,” Squires said. “The timing is coincidental… One of the conditions for leasing always has been that existing permits have to be honored. But renewals and any new permits would be up to CSULB.”

Ongoing permits include use of Blair by high school teams and some youth summer programs. Length of those permits was not available.

City Attorney Robert Shannon said that the claim will be denied, freeing the Golden Baseball League to file whatever lawsuit it wanted to file. Calls to Kaval at Golden Baseball League headquarters and Tony Soares, Armada general manager, were not returned in time for this story.

Na Ikaika Koa Maui

2009-12-28T06:20:00.000-08:00

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

2009-12-19T11:15:00.000-08:00

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)

2009-12-15T21:00:00.000-08:00

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

2009-12-15T12:20:00.000-08:00

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

2009-12-12T08:39:00.000-08:00

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

2009-12-11T07:18:00.000-08:00

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

2009-12-08T20:21:00.000-08:00

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

2009-10-21T15:10:00.000-07:00

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

2009-10-19T16:56:00.000-07:00

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?

2009-10-13T23:05:00.000-07:00

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

2010 Season Tickets Available!

2009-10-13T11:42:00.000-07:00

ALL 2010 SEASON TICKETS ARE 10% OFF WITH A 25% DEPOSIT BY NOVEMBER 2! NOW IS THE TIME TO GET INTO THE GAME WITH 2010 ARMADA SEASON TICKETS!

Season Ticket Seat	Regular Price	10% Discount Price	25% Deposit by 11/2/09
Field Box Seat	~~$600~~	$540	$135
Reserved Seat	~~$300~~	$270	$70
General Admission Seat	~~$175~~	$157.50	$40

Blair Field seating map

2010 Armada Season Ticket Benefits

BENEFITS	Field Box	Reserved	General Admission
Team Meet-n-Greet Event	x	x	x
Free VIP Parking Pass	x
In-Seat Food Service	x
20% Off Armada merchandise card	x	x	x
Never A Wasted Ticket Program*	x	x	x

* Never A Wasted Ticket Program – Redeem unused season tickets from past games at the box office for a ticket to another Armada game for free. Now you can bring a friend with leftover tickets. Subject to availability.

Parking Passes come with an order for Field Box season tickets or can be purchased from the Armada for $100 for the season. Save $120 off the drive-up price of parking with a 2010 Armada Parking Pass!

Download 2010 Season Ticket Order Form
Download, fill out, and fax to (562) 427-7423 today, or
call (562) 427-HITS (4487) to reserve your seat!

Download this information guide

Promotional Ideas for 2010

2009-10-09T11:01:00.000-07:00

Got any ideas for promotions next season? Submit them here!

Free email forms

Lima's ERA also went North

2009-09-19T16:09:00.000-07:00

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	IP	SO	BB	H
Playoffs 2009	Edmonton Capitals	0	1	4.69	1	1	0	7.2	3	0	9
Summer 2009	Long Beach Armada	5	5	2.93	11	11	1	83	51	9	84
Summer 2009	Edmonton Capitals	1	2	6.48	5	5	0	33.1	16	11	41
TOTAL		6	8	3.99	17	17	1	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

2009-08-31T21:31:00.000-07:00

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

2009-08-31T20:33:00.000-07:00

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

2009-08-31T20:24:00.000-07:00

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

2009-08-31T19:49:00.000-07:00

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

2009-08-31T19:32:00.000-07:00

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

2009-08-31T18:52:00.000-07:00

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

2009-08-30T19:59:00.000-07:00

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!!!

2009-08-30T19:46:00.001-07:00

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

2009-08-30T19:36:00.000-07:00

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

2009-08-30T19:29:00.001-07:00

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

2009-08-30T19:01:00.000-07:00

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

2009-08-30T18:23:00.000-07:00

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

2009-08-30T17:48:00.000-07:00

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

2009-08-30T17:37:00.000-07:00

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

2009-08-30T17:27:00.000-07:00

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

2009-08-30T16:55:00.000-07:00

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

2009-08-29T22:15:00.000-07:00

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

2009-08-29T21:54:00.000-07:00

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

2009-08-29T21:24:00.000-07:00

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

2009-08-29T20:52:00.000-07:00

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

2009-08-29T20:01:00.000-07:00

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

2009-08-29T19:48:00.000-07:00

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

2009-08-29T19:33:00.000-07:00

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

2009-08-29T18:33:00.001-07:00

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

2009-08-28T20:56:00.000-07:00

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

2009-08-28T20:38:00.001-07:00

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

2009-08-28T20:20:00.000-07:00

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

2009-08-28T20:14:00.001-07:00

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

2009-08-28T19:03:00.000-07:00

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

2009-08-27T09:42:00.001-07:00

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

2009-08-21T08:48:00.000-07:00

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

2009-08-20T20:49:00.000-07:00

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

2009-08-20T20:29:00.000-07:00

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.

Armada on top 2-1

2009-08-20T20:07:00.000-07:00

We go into the fourth and the Armada are on top of the RoadRunners 2-1. Brandon Howard was able to advance to first, but then was able to advance to second off the E-5 from Angel Sanchez. Moss then stepped up to the plate and came through with a base hit into right field which allowed Howard to come home and score. Moss picked up his second RBI of the night, eleventh of the season. The Armada has two runs, five hits, and no errors. The RoadRunners has one run, two hits, and one error.

Howard ties ball game

2009-08-20T19:29:00.000-07:00

We go into the second and we have a tie ball game. It started off with Brandon Howard advancing to second base off the wild pitch from Raymar Diaz to Omar Bramasco. Bramasco struck out, but Steve Moss with a base hit to deep center field allowed the speedy Brandon Howard to make a run for home from second and scored. Steve Moss with his ninth RBI of the season. The Armada has one run, two hits, and no errors. The RoadRunners also has one run, two hits, and no errors.

St. George leads early 1-0

2009-08-20T19:17:00.000-07:00

Bottom of the first and the Armada trail early to the RoadRunners by a run. Yosvany Almario scores off the RBI Single from A.J. Valentine. Valentine picked his 74th RBI of the season. The Armada has no runs, one hit, and no errors. The RoadRunners has one run, two hits, and no errors. Omar Bramasco is now up to bat.

Armada vs. RoadRunners 8/20

2009-08-20T18:49:00.000-07:00

Game three of this three game series the Armada look to get back to their winning ways as they host the visiting St. George RoadRunners. The Armada look to wrap up this series with a win after a heartbreaking eleven inning 5-3 loss last night. The Armada are currently in fifth place, with a 12-15 record in the second half of the GBL season. After this game the Armada will board the bus and head off to St. George for a three game series, and then come back to California to host their freeway rival the Orange County Flyers. Right handed pitcher Kris Honel will get the ball tonight as he looks for his first win at Blair Field.

Armada Starting Lineup:
1. Brandon Howard #2 2B
2. Omar Bramasco #6 SS
3. Steve Moss #32 LF
4. J.J. Sherrill #19 DH
5. Andy Bouchie #15 C
6. Asif Shah #25 RF
7. Jonny Kaplan #6 3B
8. Daryl Jones #31 1B
9. Josh Womack #20 CF

SP: Kris Honel
1-1, 15th Start, 3.90 ERA

Toros & Scorpions throw down

2009-08-20T12:47:00.000-07:00

This reported from the Yuma Sun newspaper. Last night in Yuma, the Tucson Toros and the Scorpions exploded into a brawl that resulted in injuries, six ejections, and what's sure to be suspensions to come.

Reading the article, the Toros appeared to have a relief pitcher make the start just to throw at Yuma leadoff man Deivis Rivadeniera before the actual starter came in once the reliever was ejected for throwing at a guy.

And please don't say that it's because these are two teams from Arizona that play each other "all the time" so they have some bad blood. Counting tonight's game scheduled between the Toros and Scorpions, the two teams play nine times this season. Long Beach has played Yuma 16 times this year without incident.

Here's the Yuma Sun article:

After a near-brawl Tuesday night, the Toros and Scorpions got into a full-fledged brawl including plenty of fist fights and kicking Wednesday night, but Yuma couldn't muster much offense in a 6-3 loss at Desert Sun Stadium.

The loss pushes the Scorpions (15-17 second half, 25-44 overall) four games back of the South Division leading Toros (15-9, 32-30) with just seven games left for Yuma.

Despite the scuffle that resulted in six player ejections - four Scorpions - and the poor offensive showing, there was one bright spot for Yuma. Tucson started the sixth with three singles when Ryan Priddy, with runners at first and second, lined the ball to Carlos Villalobos at third on a hit and run. Villalobos ended up starting a triple play, doubling off the two runners by a mile as Yuma escaped the inning down 6-1.

Tucson managed just three hits through the first four innings, but started the fifth with five straight singles that lead to three runs, giving the Toros a 5-1 lead off Yuma starter Julio Santiago (1-6).

The top of the first was uneventful, with Santiago retiring the side on nine pitches. There would be no such calmness in the bottom of the first.

Brian Daly got the start for Tucson, his first since 2007 with Laredo of the United League. In 102 professional games, it was his 27th start. The first pitch to Deivis Rivadeneira was inside. Even though both teams were warned before the game - extra security was on-hand as well - Daly wasn't tossed. The second pitch went behind Rivadeneira, who then charged the mound.

There was little action as both teams stood around for the first 90 seconds, but eventually punches were thrown and the melee was on.

Both managers were tossed, although for the second straight game Tucson was under an acting manager in the absence of Tim Johnson. Pete LaCock was the interim manager Tuesday, but Ed Vosberg was listed as interim manager Wednesday and was the one ejected. Johnson arrived in the second inning and took over managing.

Jackie Gutierrez, who took over for manager Boris Villa after his ejection, left immediately after the game and was not available for comment.

Johnson got to stay and watch reliever - but usual starter - Vince Davis (3-2) stymie the Scorpions' bats. Rivadeneira and pitchers Wilton Noel, Cristian Mendoza and Javier Ortiz were tossed, along with Villa. Former Major League all-star Junior Spivey was the only Toro player ejected other than Daly.

The win puts the Toros at 3-5 against the Scorps this year, with two wins coming with Davis pitching.

"These guys are playing good against us all the time, and we needed this win," Johnson said, "Vince pitched well and threw a great game, and pitching is the key."

Yuma made things close in the eighth with a two-run double by Villalobos, who drove in all three Yuma runs and had two of the four Scorpion hits. Before the eighth, Davis had given up just one hit but gave up three in the two-run eighth.

Dorian Castro came on to pitch in the sixth for the Scorps and gave up an RBI single to the first batter, but induced the double play and retired 12 straight, lasting the final four innings.

Reid Price pitched the ninth for Tucson to pick up his eighth save.

The teams wrap up the three-game series at 7:05 tonight.

Playoff Projections: How the Armada can make the playoffs

2009-08-19T12:18:00.001-07:00

With only 12 games left in the 2009 Golden Baseball League regular season, here is a breakdown of the South Division playoff picture. The St. George RoadRunners had the best record in the first half of the season, clinching one of the two South Division playoff berths. If the RoadRunners win the second half as well, the team with the second-best overall record will face them in the playoffs.

Here are the current South Division SECOND HALF standings as of today:

South Division	Wins	Loses	Win %	Games Back	Games Left
Tucson Toros	14	9	0.609	-	12
Orange County Flyers	15	12	0.556	1	12
St. George RoadRunners*	16	14	0.533	1.5	12
Yuma Scorpions	15	16	0.484	3	8
Long Beach Armada	12	14	0.462	3.5	12

*First Half Winner

The winner of the second half will be determined by winning percentage because of the unbalanced scheduled created when the Tijuana Potros were put on hold. Basically because each team does not play the same number of games, the winner is based on winning percentage, not necessary the number of wins a team has.

Therefore, in looking at the remaining 12 games (or 8 for Yuma), in order for the Armada to make the playoffs, it's not just about narrowing the gap of being 3.5 games back, the winning percentage for each team ahead of Long Beach is the key factor.

If the Long Beach Armada were to win 9 of its final 12 games to make the playoffs, the team would have a final record of 21-17 for a winning percentage of 0.553 in the second half. That would mean each other team in the South Division would need to see its winner percentage slip below that mark. Here is the breakdown...

Where Teams Can Finish

South Division	Games Left	If they Win	If they Lose	2nd Half Wins	2nd Half Loses	Win %
Tucson Toros	12	6	6	20	15	0.571
St. George RoadRunners*	12	8	4	24	18	0.571
Orange County Flyers	12	7	5	22	17	0.564
Yuma Scorpions	8	7	1	22	17	0.564
Long Beach Armada	12	9	3	21	17	0.553
St. George RoadRunners*	12	7	5	23	19	0.548
Tucson Toros	12	5	7	19	16	0.543
Orange County Flyers	12	6	6	21	18	0.538
Yuma Scorpions	8	6	2	21	18	0.538

So what does it all mean?

It means if the Armada does go on to win nine of its final 12 games, then it would need each of the other teams in the South Division to finish with the records and winner percentages listed below the Armada's 21-17 (0.553) mark. Basically the team needs to win four more games than Tucson the rest of the way (thus being 3.5 games back of the Toros right now).

Now those teams could win more or less games than the numbers I put up there. Those are just to show - relative to the Armada getting very hot - the limits of where other teams in the South Division can finish to either barely make or barely miss the playoffs ahead of or behind the Long Beach Armada.

Armada beats St. George in slugfest

2009-08-18T23:17:00.000-07:00

ARMADA BOUNCES BACK TWICE TO GET THE WIN

LONG BEACH (August 18, 2009) -- The Long Beach Armada overcame a three-run deficit twice against the offensively explosive St. George RoadRunners en route to a 13-11 victory at Blair Field on Tuesday. The win puts the Armada, now 12-14 in the second half, 3.5 games behind first-place Tucson in the GBL South Division standings with 12 games left in the regular season.

St. George used two big innings - a six-run second and a five-run sixth - to take three-run leads over the Fleet, but each time the Armada offense responded in kind.

The RoadRunners batted around in the sixth inning to turn an 8-6 Armada lead into a 11-8 hole. The Armada responded in the home half of the inning with an RBI-single from Dan Luyben and a two-RBI single from Brandon Howard to tie the game, 11-11. Howard finished the night 2-for-5 with one run scored and two RBI on a night where he got the start at third base after Napoleon Calzado was inactivated for the remainder of the season.

Omar Bramasco doubled in the bottom of the seventh to score Jonny Kaplan from first base as Long Beach took a 12-11 lead. One inning later, Andy Bouchie hit his team-leading seventh homerun of the season over the centerfield wall to push the Armada ahead for good, 13-11.

Long Beach relievers Scott Watson, Justin Segal and Rusty Jones combined to shut out the RoadRunners over the final four innings to preserve the victory. Watson (1-0) earned the win, giving up three hit over two innings of relief. Jones earned his third save of the season.

Long Beach struck with three runs in the first inning to take the early lead, highlighted by back-to-back RBI doubles from Steve Moss and Matt Edgecombe.

St. George retaliated with a monster second inning. The RoadRunners roughed up Armada starter Dusty Gober for two runs off of three hits and two Armada errors before the GBL's RBI-leader AJ Valentine blasted a grand slam homerun for a 6-3 St. George lead.

All nine Armada batters collected a hit, and six notched multi-hit games. Eight different Armada batters drove in at least one run, with Josh Womack leading the charge with a 3-RBI night.

If the Armada wins the second half division title, the team will advance to the playoffs for a GBL-record fourth time.

Armada having a good night

2009-08-16T19:20:00.000-07:00

Bottom of the eighth and the Armada trying to close out the Yuma Scorpions as they were able to pick up one run in the bottom of the seventh, extending their lead to 7-3. Brandon Howard made a run for home and scored off the RBI single from Josh Womack. Womack picked up his 19th RBI of the season. Yuma Manager Boris Villa ended Sheridan's night and replaced him with Right handed pitcher Christian Mendoza. Mendoza is making his 28th game appearance. The Armada has seven runs, 13 hits, and one error. The Scorpions have three runs, eight hits, and one error.

Fleet extend lead up 6-3

2009-08-16T18:59:00.000-07:00

We go into the seventh and every thing is going the Armadas way as they were able to score one run in the last inning, to put themselves up 7-3. Josh Womack came home and scored off the RBI single from Steve Moss. The Armada has really turned their game around, after a terrible start to this game. The Armada has six runs, nine hits, and one error. The Scorpions have three runs, eight hits, and one error.

Armada respond up 5-3

2009-08-16T18:28:00.000-07:00

Bottom of the fifth and the Fleet have responded offensivly scoring four runs in the bottom of the fourth to put themselves on top 5-3. It started off with Matt Edgecombe scoring off the RBI double from David Ramirez, the score was 2-3. Ramirez advanced to second and Howard was put into scoring position at third. Yuma Manager Boris Villa saw enough and replaced Reynaldo Correal with former Houston Astros selection Eric Sheridan. Brandon Howard was then able to score off the E-8 from Diover Avila to tie the game at three, that put David Ramirez at third ready to come home. Ramirez then made a run for home and scored off the RBI from Jonny Kaplan. Kaplan picked up his 22nd RBI of the second, the score was 4-3. Then Josh Womack came home and scored off the RBI single from Omar Bramasco to put the Fleet up 5-3. So the Armada need to try to hold onto this lead to earn a much needed victory.

Armada score one run

2009-08-16T17:46:00.000-07:00

We go into the third and the Armada were able to score one run to cut the Yuma lead to 3-1. It started off with David Ramirez advancing to first off the fielders choice which also allowed Napolean Calzado to score from third base to cut into lead. So the Armada are not playing good baseball so far in this game. The Armada has one run, no hits, and one error. The Scorpions have three runs, six hits, and no errors.

Fleet in trouble down 3-0

2009-08-16T17:31:00.000-07:00

Bottom of the second and the Fleet need to find some runs as they trail Yuma 3-0. Deivis Rivadeneira came home and scored off the RBI single from Adolfo Gomez. Gomez picked up his 21st RBI of the season. Brandon Howard is now up to bat. This is a very crucial game for the Armada so they need to start finding some runs. The Armada has no runs, no hits, and one error. The Scorpions have three runs, six hits, and no errors.

Armada down early 2-0

2009-08-16T17:15:00.000-07:00

We go into the bottom of the first inning and what a sloppy inning that was as the fleet trail the Scorpions early 2-0. It all started off with Deivis Rivadeneira scoring off the E-4 the score was 1-0. Then Carlos Arroyo came home and scored off the RBI from Reynaldo Rodriguez. The Armada has no runs, no hits, and one error. The Scorpions have two runs, four hits, and no errors.

Armada vs Scorpions 8/16

2009-08-16T16:38:00.000-07:00

Good Afternoon Armada fans and welcome to the final game between the Long Beach Armada and the visiting Yuma Scorpions. Last night was the debut of Pitcher Kris Honel. Honel was acquired from the Edmonton Capitals in exchange for pitcher Jose Lima. Honel received a no decision in his first start last night at Blair Field, as the Armada fell to the Scorpions 2-3. The Armada's record in the second half now stands at 10-14, 30-32 overall. Scott Lonergan will get the ball today as he looks for his fifth win of the season. Stay tuned game three is coming your way.

Armada Starting Lineup:
1. Jonny Kaplan #5 RF
2. Omar Bramasco #6 SS
3. Steve Moss #22 LF
4. Napolean Calzado #18 3B
5. Asif Shah #25 DH
6. Matt Edgecombe #30 1B
7. Brandon Howard #2 2B
8. David Ramirez #21 C
9. Josh Womack #20 CF

SP: Scott Lonergan #34,
4-5, 5.60 ERA, 13th Start

Fox leads Armada to victory

2009-08-14T22:06:00.000-07:00

Ben Fox pitched another great game as he helped lead the Fleet to a 3-2 win over the visiting Yuma Scorpions. Fox picked up his fifth win of the season. The Armada are now 10-13 in the second half, 30-31 overall.

The Fleet came out early in the bottom of the second inning, taking a 1-0 lead over the Scorpions. Matt Edgecombe with a soft hit was able to reach third off a three base throwing error from Jose Mosquera. Andy Bouchie brought in Edgecombe to give the Armada a 1-0 lead.

The Scorpions then responded with back to back singles from Jose Mosquera and Jonathan Lozada out runners on base. A sac bunt from Rivadeneira put runners on second and third base. Adolfo Gomez brought in both runners to give Yuma a 2-1 lead over the Fleet.

The Armada was able to regain the lead when Omar Bramasco and Steve Moss led the inning with back to back walks. Matt Edgecombe came through with a base hit deep into left field which brought in Omar to tie the ball game at two. A wild pitch from reliever pitcher Dorian Castro got away from Mosquera and brought in Steve Moss to give the Armada a 3-2 lead. The Scorpions tried to respond but the Armada handed them the loss.

Fans make your plans to join us again tomorrow at Blair Field, with the first pitch scheduled for 7:05 PM.

Armada regain lead

2009-08-14T21:05:00.001-07:00

We go into the seventh and the Armada has reclaimed the lead. Omar Bramasco came home and scored off the RBI single from Matt Edgecombe to tie the ball game at two. Thanks to the wild pitch from Dorian Castro Steve Moss came home and scored to give the Fleet a 3-2 lead. The Armada has three runs, four hits, and no errors. The Scorpions has two runs, five hits, and one error.

Yuma leads 2-1

2009-08-14T19:53:00.000-07:00

Bottom of the third inning and the Armada need to score some runs as they trail the Scorpions 2-1. Jose Mosquera and Jonathan Lozada came home and scored off the RBI double from Adolfo Gomez. The Armada desperately need this win tonight if they want to keep their playoff hopes alive. The Armada has one run, no hits, and no errors. The Scorpions has two runs, four hits, and one error.

Armada score one run

2009-08-14T19:43:00.000-07:00

We go into the third and the Armada find themselves up 1-0. Matt Edgecombe came home and scored off the RBI from Andy Bouchie. Bouchie picked up his 34th RBI of the season. The Armada has one run, no hits, and no errors. The Scorpions has no runs, one hit, and one error.

Armada vs Scorpions

2009-08-14T19:09:00.000-07:00

Welcome back Armada fans and it seems like forever since we last met here at Blair Field. The Armada looking to make their run for the playoffs as they host the visiting Yuma Scorpions. The Armada currently have a 9-13 record in the second half of the GBL season, 29-31 overall. Ben Fox will get the ball tonight, as he looks for his fifth win of the season.

Armada Starting Lineup:
1. Jonny Kaplan #5 9
2. Omar Bramasco #6 6
3. Steve Moss #22 7
4. Napolean Calzado #18 5
5. Matt Edgecombe #30 DH
6. Andy Bouchie #15 2
7. Dan Luyben #10 4
8. Daryl Jones #31 3
9. Josh Womack #20 8

SP: Ben Fox #16 LHP, 3.59 ERA, 13th start

Templeton goes off the wall in St. George

2009-08-08T17:21:00.000-07:00

Long Beach Armada manager Garry Templeton taking a handful of swings at the conclusion of batting practice before a game in St. George. Templeton - a three time National League All-Star - declared if given a five or six swings, he could hit a ball out of Bruce Hurst Field. With David Ramirez throwing BP, Templeton picked up a bat and stepped to the plate...

"Time" expires: Lima traded to Edmonton

2009-08-01T00:43:00.000-07:00

It looks like the run has ended as Jose Lima has been traded to the Edmonton Capitals for the remainder of the 2009 season. *Make me an offer I can't refuse* For those of you who have been clamoring on this blog for the team to get rid of its major league talent, I guess you're getting your wish. While Hideki Irabu is still on the Armada roster, replacing everything that Jose Lima brought to the table will be a difficult if not impossible task. Long Beach is getting a very capable starting pitcher from the Capitals in Kris Honel - who is scheduled to start Saturday - but the role of team leader that Lima played is one that will leave the biggest void.

Kris Honel, a former first round draft pick of the White Sox, will give the Armada quality starting pitching, but something tells me we won't be hearing any more "Sweet Home Dominicana" in the clubhouse. While the move does "spread the wealth" of having a major talent and even bigger personality like Lima in the league by getting him more exposure to the Canadian teams, we can only hope that he does get the exposure and hopefully the opportunity to get a nod from an affiliated club. That is, after all, what he has been working so hard for.

Lima earned Golden Baseball League All-Star honors this season and was one of four members of the Fleet selected to the GBL's mid-summer classic. So far this season the former Major League All-Star (1999, Houston Astros) has compiled a 5-5 record with a 2.93 ERA. In 11 starts, he has pitched a total of 83 innings, recording 51 strike outs compared to only nine walks. He is averaging between 7 1/3 and 7 2/3 innings per start with Long Beach.

Kris Honel's numbers so far this season. He's 4-4 with a 4.30 ERA. In 10 starts, he has pitched 46 innings, striking out 46 and walking 43.

Here is the official release from the Armada website:

Armada deals Jose Lima to Edmonton for starting pitcher Kris Honel
White Sox former 1st rounder to join Fleet this weekend in Chico

Long Beach, Calif. (July 31, 2009) -– The Long Beach Armada announced tonight that they have traded RHP Jose Lima to the Edmonton Capitals in exchange for RHP Kris Honel, a former first round draft pick of the Chicago White Sox. The two pitchers have similar records in the GBL this season.

Lima has been one of the top pitchers on the Armada staff this season, but will be a free agent at the end of this season. Honel, one of the best young arms in the GBL will be with the Armada next season as well, if he doesn't get picked up by a major league organization, since his contract has an option year left on it that Long Beach can exercise.

Honel, 26, 6-5, 195 was the 16th overall pick in the 2001 amateur draft as the Chicago White Sox made him their first selection that year out of Providence Catholic High School in New Lenox, Illinois. On a fast track, he rocketed up through the White Sox organization reaching AA in two years as he had strikeout totals of 152 and 122 in two short minor league seasons. Injuries sidetracked him in 2004 and 2006 and he moved to the St. Louis Cardinals organization in 2008. Released just this year, he joined the Edmonton Capitals and quickly became one of the leaders of their pitching staff. His four wins this year are third best amongst Capitals' pitchers and he has the second best E.R.A. of the starters on the Edmonton staff and is second in strikeouts. He beat the Armada and Jose Lima in a pitcher's duel on June 17th earlier this season, as he struck out 9 and gave up only two hits and allowed no runs.

Edmonton initiated the trade as they try to solidify their hold on the second playoff spot in the North Division. Lima has pitched very effectively against the Capitals this year and was a huge fan favorite on the Armada's visit to Edmonton in the first half of this season.

Also here are interviews with Jose Lima as well as Garry Templeton on the trade.

Yuma cuts into lead

2009-07-30T20:36:00.001-07:00

The Scorpions were able to make a run of their own in the last inning, and cut the Armada lead to one run. Deivis Rivadeneira came home and scored off the RBI single from Carlos Arroyo. Arroyo picked up his 22nd RBI of the season. The Armada has two runs, three hits, and no errors. The Scorpions has one run, five hits, and one error.

Kaplan puts Fleet up 2-0

2009-07-30T20:26:00.000-07:00

We are in the top of the sixth and the Armada find themselves up 2-0, thanks to the in park home run by Johnny Kaplan. If you followed the team last season it was Norm Hutchins who hit the last in park home run. That game was on September 3rd vs Orange County, so Kaplan making some history tonight.

Armada go up 1-0

2009-07-30T19:54:00.000-07:00

The Armada picked up one run in the bottom of the third, and now have a 1-0 lead over Yuma. Brandon Howard advanced to first base, and then was able to go onto steal second. Jonny Kaplan with a base hit brought home the speedy Brandon Howard to score for the Armada. Kaplan picked up his fourteenth RBI of the season. The Armada has one run, two hits, and no errors. The Scorpions has no runs, three hits, and one error.

Armada vs Scorpions 7/30

2009-07-30T19:00:00.000-07:00

Game three of this three game series the Armada look to go on the road with a two game winning streak. The Fleet played a great day yesterday, picking up 2-1 victory over the Scorpions on Kids Day. Dusty Gober picked up his second win of the season, and pitched a great game. He gave up just one run, and struck out nine, in 7.1 innings of work. Hideki Irabu gets the ball tonight, as he looks for his fifth win of the season.

Armada Starting Lineup:
1. Brandon Howard #2 DH
2. Jonny Kaplan #5 9
3. Omar Bramasco #6 6
4. Steve Moss #22 7
5. Napolean Calzado #18 5
6. Matt Edgecombe #30 3
7. Andy Bouchie #15 2
8. Dan Luyben #10 4
9. Josh Womack #20 8

SP: Hideki Irabu (4-3, 3.86 ERA)

Gober and Armada get the Victory

2009-07-29T14:34:00.000-07:00

With the kids cheering on, the Armada get the victory, beating the Yuma Scorpions 2-1. Dusty Gober picks up his second win of the season, and the Fleet now have a 4-8 record in the second half, 24-26 overall.

Yuma would go up first with a two out RBI double from Reynaldo Rodriguez gave the Scorpions a 1-0 lead over the Armada.

It wouldn't take the Armada long to respond back as Josh Womack led off with a base hit and made it all the way to third base off a sacrifice bunt from Brandon Howard. The back to back double from Omar Bramasco brought in Josh Womack, and Jonny Kaplan to put the Armada up 2-1.

In the ninth inning the Scorpions tried to come back but Koichi Misawa closed out the game, and handed the Scorpions the loss.

The Fleet is back in action tomorrow as the Armada look to wrap up this series with a win. Hideki Irabu will get the ball. Were back to our regular schedule with the first pitch scheduled for 7:05 pm.

Segal replaces Gober

2009-07-29T14:02:00.000-07:00

Top of the eighth and Dusty Gober is done for the afternoon, which brings in Justin Segal. Whats good about Segal is that he has the submarine like pitch, which has been working for him and the Armada this season. Gober pitched well today, giving up just one run, and striking out nine, in 7.1 innings of work.

Armada go up 2-1

2009-07-29T13:46:00.000-07:00

We go into the seventh, and with the Campers going crazy for their Armada, the Fleet now has taken a 2-1 lead over the Scorpions. It started off with Josh Womack making a speedy run for home, and was able to score off the RBI form Jonny Kaplan. The score was all tied up. Then Kaplan came home and scored off the Double from Omar Bramasco to give the Fleet the 2-1 lead over Yuma. The Armada has two runs, six hits, and one error. The Scorpions has one run, seven hits, and no errors. The Armada game is the hottest ticket in town today fans.

Yuma on the board

2009-07-29T13:24:00.000-07:00

We go into the bottom of the sixth and the Yuma Scorpions take a 1-0 lead over the Armada. Adolfo Gomez comes home and scores off the RBI single from Reynaldo Rodriguez. Rodriguez just picked up his 36th RBI of the season. Josh Womack is now up to bat, and he just advanced to first base. Lets see if the Fleet can make something happen in this inning. Brandon Howard is now up to bat. Some of you might be wondering why Brandon Howard is at third base today. Manager Garry Templeton made a change in his lineup, and moved Howard to third, and made Napolean Calzado the designated hitter. Josh Womack is now in scoring position at third base. Come on Jonny, bring Josh home.

Dusty Gober update

2009-07-29T13:16:00.000-07:00

We go into the top of the sixth, and still no score in this ball game. Dusty Gober now enters his sixth inning of work. He has given up no runs, and struck out six. Gober so far is having a good game. Lets hope that the Armada can back him up, and give him the win. The Armada has no runs, two hits, and no errors. The Scorpions has no runs, six hits, and no errors.

We are Scoreless in the fourth

2009-07-29T12:55:00.000-07:00

Bottom of the fourth inning and the Armada and Scorpions are still scoreless. Lets hope that the noise from all of the campers here at Blair Field will help the Armada get some runs. Jonny Kaplan is now up to bat. The Armada has zero runs, one hit, and no errors. The Scorpions has zero runs, four hits, and no errors.

Armada vs Scorpions 7/29

2009-07-29T11:33:00.000-07:00

Good Afternoon Armada fans for game two of this three game series. The Armada desperately need a victory today, as they look for revenge after a heartbreaking 6-3 loss to the Scorpions last night. The Armada tried to make a run in the ninth inning, but Emiliano Fruto closed out the game and handed the Armada the loss, and took game one. The Fleet have a 3-8 record in the second half of the GBL Season, 23-26 overall. Right handed pitcher Dusty Gober will get the ball, as he looks for his second win of the season. Also tune into the Armada Radio Network, as Armada Broadcaster Mark Leinweaver gives the play by play.

Armada Starting Lineup:
1. Brandon Howard #2 5
2. Jonny Kaplan #5 9
3. Omar Bramasco #6 6
4. Steve Moss #22 7
5. Matt Edgecombe #30 3
6. Andy Bouchie #15 2
7. Napolean Calzado #18 DH
8. Dan Luyben #10 4
9. Josh Womack #20 8

SP: Dusty Gober ( 1-0, 3.38 ERA)

Armada bit by Scorpions

2009-07-28T21:53:00.000-07:00

Scott Lonergan couldn't get the job done tonight, as the Armada loose 6-3. The Fleet are now 3-8 in the second half of the GBL season, 23-26 overall.

The Scorpions Reynaldo Rodriguez hit a single and moved to third base, off the Ismael Castro base hit. Diover Avila followed with a single to bring in Rodriguez to give Yuma a 1-0 lead.

Bottom of the second Steve Moss lead off with a double and moved to third base on a single from Matt Edgecombe. Andy Bouchie hit a sacrifice fly to tie the game at one.

Top of the third the Armada start to get into trouble when Reynaldo Rodriguez hit a three run home run to push the score to 4-1 Scorpions.

The Scorpions wanted to put the Armada away in the fourth as Diover Avila led off with a walk, and then Carlos Pupo doubled and brought in Avila. Then Deivis Rivadeniera brought in Pupo to extend their lead to 6-1.

Garry Templeton saw enough as he ended Lonergans night and brought in former Long Beach City College Viking Scott Watson, who pitched well in the relief of Lonergan. He allowed four hits, and struck out four.

The Armada would finally get a run in the eighth, as Josh Womack led off with a base hit, and stole second base. Omar Bramasco brought in Womack to cut the Yuma lead to 6-2.

Here come the Armada as Asif Shah singled and brought in Daryl Jones to cut the lead down to 6-3. Yuma manager Boris Villa saw enough as he replaced Javier Ortiz with Emiliano Fruto. The Armada tried to comeback in the bottom of the ninth but couldn't get it done.

Garry Templeton and the Armada will try to comeback tomorrow and pick up a victory to tie this series. Fans we have a 12:05 start tomorrow as we have Kids Day Out. If you have no plans, or have a day off from work, come on down to Blair Field and support your home team the Long Beach Armada. We need your support as we make our push for the playoffs. Reminder 12:05 pitch.

Fleet cut into lead

2009-07-28T21:21:00.000-07:00

We go into the top of the ninth, and the Armada finally able to pick up a run, as they cut the Scorpions lead to 6-2. Josh Womack comes home and scores off the RBI single form Omar Bramasco. Bramasco leads this Armada squad with 31 RBIs. The Armada has two runs, seven hits, and one error. The Scorpions has six runs, fourteen hits, and zero errors.

Armada still trail 6-1

2009-07-28T20:57:00.000-07:00

Bottom of the seventh and the Armada still trying to find a way to pick up some runs, in this ball game as they still trail the Yuma Scorpions 6-1. The Armada really need to do well in this series if they want to keep their playoff hopes alive. The Fleet so far this season have played well against Yuma, but tonight everything is going the Scorpions way, as they may be on their way to victory. Asif Shah is now up to bat, but was retired, and the inning is over. Tonight is not the Fleets night. The Armada has one run, four hits, and one error. The Scorpions has six runs, twelve hits, and zero errors.

Scorpions in control

2009-07-28T20:07:00.000-07:00

We go into the fifth inning and the Armada are really struggling, as the Yuma Scorpions are walking all over the Fleet, as they trail 6-1. The Armada started off the inning with a fantastic 5-4-3 play for out number one. Yuma then responded with back to back runs when Diover Avila scored off the Double from Carlos Pupo. The score was 5-1. Yuma was not done as Carlos Pupo scored off the RBI Single from Deivis Rivadeneira, giving Yuma a 6-1 lead. Manager Boris Villa must be pleased with the way the Scorpions are playing. Skipper Garry Templeton is not pleased with the way his ball club is playing. With two outs in the top of the fourth Templeton ended Scott Lonergans night, replacing him with Scott Watson. The Armada has one run, three hits, and one error. The Scorpions has six runs, ten hits, and zero errors.

Yuma scores three runs

2009-07-28T19:44:00.000-07:00

Bottom of the third and what an inning that was for the Scorpions as Reynaldo Rodriguez came through for his team with a three home run that brought in Carlos Villalobos, Carlos Arroyo, followed by Reynaldo Rodriguez. The Armada now need to play catch up, and find some runs to get back in this ball game. The Armada has one run, three hits, and one error. The Scorpions has four runs, seven hits, and zero errors. Dan Luyben just struck out so that brings up Omar Bramasco. Come on Omar, we need some runs.

Armada and Scorpions tied

2009-07-28T19:34:00.000-07:00

We go into the third and we have a tie ball game, as Steve Moss was able to come home and score off the Sacrifice fly. The Armada has one run, two hits, and one error. The Scorpions has one run, three hits, and zero errors.

Yuma has 1-0 lead

2009-07-28T19:26:00.000-07:00

Bottom of the second, and the Yuma Scorpions have a 1-0 lead over the Armada. Reynaldo Rodriguez scored off the RBI single from Diover Avila. At one point the plate umpire Sergio Padilla was going to call an out on Rodriguez, but the call was not changed. The Armada has zero runs, zero hits, and one error. The Scorpions has one run, one hit, and zero errors. Napolean Calzado is now up to bat.

Armada vs Scorpions

2009-07-28T18:34:00.000-07:00

Welcome back Armada fans, as the Armada look to get back to their winning ways, as they host the visiting Yuma Scorpions in a three game series. The Armada currently have a record of 3-7 in the second half of the GBL season, 23-25 overall. The Yuma Scorpions have a record of 5-10 in the second half, 15-37 overall. Scott Lonergan will get the ball tonight, as he looks for his fourth win of the season. While viewing the blog tune into the Armada Radio Network, as Mark Leinweaver gives the play by play. Simply go to longbeacharmada.com, and click on the listen live link. The Armada made a trade over the weekend, as the Armada send pitcher Ryne Tacker to the Chico Outlaws in exchange for second baseman Dan Luyben. He will make his first start as an Armada tonight. He is also a Long Beach native, so it will be a home coming for Luyben.

Armada Starting Lineup:
1. Josh Womack #20 8
2. Dan Luyben #10 4
3. Omar Bramasco #6 6
4. Steve Moss #22 7
5. Napolean Calzado #18 5
6. Matt Edgecombe #30 DH
7. Andy Bouchie #15 2
8. Daryl Jones #31 3
9. Asif Shah #25 9

SP: Scott Lonergan (4-3, 5.21 ERA)

St. George takes series 2-1

2009-07-23T21:16:00.000-07:00

Ben Fox pitched a terrific game, but picked up his fifth loss as the Armada fall to the St. George Road Runners 2-0, and loose this series 2-1. The Fleet is now 3-7 in the second half of the GBL season.

St. George was on top of the Armada in the third inning, when Henry Calderon hit a double and was able to move to third base after a sacrifice bunt. Rudy Yan singled up to the middle to give the Road Runners a 1-0 lead.

St. George scored again in the fifth inning when Calderon once again came through for his team when he was brought in off the RBI single from Yosvany Almario. That gave the Road Runners a 2-0 lead.

In the bottom of the ninth the Armada looked to see if they could get a miracle, but David Seccombe was too much for the Fleet tonight, as he closed the game giving the Fleet the loss.

The Armada will have the weekend off to regroup and come prepared for the Yuma Scorpions on Tuesday right here at Blair Field. First pitch is scheduled for 7:05 pm. Have a good weekend Armada fans, and hope to see everyone out at Blair Field on Tuesday.

Segal replaces Fox

2009-07-23T21:03:00.000-07:00

We go into the ninth and the Armada need a miracle as they still trail the Road Runners 2-0. Fox tonight will pick up the loss, as he finishes tonight giving up four runs, and striking out eight, in eight innings of work. Segal this season has appeared in eighteen games, giving up four runs, three walks, and striking out seventeen, in 23 innings of work. The Armada has zero runs, two hits, and zero errors. The Road Runners has two runs, six hits, and zero errors.

Armada down 2-0

2009-07-23T20:24:00.000-07:00

Bottom of the fifth and the Fleet now have to play catch up as they trail the Road Runners 2-0. Henry Calderon once again comes through for St. George as he comes home and scores off the Yosvany Almario RBI. Lets see if the Armada can start to get hot in this ball game like they did last night. The Armada has zero runs, two hits, and zero errors. The Road Runners has two runs, four hits, and zero errors.

St. George takes a 1-0 lead

2009-07-23T19:46:00.001-07:00

We go into the bottom of the third and the Road Runners take a 1-0 lead over the Armada. Henry Calderon scores off the RBI single from Rudy Yan. The Armada has zero runs, one hit, and zero errors. The Road Runners has one run, two hits, and zero errors.

Armada vs Road Runners

2009-07-23T18:53:00.000-07:00

Game three of this three game series the Armada look to make it two straight against the St. George Road Runners. Jose Lima did a phenomenal job at the mound last night, giving up only one run, and striking out six, in eight innings of work. Lima picked up his fifth win of the season, as the Fleet went onto beat the Road Runners 5-1. Ben Fox will get the ball tonight, as he looks for his fourth win of the season. Game three is coming your way.

Armada Starting Lineup:
1. Jonny Kaplan #5 7
2. Omar Bramasco #6 6
3. Napolean Calzado #18 5
4. Andy Bouchie #15 2
5. Steve Moss #32 8
6. Asif Shah #25 9
7. Daryl Jones #31 3
8. Matt Edgecombe #30 DH
9. Brandon Howard #2 4

Ben Fox #16 (3-4, 3.88 ERA)

Lima leads Armada to Victory

2009-07-22T21:44:00.000-07:00

It defiantly was LIMA TIME tonight at Blair Field as Jose Lima helped lead the Armada squad to a 5-1 victory over the St. George Road Runners. Fans gave Lima a standing ovation as he walked off the field. The Fleet is now 3-6 in the second half of the GBL season.

Bottom of the second Steve Moss started off with a walk. Then Asif Shah followed with a base hit, and Daryl Jones walked to load the bases. Matt Edgecombe hit a single to bring in Moss and Shah to give the Armada a 2-0 lead. Howard hit a single of his own to load the bases. Jonny kaplan hit a ball deep to bring in Jones to give the fleet a 3-0 lead.

The Armada wasn't done when Calzado and Bouchie singled to put runners on base. Asif Shah hit a sacrifice fly to bring in a team member to push the lead to 4-0.

Bottom of the fourth Omar Bramasco hit a shot to bring in Brandon Howard to give the Armada a 5-0 lead.

St. George tried to make something happen when they had back to back singles to put themselves on the board with one run.

Jose finished the night giving up only one run, and striking out six, in eight innings of work.

The Armada meet the Road Runners again tomorrow. First pitch scheduled for 7:05 pm. Hope to see everyone out at Blair Field as the Armada look for their fourth win of the second half.

Tacker takes the Mound

2009-07-22T21:13:00.001-07:00

Ryne Tacker will get the ball as we go into the ninth, as the Armada could be on their way to victory hanging onto a 5-1 lead over St. George. Like I said in the last post Jose Lima shined for his team tonight. He gave up only one run, and struck out six, in eight innings of work. Tacker this season has appeared in eighteen games, and struck out seventeen, in fifteen innings. Fasten your seat belts fans, were going down to the wire.

St. George on the board

2009-07-22T21:02:00.000-07:00

We go into the bottom of the eighth, and the Road Runners finally find themselves on the board, but the Armada still hang onto a 5-1 lead. Center fielder Ryan Stevenson came home and scored off the RBI from AJ Valentine. Jose Lima is having a phenomenal night. I hope their are some scouts here watching Jose pitch, he defiantly is shining tonight. The Armada has five runs, six hits, and zero errors. The Road Runners has one runs, seven hits, and two errors.

Armada on fire up by Five runs

2009-07-22T20:15:00.000-07:00

We go into the sixth and it is all Armada as they are on top of the Road Runners 5-0. Brandon Howard singled to first base, and then with Bramasco up to bat Howard went onto steal second. Howard then advanced to third off the E-1. Finally Bramasco advanced to third and Howard was able to make it home to give the Armada a 5-0 lead. The Fleet need to hang onto this lead and not let St. George catch up. They desperately need this victory to keep their hopes alive for the playoffs. The Armada has five runs, six hits, and zero errors. The Road Runners has zero errors, two hits, and two errors.

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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

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

LB Armada Blog

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RoadRunners will not return in 2010

Winter Meetings

Buller's new gig

2010 Slogan Contest

Replay coming to MLB?

2010 Season Tickets Available!

Promotional Ideas for 2010

Lima's ERA also went North

Armada regain lead

Ramirez scores for Fleet

Seals take a 3-1 lead

Seals score two runs

Armada take first lead

Armada vs Seals Season Finale

Armada putting away Seals

HOME RUN!!!

Gabriel Riley comes through for Seals

Armada closing away

Seals show life

Fleet score five runs

Armada regain lead

Seals tie ball game

Armada score one run

Armada vs Seals 8/30

Seals earn one run

Armada on top

Armada desperately need runs

St. George and Tucson update

Armada in trouble down 3-1

Sherrill ties ball game

Seals take a 1-0 lead

Armada vs Seals 8/29

Toros lead RoadRunners

Seals tie ball game

RoadRunners vs Toros update

Armada on the board

Armada vs Seals

Playoff picture

Armada beat RoadRunners

Fleet up 5-1

Scorpions and Toros update

Armada on top 2-1

Howard ties ball game

St. George leads early 1-0

Armada vs. RoadRunners 8/20

Toros & Scorpions throw down

Playoff Projections: How the Armada can make the playoffs

Armada beats St. George in slugfest

Armada having a good night

Fleet extend lead up 6-3

Armada respond up 5-3

Armada score one run

Fleet in trouble down 3-0

Armada down early 2-0

Armada vs Scorpions 8/16

Fox leads Armada to victory

Armada regain lead

Yuma leads 2-1

Armada score one run

Armada vs Scorpions

Templeton goes off the wall in St. George

"Time" expires: Lima traded to Edmonton

Yuma cuts into lead

Kaplan puts Fleet up 2-0

Armada go up 1-0

Armada vs Scorpions 7/30

Gober and Armada get the Victory

By Harry Saltzgaver
Executive Editor