This week has been very difficult for us as Coach Bergman (Bergy, as we like to call him), the only manager the Morehead City Marlins have ever known, will step down. He has to take care of some personal issues at home and will be unable to coach next summer.
Coach Bergman was one of the most recognizable coaches the Coastal Plain League has ever had. He brought the University of Central Florida back to national prominence when he was at the helm. Of course Coach Bergman has been retired for a few years, but he still has the burning passion to step on the field and instruct and lead young men.
I had a wonderful time getting to know Coach Bergman and look forward to continuing our relationship. But now the fun begins. Our owner has been on the phone with players and coaches everyday. Coaches want to know who our manager is going to be. Recruiting the 2012 team depends a lot on what coach will be on the bench. So this next week or so is very important to our 2012 season.
Friday, September 23, 2011
Friday, September 9, 2011
Ten Years Later
It's hard to imagine that it's been 10 years since the 9/11 attacks on the United States. The United States and the world have changed dramatically since that eventful day. Sports have changed. We've all changed. It's probably the only event that I particularly don't like to talk about or even watch on tv. I'm sure there are millions of other people who feel the same way. So come Sunday, it's certainly gonna be hard for me to turn on the television or even go on the computer.
I do remember the commissioner of MLB ordering games to cease for a week, but players wanted to play. I remember the historic World Series and the way the whole country came together regardless of who won (rooting for my hometown Yanks). Baseball obviously was the last thing anyone wanted to talk about, but it actually brought people closer.
But I will do one thing on Sunday: I'll say a prayer for the American lives that were lost in the vicious attacks on September 11, 2001 as well as the lives that were lost fighting for our country. Please do the same thing if you can. We shall never forget.
I do remember the commissioner of MLB ordering games to cease for a week, but players wanted to play. I remember the historic World Series and the way the whole country came together regardless of who won (rooting for my hometown Yanks). Baseball obviously was the last thing anyone wanted to talk about, but it actually brought people closer.
But I will do one thing on Sunday: I'll say a prayer for the American lives that were lost in the vicious attacks on September 11, 2001 as well as the lives that were lost fighting for our country. Please do the same thing if you can. We shall never forget.
The Lists
Every year, after each summer league season, Baseball America and Perfect Game release their top prospect rankings. Baseball America ranked the top 10 in the CPL and Perfect Game ranked the top the 50 in the CPL. But both top prospect lists looked very different. Although, the one thing in common is that Joe Sclafani, Chase McDonald, and Shawn Armstrong all were tabbed by coaches as some of the best players in the league.
It's certainly nice to see the lists after the season, because we put in a lot of time to put the team together and the players put in a lot of time and hard work also. I have no doubt in my mind that all three will have successful professional careers if they choose that path (Shawn Armstrong was drafted this year and signed with Cleveland Indians).
It's certainly nice to see the lists after the season, because we put in a lot of time to put the team together and the players put in a lot of time and hard work also. I have no doubt in my mind that all three will have successful professional careers if they choose that path (Shawn Armstrong was drafted this year and signed with Cleveland Indians).
Friday, September 2, 2011
Roster Taking Shape
This is the time of the year where it's first come first serve. Every team in every summer collegiate league is looking for that next big star and recruiting starts the day after the season ends. Needless to say we were very disappointed we missed the playoffs by one game last year and we look to build another competitive team.
Some general managers participate in the recruiting process and some do not. Fortunately enough, Buddy Bengel our owner and our manager have a lot of connections and they take pride in putting the 2012 roster together. They both have been constantly on the phone talking to coaches and trying to put the best team on the field for next year. It's certainly a long process and a very difficult one. Some guys work out better than others but that's the nature of the business. Trying to find 27 guys that all buy into the program is the most difficult. The organization that recruits this kind of team usually wins 9 out of 10 times. Talent plays a role, but signing players that want nothing else but to perform well and will do everything in their power to succeed is what we're looking for. *Throwing 92-94 mph with run does help though*
Some general managers participate in the recruiting process and some do not. Fortunately enough, Buddy Bengel our owner and our manager have a lot of connections and they take pride in putting the 2012 roster together. They both have been constantly on the phone talking to coaches and trying to put the best team on the field for next year. It's certainly a long process and a very difficult one. Some guys work out better than others but that's the nature of the business. Trying to find 27 guys that all buy into the program is the most difficult. The organization that recruits this kind of team usually wins 9 out of 10 times. Talent plays a role, but signing players that want nothing else but to perform well and will do everything in their power to succeed is what we're looking for. *Throwing 92-94 mph with run does help though*
Scheduling Season
It's that time of the year again. We embark upon the painstaking process that is known has game scheduling. Well, we don't make up the schedule but we have to put in schedule requests like "no games on the days it rains in the summer." Ok, that was a terrible joke.
Some requests for example are 'Mondays'. Say we have an incredible Monday promotion during the season and this promotion draws many fans, we would ask for Mondays. Generally, the norm around baseball circles is that Thursday's (Thirsty Thursdays), Fridays, and Saturdays are the best days of the week. We'll certainly play on those days but some more than others.
We're also working on scheduling a few exhibition games this year. So we have to put in schedule requests based upon when that exhibition team will be in town to play us. Holidays are easy to work with when it comes to promotional scheduling. Father's Day is always a good one and July 4th is the best one. Most teams will ask for a home game on or around July 4th.
This year, opening day in the league is scheduled for May 29th with the All-Star festivities taking place July 22-23. So keep those dates open.
Scheduling gets much more in depth once the schedule actually comes out which I expect in October.
Some requests for example are 'Mondays'. Say we have an incredible Monday promotion during the season and this promotion draws many fans, we would ask for Mondays. Generally, the norm around baseball circles is that Thursday's (Thirsty Thursdays), Fridays, and Saturdays are the best days of the week. We'll certainly play on those days but some more than others.
We're also working on scheduling a few exhibition games this year. So we have to put in schedule requests based upon when that exhibition team will be in town to play us. Holidays are easy to work with when it comes to promotional scheduling. Father's Day is always a good one and July 4th is the best one. Most teams will ask for a home game on or around July 4th.
This year, opening day in the league is scheduled for May 29th with the All-Star festivities taking place July 22-23. So keep those dates open.
Scheduling gets much more in depth once the schedule actually comes out which I expect in October.
The Calm After the Storm
Luckily, Hurricane Irene was downgraded to a category 1 just before it touched down in North Carolina or else it could have been a lot worse.
Morehead City did receive some damage but it's nothing that can't be fixed in a reasonable amount of time. Big Rock Stadium did have some flooding and minor damage in case y'all wanted to know. I think we all have to be thankful that we're in relatively good shape after Irene.
I, like many others, did not evacuate for the hurricane. We kind of felt like we owed it to Morehead City and Carteret County to help out if a situation called for it. This was my first official hurricane, and it was a lot scarier than I anticipated it would be. I didn't get much sleep when the hurricane hit in the middle of the night and I certainly thought my dog would be the first one hiding in the corner. She slept through the whole thing.
We eventually went to New Bern to check on some things. New Bern was hit particularly hard. Huge trees laid in the streets. Huge trees laid on houses. Floods were all over the place. It was pretty bad. Once again, I reiterate that it was a category 1. Just unbelievable.
The hurricane then slowly made it's way up New England and absolutely flooded everything in it's path. My hometown in NJ was flooded beyond belief. There's a river that runs straight through my town and needless to say the river ran all over the place afterward. Luckily my family and friends were all unharmed. Hurricane season can't pass soon enough.
Morehead City did receive some damage but it's nothing that can't be fixed in a reasonable amount of time. Big Rock Stadium did have some flooding and minor damage in case y'all wanted to know. I think we all have to be thankful that we're in relatively good shape after Irene.
I, like many others, did not evacuate for the hurricane. We kind of felt like we owed it to Morehead City and Carteret County to help out if a situation called for it. This was my first official hurricane, and it was a lot scarier than I anticipated it would be. I didn't get much sleep when the hurricane hit in the middle of the night and I certainly thought my dog would be the first one hiding in the corner. She slept through the whole thing.
We eventually went to New Bern to check on some things. New Bern was hit particularly hard. Huge trees laid in the streets. Huge trees laid on houses. Floods were all over the place. It was pretty bad. Once again, I reiterate that it was a category 1. Just unbelievable.
The hurricane then slowly made it's way up New England and absolutely flooded everything in it's path. My hometown in NJ was flooded beyond belief. There's a river that runs straight through my town and needless to say the river ran all over the place afterward. Luckily my family and friends were all unharmed. Hurricane season can't pass soon enough.
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