Tuesday, March 29, 2005

Rainout Rescheduled

The game against Kilpatrick that was rained out on March 19 has been rescheduled for Saturday, April 2. Game time will be 11:00 a.m.

Monday, March 28, 2005

Back to Work

Practices resume on Wednesday at 1:00 p.m.

Saturday, March 26, 2005

Uecker's Memorable Moment

When asked what he considered the highlight of his major league career, Bob Uecker said, "I walked with the bases loaded to drive in the winning run in an intrasquad game in spring training."

Saturday Workout

The Sharks' workout today is scheduled for 1:00 p.m. at the high school.

Wednesday, March 23, 2005

Knocking on the Door

From Coach Gallo and the Malibu High School Baseball web site comes word that the Sharks are knocking on the door of a top ten ranking. To see the poll rankings, go to the CIF Southern Section web site, click on "Polls," and look for Division V Baseball.

SoCal Batting Leaders

Today's Los Angeles Times (Sports, page D8) lists Daniel Williams in a tie for 25th in batting average among Southern California high school players. Williams is hitting .588 (10 for 17).

(Malibu's nemesis in the first game of the season leads all SoCal pitchers in strikeouts.)

Sunday, March 20, 2005

Baseball Links

With a gap in the schedule, this might be a good time to mention the mother of all baseball web sites, John Skilton's baseball-links.com. As of today, there are 11,499 baseball-related links on this site. (I'm hoping Sharks Baseball will be 11,500.)

Saturday, March 19, 2005

Rained Out

Yesterday's game at Santa Clara and today's home game against Kilpatrick have been rained out. No make-up dates have been announced.

Meanwhile, MHS is on spring break. The next scheduled game for the Sharks is on Tuesday, April 5, at Oaks Christian.

Friday, March 18, 2005

Steroids

It seems like a good time to bring back one of Letterman's Top Ten Lists from last season.

Top Ten Signs A Baseball Player Is Using Steroids

10. This year he broke the home run record, last year he was a cellist.

9. Only signs autographs in exchange for clean urine sample.

8. Requests salary be paid in Balco gift certificates.

7. That guy who looks like the Phillie Phanatic is actually your shortstop.

6. Whenever team wins, dumps tub of Creatine on manager.

5. Exhibits erratic behavior like chewing on foul pole.

4. Can spit sunflower seeds 95 miles per hour.

3. Rush Limbaugh points at him and says, "That dude's messed up."

2. George Steinbrenner is scared of him.

1. Makes Schwarzenegger look like Carrot Top.

The Two Saddest Words

What are the two saddest words in the English language?

  • I'm leaving?
  • It's over?
  • You're fired?
  • You flunked?
  • Lassie's dead?
  • Michael's innocent?
  • Bush won?

Nope. The two saddest words in the English language are RAINED OUT.

Thursday, March 17, 2005

Mystery Solved

Several of us were thinking the signature might be Nolan Ryan's. But here's what that would look like:





This, on the other hand, looks more like the mystery signature in the earlier post.




It's Mark McGwire.

Wednesday, March 16, 2005

On the Ball

A friend and colleague has an American League baseball with a signature that the resident experts here at Pepperdine are unable to identify. Here's the ball. Leave a comment if you know whose signature is on it.


Tuesday, March 15, 2005

Sharks 13, Nordhoff 1

The Sharks began Frontier League play today against Nordhoff in the same way they closed out the Daily News-Victory Invitational tournament: with relentless hitting and dominating pitching. Phil Johnson gave up just one run on three hits in five innings on the mound and blasted a two-run homer in the third inning to lead Malibu to a 13-1 victory.

Nine different players notched base hits as the Sharks scored five runs in the first, three in the third, one in the fourth, and two each in the fifth and sixth innings. Meanwhile, Johnson was scattering three hits, four walks, and a hit batter. He got defensive help at several points. After Nordhoff’s lead-off hitter reached on a base hit, Michael Gwyn caught him stealing second. The second hitter walked and was promptly picked off first by Johnson.

In the top of the second, with two on and nobody out, the Nordhoff hitter lined a pitch to Brooks Fitch at first base. Fitch stepped on first to double up the runner.

The scoring got under way for the Sharks in the first inning. With two outs and the bases loaded, Jamie Van Soelen lined a single to right field to knock in Brett Weinstock and Phil Johnson. Jared Weinstock then singled to plate Jason Puklus. After Geoff Roth walked, Colbie Bell drove in the fourth run of the inning with a walk that ended the day for the Nordhoff starter. Daniel Williams then hit a bad-hop single to first to drive in Jared Weinstock and complete the scoring.

The third inning provided the most dramatic moments of the game. After two quick outs, Daniel Williams dropped a perfect bunt down the third base line for a base hit. With Brett Weinstock at the plate, Williams advanced to second and third on wild pitches. Then, with a 3-0 count on Weinstock, Williams stole home on ball four. After Weinstock stole second, Phil Johnson launched a 3-2 pitch deep to right for his first home run of the season.

The Sharks scored one in the fourth when a double by Bell knocked in Jamie Van Soelen who had reached on a walk. Van Soelen drove in two runs in the fifth with a single that chased home Fitch, who had walked, and Puklus, who had doubled down the right field line.

In the sixth, a lead-off walk by Gwyn and consecutive singles by Roth, George Azzi, and Williams led to two more runs.

Roth closed out the game on the mound with two scoreless innings in relief of Johnson. He entered in style, striking out the first four batters he faced.

On the day, Williams was 3-for-4 with a walk and the steal of home. Van Soelen was 2-for-2 with two walks and four RBIs. Johnson was 1-for-5 with a homerun, two RBIs, and two runs scored. Fitch, Puklus, and Roth were all 1-for-3. Jared Weinstock and Bell were 1-for-2, and Azzi was 1-for-1.

Monday, March 14, 2005

Scouting Report: Nordhoff Rangers

The Sharks face the Nordhoff Rangers tomorrow afternoon at Malibu High in their first league contest of the year. Nordhoff (1-1) is coming off a 11-0 victory over Santa Clara in a game played in Ojai on Friday. The Sharks (3-2) are riding a three-game winning streak in which they have outscored their opponents 34-2.

Phil Johnson will be on the hill for Malibu. Game time is 3:30 p.m.

Saturday, March 12, 2005

Sharks 16, Reseda 1

Aaron Westine pitched a complete-game one-hitter and the Sharks pounded out seventeen hits en route to a 16-1 victory over the Reseda Regents in the final game of the Daily News-Victory Invitational for both teams. Jason Puklus and Brett Weinstock led the offensive onslaught for the Sharks. Puklus was 3-for-3 with five RBIs, including a towering home run in the second inning that broke the game open. Weinstock was 4-for-5 with four RBIs.

Although Westine, who walked six and hit three batters, struggled with his control throughout the game, after the first inning he always managed to come up with a big pitch to keep the Regents from scoring. In the second, third, and fourth innings, Westine closed out the inning with a strikeout with two runners on base. His best inning was the fifth and final inning of the game when he retired Reseda in order on just ten pitches.

Malibu started quickly and kept the hitting going until the end, scoring at least two runs in every inning. Daniel Williams led off the first with a double down the left field line. After Brett Weinstock was retired for the only time in the game, Phil Johnson picked up the first of his two hits of the day driving in Williams. Puklus followed with a double to the right-center field gap, scoring Johnson. Two batters later, Jared Weinstock got his first varsity hit, a single to right, to knock in Puklus with the third run in the opening frame.

In the second inning, Stephen Williams led off with a single through the left side of the infield. Colbie Bell then reached on a bunt. After Daniel Williams fouled out, Brett Weinstock plated Stephen Williams with a bunt single. Johnson followed with a double that drove in Bell. Then, on a 2-2 pitch, Puklus homered over the football stands beyond the right field fence.

Stephen Williams led off the third with a double. Bell then walked. With one out, Brett Weinstock drove in Williams for the second time on the second of his four hits. After Johnson flied to center, Puklus drove in Bell with a single to left.

In the fourth, Jared Weinstock led off with a single to left. Alex Beck walked. One out later, George Azzi knocked in Weinstock with a single to right. Jamie Van Soelen singled to load the bases. Brett Weinstock singled in Beck and Azzi scored when Johnson grounded to second. Van Soelen scored the fourth run of the inning on a wild pitch.

The fifteenth and sixteenth runs for Malibu came in the fifth inning when Brett Weinstock knocked in Jared Weinstock, who reached on his third hit of the day, and George Azzi, who reached on a fielder’s choice after Michael Gwyn had walked, with a double to the fence in left.

Defensively, the Sharks played error-free ball for the first time this season and turned a double play to help Westine erase a leadoff walk in the second inning.

Friday, March 11, 2005

Scouting Report: Reseda High Regents

Reseda High enters the final game of the Daily News-Victory Invitational with a 1-4 record. The Regents have suffered three one-run losses--to Taft (4-3) and twice to Fillmore (2-1, 2-1). The victory came at North Hollywood last Saturday.

South Gate shut out Reseda, 5-0, in the Regents' season opener on March 2. South Gate pitcher Isaac Morales, who earned a save in the 5-4 extra-inning win over Malibu on March 5, struck out thirteen Reseda hitters.

Last season, Reseda finished with a season record of 4-22. Two of the wins came against Canoga Park.

JV Score: Sylmar 6, Malibu 2

The Sharks JV squad lost to Sylmar, 6-2, in a non-league game on Thursday. Jared Weinstock pitched effectively but was unable to overcome the effect of numerous defensive lapses. Stephen Williams tripled to knock in one run and later scored in the first inning, but after that the Sharks were unable to get timely hits.

Malibu hosts Fillmore on Saturday in the JV team's final game before starting league play on Tuesday at Nordhoff.

Post-Game Notes (March 10)

After making at least three errors in each of the three previous games, the Sharks committed only one error--on a foul ball--against Glendale. . . . Brett Weinstock has two hits on the season thus far. Both have hit the left field fence on the fly. . . . Jason Puklus had two of the hardest hit balls of the day for the Sharks, but both were line drives right at Glendale fielders. . . . Brooks Fitch struck out the side in the fourth and sixth innings. Two of the four hits he allowed in the game were infield singles.

Daily News-Victory Invitational Update

The Sharks will play their final game in the Daily News-Victory Invitational tomorrow against the Reseda Regents at Reseda High. Game time is 2:00 p.m.

The Regents (1-4) are coming off a 4-3 loss to Taft in a game played yesterday at Taft High. Malibu is riding a two-game winning streak having defeated Marshall by a score of 13-1 on Monday and Glendale by a 5-0 score yesterday.

For directions to Reseda High, go here.

Thursday, March 10, 2005

Sharks 5, Glendale 0

Brooks Fitch struck out 12 in a complete-game four-hit shutout today over the Glendale Nitros. The Sharks got the only run they would need in the bottom of the first, but scored four more times in the second inning before coasting offensively the rest of the way.

Daniel Williams led off for the Sharks with a walk, stole second, advanced to third when Greg Kernodle reached on an error, and scored when Fitch grounded out to third. In the second inning, Jamie Van Soelen led off with a base hit up the middle. Geoff Roth followed with a hit and Alex Beck reached on an error that scored Van Soelen. Colbie Bell then doubled down the left field line driving in Roth and Beck. Brett Weinstock closed out the scoring with a double off the base of the fence in left.

After Weinstock's double in the second, Glendale retired fourteen Sharks in a row before Roth singled with two outs in the bottom of the sixth. Roth was the only player for the Sharks to pick up two hits in the game.

Wednesday, March 09, 2005

Tomorrow's Game

The Sharks take on the Glendale Nitros tomorrow at Malibu High in the fourth game of the Daily News-Victory Invitational Tournament. On Monday, Glendale lost to Burbank, a team that went 1-22 last season, by a score of 3-0. After the game, Nitros manager Jay Chadwick noted that his team lacks power in the middle of the lineup. Glendale had five hits in the game, two by Chris Perez.

Meanwhile, the Sharks are coming off a 13-1 victory over the Marshall Barristers.

Game time is 3:00 p.m. Tickets are still available at the box office.

Monday, March 07, 2005

Post-Game Notes (March 7)

Brooks Fitch was 3-for-3 with a homerun, a double, and a single. . . . Daniel Williams was also 3-for-3. He had two doubles (both in the first inning) and a single just one day after running the LA Marathon. . . . Jason Puklus was 2-for-2 with a walk and three runs scored. . . . Greg Kernodle and Stephen Williams both had their first hits of the season. . . . Five of the seven strikeouts Phil Johnson recorded in the four innings he pitched came in the first two innings. He struck out the side in the second, but also walked two and gave up a single in the inning. . . . The Sharks begin Frontier League play on March 15 with a home game against the Nordhoff Rangers.

Sharks 13, Marshall 1


Phil Johnson (29) delivers in the fourth inning as Colbie Bell (1) covers at first.

A fourteen-hit offensive outburst and solid pitching propelled the Sharks to their first win of the season, a 13-1 victory over the Marshall Barristers.

Daniel Williams led off the bottom of the first with a double to the warning track in left field. After advancing to third on Geoff Roth's groundout, Williams scored on a hard grounder by Phil Johnson that was misplayed by the Marshall first baseman. After Brooks Fitch and Jason Puklus singled to load the bases, Jamie Van Soelen launched the second double of the inning, driving in Johnson and Fitch. Michael Gwyn knocked in Puklus with a grounder to short. After Stephen Williams walked, Brett Weinstock drove the first pitch off the top of the fence in left, missing a home run by two feet. Van Soelen scored and Williams moved to third. After Williams scored on an errant pickoff attempt by the Barristers' catcher, Daniel Williams got his second double of the inning to drive in Weinstock with the seventh run of the game for Malibu.

The runs kept coming in the second inning. After Johnson led off with a single to right, Fitch launched his first homerun of the year--a towering shot to left. Puklus then walked and moved to second when Van Soelen reached on an error. After Gwyn and Stephen Williams struck out, Weinstock reached on an error by the third baseman as Puklus scored. Daniel Williams then singled to drive in Van Soelen with the fourth and final run of the inning.

The Sharks scored two more runs in the third inning. Fitch hit a one-out double. Colbie Bell, running for Fitch, scored on Puklus's single to left. After Van Soelen walked and Gwyn was retired, Stephen Williams singled to left to drive in Puklus. It was Williams's first varsity hit and RBI.

Meanwhile, Johnson was pitching four shutout innings, allowing just one hit while striking out seven Barristers. Aaron Westine pitched the fifth and final inning, allowing one run on two hits.

The Sharks return to action on Thursday at home against Glendale. The game starts at 3:00 p.m.



Stephen Williams (44) is congratulated by Coach Ismar Ardon (26) after getting his first varsity hit.

Sunday, March 06, 2005

LA Marathon XX



Wearing a Malibu Baseball T-shirt and a grey baseball cap, Sharks center fielder Daniel Williams completed the LA Marathon today in 4 hours, 53 minutes, and 33 seconds. The photo above was taken at the intersection of Wilton and 8th Street--Mile 22.

Saturday, March 05, 2005

Late-Inning Defense

"I think the most difficult job in baseball is late-inning defense. It's like handling your homework in high school. You don't get any credit for just handling it because you're expected to do it, but if you don't do it you get docked."

--Tim McCarver

Post-Game Notes (March 5)

George Azzi got the start at shortstop for the Sharks today. . . . Six different Sharks struck out in today's game. The team total of 8 Ks was down significantly from yesterday's total of 14 (but still not something to write home about). . . . Through two games, Daniel Williams has reached base safely five times in seven plate appearances. . . . Brooks Fitch and Michael Gwyn were both recipients of intentional walks in today's game. Both intentional walks followed sacrifice bunts, one by Geoff Roth and one by Stephen Williams. (The Sharks did not score after either sacrifice/intentional walk combination.) . . . Twelve of the sixteen outs recorded with Jason Puklus on the mound came on fly balls. Centerfielder Daniel Williams recorded all three outs in the fifth inning and two of the three outs in the second inning. . . . Two of South Gate's pitchers--the starter and the closer--were named "Isaac." . . . First baseman Brooks Fitch nailed a runner with a perfect throw to catcher Stephen Williams in the seventh inning. There's nothing unusual about that, except for the fact that the out was recorded at third base. . . . Phil Johnson returns from a three-game suspension on Monday. . . . Coach Jason Cavnar's ejection in the eighth inning kept him out of the JV game as well.

South Gate 5, Sharks 4

Two Malibu errors in the top of the eighth inning gave the South Gate Rams a one-run lead that they held on to for a 5-4 victory over the Sharks in the second game of the Daily News-Victory Invitational today at MHS. After Juan Garcia led off the inning by grounding out, Kevin Martinez singled up the middle on a 1-2 pitch, taking advantage of a very questionable call on the 0-2 pitch. Alex Molina bunted to the right side of the mound and Malibu reliever Geoff Roth bobbled the ball as Molina ran safely to first. With runners on first and second, leadoff hitter Isaac Martinez grounded weakly to the third-base side of the mound. Roth fielded the ball and threw to Brett Weinstock for the force at second. Malibu appeared to have completed the double play on the relay to first, but Martinez was called safe. After Isaac Martinez stole second, Angel Gonzalez hit a ground ball to short that skidded under the glove of Jason Puklus. Kevin Martinez scored. Daniel Williams, who fielded the ball in center, threw a strike to Stephen Williams at the plate to get Isaac Martinez who was also trying to score on the play, but the damage had been done.

South Gate scratched together single runs in five of the eight innings, starting with the first when a leadoff single, a stolen base, a sacrifice bunt, and another single produced a run off of Malibu starter Jason Puklus. The Rams followed with single runs in the third, sixth, seventh, and eighth innings.

The Sharks scored three of their four runs in the fourth inning courtesy of two South Gate errors on one play. Brooks Fitch and Jamie Van Soelen led off the inning with singles. After Puklus struck out and Stephen Williams flied to deep center, Michael Gwyn singled to load the bases. With Colbie Bell at the plate, Fitch scored on a passed ball. An errant pickoff attempt at second base allowed Van Soelen to score from third. Gwyn also scored on the same play when the center fielder bobbled the ball.

Malibu's fourth run came in the fifth when Daniel Williams, who reached base in each of his four plate appearances, walked and was driven in on Roth’s double into the left-center gap.

Puklus pitched 5 1/3 innings and gave up three earned runs on six hits and a walk. Roth, in relief, was tagged with the loss. He pitched 2 2/3 innings and gave up two runs (one unearned) on five hits.

Offensively, Williams and Roth had two hits apiece. Fitch, Van Soelen, Puklus, and Gwyn each had one hit.

Daily News-Victory Invitational Tournament action continues on Monday at 3:00 p.m. when the Sharks host the John Marshall Barristers.

JV Score: South Gate 3, Malibu 0

The Sharks JV squad could never get untracked offensively and squandered an outstanding pitching performance by Wesley Semkin, losing 3-0 to the South Gate Rams in the season opener. Semkin allowed no earned runs in a complete game effort. All of South Gate's runs came in the top of the sixth following a series of defensive miscues.

There were few offensive highlights for the Sharks. Defensively, however, Jace Dispenza played well in center field and John Ottusch, making his first start at third base at any level, made several excellent plays. Ross Ellis also played a solid game behind the plate.

Technical Difficulties

If you see a post below called "Box Score--Game 1" followed by a lot of empty space, please hit the reload button. I've had some technical difficulties with the blog, but I think everything is now back to normal. (I'm trying to figure out a way to post box scores after each game, but something I did last night caused a few problems.)

Friday, March 04, 2005

Post-Game Notes (March 4)

Brett Weinstock played stellar defense at second base for the Sharks. He recorded five put-outs and four assists. . . . Brooks Fitch pitched five complete innings, striking out four, walking three, and hitting a batter. . . . Geoff Roth pitched two complete innings in relief and allowed no hits. . . . Two months before his fifteenth birthday, Stephen Williams got his first varsity playing experience. He caught the seventh inning for the Sharks. Alex Beck (DH/P/RF) and Wes Semkin (PH) also got their first varsity experience in today's game. . . . Vasquez pitcher China McCarney took five Malibu hitters to a full count, but only one--Brett Weinstock leading off in the first inning--walked. Two others struck out and two grounded out. . . . The Sharks had five baserunners in the game, but only two (including Weinstock, who scored) reached second.

Vasquez 7, Sharks 1


Pitcher Geoff Roth and Catcher Stephen Williams react to a foul ball in the seventh inning of a7-1 loss to Vasquez.

China McCarney pitched a complete-game victory over the Sharks on Opening Day in Malibu. Topping 90 MPH on the radar gun from start to finish, McCarney struck 14, walked two, and hit a batter in the course of a 107-pitch outing. Brooks Fitch, whose single to right center with two out in the bottom of the first inning scored Brett Weinstock, had one of only two hits off McCarney for the Sharks.

After Malibu went ahead 1-0 in the first, Vasquez scored two runs in the top of the second. J.C. Urso singled to left. After Joseph Perez flied to center, Nick Lance walked. Fitch then struck out Eric Mendoza, but with two outs and a full count on Eric Darling, Fitch let one get away, hitting Darling. McCarney then followed with a single to center scoring Urso and Lance.

Vasquez added two runs in the fourth courtesy of two Malibu errors. Another unearned run in the fifth made it 5-1. Vasquez completed the scoring in the sixth by stringing together three walks, a sacrifice fly, and a run-scoring groundout.

Malibu's only scoring threat after the first inning came in the third when, with two outs, Daniel Williams reached on an infield single. After Williams stole second, Jason Puklus walked, but the inning ended one batter later when Fitch struck out. In the final four innings, McCarney allowed only one baserunner (Fitch, HBP in the sixth), striking out eight of the last thirteen hitters he faced.

The Sharks take on South Gate tomorrow starting at 11:00 a.m.

Fifty Years

Malibu Little League celebrates its fiftieth anniversary tomorrow with Opening Day festivities at Bluffs Park. This week's Malibu Times includes a story about the league's early days. A schedule of Opening Day activities is posted below the photo on the Malibu Little League web site. You can support MLL by having breakfast at the Grand Slam Pancake Breakfast (doesn't that name belong to Denny's?) before making your way to Malibu High for the 11:00 a.m. start of Game 2 of the Daily News - Victory Invitational.

This is risky, because I know I'll leave out some names, but the following Malibu High baseball players played in Malibu Little League: Colbie Bell, Sloan Campi, Graham Ellis, Ross Ellis, Brooks Fitch, Travis Franz, Michael Gwyn, Phil Johnson, Greg Kernodle, John Ottusch, Jacob Perrin, Jason Puklus, Geoff Roth, Wesley Semkin, Jamie Van Soelen, Brett Weinstock, Jared Weinstock, Aaron Westine, Daniel Williams, Stephen Williams, and Jake Winokur.

Congratulations, Malibu Little League!

Pre-Game Notes (March 4)

Brooks Fitch, who led the Sharks in wins and strikeouts last season, is expected to make the start today. Fitch wore number 38 last year but will be wearing 25 this season. . . . Sophomore Greg Kernodle will get the start at third base. . . . Daniel Williams moves over to center field this season and changes numbers from 20 to 11. Williams led the Sharks in hits last season. . . . Jason Puklus starts at shortstop. Puklus (19) led the Sharks in 2004 with a .512 OBP. . . . Junior Michael Gwyn will be starting behind the plate. . . . Brett Weinstock, who hit .383 last season, will start at second base. . . . There are three pairs of brothers in the Sharks baseball program this season: Brett (senior) and Jared (sophomore) Weinstock, Daniel (senior) and Stephen (freshman) Williams, and Ross (junior) and Graham (freshman) Ellis.

Opening Day Weather Update

Look for partly cloudy skies and a game time temperature of about 60 degrees. It will be breezy, with the wind blowing in from right field by about the third inning. As promised, there will be no need for the tarp.

Opening Day

"You look forward to it like a birthday party when you're a kid. You think something wonderful is going to happen."

--Joe DiMaggio, talking about Opening Day

Opening Day has arrived. All possibilities are real. (Unfortunately, even rain is a possibility, but I'll still go with my forecast two nights ago.)

"Baseball began in a bright green field with an ancient name when this country was new and raw and without shape, and it has shaped America by linking every summer from 1846 to this one, through wars and depressions and seasons of rain."

--Bart Giamatti, in "Men of Baseball, Lend an Ear"

No baseball fan is ever a pessimist on Opening Day.

* * *

The Malibu Sharks host the Vasquez Mustangs in the first game of the Daily News-Victory Invitational today at 3:00 p.m. Be there!

Wednesday, March 02, 2005

Tarpaulins

Given the amount of rain Malibu has had this season (and the fact that it has rained much of the afternoon and evening), it seems like a good time to discuss an often overlooked baseball topic: tarpaulins. Tarps are a required accessory for major league fields (except in the case of domed stadiums). Most high school and college fields, however, do not have tarps. Why not? Cost. Tarps large enough to cover a baseball infield start at $1500 (without a roller).

Here are a few baseball tarp facts:

  • Abner Powell, the owner of a professional team in New Orleans, is credited with being the first to use a tarp to cover a baseball field. When? 1889.
  • The Pittsburgh Pirates were the first major league team to use a tarp to cover the infield during a rain delay. It happened on May 6, 1906. (Let's be sure to mark the centennial of that event next season.)
  • A dispute over when to roll out the tarp got groundskeeper Bill Butler ejected from a Class A South Atlantic League game on May 23, 2003. Butler, who works for the Lakewood (N.J.) BlueClaws, is believed to be the only groundskeeper ever ejected from a professional baseball game.

The forecast? More rain Thursday night, but clearing on Friday. No tarp will be needed in Malibu this weekend!

Tuesday, March 01, 2005

Scouting Report: Vasquez High Mustangs

The Vasquez Mustangs, coming off a 23-4 record, return their three top players from the 2004 season. China McCarney was 9-1 with a 1.84 ERA and 105 strikeouts in 64.2 innings last season. He also hit eight home runs and scored 44 runs. Curtis Leavitt led the Mustangs' pitching staff in ERA (1.17) in compiling a 4-2 record. Leavitt also hit eight home runs and led the team in RBIs with 43. Jeff Granillo finished third on the team last season in batting average and RBIs. On the mound he was 4-0 with a 2.19 ERA.

In their only game against a team on Malibu's schedule last season, Vasquez lost to Oaks Christian, 3-2, on March 6 in the Daily News-Victory Invitational in a game played at Pepperdine. Vasquez also lost, 4-0, to LA Baptist in the CIF playoffs. (The Sharks played LA Baptist in the Harvard Westlake tournament in December.) Vasquez went 3-2 in the Daily News-Victory Invitational last year, defeating Eagle Rock, Taft, and Granada Hills Kennedy and losing to Oaks Christian and Thousand Oaks.

Notre Dame 8, Malibu 6

The Sharks, facing a tough Notre Dame team in a scrimmage at home yesterday, fell 8-6 in eight innings. Senior Aaron Westine pitched three strong innings for Malibu and Sophomore Greg Kernodle played very strong defense at second and third. Senior Brett Weinstock had two hits.

The Sharks had a chance to win, but weak defense and the long ball brought Notre Dame back from a 6-2 deficit. Malibu tried to mount a rally in the bottom of the eighth after falling behind in the top of the inning, but couldn't get the key base hit.

In spite of the loss, it was a promising performance, particularly considering the fact that the Sharks were without the services of Senior Phil Johnson, who was serving the first game of a three-game suspension. Westine's performance on the mound in his first live-game action in over six months showed him to be capable of making a strong contribution to the pitching rotation. Senior Daniel Williams, moving over to centerfield from left where he played during the fall and winter seasons, ran down everything hit in his direction. Kernodle's defense was impressive and he had three good at-bats, including an outstanding bunt. Senior Alex Beck handled himself well behind the plate.

The Sharks get started for real on Friday with a home game against Vasquez High in the first game of the Daily News Invitational. Starting time is 3:00 p.m.

Notes from the Weekend

The Sharks fielded two very good teams for their intra-squad game on Saturday. Phil Johnson and Brooks Fitch both pitched very effectively. Among the freshmen, Nate Schoenbrun, Jacob Perrin, and Stephen Williams played well. Williams got the visiting team on the scoreboard in the fourth inning with a two-run double into the left-centerfield gap. Perrin and Schoenbrun followed with base hits.

Following the game, Anne Arvin and Robert Williams grilled hamburgers, hot dogs, and chicken for the baseball and softball teams, parents of players, and the occasional T-ball player who stopped by asking "How much are the hot dogs?" Thanks to all who brought food.

On Sunday at the Pepperdine-Tulane game, Robert Williams (no, I'm not being at all modest) led the crowd in "Take Me Out to the Ball Game" during the seventh-inning stretch. Coach Paul Gallo, alumnus Justin Vititoe, Phil and Rick Johnson, and Daniel and Stephen Williams were all there for the occasion. Apparently no studio execs were in attendance, however, as no recording contract was offered.