Post 58 Giving It All They Got

This is the eighth year that I have been behind the PA mic doing Coleman Pitt Post 58 baseball.  If you look at every player on this team there is not a super star among them.  In fact of all eight teams that I have seen this one is probably the least talented of the bunch.  Why then is this team 8-1 and close to three games in front of second place with a week to go in the regular season?

I think the talk among coaches is this year's league is this is the least talent in the  conference that they have seen in a long time and some of that may be because there are two new teams Albemarle and Windsor in the league who at this point  are average at very best. It just happens that this year being a down year for Rocky Mount is also a down year for everyone else and we just might be the best still. 

Post 58 has the best pitching in the league. Derrick Carter Northern's Nash rising junior is a super pitcher in waiting.  By his senior year he will probably be the pitcher that all the colleges are after from this area.  He is however only a rising junior and growth is still in his future. Jeremy Johnson Rocky Mount High pitcher who is headed to High Point University gives P58 two pitchers who on a bad night can give you six innings.  From what I have seen nobody else has any pitching any where close to those two.  When you add Chase Roupp, Spenser Ramsey, Pascal Ammons P 58 has the best pitching staff in the league.

Adam Bayless is the first baseman and frankly he has surprised me at how good he is.  Good glove at First and a better hitter than I thought.  David Williams and Andy Morris have shared second but they are both play any where players.  Both catch and short stop if need be.  Brock Waynic is a natural shortstop.  Spenser Ramsey had been solid at 3rd.  Linwood Jones the speedster in the outfield and on the bases.  When you add Jeremy Johnson in center when he is not pitching not many balls hit in the air are not caught by Jones or Johnson. Andrew Weatherly looks like an eighth grader who plays like Lou Brock with a rifle arm.  Abel Hernandez has been solid behind the plate but injury prone.

Adam Bayless is the only hitter they have that can threaten the fence but this team plays a lot like UCLA the team that just won the NCAA World Series.  Good pitching, timely hitting and solid defence.  The problem I see for this team in the playoffs  is that you are only as good as you competition will let you be.  Every team in order to continually get better need the challenge of tied in the eighth inning and who is going to make the play to win. Our division was like that last year and the trend is not good.  That doesn't mean it won't trend back up.

Their record at this point is not impressive 8-5 but one habit that Hank Jones likes to do is he

loves playing the teams he thinks will give us an opportunity to play great competition early on.  His problem was with so many players from the local private schools he forget their graduation weekend  and played the three toughest games all year that weekend.  He doesn't care if he loses to the Cherryville's or Garners what he wants to see is who he has that wants to give him the effort it takes to win.

Once he knows who he can count on and started sticking to a lineup this team has been hard to beat.  There is still two more opportunities to see this team Tuesday and Wednesday night.  Tuesday starts at 5:30 and Wednesday 7pm.  If you want to see what  a team looks like that plays as a  team here is your chance.  All the rain outs this team has had this year the Legion needs some good gates to keep up with expenses.  If Legion is alive in the future and the future is next year and beyond they need warm bodies who support those  who have been willing to give up their summer to represent us as Rocky Mount American Legion Team.

Coleman Pitt Takes Two

I have good news and then there is bad news and I guess you want the good news first.  Coleman Pitt Post 58 won a double header from Edenton Post 40 by forfeit.  The two teams were scheduled to play two at 5pm today but I received a text around lunch from Joe Bell that if Edenton could get here they were going to try to play at 4pm.

I arrived at the field around 3pm and the word then from coach Bob Jordan of Edenton was  that he thought he would have his team here by 3:50 or so.  So we are on the let's play as soon as we can to beat any possible rain that might be coming.  4:00pm arrived Edenton has eight players and one should be here but he is not answering text. Since the official start time on the published schedule is 5pm Ricky Crumpler the umpire in charge of the first game informed Edenton that if they didn't have nine to put on the field at 5pm he would have to forfeit the first game.  If they thought that player was coming they could get some extra time for the second game but if Jordan felt he was not coming might as well at 5pm call both games and that is what has happened.

The past two seasons both Windsor and Elizabeth City have formed teams  and even though they are 30 miles from Edenton  their pool of players is the same.  So three teams in that area are trying to field three teams from a pool that is just big enough for two teams.  So all three teams instead of having 17 on each squad only have 12.  When you are down to only 12 an injury depletes you to 11 and then  three decide to go to the beach and you don't have but eight.  Even Rocky Mount had a no show player on Saturday but when you have 14 players there ready to play missing one is easy to absorb.

Here is where as a person who knows all the coaches because most have coached their teams forever like Bob Jordan or Wilson's Rusty Dail who has  coached Wilson for 25 years these guys put their heart and soul into it every year only to see players more interested in going to the beach.  You wonder how long these guys will put up with the changing world of disinterest from young people today.

Now the bad news, Post 58 jumps to 8-1 in conference play but think about this.  The last eight days they have only played five innings of baseball and here we are a week from the playoffs needing playing time but weather and forfeits are not making Hank Jones  and Pat Smith job easy getting this team prepared for the playoffs.

Post 58 travels to Kinston Monday night in what now might be a clinching night if P58 can win.  They are home for a double header Tuesday that starts at 5:30 against Elizabeth City.  They will finish the game tied in the eighth inning which is in  extra innings of a seven inning double header rained out a week ago and then a seven inning game will start.

One of the strangest season I have ever seen in any sport took another turn today in Rocky Mount's favor as Edenton gives two to Rocky Mount

Another Gully Washer

 Post 58 will see if starting early does the trick again this afternoon as the doubleheader scheduled with Edenton will start at 4pm instead of 5.

Once again tonight Coleman Pitt Post 58 starts a game but it never makes it all the way to the ninth inning.  It didn't need too as Coleman Pitt finally caught a break with the weather and got just enough game in and at the time the bottom fell out was leading in the bottom of the fifth inning and that was enough to call BALL GAME to complete a victory for Post 58.

It took some good planning between Hank Jones P 58 coach and Athletic director Joe Bell to get Wilson to come early as they moved the game up one hour at 6pm and if they had not done that another rain out.  The rains came at about 7:15 or so and that at best may be would have made the top of the second if the game was not moved up.

Hank Jones sent Northern Nash Pitcher Derrick Carter to the mound and both the first and second inning Wilson loaded the bases but they managed only a single run in the first on a ground out by Casey Flora to take a 1-0 lead.  The bottom of  the second  P58 struck for three runs after Brock Waynic singled, he was wiped out on a fielders choice by Spenser Ramsey.  Andrew Weatherly laid down a bunt that he beat the throw to first but a wild throw sent Ramsey to third and Weatherly to second.  Jeremy Johnson, David Williams and Adam Bayless all had back to back to back hits and each collected and rbi.

As the clouds started moving in Carter got Post 13 out in the top of the fifth and while batting in the bottom of the fifth P58 score three times again as Andy Morris lead off with a hit.  Linwood Jones beat out an infield single and once again a wild throw sent Morris home and Jones to third.  Andrew Weatherly and Jeremy Johnson got back to back hits that lead to a 6-1 lead and Wilson was ready to make a pitching change when the clouds finally brought a clap of thunder and the field was cleared and about five minutes later the rains game and that was that.

The umpires were in the visitors dugout while the heavy rains came down and I am sure in about 15 minutes there was enough water to call the game but nobody was brave enough to run over in the pouring rain and challenge the lightening to get to the P58 dugout.  When the rained slacked up  a dash by the umpires over to the home dugout and five seconds later the signal game over.

Four plus inning  P58 got two hits each from Jeremy Johnson, David Williams,Adam Bayless and Andrew Weatherly.  Joining the hit parade was Brock Waynic, Linwood Jones and Andy Morris.  Derrick Carter allowed 6 hits in five  innings but one of the big items the defense didn't have a miscue while Wilson had three.  Carter beats Wilson for the second time this year as after the second inning he settled down and made quick work of Wilson on a night when ten minutes could have lead to another lost game with the weather .

Post 58 is now 6-1 in league play and for the first time this year go over 500 on the season at 6-5.  P 58 plays a double header Saturday at Legion field starting at 5pm against Edenton who is another one of those teams right at 500 in the league and if they could knock off P58 twice they would help their playoff cause tremendously.  As bad as the weather forecast is for the next few nights Hank and Joe are hoping to move the games up from five pm so if the games are moved up check here and I'll let you know.

You Guessed It

Tonites Post 58 Legion game against Wilson has been moved up to 6pm to try to beat any impending weather problems.


Coleman Pitt American Legion Post 58 game tonight at Wayne County was rained out.  I was in attendance to see the Tams in down town Rocky Mount and all the while had one eye peeled to the southern sky watching those clouds which never came north.

Starting Friday night CP 58 plays Friday at home, Saturday DH at home, off on Sunday and then play Monday at Kinston and Home Tuesday and Wednesday.  The only way to make up this rain for out tonight is Sunday and of course we don't know what Wayne County has on their plate for Sunday. Sure looks like baseball the 4th, fifth or sixth if need be to get the schedule in.

The NBA has completed the first round of the NBA draft and only two players were picked that had and connections to the State of North Carolina.  The way the NBA works if you are drafted in the first round you are guaranteed a contract for three years.  So if you are a bust in the NBA you will stay on the roster and will get all of the money whether you earned it or not.  Mason Plumlee of Duke and Kinston's Reggie Bullock were first round picks.

Any one else picked  pretty much has to go to camp and make the team that drafts you  and if you do that you will be given a contract.  If you don't make and NBA team then it is off to see the world and play for any professional team that is willing to pay you to play.  The average American player playing  across either ocean makes about $80,000 American dollars a year.  In baseball terms that's  minor league pay when you consider that the first round draft picks are all guaranteed at least a million a year for their first three years.

Ask The Question Somebody Knows

A couple of days ago I lamented on the fact that I had no idea what the standings were in the Area 1 American Legion.  Seek and ye shall find.  Here is the standing as of the end of Tuesday night.
Rocky Mount      5-1
Wayne County    5-3
Kinston               4-3
Edenton              4-3
Windsor             4-4
Pitt County         3-5
Albemarle          3-5
Wilson               3-8

There is no doubt all you need to do is substitute names of the Big East teams from the high school season and you will see that every team is right there in the middle.  Post 58 has two double headers up and coming this week.  Saturday they host Edenton.  Just suppose they were to lose both games.  They would fall back into the middle of the pack real quick.

Next week they have two games with Albemarle.  One that is already tied in the eighth inning and could lose that game in the twink of an eye.  So even though they look nice sitting on top there is work to be done.  The first order of business is a game tonight at Wayne County at Mt Olive College.  Talk about huge games but this one is.  Friday night Wilson  is at Legion Field and then a double header Saturday with Edenton.  The weather forecast is not good at all  through next week.

Tonight is the NBA draft.  Two of the first players to throw their eligibility in the hat was C J Leslie and Lo Brown of N C State.  At the time they were both rated middle of the first rounders.  Since then just about every player  that played college basketball this past season has declared for the draft.  Might not see either drafted in the first round which means they could have stayed one more year or play basketball next year in Brussels.  Tonight we will find out how many  draft declarers from around the world will get a guaranteed contract by being picked in the NBA first round.  There will be only 30 slots with about 100 leaving early.  Somebody surly made a mistake.  We will find out tonight who they were.

You've Come A Long Ways Hobbs Johnson

Just two years from being told to stay home and go to summer school while UNC baseball goes to the College World Series Former Rocky Mount Gryphon and now Former Tar Heel from North Carolina Hobbs Johnson has signed a Pro baseball contract with the Milwaukee Brewers and Johnson has been assigned to play this summer in Helena Montana.
 
His sophomore and Junior years for the Tar Heels he had a 12-2 record  and in 2012 an ERA of 1.56 and this season 2.37.  This year in 87 plus innings pitching for the Tar Heels he did not allow a home run.  The rumor mill has been circulating after Johnson was drafted in the 14th round in early June that he would not be back but after his pitching performance in the College World Series last Thursday night I think the Brewers knew they had better get him now.

Hobbs teammate at both Rocky Mount and Carolina Benton Moss has been named All ACC Academic team for the second year in a row.  Last year Moss made All Academic All American and with a two year grade point average of 3.98 there is no reason to believe he won't be an All American again.

Former Gryphon basketball player Tashawn Mabry fresh off graduation from Mesdesto Junior College in Modesto California where he averaged about 17 points this past season has signed with Tarleton State University in Stevenville Texas.  Tarleton is part of the Texas A&M system and they play in the Lone Star Conference which is a Division II League.  The college has about 10,000 students and is located about an hour from Fort Worth.

The baseball comeback of  Xavier Macklin the former Nash Central Bulldog is underway again.  X man spent the 2012 season in rehab after having to have  shoulder reconstruction surgery.  He is back in the New York-Penn League with Vermont where he started two years ago.  So far in just two games played he has one hit  which was a double in seven at bats.

Brian Goodwin is hitting 252 in in AA baseball.  He has 71 hits on the season but of those 22 have been a double or more.  10 Doubles, 7 triples and 5 home runs.  He seems to have leveled off striking out as he is getting close to only one per game.   Right now that is the area where he has to get better somehow making contact with two strikes.  He has stolen 13 bases in 21 tries but with his speed that percentage needs to be more like 19 of 21.  The learning process continues.

The Season Is Just Beginning

Coleman Pitt Post 58 tried to start the baseball season on May 20th.  Two cancellations later the season cranked up on May 26th.  One month has passed and with rain outs and rescheduling Post 58 has played 10 games.  They stand 5-5, could be 6-4 but had to forfeit one.  They are 5-1 in conference play.  They don't have another game scheduled until Thursday and if it doesn't rain or another team drop out P58 will play 7 and 1/2 games in seven days.

The regular season ends Wednesday July 3rd.  Between now and then P 58 plays Thursday at Wayne County and that game will be played at MT Olive College.  Friday they are home against Wilson.  They play a double header Saturday at home against Edenton. Monday they have a trip to Kinston.  Tuesday they are home again to play Albemarle in that game that was washed out in the bottom of the eighth inning plus another game after the rainout is over.  Wednesday night Kinston travels here to finish up the schedule.  Lord help us all if there is a rain out any where within the next week.

Before we talk playoffs let's look at that game with Albemarle which starts with us batting in the bottom of the eighth inning.  When the lineup cards were turn in to the umpires Post 84 brought only ten players with them and that is all that was all the players  on the lineup card.  Post 58 had 16 players on the lineup card even though a couple may not have even been there. The tenth player for P84 came in the game to pitch so when the game is resumed they must put the same nine back out on the field.  If any of those nine players fails to make it to the game they will only have eight players eligible to play and they will have to forfeit the rain out game.

Post 58 played 13 of the 16 players on the line up card so if one of their players fails to show they still have bench players who could take their place.  The problem for P84 is they have to take the field to resume the game while only the batters have to go to bat that are due up next for P58.  A real dilemma for P84 just making the trip here.  Once the second game starts they can make a lineup any way they want.

One issue I have with the way things are done in the east American Legion I have no idea what the standings are and how we stand heading to the last week.  I know with a 5-1 record we can't be any worse than second but who knows.  Anybody know what the standings are?

The top four make the playoffs.  One plays four and two plays three in the conference.  In years past there have been three levels of conference playoffs but there are only two this year so instead of the first round being two out of three all rounds are three out of five.   Wilson is hosting the State Championship this year so they are already in the State Tournament.  Our champion plays the Capitol area champ and the winner of that three out of five goes to Wilson for the State Title.

So if the weather holds out the Playoffs start July 7th.  The one thing nobody wants to do is have to play on July fourth to make up a rainout game.  I sure don't want to and you know the kids don't want to play then.