Several Named To Ping!Baseball.com 2009 Preseason All-America Team

Second Team
Mike Spina (Amsterdam '08), Cincinnati
Kyle Bellamy (Geneva '07), Miami (Fla.)

Third Team
Chris Edmondson (Watertown '07), LeMoyne
Nate Lape (Amsterdam '07), Marshall
Shane Davis (Glens Falls '08), Canisius
Brian Moran (Glens Falls '07), North Carolina

For Your consideration..
Keli'i Zablan (Watertown '08), Southern Utah
Kevin Nieto (Amsterdam '07), Manhattan

NYCBL Alumni Spotlight: 1984 Team USA vs. NCBL All-Stars, Part I

Part I: Rosters

NCBL All-Stars
Pitchers
Bob Buckley (Coastal Carolina), Cortland
Jamie Cangemi (Ithaca), North Syracuse
Al Guggi (Utica), Rome
John Mertens (USC-Aiken), Syracuse
David Potts (Broome C.C.), Broome
Tim Subik (Keystone J.C.), Broome
Dan Tauken (Binghamton), Cortland

Catchers
Mike DePenzo (Broome C.C.), Broome
Tom Franceski (LeMoyne), Syracuse

Infielders
Mark Demo (LeMoyne), North Syracuse
Eric Holstein (LeMoyne), Rome
John Howell (LeMoyne), North Syracuse
Terry McDevit (Eastern Illinois), North Syracuse
Elliot Rivera (Harvard), Rome
Pat Sinisgalli (Wagner), Rome
Tom Temrowski (Florida Southern), Syracuse

Outfielders
Larry Brady (Coastal Carolina), Cortland
Gary Borg (Illinois), Broome
Morris Hubbard (Wofford), Broome
Dave Rustay (Onondaga C.C.), Syracuse
Tony Welborn (Appalachian State), Ithaca
Lew Temple (Rollins), Ithaca

Coaches
Greg Partigianoni (Cortland), Ed Redmond (Ithaca), John King (North Syracuse), Joe Antonio (Syracuse), Fiore DeCosty (Rome), Doug Courtwright (Broome)

[Teams - Broome Rangers, Cortland Apples, Ithaca Jr. Yankees, North Syracuse Merchants, Rome Indians, Syracuse Braves]

Team USA
Pitchers
Sid Aikens (USC), Don August (Chapman), Scott Bankhead (North Carolina), Mike Dunne (Bradley), Dave Graybill (Arizona State), Drew Hall (Morehead State), John Hoover (Fresno State), Pat Pacillo (Seton Hall), Billy Swift (Maine), Greg Swindell (Texas), Bobby Witt (Oklahoma)

Catchers
Bob Caffrey (Cal State Fullerton), John Marzano (Temple), B.J. Surfhoff (North Carolina)

Infielders
Will Clark (Mississippi State), Mark McGwire (USC), Flavio Alfaro (San Diego State), Gary Green (Oklahoma State), Barry Larkin (Michigan), Cory Snyder (BYU)

Outfielders
Ben Abner (Georgia Southern), Chris Gwynn (San Diego State), Shane Mack (UCLA), Ken Caminiti (San Jose State), Oddibe McDowell (Arizona State)

Head Coach: Rod Dedeaux, USC

Part II: The Game

Bolivar AIA Gives Holiday Gift Of 2009 Tentative Roster Posting

From the Athletes in Action website at www.aiabaseball.org. Updated 12/29/08

Pitchers
Carmen Daddario (West Chester)
Clint Price (Cedarville)
Joe Downar (Point Park)
John Hayes (Southeastern)
Shelby Robertson (Millsaps)
Zane Bayliss (Miami-Hamilton)

Catchers
Frankie Darden (Louisiana Tech)
Tyler Parrott (Edward Waters)

Infielders
Calvin Bass (Wayland Baptist)
Cameron Dullnig (Navarro)
Daniel Zylstra (Western Nevada)
Michael Mosby (Wabash Valley)
Robert Gilbert (Henderson State)
Scott Haddock (Southern Polytechnic)
Dan Breazeale (Louisiana Tech)

Outfielders
Daniel Perkins (Grove City)
Nate Hillery (Taylor)
Nathan Papadeas (Texas-Tyler)
Seth Christian (Malone)

NYCBL, Independent/Foreign Leagues, End 2008

Pacific League (Japan)
Alex Graman (Little Falls '97), Seibu Lions
Greg LaRocca (Ithaca '92), Orix Buffaloes

American Association
Alex Bardeguez (Little Falls '06), Sioux Falls Canaries
Andrew Holder (Alfred '03), Grand Prairie AirHogs
Cody Merrell (Saratoga '05), Grand Prairie AirHogs
Matt Pali (Mohawk Valley '02), Pensacola Pelicans
Matt Reilly (Plattsburgh '05), Fort Worth Cats

Atlantic League
Nate Buttenfield (Geneva '97-'98), Camden Riversharks
Shea Harris (Saratoga '05), Bridgeport Bluefish
Jordan Herr (Rochester '06), Lancaster Barnstormers*
Randy McGarvey (Amsterdam '00), Camden Riversharks
Ray Navarrete (Geneva '97), Long Island Ducks
Andy Weimer (Rome '01), Bridgeport Bluefish
*Herr signed a free-agent contract with the White Sox in the fall.

Can-Am League
Khalid Afify (Elmira '06), Sussex Skyhawks
Josh Colafemina (Amsterdam '04), Quebec Capitales
Jerod Edmondson (Ithaca '03), Nashua Pride
Luke Enman (Little Falls '07), Nashua Pride
Shaun McNamara (Glens Falls '05), Worcester Tornadoes
David Pellegrine (Watertown '04), Brockton Rox
Vinny Pennell (Watertown '05), Nashua Pride
John Tesseyman (Bennington '07), Nashua Pride

Frontier League
Joe Brown (Rome '02), Chillicothe Paints
Tim Alberts (Geneva '06), Washington Wild Things
Jimmy Baker (Little Falls '06), River City Rascals
Ryan Basham (Glens Falls '04), Florence Freedom
Dan Bertolini (Webster '07), Midwest Sliders
Phil Butch (Genesee Valley '06), Washington Wild Things
Bobby Carrington (GF '05/Watertown '06), Kalamazoo Kings
Jared Locke (Hornell '05), Traverse City Beach Bums
Miguel Magrass (Plattsburgh '04), Midwest Sliders
Sam Mann (Hornell '05), Washington Wild Things
Matt Mazurek (Mohawk Valley '05), Rockford Riverhawks
Dan Maycock (Mohawk Valley '05), River City Rascals
Peter McEneaney (Genesee Valley '06), Traverse City Beach Bums
Randy Moley (Brockport '07), Kalamazoo Kings
Mike Schellinger (Watertown '05), Washington Wild Things
Steven Spragg (Watertown '02-'03), Chillicothe Paints
Mark Suchowiecki (Amsterdam '05), Midwest Sliders
Mike Takashima (Glens Falls '05), Traverse City Beach Bums
Matt Trausch (Glens Falls '05), Traverse City Beach Bums
Jeff Vincent (Watertown '04), Chillicothe Paints

Golden Baseball League
EZ Ruvalcaba (Saratoga '06), Orange County Flyers

NYCBL, Short Season-Rookie, End 2008

Appalachian League
Jack Cawley (Elmira '06), Johnson City Cardinals
Justin Greene (Hornell '05), Bristol Sox
Blake Nation (Glens Falls '08), Pulaski Mariners
Jake Shaffer (Glens Falls '07), Pulaski Mariners
Pat Urckfitz (Webster '08), Greeneville Astros

Arizona League
Chris Dove (Saratoga '06), AZL Rangers
Aaron Pribanic (Hornell '06), AZL Mariners

Gulf Coast League
John Allman (Amsterdam '04), GCL Indians
Jeremy Kehrt (Geneva '06-'07), GCL Red Sox
Nate Recknagel (Glens Falls '06), GCL Indians

Pioneer League
Brandon Dill (Hornell '07), Casper Ghosts
Chris Garcia (Amsterdam '07), Orem Owlz
Bryan Gardner (RoCh. '06/Webster '07), Billings Mustangs
Mike Konstanty (Glens Falls '05, '07), Billings Mustangs
Nick Valdez (Glens Falls '05), Casper Ghosts

NYCBL, Short Season-A, End 2008

New York-Penn League
Tom Baxter (Saratoga '05), Aberdeen Ironbirds
Matt Bouchard (Plattsburgh '05), Brooklyn Cyclones
George Brown (Watertown '05), Batavia Muckdogs
Adam Campbell (Glens Falls '06), Jamestown Jammers
Tom Edwards (Little Falls '07), Aberdeen Ironbirds
David Flores (Little Falls '06), Tri-City ValleyCats
Zach Lutz (Hornell '07), Brooklyn Cyclones
Mike Lyon (Watertown '05), Staten Island Yankees
Ashton Mowdy (Geneva '07), Tri-City ValleyCats
Cord Phelps (Amsterdam '06), Mahoning Valley Scrappers
MiChael Schwimer (Saratoga '05), Williamsport Crosscutters
Jed Stephen (Saratoga '04), Aberdeen Ironbirds
Adam Veres (Glens Falls '07), Batavia Muckdogs
Matt Vieira (Watertown '06), Jamestown Jammers
Donnie Webb (Saratoga '06-'07), Mahoning Valley Scrappers
Shane Wolf (Elmira '06-'07), Tri-City ValleyCats

Northwest League
Andy Groves (Amsterdam '05), Tri-City Dust Devils
Ryan Hill (Glens Falls '04), Eugene Emeralds
Jacob Kaase (BroCkport '07), Spokane Indians
Tommy Mejia (Bennington '07), Boise Hawks
Michael Perconte (Hornell '05), Boise Hawks
Ryan Schlecht (Little Falls '06), Spokane Indians

NYCBL, Class-A, End 2008

Midwest League
Chris Carlson (Glens Falls '04), West MiChigan Whitecaps
Jim Dougher (Glens Falls '05), Lansing Lugnuts
Ryan Eigsti (Hornell '05), Burlington Bees
Cody Eppley (Elmira '06), Clinton LumberKings
Ollie Linton (Little Falls '06), South Bend Silverhawks
Darin Mastroianni (Saratoga '06), Lansing Lugnuts
Keith Meyer (Genesee Valley '05), Wisconsin TimberRattlers
Chris Rosenbaum (Watertown '04, '06), Cedar Rapids Kernals
Thad Weber (Alfred '04), West Michigan Whitecaps

South Atlantic League
Eric Beaulac (Amsterdam '06-'07), Savannah Sand Gnats
Steve Calicutt (Glens Falls '04), Augusta GreenJaCkets
Dallas Cawiezell (Glens Falls '06), Lake County Captains
Darren Clark (Glens Falls '05), Savannah Sand Gnats
Cliff Flagello (Plattsburgh '05), Delmarva Shorebirds
Jeremy Hall (Glens Falls '04), Columbus Catfish
Levi Maxwell (Watertown '05), Kannapolis Intimidators
Brendan Monaghan (Hornell '05), Delmarva Shorebirds
Michael Parker (Amsterdam '04), Savannah Sand Gnats
Jake Rogers (Hornell '06), Hagerstown Suns
Chris Shehan (Glens Falls '06), Rome Braves
David Williams (Glens Falls '04-'05), Charleston RiverDogs
Jordan Wolf (Amsterdam '05), Delmarva Shorebirds

NYCBL, High-A, End 2008

California League
Mike Benacka (Hornell '05), Stockton Ports
Angel Cabrera (Hornell '05), Modesto Nuts
Derrick Gordon (Amsterdam '04), Stockton Ports
Daniel Griffin (Saratoga '04), San Jose Giants*
Justin Souza (Hornell '04), High Desert Mavericks
*ended season on injured list after making one appearance for AAA-Fresno

Carolina League
James Barksdale (Allegany County '04-'05), Lynchburg HillCats
Jay Pacella (Amsterdam '03), Salem Avalanche

NYCBL, Double-A, End 2008

Eastern League
Sebastien Boucher (Plattsburgh '03), Bowie Baysox
Adrian Casanova (Mohawk Valley '02), Erie Seawolves
Chris Castorri (Hornell '04), Altoona Curve

Southern League
Quentin Davis (Amsterdam '03), Mississippi Braves
Jose Made (Bennington '07), Tennessee Smokies

NYCBL, Triple-A, End 2008

International League
Chip Cannon (Cortland '01), Syracuse Chiefs
David Cook (Rome '01), Charlotte Knights
Justin Mallett (Watertown '02), Louisville Bats
Scott SauerbeCk (Ithaca '92), Charlotte Knights

Pacific Coast League
Val Pascucci (Schenectady '97), New Orleans Zephyrs
Terry Tiffee (Hornell '98), Las Vegas 51s

NYCBL, Major League Baseball, End 2008

American League
Jeremy Accardo (Wellsville '02), Toronto Blue Jays
Dallas Braden (Hornell '03), Oakland Athletics
Rajai Davis (Hornell '00), Oakland Athletics
Brendan Harris (Schenectady '99), Minnesota Twins
John McDonald (cohocton '93), Toronto Blue Jays
Casper Wells (Saratoga '04), Detroit Tigers*
*Added to 40-man roster in November

National League
Brett Carroll (Hornell '02), Florida Marlins
Tim Hudson (Hornell '94), Atlanta Braves
Josh Kinney (Hornell '98), St. Louis cardinals
Brad Lidge (Ithaca '96), Philadelphia Phillies
Jason Motte (Rome '01), St. Louis Cardinals
Hunter Pence (Schenctady '02), Houston Astros

Four Named To Louisville Slugger 2009 Preseason All-America Team

First Team
Shane Davis (Glens Falls '08), Canisius

Second Team
Mike Spina (Amsterdam '08), Cincinnati
Nate Lape (Amsterdam '07), Marshall

Third Team
Chris Edmondson (Watertown '07), LeMoyne

More information to follow.

Golden Eagles Release Tentative 2009 Roster

From GlensFallsGoldenEagles.com as of 12/30/2008.

Pitchers
Jerry A'Hearn, Central Arizona
Willie Beard, Rutgers
Francis Brooke, Northwestern
Andrew Brown, Akron
Kellen Candau, Southern Illinois
Tony Dischler, ULM
Travis Dulude, Vermont
Nathan Forer, Southern Illinois
Alex Frederick, Clemson
Cole Livermore, Northwestern
Steve Nikorak, Temple
Ricky Ott, New Orleans
Jamie Storey, Midland
Daniel Watts, Jacksonville State

Catchers
Gary DerHagiopian, Siena
Connor Gandossy, Saint Louis

Infielders
Kevin Berry, New Orleans
Zach Kraham, Albany
Eric Phillips, Georgia Southern
Chris Lashmet, Northwestern
Spenser Mailman, Midland
Nate Valdez, Central Arizona
Tyler Smith, New Mexico Military Institute
Francisco Moreno, Pima C.C.

Outfielders
Lance Durham, Cincinnati - DET 2006 (45/1339)
Mike Ferraro, San Diego
Anthony Giansanti, Siena
Rodarrick Jones, New Orleans - HOU 2008 (21/632)
Justin Zumwalde, Pima C.C. - PHI 2008 (45/1363)

History 101 - Top 10 All-Time Draft Picks

The top 25 list (older) is in the media guide. Here's an updated list after some research to enjoy with your holiday treats.

1. Brad Lidge (Ithaca '96) - Houston, 1998, 1st round, 17th overall
2. Jon Ratliff (Syracuse '91) - Chicago (NL), 1993, 1st round, 24th overall
3. Kirt Manwaring (Cortland '82) - San Francisco, 1986, 2nd overall, 31st overall
4. Mike Rosamond (Ithaca '97) - Houston, 1999, Sandwich Round, 42nd overall
5. Clay Bellinger (Cortland '87) - San Francisco, 1989, 2nd round, 44th overall
6. Hunter Pence (Schenectady '02) - Houston, 2004, 2nd round, 64th overall
7. David Potts* (Broome '84) - Houston, 1984, 4th round, 71st overall
8. Archi Cianfrocco** (Rome '86) - Pittsburgh, 1986, 4th round, 79th overall
9. Aaron Pribanic (Hornell '06) - Seattle, 2008, 3rd round, 98th overall
10. Cord Phelps (Amsterdam '06) - Cleveland, 2008, 3rd round, 107th overall

* - Potts was drafted while he was playing for the Broome Rangers. He did not sign a professional contract until after his collegiate career
** - Cianfrocco was drafted while he was playing for the Rome Indians. He was drafted again the following year by the Montreal Expos in the 5th round (122nd overall).

Wizards Select New Field Manager For 2009

The Watertown Wizards of the New York Collegiate Baseball League have announced that 2008 pitching coach Brandon Potter has been chosen as the team's field manager for the 2009 season. Potter, the fifth head coach in franchise history, replaces Ryan Horning.

Potter is in his first season as an assistant coach at Cerro Coso Community College in eastern California. Previously, Potter has worked as an assistant at Minnesota State University and St. John Fisher College. After graduating from St. John Fisher College in 2004, Potter spent several summers working in the Cleveland Indians organization as a bullpen catcher for the Triple-A Buffalo Bisons.

Potter was an all-conference performer at St. John Fisher College as a catcher. He was chosen second-team All-Empire 8 in 2003 after he hit .315 in 28 games and drove in 17 runs. The following season, Potter was named All-Empire 8 honorable mention. He played 35 games as a senior and drove in 14 runs.

The Bloomfield, N.Y., native was the pitching coach for the Wizards last summer. He mentored Luis Castillo (Bellevue) to a second team All-NYCBL selection. Overall, the Wizards finished in fourth place in the six-team Eastern Division and made the playoffs for the fourth year in a row, the longest streak of any Eastern Division team.

Previous Watertown Wizards managers include Daniel Ninemire (2000), Paul Alteri (2001-2003), Ryan Horning (2008) and current general manager Todd Kirkey (2004-2007).

Former Pioneers To Lead Twin Tiers Squad In 2009

The Elmira Pioneers of the New York Collegiate Baseball League have announced that former Pio Ryan Giblin (Elmira '06-'07) has been hired as the team's field manager for the 2009 summer season. Former Elmira hurler Jeremy Gulich (Elmira '06) will act as the club's pitching coach. Giblin replaces three-year Pioneer skipper Matt Burch.

Giblin, a 2008 graduate of Mansfield University, is an assistant baseball coach at Millersville University. He was thrice named to the all-conference squad in the Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference's East Division while playing for the Mountaineers. As a senior captain, Giblin hit .425 with four home runs and 41 runs batted in. He totaled 74 hits, 49 runs scored, 11 doubles, two triples, eight stolen bases and a team-high 149 defensive assists. The 2008 first-team all-league choice was second on the team in runs scored and hits and third in batting average and runs batted in. The captain also was tabbed first-team all-region and was an NCBWA Division II honorable mention All-American. Giblin was a second-team all-star in 2006 and 2007. In addition to winning all-conference accolades on the baseball field, Giblin was a Manfield University Presidential Scholar in the classroom.

After graduation, Giblin spent time in the Frontier League with the eventual league champion Windy City Thunderbolts.

The Featersville, Pa., native spent two years as a player with the Pioneers in 2006 and 2007. The 2007 Pioneers won the NYCBL championship. On the title team, Giblin was the only player to compete in all 42 regular season games. He batted .231, drove in 14 runs and contributed 100 defensive assists. Through two years in the Twin Tiers, Giblin played over 80 games between the regular season and the playoffs.

Jeremy Gulich was an assistant coach at William Penn University in 2008. The Statesmen went 26-15 overall, finished second in the Midwest Collegiate Conference with a 20-3 loop mark and appeared in the NAIA Region VII tournament. Gulich pitched for the Statesmen in 2007. He struck out 14 in seven appearances. Prior to William Penn, the Horseheads, N.Y., native pitched for the University of Pittsburgh-Bradford and Hudson Valley Community College. Gulich was 12-4 over two seasons for the Vikings of HVCC and he is second all-time in school history with 129.2 innings pitched. He was a first team All-Mountain Valley Conference choice in 2003.

Gulich pitched out of the Elmira Pioneers bullpen in 2006. He was second on the team in innings pitched for a reliever (18.2) and he tied for second with 12 relief appearances.

Both former Pio players took the field under three-year manager Matt Burch. Burch guided the Elmira squad to back-to-back playoff appearances (2006, 2007), a co-division title (2007) and a league championship (2007). The departed bench boss also skippered the Western Division all-stars to a 9-5 win over the Eastern Division all-stars in the 2008 NYCBL All-Star Game.

NYCBL Picture of the Week

Hornell's Dan Tunison (LeMoyne) gets set to deliver a pitch against the Geneva Red Wings at McDonough Park in Geneva, N.Y. First baseman Zach Kinkeade (Misouri Western State) looks on in the background.

Photo courtesy of the Hornell Dodgers.

Three NYCBL Alums Named To 2009 NCBWA Preseason All-America Team

Second Team
OF - Nate Lape (Amsterdam '07), Marshall
SP - Shane Davis (Glens Falls '08), Canisius
RP - Kyle Bellamy (Geneva '07), Miami, Fla.

The full team is listed here. More information to follow.

Elmira Pioneers 2009 Roster Shaping Up

Courtesy of ElmiraPioneers.com. Updated 1/18.

Pitchers
Alek Brown (Canisius)
Frank Cebek (Siena)
Michael Franza (Pace)
Shane Ryan (Mansfield)
Justin Shannon (Albany)
Ryan White (Albany)

Catchers
Kevin Cressman (Mansfield)

Infielders
Colin Barnathan (Dowling)
J.J. Conrad (Pace)
J.J. Edwards (Sacred Heart)
Sean Jamieson (Niagara County C.C.)
Mike Tirri (Albany)

Outfielders
Peter DiResta (Albany)
Mike Torello (Pace)

Mayotte Returning To Golden Eagles For '09 Campaign

The Glens Falls Golden Eagles of the New York Collegiate Baseball League have announced that John Mayotte will return as the team's field manager for the 2009 season. The upcoming season will be Mayotte's sixth as the manager of the Golden Eagles. He is the only manager in the history of the franchise.

Since joining the NYCBL in 2004, Mayotte's Golden Eagle teams have amassed a regular-season record of 132-77 (.632). The Golden Eagles have won three Eastern Division regular season titles (2004, 2007, 2008), two Eastern Division playoff titles (2007, 2008) and made two-straight appearances in the NYCBL championship Series (2007, 2008). The Golden Eagles have thrice finished the regular season with 30-or-more wins and have won 31 games or more in each of the last two seasons.

The 2007 Golden Eagles posted a 34-6 record in the regular season with an .850 winning percentage. The winning percentage was the highest among all of the team's in the National Alliance of College Summer Baseball (NACSB) and it set an NYCBL modern-day record (post-2000) for highest winning percentage. Only the 1985 Broome Rangers (25-3, .893) have a higher winning percentage in the over 30-year history of the NYCBL.

Mayotte, the 2007 NYCBL coach of the Year, has mentored 21 All-NYCBL selections (13 first team, eight second team) as well as the 2004 NYCBL Player of the Year Terry Blunt and the 2008 NYCBL Pitcher of the Year Shane Davis . At the end of the 2008 professional baseball season, 21 former Golden Eagles were listed on minor league and independent league rosters.

Prior to joining the Golden Eagles, Mayotte was a successful collegiate head coach at Eckerd (Fla.) and Troy State (now Troy University) amassing over 800 career victories.

Griffin To Skipper Mohawks in 2009

The Amsterdam Mohawks of the New York Collegiate Baseball League have hired Guntersville, Ala., native Keith Griffin as their field manager for the 2009 season. Griffin is the franchise's ninth different manager over the last nine years. He replaces Kevin Downing who guided the club to a second-place finish in the Eastern Division and an appearance in the playoffs.

Griffin takes over the Tribe after a seven-year stint as the head baseball coach at Okaloosa-Walton Community College (now Northwest Florida State College) in Niceville, Fla. Griffin tallied seven-straight winning seasons with the Raiders and never finished with fewer than 25 victories.

He put together a successful six-year campaign at Jefferson Davis Community College in Alabama from 1996 through 2002 before beComing the head coach at Okaloosa-Walton. Griffin's 1998 squad won the NJCAA Division II national championship. Additionally, he guided JDCC to two other World Series appearances, two Alabama state titles, six Alabama state tournament showings and five conference championships. Griffin was a two-time conference and state Coach of the Year and he was named National Coach of the Year in 1998.

The native Alabaman also has assistant coaching experience at the collegiate level at Okaloosa-Walton and Jacksonville University. Griffin was also a 10-year head coach at Pine Forest High School from 1980 to 1990. He played collegiately at Gadsden State Junior College and Livingston University.

Under Kevin Downing last season, the Amsterdam Mohawks belted a league-high 31 home runs and put together a 26-14 record, good for second place in the Eastern Division. The Tribe's 26 wins were the most by the franchise since 2005. Amsterdam has missed the playoffs just once over the last seven years.

Miners Hire Lau To Lead 2009 Squad

The Little Falls Miners of the New York Collegiate Baseball League have announced the hiring of Tim Lau as the team's field manager for the 2009 season. Lau, the third manager in franchise history, replaces Justin Gordon who skippered the Miners in 2007 and 2008.

Lau joins the NYCBL coaching ranks from Charleston Southern University where he spent two years as an assistant coach. Lau was the team's recruiting coordinator in 2008 and also worked with catchers and infielders. Last spring, three Buccaneers were named to the Louisville Slugger Freshman All-America team and freshman catcher Derek Smith was selected first-team All-Big South. Additionally, nine Bucs went on to be selected as all-stars in summer leagues across the country.

Before joining the Bucs, Lau was an assistant coach with the Rochester Honkers of the Northwoods League in 2005. The Honkers won the second-half South Division title and appeared in the Northwoods League playoffs for the first time since 2002. Rochester won a franchise-record 44 games and six players were selected to the Northwoods League All-Star Game.

Prior to working in the Big South, Lau was an assistant coach at Viterbo University in LaCrosse, Wisc. In 2002, the Wisconsin native began his coaching career at Holmen High School in Holmen, Wisc., as an assistant baseball coach. He helped guide the team to a pair of sectional titles and two appearances in the Wisconsin state tournament, one of which in 2002 resulted in a state runner-up finish. While working at Holmen, Lau also was the head coach of the Holmen American Legion team.

Lau is a 2001 graduate of Western Wisconsin University.

Lau is the Miners' third manager in the four-year history of the franchise. He takes over the helm from Justin Gordon. Gordon led the Miners to back-to-back playoff appearances in 2007 and 2008. Gordon is currently the pitching coach at Temple University. The Little Falls franchise has not missed the playoffs in three seasons of play.

NYCBL Picture of the Week

The Rochester Royals (now Webster Yankees) and the Genesee Valley Riverbats (now Brockport) opened the 2006 regular season (June 9, 2006) at Frontier Field in Rochester, N.Y., home of the Triple-A Rochester Red Wings.

Nine Named To Wallace Award Watch List

Nine former New York Collegiate Baseball League players have been named to the Watch List for the 2009 Brooks Wallace Award. The award is given to the National Player of the Year by the College Baseball Foundation. The 2009 Wallace Award will be presented on July 2, 2009 at Texas Tech University. Florida State's Buster Posey was the 2008 Wallace Award recipient. The following players were named to the Watch List:

Greg Lane (Elmira '06), Binghamton
Shane Davis (Glens Falls '08), Canisius
Mike Spina (Amsterdam '08), Cincinnati
Jose Sanchez (AC '07/Hornell '08), Delaware State
Daniel Cooke (Glens Falls '07), Gardner Webb
Kevin Nieto (Amsterdam '07), Manhattan
Nate Lape (Amsterdam '07), Marshall
Keli'i Zablan (Watertown '08), Southern Utah
Joe Serafin (Allegany County '05), Vermont

Greg Lane (Elmira '06) is a senior pitcher at Binghamton University. Last spring, Lane set a single-season school record with a conference-leading 11 saves. The Binghamton closer was named first-team All-America East after going 3-2 with a team-low 1.97 earned run average in 24 appearances. The Binghamton, N.Y., native yielded just seven earned runs in 32 innings pitched and did not allow a home run or hit a batter.

Lane pitched for the 2006 Elmira Pioneers. He made seven appearances and posted a 2.45 earned run average in 14.2 innings pitched. Lane held opposing hitters to a .241 batting average and was fourth on the team in ERA.

Shane Davis (Glens Falls '08) is a redshirt sophomore at Canisius College. Davis recorded an impressive 2008 season with the Golden Griffs. He was named a third-team All-American by three different organizations and a Freshman All-American by five different organizations. In addition, Davis was selected as the MAAC Pitcher of the Year and Rookie of the Year. At Canisius, Davis set a single-season record with 12 victories and 10 complete games. He finished among the national freshman leaders in ERA (2.42) and he tied for first in victories.

The Belmont, Ont., native was named the 2008 NYCBL Pitcher of the Year. He helped the Glens Falls Golden Eagles to the Eastern Division title and an appearance in the finals of the league playoffs. Davis went 5-0 with a 0.33 ERA during the regular season. He yielded just two earned runs in 54 innings pitched and struck out 31. The southpaw posted a 34-inning scoreless string during the regular season and tossed a nine-inning no-hitter against the Bennington Bombers on June 11 at East Field. He was the starting pitcher for the Eastern Division in the NYCBL All-Star Game.

Mike Spina (Amsterdam '08) is a senior at the University of Cincinnati. Spina was one of three Bearcats named to the Wallace Watch List. As a junior, Spina clouted 21 home runs and led the BIG EAST with 79 runs batted in. The All-BIG EAST second-team selection batted .377 during the regular season and set a single-season school record for home runs. Spina recorded a blistering .438 batting average during the BIG EAST tournament with four home runs and 11 RBI. The Newberry, Fla., native was chosen by the Minnesota Twins in the 45th round (1,355th overall) of the 2008 Major League Baseball amateur draft.

Spina played for the Amsterdam Mohawks this past summer. Spina led the Tribe with a .330 batting average, eight home runs, 12 doubles and a .670 slugging percentage. Spina's eight clouts led the league and paced a team that combined to hit a league-high 31 home runs. The first team NYCBL all-star helped the Mohawks to the Eastern Division finals for the first time since 2005. He was a starter in the NYCBL All-Star Game.

Jose Sanchez (AC '07/Hornell '08) is a senior at Delaware State University. Sanchez earned All-MEAC accolades in his first season with the Hornets in 2008. He was named second-team all-conference after leading the Hornets with a .347 batting average, six home runs, 30 runs batted in and 16 doubles. The transfer from Alfred State was the only player to compete in all 49 of Delaware State's games in 2008.

The Tachira, Venezuela, native spent two seasons in the NYCBL. He played for the Allegany County Nitros in 2007 and the Hornell Dodgers in 2008. This past summer, Sanchez was the Most Valuable Player of the NYCBL All-Star Game and he was tabbed second-team all-league. The shortstop led the Western Division champion Dodgers with 35 runs scored and 11 doubles. He batted .314 with one home run, 24 RBI, 53 hits and 15 stolen bases. Through two NYCBL seasons, Sanchez competed in the playoffs for two different teams and started two NYCBL All-Star Games.

Daniel Cooke (Glens Falls '07) is a senior at Gardner-Webb University. Cooke is a two-sport star for the Bulldogs in football and baseball. Last spring, Cooke batted .331 with 43 runs batted in, 53 runs scored and 31 stolen bases for the Bulldogs. He topped the team with seven sacrifice flies and eight outfield assists. Cooke is the school's leader in all-time stolen bases (68). On the gridiron, Cooke was a four-time all-conference choice in the Big South and he was thrice tabbed to the first team. He finished his football career with 282 career tackles.

The Charlotte, N.C., native was a member of the 2007 Glens Falls Golden Eagles. He was part of an Eastern Division championship team that finished the regular season with a league and NACSB-best 34-6 mark. Cooke stole a team-high 17 bases on 19 attempts in 38 games and he had a club-high four sacrifice hits. The speedy outfielder also collected 31 hits and scored 23 runs.

Kevin Nieto (Amsterdam '07) is a junior at Manhattan College. Nieto is a two-time all-conference honoree for the Jaspers. He was named first-team All-MAAC in 2008 after leading the circuit in batting average (.386) and triples (six). The Miami, Fla., native finished among the conference and team leaders with 59 hits, 50 runs scored, 14 doubles, 47 runs batted in, 21 stolen bases and a .591 slugging percentage.

Nieto was an NYCBL all-star with the Amsterdam Mohawks in 2007. He drove in a team-high 34 runs for the Tribe in 39 games. Nieto also led the team with three triples and tied for the club lead with 11 doubles. He finished second on the team in home runs (four), runs scored (26) and total bases (77) and was third in hits (48). The Manhattan product was selected second-team All-NYCBL.

Nate Lape (Amsterdam '07) is a senior at Marshall University. Lape was chosen to the 2008 Conference-USA all-league team after a stellar junior campaign. He paced the Thundering Herd in batting average (.388), hits (83), doubles (17), home runs (17) and runs batted in (63). Lape was the Conference-USA Hitter of the Week and a Louisville Slugger National Player of the Week for the week ending March 16, 2008 after hitting .542 with five home runs and 11 RBI in six games for the Herd. The Huntington, N.Y., native was chosen in the 20th round (617th overall) of the 2008 Major League Baseball draft by the Colorado Rockies.

Lape played for the 2007 Amsterdam Mohawks. He batted .257, drove in 23 runs and tied for the team lead with 11 doubles. Lape led the squad with four sacrifice flies and added 37 hits and 18 runs scored.

Keli'i Zablan (Watertown '08) is a senior at Southern Utah University. Zablan is a two-time all-conference selection in the Summit League for the Thunderbirds. He was named second-team All-Summit League in 2008. Zablan led the T-Birds with a .382 batting average, 84 hits, five triples, 25 walks and 153 assists. He added 34 RBI, 46 runs scored, 12 doubles, three home runs and 19 stolen bases.

The Ewa Beach, Hawaii, native doned the colors of the Watertown Wizards in 2008. He was only one of two Wizards to play in 37 of the team's 40 games. Zablan batted .256 with two home runs, 11 RBI, 33 hits, 14 runs scored, five doubles and six stolen bases. The native Hawaiian also struck out five batters in three relief pitching outings and held opponents to a .211 batting average.

Joe Serafin (Allegany County '05) is a redshirt senior at the University of Vermont. Serafin was the 2008 America East Pitcher of the Year. He led the conference with a 2.51 earned run average, seven complete games and a .221 opponents' batting average. Overall, the left-handed pitcher went 6-5 in 12 appearances with one save and 58 strikeouts in 79 innings pitched. Serafin is a two-time all-conference honoree and he was named to the 2005 America East All-Rookie team.

Serafin pitched for the Allegany County Nitros in 2005. He was 5-1 with a 2.00 earned run average in 10 appearances. Serafin struck out a team-high 54 batters in 54 innings pitched and allowed just 12 earned runs.

Thanks to The College Baseball Blog for the complete list of all 204 players.

2008: The Year Of Casper Wells (Saratoga '04)

The Detroit Tigers have added outfielder Casper Wells (Saratoga '04) to their 40-man roster. The Tigers purchased his contract from the Double-A Erie Seawolves on November 20th. Wells is the first former Saratoga Phillie to make a Major League roster. Twelve former New York Collegiate Baseball League players appeared in Major League Baseball during the 2008 season.

Wells began the '08 campaign with the West Michigan Whitecaps of the Single-A Midwest League. The Towson University graduate slammed 10 home runs, drove in 26, scored 30, stole 17 bases and batted .240 in 50 games for the Whitecaps. He was named to the Midwest League All-Star Game. However, Wells did not play in the game because he was promoted to the Erie Seawolves of the Double-A Eastern League.

The Grand Rapids, Mich., native batted .289 in 75 games for Erie with 17 home runs, 53 runs batted in, 78 hits, 18 doubles, 60 runs scored and a .965 OPS rating. Wells was tabbed as the Eastern League's Player of the Week on August 11, 2008 after bashing three home runs in one game.

Between West Michigan and Erie, Wells batted .269, clubbed 27 home runs, drove in 79 runs, scored 90 and collected 121 hits in 125 games.

At the end of the minor league season, Wells was selected to play in the prestigious Arizona Fall League for the Mesa Solar Sox. He didn't disappoint in the desert. Wells appeared in 23 games for the Sox and batted .321 with eight home runs, 23 runs batted in, 16 runs scored, 25 hits, six doubles and a 1.125 OPS rating. Wells played in the AFL's Rising Stars Showcase and he was named to the league's top prospect team at the end of the season.

The Schenectady, N.Y., resident played in the New York Collegiate Baseball League for the Saratoga Phillies in 2004. He helped the Phillies to a third-place finish in the Eastern Division and was named second-team all-league.

NYCBL Alumni Spotlight, Syracuse University

Welcome back to the New York Collegiate Baseball League Alumni Spotlight. Every other week until the beginning of the 2009 NYCBL season in June, former NYCBL (NCBL or NESBA) players or coaches will be featured. Last June, 33 current or former New York Collegiate Baseball League players were selected in the Major League Baseball entry draft. Countless other former players and coaches have gone on to success at the collegiate and professional levels.

This week, the spotlight shines on three players from Syracuse University. Syracuse dropped baseball as a varsity sport in 1972, however three multi-sport athletes from the ‘Cuse competed in the Northeastern Collegiate Baseball League in the 1980s. In this week’s spotlight are former Orangemen Will Pennyfeather, Byron Abraham and Sonny Spera.

Will Pennyfeather spent two football seasons (1986, 1987) at Syracuse University as a back-up wide receiver playing for head coach Dick MacPherson. He was a back-up wide-out on Syracuse’s 11-0-1 national title contender in 1987. In the summer of 1988, the Perth Amboy, N.J., native took to the outfield for Auburn Pepsi-Cola of the NCBL. Through the first half of the ’88 season, Pennyfeather batted .317 with three home runs, 12 RBI and eight extra-base hits. He was selected to the 1988 NCBL All-Star Game (played in Auburn, N.Y.).

However, the SU pass catcher would not finish the NCBL season. He was signed as a non-drafted free agent by the Pittsburgh Pirates on July 1st. Pennyfeather made his Major League debut for the Pirates in 1992 as a replacement for an injured Barry Bonds. He played in 40 games for the Bucs over the next three seasons as he split time between Pittsburgh and Triple-A Buffalo as well as Triple-A Indianapolis after a 1994 trade to Cincinnati. Pennyfeather missed all of 1995 and then caught on with the Triple-A farm clubs of the Angels and Dodgers in 1996 and 1997.

The former SU pass catcher returned home to New Jersey to play for the Atlantic City Surf of the independent Atlantic League in 1998. He played in Atlantic City for three seasons, though he spent part of the 1999 campaign in the Anaheim Angels’ farm system. Pennyfeather played the better part of the final five years of his professional career in the independent Atlantic League with only a brief stint in the Northern League in 2003. During his final professional season in 2006, Pennyfeather was named the Newark Bears Player of the Year and he was an Atlantic League all-star.

Like Will Pennyfeather, Bryon Abraham took to the gridiron for the Syracuse University football team. The 1983 Parade All-American football star from Notre Dame High School in Utica, N.Y., attended the University of Notre Dame in 1983 but would later decide to transfer to Syracuse University. Abraham played three seasons of football for the Orangemen and was a senior on Syracuse’s 11-0-1 team in 1987. Abraham scored a touchdown in S.U.’s season-ending, 32-31, victory over West Virginia at the Carrier Dome to keep the Orange’s unbeaten record intact.

While at Notre Dame, Abraham entered the Northeastern Collegiate Baseball League as a member of the Rome Indians. He played in the 1984 NCBL All-Star Game at MacArthur Stadium and drove in one run as the North all-stars defeated the South all-stars, 8-6. Two seasons later, Abraham was one of the top players on an Indians team that featured future Major Leaguer Archi Cianfrocco and current LeMoyne head baseball coach Steve Owens. According to the Syracuse Herald Journal, the Utica, N.Y., native led the eight-team league with a .400 batting average.

Abraham graduated from Syracuse in 1988. He currently works in Utica, N.Y. and is the head football coach at Utica-Notre Dame High School.

Before Will Pennyfeather and Byron Abraham entered the Carrier Dome, Sonny Spera was knocking down jump shots for the Orangemen under head coach Jim Boeheim. The 6-foot-5 guard spent four seasons at Syracuse and was a team captain during his senior season in 1984-85. Spera’s hoops teams made the NCAA tournament in 1983, 1984 and 1985. Before heading to Syracuse, Spera was a standout high school pitcher at Union-Endicott. A chance meeting in 1982 between Spera and a Syracuse Junior Chiefs staffer at a local restaurant ended up with Spera in the NCBL.

Spera pitched in the Northeastern Collegiate Baseball League for the Syracuse Junior chiefs (1982) and the Syracuse Braves (1984). The 1982 Junior Chiefs made the inaugural NCBL playoffs but did not survive the six-team, round-robin tournament. Spera’s 1984 Syracuse Braves finished 12-21.

The Endicott, N.Y., native was a two-time draft pick of the Milwaukee Brewers. The Brewers tabbed Spera in the 13th round (293rd overall) of the 1983 draft and then again in the 25th round (633rd overall) of the 1984 draft.

Instead of signing a professional contract, Spera retained his amateur status. After graduating in 1985, he attended graduate school at the University of Buffalo. Currently, Spera, a licensed dentist, operates his own practice in the Binghamton, N.Y., area.

Pios Ink Wolff As New GM

The Elmira Pioneers have announced that Hoffman Wolff has been hired as the team's general manager for the 2009 New York Collegiate Baseball League season. Wolff replaces Tom Sullivan, who served as the team's summer collegiate general manager for three years, from 2006 through 2008.

Wolff joins the Pioneers after a one-year stint in the Can-Am League as the Director of Operations for the Atlantic City Surf. In Atlantic City, Wolff handled media relations and in-game promotions as well as various sales and marketing initiatives. In 2008, the Surf averaged 2,765 fans per game, breaking the franchise's single-season attendance record. Atlantic City set a Can-Am League record for single-game attendance with a crowd of 8,016 for its' July 3rd contest with the New Jersey Jackals.

Before joining the Surf for the 2008 season, Wolff was the general manager of the NYCBL's Little Falls Miners in 2007. The Miners under Wolff increased attendance by 60 percent from the previous season and launched a new web site at www.littlefallsminers.com.

Wolff has also worked as a media relations assistant for the University at Albany, as the director of media relations for the Can-Am League and the Central League and as an operations assistant for the Burlington Indians of the Appalachian League.

The Elmira Pioneers joined the New York Collegiate Baseball League for the 2006 season under the guidance of general manager Tom Sullivan. The Pioneers won the league championship in 2007 behind NYCBL Player of the Year and Championship Series MVP Shane Wolf. The team has made the playoffs twice (2006, 2007) in its' three seasons. Under third-year manager Matt Burch, the Pioneers finished the 2008 season with a 16-23 mark, good for sixth in the eight-team Western Division.

NYCBL Picture of the Week.

Geneva's Charlie Bashara (Northeastern) pitches against the Brockport Riverbats on July 27, 2008 at McDonough Park in Geneva, N.Y. Also pictured is catcher Nick Spears (Texas Pan-American) and center fielder Kevin McGrath (West Chester).

Photo courtesy of Tartaglia Productions