Volume 1, Issue 1 12 April 2012

Inside the Issue: Page 1

The League Its All in the Sticks Stick With It

2 3 Last summer we tried and we tried

to play stickball whenever we could. It became more and more difficult as the summer progressed. Due to busy schedules and a lack of organization, it was nearly impossible to have a stickball game. This is what prompted us to develop the Fountain Hill Stickball League. With the help of many people, that is exactly what we are doing. This May, thanks to the 48 stickball players who signed up for the league, we will be holding the inaugural Fountain Hill Stickball League Draft and starting league games. In the league, post-season individual awards will be handed out, champions will be crowned and legends will be made. Ryan Anderson, FHSL Commissioner

Draft Preview
Player Spotlight The Backspin Chronicles Got Stick?

4-9
10

League Structure
4 teams 1 Captain for each team 12 players on each team 9 game regular season Each team plays each other team 3 times a piece 2 teams with best regular season record play in 3 game series to determine league champions

10 11

A Stickball Story 11

League Games
Every Tuesday evening at 6 pm starting May 29th Games played at either the Fountain Hill Park or Holy Child Parking Lot

Important League Dates

May 5th - $20 league fee due for each player

May 12th League Draft

May 29th First Games Played

Volume 1, Issue 1 12 April 2012

Page 2

The Stickball Star-Ledger

Its all in the Sticks

The League Draft will be held on Saturday, May 12th at the Fountain Hill Park building from 47 pm. The captains for the four teams are Colin Hutchinson, Joey Martin, Zach Glagola, and Tim Sawruk. The format of the draft will be a fantasy draft style, meaning the 1st round will be picks 1-4 and the 2nd round will be picks 4-1. Draft order will go 1. Joey Martin 2. Tim Sawruk 3. Zach Glagola 4. Colin Hutchinson. There will be 11 rounds in the draft. The Draft has been the most anticipated aspect of the league so far. Players are anxious to find out what team they will end up on. Facebook and Twitter have been on fire lately with draft debate. There is enough talent in this league to go around so the teams should be fairly even. A lot will be determined on May 12th, but the best team will be decided on the field. In other words, its not all about the draft, Its all in the sticks.

Captain
Joey Martin Tim Sawruk Zach Glagola Colin Hutchinson

Team Name
Kekambas The Sultans of Swat Toon Squad Bethlehem Monarchs

Jersey Color
Dark Green Navy Blue Orange Cedar Red

Volume 1, Issue 1 12 April 2012

Page 3

The Stickball Star-Ledger

Stick With It
The four team captains are all extremely honored to have been chosen to lead teams this summer. Each of them were recently interviewed regarding separate league topics. Heres what they had to say.

Tim Sawruk Interview

FHSL: Since you are already the expected clean-up hitter in your lineup, what is your draft strategy going in, considering you already have the big bat? Captain Sawruk: Lefties, lefties, and more lefties. Im not just going for offensive picks either. Defense is an important part of stickball. Joey Martin Interview FHSL: Describe yourself as a manager and tell the readers why a player would enjoy playing for you?

Captain Martin: I think I am a players coach. I get along with a lot of people. The average player would enjoy playing on my team. Im a pretty easy going guy but I will expect a lot out of my players.
Colin Hutchinson Interview: FHSL: How do you feel about getting the #4 pick in the draft and do you think it could be an advantage for you? Captain Hutchinson: I think having the # 4 pick is key because I also get the 5th pick, back to back. A surefire star player and then a player who I believe will fit my team model. Zach Glagola Interview: FHSL: What are you most looking forward to about the Fountain Hill Stickball League? Captain Glagola: Easily the draft. I wish it was tomorrow. Im going to get to work on my draft board and be totally prepared by draft day. GM of the year right here!! They all seem very confident but well have to wait and see which one of these captains Sticks with it and puts together a championship squad.

Volume 1, Issue 1 12 April 2012

Page 4

The Stickball Star-Ledger

Complete Draft Preview

We have put together an in-depth draft preview detailing all 48 league members. Some of the players we have more of a body of work to base their player reviews off of; the others we have very little. Either way we added all the player information that we could think of. This will be very important for the team captains to study before draft day. Hopefully it also provides some hype for the draft and can incite debate amongst the stickball community. Enjoy!

Draft Player Prospect Review

Captains:
Joey Martin "The Strategist" - Knows the game intimately well and will be a smart manager. Will probably be the most interesting to see in the draft in terms of what direction he goes, especially with the first pick. Past performance has indicated that he's likely to get a handful of extra base hits throughout the season which will surely lead to a chunk of runs for his team. An athlete who fields well at many positions. Tim Sawruk "The Gambler" - "Big Cat" is one of the preseason favorites for Silver Slugger. Huge potential to be a 5+ homerun hitter. An RBI fans dream. Risk taker when it comes to base running which has proved to both help and hurt his teams in the past. Impressive resume with only one real off year. Can't see him not performing at or above his potential. Laid-back personality who will be a player's manager and will be well liked by the team he manages. Zach Glagola "The Diplomat" - The all important lefty threat. Can be streaky. But if he comes into a clutch situation there's no better security than an automatic hit over the right field fence. He fields above average and is well liked by players. Will manage his team with a reserved but formidable presence equipped with legendary reasonability. Colin Hutchinson "The General" - Fiery, draconian persona. Will motivate his team to perform above their skill sets. A guy who swings a good stick and is consistently on base. A natural leader who won't let you forget your mistakes. Left side of the infield is where he'll most likely play with success. Has hit with power in the past but he'll most likely put himself at the top of the order.

Volume 1, Issue 1 12 April 2012

Page 5

The Stickball Star-Ledger

Draftable: In No Particular Order Nick Johnson - "Manny" is one of the few true deep threats. Has the ability to go yard at every at-bat. Long frame gives him excellent range and leaping ability. Great whether at first or in left field. RBI machine. A no brainer in terms of production. Alex Specht - Without Jeff Labarge, the only true 5-tool player in the league. Great speed. Slap, pull, go deep; he can do damage at the plate to all fields. Also plays both left infield positions and center field tremendously well. A leader on the field. High reward with literally no risk. Joey Felker - An irreplaceable and unmatched defensive presence. He completely erases hits to the left side of the outfield and has the ability to hose you at home. Has been known to hit the homer, but you'll most likely be seeing him on second base. High stickball IQ. Great base runner.
Joey Felker in the batter's box

Shane Hutchinson - One of the best situational hitters available. Can chop it when need be, but rips to center left is where he makes his money. Sure handed fielder as well. Can play either corner infield position and has the ability to make plays at shortstop too. Has had substance abuse issues in the past, but don't look for it to affect performance. Andrew Redding - The quintessential all-around player. Smart. Good bat. Decent wheels. Fine fielder. Plays well with others and demonstrates great leadership qualities. Bryan Redding - Extreme pull hitter. If pitch counts were important in stickball, this guy would be a number one pick. Has recently shown that he's straightened out his swing with a number of good at bats. Can play adequately at most positions on the field but really shines at pitcher. Laughs abound with this guy on the field. Well known. Well liked. Well received. Justin Santanasto Has plenty of stickball experience. Currently a member of the Bethlehem Catholic Golden Hawk Baseball team. We see him in the outfield but he should be a versatile asset to whichever team he ends up on. Mike Zumas - "The Greek Mitts" is a stalwart at first. Big frame provides above average power. Sneaky quick. Past experience has shown that a shot to deep center can end up as a triple. Won't kill you with mistakes either. Mike Block - Very raw skill set. New to the game. Appears to be progressing. Eager to learn and will be a good team presence.
Mike Zumas nurtures his sprained ankle at last year's FH Classic

Volume 1, Issue 1 12 April 2012

Page 6

The Stickball Star-Ledger

Taylor Bates - Saying he's athletic is doing an injustice. Scary speed. A bouncer into left center can turn into a double with ease. Consistent at the plate and can track down anything in the outfield. If his power has increased he may be entering into 5-tool territory. Kyle McCauley - Great range and hands at short or 3rd. Sells out on defense which has resulted in an injury but is completely healthy now. A good slap hitter who always seems to be on base. Run scorer and producer. Eric Blum - Big man. Big bat. Makes his home crushing balls to deep center. Adequate hands who can play 2nd, right field, or pitcher. Won't blow you away with speed though.
Tony Logan, Neal Treskot, Eric Blum, & Andrew Krause

Leo Rooney - Another valuable lefty. Won't do much on the base paths but, as with all lefties, his bat is what gives him high value. Not particular defensive but can carve out a niche at first, or pitcher, and perform well. The more at-bats, the better he performs. Rick Rau - Can perform admirably on the field and at the plate but needs motivation. Becomes off task easily and doesn't stay interested. Will need a captain that is willing to light a fire and bring out what he's capable of. Pat Hilaire - "Heggy" is an insanely long creature. 10-foot wingspan makes him a good pick for shortstop. His arms are also useful at the plate as he has a Vlad Guerrero-like strike zone. Mike Dally - "Pickle" has shown in the past to be a reliable fielder and batter. Not huge RBI potential but is keen at advancing runners. Neal Treskot - Big player who, when he makes contact, can really smoke the ball. Consistency is a worry but, if he can get focused, there's high potential. Defensively I'd be inclined to put him at pitcher but his height could be useful at other positions as well. Andrew Krause - Has impressed in the past with his abilities in left. Relying more on anticipation than speed but gets the job done all the same. Can handle the bat but won't be winning any awards for power. Also not the fleetest of foot but can beat out an infield hit if the third basemen is distracted by a bug or has some kind of arm injury. Jake Mies Jake Mies - Another guy who can play anywhere on the field with ease. Above average quicks. Swings the bat well. Personable on and off the field. Justis Freeman Has shown some real power early in spring training. Can play a couple of positions defensively including right field, second base, and catcher.

Volume 1, Issue 1 12 April 2012

Page 7

The Stickball Star-Ledger

Tony Logan - Big guy who swings from his heels. Can produce well at the plate. Fields the pitcher spot very well. Not the fastest but will surprise you with his speed. Morale will be high seeing as he's always good for a laugh.

Tony Logan on the mound

Richie Taglang - Young player with a high motor. Very familiar with the game who will play with a youthful vitality that will raise the spirits of his team. Known to be a bit of a jokester so keep your eye out. Killer chops in center. Covers good ground and controls the ball into his hands. Joey Logan - Comes from good breeding stock, the Logan family. has a lot of experience in both pick-up games and from the classic as a member of "The Fancies." Needs to work on his speed but he can play 2nd well and swings the bat decently too. Has been working out so we'll see if that equates into a power surge. Josh Knipe - Natural athlete who has a good eye. Rarely hits a weak ball. Plays the outfield well and has a good voice on the field. Collin DosSantos - Excels at the pitchers spot. Had 4 Ks in a preseason game. Bigger kid who lacks speed but can handle the bat. Whichever captain picks him up will have to preach hustle at all times. Rocco DiPaola - Fields well. Big body gives him good range to make up for small throwing mistakes towards first. Good bat speed so when he connects that ball is getting roped. Happy to be around everyone and is a great team player.
Rocco DiPaola at the plate

Jason Huber - "Lump" carries with him an impressive baseball resume. Good power potential with quickness in the field. Will likely be a 4 or 5 hitter. Good hands in the infield as well. Sometimes he becomes too in love with his muscles so make sure to keep him away from sleeveless Ts and tanktops. Wayne Crenko - The Cy Young of the league. Long, successful career in the pitching circle. Fields the position well and plays a quick game, wasting no time in between pitches. Major chop hitter who scores tons of runs for being on base so much. Raymond Pacheco Has shown great athleticism in his FH Stickball Classic outings. Known to play any of the three outfield positions as well as short stop. Michael Broughton - "Grif" has played the games since his formative years. Knows how to play the game so mental mistakes won't be a worry. Good skill set in the field and a good bat at the plate. A good mid-level pick.

Volume 1, Issue 1 12 April 2012

Page 8

The Stickball Star-Ledger

David Schwoyer - "Schwa" will most likely play first or catcher, as a shoulder injury limits his throwing potential. Bat needs to slow down a little bit, but that's an easy adjustment. Has shown to poke a good ball into the gaps. Good personality. Will be a good teammate.
Kyle Laughlin

Kyle Laughlin - The highest risk but also the highest reward of all the players. Hasn't played consistently in over a year and has had a few injuries, but if he can play at all like he has, that'll be scary. Sawruk is the only one who can come close to how far Laughlin can hit it. Huge arm from anywhere on the field. Gorilla sized hands make him a commodity at first but can play the outfield too. Can be worth 2 HRs a game or a lot of long outs. I'm erring to the former, but only time will tell. Jaime Hinkley Has a true passion for the game. Tends to play a lot at third and rarely lets the ball hit the ground. One of the more selective hitters in the league and will wait for his pitch. When he makes contact he can turn a single into a double with his hustle alone. Deron Seaman More of a basketball player but has shown some skill on the stickball field. A member of the Young Gunz during the Classic. Plays short stop and has tremendous speed as a base runner. Jared Albert Only one game of stickball under his belt so this is a risky pick. Could be of some value in the later rounds. Compact fram and toughness makes him a good candidate to play some of the catcher position. Tommy DiPaola Youngest player in the league has impressed with his play in spring training. Has shown great hands behind the plate and some bounce on the mound. Dont be surprised if this kid adds some value to a contender.
Tommy DiPaola intimidates the batter

Jake Conklin Another prospect with very little to go off of. Only seen play once. Can hit the ball and looks to be a good option as a utility man or second baseman. Peyton Bates If this kid shares the same genes with his older brother, he can be a future MVP Candidate. Like Taylor, he makes most of his plays in the outfield and is consistent at the plate. Raymond Pacheco Has shown great athleticism in his FH Stickball Classic outings. Known to play any of the three outfield positions as well as short stop.

Volume 1, Issue 1 12 April 2012

Page 9

The Stickball Star-Ledger

Ben Johnson B.J is one of the more tenured pitchers in stickball history. His notorious spin on the ball can drive batters mad and send them back to the bench. Doesnt scare you at the plate but is no slouch either. Paul Marzella Very little to base his scouting report off of. Has some experience from the classic. Thats basically all I got. Luke Ameer-Beg Has good wheels and can play either right field or second base.

Ben Johnson swings away

Nicolas Patrick Ampietro A member of the Salisbury High School baseball team that made their way through the state tournament in 2011. Likes to play either position on the left side of the infield and is formidable at the plate. Ryan Anderson - "Party-al" is equipped with a good bat and legendary personality. The antithesis to a clubhouse cancer, he can be responsible for a few runs just from his demeanor alone. A great motivator who will keep both morale and good vibes at high levels. Makes average plays in the field look hard but still gets the job done. His character profile is off the charts.
Alex Specht, consensus MVP candidate and 1st round prospect

Award predictions: MVP: Alex Specht, Nick Johnson, Tim Sawruk Silver Slugger: Nick Johnson, Tim Sawruk, Kyle Laughlin Gold Glove: Joey Felker, Alex Specht, Kyle McCauley Sleepers: Patrick Hilaire, Andrew Krause Diaper Dandy: Rocco DiPaola, Rich Taglang Web Gem Candidates: Joey Felker, Nick Johnson, Alex Specht, Kyle McCauley, Taylor Bates Touch 'Em All Candidates: Tim Sawruk, Nick Johnson, Alex Specht, Eric Blum, Kyle Laughlin

Volume 1, Issue 1 12 April 2012

Page 10

The Stickball Star-Ledger

League Member Spotlight

Andrew Krause
Info about Krause goes here. Jaime writes this article

A Stickball Story
Article about the games weve played so far in spring training written by Jaime

Volume 1, Issue 1 12 April 2012

Page 11

The Stickball-Star Ledger

Got Stick?
Informations about the website, facebook and twitter pages of the league

The Backspin Chronicles

A Conclusion to the newsletter

League.fhclassic.com Twitter: fh_stickball Facebook: Fountain Hill Stickball League E-mail: fhstickball@gmail.com

We are looking to add an editorial section to the next issue of The Stickball-Star Ledger so if you are interested in writing an article on anything stickball, please submit it to fhstickball@gmail.com