Youth Baseball

Little League Champions 2011

Mariners Champions 2011
2011 Champions: Greystones Mariners

The Greystones Mariners maintained their status as National Champions after a wonderful day of baseball action at Corkagh Park. The top four league teams made it to the finals after the conclusion of the regular season. While being competitive all the games were played with great spirit. The day began with the first semi-final match up of the Mariners and the Cavan Comets. Both teams played hard competitive baseball but the Mariners took greater advantage of their base runners and gradually edged away. A mixture of decisive hitting and plate discipline saw them progress to the final.

The second semi-final brought together the Garristown Gruffallos and The Clondalkin Cardinals. The Gruffallos jumped out to an early lead after drawing a number of walks in the first inning. The Cardinals tightened things up limiting the Gruffallo offence for the rest of the game. Unfortunately the Cardinals bats did not get going until the fifth and final inning. They brought the score back to 7-4 in the top of the inning but the Gruffs were able to close the door and progressed to the final.

The Final was a hotly contested affair. The 2010 Champs The Mariners were pitted against the new kids on the block The Garristown Gruffallos. The game ebbed and flowed as Mariners went ahead and the Gruffs came back at them. The pitching on both teams was controlled and both were able to limit the number of free passes. There was very little to separate the teams as both defences restricted the bats of their opponents.

The Mariners were more effective at the plate early on and scored two runs in each of the first two innings. The Gruffs were held to one run in the first two. The third inning proved much more fruitful for the Gruffs as they scored three while preventing any Mariners from crossing the plate. The tension was palpable as we entered the fourth. Both teams got into scoring position but neither was able to capitalise. And so we came to the fifth and potentially the final inning. The Gruffs batting first threatened but in the end were unable to add any runs.

It was now a matter of which team could keep the coolest heads. Indeed nerves were a little frayed on both sides. The Gruffs needed to stop the Mariners scoring in order to take the game into extra innings. The Mariners maintained their focus and managed to get men on first and second. There was one out and as both runners advanced on a ball that got away from the catcher. The runner from third broke for home on another ball that escaped the grasp of the catcher but he hesitated in his charge and was tagged out at the plate. The Gruffs’ catcher threw to third to catch the runner advancing from second. They may well have nailed him if the ball had not got away from the third baseman. The runner rounded third and headed for home sliding in to win the final for The Mariners in a wonderfully dramatic manner.

It was heartbreak for the Gruffallos but they can hold their heads up high as they fought the Mariners all the way and they were a match for any team this season. It’s been a great season and youth baseball in Ireland continues to develop and expand.

The teams that didn’t make the finals: The Galway Jays, The West Clare Dolphins and The Port Stewart Eagles will be back next season to contend. We hope to have an established cadet League next year and we also hope to see the return of the Kerry Green Sox and the Cork Druids as well as a new team in Tipperary.

I would like to thank all the people who made this season such a success: the players, the parents, the tireless coaches, the umpires and all the other volunteers who made it possible for kids in Ireland to play ball. I would like to say a special thank you to our Youth Development Officer Ger Troy who put in a huge effort to coordinate the league in 2011.

~

Will Beglane

Mariners Gruffs 2011
2011 Finalists: Greystones Mariners v Garristown Gruffalos

Little League 2011 Schedule

Schedule:

Date	Location	Home			Away
08/05/2011	Galway	Jays	13	6	Dolphins
08/05/2011	Galway	Dolphins	8	11	Jays

08/05/2011	Corcagh Park	Cardinals	5	7	Mariners
08/05/2011	Corcagh Park	Mariners	3	4	Cardinals

08/05/2011	Cavan	Commets	7	0	Eagles (W/O)
08/05/2011	Cavan	Eagles	0	7	Commets (W/O)

15/05/2011	Cavan	Commets	8	4	Dolphins
15/05/2011	Cavan	Dolphins	8	9	Commets

15/05/2011	TBA	Gruffalos	7	14	Mariners
15/05/2011	TBA	Mariners	25	5	Gruffalos

15/05/2011	Corcagh Park	Eagles	0	7	Jays (W/O)
15/05/2011	Corcagh Park	Jays	7	0	Eagles (W/O)

22/05/2011	West Clare	Dolphins	4	24	Gruffalos
22/05/2011	West Clare	Gruffalos	20	1	Dolphins

22/05/2011	Port Stewart	Eagles	0	7	Cardinals (W/O)
22/05/2011	Port Stewart	Cardinals	7	0	Eagles (W/O)

22/05/2011	Galway	Jays	5	12	Mariners
22/05/2011	Galway	Mariners	5	8	Jays

29/05/2011	Greystones	Mariners	7	0	Eagles (W/O)
29/05/2011	Greystones	Eagles	0	7	Mariners (W/O)

29/05/2011	Corcagh Park	Cardinals	10	5	Jays
29/05/2011	Corcagh Park	Jays	5	15	Cardinals

29/05/2011	TBA	Gruffalos	10	1	Commets
29/05/2011	TBA	Commets	6	26	Gruffalos

05/06/2011	Cavan	Commets	2	11	Cardinals
05/06/2011	Cavan	Cardinals	14	13	Commets

05/06/2011	Corcagh Park	Dolphins	7	0	Eagles (W/O)
05/06/2011	Corcagh Park	Eagles	0	7	Dolphins (W/O)

05/06/2011	TBA	Gruffalos	7	0	Jays *
05/06/2011	TBA	Jays	7	0	Gruffalos *

12/06/2011	Port Stewart	Eagles	0	7	Gruffalos (W/O)
12/06/2011	Port Stewart	Gruffalos	7	0	Eagles (W/O)

12/06/2011	West Clare	Dolphins	9	18	Cardinals
12/06/2011	West Clare	Cardinals	8	4	Dolphins

12/06/2011	Greystones	Mariners	7	0	Commets *
12/06/2011	Greystones	Commets	7	0	Mariners *

18/06/2011	Greystones	Mariners Blitz

26/06/2011	Greystones	Mariners	16	0	Dolphins
26/06/2011	Greystones	Dolphins	0	7	Mariners

26/06/2011	Galway	Jays	5	7	Commets
26/06/2011	Galway	Commets	7	5	Jays

26/06/2011	Corcagh Park	Cardinals	9	25	Gruffalos
26/06/2011	Corcagh Park	Gruffalos	7	0	Cardinals (W/O)

03/09/2011	Corcagh Park	Playoffs - Top 4 teams

03/09/2011 Game 1	Corcagh Park 10.30	LL 1st Place Mariners			LL 4rd Place Comets
03/09/2011 Game 2	Corcagh Park 12.30	LL 2nd Place Gruffalos			LL 3th Place Cardinals
			-------
03/09/2011 Final	Corcagh Park 3.00	Game 1 Winner			Game 2 Winner

TEAM	PLAYED	WON	LOST	W/O	POINTS
Mariners	12	9	3	0	39
Gruffalos	12	9	3	0	39
Cardinals	12	9	3	0	39
Jays	12	6	6	0	30
Dolphins	12	2	10	0	18
EAGLES	12	0	12	12	0

* - Outstanding games were split

MOW THE FIELD AND THEY WILL COME!

Thanks to wonderful notion to mark out a baseball diamond on the farm field in front of his house (don’t know where he got that idea) we enjoyed one of the best baseball days ever down in the Townland of Kylemore a few miles outside Ballinasloe on the Portumna road. Richard Murray our Youth Secretary had kept the grass of Church Field mowed in preparation for this inaugural tournament.

The omens were good and we were blessed by perfect baseball weather. It may not be Iowa but this is the heart of Ireland’s Mid West. Richard’s directions led me to the bog road that runs along the side of the former school house. Church Field used to be the playground for the children who attended the school and its use dates back to the 17 th Century. There is no M50 traffic chaos down here and the only delays are welcome reminders of where you are. I had to give way to tractors hauling turf from the bog and cattle being moved to fresh pasture.

When I arrived the field was set up and the barbeque was sizzling. It doesn’t get much better than this. The teams arrived from Dublin, Cavan and Kerry. We had cadets and Little Leaguers. The field may not have been the most level of playing surfaces and the left field porch was probably a bit too short for our bigger cadets. However, this only served to add to the experience and we were able to improvise with some ground rules involving the power cables that hung below the trees in left (very rural Ireland).

I could recount in great detail and with great gusto the epic endeavours of the young ballplayers who hustled around the bases, threw and caught the ball with great endeavour and who despatched it skyward in the direction of the next field with the might of their bats. However, to single out any individual or team for special attention would be to do a disservice to the collective effort. Suffice to say, they were all great. If there is a recipe for great baseball days then we must have mixed all the ingredients to perfection.

Of course, none of this would have happened without the inspired imagination of Richard Murray (maybe a nod to WP Kinsella) and a willing team of helpers. Special thanks must go to the catering staff of Jacky Pierce and Diana Murray. The brownies were superb. I would also like to thank all the coaches, umpires and parents who helped make it a special day. And, of course, we have to thank the kids who came out to play.

Will Beglane - Coach and Umpire on the day

Youth Baseball - Who ya' gonna call?
If you would like additional information about youth baseball in Ireland, please contact Will Beglane
Or, alternatively, contact the teams directly by clicking the link below.

AN INTRODUCTION TO T-BALL

For those of you who are not familiar with the rules of baseball but are still interested in getting your child involved in the sport, a great way for both adults and children to learn the game is through T-Ball. T-Ball was invented to introduce kids to the game at an early age and help them develop the basic skills required to play baseball as they got older. One of the beauties of T-Ball is that because it is relatively easy to play and understand, it is a great way for adults, who are new to baseball, to learn the basic rules and mechanics of baseball. The following is a general guide to T-Ball and should get you on your way to a greater understanding of both T-Ball and the basics of baseball.

T-BALL - THE BASICS

T-ball is a game for younger players, generally five to nine years old. Members of two teams take turns hitting a ball off a batting tee set on home plate. Batters try to get on base and advance to home; fielders try to prevent that from happening. The elimination of pitching allows children to participate without the fear of being hit by, or having to master hitting, a pitched ball.

T-ball develops the primary baseball skills of hitting, running, fielding and throwing. The players gain an understanding of the fundamental rules, which allows minimally competitive league play at all age levels. Tee ball has proven to be a natural transition into standard baseball and softball. As such, it provides a steady supply of young players already equipped with the basic skills and an enthusiasm for these sports.

RULES

Players' ages are five to nine.
Players on a team - 12 minimum, 20 maximum.
The bases are 50 feet apart
A real or imaginary playing line is between first base and third base, or an arc 40 feet from home plate.
All players must remain behind this line until the ball is in play.
Every player bats and plays in the field.
The ball is hit off a batting tee; there is no pitching.
There are no walks or strikeouts.
The ball must travel 10 feet or it is a foul.
No fielder may cross the playing line until the ball is hit.
No stealing.
Player stays on the base until the ball is hit.
An inning is over when all the players have batted once.
As skills improve it is permissible to have 3 outs per inning.
Standard game is four innings.
Scores are not kept for the younger players.
As skills improve scores can be kept to simulate the real game.
Safety helmets must be worn.

EQUIPMENT

Bats - 25"/26" long. 2¼" diameter, max. 17 to 20 ounces.
Ball - 9" to 9½" around; 4 to 5 ounces - but softer than a standard baseball. Moulded core or sponge rubber centre.
Gloves - 12" long, max.

Tee - adjustable, flexible tube on a moveable base.
Athletic footwear.

The major differences in play concern winning / losing and what constitutes an inning. As children play to win in other games and view competitive sports on TV, many t-ball leagues sanction scoring and winning for the older and / or more mature players (usually six years and up). This also permits another level of play, specifically tournaments and other competitive events. Otherwise, tee ball can be positioned as a skill building, learning experience, where the score is not the focus of the game. Some leagues prefer to consider an inning to be the traditional three outs but the majority of play is "bat around" where an inning is over after every player has batted one time.

Coach pitched is a modification of the game usually reserved for older players. A coach (adult or mature teen-ager) throws the ball to the batter. Underhand pitches can be thrown with an arc to reduce speed. Overhand pitches can be thrown from one knee on the ground to put the pitcher at the same level as the batter. If the player is unable to hit the pitched ball after a pre-determined number of throws -- usually, four to seven -- the ball is placed on a tee and the player's turn continues. All other rules are the same.

The field of play is shared by an infield and an outfield and is separated into fair and foul territory.
The field is similar to dimensions of a youth baseball / Little League type field but with only 50 feet between the bases.
The diamond is a square with a base at each corner.
The bases include first, second, and third base.
The playing line is an imaginary line running between first base and third base.
It can also be an arc, a curved circle extending out 40 feet from the point of home plate.
Home plate is made of white rubber, is five-sided and is set flush with the ground. It is 17 inches wide across the edge facing the infield, 8½ inches long on each side and 12 inches long on the sides of the point facing the catcher.The centre of the pitcher's area is 38 feet from the point of home plate.
When having coach pitched games the ball is pitched from here.
The batter's boxes are to be 5 feet long by 3 feet wide (optional).
The batting tee is placed on home plate, 2 feet from the front edge of the boxes and 3 feet from their rear border.
The outfield is the wide area of the playing field beyond the diamond and most distant from home plate.
The foul lines extend from home plate past first and third bases.
Fair territory is the playing field within and including the foul lines; foul territory is the area outside the foul lines.
The foul strike area is ten feet out from the batting tee.

QUESTIONS & ANSWERS

What is the real or imaginary line for?
The line between 1st and 3rd bases or an arc 40 feet from home plate is to keep fielders away from where the batter hits the ball. It is a safety rule. It also gives the defensive players some time to react in fielding the ball: moving up, back or to the side.

What are the ages for playing tee ball?
The recommended ages are four through seven. By eight or nine the players can move into standard baseball.

Is coach-pitch part of tee ball?
Yes. It is most effective when used with older players. See Rules pages.

What does "bat around" mean?
An inning is over after every player has batted one time; then, the sides switch. This is the greatly favoured alternative to the traditional three outs, as it insures that all the players on the team at bat participate in each inning

SSK Europe
The European
Baseball Centre
Supporters of
Baseball Ireland and
the Irish National
Baseball Team