The Official Homepage Of The AABL
Where Alaskans Play Ball
2011 Batting Leaders
through 7/25
AVG
Robby Rounsville - .533
Fairview Pirates
Hits
Steve White - 31
Alaska Cubs
Dubs
Steve White - 10
Alaska Cubs
Trips
Dustin Leggat - 3
Elmendorf Eagles
Bombs
Kyle Madden - 4 (+1 tourney)
SouthCentral Titans
Runs
Willie Paul - 29
SouthCentral Titans
RBI
Kyle Madden - 32
SouthCentral Titans
Walks
Robby Rounsville - 16
Fairview Pirates
Stolen Bases
Joshua Simmons - 17
Elmendorf Eagles
On Base %
Robby Rounsville - .750
Fairview Pirates
Slugging %
Kyle Madden - .759
SouthCentral Titans
Hit By Pitch
Willie Paul - 14
SouthCentral Titans
2011 Pitching Leaders
Through 7/25
Wins
C. Ferriera/C. Breck - 4
SouthCentral Titans
Saves
Several Tied - 1
AABL
Innings Pitched
Joshua Simmons - 61.33
Elmendorf Eagles
Strikeouts
Joshua Simmons - 90
Elmendorf Eagles
ERA
Joshua Simmons - 0.88
Elmendorf Eagles
WHIP
Joshua Simmons - 0.77
Elmendorf Eagles
K/9
McCorvie-Newhard - 16.3
Elmendorf Eagles
Complete Games
Joshua Simmons - 6
Elmendorf Eagles
Hit Batters
Dustin Legatt - 13
Elmendorf Eagles
words and pictures by
| 2011 AABL Standings | ||||
| Team | W | L | Pct | GB |
| South Central Titans | 19 | 3 | 0.864 | 0 |
| Platinum Hornets | 18 | 5 | 0.783 | 1.5 |
| Alaska Cubs | 17 | 6 | 0.739 | 2.5 |
| Fairview Pirates | 13 | 10 | 0.565 | 6.5 |
| Spenard United | 12 | 11 | 0.522 | 7.5 |
| BGES Bobcats | 11 | 12 | 0.478 | 8.5 |
| Anchorage A's | 9 | 14 | 0.391 | 10.5 |
| Elmendorf Eagles | 9 | 14 | 0.391 | 10.5 |
| Steve's Sports Bar | 5 | 17 | 0.227 | 13 |
| Flyers | 1 | 22 | 0.043 | 18.5 |
2011 AABL Schedule (Weekday games, May-July: 19:00 first pitch; August: 18:30 start)
Tuesday, May 31st
K1: Fairview Pirates - 10 @ Steve’s Sports Bar - 0
K3: Anchorage A’s - 9 @ Spenard United - 10
K4: Elmendorf Eagles - 2 @ Alaska Cubs - 6
Thursday, June 2nd
K1: Flyers - 3 @ BGES Bobcats - 6
K3: Elmendorf Eagles - 12 @ Steve’s Sports Bar - 11
K4: Platinum Hornets - 13 @ SouthCentral Titans - 14
Sunday, June 5th
14:00
K1: Spenard United - 14 @ Flyers - 6
K3: BGES Bobcats - 4 @ Elmendorf Eagles - 2
K4: SouthCentral Titans - 6 @ Alaska Cubs - 7
18:00
K3: Platinum Hornets - 15 @ Steve’s Sports Bar - 2
K4: Anchorage A’s - 10 @ Fairview Pirates - 7
Tuesday, June 7th
K1: Flyers -1 @ Anchorage A’s - 11
K3: SouthCentral Titans - 13 @ Elmendorf Eagles - 0
K4: Fairview Pirates - 1 @ Spenard United - 6
Thursday, June 9th
K1: Fairview Pirates - 11 @ Flyers - 6
K3: BGES Bobcats - 6 @ Steve’s Sports Bar - 2
K4: Alaska Cubs - 5 @ Platinum Hornets - 8
Sunday, June 12th
14:00
K4: Anchorage A’s - 11 @ BGES Bobcats - 10
K3: Steve’s Sports Bar - 15 @ Flyers - 0
18:00
K3: Spenard United - 0 @ Alaska Cubs - 17
K4: Elmendorf Eagles - 1 @ Platinum Hornets - 0
Tuesday, June 14th
K1: Alaska Cubs - 14 @ BGES Bobcats - 4
K3: Steve’s Sports Bar - 8 @ Spenard United - 10
K4: Platinum Hornets - 7 @ Anchorage A’s - 4
Thursday, June 16th
K1: Flyers - 8 @ Elmendorf Eagles - 11
K3: Spenard United - 3 @ SouthCentral Titans - 11
K4: Alaska Cubs - 17 @ Fairview Pirates - 4
Sunday, June 19th
14:00
K4: SouthCentral Titans - 2 @ Anchorage A’s - 0
18:00
K1: Steve’s Sports Bar - 5 @ Elmendorf Eagles - 7
K3: Alaska Cubs - 7 @ Flyers - 5
K4: Fairview Pirates - 9 @ BGES Bobcats - 8
Monday, June 20th
K3: Anchorage A’s - 5 @ Alaska Cubs - 12
K4: SouthCentral Titans - 6 @ Platinum Hornets - 4
Tuesday, June 21st
K1: Platinum Hornets - 8 @ Fairview Pirates - 7
K3: BGES Bobcats - 3 @ SouthCentral Titans - 15
K4: Elmendorf Eagles - 12 @ Spenard United - 5
Wednesday, June 22nd
K3: Flyers - 10 @ Spenard United - 9
K4: Steve’s Sports Bar - 9 @ Anchorage A’s - 24
Thursday, June 23rd
K1: Anchorage A’s - 12 @ Elmendorf Eagles - 7
K3: BGES Bobcats - 1 @ Platinum Hornets - 10
K4: Flyers - 4 @ SouthCentral Titans - 14
Sunday, June 26th
14:00
K1: Spenard United - 4 @ BGES Bobcats - 2 (10inn)
K3: Alaska Cubs - 19 @ Steve’s Sports Bar - 2
K4: Elmendorf Eagles - 2 @ Fairview Pirates - 3
18:00
K1: Flyers - 6 @ Steve’s Sports Bar - 11
K3: Spenard United - 3 @ Alaska Cubs - 18
K4: Platinum Hornets - 7 @ Anchorage A’s - 0
Tuesday, June 28th
K4: Steve’s Sports Bar - 3 @ SouthCentral Titans - 18
Thursday, June 30th
K1: Fairview Pirates -1 @ SouthCentral Titans - 5
K3: Alaska Cubs - 8 @ Anchorage A’s - 5
K4: Platinum Hornets - 18 @ Flyers - 4
Friday, July 1st
K1: Spenard United - 5 @ Elmendorf Eagles - 6
K3: Steve’s Sports Bar - 0 @ BGES Bobcats - 9
Tuesday, July 5th
K1: Elmendorf Eagles - 2 @ BGES Bobcats - 6
K3: Anchorage A’s - 11 @ Flyers - 4
K4: Platinum Hornets - 5 @ Alaska Cubs - 8
Thursday, July 7th
K1: Spenard United - 7 @ Platinum Hornets - 6
K3: BGES Bobcats - 15 @ Flyers - 4
K4: Steve’s Sports Bar - 6 @ Fairview Pirates - 5
Friday, July 8th -Sunday July 10th @ Kosinski Fields Complex
2011 AK Tournament:
Interior v. SouthCentral
Fairbanks Cubs Champions
Thursday, July 14th
K1: Elmendorf Eagles - 4 @ SouthCentral Titans - 9
K3: BGES Bobcats - 3 @ Anchorage A’s - 2
K4: Steve’s Sports Bar - 5 @ Platinum Hornets - 10
Sunday, July 17th
14:00
K1: Flyers - 0 @ Alaska Cubs - 15
K4: Spenard United - 12 @ Steve's Sports Bar - 6
Monday, July 18th
K3: SouthCentral Titans - 14 @ Spenard United - 4
Tuesday, July 19th
K1: Anchorage A’s - 11 @ Steve’s Sports Bar - 9
K3: Elemendorf Eagles - 11 @ Flyers - 1
K4: Alaska Cubs - 1 @ SouthCentral Titans - 6
Thursday, July 21st
K1: SouthCentral Titans - 14 @ Fairview Pirates - 3
K3: Spenard United - 4 @ Anchorage A’s - 3
K4: Platinum Hornets - 11 @ Elmendorf Eagles - 1
Friday, July 22nd
K3: BGES Bobcats -11 @ Spenard United - 14
K4: Anchorage A’s - 7 @ SouthCentral Titans - 17
Saturday, July 23rd
19:00
K3: Flyers - 3 @ Fairview Pirates - 13
Sunday, July 24th
14:00
K1: Platinum Hornets - 9 @ Spenard United - 7 (10inn)
K3: Steve’s Sports Bar - 4 @ Alaska Cubs - 16
K4: SouthCentral Titans - 7 @ BGES Bobcats - 3
18:00
K1: Anchorage A’s - 15 @ Flyers - 3
K3: Spenard United - 9 @ Alaska Cubs - 12 (5inn:rain)
K4: Fairview Pirates - 17 @ Elmendorf Eagles - 1
Monday, July 25th
K3: Elmendorf Eagles - 6 @ Anchorage A's - 5
Tuesday, July 26th
K1: Spenard United - 6 @ Fairview Pirates - 4
K3: Flyers - 5 @ Steve’s Sports Bar - 17
K4: BGES Bobcats - 2 @ Alaska Cubs - 15
Wednesday, July 27th
K3: Platinum Hornets - 19 @ Flyers - 5
K4: Fairview Pirates - 8 @ Anchorage A’s - 3
Thursday, July 28th
K1: BGES Bobcats - 5 @ Fairview Pirates - 6
K3: SouthCentral Titans - 13 @ Flyers - 3
K4: Alaska Cubs - 17 @ Elmendorf Eagles - 1
Friday, July 29th
K4: SouthCentral Titans - 4 @ Platinum Hornets - 14
Saturday, July 30th
14:00
K4: Elmendorf Eagles - 16 @ Steve’s Sports Bar - 1
18:00
K3: Anchorage A's - 6 @ Elmendorf Eagles - 5
K4: SouthCentral Titans - 8 @ Alaska Cubs - 1
Sunday, July 31st
14:00
K1: Steve’s Sports Bar - 9 @ Flyers - 0
K3: Spenard United - 2 @ BGES Bobcats - 8
K4: Fairview Pirates - 5 @ Platinum Hornets - 16
18:00
K1: Steve’s Sports Bar - 4 @ BGES Bobcats - 14
K3: SouthCentral Titans - 13 @ Anchorage A’s - 2
K4: Flyers - 6 @ Fairview Pirates - 9
Monday, August 1st
K3: Fairview Pirates - 7 @ SouthCentral Titans - 1
K4: Elmendorf Eagles - 6 @ Spenard United - 7
Thursday, August 4th
18:30
K1: Fairview Pirates - 19 @ Steve’s Sports Bar - 12
K3: BGES Bobcats - 10 @ Elmendorf Eagles - 2
K4: Platinum Hornets - 13 @ Anchorage A's - 3
Friday, August 5th
18:30
K3: Flyers - 8 @ BGES
Bobcats - 12
Saturday, August 6th
14:30
K3: Elmendorf Eagles
- 4 @ Fairview Pirates - 7
K4: Platinum Hornets - 10 @ Alaska Cubs - 3
18:00
K3: Fairview Pirates - 9 @ Spenard United - 4 (5inn: rain)
K4: Alaska Cubs - 1 @ Platinum Hornets - 10 (5inn: rain)
Sunday, August 7th
14:00
K4: Spenard United - 5 @
Anchorage A’s - 4
K3: SouthCentral Titans @ Steve's Sports Bar - PPDR
K1: BGES Bobcats - 4 @ Platinum Hornets - 9
18:00
K4: Platinum Hornets - 10 @ BGES Bobcats - 2
18:30
Mulcahy Stadium: Fairview Pirates
- 7 @ Alaska Cubs - 9
Monday, August 8th
18:30
Mulcahy Stadium: Alaska Cubs - 2 @ SouthCentral Titans - 3
Wednesday, August 10th - Thursday, August 18th
AABL Championship Tourney; Kosinski Fields and Mulcahy Stadium
Dick Taylor Memorial Preseason Matches
- 5innings or 90minutes per match, whichever comes first.
- No lineup limitations (hit as many as you like).
- 1 umpire per match (not guaranteed, but probably).
- Any ejections will lead to a regular season suspension.
- Flip for home, no game balls issued.
- If a game starts 15 minutes late, it starts in the second inning.
- Players must have signed waiver with manager to play (payment and waiver due by Opening Day) in case something goes wrong.
- Nice and easy fellas - have fun out there.
Thursday, May 17th, 19:00 - K4: Hornets v. SouthCentral Titans
Friday, May 18th, 19:00 - K3: BGES Bobcats v. Fairview Pirates
K4: Jewel Lake Kings v. Anchorage A’s
Saturday, May 19th, 14:00 - K3: JBER Eagles v. Arctic Braves
K4: Alaska Cubs v. Steve’s Sports Bar
16:00 - K3: JBER Eagles v. Steve’s Sports Bar
K4: Alaska Cubs v. Arctic Braves
18:00 - K3: Anchorage A’s v. Hornets
K4: SouthCentral Titans v. BGES Bobcats
Sunday, May 20th, 14:00 - K1: Furview Pirates v. Jewel Lake Kangs
K3: BGES Bobcats v. Steve’s Sports Bar
K4: JBER Eagles v. Anchorage A’s
16:00 - K1: Fairview Pirates v. SouthCentral Titans
K3: Hornets v. Arctic Braves
K4: Alaska Cubs v. Jewel Lake Kings
1st Annual Armed Forces Battle For Alaska
Friday, May 25th, 16:00 & 19:00 - Mulcahy Stadium:
JBER Eagles v. Eielson Ice Men
Saturday, May 26th, 12:00 - Kosinski Field #4:
JBER Eagles v. Eielson Ice Men
_______________________________________________________
Back-to-Back
Titans do it again
The greatness of the local game is something that falls on every single player. But if there is a common set of memories that unifies all of our separate memories of the 2011 season, it might be of the greatest performances by the league’s elite players. Gold gloves might be the most coveted prizes, at least as indicated by player admission. So why not start there? The 2011 AABL Honors are as follows:
Outfield Gold Gloves: Chris Cole - Alaska Cubs. Trevor Harrison - Platinum Hornets. Obadis Cabrera - Fairview Pirates.
Interestingly enough, despite
there being no distinction made in the balloting between outfield positions,
the voters awarded the outfield honors to a left fielder (Cole), center
(Cabrera), and right (Harrison). It was Big Game Trevor’s unprecedented fourth consecutive outfield
gold glove, a feat that speaks as much to being beloved in the local game as it
does to unparalleled defensive excellence.
Gold Glove Catcher: Pat Moran - Alaska Cubs
Catcher and shortstop tend to be the most glamorous gold gloves, the most hotly contested voting at the most pivotal of defensive positions has made the backstop’s annual honor perhaps the most coveted of them all. But Patty Moran’s s third in the last four seasons has every indicator of becoming one of those automatic votes. Titans’ wall Willie Paul gave Moran a run for his gold again in the voting this year, but the game’s only other leadoff catcher didn’t block Moran from his second consecutive gold glove behind the plate.
Gold Glove First Baseman: Dean Walker - Fairview Pirates
Pick Machine Dean Walker’s forth-consecutive top glove honor is as aforementioned, as meaningful as a ‘tip of the cap’ to one of the game’s most respected veterans as it is to one of the game’s most recognized glove men ever. To his credit as a historically defensive stopper, Walker’s spot has become a nearly reflexive vote for Fairview’s field general. Titans’ HoF-heavy infield cornerstone and fellow hard-scoop/quick-tag monster, Jason Henricks, continued to press Walker to maintain the gold standard. But the Machine’s clutch defense in Fairview’s abundance of close contests was quite possibly the decider.
Gold Glove Second Baseman: Danny Mascelli - SouthCentral Titans
The Butcher from Scranton continues to dazzle defensively. Mascelli’s third-consecutive GG is demonstrative of how the SouthCentral Titans have become so mighty. While the symmetry of each of the top four teams receiving an even distribution of defensive superlatives (two each) is a coincidence that is hard to overlook; its telling that a Titan finished second in all but one gold glove vote they didn’t win outright. Mascelli, a hard-nosed hustler quite reminiscent of his favorite ballplayer, Pete Rose; is also just a tub of pomade and a fatty chaw away from a righty Chase Utley. The slick-fielding second sacker rolls the pair as quickly and as smoothly as anyone ever referred to as “The Butcher”, and has the hardware to prove his work-hardened hands can still be as soft as they need to be.
Gold Glove Third Baseman: Kyle Madden - SouthCentral Titans
Classically a wide-open position in GG balloting, the fourth different winner over the past four seasons locked it down defensively in 2011. Home Run King Kyle Madden was outstanding in every aspect of the game this season. While his offensive game has been so dominant as to be overwhelming, he’s always been able to pick it at the hot corner and was awarded for doing so while terrifying opposing third baseman in his trips to the dish. The Madman’s defense was every bit as ferocious as Fairview’s Jon Meister, who finished behind Madden in the voting but helped paint the picture of the kind of intensity and fearlessness that players most admire in their third baseman. Observers don’t need a long look at the Titans third baseman to note that his positioning and anticipation are beyond what could be expected of a defensive specialist - this is a hitter who knows the tactics/tendencies of every other hitter in the league.
Gold Glove Shortstop: Taylor Reed - Platinum Hornets
Taylor Reed does more than hit seeds; he picks and chucks them as well. Reed’s third GG in the last four seasons are as impressive as any considering the breadth and depth of the competition over that period. This year alone Reed had to outshine SouthCentral’s David Breck, Spenard’s Min Lee, A’s’ Clarence Nance, Cubs’ Tom Twombly, and the incumbent gold glover - Fairview’s Tristan Varela. Reed kept TiVo from rewinding it back by stabilizing a Hornets infield that utilized several players at every other position, but was nonetheless exceptional. Another MVP-caliber season from the Hornets’ front man at the bat couldn’t overshadow number 3’s excellence with the leather. In fact, it has become the voter mandate that any serious MVP candidate to be outstanding on both sides of the ball; as all recent MVP frontrunners have at very least been in the gold glove conversation at their position.
Gold Glove Pitcher: Gunner Bahn - Flyers
The only man to earn a GG nod outside of the top four won his from about as far away from the top as there is. The Flyers might’ve struggled to win games but they never struggled to fight to the finish or take their lumps with dignity, a reflection upon their front man who the voters took the unprecedented step of writing-in to victory. There was no shortage of worthy candidates off the bump, but GB4 proved most worthy for his ninja-like dexterities and perhaps because there is no utility gold glove for guys like Bahn who play everywhere effectively - evidenced by Bahn’s other gold glove coming as an outfielder last season. The league’s first ever write-in award winner might just find solace in the fact that if he struggled to develop his fledgling club, the other clubs clearly appreciated his tireless efforts and went well out of their way to let it be known.
Manager of the Year: Brian Braunstein - BGES Bobcats
The first thing Brian Braunstein said when he heard he won his second Manager of the Year award was “Any of my other guys pull out a win on the awards?” That’s exactly the kind of team oriented baseball mind that makes for the year’s top manager. Braunstein’s BGES Bobcats won more than twice as many games as the year before and finished fourth in the 2011 State Tournament, all with largely the same roster as the 2010 ‘Cats. That eye towards team play and player development caught the eyes of his fellow managers and made Braunstein’s selection an easy one. It doesn’t take much time talking to Braunstein to realize that he is a terrifically smart guy, but it takes more than wits to move the hearts of men and the top cat has shown he is a baseball guy as well. Braunstein now has more Manager of the Year nods than any other manager this century - and as he’d probably be first to tell you, it’s really a team honor.
Rookie of the Year: Max McCorvie-Newhard - Elmendorf Eagles; Josh Boring - Fairview Pirates
McCorvie-Newhard made Elmendorf’s pitching staff the envy of the league by adding another punch out powerhouse to their already K-happy mix. In 63 innings of work the hot-fire southpaw threw a chair to 100 batters, a rookie record that might never be broken. The second man ever to reach the century mark in strikeouts did so over eight starts, averaging 14.3 K’s Per 9, a number that is ridiculous but not excessive when considering the 31 unearned runs that were hung on him by the occasional ball that made it into play. Opposing teams hit just .184 off the Eagles newest weapon x, and most everyone who got to see the highly refined hurler in action agreed, Rookie of the Year is just the start for this guy. The future is also limitless for Fairview’s ultra-polished rookie infielder Josh Boring. Despite not joining the black and white until four games into the schedule, Mr. Excitement led the team in 3B, HR, R, RBI, HBP, OBP, SLG, and AVG while playing a game-changing brand of defense. Oh yeah, he tied the league record for most saves in a season off the bump despite not throwing in a game until well after the State Tournament. Boring and McCorvie-Newhard both changed their teams in a manner so profound that it’s difficult to imagine either club without their respective rooks. Hence, the only draw on the ballot was for Rookie of the Year, an award difficult to imagine either of these nascent notables not winning.
Ty Rollins Top Pitcher Award (Ty Young): Joshua Simmons - Elmendorf Eagles
What might say it all about Joshua Simmons is that he only gets compared to himself in years previous anymore, he is his own subset. There was a time when players would shake their head in disbelief and mutter about how no shoulders could tolerate the amount of strain he puts on his and how often he does it. There was a time when most suspected he must have been decimating his golden arm with his sadistic work ethic, and competitive compulsion to finish every time. Now, when Sergeant Strikeout authors another complete game masterpiece, guys ask him if he’s throwing again tomorrow. They’re only partially kidding; Sarge is a victim of his own legend - we’ve come to expect the unbelievable from him, and he has yet to disappoint - it might take years for us to fully appreciate what he’s been able to do over the past few seasons. But the voters certainly appreciated him in the present, awarding him the second ever Ty Young Award for greatness in pitching.
Mike Woods Big Stick Award (top offensive player): Kyle Madden - SouthCentral Titans
Has it really been 10 years since Kyle Madden broke into the league with the Wolf Pack? The only righty to lead the league in bombs this century (three times now), is also the first man to hit five in a wood bat season. Purists of the aluminum bat game need not despair that the Madman is one of those hitters who is great with the lumber but cannot make the adjustment to hitting with metal. He hit 13 bombs in his last MVP season before Alaska went back to wood bats, and has been quite simply the most consistently dominant offensive force in the modern era since the conversion. There may have been guys who put up better numbers one year or another, but ask anyone who might be considered one of the game’s top hitters who they think the best hitter in Alaska is, the answer almost invariably comes back ‘Kyle Madden’. Add in his Gold Glove defense and useful numbers off the bump and it paints the portrait of more than just a hitting artist. Madden’s brushstroke holds even the most novice observers’ eye and his strength captures the imagination of ballplayers and fans alike who have come to treat one of the more difficult feats in sport as commonplace in number 28’s presence. “Did you hit one today?” became a regular refrain for those chatting up King Kyle on his way to the parking lot after games. Never mind that he was directly responsible for more than 60 total offensive runs (well over half of what the Flyers scored as a team) and stole bases more times (9) than he struck out (8) while hitting in the middle of one of the more prolific orders ever, Kyle Madden was so far beyond the competition this summer that it was almost expected that his every swing would end up just as far beyond the wall.
2011 Most Valuable Player: Joshua Simmons - Elmendorf Eagles
Joshua Simmons could win this one every year, and woe to the rest of the competition on the day he isn’t a frontrunner - it’ll mean the Eagles were so good that the most consistently outstanding performer in recent memory didn’t stand out so much. As it was in 2011, nobody meant so much to his ballclub as Simmons. The Sarge tied for the league lead in wins (5) with a ridiculous 56% of Elmendorf’s win total and with just a few breaks could’ve had even more. While his Ty Young award might begin to acknowledge his dominance off the bump, the MVP speaks more to his value to the team. Simmons was among the league’s top offensive players batting .476, 40 hits (league leader), 21 steals (league leader), nine extra base hits (including 2011’s only grand slam [league leader]), a .587 on base percentage, 46 runs produced, and while he was generous in distributing strikeouts (a record shattering 116) he was far less generous in contribution to K’s (just five offensively). Still on your chair? Consider that Simmons, in 80+ innings off the hill, allowed just 13 more hits than he laced as a hitter. And he scored or knocked in an obscene 36% of Elmendorf's runs. So while the Woods Big Stick and Rollins Pitching awards were developed to distinguish between the most valuable offensive performances and offensive stoppers, there is simply no way to separate the values that Simmons brought to the game on both sides of the ball. In fact, when speaking of value in relation to Simmons, what could one say but ‘most’? So much so, that when speaking of the most in relation to value, all that need be said is ‘Simmons’.