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Post by Deleted on Feb 22, 2018 20:09:15 GMT 10
No, the Summer League baseball league season is not “coming to an end” - not this weekend, anyhow, although some people might like it to just fade away quietly.....
While most teams in all grades have not qualified for finals action – because that is the way any competition structure operates - there are clubs, players, administrators and volunteers who have been rewarded for working their butts off during 2017/18 by qualifying for playoffs.
For those people, those teams and those clubs, we are moving into an exciting new phase of the season. This is finals baseball, where it is all on the line and where history is poised to be made.
Regardless of current controversy over the proper administration of Victorian baseball – and for now putting to one side the public slurs and aspersions that have been cast on moderators and some of our members – this Forum remains committed to offering a voice to baseball people at all levels.
Accordingly, we invite administrators, managers, players and supporters to provide their input to Forum coverage of the Summer League finals series.
This is not a call for more debate on problems currently being faced by the sport at administrative level. It is a genuine invitation to help provide the baseball community with updates, insights, match reports, images and any other relevant material during the upcoming finals series – at any level.
Positive stuff. Breaking news. Heroics. Winners and losers.
It is a humble request to grassroots club people to help fill the current unfortunate vacuum in baseball promotion and reporting in this state.
Well done to all teams and all clubs qualifying for finals participation. Best wishes to all for an enjoyable and productive post-season.
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Post by fuzzy on Feb 23, 2018 14:48:16 GMT 10
I would prefer to be positive KC but it is nearly 4pm Friday afternoon and lower grades and junior finals have not be posted for the general public.
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Post by Deleted on Feb 24, 2018 19:10:13 GMT 10
Someone please correct me if I am wrong, but my reading of the Division One and Division Two situation appears to be as follows:
DIVISION ONE
Essendon will play Geelong in a best of three Semi-Final Melbourne will play Blackburn in a best of three Semi-Final
The two winners will play off in a best of three Grand Final
DIVISION TWO
Berwick (first) will play Springvale (fourth) in a best of three Semi-Final Preston (second) will play Williamstown (third) in a best of three Semi-Final
The two winners will play off in a best of three Grand Final.
Berwick has already qualified for promotion to Division One (assuming that it has met all criteria). The premier Division Two club (if it is not Berwick) or the runner-up (if Berwick is premier) will also qualify for promotion to Division One (if it meets all of the criteria).
While all of this is unfolding, finals in lower senior grades, Women's, Juniors and Masters have either commenced or are about to do so.
Baseball Victoria has flagged its intention to provide coverage of the Summer League finals. Good luck to them with that. However, Forum members are also urged to post scores, news and relevant information on these pages as detail becomes available.
Congratulations, again, to all teams qualifying for the post-season. May we be treated to a ripper fortnight of grassroots club baseball!
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Post by fuzzy on Feb 25, 2018 10:43:35 GMT 10
Sandy junior score updates. U18 state went down 2-1 to Essendon at Altona, congrats to the winners but great effort by the Sandy team with only 8 players. LLMajor 4-2 over Moorabbin at Sandy, watched this game and it was a good advert for junior baseball. Our LL Minor team at Chelsea finished 4-2 up but I believe they may loose the game, don't know all the details, watch this space.
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Post by russelledwards on Feb 25, 2018 13:44:52 GMT 10
Have the “Semi Finals” been like that in recent years KC? You’d think they would play crossover Semi Finals with top in East playing 2nd in West. I tried to find the Finals Schedule on the Baseball Victoria Website but I must be more technically handicapped than I thought because I’m stuffed if I could find it.
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Post by Goblin on Feb 25, 2018 16:04:25 GMT 10
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Post by russelledwards on Feb 25, 2018 16:56:02 GMT 10
Thanks Mate. 👍⚾️
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Post by Chilli Wil on Feb 25, 2018 19:31:39 GMT 10
Preston U18s and U16s both lost to Cheltenham.
Preston 3rds def Doncaster 10-2. The game felt much closer than the score reflects with Doncaster ahead early.
Berwick 2nds def Preston 7-6. For two of the best defensive teams, there were a tonne of runs scored in the first three innings with the score locked 6-5 Pirates until the late innings when Berwick tied it up, and plated the go-ahead run in the top of the 9th.
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coyote
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Post by coyote on Feb 26, 2018 6:11:09 GMT 10
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coyote
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Post by coyote on Feb 26, 2018 6:12:02 GMT 10
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Post by fuzzy on Feb 26, 2018 9:48:06 GMT 10
Interesting to see that game 2 of the Melbourne v Blackburn series is at Myrtle Park Nth Balwyn (guessing Surrey Park has cricket on Saturday).
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Post by wyatt33 on Feb 27, 2018 14:56:36 GMT 10
Wouldn’t think so as they might normally have women’s games in a Saturday.
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Post by fuzzy on Feb 27, 2018 16:46:26 GMT 10
No Women's game at Surrey Park this Saturday.
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Post by stuartcapel on Feb 27, 2018 19:30:56 GMT 10
An all Springvale affair for the Grand Final in Masters next Monday with the Big Cats and Tomatoes both winning their respective Semi Finals.
Womens 1sts and 2nds straight through to the Grand Final in Division 1 and 2 in the womens, with the mens thirds into the Grand Final this Sunday. Mens Fourths and Womens thirds were both defeated in their Semi Finals.
Mens start their Semi series against ladder leading Berwick Wednesday night.
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Post by Deleted on Feb 27, 2018 20:51:14 GMT 10
Blackburn 3-0 over Melbourne in Division One Semi-Final Game One at La Trobe University this evening, while Geelong Baycats downed Essendon 4-2 at Melbourne Ballpark.
Division One Semi-Finals action continues on Saturday, while Division Two Semi-Finals start this Wednesday evening.
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Post by fuzzy on Feb 28, 2018 6:23:14 GMT 10
Now changed to Surrey Park.
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Post by Chilli Wil on Feb 28, 2018 20:19:38 GMT 10
Pirates walk off 3-2 in the 10th
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Post by Deleted on Feb 28, 2018 20:25:19 GMT 10
Berwick did the chasing against Springvale, drawing level in the eighth before plating the go-ahead in the bottom of nine for a 4-3 Cougars win in the second of two terrific Division Two Semi-Final contests.
Both series will resume on Saturday, with a third game (if required in either) scheduled for Sunday.
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Post by Deleted on Mar 3, 2018 16:05:01 GMT 10
Geelong Baycats have qualified for a Summer League Division One Grand Final berth with a thumping 7-1 Game Two win over Essendon, whose remarkable run of a record six titles on the trot has come to an end. Never seriously challenged after Kelii Zablan spanked a three-run homer early in the contest, the Baycats will meet the winner of Sunday’s Game Three between Blackburn and Melbourne – who stand at one apiece after the Demons exploded early and stuck it out against a never-say-die opponent for a 5-4 result in Game Two at Surrey Park.
Should Melbourne qualify for the Division One Grand Final by winning on the sabbath, it will be the first time in Baseball Victoria history that those two clubs have played off for the Divvy One title – at least since Geelong was re-branded from “Giants” to “Baycats” nine years ago. I doubt that they met in a Division One Grand Final even before that – though I could certainly stand corrected. Whatever the case, the Orioles will be doing their utmost to derail that potential history-making showdown.
Again facing staunch opposition from Springvale in the Division Two Semi-Finals, Berwick proved just too strong to wrap up Game Two 8-4 and advance to the Grand Final series, where it will meet Preston Pirates – who edged home 3-2 over Williamstown in Game One and followed up with a clear-cut 9-1 result in Game Two that both nailed down a Grand Final berth and earned a Pirates return to Division One for 2018/19.
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Post by Deleted on Mar 4, 2018 19:04:50 GMT 10
A fantastic Game Three of Division One Semi-Finals came to an an unfortunate conclusion when serious injury to a Melbourne player caused a lengthy delay - in fading light - before the contest was called 10-8 in favour of Blackburn over Melbourne.
Assuming that call is shown to be consistent with Baseball Victoria playing conditions, the Orioles will meet Geelong Baycats in the best of three Grand Final series starting on Tuesday evening.
Best wishes to Melbourne Manager Andy Tierney for a rapid and complete recovery from a freak injury on contact at second base.
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Post by mackem on Mar 4, 2018 20:12:53 GMT 10
BV virtually handed Preston a place in the Grand Final by gifted them 2 home game in a row at La Trobe Uni.
This decision has set a precedence that a club that has light at it's ground could request the 1st midweek game played there.
I know a good team should be able to win at any ground.
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Post by philniekro on Mar 4, 2018 21:35:05 GMT 10
Reading the rule book. a normal game and its completed game however, a finals game must be completed.. anyone clarify this
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Post by Deleted on Mar 4, 2018 22:09:49 GMT 10
phil, according to at least one official of Baseball Victoria, this Forum only deals in "lies and half truths", so it appears there is no credibility on offer here!
However, scheduling of games at Billabong today unwittingly contributed to a set of circumstances that could be subject to scrutiny by some.
The governing body needs to immediately dispel any concerns by referring to relevant playing conditions.
This was a terrific, hard-fought Semi-Final series between two grand clubs in Blackburn and Melbourne. Let us hope there are no lingering issues over the game having to be called early because of quite proper concerns over light (after the injury delay).
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Post by dontknowjack0 on Mar 5, 2018 13:22:27 GMT 10
This was a terrific, hard-fought Semi-Final series between two grand clubs in Blackburn and Melbourne. Let us hope there are no lingering issues over the game having to be called early because of quite proper concerns over light (after the injury delay). I have to say this is a piece of nonsense. Why you would schedule a deciding game at 4 pm (which did not start till 430) when every ground in victoria was available is beyond me. The outcome had disaster all over it and guess what.....disaster. There should be lingering issues as it was a decision making balls up.
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Post by wyatt33 on Mar 5, 2018 14:59:30 GMT 10
BV virtually handed Preston a place in the Grand Final by gifted them 2 home game in a row at La Trobe Uni. This decision has set a precedence that a club that has light at it's ground could request the 1st midweek game played there. I know a good team should be able to win at any ground. I think the best two teams are playing in the gf. But you are right about the scheduling...but are we really that surprised anymore by any of the decisions that bv makes these days?
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Post by The Puma on Mar 5, 2018 15:28:01 GMT 10
Bv have thrown the rule book completely out the window this finals series. I have no idea how a competition coordinator can organise anything when they are not even in the country. The arrogance behind some of the decisions have been astounding.
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Post by dontknowjack0 on Mar 5, 2018 17:57:47 GMT 10
Reading the rule book. a normal game and its completed game however, a finals game must be completed.. anyone clarify this make no difference BV have ruled against an appeal. game over is game over. jokes will continue i have to say.
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Post by philniekro on Mar 5, 2018 19:20:54 GMT 10
BV can shove their head in the sand if they want,.... Conflict, lets run away.. I also have no idea how this sport is run any more.. This is half the reason I am walking away from it.. I have had it with the decisions that are being made by the governing body that supposedly runs our sport.. after over 45 years in the game that has bought me joy, pain and tears, I have had enough. What ever the co-ordinators name is ( who was deported a couple of weeks ago ), has the audacity to try and run our competition. We have a leader who has never done anything in his life except play baseball. ( albeit a very good baseballer )leading our governing body and not to mention, there was not a BV representative in sight. at the Melbourne V Blackburn. sorry but this was game 3 of a Div 1 final series.. not important enough for them to be at.. God luck to both teams in the GF this week..
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Post by Deleted on Mar 5, 2018 19:47:02 GMT 10
Perhaps you did not fully grasp what I was saying, dontknowjack0.
The scheduling was stupid - given that a 4.00 or a 4.30 start had potential to create issues with light, even if the game just went its mandatory nine innings without factoring in any extra innings, heat, rain, lightning or (in this case) any injury delay. The umpires absolutely did the right and proper thing in calling the game when they did - they had no other choice in fading light.
My concern was that BV should act promptly either to demonstrate that the "game" call WAS within the Playing Conditions OR to resolve any potential "lingering issues" by taking whatever other decision it deemed legal and appropriate (EG finishing or replaying the game at another time to be agreed - even if that meant some change to BV Grand Final scheduling).
While it seems clear now that the result will stand - and that Blackburn will go through to the Grand Final series - both clubs will feel a degree of disappointment that what had been a terrific Semi-Final series ended in the way that it did.
Something does simply not feel right about the proposition that lower grade finals can be played out to their mandatory conclusion - when the premier division of Victorian baseball allows vital semi-final games to be wrapped up after seven innings or potentially less, even though the Playing Conditions stipulate "nine innings, with no time limit".
Hypothetically, the earlier game at Billabong might have been deadlocked and gone even later - until 5.00 or 5.30, say. In waning light, the Division One game might then have been called after two hours, five innings or something.
Blackburn and Melbourne are both great clubs, who will move on from this. None of the messy confusion was any of their fault. And good luck, of course, to Blackburn and Geelong for the Grand Final series!
For Baseball Victoria, let us hope that solid lessons will be learned from this experience (and too many others of late) to in future help go some way towards avoiding the litany of fiascos that club baseball has had to endure this summer.
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Post by philniekro on Mar 5, 2018 20:10:37 GMT 10
Well said KC.. and on the money as usual
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