baseball

In The Batavian's attempt to interview Ben Hayes, president of the New York-Penn League, we reached out to Minor League Baseball.

A communications official with Minor League Baseball was able to get in touch with Hayes and we've just been informed that Hayes will not agree to an interview.

He said he would not comment further on the future of the team (he has made no comment to date), according to the Minor League Baseball spokesman. 

Hayes referred all questions to Brian Paris, president of the Genesee County Baseball Club, owners of the Muckdogs franchise.

The phone line for the NYPL office in St. Petersburg, Fla., will now accept phone messages so we left Hayes a message explaining that only he can state why the league won't work with the Rochester Red Wings as operators of the franchise and share his ideas for the future of the team in Batavia or elsewhere.

Last week, The Batavian broke the news that the NYPL had blocked the Red Wings from a contract extension to continue operating the team. The extension was needed because the original 10-year deal expired Oct. 31.

Meanwhile, the Muckdogs are on the 2018 NYPL schedule but there's no clear indication from the league how the team will operate in 2018.

We couldn't reach Paris tonight. 

Last week, Paris said he is working with Hayes regarding the future of the team and the 2018 season and said he had a good working relationship with Hayes but didn't have a definitive answer on the NYPL's plans.

It's been a few years since baseball fans at Dwyer Stadium could see the names of hitters at the plate and their batting averages, but when next spring's first "play ball" is called that will have changed.

Crews were at the stadium today making long-desired (by the fans) repairs of the outfield sign that will restore the lighting to the upper portion where players' names and averages appear.

The project is part of the city's maintenance budget for Dwyer.

Dougherty was Batavia's baseball historian, digging deep into the lore and stats of how the game was played locally over the past 150 years or so. Much of his work can be found in his book, "A View from the Bleachers: Batavia Baseball."

Dougherty passed away Sunday.

"Bill Dougherty was the kind of person every community should have, a dedicated, passionate, knowledgeable, local historian," said Bill Kauffman, a friend of Dougherty's and himself a historian. "His primary interest was baseball, so his work was also responsible for Major League Baseball rewriting its record book and including the name of Vince Maney, who was the only Batavian to ever appear in a Major League Baseball game."

In 1912, Ty Cobb was suspended and the players on his Detroit Tigers team decided to go on strike. The commissioner ordered the game played so the Tigers had to hire replacement players. The shortstop that day for a game in Philadelphia was listed as Pat Meany. Dougherty was able to find the evidence and prove that Pat Meany was really Vince Maney.

Dougherty was a member of the Notre Dame Sports Boosters, Society of American Baseball Research, Board of Directors of the Genesee County Baseball Club and a life member of the Stafford Volunteer Fire Department. He was a graduate of Batavia High School and Alfred State College.

"He was a great guy," Kauffman said. "He was full of energy and enthusiasm and wit and mischief and we’re really going to miss him."

Previously: 

• Batavia's rich baseball history recalled in new book by Bill Dougherty
• Kauffman and Dougherty share a few words about Baseball in Batavia

After tonight's final home game of the 2017 season, we spoke with Brian Paris, president of the Genesee County Baseball Club, a community-based group that co-owns the Muckdogs with the Rochester Red Wings, for his thoughts on the season and the chances the Muckdogs will be back in Batavia for 2018.

The Muckdogs lost tonight to Auburn 6-3 in a game delayed by rain and attended by 494 fans on a night before school starts. The team is 30-44 and plays one last game in Auburn in a matchup that will determine whether the Muckdogs can avoid finishing in the cellar.

The Batavia Green Team won the championship of a special four-week summer league that just completed the short season.

Jamarion Richardson, first row, Landon Santini; Preston Tobolski, Mac Wormley, Cooper Hamilton, Kyle Porter, Brady Mazur; Gavin Lawlis, Connor Scott, Alex Johnson, Alex DiFilippo; Assistant Coach Dave Scott, Head Coach Brenden von Kramer, Assistant Coach Tom Porter, Assistant Coach Chris Ball.

Not pictured, Nolan Ball and Kylan Ball.

Photo and info submitted by Tricia DiFilippo.

Press release:

Due to a tremendous response from the community, the Muckdogs 2017 Youth Baseball Clinic to be held on Aug. 30th is completely filled up and registration is now closed. We will accept any mailed registration forms postmarked on or before Aug. 16th.

For those who did not sign up in time, please keep an eye out for the Muckdogs’ Youth Clinic in 2018.

Come on down to the Batavia Muckdogs game and enjoy a safe summer night with us! STOP-DWI Night at the Ballpark is happening on Wednesday, Aug. 16, gates opening at 6 p.m. The Batavia Muckdogs are playing the Williamsport Crosscutters.

(This game was originally scheduled last Friday, Aug. 4, but was canceled due to rain.)

Genesee County STOP-DWI and the Genesee County Youth Bureau are hosting this family event. 

The first 300 youth under the age of 16 get in free and there are Muck Bucks given to the first 200 youth to use toward items in the ballpark. There are an additional 500 giveaways and prizes for everyone. Fun and interactive education booths and displays will be on hand. Participating agencies include the Sheriff’s Office, City Police, Le Roy Police, Probation, the Genesee County Youth Bureau and Genesee County STOP-DWI.

A grand prize giveaway, a youth bike, sponsored by Adam Miller Toy and Bicycle will be on display and drawn that evening. So join us for a great night at the ballpark and the Friday night fireworks!

Sponsors that are helping make this event possible include: Genesee County Sheriff’s Department Assoc., NYS Assoc. of Chiefs of Police, UMMC, Batavia Police Benevolent Assoc., Le Roy Moose Family Center, Batavia Lions Club, Western NY Assoc. of Chiefs of Police, GCASA Prevention, Red Osier Landmark Restaurant, Polish Falcons Nest, Gerace Realty LLC and Tops Friendly Markets.

Pictured above: Matt Landers, STOP-DWI coordinator; ; John Roche, owner of Adam Miller Toy and Bicycle; and Jocelyn Sikorski, STOP-DWI Board chair, and Chelsea Green with the Genesee County Youth Bureau.

Press release:

The 2017 New York-Penn League All-Star roster will include three players from Batavia. They will send infielders Lazaro Alonso and Marcos Rivera and pitcher Sam Perez to the game to be held Tuesday, Aug. 15^th at Joseph L. Bruno Stadium, home of the Tri-City ValleyCats.

Alonso, an international free agent signed in 2016, has played in 36 games for the Muckdogs this year and has been one of the Muckdogs best power hitters all season. Alonso has 19 RBIs, which is tied for eighth in the NY-Penn League, to go along with a .240 batting average, five doubles and 25 walks (third in the NYPL).

Marcos Rivera was an international free agent signing by the Marlins in 2014 and has started 36 games at shortstop for the Muckdogs this season. Rivera’s 11 doubles is currently tied for second in the league and his .417 slugging percentage is inside the top 20 in the league. He is currently batting .254 with 19 runs scored, 15 extra-base hits and 18 RBIs.

Sam Perez was selected in the 5^th round of the 2016 draft out of Missouri State. The right-hander has started nine games this season and has compiled an ERA of just 1.88, which is fourth in the league for qualifying pitchers. Perez has a record of 3-1 and has racked up 33 strikeouts in 48 innings pitched.

Batavia currently holds the sixth place spot in the Pinckney Division with a record of 16-30. The Muckdogs sent four players to the 2013 All-Star game, four in 2014, six players in 2015, and two in 2016.

Press release:

Join us at Dwyer Stadium Aug. 30th for our youth baseball clinic!

Kids ages 6-14 will receive a day of on-field instruction from the Muckdogs players and coaches on Aug. 30th from 9 a.m. – 1 p.m. Children will learn from the pros in the areas of hitting, fielding, pitching, catching, base running and bunting.

Later that evening, campers will be able to come back to Dwyer for a private autograph signing with the team 30 minutes before the gates open (5:30 p.m.) and then be recognized on the field prior to the Muckdogs game vs. the Mahoning Valley Scrappers (Cleveland Indians affiliate).

Campers will also receive a special T-shirt not available in the team store, a clinic photo, two tickets to the Aug. 30th game, as well as lunch, all for only $40.

Registration forms are available at Dwyer Stadium and online at muckdogs.com. Space is limited and all registrations and payments must be turned in by Monday, Aug. 21st.

Photo submitted by Jason Ball. Article by Jason Ball.

Champions!!!! Is the new title for a group of Pembroke baseball players who won the annual 10U Nunda baseball tournament this Sunday in Nunda.

The tournament was composed of seven teams Pembroke, Arkport, Campbell, Nunda, Letchworth, Perry and Wayland.

The tournament started on Tuesday night with Pembroke facing off against Nunda.  

Nunda took the first game 16-10.

"It was a good tough fought game, our team grinded back but we came up short," said Jason Ball, head coach of the Dragons. "My assistants Jason Hootman, Jeff Abbatiello and I made a few changes stayed positive with our players and kept at it. Our team is resilient, and we believe we work harder than anyone out there and it shows on days like this."

The Dragons went on to beat Letchworth 8-4 in the next round and tied with them for first place in their pool.

Nunda, Letchworth, and Pembroke were all tied 1-1.

Nunda had 26 runs against Letchworth and Pembroke each had 20 runs against; a coin flip would decide the #1 seed and Pembroke won.

Ready to battle into the semifinals, Pembroke would take on #2 seed Campbell and come out victorious in a 6-3 final.

The Championship game would be decided Sunday between Pembroke and Perry.

"It was a fantastic game," Ball said. "Our boys came right out in the first inning and put two runs on the board and never looked back."

The Dragons won the matchup 10-4 to take the trophy back to their hometown.

"As a tournament coach, you have to ask yourself 'what is our goal?' Ours originally was to just get experience, then we were competitive, then we won. What more can you ask for from 9- and 10-year-old kids? These are a fantastic group of kids and the great thing about this team is there is only three 10-year-olds so our team is young and hungry for the game. Two of our 10-year-olds were the ace pitchers of the tournament."

Owen Hootman and Evan Schwerthoffer each pitched 12 innings in the tournament and combined for an impressive total of 55 strikeouts.

"These two boys have been our pitchers for the last two years and have worked very hard at their craft to be this successful," Bell said.

Kylan Ball led the way at the plate with eight hits .667 average, five RBIs, seven stolen bases, eight runs scored and four doubles.

"Our boys brought out the bats," Ball said.

Trey Newton had three extra base hits and hit .600. Anthony Abbatiello had seven hits, for a .467 average. Aiden Baldulf, Owen Hootman, and Evan Schwerthoffer all hit over .400.

The Pembroke team: Head Coach Jason Ball, assistant coaches Jason Hootman and Jeff Abbatiello, Players: Trey Newton, Kylan Ball, Owen Hootman, Evan Schwerthoffer, Anthony Abbatiello, Nolan Ball, Owen Shultz, Aiden Balduf, Brien Tyoe, Jayden Bridge, Landen Santini and Dylan Vaughn. 

Fathers and sons met in a baseball game at Williams Park today.

The Dads were down 7-5 going into their last at bat and they ended up winning 8-7.

The game was organized by Eddie Betances.

Participating were: Anthony Beckman, Dylan Beckman, Jason Harasimowicz, Michael Harasimowicz, Mark Harasimowicz, Quinten Betances, Eddie Betances, Andy Laforce, Matt Beach, Bubba Beach, Lazavier Beach, Cory and Zach McDonald, Dan and Peyton Armison, Ian and Landon Schultz, Joe Gufell Jr. and Sr., and Ryan Aimee.

Photos and info submitted by Daniel Armison.

Press release:

For the second year, UR Medicine’s Wilmot Cancer Institute (WCI) will host Survivors Night on Friday, July 28 at Dwyer Stadium with the Batavia Muckdogs. Anyone who has been impacted by cancer is invited, including patients, survivors and caregivers.

The game starts at 7:05 p.m. and fireworks will follow. 

More than 15.5 million cancer survivors are living in the United States today and that number is expected to exceed 20 million by 2026. In Genesee County alone, approximately 400 people are diagnosed with cancer each year. The purpose of Survivors Night is to unite those impacted by cancer to celebrate cancer survivorship.

“Cancer is something that touches almost everyone at some point in life and Survivors Night is a way for us all to come together for a fun family night to celebrate life beyond cancer,” says Tiffany Paine-Cirrincione, associate director, Advancement and Community Events for Wilmot Cancer Institute.

“We encourage anyone in the community who is a cancer survivor or patient, or who has loved or cared for someone with cancer, to join us.”

Tickets for the game cost $4 each, and participants receive a Wilmot Warrior Walk T-shirt for each ticket purchased. They can be purchased at WCI Batavia, 262 Bank St., Batavia. Questions can be directed to Karen Soria at (585) 344-3050.

Photo by Tim Motyka, head coach of the Batavia Minor League Red Sox, which was the youth baseball team last night to take the field with the Batavia Muckdogs.

Press release:

Today’s game between the Batavia Muckdogs and Lowell Spinners has been canceled due to wet and unsafe field conditions.

As the two teams do not meet again this season, this game will not be made up at any time during the season. Any person with tickets to today’s game can exchange their tickets for any other regular season game, subject to availability.

Alex Canty, who excelled in baseball at Batavia High School, through his senior season in 2016, announced on Twitter yesterday that he has committed to Southeast Missouri State.

That gives the infielder a shot at playing Division I baseball.

Canty played his 2017 season at Monroe Community College, where he hit .357, with eight home runs, 53 RBIs, 11 stolen bases and 18 walks. His on-base percentage was .418.

Lt. Gov. Kathy Hochul and her husband, Bill, visited Batavia last night so they could attend a Batavia Muckdogs game together. Kathy threw out the first pitch and met with players from the Marlins in the Oakfield-Alabama Little League.

Catching Kathy's first pitch was Harrison White, from Laguna Beach, Calif., and a graduate of Yale University. He's a 2017 Miami Marlin's draft pick.