The Terminal II
About this time of the year, many teams are looking to pick up that third pitcher, or a good hitting utility player as they prepare for nationals. For Rod Rainey, a good travel agent might prove more important, as Team Rainey prepares to hit the road for one of the most ambitious summer schedules that I have ever seen for a So Cal team. During the months leading up to the ISC World Tournament (Aug 13-21), Team Rainey will be taking on the best teams in the fastpitch world. And when I say the best in the world, that's no hyperbole.
Team Rainey opened the year as the #17 team in the ISC World pre-season rankings, with the ISC generally regarded as the top level of play for men's fastpitch. That ranking was right on the money, considering that they narrowly missed making the Sweet 16 at last year's ISC World by one (playoff) game. The team has already knocked off two teams ranked above them and are looking to move up on the pack.
To this point in the season, Team Rainey has played in four tournaments, coming away the winners in three. They started off the year with a win in Norwalk, CA at the Panteras Valentine tournament with a win over a tough So Cal Bombers team. (at a time when many top flite teams back east were still waiting for the snow to melt). In May, they travelled to St. George Utah, for the Red Rock tournament, where they won their pool, making the Elite 8 before being upset in the quarterfinals, but not before knocking #9 Houston H.I.S. (the team that coincidentally beat them in that playoff game in last year's ISC World). Over the Memorial Day weekend, they brought home the championship trophy from the California International Tournament in Fresno, California, beating #13 ranked Portland Demarini twice. A week later at Santa Fe Springs, CA, they claimed the California Area ISC tournament title, and with it, a berth to the 2004 World Tournament in Fargo, North Dakota.
But this is really just the beginning of that ambitious schedule. On Friday evening after work, (June 18), they will jump on a plane for the Decatur Shootout in Decatur Illinois. The Shootout is a well established midwest tournament for some of fastpitch's best. This year, it includes ISC #4 ranked Circle Tap, a much improved team from last year, #7 ranked Midland Michigan, #9 Houston H.I.S. and #19 St. Louis Lafayette Pub. Adding Team Rainey to the mix, that's 5 of the top 20 teams.
A week later, Team Rainey will jump on planes headed for Portland, Oregon for the Portland DeMarini Rose Cup Tournament, where they will compete against the reigning ISC World Champion and current #1 ranked team in the world, Broken Bow Spirit of Amsterdam, New York, with the field of teams including #6 ranked Victoria Travellers Inn, #10 ranked Vancouver Grey Sox and the #13 ranked host Portland DeMarini Merchants. Again, that's 5 of the top 20 teams in the world.
Still not impressed? Stay with me then. On July 9-10, 2004, Team Rainey will catch planes to Denmark, Wisconsin for the "Boys of Summer" tournament, which will feature #2 ranked County Materials, #3 The Farm, #4 Circle Tap, #9 Houston H.I.S., #11 Imaging Systems Knights of Fargo, #15 RWP, MN, and #23 Bar on the Avenue.
So by late July, Team Rainey players might start feeling like the Tom Hanks character in his new movie, "The Terminal", (a story about a visitor to New York from Eastern Europe trapped in an airline terminal) [A good movie, BTW]
But not done yet. For their final act before the World Tournament, Team Rainey will travel to Allentown, Pennsylvania, a town steeped in fastpitch tradition, for the Bob Walsh Memorial Tournament - an invitation only affair limited to eight teams that has already stirred up some controversy by leaving a couple of Pennsylvania teams off the list) Who are the other seven teams in this one? Oh, how about #1 Broken Bow, #2 County Materials, #3 The Farm, #4 Circle Tap, #8 Fedlock, #9 Houston H.I.S. and #12 Heflin Builders.
And all of that as the run-up to a final trip August 13-21, 2004 to Fargo, North Dakota for the ISC World Tournament.
One could hardly accuse Team Rainey of ducking the top teams. If you were keeping track, by the time they get to Fargo, they'll have competed in tournaments with the #1,2,3,4,6,7,8,9,10,11,12,13,15,19,20,21 and 23rd ranked teams in the world.
This kind of schedule requires tremendous dedication by the players and a equally strong commitment to find the financial wherewithal required by it. It's been a long time since fastpitch fans here in Southern California have had a chance to watch one of their own play this caliber of schedule. (We'll be doing our best at fastpitchwest to provide coverage of their travels, in particular at the Rose Cup, which we will be attend, and hopefully get them on the internet radio broadcasts from that tournament)
We wish you well, Team Rainey, as you head to LAX tomorrow for the first leg of that adventure. Win, lose or draw, we know you will compete and are proud to have the opportunity to follow a local So Cal team play with the best in the world.
If you wish to comment, or drop Team Rainey a note, you can click the "comments" link at the right.
Team Rainey opened the year as the #17 team in the ISC World pre-season rankings, with the ISC generally regarded as the top level of play for men's fastpitch. That ranking was right on the money, considering that they narrowly missed making the Sweet 16 at last year's ISC World by one (playoff) game. The team has already knocked off two teams ranked above them and are looking to move up on the pack.
To this point in the season, Team Rainey has played in four tournaments, coming away the winners in three. They started off the year with a win in Norwalk, CA at the Panteras Valentine tournament with a win over a tough So Cal Bombers team. (at a time when many top flite teams back east were still waiting for the snow to melt). In May, they travelled to St. George Utah, for the Red Rock tournament, where they won their pool, making the Elite 8 before being upset in the quarterfinals, but not before knocking #9 Houston H.I.S. (the team that coincidentally beat them in that playoff game in last year's ISC World). Over the Memorial Day weekend, they brought home the championship trophy from the California International Tournament in Fresno, California, beating #13 ranked Portland Demarini twice. A week later at Santa Fe Springs, CA, they claimed the California Area ISC tournament title, and with it, a berth to the 2004 World Tournament in Fargo, North Dakota.
But this is really just the beginning of that ambitious schedule. On Friday evening after work, (June 18), they will jump on a plane for the Decatur Shootout in Decatur Illinois. The Shootout is a well established midwest tournament for some of fastpitch's best. This year, it includes ISC #4 ranked Circle Tap, a much improved team from last year, #7 ranked Midland Michigan, #9 Houston H.I.S. and #19 St. Louis Lafayette Pub. Adding Team Rainey to the mix, that's 5 of the top 20 teams.
A week later, Team Rainey will jump on planes headed for Portland, Oregon for the Portland DeMarini Rose Cup Tournament, where they will compete against the reigning ISC World Champion and current #1 ranked team in the world, Broken Bow Spirit of Amsterdam, New York, with the field of teams including #6 ranked Victoria Travellers Inn, #10 ranked Vancouver Grey Sox and the #13 ranked host Portland DeMarini Merchants. Again, that's 5 of the top 20 teams in the world.
Still not impressed? Stay with me then. On July 9-10, 2004, Team Rainey will catch planes to Denmark, Wisconsin for the "Boys of Summer" tournament, which will feature #2 ranked County Materials, #3 The Farm, #4 Circle Tap, #9 Houston H.I.S., #11 Imaging Systems Knights of Fargo, #15 RWP, MN, and #23 Bar on the Avenue.
So by late July, Team Rainey players might start feeling like the Tom Hanks character in his new movie, "The Terminal", (a story about a visitor to New York from Eastern Europe trapped in an airline terminal) [A good movie, BTW]
But not done yet. For their final act before the World Tournament, Team Rainey will travel to Allentown, Pennsylvania, a town steeped in fastpitch tradition, for the Bob Walsh Memorial Tournament - an invitation only affair limited to eight teams that has already stirred up some controversy by leaving a couple of Pennsylvania teams off the list) Who are the other seven teams in this one? Oh, how about #1 Broken Bow, #2 County Materials, #3 The Farm, #4 Circle Tap, #8 Fedlock, #9 Houston H.I.S. and #12 Heflin Builders.
And all of that as the run-up to a final trip August 13-21, 2004 to Fargo, North Dakota for the ISC World Tournament.
One could hardly accuse Team Rainey of ducking the top teams. If you were keeping track, by the time they get to Fargo, they'll have competed in tournaments with the #1,2,3,4,6,7,8,9,10,11,12,13,15,19,20,21 and 23rd ranked teams in the world.
This kind of schedule requires tremendous dedication by the players and a equally strong commitment to find the financial wherewithal required by it. It's been a long time since fastpitch fans here in Southern California have had a chance to watch one of their own play this caliber of schedule. (We'll be doing our best at fastpitchwest to provide coverage of their travels, in particular at the Rose Cup, which we will be attend, and hopefully get them on the internet radio broadcasts from that tournament)
We wish you well, Team Rainey, as you head to LAX tomorrow for the first leg of that adventure. Win, lose or draw, we know you will compete and are proud to have the opportunity to follow a local So Cal team play with the best in the world.
If you wish to comment, or drop Team Rainey a note, you can click the "comments" link at the right.
3 Comments:
go get em boys!! playing great ball at the right time keep your eyes on the prize. stay focused and healthy and bring those trophies to the west coast.i'm rooting for you. wish we had a better outing against you in fresno but those things happen. maybe we'll play later this year when you're tired. ha ha take care nick muratalla
Guys, good luck and make all of us who have played with and against some of you guys over the years proud. Make sure to take things one game at a time and I'm sure you will do just fine. You guys have a great team. There is no other team I would want representing SoCal then you guys.
Johnny Nuanez
You left out #25 Bloomington Stix (decatur shootout)
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