|
Player |
Last year |
This year |
Notes |
| David
Bell |
KHT Pumpers |
Retired? |
After
20 years in the game, David has retired to coach his two sons and work
on his golf game. (Tiger, Mickelson beware) Not to worry though,
he'll still be hosting 3 Vegas fastpitch tournaments in March, June,
and October. Retired for good? Was Roger Clemens? Another in the
long line of good hitting pitchers, watch the pick-up list come
August. |
|
Mark Bennett |
So Cal
Bucks |
Portland Merchants & Santa Barbara |
Have
arm, will travel. The Big Man will pitch with the Portland Merchants
in the West Coast tournaments and the ISC World, and with his
old Instant Reply crew in the So Cal A/B league, 40+ and the ASA "A"
Nationals in Lancaster. Mark will give Portland added
depth to try to improve on their Sweet 16 finish at the ISC World
last year. A strikeout pitcher, Bennett seems to save his
best for the ISC World Tournaments. |
|
Marcel Bernal |
Gamecocks |
Palm
Springs |
Nice addition to PS, will
keep the Express loose in the clubhouse to boot |
| Todd
Budke |
The Farm |
L.B.
Black Sox |
OK, OK, I'm just kidding.
Had to see if you were really reading this. Well, he did hit
.538 for the Sox in Norwalk :-) |
| Paul
Castillo |
Rounders |
None
(Retired) |
Say it ain't so Paulie. The
guru retired? |
| Randy
Clay |
Where were
you pitching, last year, Randy? |
L.B.
Black Sox |
Off the ASA "B" list, inked
by Fred Hanker. Great addition to the Sox, and league. |
| Nate
Devine |
Sun Devils,
Cal Crew |
Team
Rainey |
The rich get richer.
Big time player, key addition. 2002 NAFA WS MVP, clutch as they come. |
| Joe
Edwards |
Kanakas,
etc. |
Raymar |
Vies with Meltz as
craftiest lefty in league. Will give Raymar solid trio plus Damo
in the pen. |
|
Tim Hunt |
Team Rainey |
Raymar |
Coming off
shoulder surgery, but when healthy, adds yet another
good bat to that
lineup. Raymar front office giving the Yankees a run for their
money. |
| Wayne
Geisler |
Genesis |
Panteras |
Back to his former team
after demise of Genesis; Was with Panteras at their tournament.
Permanent addition? |
|
Benny
Guerrero |
Raymar |
Amigos |
No father-son reunion at here :-) Wait
until
Damo has to face his dad pitching. Good luck junior! |
|
Damian Guerrero |
Team Rainey |
Raymar |
"MadPumper95" returns to
the fold.
Big bat in the middle of the order. Add that to
the Shaw acquisition and Raymar was busiest team in off season. |
| John
Hamaty |
Gamecocks |
Palm
Springs |
Gamecocks fold, PS acquires
another ace. The Express tough before, better still now. |
|
Gilbert Joiner |
Panteras |
Edge |
Gilbert,
we saw you in Orlando, FL pitching for
Panama,
then the Edge at Norwalk tournament. Has Boras
locked up your new contract yet? |
| Bobby
Lara |
Raymar |
Edge
(formerly Kanakas) |
Spent winter pitching with
the Lakewood Jets, many of whom are former Kanakas. Doesn't
matter what the team name is, these guys among the best in league.
Lara only getting better. |
| Andy
Lawry |
Anderson Homes, WI |
El
Segundo Rounders |
Midwestern transplant finds
a home with the
Rounders, via free agency. Can play multiple positions.
His Wisconsin team finished 5th at the NAFA WS last year. |
|
Dale Lopes |
Team Rainey |
L.B.
Black Sox |
From the
manager's seat back onto the playing field. They're still talking
about that .917 batting average at the November tournament...oh, and
that modeling photo ;-) All kidding aside, a vital part of the Black
Sox quick success. |
| Nick
Muratella |
Genesis |
River City Rockers |
Catcher
and on field leader last year for an outstanding Genesis team. Nick
has relocated to Sacramento, and has found a home with Rob
Penticoff's crew, the River City Rockers. The folks in So Cal
will miss him, excepting opposing pitchers of course. |
| Tony
Peeples |
Team Lyons |
Team
Rainey |
From one "Team" to another.
Lyons out. Rainey in. Best pitching staff in California. Could
turn their Top 20 ranking into Top 10. Already with a couple of
rings,
Peeps a proven winner. |
| Jason
Porto |
Team Lyons |
Team Rainey |
Another
key piece from the Lyons championship squad joins Team Rainey.
If the addition of Tony Peeples was a "Kevin Brown" signing, then
label this one "Alex Rodriguez."
Porto
will add another dimension (long ball) to the
TR attack. And like A-Rod, it won't matter what position he plays,
just so long as you get his bat in the order. (Porto played
both infield and outfield at the NAFA AAA World Series last year.)
|
|
Robert Renteria |
Panteras |
Raymar |
Yes, that
was
Robert
in the photo holding the Bombers runner up
hardware in Norwalk. But the word is that the Bombers will play
tournaments, so he'll play league with Raymar, giving Raymar more left
handed power. (Yogi, you've been busy!) |
| Cesar
Rodriguez |
So Cal
Bombers |
L.B.
Black Sox |
Spent much of last year
playing at A/B level, lends top talent to new team. A-Rod to the
Yankees, C-Rod to the Sox. |
| Joe
Salcido |
Genesis |
Raymar |
"Papa Joe" among the
leagues most consistent starters, will lend veteran leadership to
dramatically improved Raymar |
| Brett
Semans |
Not, but
played in Bay area previously |
L.B. Black Sox |
Another nice sign by Fred
Hanker. Plucked from the free agent market. Will be
behind the plate. |
| Doug
Shaw |
Genesis |
Raymar |
Part of 3 player deal, big
bats to join Damo in the heart of order |
| Ken
Shaw |
Genesis |
Raymar |
The Shaws might be biggest
blockbuster acquisition of the off season |
| Matt
Shaw |
Genesis |
Raymar |
Matt among the best young
talent around |
| John
Simmers |
So Cal
Bucks |
El
Segundo Rounders |
Has played for Rounders in
past, incl. Vegas tourneys, will join club full-time this year.
Gets his own number now, deservedly so. |
| Chuck
Vranich |
Gamecocks |
L.B.
Black Sox |
Gamecocks fold, Sox get a
solid
veteran pitcher, with as much experience as anyone in the league
(that includes me, Chuck :-) |
| Dean
Waltier |
Team Lyons |
Portland Merchants |
Another example of "you can
go home". Finished season
on crutches for NAFA AAA WS champions
Team Lyons, look for big
season from Dino, playing at home again. |
| Billy
Zylstra |
Rounders |
None
(Semi-retired) |
Retired to ride
motorcycles, or so he says. |
| Someone to add to our
list? Correction? |
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