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Team Previews
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2008 Record: No Record
Manager: Kevin Grimley 4th Season (35-72 overall) *First w/Red Birds
Outlook: Kevin Grimley, after four up and down years as Manager of the Bronx Astros will take over the reigns of the newly created Eastchester Red Birds. The Red Birds were formed by a merger with perennial post season contender Yonkers Indians and the Bronx Astros. Expectations are high this year as the Red Birds have built a very deep and talented team comprised of over a dozen all-stars past and present. Members of this team have accumulated all manners of personal awards, including Rookie of the Year, League MVP, CY Young, and numerous Gold Gloves. Three players have past professional experience. What this team wants most is the league championship. (read more) |
2008 Record: 10-16-1
Manager: Dino Mazzotta - 3rd Season (24-30-1 overall)
Outlook: The Hastings Lookouts look to get back to the top half of the standings in 2009 after last season’s poor regular season showing left the Lookouts wondering what was going to happen to the fabled franchise. An exciting wild card win against the Somers Cyclones and an epic three game series against the #1 seed New City Outlaws showed the squad that when they showed up to play, they could compete with anyone. One legendary Lookout has decided to jump ship this coming season. The move of Scott “Cadillac” D’Ottavio to the rival Tides will set up some exciting regular season games. Luckily, the team stocked up with new players from a merger with the Hastings Monarchs and picked up many former minor league players. The additions give the Lookouts reason for some lofty expectations this coming season. (read more) |
2008 Record: 22-7
Manager: Joe Maggino - 8th Season (156-41 overall)
Outlook: After a disappointing finish to the 2008 season, the Outlaws look to take their regular season dominance and translate thast into their 3rd WRWBL Championship. WIth the additions of many new young and talented players the 2009 Outlaws looked poised to reach their goals. (read more) |
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2008 Record: 14-12-1
Manager: Dave Lopez - 3rd Season (31-23-1 overall)
Outlook: The Thunderdogs entered the 2008 season looking to build on a 2007 season that saw the team finish 5th in the league and set a franchise record for wins with 17. While the team played competitive ball all summer, it lost too many close games and ended up only 2 games over .500 at 14-12-1. Despite not besting its 2007 record, the Dogs made the playoffs in consecutive years for the first time in team history. Like the year before, the Dogs fell in the quarterfinal round of the playoffs, taking the 3rd seeded Red Sox to a decisive third game. GM Dave Lopez rebuilt the roster in the off-season, adding a few new faces with the expectation of solidifying an already competitive team. (read more)
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New Rochelle Tigers
2008 Record: 13-16
Manager: Joe Mandile Sr. (5th Season 25-87 overall)
Outlook: The Tigers return many of the same faces from the 2008 season which helped them earn a playoff spot. One of the youngest teams in the league The Tigers will look to prove on their 2008 campaign. The Tigers have a potent line-up filled with speed and versatility from top to bottom. The new additions of Jeff Dunn(Manhattanville College), Dan Needleman(Manhattanville) and Joe Pissaniti (Pace University) will give the Tigers some of the power bats they missed last season. (read more) |
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2008 Record: 20-8
Manager: James Cisco - 3rd Season (50-32 overall)
Outlook: 2009 has begun with some big changes to the Sox team. Matt Meyers will be taking over as the General Manager of the team and James Cisco will be the lone field manager for the season. In order to fill in the vacant roster spots the Sox have brought in some new young blood to help improve the offense and defense. The Sox have built one of the strongest starting pitching staffs in the league with Brendan O’Rourke leading the way (read more)
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2008 Record: 19-9
Manager: Chris Jones - 10th Season (142-59 overall) *First w/Tides
Outlook:
After an off-season of tremendous change the Tides enter their 16th season in the WRWBL with an entirely new look.
From the front office to the last roster spot the club has been re-tooled in search of the team’s first ever championship appearance. The changes began immediately after the ’08 season ended. After five years as manager, Paul Marino stepped down to become the league’s commissioner. Additionally, his entire staff including valuable assistants Mike Strutt, Dan Heavens and Dan Rosengren all departed. After two seasons of retirement Chris Jones was named the fourth manager in team history an he immediately brought in a new staff including long time assistant Steve Shurak and player/coach Shawn Tarkington who will handle the pitchers. He also began dealing with the unexpected exodus of nearly a dozen players from the previous season. (read more) |
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2008 Record: 10-17
Manager: Adam Weiss - 3rd Season (16-65 overall)
Outlook: As the expression goes, “Rome wasn’t built in a day”. After three years under skipper Adam Weiss, the Patriots have made incredible strides this off-season and certainly look like a team with playoff potential for 2009. Weiss has new ideas on how to keep the team together, and a great mix of young additions. The focus this off-season was on defense and pitching, which were addressed aggressively. The hard work has the Patriots poised to push for their first playoff appearance in the club's eight year history (read more) |
2008 Record: 21-8 (WRWBL Champions)
Manager: Phil Murtha - 2nd Season (21-8 overall)
Outlook: The plan for the Cavaliers over the winter was very simple: Enjoy their 1st WRWBL Championship and begin to reload the roster for ’09. The first order of business for GM John Moolick and Manager Phil Murtha was to add depth to a very effective but limited in numbers pitching staff. To that end, the Cavs signed Jake Menzo (Utah Valley State), Jeff Hart (Stevens Institute of Technology) and former Fordham ace Henry Toolan. (read more) |
2008 Record: No Record
Manager: Xavier Morales - First Season
Outlook: The Rockland Rebels enter their first ever season in the WRWBL with a well balanced veteran team that knows how to win games. Many players on the team have a history in the WRWBL with other teams, which may be a key ingredient to the teams success because there are no secrets. The Rebels' WRWBL veterans know what each team brings to the table and that may serve as an advantage to the team. They say you really can't expect too much from an expansion team the first year, but the Rockland Rebels hope to turn a few heads this season! (read more) |
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2008 Record: 13-15
Manager: Jon Pollack - First Season
Outlook: The Cyclones are looking to build off a strong 2008 campaign which unfortunately ended with a heartbreaking loss to the North Castle Lookouts in the first round of the playoffs. 2008 was a season filled with many highs and lows for the Cyclones. While sometimes struggling to field a full squad, the Cyclones saw themselves winning a franchise record 13 games as well as making it into the playoffs for the first time in their young 5 year history. (read more) |
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2008 Record: 39-10* (*Played in 19-Under Wood Bat League)
Manager: Vinny Randazzo - 6th Season
Outlook: The Blue Devils will make their maiden voyage in the WRWBL this season. 2009 marks the organization's six year as they move up into the 18-over ranks. The Blue Devils started out in 2004 and 2005 as the Rockland Pride. They then changed to the Suffern Tigers for the 2006-2008 seasons. With the move to the WRWBL they will now be known as the Suffern Blue Devils. The Blue Devils come to the WRWBL with an impressive resume. This full-collegiate roster finished off the 2008 season with a Rockland County 19 Under Wood Bat League Championship, as well as the 2008 Cornwall Firecracker Tournament Championship -- the highpoints of a very successful 39-10 year. In 2009 the Blue Devils will likely be the league's youngest team, but they may also be the most talented. The Devils have put together a dynamic roster of players from Rockland County, Westchester and Bergen County. (read more)
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