The father of a Rancho Bernardo High student has filed a lawsuit against the Poway school district alleging assault by a former lower-level RB baseball coach. Mark Coast has sued the district on behalf of his son, Alex, who played baseball for Rancho Bernardo the last three years. Also named in the civil suit are Rancho Bernardo High, Principal David LeMaster and former baseball coaches Sam Blalock and Dan Kelly. The complaint, which was filed last week in San Diego Superior Court, alleges that Alex Coast suffered injuries and trauma after being hit by Kelly in July 2014 during a practice while a member of the Rancho Bernardo Warriors, a summer team that works out at RB but isn’t affiliated with the school or the baseball program. “All the parties have received copies of the complaint,” said Frederic Ludwig, attorney for the Coast family. “Once the suit has been filed, they have 30 days to respond. “We’re not even at that stage yet. It’s still … [Read more...] about Lawsuit targets former baseball coaches at RB
Baseball
Baseball announcers Mike Schmidt, Jerry Remy strike out with comments about language barriers
Learn English.That's the message two major league baseball commentators sent loud and clear in about a 12-hour span Tuesday.First was Hall of Famer Mike Schmidt, who is now in the Phillies' broadcast booth for weekend games. He said on a morning radio show the Phillies couldn't build around Odubel Herrera because he didn't speak English.That night, Boston Red Sox color commentator Jerry Remy said during a broadcast of a game against the Yankees on NESN that translators should not be allowed to accompany pitching coaches for mound visits.Both comments rightfully caused a stir and since, both Schmidt and Remy have issued apology statements."It's been made known to me that my answer on a radio interview this morning to the question, 'Can the Phillies build a team around Odubel Herrera' was disrespectful to Herrera and Latin players in general," Schmidt said in his statement issued by the Phillies. "I'm very sorry that this misrepresentation of my answer occurred and may have offended … [Read more...] about Baseball announcers Mike Schmidt, Jerry Remy strike out with comments about language barriers
Former Lake Central baseball player Frank Ruvoli is chasing new lights
The dorm room was dim. The light of hope had whipped out the window the day before. Frank Ruvoli sat in a hollow vacuum. Alone. Staring at the wall. "It was awful. It sucked," Ruvoli said at Goodfella's Bar & Grill in Cedar Lake on Friday. "My arm was falling off. I called my mom crying. Fate was taking my whole life away. "I was sitting there thinking, 'What do I do now?'" Ruvoli grew up playing baseball in St. John. His family was filled with diamond dreams. His grandfather, Henry Meyer, was offered a contract by the Cubs after being a star catcher in Chicago prep ball. He spent one year as the Cubs bullpen catcher with opportunity awaiting the following summer. But World War II broke out and he was off to fight in Europe. A combat injury brought him home early and his recovery took time. But he ended up playing in the minors of the White Sox and Indians organizations. Frank's father, Garry, also played and loved the game. When his son Garry Jr. played Babe Ruth … [Read more...] about Former Lake Central baseball player Frank Ruvoli is chasing new lights
Town of Niagara man imprisoned for beating woman with baseball bats
A man who beat the mother of his children with two baseball bats and threatened her with a sword was sentenced Tuesday to two to four years in state prison. Jason E. Evrard, 33, of Quain Place, Town of Niagara, was living with the woman on Lockport Road in Wheatfield at the time of the assault May 26. "I was pleasantly surprised when I saw how genuine Mr. Evrard's remorse was," defense attorney Dominic Saraceno said. Evrard, who has 14 criminal convictions, is a repeat felon because of a 2012 animal cruelty conviction for slamming his grandmother's dog to the floor and fracturing its pelvis. "There's some people who say when you kill animals, that's what you'll do to human beings," State Supreme Court Justice Richard C. Kloch Sr. commented. … [Read more...] about Town of Niagara man imprisoned for beating woman with baseball bats
A baseball life: Like father, like son for Lehigh Valley IronPigs manager Dusty Wathan
— Dusty Wathan remembers playing 3-on-3 baseball with James Splittorff, Mike and David Bell and other sons of major-league baseball players in 1979 at Texas' Arlington Stadium.Wathan recalls being old enough to go with his father, John, who was a major-league catcher and first baseman, to Royals Stadium, where he watched Kansas City games from every possible vantage point.That was Wathan's childhood."That was my normal," Dusty Wathan said. "That's what I tell everybody."Wathan's normal life continued well into adulthood. He followed his father into professional baseball as a catcher, then transitioned into managing.Now a father of four and manager of the Triple-A Lehigh Valley IronPigs, Wathan continues to follow the only path he's known.That includes celebrating Father's Day a month early."It's not often that we are together [on Father's Day]," Wathan said. "We were together earlier [in my coaching career], but not lately because the kids have stuff to do, too."Wathan took his … [Read more...] about A baseball life: Like father, like son for Lehigh Valley IronPigs manager Dusty Wathan
Doc: Pirates fire sale bad for baseball
The Pittsburgh Pirates died again Monday. Time of death was late afternoon, in the sort of shadows that, many years ago, the Pirates routinely associated with postseason day games. Cause of death was Major League Baseball and its flawed economics.On Monday, Pittsburgh exchanged its heart, soul, foundation and identity for a middle reliever and a Class A bus rider. Andrew McCutchen is now a San Francisco Giant. What is the going rate for a civic icon? More than the Pirates wanted to pay.The Pirates had died before, the same way. Their three-year run of excellence between 1990 and ’92 ended when their best player, Barry Bonds, and their best pitcher, Cy Young Award winner Doug Drabek, left to get paid. History repeated between 2013 and 2015, when the Pirates again played in October and again watched good players leave to get paid.In between those two mini-runs, the Pirates went 20 years without a winning season. It was the sort of extended futility only Major League Baseball can … [Read more...] about Doc: Pirates fire sale bad for baseball
Slow-moving market leads to winters blahs for baseball fans
Mets ace Noah Syndergaard probably spoke for the rest of his peers Tuesday morning when he tweeted a message about the long offseason: “Really missing that ballpark smell right about now.” With the holidays in the rearview mirror and the NFL playoffs nearing an end, mid-January is the time players and fans alike typically start counting down to spring training. Pitchers and catchers will start reporting to Arizona and Florida in mid-February, and the road to October begins anew. But this has been the winter of our discontent, with relatively few free-agent signings and only a handful of big-name players on the move, including Marlins slugger Giancarlo Stanton, Rays star Evan Longoria and the Pirates’ Gerrit Cole and Andrew McCutchen. About 130 or so free agents remain unsigned, which should lead to a mad scramble once camps open in a few weeks. What will happen then? “I’m done predicting this winter,” Cubs President Theo Epstein said. … [Read more...] about Slow-moving market leads to winters blahs for baseball fans
Doc: The demise of the Pirates is bad for Major League Baseball
Mourning, Mobsters. I didn’t intend to dwell yet again on the recent death of my erstwhile team that sucks. But the Pittsburgh Pirates are everything that’s wrong with MLB on the eve of spring training 2018. The Reds better hope their current reconstruction starts to take hold this summer. If it doesn’t, then what?The Pirates made it to three consecutive championship series in the early 90s. The Reds took them out in six games in ’90, the Braves in ’91 and ’92, each in seven games. Those Pirates of Bonds and Bonilla, Drabek and Van Slyke, were no worse than No. 2 in the NL over that time.Then they systematically tore the whole thing down, for the same reason they’ve torn down the current club: Money. They went the next 20 years – 20 years! – without so much as a winning record.In the past three days, the Pirates dealt the core of a team that made the playoffs three years in a row, 2013-15. First, G. Cole and yesterday, A. McCutchen. … [Read more...] about Doc: The demise of the Pirates is bad for Major League Baseball
Fantasy baseball preview: Joey Votto stands tall as Reds rebuild
As the 2018 fantasy baseball season approaches, we take a look at the biggest news and story lines from each club. We'll feature one team each weekday ... and we'll finish up on Feb. 16, the first day all teams will have their pitchers and catchers on the field for workouts. Series index: Schedule for all 2018 team previewsThe Reds haven't been to the playoffs since 2013, and without a significant step forward by several young players they're not likely to again this year. Starting pitching is the biggest question mark after Cincinnati finished next-to-last in the majors in team ERA last season.As great as he is, first baseman Joey Votto can't do it all. Losing All-Star shortstop Zack Cozart to free agency will create a void on both offense and defense. 2017 at a glanceRecord: 93-69 (2nd in NL Central)Hitting: 14th (4.65 R/G)Pitching: 29th (5.17 ERA)Park Factor, scoring: 13th (1.020)Park factor, HR: 10th (1.094) ArrivalsSP/RP Vance … [Read more...] about Fantasy baseball preview: Joey Votto stands tall as Reds rebuild
Baseball pitch clock decreases game time but players union skeptical of use in majors
Three batters into his major league debut, Milwaukee Brewers starter Zach Davies was working quickly. Twice while Andrew McCutchen batted against him for the first time, McCutchen stepped out of the batter's box and called time. "It's something that he was used to," Pirates reliever Rob Scahill said. "He wants to work fast to stay within the clock and, obviously, we don't have that here." Davies' Sept. 2 debut was his first start of the year when he wasn't subject to the 20-second pitch clock, an experiment that began in the Arizona Fall League and continued at the Class AA and AAA levels this year. As Major League Baseball tries to increase the pace of play, they installed pitch clocks in the minors in addition to the measures enacted in the majors this season. Pitchers have 20 seconds after receiving the ball from the catcher to begin their delivery or at least come to a set position. If they don't, the batter is awarded a ball. Batters must be in the box and alert to the pitcher … [Read more...] about Baseball pitch clock decreases game time but players union skeptical of use in majors