Orange Crush 2009

Okay…..so I took a bit of a break from blogging after a devastating late-inning loss to the Gray Bats in the Championship last year. Who wouldn’t?

I still feel like beaning BJ Rankin in batting practice.

And although it took a few months to manifest, I think Larry Zalewski received a bit of karma as well.

Take that old man!

But enough with the “a forty-five-year-old man kicked my ass” tirade.

The Orange Crush are back!

New faces to the 2009 squad include:

IF- #21- Matt Johnston

OF/C-#2- TJ Morgan

3B/2B-#5- Mark Kasimirsky

OF/3B/1B-#24- Brendan Hanley

SS/P-#3- Trevor Martinek

P/3B-#7- Tim Rastetter

P/OF/1B-#10- Timothy Maul

OF/P-#9- Schuyler Shaeffer

P/1B-#15- Dan Morgan

This year’s returning Crush include:

2B/P/OF-#1- Brian Strom

C/1B-#19- Harry Yeakel

P/IF/OF-#18- Mark Guthrie

The 2009 Crush squad appears to have a lot of depth at pitching and a solid infield core with five former Collegiate-level players gracing the roster.

All-that-said, that is just on paper.

The reality of this Crush campaign will become evident this Saturday, September 12, in a visiting match-up against the new-coming Green Machine team at 8:30 a.m at John Herb Field in the North Hills. (Directions to field at www.pittsburghnaba.com)

While little is known about either team in the early part of this season, Green Machine Head Coach Jesse Smith has apparently used his eye-for-talent to import a competitive group for the fall.

Starting Line-up;

Like I said, little is known at this point, however, using a set of dice, a tube of super-glue and a Ouija board I slapped an opening-day batting line-up together……

1- TJ Morgan (CF)

2- Schuyler Sheaffer (LF)

3- Mark Guthrie (P)

4- Matt Johnston (2B)

5- Tim Rastetter (3B)

6- Brian Strom (C)

7- Mark Kasimirsky (EH)

8- Timothy Maul (1B)

9- Trevor Martinek (SS)

10- Brendan Hanley (RF)

We have only 10 players this week so everyone will get plenty of playing time. Positions will be jockeyed around a bit as the game goes on so I can determine our most competitive defensive look for this fall.

Also, pitching duties will be conducted in platoon-fashion. We have plenty of arms and I will make sure and get Shaeffer, Rastetter, Maul and Martinek at least one-inning of work each.

To Crush Players:

Please contact me at (412) 576-8877 or email me at strom_80@hotmail.com if you can’t make it this week. A partial schedule has been released on the Pittsburgh NABA website if you need to check future game times.