The Newark Bears ~ A Resilient Brick City Species

From the desk of:  THE BRICK CITY NINE

The Urban Grizzlies Endured Another Troublesome Summer in an Unfamiliar Environment.   Encroachment, Scarcity, and Long Cold Winters are All Part of Being a Newark Bear.


Offensively speaking, the Quebec Capitales had nary a player rank within the top ten in any of the big three categories; Avg.; HR; RBI.  One Cap player placed eighth in batting.  And one Cap placed tenth in RBI.  That's it.


But when it came to pitching; pitching; pitching; -  Quebec had an abundance.  That said, the Quebec Capitales rode the strength of their hurlers all the way to a championship over the New Jersey Jackals in the 2011 Canadian/American League Finals which concluded back on September 16th.   The title was Quebec's fourth in the seven year history of the CanAm League; and their third consecutive championship.

There have only been three other teams to win a CanAm Title.  Two of those clubs are no longer in the league. The Worcester Tornados remain as the only other club still in the circuit to claim a title.  Two former champs, the Sussex SkyHawks and the Nashua Pride, have folded since celebrating their titles. 
The Nashua Pride once played in the Atlantic League too; like another team; the Atlantic City Surf.  They both won Atlantic League Championships before switching over to the CanAm League; and inevitably folding operations.


And there-in lies our segway intended for the Newark Bears Baseball Club.


So how did the two time Atlantic League Champions do in their first year playing in the CanAm League? 


Well..., they finished 41-52 overall; good for 6th place.  Their finish was only one win better than the 7th place expansion Rockland Boulders' record.  And the last place New York Federals shouldn't be entered into this conversation as they were pretty much drafted into service.


Offensively, the Bears wound up being a light hitting group after Daryle Ward's contract was purchased and Tim Raines Jr.'s season tailed off.  Daryle Ward was a key slugger right up until his departure.  And after a furious start, fans as well as his team mates; not to mention his Pop; watched Tim Raines Jr.'s production fizzle in the second half of the season. 


If anyone, you'd have to declare Danny Santiesteban the team's offensive MVP.  His .328 batting average was tops on the team and ranked eighth in the league.  His team leading 74 RBI were only six off the top spot.  But 13 home runs; while good enough to lead the Bears; was a distant ten knocks from the CanAm leader.  Danny also finished first on the Bears in games; doubles; and triples.


Brandon Watson still qualifies as a Most Valuable Bear.  He led the Newark Bears in runs scored; at-bats; and hits.  His .323 batting avg. ranked second on the team only a few percentage points behind Santiesteban's mark as well as being second to him in games played.


But Quebec's championship proved you didn't need to slug your way towards a title.  What you needed was pitching; pitching; and more pitching.  Unlike Quebec, that's something the Bears didn't have in abundance.  No; in this department, the Bears were hungry for help.


Twenty-seven year old starting pitcher; Alex Smith was the only berry they really had.  Alex Smith pitched to a 10-3 record for the Newark Bears which ranked him sixth in the circuit.  The CanAm leader had fourteen wins.  His 3.39 ERA was quite remarkable considering he walked more batters that he struck out; fifty-six versus fifty-two.  In 111.2 inning pitched, he allowed 103 hits.  After Alex Smith, pitching was the Bears' Achilles heel all season long.  And many times; too many times; Coach Raines was forced into very unconventional methods of handling his pitchers.


But how did they do?


They joined the CanAm League for a reason; primarily because of their struggles at the gate.  The title goes back to Quebec again; the league attendance champs.  They pulled in three times more fans than the Bears did.  And what of Newark's nearest neighbors?  The expansion Rockland Bouders led the contingent of American based teams.  They along with Quebec were the only clubs to break the 100,000 mark.  New Jersey pulled in 85,000 fans which ranked them 5th in the league and 35,000 fans ahead of Newark.  New Jersey averaged 1,700 fans per game.  Newark was the only team beside Pittsfield, not to average better than 1,000 fans per game.  And in Pittsfield's case, their attendance situation is understandable.


The plan was to switch Independent leagues so as to cut operating costs due to the club's falling on hard times.  The Atlantic League became too costly for them to operate in while faced with an increasingly absent fan base.  And so the CanAm League provided a financially friendlier alternative in which to continue operations.  Did it help?  I have no idea.  I'm not privy to that information.  Do I hope it helped?  Absolutely.


With the conclusion of this past season, the book keepers may have truly realized a tangible and welcome reduction in costs.  But did it put the Bears and Newark Baseball on a safer river bank of survivability; even if just by a few salmon?  Again, I wouldn't know that.  But I still sense the Bears live a precarious existence.



With the recent maelstrom resulting from Fred Wilpon's blocking the N.Y. Yankees from placing their AAA-Scranton club in Newark's Riverfront Stadium for one season now subsided, I for one didn't see how that would have been a good situation for the Newark Bears, outside of some cosmetic upgrades to the park and a token infusion of petty cash. 


And here's why.


Newark baseball needs a permanent solution.   And it needs to be untethered from affiliated baseball. They need an incredibly original thought that does not take Gotham City into account.   That’s every-one’s problem.   They are Newark; not NYC.   They need something done independently with the concentration focused wholly on Newark and where the fan base should be coming from.  Their base gate must come from the nearby neighborhoods in order for any team to survive there.   They are surrounded by organizations respectively pulling in healthy gate receipts.; including a once gate challenged S.I. Yankees club just few years ago, who are now coming off their three best years attendance wise.


A one year stop in Brick City by a prospecting travelling road show would have done more harm to Newark than good.   The more I think about it, the worse I think the idea of having upper-level minor league ball around here is.   It’s akin to allowing Wal-Mart into the city and effectively putting Mom-and-Pops out of business.  Why snub noses at the Law of Diminished Returns?   Minor League Baseball teams are very important pieces of local economies outside the NY metro area.   It’s best if they remain on the outskirts of town.   We need to stop being so centric about where we live and how much clout we think it brings.


So with the Scranton Yankees planned invasion safely behind them now, the Bears need minds who can make Baseball work in Brick City and get them standing on their own four paws again.  Carpet Baggers need not apply.  Newark needs a Newark inspired solution.


Perhaps, until then, hibernation will go well for the resilient urban Bears, and a season of plenty finally comes their way next Spring.





Mike.BTB

Newark Bears ~ Looking To Finish 1st Half Strong

From the desk of:  GROWLINGS FROM BROOKLYN


NEWARK BEARS:  Still Trying To Get A Piece Of
Fourth Place.


The Bears will end the season's first half against none other than the CanAm's first half clincher; Quebec Capitales in a three game series at The Den in Newark.


A hot start by the Bears this season turned into a tail spin which dropped them below .500 at times.  They've been hovering around that mark ever since.  Facing the League's first place club Thursday, the Newark Bears gained an inconsequential game on Quebec, and scratched their way to a game above .500 again.


The Bears tail-spin came on the heals of rising to second place with an 18-11 record.  Since then they have gone 5-11 and currently sit in fifth place; and after tonight, drew within 10.5 games of Quebec.


In game one of this last first half series, Tim Raines Jr. and Daryle Ward both homered, supplying Bears' starter, Alex Smith, with all six runs he'd need tonight.  They gave him an early 2-0 in the first when Tim Raines Jr. hit the Capitales' Matthew Rusch's seventh pitch of the inning out for his 8th home run, scoring Brandon Watson who singled to lead off the game.


In the sixth inning, Daryle Ward blasted a two run homer, scoring Tim Raines Jr., to give the Bears a 4-0 lead.  The lead became 6-0 in the seventh when Daryle Ward drove in two more unearned runs with a single.


Starter, Alex Smith gave Coach Raines what this team has needed so desperately; a starting pitcher who can pitch into the late innings of a game.  Thursday evening, Alex Smith gave his team 7.2 innings against the League's best team.  He walked five batters to give the Capitales hope.  But he surrendered only one hit.  They scored twice off him, but only one run was earned.


The bullpen preserved the Bears' twenty-second victory of the season versus twenty-one losses.


Matt Fitton pitched 0.2 innings following Smith.  He gave up three hits and allowed Quebec's third run of the game.  But Mikey Mehlich was called on to close the game.  After taking a tough loss Wednesday night against New York, he pitched the final 0.2 innings; no runs; no hits; no walks; one strikeout - earning him his seventh Save of the season.


Pittsfield sits 0.5 games ahead of Newark; in fourth place.  The Bears with try and gain way against Quebec again tomorrow in game two of this series, while the Pittsfield Colonials will play at Rockland.  Newark is 2.5 games behind third place Brockton.




Mike.BTB

Newark Bears ~ Ninth Inning Win On Father's Day

From the desk of:  The Brick City Sluggers


NEWARK BEARS:  Paddy Matera Delivers A Ninth Inning Single To Salvage Game Three In Series Against Brockton Rox.


On Riverfront Stadium -

"Just about any ball hit in the air can leave the park at any time!" - in 7th inning.

That quip came later in the game.  Earlier, my new favorite announcer took exception with the Bears' bullpen.  Not their pitchers; he had a problem with not knowing who was warming up for the Bears at any given time because in Riverfront Stadium, the bullpen is "completely obscured" from view.


He didn't start in on the bullpen pitchers till the eighth when he began questioning how long Tim Raines Sr. was leaving Anthony Pluta in the game during a 6-6 game (at the time).

"He's known to do anything at anytime...."

"No sign of Tim Raines from the Newark dugout."

But he got a few things right today.  Tim Raines Sr. allowed Brockton to retake the lead at 7-6; and Newark killed themselves with sloppy fielding.


Newark got on the board right away. Tim Raines Jr. doubled in the first inning with two outs and Daryle Ward drove him home with a single.   But Brockton scored a run in the second to tie things at one.


In the third inning, Daryle Ward doubled with the bases loaded, delivering two more Bears across the plate for a 3-1 lead.


Paddy Matera homered in the fourth for his seventh of the season.  In the fifth, with Burt Reynolds at-bat and Tim Raines Jr. on third base, Brockton's Freddy Flores unleashed a wild pitch allowing Raines to score and giving the Bears a 5-1 lead.


They were cruising and in seemingly in control through five innings.  Then Brockton knotted this game in the top of the sixth with a two run home run followed by Todd Gossage's error which led to two more unearned Brockton runs.


The Bears' implosion continued in the seventh.  An overthrown ball by Bears' catcher; Eric McGee; led to another unearned run and a 6-5 Brockton lead.  But the Bears showed resiliency when they tied the game again at six apiece.  Tim Raines Jr. hit one of his many doubles on the day and was driven home by a Danny Santiesteban single.


The two teams traded runs again in the eighth to make it a 7-7 game.  Juan Martinez drove home Paddy Matera with the Bears' eighth inning run.


In the home ninth, Newark got a runner in scoring position after Burt Reynolds was hit by a pitch and advanced to second.  Todd Gossage drew an intentional walk with two outs.  Paddy Matera worked his way to a 3-1 count then delivered a game winning single for an 8-7 Bears' win.


The two team are now tied again for second place overall in the CanAm League behind Quebec.


Can you see the bullpen now? 


Somehow, Coach Raines found his way to gut it out with Anthony Pluta during a rocky 2.1 innings of patience testing and lead blowing while his counter-part; Brockton manager Bill Buckner; went through five pitchers trying to stop Tim Raines Jr. and Daryle Ward from going 6 for 8 this afternoon, with three runs scored and three RBI between them. 


But Anthony Pluta's team mates; Kyle Morrison working the ninth inning with 2 strikeouts; and Paddy Matera; 2 for 2, HR, 3 runs scored, 2 RBI; were there to pick up Coach Raines; starter Victor Gonzalez; and all the Bears from what could have been a dreadful loss to their Massachusetts rival.



NEXT UP FOR THE BEARS:

Four Game Series vs. Worcester Tornadoes @ Bears and Eagles Riverfront Stadium.





Mike.BTB

Newark Bears ~ Pelted Again By Brockton Rox

From the desk of:  GROWLING IN BROOKLYN



NEWARK BEARS:  It's Raining ROX in Brick City.

OK; - These Rox from Brockton are starting to become a real problem.  After giving them a good clawing in their place a week ago, Brockton packed their nail files for this follow-up series in Newark.  And after two games in The Den, Brockton remains scratch free.


In two games since returning from Massachusetts, the Bears have suffered two losses thanks to Brockton.  Although in Friday night's slug fest, it wasn't for a lack of trying.  In something more akin to a softball game in the school yard, the Bears fell three runs short in a 17-14 game.  But then allowing Brockton to score another eleven runs in Saturday's affair...?  Twenty-eight runs in two games?  Yea, that's a problem.


Newark starting pitcher; Jacob Wild; and his follow-up; Kyle Morrison; quite simply, got wrecked by the Rox.  Brockton pelted Jacob with eight hits on their way to seven runs in five innings.  Jacob Wild helped them along with four walks.  Done with him for the day, Brockton then stoned Kyle Morrison for another four runs on three hits over one and a third innings in relief.


Pitching; Pitching; Pitching......in Newarks' case is like salmon.  As it goes, so will the Bears.  Good pitching equals fat Bears.  A scarcity in pitching and these Bears will go hungry. 


Scoring twenty runs in two games should be worth something.  Newark's Saturday night line-up sported a combined .299 batting average.  That ain't just berries.  However that number has been in decline lately.  Tim Raines Jr.'s batting average has dropped from the lofty altitudes of .400 down to below .350 (.348).  Early season hot hitters, Billy Alvino and Danny Santiesteban, have cooled off also.  But even in decline, there has been enough offense for Newark's pitchers to work with.


Brockton now overtakes Newark for the second best record in the League.  Last night's Rox win gives Brockton a record of 14-8.  Newark drops to 13-9; good for third best overall.  But everyone is looking up at the Quebec Capitales.  Winners of their last ten in a row, the overall season leaders sport a sparkling 18-4 record on the young season.


The Bears will try and salvage the last game of this series against Brockton today and hopefully start getting their recent pitching woes turned around.  Newark's Jersey local; Aaron Kalb; will start for the Bears.






Mike.BTB

NEWARK BEARS ~ Find Worcester To Their Liking

From the desk of:  GROWLINGS FROM BROOKLYN

Newark Bears:  Brick City Nine Gain Victory In First Trip To Worcester.


FINAL:
Newark Bears 6;  Worcester Tornadoes 2

Pitching!

Pitching; pitching; pitching.  Thank you!  Good night Worcester.

Well..., basically.



Aaron Kalb won his first game in two tries as the Bears gained victory over the Tornadoes in Newark's first ever trip to Worcester.  It was the Bears, behind seven strong innings pitched by Kalb, who blew into Worcester and disturbed the Massachusetts night.  Kyle Morrison relieved Kalb with two innings of scoreless work.


Aaron Kalb's Line:
7 ~ innings.
5 ~ hits.
2 ~ runs; earned.
2 ~ walks.
4 ~ strikeouts.

Kyle Morrison; relief:
2 ~ innings.
1 ~ hit.
0 ~ runs.
1 ~ walk.
2 ~ strikeouts.


Brandon Watson led-off the game for Newark with a single.  Number two hitter, Kyle LaMotta, then lost an 0-2 pitch over the wall for a two run home run.  Worcester came back with a pair of runs in the third to tie the game at two.


Billy Alvino scored on a Paddy Materra sac fly in the fourth inning for the go ahead run, and a lead the Bears would keep.


For good measure, the Bears put together a three run rally in the fifth inning.  Consecutive singles by Raines Jr, Ward, and Santiesteban plated one run when Raines scored on Santiesteban's hit.  A ruinous error by Worcester's shortstop; Boomer Blanchard; allowed both Daryle Ward and Danny Santiesteban to score.  That made it a 6-2 game.  The Bears' pitching took care of the rest.


Danny Santiesteban's RBI was his 17th, and places him second behind teammate Tim Raines Jr.'s 21 for the League lead.


The Bears are now 8-2 in their last ten games.  They improved their season record Monday night to
12-6 which places them a game behind Quebec as the League's best.


The Quebec Capitales, at 12-4, have as many wins as the Bears but with two less losses.  They are also winners of eight out of their last ten games, and are riding a four game win streak.  They were inactive Monday.

Game two of this three game series between the Bears and Tornadoes is Tuesday night.




Mike.BTB

NEWARK BEARS ~ Brick City ROX Brockton

From the desk of:  GROWLINGS FROM BROOKLYN

NEWARK BEARS: Team's First Trip To Brockton Starts Off With Win Over Rox.

Last week against Quebec, I caught a listen of the Brockton Rox web caster in between games of a double header, who had nary a good thing to say about the Bears.  During last night's web cast, it seemed he picked up where I left him off last.

So when 3,012 Brockton fans watched their home town team lose to the Bears by a score of 6-4 last night in the opening game of a three game series, I was pleased.  Payback is a real stitch in the baseballs sometimes.  The Bears might not have even realized their honor was at stake last night. 

But I did.  *wink!

In rehashing what happened to the Rox in his post-game wrap, my new favorite announcer was in a quandary as whether to credit the Bears for hitting three home runs, or rationalize that his starting pitcher was just missing pitches.  He reminded his audience countless times the Bears' Ward, Raines, and Watson, who all homered in this game, all had Major League experience.  ...And his point was?


But to his credit, he called them pesky.  Gee Wally!  Thanks.  However, he did say they'd be a problem for the Rox this season and would give them trouble for sure.  And that's the fairest thing I heard him say about the Bears in two opportunities I had to listen-in on his call.


So, Brockton's starting pitcher; Mike Smith; was just missing pitches.  Riiight.  The Newark Bears place four hitters within the top ten batters in the league.  Tim Raines Jr., who fell below .400 last night is second in the League with a .397 batting average.  Daryle Ward is fourth sporting a .372 average.  Billy Alvino is fifth with a .370 average and Danny Santiesteban is seventh with a .350 average.  Not enough for ya?  At number eleven in the League?  Newark's DH, Brandon Watson is batting .338 also.  So yea...I can see where Mike Smith was just missing pitches last night.


In addition to his fifth home run of the season, Tim Raines Jr. upped his League leading RBI total to twenty.


The Bears' starter; Alex Smith; walked four batters and as such, didn't have as neat a line as Mike Smith did.  But Alex Smith made sure the five runs his offense scored for him held up and in the process earned himself his second win of the season.

BROCKTON ROX

NEWARK BEARS

TONIGHT

(Bears lead series 1-0)

NEWARK BEARS

vs.

Brockton Rox

GAME TWO

From somewhere up in Massachusetts

Mike.BTB

NEWARK BEARS ~ Beware! Bear Traps Abound

From the desk of:  GROWLING IN BROOKLYN

ESSEX COUNTY EXECUTIVE'S CUP CHALLENGE:

New Jersey Jackals

vs.

NEWARK BEARS

From Bears and Eagles Riverfront Stadium

BRICK CITY

Tuesday Night Final:

Jackals   4

BEARS  8

NEWARK BEARS:  No Respect In The Booth Is No Problem On The Field!


"Growling In Brooklyn" just found it's cause.


Grrr!


The New Jersey Jackals were winners of their last three coming into tonight's game against the Bears as the Essex County Challenge resumed in Newark tonight.  For the Bears' part, they just completed a five game sweep against the New York Federals over the weekend.


I listened to the Jackals' game feed and heard their announcer offering up a huge slice of homer-pie.  All he did was complain about how there was no one in the park; how the PA system was set too loudly for so few people; how, because of the way center field is situated in Riverfront Stadium to take advantage of the NYC skyline view, it means the sun sets directly behind home plate interfering with the center fielder's vision; and it seemed as if he went on and on and on....   So the fact the Bears were leading 4-2 after five innings pleased me very much.


And I think what happened is I felt this new rivalry juice me up tonight for the first time.  After a day at the park like I spent Monday in Newark, I didn't appreciate the Jackals' announcer going on ad-nausea with his criticisms of the Bears' situation. 


And so, it's on Guys!  New Jersey Jackals be warned; the new rival of the Newark Bears is my rival too.


As a matter of fact, I was put off earlier by the same kind of nonsense when I was listening to the first game of a double-header between the Quebec Capitales and the Brockton Rox.  In between games, the gentleman handling the microphone took a call.  Eventually, he and the caller got to talking about the Newark Bears.  Imagine that?  But it was the Brockton announcer who was guilty of most of the disparagement over the state of baseball in Newark.  The gentleman didn't believe the city/area was capable of supporting the team and generally had less than kind words to say regarding the Bears; especially when compared to his home town Brockton Rox.


This CanAm League sure is one tough circuit, huh?  It's rough being the new club in the League I guess.  Inhospitable receptions, blistering observations, and misguided perceptions seem to be ruling the 'net with anti-Bear bias today.  Good I say!  It'll just make the rest of the season that much more fun for me, especially when we play New Jersey and Brockton.


In the course of me putting together this post, New Jersey tied the Bears at four apiece in their top half of the sixth inning.  And long ago in this game, my favorite broadcaster of the day started his dissertation about how good the Jackal's bullpen was and bragging about how they were running a streak of 14.2 consecutive scoreless innings pitched.  That is, until is got snapped today.


Into the Jackals bullpen the Bears went, like a bull through a china shop.  Kyle LaMotta led off the home sixth with a walk.  He promptly got caught stealing 1-3-6 for the first out.  Tim Raines Jr. who was 5 for 5 today, doubled.  The next batter, Daryle Ward followed with another double scoring Raines.  Danny Santiesteban then singled to drive in Ward from second.  Burt Reynolds capped off the Bears scoring for the inning when he tripled to left, scoring Danny all the way from first.


The Bears added one more in the seventh for good measure when Tim Raines Jr. collected his fifth hit of the afternoon; another RBI double scoring Brandon Watson to make the score 8-4 Bears.


And that was the way this contest ended; with New Jersey losing.  Does a loss to the Bears make a sound if no one is around to hear it?


Hey Mr. Jackal announcer guy, can you hear me now?


Atta boy Bears!





Mike.BTB

NEWARK BEARS ~ Win Fifth Straight Versus N.Y. Federals

From the desk of:  GROWLINGS FROM BROOKLYN

The Trolley Went To Newark For Today's Game.

 

NEWARK BEARS:  Complete Five Game Sweep Over New York Federals In Monday Matinee.

FINAL:

New York Federals....2

Newark Bears.............8

Newark used four pitchers Monday against the New York Federals.  Bears' starter Jesse Estrada allowed the only three hits New York would get all day.


In the top of the third inning, an error by Jeff Toth and a wild pitch by Estrada led to the Feds scoring two unearned runs for an early 2-0 lead.  But that was all they'd get.  The Bears used the long ball and shut down pitching Monday afternoon to complete a five game sweep over the N.Y. Federals.

#51 - Jesse Estrada's Line:

6 ~ innings.
86 pitches; 57 strikes.
3 ~ hits.
2 ~ runs.
0 ~ earned runs.
1 ~ walk.
6 ~ strikeouts.





Kyle Morrison; TJ Hose; and Mikey Mehlich all threw an inning each in relief of Estrada.  They combined to allow no runs; no hits; one walk and two strikeouts.


The Bears decided to address New York's 2-0 lead in the home fifth.  With one out, Paddy Matera reached on an error by the first baseman.  Brandon Watson singled Matera to third base.  Number two batter, Kyle LaMotta singled, scoring Matera and advancing Watson to second.  Tim Raines singled.  Brandon Watson scored when Daryle Ward lofted a sac-fly to left tying the game at two.


After a double steal executed by Kyle LaMotta to third and Raines Jr. following to second base, Danny Santiesteban was hit by a pitch to load the bases.  Danny was not at all please with the pitch and expressed his displeasure with the Fed's hurler; even pointing at him at one point.  The situation quickly diffused until the next batter, Jeff Toth, was also plunked with a pitch.  This one however forced in LaMotta from third and gave the Bears a 3-2 lead they would not relinquish.

#2 - Tim Raines Jr.

Brandon Watson had an RBI in the sixth inning.  But the Bears broke out for another four runs in the eighth frame.  Tim Raines Jr. crushed a three run home run, and two batters later, Danny Santiesteban delivered another four-bagger to give the Bears an 8-2 lead.

#28 - Danny Santiesteban

GALLERY

 

First Pitch; Lead-off batter ~ #1 - Brandon Watson

(Left) #5 - Kyle LaMotta  ~  (Right) #33 - Daryle Ward

#44 - Jeff Toth

3B - Todd Gossage

(Left) #31 - Billy Alvino  ~  (Right) #10 - Paddy Matera

 

Tim Raines Jr. is on deck as Tim Raines Sr. looks on.

Ron Karkovice and Tim Raines.

Victory.

EXTRA INNINGS:

 

Up Next for Newark:

The New Jersey Jackals come to Newark Tuesday as they resume their Essex County Executive Challenge Series.




Mike.BTB

NEWARK BEARS ~ Monday Morning Baseball. See You There!

From the desk of:  Growlings from Brooklyn



NEWARK BEARS:  Brick City Nine Looking To Sweep Five Game Set Today Versus N.Y. Federals.

THE TROLLEY.... IS HEADED TO NEWARK TODAY!!!


Tim Raines Jr. sat out Saturday after getting hit by a pitch in Friday's second game of the series against the N.Y. Federals.  He returned to action to the delight of Newark fans for yesterday's game. 


But with and without Tim, the Newark Bears still went on to win the first four games of this five game set being played in Bears and Eagles Riverfront Stadium.  They'll conclude the series early in this afternoon today with an 11:00am start.


Saturday Final:
N.Y. Federals....2
NWK Bears.......5


Sunday Final:
N.Y. Federals....3
NWK Bears.......5


After this weekend's action, the Bears now find themselves in third place behind second place Quebec, and the League leading Brockton Rox club.  Leading up to this series with the Feds, the Bears found themselves precipitously close to the League's basement where the Feds currently reside.  From a 2-4 record then, they've gotten healthy playing New York and now sport a 6-4 mark and stand a mere two games out of first place.


Sunday, Newark's Kyle LaMotta took his turn at a big day in the lead-off spot for Newark.  He doubled and homered in the course of his 3 for 4 day; with an RBI and three runs scored. 


Tim Raines Jr. quietly returned Sunday with a 1 for 4 day batting in the third spot this time.  He did however pick up his league leading 12th RBI of the season.  Coach Raines has mostly penciled Jr. into the second slot.  But he's tried batting him clean-up and now took a try at batting him third.  Tim Jr. has been most effective out of the two slot.  ...Just some food for thought there.


Bears' starting pitcher Alex Smith kept things nice and easy for himself and the Bears over his seven innings pitched.  He only allowed the Feds three hits, walked two, and had four strikeouts.  He threw 86 pitches with 52 of them going for strikes.  It was Alex's first win of the season in two starts.


One first deserves another.  Victor Gonzalez pitched the ninth inning recording his first save of the season.

Game five of this series starts in about one and a half hours.  I plan on being there today to root for the Bears and take in some sun; rest; and relaxation a on a weekday off day for me.  Maybe I'll see you there.  TWEET me up.






Mike.BTB

NEWARK BEARS ~ Brick City Nine Claw the N.Y. Feds

From the desk of:  The BRICK CITY NINE - (GROWLINGS FROM BROOKLYN)



Link:  Newark Bears

Newark Bears:  N.Y. Federals Get Clawed in Brick City.


I don't have the heart to kick a team when they're down; not when they are the New York Federals.  They are a team largely comprised of players from the New York State League; D-League of the CanAm League; formed to provide a schedule comprised of eight teams.


However, Eddie Lantigua; first baseman of the Federals, is proving to be an early season slugger.  Eddie jumped out to the season lead in home runs with 3 and has driven in a league's second best 9 RBI.  Lantigua lost his lead position for RBI this afternoon when Newark Bear's outfielder Tim Raines Jr. passed him with a now league leading tenth RBI.


Unfortunately for both teams, after the first week of the season, they both came into tonight's game holding up the rest of the League.  The Feds sat in last place sporting a 1-5 record while the Bears fared little better in seventh place with a 2-4 record.


In describing what happened between these two teams in their first ever meeting, is when this story becomes all Bears folks.  They pounded the Federals this evening 12-3 on the strength of fifteen hits.


Starting pitcher for Newark; Jacob Wild, pretty much determined what kind of day the Feds would have.  And their outlook wasn't good.  Wild kept the Feds out the the Bears hair over the 6 innings he pitched.


Jacob Wild's Line:
6 ~ innings pitched.
3 ~ hits.
0 ~ runs.
1 ~ walk.
6 ~ strikeouts.


The bullpen and defense suffered a late game brain cramp.  But otherwise, the Bears were in complete control of this contest. 


Coach Raines returned his son, Tim Raines Jr. to his more traditional two-spot in the order after batting him clean-up the game prior.  As mentioned above, Tim responded tonight by overtaking the CanAm League's lead in RBI with ten when he connected on his third home run of the season during a five run Newark fifth inning which made the score 8-0.  Four more runs in the eighth inning and the Feds were a beaten bunch. 


Raines' batting average remains above .400 (.414) after week one, which is good enough for fourth in the League.  On that note, amazingly, Newark's number nine batter and catcher; Billy Alvino, is batting .478 - good for second in the league.


Right fielder Danny Santiesteban blasted a three run home run of his own.  As a matter of fact, the Bears cracked five home runs in all Thursday.  As mentioned, Danny and Tim Raines - but Billy Alvino, Brian Nichols, and Daryle Ward all homered for the Bears tonight.


1B- Daryle Ward had himself a rather big day also, going 3 for 4; 3 RBI; and two runs scored.  He's batting .385 so far this season.


However, someone I suggested we all keep an eye on; Todd Gossage is still struggling mightily.  He suffered through an 0 for 4 tonight while lugging a .160 batting average around.  He was also the only Bear not to get a hit tonight.  He's currently hitting eighth in the order ahead of Billy Alvino.  Billy had himself another productive night going 2 for 3 with 2 RBI and a walk.  And you'd think with a little scouting after a week in the books, teams will seek to pitch to Gossage more as opposed to facing Alvino.  Let's hope.  If Coach Raines keeps the bottom of the order as is, perhaps Todd starts seeing better pitches so as to break out of this funk he's in.


By game's end, the Bear's starting nine batters left the field with a collective .333 batting average.  They might have padded their stats somewhat against the Federals tonight.  But more importantly, they skipped over Worcester in the standings to get another position away from last.  The Bears record is now 3-4 after week one; in sixth place and three games out of first.


Link:  New York State Baseball League




Mike.BTB

NEWARK BEARS ~ Lose In First Visit To Yogi Berra Stadium

From the desk of:  Growlings from Brooklyn

The Essex County Executive's Cup Challenge

The Inaugural Series is tied 1-1.

Game Three ~ Tomorrow

June 1, 2011

New Jersey Jackals

Newark Bears

NEWARK BEARS:  N.J. Jackals Take Game Two In This New Rivalry Between Neighbors.

FINAL:

Newark  6
New Jersey  7



I listened to a very entertaining game tonight on web-cast as Newark made their first ever trip into their new rival's park; Yogi Berra Stadium; home of the New Jersey Jackals, for game two of the Essex County Series.  Game one was played in, and won by Newark last Sunday.  After an off day yesterday, the newly christened rivalry series made it's debut in Little Falls as part of a home-and-home.

I'm sure the end result of tonight's game wasn't quite what the Bears had in mind.  But like I said, it was an absolute good listen even though it snapped a short two game win streak for Newark.  The Bears record now stands at 2-3 for the young season.

The Bears and Jackals traded first inning runs.  Then Newark broke out with four more in the top of the second inning.  An error, a wild pitch, and three Newark hits, including a Tim Raines Jr. double, had the Jackals down 5-1 early.

New Jersey immediately started chipping away at that lead.  They got a run back in the bottom of the second inning.  After two more New Jersey runs in the third, and another run in the sixth inning, we had a tie game.

Then came the decisive eighth inning.  Newark's Billy Alvino singled to lead off the Bear's eighth.  The Bears regained the lead 6-5, when Tim Raines Jr. stepped in again and tripled home Alvino. 

On a side note, after going hitless on the first two games of the season, Tim Raines Jr. has been a hitter possessed.  He had another four hits tonight (4 for 5) to go along with two RBI.  Tonight's effort raised his batting average to a lofty .429 and climbing.

But the Jackals had something else in mind this evening other than losing a second straight game to the Bears and marveling at Raines.  A double by Jeremy Slayden and a two run home run by Chris White gave New Jersey their first lead of the night in late dramatic fashion.  The Jackals bullpen put the Bears to rest in the top of the ninth by striking out two batters to finish this game off; a game which the Bears seemed in control of for most of the night but still sensed it slipping with every home run New Jersey clubbed out tonight (three to be exact).

Alex Smith started this game for Newark and to his detriment, allowed New Jersey to hang around in those first few innings.  But he pitched five innings and was staked to a 5-4 lead when Newark turned to their bullpen.  Andrew Pluta relieved Smith and had an outing he'd much sooner forget.  In three innings work, he gave up five hits and three runs; and more importantly the lead.  He was tabbed with tonight's loss.  For Alex Smith, a drab no decision.


Newark and New Jersey finish this three game series tomorrow, Wednesday, at Yogi Berra Stadium with an 11:05AM start time.






Mike.BTB

NEWARK BEARS ~ Defeat Their Newest Rival For Second Win

From the desk of:  Growlings From Brooklyn


NEWARK BEARS:  Bears Take First Game In
The Essex County Challenge.

FINAL SCORE ~ Sunday, May 29, 2011  vs  New Jersey Jackals:
New Jersey  3
Newark   4

Born more from an off-field community partnership between the New Jersey Jackals and the Newark Bears to help strengthen each other's presence in the area; work with charities and community programs; Essex County announced the two teams would play for the County Executive's Cup.  Dubbed, The Essex County Challenge, at the end of each season, which ever team wins the most games between the two head-to-head, win bragging rights for a year.



POST-GAME:

The Brick City Nine evened up their season record at 2-2 with their first ever victory over new top rival; the New Jersey Jackals.  Newark kept the bats going Sunday with another ten hits after totaling 18 hits the game prior.

In the first two games of the season versus Rockland, Tim Raines Jr. went hitless and the Bears remained winless.  In his last two games, he is five for nine and the Bears won two in a row.  Danny Santiesteban also continued some hot hitting going three for three, with a double and RBI.

Eric Eden started for the Bears and lasted 6.2 innings.  He walked two batters while striking out none and surrendered seven hits.  He gave up two runs but only one of them earned.  The effort was good enough for his first win of the season. 

Newark and New Jersey will take Memorial Day off before playing game two of the series on Tuesday at Yogi Berra Stadium; home of the Jackals.




Mike.BTB

NEWARK BEARS ~ Win First Game in a Romp

From the desk of:  Growling in Brooklyn


NEWARK BEARS:  Win Their First Ever Game In CanAm League and Avoid Sweep by Rockland.

FINAL SCORE:
Rockland Boulders  4
NEWARK BEARS  16


After dropping the first two games of the season, the Newark Bears roared back at their competition Saturday night.  They finally won their first game of the season and also avoided a sweep at the hands of the Rockland Boulders.  Rockland only rolled out three pitchers against Newark and the Bears clawed them all.

Newark pounded out 18 hits and plated 16 runs tonight in a romp over the Boulders at Bears and Eagles Riverfront Stadium.  Tim Raines Jr. had a break-out game as well with his first three hits of the season.  In going 3 for 5 tonight, he drove in 6 RBI.  Todd Gossage also chipped in with 3 more RBI.  The two combined for 9 RBI and 4 runs scored.

Other notable swings - Lead-off batter Brandon Watson set the table with a 4 for 6 day; an RBI and 2 runs scored.  Catcher Billy Alvino went 3 for 3; two runs scored and an RBI.  And first baseman Brian Nichols went 3 for 5 batting clean-up today with two runs scored.

Ryan Lobban was the starting pitcher for Newark tonight, hurling five innings and is credited with the win.  He gave up four hits and surrendered three runs all coming in the fifth, while walking two and striking out two.  By then the Bears were leading 9-3 and the bullpen took care of the rest. 

TJ Hose relieved Lobban with two innings pitched.  He gave up two hits, allowed a run and struck out two.  Andrew Pluta pitched the final two innings to seal the deal for Newark.  He allowed only one hit and struck out two, including the last batter of the game in a non-save situation.




NEXT GAME:

The Newark Bears face their officially declared rival; the New Jersey Jackals for the first time since being newly minted foes.  The first game of a home-and-home series is in Newark Sunday with a start time of 1:05pm.  Both teams head to the home of the Jackals for the second game on Monday.




Mike.BTB

NEWARK BEARS ~ Will Try and Win First Game Saturday

From the desk of:  GROWLING IN BROOKLYN

NEWARK BEARS:  Suffer First Two Tough Losses To Open Season In Front Of Brick City Crowds.

The Rockland Boulders got an early start on writing some team history for themselves by winning their first two games in their inaugural season defeating the Newark Bears in games one and two of the Can/Am Season. 


Newark on the other hand, sadly lost their Home Opener Thursday in front of 3,963 fans in attendance and wound up dropping their first two games as new members of the Can/Am League.



Thursday's game was tied at five runs apiece after nine innings.  Fans were treated to free baseball on the very first day.  But Rockland pounded out 6 runs in the 10th inning ending the Bears afternoon. Swinging a good bat for the Bears, Danny Santiesteban had three hits.  Tim Raines Jr was 0 for 4 and Todd Gossage was 0 for 4 on the day also.  Pitcher Anthony Pluta took the loss in relief.
FINAL:  Rockland 11;  Bears 5  ~  10 inn.
Newark Bears version
Rockland Boulders version



In Friday's game, the Rockland Boulders used the long ball to down the Bears again. 
Jeff Toth had a home run and three RBI for the Bears in defeat.  Batting third, Tim Raines Jr. went
0 for 3 and Todd Gossage was 1 for 3 in the sixth spot.  Pitcher Jacob Wild took the loss.
FINAL:  Rockland 4;  Bears 3
Newark Bears Version
Rockland Boulders Version



NEXT GAME:  Saturday, May 28, 2011
Game Three
ROCKLAND BOULDERS  @  NEWARK BEARS    6:35pm




Mike.BTB