Well the Albany Yankees did not make the Playoffs and ended the Florida 52+ at 2-4 with a crossover game. The team was in every game and with a key hit here and there we could have made the playoffs. The pitching did very well and kept us in the games. I want to thank Larry Pape, Tim Brown( who had a great tournament both in the field at shortstop and the bat), Paul Celantano who crushed the ball most of the tournament until the last day when he collapsed from exhustion running to first so often and even making it to second base on gappers. Peter Gianellis what can I say. What an inspiration!!! You talk about dedication and hard work. He is the epitome. Ten months ago he had a hip replacement. He played no ball during our season while in recovery and rehab. He came down to Florida and not only hit well but pitched a great game and played first base flawlessly. If there was anything that made me the happiest it was having him back and playing with us this year. A great player and even a nicer guy. Thank you also to Mike Labarge who caught 5 of the 6 games who in spite of being tired at the end( and who wouldn't be) never allowed a ball past him and saved us pitchers asses. What a Yeomans job.
One of the regrets of the tournament was that Bill Kervan injured his knee pitching early in the third game. Bill was hitting very well and he was forced out of the tournament. We missed his bat and first base play. But during out last game he asked to go in at take an at bat and wouldn't know it he lined a single to left an limped all the way to first. We missed that bat of his.
As for Larry Pape who usaually plays a great first base, but for the good of the team he played the outfield as we were short in that area and did an outstanding job and even with a painfull pulled groin stayed out there.
Also thanks to Skip Wellman from Maryland who became a valuable player with his hitting, pitching and second base play. I also want to thank the players from Florida who gave us additional pitching, hitting and defensive play. Pitching and defense in general was our strength and had we won one more game we would have gotten in with least runs allowed.
As a manager I want to thank everyone on the team for their effort, the comraderie, and making it fun to manage a bunch of great guys. And of course putting up with me.
