Players, coaches and parents came together to rally the Blue Jays on Sunday, September 22, at Whitman High School.
An all-hands-on-deck approach to practice and warm-up paid off handsomely when the game began.
The Blue Jays and their dads had worked hard at Friday's practice to improve the team's contact percentage. The result was a team-best (so far) 95 percent contact rate that put constant pressure on the opposing defense.
At this age, even the best fielding teams will suffer lapses when they're forced to execute 18 put-outs in the field without the benefit of a few strikeout freebies.
September 22 Game Report
Seamus Bain caught our attention when he used his bat to distribute bombs to the outfield during pregame batting practice. Then, when it counted, Seamus was a perfect 3-for-3 with a run scored and an RBI, raising his season's batting average to a solid .625 through three games.
Seamus continued to progress as a 2nd baseman in the game with the White Sox, covering the bag at the appropriate moments in the first inning and making a nice stop on a grounder to the right side in the bottom of the sixth.
It's no secret that Reto Lamparter can hit the ball hard. In Sunday's game, the coaches were looking for consistency. Reto came through in a big way, collecting a solid base hit in each of three trips to the plate. His 3-for-3 day also included two runs scored and two RBI.
Reto impressed with a flurry of put-outs in the late innings. Reto handled all three outs in the top of the fifth, converting a pop-up into a double play and fielding a grounder unassisted to complete an out at 1st base. Reto added two more unassisted force plays on grounders in the top of the sixth. On a day when the Blue Jays completed eight outs in the field, Reto contributed five of them!
Henry Goldstein worked hard in practice to keep his hands back before the pitch arrives. After making the mechanical adjustment, Henry found that he was able to relax and allow his quick hands to take over in each at-bat on Sunday. His 3-for-3 performance included a double to right field and led to two runs scored and two RBI.
Henry made a great stop on a short hopper in the top of the first. Take a look at that beautiful lefty throwing form as he prepares to throw an accurate ball to first base! That was a beautiful play!
Vinny Guo sharpened his focus and delivered big-time results from the third spot in the batting order. Above, Vinny keeps his eyes on the ball and rips a triple to left center in the bottom of the first inning. His 4-for-4 performance also included a double, four runs scored, and two RBI.
Vinny played two innings at 1st base but didn't see much in the way of action due to the opponent's penchant for striking out. He also took his first-ever turn at catcher in the top of the fifth. A hard-nosed player, Vinny reported that he enjoyed donning the gear and being in the middle of the action.
Brody Gottfried was a key cog in the middle of a potent Blue Jays lineup. He reached on a fielder's choice and drove in a run in the top of the first inning. Brody then reached on another fielder's choice and later scored in the bottom of the third.
Brody contributed an unassisted put-out on a grounder to 3rd base in the top of the fourth inning. After a brief moment of indecision, Brody opted to tag the runner rather than step on the bag. It didn't matter - either choice would have been fine!
Dominic Delgado got under a couple of pop-ups that effectively found holes in the defense.
The result was a 4-for-4 batting line with a double to right field, four runs scored, and four RBI.
Dominic provided a highlight from the catcher position in the top of the third when he caught a foul tip to complete strike three and record a put-out. Dominic's two innings at shortstop were relatively uneventful.
Noah Solovey found himself in the middle of the batting order due to his 1.000 contact rate through two games. Hitting in the sixth spot, he did not disappoint, putting together a 2-for-3 performance that included reaching on a fielder's choice in addition to clobbering two singles to the left side. Noah is batting .750 and has not struck out at the season's halfway point.
Noah played at pitcher's helper in the first inning and at 2nd base in the second and fourth. The opponent put a total of two balls in play in those three innings, neither of which found their way to Noah's glove.
Adam Farber looked relaxed and confident at the plate on this day. Not surprisingly, he came through with a productive 3-for-3 performance with two runs scored and one RBI. Adam's solid hit to right field in the third inning would have been a double if not for a nice play by the opposing outfielder.
Adam was one of a few Blue Jays infielders who called out force plays for their teammates before the ball was hit. That type of leadership will go a long way when the Blue Jays face an opponent that routinely puts the ball in play, causing scenarios to change rapidly.
Milen Hukmani knows how to grind out an at-bat! On two different occasions, he quickly swung his way to a two-strike count. Working to stay alive, he proceeded to foul off multiple pitches until he got something he could hit. Milen's 4-for-4 game included a double, three runs scored, and one RBI. After three games, Milen is batting .889 with a 1.000 contact percentage.
Milen made one of the better defensive plays of the game in the top of the second inning. Playing at 1st base, he put his body in front of a bouncing grounder, fielded the ball cleanly on a tricky hop, and stepped on the bag to complete the Blue Jays' first unassisted put-out of the game. Routine plays aren't exactly routine on the hard, dusty field at Whitman this fall.
Brendan Wang contributed to big rallies in the first, third and fourth innings. Above, he pulls in safely at 1st base after delivering an RBI base hit up the middle that enabled the Blue Jays to reach the 5-run limit in the bottom of the first. Brendan would go on to single and score in the bottom of the third.
Brendan showed good form both catching and throwing the ball at 3rd base. We were also impressed by the way he aggressively tried to catch pitches in the air when he took his turn at catcher. Players who try to catch the ball behind the plate tend to advance their overall catching skills - at every position - pretty rapidly.
In the photo above, Sebastian Bloomberg takes a moment to enjoy the fact that he had just driven in himself with a solo home run to lead off the bottom of the first. How consistent has Sebastian been this season? Each of his eleven plate appearances this season has resulted in a trip around the bases and a run scored!
Blue Jays shortstops didn't see much action in the game with the White Sox. Above, Sebastian waits patiently for the ball to be put in play. He did make a nice stop on the one grounder that came his way.
We like how Clark Roggie is swinging the bat from the heart of the Blue Jays batting order. His 4-for-4 performance versus the White Sox came with two doubles, a run scored, and six RBI. Clark now ranks second on the team with ten RBI this season.
Clark's glove is beginning to catch up with his arm on the left side of the infield. Above, he looks a runner back after catching a pop-fly at shortstop to end the top half of the third.
When the game was complete, the Blue Jays congratulated the White Sox, a nice team that played hard until the final out.
In the Arena
Coach Eric Delgado manned the controls for the Blue Jays throughout this one. The kids appeared to be loose, relaxed, and ready to play. No, the opponent wasn't the strongest. But the Blue Jays did exactly what they should have done.
Lance Bloomberg skillfully manipulated the Blue Flame to deliver an array of hittable pitches throughout the game. Lance also put in more than 45 solid minutes of extra pitching machine duty that allowed players to take quality reps and get their timing down during pregame BP.
George Roggie brought aggressiveness and encouragement to the 1st base coaching box. Thanks to the Blue Jays' 35 hits, George was able to spend quality time with many of his brother's teammates.
Navin Hukmani started the game aggressively and then pulled back the reins when it became apparent that slowing the carousel would be appropriate on this day. Navin will have an opportunity to return to full throttle base coaching when the Blue Jays take on a high-powered Mets team next week!
Another Test
This game was fun! It was not exactly a stern test, however.
We can't wait to see what the Blue Jays have in store next week when they face the Mets!
Coach Steve
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