Go BCC Blue Jays!: Blue Jays put finishing touches on a great Season

The Blue Jays completed a super-successful season with a fun rematch with the Nationals on Sunday, October 13, at Whitman High School.

As usual, players arrived early to get valuable pregame reps.

Dads and assistant coaches took up the slack left by the head coach.

To the credit of players, parents, and coaches, this team was ready to play in every game this season.

The result is a 5-1 record and a +64 run differential despite multiple scoring handicaps that are designed to keep the games close.

The final score of this one was Blue Jays 22, Nationals 2.

October 13 Game Report

Brody Gottfried enjoyed a breakout performance at the plate in the rematch with the Nationals. His 3-for-3 day included two excellent base hits down the third base line and a legitimate knock to the 5.5 hole. Even more impressive, Brody delivered two of those hits with two-strike pressure on his shoulders.

Brody played excellent defense at 3rd base. He aggressively charged two well hit balls that he might have moved away from just a few short months ago. Even better, Brody followed up on his aggressiveness to the ball with technically sound throws that reached 1st base on one hop. Brody has the right mindset to make a huge leap defensively if he continues to work on his game over the winter.

Reto Lamparter is a danger to opposing defenses when he is mentally locked in at the plate. Above, he keeps his eyes squarely on the ball and wallops a run-scoring triple to center field. For the game, Reto was 4-for-4 with two triples, two runs scored, and four RBI.

A gifted glove man who required remarkably few reps to become a dependable 1st baseman, Reto was an out-making machine throughout the fall season. Above, he prepares to cover the bag at 1st and catch a good throw from the shortstop to complete a 6-3 groundout in the bottom of the first inning. Reto finished the fall campaign with eleven put-outs, good for second on the team.

Milen Hukmani delivered his best hit of the season in his final plate appearance. Batting in the top of the sixth with a runner on base, Milen blistered a line drive that landed in the left field grass and bounded beyond the outfielders. Above, Milen rounds 2nd base and pulls in safely at 3rd with a run-scoring triple. For the day, Milen was 3-for-4 with two singles, a fielder's choice, two runs scored and two RBI.

Fall 2019 might be the season in which Milen found a home defensively at 2nd base. For reasons that we can't explain, everything seemed to come together - footwork, catching, anticipation, situational recognition - at the keystone position. He didn't see much action on Sunday because the opponent didn't put many balls in play. For the season, Milen tied for the team lead in assisted put-outs (6) and unassisted put-outs (6), proving to be equally adept catching throws from his teammates and making plays on his own.

Seamus Bain chipped in with a solid base hit up the middle of the field in the top half of the fourth inning.

Seamus singlehandedly contributed one of the best defensive highlights of the game in the bottom of the second inning. Playing at 3rd base with one out and a runner on 2nd, Seamus put his body in front of a grounder, snapped up the ball, and thought about making the long throw to 1st base. It was then that he noticed that the runner at 2nd was attempting to advance to 3rd. Knowing that he did not have a force play, Seamus ran down the runner and applied the tag to notch the second out and eliminate a scoring opportunity.

After putting past contact issues to bed in recent weeks, Henry Goldstein had the look of an extra base hit that was just waiting to happen. The wait ended in the top half of the fourth inning. Henry waited on a fastball on the inner half of the plate and lit the fuse on an opposite field liner that nearly separated the right fielder from his glove. A few seconds later, Henry pulled in at 3rd base with a legit triple. For the day, Henry was 2-for-4 with a fielder's choice, two runs scored, and an RBI.

Like many of his teammates, Henry had limited opportunities to make plays in the field. The Nationals batted to a.500 contact rate and accumulated 13 strikeouts. Henry was certainly ready to go at 3rd base and at pitcher's helper.

Dominic Delgado lived up to his nickname throughout the fall season. "The Dominator" was all that once again, turning in a 4-for-4 batting line with a home run, a triple, four runs scored and four RBI. Many of those numbers were actually below Dominic's per game averages. The head coach has seen some comically good statistics in 17 seasons of recreational baseball - but nothing that approaches what Dominic has done in the last six weeks.

Dominic was involved in three of the five outs that the Blue Jays were required to make in the field. Above, he delivers a perfect dart to 1st base on a 6-3 groundout in the bottom of the first. Dominic added an assisted put-out in the 6th when he caught a throw from the left fielder and tagged out a runner who was trying to advance. Dominic also assisted on the Blue Jays' final put out of the season, ranging to his left, snaring a grounder, and delivering on time and on the money at 1st base to cut down a shocked baserunner who thought he had a hit.

Jacob Carle was a key cog in three separate five-run rallies. Above, he steps to the plate before ripping a lead-off single in the top of the first. Jacob ended the day 4-for-4 with a double, three runs scored, and an RBI.

Jacob played on both sides of the bag at 2nd base. Above, he wheels at 2nd base and delivers a throw to 1st in the bottom of the third inning. Jacob also played an inning at shortstop; unfortunately, that particular frame began and ended with three consecutive strikeouts.

Brendan Wang proved to be a Blue Jays kind of guy throughout the fall campaign, working hard to improve his skills on his own time. Not surprisingly, production followed. Brendan's 2-for-3 performance versus the Nationals gave him a .588 batting average for the year, an impressive accomplishment in his first season with the team.

As the season progressed, Brendan gained confidence in his fielding skills and demonstrated increased willingness to put his body in front of well hit grounders. Confidence and skill level tend to be highly correlated. Brendan didn't need the coach to tell him that he was doing a much better job at the end of the season than at the beginning. He already knew (but the coach told him anyway.)

What makes Sebastian Bloomberg the turbocharger of the Blue Jays' offense? In Sunday's game, the Blue Jays put together three separate five-run innings - the first, fourth and sixth. Sebastian collected a base hit in each of those innings. Overall, he was 3-for-4 with a double, three runs scored and an RBI.

We never seem to lack action photos of Sebastian in the field. In the example above, he wheels and prepares to throw to 1st base after picking off a grounder at shortstop in the bottom of the third inning. Sebastian is always ready, calling out the force outs before the ball is hit and getting a good jump when the ball is put in play.

Noah Solovey was a steady force in the middle of the Blue Jays' batting order throughout the fall season. He completed the campaign with a 2-for-4 day versus the Nationals. Overall, Noah batted a robust .611 with a solid .833 contact percentage.

Noah collected his second infield assist of the season on a very strange play in the game with the Cardinals. Playing in left field, Noah prevented extra bases by putting his body in front of a well hit ball. He immediately returned the ball to the infield with an accurate throw to the cut-off man. A base runner, being just a little too greedy, was trying to advance to 3rd base. The shortstop put the tag on the runner and completed the rare 7-6 put-out, giving Noah an even more rare outfield assist. That's what happens when you execute!

Vinny Guo thoroughly enjoyed hitting against the Nationals this season. In the first game back in September, Vinny ripped a home run and a triple. In the October rematch, he put together an efficient 4-for-4 day that included a double, two runs scored and two RBI.

In the action shot above, Vinny bends his knees and fields a bounding grounder to 1st base in the bottom of the third inning. He would go on to beat the runner to the bag, completing the out with little fanfare. Vinny proved to be a solid option at 1st base, a position of need when the season began.

Adam Farber made huge strides with the bat in his hands in the second half of the fall campaign. In Sunday's game, he singled and reached on a fielder's choice. More importantly, he hit the ball very hard in each plate appearance.

Defensively, Adam was one of many Blue Jays who simply did not have an opportunity to make a play. He was ready, calling out the force outs and anticipating that the ball would be put in play. More often than not, it was not.

Clark Roggie almost made it through consecutive machine-pitch seasons without striking out. As it was, he enjoyed a solid 3-for-4 day with two runs scored and two RBI. Clark's .978 contact rate for spring and fall combined led the team.

Clark proved to be another good option in limited opportunities at 1st base. In the season's final game, he completed the Blue Jay's last put-out of the year. Clark made a terrific catch on a necessarily rushed throw from the shortstop for a 6-3 groundout. It's nice to know that the Blue Jays should have plenty of good options in the infield next year.

When the game was over, the Blue Jays congratulated the Nationals, a team that showed up in force and gave its best effort.

Everyone Essential!

In a season in which every parent stepped up and took on a larger role with the team, no one did more than Coach Eric Delgado. The head coach will be forever grateful.

Navin Hukmani has quietly done whatever job needed doing for six consecutive seasons. He waved enough kids around 3rd base on Sunday to make his arm sore for a few days.

William Guo pitched in on his first day with the team and didn't stop until the final out had been completed. We look forward to taking advantage of William's many talents next year!

Memories