By now, virtually everyone involved with the BSL
(Boise Summer League) has been appraised of the exciting conclusion to the 2009 Season. As has been historically relived, a seed other than #1
once again won the Championship. The OUTLAWS registered two consecutive wins on Saturday, August 8th to come from behind and defeat the previously
unbeaten BULLDOGS. The statistical analysis can be easily revisited by you on this website.......for the purpose of our final week in review, we
will try and provide in narrative form, the extraordinary series of circumstances surrounding another successful BSL Season.
Kyle Eller (Outlaws) came through once again as he pitched
his club to the Championship entry with a win during the earlier Saturday game, then came through offensively once more in the concluding nightcap
victory. As the League MVP, Eller once again did not disappoint.
JT Broderick (Bulldogs) also came through with a wonderful,
albeit losing, complete game pitching performance, once again reaffirming his Pitcher of the Year qualifications.
Brian Fields and Jon Keller during the nightcap thrilling
championship also delivered as expected. Perhaps nothing more exemplifies the 2009 Season in the clearly established mantra of NEVER GIVING UP than
the unexpected information delivered to Brian Fields (Outlaws), who has been followed by the Australian Professional Baseball League closely over the
past five weeks, than to have received a professional contractual offer by the Melbourne Australian team to a wonderful baseball contract, including pay,
car, apartment, additional work if requested etc.....Fields, perhaps the only BSL pitcher who regularly touched 90 MPH has been outstanding in the last two
outings, including his Championship performance of going 7 innings, giving up only 2 earned runs on just 4 hits, again, regularly hitting 90 MPH plus. In true
"guter arbeiter" form, Brian Fields received this news as he was bathed in sweat, helping the entire BSL volunteer organization as they worked feverishly in
cleaning up the housing apartments provided for the athletes on Sunday. To see the look on his face was the final exclamation point to a "dog pile" celebratory
ending that the Outlaws spontaneously provided as the last out was recorded, preserving their 6 - 4 championship victory. Exhilerating indeed.......
A word about the Coaches:
Whereas everyone generally keys into the exploits and heroics
of the tremendous athletes that year in and year out, exemplify the ever evolving maturity of the BSL, hardly anyone recognizes the talents of the
Leagues coaches. Not this time.......
Coach Pete Troyer of the Championship Outlaws brought a maturity to
this years results previously unheard of to the Outlaws. Whereas Pete is relatively youthful in appearance, he has a distinctively mature approach and
professional demeanor that clearly has set him apart from previous Outlaw representation. Just look at the Outlaws statistical analysis for 2009 and you
will see an incomprehensible evenhandedness insofar as player development, participation and obvious results are concerned.
Coach Skyler Mantz of the second seeded Wolfpack: Coach Mantz was
voted by his peers as the Coach of the Year, usually reserved as an automatic result for the winning Coach. This years Coaches, ALL OF THEM, went beyond the
norm to recognize the extraordinary attentiveness to detail, both in terms of personal instruction and overall competency, accorded ever so convincingly to
Coach Mantz. Not to be ignored have been the daily, and we mean DAILY, attentivenes to baseball professionality by Co-Head Coach Eric Shaffner of the Wolfpack.
Coach Shaffner, a former five year professional athlete in the Yankee organization as well as two years playing for the German Bundesliega A League, was nothing
short of excellent in his co- coaching functual representation.
Coach Rich Wagner (Wags)-Rattlers: Perhaps no one moreso than Coach
Wagner understands the entire scope of the philosophy which is the BSL, than Coach Wagner. It may be the highest accolade that can be presented to a coach
from an Administrative perspective of the League. Parlaying a busy personal professional work schedule, along with some extraordinary work with disabled
children, as well as his general excellent baseball IQ, has allowed Coach Wagner to bring forth the very best in his ballplayers all year long......right
into the finals with a #1 seeding, winning the League regular season first place finish.
Coach Robert Wright (Bulldogs): Accustomed to championship
representation as a Coach of the Emmett High School State Champions, Coach Wright, a FIRST year Coach in the BSL, brings an excellent collegiate
representation as well, having received high honors as a position player and pitcher for Southwestern Oregon Community College, as well as the
University of Nebraska - Belleview. Coach Wright also played professional baseball for midwestern independent leagues.
Coach Matt Allison: Also another first year BSL Coach,
Coach Allison came to the BSL with incredibly impressive statistics, only superimposed by his delightfully competent personality and erstwhile
affinity for his players on the Rapids roster. Ever mindful of the League's developmental considerations, Coach Allison skillfully navigated
personal accomplishments, as well as a six year season long coaching position at MidAmerica Nazarene University, into a cohesive and
adept ball club.
Coach Ryan (Beetle) Bailey of the Owls: Although obviously
youthful in Coach Bailey's storied baseball series of successes, Coach Bailey delivered some of this years most astonishing come from behind, as
well as nail biting hang on to your hat finishes that were the entertainment envy of the League. He is an assistant coach at Northeastern Junior
College under Head Coach Brian Shepherd, working with hitters, base runners and outfielders. Although living currently in Sterling, Colorado, Coach
Bailey's facial imprint is firmly ensconsed into the right field wall at Vail Field on the campus of NNU. As a former outstanding right fielder
for the Crusaders, many a time Coach Bailey face planted ever so dramatically into the right field wall with one miracle play after another. He
is a delight, frankly.
All of the Head Coaches represent their ever faithful
and competent assistants. We wish to also thank ALL assistant Coaches as well......
Finally, a word to the Volunteer Associates.....perhaps
one of the hardest working and loyally committed group of baseball officianado's on this side of the great unknown.........without you, the BSL
simply would not be the same.......THANK YOU!
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