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Well as most of you know... The team known to us as the Mustangs is no more! That in itself, is unfortunate for all members and of course the Poco League. Enough of that for now... With all the changes in the winter months, the also struggling Mudcats have blended with if not all the remaining Mustangs, at this time I would say the majority of them. This will provide two teams who have struggled to field a nine man team for the last few seasons a chance to field a full squad, and (lets hope) a competitive team as well. After meeting with many of the Mustangs in late January, I am actually quite stoked about the season ahead. Good luck to those who have moved on, and a BIG Welcome to those joining the Cats !!!

Can`t wait to get out on the field...

Cheers,
Chris


With just over two weeks until first pitch, almost all Mudcats (old & new) have reported to spring/winter training. Indoor sessions have seen fewer players than outdoor, and with the weather the way it has been that is very positive! A team practice of 10 players has set a new practice record for a pre-season event (checking stat books) and with the sun finally showing its warm face this week will possibly be even better. Les and myself will be calling on the pre-season holdouts thus far to try to shake off some of the rust before the 14th.

-Del Sanderson - (under contract)
-Jeff Mckay - (p/u off waiver wire last minute) t/y Les (GM)
-Andrew Wong - (unsigned but just working out the fine details)
-Dave Wong - (looks positive, hardball with his agent...lol)
-Keeley Warren - (strong rookie season, may be looking for more $$$
still under contract and ROOKIE SALARY!!! lol)

Coach Fonseca is looking like he may have some decisions to make on the hill this year as he has only 2 pitching prospects not yet to report. Yes, Del (goose) Sanderson and Jeff (mid unit) Mckay have yet to appear at camp, but have both been it touch and plan to make an appearance soon. Ron Clarkson looks to yet again have a hold on #1 in the rotation but can feel the push from mates Fibish and Solano who both are looking comfortable after a long winter in which both had aggravated shoulder issues (upper body injuries!) With Lefty Wayne Hales, Jeff Brovold, and Coach Fonseca himself always ready to take to the hill in relief, and Marty to close out the deal, the hill has never looked so good for the Mudcats franchise.

Apparently we had a shortage of balls at practice, as some of the boys insisted on showing some early season power blasting scud like screamers into the distant trees (our secret for now). Sounds good as a few of our late to camp players also bolster some HR power in the lineup, and we don`t ever have a game ready ball in the bucket! (SPONGE BALLS)

Well, we try to do it all again this Sunday April 1st at 9:00am Mundy park. Maybe we keep the streak alive and set another early season practice attendance record !!! (2 more practices left)



(April 1st)
Well, we have set another attendance record as 14 ready and able players suited up for another early spring field session. Practice went well, as many balls jumped hard off the bats and kept all fielders in the game during b/p. Most impressive had to be the defensive play of the outfielders themselves as several in the alley balls were tracked down and swollowed up by the speedy 13 plus in. gloves out there!!! Good practice guys, see you at the cages April 3rd.


(April 14th vs Cobras)
Our first game of the season... we battled the Snakes for 4 inning before the baseball gods edged over to the visitors side! with the score 3-3 they bounced enough infield singles (lucky shots) through the holes to put up another 5 runs. Once down a few the Mudcats bats went silent, with many hard hits just not going our way and becoming long outs. Overall, a great outting, coach Fonseca got to have a look at some defensive situations as well, some inkling of how each player performs at the plate. From what was displayed last night, the Mudcats should, and will compete each and every night, and should have a succesfull season ahead!!! Good 1st outting guys....

(April 20th vs Canadians)
Well game #2 of the season. A great hitting game by both teams as the Canadians opened up the top of the 1st with 4 hard hit runs. We kept our heads up and put 3 back on the board of our own to make a game of it. The next 3 innings went back and forth with the Mudcats scoring 5 in the 3rd to take a 8-6 lead. Bill Fibish pitched 4 solid innings, going 1 more than the coaching staff had scheduled for in his 2007 debut. In the 5th with the score 10-9 cats, the Canadians again had a strong offensive inning and put 5 more on the board to take a commanding 14-10 lead. We came up short in the bottom of the 5th and the game was called as it was too dark to play (no lights). It would be interesting to see the outcome if we did go 7. The Canadians just went through the heart of their order, and we were about to start of the 6th with the top of the order which had been batting at about a 700 pace through the first 5. Great effort guys, again it takes time for a new team to figure it all out, I can see us doing some damage in a few more games!! Next up - the WARTHOGS...


(April 22nd @ Mustangs)

Unfortunate for us, after a good outing vs the Canadians on Friday, Sunday didn`t quite work out for us. Using 2 fatigued pitchers, we didn`t give up many runs agains (4) but we failed to show up at the plate! With a LARGE strike zone at the dish, our mighty bats from Friday fell silent and well... we just didn`t seem that motivated from the warm-up on. This comming weekend we will have to play some sound ball and put up some runs as both teams we play have some good talent. With a strong outing on both dates we should be able to come out of the weekend 1 game under 500 for the start of the season.


(May 5th vs Firebirds)

Mudcats win!!! With Pitcher Ron Clarkson not avialable (personal), Lefty Wayne Hales takes to the mound at Heritage to pitch a GEM of a game, holding the once mighty Firebirds to only 1 run. The Cats did what they seem to do best, Score early as we put up 4 runs in the first 3 and put it in cruise control. David Klyne took charge in the O/F camping under several long fly balls in the later stages to keep the Birds off the bags.

(May 6th @ Redhawks)

With Ron Clarkson back on the hill, and the Mudcats punching up 2 runs early (thanks Wayne H. 2 run HR), things looked good after 3 in. of play all locked up at 2. in the bottom half of 4, Ronnie lets a fastball hang loose over the middle of the dish and the powerful one known as "Hawk" takes us deep for his second HR of the game and his 5th RBI. The Redhawks go on the score 5 in that inning, and we never got the MOJO back after that. The old baseball cliche, "If we could just have that one inning back" LOL --- how many times have I heard that in my playing days !!!


(May 12th vs RED SOX)

I wasn't at the game (personal) on Saturday night, but I hear that Ronnie Clarkson pitched a complete game 1 hit, 8 S/O game. Mudcats win 4-1 to improve to a 2W - 4L start. Chuck Stewert led the way at the dish going 2-3 with 2 doubles and an RBI. Things are looking up for the Cats as every game we seem to be getting a little bit stronger. On the hill, things look good as we now have 3 solid games from Lefty #24 Wayne Hales, #12 Bill Fibish, and #4 Ron Clarkson. With more games under our belts, our chuckers only get stronger as the season grows older, now if the bats start working throughout the order, we will do some damage this season.

(MAY 25TH & 27TH - REDHAWKS)

We had a rough Friday night game, as we gave the Redhawks many extra outs and of course the bats failed to pick our sloppy defence. After a rough Friday, we bounced back on Sunday and made a game of it. Losing again in the end, but it was a good game and man did the redhawks hit one long HR down the RF line!!


(June 1st vs Mustangs)

Although we only had nine hits, we put up a respectable 6 runs to beat the struggling Mustangs. With Ronnie pitching us through the first five in the blazing heat, Wayne Hales came in and shut it down in the last two. The outfielders look sharp in picking most of the many long fly balls hit out their way, except we did see the first error of the season by CF CHUCK STEWERT, and wow, word from his fellow fielders was that he was some upset with himself after dropping the chance to make the great running away/over the shoulder catch...LOL (nice try Chuck!)


(June 2nd vs Razorbacks)

With only one win, the Backs opened up with 5 runs in the top of the first in what was possibly the longest first inning in the blazing heat we have played to date. After a sloppy first half, we never did recover and fell a disgracefully awfull 17 runs to 2 to the backs. We looked like we knew the beer in the back of David's civic was some COLD, and it was after all only getting warmer in the trunk. lol
Well, I know that it will be a tough game on Monday for us, but I do know it will be a much better game than this one! Man have them beers been tastin good and cold....

(June 8th @ Razorbacks)

Well... Mudcats show up and save face after a horrible outting last week vs the Backs. With a much more serious approach to the game the Cats came out to play some ball on Friday as the PoCo Mens Baseball League saw the first action at the revamped MUNDY PARK! The Cats punched up 5 quick runs to open the game, and the Backs never could get anything going as once again, starter Wayne Hales pitched a complete game for the win. Curveballs seem to be the key for the big lefty, word from the dugout has #24 telling the Cats bench that the first hit off him of the game in the bottom of the 3rd was actually him (Wayne) hitting the batters bat on purpose for the fly ball out. Of course pointing fingers as he has been known to do, somehow key fielder #13 Chuck Stewart was heard being questioned on his jump to get to the shallow fly ball that landed about 15ft off the infield dirt. The scorekeeper was questioned when the big lefty saw that the play was indeed scored a HIT !!!! LOL... Some great defense of course was key in the win as 2 huge catches were made by both #13 Chuck Stewart, and #7 Charles Thacker in the OF to help preserve the great effort by the Cats. Next up, RED SOX in back to back games this comming weekend.




 


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