West Virginia Black Bears 2016 Season in Review

This is the first of several articles recapping the 2016 New York-Penn League (NYPL) season.

The West Virginia Black Bears began the 2016 season as the defending Champion of the NYPL and finished the it with a 17-1 loss in the final game. Quite a contrast, but overall it was a successful season as they accomplished their mission of developing skills of players who hope to someday play for the major league Pirates in Pittsburgh.

Monongalia County Ballpark is an beautiful venue and the Black Bears front office staff do an outstanding job providing a family friendly environment. IMHO, they provide the best entertainment value in Morgantown. Promotions included Replica Championship Ring Giveaway, several game jersey auction nights, Wyatt Toregas Bobblehead Giveaway, and the Pride of WV Night.

 After starting the season with a six game win streak, the Black Bears were never seriously in the race for the Pinckney Division Championship or Wild Card spot and finished the season with a 38-38 record, 12 games out of the division race. Playing in the newest stadium of the NYPL, attendance was down slightly from their 2015 inaugural season. In 36 home dates, the Black Bears played before a total of 78,774 fans (compared to 83,796 in 37 games in 2015), averaging 2,188 per game (compared to 2,265 in 2015).

For the second season in a row, the Pirates number 1 draft pick was assigned to the Black Bears. Will Craig, the 22 overall pick in the June draft struggled early (.158 BA in June) in the season before finishing with a .280 batting average (.412 OBP, ,362 SLG, .775 OPS). Craig ended the season with 2 HRs and 23 RBIs and led the team in walks with 41.

Team Leaders

Batting Average: Chris Harvey hit .301 in 36 games. The Norristown, Pennsylvania native was signed as a free agent out of Vanderbilt in 2014 and played with the Black Bears in 2015. He was briefly called up to AAA Indianapolis during this season before returning to Morgantown.

Home Runs: Hunter Owen led with 4. Owen was a 2016 pick in the 25th round out of Indiana State and played in 52 games for the Black Bears.

Runs Batted In: First Baseman Albert Bauer led the team with 40 RBIs. A native of Philadelphia, Bauer was a 28th round pick in 2015. Bauer also led the team in hits (67) and total bases (99) This was his second season with the Black Bears.

Stolen Bases: Erik Forgione led with 12. He completed his second season with Black Bears after being drafted in the 25th round in 2015 out of the University of Washington.

Pitching Wins: Danny Beddes (6-3, 2.27 ERA, 71.1 IP)  and Luis Escobar (6-5, 2.93 ERA, 67.2 IP) led the team in wins with 6. Beddes was a 15th round pick in 2016 out of Utah Valley University. Escobar, from Cartagena, Columbia and has been in the Pirates farm system since 2014 and saw action in 2 games with the Black Bears in 2015.

All Star Game: Six Black Bears were named to the South squad for the 2016 NYPL All Star Game: Hunter Owen (OF), Kevin Mahala (INF), Kevin Krause (C), Sandy Santos (OF), Danny Beddes (P) and Brandon Bingel (P). Black Bears Manager Wyatt Toregas led the South squad.

Complete season stats are available at the team website. 

The Stedler Report is not affiliated with Minor League Baseball or the New-York-Penn League.

NYPL Attendance for 2016 Season

2016 Attendance by the numbers (source: NYPL website)

Team	Total	Openings	Average
Brooklyn Cyclones	207,702	37	5,614
Tri-City ValleyCats	149,847	35	4,281
Hudson Valley Renegades	152,328	36	4,231
Aberdeen IronBirds	141,070	35	4,031
Lowell Spinners	139,943	37	3,782
State College Spikes	125,875	38	3,313
Mahoning Valley Scrappers	92,117	35	2,632
Vermont Lake Monsters	83,955	36	2,332
Connecticut Tigers	82,488	36	2,291
Staten Island Yankees	85,513	38	2,250
West Virginia Black Bears	78,774	36	2,188
Williamsport Crosscutters	60,429	35	1,727
Auburn Doubledays	52,811	37	1,427
Batavia Muckdogs	30,007	37	811

The Stedler Report is not affiliated with Minor League Baseball or the New-York-Penn League.

State College Spikes Win NYPL Championship

The New York Penn League season is officially over after the State College Spikes swept the Championship Series with a 2-1 win over the Hudson Valley Renegades last night at Medlar Field in State College before 1,674 fans. Here is the final box score.

 

   

Photo Credits: Milb.com

Former NYPL Manager Wally Backman Epic Meltdown in 2007

Updated at 5:21pm on 9/13/16

It was reported by various news sources yesterday that Wally Backman has parted ways with the New York Mets organization. According to mlb.com, he left on his own because he didn't see any future with the Mets.. Backman spent the past seven years managing in the Mets organization. He managed the last five years in AAA with the Buffalo and Las Vegas farm teams and was the Pacific Coast League Manager of the Year in 2014.

Backman managed the Brooklyn Cyclones in 2010. He led the Cyclones to the McNamara Division Championship with a 51-24 record before losing in the NYPL Championship Series to the Tri-City Valley Cats.  He managed the AA Binghamtion Mets in 2011 before moving to AAA.

Here is his epic meltdown in 2007, while managing the South Georgia Peanuts. Strong language.

 

New York-Penn League Championship Series Sunday update

State College defeated the Hudson Valley Renegades today 3-0 at Wappingers Falls, NY. The Spikes can secure the New York-Penn League Championship tomorrow night at State College with a win. If the Renegades win tomorrow's game, the teams will play the third and final game of the series on Tuesday at State College.

NYPL Championship Series Set

The schedule for the New York-Penn League Championship Series (LCS) is set after the State College Spikes defeated the Staten Island (?) last night 6-5 to clinch their Semi-Final Series. See game box score.

The LCS starts at the Hudson Valley Renegades on Sunday, September 11 at 4:00pm. The second game of the best of 3 series will be played at State College on September 12 at 7:05pm. Game three, if necessary will be played at State College on Tuesday, September 13 at 7:05pm.

For tickets link to NYPL website.

With State College win tonight, the Staten Island Yankees are no more

Back in June, the Staten Island Yankees announced that after 17 seasons of being known as the Staten Island Yankees, the team would be changing its name. Officials disclosed that starting in 2017, the team would take on an identity of its own and drop the Yankees name.

In a statement, Team President Will Smith said: "The Staten Island community is proud to have our team here, and we believe rebranding the team to something more specific will make this local brand become more popular here, and ultimately internationally."

On September 8, the team announced the list of the five finalists under consideration for the rebranding. They include: Bridge Trolls, Heroes, Killer Bees, Pizza Rats, and Rock Pigeons.

Fans can help select the new team name over the next two weeks by visiting the team's website. Personally, I prefer the Yankees.

Imagine, the Staten Island Pizza Rats.  Kind of a creepy mascot, don’t you think?

Staten Island Yankees defeats State College Spikes in game 2

Staten Island won the second game of their playoff with the State College Spikes 3-2, after a short rain delay on Thursday night on a 10th inning home run by Drew Bridges. The teams will play again tonight at State College. The winner goes on to the New York-Penn League Championship Series against the Hudson Valley Renegades. Here is last night’s box score.

Spikes and Yankees in rain delay 2-2 in 10th inning

The State College Spikes and the Staten Island Yankees are tied 2-2 in the top of 10th inning. As of this writing, the game is in rain delay.  Link to the box score thru 9 innings.

Hudson Valley Renegades win Semi-Final Series

Hudson Valley clinched a spot in the the New York-Penn League (NYPL) Championship with a 5-3 win over the Lowell Spinners at Dutchess Stadium in Wappingers Falls, NY on Thursday night. Garrett Whitley homered in the 4th inning for the Renegades to tie the score 1-1. The Renegades scored 4 more in the 6th to take a 5-3 lead on an RBI single by Miles Mastrobuoni, an RBI by ground out by Jim Haley and a two run home run by Nathaniel Lowe. Ryan Scott homered for the Spinners in the second inning and they scored two more in the 6th on a double by Carlos Tovar and a wild pitch. Pitcher Brandon Lawson got the win in relief. Kyle Hart was the losing pitching in relief, giving up 4 runs over 2 1/3 innings. Hudson Valley will play the winner of the State College Spikes-Staten Island Yankees Semi-Final in the NYPL Championship Series. Link to the game box score.

NYPL Playoffs - Game recaps for September 7

The State College Spikes, Pinckney Division Champions defeated the Wild Card entry Staten Island Yankees, 3-0 in the first game of their Semi-Final Championship series (SFS) tonight in New York. Spikes pitchers Bryan Dobzanski and Jordan DeLorenzo kept the Yankees scoreless while limiting them to 5 hits. Ryan McCarvel singled in a run in the first inning and Andy Young hit a 2 run home run in the third for the Spikes. Game 2 is tomorrow evening at State College. See complete box score.

The Lowell Spinners and Hudson Valley Renegades went into extra innings before the Renegades scored a run in the top of the 11th on a Jake Fraley home run and went on to win 6-5 before 1,743 fans. Pitcher J.D. Busfield got the win, giving up 1 run in 5 1/3 innings in relief. The second game in the series will be played tomorrow night at Hudson Valley. See complete box score.

The Stedler Report is not affiliated with Minor League Baseball or the New York-Penn League  

Playoffs start tonight in New York-Penn League

The New York-Penn League (NYPL) playoffs start tonight. Minor League baseball is the best entertainment value in America! The schedule and format are outlined below.

Wednesday, September 7, 2016: State College Spikes at the Staten Island Yankees and the Hudson Valley Renegades at the Lowell Spinners.

Thursday, September 8, 2016 schedule: Staten Island Yankees at the State College Spikes and the Lowell Spinners at the Hudson Valley Renegades.

The format for the playoffs is as follows:

The three Divisional Champions (State College Spikes, Lowell Spinners, Hudson Valley Renegades)  and one Wild Card (Staten Island Yankees) will play in two separate Semi-Final Championship Series (SFS).

The Wild Card (Staten Island Yankees) play the Division Champion with the best won/lost percentage (State College Spikes) in one SFS; and the other two Division Champions (Lowell Spinners and Hudson Valley Renegades) play each other in the other SFS.

The Division Champion (State College Spikes) playing the Wild Card (Staten Island Yankees) will host SFS Game 2 and SFS Game 3 (with the Wild Card hosting SFS Game 1) in their series; and in the series between the other two Division Champions, the Division Champion with the best won/lost percentage (Hudson Valley Renegades) will host SFS Game 2 and SFS Game 3 with the other Division Champion (Lowell Spinners) hosting SFS Game 1) in their series.

The Club winning two games first – in each SFS – is a SFS Champion.

League Championship Series (LCS) - Best two out of three.

The two SFS Champions will play in the League Championship Series (LCS).
The Division Champion with the best won/lost percentage will host LCS Game 2 and LCS Game 3 (with the other Division Champion or the Wild Card hosting LCS Game 1).
The Club winning two games first is the League Champion.

More information regarding the the NYPL playoffs is available at the NYPL website.

The Stedler Report is not affiliated with Minor League Baseball or the New York-Penn League 

What’s in a name?

The Stedler Report is a blog about baseball in the Short Season Class A New York Penn League (NYPL). It is not affiliated with Minor League Baseball, the New York Penn League, or any of its members. It’s a blog just for fun; there are no subscription fees or advertising. The intent is to provide entertaining and interesting information about minor league baseball and specifically the NYPL.

Why the name, The Stedler Report? It is named in honor of Robert C. Stedler, who was the sports editor of the Buffalo Evening News. Through his efforts, the PONY League (later known as the New York-Penn League) was organized with teams located in Pennsylvania, Ontario, and New York. He served as league president from 1939-47.