Call it a snapshot preview of the upcoming 64th AAABA Tournament.
The two-team, best-of-3 play-in series between Chicago Metro and New Orleans will be held Friday and Saturday at Point Stadium. The winner will advance to Monday’s national tournament.
The new format is intended to defray expenses of the two teams that must travel the farthest to Johnstown.
“Regionals were scheduled on Aug. 1 for registration,” said AAABA official George Arcurio III of the Johnstown Oldtimers. “It would be tough to come back up here after playing a regional. They’d have to go back home (because of the Aug. 11 start).
“The easiest way I could foresee for all of this would be to bring them to Johnstown. The winner would stay. The loser would go home.”
Regionals were held in Altoona and Zanesville, Ohio, from Aug. 2-4. Both New Orleans and Chicago were in the rotation to participate in qualifying regionals this year.
Because the national tournament starting date had been pushed back to almost mid-August this year, the New Orleans and Chicago franchises would have incurred extra expenses to return home, then travel back to Johnstown the next weekend had either or both teams advanced through regional play in Altoona or Zanesville.
“In New Orleans’ case, they really haven’t recovered completely from Hurricane Katrina (in 2005),” Arcurio said. “They’ve fallen on tough times but they’ve managed to keep their heads above water. The other concern was the distance that Chicago was traveling. We didn’t want to put any more hardship on the parents of the players, players, coaches and the leagues that they participate in.”
Game 1 is set for 7 p.m. Friday. The second game tentatively will be at 10 a.m. on Saturday.
A third game, if necessary, would be 30 minutes after Game 2.
“(AAABA National President) Len DiForte talked to some people in Johnstown and hooked it up where we could both play in Johnstown and the winner wouldn’t have to travel,” said Chicago Metro manager Andy Sherwood. “He thought it would be an event for the town. All my kids are looking forward to it. I’m sure the kids from New Orleans are as well.”
The set up does present some challenges.
“You’ve got to throw your one, two and three to get in there,” said former New Orleans manager Joe Scheuermann, now the GM. “It’s a Friday and a Saturday. The tournament starts on Monday. It’s nice that you’re going to be in Johnstown. It’s nice that you’re going to be there if you qualify. But you’ve got to use your top three pitchers to get there.
“You’ve got to play to win to get in there. But at the same time, if you use your best arms, you might not get them back until Day 3 of the tournament. You might be going home by then. If Chicago wins, they’re in the same boat as us. I want to be positive, though, and I do appreciate the fact that they’re doing this for expense purposes.”
Sherwood agreed that pitching, as always, will be the top priority.
“That does present a big challenge. We’ve got to throw most of our top guys,” he said. “It’s a huge challenge just to get in. If we do get in, and I hope we will, we will be at a disadvantage. But you’ve got to go out there and play a normal game, throw your best guys and whatever happens, happens.”
Local Sports
Play-in series could help, harm squads
- Local Sports
-
-
2012 AAABA League schedule
A look at this season's schedule:
-
2011 AAABA in Review
A look back at the 2011 AAABA season:
-
AAABA League Preview
A look at this season's Johnstown AAABA League:
-
Pirates pick up fourth straight victory
There were times earlier in his career when James McDonald would run into trouble and innings would slow to a crawl. Even worse, runners would disappear, and not in a good way.
Too much thinking. Not enough attacking. -
Sympathetic Pirates add to Cubs’ slide
Andrew McCutchen and the Pittsburgh Pirates can relate to what the Chicago Cubs are going through.
Perhaps more than anyone, they know what it feels like to be on an extended losing streak
– 12 in a row, in the Cubs’ case. -
AAABA League will open after busy offseason
The AAABA League opens on Tuesday at Point Stadium with two new, but familiar managers, a new but familiar sponsor, an expanded interleague schedule and two new franchises committed to the 2013 season.
A lot of activity took place during the offseason, including the AAABA national committee’s vote to expand the age limit to 21 years old beginning in 2013. -
Richland's Lumley settles for pair of silver medals
Paige Lumley was on an emotional roller coaster and seeing silver on Saturday at the PIAA Track and Field Championships at Shippensburg University.
The Richland senior had state record jumps twice during the triple jump competition, but ended up with a silver–medal leap of 40 feet,
1¾ inches.
Defending state champion, second-seeded junior Lanae Newsome of Brookville, won with a jump of 40-3½. -
Ridge’s Dull takes second with school-record time
Matt Dull finished his athletic career with his best on Saturday at the PIAA Track and Field Championships at Shippensburg University.
The Chestnut Ridge senior ran a career-best time of 38.12 to finish second in the 300 hurdles final, also setting another school record. -
Hit batsman lifts Pirates over Cubs
Matt Hague was hit by a pitch from Rafael Dolis with the bases loaded in the bottom of the ninth inning, and the Pittsburgh Pirates sent the Chicago Cubs to their 11th straight loss with a 3-2 victory Saturday night.
Hague took a 96 mph fastball from Dolis (2-4) in the back near the shoulder blade, scoring Jose Tabata and eliciting an incredulous look to the sky by the Cubs reliever. -
Generals return to defeat Sting
It’s been a dramatic month for the Johnstown Generals.
There were two postponed games that left the immediate and long-term future of the franchise in serious doubt just two weeks ago. - More Local Sports Headlines
-
2012 AAABA League schedule
Man Falls Off Crane, Dies After Police Standoff
Raw Video: Cop Shoots Man Eating Another's Face
Russia Condemns Ally Syria Over Massacre of 108
Raw Video: Earthquake Shakes Evacuees in Italy
Dairy Farm Uses Chiropractor to Help Cows
Unexpected Smog in Pristine National Parks
Air Canada Plane Makes Emergency Landing
New Ticks Spread Across Southeast, Diseases Rise
Bring Your Own Tech Programs Charge Up Students
Pope's Butler Vows to Help Vatican Investigation
Mother of Allegedly Abused Girl Denies Claims
Raw Video: 19 Dead in Qatar Shopping Mall Fire
Service Dogs Help Wash. Soldiers Battling PTSD
Raw Video: Heckler Bursts in on Blair Testimony
Japan Farmers Plant, Seek Radiation-free Rice
Vatican in Chaos After Butler Arrested for Leaks
