Pittsburgh Black Sox
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| Home Facility | Moore Park - Brookline |
| Based in | Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania |
| Team Colors | black and white |
| League | National Adult Baseball Association - Pittsburgh Chapter |
| Owner | Kenny Rayl |
| Manager | Kenny Rayl |
| Pitching Coach | Luke Demsey |
| First Base Coach | varies |
| Third Base Coach | Randy Miller |
| Trainer | Kenny Rayl |
| League Championships | 2 |
| Division Championships | 1 |
| Regular Season Championships | 0 |
| Playoff Appearances | 4 |
| Pittsburgh Black Sox | |
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| Founded | 2003 |
Contents |
[edit] General
The Pittsburgh Black Sox are a semi-professional baseball club of the National Adult Baseball Association (NABA)—competing in the Pittsburgh Chapter of that organization.
[edit] History
[edit] 2003
The Pittsburgh Black Sox were founded in 2003 under the name Pittsburgh Stampeders as part of the humble, four-team beginnings of the NABA Pittsburgh Chapter. After a brief regular season, all four teams were seeded based upon their regular-season records and put into a single-elimination playoff bracket.
The Stampeders were eliminated in the first-round against the Pittsburgh Maulers—the last time that the team would compete under the name Stampeders.
[edit] 2004
In 2004, the Black Sox underwent an ownership, managerial, and name change when Kenny Rayl took over the team as owner-manager and remained on as a player. The team made a sparkling debut under their new moniker in '04 as the NABA Pittsburgh Chapter doubled in size to include eight teams. Again, all of the teams were included in the playoffs and seeded based on their regular-season records; however, only the four worst regular-season teams did not receive a first-round bye.
The B-Sox, as they came to be known, were not one of these teams and thus waited in the quarterfinals for an opponent. That opponent turned-out to be the Pittsburgh Ducks, but the rested B-Sox proved to be too much for their tired opponents, winning to move-on to the semifinals against another team beneficial of a first-round bye—the Pittsburgh Yankees. The Sox were winners over the Yankess as well and advanced to the championship game against the Pittsburgh Warriors, themselves fresh off of a semifinal win against the Pittsburgh Rangers after receiving byes in the first two playoff rounds as the top seed. A thrilling championship game saw the Black Sox squeak-out a win over the well-rested Warriors as late-season acquisition and championship game MVP, Dan “The Man” Stell, batted in the game's winning run in the bottom of the 10th inning to clinch the league title.
[edit] 2005
2005 saw not only a full-page article about the Black Sox appear in the Pittsburgh-area South Hills Record newspaper but also the NABA Pittsburgh Chapter growing to include nine teams. The league also switched to a two-division format in 2005, in which the champions of the league’s regular season divisions were awarded first-round byes in the playoffs. The NABA also disqualified the three worst teams from the playoffs that year and switched to a best-of-three series format for the semifinals and finals of those playoffs.
The B-Sox, winners of the league’s Monongahela Division, put that valuable rest from their bye to good use in the semifinals in grinding-out a gutsy, one-run, come-from-behind win over the Pittsburgh Rangers in Game 1 and a two-run, extra-inning win over the Rangers in Game 2. The sweep of the Rangers allowed the B-Sox to advance again to the league's championship round, which again pitted the Sox against the Pittsburgh Warriors, winners of the league’s Allegheny Division. But this time, the Sox would need to win twice in the championship round to defend their title. However, they were unceremoniously swept two games to none by the Warriors, who more-than-adequately avenged their championship defeat from the previous year.
[edit] 2006
2006 marked some significant changes in the NABA Pittsburgh Chapter. First, although the league remained at nine teams, it switched-back to a single-division format. Second, and most importantly, in an attempt to gain more legitimacy to the league’s competition with other Pittsburgh-area semi-professional baseball leagues, the NABA Pittsburgh Chapter switched from allowing aluminum bats to allowing only wooden ones in 2006.
Seemingly no team was hurt more than the powerful B-Sox, who could no longer rely on a high-powered offense to win games when their regular starting pitchers' games were off. As a result, the team limped to a sluggish start in '06, and only a key, late-season stretch of winning baseball got the Sox into the playoffs. In fact, it took a gutsy and vital performance in their second-to-last regular-season game of the year to clinch the sixth and final playoff spot for the Sox as again the league’s three worst teams were excused from playoff competition.
Even though the league had gone back to a single-division format in '06, the two top-finishing teams from the regular season were again given first-round byes in the playoffs. The Sox, as the lowest seed though, were not beneficiaries of a bye, and needed to survive a tough, single-elimination, first-round 7-4 win over the Pittsburgh Bulldogs in order to reach the semifinals. Then, in what has become somewhat of a tradition, the Sox would need to get by the rival Pittsburgh Warriors if they hoped to win another championship. Well-rested and owners of the league’s best regular season record, the Warriors were favored to beat the upstart Sox, but they were swept two games to none in the semis, as the Black Sox continued their aggressive pursuit of a second league title. Then, after already becoming the lowest possible seed to ever even reach the league's championship round, the Black Sox swept the Robert Morris University Colonials in the best-of-three championship round to accomplish yet another league first--winning the championship as the lowest possible seed. The championship was gained in dramatic fashion as designated hitter and 2006 Championship Series Most Valuable Player Andy Zatman singled in the winning run with the bases loaded to cap a 3-2 comeback win in Game 2.
[edit] 2007
The Black Sox open the 2007 season on April 28. This year, the Sox welcome back a few players from their colorful past--utility players Steve Talpas and Sean Rayl--and the usual allotment of new ones in an attempt to become the first team in league history to repeat as champions in back-to-back seasons. In at least one way, 2007 has already been a success for the Sox, as the NABA's main committee has selected them as the city of Pittsburgh's representative for a national tournament in July in New Jersey. The Sox are the first team in the history of the NABA Pittsburgh Chapter to be invited, as an entire roster, to a national tournament. The B-Sox are expected to accept the invitation.
On a down note, a few players from the 2006 Black Sox are expected to be dropped from the team's roster this year, either through a personal decision or a move out-of-town or to another team. Expected to be gone are valuable pieces of the 2006 league champions--designated hitter/pitching coach Andy Zatman, pitcher Matt Dalton, pitcher/outfielder Kevin Mettrick, outfielder Austin Fenhaus, outfielder Dustin Rydze, infielder Rob Finkel, and centerfielder Dan Stell. Former-turned-new players Steve Talpas and Sean Rayl, as well as recently-aquired catcher/designated hitter Eric Kuczma, will be looked-upon to pick up the slack. Also, pitcher/third baseman Luke Demsey will add pitching coach to his resume, and Dustin Rydze may stay on-board to assist with the coaching staff.
[edit] Individual Accolades
[edit] 2003
- Nate Baumgardner is named as the league’s Pitcher of the Year.
- Nate Baumgardner records the league’s lowest earned run average.
- Shortstop Kenny Rayl ties for the league-lead in stolen bases.
[edit] 2004
- Shortstop Kenny Rayl is named as the league’s Co-Most Valuable Player.
- Shortstop Kenny Rayl ties for the league-lead in homeruns.
- Luke Demsey is named as the league’s Co-Pitcher of the Year.
- Luke Demsey records the league’s lowest earned run average.
- The Black Sox see four players elected to participate in the inaugural NABA Pittsburgh Chapter All-Star Game -- shortstop Kenny Rayl, pitcher/third baseman Luke Demsey, second baseman Matt Slavonic, and (missing one player).
- Centerfielder Dan Stell is named as the league’s Championship Game Most Valuable Player.
[edit] 2005
- Second baseman Matt Slavonic is named as the league’s Most Valuable Player.
- Second baseman Matt Slavonic leads the league in homeruns.
- Luke Demsey records the league’s lowest earned run average.
- Matt Dalton records the NABA Pittsburgh Chapter’s first-and-only perfect game.
- The Black Sox see six players elected to participate in the NABA Pittsburgh Chapter All-Star Game -- shortstop Kenny Rayl, pitcher/third baseman Luke Demsey, second baseman Matt Slavonic, first baseman Robert Healy, III, catcher Shane Kramer, and centerfielder Dan Stell.
- The Black Sox see two players elected to participate in the NABA World Series Tournament in Phoenix, Arizona--shortstop Kenny Rayl and second baseman Matt Slavonic.
[edit] 2006
- Matt Dalton is named as the league’s Pitcher of the Year.
- Matt Dalton records the league’s lowest earned run average.
- Matt Dalton leads the league in strikeouts (pitcher).
- Shortstop Kenny Rayl ties for the league-lead in homeruns.
- Centerfielder Dan Stell leads the league in stolen bases, setting a new league record for stolen bases in a season.
- The Black Sox see five players and one coach elected to participate in the NABA Pittsburgh Chapter All-Star Game -- shortstop Kenny Rayl, pitcher/third baseman Luke Demsey, second baseman Matt Slavonic, centerfielder Dan Stell, pitcher Matt Dalton, and pitching coach Andy Zatman.
- Designated hitter Andy Zatman is named as the league’s Championship Series Most Valuable Player.
- The Black Sox see two players elected to participate for "The Burg" traveling team in a post-season Atlantic City, New Jersey tournament--first baseman Robert Healy, III and designated hitter Andy Zatman.
- Designated hitter/pitching coach Andy Zatman chairs the league's off-season tournament committee.
