Two sections, six divisions and 47 teams are ready to battle it out on diamonds across London for divisional titles, promotion, Nationals places and bragging rights in the Greater London Softball Mixed League (GLSML) in 2014. Below for reminders of 2013 in the GLSML and previews of the new season.
MAJORS DIVISION REVIEWS AND PREVIEWS
by Duncan Waugh
MAJORS DIVISION 1
The 2013 season was a roller coaster for many teams in the GLSML’s top division, regardless of which half of the table they found themselves. The battle for the title had its share of ebbing and flowing, with the Mescalitos and MI5 duking it out for London supremacy for the third year in a row. The battle for relegation between Coyotes, SPAM and Raiders Gold went down to the wire, with some serious heroics in must-win situations. The mid-table scrum might have seemed like a mediocre deadlock in the standings, but some of the finest and most crucial games of the year involved the equal third-place teams – Muppets, MI6 and LNZ.
In the end, MI5 won their season series against the Mescalitos 2-0, which proved to be the difference. However, this uses the wisdom of hindsight and does not tell the whole story. Going into their second meeting at Battersea Ironsides on 16 July, both teams had only one loss to their name (MI5 losing to LNZ 5-4 the week before, Mescies losing to MI5). In fact, the momentum seemed to have shifted away from MI5 as they had seemed to be struggling with their opposition in the weeks prior to this loss, scraping victories against SPAM (9-8), Muppets (8-6) and clubmates MI6 (9-5). On the day, however, it was another story as MI5's bats dominated en route to a 21-11 spanking, putting their fate squarely in their own hands. Their grasp on the title would be made more secure with big thanks to their clubmates, MI6, who beat Mescalitos 9-6 in a game with huge implications for the title race. Not even a point deduction could keep MI5 from their third Majors 1 title in the past four years.
The relegation battle, meanwhile, hung on a knife’s edge. New promotees Raiders Gold played some excellent softball through much of the season, losing nine of their 11 games by four runs or less (including several one-run walk-off defeats). They even picked up a couple of impressive scalps against MI6 and Muppets and fellow basement-dwellers Coyotes in the early part of the season. However, they could not find a way to defeat SPAM in either of their games, and their season-ending loss in a heartbreaker against Coyotes (9-10) sealed their ill-fated yo-yo campaign. Similarly, SPAM only found success against the bottom teams (although they gave MI5 a real scare mid-season), and could only manage three wins all year. The Coyotes’ journey to stave off relegation was the real story, as this talented outfit often seemed to catch good teams on great days. Going into their last (make-up) game of the season, they had won only three games, all at home in Boston Manor. Their last game was against MI6 at Battersea Ironsides, where Coyotes outplayed the Sixers in fantastic fashion to secure themselves a top-flight spot in 2014.
This season will feature the introduction of a debutante outfit of softballers who took Division 2 by storm last year, and the return of a long-absent mainstay of the top division. Comer’s Homers have completed their inspirational journey from a development team in 2008 to Division 1 in 2014. And Meteors Softball Club will also have some much-deserved representation at the top of the GLSML, as Meteors 1 grabbed second place in Division 2 in 2013 and gained promotion.
So – how should you fill in your “Pick 6” ballots this year for Majors Division 1? Who suffers from the likelihood of Division 2 softball in 2015? Let’s consider some of the key factors and questions that could shape the season.
The Muppets introduce new stars to their cast
In the face of slugger Billy McMahon’s return to the US, the Muppets needed to bolster their line-up, which they did in a big way with two key signings. They galvanised their side by signing up new Blue Steel player Justin Miller, who played a big role on the Mescalitos' indoor team this winter, and Adam Mullins (from MI6), thereby upgrading their defense, athleticism and line-up. Great potential for significant impact.
Mescalitos' rookie roundabout
Mescalitos have said goodbye to their two exciting 2013 rookies, Adam Slawson and Kevin Crowhurst, but to fill their shoes have added GB Men's Fastpitch Team star Ryan Martin, formerly of LNZ (and the New Zealand national team), to play middle infield alongside standouts Ethan Soloman (SS) and Chiya Louie (3B). With Mescalitos moving from the bumps of Clapham South to the manicured smoothness of Battersea Ironsides, opponents in 2014 will hit ground balls at their peril. The team's success might depend, though, on whether they can work three GLSML rookies into the side: Devin O'Shaughnessey, Avron Cunningham and GB Women's Fastpitch Team player Susie Hall. If captain Dan Armstrong's excitement about these new recruits is anything to go by, this could be the year Mescalitos return to first place.
MI6 break even in Adams
As noted above, MI6 has seen one Adam (Mullins) switch clubs, but in response managed to sign Lastball Red-Grade MVP and GB Development Squad member Adam Slawson from Mescalitos. There’s no question the Sixers will need him to help cover the middle infield in the face of captain Duncan Waugh’s shoulder injury, which could see him on the DL for an extended period. But with the Majors' best offense in 2013 otherwise intact, the Sixers will again be many Pick-6 punters' pick.
The ‘Jenny Ball Sweepstakes’
Perhaps the hottest rumour, with the biggest title implication, is the final destination of GB Fastpitch and Slowpitch stand-out Jenny Ball, the calibre of player who, when healthy, can redefine a defense and batting line-up. Returning to the UK in July, just in time for the season's final six games, and already receiving recruitment calls from pretty much every team in the division, where this free agent lands will surely redefine the Majors Division 1 title chase.
MAJORS DIVISION 2
Often, when one looks at the standings of the previous season, one can forget the journey it took to get there. It was Beyond Bermuda Guns who sprinted out to the early-season lead in Majors Division 2, winning their first five games, albeit four of those were only by margins of five runs or less. Meanwhile, despite an early 18-11 loss to Comets Black, Comer’s Homers were in dominant form early on, going 4-1 and winning their games by huge run differences. In fact, all of their eleven victories came by six runs or more.
Down the stretch, it became less clear who the truly dominant team in the division would turn out to be. In the six games played between Comets Black, Comers Homers, BBG and M1, the best record was 4-2. With each team taking results off of the other, it would ultimately come down to results against the bottom half of the table. It was in this part of the fixtures that Comer’s Homers shined brightest – they went undefeated against each of the bottom four teams, with the smallest margin of victory eight runs. This led to their first-ever Division 2 crown, and a place in Division 1 for 2014.
The race for the second promotion spot came down to the final two games, the most crucial being the M1s v Comets Black in Clapham South. The winner of this game would be in control of their destiny going into the final week. As it panned out, Meteors 1 put on a dominant display of hitting and defeated Comets Black 26-14. In the final week, the M1s took care of the OddSox to stamp their return to Division 1 for the first time since 2007.
The relegation battle in the division was considerably more straightforward. The Oddsox, who finished seventh in 2012 and voluntarily remained in Division 2 after the Spartans folded, had a 3-2 start to their season and would end up taking results against all teams in the division. The question would be if Raiders Blue, recent promotees and debutantes in Division 2, would be able to cope with the jump. While they struggled against the top half of the table, they got results against the basement dwellers and secured a second campaign. The Chargers struggled with injuries to key players and the now-defunct Breakers often struggled to get a full team out, ultimately bringing about their demise.
So with the return of SPAM and Raiders Gold to the Division 2 fray and the arrival of the Thundercats and Finsbury Dazzlers, what are the key talking points for the 2014 season?
Double the Raiders
It is not unheard of for the London Raiders to have at least two of their club’s five teams in the same division. It is, however, the first time they have had their top two teams at the same level. One of the advantages of their vast club structure has been their consistency in turnouts to games (e.g. they are able to borrow capable players to fill in from lower division teams). It will not, however, be possible for Raiders Gold to get any help from Raiders Blue this year. With Raiders Gold being a perennial Division 2 force, how much of an impact might this have on games late in the season, when injuries and obligations begin to set in?
Not your typical class of promotees….
When one begins to make predictions about teams surviving relegation, the conversation tends to begin with the new kids on the block. This season, you may want to look elsewhere! Thundercats make their first-ever appearance in Division 2 with a bolstered roster, including highly-touted shortstop Geordie Raine. It's the most important position on the field, but will he be enough to solidify what has traditionally been a porous defense? Also making their first foray into Division 2 are the Finsbury Dazzlers, who have a strong core of players and an unfathomably strong home record – they've only lost one home game at Finsbury Park since 2011. Both rosters are full of players that certainly belong at this level, and there is potential for a sleeper to emerge in the promotion race.
The SPAM Experience
Despite having some difficult times in Division 1, SPAM are renowned for their resourcefulness on and off the field. Having had to rebuild their squad and still surviving in the top flight as long as they have, SPAM will no doubt be looking forward to their first campaign in Division 2 since 2009. Picking up some of the Breakers' players following the team’s folding will no doubt help add depth (if not lowering the average age) which has been lacking in recent campaigns. SPAM have a knack for getting results and with their vast experience, it’s hard not to see them in the title picture come August.
The Rise of the Comets
After their tumultuous struggles in Division 1 two seasons ago, Comets Black proved they did not regress too far in 2013 by nearly gaining promotion. With a club structure to support their squad and some recent acquisitions from the New Players Day, we can assume they will have gone from strength to strength. On paper, it seems that Comets Black are the best-prepared team for 2014, with solutions in place for any eventuality. Can they win the key games that will put them back atop the division?
MAJORS DIVISION 3
The 2013 season in Division 3 could easily be described as “The Year of the Dazzlers”. The Finsbury Dazzlers started and ended their season with six-game winning streaks, finishing with a symmetrical 12-2 record and never relinquishing their seat at the top of the table. However, the race for the second promotion spot was hotly contested between four teams: Thundercats, Mezcalitos Ninos, Oblivion and Meteors 2. By the end of the season, only five points separated the four of them, and key games against each other at the end of the year told the story.
Meteors 2, fresh off promotion from Minors Division 1, started out at a torrid pace but proved to be streaky as the campaign went on. The Ninos had an abysmal start, but found their form and made themselves very relevant in the home stretch, going undefeated in their last five games. Oblivion, perennial contenders in Division 3, began their campaign with a typical .500 effort (5-5 in their first 10 games), only to turn it on for a sprint finish at the end. Even Raiders Red made one heck of a push at promotion, including handing the Dazzlers their first home loss in more than two seasons. And then there were the talented Thundercats, who had a winning record from their fifth game onwards and were the team to beat for the second promotion spot.
This race came down to the wire, as Thundercats were defeated by Ninos in their final game of the season. This opened up the possibility of a promotional playoff game if the Ninos could win their final two games in hand against Raiders Red and the Badgers. At this stage, both of Ninos’ opponents fates were confirmed, and Ninos were no doubt hoping for some complacency. What they got against the Raiders was a thrilling slugfest that finished in a 26-26 draw, all but confirming Thundercats' promotion.
The relegation picture was pretty clear from the early part of the season, as the Knights would only get one win against a team with a winning record, and the Badgers would complete a rare 0-14 campaign. Saying that, in the wake of Breakers folding, the Knights have elected to give Majors Division 3 another shot, hoping to reverse their fortunes from last year.
In 2014, the Division 3 mainstays Private Is will return, along with Minors Division 1 champion Richmond Swingers and the Chargers, so what can we expect from this hotly-contested division this season?
Are the Chargers at full power?
There was little joy in the Boston Manor camp last season, with the Chargers struggling mightily after their impactful 2012 campaign in Division 3. This was no doubt due to a shortage of available players, including some key personnel. With NSL stand-out Stewart Butcher back to playable health, can he help be the lynch pin this team needs? The Chargers have been a Division 2/Division 3 yo-yo team for a couple of seasons, which would indicate they are favourites for promotion this season. But have they recruited enough players to bring this to fruition?
Is Meteors 2’s promotion written in the stars?
One would not call the rise of the M2s ‘meteoric’ as such, but it has certainly been steady, with bursts of speed along the way. After winning Minors Division 1 a year prior, they finished their first Majors Division 3 campaign with a winning record and nearly claimed successive promotions. And where did the M2s finish before they were promoted in 2012? You guessed it – fourth. With some solid recruitment and having the benefits of their club in hand, might they have what it takes to make the jump to Division 2? With only one team coming down from Division 2 this season, 2014 could be a stellar opportunity to claim Meteors 1’s old spot.
The Case of the “Ninos Privados”
The Mescalitoz Ninos and the Private Is have had a standing relationship on the indoor and weekend tourney scenes for some years now, often forming a united team and helping each other out in times of need. Now in the same division, the “Private Ninos” will be forced to keep their players to themselves and line up on opposite sides of the diamond. The PIs have undergone some transformations since dropping to Minors Division 1 a couple seasons ago, including some new bats and stronger gloves from previous years. The Ninos are loaded with experience but may be struggling to find an effective pitcher with the retirement of veteran Kevin Fallows, which could mean they have to score a lot of runs to win. It’s easy to see both teams in the title conversation, but they will have to address the gaps in their rosters to stay in the race.
MINORS DIVISION REVIEWS AND PREVIEWS
by Joelle Watkins
MINORS DIVISION 1
In Minors Division 1, newly-promoted Minors 2 winners Fuzzy Ducks and runner-up The Mob will join Badgers, Base Jumpers, Cheetahs, Comets Yellow, London Meteors 3 and Tecumsehs for this season’s scramble for promotion to the big leagues.
Fuzzy Ducks
The flyaway Division 2 champions won all 14 games last season, a feat rivalled by only one other GLMSL team (Division 3 winners Canary Cubs), and claimed the Minors’ second-highest Runs For and third-lowest Runs Against counts. Now, after migrating South for the long winter, the Ducks return in a flying V and waddle their way into Minors One for the first time. Currently carrying some lame ducks, they've found a few new ducklings to help them stay afloat and avoid potential Duck hunters. It’s shaping up to be a quacking season.
Cheetahs
Run by stalwart Nick Barnett with a core of six players, the Cheetahs are looking to improve on last year’s sixth place finish if they can get their pre-season training completed in time.
Base Jumpers
Having done well not to be relegated when their pitcher was lost for the season after just the third game, Base Jumpers will look to build on last season’s seventh place finish. This new team, managed by Katrina Lamberton, struggled to find form, but is growing in confidence and, with a squad of up to 20 keen and knowledgeable softballers from around the globe to call on, will look to grow stronger throughout the season.
Comets
Another strong promotion challenger this season will be Comets. Having finished third last year with a team in transition, the Yellows will look to improve on that ranking now that the team is more established. Led by legendary post-match speaker Chad, the team, equally comfortable in the pub as on the diamond, boasts an international roster of experience, youthful exuberance, big hittin' women and born athletic guys.
Badgers
New to Minors are the relegated Badgers (née Bagels), one of the longest-standing teams in the GLMSL, run by Kelvin Pryer for nearly 15 years. Sadly, the Badgers couldn’t muster a single win last season having cruelly suffered broken limbs sustained by their captain and also their catcher, Patricia, who used the opportunity to hang up her glove for good. However, the Badgers have turned a corner, found younger players and are fighting fit this season and ready to give other teams a hiding.
Tecumsehs
Managed by Ben Richards, Tecumsehs will be looking to improve on their fifth place finish in 2013, capitalising on a largely consistent squad from last season with only the significant loss of long-standing first base player Jane, who is voting for Scottish independence with her feet. Unusually for softball, challenges this season will consist of fielding, hitting and running, and aims include achieving mid-table respectability as early as possible to avoid the feeling of panic that grows as the season reaches its conclusion.
The Mob
A mob is not, as is so often said, mindless. “A mob is single-minded....” In 2013, Clapham-based The Mob propelled themselves into Division 1. A good balance of big and safe hitting turned some of their games into a run-fest. Bringing together softballing talent from around the world, The Mob go in to 2014 with the aim of consolidation at the higher level. Aware that opposition will be tougher, pre-season training started early. However, this is firmly balanced by a healthy social aspect to the team, which has helped to foster a strong team ethic. Head Mobsters for 2014 are Paul Beaumont and Jenny Sivapalan. “One of the chief characteristics of a mob is its quickness. It is sudden. It pounces...” Be warned, this Mob could take you by surprise.
MINORS DIVISION 2
With six points separating five teams last year, Division 2 is another league where evenly-matched teams will do battle week in, week out for the coveted top two spots.
Canary Cubs
Based in Clissold Park, the Canary Cubs, who only formed last year, won Minors 3 with a 14-0 record. The Cubs are a multinational team featuring experienced and new players from the US, South Africa, Australia, the Philippines, Canada, the Czech Republic, Poland, Ireland, Switzerland, Bermuda, Holland and even Great Britain. Unbeaten rather than unbeatable (by their own admission), they always seemed to come together in the tight games and won the Minors’ Best Defense trophy. In spite of the global make-up, the team struggled to field sufficient women. Coming into 2014, the Cubs, captained by Lloyd Dunkley and Joe Stein, can call on a strong roster of 20+ players and look to be a real challenger.
London Tigers
Finishing fifth last season and surely one of the oldest teams in the GLMSL with 26 years’ heritage, London Tigers, run by Lesley Davies, has experienced play at most levels and welcomes an ever-changing roster of new faces due to the nature of being a work team from PricewaterhouseCoopers.
The Voodoos
With a consistent squad, Voodoos will be looking to push for promotion, supported by core players including Stu Muswell, Lance Nelson, Pam Park, Jen Braunlich and Sean Seton-Rogers. In 2014, after retaining a near-identical team and achieving a fourth place finish, expectations will be running high and a push for promotion could be on the cards. Highlights last season included earning the ‘Spirit of Softball ’ trophy at the BA Tournament for their über-friendly approach.
Base Invaders
In only their second year together, Base Invaders had a phenomenal 2013, gaining promotion to Division 2. Formed from the GLMSL development squad in 2012, most players had never picked up a bat before they joined the development sessions. Hoping for a mid-table finish and after a bumpy start, promotion in their first season seemed beyond the Invaders’ wildest hopes, but helped by a cracking run of wins in the second half of the season, they achieved what had seemed impossible. An ambitious yet realistic team, they’re aiming for a top half finish, having picked up more promising new players and trained hard in the off-season. Other 2013 highlights included winning the Plate Final in the Publishers Tournament and finishing as Cup Runner-up in the Raiders Invitational Tournament. The team is supported by key players Jessica Lau, Nadia Barry, Darren Millstone and Victoria Alexander. One to watch out for.
Kamikazes
Captained by Peter Charles-Jones, the team experienced a slow start and placed last but, after many lengthy de-briefs in the pub, managed to turn things around to produce some fine performances by the end of the season. Absent this season are Whitney "The Arm" Hollis and Liz "The Glove" Day, but new recruits have been flown in especially from the States and the team will also look to Nick "I was born in Africa" Rogers, Fiona "Laws" Cotterill and Excalibur for support. The ‘Kamis’ are determined to fashion a permanent home for themselves in Division 2 and rumours that the captain is to introduce a rule that you have to buy a drink if you don't make it to first base have neither been confirmed nor denied.
Raiders Green
Combining returning members and new faces coming up through the London Raiders Softball Club ranks, Raiders Green will look to improve on last season’s sixth place finish under the new captaincy of April Collingwood and Gary Lawrence, one of the most seasoned players in Minors. Green plans to hit hard and play hard and make use of coaching and cheering from the wider Raiders family on game nights.
Pimlico Pirates
Captained by Chris Carr and Dave Conitzer, the Pirates are part of Pimlico Softball Club. This season they lose key players Neil, Baldeep, Donna and Viene and will look to lefty Chris Carr and ‘The People’s Shortstop’ as lynch pins. Having come third for the last two seasons, the team is targeting promotion this time and will combine rock solid defense and aggressive batting and base running in taking on old and new rivals The Voodoos and Canary Cubs.
Hampstead Heat
Hampstead struggled to turn up the Heat last season, often fielding incomplete teams and facing automatic outs, and ended up seventh in the league. In 2014, a largely new line-up consisting mainly of ex-pats, London Werewolves from Division 3 and completely new players will put the focus on team bonding and having fun both on and off the field – hence Heat’s motto: 'Win or lose, we always booze'.
MINORS DIVISION 3
If there is one predictable element of Division 3, it’s its sheer unpredictability when new and struggling teams slug it out on the diamond. This season, seven teams will compete, though the top five teams from last year’s 10-strong division have all moved on through promotion, amalgamation or disbandment, so promotion really will be up for grabs.
Last year’s newcomers Base Invaders did just that – invaded and jumped straight to Division 2 along with league winners Canary Cubs. London Werewolves joined forces with Division 2 side Hampstead Heat and the unfortunate last-minute demise of Russell Squares result in an automatic forfeit situation.
Finally, London Raiders Orange and Indigo combined this year to form a brand new colour, Raiders Silver, led by Daniel McCartney and Mike Guy. Both teams placed in the top half last season but Raiders’ development ethos places emphasis on progression, so player turnover is generally high at this level. The team will therefore look to club stalwarts Jackie Bain and Gustav Ader to provide much-needed consistency.
Looking to capitalise on the seismic shift will be Mescalitos Banditos, part of the wider Mescalitos family and playing together in just their second season, along with Golden Sombreros, also in their second season, and Knight Sliders.
Mescalitos Banditos
Captained by Pete Rowlands and Phil Bellinger, the Banditos benefit from blissfully low player turnover as the majority teach at the school where their perfectly manicured home ground is located. Key players include pitcher Phil and Vicki Weightman, last season’s MVP. Aside from the usual challenges of being a new team, the Banditos are targeting mid-table but remain impossible to beat off the pitch.
Knight Sliders
Steered by Megan Lawrence, Knight Sliders have managed to retain most of last season’s players to help bolster their newbie stable. The team will be looking towards stalwarts James and Sarah Thorpe, Shannon Walker, Dave Sagar and Lee Markwick to make vital contributions on the field as well as with training and organisation. With last season’s newcomers eventually settling in nicely, Sliders grew into a well-knit team as the season progressed and are feeling competitive and confident enough to improve on last season’s seventh place finish, not least in the fashion stakes with a fondness for fancy dress.
Pimlico Parrots
Into the fold come Pimlico Parrots, a brand new team run by Paul Mendoza from Pimlico Softball Club. Consisting largely of novices, recruitment remains high on the agenda this season yet the team has ambitions of a top half finish, followed by squawky sessions in the pub.
Disco Inferno
Another start-up committed to an environment of improving by having fun, Disco Inferno will be looking for leadership from the irrepressible Rocco Cammisola.
Tornadoes
Familiar faces come in the form of Tornadoes, captained by Mark “Hoppo” Hopkins and Alex “Hugsy” Hughes. Tornadoes had an up-and-down 2013, not just due to their Primrose Hill home ground. Coming sixth and with an 8-6 won-lost record, they enjoyed both storming wins (third highest Runs For and second lowest Runs Against) as well as crippling losses. They are now targeting a top-three finish with the benefit of a core squad of six or seven players along with the return of talisman Mark Hopkins after a two-year break. Expectations are running high!