Author: Vinny Messana
Long Islanders React to Hall of Fame Voting
At 6 pm yesterday, the voting of the Hall of Fame was announced. It was Ken Griffey Jr. and Mike Piazza who would be enshrined this coming July in Cooperstown–the mecca of baseball. The two players, aside from both growing up in Pennsylvania and being icons in the 1990s, took very different paths to the big leagues. Griffey was the son of a baseball star, Ken Griffey Sr., who starred for t...
South Shore Elite Holding Tryouts Jan. 17
The South Shore Elite are looking for players age 13u-17u that display exceptional skill, are willing to learn from the best and display a drive to win at the next level. By using the very best coaching techniques taught by college and pro level, we will aid players in improving their game through extensive workouts and practices. There is NO parent involvement whatsoever and the Elite is a...
Mike Scioscia to Speak at Ward Melville
Mike Scioscia, manager of the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim, will be speaking at Ward Melville on January 16th at a baseball symposium entitled “Keeping Young Arms Throwing & Dispelling the Myths”. The event will begin at 8:00 am and conclude at 1 pm. It will be held in the Auditorium and will be free. To attend this rare event, please register by clicking here. Dr. Luga Podesta wi...
Pre-Season Power Rankings
2015 is in the rear view mirror and we are focusing squarely on 2016. Every single team improved their rosters vastly thanks to savvy recruiting. Below is our pre-season top 10 Power Ranking of the Long Island NCAA-affiliated colleges. This is based on last year’s results, our observations from watching those games as well as their chances of competing for a conference championship in 2016. ...
Biggest Storylines Heading into 2016
"Keep an eye on them to begin an extended period of success"
Steven Matz Hosts Pitching Clinic at Ward Melville
Steven Matz entered the building to a huge crowd at his alma mater, Ward Melville High School, to attend his pitching clinic. There was four stations, each filled with dozens of young players hoping to pick up some wisdom from Long Island’s brightest stars–many of which were donning Matz’ No. 32 uniform. The local stars were all in attendance to assist Matz in the clinic. Some pl...
Michael Palazzolo Using the Bryce Harper Method to Create Greatness
Years ago, kids grew up playing all sports. Even if they favored baseball, they would play soccer in the fall to build their endurance and play basketball in the winter to maintain their side-to-side agility. Those times have changed. Everything is about specializing your skills and perfecting your craft. The youngest flock of Major League superstars grew up in the era of specialized, year-round t...
Thanks for a Memorable Night
It’s not often you can have all the college coaches and top baseball players on Long Island in one room. For one night we were able to make that happen. I am truly appreciative of the turnout despite the poor weather and the distance many of the members of the audience had to commute. In addition to the All-Long Island team, we also crowned Andruw Gazzola with the Rookie of the Year, Jake De...
Details Regarding Awards Banquet
Tomorrow will be our first annual Awards Banquet. It will be held at the Mediterranean Manor (303 E Main Street, Patchogue) beginning at 7 PM. Here is some information regarding it: -Check-in will begin at 6:50 PM. There will be a table at the entrance and you will state your name to the person working the table. -Award winners are not charged for the evening’s event. Any guest, however, wil...
Adelphi Hurler Faces Difficult Obstacle to Return to the Hill
When Chris Lemorocco was on the hill for the Adelphi Panthers in 2014, there was always the sense that he would get the job done. The freshman did a terrific job of attacking the strike zone and also showing grit when runners were in scoring position. He ranked among the team leaders in ERA, (4.14), games started (5), K/9 (7.7) and innings pitched (37.0). This was as a freshman, so the expectation...
BODYARMOR: The Sports Drink of Choice for Baseball Players All Over the Island
When looking for a sports drink to keep you hydrated and provide great flavor, I stumbled upon BODYARMOR. The bottle alone got my attention due to its vibrant and eccentric colors, much more attention-grabbing than that of other notable sports drinks. What makes it great is that it is infused with electrolytes, coconut water and vitamins. This means that it is much healthier than drinks that are l...
College Athlete Conditioning Program
With the college baseball season right away the corner, athletes everywhere know it’s far from the time to rest. Get a head start on your competition by attending Infiniti Performance’s “College Prep 101”, the Athlete Conditioning Program! The program will begin on Dec. 15 and conclude when you leave for school. Details: -Intense, educational, sport/position-specific traini...
