Author: Vinny Messana
Matt Hogan Commits to Vanderbilt
"By all accounts, Hogan is the most talented position player to come through Long Island in a generation."
Mailbag! Volume 3
Hello everybody and welcome to our third edition of the weekly mailbag. Last week we discussed the golden era of baseball, the baseball equivalent of Deflategate, which program would be in store for a big 2016 and advice for high school athletes deciding on where to take their talents… Without further ado, we’ll dive into the emails for this week and, as always, if you would like to be...
Brandon Morse Describes the Peaks and Valleys of 2015 and His Hopes for the Future
Photo Credit: Vinny Messana Winning the Suffolk County Class AA title is a culmination of hours upon hours of hard work and sacrifice coming together that should result in a feeling of elation. Same can be said, plus an even greater sense of satisfaction, for winning the Long Island Championship. Why, then, was 2015 not everything it was supposed to be for Brandon Morse and his championship-winnin...
Matz, Stroman Begin Throwing Schedule
Feeling good, living better. A photo posted by Marcus Stroman (@mstrooo6) on Jul 29, 2015 at 3:57am PDT Two of Long Island’s finest pitching prospects in history, Marcus Stroman and Steven Matz, have combined for two starts in 2015–both by Matz. That is about to change very soon, as both players have began their throwing program with hopes of coming back in the first week of September....
Catching Up With 2016 Top Prospect Sam Kessler
by Eric Moskowitz The recruiting process is always a stressful time for players entering their senior seniors–especially for a top-notch player like Sam Kessler. He ultimately chose to attend West Virginia after he graduates in 2016 from Mount Sinai High School. Kessler is currently ranked as the No. 12 prospect in the ’16 class by Blue Chip Prospects. Our reporter, Eric Moskowit...
Los Angeles Angels Become First MLB Team to Choose BODYARMOR Over Gatorade
It may not be Drake vs Meek Mill but there is a sports drink battle going on between one behemoth and one up-and-coming fan favorite. In this case, it’s the underdog that’s making the biggest buzz. The Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim became the first MLB team to ditch their dugout drink, Gatorage, in favor of BODYARMOR. This is a big deal in the sports drinks industry, because Gatorade ...
Mailbag! Volume 2
Welcome to the second edition of the weekly mailbag. We will address the emails this week. If you would like to be featured in the August 10th edition, please send your emails to baseballontheisland@gmail.com. Without further ado, let’s dive in… Is it safe to say we are in a golden era for baseball on Long Island? Was there an era that produced this many quality ball players? Jose, Com...
Checking In on the Local Minor League Players
Photo Credit: Adelphi Athletics Here’s a quick rundown of some of the recent draftees that hail from, or played their college ball in, Long Island.Steve AscherAge: 21Team: Charlotte Stone Crabs (Advanced-A) Key Stats:7-0, 1.37 ERA, 59.0 IP, 30 K, 1.10 WHIPTyler BadamoAge: 23Team: Brooklyn Cyclones (A-short season)Key Stats: 2-4, 3.08 ERA, 49.2 IP, 39 Ks, 0.97 WHIP Cliff BrantleyAge: 22Team: ...
Emerson Gross Faces Uphill Battle for Full Recovery
It was March 15 and the Jefferson Cannoneers made the 400 mile trip south to Maryland to face the Frederick Community College Cougars. The Cougars are off to a tremendous start, and they ultimately would go 50-9 before losing in the NJCAA Div-II College World Series. The Cannoneers, on the other hand, just lost their first two games in blowout fashion and faced a challenge in the upstart Cougars. ...
Ranking the Carl Yastrzemski Award Winning Seasons of Past 10 Years
The most coveted award for Suffolk County high school baseball players is the Carl Yastrzemski Award. Every year players lace up their shoes in March with their eyes on this prize, being handed the award in front of 700+ guests at Villa Lombardi’s in Holbrook, vindicating their success and hard work that led them to this point. Here is a ranking of the past 10 winners. 10. Jesse Berardi, 201...
Catching Up With Padres’ Prospect Bryan Verbitsky
Photo Credit: Hofstra Athletics Long Island has been well represented across minor league baseball in recent years. One player that is worth monitoring is Levittown-native and current San Diego Padres minor league reliever Bryan Verbitsky. The power righty is enjoying a terrific season. After dominating the Midwest League to the tune of a 2.53 ERA over 32 innings while holding the opposition to a ...
Craig Biggio Inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame
[youtube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QdCJ4S38IbM] Aside from Carl Yastrzemski, the most notable baseball player to come from Long Island is Craig Biggio. The Kings Park graduate debuted in the big leagues in 1988 with the Houston Astros at age-22. Unlike many players of that generation, Biggio was able to play the duration of his 20-year career with those same Astros up until 2007. He originall...
