Angels’ staff wants to keep on learning

After attending LFBBS-sponsored sessions lead by Bernard Beckman and Steve Janssen (Sparta Feyenoord – Dutch Major League) earlier this Winter, 4 Angels’ coaches were heading towards Cologne on the first week-end of December to attend the 4th EBCA Convention.

Coaches from all over Europe were gathering to attend a top coaching clinic that featured :

- Robert Eenhorn (Dutch Baseball Manager)
- Ron Wolforth (Pitching Central – 40 players drafted since 2001)
- Jerry Weinstein (Rockies organization)
- Tom O’Connel (ABCA Hall of Famer)

A good mix between European and US speakers and a wide range of topics allowed for everybody to get home stacked with useful information.
This 4th edition was arguably the best so far and the EBCA is committed to keep on improving.

A week later, 2 Angels were taking part to the European coaching clinic that featured speakers like Perry Husband , Robert Eenhron, Brian Fraley (Dutch Team pitching coach), Steve Janssen, Steve Zawrotny and Jim Jones (former coach from several European national teams).
A famous guest was also attending the clinic. The young Florida Marlin pitcher Rik Vandenhurk who signed a bunch of autographs after being interviewed by Brian Farley.

In January, Namur will also send one of its coaches to the ABCA Convention in Philadelphia to complete this Winter coaching marathon. It will then be time to start the preparation to build up a successful season 08.

Pre-season schedule 2008

Caleb Calarco - a nice present for the Angels

Dear Santa,
I would like a player who can hit for power and average, can run, pitch and play the field.
I would also like this player to teach baseball to our kids and, while you're at it, it would be nice if he had some Belgian blood running through his veins.

That was the Angels' wish list for Christmas even if they knew that they weren't likely to get the whole package.

Well...

Less than a month before Christmas, it seems like their work paid dividends.

Caleb Calarco the first player to ever receive both Player of the Year AND Pitcher of the Year awards last season in the Middle-Atlantic Conference will be a Halo next season.

Caleb's best position out of High school was catcher. But he didn't catch in College because his coach wanted his live arm on the mound. And with a 2.06 ERA last season, it would be tough to argue he wasn't right.
At the plate, Calarco, a team-oriented situational hitter never hit below 0.300 and showed some pop at times with 10 doubles and 2 homeruns in his senior year.
Defensively, he can play all 9 positions and committed only 5 errors in his last 280 chances (Fld avg 0.982).
In the meantime, he also swiped 5 bags in 6 attempts.

Caleb, who graduated in History in May, has experience in teaching and coaching, and will fit in with the club's policy of emphasizing youth development.

The former King's Monarch will also take advantage of the trip to visit his family in Herve, as one of his grandmother is a genuine Belgian woman.

Now that's a real Chrismas present...

Thanks, Santa

Angels are looking for players

The Angels ballclub is looking for players for its 1st team.

If you are a Belgian or European player looking for new challenge or if you just think that you can help us win, please contact Christophe Dassy, chrisdassy47@hotmail.com .

We are also looking for a second non-European player to boost our offense and who can pitch in relief. Left-handed player would be perfect.
The player will also be part of our youth coaching staff because we are committed to improving the level of the game over here.

For more details, contact chrisdassy47@hotmail.com

Angels will travel to the netherlands in pre-season 2008

The Namur Angels ballclub has been invited to take part to the 60th Anniversary Tournament of the UVV ballclub in Utrecht - Netherlands.

The tournament will take place the 22nd and 23rd of March 2008 and will also host Cologne Cardinals (German D1) as well as Door Tridents (Dutch D1) among the 5 teams that the Angels will face.

Angels swept by the leader

Angels lose tough one in Ninth.

The Namur Angels lost to the undefeated Merksem Royal Greys Saturday in a hard fought game. The Royal Greys capitalized on an error and timely hitting in their last at bat to defeat the Angels 3-2.
The Angels got on the board first in the 4th inning on a single by Derek Lyons, which was followed by a towering shot to left center field by Juni Gressman. When the dust cleared, Gressman was standing on third with a stand up triple.
Tim Dunphy held the Angels lead until the 9th inning - where it all seemed to give way. The lead off batter of the 9th reached on an error - with two quick hits, a single and a double by Kevin Knollenburg, the Greys erased the two run defeciet. Then all it took was for the Greys to get Knollenburg over and in to wrestle the lead away from Dunphy and the Angels.
The Angels did not go down quietly, in the home half of the ninth, the Angels loaded the bases, bringing Dunphy to the plate, but American born Terrence Antonacci was able to induce a 4-6-3 double play to remain undefeated.
Dunphy the tough luck loser - fell to 5-2 on the season, scattered 7 hits while striking out 10. While Lyons ended up with two hits, a single and a double.


10 run first help Greys remain unbeaten

The Royal Greys turned in a 10 run first inning, and the Namur Angels could not recover dropping the second game of the weekend 14-6. The Royal Greys first inning was a mixture of hits, walks and hit batsmen.
The Greys were leading 13-0 in the 4th when the Angels finally got on the board - Juni Gressman lead off the 4th with a double deep to left field, Dunphy moved him over and Adrien Geuquet got him in. In the 5th the Angels struck big scoring 5 runs, on 5 hits. Two big hits were Ronny Heymans and Derek Lyons back to back doubles. But the Angels could never fully recover.
Adrien Geuquet pitched well coming in, in the first and finishing the game on the mound.

Angels Strike Back...

In the second game in the series against the Kangaroos,the Namur Angels were lead by another strong outing by Tim Dunphy. Dunphy allowed one run in the first inning and never looked back as the Angels finished the weekend with a 5-1 win.
The Angels scored three runs in the 4th inning on a two out rally that was lead by back to back hits by Adrien Geuquet and Philippe DiGiosue followed by 4 consecutive walks. In the 5th the Angels plated another run on a double by Adrien Geuquet. Then in the 8th inning, Juni Gressman hit a towering home run to left field to cap off the scoring.
Dunphy went the distance for his sixth straight start to move to 5-1 on the season. He allowed 4 hits, all singles, one walk and he struck out nine in the winning effort.
The Namur Angels will face the Merksem Royal Greys to finish up the first half of the season.

Tables turned on Angels...

The Namur Angels traveled to Brussels to take on the Brussels Kangaroos, and received a taste of their own medicine. The Kangaroos were led to a 5-1 victory by the big bat of Tim McLead (Haverford College) and the powerful right arm of Joey Vladek (Amherst College)
The game started off as a pitchers duel, with the Kangaroos starting the scoring off in the second with a lead off homerun by McLean. The Angels answered in the 5th on a double by third baseman Ronny Heymans that plated Adrien Guequet. Juni Gressman chipped in with 3 singles on the day.
Both pitchers cruised until the 8th inning where Angels starter Adrien Stokart ran into a bit of trouble, again the bat of McLean. McLean hit his second home run of the day, this one of the three run variety grounding the Angels.
Vladek enjoyed quite a day on the mound, surrendering 6 hits, only one for extra bases while striking out nine.

The Borgerhout Squirrels opened up the scoring in the third inning by plating two runs on two hits and two walks. The Namur Angels answered in the bottom half, again lead by the red white and blue. Philippe Digiouse reached on a fielders choice, Adrien Geuquet kept the two out rally alive with a single to left field. Derek Lyons stepped to the plate and delivered with a frozen rope triple to right center field to knock in two to tie the game. Tim Dunphy, the next batter, gave the Angels a 4-2 lead by crushing a full count fastball deep over the right field fence.
After tying the game in the top of the seventh - the Namur Angels in the top of the 8th pushed across the winning run on a hot shot by Lyons to third that went right through the wickets, gave the Angels a one run lead. In the top of the 9th the lead off batter for the Squirrels reached and then stole second, but that is as far as he would get. As Adrien Geuquet sat down the next three batters.
Adrien Stokart, the starting pitcher for the Angels, pitched well scattering 7 hits and giving up 5 runs over six and a third innings.
The Namur Angels improve to 5-5 on the season, and will face the Brussels Kangaroos next weekend.

Angels bats awake as Namur blanks the Squirrels in 7.

The Namur Angels combined for 17 hits and 12 runs as six Angels turned in multi-hit games. They were lead by their foreign imports Tim Dunphy (Brandeis University), who went 4-4, and Derek Lyons (Salem State College), who went 3-5. Tim Dunphy set the scoring off in the third as he singled in Jerome Sana. The Angels never looked back as they put up four runs in the 5th and then six runs in the 7th inning. Philippe DiGiosue, Jerome Sana, and Ronny Heymans had good days at the plate all with two hits.
Dunphy collected his fourth win in a row, and second consecutive shutout. Dunphy, scattering 6 hits, relied on his defense and they stepped up. Lyons set the tone in the first inning by making a dazzling backhand - and then showing off his arm from deep in the hole. The Angels hope to continue their charge for the playoffs tomorrow afternoon in front of their loyal fans.