Lumberjacks Baseball

Each spring and summer, the Covington Lumberjacks take to Casey Field to challenge their opponents in the Valley League. The team has a great roster this year, including these outstanding players.

Catcher and pitcher Patrick Chamberlain hails from Fort Lauderdale, Florida, and stands at an even six feet tall. Other pitchers include James Woods from Radford, Virginia, Chris Walker from Rustburg, Virginia, Tyler Petsch from Galloway, New Jersey, Nolan Houmes from Land O’Lakes, Florida, and Patrick Kulick from Coral Springs, Florida.

Sophomore Ian Vazquez brings his talents Read the rest of this entry »

I thought I knew everything there was to know about baseball. Thanks to my upbringing and about half a dozen generations of avid baseball fans, it was practically the air I breathed.

And, you can bet that I made sure that, when I was old enough, I had all the access to baseball I could handle. I settled up with Directv and had a Direct tv channel guide packed full of all the baseball I could handle. That’s where I first found out about the Valley Baseball League and the Lumberjacks.

Why am I only now mentioning this?

Well, because after a few posts about my favorite underdog team, the Lumberjacks, I felt like reminiscing.

For those of you just joining the party, allow me to explain.

The Valley Baseball League is a summer college baseball league located in the Shenandoah Valley region of Virginia. Often times referred to as the “Gateway to the majors,” 12 teams make up this league and while the Harrisonburg Turks might be the current champs, that hasn’t stopped people like me from loving and following the Covington Lumberjacks.

They may not have the numbers or the stats to stack up in the books with some of the others, but their play is all heart.

The Valley Baseball League’s Covington Lumberjacks are typical of all teams in the summer league: young amateurs who love the game, looking for another chance to be noticed by major league organizations. Many who have played in the league in past years have gotten that chance. It is a sure bet that among the average crowd of between 250-300 spectators, there is certain to be the occasional MLB scout.

This year’s Lumberjack team, though not burning up the league, shows some promise. As the young players get used to playing with wooden bats. Ryan Sullivan, the outfielder from Seton Read the rest of this entry »

Jason Kipnis is a professional baseball player for the Cleveland Indians. He plays professional ball very well, but he wasn’t always the famous player with the great hits and steals. In the past Jason played for the Valley Baseball league. This is where he improved his skills.

Fans see it all the time when they watch minor league baseball players. When baseball players enter into these small leagues they have a much better chance of being successful in the majors.Additional information can be found at http://cleveland.cbslocal.com/2012/06/17/ Read the rest of this entry »

Through all levels of baseball, metal bats are dominant. They offer a smaller weight to length ratio, and so seem a natural choice for those starting out and those who want the most bang for their swing. But, throughout professional baseball, from the minors to majors, players must use wooden bats. So, how do they transition from metal to wood?

Players do not simply choose a bat that best approximates their old metal bat. While metal bats carry their weight in the handle, wooden bats carry it in the barrel. Read the rest of this entry »

When it comes to any sporting event there is one thing that needs to remain constant and that is teamwork. If you have a bunch of players that are going at each other throughout the day, it will only lead to chaos and confusion. Players need to understand what it takes to work together and not just let those things go. It is going to take a lot of patience and understanding to reach a point where you can Read the rest of this entry »

When you are looking to improve your baseball skills and play with some of the best in the area, you need to consider joining up with the Valley Baseball League’s Rising Stars team. This team allows you to learn from the very best in the area, all while improving your overall production and technique, which goes a long way in creating a superior baseball player. So whether you are a pitcher wanting to improve on current pitches (and learn a few new ones), or a fielder wanting to improve on fielding techniques and Read the rest of this entry »