Beginning July 22, 2019 through August 9, 2019, from 8:00 a.m. until 1:30 p.m. in the front office at Dodge County High School (DCHS), DCHS will begin assigning seating for those Indian fans who had reserved seats last year.
Starting August 12, open seats will be available for anyone interested in reserve seating for the 2019-20 football season.
Our first official home game is August 23 at 7:30 p.m. The price is $35.00 per seat.
If you have any questions, please call the high school at 478-374-7711.
Sports
Russ's Review
We have made it to the all-star break in the long Major League Baseball (MLB) season.
Let’s start by me saying, “I was wrong about this year’s Braves team,” at least so far. Atlanta is 54-37 and hold a six game lead over the Nationals and 6.5 over the Phillies.
There is little question about what’s carrying this team and that’s the offense. The infield has 68 homers and is lead by all-star Freddie Freeman’s 23, but to me the surprise is Dansby Swanson. He already has a career high of 17 homers and just two runs-batted-in (RBIs) away from his career high with 57 RBIs.
To no surprise, the outfield is led by all-star Ronald Acuna. He has 21 homers and a very good .292 average. Acuna is great out of the lead-off spot and also has 13 stolen bases.
The big move was the bringing up of Austin Riley. He has been really good in power with 16 homers and 41 RBIs. Riley has really struggled in his last 30 games, as he is hitting only .212. Strike outs have always been his problem and he has 69 in just 49 games in the majors.
If there is a downfall to this team, it’s pitching. The starters have been led by all-star Mike Soroka. He is 9-1 with a 2.42 earned run average (ERA). For a while, another real good story was Max Fried. He is 9-4 on the year but he has struggled lately, as his ERA is over five in his last six starts. The big pickup was free agent Dallas Kaechel. He is currently 2-2 with a 3.60 ERA. Kaechel has been a whole lot better in his last three starts.
I still feel that they need some help in the starter’s spot. The trade deadline is three weeks away. I hope there is a trade coming to add to the rotation.
Despite the record, the problem is the bullpen. I know that Luke Jackson has a 4-2 record and 14 saves in 20 chances. Let’s be honest. How do you feel with Jackson in the game with a one run lead in the ninth? I have a real bad feeling in my stomach, but most of the time he gets the job done (like Sunday against the Marlins). The team needs help with bullpen help to hang on to the lead in my opinion. I believe that the Nationals and the Phillies will make a run at them in the second half.
So, what happens in the second half? It won’t be an easy start, as they hit the road in San Diego and Milwaukee. Then they return home for what will be a real big series against the Nationals. This thing may come down to what team will make the big move at the trade deadline.
I think the Phillies will certainly do something after adding so much payroll. I am not as sure about the Nationals. If they struggle they could actually be sellers at the trade deadline.
The unpredictable will be the Braves. They have the prospects to make the big move but are the most conservative. The Braves have played the best of the three so far, but I see a change coming from the pack.
The National Basketball Association officially put their “season” underway this week. The complicated trade the Hawks made draft night, that gave them the overall pick, did finally become official on Saturday.
The deal was in question for a while as the Lakers almost backed out of an earlier deal. Things did officially pan out and the pair of deals that eventually gave them De’Andre Hunter from Virginia. Things will slowly continue to improve in Hawks land, but it’s going to take a while.
Let’s start by me saying, “I was wrong about this year’s Braves team,” at least so far. Atlanta is 54-37 and hold a six game lead over the Nationals and 6.5 over the Phillies.
There is little question about what’s carrying this team and that’s the offense. The infield has 68 homers and is lead by all-star Freddie Freeman’s 23, but to me the surprise is Dansby Swanson. He already has a career high of 17 homers and just two runs-batted-in (RBIs) away from his career high with 57 RBIs.
To no surprise, the outfield is led by all-star Ronald Acuna. He has 21 homers and a very good .292 average. Acuna is great out of the lead-off spot and also has 13 stolen bases.
The big move was the bringing up of Austin Riley. He has been really good in power with 16 homers and 41 RBIs. Riley has really struggled in his last 30 games, as he is hitting only .212. Strike outs have always been his problem and he has 69 in just 49 games in the majors.
If there is a downfall to this team, it’s pitching. The starters have been led by all-star Mike Soroka. He is 9-1 with a 2.42 earned run average (ERA). For a while, another real good story was Max Fried. He is 9-4 on the year but he has struggled lately, as his ERA is over five in his last six starts. The big pickup was free agent Dallas Kaechel. He is currently 2-2 with a 3.60 ERA. Kaechel has been a whole lot better in his last three starts.
I still feel that they need some help in the starter’s spot. The trade deadline is three weeks away. I hope there is a trade coming to add to the rotation.
Despite the record, the problem is the bullpen. I know that Luke Jackson has a 4-2 record and 14 saves in 20 chances. Let’s be honest. How do you feel with Jackson in the game with a one run lead in the ninth? I have a real bad feeling in my stomach, but most of the time he gets the job done (like Sunday against the Marlins). The team needs help with bullpen help to hang on to the lead in my opinion. I believe that the Nationals and the Phillies will make a run at them in the second half.
So, what happens in the second half? It won’t be an easy start, as they hit the road in San Diego and Milwaukee. Then they return home for what will be a real big series against the Nationals. This thing may come down to what team will make the big move at the trade deadline.
I think the Phillies will certainly do something after adding so much payroll. I am not as sure about the Nationals. If they struggle they could actually be sellers at the trade deadline.
The unpredictable will be the Braves. They have the prospects to make the big move but are the most conservative. The Braves have played the best of the three so far, but I see a change coming from the pack.
The National Basketball Association officially put their “season” underway this week. The complicated trade the Hawks made draft night, that gave them the overall pick, did finally become official on Saturday.
The deal was in question for a while as the Lakers almost backed out of an earlier deal. Things did officially pan out and the pair of deals that eventually gave them De’Andre Hunter from Virginia. Things will slowly continue to improve in Hawks land, but it’s going to take a while.
Russ's Review
Since we have entered the second half of 2019, let’s take a look at the major sports in the state. My apologies to Atlanta United, Atlanta Dream and Georgia Tech football.
Let’s start with the team that should improve the most this year and that is the Hawks. As expected, they weren’t very good in the 2018-19 season but they did much better as the season went along. Trae Young became one of the most exciting young players in the game. The Hawks have become an offensive force as Young, Kevin Huerter and Dewayne Dedmon scored a pile of points, but defense became an issue. That led to a trade in the 2019 draft as they moved up to get De’Andre Hunter from National Champion Virginia. He is considered the best defender in the draft. He should be an asset right away. Their second number one pick, which they got from Dallas, is Cam Reddish of Duke. The reviews are very mixed on him as he struggled in his one year at Duke. If he can play up to his very high ceiling, then a low playoff spot isn’t out of the question.
Next up are the Falcons. They looked to improve on the offensive line as they spent a pair of number one picks on it. The offense shouldn’t be the problem as the skill positions shouldn’t be the issue. Jones, Sanu, Ridley and Hooper should be plenty of targets for Matt Ryan. The return of Devonte Freeman should help the running game if he can stay healthy. All the questions seem to be on the defensive side of the ball. Can Vic Beasley return to his one year of quality play? Can Grady Jarrett show interest as he is playing with the franchise tag? Can Deion Jones stay healthy for a whole season? This is the year that Dan Quinn must come through orthe Birds will be looking for a new coach.
Let’s stay on the football scene and go to Athens and take a look at Kirby Smart and the Dogs. The offense lost several key skill position players as Holyfield, Hardman, Wims and Nauta are all gone. This week wide out JJ Holloman was dismissed due to domestic issues. Still, the offense should be fine as the line is projected at number one in the conference. Fromm and Swift should have big years. It would be nice if Robertson would live up to expectations. The defense should be better so we will see. The Dogs should win the SEC East but you know who is waiting on the other side of the conference.
Now for our current team and that is the Braves. I will be the first to admit that I am stunned that they have the lead as the calendar goes to July. The offense has been sensational as all-star starters Freddie Freeman and Ronald Acuna lead the way. There isn’t an easy out in the line up. Rookie Austin Riley started great but he has come back to earth some. He has struck out quite a bit. There is no way they can keep the offense up so the pitching must improve. Do you honestly think a rotation of Keuchel, Teheran, Soroka, Fried and the unknown will win a division? Or maybe the bullpen with Luke Jackson pitching the ninth with a one run lead? Not the best case scenario for me either!
Ownership must put some money in this to make this thing work. It will be interesting to see how things go between now and July 31. I will make one fearless prediction as I see one bullpen deal being made. I do not know to what extreme.
Let’s start with the team that should improve the most this year and that is the Hawks. As expected, they weren’t very good in the 2018-19 season but they did much better as the season went along. Trae Young became one of the most exciting young players in the game. The Hawks have become an offensive force as Young, Kevin Huerter and Dewayne Dedmon scored a pile of points, but defense became an issue. That led to a trade in the 2019 draft as they moved up to get De’Andre Hunter from National Champion Virginia. He is considered the best defender in the draft. He should be an asset right away. Their second number one pick, which they got from Dallas, is Cam Reddish of Duke. The reviews are very mixed on him as he struggled in his one year at Duke. If he can play up to his very high ceiling, then a low playoff spot isn’t out of the question.
Next up are the Falcons. They looked to improve on the offensive line as they spent a pair of number one picks on it. The offense shouldn’t be the problem as the skill positions shouldn’t be the issue. Jones, Sanu, Ridley and Hooper should be plenty of targets for Matt Ryan. The return of Devonte Freeman should help the running game if he can stay healthy. All the questions seem to be on the defensive side of the ball. Can Vic Beasley return to his one year of quality play? Can Grady Jarrett show interest as he is playing with the franchise tag? Can Deion Jones stay healthy for a whole season? This is the year that Dan Quinn must come through orthe Birds will be looking for a new coach.
Let’s stay on the football scene and go to Athens and take a look at Kirby Smart and the Dogs. The offense lost several key skill position players as Holyfield, Hardman, Wims and Nauta are all gone. This week wide out JJ Holloman was dismissed due to domestic issues. Still, the offense should be fine as the line is projected at number one in the conference. Fromm and Swift should have big years. It would be nice if Robertson would live up to expectations. The defense should be better so we will see. The Dogs should win the SEC East but you know who is waiting on the other side of the conference.
Now for our current team and that is the Braves. I will be the first to admit that I am stunned that they have the lead as the calendar goes to July. The offense has been sensational as all-star starters Freddie Freeman and Ronald Acuna lead the way. There isn’t an easy out in the line up. Rookie Austin Riley started great but he has come back to earth some. He has struck out quite a bit. There is no way they can keep the offense up so the pitching must improve. Do you honestly think a rotation of Keuchel, Teheran, Soroka, Fried and the unknown will win a division? Or maybe the bullpen with Luke Jackson pitching the ninth with a one run lead? Not the best case scenario for me either!
Ownership must put some money in this to make this thing work. It will be interesting to see how things go between now and July 31. I will make one fearless prediction as I see one bullpen deal being made. I do not know to what extreme.
Batting Cages Open at Recreation Department
By Russ Ragan
Monday, June 17, was a big day for the Dodge County Recreation Department.
They opened eight new batting cages at the gym of the department. The much-respected Tommy Barker Company of Atlanta put in the cages. They have put in cages for the Braves at SunTrust Park in Atlanta, at Parkview High School in Stone Mountain and, most recently, a personally built cage for Braves catcher Tyler Flowers.
We are certain the cage set up has been properly done! The cages will be open from 3:00 p.m. – 9:00 p.m. Monday through Friday and from 9:00 a.m. – 1:00 p.m. on Saturday. The fee is $15.00 per hour and you can purchase a monthly membership for $45.00 that will give you four 1-hour sessions.
The cages are set up for baseball or softball. Balls are included in the $15.00 sessions. Dodge County Recreation Department Director Travis Niblett stated in regards to the department’s newest addition, “We got these cages for the county. We have a lot of boys and girls going to out of town to hit balls, so we hope everyone will come out and use them”. Niblett added, “If you are needing a baseball or softball instructor, call the department and we will try to set you up”.
Please call the recreation department at 374-4698 to reserve a session. Walk-ins are accepted depending upon availability. Reservations are asked to be on the top of the hour if possible.
One more department note is that it is time to sign up for football and soccer. Registration goes from July 8 through 31. The ages are five to 12 for football and three to 13 for soccer. The fee for football is $55.00. Soccer is $50.00.
Opening day for both will be September 7, 2019.
For more information, call the department at 374-4696. On-line registration is already underway at Dodge-Recreation.com.
Monday, June 17, was a big day for the Dodge County Recreation Department.
They opened eight new batting cages at the gym of the department. The much-respected Tommy Barker Company of Atlanta put in the cages. They have put in cages for the Braves at SunTrust Park in Atlanta, at Parkview High School in Stone Mountain and, most recently, a personally built cage for Braves catcher Tyler Flowers.
We are certain the cage set up has been properly done! The cages will be open from 3:00 p.m. – 9:00 p.m. Monday through Friday and from 9:00 a.m. – 1:00 p.m. on Saturday. The fee is $15.00 per hour and you can purchase a monthly membership for $45.00 that will give you four 1-hour sessions.
The cages are set up for baseball or softball. Balls are included in the $15.00 sessions. Dodge County Recreation Department Director Travis Niblett stated in regards to the department’s newest addition, “We got these cages for the county. We have a lot of boys and girls going to out of town to hit balls, so we hope everyone will come out and use them”. Niblett added, “If you are needing a baseball or softball instructor, call the department and we will try to set you up”.
Please call the recreation department at 374-4698 to reserve a session. Walk-ins are accepted depending upon availability. Reservations are asked to be on the top of the hour if possible.
One more department note is that it is time to sign up for football and soccer. Registration goes from July 8 through 31. The ages are five to 12 for football and three to 13 for soccer. The fee for football is $55.00. Soccer is $50.00.
Opening day for both will be September 7, 2019.
For more information, call the department at 374-4696. On-line registration is already underway at Dodge-Recreation.com.
Russ's Review
It was a wild week on the area sports scene and yes, most of it was good and some I just cannot explain. Anyway, here we go. Yes it was another big week for the Braves. They went 4-2 on the week and they increased their lead to 6.5 games as the Phillies have dropped seven straight and they are going nowhere fast. The Braves carried a 46-32 record going into Monday night’s game against the Cubs. This is the part I cannot explain. How in the world is this possible? The team has three of the projected starting rotation in AAA or on the injured list. Gausman, Newcomb and Foltynewicz have been little or no factor. Vizcaino, who was the projected closer, got injured and eventually traded.
A.J. Minter was the next closer and he was awful and eventually sent to AAA. Luke Jackson was finally named the closer. Somehow he manages to get through the ninth, but he makes it very interesting. Sunday was a good example as he came in with a two run lead and he allowed a run but did hang on for the 4-3 win. He is 11 for 17 in save opportunities this season.
The reason this team is winning is offense. It is coming from every position. First baseman Freddie Freeman in on quite a roll. He is hitting .316 with 21 homeruns and 61 RBIs. Albies is also getting the job done at second. He is still the work in progress from the left side. Still, he is hitting .282 with 11 homeruns. Swanson has been much better at short. He is hitting .259 but he has tied his career high with 14 homeruns. He also has the big hits like on Saturday with a three-run homerun against the Nationals. Donaldson has been as advertised. He has 15 homeruns and he is hitting .260 but he will probably not be back next year for one reason. It’s Austin Riley. The kid has played in 36 games and he has 12 homeruns and 34 RBIs. He is doing good enough in left field and he will probably play third next year. He has a .280 average. He will strike out a good bit and he has with 49 in 136 at bats. Due to the Inciarte injury, Acuna was forced to centerfield. Granted, his defense has struggled a little but his bat has not been affected. He is hitting .286 with 18 homeruns. Markakis has been solid in right. He has 42 RBIs and he has played in every game. Only Swanson is the other player who has been in all 78 games. There was plenty of speculation about what the team would do for catcher. They decided to go with Flowers and bring back Brian McCann.
It has paid off as they have combined for 14 homeruns and 44 RBIs. The bench has also been huge with the trio of Camargo, Culberson and a new season pickup Matt Joyce. They have combined for eight homeruns and 40 RBIs mostly in a reserve roll. Camargo hit a game winning two-run homerun in Sunday’s game in Washington. The question is, can they hang on? I do think the bats will cool off a little but they will still hit. The big question is the pitching. I know that Keuchel will continue to improve but they need one more starter. The one I like is Marcus Stroman from Toronto. His record isn’t as good, it’s 5-9, but his ERA is 3.04 and that is really good in the American League.
They also need a closer. Sorry to all Luke Jackson fans but I don’t think he is the answer. I also like a BlueJay here and it is Ken Giles. He has 12 saves and he has 47 strikeouts in just 27 innings and the league is just hitting .202 against him. His ERA is just 1.33. He only has one blown save for the season. His only blown save was back in April against the Red Sox. The price shouldn’t be real high on getting the pair and getting these two would go a long way toward winning the National League East.
I knew the Hawks were going to be aggressive going into last week’s draft. There was no question that they wanted to move up into the top five of the draft. They found a trade partner in New Orleans. They sent a pair of the three first round picks, 8 and 17 and a second round pick for the fourth overall pick, number 57 and the contract of Soloman Hill. They used the fourth pick on Virginia forward De’Andre Hunter. He is considered the best defensive player in the draft. He should also contribute to the high-powered offense led by Trae Young.
They still had the 10th overall pick and they got Cam Reddish from Duke. He didn’t have a great year but his upside was just too good to pass up. I really like the direction that this time is going. I don’t think that they are playoff quite yet but who knows? There are also reports that the Hawks and Lakers are talking trade so something else may be on the agenda.
A.J. Minter was the next closer and he was awful and eventually sent to AAA. Luke Jackson was finally named the closer. Somehow he manages to get through the ninth, but he makes it very interesting. Sunday was a good example as he came in with a two run lead and he allowed a run but did hang on for the 4-3 win. He is 11 for 17 in save opportunities this season.
The reason this team is winning is offense. It is coming from every position. First baseman Freddie Freeman in on quite a roll. He is hitting .316 with 21 homeruns and 61 RBIs. Albies is also getting the job done at second. He is still the work in progress from the left side. Still, he is hitting .282 with 11 homeruns. Swanson has been much better at short. He is hitting .259 but he has tied his career high with 14 homeruns. He also has the big hits like on Saturday with a three-run homerun against the Nationals. Donaldson has been as advertised. He has 15 homeruns and he is hitting .260 but he will probably not be back next year for one reason. It’s Austin Riley. The kid has played in 36 games and he has 12 homeruns and 34 RBIs. He is doing good enough in left field and he will probably play third next year. He has a .280 average. He will strike out a good bit and he has with 49 in 136 at bats. Due to the Inciarte injury, Acuna was forced to centerfield. Granted, his defense has struggled a little but his bat has not been affected. He is hitting .286 with 18 homeruns. Markakis has been solid in right. He has 42 RBIs and he has played in every game. Only Swanson is the other player who has been in all 78 games. There was plenty of speculation about what the team would do for catcher. They decided to go with Flowers and bring back Brian McCann.
It has paid off as they have combined for 14 homeruns and 44 RBIs. The bench has also been huge with the trio of Camargo, Culberson and a new season pickup Matt Joyce. They have combined for eight homeruns and 40 RBIs mostly in a reserve roll. Camargo hit a game winning two-run homerun in Sunday’s game in Washington. The question is, can they hang on? I do think the bats will cool off a little but they will still hit. The big question is the pitching. I know that Keuchel will continue to improve but they need one more starter. The one I like is Marcus Stroman from Toronto. His record isn’t as good, it’s 5-9, but his ERA is 3.04 and that is really good in the American League.
They also need a closer. Sorry to all Luke Jackson fans but I don’t think he is the answer. I also like a BlueJay here and it is Ken Giles. He has 12 saves and he has 47 strikeouts in just 27 innings and the league is just hitting .202 against him. His ERA is just 1.33. He only has one blown save for the season. His only blown save was back in April against the Red Sox. The price shouldn’t be real high on getting the pair and getting these two would go a long way toward winning the National League East.
I knew the Hawks were going to be aggressive going into last week’s draft. There was no question that they wanted to move up into the top five of the draft. They found a trade partner in New Orleans. They sent a pair of the three first round picks, 8 and 17 and a second round pick for the fourth overall pick, number 57 and the contract of Soloman Hill. They used the fourth pick on Virginia forward De’Andre Hunter. He is considered the best defensive player in the draft. He should also contribute to the high-powered offense led by Trae Young.
They still had the 10th overall pick and they got Cam Reddish from Duke. He didn’t have a great year but his upside was just too good to pass up. I really like the direction that this time is going. I don’t think that they are playoff quite yet but who knows? There are also reports that the Hawks and Lakers are talking trade so something else may be on the agenda.
Dodge County 14 and under Girls All Star Team Advance to State
The Dodge County Recreation Department 14 and under girls all star team advanced to the state tournament last week with their wins over Reidsville and Jenkins County. They will play in Jeff Davis later this month. Pictured above are team members: Dylana Barton, Josey Barton, Anna Bowen, Jimiah Burns, Mariah Flowers, Reagan Graham, Jessica Joiner, Georgia Jones, Meg Lewis, Ava Maxwell, Mylee Moore, Jaunavae Pattillo and Cailyn Wise. They are coached by Blakelyn Bundick, Katie Selph, Linzy Bowen and Gracie Lewis.
Russ's Sports Review
It was a huge week for baseball at the Dodge County Recreation Department (DCRD). Twelve out of town teams invaded Eastman for the Georgia Recreation and Park Association (GRPA) district one class “C” boys 12 and under tournament. It was a great week as the department was in great shape as Kyle Shipman and Shane Dunlap had the fields looking great.
The department battled extreme heat and dry conditions until rain moved in prior to the tournament. As said Director Travis Niblett on the fields “the weather was something we couldn’t control. It went from hot and dry to wet with no in between. I thought our fields played great. Our guys did a great job getting the fields ready to go”.
Live pitch baseball also presents its own set of challenges. A GRPA mandated pitch count is in effect for the amount of pitches a pitcher can throw in a game and in the tournament. There also has to be rest in between a certain amount of pitches. Travis Niblett had high praise for the staff “DCRD’s staff put on a clinic in this tournament. Many thanks to Hailey Hickman, Jenna Hickman, Caitlyn Gooch and Margaret Simmons who kept the books and the extreme challenge of keeping pitch count logs for 24 games. Things went without a glitch,” said Niblett.
As for the tournament itself, things started out on Monday. There were five games on the agenda. The weather did allow all five games to be played. The featured game was Reidsville playing Screven County. Reidsville had a strong team and won 5-0.
Tuesday was supposed to be a huge day with nine games on the schedule. The day featured perhaps the best-played game of that tournament as Reidsville played Glenville. Reidsville eventually won an extremely well played game, ending 5-4 in extra innings. The host team Dodge got underway in a 4:00 p.m. start. Dodge took an early 2-0 lead but the weather turned around 4:30 p.m. and the game was called for the day around 5:00 p.m.
On Wednesday, play got underway at 12:00 p.m. Unfortunately for our Dodge team, Johnson County would rally late to beat Dodge 10-5. The weather would play another role by mid-afternoon as lightning would suspend play for about an hour. Dodge would unfortunately be eliminated later in the day in a loss to Screven County. Play ended just before midnight as ten games were completed in a very long day.
On Thursday, play started at 2:00 p.m. under absolutely beautiful conditions. The tournament would be narrowed down to three teams, as Reidsville would wait for the winner of Screven County and Glascock County. The early game between Glascock and Screven would be a wild one. The lead would swing back and forth and eventually go to extra innings tied at 8-8. Glascock would eventually win 11-10 in nine innings in a game that took over three hours to play. That advanced them to the championship game against Reidsville. Reidsville was too much as they grabbed the championship with a 12-3 win. Both teams will be in the class “C” state tournament that will start at the end of the month.
The tournament was very well attended as 2500 people were at the event for the week. Thanks goes out to the Albany Umpires Association for doing a fine job of umpiring the event. Thank you to the gatekeepers Julianne Bellflower, Seth Cossett and Logan White. Thanks also to Body Gray who helped out on many fronts, to Earl Boutwell and staff with the concession stand and to Kyle Turner and Phillip Kilgore of the Georgia State Patrol for providing security for the event.
The department battled extreme heat and dry conditions until rain moved in prior to the tournament. As said Director Travis Niblett on the fields “the weather was something we couldn’t control. It went from hot and dry to wet with no in between. I thought our fields played great. Our guys did a great job getting the fields ready to go”.
Live pitch baseball also presents its own set of challenges. A GRPA mandated pitch count is in effect for the amount of pitches a pitcher can throw in a game and in the tournament. There also has to be rest in between a certain amount of pitches. Travis Niblett had high praise for the staff “DCRD’s staff put on a clinic in this tournament. Many thanks to Hailey Hickman, Jenna Hickman, Caitlyn Gooch and Margaret Simmons who kept the books and the extreme challenge of keeping pitch count logs for 24 games. Things went without a glitch,” said Niblett.
As for the tournament itself, things started out on Monday. There were five games on the agenda. The weather did allow all five games to be played. The featured game was Reidsville playing Screven County. Reidsville had a strong team and won 5-0.
Tuesday was supposed to be a huge day with nine games on the schedule. The day featured perhaps the best-played game of that tournament as Reidsville played Glenville. Reidsville eventually won an extremely well played game, ending 5-4 in extra innings. The host team Dodge got underway in a 4:00 p.m. start. Dodge took an early 2-0 lead but the weather turned around 4:30 p.m. and the game was called for the day around 5:00 p.m.
On Wednesday, play got underway at 12:00 p.m. Unfortunately for our Dodge team, Johnson County would rally late to beat Dodge 10-5. The weather would play another role by mid-afternoon as lightning would suspend play for about an hour. Dodge would unfortunately be eliminated later in the day in a loss to Screven County. Play ended just before midnight as ten games were completed in a very long day.
On Thursday, play started at 2:00 p.m. under absolutely beautiful conditions. The tournament would be narrowed down to three teams, as Reidsville would wait for the winner of Screven County and Glascock County. The early game between Glascock and Screven would be a wild one. The lead would swing back and forth and eventually go to extra innings tied at 8-8. Glascock would eventually win 11-10 in nine innings in a game that took over three hours to play. That advanced them to the championship game against Reidsville. Reidsville was too much as they grabbed the championship with a 12-3 win. Both teams will be in the class “C” state tournament that will start at the end of the month.
The tournament was very well attended as 2500 people were at the event for the week. Thanks goes out to the Albany Umpires Association for doing a fine job of umpiring the event. Thank you to the gatekeepers Julianne Bellflower, Seth Cossett and Logan White. Thanks also to Body Gray who helped out on many fronts, to Earl Boutwell and staff with the concession stand and to Kyle Turner and Phillip Kilgore of the Georgia State Patrol for providing security for the event.
Baseball Tournament Is Underway
The District One Class “C” Georgia Recreation and Parks Association 12 and under baseball tournament will continue today (Wednesday, June 12) at the Dodge County Recreation Department. Games will continue until the Friday night championship game.
Admission for the tournament is $2.00 for youth ages 6 to 17 and 55 and over.
Ages 18 to 54 will be $5.00 and children under six are free.
Admission for the tournament is $2.00 for youth ages 6 to 17 and 55 and over.
Ages 18 to 54 will be $5.00 and children under six are free.
Russ's Sports Review
As I mentioned last week, it would be a huge week for the Braves and that is the way things turned out. Things did not start well at all. On the field, they dropped 2 of 3 to a fair Pirates team. Off the field, Craig Kimbrel headed to the Cubs in a three-year, $43 million dollar deal. Reports are that Atlanta didn’t make the final four. Then came late Thursday. Word started to surface that the Braves had the lead on starting pitcher Dallas Kuechel. I still had plenty of questions but around 11:00 p.m., the word was out that the Braves and Scott Boras had agreed on a one-year, sort of, worth $13 million. Kuechel was scheduled to start Saturday for Gwinnett but he was rained out. Hopefully, he got to start Monday for Class “A” Rome. Kuechel seems to think it will only take two minor league starts to get ready. Right now, it looks like he would replace Gausman in the rotation. I really like the deal but bullpen help has got to happen or I think they will be in real trouble.
In a Sunday afternoon move, Atlanta did sign first round draft pick Shea Langeliers. The Baylor catcher was the ninth overall pick in last week’s draft. He is known to be a spectacular defensive catcher. The majority of the experts think he will hit plenty well enough.
Now for the week on the field. The offense was pretty good at times as Freddie Freeman and Ronald Acuna, Jr. led the way. Acuna hit a three run game tying homer in the ninth on Sunday to send the game to extra innings. The Braves beat the Marlins 7-6. As for Freeman, he was rock solid as always. He had ten hits on the week including three homers and seven RBIs. It wasn’t a great week for super rookie Austin Riley. He only went five for 30. He did have a pair of very big hits as he hit a three-run homer Monday to help the Braves come back and beat the Pirates. On Saturday, he had a late double and scored the games only run in a 1-0 win. Thanks to some late game heroics by the Reds, the Braves entered Monday night’s play only one game out of the lead in the unpredictable National League East. Things will get interesting this weekend as the Phillies come to Sun Trust Park.
I know the Hawks don’t get much attention but they made another really big trade last week. On Thursday night, the Hawks acquired shooting guard Allen Crabbe and two number-one draft picks in return for Taurean Prince and a future second round pick. In getting Crabbe, they do get his $18.5 million dollar salary. They do get the 17th overall pick in this year’s draft and a lottery protected number one pick next year. I really expect the Hawks to package a couple of this year’s picks to move up in the upcoming draft. Currently, they hold three first-round picks and three second-round picks in this year’s draft. There is no way they keep all three first-round picks so expect early trade action. They also have three first-round picks in next year’s draft as well. I wouldn’t be the least bit shocked if the Hawks are not a contender in the next few years.
In a Sunday afternoon move, Atlanta did sign first round draft pick Shea Langeliers. The Baylor catcher was the ninth overall pick in last week’s draft. He is known to be a spectacular defensive catcher. The majority of the experts think he will hit plenty well enough.
Now for the week on the field. The offense was pretty good at times as Freddie Freeman and Ronald Acuna, Jr. led the way. Acuna hit a three run game tying homer in the ninth on Sunday to send the game to extra innings. The Braves beat the Marlins 7-6. As for Freeman, he was rock solid as always. He had ten hits on the week including three homers and seven RBIs. It wasn’t a great week for super rookie Austin Riley. He only went five for 30. He did have a pair of very big hits as he hit a three-run homer Monday to help the Braves come back and beat the Pirates. On Saturday, he had a late double and scored the games only run in a 1-0 win. Thanks to some late game heroics by the Reds, the Braves entered Monday night’s play only one game out of the lead in the unpredictable National League East. Things will get interesting this weekend as the Phillies come to Sun Trust Park.
I know the Hawks don’t get much attention but they made another really big trade last week. On Thursday night, the Hawks acquired shooting guard Allen Crabbe and two number-one draft picks in return for Taurean Prince and a future second round pick. In getting Crabbe, they do get his $18.5 million dollar salary. They do get the 17th overall pick in this year’s draft and a lottery protected number one pick next year. I really expect the Hawks to package a couple of this year’s picks to move up in the upcoming draft. Currently, they hold three first-round picks and three second-round picks in this year’s draft. There is no way they keep all three first-round picks so expect early trade action. They also have three first-round picks in next year’s draft as well. I wouldn’t be the least bit shocked if the Hawks are not a contender in the next few years.
SPORTS
All-stars place in tournament
The Dodge County boys 12 and under all-star team placed second (runner-up) in the Perry Junior League Tournament last weekend.
They fought hard after playing for five straight days. The boys were presented with runner-up rings.
Members of the team are Christian Lecouris, Landon Sheffield, Ace Roberson, Brandon White, Griffin Pritchett, Darrell Johnson, Brycen Pruett, Kain Mincey and Asher Wooten.
Coaches for the team are Tom Sheffield, David White, Dusty Pruett and Joel Pritchett.
The Dodge County boys 12 and under all-star team placed second (runner-up) in the Perry Junior League Tournament last weekend.
They fought hard after playing for five straight days. The boys were presented with runner-up rings.
Members of the team are Christian Lecouris, Landon Sheffield, Ace Roberson, Brandon White, Griffin Pritchett, Darrell Johnson, Brycen Pruett, Kain Mincey and Asher Wooten.
Coaches for the team are Tom Sheffield, David White, Dusty Pruett and Joel Pritchett.
Russ's Sports Review
As I mentioned last week, this was going to be a real big week for the Braves. Things started on Monday night with the major league baseball (MLB) draft.
Atlanta had the ninth pick overall and quite frankly, I think things started really good. They drafted Baylor catcher Shea Langeliers. He is considered major league ready as a defensive catcher. His offense started slow with a hamate bone injury. Langeliers charged back in the second half of the season at the plate. He had a huge game in the regionals as he had a five for five game with three homers and 11 RBIs all in one game.
This is a move that I like. Catcher is one of the weaker positions in a strong minor league system. It wouldn’t be surprising in the very least to see him up by the end of the 2020 season.
The team had a pair of first round picks and with the 21st pick, they selected Texas A&M shortstop Braden Shewmake. Personally, I would have loved to see a college outfielder with power but more than likely there was no one left at that spot.
Shewmake is considered a foul-line to foul-line hitter but not a lot of power. He has good speed and he doesn’t strike out a lot. So we will have to see how the second guy works out.
When the clock struck midnight on Monday, the draft pick compensation came off of Dallas Keuchel and Craig Kimbrel.
There is no question that the Braves could use either or both of them but getting them is a totally different story.
I know that the Phillies, Yankees, Cub and Brewers are among the teams that could use Kimbrel in particular.
I believe that Kimbrel could be the key to the winning team in the National League East. If the Braves find a way to get them, I think it is a toss up on who wins the East.
If the Phillies get him, I think the Braves have little chance and would be playing for the wild card. Don’t get me wrong, I would love Keuchel but I think the bullpen must be addressed in order for them to compete.
Now for the week that was for the Braves. Honestly, it wasn’t very good as they went 2-3 at home against Washington and Detroit. Despite their struggles, it was worse for the Phillies as they were swept by the Dodgers.
The Braves only trailed by a game going into the Phillies late Monday night game against San Diego. On the surface, it shouldn’t be real hard work as Atlanta plays in Pittsburgh and Miami.
The legend that is Austin Riley is still rolling. He has eight homers in his first 17 games. He is one of only four players ever to do that.
You have to like the pitching of Mike Soroka and Max Fried. Both of them seem to have a great future. Wouldn’t it be great if the Braves could acquire a veteran like Kuechel or Bumgarner to put with these two fine young guys?
This doesn’t seem to work when Georgia hosts a baseball regional. Last season, they fell to Duke but surely it couldn’t happen again, could it?
Unfortunately, it was yes. After ripping Mercer in the first game 13-3, things went south in a hurry for the fourth seeded Dogs. They were whipped twice by a Florida state team that was fortunate to be in the tournament. The talented Georgia pitching staff was no match for the hot hitting Seminoles.
Hopefully the Dogs won’t pull a three-peat next year!
Atlanta had the ninth pick overall and quite frankly, I think things started really good. They drafted Baylor catcher Shea Langeliers. He is considered major league ready as a defensive catcher. His offense started slow with a hamate bone injury. Langeliers charged back in the second half of the season at the plate. He had a huge game in the regionals as he had a five for five game with three homers and 11 RBIs all in one game.
This is a move that I like. Catcher is one of the weaker positions in a strong minor league system. It wouldn’t be surprising in the very least to see him up by the end of the 2020 season.
The team had a pair of first round picks and with the 21st pick, they selected Texas A&M shortstop Braden Shewmake. Personally, I would have loved to see a college outfielder with power but more than likely there was no one left at that spot.
Shewmake is considered a foul-line to foul-line hitter but not a lot of power. He has good speed and he doesn’t strike out a lot. So we will have to see how the second guy works out.
When the clock struck midnight on Monday, the draft pick compensation came off of Dallas Keuchel and Craig Kimbrel.
There is no question that the Braves could use either or both of them but getting them is a totally different story.
I know that the Phillies, Yankees, Cub and Brewers are among the teams that could use Kimbrel in particular.
I believe that Kimbrel could be the key to the winning team in the National League East. If the Braves find a way to get them, I think it is a toss up on who wins the East.
If the Phillies get him, I think the Braves have little chance and would be playing for the wild card. Don’t get me wrong, I would love Keuchel but I think the bullpen must be addressed in order for them to compete.
Now for the week that was for the Braves. Honestly, it wasn’t very good as they went 2-3 at home against Washington and Detroit. Despite their struggles, it was worse for the Phillies as they were swept by the Dodgers.
The Braves only trailed by a game going into the Phillies late Monday night game against San Diego. On the surface, it shouldn’t be real hard work as Atlanta plays in Pittsburgh and Miami.
The legend that is Austin Riley is still rolling. He has eight homers in his first 17 games. He is one of only four players ever to do that.
You have to like the pitching of Mike Soroka and Max Fried. Both of them seem to have a great future. Wouldn’t it be great if the Braves could acquire a veteran like Kuechel or Bumgarner to put with these two fine young guys?
This doesn’t seem to work when Georgia hosts a baseball regional. Last season, they fell to Duke but surely it couldn’t happen again, could it?
Unfortunately, it was yes. After ripping Mercer in the first game 13-3, things went south in a hurry for the fourth seeded Dogs. They were whipped twice by a Florida state team that was fortunate to be in the tournament. The talented Georgia pitching staff was no match for the hot hitting Seminoles.
Hopefully the Dogs won’t pull a three-peat next year!
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