The Wandering Disciple

Sarasota, Florida: The holiday season is in the air and baseball is on the field for the Suncoast Athletics 7th Annual Toys for Tot Tournament. Opening round bracket put the Englewood Stingrays against Kangaroo Court Baseball on Sunday morning at Twin Lakes Park. The Stingrays were handed a 12-7 loss eliminating them from the tournament. Click on the photo above to view my Stingrays/Kangaroo Court photo gallery .

Sarasota, Florida: The Englewood Stingrays took the field for game two of Saturday’s pool play for the 2017 Toys for Tots Tournament. This time they would take on the New Tampa Warriors in the final game of the afternoon at Twin Lake Park. The Stingrays could not muster any offense in this one as they fell 15-0. Click on the picture above to view my Stingrays/Warriors photo gallery .

Sarasota, Florida: The Englewood Stingrays took a major blow in the first game of their doubleheader of pool play during the 2017 Toys for Tots Tournament. In Saturday’s game one, the Stingrays faced off against the Tampa Marauders. The Stingrays were held off the scoreboard in the opener as they fell 21-0 to the Marauders. Click on the photo above to view my Stingrays/Marauders photo gallery.

Miami Marlins pitcher Wei-Yin Chen gets work during a minor league spring training game in 2013 as a member of the Baltimore Orioles. As spring training progresses, its not uncommon to see a big league pitcher get work in during a minor league game while the big league club is on the road. This allows the big league pitcher to get his innings in their own camp rather than taking a bus to a visitor's ballpark. (Photo: March 13, 2013)

Englewood All-Stars clean-up hitter MJ Patrick takes an offering deep over the centerfield fence for a homer during Sunday's game against the Venice All-Stars.  Patrick's homer was the only home run for Englewood in the tournament.  The Englewood All-Stars lost to Venice and have been eliminated from the district tournament.  (Photo: June 18, 2017)

Englewood All-Stars centerfielder Donte Taylor gets under a fly ball to center to record an out during round one of the Little League District tournament at Twin Lakes Park.  Englewood lost the opening round to Sarasota-National and will return to Twin Lakes on Sunday for a round two matchup against Venice.  (Photo: June 17, 2017)

Hall of Fame hitter Ted Williams once said "The hardest thing to do in baseball is hit a round ball with a round bat squarely." This one quote sums up hitting at all levels of baseball. Hitting a baseball is probably the hardest feat in professional sport. The advantage always lies with the pitcher even before the ball leaves his hand. (Photo: March 14, 2012)

Tampa Bay Rays minor league pitcher Shawn Smith awaits the pitch sign from his catcher during a minor league exhibition game at Twin Lake Park.  (Photo: June 3, 2011)

With pitchers and catchers reporting this week, today marks the final weekend without baseball until Fall.  Practice fields like this one at Twin Lakes Park will roar to life in Florida and Arizona with the sounds of spring training in full effect.  (Photo: May 20, 2011)

Baltimore Orioles minor leaguer Michael Mosby drives a pitch down the left field line during a minor league spring training game at the Orioles Minor League Complex at Twin Lakes Park in Sarasota, Florida.  (Photo: April 1, 2011)

Neil Allen and Charlie Montoyo of the Tampa Bay Rays coaching staff discuss strategy during a Minor League spring training game in 2011.  In just a few short weeks, the complexes in Florida and Arizona will spring to life with the sounds of the game as spring training 2017 kicks off.  (Photo: April 1, 2011)

Alex Colome looks in for the sign from his battery mate during a minor league spring training game against the Orioles.  These backfields are the starting point on the road to the majors for young professional baseball players.  (Photo: March 31, 2011)

Every play in baseball begins with one thing, the pitch.  Delivered from the pitchers hand, the pitch is what gets everything going.  It is this very reason that the pitcher has been designated number one on the scorecard.  (Photo: March 24, 2011)

They say the hardest thing in sports is to hit a fastball thrown by a professional pitcher.  The was made more evident in a famous quote by Ted Williams, one of the best hitters the game has ever seen.   At 90 miles per hour, a hitter has less than a quarter second to read the pitch and decide to swing.  Combine this with having to determine where in the zone the pitch will be at the precise time you make contact, it is no wonder why the rate of failure at hitting is higher than success.  (Photo: March 17, 2011)

Congrats to the 9-10 year old All-Stars from Englewood Area Youth Baseball. The team represented Englewood in the District 16 Little League Tournament at Twin Lakes Park in Sarasota. Representing Englewood are (front row L-R) Bryson Vaughn, Jake Patrick, MJ Patrick, Adam Lee, Coach Goff, (back row L-R) manager Mike Patrick, Tyler Dunning, Newcomb, Donte Taylor, Tanner Martin, Cooper Benedict, Cody Mayes, Gabe Todaro and Coach Martin. (Photo: June 22, 2016)

The joy of a walk-off win filled the air at Twin Lakes Park when the Englewood All-Stars defeated the Sarasota-National All-Stars in a thrilling extra innings game in Round Two of the District 16 Tournament.  (Photo: June 19, 2016)

Sarasota, Florida: As the 2016 minor league baseball season gets closer, the teams are out on the backfields of Florida and Arizona preparing for the season with a schedule of spring training exhibition games. Today the Frederick Keys hosted the Charlotte Stone Crabs at the Buck O’Neil Baseball Complex in Sarasota. While the purpose of the games is player development and not winning or losing, these games provide a great opportunity to watch some great baseball in a close setting. There is still plenty of roster shake-up expected to occur before the end of camp, so the players seen with these clubs may not be the actual players on the team when the season opens in early April. Click on the photo above to view my Stone Crabs/Keys photo gallery .

Sarasota, Florida: Final preparations for the 2014 regular season are nearing completion as the Charlotte Stone Crabs traveled to Sarasota to play the Frederick Keys for the final time this spring.  As opening day draws nearer, the rosters are looking more and more in opening day form, drawing anticipation for the season to start. Click on the photo to view my Stone Crabs/Keys photo gallery .

Baltimore Orioles minor leaguer Henry Wrigley rips a double to center in Friday's minor league spring training game between the Double-A Bowie Bay Sox and Montgomery Biscuits. This was the first of Wrigley's two doubles in the exhibition game. (Photo: March 21, 2013)

Sarasota, Florida: As opening day quickly approaches, minor league players are still playing hard for roster spots during spring training. Today the Baltimore Orioles played host to the Tampa Bay Rays at their minor league camp at Twin Lakes Park. Here the Double-A Montgomery Biscuits played the Bowie Bay Sox in an exhibition contest.  Click on the photo above to view photos from the Biscuits/Bay Sox photo gallery .