2013 Season in Review, Part 12. Josh Bell, West Virginia Power

I spotted him hitting in the batting cage hours before a playoff game atHagerstown September 6th, and noted instantly from the way he conductedhimself around the cage and stroked the ball inside, I’d need some posedshots of him that day.This young Texan turned out to be special in other ways too. He went to aJesuit High School (Jesuit College Preparatory School of Dallas, TX) so youknow he got an outstanding education and learned a few values that wouldsustain him in a very secular baseball environment.Signing with the Pirates for 5 million dollars in August, 2011, he turneddown the dream of every young Texas youth, a full ride scholarship to playbaseball at the University of Texas (Austin).And after a serious partial meniscus tear the first month of the 2012season at West Virginia Power, he came back successfully the followingseason to hit 279 BA in 459 AB, 75 RS, 37 2B, 2 3B, 13 HR, and drive in 76RBI to lead his team, the Pittsburgh Pirates Low Class A West VirginiaPower affiliate to SALLY League championship playoffs.Seeing Josh swinging a bat in the batting cage that hot summer day, workingwith him on the photo shoot before the game, and focusing on his all outhustle, and timely bat in the first playoff game at Hagerstown thatSeptember day was another highlight for me during the 2013

Season 2013 In Review, Part 11. Dave Machemer, Richmond Flying Squirrels

I can’t let a season go by without seeing my favorite manager of all time,Dave Machemer, who in 2013 was at the helm of the San Francisco Giants, AA-Eastern League, Richmond Flying Squirrels.It took me until July 11th this season, but finally I caught up to my oldbuddy at Bowie, MD. I first met Mr. Machemer back in 1986 at the oldStockton CA stadium, where he was managing the Milwaukee Brewers Fast A –Stockton Ports to a California State League Championship.In the past 28 seasons since, I have seen Dave at least once a season, andmany seasons more times, helping him to weather the phenomenal 1,604 winsof his minor league managerial career.At Bowie this season, I had fun showing his young ball players an old postcardHOF photographer JD McCarthy took of him in 1978 at old Tiger Stadium whenhe played for the Detroit Tigers. The players couldn’t believe that Dave hadso much curley hair sticking out from beneath his cap in his younger days.I also gave him a reprint Bowman baseball card of old Satchel Paige, whomhe has admired since he met the old HOF RHP back in Kansas City many yearsago.With over thirty years as a manager and a player in the minors and thewin-lost record he has under his belt, let’s hope the Giants or some othermajor league team gives this man a chance to coach or manage in the majors.I’d sure love to terrorize him next time I see him at at the NationalsStadium or somewhere else in the Show, which is exactly where he deservesto be.

2013 Season in Review, Part 10. Jake Johansen, Hagerstown Sun

I always like taking the 178 mile round trip down Route 15, past a“Saturday night,” motel where I count the cars, the little house for salein the mountains that like Walter Mitty, I dream about living in, acrossthe upper Potomac into Maryland, down alternative Route 40 through themountain hamlets of Middletown and Boonsboro to Hagerstown, MD, the home atleast for another year, to the Washington Nationals Low A – SALLYHagerstown Suns.Seeing the home club Suns make the playoffs, and beat West Virginia threestraight games in the semi-finals could have been the highlights of myseason in themselves, but my supreme pleasure was seeing an unknown 22-yearold right hander, Jake Johansen, come out of nowhere to pitch 5 innings ofshut out ball to beat the Savannah Sand Gnats in the first game of theSouth Atlantic League Championship Series.The Nationals drafted 6-6 Jake out of Dallas Baptist University in the 2013draft and assigned him initially to Rookie A- Auburn where he was 1-1, witha 1.06 ERA, in 10 GS, walking 18 and striking out 44 batters in 42.1 IP.They then sent him up to Hagerstown where the first week in September, hegot two starts, pitching 9.1 IP with an undistinguished 5.79 ERA.After he had opened my eyes with his distinguished performance againstSavannah, I made a note of asking Jake to pose for a photo shoot beforethe next playoff game. He turned out to be a personable, clean cut, youngman, who personified the type of person you want to see succeed.And if there’s any justice in this hard world of professional baseball,you’ll see him succeed, and me get the house I want high up in the mountains.

2013 Season Review, Much Promise at Aberdeen, Part 9

After watching them end their regular season on schedule their first 12 seasons, it was pure pleasure seeing the Baltimore Orioles Rookie A youngsters at Aberdeen win their first ever McNamara Division championship, and finally compete in the NY-PA League postseason playoffs.I had several special days during this stellar season but best recall a day late in the regular season when I shot posed shots of the Iron Birds leading hitter, OF Conor Bierfeldt, and both of the Orioles’ 2013 18-year old, #1 draft picks, RHP Hunter Harvey and CF Josh Hart.I got a chance for my favorite posed shot, “Racing Back for a Line Shot,” with the two outfielders, Conor Bierfeld and Josh Hart who went through my photography gyrations enthusiastically, without question or complaint.Being a pitcher in whom the Orioles have a lot invested, and just off a long throwing session in the bullpen before I arrived, Hunter was limited to my standard poses of “Pitching from the Stretch with a Runner at 1B.”During the regular season and playoffs, Bierfeldt punished NY/PA pitching, hitting 262 BA, 15 2B, 3 3B, 12 HR, 36 RBI in 231 AB in 62 GP.At GCL until September 1st, Harvey got a chance to show his wares in only 3 GP for Aberdeen, but still showed much promise, striking out 15 and walking only 4 batters in 12 IP.Josh Hart played in only three games for the Iron Birds, but the speedster showed a lot of promise with some sensational catches and timely hits at GCLI felt good about my experience at Aberdeen this season. The youngsters never played harder, and won more ball games with smarts and hustle than ever before. I left Aberdeen after each game believing the Baltimore Orioles had much promise at Aberdeen this season.

Season in Review, Tennessee Smokies, Part 8

Much of the Chicago Cubs future played for AA – Tennessee Smokies last season, Justin Bour at 1B, Arismendy Alcantara at 2B, Javier Baez at SS, Christian Villanueva at 3B, Matt Szczur in CF, Rudi Silva RF, and LHP Eric Jokisch, RHP Dallas Beeler, and RHP Tony Zynch on the mound (Alberto Cabrera and Kyle Hendricks had moved on by the time I got there).During the August 14-16 Chatttanooga Lookouts series I was at, they smoked the ball. When Baez was not hitting the ball out of the park, Villanueva, Bour, Silva or Alcantara were, usually with speedy Szczur on base.The nice thing is they can also play their positions defensively. I saw Villanueva make Brooksie Robinson type plays at 3B, Alcantara play the ball behind second base, Baez goes in the hole at short and Szczur turn his back to home plate and high tail it to the fence to catch a fly ball.Seeing them all on the field was a highlight for me in 2013, and they will also light up Wrigley Field starting the 2014 season. Cubs fans will have some exciting moments in store for them with these youngsters.

2013 Season in Review, The Two Michaels, Part 7

I saw the Baltimore Orioles and Washington Nationals Fast A Frederick Keys and Potomac Nationals play a total 13 games against Carolina League opponents, including four games against each other, during the 2013 season.The highlight of all those games was seeing Potomac CF, Michael Taylor, and Frederick catcher, Michael Ohlman play better and better each game and develop into bonifide major league prospects.Leading the Carolina League with a 313 BA, 13 HR, 113 hits, and 53 RBI in 100 GP and 361 AB, Michael Ohlman looked an awful lot like Orioles catcher, Matt Wieters both at and behind the plate when he also played at Frederick. It must be nice to have an All Star catcher on the major league club and one rising in their minor league system.With 10 HR, 87 RBI’s and 51 SB in 133 GP, the five tool Michael Taylor led his teammates to a first and second half first place finish and Carolina League championship runners up during the season.I got to know both these fine young athletes during the course of the season, in fact well enough, to tease Michael Taylor one day at Frederick that he needed to smooth his swing out, as it was too jerky for me to get a good shot of him swinging at the plate.In his first at bat, he took me to heart, swinging fluidly at the third pitch, knocking the ball high over the right center field fence.When he ran back past me to the dugout after rounding the bases, he yelled over to me, “Was that swing smooth enough for you?”It’s good to see these decent young men rise to the top of their game in Fast A, and hopefully, they’ll keep suceeding in AA, AAA, and major league baseball as we need these two first class Michaels to serve as role models for our youth.down the road.

Click above to see the slideshow.

2013 Season in Review: Part 6 The Big Swing

I don’t think many folks would think getting hit in the head, breaking a expensive 500 mm lens, and stopping a game a season highlight, but the way the Frederick Keys medics, fans, and team officials responded to aid me that day stands out in my mind as very special.At Camp Day at Frederick MD on July 18th, I was sitting behind the Salem Red Sox dugout on the 3B side, focusing on Keys RHB, Allan De San Miquel, when he swung ferociously, the bat slipped out of his hands, and unbeknowst to me, headed in my direction.I found out where the bat went, when it hit the end of my lens, richocheted down my chin, neck, onto my chest, buckling me over in distress.The game was stopped, the medics came to my aid immediately, They stuck to my side until I was able to tell them what day it was, who I was, talk intelligently and convince them I was all right.When the relief left my side, Salem players and coaches outside the dugout looking up at me, the Frederick players looking over from the other side of the field, and the fans in the stands gave a roar of applause happy that me, the Old Photographer, was all right.Several nice ladies, probably the mothers or camp leaders of the large number of children in attendance, came over to me during the game offered their good feelings, aspirin, and water, all of which made me feel very good about the Frederick folks.Later in the press box, Keys media relations manager, Adam Pohl, counted all of my teeth and made sure I was all right.And to prove that out of everything that is bad, comes some good, I had to buy a new, faster 500 mm lens, and 60D camera body, which improved my photography, increased the interest editors had in my baseball photos, and the number they published.

2013 Minor League Season in Review: Part Five

Steve Luebber, Wilmington Blue RocksI always get a kick out of seeing Steve Luebber, who has been the pitching coach for Wilmington Blue Rocks the past two seasons.This season I got to see him three times when Fast A Carolina League Wilmington played at Frederick and Potomac.The former Twins RHP was the first to teach me how to squat right behind a catcher in the bullpen and have a pitcher of my choice throw the ball at me and the catcher to capture the great shot of the ball floating right in front of my eyes and camera lens..At first, I wasn’t too keen on the approach, but after I stepped behind catcher Doug Robbins at Hagertown that hot July day in 1991 to face the pitches of the fire baller, Arthur Rhodes, and later saw the shots, I thought it was a great technique and tried it many more times afterward through the years.Now every time I see Steve, he is still laughing about that day back in Hagerstown when he showed me how to get the “great shot.”

2013 Minor League Season in Review: Part Four

Mike Wright, Bowie Bay SoxI drove around the beltway and up Route 50 to Bowie, MD five times this season to see the Baltimore Orioles AA Eastern League affiliate, Bowie Bay Sox.Having 23-year old 6’6” RHP Mike Wright help me out by posing for shots for the Orioles Kid Magazine before a Richmond game and seeing him shut down a good New Hampshire Fisher Cats team later in August were a couple more 2013 highlights.The pose shots were unique in as much as I got Mike to simulate pitching from the mound rather than the bullpen which justly earned me a lecture from the team media relations for not coordinating the photo shoot in advance.Mike was 11-3 W-L, 3.26 ERA, 136 K and 39 BB in 143.2 IP last season, and the 2013 Eastern League All Star Game MV.He may just take his pitching wares to Baltimore next season, replacing Dylvan Bundy as the Birds next #1 prospect pitcher.

To see more images, click the Photo Galleries link in the above menu and see the Featured Galleries.

2013 Minor League Season In Review: Part Three

Brian Goodwin, Harrisburg SenatorsI love driving down scenic Route 15 all the way to Harrisburg, PA to see the Washington Nationals AA Harrisburg Senators play at newly renovated Metro Bank Park on an island in the middle of the Susquehanna River.This year I made the trip three times, and each trip’s pleasure was heightened by a winning Harrisburg club, exciting base running, timely hitting, and the smiling face of Senators’ center fielder and lead off hitter, Brian Goodwin.If Brian can get his batting average up and strikeouts down a bit, this youngster will soon fill the lead off hitter and center fielder need the parent club now has.

2013 Minor League Season in Review: Part Two

Manuel Margot, Lowell Spinners

Working with a 19 year old Dominican center fielder, Manuel Margot, was the highlight of my road trip to Pawtucket RI, Norwich CT, June 16 -17th and later Aberdeen MD.Typical of short season NY Penn Leaguer players, Manny was very excited to have his photo taken, and his catchy enthusiasm made it fun for me to take several photos of him.As soon as he realizes his power at the plate potential, the young Red Sox minor leaguer will be a five tool player who will find a home in center field at Fenway Park.

Even More 2011 Hagerstown Suns Photos

We added “even more 2011 Hagerstown Suns photos” to our photo galleries with new photos of the players listed below:Adrian Sanchez 2B,AJ Cole RHP,Blake Kelso SS/3B,Bryce Harper OF,Cole Leonida C,David Freitas C,Jason Martinson SS,Randolph Oduber OF,Robbie Ray RHP,Sammy Solis LHP,Taylor Jordan RHP

2010 Minor League Photo Schedule

We plan on shooting photos at 60 games the 2010 season. While an ambitious schedule, in past seasons, we have shot at as many as 100 games.So far we plan on seeing games at Harrisburg, Potomac, Bowie, Frederick, Knoxville, Dayton, Peoria, Greenville, Raleigh, and Aberdeen.We’ll see AAA ball at Norfolk and Louisville, AA ball at Harrisburg, Knoxville, Carolina, and Bowie, Fast A at Frederick and Potomac, Low A at Hagerstown, Dayton, Peoria, and Greenville, and Rookie ball at Aberdeen.We’ll see AAA-International League, AA-Southern League, and Eastern League, Fast A- Carolina League, and Low A Sally and Midwest League, and Rookie A-NY Penn League.And we still have to find a time to schedule Pawtucket, Louisville, Salt Lake, Iowa, Daytona, Billinf, Boise, and the Appalacian League.

2010 Brings On Another First Venture into High School Basketball!

New Year 2010 brought on another different photography venture for me - high school  basketball at the Damatha vs Paul VI game January 15^th in nearby Fairfax VAThe powerful Hoops USA National School and Washington Post Metropolitan #1 ranked high school basketball team, Damatha team beat an up and coming sophomore and junior loaded Paul VI team, 70 -54 in that contest.Except for a lot of missed close in shots, the young Paul VI hoopsters matched up with the mighty local power for much of the game. If they had their shooting eyes, they may have pulled off another upset liketheir last week’s win over another tough nationally and locally ranked rival, Good Counsel.My new photography is in support of Sporting News new “Recruiters Annual Magazine coming out next summer.

See more pictures here

First Plunge Into High School Football Photography

October 3^rd - Detroit Catholic Central

While at my 50^th Year Detroit Catholic Central High School class  reunion, I plunged into my first attempt at high school football photography, fittingly snapping pictures of my alma mater’s star 6-4. 245 running back, Niko Palazeti, in my debut.

Sporting News wanted photos of high school football and basketball Division 1 prospects for a new magazine it is publishing next summer.

Catholic Central is an awesome 6-0 and ranked 3^rd in the State of Michigan.

Niko is a bonifide Division 1 fullback who typically runs over opposing team tacklers, also plays nose tackle on defense and captains the varsity squad.

I also snapped some photos of CC running back Anthony Capatina and tight end Anthony Erickson.

See the Catholic Central Gallery

October 10^th - St. Johns College HS/Bishop McNamara

Back home in Virginia, I set up a photo shoot with St. Johns outstanding junior tackle Kevin McReynolds before their game with Bishop McNamara October 10^th.

Scout magazine ranked the 6-4, 284 pound McReynolds one of the top high school defensive tackles in the U.S.A.

While shooting game shots, I also focused in on McNamara’s  Hannibal Robinson, who is ranked among nation’s top junior running backs.

A tough battle on the gridiron between 14^th Washington Metropolitan  ranked St. Johns and 18^th Bishop McNamara was decided by a mere three points with the victory laurels going to Bishop McNamara.

See the St. Johns Gallery

New Available Photo Lists and Galleries

New in the Available Lists and Galleries:Bristol White Sox 2009, Elizabethon Twins 2009, Greenville Drive, Lowell Spinners 2009, Rome Braves 2009 and many more for 2009 now in the Featured Galleries!

Brad Meyers

WoodSportsPhotography.com©2009

New Pictures in the Galleries

2009 has started with pictures of the Louisville Bats, Carolina Mud Cats, Salem Red Sox, Erie Sea Wolves, Bowie Bay Sox, and Delmarva Shorebirds.  For a list of players check the Available Photo Lists.

Binghampton and Oneonta are New in the Gallery

Click the image to view it larger.Visit the gallery for Binghampton and Oneonta.
SEARCH WoodSportsPhotography.com

Three More Galleries Posted

Click the image to view it larger.Visit the gallery for Augusta, Myrtle and Portland.
SEARCH WoodSportsPhotography.com

Durham Bulls New in the Gallery

Click the image to view it larger.Visit the gallery for the Durham Bulls.
SEARCH WoodSportsPhotography.com