Tri-State 2013 Preseason Writeup

The Tri-State Baseball League opens its 80^th season of play on Sunday May 19^th with a record 19 teams to play in the 2013 Season. Each team will play a 20 game regular season with the ‘Top Twelve’ teams qualifying for post-season play in August to determine a league champion. In addition, five teams will qualify for the AABC Stan Musial ‘State’ tournament to be held the last week of July to determine a state champion. One Tri-State team will also qualify for the AABC ‘Regional’ tournament in Wallingford, CT beginning on Thursday August 1^st  with a chance to qualify for the AABC World Series to be held in New York beginning August 8th.
The Litchfield Cowboys are the two-time defending league champions while past champions Bethlehem Plowboys (2010), Brass City Brew (2009), Winsted Whalers (2008), and Torrington Rebels (2007) will all be gunning for another championship. The Naugatuck Dogs are the two-time defending Stan Musial State Champions and will also be in the league championship hunt. Equally impressive are the Tri-Town Trojans whom have advanced to the Tri-State World Series in 2011 and 2012. The Wolcott Scrappers and Waterbury Wild, who finished in the top 5 rankings in each of the last two seasons are also looking for their first ever league title.
Several new coaches take over managerial duties this season. Dave Alarcon (Terryville Black Sox), Matt DaBlain (Burlington Hunters), Jeffery Fabbri (Prospect Chargers), Andy Watt (Lakeville Firemen), Paul Novakowski (Brass City Brew), and Mike Diurno (Ansonia Valley Vikings) look to jumpstart their teams this season with fresh starts.
Tribury Twisters will be playing their inaugural season in 2013 as the nineteenth member of the league and will be coached by longtime baseball administrator Ray Brown, who is the president of the Overlook Baseball program and serves as the commissioner of the Sandy Koufax league. Rounding out the league will be the Bristol Greeners, Amenia Monarchs, Watertown Blaze, and Thomaston Threshers.
The 2013 Hall-Of-Fame ceremony will be held during the Tri-State League World Series in late August. This year’s Hall-Of-Fame class includes Chris Clark, Rich “Shaq” Thomson, DJ Reese, Tim Hamel, Ed Gadomski, Jay Rocca, Pat Murphy, and Billy Liefert.
Tri-State would also like to announce its 2012 award winners and all-star team:
MVP:                Joey Serafin     Litchfield Cowboys
Silver Slugger:   Dave Casanova  Bristol Greeners