The Bellwoods Brickbreakers made history last season by becoming the 1st ever Kings Cup winners as the champs of TBL’s Tier 2 division. It was a hard fought path to the Cup, and the boys of Bellwoods enjoyed the fruits of their labor during the offseason. Parties, endorsement deals, and magazine covers were some of the ways their hard work was rewarded. Ownership, so overcome with pride, even went so far as to open up their wallets in the form of a new home park. Gone are the days at the Green Monster as Bellwoods prepares to play out of Diplomatico Field in 2014.
However, not everything was roses in the offseason for Bellwoods. Much like the 1998 Miami Marlins and the 2013/2014 Baltimore Ravens, Bellwoods will have a different opening day roster than the roster that won them the championship the year before. Gone are former player/manager Patrick Hembery, along with the Brodersen brothers (Erik and Ray). They will be greatly missed, as everyone contributed in last year’s magical season. However the openings created by these departures also creates excitement in the locker room with the potential to add great new players. After scouring every corner of the globe, Bellwoods managed to sign three great new players. That being said, here are your defending champions 2014 Bellwoods Brickbreakers:
Andreas Constantinou – The new manager and the ace of the Brickbreakers staff, he was a workhorse last season. Having started every game but one, there were concerns that Constantinou’s arm wouldn’t hold up over the course of a full season. Those concerns were put to rest however as Constantinou went on to throw the max 5 innings in every game he started (except for the 1st game of the season), leading his team to 7-4 regular season record. At the plate, the switch-hitting Constantinou is always a tough out, whether he’s batting from the left or right side. Constantinou’s best quality however, is his ability to come through in the clutch, as evident in last year’s playoff run. Down 4-1 in the Semi’s to Warden in the bottom of the 6th, he delivered a 1-out double to bring home a run and make it 4-2. From there he hit the game tying 2-run double in the bottom of the 7th, and capped off a great comeback with the game winning bases loaded walk to send Bellwoods to the final. His performance in the Kings Cup Game was even better as he threw 5 scoreless innings against Leaside, making 9 of the 10 outs himself on the mound (5 K’s, 4 put outs on shallow fly balls). The Finals MVP also provided the game winning RBI single in the 1-0 win.
Leon Perez – The big bat of Bellwoods. Perez had a magical season at the plate last season, leading Tier 2 in home runs with 10, and being responsible for a good chunk of the 95 “Runs For” Bellwoods put up. Perez loves to feast on the fastball, and was always a threat to put one over the fence in every at bat, regardless of the pitch count. However, don’t get fooled by the power numbers, Perez is not a “boom or bust” hitter. Not just content with hitting HR’s, Perez has the ability to spray the ball all over the field, making him one of the best overall hitters in Tier 2. Whether he’s winning games with a walkoff HR in extra innings, or playing small ball by putting runners on base, Perez is a nightmare for pitchers to face. Although he’d rather not pitch, Perez has proven himself to also be very valuable as a late innings closer, closing out the majority of games for Bellwoods last season. Never one to get rattled, Perez has the ability to settle down on the mound, focus and get the job done, as evident by his performance in the Kings Cup Game where he got himself out of a bases loaded, none out jam in the bottom of the 7th to preserve the 1-0 win.
John Hamilton – The last of the remaining “original” Brickbreakers, Hamilton was money as the team’s leadoff hitter and best OF. Showing a great eye at the plate and a quick swing, Hamilton would frequently get on base and set the table for the hitters behind him. Very rarely would pitchers be able to get him out via the K, meaning that even when making an out, Hamilton would more often than not put the ball in play and make the other teams work for the out. Hamilton was great at delivering what the situation called for, whether a simple single was needed to bring home a runner, or a home run was needed to provide a spark. As solid as they get in the OF, there were few better with the glove. Game in and game out Hamilton would make great catches in the OF getting his team out of jams.
Kevin Phoenix – The 1st of 3 new members of the Bellwoods Brickbreakers. Kevin made one appearance last season for the Brickbreakers, going 4 for 5 (all doubles) with 4 RBI in a 5-3 win over Leaside. A pressure hitter with flashes of power and great hand-eye coordination, Kevin showed that he’ll be more than capable of holding his own against Tier 2 pitching. Also a very reliable OF, he will look to build on his great TBL debut game last year and stretch out those good numbers over the course of a full season.
Giovanni Perna – The 2nd newest member of the team, Gio is an important signing for Bellwoods as he brings in some much needed relief for Andreas and Leon on the pitching mound. Gio has the ability to locate his pitches with ease, meaning batters will have to be on their toes and not get caught looking on a called third strike that just catches a corner of the box. Whether he’s coming in for relief, or starting a game, Gio will be an innings eater. This will be his TBL debut.
Luciano Perna – The final newest addition to the team, Luciano provides Bellwoods with another power bat in the middle of the order. With a lightning quick swing, and a great eye at the plate, Luciano is a stat stuffer and his offensive output will be a great addition to the lineup. Also good with the glove, he will provide some insurance in the OF. This will be his TBL debut.
Going forward, Bellwoods will look to build on last year’s success as they try to repeat as champs. With a handful of new teams making their debut in Tier 2, along with existing teams making significant upgrades, Bellwoods knows it will be a very tough road back to the championship. However, with a full season under their belt, and the rookie “jitters” gone, Bellwoods feels confident that they’ll come out even stronger in 2014 with a revamped lineup and a new home park. All the other teams in Tier 2 have been put on notice: you better bring the very best you got if you want to have a shot at taking the Cup!
