Team update from Tom

I was going to do it tomorrow, Tuesday, but the weather looks terrible.
So let's do it on Wednesday this week. I'm starting at 7:00 in the
hopes that some people with conflicting early commitments can swing by as
soon as they are available, but I should be there by 6:45. Stars & Stripes
has indicated interest in sponsoring us again this Spring, so I am
hoping for as reasonable a turnout as possible. Please let me know
whether or not to expect you at the party. I know that Mark Ulrich is
out.

Also please let me know whether or not you will play in the Youth
Benefit Tournament on April 1 and 2. To remind you of the format, on
Saturday we play three games, usually reasonably close to each other in
the early part of the day. On Sunday, we play a double-elimination
tournament, with seeding determined by our results on Saturday. I would
like to have a critical mass of players from our team, then augment as
necessary with walk-ons, team friends and family members. I know that
Mike Chapman, Chris Boniface and Al Peterson are not available.

Friday I received the practice request information. My intention is to
sign up for two nights during the practice period, hopefully starting
at 7:00 or 8:00. We will only have an hour for each, so I will try to
schedule both fielding and batting practice. I will keep everyone
posted.

Participation in the voluntary batting practice Saturday morning was
somewhat scant. Thanks to Dave Buttner for showing up. Between the Ex
Traders, the Exporters and my coed team, the SIIA BYTES, we had five of
us at Cameron Run. Jay came there after finding out that Upton Hill had
not opened as scheduled Saturday morning. Actually, this wasn't
necessarily bad because the machines kept jamming. I plan to go to
Cameron again this coming Saturday morning, and welcome anyone who
wants to join me.

Mark Ulrich will not be able to play with us this season. He is
undergoing a significant operation on his right elbow this week. Mark,
we will miss you, and hope you can join us as often as possible to bend
your other elbow.

I helped conduct the Arlington tryouts last Saturday, as I have done
for the last couple of years. While I do not actively recruit for our team
at the tryouts, I do keep an eye out for players who I think would be a
good fit for us. Two years ago I met Mike Chapman there. Last year I
met Chris Boniface. I look for decent, versatile players who appear to be
good guys, as both Mike and Chris truly are. Dave brought us Lee
Defibaugh in the Fall, another guy in the same mold, so we are really
not looking to add players. However, on Saturday, I identified one or
two guys that might fit with us and add infield and outfield depth and
youth. I haven't asked either to play with us this Spring yet, and
hopefully will be able to evaluate one or both of them during the youth
benefit tournament.

Tom