Published: August 05, 2007 11:22 pm         

AAABA Sidelights: McLean brings D.C. back

The McLean Raiders will carry the Washington D.C. banner in the 63rd AAABA Tournament, marking the powerhouse franchise’s return after a two-tournament absence.

“We were designated at the beginning of the season as the team to represent the Clark Griffith League up here in the AAABA,” Raiders manager Tim Brown said during Sunday’s registration at the Holiday Inn downtown. “We had a pretty successful season considering it was my first year in the league and General Manager Dan Nellum’s first year in the league.”

The McLean Raiders went 24-17 and placed third in the Clark Griffith League, which traditionally sent its winner to Johnstown for most of the first six decades of the tournament.

Washington has 10 AAABA Tournament titles and 10 runner-up finishes.

The franchise’s 210 wins are second only to 24-time champion Baltimore (235).

Washington won five tournament titles in six years from 1997 through 2002.

But in 2004, the league began sending a team to Wichita, Kan., for the National Baseball Congress World Series. That year, a second team also played in Johnstown, but in 2005 and 2006 Washington didn’t have a representative here.

The new edition from D.C. looks as solid as those teams that fared well in Johnstown in the past.

“On the mound we had an outstanding regional tournament in Altoona,” Brown said. “We gave up one or two earned runs in the entire regional tournament. We’re very strong offensively.”

Shortstop Robbie Shields (Southern Florida) and third baseman-pitcher Jason Kitchen (Indian River Community College) are key infielders. On the mound, 6-foot-2 right-hander Nick Schreiber (California, Pa.), righty Eric Alessio (Marist) and left-hander Kyle Breese (Monmouth) are starters.

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Name dropping: Zanesville outfielder Chris Griffin is the nephew of two-time Heisman Trophy winner Archie Griffin.

Like his uncle Archie and his father, Duncan, Chris Griffin will attend Ohio State University.

Baltimore left fielder Steven Bumbry is the son of former Baltimore Orioles star Al Bumbry.

The elder Bumbry will serve as an assistant coach to Youse’s Maryland Orioles this week.

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Geography lesson: Maryland State catcher Wesley Coopman is a native of Paris, France. The 17-year-old attends IPECOM.

Livonia left-handed pitcher Stephen Teno is from LaSalle, Ontario. Teno, 19, is a junior at Central Michigan University.

Closer to home, but not quite at home, two tournament players hail from Johnstown, Ohio, and another is from Somerset, Ohio.

Columbus outfielder Jeremy Wentworth and Zanesville left-hander Don Smith are from Johnstown, Ohio. Zanesville lefty Josh Barrera is from Somerset, Ohio.

     

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