Diamond Notes

RHP Lou Trivino (Slippery Rock, Quakertown Blazers,2011) and LHP Tim Mayza (Millersville, Quakertown Blazers, 2011) had successful seasons in 2018 with the Oakland Athletics and Toronto Blue Jays respectively. Trivino posted a 8-3 record with four saves and 24 holds in 71 games with the A’s. In 76 innings he struck out 86 with a 1.12 WHIP and tossed three shutout innings against the New York Yankees in a wild card American League playoff game.

Mayza had a 2-0 record for the Blue Jays with a 3.28 ERA and 40 strikeouts in 35.2 innings. He did not allow a run in his last 18 appearances of 2018 as a left handed relief specialist.

RHP Matt Festa (East Stroudsburg, Staten Island Tide, 2013-14) will be the third former PSAC/ACBL pitcher to have a reliever role in the American League for the 2019 season. Festa spent most of 2018 at the AA level, but did post a 2.16 ERA in eight appearances for the Seattle Mariners in 2018.

Larry Babich, an outstanding field manager and great supporter of the ACBL for 19 seasons, passed away on November 15 at the age of 82.

Larry managed the Jersey Pilots and over 100 of his former players went into professional baseball with fourteen reaching the Major Leagues including Rick Cerone, Charlie Puleo and Eric Young Sr. The Pilots won ACBL championships in 1973, 1984 and 1990.

Larry graduated from the University of Bridgeport with a degree in journalism and was a reporter for the Jersey Journal for more than 30 years. He also had successful stints while coaching baseball at Jersey City State and New York Tech.

The Atlantic Collegiate Baseball League will return to eight teams in 2019 after adding the New York Phenom and Ocean Ospreys.

Anthony Ferrante will be the field manager for the Phenom while Rob Bass is the General Manager. Angelo Fiore will be the executive director of the Ospreys while Joe Mazza will handle the GM duties.

The Kaiser Division will consist of the New York Phenom, North Jersey Eagles, Ocean Gulls and Ocean Ospreys.

The Wolff Division includes the Allentown Railers, Jersey Pilots, Quakertown Blazers and the Trenton Generals. The Generals have reorganized with Mike Olshin as general manager and Kevin Schneider as field manager.