Meet the Hawks
With the 2006 season underway, it is time to look at the Hawks of new and old.  This year’s roster brings back a bunch of talent from last year and adds some new guys that will help fly the Hawks to a championship.  More in Depth Player profiles will be featured in upcoming issues but here is the “coles note” edition of the pitching staff.  Working around the infield we start with pitching.  Heading up the Rotation again this year is Pitcher of the year and League MVP J.R.  Jay (4-2 5.47 ERA) brings with him some quality experience and know how that will prove vital when the heat is on.  Right behind him stands last season’s mystery man; Brent Heaslip.  Heaslip (who is featured in today’s Hot corner) was in contract negotiations last season and held out for the year.  This brings us to Ryan Aida (2-2 5.53 ERA)and Nate Robinson (3-3 7.39 ERA) who will rotate for the 3rd starter position.  Ryan has been nails pitching in Big time situations.  With a sunny disposition and some great rotating facial hair, Ryan has pitched phenomenally this season and last.  Nathan AKA “The human rain delay” has worked hard this off season to ensure that he is both mentally and physically ready to dominate on the mound.  Nathan Started the season with 3 k’s in the first inning against a tough hitting leaside team.  With this output, he is on pace for 120 k’s this season!!! Way to go Nate!  Spot starting and setting up for Closer Mark West will be Neil Baker (1-2 5.66 ERA) and Matt Dilullo (0-1 2.76 ERA).  Matty was the diamond in the rough last year who came on to hold Etobicoke for 5 innings at the Provicial Elimination tournament.  His Bulldog attitude and will to win makes him both an asset on the mound, and at third.  “Matty would give up his children to win a game” said long time girlfriend Jess.   Baker is coming off yet another season of joy, the soft spoken angry man was primarily a middle man last year who did his job beyond expectations.  Neal has an excellent curveball and has developed a DIRTY change up that has proven very effective this season.  To say the least, he is a perfectionist.  Solid make up and good stuff will take this guy a long way!  Situational lefty Elliot Lew looks to rebound from knee troubles and with his 1-2-3 inning in T – Hill last week he seems to be on the right track.  Closing the games this year will be back in the hands of the relatively gorgeous Mark West (2-1 4 saves 0.73 ERA). With 17 K’s in 12 innings last year and a stature that had batters shaking in their spikes.  Should the shoulder hold up, this could prove to be a banner year for the Grizwalds!

Hawks Drop Home Opener…"OH $#@%!"
Starting the year, the Hawks sent J.R. to the mound.  Although he had been throwing for a few weeks already, Jason had some rust to knock off early in the game.  Helping him with this was the leaside offence.  Although he took the loss, Jay threw well.  Defensively and at the dish, the hawks were also showing a little inexperience allowing 9 runs while only scoring two.  “When the season starts, you are really jacked up.  You want to go out there and get to it but what we have to realize is “it” will take time” J.R. Stated. Although Leaside was equally as painful to watch, there were highlights from our side.  Dave Valentini stroked in both Hawks runs and Mark West went 2 for 3 with a broken bat and a broken foot. Liam O’brien showed why we signed him with some spectacular defensive play, while the Hawks outfield seems to have picked up where it left off, with closing speed and attitude to go with it.  Leaving the diamond feeling a little dejected but ready to make up for it, Erriot Rew was heard saying “Bowm Bowm Bowm”  the direct translation was made by Korean Lem Kim, it means “Sometimes you win and you really lose…, sometimes you lose but you really win…, sometimes you win and lose and sometimes you don’t win OR lose.  TTE would like to know what the hell that meant!!!

Heading into T-Hill
The Newmarket Hawks traveled to Thornhill last Wednesday looking to find a little bit of mid season form. Hoping to get things moving in the right direction, the Hawks gave up a 3 spot in the first and were shut down with some solid pitching from the Thornhill squad. Dave Valentini led the offensive attack going 3 for 5 and Brent Heaslip chipped in with 2 knocks himself. Nathan Robinson drove in both runs for the Hawks and took some excellent hacks all night. Former veteran and now rookie again, Brent Heaslip tossed 2 solid innings in relief, showing why he was such a valuable addition to the Hawks lineup this year. Brent also wears glasses and looks really smart. Matt Dilullo, who rose up the ranks last year also took the bump racking up 4 K’s in 3 1/3 innings. And Ryan Aida who started on the hill for the Hawks looked really good at 1st base. All kidding aside, Ryan was more than redeemed with his next outing in Barrie. When asked about his performance at the plate, Dave Valentini added some words of wisdom. “Well, just like last year, and the year before, and quite frankly the year before that, this is my last year. So I just figured hey, sometimes you’re the windshield and sometimes you’re the bug. Tonight…wait…I don’t think that works here…you’re not writing this down are you” Yes Dave, we certainly are.

Dilullo, who was just promoted to Assistant Shoe Lacer with his company, KSwiss, added his own insight. “You know, we just have to keep on truckin’. I mean, this isn’t rocket surgery here. Chances are, if we score more runs than the other team, we will have a good shot at winning most games”. Matt has never been great with math, and in fact still uses an abacus, but we do know where he’s coming from.

10 Guys, a Coach and a Stat Man…
Heading into Barrie on Mothers day was looking to be a chance for the Hawks to pull out of the downward spin that started almost a week ago.  A new, young and talented Cougar team was ready for the challenge.  On this day, the defense showed up!  Both teams were knotted at one for 6 innings with Ryan Aida, Matt Dilullo and Neal Baker firing perfect pitches and eye opening breaking balls.  The pre game was tense as there were only 8 guys there until 10 min before the game when we were rescued by Bryan Steinberg and Neal baker.  This made the nine that we needed and we took the field.  A slight miscue in Center field actually opened up the flood gates allowing the Cougars to score 4 runs in the 7th and walk home to a 5-1 victory.  The bats of the Hawks were relatively silent, for the most part due to the phenomenal pitching of the young Cougar.  In a post game interview, the Navajo was heard speaking with Darren Deutichen.  “I have told these guys a thousand times, maybe even a hundred; Never, and I mean NEVER take a cougar lightly.  Not that we took the team lightly.  Really if you think about it, gas is really expensive right now and how the heck am I supposed to get a drink or smoke with the prices on the rise?  Did you know it is said to hit 1.20/L this summer?  I mean what is up with that???”  Obviously we have no idea what Glenn was talking about and it seems that he has some deep routed issues that he has to work out.  The good news is he has been to every game and he looks to be back to the Glenn of old!

Footnotes
• Adam Beck (lovingly known as Road Water) made an appearance in Thornhill. Being the gamer that he is, he is considering becoming a lefty this offseason.

• Liam O’Brien is as slick as a greased pig at short

• When using Red Hot for sore muscles, trust the Navajo. Just use a little or your arm will burn for hours.