2010 Showcase Season

Now that the games are officially over for the year.

Share with us your best showcase experience. Maybe it was a particular venue that impressed you, a certain play you witnessed, a college coach that you enjoyed meeting, a special game your team won, a can't miss player that you saw play for the first time or seeing eye candy that left you wishing you were still a young stud.

As for me it was spending time in the dugout with the NC teams at East Cobb and watching Luis try and pickup the gorgeous singer at Woodstock!!!

 

Stretchlon....... love your posts

You clearly are so knowledgeable in all aspects of the game and what is going on. Again, I am new on TBR and so would ask, in the famous words of Bob Ethridge:
"Who ARE you?? Who ARE you???
if you don't mind, background and history,

Thanks,

INFF
And if this Q is inappropriate for the forum, ignore me.

 

Favorite

The fine Italian food in Blacksburg, VA with my favorite umpiring buddy, "Stretchy" himself!!!!

The friendliest coach on the showcase circuit, Tim from Hitters Warehouse.

Watching Steve throwout the same coach 4 times in one minute at Christopher Newport. (Of course, I did throw the hook out there and get the coach primed up.)

Jeff Petty and his Canes winning back to back titles at East Cobb, for all the flack Jeff gets, he really is a great guy and truly cares for his players and his organization. Congrats, Jeff.

And especially all the moms and dads that make an umpires job so fun, being able to call balls and strikes from 150 feet behind home plate or from a 90 degree angle over behind the dugouts. Just kidding!!!

To all the parents, a special thanks, for believing in your kids futures and keeping them involved with the greatest game in the world....BASEBALL!!!

 

Who am I.....

Ok let's see if this bio will get me into the Hall of Fame or into Sing Sing Prison. I was born 54 years ago last week in Bogota Colombia, the land of futbol and cocaine, neither of which I enjoy these days. Since my dad knew I was going to hate growing up playing soccer and eating fried bananas he brought me to the states at age 2. I grew up in the North living in Lincoln, Rhode Island and Hasbrouck Heights, New Jersey, which is where I went to elementary and high school, dropped out of college. Ironically my Dad was too busy building a textile business (Stretchlon) that he never played baseball or any other sport with me, therefore I never had the chance to play little league or high school baseball BUT I did play sandlot ball, wiffle ball, stick ball, punch ball and street ball every waking moment. When I was about 12 my uncle took me to a New York Mets game at Shea Stadium and I still remember the feeling I got when I first laid eyes on that massive field. I was hypnotized by the game and I have been lucky to be around the game from that day forward.
I have been to see a game in every major league city including a few World Series game 7's, coached players that are now in the major leagues, coached a team in Cooperstown, Disney and Hawaii tournaments, been President of the local Babe Ruth league, coached a team to the first ever little league state championship from my city (Rocky Mount), founded the www.stretchlonstars.com travel team in 1999 before the days of showcase baseball, established the first indoor batting/fielding center in my city for the local high school team, been a high school booster club president, started a weekly sports show on local cable TV that will be on the air 9 years next month, ran the NYC marathon (3:42) in 1983, played in a softball league for ten years, won the local YMCA racquetball C Division championship in 1984, collected every Topps baseball card from 1975 to present.
I have been married to a local girl for 25 years and have a 23 year old son at Vermont Law School and a 21 year old daughter at Nash Community College. For the last 4 years I have been a high school and college umpire and book the umpires for most of the showcase events in our state. In the fall I host my own showcases for D3 and Juco colleges here in Eastern NC. Aside from baseball the only other thing I enjoy is good looking mom's and hot summer days. My name is Richard Sarmiento but you can call me Stretchy.

 

Two things: stick out in my mind:

-meeting Kevin Bumgarner up near Asheville as he umpired a game behind the plate. I had no idea who he was until the game was over but having a son who catches and in our usual spot next to the backstop mom and I were entertained by Kevin's banter. He called a good game too!

- Also going to East Cobb for the first time. Had seen this type of atmosphere on the girls side in Boulder before but enjoyed seeing the baseball side of things. Playing at the old Durham Bulls stadium this fall was fun too.

 

in no particular order

• watching Mikal Hill jerk one out of the Minnesota Twins spring training facility batting lefty with a wood bat
• watching Michael Russell nailing a runner from deep, deep third with a super quick release and an accurate throw
• watching Jason Creasey pound the strike zone with some serious pop and then break off some knee-buckling curveballs just to mix it up
• watching Connor Andrus block everything that came his way...always!

a not so pleasant memory...trying to find one square foot of shade anywhere at NC State's stadium on a unbelievably sweltering day...game called when opponent had two pitchers ask out of the game due to the heat.

 

Strecthy..........

HAS HAD SUCH AN IMPACT ON SO MANY YOUNG MENS LIVES THRU THIS GAME!!!!!!!! He has over the years had this uncanny ability to keep the game fun for the young men whom have played for him.Both of my boys played for him and both will tell you to this day,(one played in college and has graduated,the other is playing in college now)that some of the most fun times they ever had playing the game was for Strecthys Stars teams,and both went on to play for the two of the highest profile showcase organizations in this state.Stretchy always, thru his love of the game, taught the kids that when it is'nt fun its not a game anymore.NO ONE AND I MEAN NO ONE loves and respects this game more than Richard!!I am so thankful that my guys had the oportunity to experience playing the game of baseball for and with him,they were fortunate to have had the oportunity and as for me.........I FEEL VERY FORTUNATE TO CALL HIM MY FRIEND!!

 

You

meet and get to know a lot of people over the years being around the game of baseball. I can't remember when I met Richard. I know it had to be at a baseball field somewhere. But I know that every single time I have ever needed anything or asked for anything it was a done deal no questions asked. There have been so many times when he has stepped up and helped a young man out , too many to count. And many times the people he helped have no idea it was Richard that made it happen. I have never met anyone that loved the game of baseball anymore than Richard. I have never met anyone that cared for those that play it anymore than Richard. I am proud to call him my friend. I respect him as an umpire because he cares and he gives you his very best every time out. But I respect the person that he is even more.

I am not sure how this thread came about but I am glad it did because I probably never would have posted this stuff on here without it. Those that know Richard and can call him their friend are very lucky people. He is a class act in every way. Have a nice day , RS. Your the man in my book.