Triple the Teams, Triple the Success

The summer baseball is under way, and that means that it’s time for the Saratoga Stampede to make their bid for a New York State Championship.
This year is a little different than previous seasons, as the Stampede organization is fielding not just one, not two, but three different teams for the summer of 2008.
As if Manager Paul Mound, one of Saratoga’s busiest men to begin with, doesn’t have enough on his plate, he has kicked it up a notch this year by adding two brand new clubs.
In addition to the 19-and-under American Legion squad, Mound has added a 16-and-under junior Stampede team as well as a 22-and-under wood-bat club.
The Stampede has a unique support system, as several of the players play on the Legion team as well as the wood-bat team, and several players from both squads can be found supporting their organizational mates from the other Stampede clubs by attending their games.
All three teams have found success in the early going this year, as the college team holds a record of 16-2, the Legion club boasts an undefeated record of 9-0, and the junior team’s record is 9-3.
Mound spoke of why he decided to expand his workload threefold.
“Essentially, I felt that there was a two-fold need in our community to give younger players in Saratoga a chance to play legion baseball, which was requested of us by the American legion organization itself. They’re trying to get all of their senior legion franchises to establish junior legion franchises,” said Mound.
That wasn’t what motivated him, though.
“What principally motivated me to begin a junior legion team was my involvement coaching young players at Spa Catholic,” said the Saints’ junior varsity coach. “The talent that I have seen at Spa Catholic, coupled with the talent that I knew existed at Saratoga high school made establishing a junior legion program a natural because it gives us a true legion feeder program to our very successful senior legion team.
The senior team is currently ranked sixth in New York State.
Mound is also using the junior team to gauge his expectations for when they move up to the senior squad.
“I’m very anxious to see outfielder Kyle Willmott, shortstop/pitcher Billy McDonough, infielder/pitcher Dylan Anderson, left handed pitcher Jordan Stubblebine, catcher Jack Keller, who was a freshman starting catcher for the Spa Catholic varsity team, as well a infielder Dale Long, and many, many others whose future makes the senior Stampede program very, very bright.”
Mound is excited for his teams’ success, but is possibly more excited about the opportunity that the new clubs allow for the youths of Saratoga Springs.
“Although the workload is intense, it allows 50-plus players to participate in Stampede baseball in 2008, with a record of achievement as dictated by their combined 36 win, 5 loss season so far,” said Mound.
With all of the Stampede teams having stellar seasons, it makes Mound’s labor of love that much easier, and the overall future of the program looks very, very bright.