Welcome to this weeks edition of the goings on of the Wangaratta Rangers Baseball Club. This week saw the start of the 2017 North Eastern Baseball Association season. The men and women of the Rangers headed up the Hume highway to take on the Wodonga Warriors at Gayview Park Wodonga. In the early game, Rangers Orange were competitive but were out gunned by a very good Warriors White outfit. After viewing the score book, it seemed the game was quite close to begin with, but in the end the Warriors White got on top  In the end the score line was 23-7. In the late game, those wily Rangers Orange veterans hit the ball hard and had day out in the field running out victors 31-0. Once again thank you to all those Ranger supporters who headed up the Hume to enjoy Wodongas hospitality. Now the season is here what else is news on the Ranger front?

     Bryan “Moose” Wilson is giving the coaching caper a real crack. He has taken on the role with great gusto and enthusiasm. His little anecdotes each week are great to read. His enthusiasm about the future direction of the club is hard to ignore and all us in the Ranger family will get behind him and help him out. More clubs need guys like Moose to step in and lead with new ideas and philosophies. It will be a cracking season not matter what the end result for the Orange and Black.

     Yes yes Line Drive does go on about this each year but if you are unavailable for a game could you please place it on team app. This will help out Moose and his merry men each and every week to know exactly who is available and who is not. How do I join the Ranger team app you ask?  It’s easy. Download the ‘team app’ look up Wangaratta Rangers and join. Once you are confirmed you are in! Voting is being done via the app too, so when it is your turn to vote on a game just enter your votes and submit. For more information regard team app or anything on line please contact Cam “The Soak” Scott. Everyone should spread the gospel which is North Eastern Victoria Baseball.

     As like last year statistics will be done to the best of Line Drive’s score book reading ability on Game Changer. It has taken a bit of time to set up and will be updated as regularly as possible. Search for Wangaratta Rangers on Game Changer to have a look. Rangers Orange is a 2016 season while Rangers Black is 2017. Clicked the wrong year on one. Apologies for that but it will still work. It’s a game changer!

     Finally it’s happening. After years of discussion training is moving to Thursday nights. This has pleased Yarrawonga resident Cam “The Soak” Scott no end. It means he can play Wednesday night golf then go to training on a Thursday! Training will be at the normal time of 6pm and if you are unable to attend please let Moose know. Thursday night dinners soon to be announced so keep your eyes and stomachs open for some cracking meals!

     It’s great to see some new Ranger faces this year. Already many of them are making an impact. Nice to see the return of Shaun O’Neill to the club, he has fitted back seamlessly. Who would have thought otherwise. Over the next few editions Line Drive will have some more information about how the new recruits are traveling.

     If you saw the Rangers Facebook site the other night, the man of many talents Daniel “CFA” Griffin has already put his thinking cap on about this years Ranger Ramble VI. As all of you know the fines tin is back in action this year, and as usual it is an honor system. You stuff up, you pay! Trip is open to all who play for the Rangers and the minimum qualification is to play three games. Already it looks like there could be some trip rookies to add to the motley crew of regulars who look forward to this weekend away each year.

     Speaking of Griffin, his good mate Brad “Undies” Murdoch and his magnificent moustache were in Monday’s Border Mail. Both were representing Springhurst CFA with distinction in the country fire championships. Now my question is, is that a fine to the tin for being in the paper Brad? Or maybe just half the usual five dollars for a photo? It will be up to the fines master to decide that one.

     Yes the tin is back this year. Over the summertime some of the older heads were schooled in how to run a fines meeting. Wonder if any of those fines will make it into the Ranger vernacular this year. Only Griff and his merry men of the Wangaratta’s number one boy band Nambrok can ultimately decide upon that one.

     Avid tacticians of the punt Nathan “Rubberarm” Pool, Steve “Fernando Chompers” Peruzzo and Cam “The Soak” Scott have been having a red hot crack on the punt over the past few weeks. They have been up then they have been down and now they sit…exactly where they started. Still this will not deter the boys for the coming season as they know a big win here and there could make the end of season trip a little cheaper. Maybe Rubberam you could back Essendon all year to win the flag? Maybe??

     Special mention to those who helped out with the Bunnings BBQ a couple of weeks ago. Once again it was worth the effort especially getting our name out in the community once again. Spearheaded by Tony “Spinner” Smith the club gained some valuable dollars towards future ideas and plans. Nice work ladies and gentlemen.

     This year it would be great to see more and more photos of baseball from all games out there. Post them and share them and show that we do have a presence here in the North East of Victoria. From training to working bees to just being at the game the more exposure the better. You never know you might get your picture used in this esteemed publication too.

     This coming weekend will be a cracker. All games are going to be played in Wangaratta this Sunday from 11:30am. Rangers Orange play host to Porepunkah Panthers while Rangers Black will be playing Benalla Bandits in the late game starting at 2:15pm. Over on diamond two, Wodonga Warriors will be play Bears at the same corresponding times. Full canteen and bar facilities are available all day. Come buy a meat raffle ticket to win a meat tray supplied by our valued sponsor Londrigan Meats. Once again the Ausport van will be in attendance so give them a call if you need anything before they come up the Hume so you can make sure you have it there this Sunday. Come along and enjoy a day out at the Ranch.

     Line Drive is tipping the hat to those at other clubs in the North Eastern Baseball Association who are working hard to recruit players and develop junior programs. In the past couple of weeks the good folk down at Benalla Bandits have been out and about running t-ball clinics in Benalla and getting their name out there. It’s nice to see Porepunkah have got new uniforms and both Wodonga and Bears are promoting the game within their communities. It is great to see the clubs are looking to enter an Under 12 team in the winter championships and if this happens then it is a massive step in the right direction of baseball in the north east. Keep talking the game, up keep writing articles and most importantly let’s all get behind the great game of baseball. As a collective we can make it work and grow the game we all love to play.

Well that’s it for this week. Have a great week please share and spread the word. Just remember you never know where Line Drive may pop up next.

Oh and…………….

Go Rangers