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|News Archive|
Team Meeting Scheduled | Article Posted February 3, 2010
The Meron's/Renzi Expos will hold their first
team meeting of the year Sunday, February 21st at Meron's in
Plattsburgh. All players and coaches are highly encouraged
to attend.
Criss, Bordeau Retire from CVBL Play | Article Posted October
13, 2009
Two of the Meron's/Renzi Expos' leaders both
on the field and in the dugout have called it a CVBL career
following the 2009 season. Both
Steve Criss and
Mike Bordeau part with
the team on a high note, having posted the same phenomenal
numbers in '09 that made them formidable from the plate
throughout their CVBL tenures.
Just as Criss catalyzed the team with his
play in the latter half of '08, Bordeau anchored an imposing
heart of the order in '09, posting an average better than .450.
Criss was likewise an over-.400 batter, and joined Bordeau and
Nick Lamica as the only
Expos to top the 1.000 OPS plateau. The accolades were
nothing new to a pair who can boast numerous league-wide honors
from their days with the Cardinals, Hornets, and Mudhens.
Both Criss and Bordeau, however, are far more
than the sum of their statistical exploits. They brought a
winning attitude along with their winning talent, an attitude
that helped the Expos realize their full potential as a team.
The Expos offer their sincere thanks to Steve
and Mike, and wish them all the best in the future.
A
Belated Thank-You | Article Posted October 6, 2009
It would be somewhat trite to recap the
Expos' playoff fortunes at this point, so instead, a quick
comment on the season, and some thanks to those who help keep
this team running.
While M/R fell short of its championship
aspirations for '09, they nonetheless saw marked improvement in
all facets of the game. A championship appearance in a
franchise's second season is nothing to sniff at, and hopefully
a portent of still greater success in the future. A
special congratulations is due
Mike Bergman, the
Expos' first CVBL award-winner in recognition of his pitching
prowess.
Running a CVBL franchise is a far more
exhaustive proposition than one might imagine, and so the help
of the following is enthusiastically acknowledged:
Zeke Perras - manager, co-founder,
tireless proponent of the franchise; Mike
Bergman - co-founder and ambassador for both the team and
the CVBL as a whole; Bill Perras -
assistant coach and a tremendous help to the team in too many
capacities to enumerate; Steve Criss
- captain and personification of the team's winning attitude;
Jim Calnon and Dave Davis - whose
work in the press box ensures that the benefits of Chip Cummings
Field are fully realized; All of our
player friends and family - lending their support, both
as fans and by various other means, week-in and week-out;
The Friends of the Expos - helping
to sustain the unmatched quality of the franchise's commitment
to its players; Our generous sponsors
- keeping the Expos in business at a time when such an act is a
mark of particular generosity; and of course,
The Expos themselves - as amiable,
professional, and passionate a group of players and coaches as
any in the CVBL.
Thank you all very, very much, and see you
next season.
Strong Showing Versus 'Jaxx Earns Bye for Expos; Will Face
Padres in Semis | Article Posted July 27, 2009
In need of a sweep and help to pick up the
CVBL's #2 seed and accompanying first-round bye, M/R held up
their end of the bargain and benefitted from a
Miners/Padres
split to earn the slot. Hockey Plus/Loreman's subsequent
perilous win versus the
Athletics in Round One allowed them to
advance to face the Expos in the semis, the two squads opening
up a best-of-three series next weekend in Saranac.
Chief among those responsible for getting M/R
a semifinal berth and homefield advantage was
Mike Bergman, who
pitched all 12 innings versus the
Timberjaxx to earn both Expos
wins. His second game was particularly impressive, as
unfazed by the wear on his arm, he held the Fourth Ward to just
a single hit in their final inning at the plate.
From the plate, the day belonged to
Justin
Mahan. The Southside native did not disappoint within the
familiar confines of South Acres Field, notching a five-for-six
day with two homeruns.
Next Sunday sees the outset of a series
between two remarkably well-matched teams. Both the Expos
and Padres finished 13-7 on the season. The teams split
both of their regular season doubleheaders, and are 4-4 over the
history of the Expos. An aggregate-run tiebreaker was
needed to separate the squads for playoff seeding purposes.
As far as entertainment value goes, it doesn't get much better
than this.
'Spos Falter in Game Two, Settle for Split Versus A's | Article Posted July 17, 2009
The Meron's/Renzi Expos came out firing on
all cylinders in game one of their doubleheader versus the
Fourth Ward Athletics, dominating from both the plate and
the mound to secure a 9-1 victory. However, the promise of
game one was not realized in the tail end of the twinbill, as
costly defensive miscues and an inability to shut the door on
the A's resulted in M/R's first-ever loss to the Fourth Ward
squad.
Nick
Lamica led the offensive barrage for the Expos in game one,
peppering the A's pitching to the tune of 4-4 with a double and
setting the tone for a 6-7, two-double performance on the day.
Mike Bergman was
predictably strong on the mound, allowing only a single run
while going the distance to pick up his sixth complete game.
Game two found the Expos falling into a
sloppy style of play in stark contrast to the crisp execution of
the first contest. The Spos' bats continued to hum -
Lamica, Justin Mahan, and
Casey Brighton each
turned in a multi-hit performance as M/R posted 7 runs - but
timely hitting by the Fourth Ward and uncharacteristic blunders
by the Expo D conspired to neutralize their offensive output.
With only a single week of games separating
the Expos from the playoffs, the unanticipated loss throws what
appeared to be an excellent shot at the #2 seed and accompanying
first-round bye into chaos. While possibilities abound
based on the outcome of next week's doubleheader at the
Timberjaxx, the setback means that the Expos do not fully
control their destiny even in the case of an M/R sweep. Be
that as it may, winning both ends versus the Jaxx is still of
paramount importance: another loss would eliminate nearly every
scenario that could give the Expos the bye. And so the
task at hand is the one that Meron's/Renzi has struggled with
all season long: play consistently strong baseball over both
ends of a doubleheader, and nail down the sweep. This time
around, the Expos' playoff fortunes could be at stake.
Delay in Updates | Article Posted July 11, 2009
CVBLExpos.com would like to apologize for the
delay in site updates over the past few weeks. As
enjoyable as both the team and maintenance of the website are,
the hustle and bustle of life outside of the CVBL can sometimes
make it difficult to lend them as much time and effort as they
would normally deserve. Please know that we'll try
diligently to update the site in as timely a manner as possible
down the road. Thank you very much for your patience, and
your continued support -
CVBLExpos.com
'Spos
Split Again, Hand Cardinals Second Loss | Article Posted
June 20, 2009
While last Sunday's result was tedious for
its familiarity - the Expos' 4th split in five weekends of play
- it nonetheless provided a promising win and a 2-2 season
record versus the league-leading and otherwise undefeated
Plattsburgh Cardinals.
Game one followed a familiar storyline: the
M/R starter, in this case
Mike Bergman, turned in a rock-solid effort, only to be
upstaged by an equally impressive opponent. In this case,
it was Cardinal Craig Bujold, who made the Cardinals' three runs
stand up in allowing only two by the Expos.
Of the four matchups this season between
Plattsburgh and the 'Spos, game two of this week's twinbill
probably featured the clearest single-game disparity in play
between the teams. Steve Burris, previously dominant for
the Cards, fell victim to Expos salvoes in the first and third
that provided all of the offense the Expos needed for their 6-2
win. Mark Passino
broke out for a pair of hits, while
Nick Lamica drew three
walks and moved at will along the basepaths. Meanwhile,
Billy Davis avenged his
previous hard-luck 2-hit loss to Plattsburgh with another superb
performance.
The
Fourth
Ward Timberjaxx visit this Sunday, reeling from consecutive
sweeps by the Cardinals and
Padres. This misfortune, however, is likely to simply
render the 'Jaxx all the more dangerous: their personnel stacks
up against any roster in the league, and they'll come in sick
and tired of losing games. The twinbill promises to test
the Expos' resolve as they enter the latter half of the season.
Hard-Fought Split Leaves Expos in Second | Article Posted
June 4, 2009
M/R rebounded from a tough game one loss and
a late game two deficit to salvage a split versus the
Hockey Plus/Loreman's Padres. Wind proved to be a
major factor throughout the day, as well-hit balls were turned
into easy outs by the constant gale.
The first game nonetheless saw plenty of
offense by both teams: a decisive two-run 7th provided the
margin of victory for the Padres.
Billy Davis took the loss
in relief of Mike Bergman,
as neither was able to successfully combat the Padres bats and
windy conditions. Steve
Criss and Pat
Shaughnessy provided bright spots for the Spos', as the
former smashed an opposite-field double off of the wall in
right, and the latter legged out a triple.
It was Shaughnessy's triple in game two,
however, that proved the most important by an Expo on the day.
His blast gave the Expos a lead in the sixth that they would not
surrender, as Nick Lamica
came on in support of Davis and shut down the Padres in the
seventh. Meanwhile,
Justin Mahan racked up a double to complete another strong
day at the plate, collecting three hits over the twinbill.
Next weekend sees the Expos playing a
Lyon Mountain Miners team looking to bounce back from a
one-sided loss to the
Plattsburgh Cardinals. With the Expos having lost
handily to the Miners in their only previous meeting, both teams
will come to the park with something to prove.
Expos Win Big, then Fall Hard Versus Miners | Article Posted
June 13, 2009
Solid hitting and a fine start by
Mike Bergman ensured at
least some measure for the Expos for last season's drubbing at
the hands of the
Lyon Mountain Miners. The Miners came out swinging for
game two, however, and reasserted their place as defending
champs with a dominant 15-5 showing.
Bergman's 3-hit gem found support from his
battery-mate Casey
Brighton, who notched a double in his Expos debut.
Cliff Conners turned a
masterful double play, once again underscoring the vastly
improved defense displayed by the Expos this season.
Game two found the Expos unable to stem the
late-inning tide of the Miners' bats, as both starter
Billy Davis and Bergman,
this time in relief, were hard-pressed to put an end to the
barrage of hits. Brighton continued to impress with his
second double in two games, but the Expos couldn't match Lyon
Mountain's potent attack.
With three straight splits and a 5-3 overall
record, the Expos stand alone in second on the CVBL leaderboard.
With the 6-1
Cardinals coming in for an away-at-home doubleheader Sunday,
a sweep would send M/R to the top of the standings, while two
losses would drop them to .500. It's a pivotal twinbill,
and given the teams' clash earlier this season, it stands to be
an entertaining one as well.
Hard-Fought Split Leaves Expos in Second | Article Posted
June 4, 2009
M/R rebounded from a tough game one loss and
a late game two deficit to salvage a split versus the
Hockey Plus/Loreman's Padres. Wind proved to be a
major factor throughout the day, as well-hit balls were turned
into easy outs by the constant gale.
The first game nonetheless saw plenty of
offense by both teams: a decisive two-run 7th provided the
margin of victory for the Padres.
Billy Davis took the loss
in relief of Mike Bergman,
as neither was able to successfully combat the Padres bats and
windy conditions. Steve
Criss and Pat
Shaughnessy provided bright spots for the Spos', as the
former smashed an opposite-field double off of the wall in
right, and the latter legged out a triple.
It was Shaughnessy's triple in game two,
however, that proved the most important by an Expo on the day.
His blast gave the Expos a lead in the sixth that they would not
surrender, as Nick Lamica
came on in support of Davis and shut down the Padres in the
seventh. Meanwhile,
Justin Mahan racked up a double to complete another strong
day at the plate, collecting three hits over the twinbill.
Next weekend sees the Expos playing a
Lyon Mountain Miners team looking to bounce back from a
one-sided loss to the
Plattsburgh Cardinals. With the Expos having lost
handily to the Miners in their only previous meeting, both teams
will come to the park with something to prove.
Late Scoring Seals Expo Sweep | Article Posted
May 25, 2009
The Expos used strong pitching to ride out
some early offensive miscues, and found their bats in the late
innings of each game versus the
Fourth Ward Athletics to cement a doubleheader sweep and a
3-1 CVBL record. A 5-run 6th provided the cushion in an
11-2 game one win, while 7 runs in the final frame cemented an
11-2 victory in the afternoon tilt.
The 'Spos remained rock-solid from the mound:
Billy Davis struck out 9
and allowed four hits over a complete first game, and
Nick Lamica equalled his
K count over 5 innings in game two. Particularly
encouraging was the return of
Mike Bergman in
relief of Lamica: unable to pitch last week due to a nerve
injury, he fanned four over the final two innings of the day to
earn the save.
Pat
Shaughnessy led the charge offensively, peppering the A's
pitching to the tune of 4-6 with a double and a homerun over the
course of the doubleheader. Lamica and
Justin Mahan also had
solid days at the plate, each picking up three hits, including a
double by Mahan.
While the Expos didn't fire on all cylinders
from a batting standpoint, they confirmed the potency of their
pitching and came through with their bats when they needed them.
Next weekend brings a
Padres team to Chip Cummings Field that matched evenly with
M/R for most of the '08 season, and improved their roster in the
offseason through the addition of several former CR Tunes
Mudhens. If their previous meetings are any indication, it
should be a stiff test of the Expos' mettle.
Expos Earn Tough Win, Take Tough Loss in Split Versus Cardinals | Article Posted
May 22, 2009
An unsatisfying end to the day capped an
otherwise excellent performance by the Expos in their CVBL
opener against the
Plattsburgh Cardinals. The Expos fought back to
finally take Game One 8-7 after two extra frames, then failed to
make good on a 2-hit pitching performance by Billy Davis and
dropped the second game 2-1.
The first game was a roller-coaster, with ace
Mike Bergman forced to
move from the mound to first base following a freak nerve
injury, and newcomer Nick
Lamica finding his control and pitching brilliantly down the
stretch to nail down the win. Lamica also joined teammate
Pat Shaughnessy in
tripling for M/R, while
Cliff Conners notched three hits against the formidable
Cardinal tandem of Tom Neale and Craig Bujold.
Steve Criss ended the
game in walk-off fashion, his line shot single to right serving
as payback for two intentional walks issued in front of him to
load the bases in the ninth.
Davis gave all the Expos could ask for in
Game Two, but the Cardinals' Steve Burris proved equal to the
task, and a two-run inning by the Cardinals held up as the
difference.
All-in-all, the Expos looked very good in
their victory, and remained formidable even in defeat.
Frustrating though a split might be, it served as a promising
start to their 2009 campaign.
Opening Weekend Washed Out, Friends Page Now Available | Article Posted
May 10, 2009
The Expos fell victim to mother nature on the
CVBL's opening weekend, as rain postponed both their home opener
against the Burlington Brewers and their CVBL-opening
doubleheader at the
Timberjaxx. Make-up information will be posted as it
becomes available.
On a lighter note the
Friends of Meron's/Renzi
Expos page is now available to credit those who gave
generously toward the Expos' 2009 campaign.
Schedule Addition | Article Posted April 30, 2009 | UPDATED
May 6, 2009
UPDATE: Please
note that the dates for the additional games have changed.
The Expos have scheduled an additional
non-league game to their already robust 2009 slate.
Meron's/Renzi will square off against the Adirondack Wild in a
pair of 9-inning wooden-bat contests at the Chip. Gametimes
are 6pm on Friday, July 10th and 1pm on Saturday, July 11th. Hope to see you there!
Team Schedule Released | Article Posted April 11, 2009
The CVBL released its master schedule this
evening; the Expos' 20-game regular-season schedule is now
available via the Schedule
and Results page. The Expos will also participate in a
substantial number of non-league contests throughout the 2009
season. These games are also listed on the Schedule and
Results page.
Additionally, all players in personnel are
asked to take note of the change to the team practice schedule
listed below.
We hope you'll join us for our Chip Cummings
opener versus the Burlington Brewers on Saturday, May 9th.
See you at the ballpark!
Practice Schedule/Preseason Exhibition | Article Posted
March 30, 2009 | UPDATED April
11, 2009
The Expos have released their preseason
practice schedule for 2009. The practice dates are as
follows:
April 19, 12:00 PM,
Lefty Wilson Field
April 26, 12:00 PM, Beekmantown High School
May 6, 5:30 PM, Chip Cummings Field
Any players who can make it are highly encouraged
to attend.
Additionally, an exhibition 9-inning home
game has been scheduled for the afternoon prior to the CVBL's
May 10th Opening Day. The game will start at 1pm, and
features the Burlington Brewers of the
Green
Mountain League. Please continue to check the site, as
the Expos' full slate of games for '09 should be available soon.
UPDATE: The
Expos' third practice has been rescheduled from May 3rd to May
6th, and relocated to Chip Cummings Field. Please note the
change in schedule.
Meron's/Renzi Pleased to Announce "Friends of Meron's/Renzi
Expos" | Article Posted
February 16, 2009
The Expos are pleased to announce a new way
for fans to help out their favorite CVBL squad. M/R has
launched "Friends of Meron's/Renzi Expos," a donation system
designed to allow the Expos faithful to show their appreciation
for the team without breaking the bank. For a simple
one-time, $10 donation, individuals, families, or groups will
appear in a special "Friends of Meron's/Renzi Expos" section of
each game program throughout the 2009 season.
Additionally, donors will be listed in a special section of this
website, to be posted near Opening Day.
If a donor wishes to appear solely on either
the program or the website, he or she can simply request this at
the time of donation. While all Expos player personnel
will be distributed some donation forms, for now it is easiest
to donate via either cash or check (made payable to Meron's) to
either Mike Bergman
(#14), Zeke Perras (#4),
or Aaron Bennett (#15).
Online donations are not possible at the moment, but could be
made available if demand is sufficient; please
let us know
if this would be the best option for you.
We hope that you will consider this
meaningful and cost-effective way to help the Expos in '09.
Major Site Update | Article Posted
February 9, 2009
Pursuant to yesterday's Team Meeting,
CVBLExpos.com has been updated extensively to reflect changes
and additions for the 2009 season. The Expos' 2009
Prospectus is now available via the top link bar. The
Roster page is up-to-date, and contains pictures and information
for several new players. Please check out the new content,
and feel free to
let us know
if anything needs fixing!
Team Meeting Scheduled | Article Posted
January 26, 2009
The Expos have scheduled a team meeting for
1:00 PM on Sunday, February 8th at Meron's Restaurant, corner
Bailey at Beekman in Plattsburgh. All new and returning
Expos personnel are strongly encouraged to attend, as a
number of important offseason matters will be discussed.
Matters at hand include, but are not necessarily limited to:
- Jersey allocation for players
- Cap allocation for newcomers
- Headshot photography for the M/R website (for both newcomers
and returning players who'd like a new picture for '09)
- Discussion of the Expos' upcoming season, and the outlook for
the CVBL as a whole in 2009
Additionally, the meeting will provide an
opportunity for players who haven't been in touch since last
summer to reconnect with teammates and meet some of the team's
personnel additions for the coming season. Anyone unable
to make the meeting should contact manager
Zeke Perras or let us
know via the
contact address for this site.
Hope to see you soon!
Conners, Lamica among Five Expos Additions | Article Posted
January 7, 2009
The Meron's/Renzi Expos are pleased to
announce the addition of five players -
Cliff Conners,
Nick Lamica,
Josh Powers,
Ryan Barcomb, and
Casey Brighton.
Conners, formerly of the Loreman's Royals, is
a standout second-baseman expected to contribute to the Expos in
a number of ways, from his defensive prowess to his winning
attitude on the field and in the dugout. In addition to
his time with Loreman's, his résumé includes solid performances
as a starter at the high school, Senior Babe Ruth, and college
levels. There will also be no lack of dugout familiarity
for Cliff: he was a teammate of Expo
Mike Bergman in each of
the aforementioned leagues.
Nick Lamica joins the Expos after a banner
American Legion season. A team leader from both the plate
and the mound, he should prove a fixture in the M/R outfield.
Lamica will also bring his pitching prowess to the CVBL,
providing the staff a southpaw look.
Powers and Barcomb, both excellent on their
Babe Ruth squads last summer, will split time between Senior
Babe Ruth and the Expos in 2009. While relatively young,
their time with the Expos should provide important CVBL
experience as their talents develop.
Brighton comes to the Expos from Vermont,
where he will play his final high school season this summer
before joining the
Plattsburgh State squad in the fall. Casey's talents
as a catcher will certainly be appreciated, as the physical
demands of the position make it a valuable commodity in the CVBL.
The new year has seen the Expos' 2009 roster
make great strides toward coalescence into its final form.
The team is still working to get better, however; check back
here for further updates as they develop.
Added Search Capabilities | Article Posted
January 4, 2009
CVBLExpos.com has extended the capabilities
of the CVBL Search box found on the left side of the page to
include individual articles from the Expos News Archive.
Rather than simply directing users to the large home and archive
pages, searching for a player or other information will find and
return individual stories. This makes the search function
much more useful; we encourage you to try out its expanded
utility.
Offseason News: Welch Signs Pro Contract, Expos Gain Coach | Article Posted
January 4, 2009
The Meron's/Renzi Expos extend their best
wishes to teammate Zack Welch,
who recently signed a professional baseball contract with the
Texarkana Gunslingers of the independent Continental
Baseball League. A standout for both the Expos and
Plattsburgh State, Zack's new team is scheduled for a 72-game
slate beginning in May of this year.
The Expos would also like to welcome
Billy Perras to the team in a coaching capacity. Billy is a
great addition to player/manager
Zeke Perras' staff, and
promises to prove valuable in a number of capacities during the
coming season.
Happy New Year! | Article Posted
January 4, 2009
As the Expos move closer to their second CVBL
campaign, we've decided to archive the site's 2008 news items to
reduce clutter in preparation for the 2009 season.
Depending on turnaround time, we may start to archive all but
the most recent five or ten stories on the homepage. In
any case, all archived news is still fully accessible via the
link at the top of
the homepage. All the best in 2009 -
CVBLExpos.com
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