2023 LLIWS Preview: Northwest Czech Republic, Prague

For the second consecutive year, I am thrilled to be calling Little League's Intermediate 50/70 Baseball World Series July 30-August 6! This is not the 12-year-olds you see on TV in Williamsport, Pennsylvania, every year, but kids one year older, playing on a slightly bigger field (50-foot pitching distance, 70-foot basepaths) in Livermore, California. It's a different vibe than Williamsport, but extremely cool nonetheless, and it was really special for me to call the 2022 tournament, including the championship game on ESPN2.

So leading up to the 2023 Intermediate 50/70 World Series, which will air entirely on ESPN+, I want to introduce each of the competing teams with whatever information I've been able to glean on their path to Livermore (and to your ESPN+ screen!).

Northwest Czech Republic, Prague

League:
Northwest Czechia Little League
Location:
Prague, Czech Republic
Championships:
Czech
Europe Africa
Record: 7-2
Date Qualified: July 1
Noteworthy:
1st team from Prague and 2nd Czech team other than South Moravia to qualify for Little League World Series at any age group
Coaches:
Richard Jarošík, Pavel Štilip, Hana Vančurová

It's been quite a year for Czech baseball, with the country's World Baseball Classic debut resulting in both increased awareness and in qualification for the tournament's next edition in 2026. Those Czechs were easy-to-root-for underdogs.

Domestically and in Little League's Europe-Africa region, however, the South Moravia Little League, now known as South Czechia, has been the dominant force. Upset by the Dutch in last year's 13-year-old Europe Africa final, signs pointed toward the South returning to Livermore in 2023.

Instead, we got more Czech underdogs!

The Warriors from the Northwest region, which includes the capital, Prague (Praha), took advantage of the single-game championship final favored in many tournaments to come out of the elimination bracket and knock off South Czechia in the Czech final and, more than a month later, do the same against favored Kennemerland Little League from the Netherlands in the Europe Africa final.

Manager Richard Jarošík, formerly a trainer of e-sports athletes, is fond of fiery pre-game pep talks and  prioritized team spirit over Czech national-team pedigree in selecting this year's all-stars (based in part on his studies in physical education and sport at Charles University in Prague). He may need every ounce of motivation he can find, given the opening-game matchup against Korea. But his team's journey to California provides us with one more Czech baseball underdog story in 2023!

Road to Livermore
Czech Republic
May 20	East / Moravia-Silesia	W	19-1
May 21	South / Brno (winners' final)	L	7-10
May 21	Northeast / Liberec (elimination final)	W	20-10
May 21	South / Brno (final)	W	7-4
Europe Africa
June 26	Kennemerland, Netherlands	L	2-4 (8 inn.)
June 28	Northeast Czech Republic	W	13-1
June 29	Croatia North	W	12-2
June 30	Southwest Germany (elimination final)	W	5-1
July 1	Kennemerland, Netherlands (final)	W	4-3 (8 inn.)
Intermediate Baseball World Series
June 30	West Seoul, Korea		3 pm PT
TBD	TBD		TBD

2023 LLIWS Preview: West Seoul, Korea

For the second consecutive year, I am thrilled to be calling Little League's Intermediate 50/70 Baseball World Series July 30-August 6! This is not the 12-year-olds you see on TV in Williamsport, Pennsylvania, every year, but kids one year older, playing on a slightly bigger field (50-foot pitching distance, 70-foot basepaths) in Livermore, California. It's a different vibe than Williamsport, but extremely cool nonetheless, and it was really special for me to call the 2022 tournament, including the championship game on ESPN2.

So leading up to the 2023 Intermediate 50/70 World Series, which will air entirely on ESPN+, I want to introduce each of the competing teams with whatever information I've been able to glean on their path to Livermore (and to your ESPN+ screen!).

West Seoul, Korea

League:
West Seoul Little League
Location:
Seoul, Korea Republic
Championships:
Korea
Asia Pacific
Record: 9-0
Date Qualified: June 25
Noteworthy:
2015, 2018 World Series champions
2022 International champions
Coaches: TBA

These tournaments are notoriously difficult to scout and predict, but in almost every edition of this tournament, the heavy favorite is the team from Korea. You don't have to scout them to know they will be, at a bare minimum, among the most polished and talented teams.

West Seoul has been the most frequent Korean qualifier for Livermore, although East Seoul did quite well a few years back. Last year, West Seoul looked unstoppable in the international bracket, with a mix of bat-flipping power and daring speed on the basepaths. The pitching didn't quite overpower, however, and they fell in the championship game to the superior arms and defense of the hosts from Danville.

This year's group will be a different one, of course, but there is no question West Seoul enters the tournament as the favorite.

Road to Livermore
Korea
April 28	East Seoul (group)	W
April 28	Jeolla Jeju (group)	W
April 29	Busan Gyeongnam (group)	W
April 30	Chungcheong Gangwon (group)	W
May 1	Daegu Gyeongbuk (group)	W
Asia Pacific
June 20	Auckland, New Zealand (group)	W	21-1
June 21	Tanauan City, Philippines (group)	W	9-2
June 22	Tokyo Nakano / Johoku, Japan (group)	W	9-4
June 25	Tokyo Nakano / Johoku, Japan (final)	W	11-1
Intermediate Baseball World Series
July 30	Northwest Czech Republic		3 pm PT
TBD	TBD		TBD

2023 LLIWS Preview: Mario Mendoza, Navojoa, Mexico

For the second consecutive year, I am thrilled to be calling Little League's Intermediate 50/70 Baseball World Series July 30-August 6! This is not the 12-year-olds you see on TV in Williamsport, Pennsylvania, every year, but kids one year older, playing on a slightly bigger field (50-foot pitching distance, 70-foot basepaths) in Livermore, California. It's a different vibe than Williamsport, but extremely cool nonetheless, and it was really special for me to call the 2022 tournament, including the championship game on ESPN2.

So leading up to the 2023 Intermediate 50/70 World Series, which will air entirely on ESPN+, I want to introduce each of the competing teams with whatever information I've been able to glean on their path to Livermore (and to your ESPN+ screen!).

Mario Mendoza, Navojoa, Mexico

League:
Liga Mario Mendoza
Location:
Navojoa, Sonora, México
Championships:
Mexico District 13
Mexico Region 4
Mexico
Record: 11-1
Date Qualified: June 24
Noteworthy:
1st appearance by team from Sonora; 3 players have ancestors who played Major League Baseball
Coaches:
Ulises Sustaita, Mario Mendoza Jr., Carlos Esquer

For the 50/70 World Series, Little League has a rotation policy for its direct bids. Mexico and Puerto Rico alternate years earning a direct bid to the World Series, with their champions competing in the Latin America Region in other years.

This year, the direct bid is Mexico's, and it was won by a group that almost reached Williamsport last year as 12-year-olds, then stayed together for another All-Star opportunity in 2023. Only two years old, Liga Mario Mendoza is named after that Mario Mendoza, he of the 9-year MLB career, defensive wizardry, and “Mendoza Line” infamy. His nickname, "Manos de Seda," literally "Hands of Silk" in English, is even part of the official league name in many listings.

Mendoza lives in Navojoa and is involved in the league; his son, Mario Mendoza Jr., is one of the assistant coaches, and his grandson, Mario Mario Mendoza, is one of the team's standout players. All three Mendozas will be in Livermore, Mario Sr. serving as the team's translator. Two other players have ancestors with Major League Baseball pedigree in Luis Cruz Jr. (dad Luis Sr. is still active in the Mexican League) and Carlos Medina (great uncle Francisco 'Paquín' Estrada played 1 game for the Mets, went 1-for-2, and is a legend in Mexico).

Researching the Mexican qualification was a blast. The leagues publicize national championships, complete with adorable team pictures in full uniform, for 4-year-olds!! At the Intermediate age range, nationals are a week-long, 13-team affair consisting of two groups, followed by single-elimination semifinals and final.

The team from Navojoa stole the show in the group stage when they beat host Liga Beto Ávila 1-0 in a 15-strikeout no-hitter! Daniel Reyes struck out 14 in 6 innings, while Zaid Valenzuela closed it out. They followed that up with a 10-2 demolition of Matamoros, which had reached Williamsport in 2022.

In that 12-year-old qualification one year ago, Mario Mendoza went 6-0 in group play, only to fall to regional rival Municipal de Tijuana in the single-elimination semifinals (Navojoa got revenge in this year's regionals). There was no such slip-up as 13-year-olds, as Mario Mendoza's run culminated with an overpowering Saturday on which they tossed consecutive 8-0 shutouts to become the first Sonoran team to reach a Little League World Series.

Road to Livermore
Mexico Región 4
May 11	Mexicali IMSS (group)	W	8-5
May 12	Obregón Municipal (group)	W	10-3
May 12	at Municipal de Tijuana (group)	W	2-1
May 13	Obregón Municipal (semifinal)	W	4-1
May 14	Mexicali IMSS (final)	W	7-3
Mexico
June 18	Kora (group)	W	8-4
June 19	Beto Ávila (group)	W	1-0
June 20	Matamoros (group)	W	10-2
June 21	Guadalupe Linda Vista (group)	L	1-3
June 22	Jose Ines Castañeda (group)	W	8-0
June 24	Gallos de San Nicolás (semifinal)	W	8-0
June 24	Maya (final)	W	8-0
Intermediate Baseball World Series
July 30	Guaynabo, Puerto Rico		9 am PT
TBD	TBD		TBD

2023 LLIWS Preview: Bollinger Canyon, California

For the second consecutive year, I am thrilled to be calling Little League's Intermediate 50/70 Baseball World Series July 30-August 6! This is not the 12-year-olds you see on TV in Williamsport, Pennsylvania, every year, but kids one year older, playing on a slightly bigger field (50-foot pitching distance, 70-foot basepaths) in Livermore, California. It's a different vibe than Williamsport, but extremely cool nonetheless, and it was really special for me to call the 2022 tournament, including the championship game on ESPN2.

So leading up to the 2023 Intermediate 50/70 World Series, which will air entirely on ESPN+, I want to introduce each of the competing teams with whatever information I've been able to glean on their path to Livermore (and to your ESPN+ screen!).

Bollinger Canyon, California

League:
Bollinger Canyon Little League
Location:
San Ramon, California
Championships:
California District 57
Record: 4-1
Date Qualified: June 23
Noteworthy:
1st appearance as merged league
Coaches:
Jason Crawford, Tony Vignolo, Dave Adame

The host district gets an automatic spot in most teenage Little League tournaments, and at the 50/70 level, that host has a history of making an impact! The champions of California's District 57 have won two of the last three U.S. titles, and Danville / Tassajara Valley / San Ramon Valley won last year's world championship.

This year saw Bollinger Canyon (bohl-in-jer), competing in only its second all-star season after a merger between 2014 District 57 champion Canyon Creek and nearby San Ramon, eliminate defending world champion Danville (without any co-op players this year), which had won the district in this age group as 12-year-olds in 2022, after three nail-biting head-to-head contests.

Allowing only one run in three of their five games, rest assured the hosts (like last year's champions) can pitch! And they should feel right at home; after all, they've already celebrated one championship at Max Baer Park this year.

Road to Livermore
California District 57
June 17	Granada	W	12-3
June 18	Pleasanton	W	11-1
June 20	Danville (winners' bracket final)	W	3-1
June 22	Danville (final Game 1)	L	5-6
June 23	Danville (final Game 2)	W	3-1
Intermediate Baseball World Series
July 30	Keystone, Tampa FL		12 noon PT
TBD	TBD		TBD

2023 LLIWS Preview: Brisbane North, Australia

For the second consecutive year, I am thrilled to be calling Little League's Intermediate 50/70 Baseball World Series, which runs from July 30-August 6! This is not the 12-year-olds you see on TV in Williamsport, Pennsylvania, every year, but kids one year older, playing on a slightly bigger field (50-foot pitching distance, 70-foot basepaths) in Livermore, California. It's a different vibe than Williamsport, but extremely cool nonetheless, and it was really special for me to call the 2022 tournament, including the championship game on ESPN2.

So leading up to the 2023 Intermediate 50/70 World Series, which will air entirely on ESPN+, I want to introduce each of the competing teams with whatever information I've been able to glean on their path to Livermore (and to your ESPN+ screen!).

Brisbane North, Australia

League:
Brisbane North Region Baseball Association
Location:
Narangba, Queensland, Australia
Championships:
Queensland state

Australia
Record: 10-1
Date Qualified: May 23
Noteworthy:
1st Australian league and 12th overall to appear at both 12-year-old (2022) and 13-year-old (2023) World Series in consecutive years.
Coaches:
David West, Adam White, Graham Honsa, Daniel Wilson

Brisbane North will be making its first trip to Livermore for the Intermediate World Series, yet they will be one of the more known quantities thanks to their qualification for and appearance in the 2022 Little League World Series in Williamsport.

Although they went 0-2, losing 7-0 to Canada and 12-7 to Italy in a wild game, Brisbane North brought plenty of character to the U.S. last year. Most notable were two of their pitchers, both of whom are among nine returning players from the LLWS team: Alonzo Zaire Griffin, known as 'Z,' whose fastball topped 70mph last year and who wore custom-made cleats representing Australian indigenous culture, and 6-foot-2 (at the time) Tirrell Waiwai, known as 'T-Rex.' We hear he's gotten even bigger this year!

Moreton Daily 'Meet the Team' article

Road to Livermore
Queensland state
April 13	Brisbane Metro (group)	L	5-6
April 13	Gold Coast (group)	W	11-6
April 14	South-West (group)	W	27-0
April 15	Brisbane Metro (major semifinal)	W	14-5
April 16	Gold Coast (final)	W	11-0
Australia Region
May 19	Mariners (Victoria) (group)	W	11-1
May 20	Hills (New South Wales) (group)	W	5-1
May 20	Adelaide Armada (group)	W	11-4
May 21	Wanneroo Giants (group)	W	2-1
May 22	Southern Hills (semifinal)	W	11-0
May 23	Ryde Hawks (final)	W	7-3
Intermediate Baseball World Series
July 31	Korea / Czech Republic winner		3pm PT
Aug	TBD		TBD

Back to the future in 2023

There's no sugarcoating it: For those of us left behind from the initial rollout of the Apple / MLS partnership, it's a challenging time, professionally and emotionally. That applies to broadcasters, producers, directors, content creators, and many more. The uncertainty of the past 18 months has given way to frustration: No expectation of work covering the league I know best.

So one of the true bright spots for me so far in 2023 has been the invitation to contribute to the Philadelphia Union's radio broadcasts, which - it was announced today - will air on 97.5 The Fanatic. It's truly a joy to think about and prepare for MLS broadcasts, and it always has been, so I'm really excited to be back in the booth in a few weeks.

I lived in Philadelphia for about nine months in 2011-12 to support my wife's career, and while I knew it would be a temporary stay, it was a really important and special one in my life. Whenever I drive into or even past Philadelphia, warm memories come flooding back.

As far as Union history, I was there for Danny Mwanga and Andre Blake, road win No. 1, playoff appearance No. 1, and their first win at Red Bull Arena. I covered the Union a bit in 2012, but my connection to the club really tightened over the U.S. Open Cup runs of 2014-15. I called Jim Curtin's first game in charge and almost every game of Philadelphia's run to back-to-back Open Cup finals. I drove down on my own for the agonizing 2015 loss on penalty kicks, but you could see the culture around the club starting to change.

Over the years, I've covered the Union for many outlets (ESPN and MSG among them) and also had the chance to contribute with spot duty on Union broadcasts, both in a play-by-play role and as a host. On-air, I've worked with JP, Tommy, Peter, Jill, Marisa, Sébastien, Sheanon, Dave, Danny, and more. Behind the scenes, Carl Mandell and Jordan Strauss and Carl Cherkin and Dave Goetz and Kevin Casey and so many others have greeted me warmly at every stop.

The club's development has been incredibly gratifying to see, especially Curtin's steady hand, the emphasis on youth development (a personal favorite), and the game-day atmosphere! My last couple of trips - the 2021 playoff epic against the Red Bulls and last September's rout of Orlando City to set an MLS record for five-game domination - were truly memorable and inspiring.

So I feel both fortunate and comforted to go back to my MLS radio roots (it will sound much different than TV!) and contribute to this year's Union coverage. I can't wait to hear the Sons of Ben (in person!), witness the passion of players, staff, and fans alike, work with great people, and help punctuate some indelible #DOOP moments in 2023.

Linear basketball - in person! - for the first time

Besides working the Women's Euros, a real positive of this year for me, professionally, has been the opportunity to call games on linear TV (aka you can just flip on the TV and find the channel, not deal with a streaming app) in sports other than soccer.

I'll always be a soccer person and proud of it. But I'm a baseball person and a football person and a hockey person and a basketball person, too! I have ties to each of these that go beyond broadcasting ambition, and each one challenges me and captivates me and piques my interest in a different way. I'm very proud to cover all of those sports, and softball and volleyball as well, when given the opportunity, but it often feels like some other sports write me off for bigger games because I am "a soccer guy."

So the chance to call the 13-year-old Little League World Series this summer, including the world championship game on ESPN2, was a thrill and an important professional step.

Similarly, the chance to call the Georgia-Bucknell men's basketball game for the SEC Network on November 18, in person no less, was a real highlight of the year. I have done lots of college basketball for ESPN and the Big East, and I have done lots of NBA work in virtual reality, but I'd only called one previous basketball game on linear TV, and that was a pandemic-enforced home broadcast. Not quite the same energy!

So I tried to soak up the atmosphere at venerable Stegeman Coliseum in Athens, Georgia, and enjoy every minute of the game, one that wound up finishing a close call. Partner Mark Wise and I had a fun post-game interview as well, with Georgia's Jabri Abdur-Rahim, who at some point said he "wants to be a TV personality," and he confirmed that he's coming for our jobs as soon as his playing days are finished.

Here's a look at some of the highlights:

The best news is there's at least one more linear basketball game still to come (December 17, LSU-Winthrop men's), even if that one will be called from home. So stay tuned.

Women's Euro Game 4 highlights

My scheduled slate of games at the Women's Euros concluded Friday with one of the first actual upsets in the tournament, as Austria took out Norway 1-0 to advance to the quarterfinals. With two of the top 10 attacking players in the world, according to many (Ada Hegerberg and Caroline Graham Hansen), Norway were the popular pick to finish second in the group. ESPN's Soccer Power Index gave them more than a 60-percent chance of winning the game outright, which was what they needed to advance.

But after losing 8-0 to England on Monday in just a jaw-dropping display of attacking firepower against a porous defense, Norway was under incredible pressure. They never got anything going and were being outshot 13-2 at one point before getting a couple of late chances.

Having closely watched Austria's Cinderella run to the semifinals in 2017, I was not surprised by the outcome: I told Danielle Slaton, my partner, I expected a tie that would have been enough for Austria to advance. So it was nice to be right, for once, and to call another big moment in the progression of Austria women's football! Check out the highlights:

Women's Euro Game 3 highlights

Thursday's ESPN2 game had Iceland and Italy playing what was essentially a must-win in Group D. There were a lot of things to focus on, starting with Italy's response to its 5-1 loss to France in the tournament opener: five lineup changes, including star forwards Cristiana Girelli and Barbara Bonansea starting the game on the bench. The changes didn't really work, as Iceland - always a challenge for broadcasters with its succession of -dóttir last names - scored first and created enough chances to get a second goal.

They never got it, however, and the second-half insertion of Bonansea ultimately proved enough for Italy to come away with a tie. Given the final matchups in Group D, Italy (playing Belgium) probably comes away with the best odds of advancing behind group winner France, but this certainly has proven to be an unpredictable group!

I felt good about our call. Danielle and I, and Christina when the occasion warranted, knew the teams and the stories and the implications of this game. Our Italian and Icelandic were pretty well honed. So even though both teams walked away disappointed with the result, I think we had a right to walk off satisfied. Time for our biggest game yet in the Group A decider on Friday!

Check out the highlights:

Women's Euro Game 2 highlights

We were fortunate to call a five-goal thriller Wednesday, as the Netherlands - missing four starters, including one of the best players in the world in Vivianne Miedema, jumped out to a 2-0 lead on Portugal. Having rallied from a 2-0 deficit to tie their opener, Portugal fought back to tie the game early in the second half, only to see the game decided by a fantastic 20-yard strike from Dutch midfielder Daniëlle van de Donk (who suffered a gruesome ankle injury in late November and raced through rehab to play in the tournament).

This game had some serious pronunciation challenges that I felt we did well with, even if we weren't perfect. There are some Dutch noises I just can't make.

At any rate, these highlights cut off some of my goal calls and omitted a few exciting plays to keep things short and efficient, but I think everybody could tell I was pumped! Here's to more games like that one.