Mother's Day has come and gone. Time for some real baseball!

This week should prove to be a big one in the NL with the Cubs, Chiefs, Hurricanes and Astros all playing each other. The Angels will be looking for the first ever victory over either the Muddogs or the Sabres, and the Sabres still looking for their first win as well. What's going to go down this week?

In the AL, we have the very hot Royals team playing the Braves and the Red Sox. The Dodgers will have it tough playing the Red Sox and the Pirates, and the Muddogs will be playing the Angels and the Braves. Who knows what the Standings will look like after a week?

Click here for full league standings.

Everyone has played and baseball is in the air!

It’s been a good baseball so far. Teams are competing and having fun. Two teams still remained undefeated and a few still have yet to get their first win of the season, but it’s baseball. It’s what we love.

The Red Sox and the Astros are both at 3-0 and seem to be rolling well. Not far behind are the Chiefs in the standings with a record of 2-1. The Hurricanes, Cubs, Dodgers, Muddogs, Royals and Pirates all have one win apiece. The Angels, Sabres and Braves are yet to get their first victories but will definitely compete once the summer months start rolling in.

The rain and other conflicts have not been our friends lately, but it seems that some of these issues are in the past. Some teams have played three games and some teams have only played one, but eventually all this will not matter. What matters is that good baseball is being played and it can only get better from here!

Opening Day is Finally Here

Don't tell me about the world.  Not today.  It's springtime and they're knocking baseball around fields where the grass is damp and green in the morning and the kids are trying to hit the curve ball. - Pete Hamill

Finally, it's time to play baseball. Good luck to all of the teams! Stay healthy, have fun and play the game right. Nothing else matters.

Charlotte NABA Welcomes Partnership with Akadema

The 2008 season could prove to be one of the best ever, and Akadema, an innovative baseball company on the cutting edge of sports technology wants along for the ride!

The league has partnered with Akadema to cater to the equipment needs of our local players. Packages of apparel, gloves and bats are available at a fantastic discount, and any of the products on their web site can be ordered in bulk from the league at below retail cost.

The apparel package includes shorts, a hooded sweatshirt, BP sweats, a cage jacket, batting jacket and long-sleeve performance wear for $100. Pro-Soft gloves can be had for $85 each, and the Pro-Precision gloves are just $135. If a glove is purchased, you will also get sunglasses, a t-shirt, batting gloves and wristbands at no extra charge. A pair of turf shoes and spikes together can be had for $60. Bats are also part of the deal, with a "buy two get one free" deal on the Xtension series for $370, versus the $350 normal price, maple bats for $38, and ash models going for $20/each.

For those of you still looking to pick up equipment for the beginning of the season, please contact Anthony Gardzielik with your orders by May 1st. If you find something on the website that isn't listed above, please ask about special NABA pricing.

2008 Season Set to Begin

The draft is done, the teams are scrimmaging, the schedule has been posted and the Charlotte NABA is ready for the 2008 season to get underway. With opening day less than one month away, teams are finalizing their rosters and trying to get some field time under their belts.

There are still a limited number of roster spots available for the 2008 season, but they are going fast. Even after adding THREE new teams to the league there were more players who wanted to be a part of this season than there were available slots. If you are coming in late, please make sure you sign-up online so that your information gets sent to each of the managers.

Anthony Gardzielik and the rest of the managers have done a great job so far of expanding the league, finding quality managers for the new teams and working hard to fill everyone's rosters with the type of talent that the league has come to expect. 2008 should be a great year, and a springboard to even more success in the future.

Talk to the Commish!

Anthony Gardzielik has taken over as commissioner of the Charlotte NABA, and would like to invite you to provide your feedback and ask questions about the league. His e-mail address is agardzielik@nababaseball.com and he's interested in your opinions of the league, what works and what doesn't, what you'd like to change, and what should definitely stay in place.

Anthony has done a great job preparing for the 2008 season, and we look forward to a smooth and competitive season!

2007 Awards Announced

The Chiefs had an incredible run as a second year franchise, and their success as a team was reflected in the 2007 awards voting as they swept all three categories.

On the mound, in the field or at the plate, Zurhellen was the NABA's Most Valuable Player.

Brian Zurhellen became the first player in Charlotte NABA history to win both the Most Valuable Player award and the Cy Young in the same season. On the mound, Brian was one of the most dominant pitchers in the league, finishing in the top 5 in every statistical category and leading the National League in wins. When his teammate Derrick Helms went down in the middle of the season, Brian refused to let it affect the team, making sure the Chiefs stayed in the playoff chase.

Of course, Brian was much more than a pitcher. In addition to being the leader of the Chiefs in the dugout, Brian was arguably their best offensive player as well. He hit .492 (4th in the league), went deep three times and drove in 19 runs. For his ability to play any position, come up big when needed on the mound or at the plate and for helping to guide his team to the league championship in just their second year, Brian Zurhellen is the 2007 League MVP and Cy Young Award winner.

Kevin Faulkner is the 2007 Rookie of the Year

Kevin Faulkner became the second straight member of the Chiefs to win the Rookie of the Year award. Kevin was the brawn in the middle of the lineup all season, making sure that the guys ahead of him got pitches to see. Kevin led the NL in home runs, was third in RBI with 21, won the MVP of both the NABA All-Star Game and the Memorial Day Tournament in Myrtle Beach and was a huge factor in the Chiefs advancing to the championship game.

Both of these men are examples of the best of the Charlotte NABA. Talented, fun-loving, competitive and great team players, both Brian and Kevin are worthy recipients of their awards. Please join me in congratulating them.

Full Voting Results