FORMER DIXIE YOUTH PLAYER HAS STELLAR PERFORMANCE IN 2018 MLB ALL-STAR GAME
 

Jeremy Jeffress,  a native of South Boston, Virginia and stellar relief pitcher for the Milwaukee Brewers, made his one inning of work count Tuesday night during the 2018 Major League Baseball All-Star game in Washington, D.C.Jeffress in 1998, played for Virginia Dixie Youth in the 1^St “AAA” Dixie Youth World Series in Hattiesburg, Mississippi. Moving up to High School Ball, Jeremy was drafted by Milwaukee, hurling a 100+mph fast ball. Playing only Dixie Youth and High School ball, not bad for a young man to have his Dreams continue on.

Jeffress, making his first MLB all-star appearance, faced four of the best hitters in major league baseball in the top of the sixth inning, including Nelson Cruz of the Seattle Mariners, Alex Bregman of the Houston Astros, Aaron Judge of the New York Yankees and Francisco Lindor of the Cleveland Indians.

The hard-throwing right-hander walked Cruz on a 3-2 pitch and got all-star game MVP Bregman to hit a ground ball that turned into a force-out at second base for the first out of the inning.

Jeffress induced homerun slugger Judge into a groundout for the second out of the inning, and Lindor was retired with a fly ball to center field for the third out of the inning.

The addition of a third pitch to his repertoire, a split-finger changeup, has helped Jeffress become one of the dominant relievers in the game.

Entering Tuesday’s all-star game, Jeffress is 6-1, with a 1.34 ERA, with 29 hits and 13 walks allowed in 47 innings of work.

Jeffress, 30-years-old and a former Halifax County High School standout, was unscored upon in 40 of 46 appearances prior to the all-star game, and only eight of 33 base runners he inherited have scored.

The Milwaukee Brewers had team-record five players selected for this year’s all-star game, won 8-6 by the American League in 10 innings.

Part of article Gazette-Virginian- South Boston

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: May 21, 2018

Contact: Brad Young – , (919) 474-8721 x212

OR Emily Fedewa, (919) 474-8721 x255

This announcment is made jointly with Major League Baseball

MLB AND USA BASEBALL ANNOUNCE “HIT AND RUN BASEBALL,” DESIGNED TO ENCOURAGE YOUTH & AMATEUR PARTICIPATION IN MODIFIED FORMS OF THE GAME

Interactive gameplay of Hit and Run Baseball, which fosters player skills development as well as health & safety, will be supported by several youth baseball organizations

DURHAM, N.C. - Major League Baseball and USA Baseball today announced “Hit and Run Baseball,” a program supporting modified forms of the game that allow players to develop their skills in a more interactive format while also promoting player health and safety. 

The program will serve youth leagues, tournament providers and amateur coaches with recommended game formats that can be easily applied at all levels of youth & amateur baseball. Additionally, operators can create their own modified rules to best suit their individual league, tournament or team needs. More information on Hit and Run Baseball is available for coaches, players and administrators at HitandRunBaseball.com. 

Hit and Run Baseball is designed to encourage youth organizations to utilize alternative formats for gameplay, particularly during practices, scrimmages, and tournament play. The program provides customizable templates and recommended formats that can be applied to various age groups and stages of player development.     

The basic tenets of Hit and Run Baseball encourage the following:

• Quicker pace-of-play with more game action by reducing the number of pitches per at-bat, increasing the frequency of balls-in-play, and giving teams bonuses for hitting certain pace-of-play goals; 
• More engagement with youth players by introducing more diverse game situations, giving players the opportunity to play different defensive positions and providing more opportunities to participate defensively;
• Improved player health and safety by limiting player pitch counts, particularly among the youngest age groups; and
• More teaching opportunities for coaches to provide immediate feedback to players. 

Pilots of the Hit and Run Baseball program have shown that games are played in a shorter timeframe with more plate appearances and more balls in play, while at the same time requiring pitchers to throw fewer pitches.  Hit and Run Baseball applications during tournament play are particularly helpful in managing pitch counts and ensuring there is enough time to play all brackets of a tournament. 

Baseball Commissioner Robert D. Manfred, Jr.: “Hit and Run Baseball was created as a teaching tool designed to remind baseball participants that playing our game does not require a one-size-fits-all approach. There are many different ways to structure practice, games and tournaments so that players get the most out of their experiences, particularly through crisp pace of play while also limiting pitch count burdens on pitchers. We have assembled an advisory board, some of whom represent the highest levels of our sport, who will ensure that Hit and Run Baseball remains effective and focused on the overall development and enjoyment of young participants of our game.”  

“The importance of fun and actionable forms of game modification was identified early on in our strategic plan for growing our sport,” said Rick Riccobono, USA Baseball’s Chief Development Officer. “By creating this platform, we aim to make baseball available to a wider audience of participants by normalizing alternative methods of gameplay and further energizing the experience within the game.  We’re grateful for the continued support of our member organizations and other amateur partners who are championing initiatives like Hit and Run, as we collectively serve the millions of families engaged in our great sport.”

The following youth & amateur organizations actively support Hit and Run Baseball and the general movement to encourage alternative formats of the game: American Amateur Baseball Congress (AABC), American Legion, Babe Ruth League, Dixie Youth, Dixie Boys & Majors, Little League International, Reviving Baseball in Inner Cities (RBI), National Amateur Baseball Federation (NABF), Ripken Baseball, USA Baseball, NCTB, PONY Baseball and Softball, and Perfect Game.