Thanks to terrific pitching, the League 1 All-Stars defeated the League 2 All-Stars by a score of 4-0 in the 2006 NALB All-Star Game. The Brooklyn Knights provided an impressive total of 11 players on the League 1 roster. Ronaldo Mijangos got wild in the second inning and gave up the first run of the game on a base on balls. Singles by Dan Kelley and Jack Wills scored two more runs in the third inning. Hooks Goetz added one more run in the fifth with a solo home run. Four runs were plenty to win the game as League 1 pitching was in command. Bedford, Pendarvis, Gibson, Martinez, Valera, Mlicki, and Faust combined for nine shutout innings. Hap Bedford started the game and pitched three strong innings but it was Joe Pendarvis who was credited with the win. Ronaldo Mijangos took the loss for the League 2 All-Stars.

The 2006 NALB regular season has reached the halfway point. The Brooklyn Knights (62-19) struggled early in the month, losing five out of their first nine games. However, they got back on track and managed to post a 23-game lead over the Las Vegas Luck by the end of June. The Cornfield Axemen (53-28) maintained their grip on first place and widened their lead over the Luisville Beasts to 12 games. League 2 also saw its division leaders stay on top in May. The Stade Maples (45-36) played .500 baseball in June but stayed atop their division. Their lead over the Washington Allies was down to three games. The Phoenix Rattlers (48-33) were the hottest team in June, winning 18 out of their first 20 games. Their 14-game winning streak helped vault them over Vancouver into the division lead.

Barring a monumental collapse, the Brooklyn Knights are well on their way to another division title. Their excellent first-half of the season was acknowledged by a league-high 11 players making the All-Star team.

June awards:

League 1
Batter of the Month: Stan Johnson (Luisville Beasts)
Pitcher of the Month: John Watkins (Cornfield Axemen)
Rookie of the Month: Mahlon Torres (Luisville Beasts)

League 2
Batter of the Month: Pat Greene (Phoenix Rattlers)
Pitcher of the Month: Ronaldo Mijangos (Key West Corals)
Rookie of the Month: Steve Mcneill (Richmond Slam)

Showcase for the Stars -- The North American League Baseball All-Star Game. The top players go toe-to-toe with one another to get the bragging rights for their league.

Selected to play for the League 1 All-Stars are:

SP H. Bedford (COR)
SP F. Millard (BRO)
SP J. Watkins (COR)
SP O. Cambra (LV)
SP T. Corkhill (BRO)
SP O. Valera (BRO)
CL J. Ramirez (BRO)
CL M. Gibson (LV)
CL J. Pendarvis (COR)
CL C. Martinez (DUN)
MR S. Faust (BRO)
CL V. Mlicki (NSH)
LF S. Johnson (LUI)
1B J. Castino (BRO)
SS J. Wills (DAY)
CF D. Fletcher (COR)
3B H. Goetz (BRO)
RF B. Scott (SR)
2B D. Moran (BRO)
C B. Johnson (LV)
C T. Pollet (BRO)
1B D. Kelley (BRO)
SS J. Fletcher (DUN)
CF J. Stoneman (DAY)
LF C. Radatz (DUN)
1B L. Larose (COR)
CF G. Mccreery (BRO)
SS C. Henriksen (SR)

Selected to play for the League 2 All-Stars are:

SP D. Creamer (WSH)
SP W. Pemberton (STD)
SP R. Mijangos (KW)
SP W. Sheehan (VAN)
SP M. Brown (STD)
SP K. Wilson (SJ)
CL C. Simpson (WSH)
CL J. Hallman (VAN)
CL D. Latta (QUE)
MR R. Muncy (STD)
CL F. Minoso (STD)
CL B. Williams (SJ)
1B S. Koch (PX)
RF C. Farrell (QUE)
C R. Fallon (WSH)
3B G. Montgomery (RMD)
SS S. Schultz (VAN)
2B C. Walton (QUE)
C J. Lemon (KW)
CF A. Stella (KW)
LF A. Cadore (STD)
1B J. Walton (VAN)
3B T. Rambo (STD)
RF A. Mcmullin (STD)
SS G. Cooper (RMD)
3B I. Cahill (SJ)
CF M. Huff (STD)
CF B. Vandyke (PX)

The NALB's First-Year Player Draft for 2006 was on June 15. As with last year, it was a 15-round draft. Possessing last season's top record, my Brooklyn Knights picked in the usual last position. As is typical, starting pitchers were the most coveted. Position players went next and relief pitchers were usually the last to be selected. Here is the outcome of the first round of the draft as well as all of the Brooklyn Knights' 2006 draft picks.

Round 1, Pick 1 - St. Rock Mudcats: SP T. Stivers
Round 1, Pick 2 - Nashville Firecats: SP D. Fernández
Round 1, Pick 3 - Dunedin Otters: SP M. Drewett
Round 1, Pick 4 - St. James Crusaders: 3B H. Yuan
Round 1, Pick 5 - Phoenix Rattlers: 3B E. Pérez
Round 1, Pick 6 - Vancouver Wild: 1B R. Cohera
Round 1, Pick 7 - Dayton Grizzlies: SP M. Muñóz
Round 1, Pick 8 - Richmond Slam: 2B E. Ovelha
Round 1, Pick 9 - Quebeck Sky Chiefs: 3B H. Burford
Round 1, Pick 10 - Key West Corals: SP R. Haros
Round 1, Pick 11 - Las Vegas Luck: RF M. Scullion
Round 1, Pick 12 - Las Vegas Luck: 1B R. Wintle
Round 1, Pick 13 - Cornfield Axemen: 2B S. Husby
Round 1, Pick 14 - Washington Allies: CF M. Tian
Round 1, Pick 15 - Stade Maples: CF R. Ostrom
Round 1, Pick 16 - Brooklyn Knights: MR B. MacOmish

Brooklyn Knights
Round 1 - MR B. MacOmish
Round 2 - SS T. Briggs
Round 3 - MR E. O'Fogarty
Round 4 - MR X. Scaife
Round 5 - CL D. van der Ban
Round 6 - SP H. Lee
Round 7 - C A. Goderie
Round 8 - SP W. Aarden
Round 9 - CF C. McQuisham
Round 10 - MR H. Sarmiento
Round 11 - SS A. Kemsley
Round 12 - 1B R. Proud
Round 13 - RF J. Hines
Round 14 - MR J. Ffolkes
Round 15 - MR A. Gozalo

The second month of the 2006 NALB regular season has been completed. The Brooklyn Knights (45-12) widened their division lead with some terrific play during the month of May. The Cornfield Axemen (39-18) have a comfortable 10-game lead in their division. However, the Luisville Beasts are showing signs of life and may be ready to make a run for first place. League 2 also saw its division leaders stay on top in May. The Stade Maples (33-24) cooled off and now hold a mere 5-game lead over the Allies. Likewise, the Vancouver Wild (35-22) hold a 5-game lead over the Phoenix Rattlers.

For the Knights, the only downside to May came in the form of injuries. Gary Mccreery was hit by a pitch and suffered a fractured wrist in Nashville on May 21. On May 26, Hooks Goetz sustained a bruised foot running the bases at home against the Firecats. Both players are expected to return in early June.

May awards:

League 1
Batter of the Month: Stan Johnson (Luisville Beasts)
Pitcher of the Month: Hap Bedford (Cornfield Axemen)
Rookie of the Month: Roy Mosqueda (Nashville Firecats)

League 2
Batter of the Month: Jason Walton (Vancouver Wild)
Pitcher of the Month: Wally Pemberton (Stade Maples)
Rookie of the Month: Ben Nicosia (Washington Allies)