ATHLETICS CELEBRATE 2007 CAMPAIGN WITH SEVERAL HONORS AT RECENT TWILIGHT LEAGUE SEASON AWARDS BANQUET
OF/DH DAN BARBERO IS ATHLETICS FIRST-EVER LEAGUE MVP
The Albany Athletics celebrated its banner 2007 season at the Albany Twilight League's Hall of Fame and Awards banquet on January 13th. The team and several individual players were called forward throughout the evening to celebrate a 46-7 season as well as a State Championship and Twilight League title for the second straight year.
The biggest award handed out at the banquet was the League Most Valuable Player honor won by Dan Barbero, the first Athletic to ever win the award. Barbero was on a ballot which included over a dozen players and was voted for the honor by league managers and the league president. The left handed hitting outfielder/DH hit. 403 in the league, scored 22 runs, drove in 24 RBI and hit 8 home runs, with the latter two leading the league.
Head Coach Joe Altieri and his team were recognized for their 7th State Championship since 1998 and their 2nd Twilight title. The team was called forward to honor each occasion before Nick Paniccia (.438, 6 RBI, 5 runs) and Barbero (.538, 6 RBI, 7 runs) were named co-winners of the State Tournament MVP award. Tony Cipolla (.500, 4 RBI, 5 runs, 1 HR) and Mike Medici (.300, 5 RBI, 4 runs, 2 HR) were recognized with co-MVP trophies for the Twilight playoffs (Harold Finkle award) as the A's swept a three-game series from All Stars Academy and a five-game series from Davies in late July.
Also receiving plaques as members of the All-Twilight League team were Barbero, Craig Mastroianni (.367, 16 RBI), Scott Chambers (1-1, 4 saves, 1.40 ERA, 33 K) and Bill Lawton (6-1, 0.88 ERA, 44 K).
The Athletics closed out the Twilight League regular season at 20-3 (46-7 overall) before making a 13-3 run in the postseason. Their run at the National World Series eventually ended in the North Atlantic Regional Championship when the team lost to Easton, MA. The Athletics also finished the 2007 season ranked #7 in the National Amateur Semi-Pro Baseball Association (NSAPBA) national poll.