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June 19, 2007
COCA-COLA PITCHER OF THE WEEK
Wareham's Wade Miley (Southeastern Louisiana) earned this week’s Coca-Cola Pitcher of the Week honors. The 6-2, 190-pound left-hander pitched seven dominating innings, giving up only four hits while striking out eight Falmouth batters. Although he walked three and hit two batters, he allowed no earned runs in helping the Gatemen win their openier, 5-2, over the Commodores.
COCA-COLA PLAYER OF THE WEEK
Yarmouth-Dennis Red Sox Gordon Beckham (Georgia) earned 2007’s first Coca-Cola Player of the week recognition by having a nearly perfect opening weekend. Beckham went 2-for-4 Friday night, driving in one run to help his team beat the Hyannis Mets, 6-3. On Saturday, he took his game to another level, going 3-for-4, belting a home run and collecting three RBI as the Red Sox defeated the Chatham A’s, 4-1. Beckham also has two stolen bases on the young season and leads the league in batting average (.625), home runs (1), RBI (4) and slugging percentage (1.125).
Kevin Wolfe, CCBL intern (wolfe@capecodbaseball.org)
Braves Jump Ahead Early, Hold Off Late Cotuit Rally
2007 Cape League Opener Goes to Bourne, 7-6
COTUIT, Mass. – There were a few white knuckles on the visitors' bench in Cotuit Friday night. There were the Bourne Braves, last year’s bottom-dweller in the Cape Cod Baseball League, trying to take an opening-day road win over Baseball America’s pick for top summer-league team in the nation. The Braves had lost five players in the past three weeks to the deadly combination of injuries and Team USA, including nearly a third of their pitching roster, and were trying desperately to get out of a jam.
Starter Mitch Harris (Navy) had taken them two-thirds of the way there, giving up just three hits and striking out six in six shutout innings. But the Kettleers put togher a five-run rally in the eighth inning to close the Braves’ lead to one.
But that’s where it would stay, as closer Jordan Flasher (George Mason) buckled down to retire five straight batters after allowing an RBI single that scored an inherited runner from second. Crucial plays were his unassisted putout on a bunt attempt and back-to-back strikeouts on called third strikes to end the game.
“The toughest outs to get in baseball are the last nine,” field manager Harvey Shapiro said later. “We had a bad inning, and it happened awfully quick. [Flasher] got us two in the eighth and three in the ninth and made a heck of a play on that push bunt. That’s all you can ask for.”
Eight different players picked up a hit as the Braves jumped all over Cotuit starter Brad Brach (Monmouth) for eight hits in four and two-thirds innings. The Braves batted around in the first inning and took a 4-0 lead courtesy of three hits, including an infield single that first baseman Andrew Clark (Louisville) beat out with a slide into first base, combined with some mound problems from Brach and a fielding error. Right-fielder Brian Pruitt (Stetson) ripped a single through the left side in the second to bring the score to 5-0, where it would stay through three scoreless innings.
Each team added a run in the sixth. The Kettleers’ score was the result of back-to-back doubles to start the inning, after which Harris struck out two of the next three to end the threat with a runner on third. The Braves picked up theirs with some nifty small ball as Ben Guez (William and Mary) went station to station on a leadoff walk, a sacrifice bunt from temporary roster addition Bill Kerry (Hartford), a steal and then an RBI single by Addison Maruszak (South Florida).
In recent weeks, the roster put together by Shapiro and general manager Mike Carrier has taken a beating. Three Bourne pitchers – right handers Ryan Berry (Rice), Lance Lynn (Mississippi) and Cody Satterwhite (Mississippi) – along with catcher Petey Paramore (Arizona State) were lost to Team USA.
“They selected 20 players and we lost four -- we gave them 20 percent of their roster,” Shapiro said.
The Braves’ rotation was further depleted by the loss of left-handed pitcher Garrett Bullock (Wake Forest) to injury and Nate Reed (Pittsburgh).
But the Braves who were there survived a five-run eighth-inning surge from Cotuit to pick up the important opening day win over a Western Division rival. “Well, we won,” Shapiro said. “If you throw the ball, catch it and hit it once in a while, you’ve got a chance to win. It's very competitive in this league, and it’s those aspects of the game that you have to get down.”
Liz Hoffman, CCBL intern (hoffman@capecodbaseball.org)
Brewster Whitecaps Edged on Opening Day
Visiting Orleans Prevails, 1-0, in Pitchers' Duel
BREWSTER, Mass. -- The Whitecaps opened the Cape Cod Baseball League's 2007 season on the road battling the Orleans Cardinals in an old-fashioned pitchers' duel in which the home team prevailed, 1-0.
Orleans starter Brad Boxberger (USC) pitched six and a third scoreless innings before turning the game over to Kyle Kamppi (Georgia Southern), who got credit for the win. Matt Karl (Connecticut) picked up the save for the Cardinals.
Brewster had plenty of chances to put runs on the board but could not break through against Boxberger. In the first inning, the Whitecaps threatened by getting a runner to second base with two outs when David Cooper (California) doubled off Boxberger. But a strikeout ended the the inning.
The Whitecaps threatened again in the third as Michael Marseco (Samford) led off with a single and Blake Tekotte (Miami) followed with an infield single. Danny Lima (Tennessee) bunted right back to the mound, though, and Boxberger was able to start a double play and Orleans got out of the jam.
Brewster starter Ryan Cooke (USC) pitched equally well, giving up only two hits through six innings. Orleans was baffled by Cook’s array of curveballs and a plus fastball.
The only run of the game came in the bottom of the seventh inning. Brewster reliever Chris Kupillas (Central Michigan) was roughed up. After a leadoff single by Marcus Jones (NCSU), Dennis Raben (Miami) laced a double down the right field line to score Jones from first base. Kupillas was charged with the loss.
John Hannemann, CCBL intern (hannemann@capecodbaseball.org)
Power Failure, Mariner Bats Stop Chatham
A's Lose Abbreviated Opener at Harwich, 9-4
HARWICH, Mass. – The Chatham A’s season opener at Harwich Friday night at Whitehouse Field was called in the bottom of the fifth inning when the lights went out because of a nearby auto accident which sheared off a utility pole. The A's were trailing the Mariners, 9-4, at the time and that was how the game went into the record books as the umpires were forced to call it after it became obvious that the lights wouldn't be restored any time soon.
Starting and losing pitcher for the A’s was right-hander Matt Giannini (Rutgers), who allowed four hits and eight runs while yielding five hits and walking four. He was relieved in the third inning by left-hander Jeff Lorick (Virginia). Lorick allowed one run on two hits in the inning and a third that he worked before the lights went out.
Starter and winner for the Mariners was right-hander Danny Farquhar (Louisiana- Lafayette), who pitched all five innings, scattering five hits and striking out 11 A's.
With the Mariners leading, 4-0, the A’s rallied with two runs in the second inning. Chatham tied the game at 4-4 in the third, but the Mariners knocked Giannini out of the game with a four-run outburst of their own in the home half of the inning to take an 8-4 lead, They tacked on one more in the bottom of the fifth before the blackout ended any hopes Chatham had of staging another rally. Collecting a single hit each for Chatham were temporary players Trey Watten and Sean O'Brien, plus Allan Dykstra (Wake Forest), Kevin McAvoy (Maine) and Gregg Glime (Baylor). O'Brien, McAvoy and Glime each collected an RBI for the A's.
Gabriella Remington, CCBL intern (remington@capecodbaseball.org)
Kettleers Rally in Eighth, But Can't Overtake Bourne
Braves Spoil Cotuit's Season Opener, 7-6
COTUIT, Mass. -- Despite the packed stands at Lowell Park and the Kettleers’ exciting five-run rally in the eighth inning, the final outcome was not what Cotuit wanted Friday as the visiting Bourne Braves prevailed, 7-6, in the Cape Cod Baseball League season opener for both teams.
While his team did show a lot of heart throughout its nine-inning effort, manager Mike Roberts expects more. “It was rough,” said Roberts. “We had a lot of guys playing out of position. I was pleased with the effort, but not the execution.”
Trailing, 7-1, Cotuit rallied in the eighth with a five-run effort led by a triplet of singles by Cory Figueroa (St. Petersburg), Tony Delmonico (Tennessee) and Aaron Baker (Oklahoma). Mike Bianucci (Auburn) scored Delmonico on a fielder’s choice, making it 7-2. Bourne reliever Jesse Haney (UNC Wilmington) reloaded the bases with a walk to Ryne White (Purdue), then Cotuit pitcher Trey Barham (VMI) hit a bases-clearing double to pull Cotuit within two runs, 7-5, and knock Haney out of the game.. Jordan Flasher (George Mason) relieved Haney and got Kettleer Ryan Lollis (Missouri) on a ground ball which moved pinch-runner Chris Dupart (Georgia Tech) to third. Jonathan Pigott (Florida) then singled home Dupart to move the score 7-6.
Barham’s bases-clearing double was the key blast in Cotuit’s rally and Roberts was pleased to see the versatility his team demonstrated. “Some of our big hits came from our pitchers,” Roberts said. “That got us going in the eighth inning. We learned a lot about our team.”
Roberts was philosophical about the loss. “You don’t let it affect you,” he said. “You always want to play well. It’s a long season with 44 games. We are going to take one game at a time.”
Erica Bailey, CCBL intern (bailed@capecodbaseball.org)
Ninth-Inning Collapse Costly to Falmouth
Wareham Rallies to Win Opener, 5-2
FALMOUTH, Mass. -- Falmouth took a 2-0 lead into the ninth inning, but couldn't hold off a torrid Wareham comeback and the Gatemen spoiled the Commodores' Cape Cod Baseball League opener at Guv Fuller Field with a 5-2 victory Friday night.
“It didn’t leave a good taste in our mouths,” said Commodores manager Jeff Trundy. “We are going to have to make some adjustments. But that’s the great thing about baseball -- you always have the next game to look forward to.”
While the outcome was disappointing, Falmouth's defense was solid throughout the game and starting pitcher Kyle Gibson (Missouri) impressed in the six innings he worked. Gibson struck out eight Gatemen and walking none. “Kyle was outstanding,” said Trundy.
Two infielders from the University of Virginia, Jeremy Farrell and David Adams, accounted for the Commodores' two runs. Farrell slammed an RBI double in the third inning and Adams tripled with a runner aboard in the fifth, but was left stranded at third. After that, the Commodores failed to reach base again.
Still, Falmouth clung to its 2-0 lead entering the ninth and appeared headed to an opening night win. Trundy called on closer Preston Claiborne (Tulane) to get the final three outs, but the Gatemen, led by Dustin Dickerson (Baylor) and Josh Phegley (Indiana), roared back with four hits, an error and two walks to score five runs and send Falmouth fans home disappointed. Dickerson and Baylor both went 2-for-4 in the game with a run scored, a double and an RBI, and pitcher Chris Hicks (Georgia Tech) worked the bottom of the ninth to record the save.
“It was a disappointing finish,” said Trundy. “But that’s how baseball goes. You win, you lose, there’s always another game to play. Every kid realizes that it’s a long season and this was game one of 44.”
Erica Bailey, CCBL intern (bailey@capecodbaseball.org)
Harwich Wins Opener Despite Lack of Power
Mariners Take Five-Inning, 9-4 Victory Over Chatham
HARWICH, Mass. -- A lack of power proved costly to the Chatham A's Friday night at Whitehouse Field. But it had nothing to do with weak hitting. It was opening night for the A's and the Harwich Mariners as the Cape Cod Baseball League's 2007 season got under way and it was also the night the lights went out in Harwich.
In the bottom of the fifth inning, all power was lost at Whitehouse Field. Chatham A’s reliever Jeff Lorick (Virginia) threw a pitch and every light in the ball park suddenly went dark. It was later learned that the blackout was the result of a traffic accident on Route 124 which took down a power pole.
“It was definitely something I have never seen and I have been going to Cape League games for 10 years,” said fan Bill Flores.
After 30 minutes, when it became obvious that electricity would not be restored any time soon, the game was called, giving the Mariners a five-inning, 9-4 victory.
It was not only an abbreviated game, but a sloppy one from the beginning as the two teams combined for five errors, seven walks and five hit batsmen.
Harwich got off to a quick start scoring four runs in the first inning. Cole Figeroa (Florida) got things started as he led off the game with a walk, then stole second. Terrence Dayleg (Western Kentucky) bunted him over to third and he scored on a sacrifice fly by first baseman Jared Bolden (VCU).
The Mariners kept the inning going with two outs. Alex Avilia (Alabama) walked, Johnny Giovatella (New Orleans) was hit by a pitch, Kyle Day (Michigan Stare) singled and scored Avilia from second. Then Steve Strausbough (Western Carolina) singled in Giovatella to complete the first inning scoring for Harwich.
Harwich’s Danny Farquhar (Louisiana Lafayette) was the starting pitcher and he set the tone early by striking out two of the three A's he faced to complete a one-two-three first inning.
Chatham did get on the board in the second and third innings with two runs in each, tying the score at four. But Harwich bounced back in the bottom of the third, scoring four runs of itsr own to take a commanding 8-4 lead, highlighted by Alex Avilia’s two-run double off the wall in right field.
From that point forward, Farquhar was on point, striking out nine more A’s for a total of 11 in only five innings. Harwich held on to win it, 9-4.
John Hannemann, CCBL intern (hannemann@capecodbaseball.org)
Hyannis Mets Maintain Their Confdence
Still Optimistic Despite 6-3 Loss to Y-D in Opener
HYANNIS, Mass. -- Another summer of baseball by the harbor started Friday as a crowd of 1,170 greeted the Hyannis Mets of 2007. As the home team took the field and Mary Clemens sang the National Anthem at McKeon Park for the first time in 10 months, the excitement and anticipation could be felt throughout the ballpark -- from the fans to the Mets to the visiting Yarmouth-Dennis Red Sox.
Hyannis starter Matt Daly (Hawaii) breezed through the first two innings, getting six quick outs before the Y-D bats got to him, plating five runs in the third. That would be all the offense the Red Sox would need as they opened their title-defending season with a 6-3 win.
Daly pitched for Hyannis last year and is joined by three other returning Mets, James Darnell (South Carolina), centerfielder David Macias (Vanderbilt) and pitcher Austin Wood (Texas). The rest of the team is playing together for the first time and, despite Friday’s setback, general manager John Howitt said he sees the potential for a winning team.
“I have a good feeling about this team because the players have been more selectively chosen with a lot of background research on their skill and character, more so than any other year,” said Howitt. One factor that could help the team mesh quickly is that three starters all played together at Vanderbilt.
Catcher Shea Robin, Macias and right-fielder Shane Petersen all come to the Mets from the SEC championst. And a fourth teammate, Ryan Flaherty, who is currently being considered by Team USA, could be joining them.
Robin feels that the familiarity factor has already helped, at least for him, but he says right now the whole team is focused on one thing: “Win, win, win. After a couple of losing seasons, we’re looking to turn things around.”
The Mets know that one loss does not a season make and they feel they have the talent to become the winners that McKeon Park fans haven't seen for several summers.
Kevin Wolfe, CCBL intern (wolfe@capecodbaseball.org)
Orleans Off to a Fast Start
Cardinals Edge Brewster, 1-0, in 2:18 Game
ORLEANS, Mass. – The Orleans Cardinals opened their Cape Cod Baseball League season Friday night at Eldredge Park, quickly dispatching the Brewster Whitecaps, 1-0, in a fast-paced pitchers' duel that took just 2 hours and 18 minutes to play.
Cardinals right-hander Brian Boxberger (USC) pitched five shutout innings before giving way to newcomer Kyle Kamppi (Georgia Southern) in the sixth inning of the scoreless game. Kamppi was credited with the win for the Cardinals and left-hander Matt Karl (Connecticut) earned the save. Starter for the Whitecaps was Ryan Cook (USC), who struck out 11 Cardinals in five innings of work.
It wasn't until the seventh inning that Dennis Raben (Miami) accounted for the game's only run when he hit a disputed double down the right field line to drive in Marcus Jones (North Carolina State) from second base.
Orleans manager Kelly Nicholson was thrilled with the win. “I thought we played really well,” said Nicholson. “We pitched well, obviously, and we scratched out a run in the seventh. It’s great.”
Jones, who had singled and been bunted to second in the seventh, was equally excited about scoring the decisive run. “I was really excited to come up here and have fun and play as well as I could,” he said.
Gabriella Remington, CCBL intern (remington@capecodbaseball.org)
Yarmouth-Dennis Comes Out Swinging -- With Pink Bats
Red Sox Spoil Mets' Opener in Hyannis, 6-3
HYANNIS, Mass. -- The Yarmouth-Dennis Red Sox started the 2007 Cape Cod Baseball League season the same way they ended 2006, with a victory. Y-D was originally scheduled to open its title-defending season at home, but instead took on the Hyannis Mets at McKeon Park because of a scheduling problem at Dennis-Yarmouth Regional High School. The location made little difference as the Red Sox posted a solid 6-3 win.
Pitcher Terry Doyle (Boston College) led the way for Y-D, striking out five while giving up three runs in five innings. Doyle was the 2006 CCBL Outstanding Pitcher of the Year and is one of only two returning Red Sox players. The other is Buster Posey (Florida State), who is currently a finalist for the Johnny Bench Award, which goes to the nation's best college catcher each season. Bobby Gagg (Coastal Carolina) pitched the last four innings, striking out four batters without giving up a hit to collect his first save of the season.
The Red Sox' pink bats would drive in six runs of their own, more than enough offense to assure Doyle of the victory. The bats were pink for the same reason that the game was in Hyannis instead of South Yarmouth -- the Relay for Life, a cancer fund-raiser, was being held at Dennis-Yarmouth Regional High School. In support of the event, general manager Jim Martin had 12 pink bats, each inscribed with “Y-D Red Sox,” custom made by Akadema Professional, which happens to be owned by a former Y-D Red Sox player. After the bats are used again in Sunday’s home opener, the Red Sox plan to sell them to raise money for the American Cancer Society.
Centerfielder Collin Cowgill (Kentucky) drove in two runs while Jeremy Barnes (Notre Dame) and Joey Railey (San Francisco) each drove in one run to support Doyle. Shortstop Gordon Beckham (Georgia) also drove in a run on opening day, and made the defensive play of the game in the seventh inning when his jumping catch robbed the Mets' David Macias (Vanderbilt) of what looked to be an easy base hit.
Kevin Wolfe, CCBL intern (wolfe@capecodbaseball.org)
AROUND THE HORN
THE NIGHT THE LIGHTS WENT OUT IN HARWICH: An auto accident involving a pole near Whitehouse Field caused a power outage in the surrounding area that caused the Chatham-Harwich game to be shortened to five innings. The umpires waited 30 minutes before calling the game with runners on first and second and no outs in the bottom of the fifth. The game, won by the Mariners, 9-4, counts in the standings as it was deemed an official contest. Danny Farquhar (Louisiana-Lafayette) pitched five power-packed innings for Harwich, striking out 11 batters while giving up five hits and three earned runs.
EAST MEETS WEST: Two pitchers from opposite ends of the country faced each other on opening night in Hyannis when the Mets’ Matt Daly (Hawaii) opposed CCBL All-Star Terry Doyle (Boston College) at McKeon Park. Both players are returning to their respective CCBL teams this summer, while Doyle is waiting for a contract offer from the Los Angeles Dodgers, who drafted him in the 21st round.
TIGERS SELECT ANOTHER BIG SOUTHPAW: For the second straight year, the Detroit Tigers took a big left-handed pitcher from the Cape League as one of their early round selections. Last year, the Tigers selected 6-6 LHP Andrew Miller (North Carolina) of Chatham (now in the Tigers’ starting rotation) in the first round and followed up this year by taking 6-5 lefty Charlie Furbush (LSU by way of St. Joe’s-Maine) of Hyannis in the fourth round. A record 202 CCBL players were selected during 50 rounds of the 2007 Major League Baseball Draft, with Larry Day (Connecticut) of Bourne and Orleans being the final CCBL player taken in the final round.
HOME RUN DERBY: One of the most popular events during the Cape League season is the home run hitting contest during the 45th Cape Cod Baseball League All-Star Game, which will now be called the Baseball Express Home Run Derby.
LIVE ON NPR: The 45th Cape Cod Baseball League All-Star Game, presented by the Leading Banks of Cape Cod, will be broadcast live by the Cape and Islands' three National Public Radio (NPR) stations -- WCAI 90.1 FM, WNAN 91.1 FM and WZAI 94.3 FM. The listener-supported stations are a service of the WGBH Educational Foundation, serving Cape Cod, the offshore islands of Nantucket and Martha's Vineyard, and the south coast.
22 … AND COUNTING: John Schiffner, the dean of CCBL field managers for the Chatham A’s, needs just 22 more wins to surpass Don Reed as the modern era wins leader, following his team’s loss at Harwich Friday night. Reed captured 334 victories during his illustrious career.
LYONS ROAR: Two players from nationally ranked Wheaton -- infielder Jake Yagjian of Brewster and southpaw hurler Josh Moore of Manchester, N.H. -- will perform in the CCBL, with Yagjian playing his second straight summer with the Brewster Whitecaps and the hard-throwing Moore making his Cape League debut with the Wareham Gatemen. Moore, who is coming off a school-record 16-strikeout performance at the NCAA Regional at Whitehouse Field, finished 8-1 with a 3.13 ERA and 63 strikeouts.
FACES IN THE CROWD: Several dignitaries watched or covered the season-opening game between the Y-D Red Sox and Hyannis Mets at refurbished McKeon Park Friday. They included CCBL President Judy Walden Scarafile; CCBL Commissioner Paul Galop; CCBL Vice President Peter Ford, CCBL Director of Communications Jim McGonigle; CCBL and Hyannis Mets secretary Kim Wolfe; President Bob Mayo, GM Jim Martin and Board Member Barbara Ellsworth of Y-D; President Tino DiGiovanni, GM John Howitt, Asst. GM Bill Bussiere and VP’s Peter Scarafile and Brad Pfiefer of the Hyannis Mets; Tom Souza of USA World Events, a new media broadcasting partner of the CCBL; broadcasting legend Fred Cusick; Walter Gadkowski of Cape Cod Hospital; financial planner Linda Gadkowski; Geoff Converse and Russ Charpentier of the Cape Cod Times; Kathleen Szmit of the Barnstable Patriot; Dan Crowley of Enterprise Newspapers; Deb Converse of the March of Dimes; John Cabral of cape.com, and hotelier Ken Kommenda.
CONGRATS TO BARNSTABLE: The Town of Barnstable was one of 10 communities that earned the All-America City award title, the oldest and most prestigious civic recognition competition in the U.S. Communities from all over the country participated in the event held last week in Orange County, Calif. A Cape contingent headed by Barnstable Director of Community Relations Lynne Poyant and Cape Cod Chamber Executive Director Wendy Northcross was decked out in CCBL outfits when they attended a Los Angeles Angels game in Anaheim. Poyant, former executive director of the Hyannis chamber and CCBL “Summer Catch” committee member, was named winner of the Mercy Otis Warren Woman of the Year award, which will be presented on July 4th in Barnstable village.
RED SOX STORIES: Making the first of several trips to Cape League games this summer was a film crew from Red Sox Productions on the TV show "Red Sox Stories" on UPN TV 38 in Boston, which features in-depth looks at all things Red Sox and baseball. Video producer Matt Bair plans to produce a show highlighting the league's history, its impact on all of baseball and how the games capture the "summertime in New England” atmosphere.
YAWKEY GRANTS: The Cape League received another grant of $300,000 from the Yawkey Foundation to support improvements to its baseball fields in Cotuit and Wareham. Lowell Park, home of the Cotuit Kettleers, and Clem Spillane Field, home of the Wareham Gatemen, received $150,000 each to utilize for field improvements which support the Cape League, along with high school, Babe Ruth League and American Legion baseball teams and leagues.
GAME OF THE WEEK: Following a dry-run during the first Military Game in Chatham last Saturday, the inaugural regular season CCBL Game of the Week on WBZ1030.com was scheduled to be the July 18 game at South Yarmouth with the Cotuit Kettleers visiting the defending champion Yarmouth-Dennis Red Sox beginning at 4:50 p.m. Broadcasting legend Fred Cusick provides the play-by-play commentary for the seven-week series of webcasts, which features streaming audio and video.
John Garner Jr., CCBL Director of Public Relations & Broadcasting (johnwgarner@earthlink.net)
Former Cotuit Kettleer Southpaw Tabbed by Pittsburgh Pirates in First Round of Major League Baseball Draft
James Simmons Follows Close Behind with 14th Overall Pick in First Round
June 8 , 2007
CAPE COD, Mass- The first nationally-televised Major League Baseball Draft on ESPN saw seven Cape Cod Baseball League alumni taken in the first round alone -- an impressive number considering only 19 of the first 30 picks were college players.
The top Cape League player picked was 2005 Cotuit Kettleer Daniel Moskos, formerly of Clemson, taken by the Pittsburgh Pirates with the fourth overall pick.
Moskos went 3-4 for Cotuit in 2005 with a 3.82 ERA in 15 appearances. He struck out 31 batters in 33 innings pitched and walked just 15.
The Baltimore Orioles were the next pick (fifth overall) and took power-hitting catcher Matt Wieters of Georgia Tech. Wieters played for the Orleans Cardinals last year and has hailed comparisons to Joe Mauer, last year’s American League MVP. Wieters was number two in the Cape League last year in both home runs (8) and batting average (.307).
Ross Detwiler and Matt LaPorta made it four straight CCBL alumni taken in the top 10, going number six to the Nationals and number seven to the Brewers, respectively. Detwiler pitched for Falmouth last year while Laporta, a first baseman, was fifth in the league in slugging percentage at .463 for Brewster and also played for Y-D three summers ago.
Although the Boston Red Sox didn’t have a pick in the first round, there was still a celebration in the Boston dugout as Beau Mills, son of Red Sox bench coach Brad Mills, was drafted by the Cleveland Indians at number 13 overall. The younger Mills played for the Bourne Braves in 2005 and for Lewis and Clark State this past spring.
Next to go at No. 26th overall was one of the dominant pitchers in the league last season in James "Donald" Simmons, who was taken by the Oakland Athletics as their top pick. Simmons had a miniscule 1.18 ERA, third in the league, in 53.1 innings pitched for the Cotuit Kettleers last year. he went 4-2 and was a Western Division Cape League All-Star selection.
The last CCBL alumni to go in the first round was also the last pick of the opening round, held by the New York Yankees, and was used to pick up hard- throwing Andrew Brackman who played for Orleans in 2006.
Former Cotuit Kettleers Julio Borbon (Tennessee - 2005) and Kellen Kulbacki (James Madison - 2006) were taken in the Compensation Round A which immediately follows the first round.
Borbon batted .205 for Cotuit in 29 games in 2005 and was 18-88 with four stolen bases.
Kulbacki, the top collegiate slugger heading into last summer, struggled a little bit before pickign up where he left off. Kulbacki finished with a .240 average in 41 games for Cotuit last season and belted seven home runs. He collected 18 RBI along the way. Kulbacki was taken by
With hundreds of CCBL alumni already having successful Major League careers there is no reason to believe that this round of players will be any different.
Beginning its 123rd season in 2007, the 10-team Cape League originated in 1885 with individual town teams, was reorganized into the Cape Cod Baseball League in 1923 with teams in Chatham, Falmouth, Hyannis and Osterville and is now the premier collegiate baseball summer league in the country.
A total of 198 former Cape Leaguers currently perform in the major leagues, including former Cy Young Award winner Barry Zito (Wareham ’97-’98), former MVP Frank Thomas (Orleans ’88), former AL batting champion Nomar Garciaparra (Orleans ’93), World Series MVP Darin Erstad (Falmouth ’96) and current Boston Red Sox captain Jason Varitek (Hyannis ’91 & ’93).
Cape League alumni of yesteryear include Baseball Hall of Famer Harold “Pie” Traynor (Falmouth ’19), former New York Yankee greats Red Rolfe (Orleans ’30) and Thurman Munson (Chatham ’67), Cy Young Award winner Mike Flanagan (Falmouth ’72), Rolaids Fireman-of-the-Year Jeff Reardon (Cotuit ’74-76), former AL MVP Mo Vaughn (Wareham ’87-88), long-time major league scout Lennie Merullo (Barnstable ’35) and major league manager of the year Nat “Buck” Showalter (Hyannis ’76). |
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CAPE LEAGUE HALL OF FAME CHANGING VENUES
FROM HERITAGE MUSEUMS & GARDENS TO JFK MUSEUM IN HYANNIS
CAPE COD, Mass. -- Heritage Museums & Gardens and The Cape Cod Baseball League jointly announced today that the Cape League’s Hall of Fame and Exhibit will move to a new venue in 2008.
Working in conjunction with the Hyannis Area Chamber of Commerce, the Cape League has applied to the Town of Barnstable to have its Hall of Fame re-located in the lower level of the JFK Museum in Hyannis.
The CCBL Hall of Fame exhibit was first created at Heritage in 2003 under a five-year contract, and the display has been a feature of Heritage’s History Museum since that time. Both organizations agree that after five successful years, the show needs to be redesigned and revitalized, and that a new venue will be a positive step for all concerned.
“Heritage is grateful to the Cape Cod Baseball League, and the many private lenders to our exhibit, for the opportunity to display and interpret the story of one of Cape Cod’s most beloved organizations,” said Scott Swank, Executive Director of Heritage Museums & Gardens. “We’ve also been pleased to salute and celebrate many outstanding athletes who make the league’s summer competition so exciting. Hyannis is a wonderful central location for the Hall of Fame, and we wish the League well in this new endeavor. On our part, we are looking forward to new exhibits in the renovated History Museum on other aspects of Cape Cod and American history which will feature Heritage collections, and objects borrowed from other museums and private collectors.”
At the close of its regular season October 31, Heritage Museums & Gardens will close its History Museum for extensive interior renovation. The History Museum will open again in the summer of 2008 with all new exhibits.
In cooperation with the Hyannis Chamber, additional space in the Kennedy Museum will be renovated and opened to the public for the first time.
"We appreciate everything that Heritage Museum and Gardens has done for the Cape League,” said CCBL President Judy Walden Scarafile. “It was wonderful to have our Hall of Fame and Cape League exhibit in such a gorgeous setting. We’ve had exposure to fans that might not have seen the exhibit elsewhere. There is no better time to visit Heritage and see the Hall of Fame exhibit than now...the flowers are out,..the famous Heritage Rhododendrons are about to bloom...the grounds are spectacular."
Heritage Museums & Gardens is located on 100-acres of beautiful gardens and nature trails in Sandwich. Located on the site in addition to the American History Museum is an Art Museum and J. K. Lilly III Automobile Museum, Old East Mill, labyrinth, café and Gift and Garden Shop. New this season is the exhibit A Short Life and Merry: Pirates of New England funded in part by a generous grant from Rockland Trust.
Beginning its 123rd season in 2007, the 10-team Cape League originated in 1885 with individual town teams, was reorganized into the Cape Cod Baseball League in 1923 with teams in Chatham, Falmouth, Hyannis and Osterville and is now the premier collegiate baseball summer league in the country.
A total of 198 former Cape Leaguers currently perform in the major leagues, including former Cy Young Award winner Barry Zito (Wareham ’97-’98), former MVP Frank Thomas (Orleans ’88), former AL batting champions Nomar Garciaparra (Orleans ’93) and Bill Mueller (Bourne ’92), World Series MVP Darin Erstad (Falmouth ’96) and current Boston Red Sox captain Jason Varitek (Hyannis ’91 & ’93).
Former Cape League alumni of yesteryear include Major League Baseball Hall of Famer Harold “Pie” Traynor, former New York Yankee greats Red Rolfe and Thurman Munson, Cy Young Award winner Mike Flanagan, Rolaids Fireman-of-the-Year Jeff Reardon, long-time major league scout Lennie Merullo and major league manager Nat “Buck” Showalter.
LIGHTED FIELD FOR HYANNIS METS POSTPONED FOR 2007
Game Times Switch Back to 5 P.M. For Home Games
HYANNIS, Mass. -- The Hyannis Athletic Association announced today that the schedule to have lights at McKeon Field has been delayed for at least another season.
Continuing environmental concerns and rising installation costs have resulted in the postponement of McKeon Park field lights for the 2007 Hyannis Mets season.
"We feel a great deal of disappointment, but maintain the collective positive energy to complete the project." said Hyannis Mets President Tino DiGiovanni. "
Game times for the upcoming season will be at 5 p.m., with the exception of two August games which will commence at 4:30pm.
The Mets remain committed to have state-of-the-art lights installed for future seasons.
The Hyannis Athletic Association looks forward to continuing the provision of the highest level of summer collegiate baseball under the aegis of the prestigious Cape Cod Baseball League.
Over the past ten years, the Mets and their cadre of volunteers have completely transformed McKeon Park, including new bleachers, a landscaped seating terrace, a new brick backstop and improved handicapped accessibility.
Other improvements of note are irrigation upgrades beneath the playing surface and a new outfield fence.
These major improvements have been made possible through the assistance of a major grant from the Yawkey Foundation II with a matching donation from the new Pope John Paul II High School.
Just as the Mets await the development of the new baseball program at Pope John Paul II High School, the facilities at McKeon Park enhanced even further by future lighting will be better equipped than ever to serve as a recreational center for the Village of Hyannis.
McKeon Field was built in 1925, along with the construction of, at the time, the new Barnstable High School. For further details, visit the Mets website (www.hyannismets.com)
CAPE LEAGUE TRYOUT IN WAREHAM
NAMED IN MEMORY OF LOCAL PUBLISHER FRANK FINN
WAREHAM, Mass. – Frank Finn was a man of many talents – editor, publisher, family-man and provocateur. More than anything, Finn was always there ready to stand up for the underdog.
Finn, editor, publisher and founder of the Cape Cod Sports Report, passed away March 17 after a long battle against cancer. His legacy will be long remembered by countless fans after the Cape Cod Baseball League Executive Committee unanimously voted recently to name the official CCBL Tryout before the season in his name.
“I’m delighted we chose to name our tryout after Frank Finn, because nobody cared more passionately about giving Cape Cod players a chance to participate at the CCBL level of play,” said John Wylde, president/GM of the Wareham Gatemen and director of the CCBL Tryout. “When Frank and I started a dialogue several years ago, I felt that he had the mindset that the CCBL didn't care about Cape Cod players, particularly if they attended a small school. As time passed, I felt that his opinion changed and that he believed that he could work productively with the CCBL. I hope that I played some roll in that mind shift. We became good baseball friends - I will miss him."
The 59-year-old Finn covered college, high school and youth sports on the Cape for over 30 years, first as sports writer and sports editor of the Register and then sports editor of the Barnstable Patriot, before founding his own weekly publication, the Cape Cod Sports Report in 1992.
Finn and his wife Cathy were a two-person operation of the publication, writing and editing all the stories, taking photos, selling and placing advertisements and publishing and printing the final edition. A Cape Cod native who attended Nauset High School and later Northeastern University, covered a wide range of athletics events over the years, from the Hyannis and Falmouth Sprint Triathlons at Craigville Beach (where he knew practically every local entry) to Little League baseball and softball and powder-puff football.
It was recently announced that Cathy Finn and local sports writer/editor Sean Walsh will bring back the Cape Cod Sports Report.
“This honor is such a gift to Frank,” said Cathy Finn, his wife and co-publisher of Cape Cod Sports Report. “He would spend the whole year thinking about athletes he would suggest for invitation to the Cape League tryout, and would encourage the boys to make the effort to try out, once they were chosen. He always felt our home-grown talent was just as good, if not better, than that which could be found anywhere else in the country, and that our local players should be promoted. Thank you so much for naming this try out after him- and keep choosing those local guys!
Finn covered the Cape Cod Baseball League for over 30 years and was the single biggest proponent of utilizing local college players in the nation's top collegiate summer league. It was fitting that during the past two summers, Finn's work behind the scenes aid off with several local performers on CCBL rosters.
The Cape Cod Baseball League will conduct its Annual Frank Finn Invitational Tryout on behalf of all 10 Cape Cod baseball League teams, on Saturday, 2 June 2007, at Clem Spillane Field, Wareham, MA. Directions to the field may be found at the Wareham Gatemen website (www.gatemen.org).
The Finn tryout will be held under the direction of Harvard Baseball Coach Joe Walsh and other CCBL coaches and representatives. Organization and administration of the tryout will be conducted by Wareham Gatemen General Manager, John Wylde. Mr. Wylde may be reached at 508 295-3956, (Fax) 508-295-8821, or wylde@comcast.net. Please direct all correspondence concerning any aspect of the tryout process to Mr. Wylde.
The following procedures/guidelines should be carefully noted:
(1) The CCBL tryout is by invitation only.
Players must be recommended by a college coach who believes the player can compete at the Cape League level. Players must meet NCAA summer league guidelines and not have signed a 2007 NCAA letter of commitment with any other summer league or team. College coaching staffs' recommendations are crucial in determining which players are invited to the tryout and may then be selected for temporary roster positions. CCBL tryout invitations are issued with the intention of balancing CCBL team roster positions.
Cape League Officers, Jim Higgins and Peter Ford, will contact every player who is being invited. Players who have not been contacted have not been invited.
The League will extend invitations to approximately 80 players. Representatives from all 10 CCBL teams will attend the tryout.
(2) The tryout schedule is as follows:
9:30 a.m. - Registration at Spillane Field
10:30 a.m. - Extended infield/outfield drill
11:30 a.m. - Players split into three teams for a multi-inning scrimmage.
(3) Players should come dressed in uniform - toilet facilities will be available. Position players please bring a wooden bat and batting helmet.
(4) An athletic trainer will be in attendance throughout the tryouts.
(5) Rain Date: Sunday, 3 June 2007 - same schedule times as listed above.
(6) The deadline to pre-register for the tryout is Friday, 11 May 2007.
Beginning its 123rd season in 2007, the 10-team Cape League originated in 1885 with individual town teams, was reorganized into the Cape Cod Baseball League in 1923 with teams in Chatham, Falmouth, Hyannis and Osterville and is now the premier collegiate baseball summer league in the country.
A total of 198 former Cape Leaguers are currently performing in the major leagues, including former Cy Young Award winner Barry Zito (Wareham ’97-’98), former MVP Frank Thomas (Orleans ’88), former AL batting champions Nomar Garciaparra (Orleans ’93) and Bill Mueller (Bourne ’92), World Series MVP Darin Erstad (Falmouth ’96) and current Boston Red Sox captain Jason Varitek (Hyannis ’91 & ’93).
Former Cape League alumni of yesteryear include Baseball Hall of Famer Harold “Pie” Traynor, former New York Yankee greats Red Rolfe and Thurman Munson, Cy Young Award winner Mike Flanagan, Rolaids Fireman-of-the-Year Jeff Reardon, long-time major league scout Lennie Merullo and major league manager Nat “Buck” Showalter.
John Garner, Jr., Director of Public Relations & Broadcasting (johnwgarner@earthlink.net); 508-790-0394
Cape League Alum Debuts in ESPN Game of the Week
FORMER CAPE LEAGUER TIM LINCECUM MAKES MLB DEBUT TONIGHT ON ESPN After watching Lincecum’s first bullpen session on the Cape, Harwich GM John Reid, Field Manager Steve Englert and the rest of the Mariners' hierarchy knew they had something special in Tim Lincecum, the 6-0, 160-pound right-hander from the University of Washington. Lost in the shadows behind other flame-throwers such the North Carolina duo of Andrew Miller and Daniel Bard and two-way performer Brad Lincoln (Houston), Lincecum did NOT disappoint CCBL fans during the magical summer of 2005, leading the pitching-rich collegiate summer league with a microscopic 0.69 ERA (9th lowest in CCBL history), an eye-popping 68 strikeouts and a 2-2 record in just 39.1 innings. At the beginning of the summer, Lincecum was a starter but was moved into the closer position after an injury and kept scouts around till the end of games. He was a major part of the record-setting Harwich pitching staff that finished the season with 445 strikeouts, a Cape League record. With his mid 90's fastball and wide-breaking curveball, Lincecum’s rise to the major leagues was meteoric, following his being drafted in the first round by the San Francisco Giants and tonight will make his MLB debut against the Philadelphia Phillies in a game televised nationally on ESPN. Ironically, the 2006 Golden Spikes Award winner took the place of another former Cape Leaguer Russ Ortis (Yarmouth-Dennis ’94), who was placed on the 15-day disabled list. During his five starts at the AAA Fresno, Lincecom went a perfect 4-0 with 46 K’s and a 0.29 ERA in 31 innings, allowing just one run and 12 hits and going past the fifth inning in each start. Another former CCBL alumnus who is also his team's top prospect, Jacoby Ellsbury was promoted to AAA Pawtucket last week and went 1-for-four with two runs scored in his debut, a 5-4 Pawsox win. The speedy outfielder, who led the Commodores to the CCBL finale vs. Y-D in 2004, went on a stealing spree last summer, swiping 41 bases while splitting time between the Single-A Wilmington Blue Rocks and Double-A Portland Sea Dogs. Drawing comparisons to Johnny Damon with a little less power but a much better arm, Ellsbury combines defensive talent with offensive consistency, utilizing his speed in both aspects. He spent his collegiate years at Oregon State, where he boasted a career batting average of .365, and used his quick legs to close the gaps that surround his position in centerfield. In his first 16 games with the Portland Sea Dogs this year, Ellsbury was hitting a lusty .449 and walked off with seven stolen bases, while only being nabbed once. With such phenomenal stats, Ellsbury was called up to AAA Pawtucket to bat leadoff and play center field for the PawSox. Some day soon he may be snatching fly balls in that deep and dangerous centerfield corner at Fenway. John Garner, Jr., Director of Public Relations & Broadcasting, Cape Cod Baseball League, 508-790-0394
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