Saturday, June 30, 2007

roundup: friday, june 29

Winners
Bourne, Y-D, Wareham, Orleans

Losers

Hyannis, Cotuit, Falmouth, Harwich

Tie(ers?)
Chatham, Brewster

In Short
Bourne stayed hot...Chatham tied for the second straight night...Y-D won and clings to first...Wareham climbed closer...Orleans stayed hot

Scores
Bourne 5, Hyannis 1
Chatham 5, Brewster 5
Y-D 6, Cotuit 2
Wareham 5, Falmouth 4
Orleans 7, Harwich 5


Bourne 5, Hyannis 1
Bourne to 9-3-1, Hyannis to 5-7-1
  • Bourne scored single runs in the second, third and fourth and never looked back
  • Bourne's Kevin Hoef (Iowa) went 3-for-4 with two runs scored; Ben Guez (William & Mary) was 2-for-4
  • Rick Zagone (Missouri) got the win with six innings of three-hit ball
  • Austin Hudson (Central Florida) allowed three runs in seven innings, his best outing of the summer
  • Hyannis has dropped four straight
Of note, team-style: Bourne has played games on six consecutive days and has won every one of those games. The Braves are tied with Y-D for the best record in the league.

Of note, player-style:
Hoef is on fire for the Braves. He's hitting .438 to lead the league by a pretty wide margin. The sophomore third baseman has a league-best 21 hitsIt's a hot streak, for sure, and at this point in the season -- with so few at-bats -- that average can drop quickly. But the fact remains: Hoef is hot.

Chatham 5, Brewster 5
Chatham to 7-4-2, Brewster to 6-6-1
  • For the second night in a row, Chatham blew a late lead and ended up in a tie game when darkness fell
  • Brewster rallied with four in the bottom of the ninth to tie the game
  • Yonder Alonso (Miami) capped the rally with an RBI single
  • Chatham's Cliff Springston (Baylor) allowed one run on three hits in six innings
Of note, team-style: Brewster had lost three straight, and though they didn't end the streak with a win, they at least ended the streak. The Whitecaps are just three points out of third place Chatham.

Of note, player-style:
Chatham's Sean O'Brien (Virginia Tech) went 3-for-5, pushing his average to .333. He has an on-base percentage of .472.

Y-D 6, Cotuit 2
Y-D to 9-3-1, Cotuit to 7-6
  • Y-D scored four in the first inning off Cotuit starter Chris Fetter (Michigan)
  • A two-run double by Mike Tamsin (Northeastern) did the biggest damage
  • Matt Wickswat (Santa Clara) took the hill in place of originally scheduled starter Scott Green (Kentucky) and pitched well, allowing two runs in six innings
  • Green came on in relief and worked three prefect innings to pick up a save
Of note, team-style: Y-D hadn't won since Monday, but that stretch included a loss, a tie and a day off. The Red Sox are still holding onto first place in the East.

Of note, player-style:
Y-D's Sean Ochinko (LSU) went 2-for-3 and upped his average to .310. Ochinko is coming off his freshman season at LSU where he hit .277.


Wareham 5, Falmouth 4
Wareham to 3-10, Falmouth to 4-9
  • With its third straight win, Wareham got within a game of Falmouth for fourth place; a few days ago the Gatemen had lost 10 in a row
  • Wareham trailed 2-0 and 3-1 before getting a run in the fifth and three in the seventh
  • Falmouth starter Kyle Gibson (Missouri) finally allowed his first run of the summer in this his third start, but he has yet to record a decision; he left with a lead
  • Wareham's Dallas Keuchel (Arkansas) allowed three runs in five innings
  • Dustin Dickerson (Baylor) knocked in the go-ahead run in the seventh
  • Dickerson, Beamer Weems (Baylor) and Ike Davis (Arizona St.) all had two hits
Of note, team-style: Wareham was in danger of falling off the face of the earth earlier this week but three straight wins have them right back in it. It always looked like this was a team too talented to stay out of the win column that long.

Of note, player-style:
Wareham's Blake Dean (LSU) is hitting .311 with two home runs and five RBI. The freshman is also a pitcher, but he's concentrating on hitting with the Gatemen. Doing a pretty good job, too.


Orleans 7, Harwich 5
Orleans to 9-4, Hariwch to 3-10
  • After Harwich tied it with three in the fifth, Orleans answered with three of its own in the top of the sixth
  • Orleans won its fourth straight, Harwich dropped its seventh in a row
  • The top three hitters in Orleans' order -- Alden Carrithers (UCLA), Eric Reese (Fordham) and Dennis Raben (Miami) -- went 6-for-12 with two runs scored and three RBI
  • Orleans' Brad Boxberger (USC) allowed two earned in 4.1 innings
  • Four relievers closed the door with Nick Christiani (Vanderbilt) getting his league-best fourth save
Of note, team-style: With its recent hot streak, Orleans now has the second-best record in the league. The five runs were the most the Cardinals have given up in their streak, but the offense picked things up. Not bad for a team with one hitter over .300 (Raben).

Of note, player-style: Orleans' Sam Brown (NC State) doesn't get much pub, but such is the plight of the middle reliever. In five appearances -- all out of the pen -- Brown hasn't allowed a run. He's also struck out 11 in 6.2 innings. He's only a freshman and he's 6-foot-5, 220 pounds.

STANDINGS

East
Y-D...............9-3-1
Orleans..........9-4
Chatham.......7-4-2
Brewster......6-6-1
Harwich.......3-10


West
Bourne........9-3-1
Cotuit..........7-6
Hyannis......5-7-1
Falmouth....4-9
Wareham....3-10


Friday, June 29, 2007

games tonight: friday, june 29

Hyannis at Bourne, 5 p.m.
Chatham at Brewster, 5 p.m.
Y-D at Cotuit, 5 p.m.
Wareham at Falmouth, 7 p.m.
Orleans at Harwich, 7 p.m.

*Y-D vs. Cotuit should be an interesting game -- two very big pitchers and two powerful offenses.

Hyannis (5-6-1) at Bourne (8-3-1), 5 p.m.
Austin Hudson (1-0) vs. Rick Zagone (0-0)
Pitching matchup: Hudson (Central Florida) has a victory but he's allowed seven earned runs in 11.1 innings. Zagone (Missouri) has allowed two earned runs in three appearances (two starts)
What to watch: Bourne has rolled to five straight wins while Hyannis has dropped three in a row. The teams are still tightly packed in the West, though, so a Hyannis victory would make a big difference.
Who to watch: Bourne's Kevin Hoef (Iowa) is second in the league in batting average.

Chatham (7-4-1) at Brewster (6-6), 5 p.m.
Cliff Springston (1-0) vs. Matt Couch (0-0)
Pitching matchup: Springston (Baylor) has a 2.84 ERA but has walked four in 6.1 innings. Couch (San Diego) has posted a .75 ERA in two starts and has seven strikeouts in 12 innings.
What to watch: Chatham is coming off a rough loss when it blew a six-run lead Thursday at Y-D. It'll be interesting to see how the A's bounce back.
Who to watch: Chatham's Allan Dykstra is hitting .263 in his second year on the Cape, and though he hasn't hit a home run yet, he should be one of the top power hitters in the league.

Yarmouth-Dennis (8-3-1) at Cotuit (7-5), 5 p.m.
Scott Green (0-0) vs. Chris Fetter (0-0)
Pitching matchup: Green (Kentucky) and Fetter (Michigan) might make it look like a basketball game. Both are 6-foot-8. Green, who was a reliever for Kentucky, has been great as a starter so far. He's allowed just one earned run in 10 innings. Fetter is making his first start. He's given up four runs in 4.1 innings in two relief appearances.
What to watch: These are two of the top three hitting teams in the league so Green and Fetter will be tested.
Who to watch: Y-D's Gordon Beckham (Georgia) is a shortstop and he's 6-feet, 182 pounds. Those don't scream "power hitter" but Beckham has been one so far. He leads the league with four home runs, is second in RBI and is hitting. 375.

Wareham (2-10) at Falmouth (4-8), 7 p.m.
Dallas Keuchel (0-1) vs. Kyle Gibson (0-0)
Pitching matchup: Keuchel (Arkansas) has put up good numbers in two starts, but like a lot of Wareham pitcher, doesn't have much to show for it. The freshman lefty has a 2.08 ERA with 11 strikeouts to just one walk in 13 innings. Gibson (Missouri), a tall lefthander, hasn't allowed a run in two starts.
What to watch: If the Gatemen can keep the good feelings from its streak-busting win Thursday, they'll be right back in the thick of the West division race. As of now, they're just four points back of Falmouth.
Who to watch: I'd keep an eye on both these pitchers. They're both freshmen making a big splash so far.

Orleans (8-4) at Harwich (3-9), 7 p.m.
Brad Boxberger (0-0) vs. Dan Hudson (1-1)
Pitching matchup: Boxberger (USC), a freshman, hasn't allowed a run in two starts. Hudson (Old Dominion) has a 1.80 ERA with 14 strikeouts in two starts.
What to watch: Orleans has gotten tremendous pitching in its three-game win streak. Harwich hasn't been bad either, but errors have cost the Mariners. They've lost six in a row.
Who to watch: If Orleans gets a lead late, look for closer Nick Christiani (Vanderbilt). He has three saves so far. He hasn't allowed a run and has surrendered just three hits in seven innings.

roundup: thursday, june 28

Winners
Bourne, Cotuit, Wareham, Orleans

Losers

Brewster, Harwich, Hyannis, Falmouth

Tie(ers?)
Chatham, Yarmouth-Dennis

In Short
Bourne wins before the rains come...Cotuit takes another slugfest...Wareham snaps a 10-game skid...Orleans gets a shutout...Y-D rallies to tie Chatham, stay in first

Scores
Bourne 4, Brewster 0
Cotuit 10, Harwich 8
Wareham 6, Hyannis 3
Orleans 3, Falmouth 0
Chatham 7, Y-D 7

Bourne, 4, Brewster 0 (five innings)
Bourne to 8-3-1, Brewster to 6-6
  • Bourne's Ben Guez (William & Mary) had a two-run home run in the first and a two-run home run in the second to propel the Braves
  • The game ended after five due to rain
  • Bourne's Brad Gemberling (Princeton) allowed just one hit in four scoreless innings, while Jesse Haney (UNC-Wilmington) tossed a scoreless inning of relief
  • Josh Workman (Wichita State) scored two runs for Bourne
Of note, team-style: With the victory, Bourne ties Yarmouth-Dennis for the best record on the Cape. The Braves have won five straight games and haven't allowed more than three runs in any of those victories.

Of note, player-style:
Guez wasn't on the active roster when the season began, but he's sure to get a spot when rosters are finalized. The 6-foot, 175-pound outfielder is hitting .318 and is second in the league in RBI with 13. This year, as a sophomore for William & Mary, he hit .270.


Cotuit 10, Harwich 8
Cotuit to 7-5, Harwich to 3-9
  • Neither team helped itself on the mound or in the field -- they combined for six errors, and pitchers allowed 21 hits
  • Cotuit used a six-run fourth to blow the game open
  • Cotuit leadoff man Tony Delmonico (Tennessee) went 3-for-5 with three RBI
  • Harwich shortstop Cole Figueroa (Florida) went 4-for-5
  • Cotuit's Christian Staehely (Princeton) got the win
  • Harwich starter Danny Farquhar (La.-Lafayette) allowed eight runs in five innings, but only two were earned
Of note, team-style: Harwich lost its sixth consecutive game. The Mariners have made 12 errors in that span. Not a good average.

Of note, player-style:
With a .417 average, Figueroa is now leading the league. The shortsop has the makings of a pretty big-time prospect. He was a ninth-round pick out of high school in Tallahassee last year, but opted to attend Florida. He hit .332 in this his freshman season, and he's making an even bigger splash now.

Wareham 6, Hyannis 3
Wareham to 2-10, Hyannis to 5-6
  • Wareham finally ended its 10-game losing streak
  • The Gatemen scored three in the top of the first and never trailed
  • Wareham shortstop Beamer Weems (Baylor) went 3-for-5 with three RBI and is now hitting .351
  • Six players in the Hyannis lineup had hits, but that wasn't enough for a rally
  • Wareham starter Jeremy Bleich (Stanford) allowed three runs in five innings in his first start
  • Reliever Collin McHugh (Berry College), who has also been with Chatham this summer, pitched three scoreless innings of relief
  • The loss was the third straight for the Mets
Of note, team-style: It's hard to say what the difference was for Wareham, which hadn't exactly played poorly despite the 10-game losing streak. Things just weren't going that way. The big start helped this time. Only once in the 10 losses did Wareham have a lead after three innings.

Of note, player-style:
Wareham's Ike Davis (Arizona St.), who's been at the College World Series, made his debut and went 1-for-4 in the DH spot. Davis is 6-foot-5, 210 pounds, and hit .349 with eight home runs for the Sun Devils.


Orleans 3, Falmouth 0
Orleans to 8-4, Falmouth to 4-8
  • Four Cardinals combined on a two-hit shutout -- Michael Schwimer (Virginia), Eric Surkamp (NC State), Ryan Perry (Arizona) and Nick Christiani (Vanderbilt)
  • Falmouth's Aaron Crow (Missouri) was the hard-luck loser. He allowed just a run in six innings
  • Orleans got a solo home run in the first by Dennis Raben (Miami) and two insurance runs in the eighth
Of note, team-style: Orleans has won three straight and is now just a point back of Y-D for first place in the East. The Cardinals have done it mostly with pitching. In the three wins, they've allowed two, one and zero runs.

Of note, player-style:
Schwimer improved to 2-0 and he hasn't yet allowed a run in 10 innings. He has struck out 12, walked five and allowed just four hits. He's been almost exclusively a reliever at Virginia, but he's clearly being stretched out a little more now. With size that scouts will have to notice -- 6-foot-7 and 210 pounds -- he's someone to watch. A junior, he was eligibile for the draft this year but wasn't picked.


Chatham 7, Yarmouth-Dennis 7
Chatham to 7-4-1, Y-D to 8-3-1
  • Chatham was well on its way to tying the Red Sox for first place, but the bullpen blew a 7-1 lead
  • Y-D got six runs on six hits in the bottom of the eight, just before the game was called due to darkness
  • Jason Castro (Stanford) hit a three-run home run to provide the big blow
  • Chatham starter Charles Brewer (UCLA) allowed just two hits in six scoreless innings. He's allowed only one run in two starts
  • Chatham's Jeff Lorick (Virginia) was charged with six runs in 1.1 innings
Of note, team-style: The late rally keeps Y-D in first place by a slim margin. For once, the Red Sox didn't get a good pitching performance, but that didn't matter.

Of note, player-style:
Castro, the starting catcher for Y-D, is hitting .385, which puts him fourth in the league. Castro was a big prospect coming out of high school and has a solid freshman season. But this spring in his sophomore year, he struggled and finished with a .167 batting average. Whatever adjusments he made appear to be working.


STANDINGS

East
Y-D...............8-3-1
Orleans..........8-4
Chatham.......7-4-1
Brewster......6-6
Harwich.......3-9


West
Bourne........8-3-1
Cotuit..........7-5
Hyannis......5-6-1
Falmouth....4-7
Wareham....2-10


Thursday, June 28, 2007

games tonight: thursday, june 28

Brewster at Bourne, 5 p.m.
Wareham at Hyannis, 5 p.m.
Chatham at Yarmouth-Dennis, 5 p.m.
Cotuit at Harwich, 7 p.m.
Falmouth at Orleans, 7 p.m.

*I'd call Chatham vs. Yarmouth-Dennis the game of the day. If the A's win, they'll tie Y-D for first place in the East.

Brewster (6-5) at Bourne (7-3-1), Doran Park, 5 p.m.
Ryan Cook (0-0) vs. TBA
Pitching matchup: Cook (USC) has been great for Brewster, with a 2.38 ERA in two starts. He has struck out 15 in 11.1 innings and hasn't walked anybody. For Bourne, don't underestimate TBA. He's good.
What to watch: Bourne has won four straight to grab first place in the West. The Braves haven't had any trouble scoring runs in that span, but Cook will be a tough match-up.
Who to watch: Brewster's Danny Lima (Tennessee) is hitting .351, making him one of the top shortstops in the league so far.

Wareham (1-10) at Hyannis (5-5-1), McKeon Park, 5 p.m.
Jeremy Bleich (0-0) vs. Matt Daly (0-2)
Pitching matchup: Bleich (Stanford) is back for his second summer with Wareham. This is his first start. In the college season, the lefty struggled. For Hyannis, Daly (Hawaii) has a 5.40 ERA in two starts.
What to watch: Wareham has lost 10 consecutive games, but on paper they shouldn't be that bad. They've lost a lot of close games. If they're going to start turning it around, tonight could be the night. Daly has struggled in two starts. Wareham will need Bleich to have a good night.
Who to watch: Wareham outfielder Diallo Fon (Arizona) is hitting .343 and has stolen five bases.

Chatham (7-4) at Yarmouth-Dennis (8-3), Red Wilson Field, 5 p.m.
Charles Brewer (0-0) vs. Steve Dodson (1-1)
Pitching matchup: Brewer (UCLA) is making his second start. He went four innings the first time out and allowed one run. Dodson (Georgia) has a 2.19 ERA in two starts.
What to watch: The A's will be trying to catch Y-D for first place in the East. They've won two straight.
Who to watch: Chatham third baseman Jermaine Curtis (UCLA) is off to a blistering start. In five games, he's hitting .444.

Cotuit (6-5) at Harwich (3-8), Whitehouse Field, 7 p.m.
Christian Staehely (0-1) vs. Danny Farquhar (1-1)
Pitching matchup: Staehely (Princeton) has made two appearances so far, one in relief, one a start. He has a 6.35 ERA. Farquhar (La.-Lafayette) has put up good numbers for Harwich. He has struck out 16 with a 2.70 ERA in 10 innings.
What to watch: Before a loss Wednesday, Cotuit had averaged more than eight runs per game in their last four. The Kettleers are third in the league in batting average.
Who to watch: Cotuit catcher Robert Stock (USC) is an interesting story. He skipped his senior year of high school to play at USC this year, which I'm guessing makes him the youngest player on the Cape. He's hitting .231 so far.

Falmouth (4-7) at Orleans (7-4), Eldredge Park, 7 p.m.
Aaron Crow (0-0) vs. Mike Schwimer (1-0)
Pitching matchup: Crow (Missouri) has made two appearances, both in relief. He hasn't allowed a run in 3.1 innings. Schwimer (Virginia) pitched five shutout innings in his only prior start.
What to watch: With a victory and a Y-D loss, Orleans can move into a three-way tie atop the Eastern Division standings.
Who to watch: Falmouth's Matt Hague (Washington) is leading the league in hitting with a .429 average. He was an 11th round pick this year. He's trying to raise his stock and doing a good job of it so far.

roundup: wednesday, june 27

Winners
Bourne, Falmouth

Losers

Cotuit, Wareham

In Short
Bourne stays in first place...Matt Hague stays hot for Falmouth

Scores
Bourne 4, Cotuit 2
Falmouth 5, Wareham 3

Bourne 4, Cotuit 2
Bourne to 7-3-1, Cotuit to 6-5
  • Bourne got two in the first on a tw0-run double by (Stetson) Brian Pruitt and never gave up the lead
  • The win was Bourne's fourth straight
  • Wade Kapteyn (Evansville) earned the victory, allowing one earned run and three hits in six innings
  • Cotuit's Ryne White (Purdue) went 1-for-3, putting his average at .414.
Of note, team-style: In its four straight wins, Bourne has allowed only eight runs. Kapteyn, T.J. Hose (East Carolina), D.J. Mitchell (Clemson) and Steven Hensley (Elon) earned the victories with solid performances on the mound.

Of note, player-style:
White, a sophomore who's starting at first base for Cotuit, wasn't among the league leaders in average when the night began, but he is now. He got to 29 plate appearances, the minimum to be listed on the leaderboard. His .414 average puts him second. White hails from Chicago and was a freshman all-american in 2006. He hit .452 this season to lead the team, with an OBP of .521.


Falmouth 5, Wareham 3
Falmouth to 4-7, Wareham to 1-10
  • Falmouth got three in the third on a two-run shot by Matt Hague (Washington) and never looked back
  • Luke Burnett (Louisiana Tech) earned the win with three solid innings of relief
  • The loss is Wareham's 10th straight. Nearly all of them have been by one or two runs
  • Six players had hits for the Gatemen, but they could string nothing together
Of note, team-style: Falmouth has won three straight to get within striking distance in the West. They're just two games back of Hyaniss for third place.

Of note, player-style:
Falmouth's Hague stayed hot. The junior from Washington has multi-hit games in four of Falmouth's last five, and is hitting a league-leading .429 in 10 games. He went 2-for-3 Wednesday with three RBI and his first home run. For Washington this spring, Hague hit .353 with 13 home runs. As a junior, he was eligible for the draft this year, and the Cleveland Indians took him in the 11th round. That's pretty good, but I guess he thinks he can do better. That's why he's on the Cape, either to get more money from Cleveland or have a big summer and head back to school with his stock rising.


STANDINGS

East
Y-D...............8-3
Orleans..........7-4
Chatham.......7-4
Brewster......6-5
Harwich.......3-8


West
Bourne........7-3-1
Cotuit..........6-5
Hyannis......5-5-1
Falmouth....4-7
Wareham....1-10


Wednesday, June 27, 2007

a carpenter's handiwork

I went to the Falmouth-Chatham game on Saturday night at Veterans Field. I glanced at the pitching match-up before I went, but didn't delve any deeper. I wasn't too familiar with Chatham's starter, Chris Carpenter.
I am now.
Carpenter worked only three innings, but was very impressive. Not knowing much about him beforehand, I wasn't really prepared to pay close attention. I wasn't tuned in. But in that first inning, when I heard the glove pop, I had a pretty good idea that he was throwing hard. A quick glance at a scout's radar gun proved it. Carpenter was consistently in the low 90s and touched 94. He struck out seven in three innings and looked pretty dominant.
From what I can tell, Carpenter is a pretty interesting story. He's from Kent State in Ohio, where he just finished his sophomore year. But he was a draft-eligible sophomore because of a medical redshirt year that came about because of Tommy John surgery in 2005.
Apparently, it made him stronger. At 6-4, 220, he was always a power arm. But when he returned from the surgery, he was in the mid-90s consistently. Still, he only made 12 appearances for Kent State this year, and he wasn't exactly dominant, posting a 4.50 ERA.
That's just part of the dichotomy surrounding Carpenter.
Before the June draft, he was a projected as a first or second-round pick. But injury concerns had him slipping all the way to the 18th round, where the Yankees selected him.
Instead of signing immediately, Carpenter took off for Chatham, hoping to gain some leverage. If he pitches well and proves he's healthy, he can ask for the type of contract he would have gotten as a high pick.
So far, so good. Carpenter has allowed two runs in nine innings over two starts, and he's struck out 13. You can't help but be impressed with his fastball, but his curveball looked good, too, on Saturday. Control may be an issue, but he's only walked four so far this summer.
If he stays healthy and keeps putting up those numbers, he'll make himself some money. But it'll be interesting to see how Chatham manager John Schiffner handles him. In a way, Carpenter has some mercenary qualities, but I guess everybody in this league does, to some extent. His are just more pronounced. In reality, he gives the A's a serious force on the mound, no matter how they decide to use him. I'll be watching.
And I'm betting the Yankees will, too. That scout whose radar gun I looked at? He was wearing a Yankees shirt.

roundup: tuesday, june 26

Winners
Cotuit, Falmouth, Orleans, Chatham, Bourne

Losers

Brewster, Harwich, Hyannis, Wareham, Y-D

In Short
Cotuit can score...Falmouth's Christian Friedrich is awesome...Orleans can pitch...Wareham lost its ninth in a row...Bourne knocked off Y-D

Scores
Cotuit 11, Brewster 10
Falmouth 8, Harwich 2
Orleans 3, Hyannis 1
Chatham 5, Wareham 2
Bourne 4, Y-D 3

Cotuit 11, Brewster 10
Cotuit to 6-4, Brewster to 6-5
  • Except for three players, everybody in the starting lineups for both teams had a hit.
  • Cotuit scored five in the eighth inning to get the victory.
  • Reese Havens (South Carolina), Ryan Lollis (Missouri) and Ryne White (Purdue) had three hits apiece.
  • Both teams used four pitchers. Jordan Meaker (Dallas Baptist) came on in relief and pitched an inning for the win.
  • Brewster's Brad Glenn (Arizona) had five RBI, thanks largely to a first-inning grand slam.
Of note, team-style: Cotuit proves again that it can win a slugfest. In their six victories, the Kettleers have scored 50 runs. In four losses, they've scored 14 runs.With a 6.59 team ERA, Cotuit is at the bottom of the league in pitching, but they're hitting .282, second in the league. If that keeps up, and the pitching improves, Cotuit could do some things.

Of note, player-style:
Brewster's Yonder Alonso (Miami) continued his steady play. He went 2-for-4 and is now hitting .316. He's a pretty big prospect who's not disappointing.


Falmouth 8, Harwich 2
Falmouth to 3-7, Harwich to 3-8
  • Falmouth's Christian Friedrich (Eastern Kentucky) struck out 12 in five innings, for his second win of the season. Over two starts, he's pitched 10 inning and struck out 19 without allowing a run.
  • Christian Friedrich is the real deal, I'd say.
  • Falmouth's David Adams and Jeremy Farrell (both from Virginia) had two RBI
  • Harwich's Chris Dominguez (Louisville) went 2-for-4 in his second game since arriving from the College World Series
  • Falmouth's Matt Hague (Washington) still leads the league in batting average despite an 0-for-2. He's hitting .406. By the way, he wasn't even on Falmouth's initial roster.
Of note, team-style: Falmouth is second-worst in the league in both ERA and batting average, but eight runs and another big start from Friedrich was exactly what they needed.

Of note, player-style:
I have to talk about Friedrich. Eastern Kentucky isn't exactly a baseball powerhouse, but Friedrich ended up there from Evanston, Ill. He did well as a freshman, then put together a solid campaign in the NECBL. This spring, in his sophomore year, he had a 2.09 ERA with 101 strikeouts in 81.2 innings. Opponents hit .155 against him. A left-hander who's 6-foot-3, Friedrich is sure to catch the eye of scouts.

Orleans 3, Hyannis 1
Orleans to 7-4, Hyannis to 5-5
  • Orleans won its second straight
  • Wynn Pelzer (South Carolina) allowed a run in five innings for the victory
  • Four Cardinal relievers each tossed scoreless innings with Nick Christiani (Vanderbilt) notching his second save
  • Jose Jimenez (Tampa) had two hits for the Cardinals
  • Hyannis' Shane Peterson (Long Beach State) and Dan Brewer (Bradley), who are both in the top 6 in batting average each had hits
Of note, team-style: Orleans is just a game back of Y-D for the top spot in the East, despite an offense that's struggling. As a team, the Cardinals are hitting .224, worst in the league. But the pitching staff has posted a 2.41 ERA, leaving Orleans among the top three, along with division rivals Y-D and Chatham.

Of note, player-style:
Orleans' outfielder Dennis Raben (Miami), who went 1-for-3 Tuesday, is slugging .639 and has an on-base percentage of .400. He also has six extra-base hits, tied for the league lead. He has two home runs.


Chatham 5, Wareham 2
Chatham to 7-4, Wareham to 1-9
  • Ninth straight loss for the Gatemen
  • Addison Johnson (Clemson) and Jermaine Curtis (UCLA) each went 3-for-4 for the A's
  • Chatham's Gavin Brooks (UCLA) struck out 10 and allowed two runs in six innings
  • The game was tied 2-2 until Chatham broke through in the eighth. Allan Dykstra (Wake Forest) broke it open with a pinch-hit two-run single.
Of note, team-style: Wareham can't get anything going. The Gatemen won their first game but have dropped nine straight since then. They've lost four one-run games and two two-run games. At some point, they're bound to turn it around. Their pitching staff has put up the third-best ERA in the league, and though their offense is hitting just .226, they've got plenty of pop. Things will have to go their way soon, though. They've dug themselves a deep hole.

Of note, player-style:
Brooks had a big freshman season for UCLA and has continued his success on the Cape. Though he hasn't yet recorded a decision, he's posted a 2.69 ERA in two starts, and he's struck out 14 in 10.1 innings. It's a pitchers' league, yes, but any time a freshman does well on the mound, it's news, at least in my book.


Bourne 4, Yarmouth-Dennis 3
Bourne to 6-3-1, Hyannis to 8-3
  • This was a battle of first-place teams
  • Bourne rallied from a 3-2 deficit with two in the fifth. Brian Pruitt (Stetson) hit a home run to tie the game, and T.J. Steele (Arizona) scored on a wild pitch after reaching on a walk
  • T.J. Hose (East Carolina) got the win for Bourne in his first start. He didn't allow an earned run in six innings of work.
  • Each team made two errors
  • Y-D's Terry Doyle (Boston College) limited Bourne to four hits but walked six
Of note, team-style: Even with the loss, Y-D still has the best record in the league, and based on stats, that's where they should be. They lead the league in average (.286) and ERA (2.23).

Of note, player-style:
Bourne shortstop Kevin Hoef (Iowa) went 1-for-5, but is still second in the league in hitting, with an average of .395.


STANDINGS

East
Y-D...............8-3
Orleans..........7-4
Chatham.......7-4
Brewster......6-5
Harwich.......3-8


West
Bourne........6-3-1
Cotuit..........6-4
Hyannis......5-5-1
Falmouth....3-7
Wareham....1-9


analysis: wareham gatemen

Last season: 24-19, second place in West, lost to Y-D in championship
Returning players: 10

OUTLOOK
On paper, this is a very talented group, but success will depend on a lot of different factors. Still, things could shape up nicely. The Gatemen have some depth in their pitching staff and some experience, with two players back from last year. But if all goes according to plan, offense could be the real strength. Russ Moldenhauer, Dustin Dickerson, Jason Ogata, Beamer Weems, Bradley Suttle, Luke Murton and Ike Davis all bring impressive credentials with them. Weems, Suttle and Murton are all in their second year on the Cape, a major advantage. If Dominic De La Osa comes to Wareham instead of signing immediately the Tigers -- he was a 10th round pick last week -- then the Gatemen will be even more stacked.

PLAYERS TO WATCH
Mike Minor - lefthander from Vanderbilt had a big freshman season
Matt Langwell - righthander emerged as one of Rice's top pitchers
Scott Gorgen - tossed a shutout in the super regionals against Wichita St.
Brad Unger - he's 6-foot-8

Russ Moldenhauer - plays all over the field and has a solid freshman season for Texas
Dustin Dickerson - highly-touted out of high school, did well at Baylor
Beamer Weems - back for his second summer, he's one of the top shortstops in the country
Bradley Suttle - has had two huge years for Texas
Ike Davis - all kinds of honors have come his way in two years at Arizona State

ROSTER ANALYSIS


CATCHERS
Russ Moldenhauer - Texas - Freshman - UTL/RHP - 5-11 205
Moldenhauer started most of the season for the Longhorns, no small feat for a freshman. He did fairly well for himself too, hitting .278 with 6 HR and 32 RBI. He appeared to play mostly in the DH spot and by the end of the season, was hitting in the middle of the order. Out of high school, Moldenhauer was a third-round pick. He's listed in the catcher section of Wareham's roster.

Bryan Garrity - UMass - Junior - C - 5-11 195
Garrity was the starting catcher for the Minutemen and hit .240 in 44 games.

Josh Phegley - Indiana - Freshman - C - 5-10 220
Phegley struggled with the bat for the Hoosiers, hitting just .232, but to be in Wareham after his freshman year means he has some potential. He hit .592 his senior year in high school on his way to Indiana Mr. Baseball honors.

Matt Anderson - Franklin Pierce - Junior - C - 6-0 220*
Anderson started all 57 games for Franklin Pierce and hit .329 with eight home runs.

FIRST BASE
Dustin Dickerson - Baylor - Freshman - 1B/OF - 6-4 215
Dickerson batted .292 with an OBP of .400 in a starting role for the Bears. Dickerson was a highly-touted recruit out of McGregor, Texas and was rated in the preseason as the seventh-best freshman in the nation by Baseball America. He was a 15th-round pick out of high school.

Luke Murton - Georgia Tech - Sophomore - 1B - 6-4 235
The brother of Cubs outfielder Matt Murton, Luke hit .239 for Tech this season but pounded nine home runs and had 43 RBI. He hit .234 last year for the Gatemen and will be looking to recapture a bit of the form that saw him hit .334 his freshman year with the Yellow Jackets.

SECOND BASE
Jason Ogata - Oregon State - Sophomore - 2B - 6-1 190
Ogata attended LSU last year, had a huge year on the Cape then transferred to Oregon State. For Wareham last year, Ogata hit .316, one of the top averages in the league. He hit .292 for the Beavers this season.

Michael Demperio - Texas - Freshman - 2B - 5-10 170
Demperio played in 33 games for the Longhorns and hit .156. Demperio was a big recruit out of Marietta, Ga.

THIRD BASE
Bradley Suttle - Texas - Sophomore - 3B - 6-3 215
Suttle led the Gatemen in home runs last season after being named a freshman all-american with the Longhorns. He avoided the sophomore slump this season by hitting .359 with 12 HR and 68 RBI. With his size and those numbers, Suttle looks like a big-time player.

Seth Henry - Tulane - Sophomore - 3B - 5-10 180
Henry is also back for another summer in Wareham. Last year, he played second and third base and hit .126. For the Green Wave this season, Henry hit .256.

Steffan Wilson - Harvard - Junior - 3B/OF - 6-2 215*
The top prospect in the Ivy League according to Baseball America, Wilson is back for his second summer with the Gatemen. Wilson hit .331 for Harvard.

Scott Savastano - Franklin Pierce - Sophomore - 3B/SS - 6-3 205*
Savastano hit .357 in 19 games for Franklin Pierce.

SHORTSTOP
Beamer Weems - Baylor - Sophomore - SS - 5-10 175
Back for his second season with the Gatemen, Weems should be one of the top infielders in the league. A freshman all-american last year, Weems hit .321 this year for Baylor with nine HR and 59 RBI. He was on the watch-list for the Wallace Award, presented to the top player in college baseball.

Jordy Mercer - Oklahoma State - Sophomore - SS/RHP - 6-3 185
Like Weems, Mercer was a freshman all-american last year, though this will be his first summer on the Cape. For the Cowboys this season, Mercer hit .307 and made just eight errors at shortstop. He also put up good numbers out of the bullpen, posting a 3.81 ERA.

Mike Hollander - LSU - Junior - SS - 5-8 175*
Hollander hit .279 for the Tigers with five HR and 26 RBI. It looks like Hollander played for Cotuit in 2005.

OUTFIELD
Mike Cavasinni - North Carolina - Sophomore - OF - 5-8 155
Cavasinni played just one game last summer in the Coastal Plain League after breaking his collarbone. After a big freshman season, Cavasinni played in 35 games for the Tar Heels this year and hit .237.

Ben Booker - Baylor - Sophomore - OF - 6-3 205
Booker hit .306 for Baylor, fourth on the team. He hit two home runs and drove in 32.

Jarred Bogany - Arizona State - Sophomore - OF - 6-3 200
After transferring from LSU, Bogany played in 52 games for the Sun Devils and hit .190. He was a high-school all-american out of Houston.

Diallo Fon - Arizona - Sophomore - OF - 6-0 200
Fon transferred from Vanderbilt and hit .300 with a .413 OBP this season for the Wildcats. Fon played last summer for Wareham and hit .180.

Ike Davis - Arizona State - Sophomore - OF/1B - 6-4 215
A big-time prospect, Davis is set to make his first appearance on the Cape. He was the preseason PAC-10 player of the year, and though his teammate Brett Wallace beat him out, Davis didn't really disappoint. He hit .352 with seven HR and 59 RBI. In his freshman year, Davis racked up the accolades, from PAC-10 freshman of the year to a spot on several freshman all-america teams. David played in Alaska last summer.

Dominic De La Osa - Vanderbilt - Junior - OF/INF - 5-11 190*
De La Osa was a 10th-round pick last week so we'll see if he comes to Wareham. Last summer, De La Osa hit .270 last summer for the Gatemen and this year for Vanderbilt, he hit .378 with 20 home runs.

* - non-roster invitee


PITCHERS

Matt Langwell – Rice – Junior - RHP - 6-2 225
Langwell has been one of the top pitchers for the Omaha-bound Owls. As of June 8,the right-hander had made nine starts – 20 appearances – and posted a 7-1 record with a 1.73 ERA.

Mike Minor – Vanderbilt – Freshman - LHP - 6-3 186
Minor was the No. 2 starter for Vanderbilt, right behind David Price, the first pick in the Major League draft. Minor finished the year with a 9-1 record and a 3.09 ERA. An article in the Nashville City Paper features a quote from head coach Vandy Coach Tim Corbin comparing Minor to former Vandy and Wareham pitcher Jeremy Sowers, who now plays for the Cleveland Indians.

Kendal Volz – Baylor – Freshman – RHP – 6-4 225
Volz made 14 starts for the Bears and went 6-2 with a 5.16 ERA. Opponents hit .321 against him but he did strike out 65, second-most on the team. Volz was highly-touted recruit and Baseball America ranked him No. 11 on their preseason list of the nation’s top 50 freshman. Volz was drafted in the 50th round out of high school.

Blake Dean – LSU – Freshman – LHP – 6-2 185
Dean is listed as a pitcher/outfielder on the Wareham roster, but he didn’t throw an inning for LSU. He did, however, lead the Tigers in batting, finishing with a .316 average. More on Dean in the outfielders section.

Jeremy Bleich – Stanford – Sophomore – LHP – 6-2 185

Bleich made 16 appearances – all starts – for the Cardinal and like many of his fellow Stanford pitchers, he struggled. The tradition-rich Cardinal went 28-28, with a team ERA of 6.01. Bleich finished 2-8 with a 5.56 ERA. He was second on the team in strikeouts. Bleich played for Wareham last summer and put up solid numbers, finishing with a 2.09 ERA.


Brandt Walker – Stanford – Freshman – RHP – 6-2 180

A 21
st-round pick last year out of high school, Walker made just nine appearances this season. I can’t find anything about an injury, so I’m not sure if that was it or if he just didn’t get the innings. Walker allowed 12 runs in 12.1 innings of work.

Matt Petiton –
North Carolina – Freshman – LHP – 6-1 195
Another lightly-used freshman, Petiton saw very limited duty for the Tar Heels, allowing four runs in two-thirds of an inning over two appearances. Petiton was a Louisville Slugger All-American out of Garden City High School in
New York.

Chris Hicks – Georgia Tech – Sophomore – RHP – 6-4 205

Hicks made 15 appearances for the Yellow Jackets, 11 of them in relief. He closed the year with a 7.29 ERA in 33.1 innings. He struck out 22 but walked 20. Hicks played in Wareham last summer and went 2-1 with a 1.47 ERA in seven appearances.


Andy Oliver –
Oklahoma State – Freshman – LHP – 6-4 205
Oliver made 11 starts for the Cowboys and finished 6-1 despite a 5.13 ERA. He struck out 38 in 40.1 innings. Oliver was a 17th-round draft pick out of high school in Vermilion, Ohio.

Dallas
Keuchel – Arkansas – Freshman – LHP – 6-2 190
Keuchel got a lot of work in his first year with the Razorbacks, making nine starts and 15 appearances out of the bullpen. He struck out 49 in 52 innings and finished the year with a 5.88 ERA.


Scott Gorgen – UC Irvine – Sophomore – RHP – 5-10 185

Gorgen had a solid regular season for the Anteaters but really made some noise Saturday when he shut out
Wichita State in the first game of a Super Regional series. If the Anteaters make it to Omaha, Gorgen will be late to Wareham. But if Saturday’s start is any indication, he’ll be worth the wait. For the season, Gorgen went 8-2 with a 3.30 ERA and 70 strikeouts.

Brad Unger - Harvard - Junior - RHP - 6-8 245*
His size makes him sound more like a basketball player, and he actually is. Unger was a team captain for the Crimson in the winter and then laced up the cleats for baseball. He was solid, too, finishing the year with a 3-2 record and a 3.66 ERA in 10 appearances. I don't know what kind of stuff he has, but the baseball/basketball/really tall guy/ivy league storyline is a lot like that of Chris Young, who pitched and played basketball for Princeton. He's now a San Diego Padre.

Lance Sewell - San Diego State - Sophomore - LHP - 6-3 205*
Sewell was a regular starter for the Aztecs and led the team in strikeouts with 74 in 77 innings. He finished with a 5-6 record but his ERA was 3.16.

Josh Moore - Wheaton College - Junior - LHP - 6-0 175*
Moore put up good numbers for Division III Wheaton and will try to make a splash on a bigger stage with the Gatemen. In 10 appearances for Wheaton, Moore went 8-1 with a 3.13 ERA and struck out 63.

Bill Purdy - Columbia - Junior - RHP - 5-10 185*
Another Ivy-Leaguer trying to make an impression on the Cape, Purdy went 5-4 for Columbia with a 4.89 ERA.

Sam Whelan - Babson College - Junior - RHP - 6-2 185*
Whelan went 6-2 for Babson with a 3.10 ERA and 54 strikeouts in 52 innings.


* - non-roster invitee

Saturday, June 9, 2007

as the fog settles in

The left-field sunset has faded. It is chilly now. You slip a sweatshirt on. The stat sheet you hold in your hands almost feels wet, the air is so damp. But the ink doesn't run. You can read it. That kid from LSU is still leading the league in home runs. That pitcher who they say throws 95 -- he's way up on the list in strikeouts.

The game is close, 3-2 through seven innings. You're staying till the end.

You look out at the field. Some fog has slipped in. It settles like smoke, just off the grass in front of the right fielder, like a cloud. When he runs through it to catch a fly ball, it looks almost magical, maybe even spiritual, like he's playing baseball in heaven.

Maybe he is.

The baseball is pure here. The players eager. The fans, maybe some of them don't know what they're seeing, maybe they just heard it was a fun night out, good for the family and everything -- but they know. They know somehow that this thing, this Cape League, is special.

Really, there's nothing like it.

I'm going to try and keep up.