Tuesday, July 31, 2007

an ever-present tug of war

An interesting topic has cropped up on the Cape League Insider Blog and on Codball. Russ Charpentier of the Cape Cod Times reported on the Insider blog that Matt Hall has decided to leave the Bourne Braves early, and that closer Jordan Flasher may soon take the same route.

These early departures seem to happen every year. With the all-star game in the books, a lot of scouts have packed up. The school year starts soon. It's hot and humid. And with 60 college games and 40 Cape League games under their belts, the fatigue is really creeping in. Other reasons specific to individual players can motivate an early exit, as well.

All of it's understandable, but it still kind of sucks. As fans, we want the Cape League season to mean something on a grand scale, and undoubtedly it means something to us. When a player skips out, it's a reminder that, to some of the guys in uniform, it doesn't mean as much.

I'm not saying Hall and Flasher are in that group. I don't know them. They may have perfectly good reasons for leaving. It may be what's best for them right now, and who can begrudge them that? But as players who are leaving early, they represent a larger issue.

It's sort of an ever-present tug of war, I think. A summer league is about development. It's about exposure. And it's about showcasing yourself. With its tradition and prestige, the Cape League has always added winning to the list. Thousands of fans show up, and they care. Dozens of volunteers for each team devote countless hours to the cause, and they care, too. Coaches could have taken a summer off, but they're on the Cape, and they care.

Unfortunately, there will always be players who don't.

I'll never forget a few years ago when I looked at the end-of-season awards list. The top prospect was a guy who had pitched for Chatham. I was shocked. I'd followed the A's most of the summer, and I didn't remember him at all. Did I just miss him? Well, no. He barely pitched. That's the way he wanted it -- give his arm some rest, pitch on the nights when the right people were watching, show the scouts just enough. His summer wasn't about helping the team, it was about helping himself.

You can't really blame him. You've got a million dollar arm, you do what you can to make sure you get a million dollars for it, even if it means being selfish and looking out only for yourself.

The question, though, is does that attitude ever fade? If that kind of player makes the Major Leagues -- his ultimate destination -- can he really change everything he's always done? Can he sacrifice his own career goals for team goals? Or will he stick with what got him there? Always thinking about the next contract, working hard just so he can make more money.

I don't know the answers. In some sense, you have to do what's best for yourself. When Ricky Williams quit the Miami Dolphins, I had no problem with it. There were drug issues, obviously, but I still think his intentions were true. He didn't want to play anymore. He wanted to live his life, and he didn't want football to be a part of it.

I couldn't blame him. He's a free spirit who clearly didn't feel like the NFL was where he was supposed to be. Yes, he had team obligations, but at some point, those have to take a backseat. It bothered me when Williams was so roundly criticized in the media. How could sports columnists say what was right for someone they didn't really know. If I apply the same logic to the Cape League, I shouldn't be the least bit upset that players want to skip out early.

But I am.

I think it goes back to the Cape League and its meaning. To me -- and to all of us who follow it -- the Cape League is something special. It's bigger than the players, bigger than the teams, bigger than all of us. I saw my first baseball game in Chatham. I was six months old. I may have slept through it and we may have only stayed three innings, but still. That's special. The top 19-and 20-year-old players in the world all want to play on a tiny stretch of land, on high school fields, for nothing. That's special. Families welcome those players into their homes and end up with practially adopted sons. That's special. Pepper games during fog delays. That's special. Baseball, pure baseball. That's special.

That's why it hurts when some players don't see that. They've been conditioned. To strive for greatness in athletics requires a constant eye to the future. It's the destination, then the next destination and the next. The journey too often takes a backseat. Some players don't realize that this one step on their journey -- this one summer on the Cape -- could be as great as any other step, maybe even better.

Some of them don't realize that it's special.

But as long as we keep believing that it is, keep showing up in droves, keep supporting the players, keep loving Cape League baseball, the players who get it -- the ones who just want to play all day, the ones who sleep with their bats, the ones who love the smell of the glove and the sound their spikes make when they walk off the field, the ones who would give anything for one more day, one more game -- they'll believe it, too.

notebook: hitting for average, hitting for power

Every once in a while, the batting leaderboard in a Cape League summer will have some gaudy averages. And every once in a while, the batting average leaderboard will have some home run hitters.

Rarely, do the two happen in the same year.

It's happening this year. Look at the top 10 hitters. All but two of them have at least three home runs.

With stats through Monday, July 30, the total number of home runs hit by the top 10 hitters was 37. I looked back through the archives on the Cape league's official site, and that's the highest number of the last eight years, which is as far back as the online archives go.

The numbers were close last year and in 2004, but it was deceiving. Both of those years, one player in the top 10 hit 11 home runs. The rest were hovering around two.

This year is unique because of the balance. Nearly everyone on the list is hitting home runs.

That might lead you to believe the average numbers are down. But they're not. In fact, they're way up from the last two seasons.

What's to account for it? Who knows? Maybe the pitching depth isn't quite there this year.

Or maybe there are some really good hitters wearing Cape League uniforms.

Hot start vs. strong finish

Players who start hot and cool down still draw more attention than a player who starts cold and heats up. You can remember when the player had the hot start and you can overlook the rough finish. In much the same way, you remember the other player's bad start and sometimes, the hot finish isn't enough to make you take notice. The stats were bad enough to start with.

So, to recognize a few guys who have done reasonably well lately but still won't appear on leaderboards, here's a look. The starting point for all these batting averages is July 15. So, essentially, we're looking at two weeks.

Addison Maruszak, Bourne - 7-for-16 - from .227 to .268
Mitch Moreland, Bourne - 12 of 38 - from .237 to .276
Curtis Dupart, Cotuit - 6 of 15 - from .196 to .242
Josh Harrison, Cotuit - 9 of 29 - from .253 to .267
David Adams, Falmouth - 18 of 52 - from .245 to .292
Alex Avila, Harwich - 11 of 35 - from .189 to .223
Johnny Giavotella, Harwich - 14 of 43 - from .264 to .287
Joey Gonzales, Harwich - 12 of 37 - from .263 to .293
Brandon Crawford, Orleans - 9 of 38 - from .169 to .193
Nate Freiman, Orleans - 12 of 38 - from .250 to .267
Aaron Luna, Y-D - 8 of 21 - from .222 to .292
Joey Railey, Y-D - 7 of 25 - from .215 to .233

Looking at .300 hitters

A lot of people are talking about how many .300 hitters there are this year, so I thought I would count. Through Monday's stats, there were 15. That doesn't seem like that many in a league of 12o-some odd hitters, but it is. The top 10 hitters list often includes guys in the .280-.290 range.

Quickly
  • Aaron Crow's ERA went up yesterday. He allowed one run.
  • The catching crop on the Cape really seemed to hit the dog days hard. All-star starters Robert Stock and Buster Posey -- who, at the time of selection, had solid numbers -- both had averages in the .240's by the time the game rolled around. Others have struggled, too, and I think it's reasonable to assume that a full summer of catching can take its toll more than a full summer of playing in the field. In the end, it may end up being a weak summer for catchers on the Cape, though I don't think it will amount to a weak year. Posey and Stock are major prospects, and several other catchers are, too. The catchers on the Cape may not have as much luck as several of last year's backstops -- four Cape catchers were first-round or supplemental first-round picks -- I think they'll do alright for themselves.
  • I just checked the Chatham A's web site, and it appears they were fogged out for the second-straight night, once again putting John Schiffner's chase for the all-time wins record on hold . . . it also is going to put the squeeze on the A's in the stretch run, I would think. They may be rusty, too, whenever they finally get going. If they play Wednesday, the A's will have had four days off, unheard of in a Cape League summer.

baseball card: jason castro

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Name: Jason Castro
Class: 2009
College: Stanford
Cape Team: Yarmouth-Dennis '07
Position: First Base/Catcher/Designated Hitter
Height: 6'3"
Weight: 215

Summer '07:
July 31 - Castro has been a major surprise on the Cape this summer, not because he came out of nowhere, but because he struggled mightily in the spring, hitting just .167 for Stanford. But he has turned things completely around on the Cape. He leads the league in hitting with a .373 average and he has four home runs.

Looking Back:
Before the rocky season in '07, Castro hit .283 with three home runs as a freshman. Last summer, he hit .286 in the Alaska League.

Links:
Scout's honor: Talking prospects with the folks who know (Cape Cod Times - July 29, 2007)

back and forth: tuesday, july 31

LAST NIGHT
  • Chatham manager John Schiffner's quest for the league record in career victories will have to wait another night. Fog crept in to Veterans Field last night, postponing the Bourne-Chatham game until Thursday. Schiffner has 334 career victories, tied for first in the modern era.
  • Y-D became the first team to clinch a playoff spot, winning its fifth straight with a 9-1 victory over Orleans. Scott Green was lights-out for Y-D, allowing two hits and striking out 10 in six shutout innings. Buster Posey went 3-for-4, with a home run, three RBI and two runs.
  • Brewster did what it needed to keep its playoff hopes alive with a 3-2 victory over Wareham. The Whitecaps scored the go-ahead run in the top of the ninth when steals leader Blake Tekotte broke for second in a first-and-third situation. The throw to second got away, allowing Michael Marseco to score from third. Brewster is now four points back of Chatham for second.
  • Hyannis beat Harwich and Falmouth bested Cotuit in 12 innings, keeping the race for second in the West exactly where it was. Jason Franzblau allowed one earned in 5.1 innings and the Mets scored six runs in the sixth for the 8-3 win. Falmouth's Aaron Crow allowed one hit and one run in six innings and the Commodores got an RBI single by Chris Hopkins in the 12th to win it.
  • Jason Castro took over the league batting average lead with a 2-for-4 night. He's now hitting .372. Falmouth's Conor Gillaspie took an 0-for-4, dropping his mark to .357.
TONIGHT
  • Falmouth plays Cotuit for the second straight night while Hyannis hosts first-place Bourne
  • Chatham goes against Wareham and starter Andy Oliver, who has the best opponents batting average in the league
  • Brewster hosts Y-D and Orleans welcomes Harwich

Monday, July 30, 2007

baseball card: aaron crow

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Name: Aaron Crow
Class: 2009
College: Missouri
Cape Team: Falmouth '07
Position: Right-handed pitcher
Height: 6'2"
Weight: 201

Summer '07:
July 31 - Crow has been the most dominant pitcher on the Cape this summer. He has a .67 ERA with 36 strikeouts and nine walks in 40.1 innings. Crow also started the all-star game for the West and earned MVP honors after striking out the side in the first inning. With a mid-90s fastball, Crow is one of the top prospects on the Cape, and he has the stats to match his arm.

Looking Back:
Crow was the Friday starter and a workhorse for Missouri. He went 9-4 with a 3.59 ERA and struck out 90 in 117.2 innings.

a quasi live blog of a tape delay broadcast?

Yes, that's what I'm going to do. I was going to just post all this stuff together, but I may as well do it as I watch NESN's tape delay of the all-star game. So, inning by inning.

First Inning
  • I knew it must have been an impressive show for Aaron Crow to win the MVP award after pitching the first inning, and it was. He struck out the side and was in complete control of every at-bat. By my rough count, he needed just 15 pitches to do it.
  • Eddie Burns touches 92, says Y-D manager Scott Pickler. Slider is his out pitch. His motion is really fluid for a guy that big (6'8"). Burns had surgery before this spring, and is just now getting healthy. I've got to think he'll be a reasonably high draft pick next year.
  • Reese Havens is a bigger kid than I realized. You can see why he's got power. He just crushed a long single off the wall.
  • Conor Gillaspie doesn't use batting gloves, which is awesome. His swing reminds me of Chase Utley.
  • Great sliding catch by Charlie Cutler, the starting left-fielder. He's not really even an outfielder. Twenty games into the season, he had played 15 games at catcher and five in the outfield. He's playing more in the outfield now, but he's certainly versatile.
Second Inning
  • Robert Stock, who skipped his senior year of high school to enroll at USC, does look pretty young, in terms of upper body size. He'll grow.
  • Aja Barto has an Alex Rios look about him. Maybe it's the height.
  • Mike Colla is a big kid.
  • Gordon Beckham just made a solid play at shortstop. I've read that his defense could be a question, but he looked fine on that one. And if he keeps hitting, they'll find a position for him.
Third Inning
  • As NESN points out, Wareham last hosted the all-star game in 1999. Players in that game included Garrett Atkins, Chase Utley, Mark Teixeira, David DeJesus and Lance Niekro.
  • Jason Castro apparently has a slight arm injury, which is why he didn't get the start at catcher.
  • You can really see that this is a pitchers' game. They're only going one inning so they really come out firing. You better swing or you're falling behind.
  • Nick Cassavechia looks like he has a lot of movement on his pitches. Coming from a sidearm angle, he's got to be tough on righties. He sort of reminds me of Huston Street, though I don't think he throws as hard as Street.
  • Beckham makes another solid play.
  • Havens really turned on an inside pitch for a hit-and-run single. He's looked very good at the plate in two at-bats.
  • Prediction: The East scores three runs in the top of the fourth.
Fourth Inning
  • I know Christian Friedrich struggled in this game, but his curveball is a nice looking pitch. It's true 12-to-6 like Barry Zito's or Rich Hill's.
  • This is a solid broadcast from NESN but a radar gun reading would have been a nice addition.
  • Yonder Alonso took the curveball the other way. In the one game I saw Alonso in person, he went the other way twice. That's got to be a good thing.
  • Alonso clearly would have been out on the throw home if Stock had handled it. It took one hop and he almost ended up blocking it.
  • Things really unraveled in a short stretch for Friedrich. All of the happenings came on a series of seven pitches, and Friedrich was actually ahead of Raben 0-2 before throwing a wild pitch to let Beckham score. Raben homered on the next pitch.
  • As the announcers say, this would have been a much different inning had the West gotten Alonso at home.
  • That curveball is nasty. Allan Dykstra just looked real bad striking out on it. Friedrich, I'm sure, wasn't happy that he struggled a bit on such a big stage, but I think he'll be fine.
  • T.J. Hose, we've been informed, has a high 80's two-seam fastball, a changeup and a curve. Clearly, he's a guy with a good feel for pitching to have the success he's had.
  • The color commentator, by the way, is Jim Beattie, the former Expos general manager
  • Gillaspie flashed some speed on a ground ball to first. They may have called it an error on a bad toss from Alonso to the pitcher covering, but Gillaspie might have beaten it anyway.
Fifth Inning
  • Cole Figueroa is definitely a good hitter. His average has dipped lately, but I wouldn't be shocked to see him finish strong.
  • Gillaspie has the arm to play third, I'd say. It should be clear by now that I think Conor Gillaspie is awesome. This opinion will not change, which is one of many reasons I would make a terrible scout. Things like hitting without batting gloves and wearing high socks are crucial in my evaluations.
  • Kyle Gibson is certainly in that projectible category. At 6'5", he's very lanky and looks like he can definitely add some weight.
  • Impressive inning for Matt Couch, who looks like he has real good stuff.
  • Blake Tekotte can run, whether it's on the bases or in the outfield.
Sixth Inning
  • Interesting topic brought up by Beattie, who notes that the professional ranks use a baseball with lower seams than the one used in amateur ball. It makes a big difference, I guess, with pitchers suddenly not having breaking balls that are quite as sharp when they make the jump to the pros.
  • Jordan Flasher doesn't look imposing but he got the job done in this game, just as he has all year in the closer's role for Bourne.
  • James Darnell's home run was an opposite field shot. He's a guy who's not hitting for average on the Cape -- he has done it in college -- but he's definitely got the power stroke. I would venture a guess that some of his power comes from his legs, which are large.
  • Evan Crawford hasn't shaved all summer. Spectacular.
Seventh Inning
  • Jason Castro has great numbers, of course, and he has the look of a big prospect. He's taller than I thought and he got down the line very quickly on a groundout. I'm not sure if scouts think he projects as a catcher, but if he does, his value will skyrocket.
  • With Wade Miley on the mound, it's interesting to note that he and Friedrich --the league strikeout leaders -- are both lefthanders.
  • Corey Young has a real sidearm delivery, which is something you usually don't see in starting pitchers.
  • NESN did a quick interview with Cotuit manager Mike Roberts, who made an interesting comment. He said, "This is the best amateur baseball in the world." And you know what? I never really thought about that, but he's right. You think of the Cape league as the best college summer league, but in reality, it's the best amateur league in the country. NCAA baseball could stake claim, certainly, but the talent is much more spread out. On the Cape, it's all the best college players playing for 10 teams. As for Team USA, it might be the best amateur team in the country, but that's not a league. The Cape league really is the best.
Eighth Inning
  • Chris Hicks, the closer for Wareham, looks a lot like Jonathan Papelbon on the mound. He flashes a 94-mph fastball, too.
  • Both of Beckham's base hits came on the first pitch of the at-bat.
  • Kevin Couture strikes out the first two batters he faces. Apparently, Couture has a changeup that can really make hitters look silly.
Ninth Inning
  • Luke Burnett is gigantic and it's easy to see why scouts love him. It's also hard to imagine how his ERA is 5.03, with his fastball and his imposing presence. But for the season, he's given up just over a hit an inning, which I guess will do it.
  • The infield fly play was definitely a strange one. Bases were loaded on a popup. Infield fly was called. The ball was dropped. Figueroa was thrown out trying to advance to second. Jason Castro scored, but the run was waved off. It was essentially a double play, with the batter and Figueroa making outs. The call makes sense -- sort of. When infield fly was called, the batter was automatically out. On infield flies, runners can advance at their own risk. It's not a dead ball, so Figueroa would have been out at second. The problem, I think, is that there was no tag at second base, and because the batter was out, there was no force. Apparently, though, it is a force on an infield fly, otherwise the run would have counted.
  • Ryan Perry is on and looking very good. I should mention that he has been putting up much better numbers of late, after I mentioned that he was a guy whose stats and tools didn't quite match. The announcers are speculating that his fastball could be up around 98 on this night. He also has a very hard slider, that's up around 87 to 89. Perry is big, too, listed at 6'4". When you see a guy like Perry first-hand, it makes the stats vs. tools argument a bit of a moot point. There's definitely a wow factor. You can't teach a 98-mph fastball.
Some final thoughts
  • Crow was as good as advertised, and I was most impressed with his mindset and confidence. This was his game. That's a nice attitude for a pitcher to have.
  • Some other players who were impressive: Colla, Hicks and Perry.
  • The pitching was great in this game. I know some people are saying that pitching is down and using higher batting averages as proof. I don't think that's entirely the case. There may not be as much pitching depth, but there are plenty of great pitchers.
  • It was good to see Ben Guez and T.J. Hose -- two players who started the summer as temps -- do well in their all-star appearances. Just getting named to the team should make a difference for the future, and even if it doesn't, it's quite an experience for the present.
  • The post game interviews with the MVP's revealed one of the great things about the Cape. Rob Souza asked both Crow and Raben about their playoff chances, and both knew exactly how things were shaking out. In some summer leagues, it's all about individual development. That's certainly a component on the Cape, but it's not everything. Team goals are real, and players clearly buy into them.
  • Here's the recap from Baseball America's Aaron Fitt
  • And if you haven't checked out Russ Chapentier's Scout's Honor column, please do. It's excellent.

forth: monday, july 30

See? There's no back because there were no games yesterday. Just a forth for the games tonight. Anyways . . .

TONIGHT
  • In a good pitching match-up, Pat McAnaney and Orleans visit Y-D, which sends Scott Green to the mound . . . Neither of those pitchers were all-stars, but both have all-star numbers . . . Every game down the stretch is almost a must-win if Orleans is to make the playoffs
  • Brewster will have Mike Colla on the mound in a visit to Wareham . . . The Whitecaps are in the same boat as Orleans, needing to win nearly every night -- and still needing help -- to get a spot
  • Chatham controls its own destiny and starts the stretch run with Zach Putnam going against Bourne and Mitch Harris. . . In a start last week against Bourne -- his first start of the season -- Putnam struck out seven and went five shutout innings
  • In the West race, Hyannis visits Harwich with Jason Franzblau on the mound . . . The Mets have won three straight
  • Falmouth hosts Cotuit and stands a good chance to start the final stretch on the right foot as Aaron Crow gets the ball
  • Also, if you live in the New England area, NESN will air a tape-delay broadcast of the all-star game tonight at 7 p.m.

Sunday, July 29, 2007

break's over

And now the stretch run begins.

There are seven games left in the regular season. Barring a major collapse in those seven games, Yarmouth-Dennis and Bourne will win the East and West divisions, respectively. Y-D has been the best team in the league all summer, and really hasn't slowed down. The Sox won four straight leading up to the all-star break, and lead second-place Chatham by eight points. Bourne hasn't been quite as hot lately but still leads Falmouth by the same margin as Y-D leads Chatham.

The real races are for second place. The West tightened up in the final days before the all-star break as Hyannis won three straight to get within four points. Hyannis and Falmouth will play twice in the last week and a half of the regular season, including a match-up on Aug. 8, the season's final day. That could be an interesting one, depending on how things play out.

I still like Falmouth. The top three in the starting rotation -- Aaron Crow, Kyle Gibson and Christian Friedrich -- are three of the best pitchers in the league, and assuming all three pitch in Falmouth's final seven games, I can't see the Commodores losing much ground. When you factor in a few key offensive players who are still hot, I think Falmouth has a good shot of securing the playoff spot.

But don't count out Hyannis. In Dan Brewer and Shane Peterson, the Mets have two of the best hitters in the league, plus a major power source in James Darnell. And if the starting pitching does what it did during the three-game win streak -- 8IP, 1 ER; 7IP, 0 ER; 9 IP, 0 ER (matt daly's no-hitter) -- then look out.

In the East, Chatham used a serious hot streak in the week leading up to the break to separate itself and got a crucial win on Friday night that -- coupled with losses by Brewster and Orleans -- put the A's six points up. With seven games remaining, Brewster and Orleans will each get one game against the A's, but they won't come until the final two days of the regular season. By then, things may already be decided. Chatham does have to play both first-place teams in the next five days, but the A's also take on Wareham and Cotuit, two teams that have struggled.

The A's, of course, have not struggled. With a starting rotation that finally seems set and a lineup that's delivering, Chatham is looking like one of the best teams in the league. Tom Milone, Charles Brewer and Alex White give the A's a solid nucleus in the rotation, and the bullpen seems to have solved some of its early-season difficulties. At the plate, the A's have speed at the top and two of the premier hitters on the Cape in Jermaine Curtis and Allan Dykstra.

Brewster and Orleans have their work cut out for them. From some quick math, it looks like the A's will clinch at least a tie for second by winning four of their final seven games. That would put Chatham at 25-16-3. Brewster right now is 18-16-3 so the Whitecaps would have to win all of their last seven to force that tie.

But anything can happen. Brewster has some very solid arms at the top of its rotation. And Orleans -- which needs Chatham to lose a few more than three -- has the best pitching staff in the league. The Cardinals do have the advantage of playing last-place Harwich three times in the last seven. It should be interesting.

That's how things stack up, team-wise. There are also plenty of individuals to watch.
  • Can Falmouth's Conor Gillaspie keep his average in the .370's? If he can, he'll finish with the best mark since J.C. Holt's .388 in 2003
  • Can Gillaspie even hold on to his lead? Y-D's Jason Castro is closing fast.
  • Will the number of players with .300 averages really stay so high?
  • Can Y-D's Gordon Beckham put a solid finishing touch on his remarkable season?
  • Will Aaron Crow's ERA ever go up?
Those are just a few of the storylines. I get a little sad this time of year, because all the stories will soon reach their endings. The all-star break means the summer's almost over. Just a few games left, then a whirlwind postseason.

But though time may be short, it's not over. There's still a lot of baseball to be played, and best of all, there are still a lot of stories yet to be written.

extra stats: k/9

Leaders among starters in strikeouts per nine innings.
PLAYERTEAMK/9
Christian Friedrich
Falmouth
13.78
Shooter Hunt
Falmouth
12.26
Alex White
Chatham
11.72
Dan Hudson
Harwich
10.35
Andy Oliver
Wareham
10.18
Clayton Shunick
Orleans
9.93
Ryan Hinson
Chatham
9.71
Jeremy Bleich
Wareham
9.69
Bryce Stowell
Hyannis
9.68
Kyle Gibson
Falmouth
9.68
Matt Daly
Hyannis
9.49
D.J. Mitchell
Bourne
9.44
Craig Bennigson
Orleans
9.24
Brett Jacobson
Harwich
9.20
T.J. Hose
Bourne
8.71
Pat McAnaney
Orleans
8.69
Matt Wright
Cotuit
8.57
Ryan Cook
Brewster
8.56
J.B. Shuck
Cotuit
8.50
Aaron Crow
Falmouth
8.45

Some of the top relievers:
PLAYERTEAMK/9
Luke Burnett
Falmouth
15.00
Rob Wooten
Chatham
14.90
Kyle Thebeau
Falmouth
13.85
Bryan Shaw
Chatham
13.76
Evan Crawford
Harwich
13.38
Ryan Perry
Orleans
13.35
Matt Frevert
Harwich
12.95
Jordan Flasher
Bourne
11.37
Sam Brown
Orleans
11
Ben Hornbeck
Brewster
10.86

Of note, a lot of the relievers on this list have very high ERA's. K/9 clearly isn't a telltale indicator of success out of the bullpen.

extra stats: k/bb

Here's a look at the leaders in strikeouts per walk. First, the starters.
PLAYERTEAMK/BB
Eddie Burns
Y-D
6.00
Tom Milone
Chatham
5.86
Aaron Crow
Falmouth
5.33
Kyle Gibson
Falmouth
4.78
Michael Cisco
Cotuit
4.00
Bryce Stowell
Hyannis
3.86
Jeremy Bleich
Wareham
3.72
Alex White
Chatham
3.57
Dallas Keuchel
Wareham
3.50
Josh Zeid
Harwich
3.20
Pat McAnaney
Orleans
3.10
Scott Green
Y-D
3.00
Kendal Volz
Wareham
2.85
Mike Colla
Brewster
2.82
Rick Zagone
Bourne
2.72
Ryan Hinson
Chatham
2.60
Dan Hudson
Harwich
2.56
Matt Couch
Brewster
2.53
Austin Hudson
Hyannis
2.46
Corey Young
Harwich
2.44

Aaron Crow was leading in the first installment but gets vaulted by Burns and Milone.

Here are some of the top relievers, with IP in parentheses:

PLAYERTEAMK/BB
Erik Bird (18.1)
Falmouth
12.00
Nick Cassavechia (21.2)
Y-D
7.67
Stephen Penney (20.2)
Hyannis
7.00
Keith Shinaberry (14.0)
Brewster
6.00
Rob Catapano (15.1)
Orleans
5.33
Luke Burnett (19.2)
Falmouth
5.00
Garrett Sherrill (22.2)
Hyannis
4.60
Trevor Holder (23.1)
Y-D
4.33
Bryan Shaw (17.0)
Chatham
4.17
Rob Wooten (15.1)
Chatham
3.86
Ryan Perry (18.2)
Orleans
3.83

extra stats: opp. batting avg.

The opponents batting average leaders among starting pitchers.

PLAYERTEAMOpp. Avg.
Andy Oliver
Wareham
.129
Aaron Crow
Falmouth
.151
Brad Boxberger
Orleans
.154
T.J. Hose
Bourne
.167
Alex White
Chatham
.188
Craig Bennigson
Orleans.200
D.J. Mitchell
Bourne
.203
Kyle Gibson
Falmouth
.207
Wade Miley
Wareham
.208
Christian Friedrich
Falmouth
.211
Pat McAnaney
Orleans
.215
Eddie Burns
Y-D
.215
Tom Milone
Chatham
.218
Mike Colla
Brewster
.221
Terry Doyle
Y-D
.222
Jason Franzblau
Hyannis
.224
Scott Green
Y-D
.226
Ryan Cook
Brewster
.227
Charles Brewer
Chatham
.228
Matt Daly
Hyannis
.230

Interestingly, guys like Miley, Friedrcih and Doyle are way up on this list, but some of their other numbers are hurting because they walk so many guys.

extra stats: whip leaders

WHIP leaders with stats up to the all-star break. This is only for starting pitchers.

PLAYERTEAMWHIP
Aaron Crow
Falmouth
.70
Brad Boxberger
Orleans
.90
Eddie Burns
Y-D
.91
Joe Kent
Bourne
.94
Andy Oliver
Wareham
.97
Kyle Gibson
Falmouth
.98
Tom Milone
Chatham
.98
Mitch Harris
Bourne
1.00
T.J. Hose
Bourne
1.03
Alex White
Chatham
1.04
Charles Brewer
Chatham
1.08
Rick Zagone
Harwich
1.08

Crow was on top in the first round of WHIP leaders with a .81 mark. Exactly two weeks later, he's lowered it to .70. Burns has lowered his from 1.06 to .91.

New faces on the list are Kent, Milone, White and Zagone.

extra stats: OPS leaders

OPS leaders with stats up to the all-star break. This is the second round of OPS leaders I've done (here's the first round, from July 13).

PLAYERTEAMOPS
Conor Gillaspie
Falmouth
1.209
Aaron Luna
Y-D
1.009
Yonder Alonso
Brewster
.978
Jason Castro
Y-D
.975
Gordon Beckham
Y-D
.965
Dennis Raben
Orleans.952
Sean Ochinko
Y-D
.933
Jermaine Curtis
Chatham
.928
Allan Dykstra
Chatham
.903
Reese Havens
Cotuit.889
Shane Peterson
Hyannis
.881
Dan Brewer
Hyannis
.876
J.T. Wise
Harwich
.849
Grant Green
Y-D
.846
Collin Cowgill
Y-D.844
Matt Hague
Falmouth
.831
David Adams
Falmouth
.809
Kevin Hoef
Bourne
.799
Mitch Moreland
Bourne
.784
Josh Satin
Bourne
.782

Only twelve players stayed in the top 20 from the last time, and of those, only six had their numbers increase. Gillaspie made the biggest jump, going from 1.029 to 1.209 (+.18). The other five who improved: Raben (+.004), Curtis (+.064), Brewer (+.048), Wise (+.034), and Cowgill (+.003).

New to the list: Luna, Castro, Dykstra, Havens, Green, Adams, Moreland and Satin.

the right field fog top 50

I don't like rankings much, but I thought doing a Top 50 players could be fun. Keep in mind, this is not a Top 50 Prospects list. I don't really know where all these guys stand in the eyes of scouts. This is a Top 50 Players list, based on stats, impressions of guys I've seen and any other random pieces of information. It's completely subjective, and it means nothing. Feel free to add your opinions in the comments section, and let me know if there are any glaring omissions. I will also note that it was difficult knowing where to put relievers, specifically set-up guys, so even the best ones are in the middle of the pack. I will do an updated list next week and every week until the end of the season. So, without further adieu:


1. Conor Gillaspie, Falmouth, 3B – Average, power, defense – the full package
2. Aaron Crow, Falmouth, RHP – Even in pitching-heavy league, numbers are eye-popping
3. Gordon Beckham, Y-D, SS – Best player on the best team
4. Kyle Gibson, Falmouth, RHP – Best freshman pitcher, and one of the best overall
5. Yonder Alonso, Brewster, 1B – OBP leader can do it all
6. Jason Castro, Y-D, C/OF – Average is sky-rocketing
7. Dan Brewer, Hyannis, OF – Showing a lot of pop
8. Jermaine Curtis, Chatham, 3B – Has been steady performer throughout
9. Reese Havens, Cotuit, SS – Big prospect is delivering
10. T.J. Hose, Bourne, RHP – Fast start and hasn’t slowed down
11. Allan Dykstra, Chatham, 1B – On fire lately
12. Shane Peterson, Hyannis, IF/OF – Leads the league in hits
13. Eddie Burns, Y-D, RHP – One of the few pitchers who’s winning consistently
14. Dennis Raben, Orleans, OF – RBI leader is fourth in home runs
15. Sean Ochinko, Y-D, 1B – Has seven HR and hits for average, too
16. Mike Colla, Brewster, RHP – Good ERA and K/BB
17. David Adams, Falmouth, 2B/SS – Extra-base hits machine
18. Nick Cassavechia, Y-D, RHP/CL – 10 saves and an ERA under 1.00
19. Brad Boxberger, Orleans, RHP – Has allowed only 15 hits in 29 IP
20. Wade Miley, Wareham, LHP – Strikeout leader
21. Collin Cowgill, Y-D, OF – Average and lots of XBH
22. Andy Oliver, Wareham, LHP – Big strikeout numbers, low ERA
23. Kevin Hoef, Bourne, 3B – Not much pop, but average is still up there
24. Scott Green, Y-D, RHP – Tall and putting up great numbers
25. D.J. Mitchell, Bourne, RHP – Good strikeout numbers
26. Matt Hague, Falmouth, OF – Consistent all year at the plate
27. Christian Friedrich, Falmouth, LHP – Good ERA, lots of strikeouts and a lefty
28. Aja Barto, Falmouth, OF – Flashing speed and power
29. Jordan Flasher, Bourne, RHP/CL – Best closer in the West
30. Tom Milone, Chatham, LHP – ERA is a little high, but five wins and great K/BB
31. Rob Catapano, Orleans, LHP – Reliever hasn’t allowed a run in 15 IP
32. Ben Guez, Bourne, OF – Average has dipped, but still third in RBI
33. Grant Green, Y-D, IF/OF – Four positions, good offense no matter which one
34. Matt Couch, Brewster, RHP – Solid No. 2 starter for Whitecaps
35. Evan Crawford, Harwich, LHP – 33 K in 22 IP in relief
36. Charlie Cutler, Brewster, OF – All-star has been steady
37. Cole Figueroa, Harwich, SS – One of the top freshmen in the league
38. Kevin Couture, Chatham, RHP – 1.04 ERA out of the pen
39. James Darnell, Hyannis, 3B – Average is low, but he’s fourth in HR
40. Stephen Penney, Hyannis, RHP - .87 ERA and 23 K out of the bullpen
41. Robert Stock, Cotuit, C – Probably the best catcher, at this point
42. Chris Hicks, Wareham, RHP/CL – Seven saves for a team that hasn’t won much
43. Lee Land, Brewster, RHP – Eight saves and 20 K in 20 IP
44. Josh Satin, Bourne, 1B – High OBP and driving in runs
45. Pat McAnaney, LHP – Solid ERA and strikeout numbers
46. Brian Pruitt, Bourne, OF – Average has fallen, but up there in RBI lead
47. Ketih Shinaberry, Brewster, LHP – Workhorse reliever still hasn’t walked anybody
48. Matt Daly, Hyannis, RHP – Inconsistent but does have the no-hitter
49. Blake Tekotte, Brewster, OF – Avg. isn’t great but leads in SB
50. Will Atwood, Orleans, LHP - Great numbers in setup role

Just missing the cut:

Buster Posey, Y-D
Joey Gonzales, Hyannis
Ryan Perry, Orleans
Kyle Day, Brewster
J.T. Wise, Harwich
Jeremy Bleich, Wareham
Johnny Giavotella, Harwich
Josh Phegley, Wareham (injured)
Trevor Holder, Y-D
Nate Freiman, Orleans
Aaron Luna, Y-D
Jeff Dietz, Wareham
Nick Christiani, Orleans
Charles Brewer, Chatham
Garrett Sherrill, Hyannis
Kyle Kamppi, Orleans
Sam Brown, Orleans
Dan Hudson, Harwich
Brett Graffy, Falmouth
Ollie Linton, Orleans
Joey Wong, Falmouth
Addison Johnson, Chatham
Terry Doyle, Y-D

*July 29: I removed Eric Surkamp from the list because he's now with Team USA.

Saturday, July 28, 2007

all-star wrapup: east 3, west 2

(Keep in mind: I wasn't there so, in this case, I necessarily don't know what I'm talking about. And there are no box scores up yet. I only know what the radio said.)

There was plenty of pitching this time around, and for one inning, there was just enough offense as the East squad beat the West 3-2 in the 45th annual Cape Cod Baseball League All-Star Game Saturday night at Clem Spillane Field.

A year after the game featured position players on the mound because of thin pitching staffs, the league -- with some prodding from Major League Baseball and its scouts -- didn't let it happen again. They made sure by requiring teams to keep their all-star pitchers rested for Saturday's game.

The result was two-and-a-half hours of dominant pitching, even if three hits in the fourth inning stole the show.

Locked in a scoreless tie, the East got things going when Brewster's Yonder Alonso (Miami) got a base hit off Falmouth's Christian Friedrich (Eastern Kentucky). Y-D shortstop Gordon Beckham (Georgia) followed with a double, scoring Alonso from first. Had catcher Robert Stock been able to corral the throw home, Alonso might have been out. Instead, the East had a 1-0 lead, and another runner in scoring position. Beckham took third on the throw home.

With league RBI leader Dennis Raben (Miami) at the plate, the East scratched its second run across without Raben's help. Beckham scored on a wild pitch.

As it turned out, he was getting home no matter what. After Beckham scored, Raben crushed a solo home run to make it a 3-0 game. If the wild pitch stole an RBI from Raben, it didn't steal too much of his thunder. The Orleans outfielder was named the East's MVP, largely because his blast proved to be the game-winner.

The West squad got within two in the fourth then made it a one-run game on a solo home run by Hyannis' James Darnell (South Carolina) in the fifth.

But that was as close as the West would get. East's pitching staff flexed its muscles in keeping the one-run lead, and Orlean's Ryan Perry (Arizona) pitched around a single by Dan Brewer (Bradley) in the ninth to close out the victory.

Falmouth pitcher Aaron Crow (Missouri) was named the West's MVP for his work in the first inning. Crow started the game and struck out the side in the top of the first, continuing his dominant summer and setting the tone for the entire game.

In the pre-game festivities, Wareham's Luke Murton (Georgia Tech) captured the Home Run Derby crown.

For those who didn't listen, the radio broadcast featured some solid in-between-innings interviews. Asked about New Bedford's quest for a Cape League team, Commisioner Paul Galop speculated that expansion wouldn't be on the horizon any time soon. Baseball America's Aaron Fitt was in attendance and sounded as enamored with the Cape League as the rest of us. And Jim Collins, the author of the spectacular book, the Last Best League, did a quick interview and mentioned one of the more intriguing human elements of a Cape League summer -- the fact that, for these players who have always been the best, this is a crossroads, a place where everybody has always been the best, and only a handful keep that label.

More on the all-star game a little later.

my big question: all-stars

I've often wondered just how much a Cape League season -- good or bad -- means to an individual player. That's my big question. The first installment of the "my big question" series looked at the Cape league stats for some of the top draft picks in '07. This is part two, a few words on the all-star game.

If players in the Cape Cod League are the best of the best, then the players in the Cape Cod League All-Star game could be called the best of the best of the best. Sure, not all the top prospects make the squad. And no, not all the players on all-star rosters will be high draft picks. But every single player in the all-star game deserves to be there -- and that alone makes them the best of the best of the best.

For a Cape Leaguer, getting the all-star nod is a special kind of honor, one you've earned for yourself. It's also a tremendous opportunity. At no other time this summer -- and really, at no other time in their college careers -- will so many scouts and so many scouts with so much pull be in attendance. The scouts are there, on one level, for one-stop shopping -- they can see all the best players in one place on one day. They're also on hand because the all-star game lets them see great players going against other great players. Having success in that environment can leave a lasting impression.

The good news: Cape League all-stars are no strangers to seizing opportunities. By earning an all-star selection, they've already seized the opportunity -- they've taken their chance on the Cape and made the most of it.

Getting to the all-star game is their reward, the first real fruit of their labor. Judging from recent history, it won't be the only fruit.

Fifty-two players were selected to the 2006 Cape League All-Star game. Of those players, 45 were eligible for the 2007 Major League Draft. Thirty-eight of them were drafted.

The ones who weren't may very well be drafted next year, and the freshmen in last year's game will almost certainly be drafted in '08. That means that almost every player donning an all-star uniform will get drafted.

Obviously, non-all-stars get drafted, too, and go on to great careers. But the fact remains: if you're a Cape League all-star, you're on yor way to some big things.

all-star game live blog

A little late, but diving right in...

6:44 - It's the bottom of the third. Nick Cassavecchia is pitching for the East. I have no idea what the score is. I've been listening online for three minutes and they haven't told me.

6:49 - Reese Havens singles with two outs, putting runners on first and third. Apparently, this is the first scoring threat so it must still be 0-0.

6:51 - Shane Peterson grounds out to end the inning. After three, 0-0.

6:52 - They're pre-empting A Prairie Home Companion for this.

6:53 - Strikeout artist Christian Friedrich is on for the West.

6:55 - Crowd estimated at 5,000.

6:57 - Brewster's Yonder Alonso gets the first hit of the night for the East . . . then scores from first on a double by Gordon Beckham

7:00 - Beckham trots home on a wild pitch . . . he would have come home anyway as Dennis Raben cranks a solo home run, making it 3-0

7:06 - Friedrich leaves after getting the second out of the inning on a strikeout . . . still 3-0 . . . T.J. Hose into the game

7:16 - The East goes to another relief pitcher instead of a starter as Orlean's Will Atwood comes on

7:28 - Still 3-1. Kyle Gibson into the game for the West. Also, they're saying Buster Posey started the game at catcher. Wasn't Jason Castro supposed to start?

7:35 - This game is moving . . . mid-fifth, still 3-1

7:36 - Hyannis' James Darnell hits a home run off Evan Crawford, making it 3-2

8:08 - Still 3-2 . . . The only thing that's happened is more great pitching

8:24 - Heading to the ninth . . . Luke Burnett on for the West, trying to keep it a one-run game

8:39 - One out in the bottom of the ninth . . . Ryan Perry is in to close it out for the East

8:41 - Dan Brewer keeps the West alive with a base hit . . . That brings up Ben Guez, who already has two hits

8:44 - Perry gets Guez on a check-swing third strike . . . that's the ballgame

back and forth: saturday, july 28

LAST NIGHT
  • Chatham posted a 5-4 victory over Orleans and Brewster lost to Hyannis, meaning the A's head into the all-star break with a six-point cushion for second place . . . Chatham's Tom Milone allowed two runs in six innings and the A's held on for the win . . . Jermaine Curtis went 2-for-5 with three RBI
  • The race for second in the West is suddenly closer than it is in the East . . . Cotuit exploded for a 13-1 victory over Falmouth, and with Hyannis' win, Falmouth has just a four-point lead . . . Cotuit's Curtis Dupart paced the offensive attack with a 3-for-4, three RBI night . . . Two weeks ago, Dupart was hitting .196, but he's now at .242 . . . The freshman from Georgia Tech was a 31st-round pick out of high school
  • Hyannis beat Brewster 12-2 behind four RBI by Dan Brewer and eight solid innings from Austin Hudson, who allowed just one earned run
  • Bourne's Mitch Moreland geared up to defend his home run debry title as he hit a two-run home run in the Braves' 5-3 victory over Wareham
  • Jason Castro kept up his recent torrid pace with a 3-for-3 day as Y-D beat Harwich . . . Castro is now hitting .368, just behind Conor Gillaspie for the league lead . . . Gillaspie raised his average from .367 to .372 with a 2-for-4 day in Falmouth's loss
TONIGHT
  • All-Star Game, 6 p.m., Wareham
  • A radio broadcast will be available on NPR's Cape Cod stations (FM 90.1, 91.1 and 94.3) . . . It will also be available online at http://www.wgbh.org/cainan/ (click the listen button)
  • NESN will broadcast the game on tape delay Monday night at 7 p.m.
  • Unfortunately, I will not be able to attend the all-star game. Work keeps getting in the way of blogging. The guys at Codball indicated they may be doing some live updates from the game, depending on wifi connections . . . If I get home in time, I'll do some updates based on the radio broadcast, and I'll also post some impressions after watching on NESN Monday night

Friday, July 27, 2007

the dog days

As I was looking at some stats for the guys I had listed as all-star snubs, I realized something: a lot of them saw their batting averages drop over the last week. So I investigated further, and indeed, a lot of guys everywhere saw their batting averages drop this week.

Now, I haven't done this on a week-to-week basis, so maybe it's something that happens every week, since this is a pitchers' league. But I don't think so. I think there's a downward trend, something that probably happens every year. And this is just about the right time for it. Players have been on the Cape for six weeks. They've played nearly every day, something they haven't done much in their careers. They're tired.

And the hitters are more tired. The pitchers, they may be fatigued, but starters are still just going every five days, maybe more. It's the everyday players who are getting worn down.

Here's a closer look at the numbers.

TEAMPLAYERS WITH AVG. UP
PLAYERS WITH AVG. DOWN
Bourne
3
9
Brewster
4
7
Chatham
7
6
Cotuit
5
8
Falmouth
7
4
Harwich
3
9
Hyannis
6
7
Orleans
4
7
Wareham
6
7
Y-D
7
6

So, six teams have more guys with falling averages than guys with rising averages. Interestingly, the three who have things going the other way -- Chatham, Falmouth, and Y-D -- are near the top of the standings.

A look at team batting averages.

TEAMJULY 21
JULY 27
Bourne
.272
.260 (-12)
Brewster
.249
.247 (-2)
Chatham
.256
.257 (+1)
Cotuit
.248
.244 (-4)
Falmouth
.247
.248 (+1)
Harwich
.232
.231 (-1)
Hyannis
.245
.243 (-2)
Orleans
.225
.220 (-5)
Wareham
.224
.214 (-10)
Y-D
.272
.272 (0)

Most teams have seen their averages drop, and the ones who haven't are essentially holding steady. The biggest positive change is one point.

As far as players go, the guys who had higher batting averages feel the brunt of struggles a little more, or at least their averages do. Bourne's Kevin Hoef, for instance, was hitting .350 on July 21. With a 1-for-13 stretch, he's down to .312.

I find it very interesting that the all-star selections came right before the dog days. As a result, a lot of guys who got the nod find themselves in slumps right now. Of the 12 hitters on the West squad, 10 have had their averages take a dip this week. It's a little better in the East where only seven of 12 have seen a drop.

The players you have to be most impressed with are the guys who are on the upswing. And while we can give some credit to guys who were struggling and are now improving, it's the guys who were doing well and are now fighting through the dog days to keep doing well that really deserve some kudos. In some sense, the upswings for these players are perhaps just a hot streak at a time when most players aren't on hot streaks. But the fact that these players had gotten off to fast starts and are doing even better now, is still impressive in my book.

A few players who fit that bill:

PLAYER
JULY 21
JULY 27
Jason Castro - Y-D
.333
.350 (+17)
Yonder Alonso - Brewster
.316
.342 (+26)
Jermaine Curtis - Chatham
.299
.320 (+21)
Collin Cowgill - Y-D
.301
.310 (+9)
Dennis Raben - Orleans
.272
.298 (+26)
Allan Dykstra - Chatham
.306
.322 (+16)
Conor Gillaspie - Falmouth
.356
.367 (+11)
Reese Havens - Cotuit
.299
.311 (+12)

Gillaspie is probably the most impressive of that bunch, because a .356 average is pretty difficult to raise. He did it with seven hits in 17 at-bats. Alonso had a big week with 10 hits in 22 at-bats.

So that's about all I have. Any way you slice it, I think it's been a pretty rough week for hitters.

photos: brewster vs. chatham, july 26

Some photos from Brewster's 1-0 victory over Chatham Thursday night at Veterans Field.



Brewster first baseman, all-star starter and MVP candidate Yonder Alonso (Miami).




Brewster pitcher Ryan Cook (USC), who tossed seven shutout innings.




Chatham's Allan Dykstra (Wake Forest), who continued his hot streak with a double.




The sun.




The moon.




Chatham starter Charles Brewer (UCLA).




Chatham's bench and the fans behind home plate.




Big crowd.




Someone leading off first. I don't remember who.




Brewer pitches to Blake Tekotte (Miami).




I'm good at panoramas.




Brewer to Alonso.

photos: chatham vs. harwich, july 25

Some shots from the Chatham at Harwich game on Wednesday.



Chatham centerfielder Addison Johnson (Clemson).




Chatham second baseman Kyle Seager (North Carolina).




Harwich third baseman Chris Dominguez (Louisville).




Chatham third baseman Jermaine Curtis (UCLA).




Harwich shortstop and all-star starter Cole Figueroa (Florida).




The Chatham dugout.




Chatham outfielder Andrew Crisp (South Carolina).




Harwich pitcher Josh Zeid (Vanderbilt).




Chatham pitcher Alex White (North Carolina).


baseball card: gordon beckham

g


Name:
Gordon Beckham
Class: 2009
College: Georgia
Cape Team: Yarmouth-Dennis '07
Position: Shortstop
Height: 6'0"
Weight: 181
Bats: R
Throws: R

Summer '07:
July 27 - Beckham started hot and hasn't really cooled off. He leads the league with eight home runs, is second in RBI, second in slugging percentage and third in extra-base hits. He's hitting .304 and is a major reason why Y-D has the best record in the league.

Looking Back:
Beckham hit .307 this spring and led the team with 13 home runs, 51 RBI and 23 multi-hit games. He was a freshman all-american his first year.

Links:
Dog's Gordon a hit, in a flash (Athens Banner-Herald, March 31, 2006)

back and forth: friday, july 27

LAST NIGHT
  • Cotuit finally snapped its 12-game losing streak with a 7-2 victory over Wareham . . . Reese Havens went 3-for-5 with two home runs
  • Chatham's win streak ended as Brewster's Ryan Cook, Keith Shinaberry and Lee Land combined for a shutout
  • Hyannis' Stephen Penney and Bourne's D.J. Mitchell matched each other pitch for pitch through seven but both left with the game tied at one . . . Hyannis went on to the 2-1 win . . . Penney finished with 10 strikeouts and no walks in seven innings, while Mitchell had 11 strikeouts and no walks in eight innings
  • Trevor Holder struck out nine and walked one in seven shutout innings as Y-D beat Orleans 3-0 . . . Matt Wickswat closed the shutout with two perfect innings
TONIGHT
  • The two first-place teams play the two last-place teams as Y-D hosts Harwich and Bourne hosts Wareham
  • Chatham sends Tom Milone to the hill against Orleans, which sits five points back of the A's for second place . . . Craig Bennigson goes for the Cardinals
  • Hyannis' Austin Hudson tries to keep up with his rotation-mates as the Mets host Brewster . . . Matt Daly tossed a no-hitter for Hyannis on Wednesday while Stephen Penney allowed a run in seven innings Thursday

Thursday, July 26, 2007

chatham vs. brewster, july 26

It was going to take something special to stop the Chatham A's hot streak. Ryan Cook, Keith Shinaberry and Lee Land delivered.

The trio combined on a shutout as Brewster stopped Chatham's five-game winning streak with a 1-0 victory Thursday night at Veterans Field. The win not only ended Chatham's run, it also kept Brewster on pace. The Whitecaps are now just four points back of the A's for second place in the East.

The game was scoreless until the seventh inning, with Cook (USC) and Chatham's Charles Brewer (UCLA) both cruising. But the Whitecaps finally got to Brewer, and it was a college teammate who did most of the damage. Catcher Ryan Babineau, a sophomore at UCLA, hit a sharp single into left-center, then took second when Addison Johnson (Clemson) didn't pick the ball up cleanly. That little miscue turned into a big one when Ryan Hanlon plated Babineau with a single.

Chatham had its chance in the bottom of the inning. Jeremy Synan (NC St.) singled to start the frame and stole second, even as Brewster pitched out. Sean O'Brien (Virginia Tech) drew a walk, but was forced out at second on a ground ball by Scott Lyons (Mt. San Antonio). Synan moved to third on the play, and Lyons then stole second.

With the go-ahead run in scoring position, Johnson worked deep into the count against Cook, fouling off pitch after pitch. But Cook busted him inside and got a check-swing third strike to end the inning.

The A's never threatened again, due in large part to Brewster's bullpen. Shinaberry (Texas) and his submarine motion came up with a 1-2-3 eighth and closer Lee Land (UNC-Greensboro) pitched around a single in the ninth for his eighth save. Charlie Cutler (Cal) made a running catch on a shallow popup in right field for the final out.

Observations:
  • Both Cook and Brewer were very impressive. I guess they'd qualify as cross-town rivals in college, with one at USC and one at UCLA. On this night, they pitched like there was something big on the line. Cook ended up on top by working out of the key jam in the seventh, something Brewer couldn't do. With the seven shutout innings, Cook dropped his ERA from 3.71 to 3.07. Brewer, who's been one of the best freshman pitchers on the Cape, fell to 1-2, but his ERA will drop to 2.30.
  • The top of Brewster's rotation is looking very good. All-stars Mike Colla and Matt Couch have been great, and Cook really showed off Thursday. One of the more impressive stats for those three are their strikeout-to-walk ratios, which are all above two.
  • Yonder Alonso just keeps hitting. Brewster finished with seven hits, I believe, and Alonso had three of them. This was my first time seeing him and he didn't disappoint.
  • I really liked what I saw from Shinaberry out of the pen. He's 6'4" but his delivery dips way down, and it certainly worked on this night. I wasn't keeping track, but I'm thinking he only threw about 10 or 12 pitches in his one inning of work. That fits with his stats. Shinaberry hasn't walked anybody in 13 innings. His ERA is now 1.93.
  • Average-wise, Brewster's lineup isn't spectacular, but I like the way it shakes out. Blake Tekotte is the leadoff man, and when he gets on, he's the best base stealer on the Cape. Tavo Hall bats second, with Alonso in the third spot. Jacob Priday is batting cleanup and though he's only hitting .225, he's a power threat. Cutler, who's an all-star, is also a steady presence.
  • I'm not completely sure why, but apparently Chatham reliver Kevin Couture has been added to the all-star roster. Whatever the reason, it's a well-deserved spot. Couture relieved Brewer Wednesday and kept the Whitecaps from adding any more in the seventh. For the season, Couture, a freshman from USC, has a 1.04 ERA with 21 strikeouts and six walks.
  • With his family on hand for the first time this summer, Chatham's Bryan Shaw (Long Beach) pitched a perfect frame in the top of the ninth.

back and forth: thursday, july 26

LAST NIGHT
  • Matt Daly tossed a no-hitter for Hyannis. See below.
  • Chatham won its fifth straight . . . The A's are now six points back of first and five ahead of Orleans for second.
  • All-star T.J Hose allowed three hits and two runs in six innings as Bourne rallied past Orleans.
  • All-star starter Eddie Burns allowed two runs over seven innings as Y-D beat Falmouth
  • Cotuit dropped its 12th in a row

TONIGHT

  • A good pitching match-up in Orleans as Y-D's Terry Doyle takes the hill against Michael Schwimer . . . As long as Chatham keeps winning, Y-D needs to keep winning, because they aren't quite running away with the division anymore
  • The A's will try for their sixth straight win when they host Brewster. Charles Brewer goes for Chatham, while Ryan Cook gets the ball for the Whitecaps
  • Harwich will try to snap a three-game losing streak. The good news: the Mariners aren't playing Chatham. Dan Hudson takes the hill for Harwich against Kyle Weiland.
  • From what I've read, coaches have been ordered to rest all-star pitchers for Saturday, so we may see some spot starters over the next few days, depending on when people are due up in the rotation.
  • Hyannis at Bourne tonight is a scout's day