early look: harwich

HARWICH MARINERS
Manager: Steve Englert
Last Season: 14-28-2

The Harwich Mariners franchise has had its fair share of great players the last few years, from Shaun Marcum and Joe Saunders to Jeff Niemann and Tim Lincecum. But team success hasn’t been there. The Mariners haven’t had a wining season since they went 23-21 in 1998. Their best finish in that span was in 2005, when they took third in the East.

With a trio of perennial powerhouses in the same division, it’s tough for the Mariners to reverse the trend. If things go as planned this year, though, I think Harwich has a legitimate chance to compete.

The offense could be very solid, even if it takes a hit from Team USA. Players like D.J. LeMahieu, Shaver Hansen and Jason Stidham give the Mariners some of the best high-ceiling guys they’ve had in recent years. As for the pitching staff, it looks like there are several potential standouts in Sean Black, Joseph Gautier, Chris Manno and Matt Zielinski.

In all, I think this Harwich team has a lot more potential than last year’s. That squad didn’t have much in the way of pitching depth and it hurt them. They finished with a 14-28-2 record, the worst in the league and the franchise’s worst in the last 10 years.

Roster Rundown

Returning players: 1
Juniors: 1
Sophomores: 20
Freshmen : 5

Notable

• Harwich’s web site hadn’t been updated for awhile, but of course, right as I was about to post this, I noticed some roster changes. So this is current as of June 5.
• Two of the biggest changes were the losses of Virginia’s Phil Gosselin and Florida State’s John Gast, two pretty highly-touted freshmen. But two big pitchers in Joseph Gautier and Chris Manno were added.
• Only two Harwich players have been invited to Team USA, but they would be two pretty huge losses. Tommy Medica is currently the only catcher listed on the roster (which can’t be right), but even with other catchers in the fold, Medica is a big loss. The other player is Dustin Ackley, who would have a pretty good shot at being the best hitter on the Cape.
• The Mariners should still have a pretty nice little offense, even if Ackley and Medica go with Team USA. D.J. LeMahieu, Brandon Belt, Shaver Hansen, Joe Sanders and Brian Kemp all look like legitimate hitters.
• LeMahieu has the potential to become the top freshman hitter in the league.
• I think Sean Black could have a big summer. He was the highest unsigned pick in the 2006 draft and just finished a very good spring at Seton Hall. He’ll be looking to raise his stock.

Five Players I’m Excited to See
1. Dustin Ackley
2. D.J. LeMahieu
3. Sean Black
4. Chris Manno
5. Brandon Belt

Pitchers
Billy Bullock – RHP – 6’6 220 – Florida – Sophomore
*Sean Black – RHP – 6’5 195 – Seton Hall – Sophomore
Chad Bell – LHP – 6’4 207 – Memphis – Freshman
Garret Davis – RHP – 6’4 200 – North Carolina – Freshman
Brian Dupra – RHP – 6’3 200 – Notre Dame – Freshman
Joseph Gautier – LHP – 5’10 175 – Bethune Cookman – Junior
Pat Johnson – RHP – 5’10 170 – North Carolina – Freshman
Stave Kalush – RHP – 6’0 180 – Santa Clara – Sophomore
Willie Kempf – RHP – 6’0 200 – Baylor – Sophomore
Chris Manno – LHP – 6’1 160 – Duke – Sophomore
Mike Morrison – RHP – 6’1 195 – Cal State Fullerton – Sophomore
Ryan Quigley – LHP – 6’4 215 – Northeastern – Sophomore
Matt Zielinski – LHP – 6’3 200 – Richmond – Sophomore
* returning player

Billy Bullock – RHP – 6’6 220
Florida
Sophomore
Bullock saw action mostly as a starter in his freshman season and continued in a similar role this season. After posting a 6.31 ERA last year, Bullock went 4-5 this year with a 5.01 ERA. He struck out 63 in 82.2 innings. Bullock was a 20th round pick in the 2006 draft.

Sean Black – RHP – 6’5 195
Seton Hall
Sophomore
Talk about hype. Black was a second-round pick in 2006, and when he opted to stick with Seton Hall, he became the highest unsigned player in the draft. His freshman year wasn’t spectacular, though, as he finished with a 5.66 ERA. He then made three appearances early in the summer for Harwich before heading home. This season, though, Black has shown why he was so highly-though of out of high school. He finished with a 3.44 ERA and 59 strikeouts in 65.1 innings.

Chad Bell – LHP – 6’4 207
Walters State
Freshman
Bell is listed as being from Memphis on Harwich’s roster, and I guess that’s where he was for a while. But he spent this spring at juco powerhouse Walters State Community College in Tennessee. He emerged there as one of the team’s best pitchers, posting a 3.50 ERA with 100 strikeouts and only 33 walks in 100.1 innings. Bell was a 25th-round pick out of high school.

Garret Davis – RHP – 6’4 200
North Carolina
Freshman
Davis was a highly thought-of high school player in North Carolina, but has seen very limited action for the Tar Heels this season because of injury. He didn’t allow an earned run in his two appearances, but he’s not on the Tar Heels’ postseason roster, so he’s clearly done for the season. We’ll see if he makes it to the Cape.

Brian Dupra – RHP – 6’3 200
Notre Dame
Freshman
Notre Dame has a lot of players whose draft stock slipped because of their college commitment, and Dupra is another one. He was ranked among the top 150 draft prospects last year, but fell to the 37th round and naturally stuck with Notre Dame. His ERA this season was 5.44 but his peripheral numbers were good. He struck out 30 and walked 10 in 46.1 innings.

Joseph Gautier – LHP – 5’10 175
Bethune Cookman
Junior
Gautier just got added to the Harwich roster. He was dominant this season for the Wildcats, posting a 6-3 record with a 2.48 ERA. He struck out 74 and walked only 13 in 72.2 innings. He is draft-eligible this year, so in the next day, we’ll have a better idea of whether or not he’ll be in Harwich. If he is, he looks like a major addition to the Mariners’ staff.

Pat Johnson – RHP – 5’10 170
North Carolina
Freshman
Rated ahead of his UNC teammate Davis out of high school, Johnson has been pretty solid in a swing role for the Tar Heels. In 14 appearances – half of them starts – he’s posted a 4.14 ERA with 42 strikeouts and 22 walks in 41.1 innings.

Stave Kalush – RHP – 6’0 180
Santa Clara
Sophomore
Kalush was both a starter and a reliever for the Broncos this spring and finished the year with a 5-3 record and a 5.80 ERA. He struck out 61 in 54 innings, though, which is a pretty nice ratio. Kalush was a West Coast Conference all-freshman pick last year.

Willie Kempf – RHP – 6’0 200
Baylor
Sophomore
After a very good freshman season, Kempf pitched well in the Northwoods League last summer and became one of the Bears’ most reliable pitchers this year. He made 16 appearances – 10 starts – and went 6-2 with a 3.69 ERA. He struck out 48 in 68.1 innings.

Chris Manno – LHP – 6’1 160
Duke
Sophomore
Manno is another late addition and another big addition. He went 6-2 this year with a 3.38 ERA, and he struck out 80 in just 58.2 innings. He also only walked 19. Looks like some serious potential here.

Mike Morrison – RHP – 6’1 195
Cal State Fullerton
Sophomore
Morrison was one of the Titans’ most versatile pitchers last year, excelling in starts and relief appearances. He has focused mostly on relief this year with pretty solid results. He’s posted a 4.33 ERA with 52 strikeouts in 52 innings pitched.

Ryan Quigley – LHP – 6’4 215
Northeastern
Sophomore
Quigley pitched mostly as a starter this spring and struggled to a 2-4 record and an 8.06 ERA. He did, however, strike out 62 in 51.1 innings. Quigley was a closer last season and excelled in that role.

Matt Zielinski – LHP – 6’3 200
Richmond
Sophomore
Zielinski was the best pitcher on a staff that had its struggles this year. The sophomore went 5-2 with a 4.71 ERA and flashed great control, striking out 45 and walking only 14. Zielinski had a 3.30 ERA as a freshman and was named the A-10’s Freshman of the Year.


Position Players
Mark Fleury – C – 6’1 200 – North Carolina – Sophomore
Tommy Medica – C – 6’1 190 – Santa Clara – Sophomore
Brandon Belt – INF – 6’5 205 – Texas – Sophomore
Jeff Cusick – INF – 6’2 205 – UC Irvine – Sophomore
Shaver Hansen – INF – 6’0 185 – Baylor – Sophomore
D.J. LeMahieu – INF – 6’4 196 – LSU – Freshman
Joe Sanders – INF – 6’1 195 – Auburn – Sophomore
Tim Smalling – INF – 6’3 207 – Arkansas – Sophomore
Jason Stidham – INF – 5’11 173 – Florida State – Sophomore
Dustin Ackley – OF – 6’1 182 – North Carolina – Sophomore
D.J. Belfonte – OF – 5’10 180 – Nebraska – Sophomore
Brian Kemp – OF – 5’10 180 – St. John’s – Sophomore
Ross Smith – OF – 6’2 192 – Auburn – Sophomore


Mark Fleury – C – 6’1 200
North Carolina
Sophomore
The heir apparent to Tim Federowicz, Fleury hasn’t exactly been buried on the depth chart. He’s played in 57 games, some as the DH and some at catcher, with a lot of pinch-hitting mixed in. He has hit .286 with three home runs. Fleury played in the NECBL last summer.

Tommy Medica – C – 6’1 190
Santa Clara
Sophomore
Medica was a standout freshman last year and played for Team USA last summer. He’s again a Team USA invite this year, so we’ll see what happens there. This season for Santa Clara, Medica hit .342 with six home runs and 44 RBI.

Brandon Belt – INF – 6’5 205
Texas
Sophomore
A power-hitting first baseman who occasionally pitches, Belt made a pretty big impact after transferring to Texas from San Jacinto junior college. He hit .319, good for fourth on the team, and hit six home runs. He led the team with 65 RBI. In 16 appearances on the mound, he had a 4.08 ERA with 16 strikeouts and five walks in 17.2 innings.

Jeff Cusick – INF – 6’2 205
UC Irvine
Sophomore
Cusick hasn’t hit for much power this season, but his average and on-base percentage make up for it. He’s hit a team-best .347 with a .446 on-base percentage. His UC-Irvine team is still alive in the Super Regional round of the NCAA tournament.

Shaver Hansen – INF – 6’0 185
Baylor
Sophomore
Hansen was named Baylor’s co-MVP this year, sharing the award with former Wareham player Beamer Weems. Hansen led the team with a .326 average and hit six home runs with 47 RBI. He played mostly at third base.

D.J. LeMahieu – INF – 6’4 196
LSU
Freshman
LeMahieu was a two-time winner of Michigan’s Gatorade Player of the Year award and headed south as a highly-touted shortstop. He hasn’t disappointed in his freshman season with the Tigers. He has started 61 games and has put up a .336 average to go with five home runs and 38 RBI.

Joe Sanders – INF – 6’1 195
Auburn
Sophomore
Sanders hit .333 as a freshman and stayed ahead of that pace as a sophomore, finishing with a .348 average, good for second on the team. He also hit six home runs and drove in a team-best 52 runs. Sanders played second base for the Tigers.

Tim Smalling – INF – 6’3 207
Arkansas
Sophomore
Smalling hit .288 in his freshman year after grabbing the starting shortstop gig. His average dipped this year to .250 but he still hit nine home runs. Smalling can also play second base and third base.

Jason Stidham – INF – 5’11 173
Florida State
Sophomore
Stidham was a first-team all-conference pick as a freshman when he hit .366. As the Seminoles’ starting second baseman this season, his average has dipped to .308, but he had hit 10 home runs, the third-highest total on the team. Stidham was a 43rd-round pick out of high school.

Dustin Ackley – OF – 6’1 182
North Carolina
Sophomore
Ackley was the top freshman hitter in the country last year and was slated to play for Chatham last summer. He never made it, and as a Team USA invitee, he might not make it to Harwich this year. If he does, you can be sure he’ll hit. After batting .402 last year, he has hit .407 this year with seven home runs.

D.J. Belfonte – OF – 5’10 180
Nebraska
Sophomore
Belfonte was one of Nebraska’s offensive leaders as a freshman, hitting .307 and leading the team in several categories. But he hit the dreaded sophomore slump this year, batting just .241. He still brought speed to the table, stealing 14 bases in 17 attempts.

Brian Kemp – OF – 5’10 180
St. John’s
Sophomore
Kemp emerged this season as one of the best hitters for average in the Big East. He finished the year with a .359 batting average and also notched a .449 on-base percentage.

Ross Smith – OF – 6’2 192
Auburn
Sophomore
Smith had a very good freshman season after coming in as a highly-touted recruit, but from what I can gather, he redshirted this season due to injury. He isn’t actually on the Auburn roster right now, so I’m not sure what that means. You can get to his bio from a Google search.