daily fog: back to even

Friday, July 11, 2008

daily fog: back to even

For a brief moment earlier this week, I thought we might be seeing an end to the parity that has defined the 2008 Cape League season. Two teams were putting big winning streaks together, on the verge of separating themselves. Two more were mired in long losing streak, in danger of falling well off the pace.

But it was a false alarm. Last night's games prove that parity is alive and well. Three games were decided by a single run. With victories by Hyannis, Cotuit and Bourne, four teams now sit at 13 wins. And those streaks? They're over now. They were nice, but they didn't create much separation.

Orleans saw its six-game winning streak come to an end against Hyannis. The Mets got a combined shutout from Graham Stoneburner (Clemson) and Matt Ridings (Western Kentucky) to edge the Cardinals 1-0. Marcus Jones (NC State) knocked in the go-ahead run with an RBI single in the eighth.

In Harwich, the Mariners got two runs in the bottom of the ninth to squeeze past Chatham 4-3 for their second straight win. Before that, the Mariners had lost five in a row. Their comeback last night came against lights-out Chatham closer Brad Boxberger (USC), with pinch-running pitcher Chris Manno (Duke) scoring the winning run on a wild pitch.

Harwich's victory and Orleans' loss means things are still tightly-packed in the East, despite the streaks from those two teams. Orleans has 26 points, second-place Brewster has 25 and Harwich has 22. Even fourth-place Chatham has 20, and fifth-place Y-D has 17.

Things are even closer in the West, where Hyannis, Cotuit and Bourne find themselves, for the second day in a row, locked in a three-way tie for first. Falmouth is five points back. Wareham is a ways back with 15 points, but that's not even insurmountable.

Elsewhere

A note from the Hyannis-Orleans game: A day after tying a Cape League record with three home runs, Chris Dominguez went 0-for-4. Yes, Cape League baseball can be a little humbling.

Bourne kept pace in the West with a 3-2 victory over Y-D. Dusty Coleman (Wichita State) continued a hot streak with a 2-for-4 and two RBI. He's now fourth in the league with a .371 average. Ross Wilson (Alabama) also had two RBI for the Braves, who got six strong innings from Nick McCully (Coastal Carolina). David Erickson (UConn) worked two scoreless innings of relief and Eric Pettis (UC Irvine) picked up his fourth save.

Jimmy Cesario (Houston) went 3-for-4 and Brian Fletcher (Auburn) had two RBI to lead Falmouth past Brewster 7-2. The Commodores did most of their damage against Brewster starter Buddy Baumann (Missouri State), who had a 1.52 ERA before last night. Fletcher had his best game since arriving from Team USA. The freshman went 2-for-4 and is now hitting .250.

Cotuit, who was reeling at the beginning of the week, won its third straight with a 2-0 victory over Wareham. Four pitchers combined on the shutout for the Kettleers, with Zach Von Tersch (Georgia Tech) going four innings and picking up the win. For Wareham, Brandon Workman (Texas), who almost tossed a no-hitter in his last start, allowed one run on five hits in six efficient innings. He only struck out three, which slows down his league-leading pace. He now has 41.

What to Watch For Tonight

Brewster's Tim Clubb (Missouri State) will try to stay perfect as the Whitecaps host Chatham. Clubb is 4-0 with a .35 ERA. For Chatham, UNC's Adam Warren will make his second start. He allowed three runs in five innings last time.

Bryce Stowell (UC Irvine) will try to build on two outstanding starts when he goes for Bourne tonight against Wareham. Stowell has allowed one run on three hits in his first two starts.

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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.

Stop waxing poetic

The Cape Cod Baseball League is the top college summer league in the nation. Plenty of other leagues have cropped up of late, and some are having success, but the Cape League is still the model -- and the pinnacle. In 2006, 198 Major Leaguers had spent time in the Cape League.
The rosters are like a who's who of the best college baseball players. All the top prospects want to spend their summers on the Cape. The only better opportunity is Team USA. There are 10 teams in the league, divided into two divisions. Over the course of two months, they play 44 games. Scouts will watch many of them. They come because of the combination of talent and wood. Unlike college baseball, the Cape uses only wooden bats, providing an accurate picture of what players might do at the next level.
What else? Players live with host families. Some have part-time jobs (Jeff Bagwell worked at Friendly's). There's no admission charge at games. The level of baseball has been compared to Single A.
That should sum it up. If you have never experienced Cape League Baseball, you have missed out.

Friday, July 11, 2008