Daily Fog: Just Like Old Times

Saturday, June 13, 2009

Daily Fog: Just Like Old Times

Nobody wants weather postponements wreaking havoc on the league schedule, but I've got to say: fog, our old friend, it was nice to see you again.

Fog wasn't around much last year. Its regular appearances in Chatham didn't even happen. But last night, the Chatham game got postponed when the fog rolled in, and the Bourne-Hyannis game got called after seven innings. Disappointing, for sure, but getting a quintessential Cape League night -- with all the trappings -- isn't the worst thing in the world on opening night.

And fog wasn't the only old friend hanging around.

Back for his third year in the Cape League, it looks Hyannis' Austin Hudson (Central Florida) is happy to be in a Mets uniform, happy to be seeing a little fog, and maybe most of all, happy to be seeing those wooden bats.

Hudson has had kind of a strange college career. He has never put up great numbers at Central Florida. His career ERA there is 7.15. This year, it was over 10. But something about the Cape turns Hudson completely around. In two summers, his career Cape ERA is 2.70. Last year, he led the league in ERA.

On Friday, Hudson got the opening night start for Hyannis.

And he did what he always does on the Cape. Hudson allowed one run in six strong innings and picked up the win as Hyannis beat Bourne 4-2 in seven innings.

His ERA after last night? It's 1.50, exactly the same as his league-leading mark last year.

Welcome back, Mr. Hudson.

You too, fog.

Elsewhere

The Hyannis offense was powered by Kenny Swab (Young Harris) and Ryan Cuneo (Delaware), who each had two hits and an RBI. Swab, whom manager Chad Gassman is really high on looked poised for a big summer from the start after hitting .342 this spring. Cuneo wasn't on Hyannis' original roster, but hit .285 this spring with 17 home runs. Also for Hyannis, Will Weidig (Brown) picked up the save when the seventh inning turned into the last inning. Jamal Austin (UAB) had two hits and stole two bases.

Bourne's Turner Phelps (James Madison) allowed three earned runs in four innings.

Y-D got a dominant performance by Chris Sale (Florida Gulf Coast) and used two squeeze plays to score runs in a 4-3 victory over Orleans. Steven Chatwood (San Diego) and Blake Kelso (Houston) delivered the key bunts, and Mickey Wiswall (Boston College) went 3-for-4 with an RBI, the league's best opening night line. Sale also shined, striking out eight and walking none in six shutout innings. Orleans got two hits each from Ross Heffley (Western Carolina), Michael Olt (Connecticut) and Jaren Matthews (Rutgers), though a ninth-inning rally fell one-run short. Jimmy Reyes (Elon) allowed two runs and struck out four in five innings.

Falmouth and Brewster played 10 innings before the game was called due to darkness, ending in a 2-2 tie. Mitch Mormann (Des Moines Area CC) worked four perfect innings for Falmouth and Casey Schmidt (San Diego) was almost as strong for Brewster, allowing three hits in five scoreless innings. Schmidt hasn't pitched a college game since 2007 -- injuries and a transfer year have kept him out -- but he was a 15th-round pick this year. Brewster's offense was led by Mark Canha (California), who hit the only home run of the night. Conner Mach (Missouri) and Murray Watts (Arkansas State) drove in runs for Falmouth.

What to Watch For Tonight

Well, the weather looks alright now, with just scattered showers in the forecast for tonight, so Chatham, Cotuit, Harwich and Wareham might actually get to play. Nick Tepesch (Missouri), an interesting pitcher to watch, is scheduled to get the start for Falmouth at Harwich.

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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.

Saturday, June 13, 2009