Daily Fog: Out of the Woodwork

One of the more interesting trends in the 2009 Cape League season is the high number of recently-drafted players who have found their way to the Cape. I did a quick comparison between this year and last, and there's definitely a difference.

Last year, six players who were picked in the first 15 rounds of that June's draft ended up seeing some action on the Cape. The highest pick was fourth-rounder Jason Kipnis.

This year, the number is 11. The highest pick is third-rounder Bryan Morgado, who's pitching for Bourne.

So far, most of these high picks have stuck around. They're also almost all pitchers. Of the 11, Harwich's Connor Powers is the only position player. The presence of pitchers like Morgado, Tyler Lyons and Chad Bell has added a new dimension to the Cape League's arms race.

One team just caught up.

Sometimes these guys come out of nowhere -- at least from the perspective of an outside observer -- and that's exactly what happened last night for Brewster. The Whitecaps used a pair of recently-added fifth-round picks -- Nathan Baker (Mississippi) and Caleb Cothame (Vanderbilt) -- to beat Wareham 5-1.

Baker had pitched one inning out of the bullpen before getting the start last night. He allowed one run on three hits and struck out four in four innings of work. Cotham, who pitched for Brewster last year, was even better. He surrendered just one hit in three shutout innings and struck out seven. Cotham ended up getting the win. For a Wareham team that's struggling to hit the ball, I can't imagine it was much of a pleasure to see those two take the mound back-to-back.

We'll see how the rest of the summer plays out for Baker and Cotham, but their presence -- however long it lasts -- has to be a good thing for the Whitecaps. After last night's game, Brewster has the second-worst team ERA in the league, and outside of Kyle Blair (San Diego), Matt Lujan (San Francisco) and Sean Hoelscher (TCU), their starting pitchers have not put up great numbers. If they end up in the rotation, Baker and Cotham could certainly provide a boost.

Whatever happens, it's fun to see some big names make an appearance.

Elsewhere

Back to the aforementioned game for a moment. Harold Martinez (Virginia) and John Barr (Virginia) led the Brewster offense with two hits and an RBI apiece. Jarrett Parker (Virginia) and Daniel Butler (Arizona) also drove in runs. Parker, somehow, is hitting only .237 since arriving from the College World Series, but it seems like he's had a hit in every game. That average is going to go up at some point.

Apparently, Cotuit just needs dominant pitching performances to keep from hitting the skids again. After Chad Bell's no-hitter snapped a five-game losing streak, the Kettleers tied both games of a doubleheader on Monday before getting a complete-game from Jake Buchanan (NC State) on Tuesday to beat Orleans 5-2. Buchanan, who leads the league with a 0.67 ERA, struck out eight and didn't walk anybody against an Orleans team that had won five in a row. He allowed just one earned run. Cory Vaughn (San Diego State), who's breaking out of an early slump, hit his second home run of the year to back Buchanan. Brian Guinn (California) added two hits and two RBI as the Kettleers improved to 10-12-4, just four points behind first-place Bourne.

Speaking of Bourne, the once-scorching Braves have now lost four straight -- all on the road -- after last night's 5-4 decision in Falmouth. Hunter Morris (Auburn) went 3-for-3 and hit his fourth home run, while B.A. Vollmuth (Southern Mississippi) added a triple and three RBI for the Commodores. Morris' solo shot in the eighth gave Falmouth the lead, and Cecil Tanner (Georgia) preserved it with a scoreless ninth.

Three teams in the East now have 15 wins after Chatham beat Hyannis 4-2 last night. Shawn Tolleson (Baylor), who's been a little up and down for the Anglers, went six innings and allowed two runs. Jesse Hahn (Virginia Tech) didn't allow a hit in 2.1 innings of relief, and Russell Brewer got the final two outs for his sixth save. The Anglers broke a 2-2 tie in the seventh when Dean Green (Oklahoma State) and Steven Brooks (Wake Forest) hit back-to-back doubles. Brooks later scored an insurance run on a wild pitch.

What to Watch For Tonight

Wareham will visit Harwich for its second doubleheader in three days. Brett Eibner (Auburn) and Brandon Workman (Texas) are scheduled to go for the Gatemen against Aaron Meade (Missouri State) and Eric Jokisch (Northwestern).