2012 Early Look: Wareham Gatemen

Wareham Gatemen
Manager: Cooper Farris
2011 Record: 23-21

Growing up, I remember hearing that the Wareham Gatemen were kind of the New York Yankees of the Cape Cod Baseball League. They always seemed to bring in some of the best players and they always seemed to be successful.

That’s why I was surprised to learn today that last year marked Wareham’s first winning season since 2006. For whatever reason, things just hadn’t come together from 2007-2010. Team USA had a big impact some years, and others, the Gatemen just couldn’t quite find it. (It also could have been a Right Field Fog curse since 2006 was the year before RFF got its start).

Whatever the cause, the Gatemen broke out last summer with a solid campaign that included a run to the West division semifinals.

With eight players expected back from that team, Wareham should have the nucleus of a veteran team that can stay on track. Konner Wade leads the returning pitchers, while Daniel Palka paces the hitters. Both were all-stars last summer. Throw in some starting pitching with a lot of upside and a handful of other power threats, and the Gatemen have the makings of a contender.

Roster Rundown
Returning Players: 8
Sophomores: 19
Freshmen: Six

Notable

I haven’t made a detailed trip through all the rosters yet, but I can’t imagine anybody will have more than the eight returning players on the Wareham roster. That could be a big advantage for the Gatemen, especially since quite a few of the players had big summers last year.

Konner Wade is at the top of the list of returnees, but he could be playing a different role. Wade was perhaps the league’s best closer last year, finishing in a tie for the league lead in saves, but he’s been a starter for Arizona this spring. It’ll be interesting to see how he’s used this summer.

Daniel Palka has been remarkably consistent at every stop in his college career. He hit .297 as a freshman at Georgia Tech, .327 with Wareham last summer and is hitting .301 with 11 home runs this year. I would expect him to pick up exactly where he left off with the Gatemen this summer.

Several of the other returning players will be trying to rebound from tough first summers in Wareham. Mott Hyde and Ty Ross both hit under .200 with the Gatemen but are in the midst of strong springs.

Lots of intriguing arms on the roster, and quite a few pitchers will be trying to prove themselves. Kurt McCune was the ace of the LSU staff as a freshman but has had some struggles this year. Matthew Grimes was a fourth-round pick out of high school but has missed part of this spring with injury. And Michael Cederoth has a big arm but has walked a ton in his first season at San Diego State.

One of the cool stories for Wareham this summer will be the team’s local flavor. Two players hail from Middleboro, Mass., while Franklin Pierce catcher Matthew Walsh is from Plymouth. Walsh could be especially fun to watch. He was a four-time All-Stater at Plymouth North and grew up watching Wareham games. He was also the Northeast 10 Rookie of the Year this spring.

Five Players I’m Excited to See
1. Daniel Palka
2. Konner Wade
3. Michael Cederoth
4. Matthew Grimes
5. Tyler Horan

Pitchers

*Barret Astin – RHP – 6-1 185 – Arkansas – Sophomore
Michael Cederoth – RHP – 6-6 205 – San Diego State – Freshman
*Matthew Grimes – RHP – 6-5 208 – Georgia Tech – Sophomore
Will Kendall – LHP – 6-3 205 – Auburn – Sophomore
Brad Kuntz – LHP – 6-2 195 – Baylor – Sophomore
Kurt McCune – RHP – 6-4 180 – LSU – Sophomore
Sean Newcomb – LHP 6-5 220 – Hartford – Freshman
*Dillon Newman – RHP – 6-2 185 – Baylor – Sophomore
Nicholas Rumbelow – RHP – 6-0 190 – LSU – Sophomore
Jared Ruxer – RHP- 6-2 185 – Louisville – Freshman
Adam Schemenauer – LHP – 6-9 230 – Louisville – Freshman
Colby Suggs – RHP – 6-0 225 – Arkansas – Sophomore
Brando Tessar – RHP – 6-3 198 – Oregon – Sophomore
*Konner Wade – RHP – 6-3 180 – Arizona – Sophomore

Barret Astin – RHP – 6-1 185
Arkansas
Sophomore

Astin earned Freshman All-American honors while pitching out of the Arkansas bullpen last season and then delivered a solid summer on Cape Cod with the Gatemen. Astin went 2-1 with a 2.63 ERA for Wareham. This spring, it’s been more of the same for Astin, who has saved nine games and is among the SEC leaders in ERA with a 1.80 mark. He has also struck out 51 in 45 innings.

Michael Cederoth – RHP – 6-6 205
San Diego State
Freshman

Cederoth was a 42nd-round draft pick out of high school last year and vaulted into the San Diego State rotation immediately this season. He’s has some ups and downs so far. Cederoth currently has an ERA of 4.58. He has struck out 56 in 59 innings, but the biggest problem has been his 45 walks. He’s still a power arm, though, with a fastball that can reach the mid-90’s.

Matthew Grimes – RHP – 6-5 208
Georgia Tech
Sophomore

Grimes, a fourth-round pick of the White Sox, was one of the top unsigned picks from the 2010 draft, and he had a pretty good freshman season with the Yellow Jackets, finishing with a 4.15 ERA and 77 strikeouts in 73.2 innings. Grimes was off to a good start this season, going 3-2 in five starts with a 3.38 ERA but an injury has sidelined him recently.

Will Kendall – LHP – 6-3 205
Auburn
Sophomore

Kendall was off to a fantastic start this season, posting a 4-0 record and a 1.88 ERA, but he has since suffered a season-ending injury. He is still listed on the Wareham roster, but I’m not sure of his status for the summer.

Brad Kuntz – LHP – 6-2 195
Baylor
Sophomore

Kuntz has been a solid pitcher out of the bullpen in each of his first two seasons in Waco. This year, he’s made the second-most appearances on the team and has put up a 4.46 ERA to go with about a strikeout an inning.

Kurt McCune – RHP – 6-4 180
LSU
Sophomore

McCune burst onto the scene for the Tigers last spring, grabbing a weekend rotation spot and earning Freshman All-America honors by posting a 7-3 record and a 3.38 ERA. The going has been a little tougher for McCune this spring. He’s 2-4 with a 4.21 ERA and 22 strikeouts in 36.1 innings.

Sean Newcomb – LHP 6-5 220
Hartford
Freshman

A native of Middleboro, Mass., Newcomb has measurables that jump out, and he’s been pretty good in his first year with Hartford. Newcomb is 2-4 so far with a 4.17 ERA. He has struck out 45 in 45.1 innings of work and has walked 38.

Dillon Newman – RHP – 6-2 185
Baylor
Sophomore

Like his teammate Kuntz, Newman has been a key part of the Baylor bullpen for two years running, and he’s been particularly good this season. Newman has a 2.54 ERA with 31 strikeouts and just six walks in 28.1 innings pitched.

Nicholas Rumbelow – RHP – 6-0 190
LSU
Sophomore

Rumbelow pitched well in limited innings as a freshman then was named the sixth-best prospect in the Prospect League last summer. This spring, Rumbelow has been outstanding out of the bullpen for the Tigers, putting a 3.48 ERA with 28 strikeouts in 20.2 innings.

Jared Ruxer – RHP- 6-2 185
Louisville
Freshman

A 29th-round pick out of high school, Ruxer follows in the footsteps of Cardinal teammate and former Wareham standout Justin Amlung. Just a freshman, Ruxer has been great as a member of the weekend rotation, posting a 6-1 record and a 2.47 ERA. Ruxer was a 29th-round pick out of high school.

Adam Schemenauer – LHP – 6-9 230
Louisville
Freshman

A towering presence, Schemenauer was a 12th-round pick out of high school but opted to attend Louisville. He has not pitched this season.

Colby Suggs – RHP – 6-0 225
Arkansas
Sophomore

Suggs was impressive in limited work last spring then came through with a big summer in the Coastal Plain League. This year, Suggs has been just as good as his teammate Astin, recording a 0.99 ERA in 24 relief appearances. He has 29 strikeouts in 27.1 innings pitched.

Brando Tessar – RHP – 6-3 198
Oregon
Sophomore

A 25th-round pick out of high school, Tessar had a solid freshman season in Eugene and then earned all-star honors in the Northwoods League last summer. This spring, Tessar has gone 4-1 with a 3.58 ERA and 37 strikeouts in 50.1 innings.

Konner Wade – RHP – 6-3 180
Arizona
Sophomore

Wade returns to Wareham after a breakout summer last season, and it looks like he’ll be coming off a breakout spring. Wade tied for the Cape League lead in saves with 12 last summer. This spring, he moved to the rotation for Arizona and has done well. He’s 6-1 with a 4.29 ERA and 77 strikeouts in 84 innings pitched.

Position Players

Dustin DeMuth – SS – 6-3 – 198 – Indiana – Sophomore
*Johnny Field – OF – 5-10 195 – Arizona – Sophomore
Tyler Horan – 3B – 6’1 225 – Virginia Tech – RS Sophomore
*Mott Hyde – SS – 5’11 185 – Georgia Tech – Sophomore
Ty McFarland – 3B – 6-3 190 – James Madison – Sophomore
*Daniel Palka – 1B – 6-3 220 – Georgia Tech – Sophomore
*Ty Ross – C – 6-3 215 – LSU- Sophomore
Kyle Schwarber – OF – 6-0 230 – Indiana – Freshman
Cody Smith – OF – 5-10 180 – San Diego State – Sophomore
Brett Thomas – OF – 6-1 195 – Oregon – Sophomore
Matthew Walsh – C – 5-10 210 – Franklin Pierce – Freshman

Dustin DeMuth – SS – 6-3 – 198
Indiana
Sophomore

Wareham has had a few strong players from Indiana over the years, and DeMuth is the latest. He earned Freshman All-America honors when he hit .360 last year. This season hasn’t been quite as good. DeMuth is hitting .261 with 13 RBI.

Johnny Field – OF – 5-10 195
Arizona
Sophomore

After a strong freshman season at Arizona, Field made the trek to Wareham last summer and became one of the Gatemen’s top hitters, finishing with a .261 average and 10 extra-base hits. Back at Arizona this year, Field has taken a leap forward. He’s batting .364 with 18 extra-base hits.

Tyler Horan – 3B – 6’1 225
Virginia Tech
RS Sophomore

Like his future Wareham teammate Sean Newcomb, Horan hails from Middleboro, Mass., so he’ll be playing close to home this summer, and he’ll have quite a track record to show off as he returns to New England. A former star at Boston College High, Horan redshirted his first year at Virginia Tech but has hit the ground running since. After hitting .396 in a reserve role last year, Horan is batting .293 this season with 13 home runs and 38 RBI.

Mott Hyde – SS – 5’11 185
Georgia Tech
Sophomore

Hyde started from day one for Tech last season and hit .275 with 47 RBI. He struggled on the Cape, hitting .151 for the Gatemen, but he’s returned to his freshman year form back with the Yellow Jackets this spring. Hyde is hitting .272 with five home runs and 24 RBI.

Ty McFarland – 3B – 6-3 190
James Madison
Sophomore

McFarland hit .278 as a freshman before putting together a strong summer in the Valley League last year. This season, McFarland is hitting .338 with six doubles.

Daniel Palka – 1B – 6-3 220
Georgia Tech
Sophomore

Palka had an outstanding freshman season in 2011, hitting .297 with 12 home runs and 52 RBI. With Wareham, he picked up right where he left off, hitting a team-best .327 and earning all-league honors. There’s been more consistency this spring, with Palka hitting .301 and blasting a team-high 11 home runs. Palka was a 19th-round draft pick out of high school in 2010.

Ty Ross – C – 6-3 215
LSU
Sophomore

Ross became LSU’s starting catcher as a freshman and was one of the top young players in the SEC last season. He hit .168 over the summer for Wareham, but has been strong again this spring. He’s hitting .302, good for third on the team, and he’s also third on the team in RBI with 31. Ross was a 46th-round draft pick out of high school.

Kyle Schwarber – OF – 6-0 230
Indiana
Freshman

Schwarber will join his teammate DeMuth in Wareham this summer, and it looks like he’ll be coming off a big debut. Schwarber is hitting .298 in his first year with the Hoosiers, and he’s tied for the team lead with eight home runs.

Cody Smith – OF – 5-10 180
San Diego State
Sophomore

Smith became one of San Diego State’s best hitters last year as a freshman, batting .311 with 17 extra-base hits. His average has dipped this year, but he’s still been a solid hitter for the Aztecs. He’s at .268 with six doubles and 18 RBI.

Brett Thomas – OF – 6-1 195
Oregon
Sophomore

After hitting .291 as a freshman, Thomas has become one of the Ducks’ top offensive threats in his sophomore season. He’s currently hitting .309 with a team-best 17 extra-base hits.

Matthew Walsh – C – 5-10 210
Franklin Pierce
Freshman

A native of Plymouth, Walsh will be living a dream this summer when he plays for the Gatemen, whom he grew up watching. Walsh will be coming in off an outstanding freshman season at Franklin Pierce. He hit .339 with two home runs and 37 RBI and was named the Northeast 10 Conference Rookie of the Year.