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Right Where They Belong

Fred Shepard, pictured in last year's league championship series, dominated for Wareham last night.

 
Monday featured a host of good pitching performances in the Cape League. They were authored by the usual suspects from UCLA and Texas, but also by guys from Maine and Amherst.

Tommy Lawrence (Maine) tossed six shutout innings for Chatham in a 4-2 victory over Brewster, while Fred Shepard (Amherst) went seven scoreless for Wareham in a 5-0 win over Falmouth.

For both, it wasn’t the first time they’ve proven themselves on the Cape League’s stage.

Lawrence, who’s part of a long line of Maine Black Bears to don a Chatham uniform, had a 3.55 ERA last summer in a swing role for the Anglers. He struck out 35 in 38 innings.

This spring, Lawrence built on the solid summer by going 11-3 with a 2.32 ERA for Maine. He was unanimously selected as the America East Conference Pitcher of the Year.

Lawrence was welcomed back to Chatham this year and is having an even better time on his second go-round. Lawrence gave up two runs in his first appearance but hasn’t given up another since. He now owns a 1.03 ERA.

On Monday, he made his second start and was dominant. He struck out five and gave up just four hits. Brewster tried a rally after Lawrence had departed but could get no closer than two runs. Josh Eldridge (Old Dominion) and Connor Joe (San Diego) led the offense with one RBI each. It was Chatham’s fourth straight win.

In Falmouth, Shepard had a similar night. He struck out five and scattered six hits in seven innings against Falmouth’s powerful lineup. The win was his first of the year. Matt Walsh (Franklin Pierce) drove in two runs to lead the Wareham offense.

Shepard has had even more to prove than a guy like Lawrence. Amherst is a Division III program, and Shepard was coming off a tough sophomore year when he hooked on with the Gatemen on a temporary contract last summer. He ended up providing some valuable innings and started the decisive game of the league championship series, which Wareham went on to win.

Not surprisingly, with that playoff performance on their minds, the Gatemen brought Shepard back this summer when they had some holes to fill on their roster. He’s responded with a solid campaign and he now ranks third in the league in strikeouts.

It’s a success story for sure, and the same could be said for Lawrence. You’ll see a lot of hot radar guns on the Cape, and arms that get first-round love. But sometimes it’s just as fun to see a couple of small-school pitchers proving that they belong too.

 

Harwich 5, Cotuit 0

Harwich got a terrific performance from Dillon Peters (Texas) and shut out Cotuit 6-0. Peters, who had a great spring in Austin, gave up three runs in his first Cape start last week. This time, Peters gave up just two hits in seven scoreless innings and struck out five. Ian Tompkins (Western Kentucky) and Jake Drossner (Maryland) finished off the shutout. The Harwich offense was led by Gunnar Heidt (College of Charleston), who went 3-for-4. Mitch Morales (Florida Atlantic) drove in two runs.

 

Hyannis 3, Bourne 3

Hyannis and Bourne played 12 innings before the league curfew kicked in and they settled for a 3-3 tie. Skyler Ewing (Rice) went 3-for-6 with a home run and two RBI to lead the Harbor Hawks while Ryan Padilla (New Mexico) had two hits and an RBI. Mason Robbins (Southern Miss) knocked in two runs and Tim Caputo (Rhode Island) drove in one for Bourne. A host of pitchers turned in solid relief performances, none more impressive than Jordan Foley (Central Michigan). He recorded nine outs – eight by strikeout.

 

Y-D 4, Orleans 3

On a day when the Red Sox lost ace Erick Fedde to Team USA (he could return after Team USA is done) and outfielder Eric Filia to an injury, they picked up a win to ease some of the sting, holding off an Orleans charge for a 4-3 victory. James Kaprielian (UCLA) didn’t factor in the decision but was dominant on the mound, striking out 10 in six innings. He allowed one run on four hits. Kody Kerski (Sacred Heart) got the win with two scoreless innings of relief. Jose Trevino (Oral Roberts) led the offense with a home run and two RBI. Kyle Wood (Purdue) also drove in a run. For Orleans, Ross Kivett (Kansas State), a 10th round pick this year who opted not to sign, went 4-for-5 with an RBI. He owns a 10-game hitting streak.

 

What to Watch

The top two teams get together at Whitehouse Field when Harwich hosts Chatham at 7 p.m. Chandler Shepherd (Kentucky), who’s been terrific this summer, goes for Harwich. Andrew Chin (Boston College), coming off his first tough outing of the year, starts for Chatham.
 

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Quality Time

Gunnar Heidt makes a play for Harwich in a game earlier this summer. The Mariners rallied Sunday, making a winner out of Aaron Bummer.

 
Fifty-six pitchers in the Cape Cod Baseball League have more strikeouts than Harwich’s Aaron Bummer (Nebraska).

One starting pitcher has a better ERA, and nobody has more wins.

Who needs strikeouts?

Bummer improved to 4-1 on Sunday with his fifth quality start of the summer, giving up just a run in six innings as Harwich shut down Falmouth’s powerful lineup for an 8-3 victory. A late Mariner rally made a winner out of Bummer.

It was another terrific performance from Bummer, who’s been the league’s most consistent pitcher. He opened the season with six shutout innings and then went seven scoreless in his next start. He gave up two earned runs in his next start and took the loss, but has gotten right back on track. He went six shutout innings in his last start before picking up the victory Sunday. Bummer is now 4-1 with a 0.84 ERA.

I’ve often wondered if the Quality Start statistic – at least six innings, no more than three runs – should be adapted for the Cape League, where even the best pitchers often don’t work deep into games. It doesn’t need to be changed for Bummer. He’s had five real quality starts in five tries.

On Sunday, Bummer didn’t strike out a batter but didn’t need to. He scattered five hits and gave up just the one earned run (Falmouth did score two unearned runs). Bummer needed only 88 pitches to get through six innings.

Even with all that, Bummer was on the verge of taking a hard-luck loss. Harwich trailed 3-0 but scored seven runs in the seventh inning to turn the game completely around. Branden Cogswell (Virginia) and Aaron Barbosa (Northeastern) each drove in two runs for the Mariners, while Ian Happ (Cincinnati) and Ben Moore (Alabama) had three hits apiece.

Sean Fitzgerald (Notre Dame) and Mason McCullough (North Carolina) finished off the victory for Harwich.

And Bummer put another win in the books.

 

Chatham 8, Y-D 5

The Anglers won for the third straight time, running their league-best record to 18-8-1, and it was yet another different route to a victory. Starter Andrew Chin (Boston College) gave up five runs in two innings, but in the meantime, Chatham scored seven runs of its own in the first two innings. After that, the bullpen dominated and kept Chatham in control. Dominic Moreno (Texas Tech), Jacob Dorris (Texas A&M Corpus Christi) and Kyle Funkhouser (Louisville) surrendered just three hits over the final seven innings. J.D. Davis (Cal State Fullerton) led the offense with two hits and four RBI. Connor Joe (San Diego) went 3-for-5 with two RBI.

 

Cotuit 5, Wareham 3

The Kettleers (17-10) also won their third straight and now have a four-point cushion atop the West. Cotuit scored four runs in the first inning and held off a late push by the Gatemen for the victory. Rhett Wiseman (Vanderbilt) had a double, a triple and two RBI, while Yale Rosen (Washington State) and Drew Jackson (Stanford) knocked in one run apiece. Patrick Corbett (Coastal Carolina) got the win in relief of Ben Smith (Coastal Carolina). Corbett struck out four in 3.1 innings. For Wareham, Brett Pirtle (Mississippi State) had three hits.

 

Bourne 5, Hyannis 2

Ryan Kellogg (Arizona State) pitched six strong innings as the Braves won a rain-shortened game that lasted six innings. Kellogg struck out six, didn’t walk a batter and gave up one earned run on four hits. Max Pentecost (Kennesaw State) drove in two runs, while Mason Robbins (Southern Miss), Clint Freeman (East Tennessee State) and Tyler Kuresa (UC Santa Barbara) brought in one each. Hyannis (15-9), which has lost two in a row, got two hits from Steve Wilkerson (Clemson).

 

Brewster 11, Orleans 3

On the strength of a blowout win, the Whitecaps (10-16) are suddenly two points back of Orleans (11-15) for fourth place in the East. Brewster pounded out 17 hits. Scott Heineman (Oregon) went 5-for-5 with three runs scored at the top of the Brewster lineup. Nick Lynch (UC Davis) hit a home run, while Austin Bailey (San Diego), Chris Mariscal (Fresno State), and Trevor Mitsui (Washington State) knocked in two runs each. Orleans finished with 12 hits but managed just the three runs. Brewster starter Aaron Brown (Pepperdine) gave up two earned runs in five innings to pick up the win.

 

What to Watch

A couple of strong-armed Austins will square off in Bourne. Austin Gomber (Florida Atlantic) gets the ball for the Braves, with Austin Pettibone (UC Santa Barbara) starting for Hyannis.

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Ford Tough

Mike Ford went 4-for-4 with two home runs and is now hitting .420 on the summer.

 
In a Cape Cod TimesQ&A this week, Cotuit’s Mike Ford (Princeton) said his goals for this summer were two-fold. He wants to make the Cape League All-Star team and he’d like to hook on as a free agent with a Major League club.

Both are looking well within reach, especially after last night.

Ford was already in the midst of an MVP-type campaign, and even if he had turned in a solid but unspectacular second half, he would have been one of the better performers in the league. Last night, he went the spectacular route. Ford went 4-for-4 with two home runs and five RBI in leading Cotuit past Hyannis 5-0.

Ford is steadily turning into one of the best stories on the Cape. He held his own last summer, then returned to school at Princeton and turned in one of the best baseball seasons the Ivy League’s ever seen when he earned league Pitcher and Player of the Year honors.

And then he didn’t get drafted. Major League teams have their reasons – Ford isn’t big and doesn’t have a clear position destination – but, after this summer, you would think someone would take a chance on the bat.

Ford is now hitting .420, best in the league, and his five home runs are tied for the league lead. His 18 RBI rank third. He also leads the league with a .510 OBP, and his triple-slash line is .420/.510/.691.

He knocked in all five of Cotuit’s runs last night, while Hunter Cole (Georgia) and Nolan Clark (Concordia) added two hits. Christian Cecilio (San Francisco) turned in five shutout innings, reliever Joel Seddon (South Carolina) worked two scoreless to keep his ERA at 0.00, and Brian Miller (Vanderbilt) finished out the game with two quick frames.

Cotuit now owns a 3-1 record against rival Hyannis, and Saturday’s win gives them the most points in the West Division.

The Kettleers have had a lot of roster turnover and a lot of different players than they expected to have. But with Mike Ford in the mix, they may just keep finding a way to win.

 

Falmouth 5, Y-D 0

The Commodores have had some rough pitching performances in July, but last night’s wasn’t one of them. Brandon Magallones (Northwestern) turned in seven innings of one-hit shutout baseball as Falmouth (15-9) blanked Y-D. Magallones had given up three runs on seven hits in his last start but was untouchable this time, taking a no-hitter into the fifth. Donny Murray (Holy Cross) and Zech Lemond (Rice) finished off the shutout inning with an inning each. Casey Gillaspie (Wichita State) homered to lead the offense, while Rhys Hoskins (Sacramento State), Dylan Davis (Oregon State) and Leon Byrd, Jr. (Rice) had two hits each.

 

Brewster 3, Harwich 0

Rain wreaked havoc on the other three games, with Bourne-Wareham getting postponed and two other games getting shortened. Brewster beat Harwich in six innings, as Dylan Toscano (Stony Brook) tossed a shutout with two strikeouts, and that goes into the book as the league’s first one-pitcher shutout of the summer. The Whitecaps got all the offense they needed from a first-inning, three-run double by David Armendariz (Cal Poly). Harwich starter A.J. Reed (Kentucky) pitched shutout ball the rest of the way, but his team didn’t get a shot at a late-innings comeback.

 

Chatham 2, Orleans 1

The Anglers scored two in the top of the seventh, Orleans couldn’t answer in the bottom half and the game was called after that, giving the Anglers their league-leading 17th victory. J.D. Davis (Cal State Fullerton) hit a solo home run to tie the game in the seventh before Josh Eldridge (Old Dominion) singled and eventually came around with the go-ahead run on a wild pitch. Chad Sobotka (SC Upstate) then pitched a scoreless frame before the rain had its say. Matt Gage (Siena) got the win for Chatham with six strong innings. He struck out seven. Bobby Poyner (Florida) was the hard-luck loser for Orleans.

 

What to Watch

A pair of Pepperdine Waves will square off against each other in Brewster at 5 p.m. Corey Miller, a 16th-round pick who just announced he’ll be returning to school, will go for the Firebirds. Aaron Brown, who was drafted in the 30th round as a draft-eligible sophomore, will start for Brewster.

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The Long Way

Jaron Long moved to 4-0 with another impressive start on Friday.

 
When I was choosing the midseason awards winners, I shied away from Bourne’s Jaron Long (Ohio State) for Outstanding Pitcher because he was off the innings and appearances pace of the league’s best. He’d made three starts, while others had made five.

It’s too bad the midway point didn’t come a few days later, because Long might have been the best pick.

The rising senior righty improved to 4-0 on Friday with his fourth dominant start of the summer. He gave up two hits in six shutout innings and struck out five as Bourne topped Harwich 3-2.

Long now leads the league in wins with four and ERA with a 0.41 mark. He has struck out 20 and walked only two all season. He’s given up just 14 hits in 22 innings of work – and just one extra-base hit. In three of his four outings, he’s allowed no runs. And three of his wins have come against Hyannis, Chatham and Harwich, three of the league’s best teams.

Long is in his second summer with Bourne. He was solid last year, with a 3.26 ERA.

The other thing about last year? He was 3-0. Together with the 4-0 start this year, that means Long has not taken a loss in his Cape League career.

Bourne has given up enough run support every time out this season, even when it was just one run in a shutout of Chatham in his first start. On Friday, the Braves got two hits and an RBI from Clint Freeman (East Tennessee State), plus two RBI from Vinny Siena (UConn). Once Long departed, Harwich touched up Jacob Lindgren (Mississippi State) for two runs, but Jack English (Florida Gulf Coast) came on for the final two innings and put the game away. English struck out two in two scoreless frames.

That made a winner of Long – again. Is it too late to change my pick?

 

Cotuit 5, Falmouth 1

The Kettleers (15-10) orchestrated an impressive first-inning turnaround on their way to a victory over the Commodores (14-9). Falmouth loaded the bases with nobody out in the top of the first inning, but Cotuit starter Evan Beal (South Carolina) struck out the side to end the inning. And it was not an easy side to strike out – Beal went through Casey Gillaspie (Wichita State), Dylan Davis (Oregon State) and Kevin Cron (TCU), who have combined for 12 home runs this year. After that, the Kettleers surged themselves, scoring four runs in the bottom of the first and never looking back. Mike Ford (Princeton), Drew Jackson (Stanford) and Jake Fincher (NC State) drove in first-inning runs, part of big nights for all of them. Jackson and Fincher had two hits each while Ford had three and took over the league lead in hitting at .390. On the mound, Beal continued to dominate after his first-inning magic act, going six shutout innings with five strikeouts. Eric Karch (Pepperdine) picked up a three-inning save.

 

Hyannis 3, Orleans 2

The Harbor Hawks (15-7) won a one-run game for the eighth time this season, breaking a tie with a run in the sixth and then slamming the door for the win over Orleans (11-13). Chase Griffin (Georgia Southern) homered while Dominic Jose (Stanford) and Jay Baum (Clemson) each knocked in a run. Griffin’s home run gave the Harbor Hawks the lead in the sixth and they finished strong from there. Mike Gunn (Arkansas) pitched a scoreless frame and Sarkis Ohanian (Duke) worked one-third of an inning before giving way to closer Eric Eck (Wofford). Eck got out of a first-and-third jam with strikeouts of Orleans power hitters Chris Marconcini (Duke) and Zach Fish (Oklahoma State). He then worked around two hits in the ninth to finish the job for his league-leading seventh save.

 

Chatham 4, Brewster 1

The Anglers (16-8-1) snapped a two-game skid with a 4-1 victory over the Whitecaps (8-16), who had won two in a row themselves. Lukas Schiraldi (Navarro) was just the stopper the Anglers needed, striking out four and giving up just a run on three hits in six innings of work. Schiraldi is now 2-1 and has turned in four straight impressive starts. David Speer (Columbia), who has hooked on with Chatham after getting released by Bourne, worked two scoreless frames in his first Anglers appearance. J.D. Davis (Cal State Fullerton) picked up the save. Connor Joe (San Diego) went 2-for-4 with two RBI, while Michael Russell (North Carolina) had two hits and knocked in a run. Dante Flores (USC) also had two hits. For Brewster, Nicholas Vazquez (Pittsburgh) had two hits. Justin Kamplain (Alabama) struck out nine in five innings and now leads the league in K’s, but he took the loss.

 

Y-D 2, Wareham 1

After a combined seven scoreless innings, Y-D (12-12-1) broke a 1-1 tie with a run in the top of the 10th on its way to a 2-1 victory over the Gatemen (5-20). Taylor Smart (Tennessee) walked to start the 10th and took second on a wild pitch. Mississippi State standout Jonathan Holder entered the game for the Gatemen at that point, but the Red Sox continued the rally anyway. Alex Blandino (Stanford) singled to push Smart to third, and Taylor White (UNLV) brought him home with a base hit. Kody Kerski (Sacred Heart) then pitched a scoreless bottom half to seal the victory. Neither starter factored into the decision but both were solid – Clay Smith (St. Louis) allowed one run in eight innings for Y-D. Tucker Simpson (Florida) gave up one run in seven innings for Wareham.

 

What to Watch

Hyannis and Cotuit continue the Barnstable Patriot Cup series with a 5 p.m. match-up at Lowell Park. The Kettleers are 2-1 in the series so far, but the Harbor Hawks have a better overall record at 15-7. Cotuit is 15-10. Patrick Andrews (Clemson), who’s 2-0 with a 2.64 ERA, starts for Hyannis. Cotuit’s starter is TBA.
 

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CCBL on Center Stage in Cape Hope

 
They say once you get Cape Cod sand in your shoes, you’ll always come back.

For many of us, the crack of the bat has its say too. Keith Chirgwin knows the feeling. He always comes back.

And he knew, eventually, he’d be back with a camera.

Chirgwin and a small crew spent much of last summer filming for a docu-series about the Cape Cod Baseball League that has since been dubbed Cape Hope. The series follows four Cape Leaguers – Mike Montville, Tyler Horan, Dace Kime and Kurt Schluter – capturing their summers and their stories. Chirgwin is currently shopping the project to nationwide sports networks and other cable networks.

For Chirgwin, the project was a long time coming. He vacationed with his family on the Cape as a kid and his parents now have a house in Orleans. The Cape League captured his imagination.

“I think, early on, I grasped that the Cape Cod Baseball League is something really unique and special,” Chirgwin said. “You’re completely in the game – right on top of the action, the players are accessible. It’s unlike any baseball experience out there.”

Out of college, Chirgwin started working on the audio side of film and television production, climbing the ladder and doing his part on a host of successful of projects. One of those – an ESPN The Season documentary on basketball in Kentucky – planted the seed for a similar project about the Cape League.

“Working on that show really helped me formulate the idea,” Chirgwin said.

Chirgwin let it simmer for a while, keeping it on the back burner as he made a name for himself in the business.

“I’ve been thinking about it for a long time, but when I was first starting out, I was just a sound guy,” he said. “Now I feel like I’ve made the right connections in the business, and I know how to put a project in front of the right eyes and ears.”

Before the 2012 season, he decided to pull the trigger. He reached out to the league and to schools in search of players to follow. By the winter of 2012, he had a preliminary list and he kept a close eye on the college season. When June rolled around, he had settled on his four. Montville was set to come to Orleans from Maryland; Horan, a Middleboro, Mass., native was joining the Wareham Gatemen from Virginia Tech; Kime was bound for Chatham after his sophomore year at Louisville; and Schluter was headed from Stetson to Chatham.

In the meantime, Chirgwin brought cameraman Eric Scharmer on board. His resume includes the documentary Touching the Game: The Story of the Cape Cod Baseball League. Writer Scott Smith was also recruited.

Then it was time.

Chirgwin balanced his day-to-day duties with his company, Wave View Entertainment – who has partnered with New Wave Entertainment – and made treks back-and-forth from his home in Connecticut to the Cape. Together, he and Scharmer captured as much of the summer as they could.

Through the lens, they watched legendary manager John Schiffner explain the essence of a Cape summer to his players. They watched Montville hit a home run on opening night – and then struggle mightily before putting together a late resurgence. And they watched Horan deliver one of the great offensive seasons the league has ever seen on his way to a league championship with the Gatemen.

“It was a challenge but it was a blast,” Chirgwin said. “It’s hard to pick a favorite story, but following Tyler Horan to the championship was really cool.”

Chirgwin’s goal was to capture every layer of a Cape Leaguer’s experience, from the often-close relationship built with his host family to the weight of playing in front of Major League scouts every day, a future on the line.

“It’s compelling stuff,” Chirgwin said.

He also wanted to focus on the coaches, a select crew who count themselves lucky to have had their baseball lives take them to the Cape’s sandy shores.

“Kelly Nicholson from Orleans said at the First Pitch Brunch last year, ‘We have the 10 best jobs in baseball,'” Chirgwin said. “That really resonates.”

All those stories deserve the spotlight, and Chirgwin is looking hard for it. Timing has been tricky. The shopping of the project coincided with the in-between time in television budget cycles, but networks are starting to look more at 2014, and that could be Cape Hope’s window. Chirgwin has had discussions with several networks.

The goal is to get Cape Hope on the air as a multi-episode, multi-season series. Down the line, it could happen on a quick turnaround, with more filming in a future season and a broadcast happening during the same summer.

However it shakes out, hopes for Cape Hope will remain high.

“I have no idea if I’m going to succeed,” Chirgwin said. “But I’m pretty confident. I think it’s a really cool project.”

For more on the Cape Hope series, follow on Twitter @capehopeseries and Like on Facebook at facebook.com/capehopeseries

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Week 4: Anglers Again

The Cape League season is just past the midway point. With Chatham at the top, the RFF Power Rankings are right back where they started.

RANK TEAM RECORD THE SKINNY
1 Anglers.jpg Chatham Anglers
15-8-1
 The Anglers officially have something special. After a hot streak and a cool streak, they’re back in business and settling in as the top team in the league. They went 4-2 in the seven-day stretch ending yesterday, and won two walk-offs in that span, prompting manager John Schiffner to say “This team is special….It has been a dream season so far.” The Anglers lead the league in ERA and rank fifth in average while leading in on-base percentage. They seem to have a knack for finding ways to win.
2 falmouthlogo.gif Falmouth Commodores
14-9
 If power rankings were all about power bats, Falmouth would win by a long shot. The quartet of Rhys Hoskins, Dylan Davis, Kevin Cron and Casey Gillaspie continues to look like a murderer’s row that no other team in the league can match. Unfortunately for the Commodores, that hasn’t led to smooth sailing. They went 3-3 over the last week and dropped a tough one to Hyannis after roughing up star Jeff Hoffman in the early innings. That game was emblematic – the Commodores can hit all they want, but the pitching needs to improve on its 3.65 ERA, which ranks seventh. Still, it’s hard to ignore the offense and it’s the reason Falmouth stays near the top.
3 HyannisHawks_150.gif Hyannis Harbor Hawks
15-7
 With its low batting average and a middle-of-the-road ERA, I keep expecting Hyannis to fade, but it’s not happening. The Harbor Hawks went 4-2 in their last six, including the aforementioned win over Falmouth. One reason for the team’s success? The Harbor Hawks have owned the other top teams in the league – they’re 4-0 against Falmouth, 2-1 against Chatham and 2-0 against Harwich. Only Cotuit has gotten the best of them, winning two of three. All told, Hyannis is 9-3 against the other teams with winning records.
4 cotuit white.jpg Cotuit Kettleers
14-10
 Cotuit remains near the top of the West standings but has yet to put together a streak like its 6-1 start. In fact, the Kettleers are 8-9 since the 6-1 opening. They’re doing enough to hold steady, but personnel losses may be starting to catch up to them.
5 TeamLogo_Harwich2003.jpg Harwich Mariners
13-11
 Harwich held steady with a 3-3 week that began with a slugfest victory over Falmouth. The Mariners have very good offensive potential, with speed at the top and Derek Fisher leading the league in hitting, but consistent production has been difficult to come by. Chandler Shepherd and Aaron Bummer have continued to shine at the top of the rotation but the back end has had some rough outings.
6 TeamLogo_YD2003.jpg Y-D Red Sox
11-12-1
 The Red Sox jump up two spots after a solid week that included victories over Chatham and Cotuit. They rank second in the league in hitting, and the pitching has gotten a bit better in the last few games.
7 firebird1.jpg Orleans Firebirds
11-12
 The Firebirds just cannot string anything together – they have not been more than two games over or two games under .500 in the entire season. They went 2-4 this week and remain in the middle of the road in both hitting and pitching categories.
8 TeamLogo_Bourne2003.jpg Bourne Braves
10-13
 If the rankings were based on potential, the Braves would be higher on the list. Max Pentecost is emerging as perhaps the best player in the league and the pitching rotation has three stars at the top. And yet, the Braves have not been able to find their groove. They went 1-4 this week, with the only victory coming on the shoulders of Pentecost’s heroics.
9 TeamLogo_Brewster2003.jpg Brewster Whitecaps
8-15
 The Whitecaps had their best week of the season, going 4-2 as they try to climb back into the East race. The team ERA remains the worst in the league, but Brandon Leibrandt is emerging as an ace. The offense has been solid.
10 gatemen_logo_opt.jpg Wareham Gatemen
4-19
 Wareham actually had its best week so far, going 2-4 after three straight 1-5 stretches. But it’s going to be a long road back. The Gatemen scored just 61 runs all season.
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The Next Big Thing

Kris Bryant and the Cubs have agreed to a deal

 
Maybe it’s the wishful thinking of a Cubs fan, but I’ve thinking/hoping ever since the draft that Kris Bryant could be the next Cape League alum to hit it big in Major League Baseball.

There are plenty of solid Big Leaguers, of course – the alumni list hit 1,000 just this week – but I’m talking perennial all-star types, the Buster Poseys and Evan Longorias of the world. If it happens, Bryant could be the first Cape League star of the 2010’s.

And there’s reason to think it will happen. Bryant hit 31 home runs for San Diego this past spring, 10 more than anyone in college baseball and more than a lot of teams. He had a remarkable year and shot to the top of draft boards. The Cubs took him with the second overall pick and the sides have reportedly have agreed to terms this week on a record signing bonus.

Bryant’s tim on the Cape was typical of what you expect from a freshmen – some struggles, but flashes too. He hit only .223 but bombed three home runs and had more than a third of his hits go for extra bases.

Had Bryant not gone to Team USA and returned to Chatham, it’s a safe bet he would have been a star. Can you imagine him hitting the juiced balls? I’m not sure any record would have been safe.

As it is, Bryant is still a full-fledged Cape League veteran, not a cameo guy like Mark Appel or Mike Zunino.

And he may be the league’s next star. This Cubs fan hopes so.

 

  • I mentioned this on Twitter, but I’ll make note of it here too. Max Pentecost’s amazing performance Wednesday night is made all the more amazing by the fact that he was the starting catcher that night and remained behind the plate for all 12 innings. It’s been a while since the Cape had an elite catching prospect. Pentecost may fit the bill.

  • Derek Fisher hit eight home runs on his way to top prospect honors in the Northwoods League last summer. The Virginia slugger has yet to hit a home run on the Cape but he’s still been one of the league’s best. Fisher leads the league with a .397 batting average. He has five multi-hit games in his last eight. He has also struck out just six times in 58 at-bats and has a .500 on-base percentage.

  • Chatham is doing perfectly fine for itself this season, but that lineup almost had one of the best hitters in the country. Taylor Sparks of UC Irvine was a late invitee to Team USA, and he’s tearing it up for the National Team. He leads the squad with a .421 average.

  • Speaking of the Anglers, for a while it looked like Chatham was going to be a team of solid players, without any stars. Dante Flores has stepped into the void. After hitting just .154 for Chatham last summer, he’s one of the best hitters in the league this year. His triple-slash line is .354/.419/.576, one of the best in the league.

  • There is quite a battle going on for the league lead in stolen bases. Brewster’s Scott Heineman currently has it with 14 steals, but Harwich’s Aaron Barbosa is hot on his heels with 13. Orleans’ Greg Allen and Falmouth’s Kevin Newman each have 11. All of those guys are on pace to run right past the league-leading totals of the last few years. Tony Kemp led with 18 last year, Kyle Wren had 18 in 2011 and Andy Burns had 25 in 2010. The last huge total came in 2009, when Chris Bisson stole 36.

  • Former Chatham A Grant Green was called up to the Oakland A’s this week. He was hitting .318 with 11 homers at Triple A. If Green makes a name for himself at all in the Big Leagues, he’s got Cape League Hall of Famer written all over him. Green won a championship with Y-D then was an MVP candidate for Chatham the next year.

  • My most underrated players in the league so far? Connor Joe of Chatham and Conner Hale of Falmouth. Joe is hitting .282 with a homer and 10 RBI. Hale is at .278 with a home run and 11 RBI. Also, why are there so many Connors/Conners/Conors in the Cape League this year? I can’t keep the spellings straight.

  • Chatham has two players, Mitchell Gonsolus and Sheehan Planas-Arteaga, with on-base percentages north of .420 – and both of them have batting averages under .270. The Anglers can really work a walk.

  • Wareham reliever Ryan Riga has been a busy man this summer. He leads the league in appearances with 14. The Gatemen have played 24 games.

  • There’s always a middle reliever who doesn’t get as much but deserves as much attention as starters and closers. Cotuit’s Joel Seddon is at the top of the list so far. He’s made six appearances and hasn’t allowed an earned run in 15 innings.

  • Some of my favorite players on the Cape are small-school guys who make an impression and come back the next year when their teams need some help. Cotuit’s Galli Cribbs, Jr. and Wareham’s Fred Shepard are doing it this year. Cribbs, of Clarendon College, is hitting .229 and playing a solid shortstop when asked for a Cotuit team that’s been hit hard by personnel losses. Wareham has been in a similar boat and Shepard has stepped up. The left from Amherst has an ERA that’s on the high side but he’s tied for fourth in the league in strikeouts.

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    Mad Max

    Max Pentecost went 5-for-5 with two home runs for the Bourne Braves last night.

     
    Around 9:30 last night, I was cruising the Cape Cod Baseball League box scores from the evening, trying to get an idea of what I might write about today. I saw that Max Pentecost was having a big night, but his Bourne Braves were losing at the time. I didn’t check again.

    Late into the night, Pentecost’s big performance turned huge.

    The rising junior at Kennesaw State went 5-for-5 with two home runs, including a two-run bomb that broke a tie game in the 12th and sent the Braves on their way to an 8-6 victory over Orleans.

    Every once in a while, you get a masterful performance in the Cape League, and without a doubt, this was one of them.

    Pentecost came in hitting .329 with three home runs, already a solid line. He’s been getting some love lately as potentially the top catching prospect on the Cape.

    After Wednesday, you can drop the catching tag from that and just call him one of the best.

    Pentecost reached base all seven times, adding a walk and a hit-by-pitch to his 5-for-5 night.

    And the five hits weren’t just any five hits. He hit a solo home run in the third to put the Braves ahead 2-1. In the fifth, he singled as part of a three-run rally. In the seventh, with his team trailing 6-5 and two outs, Pentecost singled to bring in the tying run.

    Apparently, he was just setting the stage for even more heroics.

    After three scoreless innings, Pentecost waited in the on-deck circle with two outs in the 12th and watched as Mason Robbins (Southern Miss) worked a walk. That gave Pentecost a chance and he didn’t waste it, smashing a home run over the fence in left to give the Braves the lead.

    Pentecost’s teammate Justin McCalvin loaded the bases in the bottom of the 12th but wiggled out with a game-ending double-play.

    That secured a marathon win – and hero status for Pentecost.

    The Georgia native was a potential early-round pick out of high school but he had to have Tommy John surgery. He still only fell to the seventh round, but headed to Kennesaw State. After being named the seventh-best prospect in the NECBL last summer, he hit three home runs this spring.

    Now he’s officially one of the best on the Cape. Thanks to his big night, he ranks second in the league in hitting, is tied for the lead in home runs and sits third in RBI.

    And he owns the 2013 Cape League season’s most memorable performance.

     

    Hyannis 10, Falmouth 8

    Falmouth’s big bats touched up top pitching prospect Jeff Hoffman (East Carolina) for eight runs in 3.2 innings, but it was Hoffman’s Harbor Hawks who got the last laugh. Hyannis rallied for 10 runs over the final five innings to win 10-8 and grab sole possession of first place in the West with a 15-7 record. Falmouth slipped to 14-9. The comeback started with three runs in the fifth and continued with six in the sixth. Tyler Spoon (Arkansas) led the charge with three hits and two RBI, while Jay Baum (Clemson) and Dominic Jose (Stanford) also knocked in two runs each. Andrew Istler (Duke) stopped the bleeding after Hoffman’s rough outing and got the win. Jay Shaw (Alabama) and Jordan Foley (Central Michigan) finished it off. For Falmouth, Kevin Newman (Arizona) and Rhys Hoskins (Sacramento State) had three hits each.

     

    Y-D 6, Chatham 4

    Chatham ace Andrew McGee (Monmouth) had his first bad start of the summer and Y-D (11-12-1) took advantage, knocking off the first-place Anglers (15-8-1). Brandon Downes (Virginia) hit his first home run for the Red Sox, Jose Trevino (Oral Roberts) had three hits and D.J. Stewart (Florida State) drove in two runs. Daniel Savas (Illinois State), who went seven shutout innings in his last start, gave up three earned in 5.2 innings for the win. He struck out seven. Darrell Hunter (Oregon) worked three scoreless innings with four strikeouts for the save. Chatham got a home run from Josh Eldridge (Old Dominion) and two hits from Dante Flores (USC).

     

    Brewster 6, Cotuit 5

    The Whitecaps (8-15) won for the second straight time and the fifth time in seven games, as they knocked off Cotuit (14-10). Corey Taylor (Texas Tech) delivered three strong innings of relief for the win and Brad Schreiber (Purdue) got the save. Kyle Overstreet (Alabama) homered for the Whitecaps, while Scott Heineman (Oregon) had three hits and stole two bases. Mike Ford (Princeton) went 2-for-3 with two RBI to lead Cotuit.

     

    Harwich 8, Wareham 3

    The Mariners (13-11) stopped a two-game skid with a victory over the Gatemen (5-19). Harwich broke open a 3-2 game with five runs in the seventh. Derek Fisher (Virginia) led the big offensive night, going 3-for-4 with three RBI. He’s atop the batting average leaderboard at .397. Ryan Lindemuth (William & Mary) added two hits and two RBI. Jalen Beeks (Arkansas) turned in six strong innings on the mound, allowing two runs and striking out four for the win.

     

    What to Watch

    Just two games on the schedule tonight, but it could be a fun one in Bourne. The Braves host Falmouth at 6 p.m., with ace Jaron Long (Ohio State) on the hill – and we saw what Falmouth can do to a top starter last night. With Pentecost now in the mix, the game also features the league’s top five home run hitters.

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    Midseason Awards

    The halfway point of the season always sneaks up on me. We’re roughly there now, with a couple of teams just past it and a few more right on the number.

    It’s been an interesting year – not quite as eye-popping as last summer, but with some good storylines. Stars are starting to emerge, and these guys are the best of the best with 22 games in the books.

    MOST VALUABLE PLAYER

    Kevin Cron, Falmouth

    Cron’s teammate Rhys Hoskins has been the front-runner all season in my book, but in a 22-game sample size, one hot streak can mean a lot.

    And Cron is on one.

    He’s been steady all summer, with a nine-game hitting streak at one point, and in the last week, he’s been on fire.

    At the halfway mark, Cron ranked fourth in the league in hitting at .367. He sat second in home runs with four. He led in RBI with 20. Cron’s triple-slash line was .367/.444/.620.

    A former third-round pick, Cron had a great freshman season at TCU in 2012 but followed with a shaky sophomore year. It’s safe to say he’s back on track.

    IN THE RUNNING

    Rhys Hoskins, Falmouth
    Dante Flores, Chatham
    Mike Ford, Cotuit
    Ian Happ, Harwich
    Jose Brizuela, Brewster
    Skyler Ewing, Hyannis
    Jimmy Pickens, Chatham
    Chris Marconcini, Orleans
    D.J. Stewart, Y-D
    Max Pentecost, Bourne

     

    OUTSTANDING PITCHER

    Erick Fedde, Y-D

    This was the toughest of the three awards to pick. Nobody has run through the league with dominant outing after dominant outing. Fedde gets the nod with a blend of dominance, steadiness and durability.

    The rising junior at UNLV delivered the best start of opening night and has kept doing it pretty much every step of the way.

    In five starts, he leads the league in innings pitched with 30.2. He owns a 2.35 ERA, a 0.95 WHIP, a league-high 26 strikeouts and just eight walks. Opponents are hitting just .204 against him.

    IN THE RUNNING

    Aaron Bummer, Harwich
    Jaron Long, Bourne
    Andrew McGee, Chatham
    Bobby Poyner, Orleans
    Ryan Kellogg, Bourne
    Justin Kamplain, Brewster
    Andrew Thome, Hyannis
    Chandler Shepherd, Harwich
    Lukas Schiraldi, Chatham

     

    OUTSTANDING RELIEF PITCHER

    Matt Troupe, Orleans

    Troupe is one off the league-leading saves pace of Hyannis’ Eric Eck, but Troupe has been as dominant as any pitcher in the league.

    The Arizona junior has five saves to go with a 0.00 ERA. He has struck out 16 and walked four in just 8.1 innings, giving him an eye-popping K/9 ratio of 17.3.

    It’s still early, so that K/9 number will probably go down. But in the last four years, among pitchers with a good amount of innings, the highest number was around 15.

    However it shakes out, it’s a safe bet Troupe will continue to dominate.

    IN THE RUNNING

    Eric Eck, Hyannis
    Trace Dempsey, Bourne
    Jacob Dorris, Chatham
    Darrell Hunter, Y-D
    Brian Miller, Cotuit
    Sarkis Ohanian, Hyannis
    Joel Seddon, Cotuit
    Bradley Roney, Wareham
    Patrick Corbett, Cotuit
    Chad Sobotka, Chatham
    Ryan Riga, Wareham
     

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    Saving the Day

    Cotuit's Brian Miller picked up his third save on a night in which every winning team got a save.

     
    Tuesday featured a night of close games in the Cape Cod Baseball League. Three one-run games, one two-run game and – the largest margin – one three-run game.

    It was a good night to be a closer.

    The league’s best were on display, with Eric Eck (Wofford) picking up his league-best sixth save for Hyannis, Matt Troupe (Arizona) getting his fifth for Orleans and Cotuit’s Brian Miller (Vanderbilt) and Brewster’s Brad Schreiber (Purdue) each picking up their third.

    While Eck has been the saves leader for a week or so, Troupe has been the most dominant. He struck out one in a quick 15-pitch ninth inning last night as Orleans shut out Harwich 3-0.

    Interestingly, for a team that doesn’t have terrific pitching numbers – Orleans has the league’s fifth-best ERA – it was the fourth shutout of the season for the Firebirds.

    It helps to have Troupe. He’s pitched at the back end of each of those shutouts, accounting for four of his five saves. And when he’s come in, the shutouts are not in doubt.

    Troupe has allowed no earned runs this season and just one unearned. In 8.1 innings, he has struck out 16, walked four and allowed just three hits. Opponents are hitting .111 against him.

    As a freshman in 2012, Troupe had six saves in Arizona’s College World Series championship season. He then pitched briefly for Orleans last summer and saved nine more games this spring for the Wildcats.

    This summer, he wasted no time establishing himself as the closer – despite being in a bullpen full of closers. Troupe struck out the side in his first two appearances. He has cruised from there.

    The Firebirds, meanwhile, have been up-and-down, with a perfectly even 11-11 record. Last night, they got a dominant performance from Trent Szkutnik (Michigan), who went six shutout innings five days after pitching the first leg of another shutout. Chris Marconcini (Duke) drove in a run to lead the offense. Brian Clark (Kent State) and Trevor Kelley (North Carolina) pitched a scoreless inning each.

    And as usual, Troupe finished it all off.

     

    Hyannis 4, Chatham 3

    The save by Eck came in an impressive victory for Hyannis (14-7), who held off a first-place Chatham team that had won five straight overall and two straight games on walk-offs. The Anglers fell to 15-7-1. Austin Slater (Stanford) and Jake Hernandez (USC) led the Hyannis offense with an RBI apiece. Dominic Jose (Stanford) and Steve Wilkerson (Clemson) had two hits each. Cy Sneed (Dallas Baptist) picked up the win with five strikeouts in five strong innings. Chatham got two runs off reliever Mike Gunn (Arkansas) to put another rally in play, but Hyannis slammed the door. Sarkis Ohanian (Duke), who’s emerging as one of the best setup men in the league, struck out two in two scoreless frames before Eck worked around a two-out single to pitch a scoreless ninth. For Chatham, Michael Russell (North Carolina) had two hits and two RBI.

     

    Brewster 1, Y-D 0

    Brandon Leibrandt (Florida State) went seven shutout innings as the Whitecaps (7-15) edged Y-D 1-0. Liebrandt, who starred for the Seminoles this spring, had made one relief appearance and one short start this summer. He broke out in a big way Tuesday, allowing just four hits and striking out three while pitching seven full. Evan Rutter (Rice) and Schreiber finished off the shutout. Brewster got just enough offense to back Leibrandt and company, with Austin Bailey (San Diego) delivering an RBI single in the third inning. Y-D ace Erick Fedde (UNLV) gave up just the one run in four innings but took the loss. Alex Blandino (Stanford) had two hits for the Red Sox, who dropped to 10-12-1.

     

    Cotuit 2, Wareham 1

    The Gatemen got one of their best pitching performances of the season but ended up on the wrong end of the scoreboard. Andro Cutura (Southeastern Louisiana) allowed two runs on four hits in eight innings but those two runs were enough for a Cotuit victory. Yale Rosen (Washington State) delivered both runs with a third-inning single, and the Kettleers got a strong pitching performance of their own. Chris Ellis (Ole Miss), who gave up four runs in his last start, was back on track, surrendering just an unearned run in six innings. Reliever Joel Seddon (South Carolina) turned in his sixth zero-earned run start of the summer before Miller came on for the save. Cotuit remains in a three-way tie with Falmouth and Hyannis for first place in the West.

     

    Falmouth 5, Bourne 3

    The Commodores (14-8) won for the third straight time, using a big third inning to beat Bourne (9-13). Surprisingly, Falmouth did not hit any home runs, but had enough offense anyway. Troy Stein (Texas A&M), who’s been kind of an unsung hero behind the team’s power bats, went 2-for-4 with two RBI. Casey Gillaspie (Wichita State) and Dylan Davis (Oregon State) also knocked in runs. Leon Byrd, Jr. (Rice) and Rhys Hoskins (Sacramento State) each had a double. John Means (West Virginia) was solid on the mound, striking out three and giving up two runs in six innings. Donny Murray (Holy Cross) struck out four in two innings and Hunter Brothers (Lipscomb) struck out the side in the ninth for his first save. Bourne got a big night from Max Pentecost (Kennesaw State), who went 3-for-4 with his third home run.

     

    What to Watch

    Great match-up in Falmouth. Top prospect Jeff Hoffman (East Carolina) will make his second start of the summer for Hyannis, and it will come against the league’s most powerful team in the Commodores. Trey Teakell (TCU), who’s been Falmouth’s best starter, will oppose Hoffman. The teams are tied for first place in the West.