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Daily Fog: Shutting the Door

I mentioned yesterday that the Y-D Red Sox have a host of players that weren’t on their original roster. That extends to the pitching staff, but it hasn’t been a problem so far.

The Red Sox shut out Bourne 2-0 on opening night then pulled the same trick against Falmouth last night, winning 6-0.

This time, it was Joey DeNato (Indiana) getting it done. He actually was on the initial roster, and he delivered the kind of performance Y-D was counting on from him. DeNato finished his freshman year in Bloomington with a 2.80 ERA and 53 strikeouts while pitching in a swing role.

His first start on the Cape offered plenty of signs that he’ll be making a few more. DeNato allowed four hits in six shutout innings and struck out six.

The bullpen did the rest for the Red Sox, with three pitchers each tossing a hitless inning. One of them was Jerome Werniuk (Le Moyne), another newcomer who was the top prospect in the Valley League a year ago.

Y-D’s offense was led by Mason Katz (LSU), who followed up a two-hit night in the opener with a solo home run. Katz also wasn’t on Y-D’s original roster, but he had a great sophomore season in Baton Rouge, hitting .337 with four homers and 53 RBI.

Also for Y-D, Jordan Smith (St. Cloud), Matt Wessinger (St. John’s), Anthony Melchionda (Boston College) and Isaac Ballou (Marshall) each had two hits.

Elsewhere

  • Brewster and Hyannis also improved to 2-0 with victories last night. The Whitecaps had the biggest offensive day of the young season, putting up 12 runs on 16 hits to beat Cotuit 12-6. Taylor Davis (Morehead State), who led the Ohio Valley Conference with a .414 average, went 3-for-5 with a double and four RBI to lead the Brewster charge. Leadoff man Andrew Toles (Tennessee) went 3-for-4 with two runs scored.

  • As for Hyannis, the Harbor Hawks had three pitchers combine on a shutout in a 3-0 victory over Harwich. Jon Moscot, a sophomore from Pepperdine, got the start and was lights out, allowing just two hits, walking none and striking out six in seven innings of work. Eric Ruth (Winthrop) and Dylan Floro (Cal State Fullerton) each worked a scoreless inning to seal the victory, with Floro striking out two and getting the save. Drew Harrison (Oklahoma) and Eric Stamets (Evansville) each had two hits and an RBI.

  • Bobby Brosnahan, who struggled mightily this spring for Michigan, offered a sign that he’s ready for a big summer with six dominant innings in Wareham’s 6-3 victory over Chatham. Brosnahan struck out nine and allowed just four hits in six shutout innings. He had plenty of help from his offense, with Brandon Thomas (Georgia Tech) going 4-for-6 in his debut and William Carmona (Stony Brook) knocking in his second and third runs of the season.

  • The Bourne vs. Orleans game was postponed.

    • What to Watch
    Game: Doubleheaders galore today, and it looks like the weather may hold. Y-D vs. Cotuit is a rematch of last year’s championship series.
    Player:Victor Roache (Georgia Southern) was the national home run leader this spring and is off to a 3-for-6 start for Cotuit. No homers yet, but he does have two doubles and two RBI.

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    Notes: Who Are These Guys?

    Thirteen players took the field for the Y-D Red Sox last night.

    Just two of them were on Y-D’s initial roster.

    Every team experiences this to an extent, but this seems like a record. I don’t know how the Red Sox found so many baseball players, but good for them. Considering the teams they were drawing from, I guess they knew it was coming. Y-D’s initial 25-man roster has 11 players still alive in the NCAA tournament.

    It’s exciting to see that some of the top players in preseason forecasts are already on the Cape. It usually seems like we’re waiting for the best — and we are still waiting for some — but quite a few big guns are already here. Victor Roache of Georgia Southern was the national home run leader, finishing with 30, and he was in the middle of the Cotuit order last night. He hit two doubles. Adam Brett Walker of Jacksonville has the potential to end up as the Cape’s top prospect and he batted clean-up last night for Hyannis. Steve Nyisztor of Rutgers is a big-time prospect and hit a home run for Orleans.

    Speaking of Mr. A. B. Walker, he and his Jacksonville teammate Dan Gulbransen give Hyannis two legitimate stars in the middle of the order. Walker hit .411 with 13 homers and 75 RBI this year. Gulbransen hit .370 with six homers and 51 RBI. Interestingly, both Walker and Gulbransen hail from Wisconsin.

    In the transactions section, we notice that Y-D is getting at least one guy from its initial roster into uniform — and he’s a good one. The Red Sox activated St. John’s pitcher Kyle Hansen. The brother of former Cape Leaguer and big leaguer Craig, Kyle had a 3.09 ERA this spring and struck out 106 in 107.1 innings. He could certainly be one of the top pitchers in the league this summer.

    Also of note, LSU star freshman Kevin Gausman was activated by Harwich. Yesterday, though, he was also named to Team USA, so we’ll see how long he stays on the Cape.

    Team USA has now picked half of its 22-man roster. From what I gather, the team should be set around June 15.

    The Cape League has a shiny new website, and it looks great. It’s built the same way as the old one, but it’s a major visual upgrade. Kudos to all who worked on it.

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    Daily Fog: Oh, What a Night

    Last night featured a 12-inning game, a 10-inning game, a ninth-inning rally for a 7-7 tie and two shutouts.

    How’s that for a beginning?

    The Cape League season got underway last night with a full slate of games, and they didn’t disappoint.

    We can begin with the defending champion Cotuit Kettleers. They found some magic on their run to the title last year, and maybe they’ve got some leftover.

    The Kettleers trailed from the moment Chatham scored five in the second inning, and it looked like the Anglers would come out victorious when they took a 7-5 lead into the bottom of the ninth inning.

    But Jimmy Bosco (Arkansas) and Luke Maile (Kentucky) both worked walks before Kyle Wren (Georgia Tech) doubled them home to tie the game.

    Chatham reliever Zack Jones (San Jose State) deserves some credit for buckling down and not letting Cotuit take the lead. He got out of the frame with a strikeout and darkness forced the game to be called.

    For Cotuit, though, it was a nice way to start things out. A little more magic.

    Elsewhere

  • There was drama in Wareham, too, with Hyannis edging the Gatemen 4-3 in 10 innings. Adam Brett Walker (Jacksonville), the A-Sun Player of the Year and a big-time power hitter, started his Cape League career 0-for-4 but got on the board at the right time. His 10th-inning double plated Eric Stamets (Evansville) with the go-ahead run. Nick Wittgren (Purdue) got the win for the Harbor Hawks with 2.1 scoreless innings of relief. He struck out five, including one in the bottom of the 10th as he stranded a Wareham runner on third. Stamets led Hyannis with two hits and two runs scored. For the Gatemen, Justin Amlung (Louisville) allowed one earned run on two hits in six innings. William Carmona (Stony Brook) went 3-for-5 with a home run and Johnny Field (Arizona) knocked in two.

  • The other extra-inning game was in Brewster, where the Whitecaps won 3-2 in 12 over Falmouth. The teams were scoreless through five, with Anthony Buccifero (Michigan State) pitching well for Brewster and Eric Anderson (Missouri) doing the same for Falmouth. The Whitecaps then rallied twice after Falmouth had pushed ahead. Preston Beck (Texas-Arlington) knocked in the winning run with a double.

  • Two pitchers combined on a shutout as Y-D beat Bourne 2-0. James Lomangino (St. John’s) and Aaron Schuldt (Cortland St.), neither of whom were on Y-D’s original roster, combined to scatter seven hits and walk just one. Lomangino worked six strong before Schuldt struck out three in three innings of relief for the win. Y-D scored both of its runs in the eighth on an RBI groundout by Derrick Chung (Sacramento State) and an RBI bunt by Matt Wessinger (St. John’s). Chris Pickering (Rhode Island) pitched well for Bourne, allowing just two hits in six shutout innings.

  • Orleans also won a 2-0 game over Harwich. Tyler Johnson (Stony Brook), who had a strong junior season with the Sea Wolves, tossed six shutout innings for the Firebirds and allowed just three hits. John Brebbia (Elon) kept the shutout alive with two scoreless innings of relief and Trevor Gott (Kentucky) picked up the save with a perfect ninth. Steve Nyisztor (Rutgers) hit a solo home run for the Firebirds, and Ben Waldrip (Jacksonville) drove in the other run.

    • What to Watch

    Game: Two of the league’s most storied franchises meet in Chatham as the Anglers host Wareham at 7 p.m.
    Player: Chatham’s Kris Bryant (San Diego) was the WCC Co-Player of the Year after his freshman season. He went 1-for-3 in Chatham’s opener.

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    2011 Season Preview

    ccbl.gifIs it a still a preview when the games have already started? I’ll go with yes.

    Some storylines I’m watching as the 2011 season gets going:

    Elite Eight

    For the second year in a row, eight of the league’s 10 teams will make the playoffs. I’m still not sure how I feel about that, but it does make for a very interesting postseason. Under the old four-team format, 2010 champ Cotuit wouldn’t have even made the playoffs.

    Stars on the Rise

    The draft class of 2011 was lauded as one of the strongest in recent memory. For Cape League purposes last summer, that meant that rosters were full of guys with long track records, guys who were already stars. This summer is a little different. The 2012 draft doesn’t seem to have the established stars — but that doesn’t mean that stars won’t emerge. A lot of them will be emerging on the Cape.

    Small Time

    If I were picking the players I’m most excited to see, Adam Brett Walker and Victor Roache would probably be at the top of the list. But they’re not from where you’d think — Walker is from Jacksonville and Roache from Georgia Southern. The Cape League always has mid-major guys making a splash. The splash may just be bigger this year.

    Swinging the Bats

    College baseball changed dramatically this season with its new regulations on bats. Offense was down significantly, with home run numbers cut in half. Essentially the new bats were designed to perform more like woods. This summer, I’ll be very interested to see if the transition to wood goes more smoothly for Cape League hitters, now that the difference between spring bats and summer bats isn’t so big.

    Arms Race

    Between Trevor Bauer, Gerrit Cole, Danny Hultzen and many more, this year’s draft class had a lot of big-time arms. And few of them played on the Cape, continuing a trend that saw top-flight arms either pitching for Team USA or taking summers off. For 2012, though, there’s a different feel. There are some very good arms out there, but, as noted above, the stars haven’t really established themselves. I think that makes it more likely that the best sophomores in the country will be on the Cape. Right now, some of them are slated to be, like Mark Appel, Kurt Heyer and Michael Wacha.

    Feeling a Draft

    Players getting drafted in June and then coming to the Cape isn’t a new concept. But I do think it’s happened a little more often the past few years. Or at least, it seems like those players have had a bigger impact. Last year, Anthony Ranaudo came to the Cap to prove to the Red Sox that he was in good shape. Third-round pick Austin Wood had a great summer for Cotuit. We’ll see if anyone follows the same path this year; there are certainly some candidates.

    Fenway Again

    For the third year in a row, the Cape League All-Star Game will be played at Fenway Park. Clearly, the league likes having it there. I’ll be curious to see if it can grow into an event that the general public is interested in.

    The New Team USA Question

    Last year, Team USA trials were at a different time than usual and a number of players came to the Cape first before leaving for USA. Things have changed again this year — there are no trials, and the team’s schedule is unusually light this summer. Right now, Team USA is slated to be done on July 8. So players theoretically could came to the Cape after that.

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    2011 Early Look: Wareham Gatemen

    gatemen_logo_opt.jpgWareham Gatemen
    Manager: Cooper Farris
    2010 Record: 19-24-1

    Wareham seems to get hit hard by Team USA and other defections every year, and they’re a prime example that the juggling that a lot of teams have to do doesn’t always work out.

    But the Gatemen have once again assembled a good looking crop of players. Now they’ll just hope.

    Wareham will be led by five returnees, among them Max Muncy, who could be the top returning hitter from 2010. Pitchers Josh Urban and Joe Flynn are also expected back, along with two big hitters from UConn in Jon Andreoli and Lee Mazzilli, Jr. Mazzilli, for one, has turned into a star this spring.

    The rest of the roster is dotted with big-time prospects, small-school standouts and plenty of guys in between. The pitching rotation could turn out to be a strength if top-flight starters Justin Amlung and Matthew Grimes pitch well. The lineup might shape up nicely as well, with Muncy, Daniel Palka and William Carmona looking like a very strong middle.

    From there, the Gatemen will need some players who struggled this year to step up. And they’ll probably have to do some juggling, though they don’t yet have a Team USA invitee.

    They’ll be hoping that this year, it all works out.

    Roster Rundown
    Returning Players: 5
    Juniors: 3
    Sophomores: 15
    Freshmen: 9

    Notable

  • For the first time since I’ve been doing this, my high school alma mater will be represented in the Cape League. Justin Amlung attended the great St. Xavier High School in Louisville, Ky., of which I am a notable alumnus. Amlung might end up more famous than me, though — he had a great sophomore season for Louisville.

  • Max Muncy was Wareham’s best run producer last season, after a strong freshman year for Baylor. He should be primed for even more this year, making him one of the top returning hitters in the league.

  • Wareham has two sons of current or former Major League managers. Lee Mazzilli, Jr., is the son of the former O’s skipper, and Luke Farrell is the son of current Blue Jay head man John Farrell.

  • Matthew Grimes looks like Wareham’s most hyped pitcher. He was a fourth-round pick a year ago and struck out better than a batter an inning in his freshman year for Georgia Tech.

  • Another Tech freshman, Daniel Palka, was one of the top home run hitters in the ACC.

  • Stony Brook’s Nick Tropeano was a great pitcher for Cotuit last year, and the Sea Wolves have a couple of guys on the Cape this year. William Carmona comes to Wareham as the America East Player of the Year.

  • Derek Dennis struggled last summer and this spring, but he’s a guy scouts have been on for a while. They’ll keep watching, and Dennis will keep pushing for a turnaround. Wareham would be a good place for it.

    • Five Players I’m Excited to See
    1. Max Muncy
    2. Lee Mazzilli, Jr.
    3. Matthew Grimes
    4. William Carmona
    4. Daniel Palka

    Pitchers
    Justin Amlung – RHP – 6’0 175 – Louisville – Sophomore
    Barrett Astin – RHP – 6’1 185 – Arkansas – Freshman
    Bobby Brosnahan – LHP – 6’0 170 – Michigan – Sophomore
    Luke Farrell – RHP – 6’6 210 – Northwestern – Sophomore
    Daniel Feehan – RHP – 6’0 175 – UConn – Sophomore
    Andy Flett – RHP – 6’7 216 – Louisville – Freshman
    *Joseph Flynn – RHP – 6’2 210 – Franklin Pierce – Sophomore
    Matthew Grimes – RHP – 6’6 194 – Georgia Tech – Freshman
    Dillon Newman – RHP – 6’2 185 – Baylor – Freshman
    Steve Perakslis – RHP – 6’1 185 – Maine – Sophomore
    Brent Suter – LHP – 6’5 195 – Harvard – Junior
    Joshua Turley – LHP – 6’0 185 – Baylor – Sophomore
    *Josh Urban – RHP – 6’4 220 – Texas – Sophomore
    Konnor Wade – RHP – 6’3 180 – Arizona – Freshman

    Justin Amlung – RHP – 6’0 175
    Louisville
    Sophomore

    Amlung didn’t have much hype coming into the year and wasn’t even on the Wareham roster when the college season started. But from day one, Amlung was dominant. He finished the year 10-2 with a 2.35 ERA and 80 strikeouts in 105 innings of work. He was a first-team All-Big East selection.

    Barrett Astin – RHP – 6’1 185
    Arkansas
    Freshman

    Astin arrived in Arkansas and became a key part of the bullpen right off the bat. He ended up leading the team in appearances with 27, and his numbers were good. He had a 2.72 ERA and 57 strikeouts in 59.2 innings.

    Bobby Brosnahan – LHP – 6’0 170
    Michigan
    Sophomore

    After a redshirt year in 2009, Brosnahan was pretty good in his debut, putting up a 4.38 ERA last season. This year, Brosnahan struggled, going 1-9 with a 7.82 ERA.

    Luke Farrell – RHP – 6’6 210
    Northwestern
    Sophomore

    The son of former Red Sox pitching coach and current Blue Jays manager John Farrell, Luke is coming off a strong sophomore season with the Wildcats. After struggling last year, he went 6-3 this year with a 3.33 ERA. In 81 innings, he struck out 65.

    Daniel Feehan – RHP – 6’0 175
    UConn
    Sophomore

    Feehan has been a big part of the Husky bullpen since last year. This season, he has put up a 2.36 ERA in a team-best 26 appearances. He has struck out 22.

    Andy Flett – RHP – 6’7 216
    Louisville
    Freshman

    After limited innings as a freshman, Flett became a valuable reliever for Louisville this spring. He made 18 appearances and finished with an ERA of 2.82 to go with 16 strikeouts.

    Joseph Flynn – RHP – 6’2 210
    Franklin Pierce
    Sophomore

    A native of Plymouth and a high school star, Flynn was solid as a freshman then put up a 2.13 ERA for Wareham last summer. This spring, he went 2-2 with a 3.45 ERA.

    Matthew Grimes – RHP – 6’6 194
    Georgia Tech
    Freshman

    Grimes was a fourth-round pick of the White Sox last year, but stuck with Georgia Tech and immediately put himself into the weekend rotation. He finished his freshman year with a 7-4 record, a 4.15 ERA and 77 strikeouts in 73.2 innings.

    Dillon Newman – RHP – 6’2 185
    Baylor
    Freshman

    A 49th-rounder out of high school, Newman was strong out of the pen for Baylor this spring. He finished 1-1 with a 3.29 ERA and 17 strikeouts.

    Steve Perakslis – RHP – 6’1 185
    Maine
    Sophomore

    Perakslis hails from Abington, Mass., and was slated to come to Wareham last year but never made it. He’ll be back this year, and he’ll be coming off a big spring. Perakslis went 6-4 with a 3.52 ERA and 55 strikeouts.

    Brent Suter – LHP – 6’5 195
    Harvard
    Junior

    Suter was a first-team All-Ivy performer last year when he went 4-0 with a 3.55 ERA. His ERA climbed to 5.26 this season, but he still struck out almost a batter an inning.

    Joshua Turley – LHP – 6’0 185
    Baylor
    Sophomore

    After pitching mostly in relief last season, Turley became a starter this year and had a lot of success. He ended up 4-5 with a 3.39 ERA. He was second on the team with 95.2 innings pitched and struck out 63.

    Josh Urban – RHP – 6’4 220
    Texas
    Sophomore

    Urban got very limited action with the Longhorns then came to the Cape and got a chance to start for the Gatemen. He struggled, though, and finished with an ERA above five. This year, Urban has been a key in the Longhorns’ bullpen. In 13 games, he’s posted a 3.65 ERA with 23 strikeouts in 17 innings of work.

    Konnor Wade – RHP – 6’3 180
    Arizona
    Freshman

    A native of Scottsdale, Ariz., Wade was a 35th-round pick of the hometown Diamondbacks but still stuck with his commitment to Arizona. With the Wildcats, he delivered a good first season. He made 17 appearances with eight starts and posted a 3.21 ERA.

    Position Players

    *John Andreoli – OF/1B – 6’1 210 – UConn – Junior
    C.T. Bradford – OF – 5’9 165 – Mississippi State – Freshman
    William Carmona – INF/RP – 6-0 225 – Stony Brook – Sophomore
    Derek Dennis – SS – 6’3 185 – Michigan – Sophomore
    Mott Hyde – SS/2B – 6-0 180 – Georgia Tech – Freshman
    *Lee Mazzilli Jr. – SS/3B – 6’0 185 – UConn – Sophomore
    *Max Muncy – INF – 6’0 190 – Baylor – Sophomore
    Daniel Palka – 1B/LHP – 6’2 190 – Georgia Tech – Freshman
    Robert Refsnyder – OF – 6’1 205 – Arizona – Sophomore
    Jeff Reynolds – UTL – 5’11 180 – Harvard – Junior
    Tyler Ross – C – 6’3 225 – LSU – Freshman
    Brandon Thomas – OF – 6’3 205 – Georgia Tech – Sophomore
    Jon Walsh – C – 6’5 215 – Texas – Sophomore

    John Andreoli – OF/1B – 6’1 210
    UConn
    Junior

    After batting .362 as a sophomore, Andreoli hit .244 in 19 games with Wareham last summer and .240 in 11 games for Brewster. This year, he has helped UConn to a super regional by hitting .319 with 31 RBI. He was also just drafted in the 17th round.

    C.T. Bradford – OF – 5’9 165
    Mississippi State
    Freshman

    Bradford was a 48th-round pick out of high school and has delivered a strong showing in his freshman year with the Bulldogs. He’s hitting .309 with 12 doubles and has also nabbed 11 bases.

    William Carmona – INF/RP – 6-0 225
    Stony Brook
    Sophomore

    The Stony Brook program is getting more and more players on Cape League rosters, and Carmona looks like one of its best. The America East Rookie of the Year last season, Carmona continued to shine this year, hitting .357 with six homers, 27 doubles and 40 RBI. He slugged .585 and was named America East Player of the Year.

    Derek Dennis – SS – 6’3 185
    Michigan
    Sophomore

    Dennis was a 10th-round pick out of high school so he came to Ann Arbor with some hype. After hitting .267 as a freshman, he came to Wareham and struggled, finishing with a .178 average. This spring, his bat was off again, as Dennis hit just .216.

    Mott Hyde – SS/2B – 6-0 180
    Georgia Tech
    Freshman

    Like his teammate Grimes, Hyde made a big impact for Tech as a freshman. He started every game and hit .275 with four homers and 47 RBI. Hyde was a 44th-round pick last year.

    Lee Mazzilli Jr. – SS/3B – 6’0 185
    UConn
    Sophomore

    Mazzilli is another Husky who is expected back for a second summer in Wareham. He hit .207 in 26 games last summer. This spring, he has turned into the player everyone thought he would be. He’s hitting .346 with three homers, 23 doubles and 32 RBI. He has also stolen 11 bases.

    Max Muncy – INF – 6’0 190
    Baylor
    Sophomore

    Muncy had a big freshman season for the Bears, hitting .300 with 11 homers. On the Cape last summer, Muncy hit .244 but led the Gatemen with 14 extra-base hits. This year, he picked up where he left off in Waco, hitting a team-best .322 with nine home runs and 44 RBI.

    Daniel Palka – 1B/LHP – 6’2 190
    Georgia Tech
    Freshman

    A 19th-round pick out of high school, Palka flashed as much power as anybody in a Tech uniform this spring. He finished with a .297 average, 12 home runs, 18 doubles and 52 RBI. The 12 home runs tied him for fourth in the ACC. Listed as a two-way player, Palka didn’t pitch at all this spring.

    Robert Refsnyder – OF – 6’1 205
    Arizona
    Sophomore

    Refsnyder was an honorable mention all-conference pick as a freshman and followed that up with an impressive sophomore season. He finished at .320 with six home runs, 13 doubles, six triples and a team-best 55 RBI. He also stole nine bases.

    Jeff Reynolds – UTL – 5’11 180
    Harvard
    Junior

    A first-team all-Ivy League selection, Reynolds was Harvard’s best hitter this spring. He finished with a .301 average, two home runs and 19 RBI.

    Tyler Ross – C – 6’3 225
    LSU
    Freshman

    A 46th-round pick out of high school, Ross immediately grabbed the starting catcher’s job at LSU. He had his struggles at the plate, though, finishing at .223 with one home run.

    Brandon Thomas – OF – 6’3 205
    Georgia Tech
    Sophomore

    Thomas was a late-round pick out of high school and played as a reserve for Tech in his freshman year. Getting a bigger chance in the Florida Collegiate League last summer, Thomas shined and was named the league’s top prospect by Baseball America. This spring, he hit .307 with three home runs and also stole 19 bases.

    Jon Walsh – C – 6’5 215
    Texas
    Sophomore

    Walsh hit .273 in a reserve role last year. This season, he’s gotten more playing time and has hit .257 with two homers and 16 doubles.

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    2011 Early Look: Orleans Firebirds

    firebird1.jpgOrleans Firebirds
    Manager: Kelly Nicholson
    2010 Record: 23-19-2

    It took me a lot longer to do this Orleans early look than all the others, mostly because the Firebirds have 35 players listed on their roster. Now, it’s taking me longer still, because I don’t how how to sum it all up. It could go a lot of different ways.

    I can only imagine how the Firebirds feel.

    They aren’t in a vastly different boat than all the other teams in the league, but there does seem to be more uncertainty here than with a lot of rosters. For one thing, the Firebirds have 13 juniors, which might be as many as all the other teams combined. They also have six players who were drafted this week.

    Throw in a few players in super regionals and some Team USA questions, and it’s a wonder anyone knows who’s coming and going.

    But that’s not to say that the Firebirds can’t put something together this season. Plenty of teams juggle then deliver big summers. This team has the talent to do that.

    In Kurt Heyer and Michael Wacha, Orleans has two potentially dominant pitchers. The offense looks even better, with veterans like Steve Selsky and Jayce Boyd leading a group that’s had a lot of success this year.

    Beyond that, I really have no idea how it will all shake out for the Firebirds. But it could certainly be good.

    Roster Rundown
    Returning Players: 5
    Juniors: 13
    Sophomores: 19
    Freshmen: 3

    Notable

  • If by some chance Kurt Heyer and Michael Wacha both make it to Orleans, the Firebirds will have perhaps the two best sophomore pitchers in the country, and probably the two best in the league. Things are way up in the air for Wacha, who’s on the Team USA roster and still pitching in postseason play. Heyer may make it, but he could also get a Team USA invite.

  • Nick Mutz was a mystery for a while, but I eventually learned that he did not play for any college team this year. However, he got a pre-draft workout with the Angels, flashed a mid-90’s fastball and got drafted in the ninth round. I don’t remember any players with a story quite like that, although it seems vaguely familiar. I might just be thinking of Summer Catch. Will Jessica Biel be around?

  • Kenny Long didn’t get drafted this year but he’s been a lights-out reliever the last two seasons at Illinois State and last summer in Orleans. He should be a key to the Firebirds’ bullpen this year.

  • Among the 22 position players on the Orleans roster, there are plenty of stand-outs. The intriguing thing is the number of players who are trying to bounce back. Steve Nyisztor and Steve Selsky have produced in the past but missed big chunks of this season. A couple of other guys had struggles and will be looking for rebounds.

  • Nyisztor got a lot of attention in the Northwoods League last year, with Baseball America raving about his five-tool potential. If he’s healthy, he might be an MVP candidate this summer.

  • Nyisztor and Jake Stewart give Orleans the top two prospects from the summer leagues that are probably right behind the Cape in terms of talent. Nyisztor in the Northwoods, and Stewart in Alaska.

  • I haven’t sorted it all out quite yet, but I think Zeke DeVoss is the highest-selected 2011 draftee who’s on a Cape League roster for this summer. He went in the third round.

  • Jason Wheeler isn’t far behind. He was an eighth-rounder this year.

    • Five Players I’m Excited to See
    1. Kurt Heyer
    2. Michael Wacha
    3. Steve Nyisztor
    4. Jake Stewart
    5. Nick Mutz

    Pitchers

    Matt Boyd – LHP/1B – 6’3 215 – Oregon State – Sophomore
    *John Brebbia – RHP – 6’2 200 – Elon – Junior
    Pat Butler – RHP – 6’5 225 – UConn – Sophomore
    Matt Dunbar – LHP – 6’2 215 – College of Southern Nevada – Sophomore
    Tyler Gebler – RHP – 6’5 235 – Rutgers – Sophomore
    Trevor Gott – RHP – 6’0 190 – Kentucky – Freshman
    Kurt Heyer – RHP – 6’3 205 – Arizona – Sophomore
    Kyle Hunter – LHP – 5’11 180 – Dartmouth – Sophomore
    Tyler Johson – RHP – 6’1 195 – Stony Brook – Junior
    *Kenny Long – LHP – 6’1 155 – Illinois State – Junior
    Nick Mutz – RHP – 6’1 200 – Western Oklahoma – Freshman
    Michael Wacha – RHP – 6’6 200 – Texas A&M – Sophomore
    Jason Wheeler – LHP – 6’6 255 – Loyola Marymount – Junior

    Matt Boyd – LHP/1B – 6’3 215
    Oregon State
    Sophomore

    Boyd was a two-way standout last year, earning several Freshman All-America nods. He focused almost exclusively on pitching this year with great results. Working out of the pen, Boyd made 29 appearances, recorded a team-best 1.45 ERA and struck out 35 in 43.1 innings. He also saved four games.

    John Brebbia – RHP – 6’2 200
    Elon
    Junior

    Brebbia struggled in his first two years at Elon but had a pretty good campaign for Orleans last summer. Building off that, Brebbia turned everything around back at school. He made 27 appearances out of the pen and put up a team-best 1.76 ERA. He struck out 35 and walked just eight in 41 innings. Brebbia was picked in the 30th round earlier this week.

    Pat Butler – RHP – 6’5 225
    UConn
    Sophomore

    Butler wasn’t at the top of his game last year, with an ERA almost touching six as a freshman. This year, he’s been a little better, but his ERA is still 5.33 and he has walked twice as many hitters as he has struck out.

    Matt Dunbar – LHP – 6’2 215
    College of Southern Nevada
    Sophomore

    Playing for the school Bryce Harper made famous, Dunbar went 5-3 this year with a 3.62 ERA, and he struck out 66 in 49.2 innings.

    Tyler Gebler – RHP – 6’5 235
    Rutgers
    Sophomore

    Gebler burst onto the scene as a freshman last year, setting a new school record with 12 saves. This year, Rutgers moved Gebler into the starting rotation, and he went 5-5 with a 3.22 ERA. He struck out 53.

    Trevor Gott – RHP – 6’0 190
    Kentucky
    Freshman

    The Kentucky Gatorade Player of the Year, Gott headed to Lexington and turned in a strong first season. Pitching in relief, Gott had a 3.62 ERA to go with 34 strikeouts in 27.1 innings.

    Kurt Heyer – RHP – 6’3 205
    Arizona
    Sophomore

    After shining as a freshman in the weekend rotation, Heyer became perhaps the top sophomore pitcher in the nation this year. In 20 starts, he went 8-5 with a 2.41 ERA and struck out 134 in 138.1 innings pitched, with just 26 walks. He was an all-conference pick and ranked fourth in the nation in strikeouts, up in the rarefied air of Trevor Bauer and Danny Hultzen.

    Kyle Hunter – LHP – 5’11 180
    Dartmouth
    Sophomore

    Hunter has had two solid seasons for Dartmouth. Last year, he led the team in ERA. This year, he went 5-3 with a 3.77 ERA and struck out 43.

    Tyler Johson – RHP – 6’1 195
    Stony Brook
    Junior

    Johnson was an all-conference pick last year as a sophomore and turned in a strong junior campaign this year. As a member of the weekend rotation, he went 9-3 with a 2.30 ERA. In 78.1 innings, he struck out 62 and walked just 17.

    Kenny Long – LHP – 6’1 155
    Illinois State
    Junior

    After struggling as a freshman, Long has been a dynamic closer for the Illinois State the last two seasons. He saved nine games last year then saved six this year, while also posting an ERA of 0.92 and striking out 45 in 39.1 innings. Last summer for Orleans, Long led the team in appearances, had a 1.71 ERA and struck out 36 in 32 innings.

    Nick Mutz – RHP – 6’1 200
    Western Oklahoma
    Freshman

    Mutz is a really interesting story. He pitched for NAIA Dakota State last year, then left and didn’t pitch anywhere this spring. But he went for a pre-draft workout with the Angels and they liked him so much, they drafted him in the ninth round. The plan for the Angels is to follow him on the Cape this summer. With a mid-90’s fastball, he should be a good player to watch.

    Michael Wacha – RHP – 6’6 200
    Texas A&M
    Sophomore

    Wacha was a Freshman All-American last year and has continued to shine this year, going 8-3 with a 2.24 ERA and 106 strikeouts. But I’m not sure we’ll see him in Orleans. His team is still alive in the NCAA tournament, and he’s on the Team USA roster.

    Jason Wheeler – LHP – 6’6 255
    Loyola Marymount
    Junior

    Wheeler is listed at 6’8 by Orleans, but the Loyola web site has him at 6’6. Either way, though, he’s a big man who’s had some big success. Last summer, he was the Northwoods League Pitcher of the Year. This spring, he went 6-4 with a 3.84 ERA. The brother of former Brewster Whitecap Ryan Wheeler, Jason was drafted earlier this week in the eighth round by the Twins.

    Position Players

    Andrew Aplin – OF – 6’0 190 – Arizona State – Sophomore
    *Jayce Boyd – INF/OF – 6’3 190 – Florida State – Sophomore
    Zeke DeVoss – OF/MIF – 5’10 175 – Miami – Sophomore
    Matt Duffy – INF – 6’2 170 – Long Beach State – Sophomore
    Rudy Flores – 1B – 6’3 215 – Florida International – Sophomore
    Anthony Gomez – INF – 6’0 190 – Vanderbilt – Sophomore
    Reed Gragnani – INF – 5’11 180 – Virginia – Sophomore
    Jake Hernandez – C – 6’1 200 – USC – Freshman
    Matt Lowenstein – OF – 6’4 225 – Loyola Marymount – Sophomore
    Mike Marjama – C/3B – 6’2 205 – Long Beach State – Junior
    Nick Natale – OF – 6’2 185 – Palm Beach Atlantic – Junior
    Tony Negrin – OF – 5’7 175 – La Salle – Junior
    Steve Nyisztor – INF – 6’4 200 – Rutgers – Sophomore
    *Will Piwnica-Worms – OF – 6’3 205 – Duke – Junior
    Steve Selsky – OF – 6’1 205 – Arizona – Junior
    Tarran Senay – OF – 6’2 210 – NC State – Sophomore
    *Ronnie Shaeffer – C – 6’2 205 – UC Irvine – Junior
    Alex Sherrod – OF – 6’2 200 – USC – Junior
    Jake Stewart – OF – 6’3 210 – Stanford – Sophomore
    *Maxx Tissenbaum – INF – 6’0 200 – Stony Brook – Sophomore
    Ben Waldrip – 1B – 6’6 245 – Jacksonville State – Junior
    Brandon Williams – 1B/3B – 6’1 195 – Georgia State – Junior

    Andrew Aplin – OF – 6’0 190
    Arizona State
    Sophomore

    Aplin hit .337 as a part-timer last year. This season, he’s gotten more of a chance and has hit .285 with a homer and 19 RBI. Aplin was drafted in the 33rd round out of high school.

    Jayce Boyd – INF/OF – 6’3 190
    Florida State
    Sophomore

    A 19th-rounder out of high school, Boyd was one of the top freshman hitters in the country a year ago, batting .326 with eight homers. He then came to Orleans, where he hit .236 with two home runs and 16 RBI. This spring, Boyd kept it up, hitting .335 with six homers and 56 RBI.

    Zeke DeVoss – OF/MIF – 5’10 175
    Miami
    Sophomore

    DeVoss hit .338 this spring and stole 32 bases. A draft-eligible sophomore, his speed caught a lot of eyes, and DeVoss was picked by the Cubs in the third round earlier this week. We’ll see if he makes it to the Cape.

    Matt Duffy – INF – 6’2 170
    Long Beach State
    Sophomore

    Duffy hit .244 as a freshman after he grabbed a starting job on the infield. This year, he hit .265.

    Rudy Flores – 1B – 6’3 215
    Florida International
    Sophomore

    Flores had a huge freshman season last year, batting .357 with five homers and 23 RBI. He saw a bit of a downturn in average this year, finishing at .291, but still produced. He hit eight homers and 21 doubles and drove in 52 RBI.

    Anthony Gomez – INF – 6’0 190
    Vanderbilt
    Sophomore

    Gomez didn’t waste any time making an impression as a freshman last year. He hit .379 to lead the Commodores. This year, he’s stayed hot and is hitting .342 with 43 RBI.

    Reed Gragnani – INF – 5’11 180
    Virginia
    Sophomore

    Gragnani started only 12 games last year but made the most of his time and hit .365. In a bigger role this season, Gragnani has hit .278 with 31 RBI. He was a 27th-round pick of the Red Sox out of high school.

    Jake Hernandez – C – 6’1 200
    USC
    Freshman

    A 22nd-round pick out of high school, Hernandez had some struggles in his first season with the Trojans. He started only 12 games and hit .200.

    Matt Lowenstein – OF – 6’4 225
    Loyola Marymount
    Sophomore

    Lowenstein was the WCC Freshman of the Year a season ago after hitting .344 in his debut. This year, he led Loyola with a .349 average and a .437 OBP.

    Mike Marjama – C/3B – 6’2 205
    Long Beach State
    Junior

    A transfer from Sacramento City College, Marjama had a solid first season in Long Beach, hitting .290 with a homer and 27 RBI. He was drafted this year in the 23rd round.

    Nick Natale – OF – 6’2 185
    Palm Beach Atlantic
    RS Junior

    Natale started his career at Rice and then moved on to St. Petersburg College. In his first year at Palm Beach Atlantic, he fought through injuries to hit .281.

    Tony Negrin – OF – 5’7 175
    La Salle
    Junior

    Negrin has been a steady performer throughout his career at La Salle, and he hit .276 this season.

    Steve Nyisztor – INF – 6’4 200
    Rutgers
    Sophomore

    Nyisztor came into the 2011 season with a lot of hype after hitting .410 as a freshman and earning top prospect honors in the Northwoods League last summer. His sophomore season didn’t go like he hoped — Nyisztor played in only 12 games. I can’t find anything certain, but I’m assuming it was due to injury.

    Will Piwnica-Worms – OF – 6’3 205
    Duke
    Junior

    As a sophomore Piwnica-Worms hit .313 with six homers and 44 RBI then came to Orleans and hit .200. This spring, he hit .264 with two homers and 31 RBI.

    Steve Selsky – OF – 6’1 205
    Arizona
    Junior

    Selsky had one of the best seasons in the Pac-10 a year ago when he hit .370. After a solid summer in Orleans — he hit .273 with four home runs — Selsky missed much of this season and is a late addition to the Arizona roster. He was drafted 33rd round this year.

    Tarran Senay – OF – 6’2 210
    NC State
    Sophomore

    A 38th-round pick out of high school, Senay has been solid for NC State. He hit .264 this year with two home runs.

    Ronnie Shaeffer – C – 6’2 205
    UC Irvine
    Junior

    Shaeffer has put together a good career at UC Irvine. He hit .388 as a freshman, .318 last year and .271 this year. He played in Orleans last summer and hit .190.

    Alex Sherrod – OF – 6’2 200
    USC
    Junior

    After hitting .315 as a sophomore, Sherrod blossomed this year into one of USC’s best hitters. He finished at .318 with six home runs and 35 RBI.

    Jake Stewart – OF – 6’3 210
    Stanford
    Sophomore

    A 14th-round pick out of high school, Stewart struggled with the bat as a freshman but then earned top prospect honors in the Alaska League. This year, he hit .292 with 15 doubles and 19 RBI.

    Maxx Tissenbaum – INF – 6’0 200
    Stony Brook
    Sophomore

    Tissenbaum was third on the team last season with a .344 batting average. He continued to emerge as a top-flight player this year, hitting .343 with five home runs, 20 doubles and 43 RBI.

    Ben Waldrip – 1B – 6’6 245
    Jacksonville State
    Junior

    Waldrip hails from Medford, Mass., and started his career St. Anselm. He then went to Cypress College before transferring to Jacksonville State for this season. He made a splash for the Gamecocks, hitting .344 with 10 home runs. He was a 40th-round pick this year.

    Brandon Williams – 1B/3B – 6’1 195
    Georgia State
    Junior

    Williams had a strong junior season, putting himself into the Georgia State career record books in several categories. He finished at .342 with 36 RBI.

    Posted on

    2011 Early Look: Bourne Braves

    TeamLogo_Bourne2003.jpgBourne Braves
    Manager: Harvey Shapiro
    2010 Record: 24-20

    The last two years, Bourne has become very good at adjusting on the fly.

    Two seasons ago, their patched-together roster won the Cape League championship. Last season, the Braves looked like one of the top two or three most talented teams in the league in the preseason then had to deal with significant personnel losses.

    Still, Bourne went 24-20 and won the West Division regular-season title.

    That’s why it’s tough to figure out how the 2011 Braves stack up. They have some talent, but again they might lose some of it. Still, though, I’d never count them out.

    Looking at what they do have, the Braves will welcome back seven players from last year’s team, which is among the highest number in the league. All the pitchers coming back had strong summers, too, like R.J. Alvarez, Will Jolin and Michael Morin. Those experienced guys should carry the load for a staff that doesn’t have huge prospect hype.

    As for the offense, the Braves have some potential stars, like North Carolina freshman Colin Moran and Florida sophomore standouts Austin Maddox and Nolan Fontana. But all those players are also still alive in the NCAA tournament, meaning the Braves will have to adjust as much as any team in the league.

    But if anybody can do it, the Bourne Braves can.

    Roster Rundown
    Returning Players: 7
    Juniors: 0
    Sophomores: 19
    Freshmen: 7

    Notable

  • R.J. Alvarez will probably be happy to be back in Bourne. He’s had his struggles at Florida Atlantic but dominated out of the bullpen for the Braves last summer, emerging as one of the top relievers in the league.

  • We’ll see what happens with Clemson’s Kevin Brady. He was drafted in the 17th round earlier this week but he also might want to show the Indians what he can do this summer after battling injuries this spring. If he gets to Bourne and is healthy, he has the potential to be a top-flight pitcher.

  • Florida’s Austin Maddox was perhaps the best freshman in the nation a year ago. He was slated for Bourne last year but never made it. When I saw him on the roster again this year, I figured he was a shoo-in for Team USA, but he’s had somewhat of a sophomore slump — at least compared to what he did last year — and could certainly end up in Bourne. And he’d be looking for a resurgence

  • Nolan Fontana is another Florida kid I’d love to see. He committed four errors all of last season, and this year started to hit more on top of his stellar defense.

  • Ryne Stanek is among the highest unsigned picks from the 2010 draft. After a solid first season, he might be ready for big things this summer.

  • North Carolina’s Colin Moran hasn’t just been the best freshman hitter on the UNC squad — he’s been the best hitter period. Moran is UNC’s first ACC Freshman of the Year since Dustin Ackley, and he’s now chasing Ackley’s freshman RBI record.

  • Travis Jankowski seized the day last summer when he was a late sign by the Braves. He continued his success in his sophomore season and will be trying to have another good summer in Bourne. This time, he’ll be doing it from day one.

    • Five Players I’m Excited to See
    1. Austin Maddox
    2. Nolan Fontana
    3. Colin Moran
    4. Kevin Brady
    5. Ryne Stanek

    Pitchers

    *R.J. Alvarez – RHP – 6’1 200 – Florida Atlantic – Sophomore
    *Kevin Brady – RHP – 6’3 200 – Clemson – RS Sophomore
    Ryan Connolly – RHP – 6’0 180 – Coastal Carolina – Sophomore
    Josh Conway – RHP 6’1 175 – Coastal Carolina – Sophomore
    Ryan Eades – RHP – 6′ 2 189 – LSU – Freshman
    John Farrell – RHP – 6’2 210 – William & Mary – Sophomore
    Chad Green – RHP – 6’4 200 – Louisville – Freshman
    *Will Jolin – RHP – 6’3 205 – UConn – Sophomore
    *Michael Morin – RHP – 6’4 180 – North Carolina – Sophomore
    Daryl Norris – RHP – 6’1 220 – Mississippi State – Freshman
    *R.C. Orlan – LHP – 6’0 175 – North Carolina – Sophomore
    Slade Smith – RHP – 6’2 178 – Auburn – Sophomore
    Ryne Stanek – RHP – 6’4 180 – Arkansas – Freshman
    Brian Ward – LHP – 6’3 185 – UConn – Freshman
    Alex Wood – LHP – 6’4 216 – Georgia – Sophomore

    R.J. Alvarez – RHP – 6’1 200
    Florida Atlantic
    Sophomore

    Alvarez has flashed electric stuff since day one at Florida Atlantic but hasn’t posted great numbers there. Last summer in Bourne, though, he was lights out. After posting an ERA over five last spring, he came to Bourne and dominated out of the bullpen, putting up a 0.79 ERA and striking out 29 in 22.2 innings. He was one of the top relievers in the league, earned a spot in the All-Star Game and was named the league’s 26th-best prospect by Baseball America. Back at FAU this spring, he moved into the rotation with mixed results — he went 6-6 with a 5.23 ERA but did strike out 72 in 74 innings.

    Kevin Brady – RHP – 6’3 200
    Clemson
    RS Sophomore

    Brady had some great peripheral numbers as a redshirt freshman for the Tigers last year, then had an ERA of 0.96 in nine relief appearances on the Cape. He wasn’t fully healthy this spring for the Tigers, but still showed off his swing-and-miss stuff, striking out 33 in 23.1 innings and walking just one. He was drafted in the 17th round this week by Cleveland.

    Ryan Connolly – RHP – 6’0 180
    Coastal Carolina
    Sophomore

    Connolly was a dynamic and very busy reliever for the Chants as a freshman, pitching in 40 games with a 2.15 ERA and 48 strikeouts. He was a little less busy this year, but just as good. Connolly pitched in 32 games, posting a 2.79 ERA and striking out 36. He also had three saves.

    Josh Conway – RHP – 6’1 175
    Coastal Carolina
    Sophomore

    Conway was solid as a freshman and was even better this year. As a sophomore, he made 20 appearances — 12 starts — and went 8-2 with a 2.69 ERA. He struck out 70 in 77 innings of work.

    Ryan Eades – RHP – 6′ 2 189
    LSU
    Freshman

    Eades was a 19th-round pick out of high school and had a decent debut with the Tigers. He finished with a 4-1 record, a 4.81 ERA and 31 strikeouts.

    John Farrell – RHP – 6’2 210
    William & Mary
    Sophomore

    Farrell had a strong freshman season a year ago, saving six games and posting an ERA of 3.99. His ERA jumped to 6.55 this year and he didn’t record a save. He did strike out 26 in 22 innings.

    Chad Green – RHP – 6’4 200
    Louisville
    Freshman

    Green was a 37th-rounder out of high school last year and turned in a very strong first season in Louisville. Pitching out of the bullpen, Green had a team-best 1.93 ERA. He struck out 23 in 42 innings and opponents hit just .217 against him.

    Will Jolin – RHP – 6’3 205
    UConn
    RS Sophomore

    Jolin transferred to UConn from Florida and sat out last season. When he finally got some work with Bourne, he was solid, starting seven games and putting up a 2.60 ERA. This spring, Jolin has been a valuable reliever for the Huskies on their run to the super regionals. Jolin is 2-2 with a 3.76 ERA and 35 strikeouts in 38.1 innings.

    Michael Morin – RHP – 6’4 180
    North Carolina
    Sophomore

    As a freshman, Morin made 24 appearances and though he had an ERA over five, he struck out better than a batter an inning. This year, Morin has kept his ERA in the fours and has saved eight games for the Tar Heels. He has once again struck out more than a batter per inning. In between his two years in Chapel Hill, Morin pitched as a starter for Bourne last summer and had a 3.29 ERA.

    Daryl Norris – RHP – 6’1 220
    Mississippi State
    Freshman

    A late-round pick out of high school, Norris has been one of the most solid arms in the Mississippi State bullpen as a freshman. He’s pitched in 12 games and put up a 2.49 ERA, striking out 19 in 25.1 innings.

    R.C. Orlan – LHP – 6’0 175
    North Carolina
    Sophomore

    Orlan has been a solid situational reliever throughout his UNC career. This year, he’s made 30 appearances and has put up a 3.77 ERA. Last summer for Bourne, Orlan had a 1.62 ERA out of the bullpen.

    Slade Smith – RHP – 6’2 178
    Auburn
    Sophomore

    After an up-and-down freshman year, Smith went 2-2 this season for the Tigers with an ERA of 5.83.

    Ryne Stanek – RHP – 6’4 180
    Arkansas
    Freshman

    Stanek was a third-round pick out of high school last year but still honored his commitment to Arkansas. Immediately tabbed as one of the top freshmen in the country, Stanek had a pretty good debut season. He went 4-2 with a 3.94 ERA and struck out 41 in 64 innings.

    Brian Ward – LHP – 6’3 185
    UConn
    Freshman

    Ward has been a key contributor to UConn’s pitching staff since day one. He’s made 10 starts as a freshman and has been very solid, putting up a 6-1 record and a 3.28 ERA.

    Alex Wood – LHP – 6’4 216
    Georgia
    Sophomore

    Wood spent most of his freshman season on the shelf after Tommy John surgery. He came back strong this year, though, pitching over 100 innings as a weekend starter. He finished with a 4.44 ERA and 79 strikeouts.

    Position Players

    Zach Alvord – INF – 6’0 173 – Auburn – Freshman
    Johnny Bladel – OF – 6’1 190 – James Madison – Sophomore
    Garrett Cannizaro – INF – 6’0 185 – Tulane – Sophomore
    Tommy Coyle – INF – 5’9 170 – North Carolina – Sophomore
    Blake Crohan – C – 5’11 170 – Tulane – Sophomore
    *Josh Elander – C/OF – 6′ 0 205 – TCU – Sophomore
    Nolan Fontana – INF – 5’11 190 – Florida – Sophomore
    *Travis Jankowski – OF – 6’3 185 – Stony Brook – Sophomore
    Austin Maddox – C – 6’3 225 – Florida – Sophomore
    Colin Moran – INF – 6’3 180 – North Carolina – Freshman
    Kamm Washington – OF – 5’10 180 – Florida – Sophomore

    Zach Alvord – INF – 6’0 173
    Auburn
    Freshman

    An 18th-round pick out of high school and Auburn’s top recruit, Alvord didn’t have a great first season with the Tigers. HE played in 35 games and hit .197. He could be primed for a turnaround this summer.

    Johnny Bladel – OF – 6’1 190
    James Madison
    Sophomore

    After hitting .324 as a freshman, Bladel did it all for James Madison this spring. On his way to all-conference honors, Bladel hit .360 with 12 doubles, five triples, four homers and 41 RBI. He also stole 26 bases. Last summer, Baseball America had Bladel as the seventh-best prospect in the Cal Ripken Collegiate League.

    Garrett Cannizaro – INF – 6’0 185
    Tulane
    Sophomore

    A C-USA all-freshman pick last year, Cannizaro hit a bit of a sophomore slump this year. He finished hitting .240 with no home runs and 30 RBI. Cannizaro was a 26th-round pick out of high school in 2009.

    Tommy Coyle – INF – 5’9 170
    North Carolina
    Sophomore

    Coyle hit .282 last year, and this year ranks second to UNC and Bourne teammate Colin Moran for the team lead in batting average. Coyle is at .322 with two homers and 36 RBI. He’s also stolen 18 bases.

    Blake Crohan – C – 5’11 170
    Tulane
    Sophomore

    Like his teammate Cannizaro, Crohan was also an all-freshman pick last year before struggling with the bat this season. He hit .235 with two homers and 30 RBI.

    Josh Elander – C/OF – 6′ 0 205
    TCU
    Sophomore

    Elander was a Freshman All-American last spring but had his struggles in Bourne, finishing with a .186 average. He followed that up with a good sophomore season, finishing with a .333 average, five homers and 38 RBI.

    Nolan Fontana – INF – 5’11 190
    Florida
    Sophomore

    Fontana was a consensus Freshman All-America pick last season, in large part because of his wizardry with the glove. He committed just four errors while starting at shortstop all season and was named to the national Rawlings Gold Glove team. This year, Fontana has made a few more errors — 10 total — but he’s upped his batting average to .309 and smacked four home runs. Last summer, Fontana played for Team USA.

    Travis Jankowski – OF – 6’3 185
    Stony Brook
    Sophomore

    Jankowski was a late-season addition to the Braves last summer and made the most of his opportunity, hitting .346 in seven games. Back at Stony Brook this spring, Jankowksi had a huge year, hitting .355 with two homers and 38 RBI. He was a first-team all-conference pick.

    Austin Maddox – C/INF – 6’3 225
    Florida
    Sophomore

    A top prospect out of high school, Maddox had a huge first season in Gainesville, earning SEC Freshman of the Year honors after hitting .333 with 17 homers and 72 RBI. Maddox has slumped at times this year and is hitting .280 with six home runs.

    Colin Moran – INF – 6’3 180
    North Carolina
    Freshman

    From an undrafted high-schooler to the best hitter on one of the best teams in the country. That’s the journey Moran’s taken this year. He leads the Tar Heels in all the major offensive categories, hitting .335 with nine home runs, 19 doubles, 69 RBI and a .552 slugging percentage. Moran was recently named ACC Freshman of the Year.

    Kamm Washington – OF – 5’10 180
    Florida
    Sophomore

    Washington hit .308 in limited action as a freshman and has been solid with a little more playing time this year. Washington is hitting .284 with a homer and eight RBI.

    Posted on

    Happy Opening Day

    As of this writing, the 2011 Cape League season begins in six hours.

    I can’t believe it’s happening so fast. Obviously, the build-up here hasn’t been as big as I would have hoped, but summer is here nonetheless.

    Today on RFF (hopefully):
    Bourne Early Look
    Orleans Early Look
    Wareham Early Look
    Season Preview

    Tonight:
    Baseball (!)

    Posted on

    2011 Early Look: Chatham Anglers

    anglers_logo_11.jpgChatham Anglers
    Manager: John Schiffner
    2010 Record: 20-22-2

    The way they started the season, the 2010 Chatham Anglers looked like a force to be reckoned with. They’re middle of the order was raking, and the pitching was on target. The Anglers won five of their first six games.

    But the great season didn’t materialize. Chatham started sliding then had a stretch where it lost 15 of 17 games. After its promising start, Chatham ended up finishing in last place in the East and didn’t make the eight-team playoffs.

    The Anglers will be pushing for a bounce back with a lot of new faces — and the franchise’s typical stable of talent.

    Zack Jones, Chris Munnelly, Beau Amaral and Stephen Perez return from last year’s team. They were all contributors but not the driving forces. I imagine they’ll be counted on a little more this year.

    Thankfully for Chatham, it looks like there’s a nice influx of talent coming. Tim Cooney, Buck Farmer, Dominic Leone and Hudson Randall are impressive-looking starters in top-notch leagues. With Jones, Florida reliever Steven Rodriguez and UCLA freshman standout Nick Vander Tuig in the bullpen, that looks like a strength as well.

    In the lineup, Chatham figures to get a lot from Pac-10 Player of the Year Tony Renda, WCC Co-Player of the Year Kris Bryant and Clemson standout Richie Shaffer.

    All in all, I don’t know that the Anglers have as much pop or prospect hype as they did last year. But we saw how that worked out — this recipe could be okay too.

    Roster Rundown
    Returning Players: 4
    Juniors: 2
    Sophomores: 19
    Freshmen: 7

    Notable

  • Wake Forest isn’t a baseball power in the ACC, but Tim Cooney fit the mold of a power’s ace. The lefty struck out 91 this year and earned second-team all-conference honors.

  • Staying with the Demon Deacons, Matt Conway will be the second really tall first baseman to go from Wake to Chatham. Allan Dykstra was really solid for Chatham a few years back, and Conway wouldn’t mind following a similar path.

  • For an indication of how good Buck Farmer’s sophomore season was, consider this: he tied 2011 first-round pick and Georgia Tech teammate Jed Bradley for the team lead in strikeouts and had a better ERA than Bradley.

  • Chatham may have some of the strongest starting pitching in the league, considering the track record of the guys I mentioned above — and the leagues they play in. If Florida’s Hudson Randall makes it to the Cape, the rotation will be even better.

  • Nick Vander Tuig will be an interesting guy to watch. He was considered a first-round talent until Tommy John surgery. He seems fine now, and dominated as a freshman for UCLA.
  • I’ve read some articles questioning Tony Renda’s selection as Pac-10 Player of the Year. The doubts are justified — plenty of guys had better seasons. But lost in that is the fact that Renda did have a very good season.

  • Dane Phillips is a big-hitting catcher for Oklahoma State. I was slightly surprised to learn, then, that he led the Big 12 in triples.

  • With former Chatham coach Rich Hill at the helm, San Diego has sent some very good prospects to Chatham over the years. Kris Bryant is next in line. As a freshman, all he did was win WCC Player of the Year honors.

    • Five Players I’m Excited to See
    1. Hudson Randall
    2. Buck Farmer
    3. Kris Bryant
    4. Tim Cooney
    5. Richie Shaffer

    Pitchers

    Tim Cooney – LHP – 6’3 195 – Wake Forest – Sophomore
    Trae Davis – RHP – 5’11 208 – Baylor – Freshman
    Buck Farmer – RHP – 6’4 227 – Georgia Tech – Sophomore
    Jeff Gibbs – RHP – 6’5 200 – Maine – Sophomore
    Tucker Healy – RHP – 6’1 195 – Ithaca – Junior
    Eric Jaffe – RHP – 6’4 230 – UCLA – Freshman
    *Zack Jones – RHP/IF – 6’2 200 – San Jose State – Sophomore
    Dace Kime – RHP – 6’4 213 – Louisville – Freshman
    Matt Koch – RHP – 6’3 205 – Louisville – Sophomore
    Dominic Leone – RHP – 5’11 185 – Clemson – Sophomore
    *Chris Munnelly – RHP – 6’3 185 – North Carolina – Sophomore
    Cody Penny – RHP – 6’3 195 – North Carolina – Sophomore
    Hudson Randall – RHP – 6’3 185 – Florida – Sophomore
    Steven Rodriguez – LHP – 6’2 225 – Florida – Sophomore
    Nick Vander Tuig – RHP – 6’3 190 – UCLA – Freshman

    Tim Cooney – LHP – 6’3 195
    Wake Forest
    Sophomore

    Cooney pitched a lot as a freshman in 2010 but had some struggles, finishing with an ERA above five. It was a completely different story this year as Cooney earned second-team All-ACC honors with a huge sophomore season in Wake’s rotation. Cooney finished 7-3 with a 3.01 ERA. In 98.2 innings, he struck out 91 and walked only 18.

    Trae Davis – RHP – 5’11 208
    Baylor
    Freshman

    Davis was a three-sport stand-out and one of the top prospects in texas coming out of high school. He struggled a bit in his first year with the Bears, posting a 6.75 ERA while striking out 18 and walking 18.

    Buck Farmer – RHP – 6’4 227
    Georgia Tech
    Sophomore

    Farmer was a late-round draft pick out of high school and had a solid first season as a reliever for the Yellow Jackets. He then went to the Coastal Plain League last summer and was named the league’s second-best prospect by Baseball America. This spring, Farmer took a big leap. Moving into the weekend rotation, he went 11-3 with a 2.91 ERA and 106 strikeouts. He was named second-team all-ACC.

    Jeff Gibbs – RHP – 6’5 200
    Maine
    Sophomore

    Gibbs has had two solid seasons for the Black Bears and will be trying to make a splash on a bigger stage this summer. As a freshman, Gibbs had a 3.94 ERA and led the team in strikeouts. This year, he went 8-5 with a 3.42 ERA and struck out 69 in 76.1 innings.

    Tucker Healy – RHP – 6’1 195
    Ithaca
    Junior

    A native of Needham, Mass., Healy is a two-time all-conference pick for Ithaca. Last year, he posted a 1.17 ERA and struck out 47 in just 30 innings. This year, his ERA climbed to 5.00, but he still struck out 28 in 18 innings.

    Eric Jaffe – RHP – 6’4 230
    UCLA
    Freshman

    Jaffe was a 19th-round pick of the Red Sox last year but opted to attend California. He then transferred to UCLA and was declared eligible for this year, but didn’t see any action for the Bruins.

    Zack Jones – RHP/IF – 6’2 200
    San Jose State
    Sophomore

    A 24th-round pick out of high school, Jones was voted the WAC Freshman of the Year in 2010. He then headed to Chatham, where he posted a 2.33 ERA in 11 relief appearances. Pitching as the Spartans’ closer again this spring, Jones saved 10 games, posted a 3.98 ERA and struck out 53 in 43 innings.

    Dace Kime – RHP – 6’4 213
    Louisville
    Freshman

    Kime was drafted in the eighth round out of high school then delivered a strong first season in Louisville’s bullpen. Kime made 15 appearances, posted a 3.96 ERA and struck out 25 in 25 innings of work.

    Matt Koch – RHP – 6’3 205
    Louisville
    Sophomore

    A late-round pick in 2009, Koch has been solid throughout his two years with the Cardinals. Last year, he had a 3.27 ERA. This year, he started 11 games and went 5-5 with a 3.48 ERA.

    Dominic Leone – RHP – 5’11 185
    Clemson
    Sophomore

    Leone is a native of Norwich, Conn., so he’ll be coming close to home this summer. And he’ll be coming in off a very good season. A weekend starter, Leone went 6-2 with a 3.70 ERA. In 65.2 innings, he struck out a team-best 72.

    Chris Munnelly – RHP – 6’3 185
    North Carolina
    Sophomore

    After a so-so freshman season, Munnelly came to Chatham and quietly put up some of the best numbers on the Anglers’ staff. He ended up with a 1.71 ERA and 22 strikeouts. This spring, Munnelly has gone 6-5 with a 4.11 ERA 57 strikeouts in 70 innings.

    Cody Penny – RHP – 6’3 195
    North Carolina
    Sophomore

    Penny has pitched out of the bullpen in his first two years with the Tar Heels. This year, he’s made 22 appearances and has a 5.62 ERA, to go with 18 strikeouts in 16 innings.

    Hudson Randall – RHP – 6’3 185
    Florida
    Sophomore

    Randall has been steadily dominant for the Gators in his second season in Gainesville. Emerging as the Friday starter, Randall has gone 9-3 with a 2.38 ERA. Though he has only struck out 54 in 102 innings, he has displayed masterful control, walking just 10 in those 102 innings.

    Steven Rodriguez – LHP – 6’2 225
    Florida
    Sophomore

    After a strong freshman season in Florida’s bullpen, it’s been more of the same this year for Rodriguez. While making a team-high 27 appearances, Rodriguez has put up a 1.44 ERA and has struck out 34 in 31.1 innings of work.

    Nick Vander Tuig – RHP – 6’3 190
    UCLA
    Freshman

    Vander Tuig had first-round credentials out of high school but was coming off Tommy John surgery and slipped to the 39th round in last year’s draft. UCLA was the beneficiary. Vander Tuig grabbed the closer’s role for the Bruins and never let go, recording nine saves and a 2.90 ERA. He also struck out a batter an inning.

    Position Players

    *Beau Amaral – OF – 5’10 185 – UCLA – Sophomore
    Kris Bryant – 3B – 6’5 210 – San Diego – Freshman
    Alex Calbick – IF/OF – 6’0 190 – Maine – Freshman
    Matt Conway – 1B – 6’7 231 – Wake Forest – Sophomore
    Evan Marzilli – OF – 5’11 175 – South Carolina – Sophomore
    Darrel Matthews – OF – 5’8 160 – California – Sophomore
    *Stephen Perez – IF – 5’11 182 – Miami – Sophomore
    Dane Phillips – C – 6’1 192 – Oklahoma State – Sophomore
    Tony Renda – IF – 5’9 170 – California – Sophomore
    Matt Roberts – C – 6’1 185 – North Carolina – Freshman
    Joe Sever – IF – 5’11 187 – Pepperdine – Sophomore
    Richie Shaffer – 1B/3B – 6’3 205 – Clemson – Sophomore
    J.T. Watkins – C – 5’11 190 – Army – Junior

    Beau Amaral – OF – 5’10 185
    UCLA
    Sophomore

    The son of former big leaguer Rich Amaral, Beau will be back for a second summer in Chatham. Last year, he hit .232 for the Anglers. This spring, he was one of UCLA’s top hitters, finishing at .299 with two homers, 29 RBI and a .404 on-base percentage.

    Kris Bryant – 3B – 6’5 210
    San Diego
    Freshman

    Bryant was highly-touted coming out of high school and was drafted in the 18th round. He hasn’t disappointed at San Diego. After hitting .365 with nine home runs and a .482 OBP, Bryant was named the WCC Co-Freshman and Co-Player of the Year.

    Alex Calbick – IF/OF – 6’0 190
    Maine
    Freshman

    Calbick came to Maine all the way from British Columbia and had a solid first season. He started all but one of the team’s games, hit .280 and delivered five home runs.

    Matt Conway – 1B – 6’7 231
    Wake Forest
    Sophomore

    Conway shined as a freshman for the Demon Deacons, hitting a team-best .382 with six homers. He didn’t have quite as much success average-wise this year, finishing at .256, but he hit six home runs again and ranked second on the team with 38 RBI.

    Evan Marzilli – OF – 5’11 175
    South Carolina
    Sophomore

    Marzilli grabbed a starting spot for the Gamecocks last season and had a big hand in the team’s run to the College World Series title. This year, he’s been a key from day one. Marzilli is hitting .302 with three homers and 30 RBI as South Carolina tries to get back to Omaha.

    Darrel Matthews – OF – 5’8 160
    California
    Sophomore

    Matthews batted .259 as a freshman and had similar production this season, finishing with a .267 average and nine extra-base hits.

    Stephen Perez – IF – 5’11 182
    Miami
    Sophomore

    Perez was considered one of the top freshmen in the country a year ago and had a solid first season for Miami. He struggled in Chatham, though, finishing the summer with a .162 batting average. This spring, he hit .262 with 12 doubles and 31 RBI.

    Dane Phillips – C – 6’1 192
    Oklahoma State
    Sophomore

    Phillips was a 49th-round pick out of high school then delivered a strong first season for the Cowboys, hitting .337 with three home runs. It was more of the same this year, with Phillips hitting .339 with four homers and 32 RBI. He also had 16 doubles and a Big 12-high eight triples.

    Tony Renda – IF – 5’9 170
    California
    Sophomore

    After delivering one of the best freshman seasons in school history last year, Renda took home Pac-10 Player of the Year honors this year. He finished the season with a .335 average, three home runs, 14 doubles and a team-best 41 RBI. He also stole nine bases.

    Matt Roberts – C – 6’1 185
    North Carolina
    Freshman

    Roberts was a 38th-round pick out of high school. He hasn’t seen a ton of action for the Tar Heels and has hit .211 so far.

    Joe Sever – IF – 5’11 187
    Pepperdine
    Sophomore

    As a freshman in 2010, Sever led the Waves in batting average before delivering a strong summer in the Northwoods League. This year, he was solid again, hitting .279 with a team-best six home runs.

    Richie Shaffer – 1B/3B – 6’3 205
    Clemson
    Sophomore

    Shaffer was a 25th-round pick out of high school and made a splash last year at Clemson despite battling injuries. He hit .323 with seven homers. This year, Shaffer wasn’t hampered by much of anything. He hit .315 with a team-best 13 home runs and 55 RBI. He tied for second in the ACC in home runs.

    J.T. Watkins – C – 5’11 190
    Army
    Junior

    Watkins has been Army’s starting catcher since day one. As a freshman, he hit .256 then last year bumped it to .320. This year, he hit .298 with two homers and 27 RBI.

    Posted on

    12 CCBL Alums Picked on First Night of Draft

    As usual, the Cape League was well-represented in the first round and supplemental first round of the Major League Baseball First-Year Player Draft. A total of 12 players went in the first 60 picks. The draft continues Tuesday, starting with the second round.

    George Springer was the first Cape Leaguer to go, coming off the board at No. 11 to the Astros. Eight alums went in the first round, as opposed to six last year.

    The list:

    First Round
    11 – George Springer – Wareham ’09 & ’10 – Houston Astros
    15 – Jed Bradley – Wareham ’10 – Milwaukee Brewers
    17 – C.J. Cron – Cotuit ’10 – Los Angeles Angels
    19 – Matt Barnes – Wareham ’09 & ’10 – Boston Red Sox
    22 – Kolten Wong – Orleans ’10 – St. Louis Cardinals
    29 – Joe Panik – Y-D ’10 – San Francisco Giants
    30 – Levi Michael – Harwich ’09 & ’10 – Minnesota Twins
    31 – Mike Mahtook – Harwich ’10 – Tampa Bay Rays

    Supplemental First Round
    34 – Brian Goodwin – Harwich ’10 – Washington Nationals
    37 – Zach Cone – Cotuit ’09 & ’10 – Texas Rangers
    40 – Jackie Bradley – Hyannis ’09 – Boston Red Sox
    59 – Grayson Garvin – Falmouth ’09 & ’10 – Tampa Bay Rays