Author: Will Geoghegan

FALMOUTH COMMODORES
Manager: Jeff Trundy
Last Season: 22-22
Roster

At times last season, the Falmouth Commodores were great. Other times, they weren’t.

I guess a 22-22 record kind of tells that story.

The bottom line was that the Commodores turned out pretty good, blowing past Bourne in the West finals before falling to Y-D in the league championship series. In any other year, Falmouth might have won the league, but this time around, Y-D was just too strong.

Still, it was a season to remember for Falmouth, and not just because of the playoff run. The Commodores also boasted an incredible collection of top-shelf talent, headed by the duo from Missouri, Aaron Crow and Kyle Gibson.

Crow was dazzling all summer and could have won the pitcher of the year award as well as the top prop prospect award, which he did take home. In all, Crow was one of the best stories of the summer, and he could end up being the No. 1 overall pick in the June draft.

Gibson could pull off the same feat in 2009. The tall righty emerged as the top freshman pitcher on the Cape last summer and with his projectable frame, he’s being labeled as one of the top prospects for the ’09 draft.

Falmouth’s pitching staff also included likely ’08 first or second-rounders Christian Friedrich, Luke Burnett and Shooter Hunt. As if that wasn’t enough, Falmouth also had the league’s top hitter in third baseman Conor Gillaspie, who turned in a historic offensive season and earned league MVP honors. Not to mention David Adams, the best second baseman in the league.

As Falmouth gets set for the summer of ’08, they can only hope to have a similar collection of talent, but they will be starting in a good spot. Gibson, who’s been great this spring for Missouri, will be back in the fold, as will Oregon State shortstop Joey Wong, who helped anchor Falmouth’s infield last year. Two players who played for different Cape teams last summer – Diego Seastrunk and Andrew Clark – will be in Falmouth this year with a chance to make a big impact.

After that, it’s all unknowns. The Commodores have some hyped freshman like Hunter Morris and Tommy Toledo, as well as some dynamic sophomores in Tem Fedroff and A.J. Pollock.

They may be unknown, but this time last year, Aaron Crow wasn’t exactly a household name either.

Roster Rundown

Returning players: 3 (and two from other teams)
Sophomores: 16
Freshmen : 12

Notable

• The Commodores have a large number of highly-touted players who are struggling this spring. No time like the summer to turn it around.
• Falmouth’s Oregon State connection – four Beavers on the roster – is certainly a good one to have, but with the Beavers and a lot of their top players struggling this year, it looks a little different than the past few years
• Kyle Gibson arguably will be the top returning player on the Cape this summer
• Falmouth has eight freshman pitchers, and as of now, Nate Striz and Tommy Toledo stand out the most, based on college numbers
• Striz looks like a potential closer candidate
• Jorge Reyes was the MVP of the College World Series last year but has hit the skids this season. A definite bounce-back candidate this summer.
• Auburn’s Hunter Morris may enter the Cape League summer as the most-hyped freshman in the league, and if college is any indication, he’ll live up to it
• Fearless prediction: Notre Dame’s A.J. Pollock finishes the summer as one of the top five hitters in the league
• Diego Seastrunk may not be far behind
• You could also put Tim Fedroff in that group, meaning the Commodores have a pretty good stable of offensive players

Five Players I’m Excited to See
1. Kyle Gibson
2. Hunter Morris
3. Tim Fedroff
4. Nate Striz
5. Diego Seastrunk

Pitchers
Chad Bettis – RHP – 6’0 174 – Texas Tech – Freshman
Rex Brothers – LHP – 6’0 185 – Lipscomb – Sophomore
*Preston Claiborne – RHP – 6’3 225 – Tulane – Sophomore
Evan Danieli – RHP – 6’7 230 – Notre Dame – Freshman
*Kyle Gibson – RHP – 6’5 180 – Missouri – Sophomore
Nate Karns – RHP – 6’3 210 – Texas Tech – Sophomore
Dan Klein – RHP – 6’3 190 – UCLA – Freshman
Travis Lawler – RHP – 6’2 170 – Florida – Freshman
Aaron Loup – LHP – 6’0 185 – Tulane – Sophomore
Jorge Reyes – RHP – 6’5 175 – Oregon State – Sophomore
Tanner Robles – LHP – 6’4 200 – Oregon State – Freshman
Nate Striz – RHP – 6’2 237 – North Carolina – Freshman
Nick Tepesch – RHP – 6’5 219 – Missouri – Freshman
Tommy Toledo – RHP – 6’3 185 – Florida – Freshman
Ben Tootle – RHP – 6’0 170 – Jacksonville St. – Sophomore
* returning player

(Note: The player’s name is linked to his school bio.)

Chad Bettis – RHP – 6’0 174
Texas Tech
Freshman
Bettis was an eighth-round pick out of high school in Lubbock last year, but opted to stay home and pitch for his hometown Red Raiders. So far in his freshman season, he has made eight starts and is 3-3 with a 5.21 ERA. The stellar control he flashed in high school – 109 strikeouts against 11 walks his senior year – hasn’t yet carried over. He has 28 strikeouts and 22 walks this season.

Rex Brothers – LHP – 6’0 185
Lipscomb
Sophomore
Brothers made a name for himself last year when he turned in a solid season and earned Atlantic Sun Freshman of the Year honors. He hasn’t had quite as much success this season, having gone 2-3 so far with a 5.66 ERA.

Preston Claiborne – RHP – 6’3 225
Tulane
Sophomore
Claiborne is one of three returning players returning for their second summer in Falmouth, and he should see an expanded role after putting up a 3.22 ERA in 11 relief appearances last summer. Claiborne has toyed with being a two-way player in the past but is focusing exclusively on pitching this spring for Tulane. In 13 appearances out of the bullpen, he has a 5.14 ERA.

Evan Danieli – RHP – 6’7 230
Notre Dame
Freshman
Danieli headed into his freshman season with the Irish as an intriguing prospect, but he hasn’t yet put up the numbers to match, with a 7.43 ERA in four appearances. Danieli was a 33rd-round pick out of high school but would have gone much higher if not for his strong commitment to Notre Dame.

Kyle Gibson – RHP – 6’5 180
Missouri
Sophomore
Gibson entered his first summer on the Cape as a relative unknown but became one of the league’s best pitchers and emerged as one of the top prospects for the 2009 draft. When he returns for his second summer, he’ll have scouts watching his every move. So far this spring, Gibson hasn’t disappointed and is 6-0 with a 2.63 ERA.

Nate Karns – RHP – 6’3 210
Texas Tech
Sophomore
A transfer from North Carolina State, Karns brought big credentials with him to Lubbock. He was a 10th-round pick out of high school and had a 2.67 ERA in eight starts for the Wolfpack last year. It’s been a different story this year though. In eight starts, Karns is 1-6 with a 10.12 ERA.

Dan Klein – RHP – 6’3 190
UCLA
Freshman
Klein was a 24th-round pick out of high school and came into the UCLA program as a highly-touted recruit. He’s posted some solid numbers so far (13 strikeouts, one walk) but his ERA is hovering around seven, thanks largely to the 25 hits he’s allowed in 15 innings.

Travis Lawler – RHP – 6’2 170
Florida
Freshman
One of the best pitchers in Texas high school ball last year, Lawler was picked in the 34th round of the draft. With Florida so far this season, Lawler has a 2-0 record with a 5.09 ERA in three starts and 10 total appearances

Aaron Loup – LHP – 6’0 185
Tulane
Sophomore
Loup pitched out of the bullpen as a freshman for the Green Wave and he’s moved into a starting role this year, with mixed results. He’s 2-3 in seven starts with a 5.09 ERA. Loup pitched last summer in the Clark Griffith Collegiate Baseball League, and was named the league’s top prospect by Baseball America.

Jorge Reyes – RHP – 6’5 175
Oregon State
Sophomore
Reyes made headlines as a freshman last year when he emerged as the ace of the staff and lifted Oregon State to its second consecutive College World Series title. He was also the CWS Most Outstanding Player. But Reyes has hit a rough patch this spring, posting a 6.38 ERA in eight starts for the Beavers, who have likewise struggled to a 16-12 record.

Tanner Robles – LHP – 6’4 200
Oregon State
Freshman
A tall lefty with loads of potential, Robles was a 14th-round pick out of high school, but still opted to head to Corvallis. He’s lived up to the hype so far, with a 3.50 ERA and a .150 batting average against in five appearances.

Nate Striz – RHP – 6’2 237
North Carolina
Freshman
A fifth-round pick of the Twins, Striz came to North Carolina as one of the highest unsigned picks in the 2007 draft. Working exclusively out of the bullpen, he hasn’t disappointed. In 16 appearances, Striz has two saves, an ERA of 1.00 and 22 strikeouts in 18 innings.

Nick Tepesch – RHP – 6’5 219
Missouri
Freshman
Tepesch was Missouri’s Gatorade Player of the Year in his senior season and though he stood little chance of cracking the Tigers’ deep pitching rotation, he has pitched well out of the bullpen. In 12 appearances, he has a 4.20 ERA.

Tommy Toledo – RHP – 6’3 185
Florida
Freshman
Based strictly on draft position last year, Toledo is the best of Falmouth’s talented crop of freshman pitchers, and his numbers are there to match. A third-round pick out of high school, Toledo has a 4-3 record with a 3.38 ERA in eight starts, all that despite walking one more than he’s struck out.

Ben Tootle – RHP – 6’0 170
Jacksonville St.
Sophomore
Tootle was a member of the Ohio Valley Conference All-Freshman team last year. This season, he has a 5.18 ERA but 51 strikeouts in 48.2 innings of work.

Position Players
Trevor Coleman – C – 6’1 210 – Missouri – Sophomore
Michael Thomas – C – 6’4 220 – Southern – Freshman
Andrew Clark – 1B – 6’2 215 – Louisville – Sophomore
Brian Fletcher – INF – 6’1 185 – Auburn – Freshman
Hunter Morris – INF – 6’4 205 – Auburn – Freshman
Garret Nash – 2B – 5’10 170 – Oregon State – Freshman
Kevin Nolan – INF – 6’2 196 – Winthrop – Sophomore
A.J. Pollock – 3B/OF – 6’1 200 – Notre Dame – Sophomore
Diego Seastrunk – INF – 5’10 180 – Rice – Sophomore
*Joey Wong – INF – 5’10 160 – Oregon State – Sophomore
Gabe Cohen – OF – 6’2 205 – UCLA – Sophomore
Tim Fedroff – OF – 5’11 191 – North Carolina – Sophomore
Ryan Jones – OF – 6’0 185 – Wichita State – Sophomore
* returning player

Trevor Coleman – C – 6’1 210
Missouri
Sophomore
Coleman posted an impressive freshman season last year, so impressive that he was named the Big 12 Freshman of the Year after hitting .282 with nine home runs. This season, his average has remained about the same but he has yet to hit a home run through 35 games.

Michael Thomas – C – 6’4 220
Southern
Sophomore
Thomas plays catcher for Southern, and I know absolutely nothing else because Southern’s web site is terrible.

Andrew Clark – 1B – 6’2 215
Louisville
Sophomore
Clark played last year at Ole Miss before transferring to Louisville. Despite not finishing the year at Ole Miss, Clark did come to the Cape, but only played 10 games for Bourne. Still, Clark is a solid left-handed bat with a lot of upside, and this year for the Cardinals, he’s hitting .342 with three home runs.

Brian Fletcher – INF – 6’1 185
Auburn
Freshman
One of two Auburn freshmen on the Falmouth roster, Fletchers has stepped into a starting role for the Tigers and has done well. In 39 games, he’s hitting .299 with three home runs. He has played mostly in the outfield.

Hunter Morris – INF – 6’4 205
Auburn
Freshman
The left-handed hitting first baseman was a second-round pick (84th overall) last year, making him the highest unsigned high schooler in the draft. He hasn’t disappointed in his freshman season. He’s leading the Tigers with a .362 batting average, 10 home runs and 40 RBI. Morris may be one of the leading candidates for SEC Freshman of the Year honors.

Garret Nash – 2B – 5’10 170
Oregon State
Freshman
Nash wasn’t too far behind Morris in last year’s draft, where he ended up being a fourth-round pick. He stuck with Oregon State, and so far this season, he’s hitting .296 with one home run.


Kevin Nolan – INF – 6’2 196
Winthrop
Sophomore
Nolan, a New Hampshire native, will return to New England for the summer in the midst of a solid career at Winthrop. After starting all season as a freshman, mostly at shortstop, Nolan has become the team’s top hitter this year. His average stands at .337 and he has 13 doubles.

A.J. Pollock – 3B/OF – 6’1 200
Notre Dame
Sophomore
Pollock was an all-Big East pick as a freshman and excelled in the NECBL last summer, where he was fourth in the league with a .348 batting average. This season, he leads the Irish with a .397 batting average and 33 RBI. He’s played mostly in the outfield after starting at third last year.

Diego Seastrunk – INF – 5’10 180
Rice
Sophomore
After a good freshman season for the Owls, Seastrunk never quite got his feet under him on the Cape last summer, hitting .243 in limited time for Y-D. That was partially due to a late arrival from the College World Series, but even if he’s late again this summer, don’t expect a repeat performance. He’s leading the Owls in hitting this year with a .363 average.

Joey Wong – INF – 5’10 160
Oregon State
Sophomore
Wong made a big impact on the national champion Beavers as a freshman, and made his presence felt on the Cape as well. His arrival stabilized Falmouth’s lineup last summer, and he ended up hitting .252 while playing an outstanding defensive shortstop. This season, Wong is hitting .263 for Oregon State.

Gabe Cohen – OF – 6’2 205
UCLA
Sophomore
Cohen was named a Freshman All-American by Baseball America last year after hitting .345. He also was Co-Newcomer of the Year in the Pac 10. This season hasn’t been quite so good, with Cohen hitting just .220 through 32 games. He does have seven home runs.

Tim Fedroff – OF – 5’11 191
North Carolina
Sophomore
Fedroff started from day one last year and finished second on the team in batting average. He’s picked up right where he left off this season and has put up All-American type numbers. Through 42 games, he has a .398 average and nine home runs.

Ryan Jones – OF – 6’0 185
Wichita State
Sophomore
His freshman stats weren’t very good, but Jones has turned things around completely in his sophomore season. With a regular starting gig, he’s hit .340 with two home runs.

BOURNE BRAVES
Manager: Harvey Shapiro
Last Season: 25-17-2

Last year, I printed out every team’s roster right as the season began. Things always change, of course, so if a team updated its roster online, I would print it out. If a team didn’t, I would write in the new names on the original print-out.

And there was a lot of ink on the Bourne roster. Of the 23 players on the original roster, only 15 of them became regular contributors. Some never made it at all and some came but left quickly. Either way, the Braves were scrambling, more so than any other team.

But they did alright.

The Braves finished the regular season with the best record in the Western division thanks largely to contributions from temporary players-turned-regulars like Ben Guez and T.J. Hose and a strong pitching staff headed by Rick Zagone and D.J. Mitchell. Bourne ended up losing in the Western division playoffs, but just being there made it a pretty special season.

The Braves will try to build on last summer with a team that will be, at once, the least experienced and most experienced on the Cape. Least because not a single player returns from last year. Most because 20 of 26 on the current roster will be coming off their sophomore season.

It should make for an interesting dynamic, and judging from the looks of this roster, it should work out just fine. The Braves have a lot of talent, headed by Rice pitcher Ryan Berry, who was supposed to be a Brave before heading for Team USA. Berry may end up being one of the top pitchers in the nation this season.

A big SEC connection should also held the Braves. Ole Miss’ Jordan Henry was the SEC freshman of the year last season, and he’ll be joined by teammate Nathan Baker, one of the conference’s top freshmen. Mississippi State’s Brandon Turner also brings big credentials.

And though there aren’t many freshmen, pitchers Zach Kenyon, Drew Pomeranz and Bob Revesz and outfielder Rafael Thomas look like good ones.

Roster Rundown

Returning players: 0
Sophomores: 20
Freshmen : 6

Notable

• Rafael Thomas may end up being the fastest player on the Cape this summer. At a high school All-American game last year, the Oklahoma State frosh won the fastest-to-first competition in 3.67 seconds. For a reference-point, a “fast” runner gets to first in four seconds or less.
• If you’re not familiar with Ryan Berry, check out his profile. He doesn’t look like a baseball player, but neither does Greg Maddux.
• Nearly a third of the players on the roster hail from SEC schools
• Coastal Carolina’s Nick McCully looks like he could become the Braves’ closer
• The pitching staff is pretty right-hand heavy, and the only four lefties all have the makeup of starters, not relievers
• The Citadel’s Richard Jones looks like the early favorite to be Bourne’s starting catcher, and if he hits like he did his freshman year, he’ll open some eyes
• Zack Kenyon, Drew Pomeranz and Bob Revesz look like quite a trio of freshmen pitchers – all three have projectable size and were drafted out of high school
• Thirteen players will have college teammates with them in Bourne
• The Braves don’t have many freshman, but five of the six were drafted out of high school

Five Players I’m Excited to See
1. Ryan Berry
2. Jordan Henry
3. Brandon Turner
4. Nathan Baker
5. Richard Jones

Pitchers
Ryan Allen – RHP – 6’2 195 – Missouri – Sophomore
Nathan Baker – LHP – 6’3 205 – Mississippi – Sophomore
Ryan Berry – RHP – 6’1 195 – Rice – Sophomore
Victor Black – RHP – 6’4 190 – Dallas Baptist – Sophomore
Tyler Blandford – RHP – 6’2 199 – Oklahoma St. – Sophomore
Mike Bolsinger – RHP – 6’2 200 – Arkansas – Sophomore
Ricky Bowen – RHP – 6’3 178 – Mississippi St. – Sophomore
Justin Grimm – RHP – 6’4 170 – Georgia – Freshman
Zach Kenyon – RHP – 6’6 190 – Iowa – Freshman
Nick McCully – RHP – 5’11 180 – Coastal Carolina – Sophomore
Eric Pettis – RHP – 6’2 195 – UC-Irvine – Sophomore
Drew Pomeranz – LHP – 6’5 220 – Mississippi – Freshman
Nate Reed – LHP – 6’3 180 – Pittsburgh – Sophomore
Bob Revesz – LHP – 6’4 190 – Louisville – Freshman

(Note: The player’s name is linked to his school bio. If there’s no link, that means I couldn’t find a bio)

Ryan Allen – RHP – 6’2 195
Missouri
Sophomore
Three Missouri pitchers had tremendous summers on the Cape last year, and Allen will try to follow in their footsteps. Allen pitched in 11 games his freshman year at Missouri, mostly out of the bullpen. He struck out 15 in 14.1 innings.

Nathan Baker – LHP – 6’3 205
Mississippi
Sophomore
Baker was named a Louisville Slugger Freshman All-American after posting a 6-2 record and a 3.94 ERA as a starter for the Rebels. In high school, Baker was rated as one of the top 150 players in the country by Baseball America.

Ryan Berry – RHP – 6’1 195
Rice
Sophomore
Berry wasn’t heavily recruited but he burst onto the scene in his freshman year for Rice, eventually becoming the team’s ace and turning in numbers that put him into All-American categories, not just Freshman All-American categories. He finished the year with an 11-3 record, a 3.01 ERA and 125 strikeouts against just 34 walks. He originally signed on to play for Bourne last summer, but went on to pitch for Team USA.

Victor Black – RHP – 6’4 190
Dallas Baptist
Sophomore
Black was among the top high school pitchers in Texas and was a 41st-round pick in the 2006 draft. Last year at Dallas Baptist, he had a 5-5 record with 4.86 ERA and 91 strikeouts.

Tyler Blandford – RHP – 6’2 199
Oklahoma St.
Sophomore
Blandford was a 34th-round pick out of Daviess County high school in Owensboro, Ky., before enrolling at Oklahoma State. Last year for the Cowboys, he pitched in 11 games and posted a 3.52 ERA. He should step into a bigger role this season.

Mike Bolsinger – RHP – 6’2 200
Arkansas
Sophomore
Bolsinger heads to Arkansas this year after spending his freshman season at Grayson Community College. After high school in Alabama, Bolsinger was a 34th-round draft pick.

Ricky Bowen – RHP – 6’3 178
Mississippi St.
Sophomore
Bowen is expected to be the Bulldogs’ third starter this season. In his freshman year, Bowen pitched in 27 games, all out of the bullpen, and finished the season with a 3.00 ERA in 36 innings pitched. He was named a Louisville Slugger Freshman All-American.

Justin Grimm – RHP – 6’4 170
Georgia
Freshman
Grimm hails from Bristol, Va., where he bounced back from an injury his junior season to post a big campaign in his senior year of high school. He went 9-1 with a 1.48 ERA and was drafted in the 13th round by the Boston Red Sox.

Zach Kenyon – RHP – 6’6 190
Iowa
Freshman
Kenyon was a ninth-round pick last year but opted to attend Iowa, making himself one of the most highly-touted recruits in Hawkeyes history. The righty from Davenport, Iowa, went 10-2 his senior year of high school. His size alone makes him someone to watch.

Nick McCully – RHP – 5’11 180
Coastal Carolina
Sophomore
McCully emerged as Coastal’s closer last year in his freshman season, and he excelled in that role. He finished with a 3.48 ERA. As a two-way player in high school, McCully was a first-team all-state pick in Florida.

Eric Pettis – RHP – 6’2 195
UC-Irvine
Sophomore
In his freshman season, Pettis started seven games but also came out of the bullpen and finished second on the team in total appearances. For the year, he went 4-0 with a 4.53 ERA in helping the Anteaters to the College World Seris.

Drew Pomeranz – LHP – 6’5 220
Mississippi
Freshman
Pomeranz was a preseason All-American heading into his senior year of high school in Collierville, Tenn. The tall lefty was also drafted in the 12th round by the Texas Rangers, so he brings some lofty credentials into his freshman year with the Rebels.

Nate Reed – LHP – 6’3 180
Pittsburgh
Sophomore
Reed was a weekend starter in his first season with the Panthers and he delivered solid numbers. He finished the year with a 4.17 ERA and 60 strikeouts in 82 innings. Reed also gave up a team-low 19 extra-base hits.

Bob Revesz – LHP – 6’4 190
Louisville
Freshman
Revesz is one of two freshman lefties from Louisville set to play on the Cape, joining teammate Dean Kiekhefer, who’s slated to play in Wareham. Revesz is a projectable lefty who should make an immediate impact with the Cardinals and on the Cape.

Position Players
Tyson Blaser – C – 6’2 205 – Iowa – Sophomore
Richard Jones – C – 6’0 210 – The Citadel – Sophomore
Tyler Cannon – INF/C – 6’0 180 – Virginia – Sophomore
Dusty Coleman – INF – 6’2 185 – Wichita St. – Sophomore
Austin Knight – INF – 5’10 170 – Dallas Baptist – Sophomore
Kyle Roller – INF – 6’1 249 – East Carolina – Sophomore
Brandon Turner – INF – 6’0 188 – Mississippi St. – Sophomore
Ross Wilson – INF – 6’1 190 – Alabama – Freshman
Jordan Henry – OF – 6’0 160 – Mississippi – Sophomore
Jamie Johnson – OF – 5’8 185 – Oklahoma – Sophomore
Sean Madigan – OF – 5’11 185 – UC Irvine – Sophomore
Rafael Thomas – OF/INF – 5’8 171 – Oklahoma St. – Freshman

Tyson Blaser – C – 6’2 205
Iowa
Sophomore
Blaser filled a backup role for the Hawkeyes as a freshman, seeing action in 10 games. In high school, Blaser was a two-time all-state pick in Illinois.

Richard Jones – C – 6’0 210
The Citadel
Sophomore
Jones was named a Freshman All-American last year after hitting .335 with 15 home runs and 61 RBI. Those are outstanding offensive numbers for a catcher, so it appears Jones has the potential for big things.

Tyler Cannon – INF/C – 6’0 180
Virginia
Sophomore
Cannon played mostly at shortstop for the Cavaliers in his freshman season and bounced back from a slow start to hit .279 for the year and .294 in conference play.

Dusty Coleman – INF – 6’2 185
Wichita St.
Sophomore
Coleman spent most of his freshman season as the Shockers’ starting shortstop. For the year, he hit .264 with two home runs and 19 RBI. He also had 15 multi-hit games. In high school, Coleman was a two-time all-state selection in South Dakota.

Austin Knight – INF – 5’10 170
Dallas Baptist
Sophomore
Knight started at shortstop from day one for the Patriots and put up a big freshman season. He hit .338, with 12 doubles and 43 RBI. Those numbers were good enough to earn him Freshman All-American honors.

Kyle Roller – INF – 6’1 249
East Carolina
Sophomore
Roller follows in the footsteps of ECU pitcher T.J. Hose, who came to Bourne last year without much hype and ended up being an all-star. Roller, a DH/1B type, hit .306 last year and tied for the team lead in home runs with 11.

Brandon Turner – INF – 6’0 188
Mississippi St.
Sophomore
Turner battled his future Bourne teammate Jordan Henry for SEC Freshman of the Year honors, and though he ended up losing out, he still enters his sophomore season as one of the nation’s top second basemen. Last year, Turner hit .399 with three home runs, 13 doubles and 48 RBI.

Ross Wilson – INF – 6’1 190
Alabama
Freshman
Wilson is perhaps best known for his starring role in the MTV show Two-A-Days, which chronicled a football season at Hoover high school in Alabama, where Wilson was the starting quarterback. Wilson was a two-sport start all the while, though, and ended up signing on to play baseball for the Tide. Wilson’s brother, John Parker, stuck with football and is Alabama’s starting quarterback.

Jordan Henry – OF – 6’0 160
Mississippi
Sophomore
Henry was a Freshman All-American and the SEC Freshman of the Year last season. He hit .376 and was an on-base machine, reaching safely in 62 of 65 games. He’s been named to the Brooks Wallace Award Watch List for 2008.

Jamie Johnson – OF – 5’8 185
Oklahoma
Sophomore
Johnson played last season at Texarkana Junior College, where he hit .471 with 21 stolen bases. He was a third-team JUCO All-American. Out of high school, Johnson was a 50th-round pick.

Sean Madigan – OF – 5’11 185
UC Irvine
Sophomore
A Ping Freshman All American, Madigan was one of the driving forces behind Irvine’s run to Omaha. He hit .333 for the year, fifth on the team.

Rafael Thomas – OF/INF – 5’8 171
Oklahoma St.
Freshman
Thomas made a strong first impression in the fall for the Cowboys, leading the team in hits and making a case to become an immediate contributor. The speedy outfielder was highly-recruited out of high school in Lufkin, Texas, choosing the Cowboys over Miami, Arizona State and Texas. He was a member of the 2006 USA Baseball Junior National Team and was a 31st-round pick out of high school.

(This is the first installment in a series of early looks at 2008 Cape League rosters. I’m starting with Wareham and moving from West to East, hopefully posting one every week or so, depending on when remaining unreleased rosters get released. Keep in mind, this is an “early look,” so much will change before June 13. If you think any other information should be included, feel free to leave a comment and let me know. Also, these things are going to be extremely long, so consider yourself forewarned.)

WAREHAM GATEMEN
Manager: Cooper Farris
Last Season: 15-29
Roster

Typically thought of as one of the top franchises on the Cape, Wareham had an uncharacteristically bad year in 2007. A slow start set the Gatemen back, and they never really recovered. With several returning players struggling – especially at the plate – Wareham scored the fewest runs in the league. The pitching staff ended up putting up decent numbers when all was said and done, but it was too much of an uphill battle.

The good news for the Gatemen is that several bright spots from an otherwise tough summer are expected back on the Cape in 2008. That list is headed by LSU outfielder Blake Dean and Oklahoma State pitcher Andy Oliver. Both were among the top freshmen in the league. Dean hit .250 with four home runs and 15 RBI, while Oliver went 1-1 on the mound with a 1.41 ERA. He was also among the league leaders in strikeouts with 54.

The lineup should also be bolstered by three returning players who will be looking for more consistency in their second Cape League summers. Both Dustin Dickerson (Baylor) and Russ Moldenhauer (Texas) were highly-touted freshmen who had decent but not great seasons last year. Both will be back, as will catcher Josh Phegley (Indiana), who was putting together an all-star season before punching a dugout wall and breaking his hand.

As for the pitching staff, with Oliver, Dallas Keuchel (Arkansas) and Kendal Volz (Baylor) all back for a second summer, the starting rotation is solid at the top. If Vanderbilt lefty Mikie Minor makes it to the Cape this year after going with Team USA last summer, Wareham’s rotation will be positively fearsome.

We should also keep an eye on what happens with three non-roster invitees – Ike Davis (Arizona St.), Diallo Fon (Arizona) and Riley Boening (Texas). All three have played for the Gatemen in past summers and are major prospects. They’ll likely be high-draft picks in June, but if they don’t go as high as they’d like, they may end up in Wareham looking to raise their stock.

I’m going to shy away from really trying to define teams at this point because so much can and will change, but I will say this. After putting this thing together, I think the Gatemen are flat-out stacked, especially in the freshman class.

Notable

• The Gatemen have seven left-handed pitchers, which kind of seems like a lot
• Also, 13 freshmen seems like a lot
• Wareham has three players from Vanderbilt and three from Texas – two pretty good pipelines
• Oklahoma State’s Andy Oliver was one of the top strikeout pitchers in the league last year but also walked a lot of people
• Andy Oliver was still rated the league’s No. 10 prospect by Baseball America
• Vanderbilt pitcher Mikie Minor was one of the top freshmen in the nation last year, and may develop into one of the top prospects for the 2009 draft
• If both Oliver and Minor make it to Wareham, I can’t imagine there’d be a better pitching duo in the league than that one
• The Gatemen have some freshmen with a lot of hype – both Brandon Workman and Derek Dietrich were third-round picks in the 2007 draft but opted to attend school; Brett Eibner was a fourth-round pick
• Rice freshman Rick Hague and Tulane freshman Robby Broach aren’t far behind those two in terms of being highly-touted
• Mike Seander may end up being a starter for Duke this year, but he was a closer last year and in the summer, so he could potentially do the same for the Gatemen
• Four of nine spots in Wareham’s lineup could potentially be filled by returnees – Josh Phegley at catcher, Dustin Dickerson at first and Blake Dean and Russ Moldenhauer in the outfield

Five Players I’m Excited to See
1. Mikie Minor
2. Andy Oliver
3. Brandon Workman
4. Derek Dietrich
5. Blake Dean

Roster Rundown

Returning players: 7
Sophomores: 15
Freshmen : 13

Pitchers
*Matt Bashore – LHP – 6’3 200 – Indiana – Sophomore
Ben Blanton –LHP – 6’1 195 – Vanderbilt – Freshman
Zach Brewster – LHP – 6’0 175 – Georgia Tech – Freshman
Robby Broach – RHP/3B – 6’1 195 – Tulane – Freshman
*Dallas Keuchel – LHP – 6’3 200 – Arkansas – Sophomore
Dean Kiekhefer – LHP – 6’0 160 – Louisville – Freshman
Mikie Minor – LHP – 6’4 195 – Vanderbilt – Sophomore
*Andy Oliver – LHP – 6’4 210 – Oklahoma St. – Sophomore
Max Perlman – RHP – 6’6 215 – Harvard – Sophomore
Mike Seander – RHP – 6’3 215 – Duke – Sophomore
Josh Slaats – RHP – 6’5 210 – Hawaii – Freshman
*Kendal Volz – RHP – 6’4 225 – Baylor – Sophomore
Brandt Walker – RHP – 6’2 180 – Stanford – Sophomore
Brandon Workman – RHP – 6’5 225 – Texas – Freshman
* returning player

(Note: The player’s name is linked to his school bio. If there’s no link, that means I couldn’t find a bio)

Matt Bashore – LHP – 6’3 200
Indiana
Sophomore
Bashore had a solid freshman season for the Hoosiers, posting a 4.33 ERA and a 4-7 record. He led all starters with 50 strikeouts. Bashore pitched one inning for the Gatemen last year.

Ben Blanton – LHP – 6’1 195
Vanderbilt
Freshman
A late signee with the Commodores, Blanton was one of the top players in Georgia his senior year in Alpharetta. He set the school single-season record in ERA and saves.

Zach Brewster – LHP – 6’0 175
Georgia Tech
Freshman
Brewster was one of the top 50 high school players in the country last year according to Perfect Game Crosschecker. He was also ranked as the No. 74 draft prospect. He had a 1.55 ERA and a school record 127 strikeouts his senior year.

Robby Broach – RHP/3B – 6’1 195
Tulane
Freshman
Broach comes to Tulane as a highly-touted two-way player. At Archbishop Rummel high school in Louisiana, Broach earned All-America honors and was ranked by Baseball America as the No. 23 prospect in the nation. Tulane assistant Mark Kingston spoke glowingly: “His stuff is way beyond his years. He has a fastball that consistently reaches into the mid-90s and a hard breaking curveball. Look for Robby to make an immediate impact on our pitching staff.”

Dallas Keuchel – LHP – 6’3 200
Arkansas
Sophomore
After posting a 5.88 ERA for the Razorbacks in his freshman year, Keuchel turned in a solid summer on the Cape. He went 2-4, but had a 3.20 ERA and 46 strikeouts to 14 walks in 59 innings. Keuchel is expected to be a key piece in a rebuilt Arkansas rotation this season.

Dean Kiekhefer – LHP – 6’0 160
Louisville
Freshman
A dominant lefty at Oldham County high school outside Louisville, Kiekhefer is bringing big credentials into his freshman year at Louisville. In his junior season, he went 9-0 with a .24 ERA and 119 strikeouts in 58 innings. He was ranked as the top pitcher in Kentucky his senior season and was drafted in the 37th round by the Cleveland Indians.

Mikie Minor – LHP – 6’4 195
Vanderbilt
Sophomore
A highly-touted recruit two years ago, Minor delivered in a big way last year for the Commodores, going 9-1 with a 3.09 ERA and 88 strikeouts in 90.1 innings. He was the SEC Freshman of the Year and was tabbed as a Freshman All-American by just about everybody. He pitched for Team USA in the summer and went 5-2 with a 1.64 ERA. He struck out 33 and walked just four. A preseason All-American for 2008, Minor was called Vandy’s next great lefthander by coach Tim Corbin. That means a lot considering the Commodores have had David Price and Jeremy Sowers in recent years.

Andy Oliver – LHP – 6’4 210
Oklahoma St.
Sophomore
Oliver didn’t have a spectacular first season for the Cowboys, but he followed with a pretty spectacular first summer on the Cape. Rated as the 10th-best prospect in the league by Baseball America, Oliver was Wareham’s top pitcher. He struck out 54 in 44 innings. Depending on what happens with a few other players, Oliver could end up being the Cape’s top returning pitcher.

Max Perlman – RHP – 6’6 215
Harvard
Sophomore
Perlman was Harvard’s top pitcher in 2007, going 5-1 with a 2.91 ERA. He played for the Vermont Mountaineers of the New England Collegiate Baseball League last summer and was their top pitcher as well. He finished the summer with a 4-3 record and a 1.73 ERA. He struck out 44 and walked just eight in 52 innings. Oddly, he’s not listed on the roster at Harvard as I’m writing this.

Mike Seander – RHP – 6’3 215
Duke
Sophomore
Seander was the Gatorade Player of the Year in Rhode Island two years ago and headed south to pitch for the Blue Devils. He became the team’s closer early on and excelled in that role. He also served as the closer for the Newport Gulls of the NECBL last summer and was an all-star.

Josh Slaats – RHP – 6’5 210
Hawaii
Freshman
A top prospect out of California high school in San Ramon, Calif., Slaats heads to Honolulu with high expectations. The Rainbows have a strong group of returning pitchers, but Slaats may push for a spot in the rotation.

Kendal Volz – RHP – 6’4 225
Baylor
Sophomore
One of the headliners of a highly-ranked recruiting class two years ago, Volz didn’t have a great spring for the Bears and battled some inconsistency for Wareham in the summer as well, finishing with a 4.83 ERA. The fact that he struck out 50 in 50.1 innings speaks to the potential that Volz will be trying to tap this spring and summer.

Brandt Walker – RHP – 6’2 180
Stanford
Sophomore
Walker was a 21st-round pick out of high school in 2006, but had a rough first season for the Cardinal. He ended up not pitching much, and didn’t come to the Cape, even though he was on Wareham’s early roster. I’m not sure if there was an injury there or what, but the Gatemen clearly think highly enough of him to try again.

Brandon Workman – RHP – 6’5 225
Texas
Freshman
Workman was one of the highest unsigned draft choices from the 2007 draft. Texas and Wareham should benefit greatly. Workman was a third-round pick after a high school season in which he struck out 171 and walked only 12 in 76 innings. Named one of the top 10 freshman to watch by Rivals.com, he could end up being one of the nation’s top freshmen pitchers.

Position Players
Cole Leonida – C – 6’2 220 – Georgia Tech – Freshman
Buddy Monroe – C – 5’10 185 – Miami – Sophomore
*Josh Phegley – C – 5’10 200 – Indiana – Sophomore
Raynor Campbell – 3B/SS – 5’11 185 – Baylor – Sophomore
*Dustin Dickerson – 1B/OF – 6’4 210 – Baylor – Sophomore
Derek Dietrich – SS/RHP – 6’1 195 – Georgia Tech – Freshman
Rick Hague – SS/2B – 6’2 185 – Rice – Freshman
Jake Lemmerman – SS/2B – 6’2 180 – Duke – Freshman
*Blake Dean – OF – 6’2 195 – LSU – Sophomore
Brett Eibner – OF /RHP – 6’3 195 – Arkansas – Freshman
*Russ Moldenhauer – OF – 5’11 205 – Texas – Sophomore
Connor Rowe – OF – 5’11 180 – Texas – Freshman
Kipp Schutz – OF – 6’4 200 – Indiana – Freshman
Steve Liddle – OF – 6’1 200 – Vanderbilt – Freshman
* returning player

Cole Leonida – C – 6’2 220
Georgia Tech
Freshman
Leonida was an All-American at Grandview high school in Aurora, Colo., where he was also tabbed as the top player in the state. Leonida could compete for the starting job behind the plate this spring for the Yellow Jackets.

Buddy Munroe – C – 5’10 185
Florida
Sophomore
Munroe spent his freshman year at Clemson before transferring to Florida. In high school in Miami, Munroe was an all-state performer and was ranked as the state’s 20th-best prospect by Perfect Game.

Josh Phegley – C – 5’10 200
Indiana
Sophomore
Phegley became a starter immediately for the Hoosiers last year and didn’t have a great season, finishing the year with a .232 average. But he got off to a hot start on the Cape for the Gatemen and was named an all-star. Unfortunately, he injured his hand when he punched a dugout wall in frustration, thus ending his season. He’s all healed up now and poised for a big sophomore season.

Raynor Campbell – 3B/SS – 5’11 185
Baylor
Sophomore
Campbell was one of the Bears’ top hitters as a freshman last season, finishing the year with a .321 average and five home runs. That earned him Freshman All-American honors. He spent the summer playing for Rochester in the Northwoods League.

Dustin Dickerson – 1B/OF – 6’4 210
Baylor
Sophomore
After being a 15th-round pick out of high school and hitting .292 as a freshman for Baylor, Dickerson didn’t have the greatest summer for the Gatemen, finishing with a .215 average, one home run and eight RBI. There’s a pretty good chance he’ll improve on those numbers this summer.

Derek Dietrich – SS/RHP – 6’1 195
Georgia Tech
Freshman
Dietrich was a third-round pick of the Astros in the 2007 draft but opted to enroll at Georgia Tech. His senior year at St. Ignatius high school in Cleveland, Dietrich racked up the honors – All-American, Ohio Player of the Year and the top draft prospect in Ohio. He also played in the prestigious Aflac All-American game in 2006. Dietrich’s career batting average was .425, and he also finished high school with a 4.2 GPA. He’s expected to start immediately for the Yellow Jackets, a program that has produced its fair share of great shortstops.

Rick Hague – SS/2B – 6’2 185
Rice
Freshman
On any other Cape League team, Hague would be the most highly-touted freshman shortstop. On this team, he’s behind Dietrich, but not too far behind. Hague was a 37th-round pick out of high school and will step in immediately for All-American Brian Friday in the Rice infield.

Jake Lemmerman – SS/2B – 6’2 180
Duke
Freshman
Wareham has the monopoly on freshman middle infielders. Lemmerman is slated to be the opening day starter at shortstop for the Blue Devils. He hails from Newport Beach, Calif., where he starred at Corona Del Mar high school.

Blake Dean – OF – 6’2 195
LSU
Sophomore
A late slump meant Dean didn’t finish quite as well as he started, but he still had a solid season for the Gatemen last summer, finishing with a .250 average and four home runs. That came after a great season for LSU, where he hit .316 en route to Freshman All-America honors. He’ll be one of the top returning hitters to the Cape this summer.

Brett Eibner – OF /RHP – 6’3 195
Arkansas
Freshman
Eibner was a fourth-round pick in the 2007 draft, so he joins his future Wareham teammates Dietrich and Workman in the group of top unsigned picks. He was a star at The Woodlands high school in Texas, one of the top programs in the state. In the draft, he was labeled as a pitcher, so that may be where his biggest upside is.

Russ Moldenhauer – OF – 5’11 205
Texas
Sophomore
Moldenhauer was one of the top unsigned picks from the 2006 draft and he turned in a solid freshman season with the Longhorns, earning a starting job and batting .278 with six home runs. Like Dickerson, Moldenhauer had what was undoubtedly a humbling experience on the Cape last summer. He hit .218 without a home run.

Connor Rowe – OF – 5’11 180
Texas
Freshman
Rowe was a top performer at Georgetown high school in Georgetown, Texas, then signed on as part of a strong-as-usual Texas recruiting class.

Kipp Schutz – OF – 6’4 200
Indiana
Freshman (Redshirt)
Schutz was a 26th-round pick out of high school and was making an immediate impact with the Hoosiers last year before suffering a season-ending shoulder injury. He was granted a medical redshirt and will be back this year.

Steve Liddle – OF – 6’1 200
Vanderbilt
Freshman (Redshirt)
Liddle was a star at Franklin high school in Brentwood, Tenn., but red-shirted last year for the Commodores. But the time off didn’t hurt him. He went to the Coastal Plains League and hit .272 with three home runs. He’s expected to make a push for playing time this season.

Long, long ago, I wanted to do a lot of wrap-up things for the ’07 summer, but it’s a little late for that now. So, instead, I’ll do a little bridging of the gap into 2008. College baseball is right around the corner and top 25 rankings are coming out of the woodwork. So I thought I’d throw my own out there, with a twist.

The following are the top 25 teams in the nation, based entirely on the 2007 Cape League season. Essentially, I’m not projecting who will be good in the college ranks as much as I’m ranking the programs according to who had the best summer on the Cape. Obviously, it’s a little skewed toward teams that sent more players to the Cape, but I think it’s kind of an interesting exercise, nonetheless.

So, without further adieu.

THE RANKINGS

1. USC
2. Missouri
3. North Carolina
4. Miami
5. South Carolina
6. California
7. NC State
8. UCLA
9. Arizona
10. Baylor
11. LSU
12. Virginia
13. Vanderbilt
14. Georgia
15. Stanford
16. Oklahoma State
17. Clemson
18. Wichita State
19. Rice
20. Florida State
21. Wake Forest
22. Notre Dame
23. Oregon State
24. Arkansas
25. Texas

TOP 10 BREAKDOWN

1. USC Trojans
Players: 6

In the end, I think this was an easy choice, even with Missouri’s pitching prowess. No other team sent this many players to the Cape and had all of them succeed. The pitchers led the way, with Milone winning the league’s top pitcher award and Cook and Boxberger turning in great summers. Couture was one of the league’s top relievers. Offensively, Green and Stock – both freshmen – were solid everyday contributors.

Hitters
Grant Green – INF/OF – Y-D – .291, 4 HR, 12 RBI, .449 SLG
Robert Stock – C – Cotuit – .228, 4 HR, 20 RBI

Pitchers
Tom Milone – SP – Chatham – 6-1, 2.92 ERA, 46 K, 7 BB
Ryan Cook – SP – Brewster – 4-1, 2.87 ERA, 43 K
Brad Boxberger – SP – Orleans – 1-0, 1.24 ERA, 26 K
Kevin Couture – RP – Chatham – 2-0, .90 ERA, 26 K

2. Missouri Tigers
Players: 5

Not a whole lot of offense, but the pitching far and away makes up for it. Though the Tigers didn’t have a reliever in the mix like USC, their three starters surpass the numbers put up by the Trojans’ three. Crow was the league’s top prospect and could have taken home top pitcher honors as well. Gibson and Zagone were both top-10 pitchers.

Hitters
Jacob Priday – OF – Brewster – .211, 2 HR, 11 RBI
Ryan Lollis – OF – Cotuit – .182, 1 HR, 12 RBI

Pitchers
Aaron Crow – SP – Falmouth – 3-1, .67 ERA, 36 K, .70 WHIP
Kyle Gibson – SP – Falmouth – 2-0, 1.17 ERA, 51 K
Rick Zagone – SP – Bourne – 4-1, 2.09 ERA, 40 K

3. North Carolina Tar Heels
Players: 7

The Tar Heels had almost as many successful players as USC but also had several who struggled. That’s bound to happen when you send this many players. In the end, even without the rough summers factored in, North Carolina’s pitching – with only one starter posting good numbers – didn’t quite measure up. Still, a great summer for the Heels. Federowicz became arguably the league’s top catcher with a late burst and Seager was a solid everyday player. White emerged as one of the top freshmen starters and Catapano and Wooten were shut-down relievers.

Hitters
Tim Federowicz – C – Chatham – .297, 1 HR, 14 RBI
Kyle Seager – 2B – Chatham – .274, 1 HR, 9 RBI
Mike Cavassini – OF – Wareham – .159, 0 HR, 4 RBI

Pitchers
Alex White – SP – Chatham – 2-1, 2.10 ERA, 31 K
Rob Catapano – RP – Orleans – 3-1, .92 ERA, 17 K
Rob Wooten – RP – Chatham – 1-0, 1.77 ERA. 32 K, 14.3 K/9
Adam Warren – SP/RP – Brewster – 0-3, 7.71 ERA, 22 K

4. Miami Hurricanes
Players: 6

So what if there’s no pitching? The Hurricanes climb this high solely because of their hitters – they were the runaway winner for best offensive team. No other program had two players as good as Raben and Alonso, and when you throw in Tekotte and Jackson, you have unprecedented solid depth as well.

Hitters
Yonder Alonso – 1B – Brewster – .338, 4 HR, 25 RBI, .468 OBP
Dennis Raben – OF – Orleans – .298, 6 HR, 35 RBI, .936 OPS
Blake Tekotte – OF – Brewster – .256, 1 HR, 16 RBI, 22 SB
Ryan Jackson – SS – Hyannis – .215, 0 HR, 15 RBI
Mark Sobolewski – 3B – Orleans – .189, 0 HR, 10 RBI
Dave Dinatale – OF – Bourne – .087, 0 HR, 1 RBI

Pitchers
None

5. South Carolina Gamecocks
Players: 5

I had the Gamecocks neck and neck with Cal for this spot but they get the edge because of their star power. Havens was one of the league’s premier hitters and Darnell was one of the top power threats. Crisp put together a solid summer for Chatham, and, on the mound, Cisco and Atwood had good numbers.

Hitters
Reese Havens – SS – Cotuit – .314, 5 HR, 25 RBI, 17 XBH
James Darnell – 3B – Hyannis – .250, 8 HR, 27 RBI
Andrew Crisp – OF – Chatham – .280, 0 HR, 7 RBI

Pitchers
Michael Cisco – SP – Cotuit – 1-5, 3.74 ERA, 29 K
Will Atwood – RP – Orleans – 4-0, 2.25 ERA, 27 K

6. California Golden Bears
Players: 6

A solid all-around summer for the Bears. Cutler, Satin and Cooper won’t get many headlines but they were regular contributors and key parts of their teams. Bennigson was a reliable starter and Gorgen was consistent out of the pen.

Hitters
Charlie Cutler – C/OF – Brewster – .271, 1 HR, 16 RBI
Josh Satin – 1B – Bourne – .255, 4 HR, 22 RBI
David Cooper – 1B/DH – Brewster – .284, 2 HR, 15 RBI
Ryan Hanlon – OF – Brewster – .246, 0 HR, 6 RBI

Pitchers
Craig Bennigson – SP – Orleans – 1-1, 3.14 ERA, 48 K
Matt Gorgen – RP – Bourne – 2-1, 2.25 ERA, 24 K

7. North Carolina State Wolfpack
Players: 5

Maybe it wasn’t a long summer but it was an impressive one for the Wolfpack. Synan was a late addition to Chatham’s roster and became one of the team’s top hitters in the final 16 games. Surkamp was well on his way to becoming one of the league’s top starters when he got a late call to Team USA. As for the guys who were around a little longer, Shunick was a consistent starter for Orleans and Brown was a top-flight reliever.

Hitters
Jeremy Synan – OF – Chatham – .388, 0 HR, 6 RBI
Marcus Jones – OF – Orleans – .219, 0 HR, 2 RBI

Pitchers
Clayton Shunick – SP – Orleans – 1-2, 2.89 ERA, 41 K
Eric Surkamp – SP – Orleans – 2-0, 1.85 ERA, 26 K
Sam Brown – RP – Orleans – 0-3, 2.86 ERA, 26 K

8. UCLA Bruins
Players: 7

The Bruins are this high primarily because of two Chatham teammates, Curtis and Brewer. Curtis was one of the top third baseman in the league and a major presence in the A’s lineup. Brewer was a reliable starter throughout the summer. The rest of the Bruins didn’t do great things, but all were major contributors anyway. Brooks was poised for a big summer, but left early.

Hitters
Jermaine Curtis – 3B – Chatham – .295, 3 HR, 24 RBI
Ryan Babineau – C – Brewster – .223, 1 HR, 13 RBI
Alden Carrithers – 2B – Orleans – .198, 1 HR, 7 RBI
Brandon Crawford – SS – Orleans – .189, 4 HR, 14 RBI

Pitchers
Charles Brewer – SP – Chatham – 2-2, 1.94 ERA, 29 K
Gavin Brooks – SP – Chatham – 0-0, 2.61 ERA, 14 K
Jason Novak – SP – Orleans – 1-1, 4.60 ERA, 15 K

9. Arizona Wildcats
Players: 6

Fon and Steele both played less than half the season but made a big impression nonetheless. Pitching-wise, Colla had a tremendous season as a starter and Perry – though his ERA never dipped down after a slow start – became one of the more dominant pitchers in the league.

Hitters
Diallo Fon – OF – Wareham – .340, 0 HR, 5 RBI
T.J. Steele – OF – Bourne – .311, 0 HR, 4 RBI
Brad Glenn – OF – Brewster – .197, 3 HR, 13 RBI
Jon Gaston – OF – Orleans – .256, 0 HR, 5 RBI

Pitchers
Mike Colla – SP – Brewster – 3-1, 1.67 ERA, 40 K
Ryan Perry – RP – Orleans – 1-2, 4.15 ERA, 30 K

10. Baylor Bears
Players: 7

The Bears had one real standout in Cassavechia, the league’s top closer, and most everybody else was solid. Weems was a tremendous defensive shortstop. In general, I think there was kind of a big drop off from Arizona in the ninth spot to Baylor here and everybody else that comes after.

Hitters
Beamer Weems – SS – Wareham – .257, 0 HR, 11 RBI
Ben Booker – OF – Wareham – .250, 0 HR, 3 RBI
Dustin Dickerson – 1B – Wareham – .215, 1 HR, 8 RBI
Gregg Glime – C – Chatham – .150, 1 HR, 8 RBI

Pitchers
Nick Cassavechia – RP – Y-D – 1-1, 1.07 ERA, 11 SV, 24 K
Cliff Springston – SP – Chatham – 1-2, 2.88 ERA, 19 K
Kendal Volz – SP – Wareham – 1-7, 4.83 ERA, 50 K

ADDITIONAL RANKINGS

Best Pitching

1. Missouri
2. USC
3. North Carolina
4. North Carolina State
5. Virginia

Best Offense
1. Miami
2. South Carolina
3. LSU
4. California
5. UCLA

Best Freshmen
1. USC
2. North Carolina
3. LSU
4. Baylor
5. Texas

That summer rewind thing I had going apparently got paused, then I got really busy. So that’s where I’ve been. If you were checking and looking for new stuff, I apologize.

I have some new stuff coming soon. I promise. And by next summer, I will be back in gear.

“People ask me what I do in winter when there’s no baseball. I’ll tell you what I do. I stare out the window and wait for spring.” — Rogers Hornsby

We can subsitute summer for spring.

I miss you, Cape League.

Baseball America released earlier this week its highly-anticipated (at least by me) Cape League Top 30 Prospects List, authored by Jim Callis. It’s subscriber content on BA’s site, but Missouri’s athletic site reprinted the whole thing. I don’t know if they were supposed to do that, but anyway, lucky us. The full list, with scouting reports, is here.

Some things of note in the top 10:

• Aaron Crow was the obvious choice at No. 1 , a guy with stuff as good or better than scouts’ darlings Luke Burnett and Ryan Perry, doing it in a starting role and putting up ridiculous numbers to match. Callis quotes a scouting director who said Crow would go No. 1 if the draft were tomorrow. That’s pretty interesting considering the hype surrounding Vandy’s Pedro Alvarez and South Carolina’s Justin Smoak, both of whom played for Team USA this summer. It goes to show how big an impression Crow made on the Cape. A lot can happen between now and June, of course, but if Crow were to go No. 1 overall, he’d be the first Cape Leaguer taken No. 1 since Pat Burrell in 1998.

• In the second spot, Yonder Alonso gets the nod, which is surprising only in that most of his stats aren’t eye-popping. But together, they give you the best all-around hitter in the league.

• Kyle Gibson and Christian Friedrich join their Falmouth teammate Crow in the top five. It’s noted that Gibson has plenty of room for added weight on his 6’5″ frame — and added velocity that should come with it. Friedrich, who struggled in front of so many scouts at the all-star game, didn’t hurt his cause much. The top lefty pitching prospect, Friedrich and his big curveball certainly turned heads.

• Robert Stock gets the nod at No. 5, which seems high for a 17-year-old freshman who hit .228. But perhaps being that young sets him apart. Stock may have been one of the top picks in the draft out of high school but enrolled a year early at USC. If this list is any indication, he’s well on his way to being a high pick in 2009. Also, keep in mind, being a catcher sets him apart. Good ones are hard to come by.

• Scott Green gets tabbed in the sixth spot, and Callis reveals that Green actually turned down an offer from the Red Sox (who drafted him in the 15th round in ’07) which I hadn’t heard about. It appears Green will make a lot more money next year, and his Cape league summer will be a big reason why.

• The second hitter on the list is Dennis Raben at No. 7. The powerful lefty apparently upped his stock a lot with the power he showed this summer.

• Luke Burnett and Ryan Perry come in at eight and nine. Both of them were relievers this summer. Both had ERA’s a bit higher than several other relievers, but they put up huge strikeout numbers and did it with mid-90’s fastballs. Based on their arms alone, you can’t argue with their high rankings.

• Andy Oliver comes in at No. 10. He was one of the more unhittable pitchers in the league and put up a couple of dominatin performances. Only a freshman, too.

Other notes:

• More proof that scouts take more than just statistics into account — league MVP Conor Gillaspie, who had a spectacular summer — comes in at No. 13. According to Callis, some scouts still question his bat, which I find ridiculous. Maybe he won’t hit for power, that I can understand. But anyone who hits .345 on the Cape can flat out hit.

• The players on the list coming off their freshman seasons: Kyle Gibson (3), Robert Stock (5), Andy Oliver (10), Alex White (14), Grant Green (18) and Brad Boxberger (24). Some of these guys will be back on the Cape next year, but they’ll also probably be among the top invites to team USA.

• Stock, Green and Boxberger are all from USC, which certainly bodes well for the Trojans.

• Brandon Crawford hit .189 but still made it at No. 25 . He was thought of as one of the top prospects in the country before the summer, and though he struggled, scouts still saw the tools. In some sense, this shows that a Cape League season can help a lot more than it hurts. As in, a good season can really open eyes, but a bad one can be glossed over. Other surprises: Shooter Hunt and Aaron Shafer, neither of whom put up great numbers on the mound.

• Though Hunt and Shafer didn’t have great summers, their inclusion on this list makes Falmouth’s pitching staff look absolutely astounding, in retrospect. The Commodores have seven pitchers on the list.

• Some guys I thought would be on the list but weren’t: Rick Zagone, Mike Colla, Jermaine Curtis, Tom Milone, Tim Federowicz, Aja Barto, Cole Figueroa, Aaron Luna, Sean Ochinko, Eddie Burns and Terry Doyle.

All-league teams have been announced. They’re available on the official site.

The biggest thing that stands out is that Gordon Beckham was picked as the all-league second baseman. He played eight games there and 30 at shortstop. So, in similar fashion to the all-star selection process, second basemen are getting pushed aside.

It makes sense in a way since second base was a thin position. Putting Beckham there allows Reese Havens to make the team, and keeps the utility infield spot open for Jermaine Curtis, who’s certainly deserving.

But David Adams was the best second baseman in the league — .302 AVG, 17 extra-base hits, 18 RBI. Doesn’t he deserve to be recognized for that?

That’s my two cents. Here’s the team:

1B – Yonder Alonso
2B – Gordon Beckham
SS – Reese Havens
3B – Conor Gillaspie
Inf. Util. – Jermaine Curtis
OF – Dennis Raben
OF – Collin Cowgill
OF – Blake Tekotte
OF – Ben Guez
C – Buster Posey
C – Robert Stock
DH – Allan Dykstra
DH – Jason Castro
SP – Tom Milone
SP – Aaron Crow
SP – Kyle Gibson
SP – D.J. Mitchell
SP – Eddie Burns
RP – Nick Cassavechia
RP – Jordan Flasher
Utility – Shane Peterson

My only question, other than the second base business: How does Dan Brewer not make this team? He hit .297 with seven home runs and 30 RBI for Hyannis. Those are all-league numbers. I guess he was just the odd man out. He played a lot of positions, so maybe that hurt him.

Anyway, that’s that. I’m in the process of selecting my own all-league teams just for the fun of it. They will include second basemen.

More summer rewind stuff coming this week.

(In lieu of one long, meandering season in review, I give you instead several snapshots spread out over the course of a few days that should, together, form a collage that my second-grade art teacher would be proud of. Here is part deux.)

Every summer, it’s the same story. Big-time player who was a big-time recruit puts up big-time numbers for big-time college, gets recruited to play in the biggest of big-time summer leagues and by mid-August, has taken a big-time fall back to earth. Whether it’s the wood bats or the pitching depth, the experience or the overall talent level, plenty of great baseball players who’ve had great springs end up having rough summers.

But it goes the other way, too, and when it does, you’re bound to get a great story.

There were a lot of great stories this summer.

Sure, there were the inevitable bad Cape seasons for players who had great college seasons. That’s always going to be the case. But quite a few players tore off the rearview mirror and colored over a bad spring with a spectacular summer.

There was Tom Milone.

The USC lefty had made a great first impression. As a true freshman, he was a weekend starter for one of the nation’s most storied programs. Naturally, he would build on it. Only he didn’t. Milone went 3-7 with a 6.17 ERA. He allowed 101 hits in 77.1 innings. But the Cape offered the chance for a turnaround and Milone ran with the opportunity. Working as Chatham’s top starter, Milone put together solid start after solid start, but somehow wasn’t picked for the all-star team. The day he found that out, he tossed a complete-game shutout, and from there he was dominant. By the end of the season, he was tied for the league lead in wins and his ERA stood at 2.92. He struck out 46 and walked only seven. Before his final start, which came in the playoffs against Y-D, Milone was presented with the league’s top pitcher award.

There was Reese Havens.

He didn’t exactly struggle for South Carolina, but for a guy who was one of the top prospects on the Cape as a freshman, his 2007 spring was a bit of a sophomore slump. Havens hit .274, eighth among South Carolina’s everyday starters. He drove in 43 runs but only hit five home runs. In Havens’ second year on the Cape, though, there was no slump. The Cotuit shortstop cemented himself as one of the league’s premier players, hitting .314 with five home runs and 25 RBI. He finished with 17 extra-base hits and a .487 slugging percentage.

There was Terry Doyle.

He was the co-winner of the Cape League’s top pitcher award in ’06, a big righthander who was a workhorse and a dominant workhorse at that. Included in his big summer was a no-hitter and a championship-clinching victory for Y-D. Doyle’s summer sent his draft stock skyrocketing, but it cam tumbling down this spring. He went 4-5 and had a 5.87 ERA for Boston College. His velocity was down, and he fell to the 21st round in the June draft. But a Cape League summer was once again to Doyle’s liking. Pitching for Y-D again, Doyle tied for the league lead in wins and finished with a 2.35 ERA, lower than last year.

And then there was Jason Castro, whose turnaround was perhaps the biggest.

He was projected to be one of Stanford’s top players, a big kid with all the tools who’d hit .283 as a freshman and .286 in the Alaska League. All the potential, though, seemed to crumble when the season began. Castro hit .167 this spring with just four extra-base hits. But he turned it all around on the Cape, starting hot and never cooling down. Playing mostly DH for the league champion Yarmouth-Dennis Red Sox, Castro was second in the league in hitting with a .341 average. He belted four home runs and drove in 24. His OPS was .922. He was an MVP candidate and might have won it if not for Conor Gillaspie’s ridiculous numbers.

Those are just a few of the examples, and together, they offer a new perspective on what a Cape League summer can mean. It’s not just a chance to confirm perceptions, to build on past success. It’s also a chance to change perceptions.

And really, it’s one of the few chances. If a sophomore coming off a bad spring has a bad summer, his junior year will be his only chance to improve his stock before the next year’s draft. That can give the summer an added sense of urgency, and with so many scouts on the Cape, it’s even more pronounced.

Players deliver not just because they have to, but also because they want to.

Everybody playing for a major college program has talent, and all the way along, they’ve been the best. The best Little Leaguer, the best player on their high school team. Most of them have rarely, if ever, struggled. To struggle on the biggest stage yet has to be tough to swallow.

It’s a motivating factor, then, to turn things around. Who’s more focused coming into a Cape League summer? The guy who hit .380 or the one who hit .187. I’m betting on the latter.

It doesn’t always work out, of course, but the fact that the Cape League offers a completely fresh start makes it more possible. It’s a new team, new parks, a new place to live, new teammates.

And most of all, it’s a new season. When struggles continue through a college season, I’d imagine they can get overwhelming. It’s tough to break out. But when the Cape League summer starts, everybody’s batting average is .000. Everybody’s ERA is 0.00. A chance to start fresh so soon after a rough season has to inspire a feeling of freedom.

It’s a valuable opportunity. Taking that opportunity and running with it can make all the diffrence.

(In lieu of one long, meandering season in review, I give you instead several snapshots spread out over the course of a few days that should, together, form a collage that my second-grade art teacher would be proud of. Thus begins part one.)

In the biggest game of Aaron Crow’s college career, the Missouri ace allowed seven runs on seven hits in just two-thirds of an inning, setting Louisville on its way to a regional championship. That was June 4. Soon after, with his season over, Crow arrived on Cape Cod, a forgettable night tattooed on his memory.

Two months later, it may not be completely forgotten.

But a summer to remember is pushing for space.

Crow, a 6’2″ right-hander from Wakarusa, Kan., authored one of the most dominant summers in recent Cape League history, and, in the process, secured his status as one of the nation’s top pro prospects.

He finished with a 3-1 record, helping Falmouth to a playoff spot and a berth in the league championship series. His ERA was .67. He allowed just 19 hits in 40.1 innings, and walked only nine, giving him a WHIP of .70. He surrendered three earned runs all summer. He struck out 36, leaving his K/9 at 8.1 and his K/BB at 4.0. Opponents hit .140 against him.

The only thing keeping him from earning the top pitcher award was his win total, but that didn’t hurt his chances for top prospect honors. Crow was undoubtedly on radar screens before this summer, but now he’s more than a blip. With his mid-90’s fastball, he was practically a shoo-in, and he joins select company. Every winner of the pro prospect award in the last 10 years has gone on to be a first, second or third round pick in the MLB draft.

That’s what lies ahead for Crow, but the things in the rearview mirror will not soon be forgotten.

The thing that strikes me most isn’t just that Crow is a great prospect, but that he’s a great prospect who turned his immense ability into tremendous on-field success. Plenty of prospects struggle on the Cape, and though it may not matter in the long run, it’s fun for the present to see a player who puts up the stats to match his talents.

Crow certainly did that.

• His .67 ERA was the sixth-lowest in the last 10 years among Cape League starting pitchers
• His performance in the all-star game — where he struck out the side in the first inning — was so overpowering that it became the biggest story of the night, and earned Crow MVP honors
• His dominant start in the first game of the playoff semis sent Falmouth cruising into the finals
• His season was amazingly consistent — he never allowed more than one run in any start
• Though he only had four decisions, Falmouth won five of his seven starts, playoffs included

In all, Crow was nothing short of spectacular, and his dominant performances were part of the fabric of the 2007 Cape League summer.

I only had the pleasure of seeing him once, when he pitched in the playoffs against Bourne. Had I not been aware of stats and awards, perhaps I wouldn’t have known what I was seeing. Just another pitcher, giving batters fits.

But I think, somehow, I would have known.

Maybe it was his confidence, the way he carried himself. Maybe it was the way every batter who struck out came back to the dugout shaking his head in disbelief or wonderment or quiet acceptance. Whatever it was, you could tell that Aaron Crow was something special.

And that, you won’t forget.

I want to give a little context to the annual Cape League awards so here’s a look at how this year’s winners compare to the winners in recent years. This isn’t intended to determine who’s better among all these players in all these different years. It’s just to understand where this year’s award-winning performances fall in the big picture.

MVP

PLAYER	CAPE TEAM	COLLEGE	AVG	HR	RBI	SLG	OBP
CONOR GILLASPIE	Falmouth ’07	Wichita St.	.345	7	22	.673	.448
Justin Smoak	Cotuit ’06	South Carolina	.286	11	27	.565	.382
Evan Longoria	Chatham ’05	Long Beach	.299	8	35	.500	.331
Daniel Carte	Falmouth ’04	Winthrop	.308	11	38	.560	.402
J.C. Holt	Brewster ’03	LSU	.388	1	9	.470	.414*
Pete Stonard	Cotuit ’02	Alabama	.348	2	27	.416	.420*

* – calculated from incomplete stats, so it’s close but not exact

There are really two types of players on the MVP list — those hitting for power and those hitting for average. In every case prior to this year, those were mutually exclusive chracteristics. Gillaspie is the only one in the last five years to break the mold. Among the power hitters, his average is by far the best. And among the average hitters — who, like Gillaspie, won batting titles and the MVP trophy — his home run total and slugging percentage are by far the highest. He’s also got the highest on-base percentage, one that puts him in a class by himself.

Really, that’s where Gillaspie was all summer. Interestingly, he had some decent competition for the MVP award from guys like Gordon Beckham and Jason Castro. But Gillaspie finished in front of them, and when you stack him up against past MVP winners, he’s even further ahead.

For those who are curious, Longoria, Carte and and Holt are all in the minor leagues, and Smoak will be a high draft pick next year.

BATTING CHAMP

PLAYER	CAPE TEAM	COLLEGE	AVG	HR	RBI	SLG	OBP
CONOR GILLASPIE	Falmouth ’07	Wichita St.	.345	7	22	.673	.448
Matt Mangini	Hyannis ’06	Okla. St.	.310	2	16	.394	.370
Chris Coghlan	Chatham ’05	Ole Miss	.346	2	22	.431	.430
Ryan Patterson	Brewster ’04	LSU	.327	5	25	.518	.348
J.C. Holt	Brewster ’03	LSU	.388	1	9	.470	.414*
Pete Stonard	Cotuit ’02	Alabama	.348	2	27	.416	.420*

* – calculated from incomplete stats, so it’s close but not exact

Again, Gillaspie’s numbers stand way out. Patterson and Coghlan both have similar average and RBI numbers — and Patterson is close in home runs — but Gillaspie is still well ahead of them in slugging, which comes from all his extra-base hits. He’s also pretty far in front in on-base percentage.

OUTSTANDING PITCHER

PLAYER	CAPE TEAM	COLLEGE	W-L	ERA	K	BB
TOM MILONE	Chatham ’07	USC	6-1	2.92	46	7
Terry Doyle	Y-D ’06	Boston College	5-1	2.89	52	23
Shaun Seibert	Brewster ’06	Arkansas	6-0	.39	36	28
Andrew Miller	Chatham ’05	North Carolina	6-0	1.65	66	23
Tim Norton	Falmouth ’05	UConn	5-1	1.77	77	15
Matt Goyen	Brewster ’04	Georgia College	5-2	1.25	80	14
Eric Beattie	Bourne ’03	Tampa	4-0	.39	51	6
Brian Rogers	Orleans ’02	Georgia Southern	4-0	.40	53	7

I really thought Falmouth’s Aaron Crow and his .67 ERA would get this award, but he ended up winning the top pro prospect award instead. I’m not sure if that had an impact on Crow not winning this one, but I know what thing that did have an impact — wins. Crow only had three, and as you can gather from looking at this list, wins are a key part of the award qualifications. I’m even tempted to say wins were the one thing that pushed Milone to the top. Of the seven starters who had ERA’s under 2.00, none of them had more than three wins. Milone’s ERA was pretty far over two but he had the wins going for him.

Terry Doyle — the co-winner last year — had as many wins as Milone and a lower ERA, but in this case, I’m guessing it was Milone’s K:BB ratio that set him apart. Doyle struck out 41 but walked 30. Milone struck out 46 and walked only seven in 52.1 innings.

(As a side note, when commissioner Paul Galop presented the award to Milone, he mentioned that the league uses 10 categories to select this award. I find this interesting. I always thought these awards were more subjective than that. Also, I can’t figure out what the 10 categories would be. W, L, ERA, K, BB, WHIP? That’s only six. I’m going to try to ask somebody what these 10 categories are.)

In comparison to past years, a lot of Milone’s numbers don’t quite match up. His ERA is the highest on this list and his strikeout total is the second-lowest. Perhaps this lends credence to the idea that this was a down year for pitching on the Cape. Nobody had a year like Goyen, who struck out 80 or a year like Beattie and Seibert, who had .39 ERA’s.

But I don’t want to take anything away from Milone. He was very impressive when I saw him, and he has a bright future ahead of him.

As for the futures of some of the guys on this list, Miller was a top-10 pick last year and is in the big leagues, Doyle will be back to Boston College next year, and Seibert was a projected as a high pick befor an injury. Norton, Goyen, Beattie and Rogers are all in the minor leagues. Rogers is in Triple A in the Pittsburgh organization as a reliever.


OUTSTANDING RELIEF PITCHER

PLAYER	CAPE TEAM	COLLEGE	ERA	SV	K	BB
NICK CASSAVECHIA	Y-D ’07	Baylor	1.07	11	24	3
Josh Fields	Y-D ’06	Georgia	2.55	13	27	5
Steven Wright	Orleans ’05	Hawaii	.63	12	41	12
Kevin Whelan	Wareham ’04	Texas A&M	.42	11	31	6
Jarrett Santos	Brewster ’03	UNC-Greensboro	1.42	11	27	12
Zane Carlson	Chatham ’02	Baylor	3.13	12	36	11
Shaun Marcum	Harwich ’02	SW Missouri	1.48	10	31	4

If you lead the league in saves, you’re probably winning this award. Everybody on this list other than Marcum — who was a co-winner — finished with the most saves. Cassavechia’s numbers are comparabale to everybody on the list. He may have had the fewest K’s but he also had the fewst walks and a K/BB ratio of 8.00, better than anybody on the list.

Cape League closers are always an interesting group. Some of them are big-time prospects with big arms but not enough stamina to be starters. Others are future starters trying to save their arms in the summer. Others are closers by trade, and a lot of them seem to be guys who aren’t very tall or very big but who seem to fit a certain mold. Plenty of those great college closer types — like Chad Cordero and Huston Street — have big success.

In terms of where these players are now, Wright, Whelan and Marcum have all become starters. Marcum is in the majors with the Blue Jays.

TOP PRO PROSPECT

PLAYER	CAPE TEAM	COLLEGE	W-L	ERA	K	BB
AARON CROW	Falmouth ’07	Missouri	3-1	.67	36	9
Andrew Miller	Chatham ’05	North Carolina	6-0	1.65	66	23
Wade Townsend	Wareham ’03	Rice	1-3	1.82	39	9
Bob Brownlie	Falmouth ’00	Rutgers	4-2	2.01	73	32

Always one of the most interesting awards, the top pro prospect gives some insight into what the scouts thought of the Cape league summer. This year, they really liked Crow. The righthander flashed a mid-90’s fastball that occasionally got up to 98. Doing it as a starter and putting up good numbers to match only helped cement Crow’s status.

To compare, I only put the pitchers who won the award on the above list. Miller, as mentioned in the outstanding pitcher category, is already in the bigs. Townsend is in Class A. Brownlie has overcome some injuries and moved to Double A.

As far as draft position, the winner of this award almost always ends up being a first-round pick. A look at the last few years:

• 2006 – Matt Wieters – 5th overall pick in ’07
• 2005 – Andrew Miller – 6th overall pick in ’06
• 2004 – Tyler Greene – 30th oveall pick in ’05
• 2003 – Wade Townsend – 8th overall pick in ’04 and ’05
• 2002 – Wes Whisler – 53rd overall pick in ’04
• 2001 – Russ Adams – 14th overall pick in ’02
• 2000 – Bob Brownlie – 21st overall pick in ’02
• 1999 – Mark Teixieria – 5th overall pick in ’01

So you can bet Crow will be one of the top picks come next June.