Author: Will Geoghegan

Name: Conor Gillaspie
Class: 2009
College: Wichita State
Cape Team: Falmouth ’07
Position: Third Base
Height: 6’1″
Weight: 200
Bats: L
Throws: R

Summer ’07:
July 24 – Gillaspie continues to tear up the league in his first summer on the Cape. As of July 23, Gillaspe leads the league in hitting with a .349 average, leads the league in slugging percentage with a .663 mark, is second in extra base hits, third in doubles and fourth in on-base percentage. He’s making a strong case at this point for MVP honors

Looking Back:
Gillaspie hit .325 in the spring of ’07 for Wichita State. The year before, he was a freshman all-american.

**This is t he first installment in a little feature I’m starting. These “baseball cards” amount to player profiles and will be posted in the toolbar to the right for all of eternity. They will also be updated for the rest of the summer, and beyond, into the college season and any professional seasons. Ideally, we’ll be able to look back at these players in a few years and see where they are, as well as where they were in their summer on the Cape.

A few shots from the fog-shortened Chatham-Hyannis game last Thursday.

Hyannis gathers in the fog after the game was called. (This is some good right field fog, by the way.)

LAST NIGHT

• Two 1-0 games last night as Orleans beat Falmouth and Hyannis topped Wareham
• Orleans handed Falmouth its second shutout in as many nights, winning it in the eighth on a Dennis Raben home run . . . Eric Surkamp tossed 5.1 shutout innings and five relievers kept it scoreless . . . Aaron Crow remained dominatingly steady (I just invented that term) with seven strikeouts and two hits allowed in six shutout innings, dropping his league-leading ERA to .52
• Hyannis’ Andrew Doyle tossed a complete-game five-hit shutout as the Mets bested Wareham 1-0
• With the Falmouth loss, first-place Bourne picked up some distance after beating Cotuit 4-1
• Chatham won its third straight with a 3-2 victory over Harwich
• Brewster stayed on the pace for the second-place race in the East, beating first-place Y-D 6-1

TONIGHT

• Wareham at Falmouth, 7 p.m.: A pair of all-stars meet again as Kyle Gibson takes on Wareham’s Wade Miley for the second time in a week . . . Last time, the pair combined to strike out 15 in 14 innings, while allowing just two earned runs . . . Miley was a hard-luck loser
• Some things will be sorted out in the East as second-place Chatham takes on fifth-place Harwich while third-place Orleans visits fourth-place Brewster . . . Just four points separate Chatham from Brewster; Orleans is three points back
• Cotuit will try to stop its 10-game losing streak but it won’t be easy: the Kettleers play first-place Bourne for the second consecutive night
• The 5 p.m. Orleans at Brewster game is designated as a Scouts Day

I talked below about the selection of players like Ryan Perry, guys who haven’t put up great numbers, but still draw the attention. With the goal to get those players in the all-star game — and with only a limited number of spots available — it’s hard to begrudge any of the coaches’ picks. But I am still going to.

So, a few noteworthy all-star snubs, listed by team:

Brett Basham – Catcher – Bourne
It’s a small sample size (only 16 games) but Basham (Mississippi) has hit .300 for the Braves, a better average than any catcher in the West division.

Brian Pruitt – Outfield – Bourne
Pruitt (Stetson) was among the league leaders in average but it’s dipped lately to .266. Still, he has eight extra-base hits and is third in the league in RBI with 23.

Mitch Harris – Pitcher – Bourne
In six starts, Harris (Navy) has a 2.79 ERA with 24 strikeouts, 10 walks and a WHIP of 1.00.

Rick Zagone – Pitcher – Bourne
Zagone (Missouri) is 2-1 as a starter with a 2.32 ERA, 23 strikeouts and eight walks in 31 innings.

D.J. Mitchell – Pitcher – Bourne
Just like his rotation-mates Harris and Zagone, Mitchell (Clemson) has put up solid numbers, with a 1.91 ERA and 32 strikeouts in 33 innings. His 20 walks don’t help the cause, though.

Ryan Babineau – Catcher – Brewster
Y-D put two catchers on the all-star team, though only one (Buster Posey) plays there regularly. Jason Castro earned the starting nod despite playing only eight games at the spot. Castro has to be in the lineup somewhere, and Babineau (UCLA) was the loser in the deal. With a .270 average, eight extra-base hits, and a .329 OBP he deserves to be there.

Andrew Crisp – Infield/Outfield – Chatham
Crisp(South Carolina) has played all over the field for Chatham, and though he hasn’t shown much power, he’s hitting .303.

Addison Johnson – Outfield – Chatham
Johnson, a freshman from Clemson, has been in the leadoff spot from day one and has done a nice job. He’s hitting .276 with seven steals.

Kyle Seager – Second Base – Chatham
Seager (North Carolina) arrived late after the College World Series but has been solid, hitting .288 with an OBP of .400, making him one of the best at a thin position. The solution for the all-star team was to move other infielders to second base (shortstop Cole Figueroa starts for the East while third baseman Kevin Hoef goes for the West).

Charles Brewer – Pitcher – Chatham
Brewer (UCLA) has been one of the best freshman pitchers on the Cape, posting 2.51 ERA with 19 strikeouts in 28.2 innings.

Kevin Couture – Pitcher – Chatham
Couture (USC) has been lights out in a setup role for the A’s posting a 1.09 ERA with 21 strikeouts and six walks in 24.2 innings.

Tom Milone – Pitcher – Chatham
A sophomore lefty, Milone (USC) has been impressive of late. On Saturday — after not making the all-star cut — he tossed a complete-game shutout, dropping his ERA to 3.12. He has a league-best four wins and has struck out 36 against just six walks in 40.1 innings.

Tony Delmonico – Second Base – Cotuit
Like Seager, Delmonico (Florida St.) has been near the top of a thin crop of second baseman but apparently not solid enough to get a spot. He’s hit .300 with eight extra-base hits and 17 RBI.

Caleb Joseph – Catcher – Cotuit
Joseph (Lipscomb) has bounced from Falmouth to Cotuit but has still managed to hit .273, better than teammate Robert Stock, who made the all-star team as the backup catcher.

Ryne White – Infield/Outfield – Cotuit
White (Purdue) led the league in hitting at various points but has cooled off and dipped to .301. His five extra-base hits and seven RBI hurt him.

David Adams – Second Base – Falmouth
The more second basemen I write about, the more it bothers me that the coaches picked non-second basemen to start. Adams (Virginia) has been solid throughout and very good of late. His average sits at .293 and his OBP is .392. He also has 13 RBI. I know a lot of his Falmouth teammates made the squad, but Adams deserves it as much as any of them.

Erik Bird – Pitcher – Falmouth
Bird (Nebraska) has been better across the board than his bullpen mate Luke Burnett but Burnett gets the call, and I think that’s because he’s 6’8″. Bird is 6’1″but has a 3.12 ERA and has struck out 11 while walking none.

J.T Wise – Third Base – Harwich
Wise (LSU) has only played in 18 games but has hit .293 with a .348 OBP.

Dan Hudson – Pitcher – Harwich
This is someone I thought would be in the game because of his prospect status, but like I say, I don’t necessarily know what I’m talking about. Hudson (Old Dominion) doesn’t have a great ERA (3.51) but he has struck out 43 in 33.1 innings.

Josh Zeid – Pitcher – Harwich
Zeid has been a starter and a reliever, posting a 2.14 ERA and 27 strikeouts to just five walks in 33.2 innings.

Joey Gonzales – Outfield – Hyannis
Another guy hurt by a small sample size, Gonzales (UC Riverside) has made a good impression in 16 games. He’s hit .321 with five extra-base hits in 56 at-bats.

Nate Freiman – Infield/Outfield – Orleans
Freiman (Duke) stands 6’7″ and has been one of the better hitters on a team that struggles offensively. He’s .295 with 19 RBI.

Ollie Linton – Outfield – Orleans
Arriving late from the College World Series, Linton (UC Irvine) has turned it on lately and is hitting .298 with eight steals.

Nick Christiani – Pitcher – Orleans
The odd man as far as closers go, Christiani (Georgia Tech) has four saves and a 2.66 ERA.

Pat McAnaney – Pitcher – Orleans
In six starts, McAnaney (Virginia) is 1-2 but has a 2.23 ERA with 31 strikeouts and just 10 walks in 32.1 innings.

Jeremy Bleich – Pitcher – Wareham
Bleich (Stanford) has been as good as he was last year for Wareham, and his numbers stack up against most any starter. He’s 3-1 with a 2.23 ERA and he has struck out 34 and walked only nine in 32.1 innings.

Andy Oliver – Pitcher – Wareham
I’ll be honest here. I don’t know how Oliver (Oklahoma St.) doesn’t make this team. He’s only 1-1 and he’s walked a lot of guys (21 in 37 innings), but he’s also posted a 1.70 ERA and 43 strikeouts while allowing just 16 hits. Those are some of the best numbers in the league, and they’re coming from a freshman.

Terry Doyle – Pitcher – Y-D
Doyle is tied for the league lead in wins and has a 1.91 ERA. He has almost as many walks as strikeouts, which hurts.

Scott Green – Pitcher – Y-D
Green is 6’8″ and has put up good numbers, with a 1.95 ERA and 24 strikeouts in 32.1 innings.

**** Well…that got much longer than I anticipated it would. I guess it isn’t hard to quibble with the selections. Since the list is so long, I’ll whittle it down a bit and give you what I think are the most glaring omissions: Andy Oliver and his 43 strikeouts, Ryan Babineau and his .270 average at the catcher spot, David Adams and his 16 extra-base hits and Brian Pruitt with his 23 RBI.

The Strange Case of Jeremy Farrell

At 6-foot-4 and 215 pounds, Falmouth first baseman Jeremy Farrell (Virginia) has the build of a power hitter and a run producer. So far, he’s certainly producing runs — he’s fifth in the league with 21 RBI.

The amazing thing is how much bang Farrell is getting for his buck. In 29 games, Farrell has hit just .208, with 22 hits in 106 at-bats. So that’s 22 hits and 21 RBI. Some of the hits obviously have brought in more than one run, but in terms of an average, Farrell gets an RBI for almost every hit he gets.

Breaking down Aaron Crow

Here’s a game-by-game look at the numbers put up by Falmouth’s Aaron Crow (Missouri) who’s been the best starter in the league (his first two appearances were out of the bullpen):

• Jun 20 – 1.1 IP, 2 R, 0 ER, 1 K
• Jun 25 – 2.0 IP, 0 R, 0 ER, 2 K
• Jun 28 – 6.0 IP, 1 R, 1 ER, 6 K
• July 5 – 6.0 IP, 1 R, 0 ER, 5 K
• July 11 – 6.0 IP, 1 R, 0 ER, 6 K
• July 16 – 7.0, 1 R, 1 ER, 5 K

As you can see, Crow has been remarkably consistent.

Quickly

• Wareham’s Dominic de la Osa (Vanderbilt) had a big summer last year, then a big spring and then was a 10th round draft pick of the Tigers. He elected to come to the Cape again, and the decision — at least in terms of how the summer has gone — hasn’t worked out. Through Sunday, de la Osa was hitting .132. If he was looking to gain some bargaining power before the Aug. 15 signing deadline, he hasn’t gotten it. He may end up back at Vanderbilt, needing a big year to stay high on draft boards.
• I went to the fog-shortened Hyannis-Chatham game on Thursday and got to see an unexpectedly good pitching match-up. Chatham had Nathan Moreau listed as its probable starter, but instead handed the ball to Alex White (North Carolina), who made his first start. The 6’3″ freshman righthander impressed me in his five innings. He seems to have a very easy motion and he was throwing hard. He finished with six strikeouts in the 4-3 win. I’ll have some photos up from this game later in the week.
• Chatham’s Allan Dykstra (Wake Forest) is in his second summer on the Cape, and the power hitter really hadn’t shown much ability to hit for average — until this week. On July 15, he was hitting .277. Eight days later (with stats through Sunday), Dykstra has bumped his average to .317 and vaulted himself into the top 10. That’s a 40-point difference, and Dykstra made up a lot of it with a 4-for-4 day on the 16th.

The selection of Orlean’s Ryan Perry to the all-star game brings to light an interesting issue — the dichotomy between stats and tools. Perry’s stats aren’t great. His ERA out of the bullpen is 4.41. He has a 1-2 record. But he’s in the all-star game, probably because he throws in the mid-90’s. For scouts, that makes Perry a must-see, and scouts, of course, will flock to the all-star game. That’s why Perry is there.

This isn’t such a terrible thing. Perry may not deserve the spot, but it makes sense for Cape League coaches to select — within reason — players the scouts want to see. If someone like Orleans’ Brandon Crawford, a highly-thought of prospect who’s really struggling, had been selected, then it might be a problem. That wouldn’t be within reason. As it is, I think Perry’s selection is fine.

The thing I find most interesting is what Perry’s selection represents, not just in the Cape league, but in all of baseball. At some levels, stats matter a lot less than tools, mostly because players have to be “projectible.” A 5-foot-10, 170-pound pitcher might hold his own in college thanks to a good feel for pitching and a bulldog mentality, but if he’s only throwing in the mid 80s and his stuff isn’t that great, he doesn’t project as a major league player.

This certainly makes sense. In this case, stats should take a back-seat to tools. But sometimes, I think tools have a little too much weight in determining status, while stats don’t have enough weight.

Here’s what I’m talking about. I went to a high school baseball game this spring. It was a match-up of two good teams with two very good pitchers. One was widely thought of as the best pitcher in the state, a 6’4″ senior right-hander with a high-80’s fastball who’d already been in his team’s rotation for two years and had made a splash playing AAU ball. The other pitcher was more under the radar, a 6’0″ junior righty who threw hard but who’d only made a few starts. There were scouts on hand, watching the senior closely. With every pitch, their radar guns went up. At the end of every half-inning, the radar guns went down and chit-chat between the scouts ensued. When the senior left the game after the fifth inning, most of the scouts left.

What they missed when they put the guns away and when they packed up to leave was the junior, who happened to take a no-hitter into the final inning. Later that year, the junior took a no-hitter into the final inning of the state championship game, two weeks after the senior had been drafted, a week after the senior had been lit up in his final start.

The story opened my eyes to the idea of status. Maybe the junior has made enough of an impression now that scouts will watch him next year. But because he hadn’t done anything to earn prospect status to that point, scouts weren’t even paying attention.

I imagine this kind of thing happens in high school baseball. In most places, there are only a handful of players every year that scouts will spend their time watching. In contrast, the Cape league is full of players, all of whom are worth watching. I don’t think scouts are missing much.

Still, it makes me wonder. How much does status factor in? Scouts have to rely on it in some cases, because they can’t see everybody. They have to know who to look for.

But where does that status originally come from? And is it always right? There are plenty of guys who earn top-prospect status in high school, get drafted in the higher rounds, elect to go to college and end up on the Cape, with a must-see tag. Whether they deliver or not, if their tools appear strong, they’re probably holding on to that label, at least until the struggles continue, on through the course of several seasons and through several summers.

For one summer on the Cape, that means a player can struggle and still end up in good standing. Corey Brown hit below .200 for Chatham last year then was a compensation round pick. It happens, and in the case of Brown, he probably just hit a slump at the wrong time. The tools were still there.

But what if the tools are always there, and the stats never come around? Perry, for instance, may have a mid-90’s fastball but he struggled for Arizona this spring and hasn’t exactly torn up the Cape league. Will his arm get him into the draft, regardless of the stats?

Maybe so, and maybe he’ll turn out to be a very good pitcher. Or maybe success on the stat sheet will never come and the arm will eventually be overwhelmed.

Who knows?

Ideally, stats and tools will match– that’s what happens when players are considered sure things. In cases where the stats and tools don’t match, though, I think I’d be tempted to give some weight to stats. If a guy hasn’t done it yet, what’s to say he will? And if he has, what’s to say he won’t be able to at the next level?

Either way, it’s a dichotomy that’s part of baseball’s fabric. It’s why late-round picks buck the odds and make the big leagues. It’s why high picks with big signing bonuses flame out. And it’s another reason why the Cape league is a very fascinating place to watch baseball.

A player-by-player look at the 2007 Cape Cod Baseball League all-star game, which will be held Saturday, July 28 at 6 p.m. in Wareham. All stats mentioned below are as of July 21.

WEST STARTERS

C – Josh Phegley – Wareham
Freshman
Indiana
5’11” 195
.293, 0 HR, 6 RBI, .707 OPS

Phegley joins Harwich’s Cole Figueroa as the only two freshmen starters in the all-star game. Phegley has started 20 games behind the plate for the Gatemen and has been consistent throughout. Phegley is coming off a so-so year with Indiana, when he hit just .232 without a home run.

1B – Shane Peterson – Hyannis
Sophomore
Long Beach State
6’0″ 185
.340, 1 HR, 17 RBI, .888 OPS

Peterson has been one of the top hitters in the league, putting up 11 extra-base hits to go with his high average while playing both at first base and in the outfield. He also has an OBP of .407, 67 points higher than his batting average. As a sophomore at Long Beach, Peterson hit .327.

2B – Kevin Hoef – Bourne
Sophomore
Iowa
6’2″ 195
.350, 0 HR, 5 RBI, .782 OPS

Hoef has played exclusively at third base for Bourne but slides over to second for the all-star game. Second base is probably the best fit for Hoef anyway, considering his lack of power. But that’s not taking anything away from him. Hoef has hit for average since the day he arrived and he hasn’t let up. Just as impressive as his average though, is his on-base percentage of .469, which is near the top of the league. As a sophomore for Iowa, Hoef hit .300.

3B – Conor Gillaspie – Falmouth
Sophomore
Wichita St.
6’1″ 200
.356, 5 HR, 17 RBI, 1.165 OPS

Gillaspie is neck-and-neck with Y-D’s Gordon Beckham for the best all-around numbers on the Cape, and Gillaspie’s batting average might put him over the top. He leads the league in that spot, is third in home runs, third in doubles, fourth in on-base percentage, and first in slugging percentage. Gillaspie has also flashed a good glove at third, where he’s made just two errors in 20 games. This spring for Wichita, Gillaspie hit .325 with six home runs. The year before, the left-handed hitter was a freshman all-american after posting a .352 batting average.

SS – Reese Havens – Cotuit
Sophomore
South Carolina
6’1″ 195
.299, 2 HR, 13 RBI, .797 OPS

Havens is one of the most well-thought of prospects on the Cape and after a somewhat slow start, he’s really coming around and putting up the stats to match his tools. Havens is an all-star starter for the second consecutive year. Last summer, he finished with a .266 average. This spring for the Gamecocks, Havens hit .274.

LF – Aja Barto – Falmouth
Sophomore
Tulane
6’5″ 225
.298, 2 HR, 9 RBI, .783 OPS, 13 SB

Barto brings a lot of size and ability to the table and he is delivering this summer. His .298 average is solid, and despite 38 strikeouts, he has a .398 on-base percentage. Barto has also stolen 13 bases, flashing unusual speed for a guy who’s 6’5″ and 225 pounds. This is a much better summer for Barto than ’06, when he played for Falmouth and hit .216. For Tulane, Barto hit .269 this spring.

CF – Ben Guez – Bourne
Sophomore
William & Mary
6’0″ 175
.272, 3 HR, 23 RBI, .813 OPS

Guez was a temporary player when the summer began, but he did so well early on that he earned himself a permanent spot — and now he’s an all-star. Guez has nine extra-base hits and a solid 23 RBI, which ties him for third in the league. Guez also has a .386 on-base percentage. This spring for William & Mary, Guez hit .270.

RF – Matt Hague – Falmouth
Junior
Washington
6’3″ 225
.321, 2 HR, 16 RBI, .888 OPS

Hague arrived on the Cape after his junior year looking to improve his status, and I’d say he’s done it. The big outfielder/first baseman is near the top in several offensive categories, this after a big spring at Washington where he hit .353 with 13 home runs. Hague was an 11th-round pick in ’07, but it appears he’ll be coming back for his senior year and aiming higher. It has been reported that Hague is transferring to Clemson for his final season.

DH – Dan Brewer – Hyannis
Sophomore
Bradley
6’0″ 180
.330, 4 HR, 18 RBI, .936 OPS

Brewer wasn’t on many leaderboards a few weeks ago, but he has caught fire of late and turned into one of the best hitters in the West division. Playing mostly in the outfiled while filling in on the infield, Brewer has 12 extra-base hits in 29 games and also has six steals. For BRadley this spring, Brewer hit .313 with 20 steals.

RHP – Aaron Crow
Sophomore
Missouri
6’2″ 201
3-1, .64 ERA, 25 K in in 28.1 IP, .75 WHIP

Three of Crow’s Falmouth rotation-mates could have been mentioned this spot, but Crow is the clear choice to start the game — he’s been the most dominant pitcher on the Cape from day one. He has allowed just two earned runs and only 16 hits in 28.1 innings. He has struck out 25 and walked just five. According to Derek at capeprospects.com, Crow has a 93-96 mph fastball, which establishes him right there as one of the top arms in the league. Crow has put up the numbers to match, too, which is all the more impressive. This spring for Missouri, Crow was a workhorse, throwing 117.2 innings and finishing with a 3.59 ERA.

WEST RESERVES

C – Robert Stock – Cotuit
Freshman
USC
6’3″ 190
.261, 3 HR, 15 RBI, .755 OPS

Stock has long been one of the top prospects in the country and he made waves last year when he skipped his senior year of high school to enroll at USC. It was certainly an adjustment, and Stock hit just .253. It’s been a similar adjustment on the Cape, but Stock has continued to hold hiw own and probably hasn’t done much to change his status. He has six extra-base hits and has struck out just eight times in 69 at-bats. Stock has also been used out of the bullpen and has three saves.

IF – James Darnell – Hyannis
Sophomore
South Carolina
6’2″ 195
.256, 6 HR, 18 RBI, .888 OPS

Darnell played last summer on the Cape and hit just .246. His average isn’t way up from there this summer, but his power numbers are. He ranks second in the league in home runs. Darnell was South Carolina’s leading hitter this spring, posting a .331 average with 19 home runs.

OF – Josh Satin – Bourne
Junior
California
6’2″ 190
.263, 4 HR, 20 RBI, .824 OPS

Satin played for Orleans last summer and is back this year with Bourne. He has flashed a little more power and also has a .390 on-base percentage, more than 120 points higher than his batting average. Satin hit .287 for Cal this spring.

RHP – Kyle Gibson – Falmouth
Freshman
Missouri
6’5″ 183
1-0, 1.06 ERA, 37 K in 34 IP, .88 WHIP

Gibson joins Orlean’s Brad Boxberger as the only freshmen pitchers in the all-star game, and Gibson surely deserves it. Though he has somehow recorded only one decision, he has put up dominant numbers. In six starts, he’s allowed just four earned runs and he’s posted 37 strikeouts to go with just six walks. With a projectible frame, Gibson will continue to make scouts take notice. This spring, Gibson didn’t put up a great ERA (4.12) but he did strike out 77 in 67.2 innings.

RHP – T.J. Hose – Bourne
Junior
East Carolina
6’0″ 186
3-2, 1.27 ERA, 26 K in 28.1 IP, 1.07 WHIP

Hose wasn’t on the Bourne roster at the beginning of the season, so he’s sort of come out of nowhere. But he’s definitely somewhere now. Hose has been one of the top starters for the first-place Braves and his numbers match up against any starter in the league. This spring for ECU, Hose finished with a 3.97 ERA.

LHP – Wade Miley – Wareham
Sophomore
SE Louisiane
6’2″ 195
1-5, 1.86 ERA, 46 K in 48.1 IP, 1.16 WHIP

Miley has been the hardest working starter on the Cape, leading the league in innings pitched. And though he has little to show for it in his record, he still gets a well-deserved all-star nod. He is second in the league in strikeouts. This spring for SE Louisiana, Miley had a 3.86 ERA.

RHP – Josh Lindblom – Cotuit
Sophomore
Purdue
6’5″240
4-0 , 3.29 ERA, 29 K in 27.1 IP, 1.33 WHIP

Lindblom has the build of a power pitcher and he has put up decent numbers in a relif role. I don’t know for sure with Lindblom, but I’m guessing his spot on the team has to do with scouts wanting to see him, because there are surely relievers with better numbers. Lindblom played for Tennessee his freshman year before transferring to Purdue, where he had a 4.13 ERA, mostly as a starter. He struck out 51 and walked just 10.

LHP – Christian Friedrich – Falmouth
Sophomore
Eastern Kentucky
6’3″ 208
3-1, 1.86 ERA, 42 K in 29 IP, 1.31 WHIP

Friedrich is another piece of Falmouth’s dominant starting rotation, with his strikeouts being the biggest part of his repertoire. He leads the league in that category, and he’s been pretty unhittable, allowing just 20 hits in 29 innings. Friedrich is a big prospect by all accounts, and he is certainly delivering. For Eastern Kentucky, Friedrich had a 2.09 ERA and struck out 101 in 81.2 IP.

RHP – Chris Hicks – Wareham
Sophomore
Georgia Tech
6’3″ 205
0-0, .59 ERA, 16 K in 15.1 IP, .73 WHIP, 7 SV

Hicks has been the closer for Wareham and has saved seven of the team’s 12 wins. He has posted a lot of strikeouts in limited opportunities, and more impressive, he’s walked just one. Hicks struggled for Georgia Tech this spring, finishing with a 7.29 ERA, but he’s been very good this summer.

RHP – Jordan Flasher – Bourne
Sophomore
George Mason
5’11” 165
2-0, 1.72 ERA, 19 K in in 15.2 IP, 1.18 WHIP, 5 SV

Flasher isn’t the biggest guy in the world, but that doesn’t stop him from being a dominant closer. He saved 14 games for George Mason and led the team in ERA this spring. He’s picked up where he left off on the Cape, with solid all-around numbers.

RHP – Tyler Stohr – Hyannis
Sophomore
North Florida
6’2″ 205
0-0, 2.08 ERA, 14 K in 13 innings, 1.46 WHIP, 5 SV

Stohr has put up good numbers in the closer’s role for Hyannis, a welcome change for the sophomore. For North Florida this spring, Stohr had a 7.46 ERA out of the bullpen. He’s been more than reliable this summer.

RHP – Luke Burnett – Falmouth
Sophomore
Louisiana Tech
6’8″ 260
2-1, 4.86 ERA, 28 K in 16.2 IP, 1.42 WHIP, 3 SV

Burnett’s ERA leaves something to be desired, but his size and his fastball do not. At 6’8″, he’s one of the tallest players in the league, and he has the power arm to go with his big body. The 28 strikeouts are all the more impressive when you take into account his six walks. Burnett has worked exclusively out of the pen for Falmouth after starting for La. Tech, where he went 5-8 with a 4.93 ERA.

A player-by-player look at the 2007 Cape Cod Baseball League all-star game, which will be held Saturday, July 28 at 6 p.m. in Wareham.

EAST STARTERS

C – Jason Castro – Y-D
Sophomore
Stanford
6’3″ 215
.333, 2HR, 13 RBI, .901 OPS

Castro has played at least six games at three different positions — C, 1B and OF — and though he’s played the fewest at catcher, he gets the starting nod at this spot. Wherever Castro has played this summer, he’s hit. On a Y-D team full of great hitters, Castro’s .333 average leads the way. He has also struck out just 14 times in 81 at-bats. Interestingly, Castro is coming off a terrible year at Stanford. He played mostly first base and hit just .167 with only four extra-base hits. But that season appears to be the exception. Castro hit .283 as a freshman then hit .286 in the Alaska Baseball League last summer. He’s returned to that form this summer.

1B – Yonder Alonso – Brewster
Sophomore
Miami
6’2″ 215
.316, 2 HR, 15 RBI, .949 OPS

Alonso has put up some of the best all-around numbers in the league this summer, showing the ability to hit for power, hit for average and get on base (.469 OBP), which is exactly what he did this spring. As one of the top players in the ACC, Alonso led Miami with a .376 average, 18 home runs, 74 RBI and a .519 on-base percentage. His home run and RBI totals also tied him for the conference lead. As a freshman, Alonso also led the Hurricanes in HR and RBI. By all accounts, Alonso is one of the top hitting prospects on the Cape this summer.

2B – Cole Figueroa – Harwich
Freshman
Florida
5’10” 180
.308, 1 HR, 11 RBI, .785 OPS

Figueroa hasn’t played a game at shortstop this summer, but he’ll get the starting spot here, and it’s well-deserved. With a wealth of shortstop talent on the Cape, Figueroa is near the top of the list. He’s also one of just two freshmen starting the all-star game (the other is Wareham catcher Josh Phegley for the West). Figueroa was a highly-touted recruit out of Tallahassee, Fla., after hitting .563 his senior year. The Blue Jays selected him in the ninth round of the 2006 draft, but Figueroa opted to become a Gator — and just kept hitting. He started every game for Florida and hit .332 with 11 home runs and 50 RBI. Baseball America named him a freshman all-american.

3B – Jermaine Curtis – Chatham
Sophomore
UCLA
6’1″ 190
.299, 2 HR, 15 RBI, .833 OPS

Curtis arrived a little late to the Cape, but the wait was worth it as Curtis has become one of Chatham’s best hitters. He has the second-most RBI on the team, and the top slugging percentage (.442). As a sophomore at UCLA, Curtis hit .329 with four home runs and 33 RBI.

SS – Gordon Beckham – Y-D
Sophomore
Georgia
6’0″ 181
.311, 8 HR, 25 RBI, 1.017 OPS

Beckham has been arguably the league’s best all-around hitter this summer. He ranks ninth in batting average, first in home runs, second in RBI, second in slugging percentage, tied for first in extra-base hits and second in OPS. So yes, Beckham has had a great summer — and it comes after a pretty great spring. For Georgia, Beckham hit .307 with a team-best 13 home runs and 51 RBI. The year before, Beckham hit .280 with 12 home runs and earned freshman all-american honors.

LF – Charlie Cutler – Brewster
Sophomore
California
6’0″ 185
.307, 1 HR, 11 RBI, .767 OPS

Cutler is in a platoon at the catching spot in Brewster with Ryan Babineau, but he plays in the outfield when he’s not catching, mostly because Brewster needs his bat in the lineup. His average is second on the team. This spring for Cal, Cutler hit .310. He was one of the top catching prospects in the nation coming out of high school in 2005.

CF – Collin Cowgill – Y-D
Junior
Kentucky
5’9″ 190
.301, 2 HR, 14 RBI, .834 OPS

Cowgill would have been forgiven if he showed up on the Cape and was a little rusty. But he’s been anything but. Cowgill was a pre-season all-american this spring but suffered a hand injury and missed the entire season. He took a redshirt year, came to the Cape fully healthy, and is picking up where he left off. Concern over the injury had Cowgill slipping to the 29th round in this June’s draft, but he’s reinforcing his status this summer.

RF – Dennis Raben – Orleans
Sophomore
Miami
6’3″ 218
.272, 5 HR, 25 RBI, .922 OPS

Raben joins his college teammate Alonso on the all-star team, and though he isn’t quite matching Alonso’s numbers, he’s putting up some good ones. Raben is the league leader in RBI and is near the top in home runs. Raben hit .280 for the Hurricanes this spring with 12 home runs and 48 RBI.

DH – Allan Dykstra – Chatham
Sophomore
Wake Forest
6’5″ 231
.306, 1 HR, 18 RBI, .827 OPS

Dykstra hasn’t shown quite as much pop as he did last year for Chatham when he belted seven home runs and led the league in RBI with 29. But Dykstra’s batting average is up more than 70 points from .232 last season, and is still driving in runs. Regardless of home run totals, Dykstra is still one of the premier power threats in his class. This spring for Wake, he tied Maimi’s Alonso for the ACC lead in home runs with 18.

SP – Eddie Burns – Y-D
Redshirt Sophomore
Georgia Tech
6’8″ 220
4-0, 2.25 ERA, 28 K in 40 IP, .93 WHIP

Burns’ size makes people take notice and his numbers should, too. He has been one of the most consistent starters in the league, striking out 28 while walking just six. All this after a big season at Tech where he posted a 3.58 ERA. Draft eligible this year, Burns was taken in the 16th round by the Braves. Whether he signs with them after the summer or returns to school and re-enters the draft next year, Burns has surely helped himself a lot.

EAST RESERVES

C – Buster Posey – Y-D
Sophomore
Florida State
6’2″ 195
.266, 2 HR, 14 RBI, .705 OPS

Posey was a shortstop and a pitcher before this spring, but switched to catcher with the Seminoles and has stayed there this summer. In the process, he’s become one of the top catching prospects in his class. His average has dipped of late with Y-D, but it’s still solid, especially for someone who’s still adjusting to a new position. This spring for FSU, Posey hit .382.

IF – Sean Ochinko – Y-D
Freshman
LSU
5’11” 205
.303, 5 HR, 16 RBI, .890 OPS

Ochinko has been one of the top freshman hitters on the Cape, putting up good a good average and plenty of extra-base hits (6 doubles, 5 home runs). He has played mostly first base for Y-D, as he did for LSU, but Ochinko can also catch. He hit .277 for LSU this spring.

OF – Kyle Day – Harwich
Sophomore
Michigan St.
5’11” 194
.281, 2 HR, 9 RBI, .805 OPS

Day has quietly put up very solid numbers, though he doesn’t appear on any leaderboards. He has nine extra-base hits to go with his .281 average. As a sophomore with Michigan St., Day hit .295 with three home runs and 26 RBI.

OF – Blake Tekotte – Brewster
Sophomore
Miami
6’0″ 166
.260, 2 HR, 14 RBI, .741 OPS, 16 SB

Tekotte has done plenty with his bat but even more with his legs as he leads the league in stolen bases. Batting at the top of the Brewster order, Tekotte has been one of the best leadoff men in the league, with his comibination of speed and his ability to get on base (.385 OBP). This spring for Miami, Tekotte hit .333 with 15 steals.

RHP – Brad Boxberger – Orleans
Freshman
USC
6’2″ 185
1-0, 1.38 ERA, 22 K in 26 IP, .88 WHIP

Boxberger has put up some of the best numbers of any freshman starter this summer, allowing just four runs and 14 hits in 26 innings. Boxberger was the top starter this spring for USC, posting a 3.20 ERA and 72 strikeouts in 90 innings.

LHP – Corey Young – Harwich
Sophomore
Seton Hall
6’1″ 180
2-0, 2.17 ERA, 19 K in 29 IP, .90 WHIP

Young has been one of the most solid left-handed starters on the Cape this summer. He has started four games, and has averaged more than seven innings per start. For Seton Hall this spring, Young posted a 3.86 ERA.

LHP – Will Atwood – Orleans
Sophomore
South Carolina
6’3″ 185
2-0, 1.69 ERA, 16 K in 21.1 IP, 1.28 WHIP

Atwood was an all-star last year for Brewster, and has pulled off the same feat this summer with Orleans. Working out of the pen for all but one of his nine appearances, Atwood has put up some of the best numbers of any reliever in the league. In a similar role for South Carolina this spring, Atwood posted a 4.91 ERA.

RHP – Mike Colla – Brewster
Sophomore
Arizona
6’2″ 230
2-1, 2.17 ERA, 28 K in 29 IP, 1.21 WHIP

Colla has the build of a power pitcher and the numbers to back that up. He’s posted nearly a strikeout per inning in five starts with Brewster. He’s also flashed good control in walking just 10. Colla had a 5.20 ERA for Arizona. He was a 38th round pick out of high school.

RHP – Matt Couch – Brewster
Junior
San Diego
6’0″ 185
1-1, 2.77 ERA, 32 K in 39 IP, 1.26 WHIP

Couch has teamed with Colla to give Brewster a strong 1-2 punch atop the rotation. In his junior year at San Diego, Couch went 9-2 with a 3.60 ERA, joining veteran Josh Romanski and major prospect Brian Matusz in the weekend rotation.

RHP – Ryan Perry – Orleans
Sophomore
Arizona
6’4″ 200
1-2, 4.70 ERA, 19 K in 15.1 IP, 1.52 WHIP

Perry hasn’t put up great stats as a reliever for the Cardinals, but he has put up some other great numbers, and that’s why he’s here. From what I’ve read, Perry has a 96-mph fastball, which puts him in select company. The scouts want to see a guy like that in the all-star game, which is why Perry gets the spot over someone who might have better numbers. By all accounts, Perry hasn’t quite put it all together. This spring for Arizona, he had a 6.35 ERA.

LHP – Evan Crawford – Harwich
Sophomore
Auburn
6’1″ 185
0-0, .84 ERA, 33 K in 21 innings, .99 WHIP, 3 SV

Crawford has assumed the closer’s role for Harwich and had put up some impressive numbers, namely the 33 strikeouts in just 21 innings, a ratio of 14.4 K/9 innings. Crawford was mostly a starter this spring for Auburn and struggled to a 5.91 ERA. Whether the switch to the closer spot will continue into next spring or not, it’s suiting Crawford well right now.

RHP – Nick Cassavechia – Y-D
Junior
Baylor
6’0″ 190
1-1, .96 ERA, 20 K in 18.2 IP, .88 WHIP, 8 SV

Cassavechia did good things out of the bullpen last summer for Wareham and is now the closer for Y-D. He leads the league in saves, and his 20 strikeouts look impressive, especially considering he’s only walked two. Cassavechia was the closer for Baylor this spring, finishing with 11 saves and a team-best 3.12 ERA.

Stats are as of July 20. Games played at the position are in parentheses.

PLAYER	CAPE TEAM	COLLEGE	AVG	HR	RBI	XBH	OPS
Conor Gillaspie (20)	Falmouth	Wichita St.	.356	5	17	15	1.165
Kevin Hoef (20)	Bourne	Iowa	.350	0	5	3	.882
J.T. Wise (9)	Harwich	LSU	.300	1	10	5	.791
Jermaine Curtis (20)	Chatham	UCLA	.299	2	5	6	.833
James Darnell (16)	Hyannis	South Carolina	.256	6	18	10	.888
Nick Romero (28)	Y-D	San Diego St.	.250	0	10	4	.677
Josh Harrison (23)	Cotuit	Cincinnati	.248	1	10	7	.634
Chris Dominguez (9)	Harwich	Louisville	.235	1	3	6	.665
David Doss (17)	Brewster	South Alabama	.222	0	6	3	.634
Chase D’Arnaud (15)	Orleans	Pepperdine	.191	3	14	6	.568
Patrick Long (14)	Hyannis	Georgia Tech	.188	0	3	3	.554
Mark Sobolewski (15)	Orleans	Miami	.185	0	9	5	.471
Austin Yount (13)	Brewster	Stanford	.172	0	4	1	.484
Dominic de la Osa (17)	Wareham	Vanderbilt	.135	1	9	3	.442
Jason Ogata	Wareham	Oregon St.	.128	1	1	2	.440

Stats are as of July 20. Games played at the position are in parentheses.

PLAYER	CAPE TEAM	COLLEGE	AVG	HR	RBI	XBH	OPS
Kyle Seager (15)	Chatham	North Carolina	.308	0	6	5	.842
Tony Delmonico (14)	Cotuit	Florida St.	.301	3	11	8	.863
David Adams (13)	Falmouth	Virginia	.296	0	10	15	.852
Bill Perry (16)	Bourne	Hartford	.286	2	9	6	.763
Tavo Hall (10)	Brewster	San Francisco	.277	0	6	4	.753
Danny Lima (17)	Brewster	Tennessee	.276	0	7	3	.618
Scott Elmendorf (21)	Hyannis	Southern Ill.	.259	0	6	1	.571
Johnny Giavotella (10)	Harwich	New Orleans	.250	1	13	2	.658
Joey Railey (22)	Y-D	Tampa	.230	1	10	5	.718
Michael Demperio (22)	Wareham	San Francsico	.224	0	3	0	.533
Jake Opitz (17)	Harwich	Nebraska	.219	2	5	5	.665
Alden Carrithers (19)	Orleans	UCLA	.219	1	6	5	.704
Eric Reese (11)	Orleans	Fordham	.217	1	4	2	.567
Correy Figueroa (18)	Cotuit	St. Petersburg	.208	0	5	1	.489
Seth Henry (19)	Wareham	Tulane	.197	0	1	3	.593

Here’s a look at the top freshman pitchers on the Cape. Those with a ‘*’ by their names have been primarily starters. A ‘+’ indicates they’ve pitched fewer than 10 innings.

**Update: added Kyle Gibson to the list. Gibson is one of the best pitchers in the league, let alone the best freshmen pitchers.

PLAYER	COLLEGE	CAPE TEAM	ERA
Rob Catapano+	North Carolina	Orleans	0.00
Kyle Gibson*	Missouri	Falmouth	0.96
Sam Brown	NC State	Orleans	1.23
Kevin Couture	USC	Chatham	1.25
Brad Boxberger*	USC	Orleans	1.35
Andy Oliver*	Oklahoma State	Wareham	1.69
Alex White+	North Carolina	Chatham	2.08
Charles Brewer*	UCLA	Chatham	2.74
Hunter Harris	Texas	Hyannis	3.07

Boxberger, Oliver and Brewer merit special attention because of their roles as starters. All three have put up great numbers.

Boxberger was USC’s top starter in his first year with the program, posting a 3.20 ERA in 14 starts. He has carried that success over to the Cape, though he hasn’t recorded a decision in four starts. He has struck out 14 in 19 innings.

Oliver went 6-1 for Oklahoma State this spring, but struggled in the ERA department, finishing with a 5.52 mark. He has been lights-out this summer, allowing just 14 hits in 32 innings. Oliver has decent size (6-foot-2) and he’s lefthanded, so he’s surely making an impression on scouts. Out of high school in Vermilion, Ohio, Oliver was a 17th-round draft pick.

Brewer was a highly-touted prospect coming out of high school in Paradise Valley, Ariz., where he didn’t lose a single game, but an illness this spring kept him from seeing much action for the Bruins. He pitched in only four games. But Brewer appears to be healthy now, and he’s making the most of it. An 18th-round pick out of high school, the 6-foot-4 righty has struck out 14 in 23 innings.

Brewer’s college teammate Gavin Brooks would also be on this list, but he has left the Chatham A’s after suffering an injury. Before the injury, Brooks had a 2.61 ERA.

As for the relievers on this list, Brown and Couture have both been tremendous. Brown has 14 strikeouts in 12 innings and has allowed just seven hits. Couture has struck out 18 against just four walks in 19.2 innings.

White has made four appearances for Chatham out of the pen since arriving from the College World Series, but is scheduled to make a start Thursday. If he does well, White will continue to establish himself as one of the top freshman pitchers in the country. White was a 14th round pick out of high school and when he arrived on the UNC campus, he was tabbed as the preseason ACC freshman of the year. He didn’t put up spectacular numbers for the Tar Heels but he was one of their three regular starters, which is pretty good in itself. White is someone to keep an eye on the rest of the summer.