Midseason Awards

As always, the halfway point of the Cape League season sneaks up quickly, although Friday’s rainouts postponed the midway mark by a day. With Saturday’s slate in the books, we’re officially halfway home. Here’s my take on the top standouts.

Most Valuable Player

Alec Bohm, Falmouth

Last summer, the league’s MVP award went to Ernie Clement, who had a great year but was more speedster and high average hitter than the typical big production MVP.

This year, there is no shortage of the more typical candidates, and Alec Bohm leads the way.

The Wichita State rising junior was the top prospect in the Coastal Plain League last year. His 6-foot-5, 225-pound frame is an imposing presence in the middle of the Falmouth order and he’s been a consistent force. Bohm had two hits on opening night and has had at least one hit in 18 of the 22 games he’s played.

His recent hot streak put over the top for these purposes. In the six games from June 25 to July 2, Bohm went 15-for-27 with two home runs. In a win over Bourne July 2, he was 5-for-6 with three RBI.

At the midway point of the season, Bohm is hitting a league-best .420 with three home runs, seven doubles and 16 RBI. He leads the league in OPS, ranks second in on-base percentage and is third in slugging.

In the Running: Marty Bechina, Jimmy Herron, Griffin Conine, Mickey Gasper

Most Outstanding Pitcher

Justin Montgomery, Wareham

Justin Montgomery hasn’t led the league in ERA throughout the summer, because at a few points, he’s been just below the innings threshold to qualify for it.

If not for that, no one else would have a chance.

The California Baptist righty had a breakout summer in the Alaska League last year and is following the same path this year. In 17 innings across four starts and three relief appearances, Montgomery has yet to allow a run, earned or unearned. He has struck out 19 and walked just four. His WHIP is 0.82 and opponents are hitting a measly .169.

His start against Harwich June 25 was his best – five scoreless innings of one-hit baseball with eight strikeouts. Of course, with a 0.00 ERA, all of the starts have been pretty good.

In the Running: Zane Collins, Tim Brennan, Tyler Baum, Hogan Harris, Kris Bubic

Most Outstanding Reliever

Josh Hiatt, Orleans

Wareham’s Willie MacIver and Harwich’s Andrew Moritz have something in common.

They own the only hits Orleans’ closer Josh Hiatt has given up this year. Both hits were singles and neither one led to a run. Hiatt has saved five games and has a 0.00 ERA over 11.1 innings.

Hiatt and Bourne’s Ryan Feltner have very similar numbers, but the fact that Hiatt has given up just two hits all summer puts him a step ahead. Opponents are hitting .054 against him. In his last four outings, he hasn’t allowed a hit. He has struck out 11.

It’s nothing new for Hiatt, who allowed one earned run in 30.2 innings for North Carolina in his redshirt-freshman season this spring.

In the Running: Mitchell Miller, Ryan Feltner, Riley McCauley, Robert Broom

July 6, 2015July 6, 2015

2015 Midseason Awards

The Orleans Firebirds are the best team in the league and is it any wonder? In the Right Field Fog Midseason Awards, the Firebirds take two.

MOST VALUABLE PLAYER

Kyle Lewis, Orleans

Lewis was not on the first roster that the Orleans Firebirds posted on their web site earlier this year, but it’s safe to say he was a pretty good addition.

Lewis is hitting .338 with five home runs and 13 RBI while leading the powerful Firebirds to the best record in the league. Lewis ranks second in the league in hitting, first in home runs and second in RBI. He also leads the league in slugging percentage and is eighth in on-base percentage.

At 6’4, 205, he’s the kind of athlete that scouts love, and his production is now right in line with his tools. He grew up playing basketball and baseball and has said that, of the two, he took basketball more seriously. But after giving it up, he’s emerging as a bona fide star who may be in line for Cape League Top Prospect honors, as well.

The big summer represents another major step for a guy who had a breakout sophomore season at Mercer. He hit .367 and smashed 17 home runs on his way to a host of accolades, including Southern Conference Player of the Year honors. He was coming off a decent debut, in which he hit .281 as a freshman. He then had a strong summer in the Great Lakes League before he played briefly for Cotuit at the end of last season, getting two hits in six games.

His return trip has been a little bit better.

IN THE RUNNING

Jacob Noll, Hyannis
Donnie Walton, Y-D
Cavan Biggio, Harwich
Nick Senzel, Brewster
Errol Robinson, Hyannis

OUTSTANDING PITCHER

Mitchell Jordan, Orleans

Jordan had a good summer in the New England Collegiate Baseball League last year then was solid for Stetson as a sophomore.

This has been better than good or solid.

Jordan started on opening night for Orleans and tossed five shutout innings in a 1-0 win over Bourne. He has started five more games since and has gone at least five innings in each one, without allowing a single earned run. That’s right – the guy who’s second in the league in innings pitched also has a 0.00 ERA. He’s 4-0 and leads the league in strikeouts with 31.

Jordan, a 6’2 righty, has simply been untouchable. Opponents are hitting .106 against him, which is a pretty amazing number. To make that number even crazier, he has allowed nine hits and none – NONE – have gone for extra bases.

A lot of pitchers have been very good this summer, but nobody can match up with Jordan.

Good, solid – and pretty spectacular.

IN THE RUNNING

Nick Deeg, Hyannis
Ricky Thomas, Y-D
Zac Gallen, Chatham
Eric Lauer, Orleans
Devin Smeltzer, Hyannis
Jon Woodcock, Cotuit

OUTSTANDING RELIEF PITCHER

Andrew Frankenreider, Falmouth

Saves typically trump everything else for this award, but for bullpen work of all kinds, Frankenreider takes the cake.

The Northern Illinois standout has saved three games while sharing Falmouth closer duties with Stephen Villines. Frankenreider has allowed two hits and no runs – earned or unearned – in eight games (11.2) innings. He has also struck out 17, second-best among full-time relievers.

Northern Illinois is not a school that sends many players to the Cape – he’s just the third in school history – but he’s certainly making a good impression after saving nine games for the Huskies in the spring.

Harwich’s Luke Scherzer leads the league in saves – and four other guys have four saves – but Frankenreider has been too good to pass over.

IN THE RUNNING

Luke Scherzer, Harwich
Stephen Villines, Falmouth
Austin Conway, Bourne
Jason Harper, Orleans
Andre Scrubb, Chatham
Thomas Hackimer, Brewster
Aaron McGarity, Chatham

July 11, 2012July 11, 2012

Midseason Report: Awards

Difficult as it may be to believe, we are halfway through the 2012 Cape Cod Baseball League season.

It’s been an awesome one. I’ll have a couple of posts up today with some midseason thoughts and numbers. First, we dive right in with the Right Field Fog Midseason Awards. I’m not doing the full slate of awards — just MVP, outstanding pitcher and top relief pitcher. A lot can change over the next 22 games, but this is what we’ve got for the first 22.

Feel free to weigh in.

phillip ervin.jpeg Most Valuable Player
Phillip Ervin, Harwich

When all is said and done, it’s going to be a heck of an MVP race. For now, Harwich’s Phillip Ervin has to be the first-half MVP.

He’s the guy everyone has talked about this summer. Despite a recent cold spell — and some strong pushes by a lot of other guys — Ervin still leads the league in home runs with eight, ranks 10th in RBI with 17, sits 12th in average at .333 and ranks second in the league in slugging. I think there’s too much depth on the Cape for anyone to think of a triple crown, but in a lot of years, Ervin would be in the running.

Compare his first 22 games to the first 22 of 2011 star Victor Roache, and Ervin has been better in almost every category. It’s only because of the other offensive talent on the Cape that there’s even a question on this award.

Ervin is still my pick.

Also in the Running
Robert Pehl, Y-D
Austin Wilson, Harwich
Eric Jagielo, Harwich
Jared King, Falmouth
Daniel Aldrich, Cotuit
Patrick Biondi, Cotuit
Conrad Gregor, Orleans
Cole Sturgeon, Wareham
Tyler Horan, Wareham
Daniel Palka, Wareham
Colin Moran, Bourne

aaron blair.jpeg Outstanding Pitcher
Aaron Blair, Y-D

Quality starting pitching hasn’t been as easy to find on the Cape this summer, but the top starters have been great.

No one’s been better than Blair.

In four starts, the Marshall stand-out is 4-0 with a 0.37 ERA, the best mark in the league. He has struck out 29 in 24.1 innings and walked only eight. He’s given up just 17 hits and has allowed only one earned run to cross the plate. Opponents are hitting .195 against him.

While guys like Kevin Ziomek and Sean Manaea have wowed fans and scouts alike, Blair’s steady dominance gets the nod for now.

Also in the Running
Sean Manaea, Hyannis
Kevin Ziomek, Cotuit
Tom Windle, Brewster
Craig Schlitter, Falmouth
David Whitehad, Harwich
Eddie Campbell, Harwich

Top Relief Pitcher
Dylan Clark – Orleans

I don’t know if the actual league award has ever gone to a non-closer, but if the second half of the season goes like the first, they may want to consider it.

Dylan Clark has been absolutely lights out.

Pitching in a setup role, the Elon junior finally allowed a run last week, raising his ERA to 0.47. In 17.2 innings, he’s given up just nine hits, hasn’t walked anybody and has struck out 17. At one point, opponents were hitting .077 against him. They’ve caught up a little bit in Clark’s last two outings, but they’re still hitting just .148.

Clark doesn’t have a save yet this season, but if we’re talking about value to a bullpen, I don’t think anyone’s been better.

Also in the Running
Dan Slania, Cotuit
John Simms, Rice
Zane Evans, Harwich
Kyle Crockett, Orleans
C.K. Irby, Harwich
Hawtin Buchanan, Bourne
Grant Gordon, Harwich
Thomas Lawrence, Chatham
Kyle Ruchim, Falmouth
Dylan Covey, Orleans

July 7, 2011July 7, 2011

Midseason Awards

Be honest. You read the headline and said, “Midseason? Really?”

It’s hard to believe — it’s always hard to believe — but we are roughly halfway through the 2011 Cape Cod Baseball League season. Two teams are one game from the halfway point and two are one past it, but the others have 22 games in the books, with 22 left.

So it’s time for some midseason awards. I’ll give you my picks, along with a list of guys who were in the running. A lot can change in the next 22 games, but through the first 22, this is what we’re looking at. I’m not doing the full slate of awards — just MVP, outstanding pitcher and top relief pitcher.

CMKGKMJRJRKKPXG.20110201223720.jpg Most Valuable Player
Victor Roache, Cotuit

If I were making these picks on reputation, Roache might have been the choice, too. But this one is based solely on production.

Roache led the nation in home runs at Georgia Southern this spring, and he has picked up where he left off this summer. He’s been in Cotuit since day one, and he’s been hitting since day one. At this point, he’s a legitimate Triple Crown candidate.

Through Wednesday’s games, Roache is hitting .359 with four home runs, 16 RBI and an on-base percentage of .500. He ranks first in the league in RBI and first in OBP, is tied for first in home runs and he’s tied for second in batting average. He’s also tied for the league lead in runs, and he leads in walks and slugging percentage. His .625 slugging percentage is more than 150 points higher than the next best mark.

In short, he’s been awesome. And he isn’t slowing down. Roache is 7-for-12 in his last four games.

If Roache keeps this up, I think he’ll be an easy MVP choice.

Also in the Running
Jason Coats, Bourne
Travis Jankowski, Bourne
Taylor Davis, Brewster
Andrew Toles, Brewster
Tanner Nivins, Brewster
Jabari Henry, Harwich
Steve Selsky, Orleans
Mason Katz, Y-D

RJHSTGNLPGAANZD.20100929205301.jpg Outstanding Pitcher
Joe Bircher, Falmouth

This one isn’t as cut-and-dry, but I would give Bircher the edge for now.

Dominant starters don’t seem to be as numerous this summer as they have been in recent years, but Bircher has certainly done his part. A junior at Bradley, Bircher leads the league in strikeouts with 31 in 23 innings and, amazingly, he has walked only two batters all summer. Combine that with an opponents’ batting average of .169, and you’ve got a pitcher who’s been lights out. He has surrendered only 14 hits and four earned runs in his four starts. He has an ERA of 1.57.

Bircher has only won one of his four starts, in part a product of Falmouth’s early-season struggles. But with the Commodores turning things around, Bircher is primed for a big second half.

Also in the Running
Ryan Eades, Bourne
Chris Pickering, Bourne
Tony Buccifero, Brewster
Keith Bilodeau, Chatham
Chris Beck, Cotuit
Andrew Aizenstadt, Falmouth
Dylan Floro, Hyannis

Top Relief Pitcher
Bobby Wahl – Cotuit

The way this season’s been going, bullpens have gotten a lot of work, and a number of relievers could make a push for overall pitcher of the year honors, because they’ve been as impressive as anybody.

For this category, the honor goes to Wahl, who’s been absolutely lights out as Cotuit’s closer. Wahl has made nine appearances, which is tied for second in the league, so we’re not looking at a small sample size, at least in relative terms.

And Wahl has made every appearance count. In 13 innings, he hasn’t allowed a run — earned or unearned — and has surrendered just five hits. He has struck out 23 — almost two an inning — and has walked just seven. He has saved four games, which is good for second in the league.

Wahl, who just finished his freshman season at Ole Miss, was a 39th-round draft pick out of high school last year. He had been pegged to go higher coming into his senior season, but he didn’t have his best year and slipped. The potential was there, though, and it appears Wahl is living up to it now.

Also in the Running
Zack Jones, Chatham
John Simms, Falmouth
Chris Overman, Harwich
Dietrich Enns, Hyannis
Nick Wittgren, Hyannis
Trevor Gott, Orleans
Mike Hauschild, Orleans
Konner Wade, Wareham