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.
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
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
I say Austin Wilson for MVP. That HR he hit the other night in Wareham might still be travelling and he scored from second on a wild pitch too. Heads up player with awesome potential.
He was a close second for me. The amazing thing is that Ervin and Wilson are on the same team.