SUMMER STARS Thursday, July 20, 2006
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������������������������������������������������������������������������ ������������������������������������������������������������ ���������������� �������������������� ��������������� ���������������� �������������������� ����������������� ����������������������� ����������������������������������������������������� 2 SUMMER STARS Thursday, July 20, 2006 From The Cheap Seats Think You Know Who’s Going Deep? Think Again With the season now more than half over, one can’t help but look at the standings and start to examine possible playoff matchups. It’s just natural. But, which teams will make the postseason tournament and vie for the Cape League title? Your guess is as good as mine in that department because at the time of this writing, there were hardly any sure things. At first glance the Cotuit Kettleers seem like a very safe bet as they had opened up a two-and-a-half game lead over their next closest competitors, the Wareham Gate- men. However, thanks to unruly Mother Nature, the Ketts hadn’t even played half of their schedule just yet, meaning that down the stretch, there will not be many days off for them. The west will be won by someone, but who it is is a big question mark. Not only is Cotuit right there, but you cannot discount the aforementioned Gatemen, or the resurgent Falmouth Commodores, or, lurking under the radar, the Hyannis Mets. Those three teams are separated SPORTPIX PHOTO BY MATTHEW SCOTT by one game in the standings in second through fourth places. It is going to come down to the wire. Even the Bourne Braves, who have had a rough season at best thus far, cannot be considered a complete after- Andrew Brackman, A thought. Cotuit manager Mike Roberts, who has seen a True Double Threat race or two here on Cape Cod, suggested that Harvey Shapiro’s team is one winning streak away from being in Page Three the thick of things. “If Bourne wins seven in a row, they’re right back in it. The last weekend in the season, every year, it comes down to the wire. That last weekend there are always three or four teams in contention and every game really matters,” Roberts said. “Any team is capable of that happening [to them].” Passing Along All Roberts, who says that the Cape League is more about That They’ve Learned attitude and teamwork than just the ability of the ballplay- Page Six ers, likes his team’s chances of hanging around until the playoffs start because the club that he has, which features some very talented players—including Sean Gaston, Re- ese Havens, and Justin Smoak, to name a few—is playing for the right reasons. “We’re a team, period. The guys like Will Play For Food each other, they trust each other and they believe in T-E- Page Fifteen A-M.” A Tough Blow Coach Things have been tough in Chatham over the last couple of weeks. The league’s most high profile franchise en- 5 dured a long losing streak in which it couldn’t score any DONDAN PARKINSON runs and went just 2-8 over a 10-game stretch. But, things got worse. Head Coach John Schiffner lost the player that he said Full Cape Cod League Game Schedule had taken his game to a level that was unexpected, just Page 10 as the team entered the season. Infielder Aaron Reza of Oklahoma had batted .260 with two RBIs as a sophomore last year. He was a nice player on the team, but hardly a By The Numbers cornerstone. Pages 12-13 How things had changed for Reza this go-round. The A’s third baseman was seeing the ball very well and owning Batting Around Cape League pitching. Reza led the Cape League in hit- ting at .358 through 14 games of action, and then an ag- Pages 11-14 gressive base-running play ended his season prematurely. Reza was attempting to stretch a single into a double in the second game of a doubleheader against the Falmouth Look for this issue online @ www.capenews.net Commodores in Chatham when he broke his finger with a head-first slide. “He did a great job. He just improved his ability to hit and hit inside the ball,” said Head Coach John Schiffner. On The Cover: Cardinals’ right-hander Andrew Brackman. “[Losing him from the lineup] certainly hurts.” Photo by Nicole Zartarian Reza had batted all over the lineup for the A’s through- out the season. Schiffner said he expects Reza to be on many scouts’ radar screens and that he has a bright future. publisher project manager design services manager Let’s Play Two, We Have To William Hough Chuck Borge Christine Stutzman Thanks a lot Mother Nature. With rain being more sports editor sales manager design services common than sunburned tourists this summer, the Cape Rich Maclone League players will not be enjoying many days off be- Steve Krammes Linda Stewart tween now and the end of the season. In fact, at this photo editor Jill Spencer point, the only one guaranteed is August 3 when the sales Daniel W. Webb Julia Balducci All-Stars will be honored at Fenway Park. Other than that, Danielle Guay design & layout press supervisor games will be played whenever possible. Several teams Tricia Keough have doubleheaders scheduled down the stretch and in Elisabet K. Rodrigues David Pittman Dawn Mitchell some cases the games are against two different teams. Trisha Herlihy 50 Depot Avenue Barbara Warner nterp Rich Maclone is the Sports Editor for Summer Stars e E ri Falmouth, MA 02540 Nancy Medeiros h s and also covers the Falmouth Commodores for Enterprise e 508-548-4700 • 1-800-286-7744 Esther Buchanan T Publishing. He can be reached at [email protected]. Falmouth • Mashpee • Bourne • Sandwich Fax: 508-540-8407 Thursday, July 20, 2006 SUMMER STARS 3 BY DARIN WEEKS Brackman’s decision on transition appeared seam- chance to catch his breath State. Again the Wolf Pack Life is full of choices. which sport to choose from less. Although arriving late and reflect on a freshman won 20 games and qualified Whether it’s “left or right,” was obvious. because of his basketball year that left him with little for the NCAA tourney and “yes or no,” or “paper or “I wanted to play both requirements, Brackman won time for himself, considering Brackman continued to play plastic,” there comes a time sports,” explained Brackman every game he appeared in the fact he’s a college stu- significant minutes, scor- when you must choose a on his decision to enroll at for the Wolf Pack during his dent with academic require- ing 7.6 points per game and path when confronted with NC State. “It came down to freshman year. In four starts, ments as well. blocking 28 shots, good for a proverbial fork in the road. Georgia Tech and NC State. he went 4-0 with a 2.09 ERA, “Playing two sports defi- second overall on the team. For most young athletes Georgia Tech wouldn’t let me while striking out 43 batters nitely adds pressure with Though he played in all 32 gifted in more than one sport, play basketball, so I went to and only walking 18. school. I’m not just juggling basketball games for the Wolf deciding which individual NC State. I definitely made Despite playing just a small two sports; I’m juggling three Pack in 2005-2006, Brack- sport to pursue usually hap- the right choice.” portion of NC State’s baseball things with school, too,” man was initially unaware pens prior to enrolling in The first athletic challenge season, Brackman’s numbers Brackman explained. “Some- that he had suffered a minor college. Once in a long while, for Brackman at NC State earned him Second-Team All- times when you get off the hip injury late in the season a rare athlete is so blessed would be living up to the American Freshman honors court or field, you just want that would eventually worsen in two sports that deciding hype that surrounded him as from Baseball America. to go home and sleep. You and haunt him throughout the which to follow is an easy he arrived in the basketball- “It was a privilege to be don’t want to have to go sit at baseball season. one. “Both.” crazy state of North Carolina. named to that team,” said a table with a tutor, but if you On March 5 during his first Such an athlete is Orleans Hopes were high for the Wolf Brackman. “It’d be nice to want to play, you have to get start of the year for NC State Cardinals and North Carolina Pack as they advanced to the play a full season one of your schoolwork done, too.” baseball, Brackman initially State star Andrew Brackman. second round of the NCAAs these years so I can show When fall semester came noticed the pain in his hip in a Growing up in Middle the previous spring and the people what I can really do.” during his sophomore year, game against UCLA. Trying to America and standing 6 feet, freshman Brackman did his With one full year of balls Brackman once again found work through it, he suffered 10 inches tall, while attend- best to live up to his reputa- and books completed at NC himself being a key com- his worst start in a Wolf Pack ing Moeller High School in tion. State, the two-sport ath- ponent for the ACC hoops uniform as he lasted just 2 Cincinnati, Ohio, Brackman He helped lead NC State lete Brackman finally had a power that is North Carolina Continued on Next Page appeared destined to spend to a Sweet 16 appearance his athletic life fighting for following a freshman sea- rebounds and blocking son that saw him play in all shots.