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PRESORTED STANDARD U.S Postage Paid Falmouth Publishing Co. Y-D Off To A Fast Start At 6-2 Yarmouth-Dennis is off to the hottest start in the Cape League. The Red Sox are stacked with talent; from at pitching staff led by second-year starter, and last year's co- Pitcher Of The Year in the Cape League, Terry Doyle (Boston College), to the league’s leading hitter, Gordon Beckham (Georgia). Y-D Coach Scott Pickler has certainly done his homework, and it seems that once again the defending Cape League champion Red Sox might be the team to beat. But will the road to the 2007 championship run through Red Wilson Field as it did last summer? If everyone stays healthy Y-D has a good chance to repeat. But to do so once again they will have to face down some very talented teams. In their corner the Red Sox have players like second base- man Joey Railey (U of San Francisco) leading off. Railey puts the ball in play and, not surprisingly, can run. He leads the team in runs scored. Sean Ochinko (LSU) is a tenacious catcher/fi rst DON PARKINSON/ENTERPRISE baseman who is hitting over .300 and Collin Cowgill (Kentucky) A taste of Cape Cod. owns centerfi eld. There are few balls hit into his zip code that the speedy Cowgill doesn’t track down. In right fi eld the Red Sox have more speed and athleti- Luke Murton: cism with Johnny Ayers (Boston College). Ayers shocked New England and Boston Red Sox fans across the country Sticking To It when he was the fi rst to get a hit off Boston’s newest pitch- Page Two ing acquisition Daisuke Matzuska in spring training. His brief moment of fame behind him, Ayers has settled into a groove with Y-D and is playing solid baseball. Fans of Coastal Carolina University know Bobby Gagg Bourne’s Man and soon, if they don’t already, Cape League fans and Major of “Steele” League Baseball scouts will be watching the sophomore Page Four right-hander more closely. Gagg has been almost untouch- able, allowing just four hits over 11 innings. And how about pitchers Steve Dodson (Georgia) and Scott Green (Kentucky), who have respective ERA’s of 2.19 and 0.90? These guys can pitch. Corey Snyder: Home So will Y-D repeat? There are nine other clubs in the Run King league that say 'no.' We’ll just have to watch. Meet The President Page Seven Dan Crowley, Editor 3
DON PARKINSON/ENTERPRISE Luke Murton is enjoying playing in the Cape League NFS Warrior Code: Whitecaps’ Ryan Cook N 5IF&OUFSQSJTF Pages 5 4V T 4VNNFS 6OL *UNE 9 4 OUR 'UIDE TO T UB HE #APE ST #OD "ASEBALL ,EAGU Photo Highlights E S Pages 8-9 4UB "REWSTERS #OOK 3ERVING After two starts, and 5P +S Fred Cusick: Game of the Week 11 innings pitched, Page 11 Orleans Cardinals right- #USICK handed pitcher Brad 6OICE OF Boxberger has some of THE #APE Look for this issue online 3NYDER the top hitters in college (OME 2UN +ING baseball shaking their 2EMEM2EMEMBEREDBERED @ www.capenews.net heads. While he doesn’t
02%3/2 4%$ have a win to show for 34!.$!2$ 53 0OSTAGE 0AID On The Cover: Luke Murton of the Wareham Gatemen. &ALMOUTH 0UBLISHI his work, Boxberger has NG #O Photo by Don Parkinson. been outstanding on the mound. He has faced 41 batters thus far, allowing only fi ve hits and no runs. His ERA stands at a perfect 0.00. A freshman out of the University of Southern Califor- publisher operations manager design services manager nia, he went 3-5 with an ERA of 3.20 this spring for the William Hough Chuck Borge Christine Stutzman Trojans. In 14 starts. and 90 innings of work, he gave up 78 hits, 32 earned runs, struck out 72 and walked sports editor sales manager design services 34. This year he earned Rivals.com All-America sec- Dan Crowley Chris Avis Linda Stewart ond team honors. Jill Spencer A Pac-10 Pitcher of the Week for USC, he was born photo editor Julia Balducci in 1988, the same year that current and former ma- sales Don Parkinson jor league players Jeff Bagwell (Chatham), Jeromy Danielle Guay design & layout press supervisor Burnitz (Hyannis), Mo Vaughn (Wareham), Jeff Kent Dawn Mitchell Elisabet K. Rodrigues David Pittman (Cotuit), Mike Myers (Brewster), Tim Salmon (Cotuit), Trisha Herlihy J.T. Snow (Orleans), Dan Wilson (Cotuit) and Frank Rebecca Whittingdon 50 Depot Avenue Thomas (Orleans) among others played on the Cape. Nancy Medeiros Enterp His father Rod Boxberger (12-1) pitched for the USC e ri Falmouth, MA 02540 Esther Buchanan h s 1978 national championship team that went 54-9 and e 508-548-4700 • 1-800-286-7744 Pam deLala T was named the MVP of the College World Series. Falmouth • Mashpee • Bourne • Sandwich Fax: 508-540-8407 Thursday, June 28, 2007 SUMMER STARS 3 Life's Still Good For Luke Murton
BY RICH MACLONE Instead his batting average Life was good for Luke dipped 100 points and his Murton as a freshman at power numbers fell as well. Georgia Tech. The big fi rst He hit just .239, although he baseman/outfi elder for the did hit nine homers with 14 Ramblin’ Wreck was a one- doubles. man wrecking crew for his With that type of history, college team, hitting .339 one might expect Murton to for the year with some big be a ball of nerves, stran- power numbers, smacking gling the bat at the plate six homers and 44 runs bat- and ready to do the same ted in. to those around him. The That summer he came truth, though, is far from to Cape Cod to play in the that. country’s premier summer After drilling a ball out to baseball league and again right fi eld in batting practice, Murton put up some quality and lining one through the numbers. While his .234 bat- box in his fi nal cut, Murton ting average for the summer runs out to the fi eld and was not by any means earth dances around the infi eld shattering, it was a point of as his teammates fi nish up DON PARKINSON/ENTERPRISE pride after a tough start to their swings. He dares them First baseman Luke Murton of the Wareham Gatemen the season, which saw him to take aim at his linebacker- go hitless over his fi rst 23 like frame and smiles all the different things at the begin- on-deck circle and think, I’m days.” at-bats. way back to the dugout. ning, but I just didn’t feel going to get out here, you In Murton’s younger days, Murton, the younger broth- With the struggles he’s myself. It’s just a matter of tell yourself that. And then he spent a lot of time watch- er of the Chicago Cubs’ Matt had, one might think he getting back into my own there’s other times when ing his big brother play Murton, who also played for doesn’t have much to be comfort zone and hopefully you’re in the batter’s box baseball. When Luke was in the Wareham Gatemen, was smiling about. Luke Murton, playing the way I think I can and you think, I’m probably junior high school, Matt was riding high as he got ready though, would beg to differ. play.” going to hit a double here. tearing things up at Eagle’s for year No. 2 with the Yellow “You’ve got to (have fun). Hitting is a lot like the Sometimes, when you start Landing High. When Luke Jackets. The sweet-swing- You’re playing a game that stock market, past profi ts struggling, the game starts was tearing it up at Eagle’s ing right-handed hitter had you love, so you’ve got to do not guarantee future moving a little faster and Landing, Matt had moved experienced a great deal of have as much fun as you earnings. That’s why Mur- the balls a little smaller and onto Georgia Tech, where he success, and expected more can. Usually when you’re ton is going about things a little faster and it’s just a was a star. The elder Murton of the same. having fun, success is hap- the old fashioned way in his matter of slowing everything brother would then spend He didn’t get it, though. pening, so you want to keep quest to regain his stroke at down and getting comfort- some time playing for the Things went the other way it light-hearted and keep the plate. able,” he said. “I love be- Wareham Gatemen. Like for Murton as a sophomore. things in perspective. “I have confi dence in ing up there on a day when Matt, Luke did both of those As good as things were his Murton said that his strug- myself and in my ability to a guy’s throwing 90-miles things as well. He decided freshman year, they were the gles began at the start of the play the game. I think I have per hour, with good stuff, upon GT for college, and this exact opposite. The Georgia season and then manifested the ability to be a really good and you’re like ‘you know is his second summer just native struggled mightily and into something big. No mat- player. But it’s a matter of what, it doesn’t really mat- over the Bourne Bridge in doesn’t know why. Each trip ter what he tried, how he confi dence breeds success ter what he’s going to throw Wareham. to the batter’s box lacked tinkered with his swing, the and success breeds con- me because I believe what I While some might believe confi dence for Murton, and it results were not what he was fi dence. What comes fi rst, can do and I’m going to do that there is a lot of pressure just got worse. used to, and he admitted it the chicken or the egg? It’s it.’ Those are the better days to be the younger brother Expectations could not was frustrating. the kind of thing you have when you’re up at the plate. continually following in his have been higher. Murton “I just got into a rut and it to work through, come here That’s what you practice older brother’s footsteps, said that his coaching staff was hard for me to get out every day and work hard in and what you play for, those Continued on Next Page at GT believed he could hit of it. There was no consis- BP and know what you want near .400 for the spring sea- tency all year, I just couldn’t to do at the plate and ac- son, crack 20 homers and stay consistent. I tried some complish that.” drive in a plethora of runs. The good thing about downward trends is that 3,)$% INTO they are usually followed by upward ones. Murton, who is still fi ghting things at the plate right now early on in the Cape League season (1-for-19 through six games), said that when the going 1UALITY 3EAFOOD is rough, it seems like the count is 0-2 when he steps to the plate. However, when 9OULL ALWAYS BE 3!&% times are good, they’re re- ally good, and those are the -6/$) ի%*//&3 ի ,*%441&$*"-4 times he lives for as a base- ball player. #PJMFE-PCTUFS4UFBNFST “Sometimes you’ll go up to the plate and be sitting in the $IFFTFDBLF'BDUPSZ$IFFTFDBLF &!,-/54( 3!.$7)#( To Subscribe 2TE s 0ALMER !VE #OAST 'UARD 2OAD DAN CROWLEY/ENTERPRISE Call Luke Murton wears #34 for the Gatemen and at Georgia WWWSEAFOODSAMSCOM Tech 508-299-8379 4 SUMMER STARS Thursday, June 28, 2007 T.J. is Bourne’s Man of “Steele” Life’s Still Good BY DARIN WEEKS “That’s legit”. Continued from Page 3 might not be his ultimate If you happen to hear Luke insists that is not profession. There are no those words coming out of the case. guarantees in pro sports, the mouth of Bourne Braves’ Luke hopes that one even for the brother of a outfi elder T.J. Steele, it is day, he can follow his big leaguer. to be understood that he is brother’s footsteps once “I love the game, and I offering his highest praise. again, into the Major feel like I’m just blessed Since arriving in Bourne a Leagues. to play the game, but if it’s week ago, the University of “I know nothing else, so not what I’m supposed to Arizona Wildcat has shown it’s cool. I saw him play do with my life, then I’m that not even Kryptonite in high school, and went fi ne with that,” he said. could slow down a man to the same high school. “Right now, I feel like this who has hit .421 and domi- I saw him play in college, is where I’m supposed nated Cape League pitching and ended up going to the to be and this is what I’m through the fi rst six games same college, so it was supposed to be doing. of this summer. pretty cool to get to see If (pro baseball) is what The son of Tommy Steele, him and be around him ... happens in a year or two, a former member of the growing up with someone that’s great, but if not, NFL’s Houston Oilers, T.J. that that plays in the big there’s something else out grew up in an environ- leagues you just realize there. ment where the necessary that everyone puts their “It’s a dream, something ingredients of hard work pants on the same way.” I’d love to do, and it would and determination were The chance to play be awesome (playing pro ingrained in the heart of the big league baseball has ball). You never know what already physically gifted already been offered to can happen … you have athlete. Though he was the the recently-turned 21- live day by day.” son of a professional ath- year old. Murton was a If baseball doesn’t work lete, young T.J. never felt draft-eligible sophomore out, Murton has given the pressure to succeed in at Georgia Tech and was thought to other ventures. sports coming from either DON PARKINSON/ENTERPRISE selected in round No. 40 of While his major at school of his parents. Bourne’s T.J. Steele (Arizona) is off to a hot start at the plate. the draft by the New York is management, that’s “(Growing up the son of Yankees. The Yanks told not what he sees himself a professional athlete), I Murton that they would pursuing. “If I didn’t play don’t think that there was himself ranked as the 29th lowed him to college. monitor his progress over baseball, I think I’d really any kind of pressure,” best high school outfi elder “Arizona was my home- the summer before making like to do something with Steele said. “What it did in the country by Team One town team, I’ve lived there an offer to him. If that offer the ministry … my two was teach me a really good Baseball. my whole life,” explained comes later this summer passions right now are work ethic.” Ironically, when draft day Steele on his decision to join it will be decision time for that and baseball.” Like most players in the came, it would be another the Wildcats. “I got re- the youngest child of Bill And that other passion Cape League, success has Houston team, this time the cruited by New Mexico and and Sue Murton, who also is what helps drive him to followed Steele throughout Astros, who called looking Gonzaga, but it was always have a 23-year old daugh- succeed on the diamond. his athletic life. During his to employ another member been my dream to play for ter, Sarah. “If baseball was it for me, days at Canyon Del Oro High of the Steele family, this time the University of Arizona.” Murton believes that, I’d be dying right now. School in Arizona, Steele T.J. Despite overtures from After a freshman cam- most likely, another col- Don’t’ get me wrong, this picked up three varsity the Astros, and other col- paign that saw Steele hit lege season is in his spring was tough, and I’m baseball letters and earned legiate programs, he would a Pac-10 Conference-best future, but he would not working hard to get (back second team All-State in a fulfi ll his lifelong dream of .418 in conference games, rule out going pro after on track hitting). At the part of the country where wearing the cardinal red and he hit .323 with seven the Cape League fi nishes same time, you’ve got to outstanding ballplayers are navy blue of his hometown home runs and 47 RBI in up. “You can make a lot of keep things in perspec- as common as sunburns. University of Arizona. Not 57 games at Arizona during money up here in the Cape tive. Am I doing it for When he completed his surprising, the success he his sophomore campaign, Cod League, and I feel like myself, or am I doing it high school career, he found achieved in high school fol- helping to lead the Cats to if I play up to my poten- for Christ? By realizing a 42-17 record before fall- tial, like I think I can play, that it’s not all about you, ing to Wichita State in the (depending on what) the it helps put things in per- NCAA Regional. offer is, I might take it. But, spective.” With his season at school if I feel like there’s a lot left So Murton’s in an in- over, the next hurdle for for me to prove then I’ll go teresting position as he Steele to attack was the back for my junior year.” fi gures out which road he Cape League. So far he’s Where his baseball will travel. been impressed, especially odyssey eventually takes “What do I want to do with his Manager Harvey Luke Murton will be decid- with my life? Do I want Shapiro. ed down the line. He also to do what I want to do ÓFyqmpsf!Dbqf!Dpe!Uispvhi!Jdf!Dsfbn"Ô “(Shapiro) is a great coach acknowledges that when or do I want to do what who makes all the right all is said and done, there God wants me to do? !LL )CE #REAM AND )TALIAN 'ELATO Gbmnpvui Izboojt! Continued on Next Page is a chance that baseball You don’t want the game Spdlz!Spbe! Ifbui!Cbs Sbdf -ADE ON 0REMISES to end. I love the game. When that pitcher’s out /0%. %6%29 $!9 there on the mound, I -ON 4HUR &RI 3AT 3UN $ONT 3TRIKE /UT want to beat him as bad as he wants to beat me, Psmfbot 6OTED ONE OF THE "%34 Cpvsof! 'ET THE "EST 4IRES (ERE Psfp .EW "USINESSES IN -ASSACHUSETTS Cvuufs! and I’m going to work Qfdbo hard to do that. But, %DITORS #HOICE !WARD FOR "EST )CE #REAM when it’s all said and BY #APE #OD ,IFE -AGAZINE done, if my job’s not to beat him every day, then Dibuibn Csfxtufs Ibsxjdi! Cbtt!Sjwfs! Nbzàpxfs! Dpuvju CAPE & ISLAND TIRE CO. it is what it is.” Dipdpmbuf Cfssz Ib{fmovu Cmbdlcfssz Npdib Dpggff HYANNIS E. FALMOUTH ORLEANS E. WAREHAM Whatever it ends up 730 Bearses Way 735 Teaticket Hwy. 135 Route 6A 3057 Cranberry Hwy. being, Luke Murton will be (508) 775-6066 (508) 457-1300 (508) 255-9522 (508)291-7500 satisfi ed. Thursday, June 28, 2007 SUMMER STARS 5 Warrior Code For Whitecap’s Pitcher Ryan Cook It’s All About Battling BY MATTHEW M. BURKE practicing drills, which is Cook is a Californian, Brewster’s Ryan Cook has how Cook says he devel- which is evident by his thick pitched in two Cape League oped as a pitcher. accent. He is relaxed and contests thus far this sum- Cook adds that his friends pleasant, laughing often mer. In the fi rst, Cook was growing up were always while he speaks. When it spectacular, recording 11 baseball players, so it was comes to baseball however, strikeouts in six innings, only all he knew. Until it was time he is all business. The smile giving up one hit and zero to get serious about baseball fades and he instantly grows earned runs. His fastball in college for the Trojans, determined and focused. was live, sinking without a Cook was a racecar driver, He says that he isn’t satis- moments notice, and danc- running sprint cars on oval fi ed after fi nishing with a ing in the Orleans night sky. dirt tracks. 5.06 ERA in 2007. “My ERA Despite his strong outing, Cook’s freshman season wasn’t good,” he said mat- Brewster lost to the Cardi- for USC, he went 4-4 in ter-of-factly. “It was great in nals, 1-0, on Opening Day. 15 games, chalking up 31 the beginning, but a couple In his second outing, Cook strikeouts and a 5.97 ERA of things got off in my me- admits he didn’t have his best in 69 and a third innings chanics in the second half of stuff, but the six foot, two pitched. He walked 34, giv- the year, and I was battling, inch USC sophomore battled, ing up 49 runs (46 earned) getting back. I didn’t really recording four more strikeouts on 93 hits. This season Cook have my best stuff at all for (At press time, Cook was one improved, going 7-4, also in the second half of the year.” strikeout behind Harwich’s 15 games. He struck out 52 Cook’s coaches at USC Danny Farquhar for the league on his way to a 5.06 ERA in got him involved with the lead) over fi ve and a third in- 90 and 2/3 and he walked 27 Cape League this sum- nings, giving up only four hits over the course of the sea- mer, something that Cook and three earned runs. Brews- son. Cook gave up 59 runs is grateful for, calling it “an ter defeated Wareham 8-7 on (51 earned) on 114 hits. unbelievable opportunity.” June 21. But better just isn’t good By coming to the Cape, Whitecaps skipper Bob enough for Cook. “I had an Cook hopes that his fortunes Macaluso said that despite okay freshman year, I mean, turn and 2008 is his com- Cook’s own admission that he it wasn’t anything to be ing out party as one of the didn’t have his best stuff in his happy with,” he says after Pac-10’s top pitchers. “I’m DON PARKINSON/ENTERPRISE second start, which includes jogging the warning track hoping that my junior year is Brewster’s Ryan Cook (USC) has Cape hitters guessing. both a two and a four-seam at the Stony Brook School my year,” he said with an air fastball, a slider, a change-up, Field, one day after his of sincerity. He just hopes to Cook says that he is two-year veteran Whitecap’s and a curveball, Cook fought second Cape League start, a be able to perform this sum- learning a lot from all of the catcher Ryan Babineau hard, not giving up many hard beard starting to grow in. “It mer for Coach Mac while still talented players and knowl- came out to the mound hit baseballs, and even had wasn’t anything to frown on resting his arm after logging edgeable coaches that are in early in the contest (after a improved velocity. ... And then I had a little bit a lot of innings at SoCal this the league. Brewster pitch- strikeout) to tell Cook that he Thus far, Cook, who says better of a year this year.” past season. ing coach Phil Davidson has was standing up and wasn’t that he hasn’t lived up to his already helped him stay over fi nishing his pitches. full potential in his fi rst two the rubber more when he “I was like, ‘Wow,’” Cook seasons at USC, has shown Man of “Steele” pitches, and has instructed said. “That just tells you the signs of a breakthrough Cook not to jump out toward kind of baseball kids that are junior season at the Pac-10 Continued from Page 4 the plate. out here. The catcher at this baseball powerhouse, and moves,” said Steele. “He’s got a very different style from Cook adds that he had one level can already look and has been one of the reasons (Arizona Manager) Andy Lopez, but Shapiro is always there of the best experiences that see what I’m doing wrong that the Whitecap’s starting to help you when you need it.” he’s ever had on the fi eld as he’s trying to catch my pitching is the best in the Despite his hot start, Steele judges himself not by his sta- during his second start when Continued on Next Page league thus far this summer tistics, but by something instilled early in his life by his father, (Brewster leads the league in hard work and effort. Though many Cape Leaguers set goals team pitching with a collec- such as a home run title or All-Star appearance, Steele’s tive 2.22 ERA through eight goals are less quantifi able when looking at a stat sheet. “My goals this summer are to have fun and try my best,” MADNESS contests). Cook is a warrior and has admits Steele. “I’m not a ‘stat guy’ and the way I see it, Ê âÕÊ*À`ÕVÌÃÊ"Ê->i shown that he can fi ght whatever happens in my career happens.” through his worst days and Although this “Man of Steele” wears a “B” on his cap Ê âÕ Ê âÕ still give his team a chance rather than an “S” on his chest, Steele’s impact to a to win. On his best days, he Braves team that won just nine games a year ago to a - Ê>`Ê // Ê"6 -Ê can be dominating. team that is leading the Western Division is just as impor- -"/ Ê /- >`Ê Ê"6 - “[Last night] I didn’t have tant. Needless to say, his effort so far this summer would my best stuff so I had to be “legit” in anyone’s book. battle,” he said. “My fi rst Îä¯Ê" Óä¯Ê" outing I had my best stuff so, it wasn’t easy, but it was Ài>ÌÊÃiiVÌÊÊÃÌVÊvÀÊÌ iÊLi}iÀÊÌ easier than last [time].” Cook hails from Clovis, Ì iÊ«À]ÊVÕ`}ÊvÕÊÃvÌL>ÊiÊvÀÊ}Àð California, a small country town right outside of Fresno. At the age of three, he was #HECK OUT OUR SHOP given a bat and glove set from his father. As a kid, 9OULL LOVE father and son were com- WHAT YOU SEE petitive, and would throw 7EST -AIN 3TREET q (YANNIS -! the ball back to each other q harder and harder while SS 6-27 +7**0.)8(43*[&3>5:7(-&8* &AX