The Enterprise’s 4UBST NFS ball League N Base V Cod 4 Cape e r Guide to th Vool.l. 2,2, #1#1 Yoouru Guide to the Cape Cod Baseball Leagu JJuneune 14,14, 22007007 INSIDE: PPreviewsreviews OfOf AAllll 1010 TeamsTeams
MMr.r. KettleerKettleer
JJacobyacoby Ellsbury:Ellsbury: A PhonePhone CallCall AwayAway
PRESORTED STANDARD U.S Postage Paid Falmouth Publishing Co. Now Batting...Season Two Former Cape League Star Welcome to our second season of Summer Stars. The Cape Cod League baseball season opened for us back in February when we began planning for this year. Over the last four and Jacoby Ellsbury On The a half months we have worked hard to prepare for the season and to make Summer Stars the leading source for Cape Cod Fast Track To Fenway Park Baseball League news. This year we will continue to offer the magazine for free at all the CCBL parks and through local businesses on Cape Cod, but in addition we will be offering subscriptions nationally. By doing this we will be bringing the excitement, fl avor and tradition of the country’s oldest amateur summer collegiate baseball league to audiences across the nation. This year Summer Stars will fi nd its way into every Major League Baseball front offi ce and most radio and television broadcast booths. Division I college coaches around the country will be receiving it, as will be player agents DON PARKINSON/ENTERPRISE and professional scouting agencies. Summer Stars will also be making a weekly trip to Cooperstown and the National Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum. Pawtucket’s Our veteran staff or writers, and contributing writers have Jacob Ellsbury been following Cape League baseball for decades. They know the Cape, the parks and how to fi nd some of the best stories Page Three the summer will have to offer. Their feature stories will take you behind the scenes, and into the dugout, with the top col- legiate players and coaches in America, as well as introduce you to the people that make the Cape Cod Baseball League work. Mr. Kettleer: This summer we’ve added a ninth issue to our usual eight recapping the playoffs and championship series. So join us Arnold Mycock for a summer of Cape Cod Baseball League excitement, come Page Five out to the games, and then sit back and read all about every- thing else that is happening on and off the fi eld with Summer Stars. Dan Crowley, Editor Dan Crowley is also the Sports Editor for the Enterprise News- A Life In Baseball: papers and the author of the 2003 book Baseball on Cape Cod. Cape League Legend George Tsami 5 Page Eleven
Teammates at Falmouth NNFS 5IF&OUFSQSJTFT 4V 4VN Page 7 6OL NFS *UNE 9OUR ' 4 UIDE TO THE #APE #OD "ASEBALL ,EAGUEU BST Photo Highlights US Military All-Stars Game S Pages 8-9 UB ).3)$% 4 0REVIEWS /F Bourne Braves right- !LL 4EAMS League Preview East Division & West Division handed pitcher/outfi elder -R +ETTLEER Pages 11-14 and US Naval Academy *ACOBY %LLSBURY junior Mitch Harris has two ! 0HONE #ALL !WAY dreams. As a midshipman Look for this issue online at Annapolis, he dreams of @ www.capenews.net becoming an offi cer in the
02%3/24%$ Navy, but as a baseball player he dreams of playing 34!.$!2$ 53 0OSTAGE 0AID &ALMOUTH 0UBLISHI Major League Baseball. Last week Harris was drafted in NG #O On The Cover: Ellsbury: From Falmouth to Pawtucket the 24th round of the Major League Baseball Amateur Photo by Rich Maclone Draft by the Atlanta Braves. This spring Harris compiled a record of 8-5, with an ERA of 2.14 in 88.1 innings of work for the Midshipmen. His 119 strikeouts were a Patriot League record. At the publisher operations manager design services manager plate he hit .293. His eight home runs and 47 RBI led all William Hough Chuck Borge Christine Stutzman Patriot League hitters. He was selected for the 2007 All- sports editor Patriot League second team as a starting pitcher and sales manager design services designated hitter. In addition, this year he was awarded Dan Crowley Chris Avis Linda Stewart the Thompson Trophy Cup, which is presented to that photo editor Jill Spencer midshipman who has done the most during the year to Julia Balducci promote athletics at the Naval Academy. sales Don Parkinson “I thank the Atlanta Braves for taking me,” he said. Danielle Guay design & layout press supervisor “I have every intention of fulfi lling my military commit- Dawn Mitchell Elisabet K. Rodrigues David Pittman ment, and I’ll do whatever I have to do. But playing pro Trisha Herlihy ball has always been a dream.” Rebecca Whittingdon 50 Depot Avenue In September, Harris will enter his senior year at An- Nancy Medeiros Enterp e ri Falmouth, MA 02540 napolis and have a fi ve-year military service commit- Esther Buchanan h s e 508-548-4700 • 1-800-286-7744 ment. Pam deLala T Falmouth • Mashpee • Bourne • Sandwich Fax: 508-540-8407 Thursday, June 14, 2007 SUMMER STARS 3 FFormerFFormeroorrmmeerr CapeCCapeCaappee LeagueLLeagueLeeaagguuee StarSStarSttaarr JJacobyJJacobyaaccoobbyy EEllsburyEEllsburyllllssbbuurryy OOnOOnnn TheTTheThhee FFastFFastaasstt TTrackTTrackrraacckk ToTToToo FFenwayFFenwayeennwwaayy PParkPParkaarrkk
On a typically sweaty August Jeff Trundy into the leadoff that he put emphasis on. afternoon in The Hub Jacoby spot immediately, Ellsbury “I shortened up my swing a Ellsbury had just worked out began to turn heads with little bit, it was a little longer for the Boston Red Sox with a his hustling style, breakneck than I wanted it to be, so I group of Cape Cod Baseball speed and fl ashy glove. Every made it more compact and League all-stars at Fenway night it seemed that Ellsbury worked on limiting my strike- Park. After slicing and dicing did something to help the outs to become a true, good BP fastballs in the cage at the team, and the team began to leadoff hitter.” little ballpark off of Landsd- ascend up the standings. On His work on fundamentals owne Street Ellsbury made his a team that was fi lled with and attention to detail has way across the street to one of high draft picks – including paid dividends at every level. the slightly overpriced souvenir Dallas Buck, Dan Carte and Ellsbury joined the Sox short shops near the ballpark. Cliff Pennington – Ellsbury season ‘A’ level club, the Like most baseball fans vis- stood out. Lowell Spinners, in July of iting Fenway for the fi rst time Statistically speaking, 2005 and hit .317 that sum- the Oregon State outfi elder, Ellsbury didn’t have eye-pop- mer. He then moved to the who would help the Falmouth ping numbers on the Cape. higher level ‘A’ team, in Wilm- Commodores to their fi rst He had a solid season, batting ington, North Carolina, for the appearance in the CCBL .245 as he averaged about a start of the 2006 season and championship series since hit per game while posting an hit .299 there over 65 games 1980 – three years before he on-base percentage of .376. before moving up to the Port- was born – had to pick up He had a couple of doubles, land Sea Dogs, and the ‘AA’ ENTERPRISE FILE PHOTO some kind of memento from three triples and a homer and level. At Portland he hit at a Jacob Ellsbury while playing in 2004 for the Commodores his trip. It was at that moment knocked in seven runs from .308 clip for the rest of the that he became a fl edgling the leadoff spot. On a team season, playing in 50 games I know that the big league pen he also has a very good member of Red Sox Nation, that is not known for doing a there. The year 2006 proved club is doing real well and chance of being promoted purchasing a Sox cap that lot of running, he swiped 12 to a great one for Ellsbury on all I can do is to continue to the big league club after caught his eye. bases (in 15 attempts). And, several levels as he would to improve as a player, and September 1 when the MLB The lid bought in Boston Ellsbury played spectacular receive enough trophies to fi ll continue to develop. I’m still rosters expand for the fi nal would travel back across the defense as he chased down a shelf, being named the Red young, so even if I get there month of the season. country to Corvalis, OR. Dur- anything in the same zip code. Sox Minor League Player Of this year, next year, or the fol- “That’d be nice, just for the ing the preseason he began Ellsbury earned an all-star The Year and Baserunner Of lowing year, I’m going to keep experience, if anything, even to throw it atop his shortly nod and it was clear that he The Year. He was named to developing when I get to the if I don’t get into any games,” cut hair. It went from being was moving higher and higher the Carolina League’s All-Star big leagues as well.” the former Falmouth Commo- just a part of his college dude on MLB teams’ draft radars. team and named the Eastern Chances are that Ellsbury dore said. “Just to sit on the wardrobe and morphed into a The blip got much bigger when League Player of the Week could don a Boston Red Sox bench and watch, I can learn sort of “lucky hat.” he went back to OSU and (August 6-13). uniform sooner rather than a lot from just watching and Little did he know what it hit .406 the next year with 19 The 23-year old began the later. Pretty much considered being around the guys and would come to represent later doubles, three triples and six 2007 season with the Sea universally as an untouch- seeing how they go about in the season. In the middle homers in 58 games. Dogs, but wouldn’t stay there able player come the trad- their business.” of the Beavers run to the The Sox center fi elder of long. Ellsbury hit a gaudy ing deadline by the Red Sox One thing is for certain, College World Series the Red the future credited his time .452 over the team’s fi rst brass, Ellsbury could be in it won’t be long before the Sox would add a jersey to on Cape Cod with helping 17 games and was named Beantown should one of the former Cape League all-star the outfi t as they drafted him him make the leap to the next the Eastern League’s Player Sox outfi elders get injured, or is wearing a Boston Red Sox 23rd overall in the 2005 Major level. He said that his strug- Of The Month for April. He traded. If that doesn’t hap- cap again, every day. League Baseball Draft. gles in the Cape League gave wouldn’t get a chance to After completing his run him motivation to get better, win the award again in May with the Beavers, which and the knowledge of what because he was promoted would come up short of the he needed to work on. to the Paw Sox on May 4, 3,)$% INTO championship (OSU won the “I gained a lot of knowl- getting one step closer to his CWS the next year), Ellsbury edge, and that’s the biggest dream of playing in the big would begin wearing a slew thing as a player, is when leagues. of new caps in hopes of get- you’re not succeeding, I think Now he’s 46 miles and ting back to a New Era with that you have to have the an opportunity away from the old English ‘B’ on top right attitude and mentality, playing for the Boston Red again. then you can improve the Sox. Ellsbury said that he is ****** most,” he said prior to taking pleased with his rapid ascen- 1UALITY 3EAFOOD While nearly every Red Sox the game for the Pawtucket sion up the ranks of the Red fan across the country knows Red Sox against the Colum- Sox minor league system, who Jacoby Ellsbury is now, bus Clippers two weeks ago. but does not plan to rest on 9OULL ALWAYS BE 3!&% and anticipates his arrival in “It was defi nitely a fun sum- his laurels at this point. “Just Boston, there weren’t nearly mer, a learned a lot. I think being in the minor leagues, -6/$) ի%*//&3 ի ,*%441&$*"-4 that many that knew his that was the summer that I playing every day has cer- #PJMFE-PCTUFS4UFBNFST name, let alone could prop- improved the most as a ball- tainly helped improve my erly pronounce it, when he ar- player mentally, and went into game,” he said. “I have high $IFFTFDBLF'BDUPSZ$IFFTFDBLF rived in Falmouth back in the the offseason and worked on expectations of myself, but at summer of 2004. It didn’t take those fundamentals.” the same time if you told me &!,-/54( 3!.$7)#( long for fans of the Commo- He said that his biggest that I was just a phone call dores to quickly realize that focus was making his swing away two years later, I would 2TE s 0ALMER !VE #OAST 'UARD 2OAD the youngster patrolling cen- better. Also, providing his have said ‘wow, that’s great.’ ter fi eld was special. Inserted team a big weapon at the top Right now, at this level, I try WWWSEAFOODSAMSCOM by longtime Falmouth skipper of the lineup was something not to think about it so much. 4 SUMMER STARS Thursday, June 14, 2007 No Heart? Need Not Apply Defending Champion Red Sox Skipper Scott Pickler BY MATTHEW M. BURKE been like last August during roots stoked their passion for The 2006 Yarmouth-Dennis the playoffs. “Well, our guys America’s pastime. Red Sox team was special. were playing pretty hard still Pickler played baseball in Not only did they win the towards the end. Maybe it high school for Savanna High, Arnold Mycock Award for was how hard they were play- in Anaheim, CA. He gradu- the Cape League champion- ing towards the end? But, ated in 1968 as the reigning ship by defeating red-hot then you’re matched up with Athlete of the Year. He later Wareham, 5-1, in the cham- a Wareham team that did the went on to play at Cypress pionship game, the third and same thing. When you get in College, where he garnered fi nal game in a best-of-three a short series like that, if you all-conference honors before series. They also overcame make a mistake, its going to transferring to San Diego adversity to do so, namely an come back to haunt you, and State. Pickler was an aspiring 8-11 start to the season. we made less mistakes in Continued on Page 7 Yarmouth-Dennis Head Coach Scott Pickler The Sox won their fi nal game that fi nal weekend and it paid of the season at their home off for us.” park, Red Wilson Field, in “Pick,” as he is called by his front of close to 8,500 of their friends and players alike, is New Season About To Begin adoring fans, a phenomenal a man with the stereotypical attendance record. They won body of a second baseman, BY PAUL A. GALOP, major goals is to prepare 28 regular season games, los- compact and agile. He is a CCBL COMMISSIONER these young men for a ca- ing only 16, for their second California man with a Califor- Greetings from Cape reer in professional baseball title in three seasons, and the nia tan, ashy gray hair, and a Cod. and we are very sensitive best regular season record in trademark Cheshire cat grin. It' hard to believe that it to not "over-pitch" them. the league in 2006. Coach Pickler, who is in his was over nine months ago The rain of 2006 forced The proverbial Oz; the man mid-50s, is quite amiable, yet that the Yarmouth-Dennis us to play more double- behind the curtain for the Red is not afraid to speak his mind. Red Sox captured their headers than ever before Sox, is a four-time National Players love to play for him, second championship in in our storied history and Coach of the Year, on the and Pickler loves to teach. He the past three years with we want to ensure we are Junior College level, and a has a sharp baseball mind. He an exciting win over the giving our pitchers proper soon-to-be 10-season veter- considers himself an aggres- Wareham Gatemen two rest between assignments. an of the Cape Cod Baseball sive coach, willing to take games to one. The fi nal Our general managers and League (all with Yarmouth- chances to win. game was played before coaching staffs have been Dennis): Coach Scott Pickler. Pickler’s love for the game approximately 8,300 spec- busy recruiting and signing “It’s a matter of getting hot of baseball began over 50 tators at Red Wilson Field the most talented collegiate in South Yarmouth on a players in the nation. The in a short series like that,” he years ago, when he was four- CCBL Commissioner Paul picture-perfect day. rosters are loaded with im- said of the Wareham series years-old. His father would Galop in the dugout at Red Wilson bring him to Glover Stadium, At the very moment the pressive NCAA student-ath- Field, less than 24 hours after in Anaheim, for a hamburger, celebration ended, plan- letes that will again provide arriving on the Cape for the fries, a malt, wooden bleach- ning for the 2007 season hugely successful in 2006. top-notch baseball on Cape 2007 season. ers, and the game of baseball. began and has been pro- Most of the other fi elds Cod for the summer of 2007. As landscapers put the Baseball was a big deal in the ceeding in earnest since continue to implement It is now time to hear fi nishing touches on the fi eld, Pickler household, and he says that very day. The Ware- changes that focus in on the crack of the wooden it was eerily quiet; certainly that he wanted to impress ham Gatemen have been safety and professionalism. bats and enjoy a true taste incomparable to what it had his father whose, Cambridge putting the fi nal touches We are very fortunate to of Americana, the Cape on fi eld improvements have the Yawkey Founda- Cod Baseball League. The that have been spectacu- tion participating in signifi - dedication of our fans is lar. The infi eld and out- cantly underwriting many unbelievable and grow- fi eld now has completely of these projects. ing. The commitment and new sod and will be quite Another exciting addi- enthusiasm that the CCBL >«iÊ `½ÃÊ the showplace when tion is the major enhance- volunteers subscribe to is the Gatemen host the ment of our souvenir store astounding. It is no won- *ÀiiÀÊ 2007 Cape Cod Baseball on-line. You now have the der that the Cape Cod League All-Star Game at opportunity to purchase Baseball League is widely Spillane Field on Satur- any of our popular mer- recognized as the best >ÃiL>Ê-ÌÀi day, July 28, 2007. The chandise items at your collegiate summer baseball Cotuit Kettleers have also convenience by simply vis- league in America. You are been completing major iting our web site at www. about to witness the future >ÀÀÞ}Ê>ÊÞÕÀÊv>ÛÀÌiÊLÀ>`Ã\ upgrades to their beauti- capecodbaseball.org and stars of Major League ful fi eld at Lowell Park. clicking on "Souvenirs" Baseball every night at our ,>Ü}à ÕÛi V> Ê-Ì>À The Falmouth Com- from the left column, and ballparks. Right now there âÕ >iÃÌV i>À i modores and Hyannis then 'merchandise". Prices are nearly 200 players in >ÃÌ 7à >` 7ÀÌ Mets also continue to are extremely reasonable, the major leagues that complete major enhance- quality is superb and deliv- once played in the Cape ments to their respective ery time is excellent. Cod Baseball League. fi elds, some of which will After enduring 32 rainouts We are very proud of that #HECK OUT OUR SHOP be completed before the during the 2006 season, accomplishment and you, 2008 season. The Bourne the CCBL voted this year to our loyal fans, have been 9OULL LOVE Braves and the Brewster increase our roster sizes to a very big part of that and WHAT YOU SEE 7EST -AIN 3TREET q (YANNIS -! Whitecaps will be starting 25 to bring in more pitch- we are most appreciative. q the second year on their ers in case we face that Best wishes for a great &AX