TheN Enterprise’sNFS4UBST V ue 4 Leag Cod Baseball uurr GuideGuide toto tthehe CCapeape Cod Baseball League Vool.l. 2,2, #7#7 YYoo JJulyuly 26,26, 22007007
HHistoryistor of tthe All-Stary of he All -Star GGameame MMitchitch MorelandMoreland aatt thethe TopTop wwithith JJohnohn WyldeWylde BBourneourne ooff thethe CCubanuban LLinksinks: Waarehamreham Yoondernder GGatemenatemen AAlonsolonso
PRESORTED STANDARD U.S Postage Paid Falmouth Publishing Co. All-Star Game Features The Best Of The Best Saturday, July 28, at 6 PM, the 45th Annual Cape Cod Base- ball League All-Star Game will be held at Wareham’s Spillane Field. The game will feature 44 of the league’s best players from the Eastern and Western Divisions. Activities will begin early in the afternoon, with batting prac- tice at 1:45 PM for members of the East. While they are hitting, the Western all-stars will be available to sign autographs. At 2:30 PM players from the Eastern squad will sign autographs for fans while the West takes BP. At 3:30, the East will take infi eld, with the West following at 3:45 PM. Mitch Moreland (Mississippi State), of the Bourne Braves, will be returning to defend his home run-hitting championship. Last DON PARKINSON/ENTEPRISE year Moreland drove 25 balls over the fence at Red Wilson Field Hyannis Mets players Dan Brewer (Bradley) and Andrew Doyle (Oklahoma) water down the in Yarmouth. The Home Run Hitting Contest will feature More- infi eld prior to a game land, as well as Blake Dean (LSU) and Luke Murton (Georgia Tech), of Wareham, representing the West with Dennis Raben Cuban Links: (Miami), of Orleans, Chris Dominguez (Louisville), of Harwich, and Yonder Alonso, (Miami) of the Brewster Whitecaps, hitting Brewster’s All-Star for the East. Yonder Alonso The Home Run Hitting Contest is slated to begin at 4 PM. Page Three The teams will be introduced at 5:15 PM followed by National Anthem. The ceremonial fi rst pitch will be at 5:50 PM. The league all-stars are selected by the 10 Cape League head coaches. Falmouth and Yarmouth-Dennis lead the player list with seven representatives each. Bourne’s Moreland: Eddie Burns (Georgia Tech) of the Y-D Red Sox will get the From Last to First start for the East and will face Western Division starter Aaron Crow (Missouri) of the Falmouth Commodores. Page Four Y-D Red Sox coach Scott Pickler will manage the East All- Stars and be assisted by the head coaches from Brewster (Bob Macaluso), Chatham (John Schiffner), Harwich (Steve Englert) and Orleans (Kelly Nicholson). The West is being led by Wareham Gateman coach Cooper Wareham’s Ace: Farris. He will be assisted by the other Western Division head Jeremy Bleich coaches; Mike Roberts (Cotuit), Harvey Shapiro (Bourne), Jeff Trundy (Falmouth) and Greg King (Hyannis). Page Six
MATT BURKE/ENTERPRISE Yonder Alonso of the Brewster Whitecaps Y-D All-Star Sean Ochinko VNNFS 4V5IF&OUFSQSJTFTN Page 7 4 6OL NFS *ULY 9OUR 'UIDE TO THE #APE4UBST #OD "ASEBALL ,EAGUE History of the All-Star Game )JTUPSZPG Pages 8-9 -IITCH -TCH - UIF"MM4U ORORELAELA S AT TH ND B E 4OP 4OP W (BNF BS U W 4 "OURNE IITHTH Falmouth third baseman $VCBO-JOLT *OHN 7YLDE *OHN 7YLDE John Wylde: Father of the Gatemen Conor Gillaspie (Wichita 9ONDER OF OF THETHE Page 13 State) is taking the season !LONSO 7AREHAM one at-bat at a time. His 'ATEMEN approach this summer has him at the top of the Cape Look for this issue online League in hitting with an @ www.capenews.net average of .356.
02%3/2 34!.$!24%$ “I’m taking it one at a 53 0OSTAGE 0AID$ &ALMOUTH 0UBLISHI time, at least that’s what I’m trying to do,” Gillaspie said. NG #O “You’re going to have days where it doesn’t work out; that On The Cover: Yonder Alonso , the fi rst baseman for the happens to everybody.” Brewster Whitecaps. Photo by MATT BURKE/ENTERPRISE Gillaspie earned the Western Division starting third baseman honors for the 2007 Cape League All-Star game. “There are so many good third basemen here,” he publisher operations manager design services manager smiled. “I’ve worked hard. I’m sure there are others William Hough Chuck Borge Christine Stutzman guys that can play there too.” Last summer he played in the wood bat Califor- sports editor sales manager design services nia Collegiate Coastal League, for the Santa Barbara Dan Crowley Linda Stewart Foresters. This year that experience is paying off as Chris Avis Gillaspie is hammering the ball. He is leading the Cape photo editor Jill Spencer League in slugging (.712) and is third in home runs (5), sales Don Parkinson Julia Balducci RBI (17) and doubles (9). Danielle Guay His father played professional baseball for eight design & layout press supervisor Dawn Mitchell seasons in the San Diego Padres and Chicago Cubs Elisabet K. Rodrigues David Pittman organizations, and, Conor admits, that having a father Trisha Herlihy Rebecca Whittingdon who played has helped him make adjustments and be a 50 Depot Avenue better ballplayer. Nancy Medeiros Enterp e ri Falmouth, MA 02540 A native of Omaha, Nebraska, Gillaspie hit a home Esther Buchanan h s e 508-548-4700 • 1-800-286-7744 run for state champion Millard North High School at the Pam deLala T championship game at Rosenblatt Statium. Falmouth • Mashpee • Bourne • Sandwich Fax: 508-540-8407 Thursday, July 26, 2007 SUMMER STARS 3 For Brewster’s Cuban Star Yonder Alonso, Home Is Where The Diamond Is
BY MATTHEW M. BURKE has truly been at home on Brewster fi rst baseman the Cape this summer. Yonder Alonso moved to the After he was left stranded United States from Cuba on base following his lone with his parents, Luis and base hit, Alonso greeted Damaris, when he was 10- teammates exiting the dug- years-old, leaving behind out to take the fi eld. “I got a family and friends in the hit,” he said smiling, high-fi v- tropical baseball Mecca. ing teammates. The smiles According to Alonso, were reciprocated momen- whose father played ball for tarily, and then it was back 13 years in a Cuban base- to business. ball league, the move to the “I went three days with- States was a tough adjust- out getting a hit,” he said ment. However, whenever he after the game, with another stepped onto a baseball dia- smile. “Then, fi nally, I went mond, the 6-2, 210-pound, 1-for-4 today, and I was so left-handed power hitter said happy. Start another streak that he felt like he was back going, or whatever ... but I in his homeland, and it was a hit the ball hard and that’s comforting feeling. what matters.” Brewster coach Bob Ma- Alonso said that he caluso added that Alonso learned the game in Cuba, has emerged as the leader a place where intensity and of the third place White- this love for the game is sec- caps this season, and one ond nature. He said that the of the Cape League’s best ballplayers in Cuba play the DON PARKINSON/ENTERPRISE hitters. In addition, Alonso game differently than in the Yonder Alonso (Miami) of the Brewster Whitecaps brings a Cuban style of baseball to the was named a starter for the states, playing “so rough” Cape. Alonso will be the starting fi rst baseman for the Eastern Division All-Stars in the 45th Eastern Division All-Stars and “so hard.” He said that Annual Cape League All-Star Game. last Saturday. he misses his homeland for OBP, and put outs (566). The Falmouth's David Adams used to playing on Fridays, If Brewster is to make a that style of play. Canes lost to Louisville, 8-7, (12) ahead of him in that Saturdays, and Sundays. On push past Chatham this He added that the game on June 3 in the NCAA Re- category. He also leads the the Cape, teams play every summer, and challenge of baseball is similar in the gional, to have their streak of league in on-base-percent- night. Y-D for eastern division States in the presence of 13 consecutive regional titles age, at .466. He is slugging “The everyday thing, I feel supremacy, it will be be- a strong desire to win, and broken. an impressive .471. like that’s a lot different than cause Alonso helped propel in getting base hits, and in The previous collegiate “It’s going alright,” Alonso it is in college,” he said. “Ev- them there, Macaluso said. striking out opposing hitters. season, Alonso became the said following the Wareham eryday you gotta bring it. It At press time, Brewster was “Once I got over here, I second Hurricane freshman contest. “I was hitting like doesn’t matter who you face, just two points behind Cha- just started playing base- in history to lead the team .380, and just before you or who you’re playing, you tham for the second playoff ball,” Alonso said of his fam- in homers (10) and RBI (69). think you have it fi gured out, just gotta bring it. You gotta spot in the division. ily’s journey to the states. “I He also led the team in sac you have nothing fi gured bring your game and hope- Alonso is a fun player to moved over here and it was fl ies (8), put outs (587), and out. I went down like 40 fully you win.” watch, and the sheer joy all different for me, but for fi elding percentage (.994). points, or something, like Alonso has not struggled he gets from playing the some reason every time I Last summer, he played in that ... but I just have to stay by any means this summer, game is both unrivaled and stepped onto the fi eld, I felt the Virginia Valley League, through it and not try to do playing with wood bats, refreshing. This love for the like I was home ... so it really and was named the league’s too much.” but he said that he has had game is evident in his ear- didn’t matter. Every time I top prospect by Baseball Alonso said that the most mixed feelings about his per- to-ear smile, and calming step on the fi eld it brings me America. important thing he has formance, after making the presence on the diamond. back memories of where I’m Alonso grew up in Miami learned this summer playing switch from aluminum. He Alonso is one of a few play- from. So, I just appreciate from the age of 10, and on the Cape is just learn- said that sometimes wood ers who plays the game like the game a little better than played high school baseball ing to play every day. He is great, but sometimes it a young child, with the most any other baseball player at Mike Lowell’s (Boston Red said that at Miami, he was Continued on Next Page unbridled, sincere, rever- would.” Sox third baseman) alma ence, intensity, and appre- Alonso describes himself mater, Coral Gables High ciation. as an overall strong hitter; School. The three-time team Last Saturday against one who gets a lot of hom- MVP, and captain, garnered Wareham, Alonso went ers in collegiate play, despite single season school re- MADNESS 1-for-4 in the 3-0 win. He the fact that he says that he cords in batting (.530), RBI smiled as he stood on fi rst doesn’t try to hit them. He (33), and walks (33). He was Ê âÕÊ*À`ÕVÌÃÊ"Ê->i base after getting a base hit came to the Cape after a named All-State twice and to right in the ninth, mostly sophomore campaign at the was a three-time All-Dade Ê âÕ Ê âÕ because his unquenchable University of Miami where choice. work ethic had bore fruit af- he fi nished fi fth in the ACC Alonso was drafted in 2005 - Ê>`Ê // Ê"6 -Ê ter a three day hitless slump in hitting, right behind Y-D’s by the Minnesota Twins in -"/ Ê /- >`Ê Ê"6 - that followed the end of his Buster Posey (Florida State, the 15th round. 18-game hitting streak. .382). This summer, Alonso is He had spent his time in Alonso, a criminal justice seeing the ball well, and is Îä¯Ê" Óä¯Ê" the cage at Spillane Field major, batted .376, reaching concentrating on making after batting practice, prior base 79 times in 210 at-bats. contact. He has fl irted with Ài>ÌÊÃiiVÌÊÊÃÌVÊvÀÊÌ iÊLi}iÀÊÌ to the pre-game warm-ups, He also recorded 74 RBI and the league leaders in hit- Ì iÊ«À]ÊVÕ`}ÊvÕÊÃvÌL>ÊiÊvÀÊ}Àð working on his mechanics 18 homers, and fi nished the ting throughout the season, until he was drenched in season with an impressive currently batting .314 (32-for- sweat while the majority of .705 slugging percentage 102), with 17 runs, 15 RBI, his teammates took a few and a .519 on-base-percent- two homers, 48 total bases, #HECK OUT OUR SHOP moments to rest. age, starting every one of 29 walks, and six stolen Alonso’s “enjoy the game” the Canes’ 61 contests. bases. 9OULL LOVE attitude has clearly defused He led the Hurricanes in Alonso's 10 doubles cur- WHAT YOU SEE 7EST -AIN 3TREET q (YANNIS -! the nerves of teammates this batting average, homers, rently have him in second q season, and has inspired. He RBI, slugging, walks (64), place in the CCBL, with only &AX