The Cape Cod Baseball League came to a close on August 12th, 2009 as the Bourne Braves took their first Cape Cod Baseball League Title in their team’s history in a 3 – 1 victory over Cotuit. Pierre LePage, Kyle Roller, and Raynor Cambell were the players that got them to the playoffs and to the title this summer. The last games of the regular season were played on August 5th but the playoff teams were selected and by a different format this summer. Normally the top two teams with the most points from the East and West are chosen to enter the playoffs, but this summer the Cape League chose to take the six top teams overall which resulted in the Chatham Anglers, the Bourne Braves, the Orleans Fire Birds, the Cotuit Kettleers, the Yarmouth-Dennis Red Sox, and the Wareham Gatemen. Three teams from the East and West were chosen after the points were tallied up and the 6th seed team played the 4th seed team for a one game elimination. That team would then advance to play the number 2 seed for a two game elimination. The 5th and 3rd seed teams would play each other for a one game elimination and that team would play the number one seed for a two-game elimination series. The two teams who won those 2-game elimination series would then match up in the final championship game.
The Chatham Anglers were seemingly a shoe-in for the playoffs this summer going 10 – 1 in their first 11 games. But as the season grew the Anglers’ hitting and pitching began to diminish and they ended their season with a 21 – 23 record and put them in 3rd place in the East giving them the 6th slot in the 2009 playoffs. Producing only two All Star players, catcher Mike Murray and closer Russell Brewer, the Anglers did not keep their hot streak alive and almost missed the play offs. The Brewster Whitecaps started to win games and caught up to the Anglers tying them in the final weeks of the season in points. But a crucial two game series against the Harwich Mariners proved why the Anglers deserved a spot in the 2009 playoffs. Right handed pitcher Jake Thompson pitched for the Anglers on their playoff clinching win against the Mariners at Whitehouse Field earning his only win of the season. Russell Brewer came into the game in the 8th inning to close out the game and preserve the Anglers’ one run lead. Brewer earned his 10th falling short just two saves from his previous season at the Cape with the Hyannis Mets.
The Bourne Braves were the number one team for the West for the Cape League and got the two seed for the playoffs which came as no surprise to Cape League fans. The powerhouse running the Braves’ offense was Kyle Roller. Roller lead the league in homeruns, RBIs, doubles, slugging percentage, extra base hits, and runs scored. His batting average, on base percentage, and hit total were second in the league. Roller is a returning player this year to the Cape League and his experience definitely paid off for the Braves.
The Orleans Fire Birds were the second seed chosen out of the East and it is due to their pitching. Orleans pitchers went 25 – 17 and a 2.72 ERA on the season leading the Cape League before entering the playoffs. The Fire Birds’ most impressive pitcher for the 2009 season was Casey Gaynor who pitched 41.1 innings and had a 1.74 ERA. Although Orleans never led any hitting categories but with their consistency at the plate to drive in runs and the controlled performances on the mound Orleans found themselves just behind Yarmouth-Dennis in the Eastern standings and were given the 3rd spot in the Cape League playoffs.
The Cotuit Kettleers trailed the Bourne Braves by six points and led the Cape League with 6 ties due games being called short due to darkness or weather. Cotuit’s pitching was also impressive in the 2009 season and their right hander Jake Buchanan led the Cape League with an ERA of 0.84 in 43 innings pitched. Cotuit was third in the Cape League in team pitching with a team 3.05 ERA. Cotuit also had speed on the bases. Chris Bisson stole 36 bases for Cotuit this season leading the league this summer. Cotuit smart base running and effective use of bunts and sac flies won them games this summer and also the 4th spot in the playoffs.
The Yarmouth-Dennis Red Sox seemed to be unbeatable by the end of the summer. Leading the Cape League with 57 points, they clinched the Eastern Division title and received the number one seed for the playoffs this summer. They finished with a record of 28 – 15 with one tie. The Red Sox had an impressive batting line up this summer but the hitter that stood out the most for Yarmouth was Austin Wates. He finished with a .312 batting average and was a clutch hitter for Yarmouth throughout the season. Yarmouth’s best pitcher for them this season was Chris Sale. He ended the regular season with a 4 – 2 record and a 1.47 ERA in 55 innings pitched. Sale led the Cape League in strikeouts with 57 on the season. Yarmouth was the heavy favorite to win the Cape League title for its second in three years.
The 5th playoff spot went to the Wareham Gatemen. The Gatemen finished 19 – 19 with 6 ties like Cotuit and were short just two points of tying Cotuit in the rankings. Wareham never stuck out as a team who showed dominance in one area. They played consistent baseball and benefited from other team’s losses. Wareham was last in their team’s batting average with a .211 average overall and was 5th in league pitching with a 3.31 team ERA. Right hander Jack Armstrong was Wareham’s best pitcher for the 2009 season going 4 – 1 with a 2.57 ERA.
In the first round of play Chatham faced Orleans at the Fire Birds field. Orleans took an early 4 – 0 lead but Chatham cam roaring back within 1 going into the top of the 9th. Chatham’s Tom Belza hit a long deep fly ball that missed being a homerun by a few feet and was caught by a Fire Bird. Orleans left with a 4 – 3 win and would play Cotuit in the next round. Bourne fared better than Chatham against Orleans in the first game of the next round beating them in a come back win in the first of the two-game series. Bourne was down 2 – 0 but in the bottom of the 9th racked up three runs to give them a walk-off victory. Bourne used that momentum to beat Orleans again the following night in an 8 – 0 victory eliminating the Fire Birds and clinched a spot in the championship game for Bourne.
On the other side of the Cape, Cotuit was able to beat Wareham in the single elimination series and went on to face the heavy favorite Yarmouth-Dennis Red Sox. In the first game Cotuit trailed to Yarmouth 2 – 0 going into the 9th inning, but were able to rack up three runs in the 9th to have a walk off victory. Yarmouth-Dennis then was able to extend the series one more game the following night beating Cotuit 10 – 5. But Cotuit proved to be the better team contrary to regular season stats in their final game when they beat the Red Sox 18 – 4 winning the series to go on to face Bourne in the championships.
This is the first time two West teams face each other for the title. After the first game, Bourne led the two-game elimination championships after beating Cotuit 15 – 5 in a fog-shortened 5 inning game in Bourne. Bourne went on to the next day’s game to bring home the Cape League title for the first time in Bourne Braves history. Raynor Cambell (Baylor) from Bourne won the Championship MVP Award in Bourne’s 3 – 1 victory over the Cotuit Kettleers.
Thursday, September 3, 2009
Derek Poppert Drafted in the 28th Round by Cincinnati Reds
On June 9th, the Major League Baseball draft released the names of the lucky college and high school baseball players that were chosen in the 50 rounds of the draft. USF’s senior shortstop Derek Poppert was one of the chosen names on that coveted list in the 28th round. The Cincinnati Reds offered Poppert a spot for their 2010 farm system, but for Poppert, this decision on whether or not to accept was not all that easy to come to.
Poppert ended his season with a .352 batting average and a .483 slugging percentage. He also had a .919 fielding percentage at shortstop in 148 chances. Since his freshman year Poppert has stood out as one of the better players on the diamond for the Dons. His freshman year Poppert had to step up and start at third base after an injury put his teammate out for the season. Poppert excelled at the position and proved to his team and USF fans that he could hold his own on a Division 1 baseball team. Poppert has definitely improved his game since his freshman year after only having a .297 average at the end of the 2007 season, and that did not go unnoticed. In the summer of 2008 Poppert was invited to the Cape Cod Baseball League to play for the Brewster Whitecaps. This league only takes the best of the best college students from across the nation to play on 10 teams. After being noticed at the Cape and Poppert’s impressive 2009 season with the Dons, the Cincinnati Reds saw what everyone at USF already did: this kid can play baseball. This summer was different for Poppert as it was his first summer he did not play summer baseball. It gave him a chance to spend time with his family and friends and work out from home. Being relaxed while making the decision that would affect the rest of his life seemed imperative for this incoming senior. For most college athletes going to the pros is their dream since they first put a ball in their hand, but Poppert decided to turn down his offer by the Reds and return for one more year at USF.
Unlike other sports, baseball is the hardest sports to make it to “the show” as the insiders like to say. With basketball or football, once you are drafted there is a spot for you on the team, but in baseball, a player could be in the minor leagues for years before they ever get to put on the uniform for the team they were set to play for. Sometimes choosing to leave college can be a gamble for students and the decision process can be mind racking, like it was for Poppert.
In Poppert’s online summer blog he describes this decision the hardest one of his life. “It was a pretty exciting time,” said Poppert. “It is something you work for your entire baseball career but it is also a very stressful decision to make.” For this senior he was looking out for his best interest and for him going to the Reds was not the route for him to take. “It was the best decision for me personally and for my baseball career. It took a lot of soul searching, I talked to my parents about it a lot, and my present and past coaches,” said Poppert. “I even made a pros and cons list and finally came to the decision that it was the best decision for me to make.”
From past interviews with Poppert, his definite goal was to be a professional baseball player. Having this opportunity and letting it go was definitely the hardest thing for him to do. “I realized the dream for me wasn’t to play in the minor leagues,” said Poppert. “My dream is to play in the major leagues. If that is really what I want to do coming back to school and getting drafted again next year would be my best path.”
Poppert says that if he is drafted again in 2010 then he will sign and play. “If it doesn’t work out I still have my degree to fall back on,” said Poppert. “It definitely leaves me with a lot of options.”
Poppert’s fellow teammate senior catcher Ryan Lipkin was also drafted in the 2009 draft in the 43rd round by the Oakland Athletics. Lipkin has also decided to come back to USF. He was unavailable for comment.
Poppert ended his season with a .352 batting average and a .483 slugging percentage. He also had a .919 fielding percentage at shortstop in 148 chances. Since his freshman year Poppert has stood out as one of the better players on the diamond for the Dons. His freshman year Poppert had to step up and start at third base after an injury put his teammate out for the season. Poppert excelled at the position and proved to his team and USF fans that he could hold his own on a Division 1 baseball team. Poppert has definitely improved his game since his freshman year after only having a .297 average at the end of the 2007 season, and that did not go unnoticed. In the summer of 2008 Poppert was invited to the Cape Cod Baseball League to play for the Brewster Whitecaps. This league only takes the best of the best college students from across the nation to play on 10 teams. After being noticed at the Cape and Poppert’s impressive 2009 season with the Dons, the Cincinnati Reds saw what everyone at USF already did: this kid can play baseball. This summer was different for Poppert as it was his first summer he did not play summer baseball. It gave him a chance to spend time with his family and friends and work out from home. Being relaxed while making the decision that would affect the rest of his life seemed imperative for this incoming senior. For most college athletes going to the pros is their dream since they first put a ball in their hand, but Poppert decided to turn down his offer by the Reds and return for one more year at USF.
Unlike other sports, baseball is the hardest sports to make it to “the show” as the insiders like to say. With basketball or football, once you are drafted there is a spot for you on the team, but in baseball, a player could be in the minor leagues for years before they ever get to put on the uniform for the team they were set to play for. Sometimes choosing to leave college can be a gamble for students and the decision process can be mind racking, like it was for Poppert.
In Poppert’s online summer blog he describes this decision the hardest one of his life. “It was a pretty exciting time,” said Poppert. “It is something you work for your entire baseball career but it is also a very stressful decision to make.” For this senior he was looking out for his best interest and for him going to the Reds was not the route for him to take. “It was the best decision for me personally and for my baseball career. It took a lot of soul searching, I talked to my parents about it a lot, and my present and past coaches,” said Poppert. “I even made a pros and cons list and finally came to the decision that it was the best decision for me to make.”
From past interviews with Poppert, his definite goal was to be a professional baseball player. Having this opportunity and letting it go was definitely the hardest thing for him to do. “I realized the dream for me wasn’t to play in the minor leagues,” said Poppert. “My dream is to play in the major leagues. If that is really what I want to do coming back to school and getting drafted again next year would be my best path.”
Poppert says that if he is drafted again in 2010 then he will sign and play. “If it doesn’t work out I still have my degree to fall back on,” said Poppert. “It definitely leaves me with a lot of options.”
Poppert’s fellow teammate senior catcher Ryan Lipkin was also drafted in the 2009 draft in the 43rd round by the Oakland Athletics. Lipkin has also decided to come back to USF. He was unavailable for comment.
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