14 June 2007

Crossing over the ditch

By Don Sherlock
GateHouse News Service
Thu Jun 14, 2007, 01:58 PM EDT 

Cape Cod - The excitement of another Cape Cod Baseball League season was captured by Wareham field manager Cooper Farris several years ago with the words “Once you go over the ditch …”
While they certainly bring their biases to the Cape League, the managers to a man alluded to “the best amateur league in the country … if not the world.”

    At Sunday’s First Pitch Brunch – or as league president Judy Scarafile calls it “FPB” – Farris joked that this year “They’re making a movie, ‘Coop and Forest Gump Cross the Ditch,’”

    That was accentuated last week when seven Cape Leaguers were picked in the first round of the Major League draft and a total of more than 150 were selected. Since almost 200 graduates of the league played in the majors last week, the claim is not far from a stretch.

    Clemson pitcher Daniel Moskos, who pitched for the Cotuit Kettleers in 2005, was the first CCBL player picked. The Pirates selected him fourth. Georgia Tech’s Matt Wieters (5, Baltimore) played for Orleans last season and was named the league’s top pro prospect while Missouri State’s Ross Detwiler, another southpaw pitcher, was the sixth pick, by the Washington Nationals.

    Brewster Whitecaps (2006) and Y-D Red Sox (2004) first baseman Matt LaPorta, who was drafted by the Boston Red Sox last year but didn’t sign, was picked No. 7 by the Milwaukee Brewers.

    Other first-rounders were Beau Mills (13, Milwaukee) of the Bourne Braves; James Simmons (26, Oakland) of Cotuit, and Andrew Brackman (30, Yankees) of the Orleans Cardinals.

    As Pete Shepard of The Big Show on WEEI aptly put it, “minor league teams thank the Cape League [for providing them with so many outstanding players].”

Quips and quotes around the league

    Yarmouth-Dennis Red Sox manager Scott Pickler lost nine of his original 12 pitchers for various reasons – injuries, Team USA or the College World Series – and desperately combed the country for replacements. “I tried the ACC and Kelly [Nicholson] had already got them; then I tried the SEC and Mike [Roberts] had them; all the junior pitchers were drafted and California was ‘the wrong Coast’”

    Falmouth Commodores manager Jeff Trundy: “I don’t believe they’re here until I see them.”
Nicholson: “Scott was sitting here moaning that everyone was mentioning their assistants and he forgot to introduce his, so I’ll do it for him.” And he did.

    Mike Roberts, Cotuit: “My voice is gone from the pollen up here [he’s athletic director at Florida Southern]. They [Kettleers] gave me a house this year; last year I had a tent.”

    Bourne Braves manager Harvey Shapiro was unable to attend because his daughter got married over the weekend. He as ably replaced by assistant Brian Pugh, who noted the 2007 season “will be a success as long as you can guarantee more wins than rainouts.”

    Hyannis Mets manager Greg King: “No more rotary!”

    League Commissioner Paul Galop: “The start of the season? It never ends. This is Hell Week for the housing people, with kids coming in from all over at all hours; finding cars for them and setting them up where they’re staying.”

    John Schiffner, manager of the Chatham A’s, has 313 victories and needs just 21 to tie all-time leader Don Reed.

By Don Sherlock