THIS WEEK IN THE CAPE LEAGUE
(9 July – 15 July 2006)
Still Dodging the Raindrops

COCA COLA PITCHER OF THE WEEK
     Robert Woodard (North Carolina) threw a complete game shutout for Chatham this week, a feat that has earned him the Coca Cola Pitcher of the Week. Woodard struck out eight batters in the game on July 10, relinquishing only two walks and giving up just one hit. The game was a pitcher’s duel all the way, as Chatham could only squeeze out one run against Hyannis’ pitching staff in the fifth inning. That one run was all the support Woodard needed, as he became just the fourth player to throw a complete game this season and just the second to make it a shutout. Chatham’s pitching staff is now second in the league for team ERA at 2.42, thanks in part to Woodard’s standout performance this week.

COCA COLA PLAYER OF THE WEEK
     Y-D Red Sox player Luke Sommer (San Francisco) performed solidly at the plate to earn this week’s Coca Cola Player of the Week. In six games, Sommer drove in six runs on six hits, including one home run. Sommer’s week included a .462 batting average, a .769 slugging percentage and an on-base percentage of .467. His excellent performance helped Y-D to a 5-0 record this week, as the Sox improved to 15-11 overall. Sommer is now fourth in the league with a batting average of .323 on the season.
     By Kevin Wolfe, CCBL Intern wolfe@capecodbaseball.org

Moving On Up
     BREWSTER, Mass. – The Whitecaps are moving on up, to first place in the Eastern Division. Having won four and tied one of six games this week, Brewster has been on a roll – and from the looks of the Whitecaps, they are hungry for a championship. It seems their previous lucky streak has turned into solid performance, and from hitting to pitching the Whitecaps are getting the job done.
     Now, it is true that no one person is responsible for a win or a loss, but there is no denying the effect Matt LaPorta (Florida) has on the Whitecaps. Brewster head coach Bob Macaluso said, “He has been a boost to our offense and is playing nice first base as well.” 
     Matt is very well known on the Cape. Being chosen by the Boston Red Sox in the draft is one reason he is a Cape Cod favorite. Then add what he did to help the 2004 Y-D Red Sox get to the championship along with what he has been doing for the 2006 Whitecaps. And with all the autograph seekers around him, some might argue he is practically a celebrity. Matt loves it, saying, “It’s good to be back enjoying the fans.” 
     He is a native of Port Charlotte, Fla., and has been a Gator for three years. This will be his final year at Florida, where he has made a lasting impression on his team. One of his many accomplishments is being only two home runs away from beating a school record of 55. 
     Although Matt can hit all over the field, which is why he is leading his team and tied at second in the league with 15 RBIs, he is well known for his home run hitting ability. He is currently tied for second in the league with four homers. Matt attributes his success to his faith: “I rely on God for my strength and to let me have fun in the game.” 
     Matt said he is here to “play against good competition, make friends, and win a championship for Brewster.” 
     There are a couple other guys who are certainly working hard to help bring home that trophy, too. Backing up Matt on offense and starting the home run derby this week among the Whitecaps is Justin Snyder (San Diego), who hit his second homer of the season Sunday and increased his RBI total to 10 with a two-run double against Orleans Friday. Justin is also doing well in the outfield; former Whitecaps president Gene L’Etoile said, “some of the catches he makes are unbelievable.” 
     Continuing with the home run count, Colin Cowgill (Kentucky) hit his second homer on Tuesday and is tied for first with Snyder and Matt Cusick (USC) in doubles with four apiece. Jared Clark (CS Fullerton) also hit his second homer of the season Tuesday.
     Colt Sedbrook (Arizona) hit a leadoff home run to start his tally on Tuesday and came in as a pinch-hitter in the ninth inning Friday to hit an RBI single that tied the game at 3-3. That game eventually ended in a tie against Orleans, which kept the Whitecaps in first place. 
     Last but definitely not least is pitcher Shaun Seibert (Arkansas), the top pitcher in the league who got his third win of the season this week, giving him a record of 3-0. He has a mind-blowing 0.00 ERA in 28 2/3 innings with 25 strikeouts. 
     At this time, the team is all here and has been able to play together for a couple of weeks, and it is obvious Coach Macaluso and his staff put together a great group of ballplayers. So, if all things remain constant, we are looking at a definite playoff team. 
     By Johnna DeChristoforo, CCBL Intern dechristoforo@capecodbaseball.org 

Woodard Performs Like An Ace
     CHATHAM, Mass. – The battle to make the playoffs for the Chatham A’s continues to be an uphill climb. The team endured a tough weekend and ran into a number of quality starters from the opposing sides, but the offense came on strong at the end of the week.
     The A’s lost three games over the weekend and only managed two runs during their three-game slide. Despite the losses, Chatham continued to get strong performances out of their starting pitchers. Nathan Moreau (Goergia) gave up one run in eight innings of work on Saturday’s 1-0 loss to Cotuit. Sunday gave the fans at Veterans Field a chance to see a doubleheader. 
     General Manager Charlie Thoms commented, “The doubleheader gives the kids a well deserved day off from games.” However, the doubleheader didn’t work out well for Chatham. The Falmouth Commodores swept the two games, with much of the credit landing on the great pitching performances of Cory Riordan (Fordham) and David Kopp (Clemson), who combined for two wins and only one earned run. 
     Robert Woodard (North Carolina) would step up on Monday night and prove to be the team’s ace. Woodard had a strong college season in 2006 for the North Carolina Tar Heels but spent most of the season in the shadow of Roger Clemens’ award winner Andrew Miller. Woodard stepped out of this shadow with his performance on Monday night. The three-year CCBL veteran pitched nine innings of one-hit baseball to give the A’s a 1-0 win. Adrian Ortiz’s (Pepperdine) RBI in the bottom of the fifth gave Woodard the only run he would need all night. 
     Tuesday’s night off turned into three nights off due to rain showers on Wednesday and Thursday. The time off gave the A’s offense some time to regroup and finally come alive at the end of the week. The A’s ended the week with a win against the Bourne Braves. Reid Fronk (North Carolina) and Corey Brown (Oklahoma State) both took one for the team and drove in two important runs when they were hit by consecutive pitches in the top of sixth. Allan Dykstra (Wake Forest) then blew the game wide open with a single that drove in two runs, as the A’s rolled to a 6-2 win. 
     The Chatham A’s continue their climb towards a playoff spot in the coming week as they hope for more great performances out of their pitching staff. Robert Woodard’s next start is on Monday night, when the A’s travel to Harwich to take on the Mariners. 
     By Jonathan French, CCBL Intern french@capecodbaseball.org 

Tough Times in Harwich
     HARWICH, Mass. – This week has not been very pleasant for the Mariners, as losing four in a row and having two straight rain days has only moved the Mariners further away from first place and mounted frustration on the team. But through all the negativity, there is still good news to report. 
     The main story is Josh Donaldson (Auburn). This spring, Josh finished his sophomore year at Auburn University and led his team with 10 home runs. His hitting ability has made him a starter and steady offensive force for two seasons with the Tigers. 
     This summer Josh is making headlines for the Harwich Mariners. Josh has been quite the standout these past couple weeks, being rightfully named the Cape League Player of the Week for July 3-9. He leads the Mariners with 13 RBIs and a .333 batting average, good for second in the league. He is also first in doubles with nine and second in hits with 28 – only a few of the many categories his name reads on the league leaders list. 
     As a third baseman and rotating catcher, Josh has a real appreciation for game preparation. He credits his own preparation and the playing time offered by the coaches for how quickly he was able to adapt to the league: “I prepare a lot and the coaches give us great opportunities so I’ve been able to adjust quickly.” 
     Josh is using his time on the Cape to make a name for himself and to find out how he stacks up against the others. The CCBL is the top amateur baseball league in the country, so these players have a chance to compete against the best in the nation while scoping out their competition at the same time. He is taking advantage of this opportunity, saying, “I’m finding out what’s out there – you want to play against the best competition.” It is safe to say that Josh is holding his own.
     Like so many young men, Josh dreams of playing major league baseball, but unlike so many he is well on his way of making that dream come true. His main objective for this 2006 Cape League season is to “try to get an opportunity to better myself to get to the next level.” The opportunity is here and he is improving on a daily basis and showing the baseball community all he has to offer. 
     As Josh wants to showcase his dominance at the plate, he is also fueled by his desire to “win games and get better.” Although the Mariners are hitting a rough patch right now, it is not due to lack of effort by Josh or the rest of the Mariners team. 
     Another infielder showing off his stuff and making a big impact on the Mariners is Sergio Miranda (Virginia Commonwealth). Miranda is second on the team to Donaldson in hits with 19 and is tied for first in stolen bases with five. Brandon Menchaca (Delaware) has also been getting more comfortable with the bat, and along with Miranda, hit his first home run of the season Sunday against Brewster. And Antone DeJesus (Kentucky) is obviously doing something right with an on-base percentage of .446, making him second in the league. 
     There’s so much talent but so few wins, but the Mariners are hoping to turn that around. After their losing streak and days off they came away with a win against Wareham on Friday. Maybe it can be chalked up to just a few bad outings, but we will see just what this Mariners team can do this week when they go up against some teams that seem to be dealing with a similar situation. 
     By Johnna DeChristoforo, CCBL Intern dechristoforo@capecodbaseball.org 

Cardinals Bid Farewell to Valencia
     ORLEANS, Mass. – The best song to summarize the roster for a Cape Cod Baseball team would probably be David Bowie’s “Changes.” An ordinary roster will see several additions and subtractions throughout the year, and it is up to the field manager to adapt to these changes. The Orleans Cardinals lost one of their top hitters last week to Major League Baseball. Danny Valencia (Miami) was drafted by the Minnesota Twins in the 19th round of June’s amateur draft but delayed signing with the Twins until last week. This allowed him to make a stop with the Orleans Cardinals, where he played third base and hit .269 with 3 home runs. 
     The announcement of Valencia’s signing was made last Saturday, July 8 at Eldredge Park and the fans showed their support with a large ovation. His former teammates showed their support with a 2-1 win over the Harwich Mariners. Matt Wieters (Georgia Tech) hit a game-winning RBI single in the bottom of the 11th and Brett Cecil (Maryland) pitched three innings of scoreless relief to get the win over Harwich. 
     The Cardinals are in the middle of a grueling stretch of baseball where they will play 11 games in 11 nights. However, they continue to play solid baseball and currently sit in second place of the Eastern Division behind the first-place Brewster Whitecaps. 
     After a tough 7-1 loss to the Yarmouth Dennis Red Sox on Saturday night, the Cardinals traveled to Arnie Allen Diamond to take on the Falmouth Commodores. Michael Hyde (Florida State) received the win for the Cards, giving up only one run in five innings of work. Despite his size, 6-foot-2 and 240 pounds, Joe Dunigan (Oklahoma) looked impressive on the basepaths with two steals and a heads-up base running play in top of the sixth to score the go-ahead run. Andrew Davis (Kent State) enjoyed a nice night by going 2-for-3 with two RBIs and a run scored as the Cardinals rolled to a 6-2 win. 
     After the win on Monday night, Orleans entered a rough stretch, relinquishing first place of the Eastern Division to the Brewster Whitecaps. The Whitecaps took first place with a 4-2 win over the Cardinals on Thursday night. However, the Cards had a chance to take back first place on Friday night, when they traveled to Stony Brook Field to take on the Whitecaps again. With the score tied at two, Dunigan appeared to play the role of hero with a RBI single in the top of the ninth, but his heroics were matched by Colt Sedbrook (Arizona), who provided a pinch-hit RBI single in the bottom of the ninth for the Whitecaps. The teams played a 10th inning before the game was called for darkness in a 3-3 tie.
     The Cardinals hope to cement their roster and get back to first place in the coming week. They host the Harwich Mariners at Eldredge Park in a 5 p.m. twilight game on Sunday. 
     By Jonathan French, CCBL Intern french@capecodbaseball.org 

Red Sox on a Roll
     SOUTH YARMOUTH, Mass. – Despite the rainy weather and cool temperatures, the Yarmouth-Dennis Red Sox are hot. The Sox have won six of their last seven games and are now in third place in the Eastern Division. Y-D started the season in last place, but this week thanks to strong offense and unyielding defense, they have proved they are stiff competition in the race for the championship.
     After a week filled with rain, stir-crazy fans took in the sun as they flocked to Red Wilson Field to see Y-D take on the Falmouth Commodores. One week before, the Sox fell to Falmouth 5-3, but this week they literally came out swinging. Y-D set the tone in the first inning as Tyler Henry (Rice) scored on a Buster Posey (Florida State) out at second. They would add another run to the board in the second when a Danny Lehmann (Rice) single to right field allowed Jordan Pacheco (New Mexico) to advance to third. Luke Sommer’s (San Francisco) sacrifice bunt allowed Pacheco to score and the Sox were up 2-0. The Commodores answered back with a combined five runs in the second and third innings.
     But the fourth inning exhibited just how much the Sox have improved since the start of the season. Y-D scored a total of six runs and left Commodore starter Kris Dobrowiecki (Northeastern) and his teammates in dismay. Sean Morgan (Tulane) replaced Dobrowiecki later that inning, but the damage had already been done.
     The sixth-inning scoring extravaganza that resulted in six runs for Y-D was kicked off by a Mike Bianucci (Auburn) home run that drove home Pacheco and Lehmann. Not to be outdone, Sommer followed Bianucci with another homer for the Sox. With two outs, Brad Emaus (Tulane) stepped up to the plate … the result? You guessed it … another home run! The Sox took the lead at 8-5 and never looked back.
     The Commodores tried to answer back, but only managed to score a total of three runs in the sixth and ninth innings. After the homer-filled fourth, the Sox put up five more runs to end the game with the 11-8 win.
     Yarmouth-Dennis provided its fans with a taste of what Cape Cod Baseball is all about. They hope to continue their success on Sunday, hosting the Chatham A’s at Red Wilson Field at 5 p.m.
     By Courtney Reilly, CCBL Intern reilly@capecodbaseball.org

Braves Starting to Turn Things Around
     BOURNE, Mass. – Unfortunately for the Bourne Braves, the weather continues to be uncooperative and the rainouts continue to pile up. With their fifth week in a row featuring at least one rainout, the Braves have had two games postponed due to the weather this past week. 
     In efforts to quiet the recently hot bats of the Hyannis Mets, the Braves viewed an impressive performance thrown by Tom Farmer (Akron) on Sunday. Farmer began the game with five no-hit innings, pushing the Braves along to their third win in their last four games. Despite Hyannis putting the leadoff man on in the first five innings, the Braves witnessed four double plays turned by middle infielders Brett Bartles (Duke) and Andy Goff (Wake Forest). Austin Krum (Dallas Baptist) led the Braves offensively in the first with a solo homer of his own followed by a Mitch Mooreland (Mississippi State) two-run shot just two batters later. The Braves scored three runs in the first on pace to the 5-0 victory.
     With one inning proving to be the significant turning point of the game, the Braves looked again to Krum for support against the streaking Cotuit Kettleers. Cotuit managed all of their eight runs in the fourth inning to defeat the Braves. Bourne was unable to generate any runs offensively until the ninth inning, which featured a double by Ty Wright (Oklahoma State). Krum displayed excellence at the plate once again (going 2-for-3) and received help from Wright. 
     The Braves traveled to Cotuit the following night to face the Kettleers in a game that ended in a tie. The game was stopped after nine innings of play due to darkness at Lowell Park. The Braves struck early, scoring one run in each of the first three innings. Bourne once again sought support from Krum, who went 3-for-4 at the plate in the tie. 
     Following back-to-back nights of rainouts, the Braves headed back home to face the Chatham A’s in a battle between cellar dwellers. The Braves starter, Bobby Bell (Rice), pitched well over 5 1/3 innings, giving up two earned runs and striking out five. Despite the strong effort at the plate by David Cash, who went 2-for-5 with a triple and a run scored, the Braves struggled offensively in their losing efforts. 
     Performing impressively for the Braves in the bullpen, Andrew Carignan (North Carolina) has struck out seven batters in three innings of relief in three appearances since his arrival from the College World Series.
     By Daniel Scalia, CCBL Intern scalia@capecodbaseball.org

Kettleers Still Out in Front
     COTUIT, Mass. – Since the season’s start, the Cotuit Kettleers have been much like a ball rolling down a hill, picking up steam as they go. Consistency is an understatement to describe the way this team has played thus far. Despite a few minor letdowns each week, the team goes to the park, hits some batting practice and simply takes care of its opponent with ease. 
     Success, which should be spelled with a capital “S” for the Kettleers, has spawned from some pretty basic, fundamental baseball that anyone can understand. Timely hitting, unselfish play, and some dominant pitching by a staff that is the premier bunch this side of Fenway have propelled this team to the top of the standings. 
     The Kettleers’ team accomplishments have been most impressive through this point in the season. They lead the league in batting average at .278, 17 points higher than the next team despite recent slips in production. Their pitching staff is 15-6 with a 1.88 ERA, good for first in the league as well. This staff led by Dan Delucia (Ohio State), James Simmons (UC Riverside), and Jay Brown (Young Harris) has been at the top of the league from the beginning as well. They don’t lead the league in strikeouts; in fact, they stand dead last in that category, which makes this feat even more unbelievable. Cotuit doesn’t boast an overpowering staff – they simply know how to pitch. They are intelligent pitchers who have one of the league’s best catchers in Sean Gaston (Notre Dame) calling the shots. 
     On offense, they do possess some power led by the big bats of Justin Smoak (South Carolina), Kyle Russell (Texas) and Jeff Rea (Mississippi State). Each has driven in over 10 runs and has been known to have a little extra power to hit a few long balls as well. 
     Cotuit is sitting on top of the West for the time being, with a comfortable seven-point lead on Wareham and eight points on a hot Falmouth team that has won six of its last seven games. 
     Assuming they keep the ball rolling, there may be no stopping this team whose attack is led by head coach Mike Roberts, who has instilled in his players an unselfish mentality that may be unmatched in this league. It’s this attitude that has brought them to the top, while more and more fans at Lowell Park are hoping and believing this ball may roll pretty far.
     By Nicholas Mucci, CCBL Intern mucci@capecodbaseball.org

Hunt Shooting for Perfection
     FALMOUTH, Mass. – Here’s a name for you: Shooter Hunt. Commodore fans or casual onlookers who engross themselves in great Cape League action this summer may pick up a stat sheet and wonder, how did he get this name? Funny you should ask. 
     “After Dennis Hopper’s character ‘Shooter’ in the movie Hoosiers,” said the six-foot-three righthander from Wyckoff, New Jersey. 
     Born in 1986, the same year that USA Today’s best sports movie of all time was released, Shooter was born into a sports crazed family whose love for Hoosiers was undoubtedly incomparable.
     Much like Hopper in the film, Shooter has delivered a stellar performance thus far for the Commodores. After pitching out of the bullpen early in the season to get acclimated to the league, Hunt has settled in nicely to a starting role and has positioned himself among the league’s elite pitchers. This is quite an accomplishment, knowing the caliber of players that annually pass through the league. 
     In three starts with Virginia this past spring, the freshman didn’t factor in any decisions, but managed to strike out an impressive 33 batters in 33 innings. Highly recruited out of high school, Shooter was named the Gatorade Player of the Year for New Jersey merely one year ago. This spring, Hunt found himself in the late innings against ACC rival and then top-ranked Clemson University on the opening weekend of ACC play. 
     Hunt’s work ethic and “Hoosier” attitude has help mold him into the player is today, and it is paying big dividends right now in the Cape League. Hunt is boasting a 2-0 record, a minuscule 1.48 ERA, and is second in the league in strikeouts with 32, three shy of the league-leading Cody Crowell (Vanderbilt) of Brewster.
     Shooter gives much praise to his father, who was the coach of his high school team. Seeing him through years of ups and downs, it should come as no surprise that Hunt’s parents attended one of their son’s two dominating starting performances this season. On that day, Shooter gave them a Hoosiers-like outing, mowing down opposing batters and letting his parents do nothing but smile. 
     The Commodores have held on to third place in the West through this week, hoping to climb in the standings when they get a shot at first-place Cotuit on Sunday.
     By Nicholas Mucci, CCBL Intern mucci@capecodbaseball.org

Rain, Rain Go Away
     HYANNIS, Mass. – The Hyannis Mets are in need of a rest. Although the Mets had two “off” days this week due to the inclement weather, they appear tired. Hyannis has lost its last three games and have fallen from third to fourth place in the Western Division. The three-game losing streak started off against the Bourne Braves, who hold the worst record in the league (4-13-2). Sunday’s 5-0 loss to Bourne produced a domino effect, as the team fell to Chatham, Harwich and Cotuit later in the week.
     The loss to Bourne came in large part on account of a slow start on the pitching mound. Alex Hale (Richmond) lasted only two innings. The Braves’ Austin Krum (Dallas Baptist) and Mitch Mooreland (Mississippi) capitalized on Hale’s struggle to put up two homers in the first inning. Bourne would continue from there and never look back. Although Matt Daly (Hawaii) and Gary Lee (South Carolina-Aiken) provided strong pitching for the rest of the game, the Braves offense remained unfazed. Offensively, the Mets faced several missed opportunities and the closest chance to scoring was in the fifth inning when Mark McGonigle (New Orleans) advanced to third on a David Macias (Vanderbilt) single.
     Monday, despite a strong seven innings by pitcher Aaron Brown (Houston), Hyannis was once again shut out, this time by Chatham. The Mets, who have displayed strong offense in the past few weeks, struggled in Chatham and throughout the remainder of the week. 
     However, players remain positive. Mets pitcher Matt Daly (Hawaii), who had his best outing yet against Bourne on Sunday, notes, “I think this week we were in a slump. It happens. We have confidence that we will get back on track in the weeks leading up to the All-Star Game and playoffs.”
     The Mets look to rebound at Brewster on Sunday, and with four of their next five games after that at home, hopefully Mother Nature won’t rain on their parade.
     By Courtney Reilly, CCBL Intern reilly@capecodbaseball.org

Holding onto Second in Wareham
     WAREHAM, Mass. – After posting a strong record early in the season, the Wareham Gatemen have seen better days come week’s end. Still maintaining the second-place spot in the Western Division, the Gatemen have been experimenting defensively in efforts to find the perfect lineup.
     Beginning the week with a three-game homestand, the Gatemen were hosts to the Cotuit Kettleers. Despite multi-hit games by both Bradley Suttle (Texas) and Diallo Fon (Vanderbilt), including a solo home run by Suttle in the second, Wareham’s share of costly errors eventually led to the loss. With a late-inning rally started by Robert Lara (LSU) in the seventh, the Gatemen could no longer tame the bats of the streaking Kettleers in the 6-4 defeat.
     Coming into the game with a three-game losing streak, the Gatemen battled the Whitecaps of Brewster in a pitcher’s duel between Wareham’s Chris Hicks (Georgia Tech) and Brewster’s Cody Crowell (Vanderbilt). With only four hits generated offensively in the win, the Gatemen saw the first and only run cross the plate in the fourth when Jason Ogata (LSU) followed a leadoff single with two stolen bases and a passed ball, leading to a 1-0 victory. Hicks was awarded his first win in as many starts for the Gatemen, throwing six innings of three-hit baseball. Nick Cassavechia (Baylor) and Connor Graham (Miami-Ohio) closed it out, with Graham being awarded his fourth save.
     The Gatemen followed their first and only win of the week with two strong pitching performances by Riley Boening (Texas) and Travis Banwart (Wichita State). Banwart left his outing Wednesday night clutching his right elbow, but is expected to appear for his next start. Wareham has always been known for dominance on the mound, but unfortunately has seen little offensive production in the past week. Posting just seven hits in two consecutive losses, the Gatemen have had little help at the plate. 
     Despite falling seven of their last eight games, the Gatemen have received help in the Western Division and continue to remain in second place. Wareham will take the four-game losing streak (through Friday) back home on Sunday to face the Bourne Braves before an afternoon home crowd. 
     By Daniel Scalia, CCBL Intern scalia@capecodbaseball.org

  CCBL All-Star Game To Be Broadcast On National Public Radio: The 44th annual Cape Cod Baseball League All-Star Game on July 29th at 4 p.m. at Red Wilson Field in South Yarmouth, will be broadcasted live on WCAI (90.1 FM), WNAN (91.1 FM) and WZAI (94.3 FM), the Cape and Islands NPR stations, and streamed at www.capeandislands.org. 
     “We’re excited about reaching a new audience through our partnership with The Cape and Islands NPR stations,” said League president Judy Walden Scarafile. “It’s outstanding having our premier event broadcasted on such a prestigious medium.”
     Cape and Islands NPR stations Broadcast Director Steve Young added, “Some people have been surprised to hear that an NPR station is broadcasting sports, but this game fits right into our stated mission to ‘celebrate the uniqueness of the communities that we serve.’
     “Baseball fans the world over know that Cape Cod communities, in the summer, are THE places to watch the major league players of tomorrow. We’re very excited that, with our wide listening area and our online streaming, we’ll be bringing the very best of those future players, and the very best of Cape Cod, to our listeners, wherever they might be,” said Young.
     Dan Rubin, Internet broadcast voice of the Yarmouth-Dennis Red Sox, will provide play-by-play, with color commentary from the league’s Director of Public Relations & Broadcasting, John Garner, Jr.
     Forty-six of the top players in the Cape League, 23 from both the East and West Divisions, will be selected by the field managers on July 25 and announced by CCBL Commissioner Paul Galop.
     In addition to www.capeandislands.org, the CCBL All-Star Game will also be streamed on www.capecodbaseball.org, along with all 10 Cape League team Web sites, on the Cape Cod Baseball League Network powered by Cape.Com. Listeners will also be able to listen to the broadcast by dialing one of the five designated local phone numbers. 
     
     About The Cape and Islands NPR Stations: The Cape and Islands NPR stations, WCAI (90.1 FM), WNAN (91.1 FM) and WZAI (94.3 FM), are listener-supported public radio stations serving Cape Cod, Nantucket, Martha's Vineyard, and the South Coast. Founded by local residents, the stations are a service of WGBH Radio. They strive to celebrate the uniqueness of the communities that they serve while discussing common issues.

     MLB All-Stars Shine in the Steel City: Seven of last week’s Major League Baseball All-Stars performing in the mid-summer classic in Pittsburgh were Cape League alumni: Jason Bay (Chatham ‘99), Lance Berkman (Wareham ‘99), Chris Capuano (Cotuit ‘97-98, Bourne ‘99), Nomar Garciaparra (Orleans ‘93), Mark Loretta (Falmouth ‘92), Chase Utley (Brewster ‘98, Cotuit ‘99) and Barry Zito (Wareham ‘97-‘98) all honed their skills in the Cape League. 

     Dave Gavitt Honored By Big East: Former CCBL field manager and basketball coaching legend Dave Gavitt will be honored by The BIG EAST Conference with a special tribute event for its founder and 2006 Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame inductee at the Rhode Island Convention Center in Providence, R.I. on August 10 at 5:30 p.m. The conference has scheduled this tribute because tickets to the enshrinement ceremony in Springfield, Mass. are limited. Tickets for the event are $100 per person and should be made payable to the BIG EAST Conference: Attn: DAVE GAVITT TRIBUTE, BIG EAST Conference, 222 Richmond St. Suite 110, Providence, R.I. 02903. The conference will assemble a unique “video tribute book,” which will run during the event. It is designed to allow both individuals and organizations to offer their formal congratulations and best wishes to Dave and his wife Julie and help to offset costs of the event. 

     Sponsors and Other Strangers: The annual Ocean Spray Grower-Owners and Employees Appreciation Night took place last Thursday night at Wareham’s Spillane Field. This is a big annual event that the growers-owners and employees look forward to every year, with 150 people from Ocean Spray in attendance. Five-year-old Strickland Davis threw out the ceremonial first pitch, as his two-and-a-half year old brother accompanied him to the mound. There were several raffle prizes for the Ocean Spray fans in attendance, and Creative Cuisine catered the event for the fifth year. Barnstable Bat created a handsome patriotic bat that was presented to Jackie Lang, Ocean Spray's Director of Corporate Events, in appreciation of more than a decade of sponsorship. Interesting stats: 190 burgers, 125 hot dogs, and 10 cases of Ocean Spray juice drink and trail mix were consumed ... Sullivan Tire Team Volunteer of the Year awards were given to Mike Carrier of Bourne, Gene L'Etoile of Brewster, Art Dunn of Chatham and Nancy Nickerson of Orleans. Each was presented with a customized CCBL/Sullivan Tire warm-up jacket created by Advanced Embroidery of Hyannis.

     Rain, Rain and More Rain: Here is the make-up schedule for the rainouts from Wednesday, July 12 and Thursday, July 13:

               GAME POSTPONED ON   ----    NEW DATE & TIME
          Falmouth at Bourne July 12 August 2 at 1:30 p.m.
          Chatham at Cotuit July 12 August 1 at 4:30 p.m.
          Harwich at Hyannis July 12 July 24 at 5 p.m.
          Hyannis at Chatham July 13 July 20 at 2 p.m.
          Cotuit at Falmouth July 13 July 28 at 3:30 p.m.
          Bourne at Harwich July 13 August 1 at 7 p.m.

     Other Make-up Games: Below is a list of previously announced make-up games by Commissioner Paul Galop:
          Game of June 15 - Cotuit at Bourne to July 24 at 1 p.m. 
          Game of June 24 - Harwich at Bourne to July 28 at 1 p.m.
          Game of June 24 - Cotuit at Y-D to July 18 at 5 p.m.
          Game of June 24 - Wareham at Chatham to July 15 at 3:30 p.m.
          Game of June 29 - Chatham at Bourne to July 24 at 5 p.m.
          Game of July 6 - Bourne at Hyannis to July 18 at 5 p.m.

     MLB Scout Days in July: The Cape League will schedule pre-game player workouts for major league scouts during a six-day period known as Scouts Days. They will take place at the following games: Harwich at Cotuit, July 22; Y-D at Bourne, July 23; Wareham at Y-D, July 25; Falmouth at Cotuit, July 26; Brewster at Harwich, July 27; and Orleans at Chatham, July 28. Workout drills include batting practice, fielding practice, and short-distance sprints.

     Who’s Hot … And Who’s Not: Matt Wieters (Georgia Tech) of Orleans is the current CCBL leader with a .344 batting average, while Chatham’s Chris Carrara (Winthrop) and Harwich’s Josh Donaldson (Auburn) are tied for second at .333 … Falmouth outfielder Warren McFadden (Tulane) leads the CCBL with six homers and 19 runs scored, while Matt Rizzotti (Manhattan) of Chatham is still the league leader with 18 RBIs … Buster Posey (Florida State) of Y-D has accounted for a pace-setting 31 hits, while Donaldson leads with nine doubles … Shaun Seibert (Arkansas) of Brewster in 29 innings and Jay Brown (Young Harris) in 20 innings are the pitching leaders with a 3-0 record and a perfect 0.00 ERA … Joshua Fields (Georgia) of Y-D leads the CCBL with seven saves, while Brewster’s Cody Crowell (Vanderbilt) has struck out a league-leading 35 batters … Cotuit still leads the league with a .274 team batting average and is also the pitching leader with a 1.97 team ERA … Bourne is at the bottom of the league statistics in team batting (.204) and pitching (4.42 ERA). 

 Interns:  Johnna DeChristoforo, Jonathan French, Lauren B. Malone
Adam McGillen, Courtney Reilly, Daniel Scalia