Hyannis Mets Lighting System is Being Installed!
Work is underway at the end of High School Road in Hyannis on the new lighting system at McKeon Park. The Park had lights before, but they fell into disrepair (Weissman, 2005). The new lights are funded by a Yawkey Foundation grant and will push all game start times in Hyannis to 7pm. The grant also was put toward the brick backstop, which was installed for the 2006 season. The lights were supposed to be installed for the 2006 season (in fact, all printed schedules had 7pm start times for Hyannis home games), but could not be due to weather conditions. Hyannis is home to some of the least attended Cape League games and the re-addition of lights is hopefully going to boost the numbers. In my opinion, I don’t think lights will boost numbers dramatically, and I...
Read MoreHyannis and Y-D Post 2007 Rosters
Two additional teams have posted their 2007 rosters — the Hyannis Mets and the Y-D Red Sox. Thanks to Dave B. for the alert about Y-D’s partial roster. This brings the total rosters posted for ’07 to four teams: Cotuit, Hyannis, Y-D and Wareham. Happy holidays to all readers and contributors to CodBall. My family reported balmy weather and flat water around Falmouth this Christmas morning. Baseball cannot be far off! Coming soon to CodBall: an interview with Elliott Cribby of the Chatham A’s and the University of Washington Huskies. Elliott is on the Roger Clemens Award watchlist for this coming...
Read MoreHow will MLB’s 8/15 rule impact Cape players?
A large, middle-aged scout for the St. Louis Cardinals approached us with just a little too much urgency last July. My son and I had been talking with Falmouth Commodores catcher Mitch Canham (Oregon State), and we were returning to our cheap beach chairs along the first base line. “Why were you talking with Mitch?” he asked with a clinched smile. “We’re from Washington state and he’s from near our home,” I responded, sounding eager as Gomer Pyle. “Well, I’m with the Cardinals organization and we have him under control,” the scout informed us. Clearly he mistook me for someone who might be trying to engage the young prospect. Under old MLB rules, the MLB could draft a kid in June and take the next year to sign him. But this fall the MLB and the...
Read More2007 Schedule Released; All-Star Game in Wareham
I woke up this morning and there was an early Christmas present: the 2007 Cape Cod Baseball League Schedule! Here are some of the key dates: June 15th, opening day with the first pitch at Lowell Park in Cotuit at 5pm. Night games at Falmouth, Harwich, Hyannis, and Orleans. July 11th, the annual game at Sandwich High School with the Bourne Braves hosting the Falmouth Commodores this year. July 13th, the second annual New Bedford game with the Wareham Gatemen hosting the Hyannis Mets. July 28th, the all-star game at Clem Spillane Field in Wareham. In my opinion, this is a great place to host the game with a large capacity crowd and stadium-like atmosphere. August 1st, all-star recognition night at Fenway Park in Boston. August 10th, the beginning of the Cape...
Read MoreShould Zito Donate a Little of the $100M to the CCBL?
I just wonder if the MLB millionaires who played their last amateur games on the Cape give back to the Cape League? I think one of the largest segments of philanthropy these days is professionals who give back to their universities. Shouldn’t the CCBL get a little of the $100 million some MLB team will pay for Barry Zito’s (photo right) talents? One percent is a million! Russ Charpentier’s column this weekend about Barry Zito’s time with the Wareham Gatemen in 1997-98 coincides with the Zen pitcher’s search for a new home. Texas has already declared its intention to be a finalist, but my home team – the Mighty Mariners – also remain in contention. (I can tell you that there is a steady drumbeat out here in the Northwest to sign a big-name...
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