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Jul
31
Leaving the Cape Early
Posted by Dave | Filed Under News |
A hot topic in Cape League baseball every year is players leaving early after All-Star weekend (and the peak season for scouts).
On one side of the coin, we should be grateful to see the best players in the country on the Cape every season. Some players have been playing ball non-stop since the late winter, and deserve a chance for a short break to see their friends and families before heading back to school. Some also have legitimate reasons ranging from fatigue, injuries, and maybe even university-related activities.
On the other side, these players signed a contract and knew that the season could extend to August 15th. Volunteers, house-parents, families, fans, other players, coaches, and kids have poured their heart into teams across the Cape and deserve no less than to have their respective teams play the best that they can. In early August, nearly two-thirds of the teams are still competing for playoff spots.
Should players be allowed to leave early? If not, how could players be enticed to stay? How could the number of players leaving be lessened? Please post your thoughts and be careful not to name specific players.
EDITOR’S NOTE (8/3): This post has been modified from its original form and some comments have been removed. CodBall apologizes for any one that was offended by the original post.
I spoke with someone from an organization on Saturday who said a player was leaving for a wedding, which I can understand. We just don’t know the situation(s).
It can also be said that these players helped the team reach the playoffs and achieve this remarkable turnaround.
Greg, I agree with what you said about not knowing enough about each player’s situation. As I said in my original post, if a player has a valid reason, no one should question it. With privacy issues, there may be personal reasons a player has to leave his team and the public is not entitled to know the details. If a player goes to his general manager and coach and explains his situation to them and they accept that reason, that’s good enough for me.
My problem pertains to what Russ Charpentier wrote in the “Insider” blog….. “These kids who leave early for no reason other than the selfish one leave teams in the lurch.” Even in the case of a player having to attend a wedding, I would hope that the G.M. and coach were made aware of this when a roster spot was offered to that player and not two days before the player left.
As for any other player helping the team to “reach the playoffs and achieve this remarkable turnaround”, to me, this just isn’t good enough. I’m big on commitment. You commit to do something, you see it through - again, barring unforeseen, legitimate circumstances. Great, they helped their team reach the playoffs. Somewhere out there is another Matt Hall or Jordan Flasher who would have loved to land a roster spot on a Cape League team. Maybe that player could have helped a team achieve the same success and he might actually have stayed through the end of the season as his contract stipulates.
I am keeping in mind that some players have to leave for legitimate reasons but my message is directed toward those who stay while they feel the spotlight may be on them while the scouts are there, but as soon as the All Star game is over and the scouts go home, so do the players. Over the years, more players leave the Cape under questionable circumstances after the All Star game than at any other time. Usually the pre-All Star game departures are due to injuries, not because the player just wants to go home.
Going back to what Mr Collins had to say about the leagues new found commercialism attitude, the short and simple answer to prevent this is force the league and teams to revenue share.
These student athletes are not paid to come here. They are being taking advantage of more so that their own University’s do. At least at school they get housing, meals, and an education.
Sure here they get to play baseball in the most competive league out there but quite honestly it is far more selfish of the league to get corporate sponsors now and still force players to pay house parents and most teams can not even afford to feed players after away games.
Its is severely unfortunate that some of these kids have to go to teams with less revenue than others and have to be treated like meat for working so hard on the field.
Bourne is an example of a great franchise with not a whole lot of money.
Chatham Y-D Cotuit all these teams do well with keeping players because they give more and have more revenue to treat them properly.
Look bottom line is the League is starting to take advantage of these players future stardom and until they offer more than just a chance to play in the ‘prestigious’ Cape League players will always leave early.
Insider…I disagree with a lot of what you wrote. The league was in some serious financial trouble not all that long ago. Corporate sponsorships went a long way towards correcting that situation and just because the league is financially stable; it doesn’t mean that it is swimming in dough. All that aside, the CCBL is still the premier college baseball league in the world and 25% of these kids will go on to play major league baseball…more will will play some form of professional baseball. The fact that they have to pay a nominal housing fee is certainly not much to ask in return for the chance to showcase your talent in 44 games in front of scouts and against the top talent anywhere.
If the league was selling “Aaron Crow” shirts or “Yonder Alfonso” shirts; I suppose you could argue that the kids are being taken advantage of for their financial benefit. Yes, the league boasts of players that have been on the Cape but do you really think Frank Thomas or Mo Vaughn are complaining today that they are being taken advantage of? Point being that the league is successful because these players have proven time and time again that the talent on the Cape translates to the big leagues. If not, the CCBL couldn’t make the claims of being the best.
And what of the kids NOT making it to the big leagues….They get to spend 7 weeks playing against and with future major league players while living on Cape Cod in the summer…life isn’t too bad.
I will agree that some franchises do not treat their players as well as others but it simply comes down to money. There was an article in the Cape League section of the Falmouth enterprise that is passed out at games that featured John Wylde. Wareham pays for each player’s travel expenses coming to and leaving the Cape. They also pay for every single after-game meal, host a preseason kick-off dinner at a golf course and hold a year-end clambake on the beach.
Revenue sharing is not a bad idea but I think you’d find the weaker organizations taking advantage of the stronger franchises and their hard working volunteers. Don’t forget…this league is run by volunteers…100%…these people give up their summers for these kids. They open up their houses, sell 50/50 tickets, fund raise, maintain ballparks, sell merchandise, cook hot dogs, etc, etc, etc. I don’t think it would go over too well if Chatham had to share their merchandise revenue with Bourne. (Bourne can’t even manage to get merchandise on their website.) Orleans must take in a pretty good gate each night…think they want to share that revenue with Hyannis; who gets 2/3 less the spectators?
These kids could just as easily be at home in Texas, Florida…where ever they live… working a lousy summer job in the heat. Rather, they get to come to Cape Cod, experience baseball at the highest level, meet new friends and learn life long lessons about working hard, discipline and setting goals. 25% of the time, this experience leads to a major league baseball contract where they are paid more than any of us can imagine. Isn’t that worth the risk of maybe playing for Bourne instead of Chatham?
Well said! You make a fine argument!
However no one ever said the work of the volunteers isn’t merited and worthy, but to hear all about the lavishes of Wareham and then to hear about a Harwich player being kicked out of his house parents home because they are planning on going on vacation. Now that just isn’t fair.
Even the majors put a limit on how much teams can spend on players and its not too much to ask that now with corporate sponsorship playing such a big role to at least require all the teams to abide fairly in how each player is treated by their respected teams. I’m sure a Hyannis player is not thrilled to see the A’s people feeding their team in the parking lot after a game knowing that when they go on the road no one does that for them.
These kids do not get to choose where they play and they are not making a dime while playing like they do. So again as long as you have that type conditions such Bourne, Brewster, or Hyannis. You will always have players leaving early.
Just being honest… for you to complain about these kids leaving who some have thrown more than 200 innings this year is a little selfish.
Braves are still going to be O.K.
People have their problems, some times it’s difficult to watch unbelievable players call their season to an end.
Both of these Braves had solid reasons for leaving.
Yes it sucks, and boy will they be missed, but truthfully the Braves are so resilient, that they will make it though this.
Oh yeah, Bourne feeds their players after every game, and were not as poor as you all think anymore either!
Braves clinched a playoff spot yesterday!
Let me say that whichever team has to play Bourne in the playoffs regardless of who is left over on the roster, is going to have one heck of a competitive affair.
Andrew Grover (Voice of the Braves)
Having watched these Braves last night in Hyannis, I’m with Andrew. They look solid. That said, I think Y-D and Chatham look tough. The West will have a hill to climb against the East.
Good points Dave…and Andrew (from Bourne)…Didn’t mean to come down on Bourne; I also think the Braves will be fine because they can certainly hit. I’m glad to hear the Bourne is coming along as an organization…it only helps the league for each franchise to have a first class organization. Your field is among the best in the league and I’m sure the organization will continue to get better.
And Insider… I don’t think anyone is saying that kids shouldn’t shut it down if they have a legitimate reason for leaving. (tired arm, injury, family matter, etc.) Those things could happen after the first week of the season. There is a history, however, of a lot kids leaving the Cape after the All-Star game. Completing the season or even making and being successful in the playoffs is very important to these organizations…it validates the hard work done all year around to put a good product on the field and to create a family-friendly environment night after night. These organizations make a tremendous committment to these kids and in return, it is not asking much for them to play a few more games. I realize that it is a couple bad apples that spoil the bunch but there is simply too much history to ignore this issue.
Sorry…one other point…this is a great topic.
If a point can be made that the league takes advantage of these players; I think you can also make a case the these players use the league to their advantage.
Has anyone noticed that Scott Gorgen from UC-Irvine is suddenly pitching for Team-USA? For the second year in a row, he was signed by Wareham….and for the second year in a row his coach shut him down until Fall beause he pitched too many innings. This decision was dragged out by Gorgen and his coach until the very last minute. For those that are not familiar with Gorgen, he is the ace of the UC-Irvine staff and one of the top pitchers in the country. Gorgen had supposedly pitched too many innings; a valid statement considering that they also made it far into the College World Series….fine. Coach said he would take the summer off and “maybe” participate in their Fall workouts.
Suddenly he is pitching for Team-USA because a couple of spots opened up. This is a guy who held a CCBL roster spot hostage…forcing the Gatemen to scramble for a replacement. This type of thing happens all the time as kids hold onto roster spots while they decide whether they are going to sign, play USA or not come at all for some other reason. Yes, the franchise has the authority to simply cut them loose but in many cases, I think they try to be patient and give these kids the benefit of the doubt.
It is a two-way street I guess.
Capeman
Do you work for one of the CCBL teams?
Gorgen joined Team USA last week after (Should have been a Bourne Brave) Lance Lynn left with a groin injury.
No…just a close follower of the leaque…and I have a few connections….
Gorgen was one of the pitchers that I was looking forward to seeing the past 2 years on the Cape and he was on the Wareham roster both times only to be pulled back.
Why do you say “Should have been a Bourne Brave”? ….just because of how good he is I assume?
Lance Lynn was signed to play for the Braves this summer, but got picked by Team USA. Lynn as well as Petey Paramore, Ryan Berry, and Cody Satterwite were all Braves’ signees who chose to play for Team USA. No team have more Team USA defections than Bourne this summer.
Guys, Gorgen was pitching way too much for Irvine this year and needed some time off. I don’t think Dave Serrano was trying to play with the Cape League by holding Gorgen hostage.
Pinhead…I see…and you are right. Bourne got creamed this year by Team USA. I might have worked out for the best though considering the talent that some other guys have gotten to showcase.
And Brian Foley…. You think if Scott Gorgen was asked to join Team USA in June that he would have told them he had pitched too many innings?
Working with the Braves I have come to know matt Gorgen(Cal) and last week I met his brother Scott. Scott was supposed to play for the Gateman this year and last, but being the friday starter for Cal-Irvine he through the most innings on the anteaters so his coach suggested he not play summer ball.
Yet when the Team USA spot opened his coach told him to go.