Jul

24

A CodBall Preview: The 2008 CCBL All-Star Game

Posted by Greg | Filed Under News | 10 Comments

Last year's all-stars line-up to sign autographs.

Last year's all-stars line-up to sign autographs.

Saturday is the annual parade of the nation’s top collegiate baseball players known as the 2008 Cape Cod Baseball League All-Star game.  The homerun hitting contest starts at 5 pm and first pitch for the actual game is 7 pm at Chatham’s Veterans Field.

For the uninitiated, those blow-drier looking things protruding from behind home plate are the radar guns from dozens of professional scouts representing Major League organizations.

To understand the significance (and growing influence) of this game, you need to look no further than the sponsor of the event — Under Armour.  Why is the brand that hopes to topple mighty Nike sponsoring a college all-star game in the middle of July?  It’s simple, they are investing in the stars of tomorrow.

The names on this year’s roster are the names we will see next June on ESPN when the Major League Baseball draft is held.  And they are the names we will see in blockbuster Major League trades throughout the Big League season.  You know the kind of stories:  C.C. Sabathia is traded to the Milwaukee Brewers for some top prospects.  Well, those top prospects are usually ex-Cape Leaguers as we’ve reported here.

Several weeks ago I was at a minor league game in Everett, Washington to see the affiliates of the Seattle Mariners play the affiliates of the Arizona Diamondbacks.  The key players in that game were rock stars at last year’s Cape League All-Star Game in Wareham.  Dennis Raben, who won the MVP for the East, and Collin Cowgill who also played for the East last year, were major factors in the game I saw.  In fact, Cowgill was called up to a higher level of the D-Backs that night.

This year, both squads are loaded with talent.  There are a few names I will be looking for especially:

  • A.J. Pollock of Falmouth and Marc Krauss of Bourne are vying for the batting title.  Pollock is .392 and Krauss is .389.  These are amazing batting averages for college players using wood bats for the first time.
  • Chris Dominguez of Hyannis is leading in homeruns with 8.  He also leads in hits for extra bases wtih 18.
  • Nick Liles from Yarmouth-Dennis led in batting early in the season but still is on top for stolen bases with 14.
  • There is always a debate about whether the Cape league is stronger for pitchers or hitters.  Most agree it’s a pitchers league.  So I am going to mention 3 notables.  Andrew Carraway of Hyannis is 3-2 wiht a 1.24 ERA and Bryce Stowell of Bourne is 2-1 with a 1.36 ERA.

There are some All-Stars we will not see this season.  You might call them Supernova — their stars exploded and they were picked up by Major League organizations before the All-Star game.  We got to see Cole Figueroa last year in the All-Star game but he was plucked up this week by the San Diego Padres.  The pitcher I was most impressed with was Tim Clubb of Brewster who finished up early with a 4-1 record and a 1.41 ERA.  clubb was drafted by the Tampa Bay Devil Rays but turned it down and is returning to his college to prepare for the next season.

The New England Sports Network (NESN) will broadcast the game live for the first time. Eric Frede and former major league pitcher Jim Beattie (Harwich 1974) will handle the play-by-play and color, respectively. NPR affiliate WCAI (90.1 fm) also will broadcast the game live.  NPR’s Neal Conan will do play-by-play and the Cape League’s John Garner will provide color commentary.

Click here for directions to the game in Chatham.

2.00  Gates open to public
2:45  East Batting Practice  / West Autograph / Media
3:30  West Batting Practice / East Autographs / Media
4:30  East Infield
4:45  West Infield
5:00  Baseball Factory Home Run Hitting Contest
6:15  All Star Player Introductions / Lineup
6:30  Presentation of colors and National Anthem
6:50  First Pitch Ceremony
7:00  46th CCBL All-Star Game
9:30  Scouts choose MVP
9:45  Post-game Awards at home plate immediately following the game by CCBL President Judy Scarafile and Commissioner Paul Galop

WestDivision All Stars
C Trevor Coleman Falmouth S/R Dripping Springs,TX 2010 Missouri .245, 0 HR, 13 RBI
1B Ben Paulsen Hyannis L/L Norcross, GA 2010 Clemson .296, 4 HR, 25 RBI
2B Jimmy Cesario Falmouth L/R New Orleans, LA 2009 Houston .378, 1 HR, 26 RBI
3B Chris Dominguez Hyannis R/R Miami, FL 2009 Louisville .259, 8 HR, 22 RBI
SS Dusty Coleman Bourne R/R Sioux Falls, SD 2010 Wichita St. .333, 2 HR, 14 RBI
LF Marc Krauss Bourne L/R Deshler, OH 2010 Ohio .392, 2 HR, 25 RBI
CF A.J. Pollock Falmouth R/R Hebron, CT 2010 Notre Dame .378, 2 HR, 14 RBI
RF Trent Ashcraft Hyannis L/L Brentwood, TN 2009 E. Carolina .357, 0 HR, 8 RB
DH Kevin Patterson Cotuit L/R Sharpsburg, GA 2011 Auburn .386, 2 HR, 21 RBI
P Bryce Stowell Bourne R/R La Habra, CA 2009 UC Irvine 2-0, 1.14 ERA, 40 SO
West Division All Star Reserves

C Dale Cornstubble Hyannis R/R Homer, MI 2010 C. Michigan .228, 0 HR, 2 RBI
IF Raynor Campbell Wareham R/R Sealy, TX 2010 Baylor .323, 1 HR, 7 RBI
OF Jordan Henry Bourne L/R Vicksburg, MS 2010 Mississippi .319, 0 HR, 11 RBI
P Brandon Workman Wareham  R/R Bowie, TX 2011 Texas 2-2, 2.27 ERA, 50 SO
P Andrew Carraway Hyannis R/R Canton, GA 2010 Virginia 3-2, 1.32 ERA, 42 SO
P Nick McCully Bourne R/R Lakeland, FL 2010 Coastal Carolina 3-0, 1.80 ERA, 31 SO
Eric Pettis Bourne R/R West Hills, CA 2010 UC Irvine 5 SV, 1.10 ERA, 16 SO
P Dallas Keuchel Wareham L/ Tulsa, OK 2010 Arkansas                1-1, 1.60 ERA, 30 SO
P Russell Brewer Hyannis R/R Norwood, NC 2011 Vanderbil 11 SV, 1.65 ERA, 14 SO
P Seth Blair Cotuit R/R Rock Falls, IL 2011 Arizona S 2-1, 2.28 ERA, 18 SO
P Ben Tootle Falmouth R/R Oxford, AL 2010 Jacksonville St. 3 SV, 0.98 ERA, 21 SO
West Division All Star Alternates

P Austin Hudson Hyannis R/R Orlando, FL 2010 C. Florida 1-2, 1.50 ERA, 25 SO
P Chris Gloor Falmouth L/L Bay Shore, NY 2009 Quinnipiac 0-0, 1.95 ERA, 19 SO
P Nick Hernandez Cotuit L/L Knoxville, TN 2010 Tennessee 4-2, 2.65 ERA, 29 SO
P Max Perlman Wareham R/R Longwood, FL 2011 Harvard 3-1, 2.20 ERA, 19 SO

Baseball Express Home Run Hitting Contest
Blake Dean Wareham Louisiana State
Chris Dominguez Hyannis Louisville
Kyle Roller Bourne East Carolina

WEST COACHES

Field Manager : Harvey Shapiro (Bourne)
Assisted by Coaches:
Mike Roberts (Cotuit), Jeff Trundy (Falmouth)
Rick Robinson (Hyannis) and Cooper Farris (Wareham)

East Division All Stars

C Tony Sanchez Y-D R/R Miami, FL 2010 Boston College .295, 3 HR, 14 RBI
1B Ryan Wheeler Brewster L/R Torrence, CA 2010 Loyola Marymount .327, 4 HR, 11 RBI
2B Nick Liles Y-D R/R Laurinberg, NC 2010 Western Carolina .355, 0 HR, 19 RBI
3B Rich Poythress Orleans R/R Grovetown, GA 2010 Georgia .364, 0 HR, 6 RBI
SS Grant Green Chatham R/R Anaheim Hills, CA 2009 USC .398, 5 HR, 16 RBI
LF Ryan Ortiz Y-D R/R San Diego, CA 2010 Oregon St. .292, 0 HR, 11 RBI
CF Cory Olson Chatham R/R Anaheim, CA 2010 Orange Coast .380, 0 HR, 7 RBI
RF Tim Wheeler Orleans L/R Sacramento, CA 2010 Sacramento St. .288, 3 HR, 14 RBI
DH Brent Milleville Brewster R/R Wichita, KS 2010 Stanford .354, 3 HR, 14 RBI
P Matt Thomson Orleans R/R Santa Rose, CA 2010 San Diego 3-0, 1.56 ERA, 24 SO
East Division All Star Reserves
C Mark Fleury Harwich L/R Roswell, GA 2010 UNC ..333, 1 HR, 7 RBI
lF D.J. Lemahieu Harwich R/R Bloomfield Hills, MI 2011 LSU .322, 0 HR, 6 RBI
OF Ty Kelly Brewster S/R Tracy, CA 2010 UC Davis .279, 0 HR, 10 RBI
P Brad Boxberger Chatham R/R Tustin, CA 2009 USC 8 SV, 2.63 ERA, 21 SO
P Sammy Solis Chatham R/L Litchfield Park, AZ 2011 San Diego  1.83 ERA, 29 SO
P Buddy Baumann Brewster L/L Billings, MO 2010 Missouri St. 2.33 ERA, 30 SO
P Martin Viramontes Orleans R/R Fresno, CA 2011 Loyola Marymount 2-0, 1.71 ERA, 13 SO
P Adam Wilk Orleans L/L Buena Park, CA 2010 Long Beach St. 2-1, 1.96 ERA, 22 SO
P Chris Manno Harwich L/L Brooklyn, NY 2010 Duke 2-0, 1.63 ERA, 34 SO
P Brian Dupra Harwich L/L Rochester, NY 2011 Notre Dame 3-1, 2.16 ERA, 27 SO
P J.J. Hoover Harwich R/R Elizabeth, PA 2010 West Virginia 1-0, 2.22 ERA, 25 SO
East Division All Star Alternates

P Craig Fritsch Y-D R/R Round Rock, TX 2011 Baylor 2-2, 3.12 ERA, 36 SO
P Caleb Cotham Brewster R/R Mt. Juliet, TN 2010 Vanderbilt 3-1, 2.89 ERA, 33 SO
P Willie Kempf Harwich R/R Castroville, TX 2010 Baylor 2-1, 2.49 ERA, 24 SO
OF Keenan Wiley Y-D L/L Lexington, KY 2010 Kentucky .278, 0 HR, 6 RBI
Baseball Express Home Run Hitting Contest
Connor Powers Brewster Miss State
Joseph Sanders Harwich Auburn
Angelo Songco Orleans Loyola Marymount

EAST COACHES

Field Manager : Scott Pickler (Y-D)
Assisted by Coaches:
Bob Macaluso (Brewster), John Schiffner (Chatham)
Steve Englert (Harwich) and Kelly Nicholson (Orleans)

Comments

10 Responses to “A CodBall Preview: The 2008 CCBL All-Star Game”

  1. Brian Foley on July 24th, 2008 1:28 pm

    I should be there…Hopefully I can find you on Saturday.

  2. Bill Beck on July 24th, 2008 4:48 pm

    Greg,
    I love the blog…being that I am a novice with the league and the players…I like that you always have the players school following thier names. I was wondering if you ever include the class (Freshman, Sophmore, Junior or Senior), or pardon my ignorance is the league mostly comprised of Juniors & Seniors?
    Bill

  3. mikey d on July 24th, 2008 5:56 pm

    “those blow-drier looking things protruding from behind home plate”…..
    also describes the scouts themselves to a T ;-)

  4. mikey d on July 24th, 2008 6:07 pm

    ASG predictions:
    Homerun hitting contest winner:
    Kyle Roller-Bourne
    True story!

    Final score of game:
    West 4 East 0

    All star MVP:
    West-Bryce Stowell/Bourne
    East-Grant Green/Chatham

    Attendance: 4,500
    50/50-2100.00

    How much $$$ the scouts will pull out of their own pockets prediction: negative $7.00 :-)

    All predictions come with a 110% money back guarantee.

  5. Dave on July 24th, 2008 8:13 pm

    mikey d, what you said about the scouts is TOO funny! Some of the younger ones can be a pretty pompous bunch. They seem to be saying “Look at me. I have a radar gun. I’m a scout!” All this while wearing their Izod’s and singing “I Wear My Sunglasses at Night.”
    If Greg had said “those blow-DRIED looking things,” we would have known he was talking about the scouts!

  6. Greg on July 24th, 2008 8:33 pm

    Mikey, you do get props for one of the funnier posts on CodBall. Thanks.

    Bill, good to hear from you. The players on the Cape are freshmen, sophomores and juniors. There are very few seniors. You see here the implications of Money Ball. More and more top players are not drafted out of high school but rather out of college. The Cape provides a professional-like setting (play everyday, play with wood bats, travel around) so that Big League orgs can make more predictable decisions about who to sign.

    I would encourage you to checkout from the library or buy a copy of Last Best League. It’s a terrific narrative that tells the story of the league and top prospects quite well.

  7. Breaking Bats » Prospects Around The Net: 7/24/2008 on July 24th, 2008 9:55 pm

    [...] Cod League All-Star Game Preview, Part II Codball also has a preview up for the Cap League All-Star Game. Prospects that have caught Greg’s [...]

  8. Bill Beck on July 24th, 2008 10:53 pm

    Greg,
    Thanks for the response, I will get a copy of the book and try to do some research on the league as well…Perhaps next summer I might make a trip to the cape to catch a few games…
    Bill

  9. ProspectTube.com on July 25th, 2008 10:49 am

    Nice report Greg, I’m 50/50 right now in terms of attending, but if I do show up, I’ll try to locate you – maybe I’ll yell Greg a bunch of times to see if anyone looks :)

  10. Brian Foley on July 25th, 2008 2:03 pm

    Just yell for Foley and I will turn my head.

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