August 15, 2010
CCBL notebook: Cotuit celebrates title
by Ed Flaherty/
Cotuit's Jordan Leyland was named Cape Cod Baseball League playoff MVP after helping the Kettleers capture the 2010 title. (photo: SportsPix)
Cotuit’s 6-0 victory over Yarmouth-Dennis in Game 3 of the Cape Cod Baseball League championship series brought a memorable 2010 season to a close on Friday.
The title was Cotuit’s 13th in the Kettleers’ history and the first for the team since 1999.
And while Cotuit first baseman Jordan Leyland (UC Irvine) will go down in the record books as the 2010 playoff MVP, the Kettleers would likely not be the owners of the Arnold Mycock Trophy were it not for the outstanding efforts of the team’s pitching staff.
Cotuit pitchers gave up just nine runs (eight earned) in seven playoff games in 2010.
The Kettleers’ stingy staff became dominant in the championship series, a feat that becomes all the more impressive considering Yarmouth-Dennis’ pedigree entering the finals.
Against Harwich in the opening round of the playoffs Yarmouth-Dennis scored 13 runs in a two-game sweep. Then came fireworks against Orleans in the Eastern Division finals as the Red Sox blasted the Firebirds by scoring 23 and 13 runs in consecutive victories to roll into the championship series.
That roll came to an abrupt halt in Game 1 of the finals as Cotuit's Matt Andriese (Cal Riverside) shut down Yarmouth-Dennis with a complete game three-hit shutout.
Yarmouth-Dennis pulled out a 2-1 win over Cotuit in Game 2 but managed just four hits against Kettleers pitchers Austin Wood (St. Petersburg) and AJ Achter (Michigan State).
Then came Game 3 and Yarmouth-Dennis was blanked again, this time by the combined efforts of Brady Rogers (Arizona State) and Nick Tropeano (Stony Brook).
Rogers allowed three hits in 2.1 innings before leaving with a stiff back, giving way to Tropeano, who stifled Yarmouth-Dennis the rest of the way.
Tropeano threw 6.2 no-hit innings, striking out seven as the Kettleers secured their first Cape League title in 11 years.
“When Rodgers’ back stiffened there was no doubt in my mind that if Nick Tropeano finished that ballgame the Cotuit Kettleers would win,” Cotuit manager Mike Roberts said in a Cape League press release. “He is Long Island tough.”
“They shut us down,” Yarmouth-Dennis manager Scott Pickler said. “They pitched us really well and we didn’t make adjustments.”
With the pitching staff stymieing the opposition, Leyland did his part to spark the Cotuit offense.
Leyland sparkled in the postseason, batting .462 (12-for-26) with a home run, six RBI and seven runs scored to earn MVP honors.
Leyland had at least one hit in six of Coutuit’s seven playoff games and had five multi-hit games in the postseason as the Kettleers broke through in the championship series after being swept in the finals in both 2008 (Harwich) and 2009 (Bourne).
Honor roll
As the playoffs rolled along the Cape League presented its annual awards, including MVP, Manager of the Year and the Commissioner’s Cup.
►Despite missing the last four games of the regular season due to an injury, Orleans’ Kolten Wong was honored with the Cape League’s Pat Sorenti Most Valuable Player Award.
Wong finished third in batting average (.341), second in on-base percentage (.426), fourth in slugging (.452) and tied for second in stolen bases (22). The second baseman also made just four errors in 145 chances (.972).
►The Bourne Braves earned the 2010 Commissioner’s Cup, making them the only franchise to twice win it outright.
Wareham, winners in 2007, shared the first Commissioner's Cup in 2004 with the Falmouth Commodores.
“Next to the (Arnold) Mycock Championship Trophy, the Commissioner’s Cup is the most prestigious award given by the league,” Bourne general manager Mike Carrier said in a league press release. “I definitely was not expecting Bourne to win, which made it even sweeter.”
The Cup is awarded to the team that “exhibits the highest level of professionalism and integrity both on and off the field.”
►Bourne right-handed pitcher Tony Zych (Louisville) was presented the Russ Ford Award as the Cape League’s Outstanding Relief Pitcher and also earned the Robert A. McNeece Award as the Outstanding Pro Prospect.
The sophomore allowed only two runs in 20.1 innings this summer for a 0.89 ERA, recording 12 saves, while striking out 29 and walking just four. He pitched a shutout inning at the Cape League All-Star game.
►CCBL umpire Michael Sadowski received the seventh annual Curly Clement Award, presented for officiating excellence and contributions over the years to umpiring in the league.
During this past summer, Sadowski umpired in 15 Cape League games, including the CCBL All-Star Game in Fenway Park on July 28.
►Matt Watson (Boston College) earned the Cape League’s John Claffey New England Top Prospect Award.
Watson (Portland, Maine) played primarily as a catcher for Yarmouth-Dennis, but also saw time at first base, designated hitter and in the outfield.
Watson played 40 games for the Red Sox in the regular season, batting .239. He picked up his power numbers toward the end of the year, finishing with four home runs and 21 RBI. His best game came on July 25 at Hyannis, when he hit two homers and drove in six runs.
The award is named after John Claffey, who was a Wareham official for the Cape League. The presentation is made to a New England-born player who attends a New England college.
►Harwich infielder Clint Moore (West Point) earned the 2010 Manny Robello 10th Player Award.
The award is presented each year to the player who has done more than the team has asked.
Moore batted .270, with 17 RBI, 16 runs and 27 hits, earning a spot in the starting lineup at the All-Star Game. He went above and beyond, serving as a relief pitcher several times. He even started a game, pitching six innings against Bourne on Aug. 1 when Harwich was struggling to keep fresh arms in a jam-packed schedule.
►Yarmouth-Dennis manager Scott Pickler was named the Mike Curran Manager of the Year for the second straight season.
Pickler led the Red Sox to the Cape League’s best record and an Eastern Division regular-season title for the second straight year. It was Pickler’s fifth division title with Yarmouth-Dennis.
Pickler became the first field manager to capture the award in back-to-back seasons and only the third to win the award three times.
►Joe Panik (St. John’s) was awarded the Daniel J. Silva Sportsmanship Award.
The award is selected by the league’s umpires.
Panik had a strong season on the Cape. He was named to the All-Star team and went 1-for-2 in the game at Fenway Park. The St. John’s sophomore played in 42 games for the East champion Red Sox, hitting .276, with two home runs and 19 RBI. He stole 11 bases without being caught.
The award is named after the Cape League’s first commissioner, Daniel Silva, who was responsible for the merger of the Upper Cape and Lower Cape leagues in 1963. Silva was inducted into the inaugural CCBL Hall of Fame class in 2000.
