July 21, 2011
Lowell tops 2011 Cape League Hall of Fame class
by Ed Flaherty/
Mike Lowell, who hit .307 in his one season with Chatham in the Cape League, won the 2007 World Series MVP with the Boston Red Sox. (photo: Getty Images)
When the Cape Cod Baseball League’s 2011 Hall of Fame Class is inducted Nov. 19, eight former players will be honored, but for New England fans — Boston Red Sox fans, in particular — one name will stand above them all.
Mike Lowell will be feted for his Cape Cod Baseball League accomplishments, but the crowd at the Chatham Bars Inn will assuredly honor the former Red Sox third baseman for his efforts with the Red Sox, including his 2007 World Series MVP Award.
In his one season with Chatham in 1994, Lowell hit .307 with 51 hits while playing second base. A standout at Florida International, Lowell was selected to play in the 1994 Cape Cod Baseball League All-Star Game.
Lowell was drafted by the New York Yankees in the 20th round in 1995 and began a 13-year major-league career in 1998 with the Yankees. A World Series winner with both Florida (2003) and Boston (2007), Lowell was the World Series MVP with the Red Sox in a sweep of the Colorado Rockies.
Joining Lowell in the 12th Cape Cod Baseball League Hall of Fame Class are:
►David Bush (Chatham, 2000-01) — A right-hander from Wake Forest, Bush was outstanding during his two-season stint with Chatham. In 2000, Bush was 0-1 with a 0.84 ERA and a league-leading 11 saves. In 2001 Bush was 1-1 with a 0.34 ERA and one save for the A’s. He was drafted by Toronto in 2002 and has played for the Blue Jays and Brewers before joining the Texas Rangers this season.
►Doug Fisher (Falmouth, 1984-85) — Fisher, a Central Michigan product, had one of the best offensive seasons in Cape Cod Baseball League history with Falmouth in 1984. The first baseman earned all-league honors as he tied for the league lead with 54 RBI and led the CCBL in total bases (119) and extra-base hits (31). In addition, Fisher was second in slugging percentage (.692) and home runs (14) and tied for second in hits (60) and doubles (17) while batting .349. Fisher was named to the 1980s CCBL All-Decade Team.
►Scott Kamieniecki (Harwich, 1984) — A University of Michigan standout, Kamieniecki was 4-1 with a 2.14 ERA with Harwich in 1984. The Mount Clemens, Mich., native had three complete games and a shutout in nine outings for Harwich and struck out 54 in 67⅓ innings. Drafted by the Yankees in 1986, Kamieniecki spent 10 seasons in the major leagues, pitching for New York, Baltimore, Cleveland and Atlanta.
►Paul O’Neil (Cotuit, 1974-75) — A Boston College standout, O’Neil helped lead Cotuit to back-to-back championships in 1974 and ’75. In 1975, O’Neil won the Pat Sorenti MVP Award as he led the league with a .358 batting average with five home runs and 22 RBI. O’Neil also had a .511 slugging percentage and stole nine bases.
►Mark E. Smith (Wareham, 1990) — Smith, a University of Southern California standout, is the last Cape Cod Baseball League player to hit over .400. Smith hit .408 to win the batting title with Wareham in 1990. He added six home runs, 14 doubles and 33 RBI to garner the league MVP award while leading the Gatemen to the CCBL championship. Drafted by Baltimore in the first round in 1991, Smith played in the major leagues from 1994-2003 with the Orioles, Pirates, Marlins, Expos and Brewers.
►Eric Wedge (Yarmouth-Dennis, 1988) — A Wichita State standout, Wedge helped lead Yarmouth-Dennis in 1988 with a strong defensive season at catcher while hitting .279. Wedge was named to the all-league team and played for a Cape Cod League All-Star team in a tournament featuring teams from different summer leagues. A third-round choice of the Boston Red Sox in the 1989 draft, Wedge played in the major leagues from 1991-94 with the Red Sox and Colorado Rockies. Wedge managed the Cleveland Indians from 2003-09 and is currently the manager of the Seattle Mariners.
►Bill Wissler (Bourne, 1990-91) — A right-hander from the University of Pennsylvania, Wissler won the B.F.C. Whitehouse Outstanding Pitcher Award in both 1990 and 1991 with Bourne, becoming just the fourth player in league history to accomplish that feat. In 1990, Wissler was 8-2 with a 1.56 ERA and was 6-4 with a 1.96 ERA in 1991. Wissler signed with the Minnesota Twins in 1992 and played four seasons in the Minnesota organization.
A rare opportunity
The Cape Cod League is known for its scouting and preparation as teams scour the country for the best talent at the collegiate level.
Invitations are extended to players and rosters are filled throughout the winter and spring, but some lesser-known talents get their chance to be noticed each year at the Frank Finn tryouts.
Dozens of players vied for the attention of coaches and representatives of the 10 Cape League teams on Memorial Day, with 19 earning temporary contracts and the chance at a spot on the roster for the season. Temporary contracts help fill roster spots vacated by players in the College World Series or on the Collegiate National Team.
Among the players receiving contracts was Andy Sadoski, a freshman right-handed pitcher from Bridgewater State. A Harwich, Mass., native, Sadoski earned a temporary contract with the hometown Mariners at the tryout.
Once a bat boy for Harwich as a 10-year-old, Sadoski again will wear a Mariners uniform, this time as a player.
“I think it’s awesome to be able to give a kid an opportunity like this, a kid from the hometown,” Harwich coach Steve Englert said in a Cape League press release. “I always look to the local kids. It’ll be a good opportunity for him, especially since he grew up with it his whole life.”
“It’s an incredible feeling getting to live out your dream,” Sadoski said in a league press release. “It means a lot to me.”
Feeling a draft
The Cape Cod Baseball League had a big presence during the first round of the 2011 Major League Baseball First-Year Player Draft, with eight players selected among the first 33 picks.
Former Cape Leaguers standouts selected in the first round include:
►UConn’s George Springer, who played for Wareham in 2009 and 2010, by Houston at No. 11
►Georgia Tech’s Jeb Bradley, who played for Wareham in 2010, by Milwaukee at No. 15
►Utah’s C.J. Cron, who played for Cotuit in 2010, by the Los Angeles Angles at No. 17
►UConn’s Matt Barnes, who played for Wareham in 2009 and 2010, by Boston at No. 19
►Hawaii’s Kolten Wong, who played for Orleans in 2010, by St. Louis at No. 22
►St. John’s Joe Panik, who played for Yarmouth-Dennis in 2010, by San Francisco at No. 29
►North Carolina’s Levi Michael, who played for Harwich in 2009 and 2010, by Minnesota at No. 30
►LSU’s Mike Mahtook, who played for Harwich in 2010, by Tampa Bay at No. 31
This article originally appeared in the July 2011 issue of New England Baseball Journal.
Ed Flaherty can be reached at feedback@baseballjournal.com
