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Week # 8

08/11/2002 10:38 AM

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for immediate release: 11 August, 2002
    
Cape Cod Baseball League
Official Press Release
Week # 8 - August 11, 2002

     Postseason Awards Wrap-up: The 2002 post-season is still going on, but the year-end awards have all been presented. And the winners are:

 

Award/Category Player Team Hometown School
Pat Sorenti Award
MVP
Pete Stonard Cotuit Ladue, MO Alabama
Thurman Munson Award
Batting Champ
Pete Stonard Cotuit Ladue, MO Alabama
BFC Whitehouse Award
Outstanding Pitcher
Brian Rogers Orleans Marietta, GA GA Southern
Russ Ford Award
Relief Pitcher
Zane Carlson 
Shaun Marcum
Chatham
Harwich
Dallas, TX
Excelsior Spr. MO
Baylor 
Southwest Mo St
Manny Robello Award
10th Player
Trey Webb Bourne Mansfield, TX Baylor
Daniel J.Silva Award
Sportsmanship
Ryan Hanigan Orleans Andover, MA Rollins
Robert A McNeece Award
Pro Prospect
Wesley Whisler Y-D Noblesville, IN UCLA
Mike Curran Award
Manager of  the Year
Carmen Carcone Orleans Oakdale, NY Dowling
  SportsTicker, ESPN
Playoff MVP
Matt Kutler Wareham Omaha, NE Brown

John Claffey New England
 Top Prospect Award

Ryan Hanigan Orleans Andover, MA Rollins


     2002 Final All Star Team: The final CCBL All Star team has been selected by the 10 field managers and was released yesterday (Aug. 10, 2002) by the Commissioner's Office. 

 

Position Player Team School
First Base Wesley Whisler Y-D UCLA
Second Base Christian Snavely  Harwich Ohio State
Third Base Brian Snyder Cotuit Stetson
Shortstop Trey Webb Bourne Baylor
Infield Brett Cooley Y-D Houston 
 DH Vasili Spanos Falmouth Indiana
Catcher Ryan Hanigan Orleans Rollins 
Outfield Pete Stonard Cotuit Alabama 
Outfield Adam Bourassa Y-D Wake Forest
Outfield Dave Murphy Wareham Baylor
Outfield Anthony Gwynn Brewster San Diego State
Outfield Danny Putnam Hyannis Stanford 
Starting Pitcher Brian Rogers  Orleans GA Southern
Starting Pitcher David Sanders Wareham Wichita State
Starting Pitcher Taylor Tankersley Brewster Alabama
Relief Pitcher Dave Aardsma Falmouth Rice
Relief Pitcher Zane Carlson Chatham Baylor
Relief Pitcher Chris Ray Bourne Wm. & Mary
Relief Pitcher Shaun Marcum Harwich SW Missouri St.


     All eyes on education: Eye Health Services, which sponsored the Team-Line website broadcasting for the Hyannis Mets as well as being a league sponsor, donated $1000 ($100 per home win) to the Barnstable High School scholarship fund in the name of the Hyannis Mets. "We want to stress the importance of education," said Eye Health CEO, Randy Shepard.


     Some notes from the last night of regular season: (courtesy of Bruce Hack) Falmouth's 4-0 win over Cotuit was the 48th shutout of the season, which tied the league record set in 1997. Orleans' 29 wins is the most in franchise history. The former is 28 set in 1998. The Cardinals won the East by 15 points, which is the biggest margin since divisional play began in 1988. The previous best was 12 by Cotuit in 1992. The East's previous best was 11 by Y-D in 1989. The 15-point margin is the second best since the points system was begun in 1976. The best is 19 points by Hyannis in 1979.


     Orleans vs. Wareham: This is the fifth meeting between Orleans and Wareham in the playoffs and the Cardinals lead the series 7-3. Orleans won the title in 1993 defeating Wareham 2-0 in the finals. The Gatemen won the title in 1988 by narrowly defeating the Cardinals 2-1 in which all three games were decided by two run or less (5-3, 3-5, 3-2). Orleans defeated Wareham in semifinal action in 1971 2-0 and in 1970 2-1. In both seasons the Cardinals lost in the finals to Falmouth. In the 10 games Orleans has outscored Wareham 45-31.


     Does finishing first mean a title will be won? In the 38 previous seasons of the modern era (since 1963) the team with the best overall regular season record has won the title 20 times, or 52.6 % of the time.


     Cardinals success: Orleans set a team record for wins with 29 (28 in 1999) and Carmen Carcone tied the mark for most wins by a first-year manager. Cotuit's Mike Coutts was 29-11-3 in 1995 and won the title that year. Orleans paced the league in stolen bases with 88. This is the third time the Cardinals have been the top theft team, having led in the league in 1977 (49) and 1969 (76).


     Closer supreme update: Chatham's Zane Carlson (Baylor) has placed his name a top the Cape League's career save list with 24. Carlson saved 12 games for the A's last season and finished with 12 this year. He is the first pitcher in modern era league history to record 10 or more saves in two seasons. Carlson finished eighth in appearances with 43 and sixth with 43 relief appearances.


     Still looking: Falmouth's Vasili Spanos was the 21st player to win two-thirds of the Triple Crown. Spanos paced the league in RBI with 33 and was tied for the home run lead with 7. He is the second Commodore to win two-thirds of the Triple Crown as Jim McCollum won the batting title (.413) and home run (15) crown in 1984.

     League highs and lows: The 129 saves collected by Cape relievers this summer breaks last year's record of 117 saves. This is the third straight year with over 100 saves and fourth time overall. Falmouth's 4-0 shutout over Cotuit on the season's final day was the 48th, equaling the record established in 1997. With the success of the closers brings about the decline in complete games. With only 14 this season, this will be the fewest in modern era history. The previous low was 28 set in 2001. By comparison, the league record for most complete games by individual pitcher is 13 set by Pat Hope for Hyannis in 1987.


     Call him Ironman Ghutzman now: Stephen Ghutzman (Spring, TX/Rice) closed out his third regular season as a Cape Leaguer with an incredible 114 games played. Ghutzman's Cape League housemate Kyle Frank (Clemson) also broke the 100 game barrier this season, having played for Cotuit, Hyannis and Bourne in 103 games lifetime.


     He made those hits count: Vasili Spanos (River Forest, IN/Indiana) is the first Commodore to lead the league in RBI since Doug Fisher in 1984. That year Fisher tied the league record with 54.


     And in the famous dad's department, but don't miss out on what the son did: Chatham A's outfielder Steve Lefaivre (Wake Forest) went on a tear the last two weeks of the season, raising his average over 50 points. Cheering him on from the home front was father, Jack Lefaivre, who spent 1991-96 as the voice of the Pawtucket Red Sox. Jack now works at WSJS in Winston-Salem. 


     Don't mess with his calls: Dave Strock, first year umpire for the Cape League, has NFL connections. His brother, Don, was the quarterback for the Miami Dolphins. Dave is the Athletic Director at Pottstown (PA) High School.


     KeySpan comes through with Homeruns for Housing: KeySpan presented a check for $15,000 to Rick Presbrey, Executive Director of Housing Assistance Corporation this past Friday evening. Making the presentation at Y-D's Red Wilson Field were Barbara Kates-Garnick, Vice President of Corporate Affairs and Susan Carlson, Manager, Corporate and Foundation Giving, New England.


     KeySpan Community MVPs: KeySpan, one of our Cape League sponsors, is proud to announce its KeySpan Community Most Valuable Player program. Building on the baseball theme, KeySpan is pleased to recognize Cape Cod's MVPs - those individuals who have given of their time and talents for the wellbeing of our community.


     Harwich: Matt Pitta, WQRC Radio News Director, presented on August 2nd. Recognized for his selfless dedication to the Cape Cod Community. He freely lends his time to the March of Dimes, Big Brothers/Big Sisters, United Way events, Housing Assistance Corp. and is the founder of the Osterville Rotary Fishing Tournament to benefit Cape Cod children. KeySpan will donate on behalf of Mr. Pitta to the Harwich Ecumenical Council for the Homeless. 


     Chatham: Timothy Wood, Editor-Cape Cod Chronicle and Otis Russell, Night Manager-Chatham Squire Restaurant, presented on August 3rd. Recognized for their devotion of time and talents to the organization of an annual Cape Cod event called "The Art of Charity" that raises thousands of dollars for Children's Services in Chatham. This event benefits a population on the Cape, which has the single largest per capita of single parents in Mass. KeySpan will donate on behalf of Messrs. Wood and Russell to the Art of Charity.

 
     Hyannis: Rev. Arthur Kimber, Minister, presented Sunday, August 4. Recognized for being a committed and caring community member - the Rev. Kimber was instrumental in establishing the Mid- and Upper- Community Health Center in Hyannis. He is a founding Board member of the Health Center. He is also involved with Housing Assistance Corp. and past board President of Friends of Prisoners, that gives former prisoners a new start. KeySpan will donate on behalf of Rev. Kimber to Habitat for Humanity at Cape Cod. 


     Bourne: Reggie Judson, retired, presented August 5. Recognized for his outstanding community service, Mr. Judson is Chairman of the Bourne Town Republican Committee, a trustee for the Bourne Community Building, a director of the Falmouth AARP, an instructor for "55 Alive," a volunteer for Meals on Wheels, Elder Services of Cape and Islands, Friends of Bourne Council on Aging, and the Bourne Youth Council. He wants seniors to know that "if you keep on moving, you can't fall down!" KeySpan will donate on behalf of Mr. Judson to the Bourne Community Building Needs Fund. 


     Wareham: Dr. Charles Gleason, Pediatrician. Recognized for his selfless donation of land to Wareham on which the new Wareham YMCA will be built. KeySpan will donate on behalf of Dr. Gleason to the Wareham YMCA

Contact: Missy Alaimo, PR- Media Relations (508) 633-0684
Special thanks to Bruce Hack, league historian; Sean Walsh, PR Director