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Chatham Anglers 2009 Season Review

09/10/2009 11:34 AM

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Chatham Anglers 2009 Season Review

Anglers make best of rainy season

By Ashley Crosby CCBL Intern

CHATHAM, Mass.—For the Chatham Anglers, the 2009 season held a few new challenges—a new name, new playoff format, and bad weather—that tested the team. 

     The Anglers went 21-23 in their regular season, struggling to put together strong numbers on a team filled with Cape League veterans. But despite struggling statistically, they had hustle and several bright spots that helped the team finish sixth in the league, with enough points to aim for the Mycock trophy.

     Despite having the second highest team ERA in the league, the A’s boasted several top-tier pitchers, including Tyler Lyons (Oklahoma St.), Taylor Hill (Vanderbilt), Russell Brewer (Vanderbilt), and Mike Dennhardt (Boston College). 

     Lyons, a lefty, threw 40 strike outs and pitched a shut out for the A’s, and had a 1.77 ERA. Last year’s Russ Ford relief pitcher award winner, Brewer recorded 10 saves and a 1.90 ERA, earning himself a spot on the end-of-season All-League team. Right-hander Parker Bangs (South Carolina) also threw well for the Anglers, ending his season with a 2-0 record. 

     The A’s had Mike Murray (Wake Forest) behind the plate, whose .347 batting average and strong performance as a catcher also earned him a spot on the All League team. Dean Green (Oklahoma St.) and Whit Merrifield (South Carolina) also swung hard for the A’s, though their respective .275 and .266 averages hardly reflected the effort they put into the team. The speedy Merrifield managed 16 stolen bases in the season. 

     Though the team earned the final berth in the new six-team playoff system, they were eliminated in the first round by the newly-named Orleans Firebirds in a 4-3 loss, effectively ending another run for the championship. The last time the A’s won the league championship was 1998. 
 

Ashley Crosby can be reached at [email protected]
  

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