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Commodores look to climb West Division ladder in 2004 

CAPE COD, Mass. – Over the last several seasons, the Falmouth Commodores have found themselves sitting in the middle or at the bottom of the Cape Cod Baseball League Western Division standings. When the 2004 CCBL campaign begins, however, the Commodores would like nothing more to see the view from the top.

     Falmouth won its last two games to finish off the 2003 season, and would like to carry that momentum into the 2004 season and get off to a fast start. With hurler Jensen Lewis back for another summer with Falmouth and a couple of the best hitter/pitchers in the nation on the roster, the Commodores are hoping to make a run at the Western Division crown in 2004.

     Pitching woes hampered the Commodores last summer, as they featured the league’s worst team ERA. That Achilles’ heel might end up being the strong suit for Falmouth this season, though. Lewis was Falmouth’s most used pitcher last season, as the Vanderbilt product saw action in 15 ballgames. The Cincinnati, Ohio, native picked up three saves, while striking out 34 batters in 21 1/3 innings of work. In the spring, Lewis collected six wins and a pair of saves in the regular season for Vanderbilt, compiling a 3.07 ERA.

     A couple of college teammates will remain together this summer and join Lewis on the Falmouth staff. Used primarily in relief duties, Mike Phelps and Nick Webber led Central Missouri State to a Mid-America Intercollegiate Athletics Association title in the spring. Webber paced the Mules with a 1.54 ERA, as he fanned 44 hitters and walked just seven. Phelps was a perfect 9-0 in the spring, holding opposing hitters to a .193 batting average.

     Perfection is no secret for Clemson’s Kris Harvey, either. The right-hander concluded the 2004 regular season with a 6-0 mark in 13 starts. When he’s not exploiting hitters, he’s acting as a hitter, himself. Harvey hit .337 with eight home runs in the regular season for the Tigers, moonlighting as an outfielder and first baseman.

     Harvey is not the only two-way threat on the Commodore roster. Brian Bogusevic put up big numbers with the bat and the glove in the spring for Tulane. In the regular season, Bogusevic hit .342 for the Green Wave, while driving in a team-high 62 runs. On the hill, the big lefty went 8-5 in the regular season, notching three complete games while striking out 79. Cliff Pennington will take the reins at shortstop for Falmouth this season. The Texas A&M standout hit .322 in the regular season for the Aggies, while carrying a .916 fielding percentage.

     Manager Jeff Trundy returns for his sixth season and needs eight wins to reach 100. He would be the third Falmouth manager to reach the century mark in wins.

     Darin Erstad, Eric Milton and Tino Martinez are three of the many former Commodores in the big leagues this season. Erstad spent two years with Falmouth, then went on to be the overall number one choice of the Anaheim Angels in 1995.

     The Commodores kick off the 2004 CCBL season June 17, when they’ll visit Western Division rival Wareham for a 2 p.m. affair. Before the home opener on June 18 against Orleans the Commodores organization will dedicate the field in memory of long time Commodore Arnie Allen. The field will be know as Arnie Allen Diamond at Guv Fuller Field. --T.J. Lasita, 2004 CCBL Intern, [email protected]

John Garner, Jr.
CCBL Director of Public Relations & Broadcasting
(508) 790-0394 [email protected]