Jump to content

AU Players In Summer Leagues


Recommended Posts

The Cape Cod Summer League has kicked off and so far :au: 's Mike Bianucci and Evan Crawford are representing well!

Link

Cotuit 6, Brewster 5

BREWSTER  A three-run, two-out rally in the top of the eighth gave the Kettleers their first Cape League win yesterday in a game shortened to eight innings due to darkness.

The Whitecaps jumped out to a quick 4-0 lead in the bottom of the first inning when David Cooper (California) double in two runs. Brewster would score one more run in the bottom of the second to round out their scoring.

Relievers Jason Rook (Applachian), Jim Birmingham (Penn) and Garrett Richards (Oklahoma) combined to shut out the Whitecaps for the last 5ª innings for Cotuit (1-1).

Brewster (0-2) took a 5-3 lead into the eighth and seemingly had the game wrapped up after retiring the first two batters.

But the Kettleers were poised for the comeback after a single by Mike Bianucci (Auburn), a walk to Ryne White (Purdue) and a double steal.

Jason Rook (Appalachian State) blasted a two-run single to right to tie it at 5. Ryan Lollis (Missouri) followed with a go-ahead RBI single.

Richards had one strikeout to earn his first save.

Cotuit's Aaron Baker (Oklahoma) went 2-4 with an RBI and three stolen bases.

Harwich 3, Wareham 0

WAREHAM  The Mariners shut down Wareham's offense, allowing only two singles in a three-pitcher shutout.

Harwich (2-0) struck out 14 batters and walked only three. Dan Hudson (Old Dominion) started and went the first five, striking out seven before Evan Crawford (Auburn) relieved him, throwing three hitless innings, also striking out seven.

Steve Strausbaugh (Western Carolina) drove in the only run Harwich would need in the fourth. Alex Avila (Alabama) hit a one-out double to left field and moved up on a fielder's choice. After a hit-batsman, Strausbaugh grounded deep in the hole but shortstop Beemer Weams (Baylor) could not throw him out.

The Mariners' pitching took care of the rest. Wareham managed a single in the first by Russ Moldenhauer (Texas) and a hit by Weams in the third.

Strausbaugh finished 2-for-3 with a run scored and an RBI for Harwich. Avila had two doubles and two runs scored.

Kendal Volz (Baylor) was the hard-luck loser for the Gatemen. He gave up only one run on six hits over six innings.

Matt Frevert (Missouri State) pitched a perfect ninth for the save.

:cheer:

Link to comment
Share on other sites





An update on how all the Tigers are doing this summer.

http://auburntigers.cstv.com/sports/m-base.../062007aaa.html

June 20, 2007

A weekly look at how the Tigers playing in summer leagues did over the past week. Included in this week is an overview of where the players are spending their summer and Mike Bianucci's league-leading stat in the Cape Cod League.

Cape Cod League

Mike Bianucci headed up to the Cape for the second straight summer and is spending his time with the Cotuit Kettleers, who are 3-2 on the season and stand in second in the Western Division ... Bianucci is hitting .176 so far with a double and three RBI but it on the basepaths where he has excelled so far, leading the league with six stolen bases after stealing eight this past season at Auburn ... Evan Crawford is in the bullpen for the Harwich Mariners, who are 2-3 and in a three-way tie for third in the Eastern Division ... In two relief appearances, Crawford has yet to allow a hit, striking out nine in 5.0 innings ... In his first outing of the summer, Crawford K'd seven in 3.0 innings ... Ross Smith is scheduled to join Crawford with Harwich after finishing up summer classes.

Clark Griffith League

Eric Skinner will join the first-place Fairfax Nationals (15-3) after finishing up summer classes.

Coastal Plains League

Sean Ray is with the Peninsula Pilots of the Coastal Plain League and has already made five relief appearances for the North Division's first-place (9-8) squad ... In 4.2 innings, he is 0-0 with a save, allowing five earned runs and striking out six ... His save came in his second outing of the season ... In his first two outings combined he allowed just one hit and one walk to go along with two strikeouts in 2.1 innings.

New England Collegiate Baseball League

Austin Hubbard is spending his summer as a starting pitcher with the Newport Gulls ... In two starts this season he is 1-0 with a 0.90 ERA ... He currently leads the Gulls with 13 K's in 10.0 innings ... His win came a week ago as he went 5.0 innings and allowed just one hit while striking out seven Danbury Westerners.

Shenandoah Valley League

Six different Tigers will spend their summers on the rosters of a combined three different teams in the Valley League ... A trio of Tigers have already made its way to the Winchester Royals in Luke Greinke, Joseph Sanders and Scott Shuman ... Winchester is currently 7-4 and in third place in the overall standings ... Greinke has already been inserted as a two-way player for the Royals and is hitting .625 in eight at bats with two doubles and six RBI ... On the mound he has started one game (and did not factor in the decision), lasting 6.0 innings and only allowing a run on five hits (1.50 ERA) ... Shuman has also been in the starter's role for Winchester and is 0-1 with a 7.27 ERA ... In 8.2 innings, he has already fanned 12 ... Sanders is hitting .341 (third-best on the team) in 10 games with a double and six RBI ... Michael Hurst is playing for the Covington Lumberjacks (6-8) but has yet to make an appearance ... Ty Kelley will join Hurst with Covington after finishing up some summer courses while Bradley Ray will join the Front Royal Cardinals (4-6) after finishing up his summer classes.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

http://auburntigers.cstv.com/sports/m-base.../062707aaa.html

June 27, 2007

A weekly look at how the Tigers playing in summer leagues did over the past week. Included in this week's update is Evan Crawford's shrinking ERA and his ever-growing strikeout total.

Cape Cod League

Mike Bianucci and the Cotuit Kettleers are 6-4 on the season and stand in second in the west after going 3-2 this last week ... Bianucci raised his batting average over 100 points over the last seven days and is now hitting .281 with a homer and eight RBI ... He continues to lead the league in stolen bases, having swiped two in the past week to push his steals number up to eight ... Evan Crawford's Harwich Mariners are in last in the Eastern Division at 3-8 but not because of Crawford, who sports a miniscule 0.93 ERA in 9.2 relief innings, having fanned 18, which is the second-best strikeout total in the league.

Coastal Plain League

Sean Ray and the Peninsula Pilots stand in a three-way tie for first place in the North Division with a 12-9 record. (The league website is down but we will have more info on Sean and the Pilots in next week's update).

New England Collegiate Baseball League

Austin Hubbard and the Newport Gulls are a half-game out of first place in the Southern Division at 10-4 ... Hubbard is 1-0 on the season in four starts and has a 0.44 ERA in a team-high 20.1 innings ... He is currently tied for second in the league with 24 Ks ... In his July 20 start, Hubbard did not allow a run on three hits and a walk in 5.1 innings, striking out six ... He had another 5.0 inning outing on Tuesday night, allowing two unearned runs on three hits and three walks while picking up five strikeouts.

Shenandoah Valley League

Luke Greinke is 0-1 with a 2.45 ERA in two starts for the Winchester Royals as he took the loss on June 22 against Woodstock, allowing three runs on seven hits in 5.0 innings, registering five strikeouts ... Greinke is also getting plenty of looks at the plate as he is hitting .425 in 31 at bats ... He hit his first home run of the summer on Monday as Winchester downed Front Royal, 5-3 ... Scott Shuman is 0-2 with a 5.27 ERA having made three starts ... His last outing was the day before Greinke's last start and he allowed three runs (only one of which was earned) on two hits in 5.0 innings but was saddled with the loss as Winchester was shutout in each of the Greinke and Shuman's last starts ... Joseph Sanders is hitting .269 for Winchester, having started 17 games, mostly at third base ... Bradley Ray made his debut for Front Royal on Tuesday night and went 2-for-4 from the leadoff spot ... Winchester is 9-9 and Front Royal is 7-10 on the season and both sit in the lower-half of the standings of the 11-team league.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 2 weeks later...

Link

July 5, 2007

A weekly look at how the Tigers playing in summer leagues did over the past week. Included in this week's update is Evan Crawford's continued dominance on the mound.

Cape Cod League

Mike Bianucci and the Cotuit Kettleers continue to remain in second in the west with an 8-7-2 record overall after going 2-3-2 this past week... Bianucci continues to lead the league in stolen bases with eight and is also tied for the league lead in runs with 14... He is batting .216 with two homers and nine RBI after hitting a two-run home run this past week... Evan Crawford's Harwich Mariners are in in the Eastern Division at 4-13 but not because of Crawford, who dropped his already miniscule ERA to 0.61 this past week after throwing five innings without allowing an earned run, while adding six strikeouts in relief... This season, he has thrown 14.2 innings, has one save and has struck out 24, which is tied for first on the team and the third-best strikeout total in the league.

Coastal Plain League

Sean Ray and the Peninsula Pilots stand in second place in the North Division with a 16-13 overall record... Ray has made nine relief appearances, throwing eight innings and giving up five earned runs... He has fanned 10 batters, walked nine and earned a save.

New England Collegiate Baseball League

Austin Hubbard and the Newport Gulls are tied atop the Southern Division at 13-6 ... Hubbard is 1-0 on the season in five starts and has a 1.12 ERA in a league-high 24.0 innings ... In his July 3 start, Hubbard allowed two runs on five hits and three walks in 3.2 innings, striking out four ... He is currently leading the league with 28 Ks, while he is third in ERA and third in lowest opposing batting average with .169.

Shenandoah Valley League

Luke Greinke is 1-1 with a 2.81 ERA in four starts for the Winchester Royals as he earned his first win on June 27 against Front Royal, allowing three runs on five hits in 7.0 innings, registering three strikeouts ... Greinke is also getting plenty of looks at the plate as he is hitting a league-leading .449 in 49 at bats ... He hit his second home run of the summer on July 2 in a 5-1 win over Fauquier ... Scott Shuman is 0-2 with a 4.58 ERA having made three starts and two relief appearances for Winchester... He picked up his first save of the season in the same game Greinke earned his first win, coming in the final two innings to polish off a 6-4 win ... Joseph Sanders is hitting .279 with two doubles and eight RBI for Winchester, having started 22 games, mostly at third base ... Bradley Ray made his debut for Front Royal on June 26 and has played in five games with a .315 batting average... Winchester is 12-12 (sixth) and Front Royal is 9-13 (ninth) on the season in the 11-team league.

Clark Griffith Baseball League

Eric Skinner joined Fairfax on June 25 and has started each of the team's last four games at shortstop... He is batting .333 in 15 at-bats.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

http://www.montgomeryadvertiser.com/apps/p.../707070333/1002

SUMMER LEAGUE BASEBALL: Auburn's Crawford, Sanders shine

By Jay G. Tate

AUBURN -- Evan Crawford headed east this summer with plans to play baseball for two months.

Things have become much more engrossing.

Crawford, a Prattville native and current Auburn University pitcher, has dominated opponents during his first month in the Cape Cod League. Even better, the left-hander has caught on with a host family that houses him in fully furnished guest quarters complete with a flat-screen TV and direct access to the beach.

Not bad for an income-strapped college student.

"I've been soaking it in because I probably won't live like this again the rest of my life," Crawford said Friday afternoon. "This definitely has been the funnest summer of my life by far. It's just baseball and easy living. This is the life."

Crawford and Millbrook native Joseph Sanders, another Auburn standout, are among hundreds of college players honing their skills in summer leagues. The NCAA allows baseball players to compete in the various circuits, provided they aren't compensated for their work and don't play for their college coach.

There's another significant standard: Most leagues use wooden bats.

That's been an important change for Crawford, who struggled against aluminum-wielding hitters throughout the 2006 college season. Opponents hit .305 against Crawford during the spring, and he finished with a 5.91 earned run average.

Both numbers indicate major problems.

Crawford said mental lapses were to blame. Used almost exclusively as a starter, the sophomore seemed to obsess over particular batters rather than emphasize the big picture.

He rarely worked deep into games.

That hasn't been an issue for Crawford this summer. He's a reliever for the Harwich (Mass.) Mariners, which has provided an important psychological boost.

Crawford has a 0.61 ERA so far this summer, and has struck out 24 batters in 142/3 innings of work.

"He definitely has found his rhythm," Auburn coach Tommy Slater said. "Throwing out of the bullpen has allowed him to be aggressive and not hold anything back. He can just go in there and blow people away. This is the kind of experience you get from summer ball. You learn a lot about yourself."

Crawford's journey to Harwich was anything but serendipitous. College teams build relationships with summer-league managers, many of whom coach college ball during the spring, to ensure a common philosophical approach.

Boston College head coach John Reid and assistant Steve Englert manage the Harwich team. Englert and Slater have been friends for years and share similar ideas about pitcher usage.

"None of us (college coaches) can allow our guys to play for some clown who doesn't care about the kids," Slater said. "Every Auburn kid is in a situation with coaches we have a relationship with. There are only certain guys we trust. We've got specific ideas about things."

Another Slater ally is Virginia high-school coach John Lowery, who manages the Winchester (Va.) Royals of the Val- ley League. The Royals feature four Auburn players -- the maximum allowed by NCAA rules -- including Sanders, outfielder/pitcher Luke Greinke and pitchers Scott Shuman and Bryan Woodall.

Slater attended Winchester's game against the Covington (Va.) Lumberjacks on Friday night.

"Summer ball is a huge part of the development process," Slater said. "It gives them a chance to play against some good competition and get more innings and at-bats. That's how you get better."

Crawford said he feels better than ever right now. He hopes the confidence generated so far this summer will transfer to the fall season, when the Tigers hold a series of intrasquad games to establish a depth chart.

The left-hander hopes to re-claim a spot in the rotation. Until then, he'll keep savoring the Cape.

"We play most days in the afternoons. We have fun at night. My host family pays me to water flowers or clean the pool or wash their cars," Crawford said with a laugh. "It's the best thing ever. I have a month left and I've going to savor every day."

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Auburn Baseball: Summer Ball Update (July 11)

A weekly look at how the Tigers playing in summer leagues did over the past week.

Scott Shuman

July 11, 2007

A weekly look at how the Tigers playing in summer leagues did over the past week. Included in this week's update is Luke Greinke playing in the Valley League All-Star Game and Scott being named the Valley League Pitcher of the Week after carrying a no-hitter into the ninth.

Cape Cod League

Mike Bianucci continues to use his legs to impress up in the Cape Cod League as he currently is tied for the league lead in stolen bases with nine and runs scored with 16 ... Bianucci, who is hitting .228, has three homers and has driven in 10 runs, which is second on the Cotuit Kettleers ... Cotuit is 10-10 on the season and in second place, three games behind the Western Division leader Bourne ... Evan Crawford earned his second save of the summer on Friday, July 6, throwing the final 1.1 innings in a 1-0 Harwich win ... In the game he faced four hitters and did not allow a base-runner, striking out two ... Crawford continues to dominate the wood bats as his ERA continues to shrink on a weekly basis, dropping all the way to 0.56 entering Wednesday's games ... In 16.0 innings, Crawford has allowed just one earned run while fanning 26 ... He has also cut down on the walks, issuing just seven so far ... Harwich is 7-15 on the season, fifth in the Eastern Division

Coastal Plain League

Sean Ray is 0-0 with a 5.91 ERA and 14 strikeouts in 10.2 innings for the Peninsula Pilots ... Ray saw action in three games last week, throwing a perfect inning on Thursday, July 5 ... He came back the next night and was touched up for a run in two-thirds of an inning ...In his latest appearance, Ray fanned three in an inning of work but was doomed by an error and was touched for two unearned runs ... Peninsula went 15-12 in the first half to finish second in the North Division by a game and has started out 3-4 in the second half.

Clark Griffith League

Eric Skinner and Grant Dayton have both made their way to Fairfax, Va., to play for the Fairfax Nationals of the Clark Griffith League ... Skinner has seen action in 10 games so far and is hitting .297 with a homer and four RBI ... Skinner was on a tear to start the last week, going 6-for-11 (.545) with three eight runs and three RBI, mostly from the eight-hole ... Dayton has played just twice and has yet to record a hit ... Fairfax has won six straight to up its record to 26-5.

New England Collegiate Baseball League

Austin Hubbard did not see any game action in the last week as the Newport Gulls played just three games ... The Gulls are currently tied for first in the Southern Division at 14-8.

Shenandoah Valley League

Luke Greinke represented the Winchester Royals in the Valley League All-Star Game on Monday ... Greinke started at first and went 0-for-2 with a walk as Greinke and the North defeated the South, 2-0 ... Greinke earned the all-star nod as he is currently second in the league with a .403 average and a .597 slugging percentage (3 2B, 3 HR) and is also eighth in the league with a 2.23 ERA ... Not to be outshined, Scott Shuman also had an impressive week as he carried a no-hitter into the ninth inning of Friday night's game ... Overall, Shuman went 1-0 in two appearances, with a 1.80 ERA, striking out eight and allowing just four hits over 10 innings in being named the Valley League Pitcher of the Week ... Michael Hurst saw one inning of work over the past week for Covington, throwing a perfect seventh inning as Covington played just two games in the last week due to the all-star break ... Hurst has seen action in four games this summer and has a 1.80 ERA in 5.0 innings with five K's and no walks while teammate Ty Kelley is 1-0 with a 2.25 ERA in his lone appearance, a 4.0 inning start ... Bradley Ray saw a good deal of playing time during the past week for Front Royal and has upped his average to .294 on the year, playing in 10 games ... Other players of note from Winchester has Joseph Sanders hitting .267 with 11 RBI and Bryan Woodall, who joined the team last week, putting together a 3.86 ERA in four appearances (one start) ... Winchester is 14-14, sixth in the league, Front Royal is 12-14 and in seventh and Covington is 12-16 and eighth.

7/11 Update
Link to comment
Share on other sites

AL.Com

Tiger Tracks

Posted by Phillip Marshall, The Huntsville Times July 11, 2007 8:50 PM

BASEBALL

Here are some highlights from Auburn players who are participating in summer baseball leagues:

Left-hander Evan Crawford is tearing up the Cape Cod League as a reliever. In 16 innings, Crawford has allowed just one earned run and has struck out 26. He has two saves and a .056 ERA. He has walked seven.

Outfielder Mike Bianucci is struggling at the plate in the wooden-bat league, hitting .228 with three home runs. He is, however, tied for the league lead in stolen bases with nine and runs scored with 16.

Playing for the Fairfax Nationals of the Cape Cod League, shortstop Eric Skinner is hitting .297 with a homer and four RBI in 10 games.

Luke Greinke played in the Shenandoah Valley League All-Star game. Greinke is second in the league in hitting with a .403 average and has three home runs. On the mound, he has a 2.23 ERA. Pitcher Scott Shulman took a no-hitter into the ninth inning Friday night. In two appearances, Shulman is 1-0 with a 1.80 ERA. He has struck out eight and allowed four hits in 10 innings. He was named Valley League Pitcher of the Week.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

http://auburntigers.cstv.com/sports/m-base.../071807aab.html

July 18, 2007

A weekly look at how the Tigers playing in summer leagues did over the past week. Included in this week's update is Bradley Ray being named the Valley League Player of the Week and Joseph Sanders getting some work on the hill.

Cape Cod League

The Harwich Mariners went 4-1-1 over the last week to improve to 11-16-1 and move within five points of fourth-place Brewster in the Eastern Division ... Evan Crawford pitched three times over the last week, throwing the final 2.2 innings of a 3-3 tie on Wednesday before picking up his third save of the summer on Sunday ... In his first outing Crawford allowed two base runners and struck out four while in his save he allowed one run on three hits in an inning ... Crawford returned to the hill on Monday and did not allow a run in 1.2 innings, striking out three ... On the year, Crawford is 0-0 with three saves and 0.84 ERA in 21.1 innings ... In 11 outings this season, he has allowed just 10 hits and two earned runs ... Mike Bianucci packed his bags and left the Cape this past week due to a minor injury ... Bianucci's summer ended with him hitting .228 in 19 games with three homers and 10 RBI, stealing nine bases.

Coastal Plain League

Sean Ray threw 6.0 innings of relief a week ago Wednesday and did not allow a run while fanning six as he picked up his first win of the summer ... His team, the Peninsula Pilots, won three out of four games last week to move to 6-5 in the second half of the season, 2.0 games out of first ... Ray's action on Wednesday was his only of the week as Peninsula went 17-innings that day ... The outing helped Ray lower his ERA to 3.78 on the season with 20 Ks.

Clark Griffith League

The Fairfax Nationals went 2-3 over the last seven days to move to 28-9 on the season and are currently three-games out of first place ... Eric Skinner went just 3-for-16 on the week to drop his batting average to .273 while teammate Grant Dayton did not get any innings in on the mound over the last week.

New England Collegiate Baseball League

Austin Hubbard and the Newport Gulls remain tied atop the Southern Division standings, having compiled a 19-11 record to date ... Hubbard suffered his first loss of the summer a week ago, allowing five runs on nine hits in 6.1 innings of a 6-2 loss ... He then bounced back with a terrific outing on Monday, throwing 7.0 innings of shutout ball ... Though he did not factor in the decision (Newport won, 3-2, with a run in the bottom of the ninth), Hubbard looked strong, striking out eight to up his season strikeout total to 39, fourth in the league ... Hubbard is now 1-1 with a 1.69 ERA in seven starts (37.1 IP).

Shenandoah Valley League

After being overshadowed by some of his Auburn teammates, Bradley Ray had a breakout week in the Valley League, nabbing Player of the Week honors ... Ray finished the week tied for the league lead in home runs (two), RBI (seven) and runs scored (eight) ... Ray also compiled a .320 batting average, a double, a .600 slugging percentage and a stolen base as his Front Royal Cardinals went 2-4 over the last week ... The Covington Lumberjacks played .500 ball over the past week (3-3) with some help from Auburn as Michael Hurst threw 0.2 innings of shutout relief on Thursday in a 6-2 win and then picked up his first save on Sunday with 2.0 innings of shutout ball ... With his two outings, Hurst dropped his ERA to 1.17 ... Ty Kelley also saw some work this week for Covington, but was not as fortunate as he was tagged for six runs (two earned) on five hits and three walks in 1.1 innings on Friday ... Covington is now 15-19 ... Bryan Woodall (two) and Luke Greinke have combined to pick up each of Winchester's last three wins as the Royals moved into fourth place ... Woodall earned the win on Sunday with 1.1 innings of shutout relief while Greinke allowed three runs in a 6.2-inning start on Monday as the Royals won 15-5 ... Woodall then returned to the hill on Tuesday and threw a perfect 10th-inning on Tuesday as Winchester won in extra-innings ... Woodall (who also threw a perfect ninth on Thursday) is now 2-2 on the year with a 2.25 ERA while Greinke is 2-1 with a 2.45 ERA ... Greinke, who is now hitting clean-up, also had another solid week at the plate as he upped his league-leading batting average to .416 ... The surprise of the week came in Monday's 15-5 win however as Joseph Sanders saw his first action on the mound, throwing the final inning, allowing a hit and recording a strikeout ... Sanders is currently hitting .293, up 26 points from last week ... Scott Shuman allowed two runs on five hits in 3.0 innings, striking out five without issuing a walk in his only appearance of the week.

Click here for the Winchester Star's article on Greinke.

(The link at the end is for registered users)
Link to comment
Share on other sites

:au: 's Evan Crawford made the Cape Cod All-Star Squad!

http://www.cstv.com/sports/m-basebl/stories/072207aaa.html

T.J. Hose Named To Cape Cod All-Star Squad

Hose Boasts A 1.27 ERA And Is 3-2 On The Season

July 22, 2007

CAPE COD, Mass. - East Carolina pitcher T.J. Hose was one of 44 players selected to participate in the 2007 Under Armour Cape League All-Star Game which will be played at Wareham's Spillane Field.

Hose, a native of Hagerstown, Md., is 3-2 on the year for the Bourne Braves with 26 strikeouts. His 1.27 ERA ranks third-best in the league behind fellow all-stars Aaron Crow (0.64) and Kyle Gibson (1.06).

The 45th annual CCBL All-Star Game is presented by the leading banks of Cape Cod -- Bank of America, TD Banknorth, Eastern Bank, Cape Cod Cooperative Bank, Cape Cod Five Cents Savings Bank, and Citizens Bank -- for the fifth straight year and is scheduled to begin at 6:00 p.m. on July 28.

Prior to the game, there will be a number of fan-friendly activities starting at 1:45 p.m., with the East team taking batting practice while the West Division All-Stars sign autographs. At 2:30 the teams will swap positions, followed by infield practice for the East at 3:30 and the West at 3:45.

The Home Run Hitting Contest, won last year and defended this year by Bourne's Mitch Moreland (Mississippi State), will be held prior to the game and is scheduled to begin at 4:00 p.m. Players will be introduced at 5:15, followed by the presenting of the colors, the National Anthem, and finally the ceremonial first pitch at 5:50 p.m.

The game will be broadcast live on National Public Radio, and can be heard on local FM stations WCAI 90.1, WNAN 91.1, and WZAI 94.3. NESN will also be at the game and will air the tape on Monday night at 7 p.m., when the Boston Red Sox have an off night.

The last time that the Cape Cod Baseball League All-Star Game was held in Wareham, in 1999, the West defeated the East 6-4 and current major league stars Mark Teixeira (Orleans) and Garrett Atkins (Cotuit) were the MVPs from the East and West, respectively.

The future major league stars who will play at Spillane Field in 2007 were announced this morning after being picked by the 10 field managers. Leading the way in each division are Falmouth and Yarmouth-Dennis, with seven selections apiece.

One of the easy picks for the coaches was surely Gordon Beckham (Georgia), who is currently batting at .311 with eight home runs and a league-leading 25 RBIs. His hot start at the plate has helped the Red Sox explode to a 20-9-1 record, best in the league. Earning the start for the East is another Red Sox standout, 6-foot-8 Eddie Burns (Georgia Tech), who is 4-0 on the season with a 2.25 ERA and 28 strikeouts.

Other starters for the East are Brewster's first baseman Yonder Alonso (Miami) and left fielder Charlie Cutler (California); Harwich second baseman Cole Figueroa (Florida); Y-D catcher Jason Castro (Stanford) and center fielder Collin Cowgill (Kentucky); Chatham third baseman Jermaine Curtis (UCLA) and designated hitter Allan Dykstra (Wake Forest); and Orleans right fielder Dennis Raben (Miami).

Reserves for the East include Red Sox catcher Buster Posey (Florida State), first baseman Sean Ochinko (Louisiana State), and closer Nick Cassavechia (Baylor); Mariners outfielder Kyle Day (Michigan State) and pitchers Corey Young (Seton Hall), and Evan Crawford (Auburn); Whitecaps outfielder Blake Tekotte (Miami) and pitchers Mike Colla (Arizona) and Matt Couch (San Diego); and Cardinals pitchers Will Atwood (South Carolina), Brad Boxberger (Southern California) and Ryan Perry (Arizona).

The West starters are led by Bourne Braves second baseman Kevin Hoef (Iowa), who is currently hitting at .350 with eight stolen bases on the season, and Ben Guez (William and Mary), who has a division-best 23 RBIs. Right-handed pitcher Aaron Crow (Missouri) has earned the start for the West after posting a 3-1 record with a 0.64 ERA and 25 strikeouts.

Joining those three in the starting lineup will be Wareham catcher Josh Phegley (Indiana); Hyannis first baseman Shane Peterson (Long Beach State) and designated hitter Dan Brewer (Bradley); Falmouth third baseman Conor Gillaspie (Wichita State), left fielder Aja Barto (Tulane) and right fielder Matt Hague (Washington); and Cotuit shortstop Reese Havens (South Carolina).

On the bench to start the game for the West will be Cotuit catcher Robert Stock (Southern California) and pitcher Josh Lindblom (Purdue); Hyannis infielder James Darnell (South Carolina) and closer Tyler Stohr (North Florida); Bourne outfielder Josh Satin (California) and pitchers Jordan Flasher (George Mason) and T.J. Hose (East Carolina); Falmouth pitchers Kyle Gibson (Missouri) and Christian Friedrich (Eastern Kentucky); and Wareham pitchers Wade Miley (SE Louisiana) and Chris Hicks (Georgia Tech).

The East team will be managed by Y-D's Scott Pickler, who will be assisted by Bob Macaluso, John Schiffner, Steve Englert and Kelly Nicholson. The West coaching staff will be headed up by Wareham's Cooper Farris, who will be assisted by Mike Roberts, Harvey Shapiro, Jeff Trundy, and Greg King.

Enjoying its 123rd season in 2007, the 10-team Cape League originated in 1885 with individual town teams, was reorganized into the Cape Cod Baseball League in 1923 with teams in Chatham, Falmouth, Hyannis and Osterville and is now the premier collegiate baseball summer league in the country.

A total of 198 former Cape Leaguers currently perform in the major leagues, including former Cy Young Award winner Barry Zito (Wareham '97-'98), former MVP Frank Thomas (Orleans '88), former AL batting champion Nomar Garciaparra (Orleans '93), and current Boston Red Sox captain Jason Varitek (Hyannis '91 & '93).

Cape League alumni of yesteryear include Baseball Hall of Famer Harold "Pie" Traynor (Falmouth '19), former New York Yankee greats Red Rolfe (Orleans '30) and Thurman Munson (Chatham '67), Cy Young Award winner Mike Flanagan (Falmouth '72), Rolaids Fireman-of-the-Year Jeff Reardon (Cotuit '74-76), former AL MVP Mo Vaughn (Wareham '87-88), long-time major league scout Lennie Merullo (Barnstable '35) and major league Manager of the Year Nat "Buck" Showalter (Hyannis '76).

More on Crawford in Cape Cod:

http://www.townonline.com/harwich/sports/x2144990148

Meet a Mariner: Evan Crawford

Harwich -

Name: Evan Crawford

Hometown: Prattville, Alabama

College: Auburn

Age: 20

Position: Relief pitcher

Stats: 6-1, 185 pounds

After an injury cut short his 2006 summer season, Evan Crawford has returned to the league and has posted one of the league’s best ERA at .84. Less than a full inning short of qualifying as one of the league leaders in that category, the lefty has allowed only two earned runs in 11 appearances this summer.

Despite the impressive numbers, Crawford admitted that he’s struggled a little in the past couple games.

During his last appearance on Monday against Orleans, Crawford gave up a hit and walked two during the eighth and ninth innings. But with the bases loaded in the ninth, and the Mariners up by three, Crawford struck out Ollie Linton to end the threat and pick up his third save of the summer.

Last summer, while playing for Y-D, Crawford appeared in just two games, both starts, and registered a 6.43 ERA.

Q. Last summer, while playing for Y-D, you had to leave early because of tendonitis is your arm. How much more satisfying has this season been for you?

A. I’ve stayed injury free and I’ve felt pretty good throwing the ball, so it’s been a great summer so far. I had a lot more success earlier in the season, I’ve struggled in my past couple appearances, but I’ll continue to fight and work as hard as I can.

Q. Was it tough hearing that they (Y-D) won the championship after you left?

A. Not at all. I was happy for the guys on the team and the organization. They actually sent me a championship ring, which I thought was very nice of them.

Q. Has facing batters with wooden bats changed your approach at all?

A. Not really. I actually like playing in the wooden bat league because I think it’s a lot tougher on the batters.

Q. The team weathered a nine-game losing streak earlier in the summer, now the team has won four out of its last five games, what’s been the difference?

A. We came out every game ready to play and once that streak was over with, we just put it out of our heads and moved on to the next game. That’s all you can do is come out and play hard each night no matter what happened the night before.

Q. What other things do you like to do while not playing baseball?

A. Fishing. I absolutely love to fish around here. My biggest fish so far this summer was a 35-inch striped bass I caught with my host family.

Q. How’s it been living with your host family?

A. An absolute blast. I met them last summer when I was up here and I kept in touch with them all winter. They’re the nicest people and they have everything set up for us.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

http://auburntigers.cstv.com/sports/m-base.../072707aaa.html

Auburn Baseball: Summer Ball Update (July 25)

A weekly look at how the Tigers playing in summer leagues did over the past week.

July 27, 2007

A weekly look at how the Tigers playing in summer leagues did over the past week. Included in this week's update is Evan Crawford being named as a reserve for the Cape League All-Star Game.

Cape Cod League

Evan Crawford was named as a reserve for the East Team for the 2007 Cape League All-Star Game to be held at Wareham's Spillane Field...Picked up his third save on Sunday against the Cotuit Kettleers with a 4-3 win...Pitched 1.0 inning and only allowed 1 hit after facing 4 batters...The Harwich Mariners' record stands at 12-21-1 dropping 10 points below the fourth-place Brewster in the Eastern Division

Coastal Plain League

Sean Ray and the Peninsula Pilots move to a 24-19 record...Spent 2.0 innings on the mound on Friday against Florence...Received the win after facing 10 batters and only allowing 1 hit...Now holds 5th place for season appearances with 14 appearances in the 2007 season

Clark Griffith League

The Fairfax Nationals are holding onto second place in the league with a 32-10 record...Eric Skinner improved his batting average to .299 with 5 hits, 2 runs and 4 RBIs in a two-day period...Skinner's teammate, Grant Dayton took the win on the mound on Friday...Dayton had 3 strike outs in 2.0 innings for a 6-5 win against the DC Grays

New England Collegiate Baseball League

Austin Hubbard and the Newport Gulls took over the No.1 position from Torrington in the Southern Division...Hubbard received the win on Monday against the Pittsfield Dukes...Pitched 7.0 innings allowing only 3 hits and 1 run

Shenandoah Valley League

After last week's streak of incredible hitting, Bradley Ray continues swinging this week racking up 2 hits, 5 runs and 2 RBIs for the Front Royal Cardinals...Covington Lumberjack Michael Hurst had a rough Sunday on the mound against the Winchester Royals giving up 2 hits and 2 runs in a single inning...He came back on Monday with 5 strike outs in 2.1 innings...Hurst's teammate, Ty Kelley was the exact opposite striking three batters out in 2.0 innings on Friday and then giving up 3 hits and 3 runs to Staunton on Monday...The Winchester Royals move to 23-17 with the help of several Auburn Tigers...Luke Greinke continues to heat up the plate with a total of 5 runs, 14 hits and 4 RBIs for the week...Joseph Sanders came in with 2 hits, 2 runs and 3 RBIs...Pitchers, Bryan Woodall and Scott Shuman double teamed Woodstock on Saturday winning 2-1 with Shuman taking the win and Woodall receiving the save...Shuman gave up only 4 hits and 1 run against 28 batters in 7.2 innings...Woodall showed up on the mound again on Tuesday and received the save in that game as well

Link to comment
Share on other sites

http://www.capecodchronicle.com/sports/sports_080207.htm

Silly Bostonians make him sound kind of hickish here.

Country Boy Crawford Loving Life In The Cape League

by Eric Adler

For%20Web%20-%20Evan%20Crawford.jpg

HARWICH — For Evan Crawford, April was the cruelest month.

So were March and May for that matter.

It was during that period when the sophomore southpaw suffered a spring-long struggle as Auburn University’s weekend starter.

Harwich closer Evan Crawford has a 0.71 ERA, 33 strikeouts in 22.1 innings and four saves for the Mariners this season.

“I pretty much got owned,” said Crawford of his forgettable 5-6 season in which his 5.91 ERA ranked second worst among the Tiger’s 12-man pitching staff. “My mechanics were ugly and terrible, and I lost all traces of confidence.”

Flash forward to the present day and Crawford, the Harwich Mariners lights-out late inning stud, has regained his mojo in a major way.

With a 0.71 ERA, 33 strikeouts in 22.1 innings and four saves to his credit, Crawford – a Cape League All-Star – has been a boon for the Mariners out of the bullpen. And all it took was rekindling the little kid inside of him.

“My only goal this summer was to have fun and enjoy baseball again, because things really went downhill for me this season at school,” said Crawford. “I just wanted to play the game like I did when I was 12 years old, and that’s what it’s been like for me this summer. Everything is just falling into place.”

Indeed it is, and has been since Crawford’s Cape League debut when he struck out seven batters over three hitless innings to secure Harwich’s 3-0 victory over the Wareham Gatemen.

“I was feeling the jitters that night,” Crawford confessed. “Having heard of this league, and how good these hitters are, I felt like a little kid at a major league park. I saw these guys as being way better than me, but after that first night, I thought, well, maybe I can hang out for a little bit.”

In his next appearance, and the one after, Crawford sent a stack of batters back to the dugout, further confirming he belongs in a league reserved only for elite college players. But ask him how he accounts for his microscopic ERA, his faculty for tying opponents in knots and his overall summer success, and you get the same answer every time.

“I don’t know how to explain it,” said the smiling and scruffy-faced Crawford, as he shakes his head in amazement at what he’s been able to accomplish. “I watch some of these other guys throw and I wonder how anyone can touch their stuff. My stuff is not anything like that. I don’t even throw all that hard.”

Several foiled batters would disagree, as does Harwich Mariners Field Manager Steve Englert, who spoke enthusiastically about his closer’s capabilities.

“Evan spots up well and can throw his breaking ball for strikes at any time in the count, and that keeps hitters off-balance,” Englert said. “And he has a little bit of velocity at times as well.”

It was Englert’s idea to bring Crawford into the back end of games, a decision that’s paid dividends.

We haven’t had too many wins this season,” said Englert, referencing the Mariners’ last place 12-25-1 record, “but Evan has been a big part of the wins we have had. When we’re ahead we feel like we’ve got a great chance of winning by bringing him in.

“I think he’s found his niche working out of the pen. We have all the confidence in the world in him, no matter if he’s facing a righty or lefty. Some guys tighten up when there’s runners on base, when they’re stuck in a jam and when the game is on the line, but Evan thrives in that situation.”

A native of Prattville, which rests in the heart of Alabama, Crawford’s cool, calm and collected composure has also been a key ingredient in his success.

“High energy Evan is not,” said Englert. “He’s just a laid back country boy who goes out and competes hard. He goes after people, regardless of the situation. Nothing fazes him.”

A recent game against East Division rival Orleans illustrates that point to a T.

With two on and one out in the eighth inning, Crawford came in and gave up an RBI single and subsequently hit a batter. But the unflappable ace buckled down and induced back-to-back ground outs to curtail the Cardinals’ rally. He then struck out the side in the ninth to preserve the 4-1 win.

Finishing games rather than starting them is still a novel concept to Crawford, but he obliges all the same. “Wherever someone decides to play me, I’ll play,” he said. “Doesn’t matter if it’s bat boy or starting pitcher, as long as it’s out on the baseball field.”

It stands to reason that a pitcher who’s developed a reputation for collaring hitters and drawing the curtain on contests possesses an amazing arsenal of pitches. Not Crawford.

“All I throw is a fastball and a curveball,” said Crawford, who noted that in the one instance where he tried to show off his change-up, he nearly got shown up.

“I shook off J.B. [Paxon], and he came out to the mound. I said I feel like a change-up here. J.B. said OK, but if it gets ripped, it’s on you. The guy fouled it off pretty good and J.B. gave me a look that said, that’s you’re last change-up,” said Crawford, with a few laughs.

Sticking with what works, and making it work so well, is what earned Crawford an auspicious All-Star nod.

Crawford was taking photos with his host family when he got the news he’d been selected to play in the mid summer classic, an honor which he said he didn’t see coming (though he may have been the only one). Even better, he got to share the honor with his battery mate and roommate, Kyle Day, the Mariners All-Star catcher. Both were adorned with hugs and kisses from their host mother, Jeannine Windle.

“She was really excited,” recalled Crawford. “She was like a proud mama, and her being proud made me proud.”

The Windle family, and the Mariners family, had a lot more to be proud during Saturday’s famed game that drew an estimated 5,600 fans.

Crawford, who pitched the sixth inning in the East’s 3-2 win over the West, gave up a solo home run to James Darnell – the final run scored by either team. But no sooner than cursing himself for the mistake, he laughed it off and retired the next three batters, the first on a swinging strikeout, to redeem himself in a big way.

Working his magic in front of scores of major league scouts likely boosted Crawford life-long aspirations of playing professional baseball. And after the summer he’s had on the Cape, that goal may be realized soon enough.

“Evan has opened up a lot of eyes this year,” Englert said. “There’s always room at the next level for a guy who comes out of the bullpen and can spin a breaking ball and spot up his fastball for a strike. I think he’s going to be a pretty good draft pick.”

But for now, Crawford isn’t thinking about which MLB team is keeping tabs on him. He’s too busy thanking his lucky stars he’s become a star in the most famed summer baseball league in the country.

“Before every inning I like to look up and say thank you,” said Crawford. “Thank you for letting this happen because I didn’t think I’d still be on the mound at 20 years old. I didn’t think I’d even make it to college ball. I never thought I was that good. So I’m thankful, real thankful, I get to do what I do.”

8/2/07

Link to comment
Share on other sites

The last game was played last night. This should be the end of the updates, unless they issue one more wrap-up.

http://auburntigers.cstv.com/sports/m-base.../080807aab.html

Auburn Baseball: Summer Ball Update (August 8)

A weekly look at how the Tigers playing in summer leagues did over the past week.

Aug. 8, 2007

A weekly look at how the Tigers playing in summer leagues did over the past week. Included in this week's update is Evan Crawford finishing up a stellar summer on the Cape, Luke Greinke being named the Valley League MVP and an update on a former Tiger in the minors.

Cape Cod League

Evan Crawford and the Harwich Mariners ended their season on Tuesday with a 6-2 loss to finish the summer with a 14-27-2 record ... Crawford was one of the bright spots on the team, however, as the southpaw finished his vacation on the Cape with a scoreless 1.2 innings of relief work on Sunday to drop his summer numbers to eye-popping status ... In 15 appearances, Crawford compiled a 0.71 ERA in 25.1 innings, which fell short of the minimum 34 innings needed to appear in the league-leaders stats ... However, his ERA would have been second in the league and he also carved up 38 strikeouts in earning five of Harwich's eight saves on the season ... Facing 102 batters, Crawford surrendered just 15 hits and 13 walks (two intentional).

Coastal Plain League

Sean Ray and the Peninsula Pilots will play in the first game of the Petitt Cup on Friday in Florence, S.C., against Spartanburg at 9am CT in what will be a battle of the fourth and fifth seeds (seeds for that match-up have not been determined yet) ... Ray earned the win in Tuesday night's victory over Outer Banks to move to a perfect 4-0 on the season, allowing one run on two hits in his first start of the season... Ray sports a 3.52 ERA in 16 appearances and helped Peninsula to a 31-23 record this summer.

Longleaf Villas

New England Collegiate Baseball League

Austin Hubbard has helped the Newport Gulls reach the Southern Division Championship series and has the Gulls one win away from reaching the NECBL Championship series ... Hubbard earned the win in the deciding game of the Divisional Playoffs on Sunday as he went 7.0 innings and only surrendered a run on five hits, striking out seven ... The Gulls, who won the Divisional Playoffs, 2-1, over North Adams, now own a 1-0 series lead over Torrington and are leading 3-0 in the fifth inning of game two in a game that was suspended for fog on Tuesday night ... Should the Gulls win either the resumed game (Wednesday at 5:35pm CT) or game three (Thursday), they would go on to face Vermont on the day following the victory ... Hubbard finished the regular season with a 2-2 mark with a 2.72 ERA in nine starts (49.2 IP) ... His 52 punch outs was third in the league and the rising sophomore held opponents to a .214 batting average.

Shenandoah Valley League

The Tiger contingent in the Valley League all made their way back to the Plains this past week after all of their teams were eliminated from the playoffs ... Michael Hurst and Ty Kelley each made the second round of the playoffs with Covington while Front Royal (Bradley Ray) and Winchester (Luke Greinke, Joseph Sanders, Scott Shuman and Bryan Woodall) were both knocked out in the first round ... Greinke finished the summer as the League MVP after leading the league in hitting (.417), slugging percentage (.642) and on-base percentage (.517) ... The official release on Greinke reads...

"Grienke, a rising junior at Auburn, filled several roles for the Winchester Royals and was a true utility player with solid play in the field, at the plate, and on the mound. Offensively, he battered the baseball while playing first base, outfield, and designated hitter. He led the league with a .417 batting average to claim the league's batting title. He also led the VBL with a .642 slugging percentage and .517 on-base percentage while collecting 12 doubles, five homers, and 32 RBIs for a potent Winchester offense that led the league hitting .275 as a team. Greinke was equally as impressive on the mound, going 3-1 with a 2.66 ERA in eight appearances covering 50 2/3 innings."

As for Greinke's teammates, Sanders and Shuman both pitched in the second game of the first round for Winchester with Shuman getting the start and allowing six runs in 2.1 innings to take the loss while Sanders did not allow a run in his inning of relief ... Bryan Woodall then threw 3.1 innings in the series finale, getting touched for three runs as Winchester lost 6-5 ... Throughout the end of the season the Tigers got to see many different looks as Shuman made a pinch-hitting appearance in the last game of the season (he struckout) and Woodall played some second base last Wednesday (he too went 0-for-1 at the plate) ... Shuman finished his summer with a 2-4 record and a 4.14 ERA in 10 appearances (eight starts), striking out 45 ... Woodall, who joined the team later in the summer, finished with a 2-2 mark and a 3.26 ERA in 19.1 innings, issuing just three walks while fanning 21 ... Sanders finished his summer hitting .272 with 29 RBI in 45 games, scoring 21 runs.

Ray went hitless in the playoffs for Front Royal but did finish his summer with a .245 batting average with four homers and 16 RBI and successfully stole eight out of nine bases.

Hurst saw plenty of action in his final week with Covington, throwing two-thirds of an inning in the first-round series-clinching game and retiring both batters he faced before throwing a combined 2.1 innings in the first two games of the second round without surrendering a run ... For the summer Hurst finished with a 1-0 mark with a save in 13 relief appearances (16.1 IP) ... He had a 2.76 ERA and fanned 18 while only issuing three walks ... Kelley also saw work in the second round of the playoffs but could not record an out while facing three hitters in Covington's 12-6 win over Waynesboro to even the series at 1-1 ... Kelley's summer ended with him owning a 1-1 mark with a 7.00 ERA in 9.0 innings.

Here is a link to the complete release on Greinke being named the league MVP. LINK

Also heard this week...

Former Tiger outfielder Clete Thomas (2003-05), who was a sixth-round pick of the Detroit Tigers in the 2005 MLB Draft, was tabbed by Baseball America to have the best outfield arm in the Eastern League (Double-A ball) in the annual Best Tools rankings. Thomas is currently hitting .277 with 25 doubles and 40 RBI for the Erie SeaWolves. He enters Wednesday's games tied for third in the league in runs scored (75), tied for fifth in the league in hits (117) and tied for seventh in the league in triples (5). The list was generated by a survey of the league's managers.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I actually go up to the Cape every summer (family lives in Harwich). I had a chance to catch a couple of games and Crawford looked awesome. The games out there are extremly enjoyable to watch and you can tell the guys love it.

My cousin (8) was on the Harwich boy's team and he said that players from each team come out a teach the kids how to play.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Archived

This topic is now archived and is closed to further replies.

×
×
  • Create New...