HARWICH — The Cape Cod Baseball League is an elite beginner affiliation that encompasses an expert routine and a university way of life.
Established in 1885, the CCBL, has returned to its conventional format after a misplaced season in 2020 and the abbreviated model final summer time because of the pandemic.
Each group has a 44 game-schedule, a nine-inning restrict in common season video games, and eight groups qualifying for the postseason. The CCBL All-Star Game might be performed for the primary time since 2019 on July 23 at Spillane Field in Wareham.
Joe Vetrano of Shrub Oak, N.Y., and Travis Honeyman of Massapequa, N.Y., are Boston College starters who’re experiencing the whole lot the CCBL has to supply at one of many nation’s premier summer time locations.
“The competition is definitely better here and the history behind this league is unmatched so it is just awesome to be here,” stated Vetrano. “Playing at BC, your goal in the summer is to play on the Cape and now that I’m here it has been amazing.”
Vetrano bats cleanup and performs first base for the Harwich Mariners whereas Honeyman hits leadoff and patrols middle subject for the Orleans Firebirds. Honeyman and Vetrano are taking part in the identical positions within the subject and hitting in the identical spots within the batting order the place BC coach Mike Gambino deployed them towards the ACC.
The two compadres have been in reverse camps on Tuesday night time when the Mariners hosted the Firebirds earlier than an overflow crowd at immaculate Whitehouse Field. The CCBL stretches from Wareham on the mainland facet of the Bourne Bridge to its final outpost in Orleans, the house of Nauset Beach.
“This is my first summer on the Cape and I’m really enjoying it,” stated Honeyman. “I had heard rather a lot about it from my teammates at BC and I’m having loads of enjoyable.
“It is really cool, a great environment and I love it. When we get off days we head over to the beach. The beaches down here are beautiful and I’ve made a lot of new friends.”
The CCBL has served as a waystation for generations of gifted ballplayers to make their method to the Major League. Vetrano and Honeyman are long-standing New York Yankees followers with the identical ambitions as their CCBL forebearers.
“You develop that (pro) mindset by playing a game every single day,” stated Honeyman. “You have guys from everywhere in the nation and its not simply Power-5 guys.
“We have a standing joke that when the starting pitcher is from a school you never heard of, he’s is probably unbelievable and it is pretty cool to see all that talent.”
Both younger males have made favorable impressions on their respective subject managers. Steve Englert started his affiliation with the Mariners in 1998 and has been the supervisor since 2003.
Englert grew up in Roslindale, attended Catholic Memorial and BC and has been an space coach at Holy Cross, Northeastern and BC. Englert is aware of what he needs when he tenders a potential collegian a CCBL contract and he values what Vetrano has dropped at his ballclub.
“Joey V is the best, great kid and he has got some whap in that bat I’ll tell you that,” stated Englert. “He is having a good summer and he’s a tremendous kid. He’s as advertised as a player because the ball just jumps off his bat.”
Kelly Nicholson is in his twenty first summer time with the Firebirds and seventeenth because the membership’s supervisor. Nicholson has guided Orleans to 5 Eastern Division titles whereas reworking his Birds into perennial contenders. Honeyman has match properly into “Coach K’s” assortment and was named the CCBL Player of the Week on June 21.
“He’s doing well, he plays the game hard and he plays the game the right way,” stated Nicholson. “He’s enjoyable to look at play and he brings good power and enthusiasm to the membership day-after-day whether or not it’s on the sphere or on the bus or within the locker room.
“We are fortunate he is on our team and not playing for another team on the Cape.”
Honeyman led BC in batting with a .329 common on 54 hits, 9 doubles, one triple and 18 RBI. Vetrano batted .308 with 62 hits, eight doubles, three triples, 13 residence runs and 50 RBI. The ACC is a Power-5 baseball convention however Vetrano sees the Cape League as a notch above.
“We are facing a Friday night pitcher every single time so it is great competition and it’s pretty amazing,” stated Vetrano. “I’d say it’s a tick up as a result of now we have to make use of wooden bats and we’re taking part in day-after-day.
“There are no off days and every game we are facing a great pitcher so it’s going to be a great match-up. But the ACC definitely prepared me for this.”
Source: www.bostonherald.com