June 10, 2014

#TGW: Batter Up!

June 10, 2014

By Jon Cooper
The Good Word

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Cape Cod Baseball League

 Location: Cape Cod, Massachusetts 

Number of Teams: 10 

Number of Yellow Jackets: 3

Length of Season: June 11-Aug. 3

 Number of Games: 44 

Playoffs: Top eight teams qualify. Quarterfinals, Semifinals and Finals, all Best-of-3

Note: Matt Wieters was part of the Class of 2013 inducted into the Cape Cod League Hall of Fame. Wieters starred with the Orleans Cardinals in 2006, winning the Robert A. McNeece Award for Outstanding Pro Prospect. Despite arriving late, as Wieters and Co. were playing in the College World Series, Tech’s backstop finished the summer of ’06 with a .307 average, eight home runs and a .417 on-base percentage, all second in the league.

Jackets Playing: Matt Gonzalez, OF, Harwich Mariners;  A.J. Murray, 1B/DH, Chatham Anglers;  Arden Pabst, C, Hyannis Harbor Hawks

Valley League 

Location: Shenandoah Valley, Virginia 

Number of Teams: 11

 Number of Yellow Jackets: 4

Length of Regular Season: May 30-July 27

 Number of Games: 44 

Playoffs: Top eight teams qualify. Quarterfinals, Semifinals and Finals, all Best-of-3

Note: Over the last three years, the Harrisonburg Turks have won a pair of pennants (2011, ’13) and a league championship (2012). Last year they forged a league-best 32-12 record during the 2013 regular season.

Jackets Playing: Brandon Gold, 3B, Harrisonburg Turks;  Ben Parr, LHP, Harrisonburg Turks; Tanner Shelton, LHP, Harrisonburg Turks; Thomas Smith, 1B, Harrisonburg Turks

Coastal Plain League

 Location: North Carolina, South Carolina, Virginia

 Number of Teams: 14

 Number of Yellow Jackets: 3 

Length of Season: May 27-Aug. 4 

Number of Games: 56 

Playoffs: Top eight teams qualify. Quarterfinals, Semifinals and Finals, all Best-of-3

Note: Asheboro (35), Peninsula (33), and Columbia (31) all finished with better than 30 wins last year. Only five teams won more than 30 games in the CPL. Asheboro edged out Columbia to win the West, while Peninsula finished second in the East, but won the league. Josh Heddinger was stellar in leading Peninsula to the championship, allowing three runs (two earned) in 12 innings (a 1.50 ERA) in two postseason starts.

 Jackets Playing: *Josh Heddinger, RHP, Peninsula Pilots; Matthew Gorst, RHP, Asheboro Copperheads; Connor Justus, SS, Asheboro Copperheads;    Matt Phillips, RHP, Asheboro Copperheads;  Ben Schneiderjans, RHP, Columbia Blowfish

Northwoods League 

Location: Minnesota (6), Wisconsin (8), Iowa (1), Michigan (2), Ontario (1)  

Number of Teams: 18 

Number of Yellow Jackets: 2*

Length of Season: May 27-Aug. 10 

Number of Games: 72 

Playoffs: Four teams qualify, the winners of each division in the first and second halves. If one team wins both halves, the non-division-winner with best overall record qualifies. Both rounds are Best-of-3.

Note: The two teams with Yellow Jackets, Battle Creek and Mankato met in the Northwoods League Finals in 2011, with Battle Creek sweeping Mankato.

Jackets Playing: *Sam Clay, LHP, Mankato MoonDogs; Zac Ryan, RHP, Battle Creek Bombers

Great Lakes Summer Collegiate League 

Location: Ohio (7), Michigan (1), Kentucky (1)  

Number of Teams: 9 

Number of Yellow Jackets: 1

 Length of Season: June 5-July 27

 Number of Games: 40

Playoffs: Top six teams qualify. Nos. 3-6 play a one-game playoff. The winners advance with the Semis and Finals both Best-of-3.

Note: The Southern Ohio Copperheads, who are looking to end a four-year streak of missing postseason, are one of four teams that go by the nickname “Copperheads” in Summer League play. The other three are Lake Norman (aka Davidson) in the Southern Collegiate Baseball League, Coppell in the Texas Collegiate League and Asheboro in the Coastal Plains League. Asheboro features three Yellow Jackets.

Jackets Playing: Grant Wruble, C, Southern Ohio Copperheads

Sunbelt Baseball League 

Location: Georgia 

Number of Yellow Teams: 8

Number of Yellow Jackets: 5

Length of Season: June 2-July 21

 Number of Games: 28 

Note: In its 10^th season, the Sunbelt Baseball League had 19 current players or former players selected in the 2014 MLB Draft. Included among the latter is Yellow Jackets righty Matthew Grimes, chosen by the Baltimore Orioles on the 18^th round (No. 541).

 Playoffs: Four teams qualify, with the inner of each division in the first and second halves making it. If one team wins both halves the non-division-winner with best overall record qualifies. Both rounds are Best-of-3

Jackets Playing: Eric Knox, OF, Brookhaven Bucks;  Kyle Leach, RHP, Gwinnett Tides; Ryan Peurifoy, OF, Home Plate Chukars;  Syd Hopkins, RHP, TBD; Joe Wiseman, RHP, TBD

California Collegiate League 

Location: Southern California

Number of Teams: 11 

Number of Yellow Jackets: 1 

Length of Season: June 1-July 15

Number of Games: 36 (Based on 2013)

 Note: The Los Angeles Brewers were originally the Orange County Pioneers. The team was established in 2009 and won the 2010 Southern California Collegiate League in 2010. In 2011, Major League Baseball’s Milwaukee Brewers officially sponsored the team, providing uniforms and necessary equipment.

Jackets Playing:  Elliott Barzilli, IF, Los Angeles Brewers