28 July, 2005

Inside the real Bourne Braves

Sports teams often bring with them a lot of character. And lots of characters. The 2005 Bourne Braves have their share of both.

After sitting down with Andy Goff, the Braves' infielder who came to the Cape via Wake Forest, it's clear the team is littered with players who bring their own style to the game.

"Right off the top of my head, I think of Ty Wright," says Goff, talking about the outfielder from Oklahoma State. "He's not by the book."

When trying to work out his shin splint dilemma, Wright would run out ground balls by going past first base. "Then he'd keep running, and running, and ... it didn't look like he was ever going to stop," says Goff.

Wright is the kind of guy who is funny even when he isn't trying. On a recent afternoon when writer and ESPN commentator Peter Gammons was in the house, Wright tried his best to be serious. "It was even funnier because it looked like an act," says Goff. "It just didn't suit him. He's taking batting practice and he's trying real hard to be serious, but it was actually funny."

Wright and teammate Beau Mills are known for their vocals on bus rides. "No matter what song comes on, they know all the words. They just sing the whole time. It doesn't matter what song it is. They know it and they sing it."

Like Wright and Mills, Nick Manganaro out of South Florida sings his rap favorites as if nobody's listening. "Out of nowhere you hear this guy rapping real loudly and then you realize it's just Nick," says Goff. "It's OK, you say. He's just a lefty."

Seems left-handed pitchers have a bit of a reputation as being a bit left of center. "Lefties say they're the only ones in their right minds, but I'm not sure," says Goff. Manganaro, his long hair showing out the back of his cap, is quiet until, suddenly, he's not.

Mike Crotta (Florida Atlantic) is a right-hand pitcher and one of four Owls on the Braves' roster, which also includes Mike McBryde, Robbie Widlansky and Tim Mascia. "They're like a team within a team," says Goff. "They talk about who did what, who missed what ball, who did something better than someone else. Crotta has a lot of information and likes to share it." 

A shortstop and second baseman himself, Goff says infielders are known to be quiet and just "work and work." The Bourne contingent could be described that way, he says, noting that Bunky Kateon (Mississippi State), Brett Bartles (Duke) and Justin Henry (Ole Miss) fit that description.

Goff admits he has his own superstitions, though, like so many athletes. "I hadn't broken a bat all season and then last week, I broke one. I haven't had a hit since," he says. "It came right off the end of the bat and I didn't even drop it. I knew it broke. Now it's in the trunk of my car. It's been five games and I haven't taken it out."

Goff says the players aren't the only ones with character to spare. Head coach Harvey Shapiro is known for his "come here a minute" lead-in when he wants a player's full attention.

"Off the field, he's a real nice guy. On the field, he's what you want a coach to be. Some people probably think he's too serious, but he just won't put up with anything. He's no nonsense."

Assistant coach Jim Perreira is known to be an aspiring actor. Perreira, who had spots as extras in "Gettysburg" and "Guns and Generals," is also a Civil War junkie. "He's a great guy. I love talking to him and he'll even show you his video of 'Guns and Generals.' He's right there. If you look hard, you can see him running across the bottom of the screen."