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Tryouts Give 27 Temporary Players a Chance to Play

07/01/2004 11:04 AM

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for immediate release: 1 July, 2004

Tryouts Give 27 Temporary Players a Chance at Cape Play

CAPE COD, Mass. – On Saturday June 6th 85 of college baseballs finest showed up from all around the nation at Wareham’s Clem Spillane Field in hopes of proving themselves and earning a spot on one of the ten teams that make up the Cape League. Every year this tryout is held to look for permanent or temporary players who will fill the spots of those who have not yet ventured to the Cape either because of Team USA, the College World Series, or the Major League Baseball draft. 

     This year 154 colleges were sent letters asking for recommendations of players to the Cape League. Of the schools sent letters, half responded and 150 young men were recommended. After the list of 150 ball players was made, Joe Walsh, Harvard’s head baseball coach, had the job of helping narrow the list down to the 85 who were invited to try out.

     Out of the 85 invitees, there were 27 temporary players altogether chosen to play in the league. Twenty-two were picked from the tryouts and five who were invited to the tryouts and went directly to a team for a temporary roster spot. The total number of temporary players jumped above 50.

     With so many changes throughout the season you can never really be sure who will be on a team, that’s why it’s so important for a temporary player to play their best. Success for a temporary player could lead to a story much like that of Maryland’s Justin Maxwell. Last year he showed up at the tryouts, played great, and got asked to be a temporary player. He later signed with the Bourne Braves and ended up playing in the All-Star game in Falmouth. This year Maxwell is placed permanently on the roster at Cotuit, and is very excited to be back on the cape. 

     Temporary players hold key roles on the teams they are a part of due to the College World Series and Team USA. As a result of these two factors many have a good chance of getting picked up by one of the ten franchises. Bourne, Brewster, Falmouth, Harwich, Hyannis, Orleans, Wareham, and Yarmouth Dennis all took advantage of the tryouts and added temporary players to their team rosters. While both Chatham and Cotuit signed no temporary players out of the tryouts Chatham eventually added five temps to their list while Cotuit added six. 

     Leading off the league, Bourne selected three of the 34 pitchers who tried out. Each a right-handed pitcher, the Braves chose Wake Forest’s Daniel Davidson, Bucknell's Nathan Mittag, and Wesleyan’s Tom Bloss. Teddy Dziuba a catcher from Babson College, Kyle Padgett an infielder from William and Mary and Rob Valiente an outfielder from the University of Tampa were also signed out of the tryouts in Wareham. 

     Brewster without a full roster took advantage and added four names to their squad from the tryouts. Marco Albano out of Boston College was the lone infield temporary pick for Brewster. Brian Jarosinski an outfielder at The University of Maryland is joined by Trevor Powers a pitcher hailing from Bowdoin and partner J.B. Tucker a catcher from Wake Forest who will be a commanding force on the field for the Whitecaps. 

     The Commodores have a similar situation as to that of Brewster and Bourne. Paul Christian joining the team from Brown and Brian Hernandez a catcher and third baseman from Duke can contribute to play in the infield while Tim Flynn from Stonehill can use his talent to cover the outfield. Two left-handed pitchers, also teammates Anthony Smith and Dan Sullivan of George Washington were invited to the tryouts but signed with the Commodores outside of the tryouts. 

     The Harwich Mariners took home two key players from the tryouts. Tim Rice a returning left-handed pitcher from The University of Richmond pitched last summer for the Chatham A’s. Joining Rice is Ryan Stadanlick a shortstop and right-handed pitcher out of St. Josephs. Along with the two taken from the tryouts, Devin Monds a right handed pitcher from Northeastern who was invited to the tryouts and selected by the Mariners. 

     Hyannis had room for two temporary players on their roster. Mike Costantino an infielder out of The University of Maryland and Joe Martinez a right-handed pitcher and outfielder from Boston College will hopefully help make the season a successful one for the Mets.

     The Cardinals coming off a successful season had a great recruitment class and also picked up two temporary players. Patrick Hakey a pitcher coming from Lander College will be joined by James Payne an outfielder from Georgia Southern. Romas Hicks a right-handed pitcher from Georgia State signed a letter of commitment for the summer out of the tryout.


     Schuyler Mann, a catcher from Harvard will call the shots and pitches for pitcher Billy Sittig of Stonehill. Matt Alling an outfielder from Samford University will join the two temporary pitchers on the Gateman team. 

     Asking two players invited to the tryouts to take a spot on their team, the Yarmouth-Dennis Red Sox improved their infield with Joe Anthonsen a second baseman from Campbell University and Tommy Majors a right-handed pitcher from South Alabama. 

     It is not unusual that each of the ten teams be patched together with temporary players early on in the season. Each year temporary players are picked up, moved around, and a lucky few are kept. Will there be another Justin Maxwell this year? It may be too early to tell but veteran temporary player Justin Maxwell couldn’t have said it better “Go out and play hard every day; don’t try to impress anyone just play your game.” – Erica Gregory, CCBL Intern 2004, [email protected] 

Temporary Players not taken from the tryouts
 

Team Player Position College
Brewster Jason Twomley OF University of Massachusetts
  Eric Rasmussen C Yale
  Will Rhymes INF William and Mary
  Ben Zeskind INF University of Richmond
  Ryan Roberson INF/OF George Washington
  Brett Cleveland P Mississippi St.
  John Cronin RHP University of Richmond
Chatham Brian Adamski P/IN Teikyo Post
  Will Fenton P University of Washington
  Gavin Fabian  P Princeton University
  Eric Walz  P Princeton University
  Kyle Mura INF Loyola Marymount
Cotuit Ben Crabtree C Ohio University
  Adam Balkan OF/LHP Princeton University
  Cody Evans RHP Golden West (CA)
  Shawn Miller RHP West Virginia
  Kyle Marlatt RHP Cal Irvine
  Ben Ingold SS Wake Forest
Falmouth Jason Delaney NF/OF Boston College
  Chris Looze 1B George Mason
  Jayson Ruhlman LHP Central Michigan 
  Mike DeCarlo C William and Mary 
Harwich Devin Monds RHP Northeastern
  Kevin Mulvey RHP Villanova
  Drew Davidson OF Illinois
Orleans Dennis Robinson RHP Jacksonville
  Ryan Self, LHP Georgia Tech
  Matt Cooksey OF George Mason
  Gordie Gronkowski Jr 1B Jacksonville
Wareham Anthony Cupps RHP Mississippi
  Brad Furnish LHP Nebraska
  Jamie Gant RHP Mississippi State
  Isa Garcia 2B Blinn College
  Adam Rodgers  1B Rice
  Lance Salsgiver OF Harvard
  Josh Sowers RHP Yale
  Trey Taylor LHP Baylor
  Peter Wiggins RHP Mississippi Gulf Coast

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