2009 Cape League East Division Champions
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Outstanding Season, Gentlemen!
2009 Cape League Award Winners
· Pitcher of the Year: Chris Sale
· Relief Pitcher of the Year: Tyler Burgoon
· New England Player of the Year: Mickey Wiswall
· Mike Curran Manager of the Year: Scott Pickler
· Commissioner's Cup: Y-D Red Sox
Relive the magic of the 2009 Y-D Red Sox season with DVDs of your favorite games !
Purchase a DVD of any 2009 Y-D Red Sox game – contact Bob Phillips at rangerbob02664@verizon.net.
Y-D Sox 2009:
Furthering a Winning Tradition
The Yarmouth-Dennis Red Sox have established a winning tradition that accurately reflects its recent penchant for preeminence. For instance:
- The team won the Cape Cod Baseball League championship in 2004, 2006, and 2007, a remarkable achievement made all the more extraordinary considering Cape League rosters turn over nearly completely from one year to the next.
- Manager Scott Pickler won the 2007 Mike Curran Manager of the Year Award, having led Y-D to a league-best record of 31-12-1 and its second straight title.
- Buster Posey (on the team in ’06 and ’07) was picked fifth in the 2008 amateur draft by the San Francisco Giants and signed for a club-record $6.2 million. Gordon Beckham, Posey’s 2007 teammate, went at No. 8 to Chicago White Sox, and Jason Castro, who also was on that squad, was selected at No. 10 by the Houston Astros.
- Grant Green (’07) is No. 2 on Baseball America’s College Top 100 List of Draft Prospects for 2009. Tony Sanchez (’08) is No. 48.
Interviews
 Austin WatesQ: Who are some people who have influenced your career? A: My mother and father. My dad was my coach until I was 16, when it got to where he couldn’t coach me, and I was at that "rebellious teenager" stage anyway. My college coach (Pete Hughes) has kept my confidence up. I had some rough patches my freshman year and he helped me through those. (more) |
 Mickey WiswallQ: What does it mean to you to hear loud cheers every time you’re at the plate? A: Well, it’s great. Coming to the Cape to play has been one of my lifelong dreams as a player growing up in Massachusetts. My family wasn’t able to make many of the road trips at BC so having them here all summer means a lot to me as well. (more) |
 Micah GibbsQ: Who are some people who have made a profound impact on you? A: My dad always had me in the front yard or back yard throwing and hitting, and after games my dad would always be hard on me. My mom was always there, to bring me back up and keep me level-headed. When I got to college, our assistant coach, Cliff Godwin, helped me a lot and helped make me the catcher I am now. Coach (Javi) Sanchez has also helped me. (more) |
Latest Red Sox News
[8/09/2009 - Aaron Burns] It came unexpected, unannounced and as sudden as a nine-inning game could be. The Yarmouth-Dennis Red Sox, champions of the Eastern Division, in a win-or-go-home Cape League semifinal, were sent home early Monday. The top-seeded Red Sox were blasted at home by the Cotuit Kettleers 18-4 and denied a shot at their fourth crown in six years.
| By Aaron Burns |
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| Red Sox first baseman Mickey Wiswall swings at a pitch in game three of the CCBL semifinals against Cotuit. (Click to enlarge.) |
"Everything that could go wrong, went wrong," Y-D manager Scott Pickler said. "We picked a bad day to have a bad day."
Before many of the Red Sox faithful sat down in their seats, the Kettleers jumped out to a 3-0 first inning lead. Y-D briefly had life in the third, as Caleb Ramsey (Houston) drove in a run on a fly ball to cut the lead to two, but Mickey Wiswall (Boston College) struck out on a controversial called third strike by home plate umpire Joe Caracco.
Pickler said after the game that the umpire crew had no impact on the contest. "It was us," he lamented. "They didn’t call that bad of a game." Catcher Micah Gibbs (LSU) had his own feelings. Caracco called Gibbs out on another called third strike, and after Gibbs discussed the call, he became the first Red Sox player in the season to be ejected. "I drew a line in the dirt where the pitch was, and I guess he didn’t like it," Gibbs said. "It just wasn’t our day."
Whether the calls were for or against the Red Sox, the Kettleers ran the bases like a postgame promotion. Cotuit plated six runs in the fourth and five in the fifth, eventually building a 16-1 advantage in the seventh. Brian Hernandez (UC-Irvine) brought the crowd to its feet with a solo home run to left center field in the bottom of the seventh. After the Kettleers insisted on adding two runs to their tally in the eighth, Ramsey scored when Tyler Hanover (LSU)’s fly ball was dropped. Jake Schlander (Stanford) added an RBI single in the eighth to finish out the scoring.
"We didn’t throw it well, we didn’t hit it well, and we couldn’t catch," Pickler said in his description of the five Red Sox errors in their season finale. Nevertheless, a division title and the claim of being the last Eastern Division team standing had its own merit in Pickler’s eyes. "Our team worked harder than any other team in the league," he said. Their body of work over the season backs up his notion.
[8/10/2009 - Aaron Burns] In order for their season to continue, the Yarmouth-Dennis Red Sox had to be road warriors Sunday.
Mission accomplished. Jonathan Jones went 4-for-5 with 3 RBIs, Steve Chatwood clubbed a solo home run and Y-D prevailed over the Cotuit Kettleers 10-5 in game two of the best-of-three CCBL semifinals. Both teams will play for a trip to the Cape League championship series Monday at 3pm. (more)
[8/08/2009] Bob Phillips congratulates Patricia Thompson of Waltham MA on her purchase of the 4,000th sinker or hurler sold at Red Wilson field. (click to enlarge)
[8/08/2009 - Aaron Burns] For eight innings, Yarmouth-Dennis Red Sox pitcher Chris Sale had a magical opening to the CCBL semifinals against the Cotuit Kettleers Saturday. The ninth inning proved to be both Sale’s and the top-seeded Red Sox’s undoing. Cotuit broke a scoreless tie with three runs in the top of the ninth, and sent Y-D down in order to complete a 3-0 win. The Kettleers will try for a sweep in the best-of-three series Sunday at Cotuit at 3pm. (more)
[8/04/2009 - Aaron Burns] Already regular-season champions of the Eastern Division, it wasn’t crucial that the Yarmouth-Dennis Red Sox beat the Cotuit Kettleers Tuesday night. Ben McMahan made sure there would be no regrets in the Sox’ regular season home finale, as his walkoff home run in the bottom of the ninth inning keyed a 9-8 Y-D victory. (more)
[8/02/2009 - Aaron Burns] When Yarmouth-Dennis Red Sox manager Scott Pickler saw a slumping Mickey Wiswall hit the batting cages early Sunday afternoon, he figured success would come soon. Not even Wiswall realized how much, how soon. The Boston College product had two home runs on four hits and a season-high six RBIs in a 15-5 win over the Brewster Whitecaps. (more)
[8/01/2009 - Aaron Burns] The Yarmouth-Dennis Red Sox liked their chances of snapping a two-game losing streak Saturday against the Hyannis Mets. Y-D held a 4-2 lead through six innings, and Kevin Rhoderick (Oregon State) was on the mound vying to keep the Red Sox in front. However, the Mets’ Ryan Cuneo had other plans, as Cuneo hit a grand slam and Y-D never recovered in a 6-4 defeat to Hyannis. (more)
[7/30/2009 - David Bryan] Check out the article about Austin Wates in the Cape Cod Times.
[7/29/2009 - Aaron Burns] No one could have put it better than Scott Pickler. "We got on a roll, and then we just got beat," the Yarmouth-Dennis Red Sox manager said after an 8-4 eight-inning loss to the Harwich Mariners Wednesday night. "We gave them too many runs early on, and we couldn’t fight out of it." (more)
[7/24/2009 - Aaron Burns] Mickey Wiswall’s third home run and the Yarmouth-Dennis Red Sox’ sixth straight win seemed to come all too easy Friday night. "I’ve got a good little race going with Micah Gibbs for the Y-D home run title," Wiswall joked after the Red Sox’ 6-3 victory over the Chatham Anglers. (more)
[7/20/2009 - Aaron Burns] Three games, three wins, three runs allowed. The Yarmouth-Dennis Red Sox also committed three errors, but that was lost in a 4-1 victory over the Orleans Firebirds Monday, a win that capped off a three-game series sweep. (more)
[7/18/2009 - Aaron Burns] It wasn’t the start the Yarmouth-Dennis Red Sox wanted Saturday night. However, the ending was perfect.
Behind Tyler Hanover’s fourth-inning grand slam, Y-D overcame a 3-0 deficit and collected a 9-4 victory over the Chatham Anglers at Red Wilson Field. The win allows the Red Sox (17-12-1) to hold station in first place in the CCBL’s Eastern Division. (more)
[7/13/2009 - Aaron Burns] The hitting certainly wasn’t bad, but Yarmouth-Dennis Red Sox head coach Scott Pickler loved the pitching clinic his players threw in a 5-3 win over the Harwich Mariners Monday. "(Starter) Mario Hollands was in command the whole day," Pickler said. "He was outstanding, in total control." Hollands (UC-Santa Barbara) lasted just over seven innings, and allowed four hits and struck out five. (more)
[7/12/2009 - Aaron Burns] Mickey Wiswall knows that baseball doesn’t have free throws. However, Wiswall’s ninth-inning solo home run helped the Yarmouth-Dennis Red Sox salvage a 2-2 tie against the Wareham Gatemen Sunday, good for one point in the CCBL standings. (more)
[7/8/2009 - Aaron Burns] The hits came in bunches for the Yarmouth-Dennis Red Sox Wednesday night. However, they didn’t come at the right time or in enough quantity to knock off the Brewster Whitecaps, who held on for a 5-1 win at Red Wilson Field. (more)
[7/5/2009 - Aaron Burns] Micah Gibbs’ second game with the Yarmouth-Dennis Red Sox was twice as nice as his first. Gibbs, a Louisiana State product, crushed a pair of home runs in the second and sixth innings to lead the Red Sox to a 9-8 win over the Hyannis Mets Sunday night. (more)
[7/3/2009 - Aaron Burns] The sun shone over Red Wilson Field, the fans came out in droves, and the stage was set Friday for the Yarmouth-Dennis Red Sox to continue their recent success. The Bourne Braves had other things in mind. (more)
[7/2/2009 - Aaron Burns] The only thing that could have stopped the Yarmouth-Dennis Red Sox’ hitters Thursday night was darkness. Even nighttime fell too late to shut down the Sox’ pitching and hitting clinic, a 4-1 win over the Wareham Gatemen at Red Wilson Field. (more)
[6/30/2009 - Aaron Burns] Mickey Wiswall knew it was a home run as soon as the ball left his bat. "It felt good," Wiswall said after his two-run blast in the third inning propelled the Yarmouth-Dennis Red Sox to a 7-3 win over the Cotuit Kettleers at Red Wilson Field. (more)
[6/28/2009 - Aaron Burns] With his bullpen exhausted and his team facing a doubleheader against the Falmouth Commodores, Yarmouth-Dennis Red Sox head coach Scott Pickler had to put faith in his starting pitchers. Pickler’s hurlers gave him good results on Sunday at Red Wilson Field, as Chris Sale went the distance in a 6-3 win in game one, and John Leonard one-hit Falmouth over six innings en route to a 4-0 game two victory. (more)
[6/25/2009 - Aaron Burns] The sun came out Thursday, but the Yarmouth-Dennis Red Sox’ rainy days continued. The Red Sox managed only one hit in the first six innings in a 6-0 loss to the Orleans Firebirds at Red Wilson Field. (more)
[6/25/2009 - David Bryan] Check out the Cape Cod Times article on Chris Sale.
[6/20/2009 - Aaron Burns] One streak ended, but another streak continued Saturday night for the Yarmouth-Dennis Red Sox.
Steve Chatwood (San Diego) hit the Red Sox’ first home run of the season in Y-D’s third straight loss, an 8-2 decision to the Bourne Braves at Red Wilson Field. (more)
[6/18/2009 - Aaron Burns] The Yarmouth-Dennis Red Sox played nearly flawless baseball Thursday night for eight innings. Unfortunately, there was a ninth inning, and three Y-D errors sealed the Sox’ fate in a 4-1 loss to the Brewster Whitecaps at Red Wilson Field. (more)
[6/16/2009 - Aaron Burns] For the Yarmouth-Dennis Red Sox Tuesday night, the game was simple: let the power hitters do their jobs.
"There’s a reason the guys at the top of the batting order are where they are," said Red Sox head coach Scott Pickler after Y-D’s 6-5 win over the Harwich Mariners. (more)
[6/15/2009 - Aaron Burns] The Yarmouth-Dennis Red Sox’ 3-2 loss to the Chatham Anglers Monday at Red Wilson Field saw the Sox use reliever Matt Little too little, too late.
Little, from Kentucky, pitched nearly three scoreless innings but Y-D was never able to erase a 3-1 seventh-inning deficit. (more)
[6/12/2009 - Aaron Burns] Under a threatening sky Friday night at Red Wilson Field, the Yarmouth-Dennis Red Sox threatened a shutout in their season opener. Neither the rain nor the shutout arrived, but Y-D held on for a 4-3 win over the Orleans Firebirds behind eight strikeouts from Chris Sale. (more)
[6/3/2009 - Aaron Burns] Hi everyone! I'm Aaron Burns, an incoming senior at Lenoir-Rhyne University in Hickory, NC. I'll be updating you with the latest Red Sox news, right here in this blog area. (I'll also be providing photography for the web site as the season progresses.) I have been the sports writer for the Hickory Daily Record and the sports editor for the Lenoir-Rhyean, and I'm a volunteer for the Lutheran House of Catawba County. I've also been a sportscaster for the Nickelodeon GAScasters and recipient of the Ellis Boatmon Freshman Leadership Gavel. OK - enough of the introductions. Now, on with the season!
