By Roy Reiss
July 30, 2018

As we head to the finish line with a spot in the playoffs, here are a few observations, perhaps a very little insight, and even more ramblings.

• The CCBL changed the playoff format back in 2010 and had 4 teams in each division eligible. Noted official scorer Bob Gogan had this gem regarding the format. If you seed the teams from one to eight with one being the best record, no number one or two seed has ever won the playoff championship. In fact only once has the number 3 seed emerged victorious in mid August. When the Kettleers hoisted the Arnold Mycock trophy in 2013, they were a number 4 seed and back in 2010 the Kettleers were a 7th seed when they won the championship.

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  Michael Toglia

  Speaking of the playoffs, the tiebreakers for 2nd and 3rd place don’t favor the Kettleers. The first tiebreaker is head to head competition versus a specific opponent and the Kettleers would lose out to both Wareham and Falmouth.    

• When you come to Lowell Park early you usually see something special. About a week and a half ago before the team held their regular batting practice at 2:30 PM, there was Coach Mike Roberts throwing a special batting practice to Michael Toglia. The one on one session lasted about 25 minutes as the 2nd year Kettleers was trying to emerge from a long batting slump. Following that workout, Toglia conversed with Brian Roberts, the former Baltimore Oriole and son of Coach Roberts, for another 15 to 20 minutes. They seemed to be going over the mechanics of hitting. It certainly has paid off as over the last 10 days, Toglia has been one of the hottest hitters in the league.  “It’s important for me to just develop as a player. Numbers can be overrated, and its just about becoming the best baseball player you can be,” explained Toglia.

• Coach Roberts always says “you won’t know your team until July 1st.” He may change that this year to July 21st when the Kettleers seemed to come together and rallied to beat Wareham in extra innings 4-3. This came on the heels of a devastating loss to Chatham 10-9 the night before after leading 7-0, plus having two players quit on the team and go home. Following the Wareham victory, the Ketts rattled off 3 more wins in a row and seemed to figure out their identity.

Things that may interest only me …

When a 2018 Cotuit roster was passed out on May 10th there were 27 players listed. On July 24th, 17 of those listed had either left due to injury, left on their own, or simply never made it to the Cape…..Don’t think I can ever recall seeing as many temporary players make it on the permanent roster as has happened this year….Love to visit the bullpen area prior to home games to watch Coach Jerry Weinstein at work. It’s like a professor working in a pitching laboratory.

Kettleers Housing Coordinator, Terry Moran

Questions, questions, questions …

How would you like to be the housing coordinator with such a great turnover in the 2018 roster? (great job Terry Moran) … If the Cape teams can play a 9 inning game in 2 hours 45 minutes or less, why can’t Major League teams do it as well? … What’s happened to the overall quality of pitching in the CCBL? … Will Cotuit ever host the CCBL All Star Game at Lowell Park?

This interesting quote comes from Orleans manager Kelly Nicholson in a feature article in the Cape Cod Times:

 At my age, it’s really nice to win games and it certainly hurts to lose, but when we look back on it, I don’t remember our record from 2010. But I can tell you each and every one of the guys who played on those teams, that’s what it’s about. The relationships are the things you hope will last.

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Kettleers Korner will be anything and everything that might interest fans, past and present, about the Kettleers. Roy Reiss, who started his career working for Curt Gowdy Broadcasting, was a former sportscaster on Channel 7 and several radio stations in Boston. His son Mike now covers the Patriots for ESPNBoston.com.