Shared from Twitter: Cape Cod prospect reports | Perfect Game USA

A great article outlining the storied history of the Cape Cod League in general and some of the headline players from this summer's campaign. What stood out to me was the scouting report on Mercer University OF Kyle Lewis. If you told me he would be the Giants 1st rounder in next year's draft, I would be very, very happy with the pick, A long way to go before then, hopefully his stock doesn't rise too much and elevate him into the Top Ten, where he would be out of the reach of the Gigantes.

1. Kyle Lewis, of, Orleans (Mercer/JR in 2016)The summer that Mercer's Kyle Lewis used to launch himself into first round discussion didn't come out of the complete blue considering the monstrous numbers he put up during the spring of 2015. After posting a .367/.423/.677 slash for the Bears, the ultra-projectable and long-limbed 6-foot-4, 195-pound Lewis suited up for the talent laden Orleans Cardinals and proved to be the star attraction throughout the league from the moment he stepped foot in Massachusetts. The frame alone is worth mentioning as you seldom see a player built like Lewis who oozes athleticism and an overall looseness that make him easy to project upon getting even stronger at the next level. A righthander hitter who showed a sound approach in the box, Lewis showed the ability to work a count, taking borderline pitches that most would swing through while fouling off tough "pitcher's pitches." In doing so he is susceptible to the strikeout as the spring and summer stats suggest, but the overall results often overshadow that consequence. Perhaps the main contributing factor to Lewis's success both with Mercer and on the Cape is his ability to see the ball deep in the zone, something made possible by how explosive his hands are and how direct his barrel path to the ball is. He works all fields comfortably with the bat, able turn on an inner half pitch or drive the outer half ones deep to the opposite field and does so with intent. He may not have led the league in any particular offensive category but he did hit .300 with seven home runs and 24 RBI over 150 at-bats. He's not a one- or two-tool player though as he's at least a solid runner both on the bases and in right field where he spent a majority of the summer. Lewis put himself in the discussion with the other top outfield prospects for 2015, including fellow Cape Cod participant Bryan Reynolds as detailed below.

from Perfect Game:

Cape Cod prospect reports | Perfect Game USA

Official League Website: www.capecodbaseball.org

2015 Summer Collegiate Top Prospect Index

Cape Cod League Top Prospect List (60)

They always say "anything can happen" in the game of baseball and that adage certainly held true to the summer of 2015 on the Cape as the Orleans Firebirds looked like they could have run away with the title thanks to their plethora of talent and consistent reloading. Led by top prospect Kyle Mercer (Mercer), who built upon a strong spring season, Orleans' roster held several of the league's top names including Bryan Reynolds (Vanderbilt), Bobby Dalbec (Arizona), Bryson Brigman (San Diego) and Eric Lauer (Kent State).

Going up against a tall task like the Cardinals isn't easy but Coach Scott Pickler's Yarmouth-Dennis Red Sox rose to the occasion and knocked the juggernaut out of the playoffs en route to a championship series against Hyannis. Lefthander Ben Bowden proved to be a workhorse out of the bullpen ever since he arrived on the Cape and was perhaps the biggest factor in their run.

The Harbor Hawks took care of business sweeping the Bourne Braves en route to their runner-up finish and were led by the hot bats of Corey Bird (Marshall), Austin Hays (Jacksonville), and Ryne Birk (Texas A&M), as well as righthanded pitcher Dakota Hudson (Mississippi State) and lefty Devin Smeltzer (San Jacinto). Ultimately, however, it was the Red Sox who took game three behind a stellar pitching performance from righthander Brandon Bailey (Gonzaga) who allowed just one hit over six innings and faced the minimum amount of hitters.

With the victory the championship will reside in Yarmouth-Dennis for the back-to-back seasons with fans eagerly awaiting the 2016 summer.

Along with the thrilling three game championship series several players provided fireworks of their own throughout the summer including Most Valuable Pitcher Mitchell Jordan (Stetson) and Most Valuable Player Nick Senzel (Tennessee). Jordan was absolutely fantastic throughout the summer and posted ridiculous video game type numbers finishing the regular season with a 0.20 ERA and a 6-0 record with 46 punchouts to just six walks. Senzel didn't seem to stop hitting once he arrived on the Cape and owns one of the best hit tools in all of college baseball. He finished the summer with a .364/.418/.558 slash and showed ample power in his righthanded swing with four home runs and 16 doubles earning the league-selected Top Pro Prospect Award.

Several known draft names established themselves in the upper ranks of their respective draft classes while others like Dakota Hudson (Mississippi State) and Corbin Burnes (St. Mary's) took advantage of their time on the biggest stage. Other players had very brief stints on the Cape, and though they could easily have fallen within the top 60, they were left off. These players include Stephen Alemais (Tulane) and Zack Collins (Miami) as well as a handful of arms who made an appearance or two before bouncing off to Cary, North Carolina for the Collegiate National Team.


Year established: 1885
States represented: Massachusetts
No. of teams: 10
Best overall record: EAST– Orleans Firebirds (31-12-1);WEST – Hyannis Harbor Hawks (24-19-1)
Post-Season Champion: Yarmouth-Dennis Red Sox
No. 1 Prospect, 2014: Walker Buehler, rhp, Yarmouth-Dennis (Vanderbilt)
First 2013 Player Selected, 2014 Draft: Tyler Jay, lhp, Yarmouth-Dennis (Illinois/ Twins, 1st round, 6th overall)

Most Valuable Player:Nick Senzel, inf, Brewster (Tennessee)
Outstanding Pitcher:Mitchel Jordan, rhp, Orleans (Stetson)
Top Prospect (as selected by league): Nick Senzel, 2b/3b, Brewster (Tennessee)

BATTING LEADERS
Batting Average: Andrew Calica, of, Wareham (UC Santa Barbara) (.425)
Slugging Percentage: Nick Senzel, 2b/3b, Brewster (Tennessee) (.558)
On-Base Percentage: Andrew Calica, of, Wareham (UC Santa Barbara) (.480)
Home Runs: Bobby Dalbec, 3b/of, Orleans (Arizona) (12)
RBI: Nick Senzel, 2b/3b, Brewster (Tennessee) (33)
Stolen Bases: Adam Pate, cf, Harwich (North Carolina) (21)

PITCHING LEADERS
Wins:Ricky Thomas, lhp, Yarmouth-Dennis (Fresno State) (7)
ERA: Mitchell Jordan, rhp, Orleans (Stetson) (0.21)
Saves:Thomas Hackimer, rhp, Brewster (St. John's); Austin Conway, rhp, Bourne (Indiana State) (10)
Strikeouts:Eric Lauer, lhp, Orleans (Kent State) (50)

BEST TOOLS
Best Athlete:1. Stephen Wrenn, of, Yarmouth-Dennis (Georgia)
2. Errol Robinson, ss, Hyannis (Mississippi)
3. Kyle Lewis, of, Orleans (Mercer)

Best Hitter:1. Nick Senzel, 2b/3b, Brewster (Tennessee)
2. Bryan Reynolds, of, Orleans (Vanderbilt)
3. Andrew Calica, of, Wareham (UC Santa Barbara)

Best Power:1. Bobby Dalbec, 3b/of, Orleans (Arizona)
2. Willie Abreu, of, Orleans (Miami)
3. Gio Brusa, 1b, Yarmouth-Dennis (Pacific)

Fastest Base Runner:
1. Errol Robinson, ss, Hyannis (Mississippi)
2. Stephen Wrenn, of, Yarmouth-Dennis (Georgia)
3. Jacob Robson, of, Bourne (Mississippi State)

Best Defensive Player:Catcher: Sean Murphy, Orleans (Wright State)
Infielder: Bryson Brigman, Orleans (San Diego)
Outfielder: Andrew Calica, Wareham(UC Santa Barbara)

Best Arm:Catcher: Sean Murphy, Orleans Firebirds (Wright State)
Infielder: Sheldon Neuse, Harwich Mariners (Oklahoma)
Outfielder: Willie Abreu, Orleans Firebirds (Miami)

Best Velocity:1. Zack Burdi, rhp, Chatham (Louisville)
2. Jordan Sheffield, rhp, Brewster (Vanderbilt)
3. Bryce Montes de Oca, rhp, Falmouth (Missouri)

Best Off-Speed:Curveball: Garrett Williams, lhp, Chatham (Oklahoma State)
Slider: Eric Lauer, lhp, Orleans (Kent State)
Changeup: Ricky Thomas, lhp, Yarmouth-Dennis (Fresno State)

Best Command:1. Shane Bieber, rhp, Yarmouth-Dennis (UC Santa Barbara)
2. Mitchell Jordan, rhp, Orleans (Stetson)
3. Devin Smeltzer, lhp, Hyannis (San Jacinto)


TOP 30 PROSPECTS:

1. Kyle Lewis, of, Orleans (Mercer/JR in 2016)The summer that Mercer's Kyle Lewis used to launch himself into first round discussion didn't come out of the complete blue considering the monstrous numbers he put up during the spring of 2015. After posting a .367/.423/.677 slash for the Bears, the ultra-projectable and long-limbed 6-foot-4, 195-pound Lewis suited up for the talent laden Orleans Cardinals and proved to be the star attraction throughout the league from the moment he stepped foot in Massachusetts. The frame alone is worth mentioning as you seldom see a player built like Lewis who oozes athleticism and an overall looseness that make him easy to project upon getting even stronger at the next level. A righthander hitter who showed a sound approach in the box, Lewis showed the ability to work a count, taking borderline pitches that most would swing through while fouling off tough "pitcher's pitches." In doing so he is susceptible to the strikeout as the spring and summer stats suggest, but the overall results often overshadow that consequence. Perhaps the main contributing factor to Lewis's success both with Mercer and on the Cape is his ability to see the ball deep in the zone, something made possible by how explosive his hands are and how direct his barrel path to the ball is. He works all fields comfortably with the bat, able turn on an inner half pitch or drive the outer half ones deep to the opposite field and does so with intent. He may not have led the league in any particular offensive category but he did hit .300 with seven home runs and 24 RBI over 150 at-bats. He's not a one- or two-tool player though as he's at least a solid runner both on the bases and in right field where he spent a majority of the summer. Lewis put himself in the discussion with the other top outfield prospects for 2015, including fellow Cape Cod participant Bryan Reynolds as detailed below.

Download the Twitter app

Sent from my iPhone

2015 All-Cape Cod Baseball League Team Announced | College Baseball Daily

One of these guys will be a future Giant if prior history is a guide. I'm just not sure right now which one. To me the guys to watch in next years draft and the guys I would like to see in the Giants system would be:

• Ryan Boldt OF Nebraska
• Kyle Lewis OF Mercer
• Errol Robinson SS Mississippi
• Cavan Biggio IF Notre Dame
• Tommy Edman IF Stanford
• Michael Paez IF Coastal Carolina
• Bobby Dalbec OF Arizona

from College Baseball Daily:
2015 All-Cape Cod Baseball League Team Announced | College Baseball Daily:

The West Division champion Hyannis Harbor Hawks led the way with seven players named to the 2015 Cape Cod Baseball League Year-End All-League Team.

Hyannis All-League performers included shortstop Errol Robinson (Mississippi), outfielders Corey Bird (Marshall) and Jacob Noll (Florida Gulf Coast), DH Austin Hays (Jacksonville) and pitchers Nick Deeg (Central Michigan), Aaron Civale (Northeastern) and Dakota Hudson (Mississippi St.).

Cape League Most Valuable Player and Top Pro Prospect Nick Senzel (Tennessee) of Brewster, who hit .364 with four homers and league-leading 33 RBIs and was named Summer League Player of the Year, is the All-League third baseman.

Batting champion Andrew Calica (UC-Santa Barbara) of Wareham, the first Cape League batter to hit better than .400 since 1990 with a .425 average, is an All-League outfielder, while Outstanding Pitcher Mitchell Jordan (Stetson) of Orleans, who was 6-0 and tied Eric Milton’s modern era record with a 0.21 ERA, was an All-League pitcher.

“After an exhaustive and in-depth analysis of every player, we’ve identified our final roster that comprises this talented all-star team,” CCBL Commissioner Paul Galop said. “The Cape League has so much talent at every position a process such as this is extremely difficult. We believe this team has been established through a fair and extraordinarily deep process involving several league officials.”

Filling out the All-League infield were first baseman J.J. Matijevic (Arizona) and second baseman Nick Solak (Louisville) of Bourne. Utility infielders included Tommy Edman (Stanford) of the Yarmouth-Dennis Red Sox and Michael Paez (Coastal Carolina) of Cotuit.

Joining Calica, Bird and Noll in the All-League outfield are Toby Handley (Stony Brook) of Brewster, Kyle Lewis (Mercer) of Orleans, and Heath Quinn (Samford) of Falmouth. Utility outfielders are Bobby Dalbec (Arizona) of Orleans and Adam Pate (North Carolina) of Harwich.

The other DH is Gio Brusa (Pacific) of Y-D while catchers are Cassidy Brown (Loyola Marymount) and Will Haynie (Alabama) of Cotuit.

Rounding out the All-League pitching staff are Evan Hill (Michigan) of Wareham, Eric Lauer (Kent State) of Orleans, Ricky Thomas (Fresno St.) of Y-D, who was a perfect 7-0 with a 1.02 ERA, Jon Woodcock (Virginia Tech) of Cotuit, big southpaw Ben Bowden (Vanderbilt) of Y-D, flame-throwing Ian Hamilton (Washington St.) of Wareham and Brandon Miller (Millersville) of Chatham.

The bullpen consisted of closers Austin Conway (Indiana St.) of Bourne and Thomas Hackimer (St. John’s) of Brewster.

“Congratulations to all members of this Cape Cod Baseball League Year-End All-Star Team,” Galop said. “They all have earned and deserved this recognition.”

More than 1,100 Cape League alumni have gone on to perform in the major leagues, including a record 276 in 2014. The CCBL again led all collegiate summer leagues with more than 200 players drafted overall, including 14 in the first round during the 2015 Major League Baseball Player Draft.

– See more at: http://capecodbaseball.org/news/league/?article_id=2184#sthash.f6l0sVYS.dpuf

'via Blog this'

MLB.com 2015 Prospect Watch | #30 Dylan Davis, The One Lucius Fox Theory and The Cape Cod League Drinking Game

Dylan Davis is the #30 prospect on MLB.com's vaunted 2015 Prospect Watch (the one that elevated Keury Mella to #1 prospect status overnight). The new drinking game is going to be whenever a Giants prospect report mentions prowess in the Cape Cod League, you get to hoist a frosty beverage.

So here's to you Dylan Davis.

BTW: Chase Johnson is listed as #29 on the list and no mention of the Cape Cod League, therefore, BORING, We're going to skip him, but we did feature him previously.
http://slavieboy.blogspot.com/2015/04/baseballamericacom-stats-chase-johnson.html

I like both a little better than MLB.com with Johnson at #15 and Davis at #17 but I also have not forced the most recent 2015 draftees to the head of my prospect list based on no professional activity to draw on. MLB.com acts like a kid under the Christmas tree, the new toy is always better that the old toy, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah....The Giants better hope that Lucius Fox is as good as these guys rank him initially, what with the $6 million dollar bonus and all. No offense to Lucius, but that buys you six Jalen Miller's and I'm not sure I wouldn't want one Jalen Miller over one Lucius Fox, so if I can get SIX Jalen Miller's and only two or three of THEM work out, I think I do that deal. I know somebody is going to smack me up side the head with economic theory and scarcity of resources or supply and demand and that we live in a world where there is only ONE Lucius Fox (blah, blah, blah, blah, blah), but somehow I suspect that next year and the year after and the year after that, we'll be talking about kids who comp to Lucius Fox, So there you go.

WHEW!! That took some effort!!

from mlb.com
http://m.mlb.com/prospects/2015?list=sf

• 
  
• Team: Augusta GreenJackets (A) ETA: 2017Position: OF Age: 22 DOB: 07/20/1993Bats: R Throws: R Height: 6' 0" Weight: 205 lb.
  

  Drafted: 2014, 3rd (87) - SF

   VIDEO 

  
  

  Scouting grades: Hit: 40 | Power: 55 | Run: 40 | Arm: 70 | Field: 50 | Overall: 45
  

  The Giants have had success drafting players out of Oregon State in recent years, getting three big leaguers in Tyler Graham (2006), Joe Paterson (2007) and Andrew Susac (2011) and a possible fourth in Josh Osich (2011). San Francisco went back to the Beavers in June 2014, plucking Davis in the third round.

  All about power, Davis established his bona fides by winning the Cape Cod League home run derby in 2012 and leading the premier summer college circuit with a .567 slugging percentage in 2013. He combines bat speed and strength, allowing him to crush balls out of any part of the ballpark. He can get pull-conscious at times and will have to manage the strike zone better if he's to hit for average. 

  Davis has plenty of power in his right arm, with a fastball clocked as high as 97 mph during his rare college mound appearances. He prefers playing every day to pitching, so he'll put that arm strength to good use in right field. Though he's a below-average runner, he's a decent defender.

  2015
  CAL
  SAL

  Team	G	AB	R	H	2B	3B	HR	RBI	BB	K	SB	AVG	OBP	SLG	OPS
  SJ	29	107	18	22	3	0	3	11	14	28	0	.206	.295	.318	.613
  AUG	38	139	18	34	9	0	5	15	9	41	2	.245	.289	.417	.706
  Minors	67	246	36	56	12	0	8	26	23	69	2	.228	.292	.374	.665

Sent from my iPhone

2015 Cape Cod All-Star Game Rosters Announced | College Baseball Daily

Since this is where future Giants come from it is worth keeping an eye on. Plus, it's never to early to start beating the drums for Cavan Biggio or Ryan Boldt, right?

from collegebaseballdaily.com 

 Subject: 2015 Cape Cod All-Star Game Rosters Announced | College Baseball Daily

http://www.collegebaseballdaily.com/2015/07/18/2015-cape-cod-all-star-game-rosters-announced/?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+CollegeBaseballDaily+%28College+Baseball+Daily%29

Sent from my iPhone

Cape Cod League Top 30 Prospects - BaseballAmerica.com

Taking a trip down memory lane, if you look at this list of last years Cape Cod League top performers, the Giants 2015 draft could provide a significant haul. Four of the top 30 listed drafted and signed, plus one of the top HS shortstops in Jamel Miller. Some observers feel that the Giants scouting and developmental staff places more stock in CCL performance than the performances put up in a players collegiate season and this makes sense since the CCL is a wood bat league that pits the best against the best. You don't always get that in the regular collegiate season until the conference tournaments and the Road to Omaha. You get an early gauge in the CCL on how both hitters and pitchers will make the significant adjustments to the wood bat and the higher level of competition. 

A lot of these guys were in my initial top 20 collegians to watch for 2015 so it may also be a case of great minds thinking alike. :)

from Baseball America:

http://www.baseballamerica.com/college/cape-cod-league-top-30-prospects-2/

Cape Cod League Top 30 Prospects

August 28, 2014  by Aaron Fitt

6. Phil Bickford, rhp, Yarmouth-Dennis (So., TBD)

The unsigned No. 10 overall pick by the Blue Jays in 2013, Bickford showed less explosive stuff during his freshman year for the Titans than he had as a high school senior, often pitching with an average fastball. He still went 6-3, 2.13 in 76 innings in the spring, then moved into a relief role this summer, causing his velocity to spike. He worked comfortably in the 93-96 range with late life, and he pounded the strike zone relentlessly with his fastball, though sometimes he tends to leave it up in the zone. Loose and athletic, he repeats his delivery but still needs to improve his secondary stuff. Working out of the bullpen, he mostly used his fastball and power curveball at 79-81 mph, which showed signs of becoming a plus pitch. He gets around the pitch at times, however, and needs to tighten it. Bickford decided not to return to Cal State Fullerton for his sophomore year so that he could enter the 2015 draft, either at a junior college or out of independent ball. If he can maintain his premium fastball in a starting role, he could be drafted in the top 10 picks again in 2015.

10. C.J Hinojosa, ss, Harwich (Jr., Texas)

Hinojosa stood out for his sterling play at the College World Series and continued to impress scouts in the Cape. His best assets are his savvy and confidence, which make his tools play up. He has a mature frame and slightly below-average speed, but his instincts give him adequate range at short, where his arm is above-average. He reads pitchers well and is a heady baserunner. Hinojosa has some lift in his swing and offers fringy power to the pull side.

12. Steven Duggar, of, Falmouth (Jr., Clemson)

Scouts are a bit skeptical of the official 60-yard dash times recorded at the Cape League's workout day at Fenway Park, but Duggar ran the fastest time of the day: a blistering 6.26 seconds. His speed doesn't play as well in game action, as he needs to improve his jumps and routes in center field, but he stole 40 bases in 48 tries this year between the spring and summer. If Duggar can grow into his wiry 6-foot-2, 195-pound frame, he has a chance to become a legitimate five-tool prospect. He has some whip in his lefthanded swing and generates enough bat speed to hint at some power potential, but he seldom drives the ball with authority at this stage, instead spraying mostly singles to the middle of the field. He has a pronounced leg kick in his swing, which can negatively affect his timing. Still, Duggar hit .329 this summer and is a .297 career hitter at Clemson, so he has some feel for his barrel. He also offers a plus outfield arm that plays in center field or right.

"He's still not in as much control as I'd like to see, but the tools are there, and the body," a National League crosschecker said. "If he puts it together—which he might be, because he looked pretty good this summer—he could be a real speed/power combo."

---

13. Chris Shaw, of/1b, Chatham (Jr., Boston College)

After swatting six homers and slugging .502 in a strong spring, the lefthanded-hitting Shaw led the Cape League with eight home runs and ranked second with 34 RBIs. As the centerpiece of a Chatham lineup loaded with lefthanded hitters, Shaw faced an endless parade of southpaws, and he gradually improved against them as the summer progressed, doing a better job staying closed and going the other way more often. He still has work to do with his approach, and some scouts aren't convinced he can handle premium velocity, but he punishes mistakes and average fastballs. With a chiseled 6-foot-4, 235-pound frame, Shaw has plus or better power, and he will go as far as that tool carries him. He played first base as a freshman and right field this spring and summer, but he's a poor runner and profiles best at first, though he has a solid arm.

Sent from my iPhone

Judson's Ryan Perez shines in Cape Cod League All-Star Game

http://chicago.cbslocal.com/2011/07/13/switch-pitcher-hoping-to-take-both-arms-to-big-leagues/

No, this isn’t camera trickery with a mirror. High school pitcher Ryan Perez is ambidextrous and can hit 90 mph on the radar gun pitching with both his right and left hand. (Credit: CBS)


As if being a "switch-pitcher" (try saying that three times fast) was not enough to garner attention, Judson's Ryan Perez stands out in the prestigious Cape Cod League All-Star Game. I umpired a game on the bases where he pitched in HS once and I initially thought it was a different guy when he switched between innings. Didn't pick up that it was same name / same number pitching. I though it was a lefty-righty brother act, which would have been unique on its own merit if it was true.

Getting props on the Cape will not hurt his draft stock one bit.


from College Baseball Daily:
2014 Cape Cod All-Star Game Recap | College Baseball Daily:

Hyannis’ Ryan Perez (Judson) was even more impressive for the West in the top of the third, as the “switch pitcher” struck out the side in order. It was a performance that earned him West All-Star MVP honors. After 2 1/2 innings, it was a scoreless tie with only four total hits vs. six strikeouts.

'via Blog this'

The 2012 Cape Cod League and the Juiced Ball Theory

More evidence for the "juiced ball theory" provided by the 2012 Cape Cod League. It's not just for tin-foil hat wearing, crack-pot, conspiracy theorists any more. (H/T to Deadspin.com for some of the coverage on this developing story)

Remember, there is so much more that we "know" that we cannot prove. 

The facts on the ground keep showing us that testing is not the answer. Guys are apparently still reaching for performance enhancing substances in spite of the penalties. And yet the performance numbers have gone down in MLB. 

So the question becomes, if the usage of performance enhancing substances is continuing at or near the same rate, but the actual performance numbers are down significantly, then how significant is the correlation between the usage of performance enhancing substances and the actual delivery of performance on the field?

Just asking.... because apparently the Cape Cod League just demonstrated how significantly the numbers can be moved by a simple adjustment to the ball. Now we leave it to the scientists to actually "prove" to us what our lying eyes are "telling" us is obviously true.

from Capenews.net

http://capenews.net/sports/news/2019

Cape Cod Baseball League Commissioner Paul Galop has been with the league for over 30 years now, in a variety of capacities, and he too knows that things have gotten a little bit wacky when it comes to offense. The good-natured official has seen some of the best players college baseball has to offer do some amazing things on the diamonds up and down the peninsula from Orleans to Bourne. This year he saw something he’d never seen before, and it made him a believer.

“I was at Harwich, and I saw a ball hit out to center field that cleared the fence and was halfway up in the trees. I’ve been around a long time, and I’d never seen a ball go out there before,” Galop said. “I’ve been with the league for a long time, since 1980, and I’ve seen some balls that didn’t go that far with aluminum bats...obviously something’s going on.”

......

Explaining The Explosion Of The Long Ball

The onslaught of offense began from the start of the CCBL season and never waned. Longtime Cape League insiders could not shake the feeling that something wasn’t right. Some said that the pitching wasn’t as good as last year. Others said that the NCAA’s switch to BBCOR bats, which are less forgiving than the previous aluminum bats, had the hitters more prepared for wood. It seemed that there were plenty of theories as to why the ball was flying but no hard answers.

The most popular theory, though, is that the ball is juiced, altered from previous seasons in a way that produces more velocity and lift off the bat at impact.

......

Alan Nathan, a noted physicist and professor emeritus from the University of Illinois, specializes in the science of baseball and said that the jump in offensive statistics in the Cape Cod Baseball League is certainly worth further evaluation.

Nathan said that as a scientist he is skeptical about juiced baseball theories without scientific data to back up the hypothesis. “It’s certainly not unreasonable (that the ball could be juiced), but it hasn’t been proven. I’m skeptical because there’s a right way to (test) it...you need to determine the coefficient of restitution (COR).”

Nathan explained that even a small change in the ball’s COR could dramatically change offensive output. “Changing the COR from .5 to .55 could account for the statistics,” he said.

The retired professor, who was a part of the committee that spearheaded the NCAA’s switch to BBCOR bats a year ago, said that the burgeoning batting numbers are worth investigation. “That’s a pretty big jump (on Cape Cod) and way outside what I’d expect out of normal statistical fluctuation,” he continued. “It would not surprise me at all if the ball was juiced. If I was a Major League team I’d want to know...they need to know that information.”

from Beyond the Box Score:
A Sabermetric Review of the 2012 Cape Cod Baseball League - Beyond the Box Score:

The CCBL is typically known as a low-scoring league that is dominated by pitching; mainly because of the adjustment that has to be made from metal to wood bats. The result of the 2012 All-Star Game, a 1-1 tie, would lead one to believe that has been the case again this season.

Ironically, the run scoring environment is at a record-breaking high. With nine games left in the 2012 season, more runs have been scored (1792), than in each of the last two full seasons (2010: 1580 runs, 2011: 1704 runs).

There are a few possible explanations for this rise in run scoring. The CCBL switched baseball manufacturers before this season and I've heard that a change in stitching has led to a "juiced" baseball. College baseball also changed their metal bat regulations to allow only bats with less pop; which could have made the adjustment to wood bats much easier for hitters. Also, the talent-level of pitching is down. As seen by the schools that the All-Star game starters represented, some of the best collegiate starters aren't at the Cape, this summer.

'via Blog this'

from zealby.com
http://www.zeably.com/Juiced_ball_theory

The "juiced ball" theory suggested that the baseballs used in Major League Baseball (MLB) during the 1990s and early 2000s were altered in order to increase scoring.

It was claimed that a "juiced" ball bounces off the bat at a higher speed. Johnny Oates observed hits being made off pitches that should not have been elevated.

In 2000, Jim Sherwood, a professor at UMass Lowell, was hired to test the baseballs manufactured in the Rawlings facility in Costa Rica. The tests and regulations for MLB baseballs were described in detail. He said that he did not expect to find any change from the manufacturing process that had been used for the previous 16 years or more. Various baseball manufacturers in the United States also agreed that the theory is nonsense, as there are many quality checks in place. The stitchers interviewed did not even know what a juiced ball is. On the other hand, there is an argument that their livelihood depends on baseball sales, which may increase if the balls are juiced.

Many pitchers felt that the balls became harder and traveled faster. Some pitchers performed their own tests. Kenny Rogers found that the ball in the center of each baseball was made of rubber, rather than the old cork. Billy Koch found that when dropped from the same height, the rubber balls from 2000 bounced 2 to 4 inches higher than rubber balls from 1999.

In 2000, Frank Deford, a writer for Sports Illustrated, interviewed Sandy Alderson, an MLB vice president, to discuss the possibility of a conspiracy by MLB to doctor the balls. Alderson denied this possibility, and Deford also discredited it as a conspiracy theory.

from Scout.com
http://sbb.scout.com/2/1217488.html

The buzz around collegiate leagues this summer was that there was clearly something going on with the baseballs. The Cape Cod League served as the most prominent example, as home run numbers exploded in a league typically defined by its pitching dominance. Scouts began looking closer at the issue, and articles began to discuss it. Were baseballs used in 2012 summer collegiate leagues "juiced"?

 The answer is yes, the baseballs used in the Cape Cod League, and other summer leagues in 2012 definitely were more lively or "juiced" as oppose to past seasons. I've personally spent many years scouting the Cape and kept many baseballs from previous summers. When comparing them to the baseballs used in 2012, the difference truly is massive. 

The impact during game action was obvious. Yes, there was a better crop of power bats in the Cape Cod League than there had been in many years, but when you see almost every player in the league capable of hitting the ball out of the park, you have to consider the idea that something has changed. Home runs in the Cape Cod League were once reserved for only the elite power bats. That changed in 2012. And, there's one statistic that tells you all you need to know. 384 home runs were hit on the Cape in 2012. 317 home runs were hit over the course of 2010 and 2011 combined. That type of difference goes beyond just noticeable; it's downright startling. 

But, make no mistake, the baseballs played an enormous role. 

Rich Maclone of The Enterprise, who first brought this to light last month, did an outstanding job of investigating the issue and his article quoted noted physicist Alan Nathan from the University of Illinois regarding the most effective way to test the difference between the 2012 and past versions of the ball. That method is determining the COR (coefficient of restitution). Physics is certainly not my field, but my understanding is that COR is essentially a calculation of "bounce" or elasticity. Obviously, there is significantly more detail that could be touched on, but to make a long story short, this is the best way to get to the bottom of our matter in question. 

Since the conclusion of the Cape Cod League season last month, I've conducted a number of tests on a 2011 baseball and one of the 2012 baseballs in question. Being that this field is a bit foreign to me, I suspect the tests weren't flawless, but the consistency of the results says a lot. To calculate COR of an object being dropped onto a stationary object (a floor), you divide the height of the bounce by the height you dropped the ball from. 

I conducted these tests and made these calculations sporadically over the course of a couple weeks to be sure the results were consistent. My answer? They were very consistent. Before I began to specifically use COR, I simply calculated the height of the bounce when dropped from the same height. The difference in bounce height between the old and the new baseballs was anywhere from 4-7%. The results when I calculated the Coefficient of Restitution fell right in the same vicinity. 

After averaging out dozens upon dozens of tests and calculations, I found the difference in COR from a 2011 Cape Cod League baseball to a 2012 baseball to anywhere from be 2.2-5.1. As I understand it, this means that the altered Diamond baseball retains anywhere from 2.2-5.1% more of its kinetic energy than it did the previous season. (Edit: Earlier calculation in article did not take square root portion of COR formula into account) 

As I said, my earlier calculations led me to believe that these new baseballs were traveling 4-7% further. That falls in line with the COR calculation. It could be studied much more thoroughly, and I'd like to see someone more qualified than myself study it further. My study is primitive and likely not anywhere near perfect. I am, however, pretty confident in saying that all of the evidence makes me just about positive that the baseballs in the Cape Cod League and other summer leagues went 4-5% further than they've gone in past summers. 

If we use 4.5% as our figure, a ball that would normally travel 350 feet would theoretically travel approximately 366 feet with the "juiced" baseball. And, a ball that would normally travel 370 feet would travel 387 feet in 2012. That should paint a pretty decent picture of the difference this new baseball makes. There's a big difference between a 370 foot fly out and a 387 foot home run. Even if we use the lowest figure found in my experiments (2.2%), that's still a difference of about 8 feet extra distance on a 350 foot fly ball. 

So, what has caused this difference? The manufacturer, Diamond, has not commented on this issue yet so we're left to examine the ball ourselves for now. For one, the leather exterior of the ball has a noticeably different feel and texture. It's harder, thicker, and less pliable. But, it's what is deep in the interior of the ball that's making the difference. I cut open a 2011 and 2012 version of the baseball to illustrate these differences. 

 

The 2012 ball and "pill" are on the left. Besides the irrelevant color difference, this year's pill is much harder, as others have pointed out. The 2011 version has the feel of a typical rubber bouncing ball. 

 

As we cut into the ball even deeper, you can see the difference in width of the layers. The 2012 ball is on the right in this photo, and the outer layer is much thinner and more densely packed. THE BOTTOM LINE Most people that spent time around a collegiate summer league in 2012 suspected an issue with the baseballs. We don't have to just wonder anymore. There was a major problem with these baseballs and it has to be addressed in 2013. One of the most important services these leagues provide, particularly the Cape Cod League, is the ability to easily and accurately showcase the best young talent in the country. When there is an outside factor that's impeding scouts' ability to accurately evaluate these young players, it needs to be rectified for the benefit of everyone involved. Scouts are more than skilled and intelligent enough to sift through inflated offensive statistics and get a feel for who the most talented hitters are. But, this sure doesn't make their job any easier. And, leagues like the Cape Cod League give us some of our most accurate looks at how these players would perform in a professional environment. There's also no league in amateur or professional sports that means more to me than the Cape Cod League. I now make my home on the Cape and the league is one the biggest reasons why. As many games as I've been to on Cape Cod, it was obvious to me that something was different in 2012. And, while the home runs may be exciting for some, I'd like to see it return to a time when the long ball was a rare, unexpected treat from a future big league star, and not a regular occurrence that seemingly just about anyone in the league could achieve routinely. This is certainly not the fault of any of the leagues, however. They believe they were getting the same standard ball as every other season and that simply wasn't the case. Let's hope Diamond Sports can do something to swiftly address this problem and bring the baseballs back to normal standards in 2013. The baseball world is better served when the Cape League is a treacherous gauntlet for hitters rather than a hitter's paradise that makes it more difficult to discover the big league stars of the future.