Webster Lineup Bolstered By Four From UMass-Lowell

If the players coming from the UMass-Lowell River Hawks are any indication, then fans of the Webster Yankees should ready themselves for an exciting summer.

Infielder, Pat Devlin, outfielders, Matt Jacobs and Chris Soldi, and relief pitcher, Bryant Guillmette, will all don pinstripes as the Webster nine opens their new field on Basket Road.

The River Hawks have jumped out to a record of 11-6 including a 4-3 ledger in the Northeast-10, and Devlin and Jacobs have been a one-two punch at the top of Coach Ken Harring’s lineup.

Devlin has made a quick study of the leadoff position.  Starting in 14 games the freshman leads the squad with a cool .419 batting average.

In 62 at bats the Tewsbury, Massachusetts native has 26 hits including four doubles and one round-tripper.  The speedy infielder knows his way around the base paths swiping eight in ten attempts.

“He’s got a motor that runs at one speed, and that is fast,” commented Harring.  “We feed off his energy.”

“I’m looking forward to playing some more baseball,” said Devlin about the upcoming summer.  “I have heard about the league, and that it is good competition.”

Starting all 17 games in right field Jacobs is hitting .321 with two doubles and 10 RBI.  With 11 walks and four HBP the Hudson, MA native has an on-base percentage of .471.

“Everything he does is smooth and effortless,” added Harring.

Jacobs was originally recruited as a pitcher, but as Harring noted: “He’s too valuable to not use in the lineup every day.”

“It’ll be a great experience,” said Jacobs who is looking forward to the summer experience. “I’m really excited.”

“Both of these kids are prospects to play at the next level,” said Harring when referring to his players’ potential for an eventual professional career.”  “They have the ability to play for a long time.”

Harring knows a thing or two about playing professionally.  The sixth-year coach was a teammate of current Webster Yankee skipper, Dave Brust, in the Atlanta Braves’ organization while playing for the Durham Bulls.  The two played under former Major League manager, Grady Little.

The River Hawk program has graduated over thirty players to the professional ranks including infielder Allen Mottram who was drafted in the twenty-fourth round by the Arizona Diamondbacks during the 2003 MLB draft. One year later pitcher Aaron Easton was drafted by the Florida Marlins in the twenty-fourth round.

Working out of the bullpen Guilmette has tossed six and a third, striking out four and walking three.

“He’s our first left-handed pitcher out of the bullpen,” said Harring.

Soldi has a single in eight bats thus far.

“He’ll be someone we count on in the future,” remarked Harring.  “Right now we are pretty deep in the outfield.”

While most of the nation’s college players swing aluminum bats during the college season, the River Hawks compete in the Northeast-10 Conference – the only scholastic conference in the United States that plays with wooden bats – making the transition into the summer wood bat smoother than usual.

“They are going to have an advantage,” noted Brust. “They won’t be playing catch up for the first few games.” “They will understand the importance of the inside of the plate and know to wait for a pitcher’s mistake and take advantage of it.”

“The sweet spot on an aluminum bat is generally three to three and a half inches as opposed to one inch on a wood bat,” stated Harring.

The increased size of the sweet spot of an aluminum bat can make up for a lot of mistakes at the plate.

“You don’t have to be as true at the plate,” added Harring.

Last summer Dustin Ramey, Mark Wiggins, and Luke Wallace made the trek from Lowell to Webster for the summer.

While recovering from ‘Tommy John’ surgery to repair his pitching elbow, Ramey led the pinstripes with a record of 4-1.  Wallace led the ’08 club with three home runs.  Wiggins dazzled all with his glove work at third base.

Webster opens the 2009 NYCBL season at Webster Town Park on June 9th when 2007 league champion, Elmira Pioneers, come to town.

The New York Collegiate Baseball League, founded in 1978, is a summer wood bat development league for professional baseball.  Major League Baseball funds a small portion of the league’s annual budget. The league gives college players who have not yet signed a professional contract the opportunity to develop their skills at a higher level of play, gain experience with wood bats, and be evaluated by scouts.  Current major leaguers Brad Lidge, Tim Hudson, John McDonald, and Dallas Braden all spent time in the NYCBL.

Pickin’ Splinters