Sherrill’s Van Boom ends summer with the Harwich Mariners of the Cape Cod League

Seventy-nine games was not enough. After starting 44 games for the Brown Bears and 35 for the Sherrill Silversmiths, Wes Van Boom went looking for more.

He got what he wanted.

Soon after his New York Collegiate Baseball League season ended, Van Boom headed east, crossed the Sagamore Bridge and ended the summer with the Harwich Mariners of the  Cape Cod Baseball League .

By the time Harwich’s season was over, Van Boom had played 86 games. That number becomes more impressive when one considers that many of those games were played behind the plate.

“It’ not the easiest way to go,” Sherrill head coach Jimmy Habecker said of playing catcher. “But that;s what he wanted, and he wanted to be in there everyday.”

When rain outs forced the the Silversmiths to play three games in the final two days of the regular season, Van Boom took his spot behind the dish for all 27 innings. He did this despite Sherrill sitting in last place without a chance of earning a playoff spot.

“He did a good job of anchoring us from behind the plate,” Habecker continued. “He wanted to be back there no matter what the game, time or anything like that.”

Van Boom handled the Sherrill pitching staff throughout the NYCBL season calling all of the pitches from behind the plate.

“From my background coaching catchers, I think it’s best for guys to learn and know how to call games themselves,” Habecker explained. “Being catchers back there, he sees everything and notices some of the fine details you may not be able to see from the dugout. Being a Brown boy I had faith that he’s smart enough to figure out and learn proper sequences. Even in a couple of the games he was Dh-ing, he still worked through mental reps. We talked about what to throw and he continued to develop and call his own game and not rely on the coach.”

Van Boom hit .267 for the Smitties this summer. He connected for 11 extra-base hits including seven home runs and 30 RBI.  He had 14 multi-hits game in the NYCBL. On July eighth, he went three-for-five with two home runs and three RBI in 13-3 Sherrill win.

Behind the plate, Van Boom had 156 put outs with 21 assists  and a fielding percentage of .967.

He joined  a first-place Harwich team  that set a Cape League record with 60 home runs.  The Trabuco Canyon, CA native appeared in seven games on the Cape.  He singled in his first game  and  had an RBI base hit in his second .   He finished with three hits  including a double for the Mariners.

Van Boom led the Brown Bears with 171 at bats . He hit .275 with 20 extra-base hits and 31 RBI.