![\"Websteer](\"http:\/\/www.teamline.cc\/static\/images\/logos\/WebsterYanks.gif\")
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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.<\/p>\n
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.<\/p>\n
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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\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s lineup.<\/p>\n
Devlin has made a quick study of the leadoff position.\u00c2\u00a0 Starting in 14 games the freshman leads the squad with a cool .419 batting average.<\/p>\n
In 62 at bats the Tewsbury, Massachusetts native has 26 hits including four doubles and one round-tripper.\u00c2\u00a0 The speedy infielder knows his way around the base paths swiping eight in ten attempts.<\/p>\n
\u00e2\u20ac\u0153He\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s got a motor that runs at one speed, and that is fast,\u00e2\u20ac\u009d commented Harring.\u00c2\u00a0 \u00e2\u20ac\u0153We feed off his energy.”<\/p>\n
\u00e2\u20ac\u0153I\u00e2\u20ac\u2122m looking forward to playing some more baseball,\u00e2\u20ac\u009d said Devlin about the upcoming summer.\u00c2\u00a0 \u00e2\u20ac\u0153I have heard about the league, and that it is good competition.\u00e2\u20ac\u009d<\/p>\n
Starting all 17 games in right field Jacobs is hitting .321 with two doubles and 10 RBI.\u00c2\u00a0 With 11 walks and four HBP the Hudson, MA native has an on-base percentage of .471.<\/p>\n
\u00e2\u20ac\u0153Everything he does is smooth and effortless,\u00e2\u20ac\u009d added Harring.<\/p>\n
Jacobs was originally recruited as a pitcher, but as Harring noted: \u00e2\u20ac\u0153He\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s too valuable to not use in the lineup every day.\u00e2\u20ac\u009d<\/p>\n
\u00e2\u20ac\u0153It\u00e2\u20ac\u2122ll be a great experience,\u00e2\u20ac\u009d said Jacobs who is looking forward to the summer experience. \u00e2\u20ac\u0153I\u00e2\u20ac\u2122m really excited.\u00e2\u20ac\u009d<\/p>\n
\u00e2\u20ac\u0153Both of these kids are prospects to play at the next level,\u00e2\u20ac\u009d said Harring when referring to his players\u00e2\u20ac\u2122 potential for an eventual professional career.\u00e2\u20ac\u009d\u00c2\u00a0 \u00e2\u20ac\u0153They have the ability to play for a long time.\u00e2\u20ac\u009d<\/p>\n
Harring knows a thing or two about playing professionally.\u00c2\u00a0 The sixth-year coach was a teammate of current Webster Yankee skipper, Dave Brust, in the Atlanta Braves\u00e2\u20ac\u2122 organization while playing for the Durham Bulls.\u00c2\u00a0 The two played under former Major League manager, Grady Little.<\/p>\n
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.<\/p>\n
Working out of the bullpen Guilmette has tossed six and a third, striking out four and walking three.<\/p>\n
\u00e2\u20ac\u0153He\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s our first left-handed pitcher out of the bullpen,\u00e2\u20ac\u009d said Harring.<\/p>\n
Soldi has a single in eight bats thus far.<\/p>\n
“He\u00e2\u20ac\u2122ll be someone we count on in the future,\u00e2\u20ac\u009d remarked Harring.\u00c2\u00a0 \u00e2\u20ac\u0153Right now we are pretty deep in the outfield.\u00e2\u20ac\u009d<\/p>\n
While most of the nation\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s 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 \u00e2\u20ac\u201c making the transition into the summer wood bat smoother than usual.<\/p>\n
\u00e2\u20ac\u0153They are going to have an advantage,\u00e2\u20ac\u009d noted Brust.\u00c2\u00a0\u00e2\u20ac\u0153They won\u00e2\u20ac\u2122t be playing catch up for the first few games.\u00e2\u20ac\u009d\u00c2\u00a0\u00e2\u20ac\u0153They will understand the importance of the inside of the plate and know to wait for a pitcher\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s mistake and take advantage of it.\u00e2\u20ac\u009d<\/p>\n
\u00e2\u20ac\u0153The sweet spot on an aluminum bat is generally three to three and a half inches as opposed to one inch on a wood bat,\u00e2\u20ac\u009d stated Harring.<\/p>\n
The increased size of the sweet spot of an aluminum bat can make up for a lot of mistakes at the plate.<\/p>\n
\u00e2\u20ac\u0153You don\u00e2\u20ac\u2122t have to be as true at the plate,\u00e2\u20ac\u009d added Harring.<\/p>\n
Last summer Dustin Ramey, Mark Wiggins, and Luke Wallace made the trek from Lowell to Webster for the summer.<\/p>\n
While recovering from \u00e2\u20ac\u02dcTommy John\u00e2\u20ac\u2122 surgery to repair his pitching elbow, Ramey led the pinstripes with a record of 4-1.\u00c2\u00a0 Wallace led the \u00e2\u20ac\u212208 club with three home runs.\u00c2\u00a0 Wiggins dazzled all with his glove work at third base.<\/p>\n
Webster opens the 2009 NYCBL season at Webster Town Park on June 9th when 2007 league champion, Elmira Pioneers, come to town.<\/p>\n
The New York Collegiate Baseball League, founded in 1978, is a summer wood bat development league for professional baseball.\u00c2\u00a0 Major League Baseball funds a small portion of the league\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s 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.\u00c2\u00a0 Current major leaguers Brad Lidge, Tim Hudson, John McDonald, and Dallas Braden all spent time in the NYCBL.<\/p>\n