Son just got his contract for the Cape and will play for the Hyannis Harbor Hawks next summer. Anyone with experience/advice feel free to dispense it now, i hope all goes well this spring and he has a solid summer. I'm def gonna try to get up that way several times to see him play but know nothing about the Cape or the Hawks.
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I'll see you there......different team though.
Trust you know about the Cape League and it's reputation. As far as the Cape itself, beautiful area, very nice place to visit. I'm sure you'll enjoy the trips. Congratulations.
Based on their being two individuals with first hand knowledge of the Cape, I wanted to ask whether the Cape charges any type of fee. Not asking for the amount, just asking whether there is any fee that may have been instituted in order to avoid any NCAA regulations. I assume if the Cape charges than probably 100% of the other leagues charge.
Not my area of expertise, so I will defer to others, but I believe all leagues charge something in an effort to avoid NCAA penalties for players relative to their amateur status.
All is know is what i've read on here and heard. Any travel tips etc would be appreciated, hotels, restaurants and hidden jewels we can visit. I believe he will room with a buddy on the team who is going to the same team. I've sent a few pms to folks who have been there.
Fantastic for both of you and your sons!
Son played for Falmouth Commadores 2007 & 2008. Loved the experience! He is still in contact with his host family. He had a part time job to help defray some of his living expenses (room & board).
Great news for your boys & best of luck to them!
Here's a few links...League, Newspapers, things to do, etc...Be sure to look at link for broadcast/internet/radio schedules...
http://www.capecodbaseball.org...html?article_id=2246
GHHS Jr heading out there for the summer as well. Wish I could say I'd see you two out there, but that's a loooong way away from Cali. If I can talk the wife into it, maybe...
At GHHS, it is once in a lifetime. Make it happen. Furthest away my son ever played was Virginia, we made sure to go up for a week and watch. he was a starter so we did not see him pitch much, but we still went to every game while we were there.
BishopLeftiesDad posted:At GHHS, it is once in a lifetime. Make it happen. Furthest away my son ever played was Virginia, we made sure to go up for a week and watch. he was a starter so we did not see him pitch much, but we still went to every game while we were there.
Yeah, I know. It was a lot easier this past summer when he played in Santa Barbara (only a 3 1/2 hour drive!). He had his choice of going back there next summer, or playing in the Cape. While he really enjoyed CCL, you said it: The Cape is a once in a lifetime deal.
If we can swing it, we'll definitely go.
I'll chalk it up to never have traveled to Boston, gotta check that off the list. Thanks BM for the links!
Bring a light sweater, evenings can be chilly.
CONGRATS, THAT'S AWESOME!!!
Shoveit4Ks posted:I'll chalk it up to never have traveled to Boston, gotta check that off the list. Thanks BM for the links!
Hey, thats just awesome! DK also played at Falmouth and facebook helps to keep in touch. Its been 10 years.
There is a fee for the host family. Dave worked at the field and camp, pitchers get easy gigs. Once he signs his contract he should receive a booklet of rules and regulations.
Fly into Boston, there is a bus that goes to the cape or rent a car. Fabulous city. Catch a game at Fenway. While at the Cape, if you have never been there, take a ferry to Marthas Vineyard or Nantucket.
Warning, Cape is expensive but host family entertained and fed us while there and provided great living arrangements for the boys.
Fog rolls in at night so it does get a bit chilly and wet.
Shoot me a pm if you have any questions. Hope all is well in Tigertown!!
Thanks TPM! Ryley said he was driving up from Clemson so he could "explore" during some of his off time. We love the movie "The Departed" and i suspect he'll end up in Boston at some point.
Yes, I forgot, Dave brought his truck. If he is driving with someone thats great but I can tell you its a long drive back to SC after a long summer.
Are purple/orange games this weekend? Dave has seen coaches on the road and he misses everyone but his pitchers are catching on and we really enjoy the short ride to see him and vice versa.
From one Cape Cod (Cotuit) team's handbook:
"Room and Board
It is required for all players to pay room and board during their stay while playing amateur baseball. If they do not pay room and board or any other expenses incurred during their stay they would be jeopardizing their NCAA eligibility. All non-payments of bills and expenses will be reported to the College Coach, Parents, the Cape Cod Baseball League and the NCAA.
Do not accept rent payment directly from your player. The Association is responsible for collecting players’ rent payments. Families will be paid by the Association in 3 installments over the course of the summer. Those dates will be as follows: June 29, July 20 and 1 week after the last game. Please let us know if this is a problem for your family.
· Room and board for their stay in Cotuit is $810 for the regular season. An additional $90 will be added to cover playoffs bringing the total amount to $900. This amount is due upon arrival. The $90 will be paid to the families or given back to the players if we do not make it to the 1st round of playoffs.
· Checks from the player need to be made payable to CAA or Cotuit Athletic Association.
· Players that do not have a permanent contract will be allowed to pay $90 a week in advance on Saturday or Sunday.
Once a permanent contract is given, the balance will need to be paid.
· If a player is released or arrives late the Association will make adjustments to the amount of rent to be paid.
· Please help us! We sometimes make mistakes with the amount to be collected from a player that arrives late or leaves early. Let us know if the amount does not seem accurate.
· If a player has been released from the team for any reason they cannot stay with your family. They must leave within a reasonable amount of time 24-48 hours.
· If for any reason they are not able to pay in full for room and board upon arrival, arrangements can be made with the General Manager and Residential Services.
· If they do not pay their rent they can be benched or suspended."
Thanks Hokie, that is all great info.
TPM, scrimmages but not purple/orange yet. I think that is next weekend. On a good note, Ryley will close the Sunday game.
Oh ok, I was wondering because Jupiter is this weekend. Let me know how he does.
Shoveit4Ks posted:Thanks Hokie, that is all great info.
TPM, scrimmages but not purple/orange yet. I think that is next weekend. On a good note, Ryley will close the Sunday game.
Major congrats & tell him to soak it all in! I played for Falmouth way back when for a year & have great memories. They set us up with a job at a fence company during the day. Some of the guys did field maintenance & things like that. You are obviously on the coast so there are a ton of cool things to do as well. This is a wood bat league so the scouts flock to see how the mound stuff & hitters translate to it. You meet a bunch of guys from all over the country. Closest experience to MILB you can find at amateur level. Everything is in close proximity so the travel is light. Awesome experience. He will love it.
We flew into RI on July 4 - fares were crazy low.
If you can swing it, as others said, go.
Keep in mind that (I believe) most cape rentals end and begin on the same day, so traffic on access points can be crazy (think mid-town Manhatten during rush hour). No big deal if you are just checking in; big deal if you're trying to get somewhere by a particular time.
Most players teach camp and lessons to pick up the cash needed. (S had both ends of this deal; when he was 12 we spent a week at Chatham and he took a week of lessons from bigger-then-life college pitchers; years later he was the one giving the lessons to a star struck 12 year old.)
for many venues, arrive several hours early and leave your beach chair to claim your spot.
i think that one off day is spent in taking BP at Fenway park - while pitchers only shag, the family pics are memorable. Have your son check the season schedule.
the all-star game is a circus. Hundreds of scouts, execs, parents and fans.
Parents get good discounts on Cape merchandise - load up - those are the t-shirts you will never throw away and carry HUGE memories.
above all, revel in the summer; no matter what comes next, a mountain has been climbed.
FWIW we went during all star game, its crazy. We actually saw scouts there that we had k own since HS.
As an allstar, they get to go to Fenway and meet the players.
We also still have the shirts and hats and great pics!
I dont think being at the cape is even close to what milb ball is like except you will find more future MLB guys than any other league.
Can yall get a room - I mean PM? This PDA is killing me! Cape is probably not in my kids future so I think we need to start a conversation about some other great locales. I'm shooting for Lima, OH - Go Locos! Any comments on the road trip?
The title of the topic is about the cape experience from a college players parent.
You have a few years to worry about a summet program, shoot for the committment first.
JMO
TPM posted:I dont think being at the cape is even close to what milb ball is like except you will find more future MLB guys than any other league.
Well all I can say again is, "It is THE CLOSEST experience to MILB you will find at the amateur level." Wood bats, night games, you do travel, you do stay in a guest home with several roomies, you only play 1 game a day of 9 innings, not 35 innings in a 2 day span with time limits & metal bats, excellent competition. It is very comparable to MILB. Not exact as the pressures & travel are much heavier in MILB, but it is a great taste of what the future holds if they go the Pro route.
Well, you actually get that experience at a lot of places, including college. And all tje bezt summer leagues play with wood.
Travel is the killer in milb.
TPM posted:Well, you actually get that experience at a lot of places, including college. And all tje bezt summer leagues play with wood.
Travel is the killer in milb.
Agree on the travel for sure. The difference with college are daily games in the cape (basically, every day) & the level of competition is the top for all summer leagues (used to be, perhaps different now.) Admittedly, my experience is dated & schedule & competition may be different now.
I was already excited about his experience and really didn't know much except its where you go, play and get seen by pro scouts. These other details are cool and i appreciate the sage advice of anyone who's been there. I'll be buying Cape gear for sure and have already checked out the home and away caps for the Harbor Hawks!
Dont buy until he actually goes.
We bought gear at the field through the team
Apart from playing with many of the best collegiate players, I don't think the Cape is anything like milb.
As TPM pointed out, travel is a huge difference - Northwoods comes the closest in travel.
The Cape has a very light game schedule- maybe 5 games a week. That's a vacation when compared to milb. Again, Northwoods comes the closest with only a handful of days off between memorial day and mid-August.
There are no Latin players (except if they are in college); when over 1/3 of your competition isn't represented (and until you experience those players up close and personal), you can't really understand.
The coaching quality is less; I personally know several former college players who began their climb up the ladder at the Cape- but no one was ready to coach at the prolevel yet.
It's mostly "show and go" so full eight hours days working on your game doesn't happen (they teach camp and work during the hours milb players are working pfp's, pick off moves. etc.)
Great collegiate experience; great at seeing and playing against the best college has to offer; doesnt create the level of stress an milb ayer feels; imo, in general, not close to proball.
Goosegg posted:Apart from playing with many of the best collegiate players, I don't think the Cape is anything like milb.
As TPM pointed out, travel is a huge difference - Northwoods comes the closest in travel.
The Cape has a very light game schedule- maybe 5 games a week. That's a vacation when compared to milb. Again, Northwoods comes the closest with only a handful of days off between memorial day and mid-August.
There are no Latin players (except if they are in college); when over 1/3 of your competition isn't represented (and until you experience those players up close and personal), you can't really uneed stand.
The coaching quality is less; I personally know several former collefe players who began their climb up the ladder at the Cape- but no one was ready to coach at the prolevel yet.
It's mostly "show and go" so full eight hours days working on your game doesn't happen (they teach camp and work during the hours milb players are working pfp's, pick off moves. etc.)
Great collegiate experience; great at seeing and playing against the best college has to offer; not close to proball.
I'm not sure why I even continue to engage in this but I have to ask. Did I ever say it was "Close to MILB?" I said I felt it was "the closest." The closest you could experience in College given the facts. Maybe Northwoods is "closer", OK, you win. Who really cares anyway? It is a cool experience & let's be happy for Shoveit4Ks & wish his kid the best.
I played Div 1 College, I played in the Cape & I played 7 years of MILB. The Cape was a very strong indicator of things to come. No, there were not 100 Dominicans on 10 fields like at Spring Training & yes the travel was different as was the beer tab, women, pressure, coaching, food, clubbies, groupies, lack of concern for team results, selfish self preservation, self interested Managers, bad fields & skanky hotels.
So, correct, The Cape does not = MILB.
Additionally, if you really believe that Pitchers in MILB spend 8 hrs a day working pics & PFP I have some swamp land I need to sell
Now shagging in the OF. Talk about some down time....Plus, the coaching is relatively non existent. They hand you the ball & tell you to go get people out or you are going home. (exception for big $$ picks). So this sounds about on par with The Cape which is exactly what I recall.
The Cape Cod collegiate league baseball experience is GGGgreat (no question in my mind). My son played in both the Northwoods League and the Cape Cod League and now has finished his 4th year of Milb. There are significant differences between all three. IMHO, the Northwoods League is only most like Milb in terms of the grind that the travel schedule presents and with little time off. Cape Cod League has very short travel schedules and lots of days off (about one day a week). Competition at the Cape tends to be higher over all than the Northwoods League and one might only equate the Cape's competition with Rookie and Low A Milb level of competition. At Northwoods, there was essentially NO player development help from any coaches and at the Cape my son found there were many coaches available for some development help and having some time off, as the Cape does, helps along that line. My son to this day says his experience at the Cape was one of the best (if not THE best) baseball experience's he's had. The Cape Cod League is a well run league and I think the vast majority of the players that play there have a fantastic summer of baseball and a great time in their off time too. And from all I've heard, the host families tend to be great too.
SHOVEIT4KS . . . congratulations to your son. It's quite an honor to be selected to go there. The Cape League has a very high percentage of pro-prospects, which he'll be playing with and against, so I wish him the very best experience and a bright future in baseball.
Thanks TRUMAN, best of luck to your son!
Hey TPM, Update on Ryley's outing yesterday. Faced 3 batters, 6-3, K, F7. Pooty, KJ and Chris Williams. All fastballs and was 90-92. This was the first time on the mound since surgery in June. I wasn't sure what to expect and was relieved he was around the plate.
