Breaking Down the Western Division Roster

The All-Star game in Laconia, New Hampshire is coming up soon- it's just a week or so away. The Western Division also looks very strong this year, headlined by nine Vermont Mountaineers on the roster, including starting pitcher John Miles.

Here is the Western Division Roster*

PITCHERS

PLAYER (ORG)	TEAM	ROLE	COLLEGE
John Miles	Vermont	SP	Missouri
Mike Burke	Holyoke	2	Buffalo
Matt Clancy	Keene	3	St Johns
Anthony Rivera	N. Adams	4	Barry
Nathan Kirby	Keene	5	Virginia
Jordan Hillyer	Holyoke	6	Kennesaw St.
Patrick Delano	Vermont	7	Vanderbilt
Scott Squier	N. Adams	8	Hawaii
Cameron Tekker	Saratoga	CL	Virginia

CATCHERS

PLAYER (ORG)	TEAM	ROLE	COLLEGE
Tommy Monnot	Keene	C	Kent St.
Kevin Martir Brian O'Keefe	N. Adams Saratoga	2 3	Maryland St. Joseph's

INFIELDERS

PLAYER	POS	ROLE	TEAM	COLLEGE
Brian O'Grady	1B	Starter	Keene	Rutgers
Matt Beaty	1B	Bench	Saratoga	Belmont
Joe Landi	2B	Starter	N. Adams	Rhode Island
Zach Looney	2B	Bench	Saratoga	Santa Clara
Brendan Hendriks	3B	Starter	Holyoke	San Francisco
Ken Towns	3B	Bench	Vermont	Virginia
Matt Reida	SS	Starter	Holyoke	Kentucky
Dylan Moore	SS	Bench	Keene	Cypress
Alex Cruz	DH	Starter	Danbury	Georgia Tech

OUTFIELDERS

PLAYER	TEAM	ROLE	COLLEGE
JP Sportman	Keene	Starter	Central Connecticut
Jacob Bruce	Holyoke	Starter	Kennesaw St.
Dan Spingola	Danbury	Starter	Georgia Tech
Gage Green	Saratoga	4	Oklahoma St.
Vahn Bozoian	Holyoke	5	USC

*Not included in this roster are all of the alternates and reserves

PITCHING

John Miles (left) leads a solid pitching staff for the Western Division. Miles is 2-0 with a 0.00 ERA for Vermont over 24 innings and has also added 20 strikeouts and a save. Holyoke's Matt Burke, the #2 pitcher is also having an incredible year, going 2-0 with a 0.39 ERA over six starts and 46 innings pitched. He's also struck out 37 to just six walks. North Adams adds ace Scott Squier, a NECBL Player of the Week winner with a 2-3 record and 43 strikeouts over 39 innings thrown. Saratoga's contribution is in closer Cameron Tekker who is shutdown in relief, with four saves and 21 strikeouts over 10 appearances totaling 14.1 innings pitched.

HITTING

JP Sportman (right), arguably the best hitter in the NECBL right now, leads a potent West offense. Sportman boasts a league leading .394 average with 21 RBIs, 18 runs scored and ten doubles, as well as 11 stolen bases. Rounding out the outfield, Holyoke's Jacob Bruce (.337/10 RBI/13 runs/8 doubles) and Danbury's Daniel Spingola (.330/10 RBI/12 runs) make up a very dangerous hitting outfield. The infield is just as good though, as they're anchored by Holyoke third baseman Brendan Hendriks, who has a .344 average and is third in the league in RBIs with 19. Also featured in the infield is the starting second baseman, North Adams Joe Landi. Landi is hitting .299 with 11 stolen bases, 12 runs scored and 15 walks. Filling out the infield is Keene's Brian O'Grady at first (.364/14 RBI/14 runs/5 doubles) and Holyoke's Matt Reida at short (.271/8 runs/6 RBI). 

                                                                                    SNUBS

The Holyoke's Ben Raskus is listed as an alternate on the All-Star game roster, which he deserves more than. In 11 appearances out of the pen, Raskus has a 1.13 ERA over 16 innings and is 4-2 with three saves and 20 strikeouts. Saratoga's Adrian Benitez didn't even make the roster, even after posting a 2.64 ERA over five starts and 30 innings pitched, as well as striking out 25 and going 1-1. The third and final pitching snub was Vermont's Cameron Sorgie, who over four starts and 24.1 innings pitched is 1-1 with a 2.22 ERA and has 26 strikeouts. Danbury's Zachary Blanden leads the hitting snubs, as he wasn't named to the roster. He's hit .256 with 22 runs scored, two home runs and seven RBIs for the Westerners, and also added 11 steals. The other hitting snub belongs to Keene, as its first baseman Eric Gutierrez. Gutierrez is hitting .231, which isn't that good but he has seven doubles, ten RBIs, 13 runs scored and a home run as well. Behind the plate is Keene's Tommy Monnot, who is hitting pretty well, holding a .316 average and a pair of home runs.