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| L to R: Joe Tietjen, Troy Scocca, Mikael Mogues, Mike Osinsk |
Every year, dozens of Major League Baseball scouts flock to the NECBL’s showcase of talent at their annual All-Star Game. This year’s edition, at Newport’s Cardines Field in Rhode Island, will feature plenty of local talent.
Headlined by fan favorite Mikael Mogues, the Mountaineers have four All-Stars: Mogues, shortstop Mike Osinski and outfielder Troy Scocca, while centerfielder Joe Tietjen was picked by Northern Division manager Jim Negrych of the Keene Swamp Bats. Mogues and Osinski are both slotted in the starting lineup, while the latter two are reserves.
Mogues joins a long line of successful Mountaineers first basemen, as he’s the third in the past five years to start in the league’s biggest event. Joining Mike Vigliarolo (2014) and Rob Kelly (2012), Mogues enters Tuesday’s action as one of the top sluggers in the league. He will compete in the Home Run Derby prior to the game.
“Any time you get recognized, it’s a great feeling,” Mogues said. “You know you’re going to be facing the best of the best in the country, so you just have to bring your ‘A’ game and have fun. It’s a time when you get to play the game you love and have fun hanging out with guys.”
He entered Monday night’s game against Sanford with a .341/.398/.471 slash line, 17 RBIs and 10 runs scored. His .341 batting average is good for sixth in the league and he’s fourth with 29 hits. An everyday player for Vermont, Mogues has made 22 starts and played in all 23 games.
Standing at 6-foot-3 and weighing 265 pounds, Mogues fits the typical image of a slugger. He’s hit two home runs this year and will attempt to conquer the tall fences at Cardines Field. He’ll have fellow All-Star Mike Osinski throwing to him in the competition.
“I’ve never officially done one,” Mogues said. “People are always looking for me to hit bombs though. I’m going to have Mike (Osinski) throw to me, and just have some fun with it. We’re just going to show and go.”
An interesting connection for the Seton Hall first basemen is that he’ll see two of his college teammates in Newport, with the chance to face one of them. Danbury’s Ryan Testani earned a nod for the Southern Division, while Winnipesaukee’s Anthony Politi is on the Northern Division roster.
“Ryan (Testani) is pitching very well down in Danbury, so hopefully I get to face him,” he said. “One of my teammates, Anthony (Politi), is going to be with us, so it’s going to be a fun time down in Newport.”
Not only will Osinski be throwing to him in the Derby, but he’ll also be throwing across the diamond from his starting spot at shortstop. Batting at the cleanup spot, Osinski has been a force while hitting .329 with 11 runs scored while playing stellar defense. He’s turned eight double plays and seems to make unbelievable plays with ease at least once a game.
“I’m going to enjoy it and it’s going to be a lot of fun,” Osinski said. “I couldn’t do it without these guys and Coach Brown, so I’m looking forward too it. I’m just going to go and play like it’s a normal game. It’s cool to be playing with Mikael (Mogues).”
Vermont sends two-thirds of its capable starting outfield, with Tietjen and Scocca earning All-Star nods. Tietjen pieced together a 10-game hitting streak at the start of the summer and has thrived in the two-hole in the lineup. In 17 games, he’s hitting.322 with a team-high 16 runs, five doubles, three triples and two home runs.
“It’s an honor,” Tietjen said. “I play hard every day, and that’s all you can do. Baseball’s a game of failure, so how you deal with that determines how you’ll succeed. I try to stay mentally even and play my hardest every day. It’s awesome.”
Scocca hit for the cycle June 27 against New Bedford. He’s played in 22 of 23 games, hitting.266/.363/.481 and has driven in a team-high 19 runs. He’s tied with Tietjen with five doubles, three triples and two home runs.
There’s a chance the Mountaineers contingent will grow to six players. Right-hander Jonathan Stiever is among seven candidates for the final Northern roster spot, which will be determined by fan voting. To vote, fans can visit vote16.necbl.com, with the deadline set for midnight on Friday.
Vermont is eyeing a return to the postseason, and deep pitching has helped the Mountaineers stay alive in the Northern Division. The Mountaineers are tied with the Winnipesaukee Muskrats for the second-best ERA in the league (3.48) and lead the NECBL in WHIP (1.30). They rank second in strikeout-to-walk ratio (2.40), while allowing the fewest walks per nine innings (3.3), and also rank third in fielder-independent pitching, or FIP (3.40).
Despite having an elite pitching staff, the Mountaineers could potentially not have a pitcher named to the All-Star Game for the first time in five years.
“I’m a little disappointed,” manager Joe Brown said of the lack of pitching. “Because of the way I manage our pitching, that’s the way it goes. I don’t leave guys in for too many innings or wear them out, so they’re not getting wins. Wins are overrated and you should look at other things. I applaud the guys. I told them, ‘Hey, just keep pitching well and people will know your name at the end of the year.’”
Stiever has a shot to make the team, but several other talented pitchers do not. The list includes reliever Chandler Sedat, who’s thrown 13-plus scoreless innings while striking out 15, walking three and allowing four hits. Lefty submariner Joe Jacques has allowed three earned runs over 18-plus innings while striking out 15 for a 1.44 ERA. His college teammate at Manhattan, Joe Rocchietti, has been very steady during his three starts. However, the combined record of these two is currently 1-4.
Still, sending four players is a strong year for the Mountaineers. They’ve had four or more players every year since 2011, and have produced at lease two starters for the third time in that span.
The All-Star Game is set for Sunday. The Home Run Derby will start at 2 p.m., while first pitch slated for 6:35 p.m.
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