News: Jumping on the Band-Wagon

It’s safe to say that the recently acquired utility man out of Rollins College was no mistake.  Josh has proved right away that he belongs in the NECBL by singling in his very first plate appearance.

The 5’8 native of Peabody, MA is currently batting .222 with North Shore in seven games, three started.  Band started at secondbase for the Tars in college, hitting .252 with seven doubles and 18 rbi in 44 games.  Josh has played the back-up role for the Navigators but seems to always provide exactly what the Navigators need.  Josh is also a very good contact hitter, he tends to swing early in the count and will make use of a good pitch.  In Vermont Josh batted late in the game for Benigno and singled in his first ever appearance as a Navigator and last night was a defensive replacement for Pat Brady and was retired on a bunt that moved over both runners to second and third allowing them to score when teammate Mike Dowd doubled.  It seems that even when Josh doesn’t reach base he still seems to get the job done.

On the defensive side Band has good hands, finishing his freshman year with .947 fielding percentage commiting only nine errors.  Taking on the Gulls in Newport is where Band started his first double play as a Navigator playing second base, turning it in 4-6-3 fashion to get out of an inning.  Coach Falcon is hoping that Josh can be the spark the Navigators need off the bench come playoff time in August.  Josh may be the newest member of the Navigators but watching how the other players react with him, gives it the feel that he has been here all year.

Roster: Navs Add a Big Bat

The North Shore Navigators have made a splash, signing the 2009 NCCAA II National Player of the Year, Tyler Ruehlman from Southeastern University.  Southeastern had won four NCCAA National Champiosnships in a row before falling to Toccoa Falls College in 2009.  Ruehlman, an outfielder, will join the team tomorrow night for their showdown with the Newport Gulls at Fraser Field (7:00 P.M.).

…wow.  add ruehlman to dennis, lebel, brady, and waldrip at the top of the order and north shore might just have the scariest lineup in the necbl.  not to mention the navs’ pitching staff, which features four starters with ERAs at or below three, and the saves leader in the necbl…

Ruehlman is a sophomore from Apopka, Florida, where he attended Lake Brantley High School.  Here’s the release from Southeastern University on Ruehlman’s postseason honors:

Cincinnati, Ohio–Southeastern’s Tyler Ruehlman was named the 2009 NCCAA II National Player of the Year after having a record-breaking season for the Fire. Ruehlman recieved the award at the national banquet last week in Cincinnati, Ohio, during the 2009 NCCAA II National Tournament.

Ruehlman, who is only a sophomore, was also named the South Region Player of the Year this season as he set school records with 91 hits, 27 doubles, 168 total bases, and an .857 slugging percentage.

He ended his season with a .464 batting average, which ties Ian O’Leary’s mark set back in 2004. He also had 16 home runs, 71 RBIs, and a .498 on-base percentage, which is good for second all-time.

Southeastern failed to win its fifth straight NCCAA II National Championship this past week, but not because of any lack in Ruelman’s effort. The NCCAA II Player of the Year went 10-for-18 in the tournament with three home runs and 10 RBIs.

Roster: Navigators Add Duval

The North Shore Navigators have signed RHP Dan Duval out of Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute.  Duval, a freshman from Middleton, Massachusetts, played his high school baseball at Masconomet, where Navs GM Pete Delani is currently the vice principal.

…duval should really help bolster the navs pitching staff.  he was a very accomplished reliever in massachusetts high school baseball and took his game to the next level this spring at RPI, recording one save and an ERA below three in 17 relief appearances.  here are the details from the RPI website…

2009: Appeared in 17 games, all in relief … Had a 2-1 record with a 2.97 earned run average … Recorded one save … Allowed 12 runs on 30 hits in 30.1 innings … Opposition hit .254 against … Struck out 25 batters while walking just 10 … Allowed one run on seven hits while striking out two in 2.0 innings against Montclair State (4/15) … Surrendered no runs and stuck out one versus Skidmore in the Liberty League Tournament (5/8) … Struck out a season-high six batters through 3.0 innings, allowing just three hits against Farmingdale State in the New York Regional of the NCAA Tournament (5/13) … Liberty League Rookie of the Week once …

High School: Two-year member of the baseball team … Captain … Salem News All-Star … Player Coaches Award … Team advanced to the 2008 State Tournament and were Division II North Champions … North Finalists in 2007 … Ran cross country … Captain … Team won back-to-back Cape Ann League Championships … Member of the swimming & diving team … Helped team to second at the 2008 Cape Ann League Championship … Member of the wrestling team … National Honor Society … Scholar-Athlete … Spanis Honor Society … Michell Scholarship … Adam Award for MCAS Scores …

Personal: Environmental Engineering major … Son of Faith and Leo Duval … Father, was a pitcher at Wagner College … Grandfather played professional soccer.

Roster: Navs Add Graham and Sills, Lose Gilmartin

The North Shore Navigators signed a former teammate and local boy, Kent Graham.  The 6’1 Junior from Trinity College has posted huge numbers for the D-3 powerhouse and is looking forward to his return to Lynn.  In 2008 Graham led Trinity in doubles, triples, home runs, RBIs, slugging percentage, batting average, and on-base percentage.  He set a college records for hits and at-bats. 

 

 

The Navigators have added John Sills from Holy Cross.  He is another local who attended BC High and led the Eagles in hits, RBIs, stolen bases, at-bats, and triples.  Sills started the season on division rival Newport, and led Holy Cross in stolen bases (9-14).  In 2006 he finished the season ranked second in batting average (.433).  Sills hit .250 with Newport plating two RBIs both against North Shore.

Roster: Navs Add Misho, Lose Costello

The North Shore Navigators signed RHP Glen Misho, a right-handed reliever out of the University of Massachusetts – Amherst.  Misho, the third Minuteman to join the Navs with Kyle Multner and Jared Freni, is a freshman from Quincy, MA.  Misho posted a 2.70 ERA in seven appearances for UMass, including 3.0 scoreless innings in the A-10 Tournament finals against Xavier.  He made his first two collegiate appearances against Arizona, and promises to be a key cog in the Navs bullpen.

…this kid is going to be very good.  he’s not a big guy – 6’0, 155 pounds – but he can certainly throw the ball, and umass showed a great deal of trust in the freshman, allowing him to pitch three innings in the a-10 tourney finals…

Misho will replace Matt Costello, who was selected by the Milwaukee Brewers in the 35th round of the 2009 MLB Draft.

…costello was a tremendous player on the 2008 navs team and had a hot start in 2009.  we wish him the best of luck as he begins what promises to be a long career as a professional baseball player…

Roster: Navs Re-Sign Mike Gallo

The North Shore Navigators added a potential closer, re-signing RHP Mike Gallo, the Peabody, MA native who pitched at Milligan College in 2009.  Gallo was part of the Navs’ impressive 2008 pitching staff, which amassed a team ERA of 2.52.  Gallo contibuted by going 2-3 with a 2.45 ERA in eight appearances with four starts.  Gallo pitched to contact but allowed a mere .234 opponent batting average one year ago.  Gallo transferred from Lake City CC to pitch at Milligan, where Gallo was 5-2 with a 4.53 ERA.

The Navigators now have 13 players from Massachusetts on their roster and five players returning from the 2008 season (Gallo, Matt Costello, John Hill, Jason Markovitz, Chris Kowalski).

Breaking News: Navigators Sign LHP Chapman

Around the Horn is making my life easy these days.  They were first on the story, as the Navigators picked up their fourth drafted player in signing Florida Gators pitcher Kevin Chapman, a 6’4” lefty who sat out the 2008 season with Tommy John surgery after the Detroit Tigers selected him in the 42nd round of the 2006 MLB Draft.

Chapman is the second Gator to join the Navigators, as he joins OF Tyler Thompson in the North Shore this summer.  OF Matt Marquis (Vanderbilt) and P Sean Gilmartin (Florida St.) were also drafted out of high school.

…the navigators just picked up a drafted player less than a week before opening night.  not only was this player drafted, but he’s a 6’4” lefty pitching with the florida gators.  this is cause for pre-season celebration…‘ 

As always, click on the “Around the Horn” link at the top of the post for more information on Chapman.

Breaking News: Navigators Sign Gilmartin

According to Around the Horn, the Navigators have signed Sean Gilmartin, the ace of the Florida State staff.

Gilmartin, a freshman left-handed pitcher from Moorpark, California, was selected in the 31^st round of the 2008 Major League Baseball Draft by the San Diego Padres.  After a stellar start to his collegiate career, Gilmartin was one of fifty student-athletes named to the National Pitcher of the Year watch list. 

Gilmartin, 11-3 with a 3.64 earned run average in his first collegiate season, led the Seminoles in nearly every major pitching category, including wins, earned run average, strikeouts, and innings pitched.  He quickly became the Friday starter for Florida State and finished the ACC season as the conference-leader in victories with top-10 finishes in earned run average and innings pitched.

…check out the link to “around the horn” at the top of the post for more information on gilmartin, who should be one of the top pitchers in the new england collegiate baseball league… 

Roster: Late Movement

Since the last Weekly Update, the Navigators have had significant roster movement:

Happy Trails: Tyler Derby of Campbellsville, Tim Busbin of UC-Davis, and Kyle Bellows of San Jose State.

…we wish these three talented players the best of luck moving forward…

Welcome:

• OF Jason Banos (Columbia Lions): Jay has been on the Navigators all off-season, but an injury kept him off the field for Columbia in 2009.  Banos is a local kid out of Lynnfield, where his resume includes three baseball letters and three all-league outfielder announcements.  He earned plenty of honors at home, including the 2006 Boston Globe All-Scholastic Honors, the 2006 Wakefield Item Scholar Athlete of the Year Award, and the 2005 Lynn Item Player of the Year Award.  Banos was the captain of the baseball team at Lynnfield during his senior year in which he hit .560 with four home runs, 24 RBI, and 18 stolen bases.  He was also a member of the Eastern Massachusetts championship team in 2005 and was a member of the team that won the Cape Ann League in 2004 and 2005.  More recently, Banos earned second team All-Ivy League accolades in 2008 after hitting .389 with six doubles and two home runs in conference play as a sophomore.
• SS Michael LeBel (Rhode Island Rams): Joining pitcher Mark Fraser on the Navigators from Rhode Island will be Quincy, MA native, Mike LeBel.  The freshman LeBel played baseball, hockey, and golf at Quincy High School and was a two-time All-Star selection in baseball.  LeBel’s first collegiate season has been extremely impressive, as he ranks third on the team with a .333 batting average and 39 runs batted in.  LeBel is tied for third on the team with seven home runs.
• OF Matt Marquis (Vanderbilt Commodores):  As mentioned by a commenter under our “Link: Around the Horn” post, Matt Marquis will be joining the Navigators in 2009.  Marquis, a Freshman from Annondale, NJ with Massachusetts roots, was a 28th-round draft pick by the Boston Red Sox out of high school.  His Vanderbilt profile lists the following accolades: 

Captured two All-Group, three All-Conference, three All-County, All-State Selection, and Rawlings All-American selections… Was named ESPN/Rice magazine top-50 national selection, Perfect Game’s No. 47 selection, Baseball America’s No. 83 selection, and Sports Illustrated/Takkle Top 100 Selection… Was a 2008 National Homerun Derby finalist… Drafted in the 28th round by the Boston Red Sox out of high school. Helped lead his team to three Skyland Conference championships and three Somerset County championships… Was a four-year letter winner, three-year starter, and captain his senior year… Also played for the Jack Cust Diamondjacks and N.J. Super 17… Helped his team to the 2007 Don Mattingly World Series National Championship. 

• 1B/P Doug Shribman (Bucknell Bison): Shribman is another talented local product, coming out of Belmont High School and Marblehead, MA.  Shribman lettered three times in baseball and football at Belmont High School, earning all-league recognition in both sports.  As a freshman in 2008, Shribman went 0-2 with a 7.61 ERA in 23.2 innings.  Shribman improved as the season went on, lowering his ERA in each of his 13 appearances, including 2.0 innings of relief in the NCAA Tournament against Florida State.  This season, Shribman was named to the Patriot League Baseball All-Tournament Team after hitting .455 with home run and five RBI in three postseason games against Lafayette.  This honor came after a superb regular season which saw Shribman primarily play first base and earn Second Team All-Patriot League honors.  He finished the season with hits in his final 18 games, the longest streak by a Bison in more than a decade.  Shribman hit .360 and tied for fourth on the program’s single-season doubles list with 15, while finishing 10th in single-season RBI (42).  Shribman drove in at least one run in eight of the final 10 games of the season, carrying Bucknell to the top seed in the Patriot League Tournament.
• 1B/P Ben Waldrip (Saint Anselm Hawks): For information on Ben Waldrip, check out NavigatorsBlog’s post on Waldrip-Breaking News: Navs Sign Ben Waldrip-which includes stats from his season with the Hawks and a striking comparison to one of the best baseball movies of all time.

…updates on the DII and DIII NCAA Tournaments will dominate NavigatorsBlog tomorrow…

Link: Around the Horn

Check out Navs’ GM Pete Delani’s blog, Around the Horn, for an in-depth look at the origins of the 2009 Navigators roster:

• 12 Massachusetts natives from Auburndale, Danvers, Dorchester, East Bridgewater, Framingham, Lynnfield, Malden, Marblehead, Medford, Peabody, Quincy, and West Barnstable
• 15 players from New England
• 19 players from the Northeast
• 7 players from California