Busy Week Ahead for Andre Chiefs
At right: Medford’s Matt Anderson. Courtesy photo.
Chiefs Notebook
Overnight rain and wet grounds contributed to the postponement of Sunday’s Chiefs at Reading Bulldogs game at Morton Field. Bulldogs management made the decision to call off the scheduled 1:30 start shortly after 10:00AM. The Chiefs have an off day on Monday and begin a four game in four day stretch on Tuesday at 6:00PM when they host the Testa Bombers of East Boston at Tufts University.
Righty Isaac Oakley will throw some side sessions and is expected to make a return to the mound in about two weeks. The former Cambridge Rindge & Latin star, who attended Oregon State on a baseball scholarship before transferring to UMass-Amherst in 2009, had been experiencing some elbow stiffness.
First baseman Mike Gedman, son of former Boston Red Sox catcher Rich Gedman, has started his Chiefs career on an early season tear, going seven for his first twelve with a couple of doubles and three RBI’s.
Former Chiefs centerfielder Jeff Bercume is scheduled to make his professional debut on Friday in Eugene, Oregon. Bercume, who hit .325 for the Chiefs last summer, was signed by the Oakland A’s last month. The Leicester, MA, native co-captained the 2009 Merrimack College Warriors along with Chiefs third baseman Mike Andre.
Former Franklin Pierce all-star catcher Matt Anderson of Medford, MA, has been splitting time behind the plate with 2007 ICL Rookie of the Year Bob McCarthy of Chelmsford, MA. Anderson, who appeared in three Division 2 World Series with the Ravens during his collegiate career, had his best season for Franklin Pierce in 2007 when he was an all-Northeast 10 first team selection hitting .329 in 57 games with eight homers and 49 RBI’s. He was expected to be a high draft pick in the 2008 MLB draft before a knee injury curtailed those plans. That injury caused him to miss the entire 2009 ICL season
Chiefs pitching has combined to strike out 26 batters in the first 27 innings of the season while issuing only three walks…With Sundays’ rainout, the Chiefs are now expected to send lefty Dylan Ellis (2-0) to the mound on Tuesday. Tim Dunphy, who pitched professionally for the Namur Angels, will draw the starting assignment on Wednesday with former UMass-Amherst right-handers Jared Freni and Mike DiCato, who made career mound appearance 25 against the Americans, penciled in on Thursday and Friday.
The Chiefs have added former all-North Bergen County outfielder-first baseman Eric Rosenberg of Oakland, New Jersey, to the roster, replacing lefty Eric Perrault, who signed a ten-day contract with the North Adams Steeplecats. Perrault was the top pitcher in New Hampshire in 2008 with a 7-0 record and a 0.50 ERA while striking out 85 batters in just 50 innings of work. Perrault picked a win last week for the Steeplecats with 1.2 innings of relief against the Vermont Mountainers.
Lexington Blue Sox infielder Matt Perry, son of former Holy Cross and Boston Celtics great Ronnie Perry, has signed with the Detriot Tigers after being drafted in Round 41 of the MLB draft last week. Perry was 0-2 against the Chiefs last Monday.
Lefty Ryan O’Rourke, who was drafted by the Minnesota Twins in the Round 13, has not as yet signed with the American League club. The former Merrimack College star worked three scoreless innings for the Chiefs in their final exhibition game on June 2.
Information from www.andrechiefs.com and www.intercityleaguebaseball.com