10-Time Cape Cod Baseball League Champions


Closing Time: Y-D Unfazed by Playoff Pressure

August 3, 2014

by WESLEY SYKES (@Wesley_Sykes)

Y-D Red Sox Beat Writer

SOUTH YARMOUTH ? The Yarmouth-Dennis Red Sox may have backed into the 2015 playoffs, dropping their last two games by a combined score of 16-4. But if you?re thinking about how they reached the playoffs, you?re focusing on the wrong aspect of that sentence.

The Red Sox are in the playoffs and for manager Scott Pickler that?s all that matters.

?There?s no momentum that?s needed to be carried over from regular season ending to start of playoffs. Everyone has a clean slate. I feel one-thousand percent about that,? he said.

That?s good news for a Y-D team that has had its ups and downs in a 2015 season that saw Pickler?s team go an even .500 with 22 wins and 22 losses. A disappointing 4-6 through their last 10 games, Pickler credits the level of competitiveness, not only within the East Division but, of the league as a whole.

?You look at this league year-in and year-out, you?re going to win half the games and lose half the games because the competition is so good out here. All we can do is go out there and compete and see what happens.?

If there was any pressure surrounding the defending Cape League champions in returning to the playoffs amidst a log-jammed East Division, the Red Sox weren?t showing it ? especially closer Ben Bowden.

?Pressure is something you put on yourself. It?s not something that?s actually there unless you put it there. We don?t feel the pressure. We?re just on the field having fun. Everyone?s joking, everyone?s messing around. Nothing has changed for us.

?When we get into the playoffs I feel like we?re going to be a tough team to mess with. We?re very confident. We?re very relaxed about the whole situation,? Bowden said Friday.

A relaxed confidence throughout high-pressure situations is something Bowden knows all about. A Lynn, MA native, Bowden assumed the closer?s role his freshman year at Vanderbilt on the way to a College World Series title and relished the role in a return visit to Omaha as the runner-up in this year?s College World Series.

The 6-foot-4, 224 pound left-hander has thrived in the closer?s role for Y-D giving up no runs over 17.1 innings pitched while posting nearly a three-to-one strikeout to walk ratio (31:8) in 10 appearances.

?I?m a lot more comfortable when it comes to high pressure situations. I feel more comfortable. I feel like it?s situations like these are ones that I live for. I love coming out of the pen. I love the adrenaline of coming out of the bullpen ? where the game?s on the line,? Bowden said.

The pressure was on in a July 30 divisional match-up against Chatham, who finished with an identical 22-22 record, as Bowden entered the game in the middle of the sixth inning after starter Brandon Bailey had just surrendered the first run of the game and trailed 1-0. Bowden inherited a runner on second base and recorded the next two outs by way of the K to stop the bleeding and get out of the jam.

He?d go on to finish out the game over the next three innings, not surrendering a hit while striking out seven. The Red Sox would go on to win the game 2-1.

Pickler said it was the best performance he?s seen from a relief pitcher in six years.

?What he did [that] night is the most impressive performance by a reliever since David Robertson came in the 2009 [Cape League] finals and struck out nine of nine guys,? he said.

Pickler cited a certain mentality that?s needed to be a dominant closer ? an unnerving sense of self-confidence and not being afraid of the moment ? something he believe?s Bowden possesses.

?When you meet a person you can tell. You can tell he?s got what it takes. It?s not about him ? until he gets on the mound. Then it?s about him. You don?t find a lot of guys like that.?

Everytime Bowden takes the mound the situation never changes. The numbers on the back of the hitter?s jerseys may change, but the situation always stays the same. It?s never a battle between himself and hitters. It?s always a battle against himself. As long as he does what he needs to, it doesn?t matter how big or small the situation is his approach remains the same.

?Basically my job is to get my teammates back in the dugout as fast as possible. I?m not trying to waste time by throwing balls. I have the confidence that I?m going to get everyone out I face.

I tell myself that no one is going to beat me, they?re not going to hit me,? Bowden said.

As the Red Sox set to defend their Cape League crown Monday in a three-game series against the second-seeded Brewster Whitecaps, Pickler?s team will look to Bowden, who knows a thing or two about defending a championship ? to relieve some pressure off his teammates.

Usually only used for an inning or two at most, Pickler has been stretching out Bowden perhaps in a move to shorten the game for his starting rotation ? a part of his team that he says lacks depth.

?We?re short on the starting pitching. We have three quality starters. [But] I like the back end of our bullpen. It takes the pressure off the starters. If they give me five or six innings, then we can see what the bullpen can do,? Pickler said.

The back-end includes Cal State Fullerton closer Chad Hockin, who?s served as the bridge-guy between the starters and Bowden this season.

Regardless if he enters the game in the sixth or the ninth ? with the bases juiced in a tie or in a bases-empty situation, Bowden will be waiting, ready to execute under the brightest of spotlights.

?Nothing?s changed for me [since playing in the College World Series]. I love having all eyes on me with the weight of the game on my shoulders to execute pitches.?

xosotin chelseathông tin chuyển nhượngcâu lạc bộ bóng đá arsenalbóng đá atalantabundesligacầu thủ haalandUEFAevertonxosokeonhacaiketquabongdalichthidau7m.newskqbdtysokeobongdabongdalufutebol ao vivofutemaxmulticanaisonbethttps://bsport.fithttps://onbet88.ooohttps://i9bet.bizhttps://hi88.ooohttps://okvip.athttps://f8bet.athttps://fb88.cashhttps://vn88.cashhttps://shbet.atbóng đá world cupbóng đá inter milantin juventusbenzemala ligaclb leicester cityMUman citymessi lionelsalahnapolineymarpsgronaldoserie atottenhamvalenciaAS ROMALeverkusenac milanmbappenapolinewcastleaston villaliverpoolfa cupreal madridpremier leagueAjaxbao bong da247EPLbarcelonabournemouthaff cupasean footballbên lề sân cỏbáo bóng đá mớibóng đá cúp thế giớitin bóng đá ViệtUEFAbáo bóng đá việt namHuyền thoại bóng đágiải ngoại hạng anhSeagametap chi bong da the gioitin bong da lutrận đấu hôm nayviệt nam bóng đátin nong bong daBóng đá nữthể thao 7m24h bóng đábóng đá hôm naythe thao ngoai hang anhtin nhanh bóng đáphòng thay đồ bóng đábóng đá phủikèo nhà cái onbetbóng đá lu 2thông tin phòng thay đồthe thao vuaapp đánh lô đềdudoanxosoxổ số giải đặc biệthôm nay xổ sốkèo đẹp hôm nayketquaxosokq xskqxsmnsoi cầu ba miềnsoi cau thong kesxkt hôm naythế giới xổ sốxổ số 24hxo.soxoso3mienxo so ba mienxoso dac bietxosodientoanxổ số dự đoánvé số chiều xổxoso ket quaxosokienthietxoso kq hôm nayxoso ktxổ số megaxổ số mới nhất hôm nayxoso truc tiepxoso ViệtSX3MIENxs dự đoánxs mien bac hom nayxs miên namxsmientrungxsmn thu 7con số may mắn hôm nayKQXS 3 miền Bắc Trung Nam Nhanhdự đoán xổ số 3 miềndò vé sốdu doan xo so hom nayket qua xo xoket qua xo so.vntrúng thưởng xo sokq xoso trực tiếpket qua xskqxs 247số miền nams0x0 mienbacxosobamien hôm naysố đẹp hôm naysố đẹp trực tuyếnnuôi số đẹpxo so hom quaxoso ketquaxstruc tiep hom nayxổ số kiến thiết trực tiếpxổ số kq hôm nayso xo kq trực tuyenkết quả xổ số miền bắc trực tiếpxo so miền namxổ số miền nam trực tiếptrực tiếp xổ số hôm nayket wa xsKQ XOSOxoso onlinexo so truc tiep hom nayxsttso mien bac trong ngàyKQXS3Msố so mien bacdu doan xo so onlinedu doan cau loxổ số kenokqxs vnKQXOSOKQXS hôm naytrực tiếp kết quả xổ số ba miềncap lo dep nhat hom naysoi cầu chuẩn hôm nayso ket qua xo soXem kết quả xổ số nhanh nhấtSX3MIENXSMB chủ nhậtKQXSMNkết quả mở giải trực tuyếnGiờ vàng chốt số OnlineĐánh Đề Con Gìdò số miền namdò vé số hôm nayso mo so debach thủ lô đẹp nhất hôm naycầu đề hôm naykết quả xổ số kiến thiết toàn quốccau dep 88xsmb rong bach kimket qua xs 2023dự đoán xổ số hàng ngàyBạch thủ đề miền BắcSoi Cầu MB thần tàisoi cau vip 247soi cầu tốtsoi cầu miễn phísoi cau mb vipxsmb hom nayxs vietlottxsmn hôm naycầu lô đẹpthống kê lô kép xổ số miền Bắcquay thử xsmnxổ số thần tàiQuay thử XSMTxổ số chiều nayxo so mien nam hom nayweb đánh lô đề trực tuyến uy tínKQXS hôm nayxsmb ngày hôm nayXSMT chủ nhậtxổ số Power 6/55KQXS A trúng roycao thủ chốt sốbảng xổ số đặc biệtsoi cầu 247 vipsoi cầu wap 666Soi cầu miễn phí 888 VIPSoi Cau Chuan MBđộc thủ desố miền bắcthần tài cho sốKết quả xổ số thần tàiXem trực tiếp xổ sốXIN SỐ THẦN TÀI THỔ ĐỊACầu lô số đẹplô đẹp vip 24hsoi cầu miễn phí 888xổ số kiến thiết chiều nayXSMN thứ 7 hàng tuầnKết quả Xổ số Hồ Chí Minhnhà cái xổ số Việt NamXổ Số Đại PhátXổ số mới nhất Hôm Nayso xo mb hom nayxxmb88quay thu mbXo so Minh ChinhXS Minh Ngọc trực tiếp hôm nayXSMN 88XSTDxs than taixổ số UY TIN NHẤTxs vietlott 88SOI CẦU SIÊU CHUẨNSoiCauVietlô đẹp hôm nay vipket qua so xo hom naykqxsmb 30 ngàydự đoán xổ số 3 miềnSoi cầu 3 càng chuẩn xácbạch thủ lônuoi lo chuanbắt lô chuẩn theo ngàykq xo-solô 3 càngnuôi lô đề siêu vipcầu Lô Xiên XSMBđề về bao nhiêuSoi cầu x3xổ số kiến thiết ngày hôm nayquay thử xsmttruc tiep kết quả sxmntrực tiếp miền bắckết quả xổ số chấm vnbảng xs đặc biệt năm 2023soi cau xsmbxổ số hà nội hôm naysxmtxsmt hôm nayxs truc tiep mbketqua xo so onlinekqxs onlinexo số hôm nayXS3MTin xs hôm nayxsmn thu2XSMN hom nayxổ số miền bắc trực tiếp hôm naySO XOxsmbsxmn hôm nay188betlink188 xo sosoi cầu vip 88lô tô việtsoi lô việtXS247xs ba miềnchốt lô đẹp nhất hôm naychốt số xsmbCHƠI LÔ TÔsoi cau mn hom naychốt lô chuẩndu doan sxmtdự đoán xổ số onlinerồng bạch kim chốt 3 càng miễn phí hôm naythống kê lô gan miền bắcdàn đề lôCầu Kèo Đặc Biệtchốt cầu may mắnkết quả xổ số miền bắc hômSoi cầu vàng 777thẻ bài onlinedu doan mn 888soi cầu miền nam vipsoi cầu mt vipdàn de hôm nay7 cao thủ chốt sốsoi cau mien phi 7777 cao thủ chốt số nức tiếng3 càng miền bắcrồng bạch kim 777dàn de bất bạion newsddxsmn188betw88w88789bettf88sin88suvipsunwintf88five8812betsv88vn88Top 10 nhà cái uy tínsky88iwinlucky88nhacaisin88oxbetm88vn88w88789betiwinf8betrio66rio66lucky88oxbetvn88188bet789betMay-88five88one88sin88bk88xbetoxbetMU88188BETSV88RIO66ONBET88188betM88M88SV88Jun-68Jun-88one88iwinv9betw388OXBETw388w388onbetonbetonbetonbet88onbet88onbet88onbet88onbetonbetonbetonbetqh88mu88Nhà cái uy tínpog79vp777vp777vipbetvipbetuk88uk88typhu88typhu88tk88tk88sm66sm66me88me888live8live8livesm66me88win798livesm66me88win79pog79pog79vp777vp777uk88uk88tk88tk88luck8luck8kingbet86kingbet86k188k188hr99hr99123b8xbetvnvipbetsv66zbettaisunwin-vntyphu88vn138vwinvwinvi68ee881xbetrio66zbetvn138i9betvipfi88clubcf68onbet88ee88typhu88onbetonbetkhuyenmai12bet-moblie12betmoblietaimienphi247vi68clupcf68clupvipbeti9betqh88onb123onbefsoi cầunổ hũbắn cáđá gàđá gàgame bàicasinosoi cầuxóc đĩagame bàigiải mã giấc mơbầu cuaslot gamecasinonổ hủdàn đềBắn cácasinodàn đềnổ hũtài xỉuslot gamecasinobắn cáđá gàgame bàithể thaogame bàisoi cầukqsssoi cầucờ tướngbắn cágame bàixóc đĩa开云体育开云体育开云体育乐鱼体育乐鱼体育乐鱼体育亚新体育亚新体育亚新体育爱游戏爱游戏爱游戏华体会华体会华体会IM体育IM体育沙巴体育沙巴体育PM体育PM体育AG尊龙AG尊龙AG尊龙AG百家乐AG百家乐AG百家乐AG真人AG真人<AG真人<皇冠体育皇冠体育PG电子PG电子万博体育万博体育KOK体育KOK体育欧宝体育江南体育江南体育江南体育半岛体育半岛体育半岛体育凯发娱乐凯发娱乐杏彩体育杏彩体育杏彩体育FB体育PM真人PM真人<米乐娱乐米乐娱乐天博体育天博体育开元棋牌开元棋牌j9九游会j9九游会开云体育AG百家乐AG百家乐AG真人AG真人爱游戏华体会华体会im体育kok体育开云体育开云体育开云体育乐鱼体育乐鱼体育欧宝体育ob体育亚博体育亚博体育亚博体育亚博体育亚博体育亚博体育开云体育开云体育棋牌棋牌沙巴体育买球平台新葡京娱乐开云体育mu88qh88

Leave a Comment


We would like to Thank our Sponsors!