After fabulous debut season, Waves looking to make bigger splash in 2014

In the next two-plus weeks leading up to Opening Day, the NECBL will unveil team-by-team previews for the 2014 campaign, one per weekday leading up to June 5.

Recapping 2013
Success like Ocean State’s wasn’t supposed to be as easy as the Waves made it appear.

Of all of the league’s expansion franchises dating back to 2000, only North Adams had a winning record and qualified for the postseason in their first year of existence in 2002. The others? Either last (Manchester/Laconia, 12-29, 2000; Concord/Holyoke, 16-24, 2001; Sanford, 15-27, 2002) or second-to-last (Vermont, 15-26, 2003) in their first-ever seasons.

With three expansion teams in the fold last summer, one would have expected that trend to more or less continue, right?

Almost. For two franchises – Plymouth and Saratoga – that held true, as neither qualified for the postseason, with Plymouth finishing last in the NECBL East and Saratoga second-to-last in the West. But Ocean State? Nobody told the Waves about those struggles.

Rhode Island’s newest collegiate summer league franchise put everyone on notice with their dominant offense; Ocean State ranked third in the league with a .266 team average, scored 218 runs (3rd/NECBL), mashed 30 homers (2nd) and boasted a .709 team OPS (3rd).

The Waves were certainly a thorn in reigning league champ Newport’s side, as the two quickly became rivals as Ocean State eventually finished second in the NECBL East. Despite the Waves’ first-round exit in the East Division Semifinals, there was plenty of buzz all summer long at Old Mountain Field.

Creighton’s Michael Gerber was the only player in the league to rank in the top-five of all three triple crown categories and was one of three Waves All-Stars, including Trinity (Texas)’s Christian Muscarello and Binghamton’s Shaun McGraw.

Players To Watch
Lucas Fernandes (Boston College, Jr. RHP) – The right-hander went 3-2 with a 3.71 ERA in 21 appearances at Chestnut Hill this spring, totaling 34.0 innings for the Eagles. Over that span, he allowed 34 hits, 12 walks and fanned 20.

Steve Moyers (Rhode Island, Jr. LHP) – An absolute workhorse for a URI squad that endured a rebuilding season in 2014, Moyers posted a solid 2.30 ERA in 13 starts for the Rams. The southpaw tossed a team-high 82.1 innings, walked only 19 and struck out 60. An indicator of just how good Moyers was: the junior yielded only 66 hits on the season – nearly 20 fewer than the total amount of innings he worked. 

John Mullen (Bryant, Sr. 3B) – Makes sense for one of Rhode Island’s up-and-coming summer collegiate squads to snag a stud from what has quickly become the state – and region’s – top Division I program. Mullen hit .317 with 10 doubles, four home runs, 36 RBI, and scored 30 runs for the two-time NEC Champion Bulldogs. For his efforts, he was named a First Team All-New England selection (NEIBA) and was a First Team All-NEC choice, as well.

Alec Solé (St. Louis, Sr. INF) – Another key addition to what should make Ocean State’s infield one of the league’s best yet again, Solé heads to Wakefield after hitting .353 with 59 hits, seven doubles, 28 RBI, and 28 runs scored for the Billikens.

Drew Ferguson (Belmont, Sr., OF) – Ocean State boasted plenty of pop from multiple spots on the diamond last year, but none were better than their core of outfielders. Ferguson could draw comparisons to last year’s star outfielder, Mike Gerber. The former hit .344 with 15 doubles, 10 home runs, 35 RBI, 44 runs scored, 113 total bases, 20 walks, a .456 OBP and 12 stolen bases for Belmont this spring. Not bad!

Coaching Staff
The Waves will turn to an entirely new coaching staff this summer, headlined by Eric Cirella, the head coach at Salve Regina, who will lead the Waves in their second season. Cirella led the Seahawks to a 26-15 record this spring after serving as an assistant coach at URI from 2007-2012. Cirella will be joined by James Sauro, Casey Buckley and Shaun McGraw. Sauro was an assistant last season and is still in the top-five in career batting average at URI. McGraw is a familiar face at Old Mountain Field; the senior at Binghamton played for the Waves last summer en route to being named an All-Star.

--

For continuing coverage of the NECBL, visit NECBL.com and follow the league on Twitter and on Facebook.