By RYAN McDONOUGH
OLEAN, N.Y. – One of the mantras muttered around baseball at all levels goes something along the lines of, “The key to building a successful team is being strong up the middle.” That holds true for the 2015 New York Collegiate Baseball League champions, the Olean Oilers, and the team’s shortstop, Cole Peterson (St. Bonaventure), who has been voted the NYCBL Defensive Player of the Year.
No team was more successful, and no team had a better shortstop.
“It’s an honor,” said Peterson. “All these kids who come from different schools, different states come up here to compete and play their best. To win that award, it’s humbling.”
A native of Johnsonburg, Pa., Peterson started every game at shortstop for the Oilers – including all seven post-season games. He received four first-place votes and 41 points overall.
“That kid is just so low-key and level. Everything he does is so smooth,” said Bobby Bell, the Olean Oilers’ manager. “He keeps his wits about him at all times. He’s got the right footwork. His glove is like a wet mop, but he just makes it work. Everything he does is smooth.“
Over the course of the season, the 5-11, lanky shortstop made just nine errors with a team-best 117 assists for a .954 fielding percentage.
To get themselves into the playoffs, Olean won 12 of their final 16 games of the regular season, and then won six out of their seven playoff games.
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Peterson’s partner on the left side of the infield understands what his glove meant for this team’s success. And Bubba Hollins (St. Petersburg Coll) knows a thing or two about strong defense. He, himself, was named the 2015 Championship Series Defensive Most Valuable Player.
“He’s the most special player on the field for us,” said the Olean third baseman. “He’s done absolutely everything. That kid just doesn’t miss. He never misses.”
Hollis isn’t far off as Peterson made just one lone error in their seven playoff games.
Several times this season, the Oiler pitchers earned outs with seemingly planned and practiced pickoff plays at second base. The receiver each time was none other than the dependable Peterson.
And, with a laugh, Peterson put those notions of it being a planned, practiced play to rest.
“It looks like we knew what we were doing, but they were never practiced,” he said. “I would just flash the glove and they would throw it. And if we get ‘em, we’ll get ‘em.
“It took them always having the trust in me to catch it, and I had so much trust in them to throw it. It’s really great. A great chemistry,” Peterson added of his teammates.
Planned or not, the pickoffs at second served as one of my many ways in which Peterson caused headaches for opposing players and coaches all season. Josh Rebandt, the Niagara Power’s manager, can attest to that.
“I had to always keep my eye on our runner at second base and more so Cole because he’s so quick,” said Rebandt. “I would turn my head for the blink of an eye and next thing I know our guys is getting picked off at second base. It’s just the versatility that Cole has is what has made him such a great shortstop this summer.”
The Oilers defeated the Power in the Western Division Championship Series.
Finally, Peterson struggled to find one play in particular that has stood out to him this summer, but he landed on a tricky ball hit in the hole between third and short that he turned into an inning-ending double play.
“All of my teammates were just like ‘Wow!,’” said Peterson. “They couldn’t believe how quick and how smooth it was.
“That’s just one of the plays that stood out to me. I mean, I didn’t have anything, like, super spectacular,” he added.
He may think so, but catcher Mike Fahrman (Florida) would disagree.
“He gets the balls I fell others don’t get,” said Fahrman. “Those little hops that maybe roll up another person’s arms, he’s probably all over it. It’s like a magnet. I tell him there’s always a magnet in his glove. I’m going to find it.”
Nick Ippolito (Genesee/Cal St.-Stanislaus) finished second with two first-place votes and 38 points overall. Caleb Lang (Niagara/Cairn), Phil Madonna (Syracuse Jr. Chiefs/Siena) and A.J. Compton (Geneva Red Wings/Elmhurst) all received two first-place nods.
2015 Defensive Player of the Year
Cole Peterson (4) 41 points
Nick Ippolito (2) 38
Caleb Lang (2) 25
Phil Madonna (2) 25
A. J. Compton (2) 14
Others receiving votes: Tommy LaCongo (Hornell/St. Bonaventure), Tyler Martis (Oneonta, Siena), Lucas Tevlin (Syracuse Salt Cats/Binghamton), Conner Combs (Niagara/East Texas Baptist), Luke Gilbert (Cortland/SUNY Brockport), Evan Holland (Syracuse Salt Cats/Florida International), Alex Perry (Syracuse Jr. Chiefs/Salve Regina), Jake Dyer (Sherrill/Fort Scott CC), Josh Handzik (Geneva Twins/St. Joseph’s Coll), Isaac Dillard (Olean/Gulf Coast CC), Stephen Goldstein (Hornell/Kansas University), Justin Healey (Syracuse Jr. Chiefs/Widener), Bubba Hollins (Olean/St. Petersburg Coll), Colin Winn (Rochester/Santa Ana), Luke Waldek (Geneva Twins/Minn. St. Comm. & Tech. Coll), Corey Andrade (Genesee/Anna Maria), C.J. Krowiak (Oneonta/Binghamton), Griffin Barnes (Oneonta/Grand Canyon).
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