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Second Season Begins Wednesday For Cutters

September 5, 2006 - Canadian American League (Can-Am)
New Haven County Cutters News Release


WEST HAVEN, CT - The New Haven County Cutters (53-38) square off with the Brockton Rox (49-43) in the first round of the 2006 Can-Am League Playoffs Wednesday night at 7:05 p.m. at Historic Yale Field. The series is a best-of-five format with Games 1 and 2 hosted by the #2 Cutters and Games 3, 4 and 5 played in #3 Brockton.

The winner of the Cutters/Rox series will advance to the Championship Round and face the winner of the #1 North Shore Spirit/#4 Quebec Capitales match up.

In 13 meetings with the Rox this season, the Cutters won eight times including the last four. The Cutters swept the Rox in a three-game series in West Haven the last time they met (Aug. 22-24).

The Cutters enter the post season clicking on all cylinders, winning five straight and eight of nine to close out the regular season.

Overall, the Cutters finished the year second in the league in both team batting (.264 avg.) and pitching (3.29 ERA).

Individually, designated hitter Derrick Gibson ended up tied for second in home runs (14), fourth in slugging (.502) and fifth in extra base hits (33).

Left fielder Horace Lawrence III placed third in batting (.318) and finished fifth in the league with 99 base hits. Both Lawrence and Gibson garnered Batter of the Week honors in the season's second half.

As a team, the Cutters led the Can-Am with 142 stolen bases with centerfielder Marcus Nettles taking the individual title with 45, a league record. Nettles also reset the single game record this year (5).

Second baseman Jose Delgado, a Can-Am All-Star selection, finished the season tied for second in the swipes category, going a perfect 32-for-32.

Cutters Game 1 starter LHP Rolando Valles (9-5) was also chosen as an all-star this year and finished 2006 fifth in the league with a 2.81 ERA.

Valles held opponents to a .231 batting average while averaging just 1.75 walks per 9.0 innings. The staff's ace pitched his best baseball down the stretch for the Cutters, going 3-0 over his last three starts with a 1.40 ERA while issuing just one walk.

The Cutters will also rely heavily on their bullpen in the playoffs, as closer Andy Weimer's 20 saves was good for second in the league. LHP Cory Willey (5-3, 2.55 ERA), RHP Mark Comolli (2-0, 1.79 ERA) and LHP Ryan Bonesio (3-2, 3.02 ERA) round out the rest of the Cutters solid relief corp.

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The opinions expressed in this release are those of the organization issuing it, and do not necessarily reflect the thoughts or opinions of OurSports Central or its staff.

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