As it turned out the All-Star game was to be the last in the Cape League for Jimmy Cesario. The second baseman from the University of Houston played in 34 games for the Commodores before signing a contract for the Colorado Rockies. Even though his time on the team was cut short the wake left by Cesario was unmistakable. Even in the early days of August his name could still be seen on stat sheets listing the top 10 batters for the league. Jimmy left with a batting average of .387 in 137 at bats, enough to earn the new Rockie farmhand the 2008 Thurman Munson Batting Championship award.

But the second baseman wasn’t the only Commodore to be recognized by the league. Notre Dame’s AJ Pollock took Falmouth by storm with a continuously high batting average and remarkable plays in his centerfield position. Pollock walked away from the ‘08 season with the Cape Cod League Pat Sorenti Most Valuable Player award in his hands. Among the list of those who have received this award are current major league players Darin Erstad, Mike Fontenot, Evan Longoria, Carlos Pena, and Jason Varitek. 

After the excitement of the All-Star game the team continued its battle. The increasing humidity and heat in the month of August would seem daunting to most but this group of mostly southern players looked right at home in the dense heat of the dog days. Falmouth took 3 of 7 games played in the early part of the month, enough to tie them with the Bourne Braves (23-20-1) and qualify the team for a play-in game to secure second place in the division.

The play-in game was hosted in Falmouth and could only be described as dramatic. Going into the 7^th inning Bourne was leading Falmouth 2-1. Kevin Nolan (Winthrop) began the action the inning with a single to right field. Next up in the batting order, Ryan Jones (Wichita) was walked, and Michael Thomas (Southern) got out but still managed to advance those on base. Brandon Macias who came to Falmouth mid-season had been struggling at the plate, but when he came up to bat that night in the 7^th inning he singled to left center field and allowed Falmouth to step into their second place spot in the Western Division with a 3-2 win. 

To make it to the finals Falmouth would have to defeat the red hot Cotuit Kettleer’s. Cotuit entered the playoffs with five straight wins in the month of August. In the first game of a three game series, Cotuit beat the Commodores 6-4 to take their sixth straight.

Home field advantage was huge in this series. Cotuit hosted the first game with a win for their team but when the playoffs were moved onto Falmouth’s turf the tides seemed to change. It was a hard fought battle. In the ninth inning, the Kettleer’s Kevin Patterson stepped up to the plate as the possible tying run but was struck out by Tootle (Jacksonville). Cotuit left Falmouth with a 6-3 loss and another game to finish the series in a rubber match.

Back in Cotuit, the last game of the series started well for Falmouth. With Chad Bettis on the mound the Commodores earned a 1-0 lead in the top of the second but in the second and third innings Cotuit racked up three runs to take and keep the lead. The game ended with a 3-2 score and this would also prove to be the end to a great season for the Commodore team.

As pitcher Ben Tootle puts it, “It was probably one of the best baseball experiences I’ve ever had. It was a lot of fun and I got to meet new players from different parts of the country to see their routines and their workouts. I would definitely come back to play again if the opportunity came because it is such a unique experience.”

This season saw players from all parts of the United States--from the coast of Oregon to the Jersey shore, from down in Texas and up in New Hampshire--they came to Falmouth, the cream of the college crop. For two and a half months this summer these players came together as a team. They worked hard day after day to put another W on the Arnie Allen Diamond score board. The Commodore players in the ‘09 season will definitely have large gloves to fill but they will be part of one of the best run organizations, and the premier summer baseball league in the country there is no doubt they will all be up to the job.