Hot bat powers Alpines
Published Friday July 25th, 2008
Senior baseball Infielder pounds out a league-leading 34 hits for 14-11 Saint John
SAINT JOHN - In a sport where numbers are king, Neil Jeffrey of the Saint John Alpines is producing some impressive statistics.
The sharp-swinging infielder has put together a 20-game hitting streak, part of the reason his team is a crisp 7-2 in its past nine and in control of its own destiny in the hunt for second place in the New Brunswick Senior loop.
There are other numbers as well.
Jeffrey, who at 23 is in the middle of his fourth senior campaign, is batting .400 for the season, thanks to a 5-for-11 run at the plate last week that propelled to second place in batting average.
And just for good measure, his next hit in the senior loop will be his 100th, a league-leading 34 coming so far this season.
"I couldn't be happier to be honest with you," said Jeffrey of the personal and team success in 2008.
When the season started, Jeffrey knew that with three years under his belt, this could be a critical campaign for the him and the Alpines, the 2001 national champions who struggled the past couple of years.
While it wasn't a now-or-never approach, the talented infielder felt it was important to step to the forefront. Thus far, it has translated into career marks for hits, average and extra base hits and a 14-11 record for the team, good for sole possession of second place entering weekend action.
"Going into this year, I felt maybe it was time to step up and be a leader," said Jeffrey, one of several emerging candidates for most valuable player.
"I wanted to try and be as good as I could be and be a top-notch player. I wanted to step up, be confident in myself and see what I could do."
He plays mostly at first base but also gets action at second. Offensively, he's a regular contributor from the No. 3 hole, one that's produced a hitting streak nearly a season long.
"I never really noticed it until it hit the mid teens," he said. "I knew I was being pretty consistent with one or two hits every game but really, I try not to think about it. I just go out and try to do my best every day."
Ideally, he'd rather deflect talk of his personal streak to the team's development throughout the lineup, depth that's continues rallies on offence and snuffs them out on defence.
Just two years ago, they went 7-23. Now, they have their sights set on second place.
"We'd have incredible pitching all year," he said. "More than anything, our hitting has come around and everyone, literally from one through nine, is contributing. It is someone different every night. That is a big part of this."
Several weeks ago, the Alpines met to set some goals down the stretch and since then, they've been flying, especially with three straight wins over the nemesis from Moncton.
Head coach Rob Jeffrey is 26 and three years older than his brother Neil but the pair have lived baseball their entire lives and the fact Neil is hitting so well - especially in 2007 and 2008 - makes it easy to insert him in the lineup with no worries of any backlash because of family connections.
But it is a bit different than usual, said Rob.
"Since I can't play anymore (he retired after four shoulder surgeries), maybe sometimes I try to play through him," said the Alpines skipper, whose father Ed is the team president and uncle Art is manger.
"I am not more invested in him than any of the other players and I'd do anything for any of them but obviously, he is my brother."
Like siblings and like teammates, they have arguments but generally, it is a smooth environment for the brothers.
"I am really proud of him and awfully happy when he does well," said Rob. "I am really pleased with his play this year."
The team hasn't finished above .500 since going 19-7 in 2004 but after three years which produced records of 12-16, 7-23 and 13-16, the squad appears to be ready to make a run deep into the playoffs.
"Usually, we would have rolled over but we are really fighting and grinding out wins now," said Rob Jeffrey. "It really shows the progression we have made as a team. Guys are getting more experience and learning how to win."
The Alpines are in Fredericton tonight and will host Summerside Sunday in a doubleheader beginning at 1 p.m. at Memorial Field.
Tonight, Tom van Wart (2-2, 5.69 ERA) will start while Sherman Yeo (6-1, 1.65) and Shaun O'Toole (2-2, 1.52) will get the call in the doubleheader against Summerside on Sunday.
In other action Saturday, Summerside travels to Chatham for two games, beginning at 6 p.m. while on Sunday, Moncton hosts Fredericton at 7 p.m.
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