By Roy Reiss
April 6, 2015
Brian Scott will return for his 6th consecutive season. Photo by Joe Cavanaugh
Two familiar faces will be in the Kettleers 3rd base dugout this summer at Lowell Park. Coach Mike Roberts will be back guiding the Kettleers for the 12th straight summer. And right by his side will be his trusted lieutenant, Brian Scott, who’ll be returning for his 6th consecutive season.
“Brian sets such an example for his fellow coaches and the athletes with his working behind the scenes in such a professional manner; he makes others feel so important in their work; and Brian helps others daily to improve & polish their personal and professional skills.” said Coach Roberts. “Brian does this daily each summer with his Kettleers camp work; his work on the field keeping Lowell Park clean & manicured; and spending hours of pre-game practice with the team. Brian is a wonderful teacher, outstanding listener, and brings incredibly positive work habits to the Kettleers organization.”
So how did all this start, the connection between Coach Roberts and Scott? That’s what we asked the likable Scott in a recent interview.
I emailed my resume to Coach Roberts in the winter of 2009-2010 when I was working at the N.E.E.D. Collaborative teaching environmental education in Truro. I asked if he had any openings on his coaching staff for the summer of 2010. We spoke on the phone a few times and I met with Kettleers’ GM Bruce Murphy in Cotuit and got to see Lowell Park for the first time. I am very fortunate that Coach offered me a position as an assistant coach for that summer.
This will be your 6th summer in Cotuit, what are some of your thoughts on coming back?
I’m extremely excited to be coming back to Cotuit for my 6th summer! I am very happy to be able to spend the summer in Cotuit, learning so much from Coach Roberts and forming bonds with the other assistant coaches as well as watching the elite collegiate players show off their talents and passion for the game.
Any special moments stand out over the past 5 years, after all you’ve been part of two championship teams and another that won 30 games during the regular season?
The championships in 2010 and 2013, and winning 30 games in 2012 definitely stand out as special moments. But any time we get to play at Lowell Park is special. I feel very fortunate to have so many great memories and fun times with amazing coaches like Coach Roberts, Noah Scott, Scott Gurss, Kevin Kime, Alex Gett, Zach Etheredge, Matt Otteman, Mark Thomchick, Sarah (Money) Mouser, Trey McCall, Sean West, Michael Reese, Matt Pustay, Brian Bambenek, and Tim Geromini.
What is your favorite part of the coaching experience?
Wow, this is a tough question. I love learning from Coach Roberts and the other assistant coaches, getting to know the players and following their careers after they leave Cotuit, being a part of the youth camps and seeing our campers at Lowell Park cheering on the Kettleers, getting to know all the wonderful volunteers that make Cotuit the best organization in the Cape League, spending the summer on Cape Cod, and that each day is spent outside and jam-packed with baseball!
What can you tell us about Coach Roberts that the ordinary fan wouldn’t see?
Besides the dugout consumption of licorice, Cliff bars, and Alo, I would say that the ordinary fan might not see the extreme intensity and focus during games and practices plus the passion he brings for teaching the game of baseball. Another thing that fans might not see is the amount of time he spends with individual players or small groups of players helping them polish their skills. The ordinary fan definitely does not see the time Coach Roberts spends speaking to the Kettleers in the dugout about leadership, motivation, playing the game for the right reasons, and stressing hard work. One more thing the average fan doesn’t get to see is Coach Roberts working and reworking the Cotuit lineup on the bus on our way to away games.
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Hendrik Herz moving on to the Pros after three seasons with the Kettleers.
Congratulations to 2012-14 intern Hendrik Herz (Temple) who’ll be working with the Baltimore Orioles this summer. Herz has been assigned to Baltimore’s Class A team, the Delmarva Shorebirds where he’ll be working on video and data matters such as advanced scouting, swing, or delivery mechanics. In addition he’ll be involved with Baltimore’s scouting operation. Won’t be long before this former Kettleers intern will be moving up the ladder of some major league baseball team!
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Catching up on a few notes of interest from the past and future … In checking out how former Kettleers are doing this spring, fan favorite Rhett Wiseman (Vanderbilt 2013-14) is having a tremendous junior year for the defending national champion Commodores and was named Southeastern Conference Player of the Week in March. The Mansfield native went 10-for-19 (.526) with three doubles, a triple, two home runs, seven runs scored and eight RBI during the week and is hitting .345 on the season … Meanwhile Logan Taylor (Texas A & M) is having a great spring as well with the Aggies who rattled off 24 wins in a row to start the season. Taylor, who was the Kettleers MVP last summer is leading Texas A & M with 6 homers and is batting .360 with a slugging percentage of .620 … Baseball America in a recent edition said shortstop Kyle Holder (San Diego 2014) should be a first or second round choice in June’s amateur draft, calling him the best defensive shortstop in this year’s class. One scout called Holder the best amateur shortstop he’s ever seen … And 2013 playoff sensation Christian Cecilio (San Francisco) is making the most of his senior year. The crafty southpaw has started 8 games and thru 62 innings has a sparkling era of 2.03.
Kettleers Korner will be anything and everything that might interest fans, past and present, about the Kettleers. Roy Reiss, who started his career working for Curt Gowdy Broadcasting, was a former sportscaster on Channel 7 and several radio stations in Boston. His son Mike now covers the Patriots for ESPNBoston.com.