Vermont doubles up Scrappers

July 10, 2010 at 12:10a.m.

By JOE SCALZO

NILES

There are a lot of professions where it helps to have “Princeton” on your resume.

Baseball isn’t always one of them. Especially not in the locker room.

“I’m used to it by now,” said Scrappers infielder Dan DeGeorge, a Princeton graduate who gets his fair share of teasing from his teammates. “Anytime guys have a question they come to me like I know it. I don’t know it.

“By this point, I just pretend like I know what I’m talking about and try to sound good.”

DeGeorge doesn’t take the same approach to baseball, opting to pick the brains of Scrappers manager Travis Fryman and hitting coach Dennis Malave whenever possible.

That approach paid off Friday night as DeGeorge had three hits, an RBI and scored a run in Mahoning Valley’s 10-5 loss to the Vermont Lake Monsters at Eastwood Field.

“The past couple games been a little uncomfortable at the plate but I’ve been working with Dennis and Travis,” said DeGeorge, who entered the game batting .196 in 12 games. “I learn something new from those guys every day so they’ve been a big help.”

When asked if he’s one of those players who can’t sleep after a bad game, he laughed and said, “I used to be pretty bad but I’ve learned baseball is a game of failure and how you deal with it.”

It’s a good lesson for Mahoning Valley (10-11), which entered Friday’s game last in the New York-Penn League in batting with a .212 average — 70 points behind first-place Brooklyn.

But the Scrappers had 11 hits against the Lake Monsters, including a double by DeGeorge, a triple by Chase Burnette and a homer by Brian Heere (his first of the season).

“We had a couple good innings offensively,” said DeGeorge. “We’re struggling a little with the bats now but I think the team is going to get better.

“It’s a process.”

The Lake Monsters (16-5), who have the best record in the NYPL, had 12 hits and scored seven runs off Scrappers starter Kirk Wetmore (0-3).

Because the Scrappers don’t have a lot of high draft picks or offensive powerhouses, they have to create wins through hustle and hard work, which is why Fryman likes DeGeorge.

DeGeorge signed with the Indians as an undrafted free agent last June and batted .182 with 14 RBIs last season, splitting time between the Indians’ Arizona League team and the Lake County Captains. He’s a utility infielder for the Scrappers, splitting time between second base and third.

“He’s a smart player,” said Fryman. “He’s a scrappy kid who plays a real good second base for us and fills in some at third. His role is, he’s got to put the ball into play, have good situational hitting and he’s got to play good defense and he does that.

“He works very hard. He’s a guy who, as a manager, you want him on your ballclub.”

VermontScrappers

abrhbiabrhbi

Mzingo cf3022Casas cf5111

Kelso 2b3112Heere lf4122

King 3b4221Cannon dh4000

Freitas dh4110Burnette lf4110

Mrtinsn ss4011Urshela 3b4011

Keyes rf4112Moncrief rf4010

Leonda c5000Fntanez ss3120

Labrie 1b3210Montero c4000

Miller lf4331DeGeo 2b4131

Totals3510129Totals365115

Vermont002611000—10

Scrappers010040000—5

DP—Vermont 1, Scrappers 0. LOB—Vermont 6, Scrappers 5. 2B—Miller 3 (6), DeGeorge (1). 3B—Burnette (1), Casas (1). HR—Heere (1). SB—Fontanez (4). PB—Montero (4).

IPHRERBBSO

Vermont

McKenzie4 2-365513

Bates, W 2-03 1-330004

Cahill120002

Scrappers

Wetmore L, 0-33 2-367744

Gaynor1-331101

Goryl222000

Smith210013

Dickerson100000

Umpires—Home, Roberto Ortiz; Bases, Dane Ratajski. T—2:58 (:20 delay). A—2,614.