Baseball Heaven: Cranston Dominates Sport in Summer Months

While some communities are watching their little leagues shrink and interest in baseball among youth steadily decline, Cranston has gradually become a baseball mecca.

The city is at the tail-end of an historic run of baseball dominance this season. From the youngest sluggers to players post-highschool leagues, the city's teams have raked in championship after championship this summer.

Even before that, in June, Cranston West High School captured the Division I baseball championship by defeating North Kingstown. Cranston East made a late post-season run and fell just short of reaching the semi-finals of the state tournament, as a number 14 seed.

The Falcons state title was the beginning of an unbelievable run Cranston put together over the summer months. At every age level, beginning with 8-year-olds and up to the 19-year-olds in senior legion baseball, Cranston claimed one state, tournament, or regional championship.

It's a remarkable accomplishment at a time when most baseball leagues are constantly trying to recruit players and coaches. CLCF alone has close to 500 children play baseball every year, some who start as young as 4 or 5 and are groomed over the years into solid ballplayers. 

"The hard work of our coaches and players has paid off," said Steve Richard, CLCF's president. 

In the 8-year-old tournament at Slater Park, the Christopher Andreozzi Memorial Tournament, CLCF produced two teams in the semi-finals, the Green Monsters and the Green Machine. Cranston Western was in the other semi-final game. It was a 20 team tournament, and the three Cranston teams proved to be the best three in the tournament. Ultimately, the Green Monsters defeated Cranston Western 4-2 in the championship game.

CLCF had a sensational baseball season as they swept every age group in the Cal Ripken League. In the 9's through 12's, CLCF won the state championship. The 10 year old team and the 12-year-old team finished in fourth place at the New England Regionals.

"The most rewarding part of it is to win with kids who have been part of the program for so long," Richard said.

About five years ago, CLFC developed a strategic plan to rebuild the league through younger players. They realized that getting older players, some of whom were already heavily involved in other sports, like soccer, wouldn't be as effective as starting on the ground floor.

For many of the young players, baseball becomes a way a life. They train and practice throughout the year, with winter clinics and off-season coaching. Consistency is key, so players keep growing, even in the off season.

The results speak for themselves, including the fact that the league has produce two players who recently signed contracts with Major League Baseball teams, Jeff Diehl and Anthony Meo.

Moving up in age, the Babe Ruth All-Stars swept the state tournaments in the month of July. The 13-year-olds won the regional tournament and are headed to the World Series in Albany, New York. The 14's and 15 year olds won the state tournament, too.

Edgewood/South Elmwood won the districts and state championship in the 15/16 year old bracket and had a decent showing at the New England Regionals.

And many of these players play ball for their high school teams. They bring with them a passion for the game, competitiveness and most importantly, the ability to have fun. The coaches in the recreational leagues deserve the credit for instilling those virtues in the players, said Michael Traficante, Cranston's Athletic Director.

"We have the best recreational opportunities for the kids in Rhode Island," Traficante said. "There's a great balance between teaching them to be competitive and also them having fun. I appreciate every single person who coaches recreational programs in the city because it helps out the high schools."

So it makes sense that the Falcons and Thunderbolts would be successful with such a strong network of recreational leagues, much like a top MLB team relies on a robust farm system.

The junior legion baseball team just wrapped up play in New Bedford this weekend. They won the state tournament, defeating West Warwick, and finished in second place at the New England Regionals, losing to Maine in the championship game. Their run is all the more impressive because one of their starters, shortstop Ivan Reyes, could not play because he played in the 15-year-old regional tournament.

The senior legion baseball team, Gershkoff Auto Body/Auburn Post 20 won the state championship, defeating Cumberland, and won two games at the New England Regionals.

In addition to the championship runs, they also had a few teams come up just short. Cranston Western advanced to the semi-finals of the 11 year old state tournament and the 12 year old state tournament.

If you add up all of the accomplishments, that is 12 championships, either in regional play, tournament play, or state champions. Cranston is clearly a baseball town running on all cylinders, and has begun to produce some elite players.