Hoboken’s Cubs a team to watch
Some of former local standouts still playing in Majors Met League
If you were wondering what had happened to some of the best baseball products in Hudson County, you just might find them still playing – only for the Hoboken Cubs of the Majors Met League.
The Cubs own a 10-5 record and are currently tied for first place in their division. Manager Nick Feola has assembled a fine group of players with a strong hint of local baseball tradition.
One of the Cubs’ best hitters is former Hoboken All-State standout Mike Eusebio, who had a field day in a game last week against the long-established Saddle Brook Colonials. Eusebio had four hits, three runs scored, two RBI and two stolen bases in that game. Lou Pellechia, another former Red Wing, had three hits in that win.
Former Memorial pitching standout Danny Cainas is one of the Cubs’ ace starters. Cainas, who was a two-time Hudson Reporter All-Area selection when he was with the Tigers three years ago, was the winning pitcher in the game against Saddle Brook.
Feola said that solid pitching has been the key to the team’s success thus far.
The Cubs have been playing in the North Jersey Majors League for the past four years, but were able to participate in the newly merged Majors Met League, which combined the traditional Metropolitan Baseball League, for decades recognized as the premier semipro baseball league in New Jersey, with the North Jersey Majors.
The Cubs had applied for admission to the Met League several times in the past, but the league refused to allow the Cubs admission because it played on an artificial turf surface at JFK Stadium.
But when both leagues were in financial woes, they decided to combine forces, which allowed the Cubs to face the established teams in the Met League, like Saddle Brook, Moonachie and Hackensack.
If you’re looking for a good team to watch during the summer months, check out the actions of the Cubs, who could provide the Mile Square City with some baseball thrills over the next two months…
Best of luck to former Weehawken High standout Jimmy Walsh, who has been named the new baseball coach at St. Peter’s College. Walsh, who has been the head coach at Union Hill for the last two years, is determined to bring a sense of pride to the Peacocks’ program, which won only 22 games over the last three years.
Walsh will definitely demand a sense of respect and commitment as the head coach. He will be a perfect hire for a struggling program…
Congrats to Weehawken’s Fernando Fuentes, who was named First Team All-State by the Associated Press and Third Team All-State by the Newark Star-Ledger. Fuentes, drafted last month by the New York Yankees in the 36th round, has decided against signing a professional contract and will go to college…
Disturbing news out of the Union City Little League, where long-time league president Richie Cassens allegedly shoved another coach in the league during a dispute last week.
Cassens was issued a summons by the Union City police, but the sad part of this story was that it took place in front of a group of horrified youngsters.
Cassens, who has been a coach and an administrator in that league for over a decade, should know better and has to set a positive example to the youngsters in that league. Regardless of how heated a confrontation could become during the course of a game, Cassens has to be better behaved, especially as the league president.
And when are Little Leagues going to wise up and realize that administrators cannot coach? They have to be one or the other. This could have been avoided if Cassens strictly acted as the league president…
Don’t forget, if you have any information to add to EXTRA INNINGS, either call me at The Hudson Reporter, at 201-798-7800, ext. 751, drop a line to 1400 Washington St., Hoboken, NJ 07030, or e-mail me at OGSMAR@aol.com.