Liddle living the dream

Walking down Main Street on this picturesque day in mid-June, you realize how much this town has missed its ballplayers.

"It's been a long winter," says Bob Prophett, owner of Dawson Seafood. "We're ready for baseball."

Luckily for Prophett, the wait is finally over. In just a few hours, the Gatemen will square off against the Falmouth Commodores in the Cape Cod Baseball League season opener, which means summer has officially begun.

Outside the town fire station is a painted sign that reads "Gatemen home tonight 7:00 p.m." and team posters hang in store windows to remind everyone that the boys are back, as if they hadn't been counting down the days already. Sure, the players will be different, but what they represent is the same.

"I love their innocence," says Demetrios Kalkanis of Minerva Town Pizza, which has been open since 1969. "That's the greatness of it. It's pure baseball. Triple distilled, as they say."

Click here to the read the rest of my feature on Vanderbilt outfielder Steve Liddle and his experience in the Cape Cod Baseball League.

Liddle is playing for the Wareham Gatemen, while Russell Brewer and Curt Casali are playing for Hyannis, Mark Lamm and Caleb Cotham are with Brewster and Andrew Giobbi is with Harwich. I'll be catching up with these guys throughout the summer so make sure to check back here often for updates.