Elliott: McCabe has 3-homer weekend, zero mounds levelled

Ontario Astros grad 1B David McCabe (Courtice, Ont.) had six hits, including three homers as the Charlotte 49ers thumped the William and Mary Pride.

By Bob Elliott

Canadian Baseball Network

The McCabe name has been known around Eastern Ontario for decades and generations.

Grandpa Howie McCabe was the head groundskeeper at Oshawa’s Kinsmen Stadium.

Howie and his wife had a son named Rob McCabe.

Rob and his wife had a son they named David McCabe.

And David had three extra-base hits, leading the Charlotte ‘49ers to a 7-1 win over William & Mary Tribe at Hayes Stadium before 127 fans in Charlotte, NC.

1B David McCabe (Courtice, Ont.), an Ontario Astros grad, enjoyed his day Saturday as he hit a:

_ Two-run homer to right centre on a 1-2 pitch in the first inning from Pride RHP Wade Strain, as the second hitter of the game in the bottom of the first.

_ Two-run homer to right centre on a 1-0 pitch for a 4-1 lead, as he greeted reliever Michael Zubovich.

_ Doubled down the right-field line on a 3-2 offering leading off the seventh against Zubovich again. McCabe stole third and scored on a grounder to first for a 6-1 lead.

In the second game of the doubleheader, McCabe singled off Ben Greenspon in a 4-0 win over William & Mary.

In the finale of the three-game series, McCabe went deep to left centre for a two-run homer against righty Tom Mayer and singled off lefty Justin Pearson in a 20-4 win.

So, six games in, McCabe is hitting .346 with three doubles, four homers, 10 RBIs and a 1.337 OPS.

While he wasn’t facing the velocity he’ll see later on when the ‘49ers play Florida Atlantic, North Carolina, Old Dominion and Rice, McCabe showed plenty of power.

As one scout wrote about McCabe who is draft eligible: “Big raw power, lifts it, big launch angle guy. Charlotte has an analytics Twitter feed. Think he had 30 degree launch angle on one HR. He is probably a 60 power (on a 20-to-80 scale). Not sure what round he goes in due to signability but if you could believe in the power.”

We met David’s father Rob at the Ray Carter Cup 15U Canadian championships inside the thick walls of Kinsmen Stadium. Oshawa’s Mr. Baseball, Jim Lutton, did the introductions.

Lutton told me a story for the ages about grandpa Howie McCabe. Now, if you have never been to Kinsmen there are three entrances: a wide gate in the right field corner at the end of the alley outside the stadium, a wider gate big enough to drive a truck through in the left field corner and an entrance for fans behind home plate.

The first time I was inside the stadium was 1967. The walls looked as if they had been built from the same mould used to build Windsor Castle. They were certainly wide enough to rebel any invaders ... from Ajax or Whitby.

Back in the day, the city of Oshawa was reliable in sending around a lawn mower around once a week to cut the outfield grass. One day Hugh ventured up to the corner for lunch.

As he walked down the alley along the right field line, he came across a summer student driving a city truck. The worker had entered through the left field corner and now he was merrily on his way.

“Did it go OK, any problems?” the groundskeeper asked.

“None at all sir ... but I had a heck of a time smoothing out that bump in the middle of the diamond. I got it done though,” replied the city worker.

Hugh McCabe raced to the gate and looked out at “his field,” the one he spent hours and hours working on from April until October. His worst fears were realized. His mound had been flattened. No mound whatsoever.

It took Hugh and his helpers three weeks to rebuild the mound to their satisfaction.