Early trends
Each Frontier League team is five series into the season and some trends are beginning to appear. Some are quite surprising. Here are some things this guy has found most interesting about the first three weeks of the season:
* The most disappointing team to date has to be the Lake Erie Crushers. I had Lake Erie pegged for second place in the East, but the Crushers currently share the basement with London at 5-10. While the first 15 games of the season do not make or break a team, or are even cause for alarm, the stunning part of Lake Erie's start is where they're losing. The Crushers are only 1-8 at home.
* Word is that London has three players with passport problems and they're being put on the suspended list each time the Rippers return to Canada. When you're crossing the border each time you start a homestand or a roadtrip, why do you sign players who don't have passports? Not a smart move by the Rippers.
* River City is off to a 12-3 start, which isn't shocking considering the Rascals' recent success. But keep in mind that River City is doing this without two starting position players from last year, second baseman Doug Sanders and catcher Danny Sawyer, who are expected to join the team later in the season. Sanders is an assistant coach at Kent State, which has advanced to the Super Regional round of the NCAA tournament, and Sawyer earned a baseball part in the Jackie Robinson movie that is currently being filmed.
* Don't know which is more surprising: Washington is 6-8 with an anemic .187 team batting average or Gateway's pitching staff has given up the most home runs and walks in the league, yet is 8th in the league in team ERA at only 3.89.
* Traverse City's Jeff Flagg has a league-leading eight home runs. That's more than three teams, including Washington.
* While River City has the league's best record, the most impressive start might be that of Traverse City. The Beach Bums are 9-6 and have played only three home games.
* The most disappointing team to date has to be the Lake Erie Crushers. I had Lake Erie pegged for second place in the East, but the Crushers currently share the basement with London at 5-10. While the first 15 games of the season do not make or break a team, or are even cause for alarm, the stunning part of Lake Erie's start is where they're losing. The Crushers are only 1-8 at home.
* Word is that London has three players with passport problems and they're being put on the suspended list each time the Rippers return to Canada. When you're crossing the border each time you start a homestand or a roadtrip, why do you sign players who don't have passports? Not a smart move by the Rippers.
* River City is off to a 12-3 start, which isn't shocking considering the Rascals' recent success. But keep in mind that River City is doing this without two starting position players from last year, second baseman Doug Sanders and catcher Danny Sawyer, who are expected to join the team later in the season. Sanders is an assistant coach at Kent State, which has advanced to the Super Regional round of the NCAA tournament, and Sawyer earned a baseball part in the Jackie Robinson movie that is currently being filmed.
* Don't know which is more surprising: Washington is 6-8 with an anemic .187 team batting average or Gateway's pitching staff has given up the most home runs and walks in the league, yet is 8th in the league in team ERA at only 3.89.
* Traverse City's Jeff Flagg has a league-leading eight home runs. That's more than three teams, including Washington.
* While River City has the league's best record, the most impressive start might be that of Traverse City. The Beach Bums are 9-6 and have played only three home games.
Labels: Gateway Grizzlies, Lake Erie Crushers, London Rippers, River City Rascals, Traverse City Beach Bums
posted by Chris Dugan at
9:12 PM
14 Comments:
For sure, River City has had the Wild Things number for the last two or three years.
Ima Fraid
Bando 0 for 4
Daddy, can I play again next week?
How many people were really in the park last night? It did not look like 1002 to me.
at anon June 4, 2012 7:04 pm:
bando has as many rbi as garvey, more than thennis, mcconnell, waller, peters, carranza, lockwood. bando is certainly not the greatest issue this offense has.
I was at the game last night, and I'd guess about 678 in house. Saw more people at the WPIAL games
The Wild Things only have 4 active players batting higher than .200 and none at or above.300.
Something to "Stu" about.
PS-There are 3 active players batting lower than Mike Bando's .158
Now this is a trend!
Are you saying that Mike Bando is actually one of the best of the poor hitters?
COME ON SCORE SOME RUNS!!!!!!! at least before the all-star game next month bring in guys that know how to hit a ball out of the ballpark and rbi,s PLEASE
It looks like they should have taken Sidick up on his offer to play home games and road games in Florence and Lake Erie. He would have been by far their best position player for average, defense, stolen bases, and home runs.
Is it too late?
Something to "Stu" about.
Unforfunately Mike Bando is one of the better position players on the team. That is how bad this is offense wise.
Oh for the days of natural grass and good players!
How about a new manager? Five year contract for this? Give me a break!
So, this is what Stu cooked up for we peons over the winter. Gee, it isn’t exactly what we expected.
I think we all should continue to just need to stay away in droves. This is what happens when an owner
puts his hands into something-best left to baseball people. I hear every one is scared out of their pants of Williams and they are afraid to challenge him in any way. Might be good for him but we sure have a terrible baseball team, don't we?
Now wait a minute. You take a guy that is batting less then .140 and make him the DH?
There is something wrong with this picture. OMG, I cannot believe what I’m seeing this year from the Washington Wild Things. Lenny Randle looked like the village idiot trying to get the sparse crown into the game.
T-ball anyone?
how about these little tidbits: whatever the new kid was at first base cost the team 4-5 runs with two plays he didn't make, gets put in the three-spot in the lineup and can not hit the ball past the pitcher, then gets lifted for a guy who stands and looks at three straight strikes...
the catcher can not catch, and obviously can not hit. radio guys said he's gone like 20 staight at-bats since his last hit.
garvey has the best batting average on the team, by far, and he's put in the 9 spot. gets three hits and steals second only to overslide and get tagged out.
gave up 7 runs two nights in a row...the one area of the game that was working hasn't the last two nights...
never heard a single woodstock song before leaving after 7 innings. this team can't even get the promo stuff right. somebody should tell them that woodstock had nothing to do with disco...
gonna be a long, long summer...
Tonights attendance was 1028 up slighly from 1002 Tuesday.
However it still brought the season average attendence down to 1146.
On the positive side, the London Rippers with an attendence of only 427 brought their season attendence down to 1120. Looks like that team may be on its way out of town the first year.
Things need to be Stu-ed up.
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