From Salt Lake to Washington

It was only two years ago that Amalio Diaz was so close to the major leagues, and pitching so well, that he expected to be the next player called into the office of the Sale Lake Bees manager and receive word of a promotion to Anaheim, Calif.

Diaz, a right-handed relief pitcher, was in his second year in Class AAA at Salt Lake, an affiliate of the Los Angeles Angels, and had seen teammates such as Hank Conger, Mark Trumbo and Peter Bourjos receive call-ups to the majors.

“I was pitching very well as a reliever in the first half of the season. I was thinking this was my year to finally make it to the major leagues,” Diaz said Saturday afternoon. “I had pitched about 30 innings, given up only one or two earned runs and walked just two or three batters. My ERA was low.

“Then, I started seeing guys who I thought were below me get called me. That’s when I started thinking, ‘OK, this isn’t going to happen.’ I was wondering what more I needed to do to get called up to the big leagues. Then I didn’t pitch nearly as well over the second half of the season and the Angels just gave up on me one day.”

Diaz never did get called up to the major leagues, and today he’s trying to rebuild his career as a pitcher with the Wild Things. Diaz signed Friday with Washington – though he had been working out with the team for a week – and made his debut in the second game of the Wild Things’ doubleheader sweep of the Frontier League Greys. Diaz pitched a 1-2-3 ninth inning and earned a save in a 4-1 victory.

He followed that with an impressive eighth inning Saturday night, striking out the side on only 10 pitches.

With 62 games, including 13 starts and nine wins at Class AAA, along with another 62 games (30 starts) in Class AA, Diaz is the most experienced pitcher the Wild Things have ever signed. He’s only 26 years old but has eight years of professional baseball experience.

Diaz finished that 2011 season with a 4-2 record and 5.85 ERA for Salt Lake and was allowed to become a minor-league free agent.

Without an offer from a major league organization, Diaz signed last year with the Frontier League’s Joliet Slammers, where his manager was Bart Zeller, who has the same job with the Wild Things. Diaz had a fantastic year, saving 19 games and striking out 40 batters in 34 1/3 innings. He had his contract purchased by the Los Angeles Dodgers in mid-August, but pitched in only five games in low-Class A and was released after the season.

After playing on the Venezuelan Winter League championship team – where his teammates included major leaguers Pablo Sandoval, Jose Altuve and Elvis Andrus – and a short stint in the Mexican League this spring, Diaz was back home in Arizona hoping that some team, any team, would give him an opportunity to pitch again. That offer finally came from Zeller, who was looking to bolster the back of the Wild Things’ bullpen.

“I had a good relationship with him last year,” Diaz said of Zeller. “He asks you to play hard all the time, and that’s what I believe you have to do. You never know who is going to be sitting behind home plate watching you pitch. You never know when a scout is going to offer you a chance in affiliated ball. I’d like another opportunity.”

Zeller said he likes Diaz’s professional, your-not-going-to-to-defeat-me attitude, which is the perfect mentality for a closer.

“Amalio is a Jekyll and Hyde type of guy. Before the game and during batting practice, he has a good sense of humor and is loose. But when he walks across the white line, there’s nobody who is more businesslike than him.

“Guys who have been in Double-A and Triple-A usually don’t come to the Frontier League with a passion. This guy, however, he has it. I can’t say enough good things about him. When I found out that he was available, I called him and said let’s see what we can do. He honestly wanted to come here.”

My back hurts just watching this guy

The Wild Things pushed their roster back up to the 24-player limit Tuesday when they signed outfielder Alex Buccilli out of Coastal Carolina University.

Buccilli, who played at Franklin Regional High School, Frederick (Md.) Community College and Oregon before playing two seasons at Coastal, is a player that most college baseball fans know of, though they might not remember his name. He's more commonly known as the guy "with the strange batting stance" or "the guy who makes my back hurt when I watch him bat."

Here's an example:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VFHu374BQkI

Buccilli went from a walk-on to a everyday starter at Coastal Carolina, which has been a good proving ground for Frontier League players. Former Wild Things Chris Carter, Randy McGarvey, Brett Grandstrand, Travis Risser, Ryan McGraw and a few others, along with current Lake Erie outfielder Daniel Bowman and pitcher Matt Rein, each had outstanding careers with the Chanticleers. Buccilli, who is the younger brother of Wild Things Baseball Operations Director Tony Buccilli, batted .294 with 20 doubles, four home runs, 70 RBI and 16 stolen bases over 116 games in two seasons with Coastal, which made the NCAA tournament each of those years.

Buccilli told me the odd batting stance -- which stops being weird and reverts to a normal stance just before the pitch is delivered -- is simply something he does as a routine that helps him remember a couple keys to his swing. He added that he did get heckled a lot in road games because of the batting stance, saying that Clemson probably razzed him the most.

Let's play 2

Because of the rainout of their series finale June 6, the Wild Things and Greys will play a doubleheader Friday. There will be two seven-inning games beginning at 5:05 p.m.

Barnes: Trade was hurtful

Casey Barnes had planned for the Wild Things’ current series against the River City Rascals to be like any other three-game set in Washington.

Barnes, a pitcher who is in his third season in the Frontier League, planned to spend some time with his host family, his girlfriend and then go through his daily pregame preparation. And, of course, Barnes would spend a lot of time talking to fans at Consol Energy Park. After all, it’s the latter that earned him the moniker “The Mayor of Washington.” Barnes hasn’t met a person he couldn’t hold a conversation with for at least 20 minutes.

Yes, Barnes had it all planned.

That was eight months ago. Only one thing has changed since then. This weekend, Barnes is occupying the dugout on the opposite side of the field from the Wild Things.

You see, Barnes was traded from Washington to River City last November.

Washington sent Barnes, the Frontier League’s Rookie of the Year in 2011, and first baseman Michael Bando to the Rascals in exchange for first baseman Chris Andreas and relief pitchers Albert Ayala and Cory Caruso. Andreas retired during the offseason and River City replaced him in the trade with first baseman Corey LeVier.

The deal caught Barnes -- and Wild Things fans -- by surprise. Barnes, who had an 11-12 record in 32 career starts over two seasons with the Wild Things, stayed in Washington during the offseason and had planned to play a third season with the local team.

“I was very upset about being traded. It was very hurtful,” Barnes said prior Friday night’s series opener. “I was shocked. I thought I made a good, positive influence here. I felt like Washington was my home. My first year here was a good one. I got picked up by the (Philadelphia) Phillies, and after they let me go I decided to come back to Washington because I felt comfortable here.”

Barnes spent last offseason working with former Wild Things outfielder Chris Sidick at the latter’s C-Side Sports Academy and didn’t plan on relocating before the Frontier League season began.

“It was either work with Sid or go home. The thing I discovered is, working as a pitching coach there helped me as a pitcher,” Barnes said. “It really helped me with my stuff. My mental game has improved because of the things I thought to the kids.”

Barnes has a 2-1 record and 2.92 ERA in seven starts for River City. Of the four players acquired by Washington in the trade, none has played in a game with the Wild Things. Andreas retired during the offseason and Ayala was traded. LeVier and Caruso were released late in spring training. After being let go by Washington, Caruso recently returned to River City and has pitched in two games for the Rascals.

The trade is easily the worst and most unpopular in the Wild Things’ 12-year history.

Barnes’ last start was Wednesday night. He gave up one run over six innings and did not get a decision in River City’s 3-2 10-inning win over Rockford. Barnes is not scheduled to pitch against the Wild Things, but that didn’t prevent him from looking forward to the 11-hour bus trip from O’Fallon, Mo., to Washington.

“I was the only guy on the team looking forward to this trip,” Barnes said. “I would love to pitch in this series, especially against (former teammate) Gary Lee. That would have been fun. But I’m glad that I’ll be able to see my girlfriend, who is from Washington, and my former host family, the McLuckies. I’ve been looking forward to this trip for those reasons.”

Heeeere's Jhonny .... again

The roster move to release outfielder Rogelio Noris Thursday apparently was tied to the Wild Things reacquiring pitcher Jhonny Montoya Friday from the Kansas City T-Bones of the American Association.

Montoya was actually traded for himself because Washington traded him to Kansas City back in April in exchange for a player to be named.

A veteran of two seasons with the Wild Things, Montoya puts Washington at 13 Experienced players, including pitcher Justin Hall, who is on the disabled list. Frontier League teams are limited to 13 Experienced players on the active roster.

Montoya had mixed results with Kansas City. He had a 1-1 record and 12.96 ERA in 10 relief appearances, but he did have seven saves pitching as the T-Bones' closer. He walked 10 in 8 1/3 innings.

In his two seasons in Washington, Montoya was 7-10 in 43 games (26 starts) and struck out 149 in 179 innings.

It wasn't a surprise that Montoya is back with the Wild Things. He was spotted at Consol Energy Park Thursday night, so you had to expect that some kind of deal was in the works, especially after Noris was released.

Noris gone after 10 games

When the Wild Things' 2012 season drew to a close, those in charge of making such an analysis decided the most pressing need for the team's everyday lineup was power hitting, specifically at the outfield and infield corner positions.

The search for a power-hitting outfielder seemed to end when Washington acquired Rogelio Noris from Gateway in exchange for the Wild Things' first-round draft pick at the 2013 Frontier League tryout.

Noris hit 21 home runs and drove in 74 runs last year with Lake Erie and Gateway. He also hit two home runs in five playoff games.

Washington was hoping Noris would be the missing piece for an offense that lacked punch.

Noris, however, got off to a late start with the Wild Things as a visa issue kept the former Pittsburgh Pirates farmhand in his native Mexico until after the Frontier League's regular season began. When Noris did arrive, he didn't add any pop to the lineup, batting .222 with two doubles and four RBI.

After 10 games, the Noris experiment is over as the outfielder was released Thursday.

"We were looking to get more from him because he's (classified as) an Experienced player," Washington manager Bart Zeller said. "You're always going to be concerned about how your Experienced players are producing because of the salary cap."

The roster move dropped Washington to only 22 active players -- two under the league limit -- for the Thursday night game against Traverse City. Zeller said he expects to add at least one player before the team heads to Florence to begin a series Tuesday.

"I expect to sign someone in the next two or three days," he said. "We have a tryout scheduled Saturday for 17 to 20 undrafted college seniors."

However, Zeller isn't going to limit himself to a player straight out of the college ranks.

"We're going to be taking the best guy we can get," he added.

Zeller said he like his outfield, which will have rookie Scott Kalamar (Seton Hall) in left field, Darian Sandford in center field and Gus Benusa in right field.

"We have speed out there now," Zeller said.

And if you were wondering, the player Gateway selected in the first round in the Wild Things' spot was pitcher Chris Pfau, who was cut during spring training.

Roster moves

The Wild Things made several roster moves ahead of their series against Traverse City. On Monday, they released outfielder Andrew Heck. Tuesday, pitcher Michael Hepple was released and replaced on the roster by rookie pitcher Jordan Elliott, a right-hander out of Delaware State University.

Heck was Washington's leading hitter last year with a .310 batting average, 14 doubles and 20 stolen bases. This year, however, Heck was off to a slow start, batting only .182 (6-for-33) with no extra-base hits. He did not have at-bats in consecutive games since the record-setting doubleheader at Windy City June 2.

Hepple had been pitching well, though he was rarely used. The Wild Things' first pick in this year's Frontier League tryout and draft, Hepple had pitched in six games. In 11 innings, he gave up eight hits, three runs, five walks and 10 strikeouts. He had no record and a 2.45 ERA.

The 6-foot-3 Elliott had a 9-2 record and 2.77 ERA in 13 starts this spring for Delaware State. He struck out 73 in 91 innings and opponents batted only .219 against him.

Sluggin' Sam

Some of you who check this blog might recognize the name Sam DiMatteo. He is an outfielder who was a standout player at California University, last playing for the Vulcans in 2010.

DiMatteo, who is from Monaca, still holds Cal's career records for hits and doubles, and is second all-time in home runs and RBI.

For several years, DiMatteo has been trying to make a career out playing professional baseball. He had a brief spring training stay with the Washington Nationals, played in the independent Pecos League and was in spring training with the Traverse City Beach Bums a year or two ago.

DiMatteo is still giving it the ole college try and is playing again in the Pecos League with the Trinidad (Colo.) Triggers. He is tied for the league lead in home runs (10), is fourth in RBI (42) and is second in batting average (.425) through 29 games.

Trinidad is 19-12 and in first place in the North Division.

Is Washington still a good baseball town?

It's no secret that the Wild Things' attendance has been on the decline for about a half dozen years.

Anyone who has ventured through the gates at Consol Energy Park and sat amongst the rows of vacant metal bleachers and blue boxseats knows this.

Washington's per-game attendance slipped to an all-time low of 1,741 per game last year. That's down almost 1,600 per game from 2007, the last year the Wild Things were in the playoffs. It's hard to lose 1,600 people every night.

What I've often heard over the years was that people would return if the team started winning. Last year was a total mess in terms of wins and losses, and there were plenty of sometimes-puzzling, sometimes-comical things that went on that surely turned off some of the few remaining fans.

This year, however, the Wild Things have played solid baseball. They've spent much of the season either in first or second place. Sure, they're not 19-5 like the 2003 team, but a 15-11 start in a balanced East Division is encouraging.

How anybody noticed? Does anybody care?

At first glance, attendance seems to be up from this point last season. Washington is averaging 1,780 fans per game through 11 home dates. After 11 home games last year, the average attendance was 1,517. So, attendance is up, and that's a positive, right?

Well, there are several ways of looking at attendance. This year, the Wild Things have played nine of their first 11 home games on weekends, when they draw about 750 to 1,000 more fans per game than they do for weekday games. Also, Washington had one home game rained out this year (a Thursday) and it was likely to be a poorly attended game. The first two games of that series drew 2,304 total. Had the game been played, the average attendance would be less than than 1,780.

Also, of last year's first 11 home games, only five were played on weekends. If nine of those games were played on the weekend like this year, I might be writing about a drop in attendance at this point.

The attendance for Sunday's game against Evansville was lousy. Only 1,253. That's about 300 fewer than the worst weekend crowd at this point last season.

Sure, the weather was threatening. Rain was in the forecast. Heck, the Pirates had a 90-minute rain delay before their game started Sunday. And it was Father's Day.

Oh, about that last one. That can't be used as an excuse for only 1,253 showing up. Washington has played six other Father's Day home games and the average attendance was 3,286. The worst attendance of the six was 2,498. Father's Day used to be one of the prime home dates.

There are a lot of questions that need to be asked and answered about attendance. What needs to happen for attendance to go up? Will the Wild Things ever again draw good numbers over the course of an entire season? Will fans only jump on the bandwagon if the team is in first place in August? If ownership does move the team, can you blame them after years of shrinking attendance? And, is Washington a good baseball town?

As for that last question, I've always been told that Washington is a good baseball town. It's the home of PONY Baseball/Softball and the Pony League World Series. But after looking at attendance in recent years at Wild Things games and the Pony League World Series, I'm not so sure that it's a good baseball town or even a good baseball area. Might not even qualify as a good sports area. Attendance at high school football and basketball games in Washington and Greene counties has declined significantly in recent years. Dual meets in wrestling? For many of those, the revenue those generate is not worth the cost of opening the doors or putting gas in the visiting team's bus.

Small college basketball games, which used to draw packed houses at Waynesburg and California, now draw a few hundred on most nights.

I can go on.

Washington County lost its Senior PGA (now Champions) Tour event at Quicksilver. Several American Legion baseball teams in the two-county area have ceased operations this year etc.

We like to think of this as a good sports area, but I'm not so sure. If you're not the Steelers or Penguins, then it's hard to generate much interest as the Wild Things seem to be proving.

Bullpen battle

Washington first baseman Stewart Ijames makes a throw to second base during the first inning Sunday against Evansville. In the background, Washington's bullpen crew stand along the right-field line in a (for lack of a better term) bullpen battle. After the national anthem was played, the relief pitchers for each team remained standing at attention along the foul territory side of their respective foul lines, Evansville in left field and Washington in right field. They remained that way, with approval of the umpires, as part of a bullpen challenge to see which group would be the first to disperse. Washington won the challenge when Mark Samuelson’s first-inning double went down the left-field line and to the wall, scattering the Otters’ pitchers.

Healthy, happy and hitting

For Jovan Rosa it's as simple as the 3 Hs.

That's healthy, happy and hitting.

Rosa has been all three this year, his second season with the Wild Things. And the veteran third baseman is a big reason why Washington is knocking at the ceiling of the Frontier League East Division's standings.

Entering Saturday night's game against first-place Evansville, Rosa is leading the Wild Things in batting average (.361), hits (35), doubles (9) and RBI (17). He's also been Washington's best defensive third baseman since either 2006 (Pat Peavey) or 2007 (Eric Earnhardt).

In Washington's doubleheader early this month at Windy City, Rosa was 9-for-11 with two doubles and had eight consecutive hits.

Rosa's early season play has a marked improvement over last year when the former Chicago Cubs farmhand was limited to only 24 games because of an assortment of leg injuries. Washington signed Rosa in late July after he was released a month earlier by Normal.

"Last year was difficult for many reasons. I didn't play baseball in 2011," Rosa explained. "Then I signed with Normal about two months before spring training and didn't have a full offseason to get ready. I was at Normal for three weeks and had three injuries, each a leg injury."

It started, like many leg problems, with a pulled hamstring.

"Then I came back, and two weeks later I had a right hip flexor injury. Then I injured the flexor in my left hip. When I signed with Washington, my range and mobility was very limited," Rosa said.

That's why Rosa played four games at first base for Washington last season. This year, Rosa is healthy and back at third base, displaying some of the form that helped make him the Cubs' 22nd-round draft pick in 2006. He spent four years in affiliated ball before being released in 2010.

"I'm finally healthy and I've been working hard," Rosa said. "Every game, I'm just trying to have good at-bats, get ahead in the count and then be aggressive."

Aggressive was what Rosa was Friday night when he hit a two-run homer off Evansville starting pitcher Ryan Zamorsky (3-1) in the first inning. They were the first runs Zamorsky had allowed all season. In his second at-bat, Rosa roped a double to the wall in right centerfield.

Zeller said Rosa's fast start comes down to one simple thing: the guy is happy.

"He likes it here. He likes the chemistry. He likes the ballclub," Zeller explained. "He became a father this spring and his life is in order. He wants to continue to be productive and get out of here, get back to affiliated ball."

Today, Rosa will settle for spending some time with his son, Jovan Jr. Rosa left Washington early in spring training to return home to East Hartford, Conn., for his son's birth. A few days later, Rosa returned to the Wild Things and hasn't seen his newborn son since.

"I'll see him today. And Sunday will be my first Father's Day with him. That will be nice," Rosa said.

Lost and found

After watching Evansville right fielder C.J. Henry lose a fly ball in the lights -- or sky -- Friday that went for an inside-the-park home run by Washington's C.J. Beatty during the Wild Things' 6-1 victory, I was reminded of a post on this blog from July of 2009, which might give some insight into why so many fly balls get lost by visiting right fielders at Consol Energy Park.

From that previous blog entry:

Washington's Grant Psomas hit a routine two-out fly ball to right field that River City's Matt Houin couldn't locate. The ball dropped for a double and led to the go-ahead run for the Wild Things.

It was the second time in three series at Consol Energy Park this year that a visiting right fielder couldn't locate a routine fly ball. Both times the ball dropped for an extra-base hit. It will happen again this season. You can bank on it. At least three times every year visiting right fielders lose track of fly balls. Most drop for doubles or triples. A few have been caught by hustling center fielders or second basemen.

So why all the trouble locating the fly balls? Washington right fielder Matt Sutton gave this explanation Saturday night:

"They're not losing balls in the lights or the setting sun. They're losing the balls in the sky. When it's still twilight here, it's very difficult to locate the ball in right field because of the background. Left fielders don't have as much of a problem because there are some tree tops over by the Interstate that give you a background for finding the ball. In right field, all you have is sky. There's no park in the league that's tougher to pick up a fly ball in."

Sutton said that in Washington you have to find the ball coming off the bat against the background of the third-base stands or pick it up in the lights. If you don't, then what happened Saturday night will be the result.

How many wins?

The Wild Things 6-1 victory over the Lake Erie Crushers Sunday left both managers talking, not about the details of the game, but about how to make the playoffs.

(Jim Mora voice) Playoffs?

It's only early June.

Well, here's what Lake Erie's Jeff Isom and Washington's Bart Zeller were talking about after the game:

Isom was disappointed the Crushers lost, but he wasn't upset because Lake Erie had won two of three games in the series and finished its six-game road trip with a 3-3 record.

"Our main goal has always been to play .500 on the road and win two out of three at home," Isom explained. "If we do that, we'll be in the playoffs. It would have been nice to win this one, though."

Following Isom's .500 on the road, .667 at home theory, a team would finish with a 56-40 record, not counting any changes for facing the Greys.

Later, Zeller was happy because his team met its goal for its second "10-game season."

"We break the schedule down into 10-game seasons. We went 6-4 in the first 10-game season. We were 5-4 going into (Sunday). If you play .600 for an entire season, that will get you in the playoffs," Zeller explained. "This is something our guys have bought into. Our third 10-game season begins Tuesday."

To play .600 for the season, a team would have to win at least 58 games.

Both managers are correct. At least 56 wins should get you in the playoffs. Only twice has a Frontier League team won at least 56 games and not made the playoffs. The first was Traverse City (57-39) in 2006, which was when the Beach Bums were managed by Isom. The other was Southern Illinois (56-40) in 2009, when Zeller was a coach with the Miners.

Isom on his days in Washington

Here's a story published in today's O-R about Jeff Isom and his two-year run (2002-2003) as manager of the Wild Things.

http://www.observer-reporter.com/article/20130608/COLUMN0102/130609420#.UbThd53D_IU

Sandford traded ... not so fast!

UPDATE:
Late last night, the Wild Things sent an updated roster to the Frontier League that included the note that center fielder Darian Sandford had been traded to Joliet. There was no note as to whom the Wild Things received in the deal.

That's because there is no deal.

By Thursday morning, the trade had been rescinded. Nobody was saying exactly why Thursday night, but Sandford was back in uniform with the Wild Things before their game against the Greys was postponed.

Washington did make other roster moves with their outfielders as Gus Benusa was placed on the 7-day disabled list with a quad injury. He left the game Tuesday in the middle innings. His spot on the roster was filled by outfielder Rogelio Noris.

Also, Washington released first baseman Rick Devereaux today. The West Allegheny High School and Pitt product was in his second season with the Wild Things. He was off to a slow start the plate, batting only .139 (5-for-36). The moves leave Washington with 23 active players, one under the league limit.

Tuesday night leftovers

Outfielder Rogelio Noris is finally in Washington after a lengthy visa delay. Noris was acquired from Gateway in an offseason trade after finishing third in the Frontier League in home runs (21) last year.

Noris is currently on the 14-day disabled list and eligible to be activated, though Washington would have to clear a Experienced roster spot for Noris. The Wild Things are at the league limit of 13 Experienced players. Manager Bart Zeller said Noris has been playing in Mexico and is in game shape. No timetable has been set for Noris to be activated.

* The Greys have been able to sign several players with extensive experience in affiliated ball, which is uncommon for a Frontier League travel team. How did the Greys land players like first baseman Balbino Fuenmayor and third baseman Tyler Kolodny, each of whom are in their seventh season of pro ball, and pitcher Joe Zeller, who was promoted to Class AA in the Chicago Cubs' system last year?

"I didn't say 'I won't contact this guy because he played in Double-A so there's no way he's going to play (with a travel team)," Greys manager Brent Metheny said. "I called everybody. The worst thing they could do is tell me no. If they did, I told them good luck in the future and moved on to the next guy.

"You have to be honest with guys about the situation here. You can't bring guys who will moan and complain about being on the bus every three days and getting to the ballpark at the same time every day. It is what it is."

If you're wondering, players on the Greys get meal money once per week.

* Jovan Rosa, who had eight consecutive hits during the doubleheader Sunday at Windy City, went 0-for-5 against the Greys but made several top-notch defensive plays at third base. Rosa's defense has improved significantly over last season.

* The attendance was announced as 1,302, which had to be a disappointment when you consider how well the Wild Things have been playing.

Random thoughts, statistics

A few items prior to the Wild Things beginning their second homestand of the season:

* Washington's 10-5 start is the tied for the best 15-game start in franchise history. The Wild Things also were 10-5 in 2003 and 2007. That was the second year with Jeff Isom as manager and fourth under John Massarelli. Both of those teams made the Frontier League playoffs.

* According to Frontier League deputy commissioner Steve Tahsler, the Wild Things' 19-inning game Saturday/Sunday at Windy City was the longest in league history, eclipsing the 18-inning game July 13, 2007, between Florence and Southern Illinois.

* The Wild Things return home tonight in first place in the East Division. Has anybody noticed? In other words, what will the attendance be tonight when Washington hosts the Greys, the Frontier League's traveling team, which is off to a respectable 6-9 start?

Tuesday night home games, especially when some area schools are not yet on summer break, have never been top draws, but the Wild Things have been playing some of their best baseball in years. Though it will be on the cool side, the weather forecast is for 0% chance of rain tonight. The turnstile count should be worth noting.

* Darian Sandford is on pace to steal 89 bases, which would obliterate his league record of 71 steals.

* If there is one alarming trend in the Wild Things' play thus far, it's the high strikeout rate of their hitters. Washington leads the league with 159 strikeouts. Windy City is second with 141, but the ThunderBolts have played one more game than Washington. Florence is a distant third in whiffs with 120.

Strikeouts are unproductive outs. They do not advance baserunners. Washington already has had seven games with at least 10 strikeouts, and had nine in a six-inning game at Joliet. In the 19-inning game with Windy City, Wild Things hitters struck out 20 times and had 22 at-bats in which they failed to advance a baserunner. That's way too many. Over the course of an entire season, those kind of strikeout numbers will haunt you, especially when you're not a power-hitting team.

When the Wild Things do put the ball in play, good things have been happening. They are hitting .281 with runners in scoring position. It's the strikeouts, though, that have kept them from being, let's say, 13-2 instead of 10-5.

* The best statistic for Washington, other than its league-best 2.69 team ERA, is only Traverse City, River City and Rockford have issued fewer walks than the Wild Things' pitching staff. Washington has walked 45 batters in 134 innings. Of the three teams with fewer walks, none of those has pitched at least 121 innings.

Decisions, decisions

The Wild Things made two interesting roster moves this week, which will lead to some difficult decisions as early as next week.

Starting pitcher Jason Hall was placed on the 7-day disabled list with what has been described as rotator cuff soreness. It is believed that this is only a minor ailment and the Wild Things decided to play it safe and put Hall on the shorter of the two disabled lists. He will be eligible to come off the DL June 5, the second game of the home series against the Frontier League Greys.

Washington also signed 25-year-old outfielder Nick Akins, who spent five seasons in the Los Angeles Dodgers system. Drafted three times, Akins has hit 56 career home runs, including 21 in one season.

Washington had been at the Frontier League roster limit of 13 players classified as Experienced or Veteran. Putting Hall on the DL and signing Akins kept the Wild Things at 13.

However, Washington manager Bart Zeller told WJPA Radio's Randy Gore prior to the Wild Things' win over Windy City Friday night that outfielder Rogelio Noris has secured a visa is expected to be in Washington early next week. Noris, who hit 21 home runs in the Frontier League last season and was acquired in an offseason trade with Gateway, also is classified as Experienced.

"He's supposed to be in Washington Monday. We'll probably work him out for four or five days," Zeller said.

If Hall is activated off the DL and Norris added to the active roster, that means Washington must make two corresponding moves with Experienced/Veteran players. Releasing or trading a player classified as Rookie-1 or Rookie-2 won't help the situation.

Akins and Noris each are outfielders, and Washington already has two Experienced outfielders in Gus Benusa and Darian Sandford. Benusa is tied for the team lead in runs (12), is second in batting average (.314) and might be the most improved player on the team. Sandford has pushed his batting average up to .256 and leads the league with 13 stolen bases, more than double that of the closest competition. Openings on the roster for new players are hard to find.

"When you do things like that, it puts a lot of pressure on the coaching staff to make some very, very tough decisions," Zeller said.