Montreal (AP)- A somber mood overcame the Whalers when perennial All-Star
hurler, Greg Maddux went out with a season-ending injury last week. Talk of
winning, even making the postseason, was silenced. Practices and drills were
conducted with the thrill of a funeral procession. But a funny thing has
happened since Maddux went down...the Hartford Whalers have found a way.
Hartford is currently in first place in the McCoy Division of the EL with a 2
1/2 game lead over Edmonton and a 3 1/2 game lead against rival Deadwood. The
Whalers have gone 7-5 since Maddux went down and have stayed alive with
pitching, pitching, pitching. But yet another funny thing happened today up in
Montreal...Hartford found some offense. To be exact, the Whalers knocked in 13
runs against the Royals today. With a little shakeup in the batting order and
the lineups, the Whalers have found a new chemistry and a new way to win or at
least keep their heads above water. The Whalers' heroes have come from
unlikely places. Off of the bench, working in replacement of the injured Matt
Williams, veteran infielder Ryne Sandberg went 2-6 on the day with 2 runs
scored, 2 runs batted in, a walk, a stolen base and a homerun. Meanwhile,
veteran catcher and fellow offseason acquisition, Mike Stanley, went 5-9 with 2
doubles, 2 runs batted in and a homerun as well. Conversely, both Ken Griffey
Jr. and Rafael Palmiero continue to struggle, both batting well below .250 at
the moment.
Another pleasant surprise for Hartford has been the pitching performance of
both rookies Will Cunnane and Kevin Millwood and Mike Mimbs. Cunanne is making
an excellent early bid for EL ROY with an ERA under 3 and 5 saves (and a win).
Meanwhile, Mike Mimbs has stepped into Greg Maddux's starting role and has gone
2-1 with an ERA under 2. Mimbs is currently the only lefty starter for
Hartford as Tony Saunders went on the DL yesterday. Rookie Kevin Millwood has
surprised by rising from the LOW minors to fill a major league role with
early success. Millwood is currently 1-1 with a 2.87 ERA.
