Old Winners and New Winners; Vero Beach, Hartford, Motor City and Galena return with a vengeance; Springfield and Larimer surprise opposition.
PVBL PUBLIC RELATIONS NEWS
Some points to mention before we get on to the real news:
Ryan George has quit his job as Public Relations Official of the PVBA. There are no confirmed rumors on who will replace him at the position. Commissioner Matthew Peck has sent out applications, but he is keeping the selection process quiet.
So far, the PVBL mailing list seems to be working, mainly because I haven't received any complaints yet! It will be a lot easier to send out e-mails by way of the mailing list because owners will not have to worry about updating the other owners' email addresses. From my experience, this new mailing list does seem to be very slow, though. In my estimation, it has taken almost 4 hours some times to receive the e-mail I had sent on the mailing list. If others have concerns with the delay of the mailing list, please contact me.
The email address for the PVBL mailing list is:
If you would like to subscribe or unsubscribe an email address on the mailing list, go to http://www.CoolList.com/ . There is information at the website pertaining to that.
As well, the Springfield Panthers, for reasons that still remain vague, have moved to Richmond and will now be known as the Richmond Panthers.
PETE'S PVBL PRESS
There are already some clearcut leaders in the DL. Larimer, Phoenix and, of course the top team, the Vero Beach Bums. The Duluth Bjork fought big early on, but now they are having a tough time competing with their division rivals, who have already built up a 6 game lead. The Bjork have suspect pitching, but so far pitchers Chris Gott, Jeff Hallony and Sterling Hitchcock have fit the bill. The Spokane Pirates were supposed to be the big competitors, not Duluth. The Pirates had amassed an incredible pitching staff comprising of Juan Guzman, David Cone, Jack McDowell, and rookie Jamey Wright. But frustration continues to arise among the pitchers--none of the starters have an ERA even close to 3.00.
The Phoenix Gila Monsters have risen up to the occasion to pull ahead of the fiesty Larimer Knights, behind the pitching of Reynolds, Astacio and 4-0 pitcher Chan Ho Park. Dave Justice, meanwhile is getting his chance to shine.
But the contest has yet to be resolved in the Riker Division. Only the Tampa Bay Mets are unable to get into the action. Will the Punxatawney Groundhogs prevail despite the temporary loss of Rocky Coppinger? Will the talented but unproven Springfield Atoms stay afloat, or be pushed aside by lack of experience? Or is either team a match for the 1-2-3 All-Star pitchers of the Houston Hellraisers, Pat Hentgen, Alex Fernandez and Tom Glavine?
Now on to the Enterprise League. To say the least, rivalries in have yet to develop like they have early on the DL. The Motor City Madmen dominate the Kirk Division, just like last year, but they may have to contend with the young Medina Mustangs and the Tucson Border Patrol. Tucson has, in my opinion, the best batting of the future, but the pitching will have to be improved before they can be a contender. But whatever happened to Brooklyn? The team powered by Melvin Nieves, Dean Palmer, Galarraga, and Bichette just to name a few. I'm convinced that their slump is only temporary, but it remains to be seen whether they can manage to get back into contention.
It is hard to pick that could compete against the Galena Force. The Laurel Lynx are above .500, but they have a very young pitching staff and it may not survive the long season. Todd Noel, despite a 6.37 ERA, has managed to keep a respectable 2-3 record. Scott Erickson is the ace, but not the ace of a playoff team.
The McCoy Division in the EL parallels the Riker Division in the DL. Hartford has taken the lead, but Edmonton and Deadwood are fighting a tight battle.
Well, don't worry... only 132 games left.
ATOMS EXCEL AGAINST ALL ODDS: Right now, the Riker Division may very well be the strongest team in the league. In any other division, the Punxatawney Groundhogs would be winning 7 out of 10 games. The Houston Hellraisers were expected to be a force, but so far aren't 1 game over .500. Sorry, Mr. Shapiro, but unlike last year, you may have to fight for a playoff spot.
Atoms' GM Aaron Watson, in his first year in management, acted like a seasoned veteran by reeling in ERA leader Randy Myers and #5 draft pick and Livan Hernandez, now leading the team in wins (4) and ERA (1.54). Another 1998 draftee obtained through trades, Dan Consedine, is providing support on an already extraordinary bullpen. I'm still looking for this team to fall, but so far the pitching staff has shown experience far beyond it's years.
QUIETLY, EDMONTON IS GAINING GROUND: The Montreal Royals, so far a huge dissapointment, may face a season beyond their control. Besides Deadwood and Hartford, two teams to beat, the Edmonton Oil Kings have shown so far that they may have a chance to contend as well. What's the big commotion about Canada's #1 team? Not only are the Oil Kings fifth in the league in offense, but they also have also have the third-best pitching staff, behind the Hamsters and the Madmen. So the question you might be asking is, why aren't the Edmonton Oil Kings, with a 16-15 record, doing any better?
Edmonton could very well be the envy of the league. They have a young offense composed of Nomar Garciaparra, Todd Hundley, Tony Clark, Joey Cora and Vladmir Guerrero. And not to mention Jose Cruz Jr., drafted 13th this year and could turn out to be the very best decision the Edmonton owner has ever made. Cruz Jr. is on pace for a 90 RBI 25 HR season and is batting close to .300. Already, Rookie-of-the-Yeard voters are taking notice.
OK, SO I'VE BEEN AVOIDING THE HAMSTERS: The Galena Hamsters are my pick for the best team in the league. I continue to be impressed by their management and their solidity in all aspects of the game. Currently, they are 11 games over .500 in this young season. Considering last year they earned the title as the best team in both the EL and the DL, the only thing they have to prove is that they can compete in the playoffs. Last year, they didn't even get past the first round when they lost to the wild card team, the Brooklyn Flaming Skulls.
The injury to Dave Nilsson, the most powerful hitter will cost them dearly. Reggie Jefferson and Kenny Lofton are both in a group of elite players, but Galena has a lot of depth and boasts backup players such as Willie McGee and Scott Servais. Depth is often what separates the good teams from the bad teams, especially as the season winds down and the pressure mounts and signs of exhaustion show. The real test for the Galena Hamsters will come in October.
HARTFORD FACES SETBACK: The unthinkable has happened. Greg Maddux, the league's premier pitcher, a player who can lead teams to championships almost by himself, will be sidelined for the entire season. Everybody will miss his work ethic and wit, but most of all, his team will miss him.
Greg Maddux was 3-0 with a 2.00 ERA before he felt a pull on his arm upon stepping into his throw. He was forced to leave the game, but the serious news did not come until after MRI scans revealed a torn rotator cuff in his right arm. It was probably the worst blow experienced by the day since day one of 1997.
The Hartford Whalers may be on top of the McCoy division, but they will need all the help they can get. After Kevin Brown and Tony Saunders, the rotation is ridden with inconsistency (the staff has an unimpressive 3.62 ERA). Not only that, but all the big players have had trouble contributing offensively (the Hartford Whalers have the third-worst run production in the league). Rafael Palmeiro, Matt Williams and Randy Velarde are all hitting well below .250. The Hartford Whalers may be a bit too confident right now due to their position in the standings, and they won't get very far this year unless they get leadership in the offense and consistency in their pitching.
VERO BEACH BUMS: On a roll, and ain't showing any signs of quiting
The Vero Beach Bums ended last season on cruise control. They finished with 5 straight wins. Many thought the late performance was just a fluke, and the playoffs would reveal their weaknesses. Not so. Many thought that after the Hartford Whalers, a team that finished on top of it's division despite having the worst record of contending teams in the playoffs, swept the Bums in the Fall Classic, it would be only free fall after that. Not so. Florida's #1 Team have won so far 23 of their first 30 games (good enough for the best in the PVBL), and have recently enjoyed a 7-game winning streak.
Their formula for success is surprisingly simple: they have third-best offense in the league with the first-best pitching (a team 2.65 ERA). There are few leaders on the team; everyone contributes in their own way. When some players aren't doing well, others pick up the slack. The same for the pitching. Every player, from the 1st to the 5th in the rotation, are providing their share of quality starts. Orlando Hernandez is the only losing starting pitcher on the staff, but even the righthanded rookie has been pitching to win about one out of every two games.
But Angel Miranda, not Willie Adams, is probably the biggest surprise on the staff. He's leading the bullpen in ERA, wins and innings pitched. More surprising was that his career was in shambles last year before owner Jason Golhke picked him up as a free agent. No one else wanted him. Now, he's one of the most valuable relievers in the league.
On Wednesday, the entire team, including owner Jason Gohlke and manager Phil Garner, were on hand to answer questions (most posed by Bums fans). Here are some of their answers:
Q: The Bums are quickly getting the reputation of being a team that wins in
big streaks (you are currently on a 7-game winning streak). What is your
reaction to that? Is your reputation justified?
Manager Phil Garner: It sure seems that way, on the surface. We definitely
get into a real groove at times. When we get in a streak like this,
there's always someone who steps up and contributes, whether it's a good
game from Kevin or Albie, or a clutch hit by any one of our guys. We have
this knack for winning when we have to. The nice thing with these guys is
that they can put together a great streak of wins but don't usually lose
too many in a row.
Owner Jason Gohlke: We won't talk about the four-game streak that ended
last season.
Garner: To be fair, we didn't play that badly in the World Series. Every
game was close--we lost by one run three times, and once by two runs. So
we hung in there, but--well, Hartford was more hungry than we were. We
might have suffered a bit of overconfidence after putting away Phoenix and
Punxatawney.
Q: You are currently the best team in the league, a situation you didn't
find yourself in last year when you fight to the top. How is this a
disadvantage or an advantage come the playoffs? Do you believe the old
adage that the team that has to fight from behind at the end of the season
usually wins the pennant?
Garner: It's hard to say since we've only had one post-season in this
league so far. Right now, we're feeling pretty good. It's hard not to
when you win 21 games in the first month of the season. My philosophy is
to take one game at a time and just do the things you have to do to win.
April is just one month--when September and October come along, we'll worry
about September.
P Kevin Ritz: If you look at last season, we were pretty close to the top
of the Picard all season, after our early .500 start. If that saying is
true, then Binghamton should have won the pennant last year, since they
were about 1 or 2 games behind us the whole way. They folded against
Chicago, though, and we won the division by 10 games.
3B Dave Hollins: It was closer than it looked.
Gohlke: So to answer your question, I'd agree with Phil--I don't think it
has much of a bearing on the playoffs. Although it sure helps to be 16
games over .500 at this point of the season.
Q: You currently have probably the best pitching in the league (the team
ERA is 2.58). While part of that success is attributable to your bullpen,
your 5-man rotation seems to be excelling far above last year, despite that
fact that most of your staff is comprised of little-known pitchers. Even
Orlando Hernandez, a comparatively late draft pick, is performing
remarkably well. What is your strategy for pitching? How do you inject so
much confidence into your staff? Do you feel that some pitchers have come
out remarkably strong during spring training and will have career years?
Garner: Let's let our pitching coach speak to that.
Coach Pete Vuckovich: Thanks, Phil, I'll be sure to put you on the spot
later. [laughter] I came in this season with a lot of advice for the
staff. Mostly I told them to loosen up. A lot of times last year, the
pitchers were pitching well but they weren't relaxed enough on the mound.
Our strategy in the off-season was to work on strength and conditioning as
well as pinpoint control. I told them, Ismael especially, not to worry
so much about getting support from the offense and just pitching a good
game. The hitting will take care of itself.
P Kevin Ritz: From a pitcher's standpoint, it's good to have a guy like
Vuke come in this year and help us out. I think Albie's and Ismael's
struggles last year, at least with their records, was just a fluke. They
weren't always getting the run support they needed, while I managed to win
a lot of games maybe I shouldn't win.
Gohlke: Nonsense.
Ritz: But this year everyone came in very ready to pitch. As a staff, we
didn't want to have to be held up by the offense. So far, we don't have
any real obvious weaknesses.
Gohlke: Maybe not enough left-handers.
Q: Ron Gant, Brian Jordan and Marquis Grissom probably comprise the best
outfield in the league. Not only that, but between them, they had only 2
errors in the 1997 season. Can one of the three players comment on this
powerful unit?
CF Marquis Grissom: Thanks for the kind words. It's great playing with
guys you can count on in the field and at the plate. I think our success
is pretty simple--we go out and do our jobs to the best of our ability. We
have an awareness of what we have to do to win games, and that's the bottom
line.
Q: This question is directed to the catchers, Tom Pagnozzi and Eddie Perez.
There isn't really a number one catcher on the team; it seems like you
share the job pretty frequently. Do certain pitchers have favorites?
Garner: Well, I'd have to interject that I consider Tom our number one
catcher. Last year he was injured for a good deal of the year, and we
agreed he would sit out while his heel... healed. Eddie and Tom platooned
at the beginning of last season, and a little this season, but, while Eddie
has a great arm, he needs more help at the plate. Eddie's back injury last
year took him out for most of the season, which was unfortunate, but I feel
he's gotten a decent shot at the backup job. I think the pitchers are
pretty comfortable with all of our catchers, Jim Collins and Larry Gulden
included.
C Tom Pagnozzi: I was really disappointed with my '97 season. Sitting on
the bench while the team was in the middle of a playoff race was not
something I saw myself doing. I'm just glad we had other guys to fill the
position.
Garner: Basically, when it's offense we're looking for, I'll go with
Pagnozzi. If we need a younger, fresher arm behind the plate, Perez or
Gulden will get the call. I see Jim Collins as our catcher of the future.
Q: This question is directed to Dave Hollins. Last year you practically
propelled your team to the playoffs with your 116 RBIs and 29 home runs.
This year you are struggling a bit more, especially hitting for average. Do
you believe that it's just a matter of time before you return to your
normal self, or are you trying to work on your batting on and off the
field. If so, how?
Hollins: I think the whole offense kind of came out of the gates
struggling this year. We were just lucky the pitchers took up the slack.
In the last couple weeks, though, I think we've all started to find our
stroke. I was lucky to be able to fill the cleanup spot last year when we
had all those injuries. I knew all along that was Jeff's job, though, and
I'm comfortable hitting behind the players in front of me. I think once
the season gets underway, I'll get my chances to drive in runs.
Q: This question is directed to Chuck Carr. Do you often get frustrated
because it's hard to get a spot in the lineup with three great outfielders
ahead of you? Do you hope to earn a spot in the starting lineup now that
Brian Jordan is injured?
CF Chuck Carr: Chucky started today, didn't he? Really, Chuck has come to
terms with a backup role. Someday Ron or Brian or Marquis -- or Chuck --
won't be playing in Vero Beach anymore, and then Chuck Carr will be a
starting centerfielder.
