After a highly successful campaign, the Defiant League Vero Beach Bums are
anxious to start another season. Before the new season, it would be good
to look back on the season that passed for the Bums.
With a lineup of steady players and no glaring weaknesses, the Bums were a
Defiant League power. They finished first by 10 games in a division that
featured another good team, the Binghamton Mets, as well as the two most
potent offenses in the DL (Duluth and Spokane). During the regular
season, the Bums finished near or at the top of the DL in a number of
offensive and defensive categories:
1st in team bases on balls (walked batters)
1st in stolen bases
2nd best on-base percentage
2nd (tie) in fewest double-play ground outs
2nd (tie) in BA vs. RHP
3rd in triples
tied for 3rd in team BA
1st in fewest home runs allowed
1st in number of shutouts
2nd in ERA, hits allowed, and W-L percentage
4th in strikeouts, opponent BA, and (tie) saves
Vero Beach was not without its share of individual accomplishments.
Closer Trevor Hoffman saved more games than anyone else in the DL while
leading the staff with a 2.20 ERA. Albie Lopez was one of an elite group
of pitchers that struck out 200 or more batters. Lopez also led the
starters with a 3.06 ERA. Billy Wagner--who signed in the off-season with
Cincinnati--put together an excellent year relieving and spot-starting,
winning 6 games and holding 7, with a 3.13 ERA and just 85 hits in 115
innings.
On the offensive side, Omar Vizquel and Brian Jordan led the team with
.324 BA. Vizquel added 44 stolen bases and 22 home runs, and led the
team in runs scored with 120. Rex Hudler earned the "Mr. Production"
award, finishing near the top of every offensive category on the team,
including a team-leading 122 runs created and 193 hits. Dave Hollins
and Ron Gant, #4 and #5 in the batting order, led the team with 106
and 104 RBI. Hollins also led the team in homers with 29. Jeff
King, despite getting cut down before the midway point of the season with
injury, compiled a .373 BA, 18 HR, 109-hit performance.
The Bums entered the playoffs confident and on a roll. They won the last
5 games of the regular season and demolished Phoenix and Ponxatawney to
capture the Defiant League championship. However, the season ended
bitterly with a four-game World Series loss to the Hartford Whalers.
The team did not award an MVP award, since so many players made such equal
contributions.
The Bums enter this year healthy and, so far, with much the same cast as
last year. Manager Phil Garner is excited to have a lineup containing
Jeff King, Marquis Grissom, Dave Hollins, Omar Vizquel, and Ron Gant, not
to mention Rex Hudler, Brian Jordan, Tom Pagnozzi, and possibly youngster
Joseph Idstein. The starting rotation looks to be about the same as well.
The anchors will be the young duo of Albie Lopez and Ismael Valdes.
Willie Adams and Kurt Hardie will also start, as will Kevin Ritz. The
bullpen is stocked with talent, even after the loss of Billy Wagner.
However, the Bums are still looking to trade for more power hitting.
Nothing is really certain as long as J. Lee Gohlke, Vero CEO, is still in
the market looking for a deal. Informal talks with Hartford, Brooklyn,
and Duluth have led to nothing so far. Stay tuned, however, as talks are
still going on.
