Bums' Curse Returns with a Vengeance April 26, 1998
Duluth, MN (AP) - So far in this young season, the Vero Beach Bums (14-4)
have accumulated the best record in the PVBL with the best pitching in the
DL. The three young anchors of the pitching staff, Albie Lopez, Ismael
Valdes, and Willie Adams have combined for a brilliant 9-2 record in 12
starts. The entire starting rotation is 12-3, with just two games being
decided by the bullpen. The staff ERA, 2.44, is bettered only by the
mighty Hamsters of the EL. The Bums had played 16 games without a single
injury, after suffering a plague of injuries throughout the 1997 season.
However, in two consecutive games against the second-place Duluth Bjork,
three important members of the Bums, including two starting pitchers,
suffered serious injury.
On Friday, the Bums defeated Duluth 7-1, a game which promised a
return to the prolific hitting of last season. Starting pitcher Ismael
Valdes, who was credited with his third win, left the game after five
innings with a sore shoulder. Valdes will remain in the rotation, but his
next start will be scratched if his shoulder remains injured.
In the seventh inning, rightfielder Brian Jordan, who has been one of the
surprising offensive highlights of the Bums' lineup, as well as a
brilliant defensive player, strained his back while leaping to catch a
fly ball off the bat of Albert Belle. Team doctors estimate that
Jordan will be out for 4 to 6 weeks. Jordan missed some time last season
with a sprained wrist.
"That's the nature of the beast," said Bums manager Phil Garner. "You have
to deal with injuries in this game, as we all know here in Vero Beach.
We've got a deep staff and lineup. We can cover for Ismael and Brian
while they recover." Garner said that AAA centerfielder Dan Jourdan would
see some action in the major leagues in Jordan's place. Jourdan will
join the team in Duluth from the AAA Milwaukee Brewmeisters. Chuck Carr
will get most of the work in RF, against right-handed pitching.
Friday's game featured home runs by Jordan, Omar Vizquel, and Dave
Hollins, as well as 4 doubles, in the middle innings against Duluth
starter Sterling Hitchcock and reliever Derek Wallace. Valdes gave up the
only run in his five innings of work, struck out 4, and walked none.
Barney Berres pitched 3 scoreless innings, a long outing for the middle
reliever. Angel Miranda, leading the team with 10 appearances,
finished the game with a hitless ninth inning.
On Saturday, the Bums lost to Duluth by a score of 3-1, and for the second
consecutive game, the starting pitcher left the game due to injury. This
time it was Willie Adams, who has an incredible 0.34 ERA and a 3-0 record
in 4 starts, including Saturday. He had given up just 5 walks and 15 hits
in 26 1/3 innings.
Adams had pitched just 30 pitches, 24 for strikes, and had made it
through 2 2/3 scoreless innings, when he complained of pain in his elbow.
Bums doctors list Adams as day-to-day with a strained elbow ligament, but
Bums owner J. Lee Gohlke isn't taking any chances. "Willie is going on
the disabled list," said Gohlke. "I've seen injuries like this knock a
pitcher out for a long time, and I want him back in the rotation as soon
as possible.
John Cummings went the rest of the distance for the Bums, giving up all 3
runs on a three-run home run by Mark Nicol. "John isn't pitching too
bad," said Garner, "but his ERA doesn't show it. Dennis Springer is
coming in from Milwaukee to fill Willie's place, and if he pitches well,
he might just stay with the team." That would leave either Cummings or
right-hander Kurt Hardie--who has not been used yet this season--left out
of one of the long relief spots. The 30-year-old knuckleballer
Springer reportedly asked to be traded in the off-season, knowing that he
would see little action behind 7 other starters and long relievers. He
will get a chance to show that he can pitch with Adams' injury.
Duluth starter Chris Gott, released in the off-season by the oldest team
in the league (the Hartford Whalers), chalked up his second win for the
Bjork with one run and 5 hits in 6 innings. Gott also struck out 8
batters. Joshua Ludolph, a recent acquisition from Punxatawney, shut the
Bums out of the ninth inning for his third save. The Bums' only run came
on Dave Hollins' RBI double in the 4th inning.
"Duluth has made some great moves," marveled Gohlke. "I knew they weren't
a bad team last year, and they made quite a run just to finish third. But
Andy [Lund, Bjork owner] traded shrewdly in the off-season and got some
good pitching to go with his offense. I talked trades with him quite a
bit, but I just didn't want to part with our starters, especially to a
division opponent."
