Vero Beach, FL (AP) - The Vero Beach Bums aren't worried.
"Sure we've had an up and down month. But we're in the driver's seat,"
said Bums closer Trevor Hoffman. "Duluth isn't going to catch us."
Other Bums agree. "How likely is what? Losing the division to Duluth?"
exclaimed an awestruck 2B Rex Hudler. "I'm not even going to answer that."
The Bums, who lead the Duluth Bjork by 21 games with 64 games remaining,
have good reason to be confident. They have been able to dominate the
Defiant League with no equal--a record of 18-4 outside of the Picard and
52-24 in their division--although the Phoenix Gila Monsters come close.
However, the Bums have good reason to be cautious as well. In many ways,
the Bums have been very inconsistent recently. Their pitching staff, which
before the all-star break was one of the most reliable in the league, has
begun to show signs of unraveling. The Bums' team ERA has ballooned from
2.98 to 3.40 in the month of July. Since July 1st, the Bums pitchers have
allowed 35 home runs (while the offense has hit 29--but 12 of those have
been in the last 3 games). For the season, the Bums have hit 136 homers
and have allowed 115.
"Yes, we have cause for concern," said always cautiously optimistic manager
Phil Garner. "We have been completely schizophrenic since the break. We
have faced the tough Duluth and Spokane offenses recently, which is part of
the reason, but these guys have got to get the job done. Every team is
going to hit a bad streak, but we're still winning some ballgames and, yes,
we have a division lead. But I don't consider any division lead
comfortable. If we lose series the way we've been doing, we are going to
lose ground. We can't afford that."
For now, though, the Bums can play mediocre baseball and still take their
division crown. "We aren't even thinking about the playoffs," denied 1B
Jeff King, who came off the DL during the All-Star Break. "We just want to
win every series and play one game at a time. And stay healthy. When we
get to September, then we'll start thinking about the 'second season.'"
The Bums have had some wild (and some mild) contests with division rivals
Duluth and Spokane in the last two weeks. Some highlights (and lowlights):
7-17: 2-1 loss to Spokane. Only 4 Bums hits. Loss and 2 Spokane ER off
John Cummings, starting in place of the injured Kurt Hardie.
7-18: 8-2 win over Spokane. 1 HR and 3 doubles for the Bums. 7 ER in the
7th and 8th against Spokane reliever Armstrong.
7-19: 3-2 win over Spokane. 2-3 with 3 runs for DH Chuck Carr. ND for
Ismael Valdes, 7 IP, 11 H, 2 ER, 1 K. W for Trevor Hoffman, pitching 2 2/3
innings, zero ER.
7-20: 7-0 loss to Duluth. Starter Willie Adams lasted just 1/3 of an
inning, and reliever Angel Miranda lasted just 2 pitches (a single to Kevin
Seitzer). Neither was injured. Seitzer later scored and Miranda was given
the loss, despite 4 runs off Bill Goldsmith and 2 runs off Kent Bottenfield.
7-21: 14-7 win over Duluth. 4 HR and 4 2B for Vero Beach. 5 runs in 7
innings for starter and winner Kevin Ritz. CF Marquis Grissom 4-6 with 4
runs scored and 4 RBI. 2 doubles for C Tom Pagnozzi.
7-22: 9-1 loss to Duluth. 4 doubles, 6 LOB for Vero Beach. 3 HR for
Duluth. 2 ER and 3 walks for Bums starter John Cummings. 5 ER off Angel
Miranda.
7-23: 17-6 crushing at the hands of Spokane. 2 HR, 4 2B for Vero Beach. 6
Pirates with 1 HR a piece. 3 ER in 4 IP for starter Albie Lopez, who fell
to 16-2 on the season. 9 ER in 0 IP for Bill Goldsmith. 4 ER in 2 IP for
Kent Bottenfield. Spokane starter Jack McDowell gave up just 1 ER in 7 1/3
innings.
7-24: 12-4 win over Spokane. 5 HR for the Bums, including 2 for Chuck Carr.
Pirate 3B John Mabry had 2 errors at the hot corner. All Pirate runs
scored off Bill Goldsmith in the eighth.
7-25: 10-9 loss to Spokane. Again, 5 HR for the Bums, including 2 for Jeff
King. In two games, both Jeff King and Chuck Carr hit 3 HR a piece.
Duluth's Brady Anderson was 5-6 with a HR and 3 RBIs. 3-4-5 spots in the
Bjork order combined for 11-for-16, 2 HR, 7 RBI, 5 runs scored, and no
strikeouts. 6 runs on 11 hits in 6 1/3 innings for starter Willie Adams.
Loss to Trevor Hoffman (4-2), who gave up one run in the bottom of the
tenth inning.
