PVBL: Hartford Whalers
Bottom Feeders Reflect on Season
October 8, 1999

While the top teams are competing for a chance at the ultimate crown, the bottom feeders are licking their wounds and trying to regroup and look ahead. Here is a breakdown, based on the final regular season standings, of the Worst 8 teams in PVBL:
1.)	Medina		48-114
2.)	Kamloops	52-110
3.)	Hartford	60-102
3.)	Tampa Bay	60-102
4.)	Duluth		61-101
5.)	Richmond	62-100
6.)	Battle Axe	67-95
7.)	Anchorage	71-91
These are the clubs who competed in a quest for futility and the right to participate in the FA Plan. Sticking to their guns and their morals, the Hartford Whalers will once again decline the invitation to, as they put it, "steal from others." And so, with that, Hartford is forced to look and reflect on what it has and where it is going as an organization. An organization, mind you, that won the PVBL World Championship (first ever) just 2 short seasons ago.

When looking for positives offensively or in attempting to name a team MVP, it is clearly difficult. The team as a whole was quite average offensively but no one player shined and run production was fairly low. Here are the 3 players who received votes from the Whalers coaches and players:

C Jason Kendall .275/161 games/89 runs/191 hits/11 homers/60 rbi/.319 OBP/4 SB
1B Mo Vaughn .295/155 games/60 runs/171 hits/31 homers/70 rbi/.360 OBP/0 SB
RF Socks Byrne .302/99 games/50 runs/121 hits/2 homers/31 rbi/.353 OBP/14 SB

Former hitting coach and interim Manager, Dwight "Dewey" Evans, said of his selection of Socks Byrne, "When he went down for 3 weeks we just weren't the same ballclub. He puts up phenomenol numbers and always provides an intangible lift to our clubhouse when he's present and producing. He knows how to put the bat on the ball, get on base and score. Statistically, you can clearly see how amazing it is that he played almost 60 fewer games than Kendall and Vaughn but still managed to score almost as many runs. He's our MVP. He's our team and we cannot do without him." Of his manager's comments, Byrne replied, "That's kind but I really think I could have done more and I certainly need to take better care of myself. Mo is our leader on and off the field."

The pitching staff remained fairly intact throughout the season and had its share of ups and downs. With such low run production, most would say these guys were doomed. But here's the final look at the rotation:

Bobby Witt 11-15/4.41 era/77 bb/124 k's/34 gs
Roger Clemens 10-13/3.30 era/56 bb/140 k's/29 gs
Tom Gordon 10-15/4.14 era/64 bb/94 k's/32 gs
Ken Hill 8-13/4.86 era/47 bb/111 k's/30 gs
Hideki Irabu 7-13/4.82 era/47 bb/78 k's/23 gs (40 g)
Kevin Millwood 6-10/5.57 era/30 bb/31 k's/13 gs (38 g)

Outside of the departed Masato Yoshi, Roger Clemens clearly anchored the pitching staff.

Upon reflecting on this year and last, Hartford owner Jeremy Chrabascz stated, "Upon analysis...we've made too many changes. There needs to be chemistry. Yes, holes need to be filled and injuries and concerns addressed. But the biggest complaint we've received from our players and coaches is that too many changes are made and usually, too close together. So, in the future, we're going to let our club try to 'gel' and figure its own chemistry out. We're not going to make rampant changes without cause. We have not had an identity since our championship and we have had no cohesion. Our management, admittedly, has been poor and our supposed 'plan' has seemed to change daily. All of this needs to stop. We have the core of an excellent ballclub. Although another division championship and world title may be 3 to 4 seasons away we have the young talent to compete on the field this year and next and perhaps to surprise quite a few people. We have always gotten something in our deals, people cannot forget. With young talent like Riggs, Kendall, Byrne, Millwood and Abreu to build upon...the future is bright."

The only player to respond to Chrabascz's comments was Hartford veteran right-hander Brian Boehringer, "I'm one of the few whose been here since our championship. I agree with everything The Man said today. It's nice to finally hear the front office ***king admit it. They need to stop shipping people off. We aren't the Expos or the Marlins and we have a stupendous fanbase here in New England. I've seen the likes of Griffey, Sheffield, Brown (Kevin), Maddux, McGwire and The Big Cat pass through here in the last two seasons. Can you imagine if they were all still here? Hell...even ONE of them! It sickens me. But I'm glad a change of philosophy is on the horizon or you would have seen many trade demands being raised during spring camp."

So, the word out of Hartford seems to be No News Is Good News for Whalers fans. Stay the course...

--written by Jeremy Chrabascz