(AP) WASHINGTON--The Washington Sea Dogs have been rolling over, but
certainly not playing dead.
Washington kicked six field goals to defeat the Tampa Bay Mets 18-0, and
finally got into the end zone against the Binghamton Mets, defeating them
7-0.
Washington head coach - I mean, manager - Aaron Weiner spoke about the
team's debacles.
"Well, we tackled well, got good coverage on their receivers...uh,
wait..." Weiner said.
Washington's win over Tampa Bay completed a three-game series in which
Tampa failed to score a run, and the Binghamton win secured their fourth
straight shutout. Washington's 3.18 ERA leads the DL, and is more
astounding because they have had to play 9 games in the two best hitter's
parks in the DL, Calgary and Larimer.
"It's been unbelieveable the way our pitching staff has been," said right
fielder Ernie Young, who hit two homers and had six RBI in the first game.
"It takes incredible pressure off us to perform when you know the other
team isn't gonna get four runs."
Against Tampa Bay, Young led the attack with his six RBI, but every Sea
Dogs had at least one hit. This included May's Player of the Month Larry
Walker, who hit for the cycle including two homers. Walker is the second
Sea Dog to hit for the cycle, after Lance Johnson last season.
"Trust me, nobody was more surprised than I was," Walker said. "But I got
a chance to go for the triple, and I knew I couldn't pass it up."
Alex Fernandez pitched seven shutout innings for his third Sea Dogs win.
Fernandez has not allowed a run in his last three starts, and has
lowered his season's ERA to 3.60, 2.0 as a Sea Dog.
"Well, they don't know me in the league yet," Fernandez said, "but it also
has a lot to do with being on a team like this. The attitude on this team
is great. It's nice to finally get the support I need when I pitch well,
too."
With Fernandez aboard, Washington has been 22-7 over their last month to
raise their record to 40-17. They're now on pace to win 114 games, which
would be a PVBL record.
The second game against Binghamton was earmarked by Ben McDonald's 11th
win of the season, a PVBL high, and Larry Walker's 20th homer.
"The four-man rotation has helped, but what's really helped is Larry
Walker," McDonald said. "The man is just unbelievable. He's quickly
becoming a legend in my book."
Walker abashedly retorted McDonald's statement.
"I'm not a legend; I'm just a guy who's trying to do his best every day,"
Walker, who now leads the league in RBI with 58, said. "I'm having fun
out there - it's always fun when you're winning."
Monday, the Sea Dogs will throw the DL innings leader, Mackenzee
Leefenhaufenhauz (8-1, 2,51 ERA) against Mark Thompson (3-4, 3.94 ERA) in
the first game and Shawn Estes (5-4, 3.20 ERA) against Binghamton ace Andy
Ashby (6-3, 3.09). Games are sold out.
Notes and Quotes:
"In my wildest dreams."
-Manager Aaron Weiner, on being 40-17
"The .700 club? I just hope this doesn't mean I have to get religious or
anything."
-Ben Petrick, on Washington's .702 winning %.
* * *
Washington made another trade this Monday, dealing their #1 free-agent
pick and a prospect to Tampa Bay for 34-year old starter/reliever Tim
Belcher.
"The Washington Sea Dogs have found a fifth starter," GM Aaron Weiner
said, "We think that he can do the job for us and make us a better
ballclub."
Belcher, who has a 4.70 ERA in 20 games this year, had been used as a
reliever by Tampa manager Chris McMurtry this season after two
injury-riddled, but solid seasons as a starter. Last season, Belcher had
a 3.87 ERA and 10 wins, both the best marks on Tampa Bay.
"I'm extremely flattered that the Sea Dogs thought enough of me to pick me
up," Belcher said. "I know they've got the top pitching staff in the
league."
Weiner said that Belcher's role was to make sure that the other four
starters on Washington's staff stayed healthy.
"I'm a little paranoid about my players staying healthy after the Lance
Johnson injury," Weiner said. "I've been resting people a lot, but that's
not enough in my book."
When asked why he didn't turn to the obvious choice, John Burkett, Weiner
noted how important Burkett has been in the pen.
"We would have made the trade for Belcher even if Burkett was our choice,"
Weiner said, "because it's always good to have another arm. But Burkett
is better suited for the pen because of his superior pitch ratings, and
he's done a much better job than Burkett has for Tampa."
Burkett has posted a 3.48 ERA in 44 innings, with two saves. Next to
Nealy Becker, he has been the most effective reliever in the pen and also
the most often used.
"We don't want to break out the continuity of our bullpen," Weiner said.
"And Belcher gives us a legitimate arm to put at the fifth starter
position."
Washington has quite a few off-days this month, but Weiner said that he
made the deal now so that Belcher would be accustomed to the Sea Dogs once
he was most needed.
"We have a stretch of 13 straight gamedays right before the All-Star
Break," Weiner said, "and by the time we get there, Belcher will have
already been a Sea Dog for three weeks."
Belcher says that he shouldn't have any trouble acclimating himself to the
new rotation.
"When you join a rotation with the two top winners in the league, you're
probably gonna be comfortable really fast," Belcher said. "I just hope I
CAN fit in here. It'll be hard."
The prospect traded to Tampa Bay was a late-season pickup last year,
starter/reliever prospect John Hunter. Hunter, 21, looked decent in a
callup role and should fit nicely into the Tampa rebuilding program.
"We think, if it's possible, that this has made us even better because our
starters will go out there a lot fresher," Weiner said. "We just hope Tim
will work out for us."
* * *
Walker's Player of the Month award was the second one in Sea Dogs's
history. Who was the first? The departed Mariano Duncan.
Last July, Duncan hit .370 with 25 RBI, 24 runs and four homers. However,
his stay as a Sea Dog was short-lived, as he was traded for 1998 closer
Ben Hamlin within two weeks after his surge.
If not for the incredible power surge of Frank Thomas, Larry Walker's name
might be mentioned with the words "Triple Crown". Walker is hitting .344
with 20 homers and 58 RBI, ranking him 8th, 3rd (tied) and 1st,
respectively. He has hit 19 of his 20 homers with the Sea Dogs.
* * *
Speaking of Walker's achievements, by hitting for the cycle, Walker's feat
also won a million dollars from Giant Food for Richard "Xylophone" Xinin,
resident of Derry, Maine.
The winnings came from a promotion that required fans to send in a
postcard to the team, and Xinin's was drawn before the game.
Said Xinin, "Thanks for getting all those veterans for my family."
Xinin is called Xylophone for his karate-speed xylophoning which won him
the 1997 Burmese national xylophoning contest. Xinin earned 5,000 times
his 200 dollar prize for the contest by sending in his postcard.
* * *
Despite having been on the disabled list for well over a month, the league
is having trouble forgetting Lance Johnson. That's because Johnson
refuses to leave the top ten stolen base list.
Johnson, who stole 13 bases in just 92 plate appearances, is still eigth
on the steals list after a month.
"You'd have thought somebody would have passed me by now," said Johnson,
who broke his hip on April 28th. "But it's kinda neat to be laid up in a
cast and see your name in the top 10 of something a month after."
Needless to say, Washington still leads the DL in the stolen base race,
with 86 in 57 games, and Barry Larkin still leads the league with 26.
Binghamton, their current opponent, is currently second with 46 and also
has 2nd-place Arnold O'Neill (24).
* * *
(As a footnote, because it doesn't change a whole lot for you guys...)
Washington lost a part of the Sea Dog family recently, when Daniel Boyce
decided to resign as manager.
"We're sad to say that Daniel can no longer serve as manager of the Sea
Dogs," Washington owner Aaron Weiner said. "Sadder than you know. Do you
have any idea how nice it was to not have to make up lineups for two
weeks?"
Boyce didn't have much to say on the departure.
"I'm sorry that I couldn't be the type of manager the Sea Dogs were
looking for," Boyce said. "I wish the best to the organization."
Weiner, who was forced to return to managerial duties, gave a loud groan
as he left the room.
"I've had better days," Weiner said as he stormed out.
