Defending Champs Have Eyes on New Orleans' Prize
July 27, 2001
New Orleans, LA (AP)- The New Orleans offense has faltered and the team has watched the red-hot Edmonton Sled Dogs climb right back into contention for the McCoy Division crown.
"It shouldn't surprise anyone," player/manager Bip Roberts replied, "They're the defending champs and we were expected to duke it out with Deadwood for futility in the EL."
Fair enough. However, the Vampires had taken control of the division early on in the season on the wings of some surprisingly stellar pitching from its predominantly rookie pitching staff. The biggest surprise of the league next to Area 51, New Orleans limped into the All-Star break suddenly (and painfully) realizing what everyone else probably already knew--you cannot win championships solely with pitching.
"We have an extraordinary, overacheiving young pitching staff. In fact, we might even have the best overall staff in the EL at this point in the season. However, you simply have to score runs. 2-3 runs a night just isn't going to cut it and we're not going to ask for 8 or 9 innings of work out of each of our starters every time he goes out there. They're too young and I refuse to destroy their futures by wearing them thin," stated pitching coach Dennis Lamp.
"The fact of the matter is," says veteran All-Star closer Roy Clingman, "our young offense is clearly still a work in progress. The guys may kills me for saying this but this club may be a season or 2 away from developing the maturity, offensively, to compete for the playoffs again."
It remains to be seen but as of right now, Edmonton has won 8 of its last 10 and has pulled within 1.5 games of New Orleans. The city of New Orleans, meanwhile, waits with baited breath to see if its kids will respond and stand up to the challenge.
In other news...
- As if Edmonton wasn't having enough good luck of its own lately, New Orleans was forced to place Jason Kendall, Doug Glanville and Jackson Pride all on the DL with nagging injuries. As GM Gammons puts it, "We need them for the stretch run. We'll just have to endure their loss for now."
- In response to recent injuries and a desperate need to shakeup the offense, the Vampires have Activated veteran utility man Orlando Merced, backup catcher Jason Varitek, and power-hitting rookie LF Dave Clark.
- P Mark Thompson was finally Activated from the DL and was placed in the bullpen in replacement of Jackson Pride.
- Rookie CF Chris Singleton will fill-in for Doug Glanville once again.
