(AP) WASHINGTON--Is it a statement, or just dumb luck?
Washington, following a sweep of Phoenix the week
before, beat them two games to one in a three-game
set. They have since fallen behind Phoenix by a
half-game, but they have had no serious letdown.
"We're pleased with the developments in the race," Sea
Dogs manager Aaron Weiner said. "We're playing good
ball, and so is Phoenix, but one can't underestimate
the distance we traveled to get back to this point."
Phoenix had come back into Washington with a half-game
divisional lead, but Washington took the first two
games to insure the lead when Phoenix left. The Gila
Monsters took the third game of the series, but the
message had been sent.
"We know we can play with these guys now, and that's
vital to our cause," centerfielder Eric Young said.
"If we make it to the playoffs, chances are, those
guys are who we're going to play, and we'll have to
play well."
Washington has played better baseball than anyone in
the PVBL since May, nearly .700 ball. Their wild-card
lead is now 15 1/2 games, and their magic number is
34. If the playoffs started today, Washington would
face off with Phoenix in the Division Series.
"We've played them two times in the last three seasons
in the playoffs and dozens of times in the regular
season," Weiner said. "We know what they're capable
of, and they know what we're capable of. It's
mano-a-mano when we get in there."
Washington is 1-1 against Phoenix, and the last time
they beat them in the playoffs, they made the World
Series. Some Sea Dogs haven't forgotten.
"We're not exactly looking ahead to the playoffs right
now, but we're definitely thinking about Phoenix,"
captain Chuck Knoblauch said. "Last time we beat them
in a series, we won in the LCS, and we're first and
second in the PVBL in record, so obviously, beating
Phoenix is very crucial."
Weiner pointed out, however, that beating Phoenix
wasn't Washington's ultimate goal.
"What we really want is to win the World Series,"
Weiner said. "And we feel like we have a chance to
get back again, which is what we shoot for every
year."
Quick Notes:
Washington traded third base prospect John Aust to the
Deadwood Outlaws for first base prospect Glenn Criger.
"This sets us up very nicely," Washington GM Aaron
Weiner said. "We've now got our middle infield, two
outfield spots and our first baseman of the future.
We're very pleased with the way the team looks."
Criger, drafted in the fifth round of this year's
amateur draft, is a very raw tools prospect which
Weiner says has a lot of potential.
"We think that he's got a real chance to be a starting
first baseman in this league, a really nice prospect,"
Weiner said. "He's a long way away, but we're hoping
he'll be ready by the time we need to rebuild."
Criger joins a group of talented young Sea Dogs that
includes young superstar Mickey Kelly, outfield
prospects Oort Cloud and Roger Cedeno and shortstop
prospect Wash Leach.
"We think we're pretty well set up now," Weiner said.
"We're going to try to stock our farm with pitching
prospects to join Art Cliburn now."
