Farm Fresh 2043, Single A Wrap-Up
The Sox weren’t bad – they finished 75-65, in second place in the PL West Central Division, after all. They wound up 4 games behind division winners Topeka, and 10 games behind Wild Card winner Hollywood.
What the Sox were, though, is disappointing. They had the division’s best run differential (+166), but missed their Pythagorean projected wins total by 11 games. Had they hit their mark, they would have finished 86-54, won the division, and made the playoffs for a fourth consecutive year.
Instead, they wound up sitting at home and wondering what might have been.
The Gold Sox were a pretty balanced club, finishing in the top 5 in most key offensive and pitching categories.
OF Elmer Serrano (.296/.381/.439) and 3B Ken Wear (27 HR and 80 RBI) led the offense, while SP Kerry Conner (9-10, 3.64) and SP Jorge Rivera (9-6, 3.74) anchored the pitching staff.
Given the quality of the prospects projected to move to Single A from Chicago’s Short Season and Rookie League teams, the outlook for next season doesn’t exactly look rosy.
Which makes the “what might have been” questions all the more painful to ponder.
Final Accounting
Overall Record: 75-65, .536
Position in Standings: In 2nd place in the PL West Central Division, 4 games behind Topeka.
Best Month: May, 18-11, .621
Worst Month: July, 12-17, .414
Run Differential: +166
Team Batting
AVG: .252, 3rd in PL
OBP: .366, 3rd in PL
SLG: .395, 4th in PL
Runs Scored: 735, 3rd in PL
Team Pitching
Staff ERA: 3.69, 5th in PL
Starters ERA: 3.87, 4th in PL
Bullpen ERA: 3.40, 4th in PL
Runs Allowed: 569, tied for 4th in PL
Team Batting Leaders
AVG: OF Elmer Serrano, .296
OBP: OF Elmer Serrano, .381
HR: 3B Ken Wear, 27
RBI: OF Daniel Serrano, 85
Team Pitching Leaders
W: José Ontiveros, Kerry Conner and Jorge Rivera, tied with 9
SV: Bernie Stewart, 23
ERA: Kerry Conner, 3.64
K: Tomás Marrero, 130