Omaha 1995 Review part 1

[Fat Nige]

As we head for mid-May it’s time for the first review of Barnstormers 1995 season.

Performance

Barnstormers opened with a seven game road trip at Phoenix and Madison. Phoenix got the better of Omaha two games to one but we bounced back to gain a 2-2 series split with Madison. This opening sequence set the tone for the season so far with Barnstormers fighting to get to .500 but just falling short, currently mid-May the record stands at 18-20, two games behind the division leaders Madison Wolves.
April finished a disappointing 10-14 but a better start to May (8-6) has seen the fans have renewed hope, in the first 15 home games 468,770 fans have turned out so far, at an average of 31,251. Omaha must sharpen up in the tight games as they’re 3-6 in one run games and 2-2 in games that have gone to extra innings. Barnstormers best winning sequence was three wins on the trot but have lost three on the trot three times so far. Their offence is amongst the best in the Johnson League, rated 2nd in runs scored (186) and extra base hits (119) as well as rated third in average (.270), slugging (.425), hits (360), home runs (38) and stolen bases(30); unfortunately the pitching staff hasn’t been so stellar, with the starters ERA (4.33) and opponents avg (.277) rated 10th in the JL while the hits allowed (371) and walks given up (127) rated just 11th in the JL. One feels that the pitching staff has to raise its game if Barnstormers are going to reach the JL heights this season.

Pitching

Seventh year veteran Gregg Hibbard has been the best pitcher in the rotation so far going 4-2 with a 3.07 ERA in eight starts. Butch Henry in his first year since coming over from Des Moines has recovered from starting 0-3 to be 3-3 with a 5.04 ERA while fifth year pitcher Luigi Nolasco is 4-2 with a 5.08 ERA. Young Russell Vanness, in his third year and tasked with being the staff ace, lost his last two starts to be currently 3-4 with a 3.68 ERA. Rookie Raymond Kuiper has just lost his rotation spot after going 0-4 to Shawn Hillegas who was called up after going 4-0 with a 2.60 ERA in Triple A Halifax, Shawn has an 11-17 record in the MBBA in three years with Washington and Valencia.
Santiago Colon has anchored the bullpen, notching 10 saves in 17 appearances with a 2.25 ERA. Seven year Barnstormers veteran, Michael Battaglia, still hasn’t a decision in 14 appearances but has a 0.00 ERA after pitching 14 1/3 innings. Rich Garces, in his sixth year in the Omaha bullpen has pitched 12 innings in 12 appearances going 2-1 with a 1.50 ERA while bullpen rookies Fred McDowel (1-0, 4.70) and Constantine Chuniakias (0-0, 5.14) haven’t let the team down.

Batting

Leftfielder Michael Malkowski, another seven year Barnstormers veteran, started with a bang hitting six home runs following on from last season’s career best 21 with a .296 average but blotted his copybook on May 3rd when he was ejected from a game in California after a bust-up with the home plate umpire. The league suspended him for six games for that and he has failed to hit a homer in the games since coming back. First baseman Jason Wortman is the only batter hitting over 300 (.313, 4 HR, 30 RBI) but seven more are hitting over .250. Back-up James Congilia has played all the infield positions this season but is batting just .203 (12/59) having one streak of 0-19. Barnstormers are running the basepaths aggressively this year but are doing it at virtually a 50% rate, CF Taberous Green has 7 out of 13 attempts while Malkowski has five out of nine attempts.
Injuries are a problem for the Barnstormers at the moment, RF Darren McNair is on the DL with a hamstring strain which will see him miss eight weeks, 1B Justin Smith has a broken hand and is not expected back until the end of the season while shortstop Pat Listach is gone for the season with a torn labrum. RF Ken Gerthart and 1B Oscar Najera have been called up from Halifax to replace them.

[Fat Nige]

a bit truncated - time ran out on me ! Links will be edited in later