The Bull Malarky - 1998 June Edition

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The Bull Malarky
June 11, 1998
HAKENSACK, New Jersey
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When the Hackensack Bulls won the Frick League's Atlantic Division by over 20 games last season and then rolled through the playoffs to their first MBAA championship, GM Ben Teague had all the justification he needed to sit tight, for the most part, in the offseason. The Bulls lost no significant pieces to the team to either free agency or retirement. About the only logical move that Teague could consider was one to free up cap space, but he decided to keep the team intact with hopes that the same players could produce the same result. With two months in the books in 1998, the Bulls have a record of 39-25 and sit 2 games back in the Atlantic. They do, however, have a 3 game lead in the Wild Card race. So, given Teague's managerial decision in this past offseason, let's look at how we got where we are.

The Good

Pitching. The Bulls' pitching staff has been nothing short of dominant. Hackensack leads the league in every major pitching statistic (with the exception of strikeouts where they rank 10th). SP Williamson Prushnok has been the unquestioned star for the Bulls so far this season. The 33-year-old is following up on his 18-3 1997 campaign with a record of 7-2 through May of this year. He has booked an ERA of 1.39, a WHIP of 0.74, and is holding opposing batters to an anemic .202 batting average. Quite frankly, those are Steve Nebraska Golden Arm numbers.

Defense. The Bulls also lead the Frick League in defensive efficiency with a rating of .721. CF Ed Framaggio, SS Rafael Rodriquez, and Super-utility man Jaime Bosque are the leaders on what is an all-around, rock-solid defensive squad. Clearly, GM Teague's focus on pitching and defense are paying off.

The Bad

Offense. As good as the Bulls have been at pitching and defense, they have been about as bad as they could be on offense. The Bulls rank 1st in the Frick League in strikeouts, 4th in stolen bases, and 5th in walks. Other than those categories, they don't rank above 8th in any major offensive stat. That includes runs scored where their scoring of 279 runs per game (9th in the league) is only balanced, so far, by the team allowing 236 per game (1st in the league). The Bulls simply can't continue to put such a heavy load on the pitching staff and defense.

The Bulls did miss 1997 All-Star 2B Carl Tawk for the entire month of April and the first half of May, but the lack of production is clearly and simply a matter of certain key players not getting the job done. The most glaring "offender" has been CF Framaggio. A career .284 hitter with a .818 OPS, Framaggio has turned in an anemic .236 batting average and .677 OPS thus far in 1998. On the bright side, there is no reason not to think the 28-year-old will turn things around, but the Bulls and GM Teague would prefer that be sooner rather than later.

Left Field. The Bulls have to find an answer here. Mike Kelly is an excellent defender, but the lack of offensive production at this position is a problem that Teague can't ignore for too long. The fact that the Bulls have virtually no prospects at the outfield positions generates speculation that Teague will make a move on this front before the trade deadline. That remains to be seen.

The Summary

GM Teague was quoted as saying, "Given our offensive woes, we can't really be too upset with where we are right now. We don't want to lose sight of the fact that we are tied for the 3rd-best record in the MBBA. We've just got to keep an eye on things and make a move if it will help our team down the stretch and put us in a position to make a run for a second straight championship." All of that is true, but fans have to wonder how long Teague will hold his finger steady on the transaction trigger.