You don’t have to look back far in the Omaha team history to find that the club has had a horrible habit of bringing in slugging monsters, but failing to put anybody ahead of them in the lineup who could be on base when those behemoths would hit home runs. It’s been an issue especially with the Niles led front office.
With Niles in charge, Omaha typically finished in the bottom half, if not last in both on base percentage and walks. The club would finish in the top half or top 3 in home runs annually, but when you mixed the categories together, Omaha would finish 8th in runs scored because of the solo shots.
Last year the club began to turn a corner with Jim Antolin and Donald Miller both being players capable of watching 4 balls go by. The club finished in the top half of the Frick in walks allowed for the first time since moving to Omaha.
This year, that corner has been turned completely and the petal is on the floor. Omaha is currently ranked 1st in free passes in the Frick. Omaha is in the top 4 in on-base percentage. Don’t let those numbers distract you from the fact that Omaha is still ranked first in extra base hits and home runs.
The most important number? Runs scored. With 455, Omaha is ranked first in the Frick averaging 5.76 runs per game and on pace for 933, or 200 more than last season, when the club won 88 games.
Home runs? Omaha has 169 of these. Hitting 2.13 per game and on pace for 345 on the season.
Walks? 318 of these through the first 79 games. That is 4 walks per game. For comparison Omaha walk numbers from a few past seasons.
As you can see, a big improvement over past teams that the Cyclones fielded in which the club made the playoffs.2044(Last year): 509—3 per game.
2040(90 wins): 344—2.12 per game.
2035(88 wins): 430--2.65 per game
What once was an Achilles Heel for the club is now working as an Achilles Heel for other clubs.
