Bandit Post, Vol 1.3, 1997

[aaronweiner]

If the Birmingham Bandits are going to repeat their playoff performance of a year ago, it would help to beat some teams with winning records. Birmingham, in one of their toughest stretches of the season, were pasted, going 2-7 in a nine game stretch that included Atlantic City, Las Vegas and Calgary. Three of the seven losses were by more than two runs, and while some of the losses were of the heartbreaking variety, Birmingham was mostly soundly thumped during this sim, casting doubts about their ability to regain the winning record they had just one sim ago.

"We just stink right now, and that's a fact," said shortstop Jack Dark after a 6-2 pasting at the hands of Calgary. "We just can't get it going offensively. I really don't know what's different from last year but some guys just aren't stepping up."

Dark followed up those statements by going 3-7 with a homer and 3 RBI in his next two games. But the rest of the team hasn't stepped up at all, and even that run only brought Dark's batting average back up to .226 on the season, a number which would be shocking if it was anywhere close to the worst on the team. Jimmy Dugan, who was expected to be more productive in Birmingham, has been less productive; Dugan's hit .193 with 24 Ks in 88 at bats. Next to Willie Greene, however, he looks like Babe Ruth; Greene, usually reliable, has a .454 OPS on the season. Usually productive reserve Jorge Abad is 0-14 on the season. IP Daly, a career .304 hitter who hit .344 last year is hitting a lofty .132 on the season. And the hits just keep on...well, no, the hits have completely stopped. Porfirio Garza has been pressing for playing time and he may have a point. What can Birmingham do to right the ship?

"A lot of the guys who aren't hitting yet this season were really reliable last year," said Brett Favre, who along with Hector Fernandez and Medric Wood have carried the offense so far this year. "The guys who aren't hitting know they're not hitting. They're still good hitters. It's just one month and we're just two and a half out of first place."

The pitching staff is also going through some difficulties. After a bit of a rough spring, Buddy Reda has allowed ten runs in five and a third since returning to the rotation. Angel Miranda has been rocked lately. James Moultrie has hit the DL, though that could be a blessing in disguise.

The news isn't all bad out of Birmingham. Abdal Tutmosa, to this point, has been spectacular in the #4 spot in the rotation. In his last three starts, Tutmosa has thrown eight innings in each and allowed no more than three runs and looks to be the favorite to hold down the fifth spot when Damian Bedgood comes off the DL. With better handling, Tutmosa's ERA could be below 4.0 this year. Hunter Clarkhas been a pleasant surprise. Gene Reilly continues to show flashes of promise.

Hopefully, the team can put together some runs and soon - if they can’t, it’s going to be a very long season in Birmingham this year.

[recte44]

In hindsight, the Dugan trade which I thought was a pretty poor one for you hasn't turned out half bad. Especially with Chris Brown lumping away.

[aaronweiner]

I'd rather have $9.5 million worth of pretty decent than $5 million worth of playing out the string.