Bandit Post, Vol 3.3, 1997

[aaronweiner]

Birmingham is going backwards to go forwards. In a 4-5 sim that had the Bandits swept by the FL-best Las Vegas Hustlers (and otherwise 4-2), the Bandits found themselves back in first place over Austin by a game and a half and still a half game ahead of all FL wild card contenders. While Birmingham will obviously have to win some games against the FL elite to maintain their standing (Birmingham is 0-6 against Austin and Las Vegas in their last two series), finding in first place after a difficult 6-11 run brings some positive feelings to the clubhouse.

"Well, certainly, we'd like to be winning some of these games, but the only important goal for us this season is the postseason," said manager Lou Brown. "But doggone it, we want to win some!"

This week was important for a number of reasons. Damian Bedgood returned, but it was hardly triumphant after a nine-month layoff; still, the righty showed rust but no ill effects from his stint on the DL, even going eight and two thirds innings in his second start. His command is clearly off (as eight walks in thirteen innings would suggest) but there's no reason to believe he won't work his way back into form.

"Well, obviously, I would have liked to have thrown a couple rehab starts instead of being tossed into the middle of a pennant race, but that's not the way it happens around here," said Bedgood. "I've been throwing simulated games and I think that I'll get the stuff right sometime in July."

Birmingham could certainly use a in-form Bedgood. He's admittedly been better than Abdal Tutmosa, if only because he's allowed just one home run so far this year. Tutmosa, who was recently claimed off waivers by Hawaii, will almost certainly not be back in a Birmingham uniform any time soon.

"We've got our rotation all set for the year," said pitching coach Joe Cooper. "Hopefully nobody gets injured because we've got a heckuva group going here now that we've got Angelo Hidalgo. Lots of weapons to use."

Will there be any deals for Birmingham at this point? The team seems a little hand-tied with their addition of Donnie Rotten, but don't count the Bandits' front office out just yet.

"We're looking at a lot of different possibilities right now, and we're not sure what we're going to do," said GM Aaron Weiner. "There are a lot of different things that we can do here, and it would be silly of us to assume that we're basically done moving this year just because we're near the cap. There are ways around that, you know."

That statement pretty much sums up the Bandits this year: Birmingham appears to be skirting around all of the troublesome situations this year, even a cold stretch like this one. Hopefully, it'll be enough by the end of the year.

[recte44]

Tutmosa= 27 HR's allowed in 87.2 innings. Chew on that for a moment.

[aaronweiner]

I did. Then I spat it out.

It's a shame, because he was so very good otherwise and down the stretch last year, and in stretches this year he'd put up 8 innings of 3 run ball...oh well, can't win 'em all. Good luck Honolulu.