Edmonton Jackrabbits: 6-5, .545
2nd in the Frick Frontier
4.5 GB of the Seattle Storm RIVER MONSTER RAMPAGE
So far this year, the Jackrabbits have only played three games on the road. All three of them came against Twin Cities, and all three of them wound up losing efforts for Edmonton. The Rabbits were shut down by young starter Josh Brown in the first game of the series, with the entire outfield going hitless and all but one baserunner eventually left stranded. The next two games were much more competitive affairs, but both were blown by the bullpen; the second game saw Edmonton lose a 5-0 lead, score in the 11th, and lose in the 12th. The final game included a comeback three-run eighth for the River Monsters.
The bullpen ERA is currently sitting at 6.49, nearly worst in the league. Going forward, Edmonton will look to keep a thriving starting staff in the ballgame for as long as possible.
COSTELLO HAS FOUR-HIT NIGHT
After eleven major-league games, center fielder Luis Costello (.333/.373/.625, 3 HR, 8 RBI) has racked up 16 hits, with nearly half of them going for extra bases. So far, his best offensive performance came in the 11-3 rout of the California Crusaders. On Friday night, Costello went 4-for-5, doubling, scoring, and knocking in a run. Costello has a .333 batting average and currently leads the team with three home runs and eight RBI. The Love Machine's .998 OPS would be quite the mark to post after not even cracking .800 in Triple-A, but there's still plenty of time for him to cool down -- especially given his 9:2 K/BB ratio.
GUESNE PUSHED DOWN IN LINEUP
Manager Ernie Lara doesn't like what he sees. Malcolm Guesne (.190/.227/.333, 2 HR, 5 RBI) has been dropped almost all the way down to eighth in the batting order, due to both a sluggish start and a hot first month from second baseman Luis Soto (.295/.340/.500, 2 HR, 3 RBI), the team's highest-paid player.
Guesne was a bit of a saving grace for the Jackrabbits during the 2033 season. In his sophomore year, a .763 OPS, 25 doubles, 12 homers, and 50 steals pretty much locked in Guesne as both the leadoff hitter and the best position player on the 104-loss squad. But things have changed, and Guesne finds himself surrounded by Luis Costello (.333/.373/.625, 3 HR, 8 RBI) and Mitch Dalrymple (.318/.367/.500, 2 HR, 6 RBI) in the outfield. With top prospect William Wood learning left field in Triple-A, all signs point to Guesne's impending removal from the starting lineup.
Ultimately, a relegation to the bench would make the team better. Guesne could be a strong role-player as a substitution piece, with ability at multiple positions, speed, and flashes of 15- or 20-homer pop. It's one of those moves that adds a lot of depth to the 27-man roster. Still, the 25-year-old Belgian outfielder is here for the time being. Here's hoping he can pick it up while he still has a chance.