Sticking Points 2060.6: No Payne No Gain?

[JimSlade]

By far, the best story in Rockville in the mostly disappointing second half of the 2060 season has been the performance of veteran starting pitcher Alex Payne, acquired from Charm City for AA starting pitcher Tony Avila. In 10 starts since joining the Pikemen, Payne has gone 8-1 with a 2.62 ERA. It's all about the organization's push to .500, right? No Payne No Gain signs and t-shirts have begun springing up at Payne's home starts at Owen's Ordinary, but has Payne actually helped the Pikemen climb out of the bottom third of the Atlantic Division?

[Deep breaths.]

Following a 5-4, 11-inning loss to the Phoenix Talons on the day of the trade, May 31, the Pikemen were 26-30, playing at a .464 clip. Since that time, the team has gone 28-34, for a .451 winning percentage. That's not an improvement, but imagine how much worse things would look without Payne's 8 wins.

Let's push the calendar forward to when Payne first toed the rubber for Rockville, however, on June 7. The day before, while Payne was awaiting his first start with the team, the Pikemen were 28-33, playing their patented .459 ball. The Payne won his first start with the team, going 6.2 innings and allowing no earned runs in a 6-3 win over the Boise Spuds. Payne's impressive debut kicked off a run of...6 straight losses for the team. Even with that post-Payne dropoff, the team has gone 26-31 since that first start, for a whopping .456 winning percentage, still down from the pre-Payne era. We could take out that 6-game losing streak and keep juggling with numbers, but mmm...

Obviously, the addition of any one player, especially a starting pitcher, isn't enough to turn around a team. Has it livened the spirit of the team and the home crowd each time Payne is on the mound? Sure.

"Our collective game rises behind Alex," says bat-first catcher John McMuttray. "Hell, no one questions my defense and ability to call a game when I'm catching him."

Payne's take on his effect on his new team's fortunes is simple: "I can only control what I can control," he says, "every fifth or sixth day I'm on the mound." He continues, "When I'm pitching, I've got complete faith in the team behind me. I see the same guys behind our other pitchers. I don't sit around and add up wins and losses, but It feels like we're taking the field ready to play winning baseball more often than not."

[trmmilwwi]

Love seeing Payne doing well. He had that one good season in San Anton.