Game 21

	Tim McClaskey 1-1, 7.91 ERA		Corey Thurman 0-3, 11.05 ERA

If you look at the standings, they’ll tell you the Barnstormers are tied for the worst record in the league. Does that mean they’re the worst team in the league? Not necessarily. There are other indicators to project a team’s prospects going forward.

The simplest is run differential. It indicates how many runs a team is scoring relative to its opponent. After all, isn’t scoring more than the other guy the core objective of this sport? This stat may surprise you. The Barnstormers have the best run differential in the Freedom Division.

Barnstormers +5
Bears +1
Patriots -2
Revolution -20

The reason the Barnstormers’ run differential doesn’t match their record is their bullpen has blown a ton of close games. If the recent moves to address that problem are successful, this team could take off in a big way. Lancaster is four games behind Somerset, but has performed at roughly the same overall level through 20 games.

Game 20: Stormers 12-2

	Mike Nannini 0-2, 5.79 ERA		Aaron Myette 1-2, 6.00 ERA

Now that Barnstormin’ has boldly predicted the season won’t fall into the infinite abyss – a commentary that could live in infamy depending on how the rest of the season goes – we turn our attention to the Route 30 rivalry (weather permitting). The Barnstormers venture into the land of Breadsticks for a three-game series.

If you want take your attention away from the local team’s struggles, you can look at York’s journey so far and engage in a little schadenfreude. Things haven’t been going so well over there, either. York is 7-12, which is the second-worst record in the league, and has lost nine of its 10 road games.

Why aren’t the Revs winning? They can’t hit. They’ve scored just 72 runs in 19 games and are batting around .220 as a team. That’s poor in any league, but is especially bad in a league that belongs to the offenses. York has been outscored by 13 runs, so it’s actually faring worse than the Barnstormers. Wonder if they have any panic buttons over there.

Don’t push this button

The Barnstormers have developed a nasty habit of getting off to terrible starts. They were 6-14 after 20 games in both the first and second half last season. They are 6-13 today. This has led to intense feelings of disappointment among the fans. That’s understandable. The glory days of 2006 seem so long ago, one begins to wonder if they ever really happened.

Before mass cynicism erupts and before we start scapegoating the manager or individual players, let’s take a look at the big picture. The Barnstormers have played 19 games. That’s just 14 percent of their season. They’ve lost nine of those games by one or two runs or in their opponent’s final at-bat. They’ve played those games with a revolving-door bullpen. They’ve endured injuries to their cleanup hitter, their third baseman, one of their outfielders and their catcher. In other words, a whole bunch of stuff has gone terribly wrong.

Here are a few reasons to resist pushing that button up there and have some optimism about the 121 games to follow …

Game 19: Patriots 6-4

	Nick Renault 5-6, 5.08* ERA		D.J. Mattox 0-2, 8.18 ERA

Von Hayes’ post-game press conference took an immediate Socratic turn Wednesday night. It was the manager who fired the first question. “What do you think was the difference in that game?” Hayes asked. Reporters are wary of this tact because we tend to look at baseball differently than managers and we certainly know less about it.

So after receiving a less-than-emphatic response, Hayes provided his own answer. He pointed out that Somerset starter Brian Reith threw far more first-pitch strikes than Lancaster starter Eric Ackerman. It was a valid point. Hayes then added that Ackerman can’t expect to be a starter if he allows home runs on 0-2 pitches – like he did to Matt Hagen in the fifth inning – or if he doesn’t pitch ahead in the count.

Ackerman’s spot in the rotation seems tenuous. Never mind that the Barnstormers don’t have five proven starters right now or that Ack’s ERA is 3.32 – second-best on the staff. Hayes is considering a switch. This provides a little insight into the manager’s thinking.

Game 18: Patriots 5-2

	Eric Ackerman 0-0, 2.80 ERA		Brian Reith 1-0, 7.62 ERA

The numbers are well-known by now. The Barnstormers are 5-2 at home and 1-9 on the road. A discrepancy that great doesn’t make much sense. Sure, playing at the Clip is an advantage, but it shouldn’t turn a team from the ‘62 Mets into the ‘27 Yankees. There are theories about the Barnstormers’ extreme home-road splits.

First is the tough breaks theory. The team’s nine losses have come by a combined 19 runs.

“We’ve had a string of bad luck,” first baseman Ian Bladergroen said. “We feel like we could have won eight or nine of those games that we lost. That’s the good part. We were in every one of those games. We just have to keep grinding it out. Hopefully, we’ll be there in the end.”

Second is the bad weather/bad atmosphere theory. Almost all of the Barnstormers’ road games have been played in the cold or rain or in empty ballparks. Newark, for example, isn’t anyone’s favorite stop on the Atlantic League bus tour.

Game 17: Stormers 4-1

	Ricardo Gomez 0-1, 3.38 ERA		Steve Kelly 1-1, 4.80 ERA

When the Riversharks rolled into town last week, minus half their starting lineup because of injuries and departures, we talked about how quickly fortunes can change in the Atlantic League. The Barnstormers have also made that discovery. They’re only 16 games into the season and they’re without their ace, their cleanup man and their top left-handed power hitter. Two were lost to affiliated ball. One to injury.

As hard as Von Hayes and Keith Lupton will work to upgrade the roster, some guys can’t be replaced. Zack Parker is one of them. Where are you going to find another lefthander capable of posting a 2.08 ERA in 14 starts in this league? He was a rarity for indy ball — a pitcher whose career arc seemed to be rising.

Today the Barnstormers are expected to learn more about the future of DH Matt LeCroy, who hasn’t played since May 3 because of a sore shoulder. If it’s determined that LeCroy needs a continued stay on the disabled list, the team is going to have to start looking for another hitter. Finding one projected to mash 20+ homers, as LeCroy and Jason Perry were, is extremely difficult.

Rangers pick up Parker

Many speculated that it was only a matter of time until the Barnstormers lost P Zack Parker to affiliated ball. It happened today. The lefty signed with the Texas Rangers and will be sent to Double-A Frisco.

Parker was one of the Atlantic League’s best pitchers this season. He was 2-0 with a 1.32 ERA in four games. His departure comes as the Barnstormers are scrambling to shore up their struggling pitching staff.

“It’s bad timing,” head of baseball operations Keith Lupton said. “Naturally, you hate to lose a guy like that. On the other hand, you’re happy for him. I think we all felt it was going to happen. I thought it might happen two weeks from now.”

The Barnstormers made an immediate move to replace Parker. They acquired the rights to P Nick Renault from the Joliet Jackhammers of the Northern League for a player to be named later.

Five things we’ve learned …

… since the last off day

1

Mike Woods is for real. When the Barnstormers signed Woods prior to the start of last season, they were gambling on potential. He was a former first-rounder who hadn’t played in about 18 months. Woods had one rough month last May because of a hip flexor injury before emerging as an elite Atlantic League player. His career stats at this level (in 114 games) …

.304

12 HR

51 RBI

.388 OBP

.480 SLG

The Barnstormers were concerned about Woods’ defense at 2B during spring training. After he made a stellar catch on a pop up during one of the exhibition games, the team decided to give him a start in the OF. He looked good there and it became a permanent transition. That’s fortunate for the Barnstormers. Woods has been one of their MVPs so far. ALB.com has a story on Woods.

Games 15/16: Bears sweep (4-3, 10-6)

	Mike Nannini 0-2, 6.10 ERA Tim McClaskey 1-0, 5.29, ERA		Benito Baez 1-1, 4.50 ERA David Pellegrine 0-1, 4.05, ERA

It’s the first doubleheader of the season for the Barnstormers and it won’t be the last. The Atlantic League’s condensed scheduled, combined with the inevitability of rain, means this league is prone to too many Ernie Banks afternoons and evenings. Last season they played a whopping nine doubleheaders. They hope the number is more manageable this time around.

Despite all that has gone wrong for the Barnstormers so far, they’ve stayed close in the standings. The mediocrity of the Freedom Division has certainly helped. If Lancaster can at least salvage a split today, it will be within two games in the loss column. Considering the road-heavy schedule, the bullpen mess and the absence of Matt LeCroy, the Barnstormers are fortunate to be in such good shape.

When they return home later this week, with series against Somerset and York looming, they should have their full contingent of relievers, including closer Sendy Rleal. It’ll be our first chance to get an accurate assessment of the team the way Von Hayes and Keith Lupton intended it to be constructed.

Game 14: Stormers 7-2

	Zack Parker 1-0, 0.86 ERA		Mike Bumstead 1-2, 6.00 ERA

Friday night’s rainout came at an opportune time for the Barnstormers. It gave them a day to rest their overworked bullpen and it shortened the final two games of this series to seven innings — which is helpful for a team that is struggling to close out wins. Lancaster and Newark will play a doubleheader on Sunday followed by an off day Monday.

The relief corps should be in good shape tonight. According to head of baseball operations Keith Lupton, pitchers Jeff Muessig and Yamel Guevara have been cleared to play, so the Barnstormers have two more right-handed options. They’ll need them since Ricardo Gomez is not available after starting Thursday night.

As for the visa waiting game, P Sendy Rleal is expected to pick up his visa Monday and is scheduled to leave the Dominican Tuesday. The former big leaguer has been playing in his home country and the Barnstormers hope he can contribute immediately. P Jose Cabrera’s meeting with the consulate was pushed back to Tuesday. If he’s approved as expected, he’ll travel here Wednesday. The bullpen should have a much different look next week.