Home team improvements
February 1, 2008 by Jason Guarente
The Barnstormers’ offense needs to be improved. It needs a higher batting average, fewer strikeouts, better output with men on base and more speed and versatility.
How does the team accomplish those goals?
If you go position by position, Lancaster received solid-to-excellent production at most spots: Catcher, first base, second base, shortstop, left field and center field. There are three positions that could be upgraded. Let’s take a look:
THIRD BASE
Steve Van Note: .232 … 7 HR … 39 RBIs … .313 OBP … .365 SLG
Felix Martinez: .255 …. 0 HR …. 7 RBIs ..… .322 OBP … .309 SLG
The Van Note experiment didn’t pan out. Manager Frank Klebe hoped that the former utility man could flourish in an expanded role. By the middle of the summer, the Barnstormers acknowledged that was a mistake and signed Martinez. That didn’t work out, either, as the former big leaguer provided little production.
This was a gaping hole in the offense. In over 400 at-bats at a power position, the Barnstormers received seven homers and 46 RBIs. The duo also committed 22 errors. Looking back, Lancaster never replaced Jose Ortiz, who posted an .853 OPS in 2006. That’s one reason the offense took a turn for the worse.
DESIGNATED HITTER
Russ Cleveland:…………….. .231 … 3 HR … 10 RBIs … (19 games)
Dominick Ambrosini: … .233 … 2 HR … 7 RBIs … (17 games)
Eric Crozier:…………………. .226 … 2 HR … 7 RBIs … (10 games)
Manny Santana:…………… .043 … 0 HR … 2 RBIs … (8 games)
Travis Hake:…………………. .120 … 0 HR … 2 RBIs … (7 games)
Jeremy Deitrick:………….. .238 … 0 HR … 2 RBIs …. (6 games)
Steve Booker: ………………. .083 … 0 HR … 0 RBIs … (5 games)
Steve Van Note: …………..… 133 … 0 HR … 1 RBI … (5 games)
Felix Martinez:…………….. .188 … 0 HR … 1 RBI … (5 games)
This is ugly. One reason I listed so many players was to show that the Barnstormers didn’t really have a DH last season. They had a revolving door opened mostly to subpar performers. When you start your backup catcher at DH 32 times, it’s time to admit you have a problem. The lack of production in this spot killed the team.
It wasn’t supposed to be this way. This was supposed to be Clyde Williams’ job. He left for Mexico five games into the season and wasn’t asked back. The slugger ended up in the Can-Am League. Dario Delgado was the next logical DH, but he bolted for the Northern League. Neither of those guys tore it up at their new locales. Bottom line: The Barnstormers need a big bopper for this role. Someone in the Jimmy Hurst mold. Giving away outs at DH is not an option.
RIGHT FIELD
Chris Van Rossum: .254 … 13 Hrs … 57 RBIs … .323 OBP … 417 SLG
Van Rossum isn’t a bad player. In fact, we’ve often discussed his virtues on this site. He’s well above average defensively with a rocket arm. But how valuable is that defense at Clipper Magazine Stadium? Right field doesn’t offer a lot of ground to cover, which negates both Van Rossum’s range and throwing ability.
If the Barnstormers bring back Ambrosini and Jutt Hileman, RF is the logical place to try to upgrade the outfield. Van Rossum’s .740 OPS was OK, but he really struggled on the road with just one homer in 183 plate appearances. His .323 on-base was 30 points below everyone else on the team who appeared in 100 games.
The path to returning the Barnstormers to 2006 form is a long one. Not only do they need to improve the above positions, they’ll have to find replacements for Jeremy Todd at first base and Danny Gonzalez at shortstop. This will be a difficult task for head of baseball operations Keith Lupton and manager Von Hayes.
Great analysis of the offensive situation, Jason. We had old time nicknames for some players like “rally killer”, etc. for certain batters. It’s a shame, but the reality hurt sometimes.
Hopefully, we will have good pickin’s this season to fill these weaknesses.
Good luck to Keith and Von on their search.
dadTB
I think the Barnstormers can find the players to improve offensively at 3rd base, RF, and DH. But I’m not sure they can upgrade those positions enough to replace the numbers they are losing offensively with Ambrosini and Gonzalez. They may have to really focus on improving the pitching.
The waiting is the hardest part…
The discussion is excellent, but it won’t reach full circle until we see who comprises the team…
I am excited about this season and eager to take new pictures. Let’s hope I get some more of home runs…
Go Stormers
I totally agree with everything you said. Those 3 positions last year were pretty bad.
I have to think that there are some LH Hitters out there that would LOVE to play at the Clip and inflate their #’s.
Yeah, we will miss Gonzalez…at least those games when he felt like playing. Ambro had a career year and he’s more of a DH than an everyday LF. He wasn’t very good in LF.
I was doing a little research on the last three seasons of the Lancaster Barnstormers and I have come to the conclusion that pitching is very important in in any league or level of baseball or where you are playing. I will always believe that good pitching will always beat good hitting. Try kicking this around for awhile.
In the year 2005 the Barnstormers had a .280 batting average and a pitching ERA of 4.98. The opponent batting average was .287. The opponents run production was also 798. Which proves that hitting could not have carried the Barnstormers that season.
In the year 2006 the team ERA was 4.15. Team batting average was.273. Opponent run production was down 596 runs. 198 runs less than 2005.
In 2007 the Barnstormer’s team ERA was 5.01 and a team batting average of .267. Opponents batting average was a high .292.
Look at the stats and you can see that in our championship year the team ERA was down .83 from 2005 and .86 from 2007.The team batting average was .280 in 2005 and couldn’t carry the Barnstormers because of a 4.98 team ERA. In 2006 the Barnstormers batting average was down to .273 but the team ERA kept the Barnstormers winning because of a good 4.15 team ERA lowest in Barnstormer’s history. To go a step farther in 2007 the Barnstormer’s team ERA is up .83 and the team batting average is only down 5 points from 2006. Which proves when the team ERA is down the more games you can win.
I will admit it does take some good hitting to win a championship but having good pitching outweights good hitting anytime.
The reason the Atlantic league is a hitter’s league is because when there is a good young pitcher in the league they always usually get a affilated contract with the Major Leagues. Most of the good pitchers in the Atlantic League are too old and not worth the time or money. Good hitters are plentiful in the Atlantic League because most of them are ex-Major Leaguers who were replaced by young prospects or can’t cut it in th Majors anymore. I think being a great defensive player helps ,too.
Good hitting can win some games. But good pitching will win 75% of the time. I’ll be waiting for some comments.
I was saying the same thing two weeks ago but was disagreed with.
I do agree that the Hitting must get better than last year but we aren’t going to win with hitting alone.
If the hitting improves and the Pitching stays the same…we won’t be in the Playoffs.
GO PATS!
I predict Welker gets MVP.
Boston Globe story about (Bridgeport manager) Tommy John
http://www.boston.com/sports/baseball/articles/2008/02/04/original_tommy_john_surgery_paved_way/?rss_id=Boston.com+–+Red+Sox+News
That one really hurt. This Super Bowl loss will sting for a while too.
You win the argument Jason.
Condolences Mr. B.
At least the Tippett thing worked out for you.
Thx Fausto.
Yeah it was great to see Tippett get in.
I thought the Patriots would beat the Giants. But even if they had, they weren’t the greatest of all-time. Legendary teams dominate in the playoffs and Super Bowl. They don’t squeeze out narrow wins.
I’ll have you all know that I picked the Giants by three. I even wrote it down and told everyone. Geezz, if I was a gamblin woman I’d be rich rich, rich,
Thanks Jason, way to stick the knife in a little deeper.
I think I’m gonna have to hang out w/ Bob the Alcoholic for a while.
Geez, mr. B, you’ve seen the Patriots win three Super Bowls and the Red Sox win two World Series this decade. I’m sure Philly fans are aching for you.
I’m not looking for sympathy (although I am currently excepting free meals), and I know I’ve had it good with New England teams. But on the every level, the same feelings formulate.
Example: If a wealthy person who is used to a certain lifestyle crashes their Million dollar boat, it can be devastating. Equally traumatic would be if a Bum looses his favorite winter jacket that he wore all summer long. They both grieve, except no one feels bad for the wealthy guy except maybe his hot wife.
At each level it hurts. And this was big. REAL BIG. A perfect season was on the line and maybe even equally importantly, a way to shut up the 72 Dolphins. Who in reality would get pummeled by the 08 Pats.
So it goes, my rooting structure has turned to the Celtics and Bruins. I just wish basketball wasn’t so ghetto, and the puck wasn’t so hard to see on the tv screen.