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.

If you’re interested, here are the run differentials in the Liberty Division:

Riversharks +30
Blue Crabs +10
Ducks -10
Bluefish -14

Camden is head and shoulders above everyone else, which is an impressive feat considering how many injuries the Riversharks have endured. The expansion Blue Crabs are second. That Butch Hobson fellow knows what he’s doing.

Pitching matchup: Tim McClaskey was penciled into the No. 2 spot in the rotation and considered the second-best bet for a strong season behind Zack Parker. Why is he struggling? McClaskey has issued eight walks in 19 1/3 innings, an unusually high total for him. Still, his ERA is over-inflated because all six inherited runners he left on base have scored. He hasn’t pitched well, but he hasn’t pitched as badly as the stats indicate.

Corey Thurman is part of York’s big-league rotation, which hasn’t produced big-league results. The rigthhander has yet to pitch more than five innings in a start and has more walks than strikeouts.

Lineups …

(7-13)	(7-13)
Mike Woods, RF	Keoni De Renne, SS
Danny Gonzalez, SS	Sandy Aracena, C
Brian Stavisky, LF	Matt Dryer, 1B
Manny Mejia, C	Matt Padgett, 3B
Ian Bladergroen, 1B	Tyler Von Schell, DH
Vasili Spanos, 3B	Jason Aspito, LF
Lance Burkhart, DH	Matt Esquivel, RF
Jutt Hileman, CF	Enrique Cruz, 2B
Lloyd Turner, 2B	Travis Ezi, CF

Scoring summary …

WP: Tim McClaskey (2-1)
LP: Corey Thurman (0-4)

FINAL: Barnstormers 7, Revolution 3

Revs 2nd: Aspito’s sacrifice fly scores Padgett.
York leads 1-0.

Stormers 4th: Stavisky’s home run scores Gonzalez.
Lancaster leads 2-1.

Revs 5th: Von Schell hits solo home run.
Game tied at 2.

Stormers 6th: Stavisky’s double scores Gonzalez. Mejia’s double scores Stavisky. Spanos’ single scores Mejia. Burkhart’s home run scores Bladergroen.
Lancaster leads 7-2.

Revs 7th: Aspito hits solo home run.
Lancaster leads 7-3.

RECORD: 8-13

PLAYER OF THE GAME: Brian Stavisky (3-for-4, 3 RBIs, 2 runs)

The outfielder smashed a two-run homer in the fourth inning and an RBI double in the sixth to account for Lancaster’s first three runs. Stavisky is so steady. He’s hitting .338 with four homers and 16 RBIs. His on-base hasn’t dipped below .400 all season.

The pitchers:

Tim McClaskey bounced back as expected …

This is the pitcher the Barnstormers have been expecting. The righthander was economical and didn’t issue any walks as he picked up his second win. This is five consecutive solid outings for the starting rotation. If that continues, the team will continue to climb the standings.

*Yamel Guevara pitched two innings and allowed his first run. His ERA is 1.35 and he’s averaging more than a strikeout per inning.

*Judd Songster pitched a 1-2-3 ninth to close it out.

*The bullpen has pitched five innings and has allowed one run in this series.

The hitters:

*Lance Burkhart smashed a two-run homer to cap the sixth-inning outburst. He’s now tied for the league lead with five homers and has 11 RBIs.

*Manny Mejia extended his hitting streak to 11 games as he appeared in the cleanup spot again. He went 1-for-5 with an RBI single. The Barnstormers are getting tremendous production from their catchers.

*Danny Gonzalez walked twice and scored twice. Every season it seems the Barnstormers put him somewhere other than the No. 2 slot, even though that’s where he belongs. It’s time to just leave him there.

*Vasili Spanos went 2-for-4 with an RBI. It’s a different lineup when Spanos is playing, as we saw during the two losses to Somerset earlier in the week.

*The Barnstormers are out of last place and boosted their run differential to +9. They have a chance for a three-game sweep at York Sunday. The Revs, with a run differential of -24, are clearly the worst team in the league.

	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.

The Barnstormers will take their fourth look at Mike Nannini, who hasn’t pitched well since his first outing against Long Island. He has allowed eight runs in 8 2/3 innings his last two times out. York counters with Aaron Myette, a former big leaguer who is trying to make a comeback after not pitching in 2006 or 2007. There’s a good story about Myette here.

An interesting quote from Von Hayes after Thursday’s loss:

At least we have the comfort of knowing, and I do say knowing, that our toughest days are behind us,” he said. “We will get better.”

This is something I should have noted in the panic button entry:

Many managers in the Atlantic League are on auto pilot. They don’t work especially hard beyond the typical daily routine. That’s not Hayes. He and the Barnstormers have spent more time focusing on fielding drills and fundamentals this season than the team has in its first three seasons combined. Hayes wants to win badly and he’s willing to put in the work to turn the team’s fortunes around. That’s another reason to expect things to improve.

Links:

*Revolution Rumblings previews the Lancaster-York series.

*Former Somerset and Camden P Mark DiFelice, who started three games at the Clip in 2005 and 2006, is in the big leagues with the Brewers. This is his first promotion to the majors in his 11th professional season.

*Glenn Murray’s comeback is over after two games. He’s back to being a hitting coach.

Lineups …

(6-13)	(7-12)
Mike Woods, RF	Keoni De Renne, 2B
Danny Gonzalez, SS	Kenny Perez, SS
Brian Stavisky, LF	Matt Padgett, 3B
Manny Mejia, C	Tyler Von Schell, 1B
Ian Bladergroen, 1B	Matt Dryer, DH
Vasili Spanos, 3B	Matt Esquivel, LF
Lance Burkhart, DH	Jason Aspito, RF
Jutt Hileman, CF	Sandy Aracena, C
Juan Francia, 2B	Travis Ezi, CF

Scoring summary …

FINAL: Barnstormers 12, Revolution 2

Revolution 2nd: Aspito’s fielder’s choice scores Dryer.
York leads 1-0.

Stormers 3rd: Gonzalez’s single scores Burkhart and Hileman. Bladergroen’s grand slam scores Woods, Gonzalez and Mejia.
Lancaster leads 6-1.

Stormers 4th: Hileman hits solo home run.
Lancaster leads 7-1.

Stormers 5th: Gonzalez hits solo home run. Bladergroen’s groundout scores Stavisky. Spanos’ groundout scores Mejia.
Lancaster leads 10-1.

Revs 5th: De Renne’s single scores Aspito.
Lancaster leads 10-2.

Stormers 6th: Gonzalez’s single scores Hileman. Stavisky’s sacrifice fly scores Woods.
Lancaster leads 12-2.

RECORD: 7-13

PLAYER OF THE GAME: Danny Gonzalez (4-for-4 with two runs scored and four RBIs).

The shortstop raised his batting average 46 points and nearly matched his RBI total for the season. If Gonzalez gets going, the top of this order is really dangerous. York picked the wrong K man tonight. Revs fans will have to purchase their own carbohydrates.

The pitchers:

*Mike Nannini earned his first Atlantic League win …

This was Nannini’s best outing of the season. The righthander overcame some control issues by getting three double play grounders. His ERA looks a little better at 4.71. That’s four good starts in a row for Lancaster’s rotation.

*Pat Cassa pitched a scoreless inning and recorded two strikeouts.

*Mark Alexander worked the ninth. Although he walked his first batter on four pitches, he recovered from his wildness to pitch a scoreless frame.

*York’s Aaron Myette posted a line you might see in high school ball …

In alumni news …

*Zack Parker made his debut for the Frisco Roughriders against the San Antonio Missions and received a no decision. He threw 91 pitches, 54 strikes …

The hitters:

*Powerball …

Ian Bladergroen’s grand slam capped a six-run third inning. The first baseman is among the league leaders with five homers and 21 RBIs. In fact, he could be alone at the top depending on what happened elsewhere Friday. He also snapped out of his road funk with a big game away from the Clip.

Gonzalez’s solo shot in the fifth ended a lengthy power drought. He hadn’t homered since Aug. 22, 2007 – a span of 159 at-bats.

Jutt Hileman homered for the second consecutive game. He went 3-for-4 with three runs scored.

*Manny Mejia, making his first appearance in the cleanup spot, went 1-for-4 with two runs scored as he extended his hitting streak to 10 games.

*Amazingly, Mike Woods’ 17-game hitting streak ended on a night the Barnstormers scored 12 runs. He went 0-for-3 with two walks and two runs. Somewhere Norm Hutchins is popping champagne.

*Matt LeCroy was activated from the DL as expected. He did not play.

*The Barnstormers broke their pattern of going 6-14 to start halves. They won for the second time in 11 road games. They have now scored 102 runs and allowed 97. This isn’t a bad team. Stay away from the red 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 …

The starting pitching is stabilizing

Ricardo Gomez and Nick Renault represent two options that weren’t there a week ago. Gomez has plus stuff for an Atlantic League pitcher and is averaging a strikeout per inning since being added to the rotation. He’s sporting a 2.77 ERA and opponents are hitting .182 against him. He seems to have enough variety in his repertoire to work through the lineup multiple times.

Renault could be a revelation. His start today was only a first impression and we should resist the urge to read too much into it. But if you look at Renault’s history, he could have long-term success at this level. The righthander was 5-1 with a 3.31 ERA through seven starts in the Northern League before suffering a torn meniscus last summer. He pitched through the injury and his stats suffered. If he can maintain his pre-injury form, he’ll be above average.

Two other starters, Tim McClaskey and Mike Nannini are underperforming expectations. McClaskey’s ERA is 7.91. Nannini’s is 5.79. Although there are no guarantees, they should rebound. A few days ago, I wasn’t high on the depth of this rotation. Renault and Gomez have changed that opinion. The team could use another top-notch starter – which team couldn’t? – but this group should be OK if the rest of the facets of the team click.

The manager will adjust

How much blame does Von Hayes deserve for this slow start? Quite a bit. His approach has been heavy-handed and his criticism of some players has been over the top. It has created a less-than-ideal atmosphere in the clubhouse. There’s a difference between ruling with an iron fist and indiscriminately smashing everything in sight. Hayes has released six players in three weeks and has slammed a few others publicly.

That’s the bad side. The good side? He’ll learn from this. It’s important to keep in mind that Hayes has never managed in this environment, where he has complete control over personnel and can utilize players as he sees fit. We should have expected an adjustment period as the new manager gets used to a new league with a new type of player. Indy ball is different than affiliated ball for a lot of reasons. Methods of motivation that work in one place might not work in the other.

As time passes Hayes will get a better feel for this club. He didn’t win 57 percent of his games and two championships by accident. Whether you agree with his in-game decisions or not, he has a thoughtful reason for everything he does. Now that the bullpen has been overhauled and this roster is almost 100 percent his own, Hayes will likely ease up in his criticism. We saw the first signs of that Thursday when the post-game press conference was almost completely positive, despite a miserable loss.

The offense has room to grow

The Barnstormers rank fourth in the AL in runs scored. That’s remarkable considering how little production they’ve gotten from some key members of the lineup. Danny Gonzalez, Jutt Hileman, Lance Burkhart, Jarred Ball and LeCroy are hitting a combined .206. Either five proven players have inexplicably fallen off a cliff at the same time or it’s a fluke. Once these players elevate to their career norms, the offense will get a boost. The one cause for concern is LeCroy. It’s hard to say how he’ll produce the rest of the season because of his shoulder injury.

Lost amidst the “Send Sendy Home” sentiments from Thursday was this fact: The Barnstormers scored 10 runs in the three-game series against Somerset. They failed to score more than four runs in any of the games. It didn’t help that Vasili Spanos and LeCroy were unavailable. You can’t consistently win at Clipper Magazine Stadium without scoring 5-6 runs a night. It’s impossible.

The items listed above are not designed to excuse the poor start. The bottom line is the team hasn’t performed up to expectations. But it’s important to have some perspective. The Barnstormers have scored 90 runs and have allowed 95. This is not a roster that will win 32 percent of its games over the long haul.

Could the bullpen continue to implode? Could key hitters continue to get hurt? Could the starting pitching continue to underperform? Could they continue to lose virtually every close game? Sure, all of those things could happen for the duration of the season. But I wouldn’t bet on it.

Everyone needs to relax, breathe and — most importantly — stay away from that big red button.

	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. As a former hitter, Hayes has been extremely critical of his pitchers. That’s not uncommon, but it could be a problem if we see an overreaction to every subpar performance by a pitcher for the rest of the season. Four relievers have already been released. At some point, the staff needs some stability. Guys are going to throw hanging breaking balls with an 0-2 count on occasion. It doesn’t mean they can’t do the job.

As for today’s 11 a.m. game, the Barnstormers will take a look at Nick Renault, who was acquired from the Joliet Jackhammers Monday. The team admittedly doesn’t know much about this righthander other than the fact he was recommended as a hard-nosed competitor who isn’t afraid to pitch inside. Renault is taking Zack Parker’s turn in the rotation.

The Barnstormers need this one. It’s not make or break, but losing a series at home before a seven-game road trip to York and Somerset is not the way to dig out of a 6-12 hole.

*Renault’s stats are from the Northern League last season.

Lineups …

(10-9)	(6-12)
David Housel, 2B	Mike Woods, LF
Gera Alvarez, 3B	Danny Gonzalez, SS
Brandon Larson, DH	Ian Bladergroen, 1B
Josh Pressley, 1B	Brian Stavisky, RF
Vito Chiaravalloti, RF	Manny Mejia, C
Teuris Olivares, SS	Lance Burkhart, C
Travis Anderson, C	Jutt Hileman, CF
Matt Hagen, LF	Juan Francia, 2B
Jeff Duncan, CF	Lloyd Turner, 3B

Scoring summary …

WP: Jason Richardson (3-0)
LP: Sendy Rleal (0-1)
SV: Bret Prinz (8 )

FINAL: Patriots 6, Barnstormers 4

Stormers 4th: Hileman’s single scores Mejia. Turner’s triple scores Hileman and Francia. Lancaster leads 3-0.

Patriots 8th: Duncan’s home run scores Anderson. Housel hits solo home run.
Game tied at 3.

Stormers 8th: Burkhart hits solo home run.
Lancaster leads 4-3.

Patriots 9th: Hagen’s single scores Elliott Ayala and Olivares. Anderson scores on wild pitch.
Somerset leads 6-4.

RECORD: 6-13

PLAYER OF THE GAME: Matt Hagen (2-for-4 with 2 RBIs)

Hagen, who hits eighth in Somerset’s order, delivered a two-run single with one out in the top of the ninth to lift the Patriots to the win. Hagen was 5-for-9 with a homer and three doubles in the series.

The pitchers:

*Sendy Rleal’s first save chance was a disaster. The first four hitters he faced reached safely – two on singles and two on walks. Hagen’s two-run single erased the 4-3 lead and gave the newly-arrived closer his first blown save and loss in the Atlantic League.

Manager Von Hayes had no reservations about using Rleal in this role less than 48 hours after he arrived because Rleal had been pitching in the Dominican.

“He’s here to be our closer,” Hayes said. “We need to start establishing some roles on this team. All you can do is try to make the right moves and hope for the best. It didn’t work out today.”

*Nick Renault’s first appearance was a gem. The righthander, acquired from the Joliet Jackhammers in a trade Monday, pitched a no-hitter for 5 2/3 innings. Somerset’s first hit was Hagen’s broken-bat double that was grounded inside the third-base bag in the sixth. Renault retired 15 in a row at one point. The guy who replaced Zack Parker in the rotation pitched a lot like Parker.

Renault threw 96 pitches. His last pitch resulted in Jeff Duncan’s two-run homer as the newcomer was handed a hard-luck no decision.

“I felt all right,” Renault said, downplaying his performance. “I was up a little bit most of the day. The guys behind me took real good care of me.”

I’ll have more on Renault at a later date, but there’s reason to believe the Barnstormers have found themselves a quality starter here.

*The Barnstormers’ starting pitching was strong in this series. If you combine the three outings from Ricardo Gomez, Eric Ackerman and Renault, you get …

That’s good for a 2.95 ERA. If the starters keep pitching like that, the wins should follow.

*Jeff Muessig couldn’t hold a 3-2 lead in the eighth. He allowed David Housel’s home run. Despite completely overhauling the bullpen, the results are the same. The Barnstormers couldn’t close out a close game.

The hitters:

*Some good injury news: The MRIs for both Matt LeCroy and Vasili Spanos came back clean and both are cleared to play at York Friday. LeCroy will likely be available as a pinch hitter in that game before being ready for full-time duty Saturday. The Barnstormers need them. They’re not scoring runs at the same rate without the two guys who have filled the cleanup spot.

*Lance Burkhart was nearly the hero Thursday. One night after grounding into a double play with the bases loaded to end a game, the catcher hit an opposite-field homer in the eighth to put the Barnstormers in front. The lead was short-lived.

*Lloyd Turner’s two-run triple in the fourth inning gave Renault and the Barnstormers some breathing room. It was a high fly ball down the right field line that Vito Chiaravalloti – who usually plays 1B – couldn’t track down. Turner played a great all-around game. He doubled, tripled, stole a base and made a really good defensive play on foul pop.

*Hitting streaks are alive …

Mike Woods extended his to 17 games with a single in the first. He’s one away from matching the record held by Norm Hutchins and Jeremy Todd.

Manny Mejia’s streak reached nine with a single in the second. He went 2-for-3 with a walk and a run scored as his average rose to .412.

*In the big picture, this was a brutal loss. It dropped the Barnstormers a season-high seven games under .500 and left them 4½ back of first-place Somerset heading into a seven-game road trip.

“We have to take it a day at a time and realize that teams have struggles and individuals have struggles,” Hayes said. “When they’re turned around, it usually makes you a better player and a better team. We’re pretty fortunate it has happened at the beginning of the year and not at the stretch.”

	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.

“It’s tough enough to win on the road and we’ve played under nasty conditions,” manager Von Hayes said. “No BP. No people in the stands. It’s just a different atmosphere and it’s just dead. We come home and there’s some life. Guys are excited to play, there are people in the stands and we’ve got nice weather. The field is beautiful. I’m excited. I feel like picking up a bat myself.”

The Barnstormers need to solve the mystery soon. They have a seven-game road trip against York and Somerset that starts Friday. It could determine the direction of the first half.

Bullpen shuffle: In case you missed it, the Barnstormers made three changes to their bullpen Tuesday night. Mark Alexander was signed. Nate Hoelscher and Rob Averette were released.

Here’s an updated look at the relief corps …

That looks pretty good. Alexander could be a big addition. He was a closer during most of his time in the Dodgers system and posted excellent strikeout numbers — which is something this pitching staff has lacked. If Jose Cabrera ever arrives, the team will have six solid options from the right side.

Of the seven listed above, only Cullen and Cassa were in spring training with the team. The roster has resembled a revolving door through the first two weeks plus, but most of the moves have centered on the bullpen — the team’s weak spot. Four of the six players released were relievers. Even if you don’t agree with all the moves, you have to acknowledge the effort to avoid a 2007 repeat.

Links:

*Game 17 box score

*Standings: No one has a winning record in the Freedom Division.

*P Jeff Tam, the former Road Warrior who worked out for the Barnstormers in spring training, has found a home in the Atlantic League.

Lineups …

(9-9)	(6-11)
David Housel, 2B	Mike Woods, RF
Gera Alvarez, RF	Juan Francia, 2B
Brandon Larson, 3B	Ian Bladergroen, 1B
Josh Pressley, DH	Brian Stavisky, DH
Vito Chiaravalloti, 1B	Manny Mejia, C
Jason Belcher, C	Danny Gonzalez, SS
Teuris Olivares, SS	Jarred Ball, LF
Matt Hagen, LF	Lloyd Turner, 3B
Elliott Ayala, CF	Jutt Hileman, CF

Scoring summary …

WP: Brian Reith (2-0)
LP: Eric Ackerman (0-1)
SV: Bret Prinz (7)

FINAL: Patriots 5, Barnstormers 2

Patriots 4th: Larson’s double scores Alvarez.
Somerset leads 1-0.

Stormers 4th: Bladergroen hits solo home run.
Game tied at 1.

Patriots 5th: Hagen’s home run scores Olivares.
Somerset leads 3-1.

Patriots 7th: Alvarez’s sacrifice fly scores Housel.
Somerset leads 4-1.

Patriots 8th: Olivares’ double scores Belcher.
Somerset leads 5-1.

Stormers 8th: Hileman hits solo home run.
Somerset leads 5-2.

RECORD: 6-12

PLAYER OF THE GAME: Brian Reith

One reason Somerset has never had a losing record is it always seems to have pitchers like Reith, who played parts of three seasons in the big leagues with the Reds. Reith cruised through the Barnstormers’ mix-and-match lineup and earned his second win.

The pitchers:

*Eric Ackerman came within one out of giving the Barnstormers the dictionary definition of a quality start …

Although he’s still searching for his first win, Ackerman has been consistent. He has pitched into the sixth inning in three of his four starts and has yet to allow more than three earned runs.

Manager Von Hayes implied Ackerman’s spot in the rotation could be in jeopardy, despite his 3.32 ERA. Hayes was unhappy that Ackerman didn’t throw enough first-pitch strikes and surrendered a homer on an 0-2 count.

“You can’t give up an 0-2 home run and expect to be a starting pitcher,” Hayes said. “We’re going to seriously take a look at that and have some conversations about that. We’re experimenting there a little bit. (Ackerman) has the stuff to pitch very well. But you’re playing with fire when you’re working behind every hitter.”

*Mark Alexander debuted inauspiciously. Eight of the nine pitches he threw were balls, which resulted in two walks and some catcalls from the crowd. Alexander was then pulled.

*Judd Songster escaped the bases-loaded jam he inherited from Alexander. He allowed a run in the seventh, but it was the product of a cheap Clipper triple off the scoreboard in right.

*Sendy Rleal also debuted with one scoreless inning.

*Jose Cabrera’s new ETA is Monday in Somerset.

The hitters:

*First, the injury report:

Vasili Spanos and Matt LeCroy each underwent MRIs Wednesday. Spanos injured his right knee during batting practice Tuesday. LeCroy has been out since May 3 with a sore shoulder. Results are expected back Thursday.

Lance Burkhart didn’t start because of inflammation in his right elbow. Backup Manny Mejia has been the catcher for the past four games.

*Burkhart had the key at-bat in the ninth, pinch-hitting for Lloyd Turner. The catcher grounded into a double play with the bases loaded to end the game. It took a nice defensive play by Somerset SS Teuris Olivares to prevent a single.

“I thought right away it was through,” Burkhart said. “Then I saw him dive and I saw him catch it. I’m just trying to put the barrel on the ball there. I’m not trying to do anything out of the ordinary. He gave me a sinker and I beat it into the ground.”

*As a result, the Barnstormers went with an unconventional lineup: Ian Bladergroen-Brian Stavisky-Mejia-Danny Gonzalez in the 3-4-5-6 slots is not how they drew it up before the start of the season.

*Bladergroen continued his Clipper dominance. He went 2-for-4 with his fourth home run, which leads the team. His stats in Lancaster got a little better …

*Mike Woods waited until his final at-bat before extending his hitting streak to 16 games with a double in the eighth. He’s two short of the team record. Norm Hutchins’ place in Barnstormers’ lore is in danger.

*Mejia went 2-for-4 to extend his hitting streak to eight.

*Jutt Hileman went 1-for-3 with a solo shot to right. He’s sitting at .200 for the season, but maybe this will get him going.

*The Barnstormers can’t get a streak going. Their longest winning streak is two games. They’ll try to at least capture this series Thursday.

“I don’t think guys are getting too frustrated,” Burkhart said. “We were in that game tonight. You can’t think about needing a streak. We’re playing better baseball. We’ll just go off of that.”

	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.

This is the beginning of a pivotal stretch for the Barnstormers. They play the next 10 games against division rivals Somerset and York. If Lancaster doesn’t at least tread water, its first-half hopes will dim considerably. The Barnstormers will give the ball to Ricardo Gomez tonight. Gomez allowed one run in four innings in his first start against Newark Thursday.

Links:

*Game 15 box … Game 16 box

*Stormers stats … Patriots stats

*The Intell examines Parker’s departure.

*ALB.com talked to Parker before he was signed by the Rangers.

Roster move: The Barnstormers have signed P Mark Alexander. The righthander is a 20th-round draft choice who spent four seasons in the Dodgers system. He split time between Double-A and Triple-A last season.

Career stats here.

Lineups …

(9-8 )	(5-11)
David Housel, 2B	Mike Woods, LF
Gera Alvarez, RF	Juan Francia, 2B
Brandon Larson, 3B	Brian Stavisky, RF
Josh Pressley, DH	Vasili Spanos, 3B
Vito Chiaravalloti, 1B	Ian Bladergroen, 1B
Jason Belcher, C	Lance Burkhart, DH
Teuris Olivares, SS	Manny Mejia, C
Matt Hagen, LF	Jarred Ball, CF
Elliott Ayala, CF	Danny Gonzalez, SS

Scoring summary …

WP: Ricardo Gomez (1-1)
LP: Steve Kelly (1-2)
SV: Jeff Muessig (1)

FINAL: Barnstormers 4, Patriots 1

Patriots 2nd: Hagen’s double scores Olivares.
Somerset leads 1-0.

Stormers 2nd: Bladergroen hits solo home run.
Game tied at 1.

Stormers 3rd: Spanos’ sacrifice fly scores Gonzalez. Bladergroen’s double scores Woods.
Lancaster leads 3-1.

Stormers 5th: Stavisky’s double scores Francia.
Lancaster leads 4-1.

RECORD: 6-11

PLAYER OF THE GAME: Ian Bladergroen (2-for-3 with a double and a home run).

Bladergroen is definitely comfortable at the Clip. He’s 11-for-24 with three homers and 12 RBIs in seven home games. Even his outs at home seem to be hit hard. Something happens to Bladergroen when he hits the road. He’s 6-for-34 in 10 road games.

“I really enjoy hitting here,” the first baseman said. “I see the ball really well. You wouldn’t even know I played on the Road Warriors last year with the batting average I have on the road. It helps that I feel really comfortable here and am getting into a groove.”

The pitchers:

*Ricardo Gomez turned in another solid start …

The Barnstormers may have found a long-term solution for their rotation in Gomez. The righthander has allowed two earned runs in nine innings in his two starts. His strikeouts are up and his control is better in this role rather than out of the bullpen.

“Ricardo is going to get better every time he goes out there,” manager Von Hayes said. “He’s got a better-than-average fastball and he has enough of an offspeed pitch to keep the hitters off-balance. He just has to really get confident with his fastball and throw it more. When he gets an idea how to do that, he’s going to be a darn good pitcher.”

*Yamel Guevara was effective in relief …

The walks are a blemish, but understandable considering how long it has been since Guevara pitched regularly. The bottom line is Guevara has thrown 4 2/3 innings out of the bullpen since joining the team and hasn’t allowed a run. That’s a nice change for the relief corps.

*Jeff Muessig worked a scoreless ninth for his first save.

*This was a night to feel better about the staff. It was the best the pitchers have looked in a non-Zack Parker outing this season.

“Now all of a sudden we’ve become a team that if we put some runs on the board we have a decent chance of holding on to them,” Hayes said.

*Nate Hoelscher and Rob Averette have been released.

*Sendy Rleal and Nick Renault arrived during the game and will be activated for Wednesday. Rleal will likely pitch Wednesday. Renault is tentatively scheduled to start Thursday.

The hitters:

*Mike Woods extended his hitting streak to 15 games with a double in the third inning. He’s three short of the franchise record shared by Norm Hutchins and Jeremy Todd.

*Danny Gonzalez was dropped to ninth in the order. He went 1-for-2 with a run scored and sacrifice bunt.

*Jarred Ball returned after missing five games with a sore quad. He played CF in place of Jutt Hileman and went 0-for-3 with a walk.

*It really wasn’t a great night for the offense. It didn’t matter because the team pitched so well. The Barnstormers are 5-2 at the Clip and 1-9 on the road. This was a nice win because it moved Lancaster within 2½ games of Somerset. You don’t want to fall too far back, even though it’s early.

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.

Renault, 28, is a 5-11, 190-pound righthander who has never played affiliated ball. He spent two seasons in the Frontier League before joining the Jackhammers in 2007. He comes with the recommendation of Wally Backman, who manages Joliet. Here are his career stats.

“He’s in the 28-30 range and they have no room for anybody that age,” Lupton said. “He’s a starter, a hard-nosed type. He’s a guy Wally says is not afraid to pitch inside. He’s ready to go.”

The Barnstormers haven’t officially signed Renault, but he’s expected to join the team on Tuesday. P Sendy Rleal is also expected to arrive Tuesday, although probably not in time to pitch in the game against Somerset.

At the moment, the Barnstormers’ projected rotation includes Tim McClaskey, Eric Ackerman, Mike Nannini, Ricardo Gomez and Renault. Yamel Guevara could become a starter once he gets himself stretched out to pitch more innings.

… 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) …

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.

2

Von Hayes needs to be more patient with proven players. Dominick Ambrosini’s release four days before the start of the season was seen as a message. Hayes was going to be demanding and if he didn’t believe players fit his roster, they were gone. If that’s where it ended, it wouldn’t be a bad message. Two weeks later we can draw another conclusion about the new skipper. Hayes is prone to snap judgments. The manager’s decision to release Ross Peeples confirmed it.

As a reminder, here are Peeples’ stats from 2007 …

One of the biggest problems for the Barnstormers’ staff has been walks. That has been Hayes’ most consistent lament. If that’s the case, why would you release a pitcher who issued just 14 walks in over 70 innings the previous season? By comparison, Pat Cassa and Nate Hoelscher – the two lefties who remained after Peeples was cut – have walked 12 and hit four batters in 12 1/3 innings. This move didn’t make sense from a performance or public relations standpoint. It seems that Hayes decided immediately that he didn’t want Peeples, who deserved more of a chance.

3

The Barnstormers need a cleanup hitter. Again. Matt LeCroy was supposed to be the solution, but he went 4-for-31 to start the season before landing on the DL with a sore shoulder. Even if LeCroy comes back healthy, and that’s no sure thing, you have to wonder if he’s going to produce at the level everyone expected. He’s coming off an injury-plagued 2007 and shoulder problems are bad news for hitters. The Barnstormers, who once seemed overloaded with offense, might need to add another big bat.

4

Mike Nannini and Tim McClaskey have struggled. The Barnstormers built their rotation around Zack Parker and those two pitchers. It wasn’t a bad idea as we opined in this entry. Both are veterans and both have a history of throwing strikes. But through the first two weeks, neither has provided much consistency.

Here is their combined production (in seven starts) …

The Barnstormers’ rotation was thin to begin with. If McClaskey and Nannini don’t improve significantly, this team simply doesn’t have the starting pitching to contend.

5

Danny Gonzalez and Jutt Hileman are off to slow starts. Neither is hitting over .200 and the two have combined to hit one home run in 108 at-bats. This is part of the reason for the 5-11 start. Both are proven Atlantic League players who posted an OPS above .800 last season. They should bounce back and the offense should get a jolt as a result. So while the outlook is bleak in other areas, this is one place where the Barnstormers can expect things to get better – if they show some patience.

	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.

From the “it could always be worse” department:

Because of a series of defections, injuries and illness, the Bluefish were forced to activate former Barnstormers hitting coach Glenn Murray for the doubleheader against Camden Saturday. Murray played CF, pitcher Chris Eickhorst played LF and pitcher Eric DuBose played 1B during the two games. Remarkably, Murray went 3-for-5 with a double and two runs scored.

GAME 1
Scoring summary …

WP: Corey Willey (3-0)
LP: Ryan Cullen (2-2)

FINAL: Bears 4, Barnstormers 3

Stormers 1st: Brian Stavisky’s sacrifice fly scores Mike Woods.
Lancaster leads 1-0.

Stormers 4th: Vasili Spanos hits solo home run.
Lancaster leads 2-0.

Bears 4th: Jose Herrera’s triple scores Ramon Castro and Randall Simon.
Game tied at 2.

Bears 5th: Cory Aldridge’s single scores Bobby Hill.
Newark leads 3-2.

Stormers 6th: Manny Mejia’s single scores Spanos.
Game tied at 3.

Bears 7th: Simon’s single scores Vic Gutierrez.
Newark wins 4-3.

GAME 2
Scoring summary …

WP: Edwin Almonte (1-0)
LP: Tim McClaskey (1-1)
SV: Al Levine (4)

FINAL: Bears 10, Barnstormers 6

Bears 2nd: Scott Knazek’s home run scores Tim Sweeney and Val Majewski.
Newark leads 3-0.

Stormers 3rd: Juan Francia’s sacrifice fly scores Manny Mejia. Ian Bladergroen’s walk scores Jutt Hileman. Danny Gonzalez’s walk scores Mike Woods. Lance Burkhart’s walk scores Brian Stavisky.
Mejia’s walk scores Bladergroen.
Lancaster leads 5-3.

Bears 3rd: Majewski’s single scores Bobby Hill and Keith Reed. Sweeney’s single scores Cory Aldridge and Majewski.
Newark leads 7-5.

Stormers 4th: Vasili Spanos’ single scores Woods.
Newark leads 7-6.

Bears 6th: Brian Burgamy’s single scores Mike Just. Majewski’s sacrifice fly scores Burgamy. Jose Herrera’s double scores Reed.
Newark leads 10-6.

RECORD: 5-11

PLAYER OF GAME 1: Randall Simon (2-for-3, including game-winning single in the seventh inning)

PLAYERS OF GAME 2: Scott Knazek and Val Majewski (each had three RBIs)

The pitchers:

*The Barnstormers’ starters struggled.

Mike Nannini in Game 1 …

Tim McClaskey in Game 2 …

If a team gets a combined six innings from its two starters in a doubleheader, chances are it’s not going to win many of those games. Neither pitcher had his control. McClaskey’s five walks are alarming considering his history as a control artist. With all the focus on the bullpen, the reality remains the Barnstormers are a starter short.

*Yamel Guevara made his debut in Game 2 …

This was his first professional appearance in the U.S. It came 3½ years after the righthander defected from Cuba to the Dominican in a boat. Congratulations to Yamel.

*Overall, the pitching was awful. The Barnstormers allowed 14 runs, 15 hits and issued 15 walks in 13 1/3 innings. The pitching staff has 78 strikeouts and 66 walks this season. That ratio isn’t going to cut it.

The hitters:

Mike Woods …

You may have noticed that Woods’ platoon situation is no longer in effect. He has apparently won over manager Von Hayes and is entrenched as the team’s leadoff man. He has scored 12 runs and has eight stolen bases in 14 games.

Manny Mejia …

Mejia was forced to catch both games because Lance Burkhart was out with a sore arm. Mejia continues to shine off the bench. His batting average is .375. The one drawback is he allowed three stolen bases in Game 2.

Vasili Spanos …

Spanos hit the Barnstormers’ only home run in the two games. It was his first homer since being put into the cleanup spot.

Jutt Hileman …

Hileman had a rough two games. He’s 10-for-52 early in the season – a .192 average – but he has been great in the field.

*The Barnstormers scored nine runs in 14 innings, but they continue to struggle mightily in clutch situations. If you combine poor clutch hitting and a bad bullpen, you get a lot of close losses. Lancaster has been ahead in 14 of its 16 games, yet has only won five.

*The ugly totals: 1-9 on the road … 2-10 when Zack Parker doesn’t start … a season-worst 3½ games behind first-place Somerset.

	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.

Zack Parker will stay on schedule and start today. Mike Nannini, who was going to start Friday night’s game, was pushed back to Sunday. He and Tim McClaskey will work the doubleheader. Parker is coming off a two-hit shutout against Camden Monday.

OPS watch (back by not-so-popular demand):

It’s the Stavo show. The Barnstormers have a sharp divide here. Five guys performing above average and four guys performing below. This is a small sample size and it means nothing other than to show how players have fared through 13 games.

Lineups …

(4-9)	(6-7)
Mike Woods, RF	Bobby Hill, SS
Juan Francia, 2B	Brian Burgamy, 2B
Brian Stavisky, LF	Cory Aldridge, LF
Vasili Spanos, 3B	Randall Simon, 1B
Ian Bladergroen, 1B	Jose Herrera, RF
Danny Gonzalez, SS	Keith Reed, CF
Lance Burkhart, C	Ramon Castro, DH
Manny Mejia, DH	John Pachot, C
Jutt Hileman, CF	Mike Just, 3B

Scoring summary …

FINAL: Barnstormers 7, Bears 2

Stormers 3rd: Woods’ double scores Hileman. Stavisky’s sacrifice fly scores Woods. Lancaster leads 2-0.

Stormers 5th: Gonzalez’s fielder’s choice scores Stavisky. Burkhart’s double scores Bladergroen and Gonzalez. Mejia’s double scores Burkhart.
Lancaster leads 6-0.

Stormers 6th: Gonzalez’s fielder’s choice scores Stavisky.
Lancaster leads 7-0.

Bears 7th: Pachot’s home run scores Castro.
Lancaster leads 7-2

RECORD: 5-9

PLAYER OF THE GAME: Zack Parker. The Barnstormers made a wise decision to keep Parker on schedule and make this start. He’s a safe bet to pitch deep into the game and save the bullpen for Sunday’s doubleheader. The ace responded with a strong outing. Parker’s turn in the rotation is becoming win day for Lancaster.

The pitchers:

*Parker’s line …

The lefthander extended his remarkable scoreless innings streak to 25 2/3 innings before allowing John Pachot’s two-run homer in the seventh. That was the final batter Parker faced. For the season, he is 2-0 with a 1.32 ERA and 0.84 WHIP in four starts. Does anyone deserve to be picked up more than this guy?

*Jeff Muessig made his debut …

*The Barnstormers hope adding Muessig is the first of several steps toward shoring up the bullpen. He retired 8 of the 12 batters he faced. Two reached on walks and one reached on a hit batter. Overall, it was a good first impression.

The hitters:

*Brian Stavisky went 2-for-4 with a double and two runs scored. He does something almost every game to help the offense. The OPS champ is the best hitter on this team and has to rank among the best in the league.

*Mike Woods extended his hitting streak to 12 games with an RBI double in the third. That gave the Barnstormers their first lead.

*Manny Mejia went 2-for-5 with an RBI double as a DH. During the offseason, we talked about why Mejia’s addition would improve the Barnstormers. He’s not Johnny Bench behind the plate, but he’s solid and a good backup catcher overall. He’s a good fit for this club.

*Juan Francia moved up to No. 2 in the lineup as Lloyd Turner got a day off. Those two are going to split time at second base. They complement each other well. Both have speed and both can hit either second or ninth in the order. Neither is really an everyday guy.

*Lance Burkhart’s RBI double in the sixth gave him a team-best nine extra-base hits.

*No homers, five doubles in this offensive outburst.

*Newark has built an odd team considering it plays half its games in a ballpark that favors right-handed batters. The Bears’ 3-5 slots are occupied by Cory Aldridge, Randall Simon and Jose Herrera, all lefty batters. As constructed, this team is vulnerable to pitchers like Parker and won’t score runs like the 2007 version.

*The Barnstormers are 3-1 when Parker starts. They’re 2-8 when it’s someone else.