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Eugene Church · 07-09-2008, 05:14 PM

The Islandian Times

Friday, June 22, 2001

Around the IPA

Manager Deroche "Lips" Leon of the South Fork Stallions (30-34) has a fifth place ballclub and is 6 games behind in the standings. Leon has the best pitching in the TU East race with a sparkling 3.23 ERA, but he also has the worst hitting team, too. The Stallions are batting only .240 so far this season. But things are looking up for South Fork. The were 3-7 in April, 16-17 in May and now have improved to 11-10 in June.

Righthanders Flint Battle (8-6 2.58), Ken Olson (5-6 2.94), Booger Burchfield (3-6 3.35) and southpaw Jerry Hairston (7-3 3.55) give Leon a good starting four. In middle relief Ken Conner (3-2 2.25) and Billy Joe Gordon (0-5 2.92) have been strong. Conner will soon be switched to a starting role, moving Burchfield to spot starter and long relief. South Fork's closer Glenn Turnbull (3-2 3.30) has been fairly effective, but occasionally has struggled. Gordon, the original closer, may get his job back. Kyle Moss (0-1 4.34) is the other reliever. Jamie Kelly (1-3 5.92) hasn't done the job in spot starts and is ripe for replacement.

"As far as hitting, I don't think my guys could hit little league pitching. We are really bad. I was a lousy hitter, so I know one when I see one," Leon recently told a reporter. "I may have to part with some pitchers to get some bats. We need more balance to win in this league."

No one on the club is hitting .300. Second baseman Bob Jones has a .298 batting average, but has no power. He has only 1 homer and four doubles with 28 runs and 17 RBIs. Leon's best batters are right fielder Paul Giles and third baseman Glenn Holliday. Giles is hitting .271 with 15 home runs, has scored 38 times and batted in 41. Giles is also a fine outfielder with a strong arm. Holliday is batting only .237, but has been productive with 11 roundtrippers, 28 runs and 27 RBIs.

If you could win in the TU East with just pitching, South Fork would be right at the top. The Stallions drastically need some hitting. Otherwise it's a fourth or fifth finish is in their future.

The loquacious Lips Leon closed the interview with this quote, "I'm just thankful old nice guy Zim Donner is still in the league. I'll never finish last as long as he is still managing."

Leon and Donner have had a running battle for years. Mainly a battle of words, but this year they got into on the field and had quite a donnybrook.

Speaking of Donner, he is in charge of the last place Hartsdale Hellcats (29-34), who trail the top team by only 6.5 games. Donner was quite a hard-hitting shortstop as a youngster, but he had his career cut short by a terrible beaning that almost killed him. He recovered and remained in the game, but only as a journeyman utility infielder and eventually as a fine coach and manager.

If you could get South Fork and Hartsdale to swap the Stallions pitchers for the Hellcats and the Hellcats hitters for the Stallions pitchers, you would have two fine clubs. They each have what the other needs. Hartsdale had a bad month in May and ended up a poor 13-19, but got better in June so far with a 10-11 record.

Donner's team can hit the ball. The Hellcats are tied for second in the division with a .257 mark and are number two in homers with 63 and a close second in scoring with 281 runs. But they are next-to-last with a 3.88 ERA. Only Ozarka is worse with a 4.04 ERA. Defensively Hartsdale has a .977 fielding percentage, good enough for third in the division. First place Ginza is number one with a .980 average.

Among the regulars, second baseman Francisco Abreu is having a fine season with a .305 mark, 15 home runs (4th), 44 runs (7th) and 47 RBIs (7th). Third baseman Whiz Weaver has compiled a .298 batting average with 10 homers, 29 runs and 35 RBIs and is great with the glove. The best of the rest are left fielder Jay Luna with a .277 average, 33 runs, 22 RBIs and 11 stolen bases, shortstop Mike Burke at .276 with 20 runs and 24 RBIs, right fielder Mel Poe batting .263 with 7 roundtrippers, 24 runs and 29 RBIs and center fielder Greg Reynolds with a .246 average, 8 home runs, 33 runs, 22 RBIs and 16 stolen bases (6th-tied). Donner has a good defensive outfield and is strong at third base with Weaver, but is only fair at the other postions .

Backup shortstop Terry Bellino is hitting .353 in 20 starts and third baseman Steve Ward has a .328 mark in 12 starts. Second string catcher Kevin Haynie is batting .370 in 14 starts and could soon be the regular. Bellino may take over at short very soon as well, while Ward will be trade material. Weaver is just too good all-around at third base.

The Hellcats top hurler is Phil Kraft with an impressive 7-1 record and a 2.71 ERA. Glenn Mann (6-9 3.39) and Danny Griffin have been solid for Donner most of the time. Jim Sears (2-7 4.69) is in the fourth starter's position, but is danger of being dropped from the rotation and going back to the pen. All of them are righthanders. Gene Young has done well in the closer role with a 4-3 record, 5 saves and a 3.21 ERA in 23 game appearances. Long and short relief is only mediocre with lefty Adam Falkenbach (1-2 3.86) and Jackie Bond (2-2 4.44). Dennis Kretzmeier (0-0 5.88) and portsider Roger Graves (2-3 6.55) will not be around much longer.

The trading season should get pretty active in the coming days and Hartsdale will be one of the teams that might be willing to deal.

07-09-2008, 05:14 PM	#339 (permalink)
Eugene Church Hall Of Famer Join Date: Aug 2002 Posts: 17,079 Thanks: 100 Thanked 100x in 52 posts	The Islandian Times Friday, June 22, 2001 Around the IPA Manager Deroche "Lips" Leon of the South Fork Stallions (30-34) has a fifth place ballclub and is 6 games behind in the standings. Leon has the best pitching in the TU East race with a sparkling 3.23 ERA, but he also has the worst hitting team, too. The Stallions are batting only .240 so far this season. But things are looking up for South Fork. The were 3-7 in April, 16-17 in May and now have improved to 11-10 in June. Righthanders Flint Battle (8-6 2.58), Ken Olson (5-6 2.94), Booger Burchfield (3-6 3.35) and southpaw Jerry Hairston (7-3 3.55) give Leon a good starting four. In middle relief Ken Conner (3-2 2.25) and Billy Joe Gordon (0-5 2.92) have been strong. Conner will soon be switched to a starting role, moving Burchfield to spot starter and long relief. South Fork's closer Glenn Turnbull (3-2 3.30) has been fairly effective, but occasionally has struggled. Gordon, the original closer, may get his job back. Kyle Moss (0-1 4.34) is the other reliever. Jamie Kelly (1-3 5.92) hasn't done the job in spot starts and is ripe for replacement. "As far as hitting, I don't think my guys could hit little league pitching. We are really bad. I was a lousy hitter, so I know one when I see one," Leon recently told a reporter. "I may have to part with some pitchers to get some bats. We need more balance to win in this league." No one on the club is hitting .300. Second baseman Bob Jones has a .298 batting average, but has no power. He has only 1 homer and four doubles with 28 runs and 17 RBIs. Leon's best batters are right fielder Paul Giles and third baseman Glenn Holliday. Giles is hitting .271 with 15 home runs, has scored 38 times and batted in 41. Giles is also a fine outfielder with a strong arm. Holliday is batting only .237, but has been productive with 11 roundtrippers, 28 runs and 27 RBIs. If you could win in the TU East with just pitching, South Fork would be right at the top. The Stallions drastically need some hitting. Otherwise it's a fourth or fifth finish is in their future. The loquacious Lips Leon closed the interview with this quote, "I'm just thankful old nice guy Zim Donner is still in the league. I'll never finish last as long as he is still managing." Leon and Donner have had a running battle for years. Mainly a battle of words, but this year they got into on the field and had quite a donnybrook. Speaking of Donner, he is in charge of the last place Hartsdale Hellcats (29-34), who trail the top team by only 6.5 games. Donner was quite a hard-hitting shortstop as a youngster, but he had his career cut short by a terrible beaning that almost killed him. He recovered and remained in the game, but only as a journeyman utility infielder and eventually as a fine coach and manager. If you could get South Fork and Hartsdale to swap the Stallions pitchers for the Hellcats and the Hellcats hitters for the Stallions pitchers, you would have two fine clubs. They each have what the other needs. Hartsdale had a bad month in May and ended up a poor 13-19, but got better in June so far with a 10-11 record. Donner's team can hit the ball. The Hellcats are tied for second in the division with a .257 mark and are number two in homers with 63 and a close second in scoring with 281 runs. But they are next-to-last with a 3.88 ERA. Only Ozarka is worse with a 4.04 ERA. Defensively Hartsdale has a .977 fielding percentage, good enough for third in the division. First place Ginza is number one with a .980 average. Among the regulars, second baseman Francisco Abreu is having a fine season with a .305 mark, 15 home runs (4th), 44 runs (7th) and 47 RBIs (7th). Third baseman Whiz Weaver has compiled a .298 batting average with 10 homers, 29 runs and 35 RBIs and is great with the glove. The best of the rest are left fielder Jay Luna with a .277 average, 33 runs, 22 RBIs and 11 stolen bases, shortstop Mike Burke at .276 with 20 runs and 24 RBIs, right fielder Mel Poe batting .263 with 7 roundtrippers, 24 runs and 29 RBIs and center fielder Greg Reynolds with a .246 average, 8 home runs, 33 runs, 22 RBIs and 16 stolen bases (6th-tied). Donner has a good defensive outfield and is strong at third base with Weaver, but is only fair at the other postions . Backup shortstop Terry Bellino is hitting .353 in 20 starts and third baseman Steve Ward has a .328 mark in 12 starts. Second string catcher Kevin Haynie is batting .370 in 14 starts and could soon be the regular. Bellino may take over at short very soon as well, while Ward will be trade material. Weaver is just too good all-around at third base. The Hellcats top hurler is Phil Kraft with an impressive 7-1 record and a 2.71 ERA. Glenn Mann (6-9 3.39) and Danny Griffin have been solid for Donner most of the time. Jim Sears (2-7 4.69) is in the fourth starter's position, but is danger of being dropped from the rotation and going back to the pen. All of them are righthanders. Gene Young has done well in the closer role with a 4-3 record, 5 saves and a 3.21 ERA in 23 game appearances. Long and short relief is only mediocre with lefty Adam Falkenbach (1-2 3.86) and Jackie Bond (2-2 4.44). Dennis Kretzmeier (0-0 5.88) and portsider Roger Graves (2-3 6.55) will not be around much longer. The trading season should get pretty active in the coming days and Hartsdale will be one of the teams that might be willing to deal.