[EMSoccerCoach]

Pastime Baseball League – Baseball Bi-Weekly
Vol. 5, Monday, June 1, 2009 (cont.)

Southern League Profiles

Orlando Orcas
Record: Last 2 Weeks (6-5), Overall 27-21

2-Week Synopsis: Won 3 of 4 at Alabama, Split 2 at Charlotte, Lost both vs Louisville, Won 2 of 3 vs Los Angeles

Leaders:
Avg – Ezra Sutton .321
HRs – Ryan Howard 11
RBIs – Ryan Howard 46

Wins - Chuck Smith 8
ERA – Chuck Smith 2.73
Ks – Sam Leever 73

Top Performance: 1B Ryan Howard went 3-for-5 with 2 homers, 3 runs scored and 6 RBI in a 14-5 win over Los Angeles on May 31.

Round Trip (Four miscellaneous points about the team):

1) Just when it seemed SS Honus Wagner was over his early season struggles, he's gone cold again. Wagner is now 10 for his last 48 (.208) and has seen his average drop back down to .232.

2) The baseball world keeps waiting for the expected drop to Earth of SP Chuck Smith but so far he's been able to hold off the decline. After being named Southern League Pitcher of the Month for April, going 5-0 with a 2.78 ERA, Smith went 3-1 with a 2.68 ERA in May. Lady Baldwin's great month for Memphis denied Smith a repeat win.

3) After allowing a startling 10 homers in April alone, SP Sam Leever let up only 2 in May, improving to 7-2 and cutting his ERA to 3.10.

4) The Orcas are bracing for a tough June, playing 20 of 23 games on the road, starting with a quick 2-game tilt at Memphis.

San Antonio Sheriffs

Record: Last 2 Weeks (6-5), Overall 22-24

2-Week Synopsis: Lost 3 of 4 at Arizona, Swept 2 vs Chicago, Swept 2 vs Indianapolis, Lost 2 of 3 at New Orleans

Leaders:
Avg – Jimmy Williams .312
HRs – Jimmy Williams 7
RBIs – Jimmy Williams 30

Wins – Noodles Hahn 6
ERA – Noodles Hahn 2.59
Ks – Noodles Hahn 124

Top Performance: Noodles Hahn was absolutely dominant in a 6-0 win over Indianapolis on May 25. Hahn threw a complete-game 4-hitter, striking out 16 while walking none. The 16 strikeouts were a PBL high for the season and moved Hahn into the PBL overall strikeout lead with 124.

Injuries: 3B George Pinkney sprained his thumb sliding into second base and is on the DL, expected to miss 3 weeks.

Round Trip (Four miscallaneous points about the team):
1) The good news is covered above with Noodles Hahn. But the concern over CF Hugh Duffy continues. He has struck out 49 times in 46 games and is now hitting .198 on the year. The only thing saving him perhaps is the oddity that he is batting .286 with runners in scoring position.

2) The injury to 3B George Pinkney will mean more playing time for Freddy Parent, who has hit .342 in sporadic work so far this season and played much better defense than was expected of him.

3) Hard to ask for more out of LF Scott Podsednik. The sparkplug has hit .294 so far, including a May that saw him bat .314/.385/.514. Being aggressive has paid off: He's hitting .556 when swinging at the first pitch, while he's 0-for-18 with a full count.

4) The Sheriffs remain the PBL's best team defensively, having made only 21 errors in their first 48 games. Only the now disabled Pinkney has made more than 2 (4).