Pastime Baseball League
April Review
WEST DIVISION
Try not to get TOO excited yet, Chicago fans, but your Chicago Hitmen have burst out of the gate to a 17-9 start, and that's without their offense even contributing. Hitting .235 as a team hasn't hurt the Hitmen, who have gotten strong rotation work from Cy Young (1.99), Joe Bush (3.03), Howie Pollet (3.73) and Amos Rusie (3.80). But the story here is the bullpen. Closer Brandon Lyon hasn't allowed a run in 7 outings, earning five saves. Setup man Bobby Jenks is 3-1 with a save and a 1.13 ERA. And Johan Santana has not allowed a run in 10 outings, a stretch of 18 1/3 innings in which he has allowed 7 hits, striking out 19. The promise for Santana may finally have arrived, as he's been dazzling and should get a rotation crack soon.
For a shock, look at the Sacramento Stingers. Bobby Cox has the Stingers playing smart baseball, getting timely hits including from Justin Morneau (.274-6-20) for an offense producing four runs a game for the first time in years, and doing so in a month where offense has been down from prior seasons considerably. Maybe that's pitching, and Sacramento shows plenty right now: Mark Mulder (3-2, 2.88), Carlos Marmol (3-0, 3.46) and Bronson Arroyo (2-1, 3.72) have been strong. And it seems last year's #1 draft choice, Mario Soto, will be back this week more than a year after Tommy John surgery.
Buoyed by a six-hit game, Abner Dalrymple is hitting .368. Problem is, nobody else on the Indianapolis Engines is hitting. Still, they are above .500 on the strength of four starters with sub-3.00 ERAs. Hank Wyse (2.59), Carl Weilman (2.79), Pud Galvin (2.88) and new addition after spending most of the month in the bullpen Hoss Radbourn (2.05). One nobody can explain is the continued demise of Stan Musial, who hit .103 in April.
A poor April last year but the Wichita Brigade in a hole they couldn't escape. But they're in the same boat here, starting 9-17, doomed by a brutal bullpen posting a 6.61 ERA. Al Orth has a 9.00 ERA and Jay Hughes an 8.31. And the offense hasn't been to form either. As a sign, despite a 2.58 ERA and on 0.90 WHIP, Rube Waddell is 2-3.
Taken in the third round of the expansion draft, Joe Crede knew he'd get the chance to play he got only briefly, in 2011, in Los Angeles. So far, he's hit .297 with 9 homers. Unfortunately for the expansion Milwaukee Bangers, the positives end there. They drafted Jason Marquis in the second round despite a back injury. He had a setback in spring training and is out until at least July. Edgar Gonzalez allowed a run over 7 2/3 in his first start for Milwaukee. He, too, went out with a back injury and is expected to be out until August. The injuries mean top choice Smokey Joe Williams will get a quicker chance than expected. He's starting as setup man, while Pete Redfern moves into the rotation.