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Flyers Weekly, Volume XXV, Issue 10 - May 22, 1972

By sweeping Nashville, the Flyers stretch their Eastern Division lead out to 3 1/2 games. The club has a day off today before finishing this homestand with three against San Antonio (with Batting Glove Day on Wednesday), then the team heads for a weekend set at New Orleans.


Last Week's Results

May 15 - OFF

May 16 - vs NWO - W 3-1

Alan Bruns (2B, RBI), Paul LaFontaine (RBI) and Frank Thomas (R) all hit 2 for 4, collecting six of the seven Flyers hits on the night. Matt Halstead (4 1/3 IP, 1 R, 6 H, 1 K) is inexplicably gassed after 62 pitches, so Houston (2/3 IP), Randolph (1 IP, 1 H), Thorn (1 IP, 2 K), Hodgkins (1 IP, 1 K) and Bingham (1 IP, 1 H, 2 K) hold the Pelicans scoreless for the final 4 2/3 innings.

W - Thorn (3-2)
SV - Bingham (13)

May 17 - vs NWO - L 3-11

Bill Frazier (5 IP, 7 R, 10 H, 2 BB, 6 K) is pounded all over the park, and Robin Houston (1/3 IP, 3 R, 1 H, 2 BB, 1 K) walks the bases loaded before giving up a grand slam to Pelicans 2B Matt Clayton, removing all doubt and sending the 35,099 fans home early on Mini Bat Day. Former Flyer Gene Arndt (6 1/3 IP, 1 R, 6 H, 1 BB, 2 K) continues last year's revenge; LaFontaine goes 2 for 3 with a run and an RBI.

L - Frazier (1-1)

May 18 - vs NWO - L 2-5

Justin Nowlin (6 IP, 5 R, 13 H, 2 BB, 7 K) is pounded even harder than Frazier as the Flyers lose the series to the Pelicans. Jack Lowe hits a pinch-hit double with the bases loaded in the 9th that scores two, but LaFontaine is thrown out trying to score from first.

L - Nowlin (4-3)

May 19 - vs NSH - W 8-2

A six-run Flyers 4th, keyed by Valentine Stephens' (2 for 3, 2B, 2 R) two-run triple, is more than enough to win this wet one at State Fair Park. A 63-minute rain delay in the 4th keeps Keith Becker (4 1/3 IP, 3 H, 1 BB, 4 K) from going five, so John Jahnke (1 2/3 IP, 1 R, 1 H, 1 BB) picks up the win. Clark Davidson (R, 2 RBI) and Mike Weber (2 R, RBI) both go 2 for 4 on the night.

W - Jahnke (2-2)

May 20 - vs NSH - W 10-4

After a scoreless pitcher's duel between Ken Green (7 IP, 1 R, 2 H, 1 BB, 6 K) and Nashville's Rudy Barnard (L, 2-2, 6 1/3 IP, 5 R, 6 H, 5 BB, 2 K) through 5 1/2 innings, the Flyers open the floodgates with two in the 6th. The Hounds get one back in the top of the 7th, but Carolina plates three more in the bottom half. Kevin Hodgkins (2/3 IP, 3 R, 0 ER, 2 H, 1 BB) gives up a three-run homer (after an error by Stephens at third) to make it a one-run game once again in the 8th, but the home team puts up a five-spot to put the game away. Davidson goes 3 for 4 with a stolen base, an RBI and two runs, while Thomas (2 for 2, R), Dale Francis (2 for 4, R) and Lowe (pinch-hit 2B, R) each drive in a pair.

W - Green (1-0)

May 21 - vs NSH - W 4-3

A dramatic end to a exciting game at State Fair Park today. With the Flyers leading 3-1 in the 9th, Francis (2 for 3) makes a wide throw to first that puts the leadoff batter on base. Terry Bingham (1 IP, 1 R, 0 ER, 2 H, 1 BB) then comes in and promptly gives up a triple and a two-out single to tie the game, his second blown save this year. However, Darrel Robinson (2 for 4, HR) leads off the bottom half with a double and is replaced by pinch-runner Steven Robinson. After an intentional walk to Everett Putman and a fielder's choice by Mike Weber, there are runners on the corners with one out. Mike Sutton hits a grounder to Hounds 3B Rudolph Pendergrass, who throws to second without checking the runner at third! The relay to first is not in time, Steven Robinson scores, and the assembled 30,897 go crazy as Carolina completes the sweep. Halstead (5 IP, 3 H, 1 K) pitches a great game but is again tired after just 62 pitches. Davidson goes 2 for 5 with a double, a stolen base, a run and an RBI.

W - Bingham (1-0)
HR - D. Robinson (1)

Last week: 4 - 2
This month: 11 - 6
Overall: 30 - 13, 1st, +3 1/2 on Tampa


Who's Hot

Paul LaFontaine
Last 5 games: 7-16 (.438), 0 HR, 2 RBI

Clark Davidson
Last 5 games: 8-19 (.421), 0 HR, 4 RBI

Dale Francis
Last 5 games: 8-20 (.400), 0 HR, 3 RBI

Who's Not

Rick Roberts
Last 6 games: 2-17 (.118), 0 HR, 2 RBI


A Closer Look - Single-A Columbus

At 25-18, Columbus is second amongst Eastern Division A-ball teams. The star of the show thus far has been SS Will Blazer (age 24, .292, 7 HR, 34 RBI, 31 R, 9 2Bs, 6 3Bs, 10 SB), though CF Patrick Sommer (age 26, .286 in 49 AB, 4 HR, 11 RBI) has also hit well after being demoted from Hickory. Also contributing are 3B Mike King (age 23, .280, 4 HR, 19 RBI, 27 R, 28 BB, 13 2Bs) and C James Rodgers (age 24, .277 in 65 AB, 2 HR, 12 RBI, 17 BB). As for pitchers, Bruce Ford (age 25, 4-0, 3.23, WHIP 0.96) is off to a fast start, along with Brian Skidmore (age 27, 1.59 in 22 2/3 IP, WHIP 1.15) and Rick Wilhoit (age 21, 1.80 in 20 IP, WHIP 1.10) out of the bullpen.


The View From The Top (The Manager's Column)

Another starter bites the dust! It was such a shock to see Matt Halstead laboring after 55 pitches on Tuesday... I was hoping it was just a fluke thing, but the same thing happened yesterday... The radar gun doesn't lie, and you can't throw 83 mph fastballs for too long and survive... The scouts gave me a couple warnings, but I didn't think his endurance would drop off _that_ much!

Well, I can't have a starter that can barely go four innings, so for now, I'm moving Halstead to the bullpen and Justin Randolph into the rotation... That gives me three weeks (until Morgan comes back from his injury) to figure out what to do with Robin Houston. Once Houston goes, Randolph will probably go back to the pen...

Besides that, it was a pretty good week... The only thing that bothers me is that we only hit one homer all week long... Nothing I can do about it, but it bugs me that we've hit just 22 longballs while allowing 32 taters against us...

Guess that's about it... see you at the ballpark!