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Flyers Weekly, Volume XXV, Issue 23 - August 21, 1972

While the Flyers drop four of six, the Tomahawks have won six of their last seven to close within ten games of the Eastern Division lead. After Carolina hosts Nashville for three, the club takes a day off before beginning a Western road trip with three at San Antonio.


Last Week's Results

Aug 14 - OFF

Aug 15 - vs SAN - L 0-4

Even an injury to Missions starter Richard Bays (3 1/3 IP, 3 H, 2 BB, 1 K) cannot prevent a San Antonio shutout, while Keith Becker (6 IP, 3 R, 8 H, 5 K) has one bad inning to lose Bobblehead Doll Day at State Fair Park. Mike Schaaf (2 for 4) and Darrel Robinson (2 for 3, 2B) collect four of the Flyers' six hits on the night.

L - Becker (11-8)

Aug 16 - vs SAN - W 6-5

Everett Putman goes 3 for 4 with a double and two RBIs, while Mike Schaaf hits a three-run triple and scores in a four-run Flyers 1st that propels the team to victory. Justin Randolph (5 2/3 IP, 4 R, 4 H, 3 BB, 3 K) picks up his league-leading fifteenth win, though Terry Bingham (2/3 IP, 1 R, 1 H, 1 BB) tries his best to give it away, allowing a walk, a hit batsman and a single to put the tying run on second before Bruce Rafferty (1/3 IP, 1 K) gets a whiff to end the game.

W - Randolph (15-4)
SV - Rafferty (2)

Aug 17 - vs SAN - L 0-1

Former Flyers C Mark Johnson grounds into a double play that scores the only run in this contentious affair. In the 4th, Ken Green (7 IP, 1 R, 6 H, 4 BB, 5 K) loads the bases with a single and two walks, then Johnson hits into a 6-4-3 twin killing that eventually gives the Missions another shutout victory. Both managers end up tossed from this game: San Antonio's Harry Easterday in the 3rd and Carolina's Jeremy McGrath (along with pinch-hitter Rick Roberts) in the 7th. The Flyers manage just seven singles off Jay Williams (W, 9-1, 7 IP, 5 H, 5 BB, 4 K) and friends.

L - Green (9-6)

Aug 18 - vs NWO - L 3-9

Bill Morgan (3 2/3 IP, 7 R, 9 H, 3 K) gives up a grand slam to Pelicans RF Dan Beasley in the 3rd, and it all goes downhill from there. Clark Davidson scores twice, while Robinson goes 2 for 4 with an RBI.

L - Morgan (8-4)

Aug 19 - vs NWO - L 3-5

Oscar Matthews (1 IP, 2 R, 3 H, 1 K) enters a three-all tie in the 7th but allows a single, a triple and a single for two Pelicans runs and the Flyers' third straight defeat. Bill Frazier (6 IP, 3 R, 5 H, 4 BB, 3 K) kept the club in the game, but Carolina leaves eleven runners on base. Davidson goes 4 for 5, scoring twice, while Alan Bruns triples on a 2 for 4 night.

L - Matthews (5-2)

Aug 20 - vs NWO - W 3-2

John Hoyle (2 for 3) hits a two-run homer in the 7th that keeps the Flyers from being swept in their own ballpark. Becker (6 IP, 2 R, 5 H, 1 BB, 4 K) throws well, but Rafferty (1 IP, 1 H, 1 K) picks up the win.

W - Rafferty (1-0)
SV - Bingham (32)
HR - Hoyle (3)

Last week: 2 - 4
This month: 10 - 8
Overall: 79 - 45, 1st, +10 on Tampa


Who's Hot

John Hoyle
Last 14 games: 9-19 (.474), 1 HR, 2 RBI

Ken Green
Last 3 games: 2-1, 1.80 ERA, 20 IP

Who's Not

Tom VanWinkle
Last 5 games: 1-13 (.077), 0 HR, 0 RBI

John Trull
Last 5 games: 2-13 (.154), 0 HR, 0 RBI

Mike Weber
Last 5 games: 3-18 (.167), 0 HR, 0 RBI

Mike Schaaf
Last 5 games: 4-19 (.211), 0 HR, 4 RBI


A Closer Look - AA Hickory

Hickory tops all of Double-A with a 76-48 mark. 3B Mike King (age 23, .323 in 164 AB, 6 HR, 32 RBI, 27 BB, 11 2Bs) has been a star with the bat while learning both shortstop and first base, and the backstop duo of Ed Setzer (age 24, .292 in 281 AB, 5 HR, 36 RBI, 44 R, 33 BB, 24 2Bs) and Ron Ayers (age 32, .267 in 131 AB, 10 HR, 33 RBI, 31 R, 36 BB) continues to impress, along with LF Clement Bodine (age 32, .283, 13 HR, 59 RBI, 64 R, 89 BB, 20 2Bs). As for pitchers, Bryant Hamilton (age 32, 17-3, 2.70, WHIP 0.97) is making a strong case to start next year in at least Triple-A; Chase Nelson (age 25, 13-4, 2.62, WHIP 1.35) and Jim Brackin (age 26, 9-7, 4.03, WHIP 1.34) have been solid as well.


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

Wow... scoring fifteen runs in six games is none too fun... Against San Antonio, it was a matter of not getting any hits, but versus New Orleans, it was a case of not getting the extra hit that actually drives in a run...

Some surprising heroes in our wins last week, though... Bruce Rafferty got a win and a save, even though he's probably #4 on the relief totem pole... After putting up a 7.02 ERA and 1.97 WHIP in 59 innings last year, he was wasting away in Houston's minor leagues until we claimed in on waivers about four weeks ago... So far, he's got a 2.16 ERA and 1.20 WHIP in 16 2/3 innings, plus a win and two saves...

The other unlikely hero was John Hoyle, who hit a tater that won us our last game... He hit .232 in 362 AB last season but did collect twenty doubles, eight homers and seventeen swipes... Since we got him in the Jack Lowe trade, he's hit 10 of 23 with two doubles and a homer while going 3 for 4 on the basepaths...

Last home series in August coming up... so c'mon down and cheer us out of this funk!