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Flyers Weekly, Volume XXV, Issue 25 - September 4, 1972

The Flyers' magic number is just thirteen as Carolina stands 13 1/2 games clear of second-place Tampa. The club returns to Charlotte for the next-to-last homestand of the year: two against Atlanta (including Bobblehead Doll Day today), two against Miami (with Batting Glove Day on Thursday) and three with Jacksonville (including Mini Bat Day on Saturday).


Last Week's Results

Aug 28 - at NWO - W 11-2

Mike Schaaf (3 for 4, 2B, R) drives in five, while Alan Bruns (3 for 6, R) brings home a pair as the Flyers rout the Pelicans with eight runs in the first two innings. Bill Morgan (5 1/3 IP, 2 R, 3 H, 5 BB, 1 K) picks up the win, but Paul LaFontaine (2 R) leaves the game after a tough catch in the 2nd. He is listed as day-to-day with a bruised hand.

W - Morgan (10-4)

Aug 29 - at NWO - W 8-4

John Trull hits 3 of 5 with two doubles and an RBI, and Dave Snow goes 2 for 4 with two runs as the Flyers top the Pelicans. Every Carolina starter gets a hit, including Bill Frazier (6 2/3 IP, 3 R, 7 H, 1 BB, 3 K), who hits a two-run single and scores during a seven-run Flyers 4th.

W - Frazier (8-4)

Aug 30 - at NWO - L 0-2

Both teams manage just five hits, but Keith Becker (7 IP, 2 R, 4 H, 1 BB, 5 K) gives up a pair of solo shots to prevent the sweep. New Orleans pitchers Mike Ward (W, 5-10, 6 2/3 IP, 3 H, 1 BB, 4 K), John Jahnke (1 1/3 IP, 2 H), Todd Adams (1/3 IP) and Frank Moon (2/3 IP) combine for the shutout.

L - Becker (12-9)

Aug 31 - at NSH - W 6-2

Darrel Robinson (2 for 3, 2B, HR, R) and John Swanson (2 for 5, 2 2B, R) each drive in two to put the Flyers over the Hounds. Justin Randolph (5 IP, 2 R, 2 H, 3 BB, 4 K) wins #17 for the outright league lead; Kevin Hodgkins (1 2/3 IP, 1 H, 1 K) comes in with two on and one out in the 8th for the save.

W - Randolph (17-4)
SV - Hodgkins (6)
HR - Robinson (4)

Before the next game, RP Johnny Westerman [7/6/5] (2.27 in 47 2/3 AAA IP, WHIP 1.01), C Gary Armitage [4/1/9] (.267 in 150 AAA AB, 57 BB) and 2B Thomas Wilkins [5/3/4] (.375 in 8 AB; .292 in AAA, 13 HR, 60 RBI, 23 2Bs, 20 SB) are purchased from AAA Winston-Salem.

Sept 1 - at NSH - L 2-5 (11)

Facing Terry Bingham (1 2/3 IP, 3 R, 2 H, 1 BB, 1 K) with two down in the bottom of the 11th, Hounds 1B Tom Chick hits a walkoff three-run homer to right, ending a hard fought Batting Glove Day at Capitol Field. Ken Green (6 IP, 2 R, 1 ER, 7 H, 1 BB, 5 K) takes a tough no-decision after one of Clark Davidson's (2 for 4) two errors at second leads to the first run of the game. Swanson ties the game up with a two-run single in the 7th, the only Carolina scoring on the night.

L - Bingham (2-2)

Sept 2 - at NSH - W 8-2

Everett Putman (1 for 5, 2 R) hits a two-run double and scores in the 1st, an inning that sees the Flyers score five unearned runs to cruise past the Hounds. Bruns (2 for 3, R) and Francis (1 for 3, HR) also drive in a pair on a night where Carolina scores eight runs on just eight hits, thanks to nine walks issued by Nashville. Morgan (7 IP, 1 R, 5 H, 2 BB, 7 K) wins his third straight start with a strong performance.

W - Morgan (11-4)
HR - Francis (17)

After the game, C Ron Ayres [4/6/5] (.270 in 137 AA AB, 10 HR, 35 RBI) and 3B Troy Shaughnessy [3/3/2] (.258 in AA, 12 HR, 58 RBI, 23 2Bs, 22 SB) are both purchased from AA Hickory.

Sept 3 - at NSH - W 7-3

Mike Weber hits a three-run tater to left-center in a four-run Flyers 2nd, sending the team to their eleventh win in twelve games against the Hounds this season. Frazier (7 IP, 2 R, 9 H, 2 BB, 5 K) makes his seventh consecutive "quality start" for the win.

W - Frazier (9-4)
HR - Weber (17)

Last week: 5 - 2
This month: 2 - 1 (18 - 10 in August)
Overall: 89 - 48, 1st, +13 1/2 on Tampa


Who's Hot

John Trull
Last 6 games: 9-22 (.409), 0 HR, 3 RBI

Dale Francis
Last 5 games: 5-14 (.357), 1 HR, 4 RBI

Darrel Robinson
Last 5 games: 4-12 (.333), 1 HR, 2 RBI

Bill Morgan
Last 3 games: 3-0, 1.47 ERA, 18 1/3 IP
Named Eastern Division Player of the Week! (2-0, 2.19 ERA)

Who's Not

Mike Schaaf
Last 5 games: 2-20 (.100), 0 HR, 0 RBI

Tom VanWinkle
Last 6 games: 2-18 (.111), 0 HR, 2 RBI


A Closer Look - Carolina

It's deja vu all over again when it comes to the race for Eastern Division MVP, as C Mike Weber (.302 in 371 AB, 17 HR, 78 RBI, 82 R, 80 BB, 13 2Bs, 7 3Bs) is once again battling with last year's winner, Tampa CF David Powell (.306, 26 HR, 89 RBI, 99 R, 94 BB, 12 2Bs), for the honor.

Weber, RF Dale Francis (.306, 17 HR, 80 RBI, 79 R, 21 2Bs) and CF Paul LaFontaine (.352, 7 HR, 67 RBI, 79 R, 21 2Bs) form the core of the offense, though 3B Mike Schaaf (.289 in 381 AB, 10 HR, 74 RBI, 20 2Bs) is catching up in the RBI department, despite spending two months as a pinch-hitter before being acquired from Memphis.

2B Clark Davidson (.253 in 399 AB, 3 HR, 34 RBI, 71 R, 70 BB, 30 SB) has hit his way back into the leadoff spot with a strong showing in August (.321, OBP .480), making OF Rick Roberts (.237 in 355 AB, 4 HR, 37 RBI, 65 R, 57 BB) fight for the third outfielder slot with John Trull (.284 in 134 AB, 11 2Bs), John Hoyle (.302 in 63 AB, 3 HR, 8 RBI, 4 2Bs) and John Swanson (.297 in 37 AB, 1 HR, 11 RBI, 3 2Bs, 1 3B). Davidson's resurgence also leaves 3B/2B Dave Snow (.266 in 361 AB, 8 HR, 58 RBI) as odd man out; 1B Everett Putman (.322 in 276 AB, 0 HR, 35 RBI, 14 2Bs) and SS Alan Bruns (.269 in 376 AB, 4 HR, 49 RBI, 43 R, 62 BB) have the remaining starting infield positions locked up.

Keith Becker (12-9, 3.27, WHIP 1.08), Bill Morgan (11-4 in 25 GS, 2.81, WHIP 1.22) and Justin Randolph (17-4 in 19 GS, 3.06, WHIP 1.25) will be Carolina's first three starters in the Confederate Series, but the Game 4 starter is still up in the air: Ken Green (10-7 in 22 GS, 4.46, WHIP 1.39) has been more consistent all season, but Bill Frazier (9-4 in 22 GS, 4.56 ERA, WHIP 1.53) has not lost in six starts since July 25.

The bullpen of Terry Bingham (34 SV, 4 BS, 3.45 in 47 IP, WHIP 1.28), Kevin Hodgkins (1.77 in 61 IP, WHIP 1.02), Bruce Rafferty (1.88 in 24 IP, WHIP 1.17), Bob Lamb (4.02 in 87 1/3 IP, WHIP 1.17), Oscar Matthews (2.69 in 67 IP, WHIP 1.24) and Dave Elliot (3.06 in 47 IP, WHIP 1.28) is the envy of the league, but it remains to be seen whether all six relievers will make the playoff roster in lieu of a fifth starter.


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

The locker room will be getting crowded when we get back to Charlotte... We've already called up five, and you can probably expect five more after the minor league season ends today...

We'll also be running just every promotion we can think of this month, for two reasons: one, next week begins our "tour of the division", or as I like to call it, our "victory lap", where we visit every other city in the division in two weeks... so we don't have too many home dates left... and two, we're going to be very close to the $25 million cash maximum at year's end, so we'd rather give that money back to our fans, instead of sending it off to the commissioner's office for who knows what...

I don't have a lot to say about our play last week... no complaints! First time for everything! So c'mon down to the ballpark and cheer us on to the pennant!