A new attitude in Peoria

The Chiefs were in the midst of a seven-game losing streak a few days ago. Now, they have won five straight heading into today's game against the Timber Rattlers. What happened?

...[T]he team is certainly a looser bunch than the one that departed O'Brien Field on May 15 after dropping a third straight game to Quad City.

It was right about then that the seeds were planted.

"I think the attitude changed 10 days ago," Chiefs manager Ryne Sandberg said. "I talked to the guys about pulling for each other and creating a positive attitude on the bench and now that's carried over on the field."

Luis Bautista, one of three new players that came to Peoria right before a seven-game road trip, could tell it wasn't the best of times when he arrived.

"When I first got here the atmosphere was pretty bad, a lot of cursing," Bautista said. "I think we got it together and have been making the right plays at the right time and that's why it's going good."

Attitude improvement? Or, performance improvement?

The additions of Bautista, Brandon Guyer and Elvis Lara have played a large part in the turnaround on the field and in the clubhouse.

Bautista has hit .367 with six RBI in eight games. Lara, who came up April 25 from extended spring training, has hit .292.

"We've got a nice boost with the players that have joined us. Bautista, Lara and Guyer have each contributed a lot," Sandberg said.

Or, a players-only meeting?

After a loss in Quad City, the last of a seven-game losing streak, the Chiefs held a players-only meeting. Entering Saturday night's game against Wisconsin, they had not lost since.

"A couple of them called the meeting and were talking to everybody on the bus," infielder Marquez Smith said. "The guys were already talking that we just had to try and stay positive, knowing that things were going to turn around for us."

Meetings like that are rare at the Major League level, with one a season if that. At the minor-league level they are almost unheard of.

"I was a little bit surprised," Sandberg said. "I think it was great for them to come together as a group. I think it does speak to them caring and wanting to turn it around."

The Rattlers will try to stop the power of the attitude-performance-meeting triumvirate at a five-game winning streak this afternoon.