Tunnel vision can be a baseball player’s best friend. And when the South Bend Silver Hawks look over their season numbers against tonight’s first-round playoff opponent, Fort Wayne, they may want to wear blinders.Fort Wayne:
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The Tincaps, a San Diego affiliate, whacked the Silver Hawks in 15 of their first 16 meetings. Fort Wayne hit .304 as a team against South Bend (with 18 homers), and South Bend hit .214 against Fort Wayne (with three homers).
It goes downhill from there for the Hawks.
Fort Wayne’s league leaders include Simon Castro (strikeouts, 157), Erik Davis (wins, 16) and Brad Brach (saves, 33). South Bend’s league leader is Brett Moorhouse (tied for most losses, 14).
Fort Wayne took the season series 16-4, winning 15 of the first 16 meetings. But in the last four meetings, South Bend won three.
Fort Wayne finished with a franchise-record 94 wins. The team had the best record in all of minor league baseball and the best regular-season mark in the Midwest League in 22 years.See also these two links for the TinCaps
[Daniel] Robertson played a major role in the success.
“His teammates love him. Plus, he’s a pretty good ballplayer,” Dascenzo said. “He can swing the bat. He can play defense. He can steal a base. He can do just about anything to help the team win. He’s a very important part of the team.”
Robertson had a .296 average in the regular season with five home runs, 65 RBI and 20 stolen bases. Robertson finished second on the team in hits (128) and tied for second in runs scored (78).
And he’s been productive all throughout the lineup. Robertson has hit everywhere but fourth for Fort Wayne.
West Michigan:
The West Michigan Whitecaps head to the Midwest League playoffs on a downturn, scoring just two runs in their season-ending series against Fort Wayne.Great Lakes:
But Gary Bond says the Whitecaps have a chance against Great Lakes in the first round, which opens Wednesday night in Midland. Game 2 is Thursday at West Michigan.
Wednesday's 7:05 p.m. series opener will feature two lefthanded starters: the Loons' Aaron Miller (3-1, 2.08 ERA) and the Whitecaps' Casey Crosby (10-4, 2.41), who is the Detroit Tigers' No. 3 prospect in the minor leagues.Kane County:
Dusty Napoleon unveiled his vaunted eephus pitch on the Midwest League during the ninth inning of the Cougars’ Aug. 27 home loss to Beloit. The Snappers led, 9-1, at the time, the kind of score that necessitates a designated take at the mound.Bonus excerpt
Getting two quick strikes against Beloit first baseman Nathan Hanson, Napoleon looked to Cougars manager Steve Scarsone for approval before lofting the ball high in the air. Hanson watched it arc down right over home plate, and Kane County had an unlikely rallying point for the postseason.
“It took a loss,” Napoleon said, “and allowed us to kind of start having fun with it. The next day, people weren’t dwelling on it as much as they might be. We just started to get focused in on the playoffs and on playing better.”
The Cougars planned to leave Elfstrom Stadium for their 31⁄2-hour trip to Burlington, Iowa, at 10 a.m. today. Scarsone cited temptation as the reason the club did not stay overnight Tuesday. The Cougars would have stayed in an entertainment and casino resort.Burlington: N/A
“Fun City,” Napoleon said. “Yeah. It’s a good time there. A casino and a waterpark, good restaurants, but we won’t stay there. It’s better that way.”
Left-handed reliever A.J. Huttenlocker expressed concern that players would have to wake up earlier than usual, but still noted they could sleep on the bus. (Editor's note: Earlier than 9:30 for a 10am bus? What a tough life.)
Cedar Rapids:
It’s the Cedar Rapids Kernels and Peoria Chiefs in the first round of the Midwest League playoffs. Game 1 of the best-of-3 series is Wednesday night in Peoria (6:30 first pitch), with Games 2 and 3, if needed, in Cedar Rapids on Thursday and Friday nights (6:35 first pitches).Peoria:
Here are a few numbers and other tidbits about the series:
- Peoria won the regular-season series, 8-3. That included sweeping a four-game home series in late April, the only time the teams played in Illinois.
- Peoria beat Cedar Rapids three of four games at Memorial Stadium two weeks ago. That included winning games by scores of 16-5 and 11-1.
- Kernels Game 1 starter Will Smith gave up 12 hits and 10 runs (7 earned) in three innings Aug. 30, his only start this season against the Chiefs. Peoria Game 1 starter Austin Bibens-Dirkx allowed five hits and a run over 6 2/3 innings a day earlier, his only start against Cedar Rapids.
- Bibens-Dirkx was signed as a free agent by the parent Chicago Cubs after being released from the Seattle Mariners organization. He pitched for the Wisconsin Timber Rattlers in 2006.
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Winning, while definitely nice, isn’t the primary goal in the lower levels of minor league baseball, where player development rules the day-to-day process more than victories and losses. But once September hits, teams hang on every win and loss.
So it is now for the Peoria Chiefs.
The Chiefs begin the best-of-3 opening round of the Midwest League playoffs in what they are hoping will be a week-and-a-half sprint to a potential Midwest League title.
“We’re trying to do what (high-Class A) Daytona did last year and bring a ring to the (Chicago Cubs) organization,” Chiefs catcher Michael Brenly said. “That was fun to see those guys’ rings in spring training, so that’s what we’re trying to do here.”
Fort Wayne over South Bend in two
West Michigan over Great Lakes in three
Burlington over Kane County in three
Peoria over Cedar Rapids in three
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