BEHIND MANAGER BUTLER, 'HAWKS FINISH SEASON ON PROMISING NOTE.Byline: GIDEON RUBIN Staff Writer LANCASTER -- Brett Butler Brett Butler can refer to different people:
But the longtime overachieving major-league outfielder and popular former Dodger admits that those expectations were based on assumptions of how a clubhouse environment should be, and not on how it functions in real life. Butler met his players halfway, bending on certain things such as permitting music in the clubhouse and downplaying his request that players not use swear words. He is not sure whether his flexibility contributed to the team's dramatic turnaround, but acknowledges that it contributed to his development as a manager. ``You know what,'' Butler said. ``I learned from them, too.'' The JetHawks were 4-16 to start the season -- one of professional baseball's worst records at the time -- with a team that on paper was among the most talent-rich in the minor leagues and tied for last in the South Division in the first half. The JetHawks remained in contention for a second half title until Monday's regular season finale against the Rancho Cucamonga Quakes The Rancho Cucamonga Quakes are a minor league baseball team in Rancho Cucamonga, California, USA. They are a "high-A" class team in the California League, and have been a farm team of the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim since 2001. , when despite several inspired comebacks they experienced a disappointing 14-12 loss that in many ways was a microcosm of their season. They showed amazing tenacity with dramatic comebacks, rallying from a four-run deficit in the ninth and tying the game in the 11th on Mayobanex Santana's inside-the-park homer. Jon Zeringue, the once-rising star who'd fallen on hard times, appeared to have resurrected his career in Lancaster the last month and figured in another rally, hitting a grand slam grand slam n. 1. The winning of all the tricks during the play of one hand in bridge and other whist-derived card games. 2. Sports The winning of all the major or specified events, especially on a professional circuit. in a five-run fifth, when the JetHawks overcame a 6-3 deficit. That the JetHawks lost their final game and didn't make the playoffs seemed almost to be a footnote in a season in which development was the emphasis. The JetHawks' early-season struggles came with a team that featured nine top-30 Baseball America  This article or section is written like an .Please help [ rewrite this article] from a neutral point of view. Mark blatant advertising for , using . organizational prospects from an Arizona Diamondbacks This article is about the baseball team. For other uses, see Diamondback. The Arizona Diamondbacks (also referred to as the D-backs) are a Major League Baseball team based in Phoenix, Arizona. They play in the West Division of the National League. system ranked No. 1 by BA at the start of the season. They were in contention for the title until the last day of the half with a team that lost eight players to promotions and others to injuries. The JetHawks hit bottom April 25, when they fell to 4-16 after a 12-11 loss, their seventh consecutive, to Visalia. The previous night, Butler was hospitalized after experiencing chest pains on the bus ride back to Lancaster from Adelanto. He was away from the team for a week after what was at the time feared to be a heart attack was diagnosed as a viral infection viral infection, n an infection by a pathogenic virus. A virus acts on the cell nucleus, taking over the genetic material within the nucleus and replicating itself. . It took Butler a few weeks to regain his strength and regain the 10 pounds he lost during his illness. As the season progressed and elite prospects such as pitcher Greg Smith Greg Smith may refer to:
Butler, who at 49 has survived throat and prostate cancer prostate cancer, cancer originating in the prostate gland. Prostate cancer is the leading malignancy in men in the United States and is second only to lung cancer as a cause of cancer death in men. , is considered among baseball's most inspirational living figures. The JetHawks were an inexperienced squad to start the season. They returned just eight players, compared with 15 the previous year. ``It was definitely a learning experience for him and for us,'' JetHawks outfielder Chris Rahl said. ``We really didn't know what to expect, but he turned out to be a great manager. Throughout the year he met us halfway and we met him halfway.'' Rahl finished second in the California League The California League is a minor league baseball league which operates throughout the state of California. Before 2002, it was classified as a "High-A" league, indicating its status as a Class A league with the highest level of competition within that classification, and the fifth batting race with a .327 average and led all of minor league baseball
He also set franchise records for doubles (44) and total bases (285). Second baseman second baseman n. Baseball The infielder who is positioned near and to the first-base side of second base. Noun 1. second baseman - (baseball) the person who plays second base second sacker Emilio Bonifacio Emilio Jose Bonifacio (born April 23, 1985 in Dominican Republic) is a Major League Baseball play for the Arizona Diamondbacks. He was called up on September 1, 2007. set franchise single season and career records for stolen bases (61) and had 175 hits, the second most in JetHawks history. His 117 runs scored were a franchise record and second most in the minors. Smith set a single-season JetHawks ERA record, eclipsing the previous mark by more than a run, and closer Matt Elliott recorded a franchise-record 24 saves. ``I think we learned to work together as a team,'' Rahl said. ``That's what we did. We fought for each other. ``It didn't work out playoff-wise, but baseball's like that sometimes. All you can do is give it your best and that's what we did. We always battled. Even when we lost a lot of our guys, we still battled.'' gideon.rubin(at)dailynews.com (661) 267-7802 CAPTION(S): photo Photo: Brett Butler's flexibility helped loosen up the clubhouse of the JetHawks, who overcame a 4-16 start in the California League's first half and almost gained a postseason berth. Gene Blevins/Special to the Daily News |
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