D'BACKS' BIGWIG COMES TO TOWN.

Byline: Gideon Rubin Staff Writer

LANCASTER - No pressure ... gulp ... but when the JetHawks open a three-game series against the Lake Elsinore Storm tonight, they'll be playing under the watchful eye of Tommy Jones, the parent Arizona Diamondbacks' director of player development.

Jones, making his second trip to the Antelope Valley in less than three weeks, will be in Lancaster primarily to evaluate the performance of highly touted pitching prospect John Patterson, who is with the JetHawks rehabbing from Tommy John surgery on his right (pitching) elbow.

Still, the rest of the team might feel the pressure that comes with playing in front someone who wields so much influence over their careers.

JetHawks manager Scott Coolbaugh, a former big-leaguer who spent six years in the minors, knows what his players must be going through.

``It's not a comfortable feeling when a minor-league director or a coordinator comes into town,'' he said. ``Some guys try to put a lot of pressure on themselves to do well and consequently they don't perform probably up to their abilities. For other guys, its no big deal, they play their game and they do well.''

Several JetHawks said they felt comfortable with Jones' visit.

``I think it shows that he's interested in the club and that he cares about the organization,'' JetHawks catcher John Melton said. ``If anything, I think the guys are looking forward to seeing him.''

JetHawks first baseman Billy Martin suspects some players might become anxious when the organization's upper brass is in town, even though nobody would admit it. Martin said players are best off believing it's just another game.

``Obviously you want to do well when he's here, but you can't do anything other than what you're already doing,'' he said. ``It's not like you can try harder, and if you can try harder, then you've got a problem because you should be playing as hard as you can as it is.''

--Tepid offense: The high-powered JetHawks offense, which leads the California League in team batting average, has struggled at Northern Division stadiums this season. On Wednesday, it managed just five hits in a 5-1 loss at Bakersfield.

The JetHawks, who also lead the league with 6.7 runs per game, are averaging 2.4 runs through eight games at Northern Division stadiums. At the more hitter-friendly Southern Division venues they are averaging 7.8 runs per game.

Outfielder Brian Gordon, who had hit in 11 consecutive games entering Lancaster's game against Bakersfield on Tuesday, has gone hitless (0 for 8) in his last two games.

--Death Valley: The JetHawks' loss Wednesday was their 12th defeat in 13 games played in the Central Valley going back to last season, when they were affiliated with the Seattle Mariners.

The Central Valley struggles began July 15, 2000, when a 4-2 loss to the Mudville Nine at Stockton ended a franchise-record winning streak at 14 games.

--Better command: Lake Elsinore pitcher Ben Howard, who will pitch for the Storm tonight in the series opener against the JetHawks, has emerged as one of the league's top pitchers this season thanks to an improved command of the strike zone.

The right-hander is 5-0, ranks sixth in the league with a 2.31 ERA and has allowed 16 walks in 35 innings. He had one of the highest walks totals in all of minor-league baseball when he pitched for Rancho Cucamonga in the Cal League last season, when he had 111 bases on balls in 107 innings and was 5-11 with a 6.37 ERA. He has slashed his walks-per-innings average from 1.04 to 0.46.

CAPTION(S):

photo

Photo:

(ran in AV edition only) TOMMY JONES

The Diamondbacks' director of player development will be in Lancaster for tonight's game.