JETHAWKS NOTEBOOK: TRYING TO BEEF UP MORALE : EX-JETHAWK CLIFFORD PREACHES PROPER CONDITIONING.Byline: Chris Cocoles Staff Writer James Clifford arrived in Lancaster on Thursday not only to motivate a struggling team but also to take some good-hearted ribbing. Clifford, who played for the JetHawks in 1996-97 and retired to become the Seattle Mariners' strength and conditioning coordinator, hit 45 career homers with the JetHawks. That total was a franchise record, until Clifford's former teammate Jason Regan grabbed first on the list with his 46th home run on July 15 in Lake Elsinore. ``That's the first thing I heard when I got here,'' the 29-year-old Clifford cracked following Thursday's game. Regan, who was promoted to Double-A New Haven New Haven, city (1990 pop. 130,474), New Haven co., S Conn., a port of entry where the Quinnipiac and other small rivers enter Long Island Sound; inc. 1784. Firearms and ammunition, clocks and watches, tools, rubber and paper products, and textiles are among the many to begin 1999, slumped badly and was demoted back to the JetHawks at the All-Star break. He has eight homers in 121 at-bats. Clifford knows all about the hazards of progressing through an organization's farm system. He played six years, never advancing past Single-A before making a cameo cameo (kăm`ēō), small relief carving, usually on striated precious or semiprecious stones or on shell. The design, often a portrait head, is commonly cut in the light-colored vein, and the dark one is left as the background. Double-A appearance in 1998 as an emergency replacement following his retirement and new assignment with the Mariners. ``Regs earned his chance to go to Double-A this year. . . . But he struggled there and this gives him a chance to hit his way back up there,'' Clifford said. ``We don't want him to lose confidence in himself.'' Clifford's job has included making periodic visits to each of Seattle's minor-league affiliates to implement proper weight-training programs and stretching exercises. He just returned from Venezuela and the Dominican Republic Dominican Republic (dəmĭn`ĭkən), republic (2005 est. pop. 8,950,000), 18,700 sq mi (48,442 sq km), West Indies, on the eastern two thirds of the island of Hispaniola. The capital and largest city is Santo Domingo. visiting the organization's Latin American camps. The JetHawks lost 17-8 to the San Jose Giants The San Jose Giants are a minor league baseball team in San Jose, California, USA. They are a "high-A" class team in the Northern Division of the California League, and have been a farm team of the San Francisco Giants since 1988. on Thursday, dropping their overall record to 35-70. Lifting weights is probably not a high priority on a team that's lost nine of 10 games. But Clifford's job description includes teaching these young players to develop a routine that major-leaguers now consider to be habit. And Clifford admits the JetHawks' record is tough on the team. ``The whole organization feels for these players, and what's happened with this team has been hard on us too,'' Clifford said. ``We still believe in these players.'' One short: The JetHawks' bullpen, which surrendered 29 runs after the sixth inning in eight of its last nine games, was pounded again Thursday. Tim McClaskey allowed two runs (one earned) in 2-1/3 innings; losing pitcher Justin Kaye gave up five earned runs in one inning and Juan Ramos gave up four earned runs, five hits and four walks in a two-inning stint. JetHawks manager Darrin Garner can use an extra arm to help his worn-out bullpen. Starter Chris Mears Christopher Peter Mears (born January 20, 1978 in Ottawa, Ontario) is a Canadian baseball pitcher. Mears plays for the Toledo Mud Hens, the AAA affiliate of Major League Baseball's Detroit Tigers. has been with Team Canada at the Pan Am Games since July 20 and won't return for another week. ``We need someone in the bullpen to pick us up,'' Garner said. ``No pitchers are coming through for us right now.'' How many outs? With starting pitcher Noun 1. starting pitcher - (baseball) a pitcher who starts in a baseball game baseball, baseball game - a ball game played with a bat and ball between two teams of nine players; teams take turns at bat trying to score runs; "he played baseball in high school"; Patrick Dunham mired mire n. 1. An area of wet, soggy, muddy ground; a bog. 2. Deep slimy soil or mud. 3. A disadvantageous or difficult condition or situation: the mire of poverty. v. in a bases-loaded jam in the second inning Thursday, JetHawks catcher Greg Connors was in a hurry to get his pitcher back to the dugout. So when Dunham struck out Matt Bazzani, Connors rolled the baseball back toward the mound and headed for the dugout. The only problem was that Bazzani was only the second out. A shocked Dunham hustled to get the ball before any San Jose San Jose, city, United States San Jose (sănəzā`, săn hōzā`), city (1990 pop. 782,248), seat of Santa Clara co., W central Calif.; founded 1777, inc. 1850. runners could advance. THE BOTTOM LINE The JetHawks lead the race to be the worst team in all of professional baseball. The standings (losses listed first): Team L W Pct. GB Lancaster 70 35 .333 -- Toledo 68 39 .364 3 Vero Beach Vero Beach (vēr`o), city (1990 pop. 17,350), seat of Indian River co., E Fla., on Indian River (a lagoon and part of the Intracoastal Waterway); founded c.1888, inc. 1919. 64 38 .373 3-1/2 Potomac 62 38 .380 5 Fort Wayne Fort Wayne, city (1990 pop. 173,072), seat of Allen co., NE Ind., where the St. Joseph and St. Marys rivers join to form the Maumee River; inc. 1840. It is the second largest city in the state, a major railroad and shipping point, a wholesale and distribution hub, 64 40 .385 5-1/2 New Orleans New Orleans (ôr`lēənz –lənz, ôrlēnz`), city (2006 pop. 187,525), coextensive with Orleans parish, SE La., between the Mississippi River and Lake Pontchartrain, 107 mi (172 km) by water from the river mouth; founded 63 41 .394 6-1/2 Binghamton 63 42 .400 7 Ottawa 63 42 .400 7 Beloit 61 41 .402 7-1/2 CAPTION(S): Box BOX: THE BOTTOM LINE (see text) |
|
||||||||||||
Printer friendly
Cite/link
Email
Feedback
Reader Opinion