PLAYOFF SERIES FIGURES TO BE A HIT PRODUCTION JETHAWKS, MAVS BRING TOP OFFENSES.Byline: Gideon Rubin Special to the Daily News LANCASTER - Offense figures to be the dominant theme of a Southern Division miniseries between the JetHawks and the High Desert Mavericks The High Desert Mavericks are a minor league baseball team in Adelanto, California, USA. Their Major League parent club is the Seattle Mariners. They are a "high-A" class team in the California League, and had been a farm team of the Kansas City Royals since 2005 before the switch. , the only teams in all full-season minor-league baseball with batting averages over .300. But to hear JetHawks players and coaches tell it, defense and pitching will likely be the key factor in the best-of-three series that opens tonight at 7 at Clear Channel Stadium. ``We can't make mistakes,'' JetHawks infielder Danny Richar Danny Adam Richar (born June 9, 1983 in La Romana, Dominican Republic) is a Major League Baseball second baseman who plays for the Chicago White Sox. Richar originally signed as an undrafted free agent with the Arizona Diamondbacks on July 9, 2001. said. ``We're in the playoffs, and every game counts a lot.'' Led by slugging outfielder Chris Lubanski (.301, 28 homers, 116 RBI RBI abbr. Baseball runs batted in Noun 1. rbi - a run that is the result of the batter's performance; "he had more than 100 rbi last season" run batted in ), High Desert had one of the most prolific offensive seasons in 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 history, batting .301 and setting league records for hits (1,536), home runs (203) and total bases (2,557). The JetHawks won the league's batting title with a .302 average, and although they can't quite match High Desert's thunder, they're certainly capable offensively. Lancaster was second in the league to High Desert with 174 home runs, and its 917 runs scored was one less than High Desert's league-leading total in that department. The JetHawks are led by outfielder Jeff Cook
The JetHawks have been especially hot of late, batting .321 as a team since Aug. 1. Lancaster's biggest edge against High Desert is its starting pitching. Right-hander A.J. Shappi (5-6, 5.10 ERA), left-hander Matt Chico Matthew Bryan "Matt" Chico (born June 10, 1983 in Fullerton, California) is a left-handed starting pitcher for the Washington Nationals of Major League Baseball. A graduate of Fallbrook Union High School, Chico attended Palomar College and was selected by the Arizona Diamondbacks (7-2, 3.76) and right-hander Garrett Mock Garrett Lee Mock, born April 25, 1983, in Houston, Texas, is a North American professional baseball player. He is a right-handed pitching prospect in the Washington Nationals organization. (14-7, 4.18), who are slated to start Games 1-3 in that order, are arguably the league's best starting trio. Right-hander Patrick Green Patrick Green VC (1824- 19 July 1889) was born in Ballinasloe, County Galway and was an Irish recipient of the Victoria Cross, the highest and most prestigious award for gallantry in the face of the enemy that can be awarded to British and Commonwealth forces. (3-4, 4.33), left-hander John Gragg (13-5, 4.36) and right-hander Billy Buckner For the first baseman and outfielder who played from 1969–1990, see . William Jennings "Billy" Buckner (born August 27, 1983 in Decatur, Georgia) is a Major League Baseball pitcher for the Kansas City Royals. (5-6, 5.36) will pitch for High Desert. Closer Matt Wilkinson (15 saves in 16 chances) gives the JetHawks a slight edge in the bullpen. High Desert, which hosts Game 2 on Thursday and an if-necessary Game 3 on Friday, technically has home-field advantage. But with both facilities considered among the most hitter-friendly stadiums in the minors, the JetHawks don't an advantage playing in either stadium. The JetHawks have played better against High Desert at Mavericks Stadium, where they're 5-5, than at Lancaster, where they're 6-9. ``Both stadiums are so similar, I don't think it's really going to matter,'' catcher Phil Avlas said. What will matter is playing fundamentally sound ball. Allowing extra outs, whether by errors or failure to convert double plays, figures to be critical in an offense-dominated short series, JetHawks manager Bill Plummer predicts. ``It's going to be a war,'' Plummer said. ``Whoever makes the fewest mistakes and gets the best pitching is going to win the series.'' Gideon Rubin, (818) 713-3607 gideon.rubin(at)dailynews.com |
|
||||||||||||
Printer friendly
Cite/link
Email
Feedback
Reader Opinion