The Anticlimax, or, um, Potomac Wins The First Half!
As the headline suggests, there's mixed emotions about Potomac finally making the playoffs. The second-half run in 2007 certainly suggested this would happen, but unlike then, the team that takes the field in early September will be undoubtedly different.
And that's what's so frustrating. Sure, you can point to the Frederick Keys, winners of the past two league championships by winning the first half and getting hot at just the right time. Of course, that may be very well why the Carolina League changed the first round from a best-of-three to a best-of-five.
Naturally, the folks more used to this have been clamoring for the Potomac starters to become the Harrisburg starters, and they've largely gotten their wish. Only Ross Detwiler and Jhonny Nuñez remain from the Opening-Week rotation, and even in the two weeks since my last post, the 6th pick of the 2007 draft remains no better than the throw-in from a late-August trade in 2006.
But there is some hope. Craig Stammen, who does have better stuff than the most recently promoted starter, Adrian Alaniz, remains and Justin Jones appears to be ready to rejoin the club. Edgardo Baez is starting to hit like Chris Marrero is supposed to be hitting and appears to be blocked by the likes former PNats Justin Maxwell, Mike Daniel and Roger Bernadina. Jeff Mandel hasn't appeared overmatched like Terence Engles and one can only hope that Joe Norrito is kept around for his veteran presence.
But for now, it's the anticlimax of playing out the first half and see what happens when the Lake Monsters roster is set and hoping that this team -- and Hagerstown -- is kept competitive.
And that's what's so frustrating. Sure, you can point to the Frederick Keys, winners of the past two league championships by winning the first half and getting hot at just the right time. Of course, that may be very well why the Carolina League changed the first round from a best-of-three to a best-of-five.
Naturally, the folks more used to this have been clamoring for the Potomac starters to become the Harrisburg starters, and they've largely gotten their wish. Only Ross Detwiler and Jhonny Nuñez remain from the Opening-Week rotation, and even in the two weeks since my last post, the 6th pick of the 2007 draft remains no better than the throw-in from a late-August trade in 2006.
But there is some hope. Craig Stammen, who does have better stuff than the most recently promoted starter, Adrian Alaniz, remains and Justin Jones appears to be ready to rejoin the club. Edgardo Baez is starting to hit like Chris Marrero is supposed to be hitting and appears to be blocked by the likes former PNats Justin Maxwell, Mike Daniel and Roger Bernadina. Jeff Mandel hasn't appeared overmatched like Terence Engles and one can only hope that Joe Norrito is kept around for his veteran presence.
But for now, it's the anticlimax of playing out the first half and see what happens when the Lake Monsters roster is set and hoping that this team -- and Hagerstown -- is kept competitive.
posted by Wooden U. Lykteneau at
9:45 AM
1 Comments:
I was at last nights game and sat with a members of the P-Nats coaching staff and they told me that Detwiler was in the ER with appendicitis.
Perhaps his struggles have been physical,as sometimes issues like that show up in subtle ways before the actual problem hits home.
In any event,Potomac will be to be more of a hitting oriented team in the second half,but a title in the 2nd half is very possible.
Lynchburg is awful,WIlmington only marginally better and Frederick will be without Matt Wieters.
By
Shawn, at 6/14/2008 3:12 PM
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