Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: FRIDAY, June 22, 1990 TAG: 9006220453
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: B-2 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE: By JOHN SMALLWOOD SPORTSWRITER
DATELINE: LENGTH: Medium
Tonight against the Peninsula Pilots, the Bucs get a chance to start anew. Everybody starts the second half at 0-0, and the Bucs couldn't be happier.
"That's the good thing about these split seasons," said Salem manager Stan Cliburn. "If you have a miserable first half like we had, you can always look forward to the second half."
The Bucs have been looking to the second half for some time, ever since they were eliminated from the Northern Division race several weeks ago.
The Bucs' 13-9 loss to the Winston-Salem Spirits on Wednesday night left them with a 25-45 record, better than only Peninsula's 22-48 mark.
Individually, the Bucs have many of the better performers in the league, but collectively they found just about every way imaginable to lose.
"I can think of at least 12 games that we actually gave away," said Cliburn. "It's just been a first half when we haven't had any breaks. Of course, good teams make their own breaks, and we didn't make many breaks."
During the first half, Salem was a good example of the axiom, "Good pitching will beat good hitting." In the Bucs' case, though, it could be said bad pitching will undermine good hitting.
As a team, the Bucs hit .255, fourth best in the league. They also scored 345 runs, third best in the league and tops in the Northern Division. They were tops in the league with 59 home runs and 188 extra-base hits.
However, Salem was last in pitching with a team earned-run average of 4.58. The Bucs also led the league in walks allowed with 275 and in home runs allowed with 53. Their 416 strikeouts were low in the league.
The team's biggest weakness was relief pitching. For much of the first half, the relievers weren't able to hold leads and lost several substantial ones.
Starter Paul Miller has pitched a team-high 80 innings and has a 2.91 ERA, yet his record is 3-2. Starters Steve Buckholz (6-4, 4.47 ERA) and Tim Wakefield (3-7, 4.91) have had their bad moments but have pitched well enough to win most of their starts.
The Bucs' bullpen has lost 16 games and blown 12 of 25 save opportunities.
"The bullpen pitching has to come around," Cliburn said. "Offensively, we're near the top in every category. The bullpen is important because we're going to score runs."
With four saves in six opportunities, closer Jim Czajkowski finally has filled the void left by the promotion of Jeff Neely in May. Neely has since made it to Class AAA, and the Bucs struggled to find a closer for about three weeks.
The problem has been finding someone to set up Czajkowski.
Tim McDowell has been effective in middle relief since being moved back out of the starting rotation. In his last four relief appearances, he has given up just one run in 13 innings. He has a team-low 2.80 ERA.
But he can't pitch every night.
Butch Schlopy (4.07 ERA), Mike Pomeranz (4.46), Brent Honeywell (5.04) and Chip Duncan (8.74) have yet to show they can be consistent.
"Somebody has got to step forward," Cliburn said. "I'm not that worried about the younger guys, but the older guys have something to prove. Some of these guys shouldn't be still pitching in the Carolina League. These guys need to get out of here."
Shortstop Mike Huyler leads the team with a .300 batting average, and left fielder Darwin Pennye (.298) and third baseman Bruce Schreiber (.291) aren't far behind.
Chris Estep is hitting .225 but leads the Carolina League with 11 home runs. Ben Shelton (.192) is second with 10 homers.
"A lot of these guys are young and moving to the Carolina League is a big jump," said Cliburn, who won the South Atlantic League Championship last season, his first as a manager. "Some of them I had at Augusta. This team is better. They know what it takes to win.
"They're frustrated, just as much as I am. But they're not going to quit. I'm not going to let them quit."
by CNB