ROANOKE TIMES
Copyright (c) 1996, Roanoke Times
DATE: Monday, June 24, 1996 TAG: 9606240160
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: B-1 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE: RALPH BERRIER JR. STAFF WRITER
SALEM HOPES players from Asheville will help the Carolina League team compete for the Southern Division title.
At various times during the first half of the Carolina League season, the Salem Avalanche had excellent pitching and demonstrated powerful offense.
Too seldom did they exhibit both at the same time.
That's why Salem finished fourth in the four-team Southern Division. After staying close to first place and flirting with a .500 record, the Avalanche went into a tailspin, losing 15 of 18 games at one point before finishing 34-35.
Ah, but this is the Carolina League, where records are wiped clean at the season's midpoint. Hope springs eternal, even in early summer. A three-game series with Prince William kicks off a seven-game homestand beginning today at Memorial Stadium.
An infusion of new talent from Asheville of the South Atlantic League combined with a strong showing by some Avalanche veterans gives Salem the appearance of a club that can compete for the Southern Division crown.
``Obviously, we're excited about the second half,'' said Salem manager Bill McGuire.
He should be. With the addition of third baseman Tal Light from Asheville, McGuire has a potentially powerful middle of the lineup with John Giudice (first-half totals: .268 batting average and team highs of 11 home runs and 40 RBI), Nate Holdren (.274, 8, 37) and Light (.327, 12, 51 at Asheville).
Salem welcomes Asheville ace Chandler Martin to a rotation that at times has pitched brilliantly. Martin was 9-0 at Asheville and 1-0 during an emergency promotion to Class AA New Haven.
Although the parent Colorado Rockies are still a young major-league organization, they seem to be developing a solid minor-league system. Asheville, for example, won the Sally League's first-half Central title with the highest winning percentage in the minors (.701, 47-20).
``We got one of Asheville's best pitchers, but we didn't deplete their staff,'' said McGuire. ``They're still competitive. The [Rockies] organization wants to be competitive at every level'' in the minors.
Salem certainly was competitive in the first half, but one still must wonder how strong this team could have been had first baseman Todd Helton and outfielder Derrick Gibson not skipped the Carolina League on their way to New Haven.
Nevertheless, McGuire still has some talent to work with. Martin will join lefties Doug Million (6-4 and a candidate for promotion), and Mike Vavrek (5-4), who has struggled for nearly a month, and righties Stephen Shoemaker (0-2) and Matt Pool (4-3) in the rotation.
The Avalanche also will be adding another left-handed starter in Michael Kusiewicz, who has been on the disabled list at New Haven after going 8-4 with a league-low 2.06 ERA at Asheville last season.
The bullpen could be a problem if closer Luis Colmenares does not revert back to his early-season form, when he saved 10 games in a month.
``Right now, I'm not worried about the pitching,'' said McGuire. ``I've got confidence in these guys.''
He also has confidence in the offense, which could benefit from another left-handed bat. John Fantauzzi, the only lefty swinger (although Elvis Pena switch-hits), leads the team with a .321 average but hasn't hit a home run. The Avalanche batted just .249 versus right-handers in the first half.
No.1 and No.2 hitters Pena and Kyle also must get on base to set the table for the middle of the order.
Pena ended the first half on a 16-for-47 tear to raise his average to .227, but his .359 on-base percentage is low for a leadoff hitter. Houser, a Carolina League All-Star shortstop, has slumped recently and finished the half at .237.
``Pena and Houser have to get a lot of runs,'' said McGuire. ``If they do, we can score a lot of runs.''
LENGTH: Medium: 73 linesby CNB