The Barnstormers are in an offensive swoon that didn't change during Saturday's desultory 5-2 loss to the York Revolution before a holiday crowd of 7,567 at Clipper Magazine Stadium.
Media Center
Related Topics
Related Stories
It was a game played with roster moves looming. One was made — a blockbuster — after the game. Another is — equally big, if it works out — is coming soon.
The Barnstormers released outfielder Quincy Foster, manager Von Hayes announced afterward.
Foster, 34, is one of the most popular players in club history, helped the Barnstormers to their only Atlantic League championship and was here for parts of four of the franchise's five seasons.
He was also hitting .180 in 50 at-bats over 14 games.
"It wasn't a tough decision at all, not when he's hitting a buck-eighty,'' Hayes said.
It probably wasn't only about numbers.
"Things weren't going according to plan, and I said some things I shouldn't have said,'' Foster acknowledged in the corridor outside the team's clubhouse.
"I came back here because I wanted to play ball in Lancaster. I thought I had a home here with the city, the team, and the fans. I'm not gonna go into any details, but if they help each other and play hard, they'll be fine, believe me.''
It was York's second straight win over Lancaster. The Barnstormers still lead this year's edition of the War of the Roses, 6-3.
The Revolution still has the Atlantic league's worst record (22-43), but has won six of its last 10.
York got solid pitching from four hurlers, and pulled away with five runs in a messy third inning and two more in a messier eighth.
The key to the second inning was a liner to center field by York's Tom Collaro. Lancaster CF Mike Woods took three hard steps in on the ball before realizing it was sailing over his head and all the way to the fence for a two-run triple.
The key to the York eighth was walks, three of them, issued by Lancaster relievers Eddie Camacho and Neal Musser, two of them with the bases loaded.
By that point the audience was sticking around only in anticipation of fireworks, but York kept raking in the ninth, scoring two more on doubles by Tom Collaro and Josh Johnson.
The Barnstormers got RBI singles from Gerard Haran in the fourth, scoring Woods, who had singled; and from Lloyd Turner in the seventh, scoring Campbell.
The Stormers simply aren't hitting much right now. Their only extra-base hit, a double by Michael Campbell in the seventh, was more well-placed than well-struck.
If you throw out a 10-run explosion June 25, the Barnstormers have scored 25 runs in their previous 10 games.
"I see a team missing some key players,'' Hayes said. "Other teams pitch around some guys, and that's it.
"We've got to get the right pieces out there, and that's right around the corner.''
L.J. Biernbaum, an outfielder hitting .320 with power in 164 plate appearances, was activated Saturday after a battle with back problems that may or may not be contributing to worrisome tingling in his legs.
Pitcher Trey Hodges, out since late May with a back problem, threw well in the bullpen Wednesday, will be activated today and will start Monday.
That meant the team had to make a roster move Saturday night, and probably another one in the next 48 hours if, as expected, Lancaster native Matt Watson becomes a Barnstormer.
Biernbaum will be limited to pinch-hitting for a few days, then perhaps DH for a few, to ensure that his legs are steady. But the eventual plan is for Biernbaum to be the everyday right fielder.
Watson, a McCaskey grad, has hit everywhere he's been in a 10-year career that has included stints in Japan and the big leagues with Oakland the New York Mets. He reportedly stormed the Clip-Joint fences in early BP work the past few days.
"He's got good bat speed, he stays behind the ball,'' Hayes said. "I'm sure he gonna be one of the better hitters in the league.''
Watson is also a corner outfielder. A Watson-Woods-Biernbaum outfield would surely be the best, at least offensively, in club history.
For what it's worth, the corner outfielders Saturday were Michael Campbell (.205 batting average/.273 on-base/.329 slugging percentage) and Ryan Mulhern (.218/.307/.340).
The Barnstormers, 30-35, must win their next five games to finished the first half of the AL season at .500.
That's just bookkeeping. The second half, with a new pennant race and a fresh start, begins Tuesday.
Mercifully.
Mike Gross is assistant sports editor of the Sunday News. E-mail him at mgross@lnpnews.com.
(719)
