2014 Starts with Ups and Downs

2014 started with a 10 game home stretch with the D-Bags hoping to get off to a hot start inside the competitive CL East.  


Opening Day was festive in Jersey, as they packed 40,000+ fans to see their new Ace Dan Macias on the mound against division rival Pittsburgh Swag.  Opening turned into a slaughter.  Macias gave up 6 ER in 7+ IP, and the bullpen, usually the strong point, gave up 9 runs in 2 innings.  The offense wasn't any better with John Corrigan pitching a no-hitter into the 9th before Scott Powers banged out a double for the only D-Bags hit.  Final score 16-0 Pittsburgh Swag.


The D-Bag bounced back though, winning the next 3 from the Swag, including 2 1-run games.  A 3-1 start really was looking good after that first game.  Next coming into town were the Vista Panthers, who had started out 2-0, taking 2 games from Reno to start the year.  Vista came in swinging, but also pitching and left Jersey with a sweep.  Vista won with scores 3-2, 6-3, and 12-4 and left the fans wondering, where's the offense?


The schizophrenic  D-Bags then welcomed the newly relocated Indianapolis Lions to town and promptly swept them in 3 games.  2 3-game winning streaks and a 3-game losing streak muddled in the first 9 games of the year.  This team already reminds me of last year's up and down team.


GM Josh Swain was heard speaking to another GM these words, "If you told me my ace, No 2 and No 3 starters, as well as my middle man and my setup man would all get crushed and we would still e 6-4, hell I'd take it."  That is exactly what happened. Macias, Goodship, Paige, Tapia and Gomes all have ERA's over 7, while Goodship's hovers around 10 after 2 starts.


It hasn't been all bad though, Antonio Ruiz and Mike Bryant are leading the offense.  Bryant is hitting a scorching .391, while Ruiz is tied atop the CL RBI list with 13, while adding 4 HR.  The Bags as usual set in the Top 5 of almost every major batting category after 10 games.


Jersey will hit the road for the first time with a 3 game set with the Seattle Pikes, come home with 4 against the St. Louis Browns and then travel to St. Charles with a 3 game set with the Sheens.  We hope to see some better pitching from the big guns in these 10 games.


GO D-BAGS