Your All-Time Jersey Shore Team

I thought this seemed like a fun idea.  To find the best team I could from former Jersey Shore teams.  Rules: You can only use a player once, regardless if he played another position.  Some decisions were tough, some were easy, but here you have it:  

SP: 2019 Jose Ramos.  23-6, 2.76 ERA, 2.88 FIP, 1.05 WHIP, 8.2 WAR

SP: 2014 Dan Macias. 20-8, 2.82 ERA, 2.81 FIP, 1.16 WHIP, 8.9 WAR

SP: 2015 Art Ellis. 13-8, 2.94 ERA, 3.73 FIP, 1.20 WHIP, 5.0 WAR

SP: 2019 Sergio Martinez. 17-3, 3.08 ERA, 1.28 WHIP, 4.5 WAR

SP: 2017 Greg Schaefer. 18-3, 3.82 ERA, 1.15 WHIP, 3.9 WAR

MR: 2016 Jose Gomes. 10-1, 4 saves. 1.31 ERA, 2.05 FIP, 1.02 WHIP, 3.6 WAR

MR: 2014 Daniel Morris. 6-5, 31 saves.  1.52 ERA, 1.94 FIP, 1.03 WHIP, 2.0 WAR

MR: 2013 Lucio Tapia. 8-1, 2 saves.  2.19 ERA, 1.77 FIP, 1.21 WHIP, 3.0 WAR

MR: 2019 Jose Ruiz.  6-3, 40 saves. 2.83 ERA, 2.92 FIP, 1.09 WHIP, 1.3 WAR

MR: 2013 Ciro Roghi. 1-0, 0 saves. 1.95 ERA, 2.15 FIP, 1.30 WHIP, 1.2 WAR

CL: 2017 Jaime Saenz. 8-2, 49 saves.  1.94 ERA, 1.96 FIP,  0.99 WHIP, 2.8 WAR

C: 2013 Jorge Lozano. .303/.388/.511.  36 2B, 24 HR, 107 RBI, 5.1 WAR

C: 2017 Warren Goyer. .257/.329/.541. 20 2B, 42 HR, 116 RBI, 3.4 WAR

1B: 2015 Matt Doyle. .302/.386/.572.  25 2B, 44 HR, 147 RBI, 5.7 WAR

1B: 2021 Tadahisa Kisuki.  .366/.424/.560.  32 2B, 18 HR, 57 RBI, 5.7 WAR

2B: 2016 Mike Bryant.  .347/.407/.618.  48 2B, 40 HR, 158 RBI, 9.6 WAR

3B: 2015 Adam Morrow. .282/.402/.360.  31 2B, 4 HR, 61 RBI, 3.9 WAR

3B: 2012 Parker Morrow. .313/.390/.418.  29 2B, 10 HR, 62 RBI. 3.6 WAR

SS: 2020 Lawrence Schroeder.  .306/.341/.542.  27 2B, 19 HR, 74 RBI, 4.7 WAR

SS: 2011 Jerome Lindsey.  .343/.427/.480.  23 2B, 9 HR, 56 RBI, 4.2 WAR

UTIL: 2020 Fabrice Brodeur.  .325/.365/.465.  29 2B, 10 HR, 61 RBI, 3.4 WAR

OF: 2021 Dave Dodd.  .388/.455/.799.  46 HR, 119 RBI, 9.7 WAR

OF: 2011 Mason Bonniface. .328/.433/.556.  23 HR, 78 RBI, 6.1 WAR

OF: 2010 William Hinson.  .308/.404/.538.  23 HR, 91 RBI, 4.3 WAR

OF: 2013 Leon Foster.  .272/.338/.567.  33 HR, 105 RBI, 3.7 WAR

Starting Lineup:

SP: 2014 Dan Macias. 20-8, 2.82 ERA, 2.81 FIP, 1.16 WHIP, 8.9 WAR

1.  SS 2011 Jerome Lindsey

2. DH 2021 Tadahisa Kisuki

3. 2B 2016 Mike Bryant

4. RF 2021 Dave Dodd

5. 1B 2015 Matt Doyle

6. C 2013 Jorge Lozano

7. LF 2011 Mason Bonniface

8. CF 2013 Leon Foster

9. 3B 2015 Adam Morrow

How does your team stack up?

GO D-BAGS

2016 Offseason: Jersey Shore

After taking a tough loss in Game 7 of the World Series against the mighty Hendersonville Hitmen, there was a lot of uncertainty when it came to Jersey players.  A lot of star players with contracts set to be up, a player's option and a few holes opening up.  Here's what has happened since that fateful day in Hendersonville.

 The day after the season Leon Foster decided to accept his 13.87 Million dollar option he was given in 2013 as part of his 4 year extension.  After starting out decent last season Foster strained his hip and missed 3 months.  Jersey brass thought it was inevitable he would take the option but I think deep down everyone hoped he would turn it down.  Foster should start in CF, at least against lefties, this up coming season.  Foster sits 8th on the All-time HR list with 205.

The first two weeks of November had to feel like Christmas for many Jersey Shore fans.  On November 4th Jersey announced they bought out 2, possibly 3 years of arbitration and signed superstar 1B Matt Doyle to a 6 year deal worth 39.35 million dollars.  The deal will keep Doyle in Jersey through the age of 32.  Doyle led the CL in HR last year with 44 and only 2 seasons into his Jersey career he sits only behind Mikey Bryant on the Jersey Shore all time HR list with 77.

Three days later on November 7th, Jersey announced they avoided losing their FA deadline pickup Jerry Burgess by agreeing to a 5 year contract worth 45.29 million dollars.  Burgess won 7 starts after coming over from El Paso and was vital in their playoff run winning 3 of his 6 starts and keeping Jersey within striking distance in Game 7.

Five days after the Burgess signing, Jersey announced they had come to an agreement with FA to be and arguable ace of the staff 30 year old Art Ellis to a 6 year contract which will keep him in Jersey for the remainder of his career.  Ellis posted one of the best seasons put up by a Jersey hurler, posting a 2.94 ERA and striking out 210.

On November 21st, the league announced that MR Brian White recieved a new contract worth 600K through arbitration, which was no surprise, and Catcher Luis Antonio Duran won his arbitration hearing and will receive $8.75 million this upcoming season.  With Duran's number being that high, there is probably a slim chance he will be back for 2017.  Regardless he will be starting the season as the team's starting catcher.

Free agency started November 24th and Jersey said good-bye to two players.  The first being one of the longest tenured player closer Daniel Morris.  With the money going to the starters, there was just not enough to go around.  Morris leaves Jersey leading the team in all-time ERA (2.59), Saves (170), appearances (387), BB/9 (2.0), K/BB (4.18), WHIP (1.17), OOPS (.626) and VORP (139.4). 

Also departing through free agency is the speedy OF Scott Powers, who spent 3 years in Jersey after a trade from Niagara Falls. Powers a multi-use speedy OF, never lived up to the potential Jersey thought they would get when they made the trade in 2013.  His spot on the roster will go to one of the money OF Jersey has stashed away in AAA.

The Rule V draft took place on December 1st and with the 22nd pick Jersey selected MR David Rice with the 22nd pick.  Rice of the former Pittsburgh (now Chicago) franchise.  Rice will become the 2nd lefty in the pen after new closer Jaime Saenz.  Last season Rice pitched in AA and a 3.61 ERA and 140 K's in 124.2 IP.

Jersey also lost a player in the Rule V draft as well.  St. Charles selected speedy utility infielder Dave Henson whom Jersey signed to a MLC in 2014 after being released from Vista.  Henson hit .270 with 14 SB in 63 AB with Tuscaloosa last season.

Towards the end of Spring Training Jersey made a couple of waiver moves.  The first being claiming MR Chris Woodruff from the Jacksonville Jackhammers.  Woodruff struggled in Jacksonville last year posting a 6.44 ERA in 50.1 IP, but the Jersey brass must have seen some potential.

On the same day Jersey claimed Woodruff, Boston claimed 1B Edgardo Gonzales.  Gomzales who has been with Jersey since the inaugural draft always has played well in AAA but has had trouble cracking the 25-man roster.  Gonzales got only 29 AB in the last 3 seasons.

On April 2nd, the day before the season was set to begin Jersey announced another contract extension.  One of the best hitters in last year's playoffs 3B Alberto Perez agreed to a 4 year deal buying out his arbitration years worth nearly $8M dollars.  Perez is slated to start at 3B this season with Adam Morrow sliding over to SS.

Losses: CL Daniel Morris, CF Scott Powers, SS Dave Henson, 1B Edgardo Gonzales
Additions: MR Dave Rice, MR Chris Woodruff
Extensions: SP Jerry Burgess, SP Art Ellis, 1B Matt Doyle, 3B Alberto Perez

2016 is here! Look for the roster breakdown, coming soon!

GO D-BAGS

Jersey Shore July 2015 In Review

July was a successful month for Jersey who compiled a 15-8 record in the game shortened month causes by the All Star break.  The stars showed up to shine and the Bags will start August with a 4.5 game lead in the Wild Card race over the Austin River Sharks.  It's an odd place for Jersey who usually finds itself chasing other teams at this point and not holding any sort of lead.

Players of the Month

2B Mike "The MACHINE" Bryant: .385/.431/.703 8 HR 30 RBI 22 R.  Why not start off with the CL Player of the Month?  Bryant won the award for the 2nd time in his career for the month of July, he also won it July of 2014 as well.  Bryant had 12 multi hit games, 9 multi RBI games, including having 4 RBI on 3 separate occasions.  He started at 2B for the CL All Star team earlier in the month and has put himself back into the midst of MVP talks for the 2nd year in a row.

1B Matt "Down Home" Doyle: .357/.421/.667 8 HR 30 RBI.  Doyle joined Bryant to create quite the 2 some for the month.  He was also selected as a reserve for the All Star game and matched Bryant's HR and RBI totals.  The combined 16 HR and 60 RBI in 23 games is an incredible amount.  It was Doyle's 2nd 8 HR and 30 RBI month of the season, the other coming in May.  He currently sits 2nd in the league in HR and leads the league in RBI, also he was the first BSA player to reach 100 RBI on the season.

3B Adam Morrow: .323/.405 31 H 13BB 16R.  Super rookie continues to impress as he had his 3rd 30 hit month of the season.  Leading off most games he ranks in the Top 10 in the CL in hits and runs.  He has put himself right in the thick of things in a crowded CL ROY conversation as well.

SP Jerry Burgess: 4-0  2.70 ERA  28K/4BB  0.90 WHIP.  The new acquisition dazzled winning all 4 starts after coming over from El Paso.  His 4 wins were more than he had in 3 months with El Paso and his first month with less than double digit walks.  Apparently the bats like when he is on the month as well, in his 4 starts they scored:  11, 14, 13 and 15 runs in his starts. 

SP Art Ellis: 3-0  2.01 ERA  1.12 WHIP  26K/6BB.  Ellis continued his torrid first season with the Bags and is making a run at Dan Macias's team record for ERA which he set last year at 2.82.  After his last July start he sits at 2.44.  Ellis was selected to the All Star for the 2nd time this month and his first time since the 2011 season.

MR Jaime "Mungo" Saenz: 2-0  1.35 ERA   0.75 WHIP 16K.  After a rough start to the season in April for Mungo, he finished July as the 3rd month in a row with an ERA sub 2.00.  The hard throwing lefty is having a bounce back season after a "down" 2014.  This marks the 2nd year in a row he has registered 9 wins, he currently sits at 9-0.

CL Daniel Morris:  1-0  6 Saves  1.08 ERA  0.96 WHIP.  Morris had been having the exact opposite of what a contract season should be, but July he finally looked like the Morris of old.  2015 marked the 2nd year in a row Morris was left off the CL All Star team after a streak of making the team 3 years in a row.

Roster Questions, Changes and Answers

Leon Foster still has 3 weeks left on the DL and we won't see him probably until late August or September.  Scott Powers suffered a Knee contusion on 7/23 and will miss 3 weeks with the injury.  With him being out of the lineup it gave more AB's to Sergio Rodriguez and Taro Kino in the OF. Sergio had 60 AB in July and hit .300 with 2 HR.  

Jose Gomes was also injured on 7/30 with some shoulder tendonitis and is set to miss 3 weeks.  In his absence the Bags added Takafumi Ogusuku, the Japanese native to the 40 man roster and the active roster.  In one game in July he gave up 3 ER in 2.1 IP vs San Fransisco.  At only 19 years old he rose quickly through the Bags system to make it to the big club.

Edgardo Gonzales, Aaron Bailey and Tim Duncan continue to impress in AAA Tuscaloosa for the Bags but right now there just isn't any room for any bats.  Look for one or all 3 of them to get September callups to see what they can do for the big club, especially if the Bags start to pull away in the WC race. 

GO D-BAGS 

April 2015 In Review

It seems like the season just got underway and POOF we have a full month under our belts.  Technically we are 17% of the way through 2015 just like that.  This season started again with high expectations for your Jersey Shore D-Bags.  After winning a franchise high 94 games last season, they bring back a nearly identical team with added pitching ace Art Ellis. The season started in true D-Bag fashion, with the Bags dropping 3 in a row for a quick 0-3 start.  They would rebound at one time winners of 7 straight and even a 2-3 final week of the month the Bags finish with a 18-10 record, good for a share of the CL East lead with the Greenville 84's and a comfy 3 game Wild Card lead at this point in the season.  The April mark bests last year's 15-13 record by 3 games, but the Bags open May up with a tough stretch.  They will finish out their 4 game set with  the 84's with 2 more games, travel to defending BSA Champions Hendersonville for a 3 game set before coming home to greet the current NL West leaders Los Cabos for a 3 game tilt.  Also during month includes a trip to Toronto who holds a BSA record of 23-5 and also a visit by NL West leading St. Charles.  May will really determine how serious this team is about contending this year.

Players of the Month

SP Rob Goodship 2-0, 2.09 ERA, 25K.  After 1 month of play surprise, surprise Goodship leads the CL league in ERA.  In 6 starts he has given up 2 or more runs only twice and if he had any run support at all he would be sitting at 4+ wins.  It's great to see him finally turn a corner after a down Sophmore year.

SP Art Ellis 1-0, 2.49 ERA, 38K, 5QS.  Speaking of run support, where is it for Ellis??  Jersey is averaging 2.83 runs per game for his starts which shows with Ellis only having 1 win on record despite being superb thus far.  Any of the critics who said they gave up too much for Ellis is eating crow right now

MR Jose Ruiz 2-1, 1.38 ERA, 1.00 WHIP, 10/3 K/BB.  While the likes of Saenz and Morris in the pen have been struggling, rookie Ruiz has stepped in nicely to add to an already formidable bullpen.  At only 22 years old look for Ruiz to be around for awhile throwing that high 90's heater.

3B Adam Morrow .355/.454/.445, 19R, 39H, 7 2B.  When Parker Morrow was traded giving way for rookie Adam Morrow to start I don't think anyone saw this hot start coming.  Hitting primarily out of the 2 hole Morrow has been an OBP machine on pace to best 100 runs scored and 100 base-on-balls.  Bryant then Doyle now Morrow, third year in a row a rookie could be an added impact bat in this Jersey lineup.   It's been almost 2 years since we broke down Morrow, read about what we thought about him then, right here.

RF Al Ryan .439/.500/.805.  3HE, 10RBI, 6 2B.  We saw what Ryan could do last year as he blasted 20 HR as a rookie for this team and he just continues to add to that this year.  He started out as a 4th OF but has slowly been taking playing time away from veterans Leon Foster and Scott Powers as he rakes with the hot stick.  He only played in 18 games, but is hitting .500/.570/.867 against RHP.  Hard to keep that out of the lineup.

Roster Questions, Changes and Answers

Even though we did have some nice breakout performers there were also those players who still have us scratching our heads.  First that comes to mind is CL Daniel Morris.  The usual steady rock has blown 5 saves already and attributed for 4 losses.  To put that in perspective that's as many saves as he has blown in the past 2 years combined.  He has already walked as many batters as he did all of last season as well in 43 less innings.  There have been talks of taking him out of the closers role to regain composure, we will see if it happens.

Matt Doyle, Luis Antonio Duran, Peter Larson and Antonio Ruiz are all hitting below the .225 mark.  These of course are all plenty below career marks and could be a concern.  On the bright side Doyle leads the team in HR and RBI while Duran and Larson both have matching OBP's of .379, not hitting could cause a decrease in playing time. 

While there may not be any roster changes for now, look for a mix up in the backup catching situation this month as Albert Lopez has struggled mightily having only 3 hits in 34 AB's.  Also former Rule V pick Jose Ortiz will have to be called up in the next 2 weeks as he rehab assignment will end and look for him to replace Taro Kino or possibly 1B Derrick Wright.  There are also a slew of players hitting the snot out of the ball in AAA, including CF Tim Duncan, 3B Alberto Perez, LF Sergio Rodriguez and 2B Aaron Bailey.  Depth is never a problem and you never know when an extra bat might come in handy.

May should be a tough month, let's hope the D-Bags can win enough to keep up with Greenville!

GO D-BAGS

Slow Start

After a hot spring training the Bags were looking to change things up and get off to a hot start this year in 2015.  5 out of there first 6 games were decided by 1 run and left the D-Bags with a 2-4 record.  At the half way part of the month the Bags sit 8-6 with some surprises, both good and bad.

The Good:

Starting pitching has been excellent.  Jersey's starters sit with an ERA of 3.17 which is 4th in the league. Led by Art Ellis, Rob Goodship and Greg Shaefer who all have an ERA under 2.75.

The rise of Adam Morrow.  The draftee of 2010 (one round behind Mike Bryant) waited patientlly putting up huge numbers in AAA back to back years. Now hitting either leadoff or in the 2 hole has gotten off to a scorching start hitting .367 with an OBP of .441 and a team high 10 runs scored.

The return of dominant middle men.  The combination of Gomes, Saenz and Ruiz have been virtually unhittable giving up 10 hits in 22 2/3 IP while giving up 3 runs and striking out 23 while picking up 3 of the team's 8 wins thus far.

The Bad:

Bats off to a slow start.  Although with each sim the batting average goes up a little bit each, it still sits at .242 which is 10th in the league and a slugging percentage of .403 which is 8th in the league.  These are bound to go up but they can be attributed to the low scoring 1 run losses. 

Mike Byrant and Peter Larson slow starters.  When the 2-3 hitters in your lineup are either below 200 or barely above you know you will have problems.  Larson, though taking walks at a high pace has not hit....at all, getting 8 hits in 53 AB.  Mike Bryant who is and will be the catalyst of this offense, got off to a brtual start hitting .156 with no HR or RBI in the team's first 7 games.  He has turned it on some hitting a couple of bombs and raising the average to .213, but he needs to step it up.

Daniel Morris not automatic?  In the first 3 games he pitched in, he gave up 6 runs, struck out only 2 batters and attributed for 2 losses and a blown save.  Though in the last 4 games he has given up 1 hit, it was totally unlike Morris, who is usually Mr. Automatic.  It won't matter if the pen is lights out if Morris isn't.

As usual Greenville is off to a hot start.  Despite a few key injuries already, the 84's have raced out to an 11-2 record, 3.5 games ahead of the Bags.  They don't play their first series with Greenville until the end of the month giving the 84's plenty of time to cool down before these teams meet. 

GO D-BAGS

2015 Is Here; And a Major Change

Welcome back D-Bag fans!  As I type this we are just days away from the start of a new and exciting season full of promise for your Jersey Shore D-Bags!  We have a few new faces, but for the most part the Bags bring back the majority of the same team that won a team record 94 games last season.

The major news in the off-season is the addition of SP Art Ellis.  Ellis pitched in Madison last year after 3.5 seasons in Hendersonville.  He marks the first player ever to come play for the D-Bags who has a BSA championship ring from the current period, and he has 2.  After an injury plagued season in Madison last year which held him to 23 starts, he is healthy and ready to be the #2 starter behind Cy Young runner up Dan Macias.  This could be the 1-2 punch Jersey has been looking for in previous years.  For his career Ellis has won 89 games while posting a 3.83 ERA.

As of opening day the rotation will look like this:

1. Dan Macias

2. Art Ellis

3. Rob Goodship

4. Greg Shaefer

5. Kenny Stanford

 After losing Marv Williams to injury for most of the season, he became a FA and ultimately signed with the New Orleans Looters.  Gordon Brown was traded for right before the deadline and an extension couldn't be reached and he signed a 1 year deal with Niagara Falls this off-season.  With neither of these players being retained it opened up a spot in the bullpen.  After some solid pitching in Spring Training, the open spot will go to 22 year old Jose Ruiz.  Ruiz has climbed through the Jersey system since 2010 and finished last year with a 3.27 ERA in AAA along with 56 K in 41.1 innings.

The current bullpen looks like this:

MR1 Lucio Tapia

MR2 Jose Ruiz

MR3 Brian White

SU1 Jose Gomes

SU2 Jamie Saenz

CL Daniel Morris

Much of the faces on offense will look the same, in fact every players has had some playing time in a Jersey uniform except one player.  That player is OF Jose Ortiz.  Ortiz was picked in the Rule V draft coming over from the Reno organization.  He is 26 and never played above A ball, but Jersey think he has the type of skills to compete for the 4th-5th OF position.  In order to acquire Art Ellis the D-Bags traded all time hits leader Parker Morrow.  Morrow had been a D-Bag since the inception of the league and while it was sad to see him go, he will be replaced in the lineup by another Morrow, Adam Morrow.

The opening day starting lineup will look like this:

RF Peter Larson

3B Adam Morrow

1B Matt Doyle

2B Mike Bryant

DH Manny Romero

SS Antonio Ruiz

CF Leon Foster

C Luis Antonio Duran

LF Scott Powers

With a bench of:

C Albert Lopez

1B Derrick Wright

SS Marvin Taylor

LF Taro Kino

RF Al Ryan

RF Jose Ortiz*  Will begin year on DL.

With much of the team in tact, Ellis adding to the rotation, Peter Larson and Matt Doyle staples in the top of the lineup for the whole year, Jersey has a reason to be excited.  Expectations are high, but still have to some how find a way to overcome the dominance of the Greenville 84's and the tough competition atop of CL.

Jersey needed a change, not a managerial change, not a player change....but a change.  Something to break them out of their slump of missing the playoffs and something to send them over the top.  And with that, I would like to introduce to you the new logo of the Jersey Shore D-Bags.

Boom.  Enjoy.  

GO D-BAGS

Jersey Shore - April 2013

Normally when a season starts the D-Bags stumble out of the gate only to rite the ship later on in the season.  Not this year as the Bags starter April out with a bang, compiling an 18-10 record including a 10-1 home record where their only home loss came on the last home game of the month to Denver.  The run included average starting pitching, great bullpen help and some new found power along with the TL's top batting average.

Players of the Month:

MR Marv Williams: 1-0, 1.98 ERA, 0.88 WHIP, 13K's.  Though I could have chose a number of relievers from the bullpen, I chose Williams because of the shock value.  Selected with a high pick in the inaugural draft, Williams failed as a starter and a reliever with the D-Bags. After an ERA over 5.30 last year in 15 games it looked as if his time had passed, until this year came around.  Williams dominated in ST, earning him the last spot in the bullpen.  April he posted an ERA under 20, seeing time in 20 of the D-Bags 28 games. Maybe his time to contribute has finally arrived.

CL David Morris:  1-1, 9 Saves, 0.69 ERA, 0.85 WHIP.  I couldn't help adding him as a POTW once again, his stats are ridiculous.  He did have one BS, which came in his first game of the season and was perfect from there on out.  He is making over $7 million this year, and was an All-Star last year, but this is what to expect out someone of his caliber.

C Jorge Lozano: 3 HR, 20 RBI, .408 BA, 1.081 OPS.  After splitting time with Ramirez last season Lozano won the job out of spring training and took off. He led the TL in batting average was all over the base paths with 40 hits, 10 BB"s compared to only 5 K's.  Is it a surprise he is in a contract year?

2B Marvin Taylor: 3 HR. .373/.453/.640.  The super multi use player jumped onto the scene in April.  He played mainly 2B with Fred Ross out of the lineup and was quickly moved to the 2 slot where he scored 14 runs and was on base all the time.  After posted a time low -7.9 VORP last year, the 27 year old seems to have found himself a starting job.

RF/CF Leon Foster:  7 HR, 26 RBI.  In the offseason Jersey wanted a right handed hitting power OF, they seemd to have found it.  Foster led the team in HR and was Top 5 in the league in RBI.  His average and K's were down, but he was brought in to produce runs and did exactly that in April.  First month, first POTW!

Roster Changes, Questions and Answers:

Well on the injury front, so far so good.  But we know that will not last all season.  The only injury the team has suffered was the one to Fred Ross in the off-season and Marvin Taylor has stepped in more than likely better what Ross could have put up.  There is a lot of depth in the minor leagues, so if any injuries do take place, there should be adequate backups.  

Not everyone tore April up like the POTM's.  OF Michael Paul had an atrocious start to the season.  The normal OBP machine started out 3 for 45 with XBH and 8 K's.  He split time with Ramon Tavarez, who didn't hit much better but did have a HR and 5 RBI.  Manny Romero who won one of the last spots on the roster had ample opportunity in April but struggled at a .200 Avg while slugging 2 HR.  SP Alex Torrez also struggled with a 5.60 ERA but managed to win 2 games despite 0 quality starts in 5 starts.

Jerry Paige and Greg Schafer are waiting in AAA for their shot at the rotation and Torrez among others could be at risk to lose their starting spot.  There are 5 regulars hitting over .300 in AAA and 5 regulars with more than 7 HR's in Tuscaloosa.  A many number of players could see action over the next month.

There are a lot of division games and a big series with LAB coming up in May.  While a winning percentage of .643 might not be obtainable, look for Jersey to have continued success as long as the starting pitching does not completely implode.

GO D-BAGS!