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Boise faces early season crossroad
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Frustration, 100-plus degree weather, an 0-11 start and an unfamiliar roster have not kept the Boise Hawks’ faithful away from Memorial Stadium this season. In fact, Hawks fans plan to stick out the team’s slow start come the good, bad and the downright ugly.
Record temperatures have not phased loyal fan Cathy Reynolds and her family.
“Win or lose we are here for the Hawks,” Reynolds said. “We have faith they will turn this around. They have before and we know they can again.”
So far this season, despite the slow start, Boise has managed to keep the stands near capacity.
A week ago a turnaround seemed an insurmountable challenge. Things could not have been more bleak for the Hawks. The team found itself 0-11 for the first time in its history, had only three players from last season’s roster and faced the demanding task of playing 76 games in 79 days without establishing a recognizable team chemistry.
“Every year we face a tough task having such a short season and so many changes,” Hawks Manager Tom Beyers said.
“These guys come together days before the season begins and play almost every day for three months. That’s not easy for anybody, but when you’re a professional that’s what you
have to do.”
Professionals or not, the Hawks have their work cut out for them. As of last Monday Boise was last in the Northwest League in runs scored, RBIs, total bases, stolen bases, batting average, on-base percentage and slugging percentage.
“When you lack in that many areas every night you’re bound to be pretty bad,” Beyers said. “Some nights we struggle in one area, then some nights we struggle in almost all areas.”
All hope is not lost for the Hawks, however. Boise has won five of its last six to improve to 5-12 and found itself out of the division cellar and only four games out of first place – a near miracle considering where the Hawks were.
For some, like Beyers, this season may seem like something familiar. Last season the Hawks lost their first four games to kick off the 2006 season and were 2-9 this time last July. Then Boise won 42 of its last 65 games and went on to capture its 11th division title since 1991.
Unfortunately for Boise, that Hawks squad was much different than this one. Last year’s team was peppered with familiar names and high-quality draft picks including 2006 fifth-rounder Jeff Samardzija, 2006 first-rounder Tyler Colvin and 2005 first-rounder Mark Pawelek.
“Those were great players and contributed a lot to our turnaround and our overall success,” Beyers said. “But, our guys have heard those things a hundred times this season and for me and this team we’re out to prove they have nothing to do with us right now.”
Meanwhile, things for the Hawks went from hopelessly ugly to downright bad and have now miraculously begun to turn a corner for the better. Through 13 games the Hawks were outscored 72-39, but have since batted in 29 runs in their last three games at home.
“We feel like things are getting better and we’re ready to compete now,” catcher Steve Clevenger said. “The guys are playing harder now and are beginning to believe in themselves.”
Clevenger is one of only three players back from last season’s roster. Catcher Mario Mercedes and outfielder Sammy Baez join Clevenger in the quest to teach teammates valuable lessons they learned last season.
“We did learn a lot last season that has helped already this season,” Clevenger said. “I’m most concerned about getting better everyday and playing well in front of our home fans.”
Playing 76 games in 79 days is no easy task, no matter what level of baseball you are playing. Class A baseball is compact, repetitious and exhausting. It’s a proving ground for aspiring underdogs and potential major league superstars. So with wins and even the awful losses early on this season, the Hawks take it one day at a time and learn valuable lessons along the way.
“At the end of the day we want these guys to develop their individual skills,” Beyers said. “We want them to feel good about themselves. When we do those two things together we win and that’s ultimately what we want.”
Beyers is a long way from declaring the Hawks in a state of emergency, but he knows this slow start could cost his team in the long run. Although the 2006 Hawks were able to salvage a 2-9 start, the 2005 squad was not quite as fortunate. That team found itself precisely where this years team sits, at 5-12 in early July. It failed to launch a 2006-like turnaround and finished the season 34-42. That record was the second worst in the league that year and one this 2007 team will do all it can to avoid.
“There is no doubt this team wants to avoid that,” Beyers said. “But it’s early and time will tell which way they choose to go.”
In the meantime Boise can find bright spots in the bullpen. The Hawks parent team, the Chicago Cubs, have tabbed starting pitcher Chris Huseby as one of their top prospects currently in Boise. Prior to the season, “Baseball America” ranked the 19-year-old right-hander the No. 9 prospect in the organization. Thus far Huseby, who underwent Tommy John ligament replacement surgery in 2005, has struggled, but remains a top prospect.
“We work with all our guys and focus on making them better everyday,” Beyers said. “We have some solid guys in our bullpen and that will help.”
Boise hopes higher, better quality draft picks like Huseby could be on the way. This year’s team is young and largely untested. The highest drafted player on this season’s team is 2007 sixth-round pitcher Casey Lambert.
“We are young and these guys haven’t played with each other before, so we know it will take some time,” Beyers said. “We’re optimistic and committed to improving every night.”
TATE CASTLETON
Assistant Sports Editor