By CHRIS BRANAM
Valley Press Staff Writer
Rick Burleson never went to a university, but he practically has a
doctorate in Baseball 101.
So the Lancaster JetHawks' manager for 1997 didn't have any trouble in pinpointing the reason for the team's second-half success.
"The chemistry really worked for us," he said after the team clinched the franchise's first playoff spot. "Everybody on the team contributed."
The team started in April with a mishmash of young players, veterans who were in make-or-break years and a first-year manager. After struggling to a 33-37 record at the all-star break, it looked like the year might get worse after several key players were promoted to Class AA Memphis.
Rob Luce, the ace of the staff with a 10-1 record, was sent up. So was starting catcher Dusty Wathan (.297 four homers, 35 RBI). So was outfielder Miguel Correa (.329, 15 homers, 47 RBI).
And so was all-star second baseman Chris Dean, who batted .336 with eight homers and 38 RBI in the first half.
Burleson was bracing himself after he saw Valley Division rival High Desert made a few adjustments, priming the Mavericks for a playoff run.
"We were wondering how we would have fared against High Desert with a Correa in the outfield, with a Luce in the rotation, with a Wathan behind the plate," he said after the JetHawks were swept out of the playoffs by the Mavericks on Sunday.
Sure, the JetHawks lost their last seven meetings with the Mavericks, counting the postseason. But instead of slumping, they surged during the second half.
"Right at the four-month period, we realized we had a chance (to make the playoffs)," Burleson said.
Lancaster finished 41-29 in the second half and 74-66 overall. The JetHawks clinched a spot in the playoffs with a gutty 3-0 win at Modesto. Appropriately, the game was won by a midseason replacement - Joe Mays.
Mays was among a contingent of players brought in to plug the holes. Yet, the call-ups were more than fillers.
Jason Regan, a 21-year-old utility infielder in his first full professional season, settled in at second base and hit 22 homers in the second half.
"I think (Regan)'s definitely done some things to open some eyes," said Mike Goff, the Mariners' coordinator of minor league instruction. "We're very pleased with his progress. I think he's surprised everybody."
The JetHawks suffered a key injury when Karl Thompson was sent down from Memphis to replace Wathan as the starting catcher. Thompson was the Wisconsin MVP in 1996 and he was going to be looked upon to replace Wathan's offense and defense.
That never happened, because he went on the disabled list with a shoulder injury after just six games and was lost for the season. Moving into Thompson's place was Jim Horner, who, like Regan, was a backup at Wisconsin in the first half.
Horner was streaky and he ended up with nine homers and a .258 average. But he lent a mental toughness to the pitching staff that was needed.
Mays, 21, rebounded from a rough debut to go 7-4 in the second half. Combined with his record at Wisconsin, the right-hander was 17-6 in 1997.
He was supposed to form a 1-2 punch when his Timber Rattlers teammate, right-hander Denny Stark, was promoted in early July. Stark sent a message by going eight innings in a win at High Desert in his JetHawks debut.
But then he went on the disabled list with an elbow injury two starts later and never returned.
And then there was Cirilo Cruz, the cousin of Jose Cruz Jr., who became the everyday third baseman soon after he was called up from Wisconsin to replace Carlos Villalobos. Villalobos was leading the team with a .347 average when he was traded to Detroit on July 18.
Cruz had several key late-inning hits and hit well enough to be put in the No. 2 slot in the order.
"He just gets in there and swings the bat," Burleson said of Cruz. "Some guys know how to play when the going gets tough and he can."
Goff said the organization knew what it was doing when all these key players were brought on board.
"I think we replaced them with guys who were just as good or better," he said.
Burleson agreed.
"I think it was a successful year," he said. "We ended up playing some guys that weren't everyday players in the Midwest League and they became everyday players here.
"That's the first time they were thrown into a situation where they were playing all the time," he said.
Home cooking
The JetHawks hitters definitely took advantage of playing half their games at The Hangar, where the wind causes singles to become doubles and doubles to become triples.
"It's no secret that we play better at home," Burleson said in midAugust.
Joe Mathis was the team's rock in center field and its offensive MVP. He set career highs across the board with 14 homers, 15 triples, 158 hits and 81 RBI.
Mathis wasn't the only one who excelled in '97.
Tarrik Brock enjoyed the best season of his seven-year career, with 104 hits and 40 stolen bases. James Clifford hit 25 homers. Joel Ramirez batted .280 as a utility infielder.
As a team, the JetHawks were among the league leaders in several categories. They were third in batting average (.271), second in homers (161) and second in runs scored (842).
On the flip side
Hitting at The Hangar wasn't a problem. But the pitching staff suffered its lumps statistically.
After sitting at the bottom of the league in staff ERA for most of the year, the JetHawks finished seventh at 4.74.
"I know they didn't like pitching there too much," pitching coach Jim Slaton said of his pitchers. "At times, it's just ridiculous. You really can't go by the stats."
A boon to the staff were the performances of Jason Bond and Joe Victery. Both were in the bullpen when the season began. They ended as two of the more dependable starters.
"Victery had spurts of doing really well," Slaton said. "Bond was super. We just stuck him in the rotation and we couldn't get him out of there."
Contrary to 1996, when the JetHawks lost several games in the late innings, the team had a closer this past season.
Left-hander Sean Spencer led the club with 18 saves and a 1.64 ERA.
"Spencer just had a fantastic season," Slaton said.
The future
Burleson seems intent on managing again in the minors. He wouldn't mind if it was with the JetHawks again.
"If I come back here. . . I'll welcome it," he said.
Slaton, the former AV High and Antelope Valley College standout who went on a solid major league career, was a good tutor to the young pitching staff. Although he says that he would like to advance to a higher level, he probably will be back with the team next year.
Dana Williams, the team's hitting coach, also showed patience with the hitters and a solid work ethic. Combine those attributes with his close friendship with Goff, and Williams is a virtual lock to return to the organization for '98.