By CHRIS BRANAM
Valley Press Staff Writer
LANCASTER - On paper, it looked like a staff that could rival any in the California League.
But it started unraveling before the season's first pitch was thrown.
The Lancaster JetHawks have watched helplessly after several key pitchers have gone down with injuries this season. Less than halfway through the season, they've already had to use the disabled list six times for pitchers.
The blackest day of the season came on May 13, when three pitchers were placed on the DL - Jeff Farnsworth, Kevin Gryboski and Sean Spencer.
The trainer's room has been buzzing with so much activity that JetHawks pitching coach Jim Slaton issued a tongue-in-cheek edict recently when he saw reliever Brian Sweeney casually grabbing his right arm during a conversation.
"You mean I can't just touch my arm?," Sweeney asked.
Slaton's answer was a firm, "No!"
Two days later, Slaton expressed frustration with his ragtag staff that currently includes only two pitchers who have three seasons or more of experience - starters Chris Beck and Eric Morgan.
"The injuries you know are going to happen - elbows and shoulders - those are pretty much the norm," Slaton said. "But bulging discs and staph infections, those are the things that are frustrating to me."
Slaton was referring to the injuries that felled two of his top relievers, Allan Westfall and Spencer.
Westfall had emerged as a potential closer early on, with three saves and an ERA that dropped to 0.87 on April 21. But a week later, he was on the shelf with a lower back problem.
Westfall, however, resumes throwing next week and may be back after the all-star break in June.
Spencer jumped into Westfall's role with a string of solid outings. But after he pitched two scoreless innings to pick up a save against San Bernardino on May 8, he developed a staph infection that required hospitalization.
"We have almost as many pitchers sitting in the stands than we have in the dugout," Spencer recently joked.
There were two ominous signs to start the season.
First, Farnsworth was left back in extended spring training after he experienced soreness in his right shoulder after a start. The Seattle Mariners' second pick in the June 1996 draft, Farnsworth was going to be the JetHawks' opening day starter.
Then Damaso Marte, who was penciled in as the club's No. 2 starter, developed a sore elbow after throwing in the JetHawksMariners exhibition game on Easter Sunday. He didn't make his first start until April 17.
"You lose one of those two, it's devastating," Slaton said. "You lose two, it's unbelievable."
The JetHawks dropped into last place in the league in staff ERA last week and carried a lofty 5.40 team ERA into Monday's game against Lake Elsinore.
Lancaster manager Rick Burleson, who has been involved with professional baseball for 27 years, said injuries are always a part of the game but this situation is pushing that dictum to the extreme.
"It would be nice to have our staff that we had in spring training intact," Burleson said. "But we have to try to win some games with what we have."